"The exercise will last two days and one night. The destination is quite far from here. Once you reach the designated location marked on the map, you will each find an intelligence scroll waiting there."
"Within the allotted time, whichever group returns first with the intelligence scroll will be ranked number one."
From the crowd below, Uchiha Shion watched as Itachi stepped forward to receive the map. Beside him, a girl named Shinko raised her hands and cheered him on with a little gesture of encouragement.
Their bond… was it deepening?
Perhaps in such a team, as long as nothing unexpected happened, Itachi wouldn't fall ill from the strain.
"Brother, who's that girl with the twin ponytails?" asked Izumi, tugging lightly at his sleeve.
Shion glanced at her with a teasing smile. "That should be one of Itachi's teammates in his genin squad. You're overreacting, don't you think?"
At that moment, Itachi returned with the scroll. His tone was calm, almost detached, as he said, "Let's go. On the way, I'll teach you a few things that may be useful. If you're willing to listen, they might come in handy."
Without waiting for agreement, he turned and led the way out.
Behind Shion, Tokuma nudged him with his elbow. "So, he's already our captain now. How does that feel?"
Shion turned and gave him a dry laugh. "What, Tokuma? You planning to graduate early too? Spend your days in the sewers, catching cats and chasing dogs?"
Tokuma sighed, spread his hands helplessly, and replied, "We'll end up doing those things sooner or later once we graduate as genin anyway. And the Byakugan doesn't necessarily have to be used just for fighting, does it?"
Shion fell silent for a moment, then clapped Tokuma on the shoulder. "Not bad. That's a good way of thinking. If everyone thought like you, maybe peace really could last forever."
"What are you two doing back there? We're leaving already!" Izumi's impatient call carried from ahead.
Tokuma chuckled and lowered his voice as he walked beside Shion. "Sometimes, destiny is already decided. If you can't fight it, then maybe the only choice is to try to enjoy it. Don't you think?"
Shion glanced sideways at the headband tied firmly across Tokuma's forehead.
"For the weak, that symbol is a kind of protection. But for the strong, it becomes a shackle. If you can grow powerful enough, Tokuma, then even that symbol won't mean much."
Shion's words made Tokuma stop in his tracks, thoughtful, but Shion didn't wait for him.
Powerful enough… To what degree? How strong would one have to become to ignore fate altogether? Was that even possible?
"At twelve o'clock, bisect the angle between the hour hand and twelve. Then line that bisector up with the sun. At that moment, twelve o'clock is roughly due south."
"In the wild, there's plenty to eat… but there are just as many things that are poisonous."
All along the journey, Itachi shared his knowledge without pause. He spoke of survival skills and combat fundamentals with a casual fluency that made them sound like second nature. Izumi clapped excitedly after every explanation, clearly impressed.
Shion and Tokuma didn't clap, but they each took mental notes on what they hadn't known before.
There was no denying it—just as Shion remembered, Uchiha Itachi was a true shinobi through and through. His grasp of the basics was absolute, effortless. Even Shion, who had shadow clones constantly attending lessons in his place, found himself thoroughly outclassed.
Night fell on the first day of the exercise. After they set up their tents and ate a quick meal, Tokuma and Izumi soon dozed off.
Leaning against the side of the tent, Itachi appeared to be resting as well—but after a while, his eyes opened, and he turned his gaze toward Shion. With a subtle gesture, he slipped outside first.
"You wanted to talk?" Shion asked, stepping out after him.
"Danzō told me to start monitoring movements within the Uchiha clan from today onward," Itachi replied quietly.
Shion frowned. That old dog was already growing restless? According to his memories, the clan's downfall was still more than four years away. And with the Fourth Hokage still alive, what was Danzō planning?
When Shion gave no immediate response, Itachi studied him and asked, "What plans do you and Shisui have?"
Shion smirked. "What's this? You playing double agent now? Or do you actually want to join us?"
But Itachi didn't answer.
Join them…?
"The way you awakened your Sharingan—you know better than anyone how dangerous the Uchiha are. And Shisui… his eyes are even stronger than yours. Someone who has endured such suffering—how could he ever be trusted?"
The words Danzō had once spoken echoed in Itachi's mind.
But then, the things Shisui and Shion had said—their vision of finding a way for the Uchiha to reintegrate with Konoha—echoed just as loudly in his heart.
The clan. The village. And… his father, who had already given his life for the village.
Back then, when his father had died helping the Fourth Hokage, hadn't it been for the very same purpose—to secure the Uchiha's place in Konoha?
If that was true…
Then Shisui, who had stood alongside his father in that very battle, could be trusted.
"…I want to join you," Itachi said finally.
Shion looked mildly surprised. After a pause, he shook his head. "Your strength isn't enough yet. Yes, you graduated after only a year at the Academy. You're a genius, no doubt. But not the kind of genius we need right now. Not enough."
Not enough…?
Itachi tilted his head back, eyes narrowing. In the next instant, his Sharingan flared, three tomoe spinning slowly in each eye.
"This power… even now, it isn't enough?"
Shion focused on those eyes, a hint of surprise flickering within him. So he had already reached the three-tomoe stage. That meant his bonds had begun to form—but the true loss of love had not yet come.
It must have been danger during his genin missions that triggered it—not Obito's influence.
Obito…? At this point, Shion wasn't sure if Itachi had crossed paths with him yet. Probably not. That fool was likely still sobbing over his own fate.
"Three tomoe already. You've grown quickly. But still… it's not enough, Itachi. Whether it's me or Shisui—against true power, your three tomoe wouldn't last through even a second strike."
Shion's words had barely fallen when Itachi drew a kunai and raised it across his chest, his gaze sharp.
"I've always admitted you're stronger than me—even without having shown your Sharingan. But that doesn't mean I can't withstand a single blow from you. If I'm wrong, then prove it!"
He tightened his grip, his Sharingan spinning wildly. His perception sharpened, his reaction speed peaked. Every fiber of his being braced for the clash.
But that was all.
A kunai whistled through the air—
Shhhk!
It struck the tree near him, just barely dodged. Itachi prepared to counterattack—
But nothing came.
Because a cold edge of steel was already pressed against his throat.
Standing behind him, kunai in hand, was Shion.
Fast. Too fast.
In that single instant, Shion's body flicker had anticipated his every move, cutting off even the chance of substitution or clone techniques before he could form them.
"Do you still think I was wrong?" Shion asked calmly, lowering the blade. His eyes shifted back from the Mangekyō to his normal onyx irises.
Itachi's face darkened. "So the gap has already grown this wide?"