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***
"Izumi, what happened?"
Itachi frowned upon seeing the Sharingan in Izumi's eyes.
He knew that the opening of the Sharingan was accompanied by a tremendous emotional thrill, and Izumi's strange expression just now confirmed this.
But why was she suddenly crying with joy?
"Could it be?"
His heart suddenly trembled, and a thought struck him.
Izumi hadn't yet realized that she had just opened her Sharingan.
The fear in her eyes quickly faded, and she looked at Itachi shyly, a blush gradually appearing on her cheeks.
"It's okay. I was just... scared,"
The girl said sheepishly, rubbing her palms together.
"Is it because of Shinku-sensei's Genjutsu?"
Her answer confirmed Itachi's earlier suspicion.
Izumi's strange reaction was indeed because she had been frightened by the scene in the Genjutsu during the test conducted by her jĆnin mentor, Shinku.
As a master of Genjutsu, Itachi knew that even after the technique was released, the target could still be mentally affected, even after realizing that what they saw was an illusion.
This was especially true when seeing a scene deep within her heart that she had once faced but didn't want to see again.
"Hmm."
Izumi nodded gently, her eyes fixed on the boy before her, fearing that everything before her was just another illusion.
Itachi could probably guess what Izumi hated to see again.
He placed his hand on the girl's shoulder, patting her gently.
"Don't worry, everything you see now is real, because you now possess the ability to see through illusions."
Most Uchiha clan members awaken their Sharingan in combat, so they quickly notice the significant increase in their perception.
The newly awakened single-tomoe Sharingan couldn't yet see through the flow of chakra within a person, so Izumi hadn't noticed the change in her eyes until Itachi reminded her.
After a moment's pause, Izumi finally realized that her body's chakra was automatically converging towards her brain.
"What's this?"
She glanced around, realizing that in the darkness, her vision had greatly improved.
As a member of the Uchiha clan, Izumi immediately recognized the change that had occurred within her.
"My Sharingan has opened!" Izumi asked, looking at Itachi.
Itachi smiled and replied, "Yes."
He was delighted for the girl, yet also felt a pang of heartache.
Because the Sharingan is a power that awakens with immense pain, Izumi was fortunate to have opened it this way.
However, this also revealed the profound shadow left by the events of five years ago.
"Great!"
Izumi exclaimed in surprise after a moment's reaction.
The Sharingan represented power, and with it opened, her strength would rapidly improve.
She gazed at the boy of her dreams and thought to herself, "Itachi, I said I would protect the village, my family, and my companions with you. I will never let you take risks alone again!"
Izumi disliked fighting, but the opening of the Sharingan would bring her strength.
This way, she could shoulder more of Itachi's burdens.
"The Sharingan consumes a considerable amount of chakra, especially at first. You should deactivate it now."
Itachi warned.
"Hmm."
Izumi nodded, sensing the Sharingan for a moment.
It felt like a natural part of her body.
The blood-red in her eyes faded, returning to their normal state.
"The Sharingan can be of great assistance in battle, but it also takes a heavy toll. So, you must quickly learn to control it and use it when appropriate," Itachi said.
Izumi wiped the tears from her cheek with her sleeve, then raised her eyes to Itachi and said, "Well, could you teach me?"
Itachi paused for a moment, then remembered the masked man's attack on the village.
Izumi must have seen his Sharingan.
All these years, Izumi hadn't asked him about the details of that night.
"It seems your group has passed Shinku-sensei's test. Congratulations," Itachi said with a smile.
"I can teach you, but only when we're all free."
Truly, no one in the Uchiha clan understood the use of the Sharingan better than he did.
"Okay!"
Izumi's expression suddenly lit up with joy.
Seeing that her mood had recovered, Itachi calmed down and said, "It's getting late. Your ninja team will gather for the first time tomorrow morning. Go home quickly."
"Okay."
Izumi nodded, with a hint of loss in her eyes.
She looked at Itachi and said, "In that case, bye."
The girl turned and left.
Of course, Itachi had seen the look in Izumi's eyes, and a nagging feeling welled up within him.
For some unknown reason, he watched the girl's back, still not far away, and his steps moved unconsciously, darting to her side.
Izumi glanced sideways at Itachi beside him, stunned.
"I'll take you home tonight,"
Itachi said, his expression changing slightly.
Izumi looked at him, overjoyed, and nodded earnestly.
"Thank you!"
For new ninjas like Itachi, the only missions they could undertake were the simplest D-rank missions.
These were small tasks assigned by village civilians, like picking up trash or looking for pets.
Itachi's Shikaku squad was no exception.
Even these missions, Itachi treated with indifference, believing that such seemingly simple tasks actually helped cultivate his mind.
Maintaining a stable state of mind at all times was crucial for a ninja.
These missions were easy to carry out, so Itachi and Izumi had plenty of time in their early days after graduation.
Taking advantage of his free time, Itachi began teaching Izumi how to use the Sharingan and, during battle, explaining the right time to use it against the enemy.
Thus, a month passed.
In the Hokage's office.
"You've all performed your tasks very well during this time."
Minato said with a smile.
Before him stood Shikaku and the three members of his team.
"So, today I have an important mission for you."
He picked up a scroll from the table and handed it to Shikaku.
Shikaku took the scroll, and Minato looked at Itachi, Shinichi, and Daisuke and began to explain the mission.
"A few days ago, Vice President Fujiwara of the Fire Country Chamber of Commerce had a shipment of goods stolen by bandits, and the escorts responsible for the goods were all killed."
Minato frowned slightly.
This was a remnant of the Third Shinobi World War.
Over the years, the Konoha ninja had eliminated many bandits.
But this time, the bandits not only stole the goods but also killed more than a dozen people.
This was extremely heinous.
Upon hearing this, Itachi frowned and looked at Minato.
"Hokage-sama, all the guards have been killed. Does that mean there are ninjas among these bandits?"
...
"Well, a few years ago during the Third Shinobi World War, the Kumo village's surprise attack force launched an attack on Konoha. While they wiped out most of the main force, some escaped and fled into the Fire Country."
"As far as I know, the Kumo ninja among those bandits betrayed his companions on the battlefield and only managed to escape with his life."
Minato's eyes darkened.
He had been responsible for dealing with the main force of the Kumo ninja surprise attack force.
In that battle, Minato fought off the then-powerful combination of the Third Raikage's son, A, and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
The Third Raikage's son, A, who had fought them that year, was now the Fourth Raikage of Kumo village.
"No wonder."
Shikaku read the mission details on the scroll.
While some of the Fire Country Chamber of Commerce's escorts knew ninjutsu, those who could serve as members of the Kumo ninja surprise attack force were undoubtedly the village's elite ninja.
It was no surprise that over a dozen people escorting the goods were killed.
"This mission isn't appropriate for these newbies."
Shikaku looked at Minato.
This supposed bandit-suppression mission, designed for elite ninjas like the former Kumo Ninja Raid Unit, was a B-rank, or even A-rank, high-level mission.
Itachi, Daisuke, and Shinichi had only graduated a month earlier.
Even if Shikaku's team possessed the necessary skills to complete this mission, it wouldn't be reasonable.
Skill was one thing, but setting this level of difficulty for these rookies, who had never killed anyone before, in their first battle was a bit too demanding.
"Of course it won't just be your team, Shikaku," Minato chuckled.
There was a knock on the office door, and he immediately responded, "Come in."
The door swung open, and Shinku, leading the members of her team, entered.
"Hokage-sama."
Shinku looked at Minato and nodded respectfully.
"Shinku-senpai, you're too polite."
Minato waved his hand and looked at Shikaku.
"If your two classes work together, there shouldn't be any risk in wiping out these bandits."
Shikaku and Shinku were both elite jĆnin among the village's jĆnin.
Their combined strength alone was more than enough to easily complete this mission.
"I see," Shikaku muttered, finally understanding Minato's plan in assigning the task to two classes simultaneously.
Now, in a period of peace following the war, Itachi and his generation were the new generation of ninjas who had grown up in this peace.
But for a ninja, the risk of death accompanies their entire career.
Even ninjas in peacetime must overcome their fear of death.
The forces Minato had deployed were more than sufficient to ensure the complete annihilation of the bandits.
He intended to use this opportunity to train the six new recruits from both classes.
"I have no doubts," Shikaku said.
"Very well."
Minato said solemnly, gazing at the members of Shikaku's and Shinku's classes before him.
"In the name of the Fourth Hokage, I entrust you to temporarily merge all members of your two classes. Shikaku will serve as captain and command everyone. Your mission is to eliminate all bandits on the former Wing Mountain."
After stealing the goods, the bandits of Wing Mountain, fearing retaliation from the Konoha ninja, had already quickly evacuated the hilltop they had previously occupied.
However, Konoha's ninjas immediately sealed off the Fire Country's borders, forcing them to flee across the territory.
"Yes!"
Shikaku and the members of Shinku's class responded in unison.
"I have entrusted the Hyƫga clan leader, Hiashi, with a Hyƫga ninja to lead the reconnaissance mission and assist you in this mission."
As Minato spoke, his gaze lingered on Itachi.
Itachi immediately understood his meaning.
The Fourth Hokage was giving him an opportunity to activate his Sharingan in front of everyone.
For a novice who had never killed anyone before, even if the target was a notorious bandit, it would be a tremendous burden.
After Minato issued the mission, the members of both classes immediately set off to prepare.
Although the Fire Country ninjas had already locked down the approximate location of the bandits, the target had been on the move.
Fortunately, most of the bandits were not ninjas, so their movement speed was quite limited.
But even so, it would take at least several days to complete this mission.
Itachi returned home and quickly sorted out the items needed for the mission.
When Mikoto learned that Itachi was about to carry out the mission to eliminate the bandits, although she was once a ninja herself, as a mother, she couldn't help but worry when she knew that her son was about to face real killing.
"Come on, brother!"
Sasuke, on the other hand, didn't quite understand what this mission meant to the career of an ordinary novice ninja.
He had full confidence in his brother.
Itachi smiled dotingly, stretched out his palm to rub Sasuke's hair, and at the same time raised his head to look at Mikoto and gave her a reassuring look.
"Don't worry, Mom. We've got Shikaku-sensei and Shinku-sensei leading this mission. It'll be no problem."
In fact, with his strength, he could easily protect himself, not to mention a member of the Kumo Ninja Assault Force or a group of low-ranking bandits, unless the Kage of one of the Five Great Ninja Nations were there in person.
But a mother's worries are a part of a ninja's life.
No matter how powerful Itachi might be, Mikoto would still feel uneasy if there was even a slight risk.
"Let's go."
As they left the house, Izumi had already packed her belongings.
Together, they headed towards the main gate of Konoha, their departure point.
Itachi noticed a slightly uneasy look on the girl's face.
It was no wonder.
Their mission this time involved taking lives.
With Izumi's personality, becoming a ninja wasn't exactly what she had in mind.
But having chosen this path, there was no turning back.
Life is born, and life also dies.
This was a truth Itachi had understood from a young age.
In this world, every life is unique, and everyone only lives once.
Of course, Itachi himself was an exception.
If possible, Itachi would not want to take the lives of others.
However, if they, as Konoha ninjas, do not eliminate these bandits, they will only kill more innocent lives in the future.
Although there is no distinction between the importance of life, as a ninja, sometimes you must make choices between different lives.
Making choices between life and death is the most difficult thing.
No one understands this more deeply than Itachi.
This is what a ninja is.
Whether they are in the light or hiding in the darkness, most of the time, they are helpless.
So the first thing a ninja must learn is endurance.
....
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