A new arrival and it's about Itachi God. So, do give it a go.
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***
Another half month passed.
Somewhere in the world, in a vast cave.
The cave had been artificially transformed into a massive base.
The most striking feature here was a massive lotus flower at its center.
Atop the lotus flower, a strange-looking monster sat cross-legged.
Its body was covered in protrusions like broken logs, and its head boasted nine eyes.
However, at this moment, those nine eyes were tightly closed.
"A month has passed, and you haven't found any clues yet?"
A deep voice suddenly echoed from the cave.
In front of the monster, in front of the masked man, Black Zetsu, wrapped in a giant pitcher plant, emerged from the ground.
"I've carefully investigated those within the Uchiha clan who might possess the MangekyÅ Sharingan, but everything appears normal. Nothing has been found," Black Zetsu said.
In his experience, this was something he had never seen before.
"After all, given the current situation in Konoha, even if someone possesses the MangekyÅ Sharingan, they won't display it easily."
While his intelligence-gathering abilities are formidable, the Sharingan's true form remains invisible to ordinary humans unless its possessor activates it.
"Never mind, no matter who it is, I won't let them get in my way again."
The masked man lowered his eyes and said, "For now, let's focus on strengthening our own forces."
"This attack not only failed to achieve our goals but also caused a lot of trouble," Black Zetsu sneered.
However, those spies from the Five Great Ninja Nations were nothing to him, and they couldn't do anything about it.
While the masked man's words were true, Black Zetsu knew that his last battle with the Fourth Hokage had left a mark on him.
Until then, he'd thought he'd surpassed his former teacher.
The final plan they intended to implement was still in the process of being put into action.
Now was far from the time to confront Konoha, or even the Five Great Ninja Nations.
After a month of reconstruction, the destroyed buildings in Konoha had been largely restored.
The ninja academy was about to reopen.
In Itachi Uchiha's hospital room.
"He's fine now," Shizune removed the IV drip from Itachi's hand.
Itachi, in his coma, relied on medication specially prepared by Tsunade to maintain his energy levels.
"Thank you," Izumi Uchiha bowed to Shizune.
Mikoto Uchiha had gone home to prepare dinner, so she was temporarily caring for Itachi.
"You're welcome," Shizune smiled faintly.
Tsunade folded her arms, leaning against the open doorframe.
"Shizune, starting tomorrow, you'll be responsible for caring for Itachi."
"Yes!"
Shizune nodded, and she saw a hint of reluctance in Izumi's eyes as she looked at Itachi.
She smiled softly at Izumi, "Don't worry, Aunt Mikoto and I will take good care of him. Just go back to school."
With the ninja academy reopening, Izumi naturally had to go back to school.
"Yeah," Izumi smiled back at Shizune.
After their time together, the two of them had a pretty good relationship.
At this time, Tsunade at the door turned her eyes and said, "You're here."
Minato Namikaze walked toward her and said with a smile, "Lady Tsunade."
"How is Itachi?"
Tsunade glanced back at Itachi on the hospital bed, then looked at Minato:
"Well, everything is pretty stable. After all, he inherited the blood of that clan."
What she was referring to was the blood of the Uchiha clan.
Although it is not as renowned as the Senju and Uzumaki clans for their physique, it is much stronger than ordinary people.
"The medicine I prepared for him will not only maintain his bodily functions but, over time, improve his physique."
Tsunade looked at Minato with some curiosity and said, "Now, I'd like to ask you, why are you so concerned about this kid's situation?"
"It's definitely not just because of your friendship with Mikoto Uchiha," Tsunade added.
Minato nodded.
"Because I want to change some things in the village that have persisted for a long time."
"So, I need someone to serve as a bridge between the village leaders and the Uchiha when the changes are made."
"I see."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
Although she was a descendant of the Senju clan, like her grandfather, the First Hokage, she did not have any prejudice against the Uchiha clan.
Itachi was the son of the Uchiha clan leader, so Minato was doing this as a favor to Fugaku Uchiha.
"Good luck," Tsunade waved her hand, glancing at Shizune in the ward.
"Shizune, let's go."
"I have to go," Shizune said to Izumi, hurriedly running out with the used IV drip in hand.
Seeing Minato, she nodded respectfully, then followed Tsunade out to begin her medical ninjutsu training.
The next day, the ninja academy reopened.
The classroom was silent, devoid of the usual laughter and chatter.
A heavy feeling permeated the entire room.
Not only had Itachi fallen into a coma, but two other freshmen had also died in the night the masked man attacked Konoha.
These children, who had previously lacked a grasp of the true nature of ninja, were now beginning to grasp the cruelty of the profession.
While the attack on Konoha was a sudden event, becoming a ninja meant embracing death.
Junpei Kanhara, who usually wore a kind smile, now wore a solemn expression.
He walked in, textbook in hand.
Junpei Kanhara scanned the classroom, seeing the heavy expressions on the faces of the children, and was at a loss for words.
"Alas," he could only sigh, then flipped open his textbook.
"Class, let's begin."
At that moment, the boy named Ariki Kimura, who had been sitting in front of Izumi and Itachi, stood up from his seat.
Ariki Kimura's eyes shone with emotion as he bowed deeply to Junpei Kanhara on the podium.
Then, raising his head sharply, his eyes fixed with determination, he shouted, "Kanhara-sensei, please teach me powerful ninjutsu. I want to become a powerful ninja, protect my village, my family, and my friends, and never let anyone hurt them again!"
His mother had also died that night a month ago.
As soon as he finished speaking, the new students in the classroom rose from their seats and shouted loudly, "Please, Kanhara-sensei!"
Tears welled up in some children's eyes, but they fought to hold them back.
After that night, most of them understood that only by becoming stronger could they prevent such a thing from happening again.
"I will do my best!"
At the podium, Junpei Kanhara, moved by the students' shared atmosphere, bowed deeply.
Among the students, Izumi was also excited.
She looked at the empty seat next to her and vowed in her heart.
"Itachi, when you wake up, we will protect the village, family, and companions together!"
"Next time, I will never let you go on an adventure alone again!"
Then, the class began.
Two years passed slowly.
...
Two years later.
At the Ninja Academy's training grounds.
This morning's practical sessions consisted of shuriken throwing and taijutsu sparring.
A black-haired girl slowly entered the field, clutching several wooden shurikens in her right hand.
All the students' eyes were fixed on her.
"Begin!" Junpei Kanhara announced.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
As soon as he finished speaking, several wooden shurikens flew out, landing squarely on the target about ten meters away.
A burst of cheers erupted from the students.
Meanwhile, from the windows of the teaching building, students from other grades were also observing the training.
"That girl is quite impressive," a boy observed, his eyes filled with amazement as he gazed at the black-haired girl.
"Of course. Didn't you notice the family crest on her shirt?" another boy in a red shirt said.
"The Uchiha clan. No wonder."
"What's the girl's name?"
The boy from before glanced at his companion, who had always been the most well-informed of his grade.
"Izumi Uchiha, she's been top of her grade since she started. The others' grades are way behind her," the boy in the red shirt laughed.
"Impressive, but it's embarrassing for the boys in their grade to be outperformed by a girl," the boy said.
"Insulting? Honestly, even in our graduating grade, there aren't many who are better than Izumi Uchiha. The Uchiha name isn't for nothing."
The boy in red frowned and said, "Actually, at the beginning of the school year, there was a boy their age who could rival Izumi Uchiha, but it seems he was involved in that incident two years ago and is no longer around."
"He'll be back!"
On the training ground, Izumi's gaze suddenly darted over, a hint of annoyance on her usually gentle and kind face.
She thought the words of these two people, who didn't understand the specifics of the situation, were somewhat ominous.
"I'm sorry!"
Under Izumi's gaze, the two boys realized their mistakes and apologized repeatedly.
This caused laughter from other students around them in the corridor.
Izumi then withdrew her gaze and frowned slightly.
She kept this expression until someone called her name.
"Next match, Ariki Kimura vs. Izumi Uchiha!"
"Izumi, it's your turn!"
The girl next to her pushed Izumi, and she came back to her senses.
The shuriken throwing class was over, and now it was time for physical training.
"Thank you."
Izumi nodded to the girl next to her, jumped out of the crowd with a light jump, and landed lightly in the middle of the field.
"This girl's shurikenjutsu is indeed amazing, but she is from the Uchiha clan after all, so I don't know how her physical skills are," a boy with a look of pride on his face said from the windowsill of the teaching building.
He was the standout among the graduating freshmen, and the shuriken skills Izumi had demonstrated earlier were no less impressive than his.
"Those seniors are so idle!"
Ariki Kimura glanced up at the teaching building, then looked back at Izumi and said, "But as a man, I don't want to lose to you so easily."
He knew he was no match for Izumi, but his eyes still blazed with a fiery fighting spirit.
"Sparring, begin!"
At that moment, Junpei Kanhara's voice echoed.
Swish!
Izumi's figure instantly transformed into a shadow before the students could fully react, appearing before Ariki Kimura.
His taijutsu foundation was clearly solid, and though he didn't fully react, he instinctively counterattacked.
Bang!
The two figures clashed in the training grounds, but the fight didn't last long.
Within three rounds, Izumi was standing behind Ariki Kimura, her right hand, shaped like a knife, resting on his neck.
"I surrender," Ariki Kimura said with a wry smile.
Izumi immediately retracted her hand and gave him a kind smile.
"Alas, no matter how hard we try, we're still no match for her," Ariki Kimura shook his head and sighed.
"There's no hope for us guys. If Itachi were here, he'd be the only one who could spar with you."
When mentioning Itachi, Izumi's eyes suddenly turned a little dim.
"I'm sorry!"
Ariki Kimura immediately realized his slip of the tongue and apologized to Izumi.
"It's okay."
Izumi raised her eyes, suddenly chuckling.
"But you're wrong."
"If he were still here, he would have graduated from the Ninja Academy by now and become a true ninja."
"Really?"
Ariki Kimura was stunned.
He knew that Izumi and Itachi had a close relationship, but her statement was a bit exaggerated.
While Itachi had indeed excelled in his studies at the Ninja Academy, graduating in just two years was something only two other people in the academy had achieved.
The sun was setting, and it was time for the Ninja Academy to dismiss.
"See you tomorrow, classmates!"
Junpei Kanhara said with a smile.
He had just left the classroom when a figure suddenly crossed the room and leaped out the window.
"She went to the hospital again, didn't she?" the girl at the desk on Izumi's other side looked out the window and said.
Konoha Hospital, inside the ward.
Mikoto Uchiha had gone home to prepare dinner and hadn't returned yet.
Kushina Uzumaki brought Naruto Uzumaki to the hospital to visit Itachi Uchiha.
"Mom's out for a bit. Naruto, you must get along well with Sasuke. Don't argue," Kushina instructed Naruto before leaving the ward.
Seeing his mother leave, Naruto turned his azure eyes and glanced at Sasuke Uchiha, who was sitting on the other bed.
Both Naruto and Sasuke were over two years old, possessing basic mobility and communication abilities.
However, their relationship had been strained since childhood.
"Idiot, what are you looking at?"
Sasuke said angrily, seeing Naruto looking at him.
"I'm looking at a big idiot." Naruto replied dismissively.
With that, he naturally adopted a defensive stance.
Sasuke immediately jumped off the bed and glared at Naruto, saying, "Looks like you want to fight again."
Naruto shook his head, raised his fist, and said, "Not a fight, I want to beat you up!"
"These two little brats are fighting again," Izumi, who had just arrived at the ward door, witnessed the scene.
She smiled helplessly and was about to step forward to intervene.
At this moment, the boy who had been sleeping in the hospital bed for two years suddenly spoke.
"You two didn't listen to Aunt Kushina at all."
....
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