"Seal of Reconciliation!"
The two boys pressed their palms together, completing the seal. Though Sasuke's hands were still trembling slightly, the excitement on his face couldn't be hidden.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see it—both were exceptionally talented. If things continued like this, the top student of this year's class would almost certainly be one of them.
The afternoon passed quickly. When it was finally time to go home, Uchiha Sasuke didn't waste a second. He slung his bag over his shoulder and rushed out, not even sparing Naruto a glance before disappearing down the road.
Naruto, on the other hand, didn't head for his usual training spot. Today, he had other plans. He'd learned from Iruka that the school library would be open, and he intended to take advantage of it.
Meanwhile, Sasuke ran home in high spirits. As he rounded a corner near a telephone pole, a familiar voice called out:
"Sasuke!"
Sasuke looked up. Instantly, joy lit up his face.
"Brother! What are you doing here?!"
Itachi stood above him, perched on the pole. Seeing Sasuke's expression, he leapt down lightly, landing with silent grace.
He had planned to wait at home, but the anticipation had been too strong. Instead, he came to wait along Sasuke's usual route, standing high to spot his little brother as soon as possible.
"I just finished my mission," Itachi said with a rare, warm smile. "I got here a moment ago."
He rarely smiled, but right now, in front of Sasuke, he couldn't help it.
I'll always protect you, little brother.
"Brother! I won first place in class today!" Sasuke said excitedly, bouncing on his toes. "The sparring match! I fought someone really strong. If he hadn't run out of stamina, I might've lost!"
"Haha, our Sasuke is amazing," Itachi said, gently pinching Sasuke's nose and ruffling his hair. Then he crouched down. "Hop on—I'll carry you."
Sasuke grinned and climbed onto his brother's back.
But when Itachi accidentally brushed against Sasuke's arm, Sasuke winced.
Itachi immediately stopped. He set Sasuke down gently and rolled up his sleeve. Bruises and faint red marks covered his forearm—evidence of powerful impacts.
This kind of damage wasn't something an average Academy spar could cause. Whoever Sasuke had fought, they weren't ordinary.
Itachi narrowed his eyes slightly. Someone in his class is already this strong?
Without another word, Itachi knelt and opened his ninja pouch, pulling out a bottle of anti-swelling spray and a roll of medical bandages. Every shinobi carried basic first-aid supplies—it was a habit that often meant the difference between life and death in the field.
"Brother, I'm fine," Sasuke muttered, pouting. "If Dad sees me bandaged up, he'll get mad…"
He didn't think the bruises were a big deal. One night of rest would probably be enough. But still, he didn't resist when Itachi began treating the injuries.
Then Sasuke paused, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
"Wait… how did you know my opponent was strong?"
Itachi smiled calmly.
"Sasuke, look at your arm. It's like this because you took a heavy hit. But you still won. That means your opponent either wasn't serious… or was hiding their strength."
He said it lightly, but inwardly, Itachi was genuinely curious. Who could've landed a hit like this on Sasuke?
"Damn it!" Sasuke clenched his fists. Now that he thought about it… it had felt strange. Uzumaki Naruto had started strong, but suddenly seemed exhausted. At the time, he thought Naruto had simply burned out.
But now… it was obvious.
"That guy held back!" Sasuke growled. "He threw the fight on purpose!"
Sasuke's pride burned. Naruto had toyed with him. He let Sasuke win.
"I'm going to beat him next time! Brother, you've got to teach me—show me how to get stronger!"
Itachi chuckled softly.
"Alright."
He crouched again, letting Sasuke climb back onto his back. As they walked into the setting sun, the brothers laughed together, their shadows stretching long behind them.
Elsewhere, Naruto had already returned home with the books he borrowed from the Academy library. The ninja on duty clearly didn't like him—like most adults in the village—but they still handed over the books with minimal fuss.
Naruto didn't care. What mattered was the knowledge.
He had borrowed three books in total. One of them caught his special attention: "Foundations of Genjutsu", a detailed introduction to illusions and their basic principles.
It described the theory behind Genjutsu, the hand seals commonly used, and techniques for breaking free when caught inside an illusion.
However, it didn't include training methods or advanced applications. That knowledge was reserved for those with actual Genjutsu talent.
Genjutsu, at its core, relied on manipulating the opponent's chakra flow and senses—usually through precise hand seals and sharp mental control. To deceive someone's senses so convincingly, a ninja needed strong spiritual power and a sharp, focused mind.
Most ninja didn't specialize in it. But those who did—like Yuhi Kurenai, a known Genjutsu expert—were incredibly dangerous on the battlefield.
Naruto flipped through the pages, absorbing everything.
Even if I don't have talent in Genjutsu, he thought, knowing how it works might save my life someday.
Naruto flipped through the book on Genjutsu with great focus.
According to its contents, his understanding was already comparable to those trained in illusion techniques—and with his current ability, even Genjutsu beneath the level of the Sharingan wouldn't be much of a threat.
Of course, this only referred to basic or intermediate illusions. When it came to Mangekyō Sharingan-level Genjutsu, it was an entirely different story.
But even then, the Uchiha clan didn't rely on Genjutsu alone. Their strength in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and their heightened perception made them dangerous in every aspect of combat. At the same level, most shinobi wouldn't be able to match them in a direct fight.
Naruto put the Genjutsu book aside and picked up the next one: a manual on basic Taijutsu—physical combat training.
It was filled with step-by-step techniques, training routines, breathing exercises, and conditioning regimens.
As he flipped through the pages, Naruto felt a familiar wave of mental notifications ring in his mind:
Principles of Genjutsu +5!
Principles of Genjutsu +6!
Basic Taijutsu Understanding +3!
Basic Taijutsu Understanding +2!
Just by reading, he could feel his comprehension deepening.
His insight into Genjutsu became sharper, more intuitive—as if years of accumulated experience were flowing directly into his mind. The smaller gains in Taijutsu made sense too—Naruto had already developed a decent foundation through his daily training, so there was less room for dramatic improvement in the basics.
The third book he had borrowed was on elementary trap-making.
It covered common mechanisms, tripwires, chakra-triggered traps, camouflage methods, and guidelines for setting up ambushes effectively. While not flashy, this kind of practical knowledge was invaluable—especially to someone like Naruto, who often relied on clever tactics to make up for disadvantages.
The library mostly contained introductory texts, and Naruto guessed that the more advanced materials were likely kept within the personal libraries of elite clans or locked away in Konoha's restricted archives.
Still, he was more than satisfied. The basics mattered—and if he could master them, he'd have a solid foundation others often overlooked.
One book in particular had caught Naruto's eye: "Detailed Explanation of Chakra Nature Transformation and Sealing Arts." Unfortunately, the library limited students to three books at a time, and he had to make a tough call.
With his current memory and comprehension ability—and the support of his unique power, Heaven Rewards Diligence—Naruto tore through the books with incredible speed, absorbing information effortlessly.
By the time he lifted his head again, his neck stiff and sore, it was already past midnight.
Even so, it had taken him the entire night to fully finish the three books.
He closed the final one with a deep breath. His understanding of Genjutsu, Taijutsu, and trap-making had improved vastly—comparable to someone who had studied these subjects for years. He could already feel new ideas bubbling in his mind—improvements to trap designs, combat strategies, and counter-illusion techniques.
He had chosen the trap-making book specifically because it supported his independent training. If he became proficient in setting traps, he could hunt and train more effectively on his own.
Satisfied, Naruto shut the last book and lay back on his bed, eyes still burning with quiet determination.
Although he had memorized and understood every word, and even gone beyond what was written in some areas, he didn't plan to return the books to the library the next day. For most people, just remembering a book's contents would be a miracle. But Naruto…
He didn't just remember them. He understood them—deeply, thoroughly, as if he had lived through their lessons. His mind was like a sponge, enhanced by a cheat-like power that rewarded his efforts tenfold.
A photographic memory and a busted ability that makes hard work pay off…
With these two things alone, how could I not surpass everyone else?
...
TN:
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