Shisui looked up at Seiji with eyes that all but screamed, Praise me, please!—like a puppy wagging its tail, waiting for approval.
He wasn't even six yet.
Konoha's number one prodigy, Hatake Kakashi, had graduated at this exact age.And the Uchiha clan? Their so-called "genius" title wasn't just for show—they refused to be outdone.
Seiji ruffled Shisui's hair, smiling."Secret-recipe grilled fish, huh? If you want some, your big brother will make it for you anytime."
Shisui's grin spread wide, satisfaction radiating from every tooth.
But Seiji's eyes soon hardened. He cleared his throat, watching the boy carefully."Now tell me—why are you in such a rush to graduate?"
Shisui blinked, startled. Under Seiji's serious gaze, he shifted uneasily, looking away."The academy… doesn't have anything left to teach me."
Seiji sighed softly, disappointment lacing his tone."Shisui… even to your brother, you can't tell the truth?"
The weight of those words hit Shisui like a kunai to the chest. He panicked."That's not it, brother!"
His lips trembled before he finally whispered,"I'm a Uchiha genius. I want to use that talent for the clan—and for Konoha."
"If I can match Kakashi-senpai's speed at becoming a Chūnin, if I can be one of the village's brightest prodigies, then both the clan and the village elders will notice me."
"And then… maybe I can act as a bridge. Soften the conflicts. Ease the tensions… bring the two sides closer together."
Even the voice of Tobirama Senju, echoing inside Seiji's body, gave a grudging nod at those words.
Seiji looked at Shisui's young, determined face, and his heart twisted. Then he smiled wryly.
As expected.
Such small shoulders, yet already trying to carry mountains.
Seiji truly liked this little brother of his. And Shisui truly loved him back. Even though the original Seiji was so hopeless that, at eleven years old, he still hadn't managed to graduate, Shisui still respected him. Still clung to him as his pillar of support, his most beloved person.
"Shisui, you're still just a kid. These burdens aren't yours to bear."
Seiji tapped his forehead lightly."You're five. What do you even know? All I see is a greedy little brat who just wants more grilled fish."
"So stay in the academy. Let adults like me handle the rest."
Shisui chuckled sheepishly, but his eyes wavered. He hid it well, but Seiji could see straight through him.
And truth be told? If it were the original Seiji fighting, five of him still wouldn't be enough to handle a six-year-old Shisui.
Respect and love aside, Shisui was a realist—this was a world where strength dictated everything. A ninja without power was powerless to change a thing.
"Shisui," Seiji said at last, exhaling slowly. "It's been a while since we sparred, hasn't it? How about we test ourselves today?"
He smirked."Let this so-called academy dead last see how far our clan's prodigy has come. If you can't even beat your brother, then quit talking about carrying the clan and just stay a little glutton who wants grilled fish."
Shisui's eyes narrowed instantly.
Even with his good temper, he was still Uchiha. And if there was one thing no Uchiha could tolerate, it was having their strength questioned—even by Seiji.
"Fine. But if you lose, then for the next week, you'll cook me whatever I want."
"Deal." Seiji grinned. "Let's head to the training ground Grandfather left us."
At the mention of "Grandfather," Shisui's gaze sharpened. That was the kind of shinobi he aspired to be.
I'm sorry, brother, he thought silently.This time, I won't hold back. I'll prove myself, starting with you—the one I love most.
The Uchiha Training Grounds
The brothers stood far apart, facing one another.
Shisui wore proper battle gear, every strap and guard in place. Seiji, on the other hand, looked like he'd just come home from grocery shopping—still in casual house clothes, smiling at his little brother.
Inside Seiji's body, Tobirama Senju—forced to watch this "live broadcast"—remained silent. He'd just been smacked with humiliation earlier; no point talking now.
Still, his eyes narrowed at what he saw.
Shisui, only six years old, already radiated the aura of a full Chūnin. With the potential he carried, even without awakening the Mangekyō, he could grow into Kage-level someday.
The Uchiha clan's potential… and their danger… tch.
Tobirama clicked his tongue in Seiji's mind, bitter. The irony of being trapped inside this boy who was Shisui's "worthless" older brother wasn't lost on him.
Meanwhile, Shisui's face grew serious."Brother, please take this seriously. I'm coming."
He probably just wants to save face, Shisui thought. Then I'll respect that. If he insists, the least I can do is give it my all.
Shisui's gaze sharpened, fingers flashing like phantoms. Six shuriken whistled through the air, fast and deadly. But none aimed at vital points.
"So gentle, Shisui. Still afraid of hurting me?"
Seiji smiled softly, then formed just two hand seals.
Water surged upward around him, spiraling into a rising wall that blocked every shuriken mid-flight.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
Tobirama's pupils shrank.
Two hand seals? For that jutsu? And not just the flat version—the fully-formed, three-dimensional variant that required mastery of water chakra shape manipulation?
That's—That's MY jutsu!
[From your current opponent, Tobirama Senju: You have obtained Chakra Sensory Technique (Tobirama version)!]
Seiji smirked.Old man, just sit back, be shocked, and drop those sweet rewards for me.
Across the field, Shisui rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Was this really his "failure" of a brother?
Simplified seals. B-rank Water Style ninjutsu. This was no academy dropout.
"Brother, you…" Shisui's voice trembled before he burst out laughing."As expected of my brother! You've given me one hell of a surprise."
"Then—let me show you my true strength as well!"
Three tomoe spun into existence within his eyes.
Left eye: one.Right eye: two.
The Sharingan awakened.