Chapter 42 - Each One's Advantages

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***

Bang!

Naruto Uzumaki stumbled slightly and landed on the ground near the Fourth Hokage's Rock Face.

"Hey, your turn!"

He looked up at Sasuke Uchiha with a playful smile.

On the Rock Face, Sasuke looked down and swallowed.

But the stubborn expression on his face showed that he refused to give in.

"Sasuke, stop!"

Izumi Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha, who had already landed on the ground directly in front of Naruto, called out to stop him.

Swish!

But before she finished her words, Sasuke had already jumped.

Unlike Naruto, Sasuke's body wasn't pressed against the rock wall, so without friction, he fell quickly.

"Danger!"

Izumi gasped and rushed toward Sasuke.

Itachi, meanwhile, was already forming hand seals with one hand.

The crows flying around Sasuke's head fell with him.

However, when Itachi noticed Sasuke's movement, his hand paused.

As Sasuke fell, he performed a 360-degree flip in midair.

When he righted himself, a kunai, gleaming with a jet-black sheen, appeared in his right hand.

Sasuke's eyes sharpened, and he swung his right arm.

Bang!

With all his might, he thrust the kunai, piercing the rock half an inch.

The instant the kunai embedded itself in the wall, Sasuke pushed upward, halting his fall and lifting himself.

At that moment, Izumi appeared directly below Sasuke.

She looked up, just in time to see him stepping on the kunai stuck in the rock.

His footing was too shallow to hold his weight, and he slipped.

But that was enough.

The kunai had cushioned his fall, and Sasuke flipped again, continuing his descent.

Izumi quickly stepped aside, and just as Itachi's crow reached Naruto's level, Sasuke landed perfectly on the ground.

He stood up, looked at Naruto proudly, and dusted off his clothes.

"Tsk," Naruto curled his lips.

"Hehe," Itachi, watching from a distance, smiled faintly.

Sasuke's method was clearly fresh in his mind.

While he hadn't mastered chakra control like Naruto, he had devised a countermeasure.

However, Sasuke's method carried risks.

If his strength was insufficient or his aim was off, the kunai wouldn't penetrate deep enough, and the technique would fail.

Even so, Sasuke had not only overcome his fear but also immediately devised a countermeasure.

This greatly pleased Itachi.

But Izumi didn't see it that way.

She pulled Naruto and Sasuke in front of her, her brows raised, and said seriously,

"You two, you've gone too far this time! What if you got hurt? Your father, mother, and brother would be heartbroken!"

While Itachi had been unconscious, the two often spent time with Izumi.

She was so kind to them that in both of their hearts, she became like a sister.

"Izumi, I was wrong," Naruto admitted openly.

Sasuke lowered his head.

It wasn't that he didn't want to admit his mistake, but he didn't want Naruto to see it.

Just then, Itachi walked over and gently ruffled Sasuke's hair.

"Sasuke, admit your mistake. Don't do something so dangerous next time," Itachi said softly.

"Oh…"

Sasuke's eyes flickered as he looked at Izumi and said, "I'm sorry."

Of course, Izumi didn't truly blame them.

Her expression softened, and she patted their shoulders.

"Alright, don't worry about it. I'll take you out for something delicious to celebrate the holiday!" she chuckled, looking at Itachi.

"Great!" Naruto cheered happily.

Itachi didn't object, but Sasuke was staring at the footprints Naruto had left on the rock wall, lost in thought.

"I'm not going," Sasuke said, then ran off.

"I'll check on him. You take Naruto first. We'll catch up later," Itachi told Izumi, then followed Sasuke.

After leaving the Rock Face, Sasuke headed straight for the Uchiha compound.

But before he could get far, Itachi was already waiting for him.

"What's wrong? Not happy seeing Naruto stronger than you?"

Itachi chuckled.

He knew Sasuke's pride—especially his dislike of losing to Naruto.

After the changes in history, Naruto, once destined to be the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, had begun showing remarkable talent.

Because of his care for Sasuke, Itachi also paid close attention to Naruto.

At the Academy, Naruto had been the dead last of his class.

Even his graduation had seemed like luck.

But Itachi never believed someone who would one day finish what the Fourth Hokage had left undone could truly be a failure.

Naruto's poor results as a child had simply been caused by circumstances that limited his growth.

Once freed from those, Naruto was undoubtedly a genius.

"No! Who said he's better than me?"

Sasuke pouted, refusing to admit it.

"Yes, Sasuke certainly didn't lose," Itachi said.

Although Naruto's chakra control was more refined, Sasuke had instantly devised a countermeasure.

That too was strength.

There was no fixed standard for talent.

Sometimes those the world called 'mediocre' were simply unnoticed.

"I know you're frustrated. But do you really understand why Naruto seemed better than you?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke froze.

He had only been focused on training to surpass Naruto, but he hadn't truly analyzed Naruto's method.

Itachi walked up and tapped Sasuke's forehead with a finger.

"Don't worry. I'll help you make up for this small gap. But first, you need to come with me."

"Izumi invited you just now, but you didn't answer. That was rude."

With Sasuke's talent, a little guidance would be enough for him to master chakra control basics like Naruto.

"Yeah…" Sasuke nodded gently.

"Let's go!"

Itachi suddenly picked Sasuke up, then raised his head toward the crows circling above part of the village, and leapt off in that direction.

...

Spring goes, autumn comes, year after year.

Nearly two years have passed.

Over six years have gone by since the Third Shinobi World War ended.

Each of the five major ninja nations has gradually recovered from the aftermath of the war, and their economies are steadily improving.

The Land of Fire, as the most resource-rich of the five major ninja villages, has seen unstoppable economic growth.

After all, it possesses a military force to match its economy.

Konoha Village.

With the end of the Third World War, even the combined forces of the other four major nations had been defeated, and no one dared to challenge Konoha's power.

Furthermore, besides the renowned Yellow Flash, who had terrorized the ninja world and intimidated enemies across nations, the reputation of Konoha's new generation of shinobi was gradually spreading beyond its borders.

There was the Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake.

There was Shisui of the Body Flicker, Shisui Uchiha.

And the next generation of ninja was already beginning to rise.

Itachi's graduation exams had arrived.

Graduation exams were a formidable test for every aspiring ninja.

However, given Itachi's abilities, there was no problem at all.

Soon, the report card for Itachi's graduating class was handed to Minato.

"Hehe…"

Minato chuckled softly as he sat at the Hokage's desk, holding the report card.

As expected, Itachi Uchiha and **Izumi Uchiha both received full marks, tying for first place.

Aside from these two, the fluctuations in the grades of the other students were quite significant compared to usual.

Still, everyone's scores were good, reaching the passing standard.

After the exams, the students were divided into classes.

The basic principle was to form three-man cells with balanced abilities.

However, this wasn't a strict rule—placement depended on talent and the Hokage's judgment.

Because Minato knew Itachi intimately, he pondered for a long time who should serve as his jonin instructor.

Apart from himself, there was practically no one in Konoha who could handle the role.

In Minato's opinion, Itachi didn't need a mentor to guide him in ninja skills.

What he needed was guidance in perspective and thought.

Therefore, only one man was qualified.

*Knock knock!*

Just as he was thinking this, there was a knock on the office door.

"Come in," Minato replied, setting down the report card.

The door opened, and a man dressed in animal fur entered.

He had droopy eyes, his hair tied in a pineapple bun, and a long scar across his right forehead and cheek—marks left from missions in the previous war.

He appeared shrewd, but in reality, he possessed exceptional strategic and judgment skills.

He was the current leader of Konoha's jonin squad— Shikaku Nara.

During the Third Shinobi World War, Shikaku's strategies had helped Konoha turn defeat into victory.

He was also authorized by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire to participate in political affairs.

His status in the village was second only to the Hokage and the elders, even surpassing that of the Uchiha and Hyuga clan heads.

Shikaku approached the desk and said, "Minato, why did you suddenly call me here? What's the matter?"

He had fought alongside Minato many times during the war.

After Minato became Hokage, he didn't want titles or distance to create rifts between comrades, so Shikaku and others still addressed him by name.

As he spoke, his eyes flicked over the report card in Minato's hand.

This period was the time of Ninja Academy graduation—something nearly every shinobi in the village knew.

Considering Minato's sudden summons and the presence of the report card, Shikaku had a few guesses.

Minato said bluntly, "As you know, the graduation exams have been completed. I'd like you to step out and serve as a jonin instructor for the new graduates."

Shikaku wasn't surprised.

This was exactly the thought he had anticipated.

The village certainly had no shortage of jonin instructors, yet Minato had asked him—someone entrusted with village secrets and responsibilities—to personally guide fresh graduates.

That meant there was a student Minato valued above all.

"Give me the student's information. I want to see who's caught your eye," Shikaku said, sounding slightly interested.

"You're worthy of it," Minato chuckled, handing him a registration form.

Shikaku's eyes fell on the name, his expression shifting in surprise.

"…Itachi Uchiha?"

...

After the exams, Itachi returned home.

He sat on the eaves, gazing at the drifting clouds in the blue sky.

In the backyard, Sasuke was diligently training.

At five years old, Sasuke already showed strength and insight.

Yet, he hadn't noticed his older brother sitting quietly above.

Itachi, now ten, had a body strengthened thanks to Tsunade's medical treatment during his unconsciousness.

At this same age, he had already entered the ANBU, the youngest in their history.

At thirteen, he would become a squad leader.

So although he had just graduated from the Academy and had not yet been placed into a team, his strength had already recovered to a considerable degree.

Lowering his eyes, he watched Sasuke. Soon, his brother would also join the Academy.

Compared to the past, Itachi's five years since rebirth felt far more ordinary—but also far more peaceful.

He preferred this quiet life.

But deep down, he knew some troubles had to be dealt with if peace was to last.

This time, he would walk a completely different path.

Suddenly, Itachi sensed someone approaching from a distance.

Looking up, he saw it was none other than Naruto Uzumaki.

The noise from the roof also drew Sasuke's attention.

Sasuke jumped up, spotted his brother, and smiled brightly.

"Brother, when did you come back? Is the graduation exam over?"

....

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