A month had passed, and Tsuki had dedicated most of his time to training with Naruto or Shisui. He had been diligently practicing his teleportation, but was far from mastering it. The technique consumed too much chakra, and he had unknowingly adopted Naruto's habit of pushing himself to the brink. Today, he would face the consequences of his overexertion.
As Iruka-sensei droned on, facing the blackboard, Tsuki's eyelids grew heavy. 'Just a quick rest,' he thought, succumbing to the temptation. 'Besides, this class is so boring.'
Even Shikamaru, notorious for his aversion to effort, was visibly bored, idly flicking a pencil between his fingers. With a mischievous smirk, he aimed the pencil at Choji, the projectile striking its target with a soft thud.
Choji jolted awake, his eyes wide with confusion. "Huh? What the?! What's going on?!"
Iruka, his patience wearing thin, loomed over the startled student. Whack! He brought a textbook down on Choji's head. "Hey! No sleeping in class!"
Shikamaru stifled a chuckle, his shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. He quickly averted his gaze, feigning innocence.
"Aha! It was Shikamaru! Shiiikaamaarrru!!" Choji roared, pointing an accusing finger at his friend.
Shikamaru merely shrugged, a smug look on his face.
Choji, fueled by righteous indignation, hurled his textbook at Shikamaru. But his aim was off, and the heavy book sailed past its intended target, heading straight for Tsuki.
"Huh?" Tsuki's eyes snapped open just in time to catch the flying projectile. He yawned, clutching the book to his chest.
"Come on, you guys, quiet down, would ya?" he grumbled, settling back into his seat. "I'm trying to sleep here."
Naruto, roused by the commotion, snickered. "That's enough, you guys!" Iruka scolded, his voice rising above the din. "We're in class! You're supposed to be learning, not sleeping!"
Naruto's grin widened. "But Iruka-sensei," he said innocently, "I was learning. I was just practicing the art of stealth and silent takedowns."
Iruka-sensei's face turned beet red, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. "Naruto, Tsuki, Shikamaru, and Choji," he barked, pointing towards the door, "go stand in the hallway."
A chorus of protests erupted from the quartet.
"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, his voice laced with indignation.
"No, what!" Shikamaru echoed, his tone more of a resigned complaint than outright defiance.
Choji simply looked bewildered, his mouth full of half-chewed chips.
"Yes, sir..." Tsuki sighed, leading the way out of the classroom. The four boys lined up in the hallway, their shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Aw man, Iruka-sensei is always getting mad at me," Naruto grumbled, kicking at the floor.
"Umm, hey," Choji offered tentatively, "I got snacks, you guys want some?"
Naruto's face instantly brightened. "Woah!"
"Shhh!" The other boys hissed, trying to quiet him down.
"I'll have some," Naruto whispered, his excitement tempered by a newfound caution.
"Yeah, me too," Tsuki added, reaching for a chip.
They shared Choji's snacks in companionable silence, but the novelty soon wore off. Boredom settled over them like a heavy fog.
"Hey, I have an idea," Tsuki whispered, leaning in close to his friends. He outlined his plan, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Woah, can you really do that?" Shikamaru asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Tsuki is awesome at ninjutsu, believe it!" Naruto declared, his faith in his friend unwavering.
"Alright, do it," Shikamaru said, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
Tsuki nodded. "Shadow Clone Jutsu," he whispered, his hands forming the familiar seals. Four clones appeared beside him.
"Transformation Jutsu."
The clones shimmered, their forms shifting until they were perfect replicas of the four boys.
With a silent nod, Tsuki led the way out of the school, his footsteps barely disturbing the quiet hallways.
"Woah! That was so awesome!" Naruto exclaimed once they were safely outside. "But umm... what do we do now?"
Tsuki shrugged, his hands tucked into his pockets. "I'll come back as soon as Iruka-sensei finds my clones. I'm going to see Shisui."
Naruto nodded in understanding.
With a quick Body Flicker Jutsu, Tsuki vanished, leaving his friends to their own devices. He raced towards the secret spot near the river, where he often met with Itachi and Shisui. As he approached, he spotted the two Uchiha deep in conversation.
"Tsuki's Rinnegan somehow resembles the Sharingan," Shisui mused, his voice laced with a hint of wonder. "However, it doesn't have the typical tomoe pattern. Yet, he can read and predict movements like a fully matured Sharingan. How strange."
'What are they talking about?' Tsuki thought, inching closer, eager to eavesdrop. 'Maybe if I get a little closer, I can—'
"Aren't you supposed to be in class?"
Tsuki jumped, startled by Shisui's voice directly behind him. "Woah!" He turned and quickly recovered, embracing Shisui in a hug.
"Oh no, cute faces and big hugs aren't getting you out of this one," Shisui teased, a playful glint in his eye.
"But I've mastered my Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Tsuki protested. "I have four of them using the Transformation Jutsu for me and my friends."
Shisui glanced at Itachi, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Leaving a clone in class while you go off elsewhere. Does that sound familiar, Itachi?"
Itachi's eyes widened in surprise, then he chuckled sheepishly. "That was a long time ago, Shisui."
Tsuki's eyes widened. "You also did the same thing as me?!"
Shisui nodded. "Itachi would create a clone to go to school and then come train with me."
Tsuki's jaw dropped. Was this the same Itachi who always seemed so serious and responsible?
"That's a great idea!" he exclaimed. "I don't know why I didn't think of it!" He shook his head, a playful pout on his face.
Itachi shot Shisui a mock-glare.
"Don't get mad at me," Shisui said, raising his hands in defense. "You're the one who came up with the idea in the first place."
Tsuki's curiosity returned. "Anyway, what were you talking about just now?" he asked, tilting his head.
"Nothing you need to worry about," Shisui replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"C'mon, just tell me already!" Tsuki insisted, feigning a pout. "And I thought I was your friend."
He folded his arms and turned away, a tactic he knew always worked on Shisui.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you," Shisui relented with a chuckle. Tsuki's face brightened as he turned back to his mentor.
Shisui pulled him aside, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Well," he began, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "we were just talking about which one of us is stronger. Itachi is saying he could beat me anytime. I know I'm a lot stronger than him. What do you think?"
Tsuki closed his eyes, feigning deep contemplation. Then, he nodded solemnly. "It's true, Itachi," he declared. "You don't stand a chance against Shisui. He's far stronger than you are."
Shisui's grin widened. "Right? That's what I told him, but you know Itachi. He's just so stubborn." He glanced back at Itachi, whose expression was a comical mix of disbelief and amusement. Shisui couldn't help but let out a cheeky giggle.
Suddenly, his demeanor shifted, his gaze turning serious as he looked at Tsuki. "Tsuki, I have a secret task for you. Do you think you can keep a secret?"
"Sure," Tsuki replied, his curiosity piqued.
"Well, I'm trying to figure something out, and I think you can help," Shisui explained. "For you to help, I'll need you to keep this a secret. Tonight, in the middle of the night, follow Itachi. He'll lead you to where I'll be, and he'll also make sure you aren't followed."
Tsuki's eyes sparkled with excitement. "But only if you two promise to teach me ninjutsu," he bargained.
Shisui and Itachi exchanged a glance, then nodded. "We promise."
"But Tsuki," Shisui asked, a playful challenge in his voice, "don't you want to learn from the strongest only?"
Tsuki shook his head. "I want to become as powerful as you, Shisui," he said, his voice filled with determination. "But I can't be that powerful without training with big brother Itachi too, right?"
"I suppose you're right on that," Shisui conceded with a smile.
Just then, Tsuki felt a familiar sensation. He looked back, his eyes widening. "Iruka-sensei found my clones."
With a swift Body Flicker Jutsu, he vanished, leaving a trail of swirling leaves in his wake.
Tsuki found Naruto at their usual training spot, diligently practicing his shuriken jutsu.
"Mind if I join in?" he asked, a playful grin tugging at his lips.
Naruto's face lit up. "Hey, Naruto," Tsuki continued, "let's practice taijutsu instead. We haven't done that in a while."
Naruto nodded eagerly. "I'm going to win this time! Believe it!"
Tsuki chuckled. "I'm just happy we're doing this together," he replied, a genuine warmth in his voice.
They charged at each other, their movements a blur of youthful energy. Tsuki's Rinnegan granted him a slight advantage, but he always held back, careful not to overwhelm his friend.
'Naruto's improving,' Tsuki noted, dodging a punch and countering with a swift kick to Naruto's stomach.
"Woah!" Naruto stumbled backward, his head colliding with a nearby tree.
Tsuki rushed to his side, offering a hand. Naruto accepted it with a sheepish grin, brushing off the impact.
"Let's go grab some ramen," Tsuki suggested, his stomach rumbling.
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Sounds good!"
They made their way to Ichiraku Ramen, their laughter echoing through the streets.
"Ah, Naruto, Tsuki, you haven't been here in a while," Teuchi greeted them warmly. "How's everything going?"
"Everything's great!" Naruto exclaimed. "I almost beat Tsuki earlier!"
"No, you didn't!" Tsuki retorted playfully.
"Yes, I did!" Naruto insisted, puffing out his chest.
Teuchi chuckled at their friendly banter. "In your dreams, Naruto!"
The two boys playfully grabbed each other's collars, their smiles wide and infectious.
"It's always great to see you two," Teuchi said. "What can I get ya?"
They both looked at each other, realizing they hadn't even placed an order yet.
"Four bowls of extra-large miso ramen, please!" they chorused.
Teuchi nodded, a knowing smile on his face.
"Naruto," Tsuki said, raising an eyebrow, "are you sure you can pay for that?"
"Yeah, the old man gave us our payment, remember?" Naruto replied, patting his pocket.
"Four extra-large miso ramen, ready!" Teuchi announced, placing the steaming bowls on their table.
"Thanks for the food!" they both exclaimed, diving into their ramen with gusto.
After finishing their ramen, Tsuki and Naruto headed home. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of twilight.
"Naruto, let's hang on a little," Tsuki said, slowing his pace. "I want to stop by the library."
Naruto pouted. "Huh? What do you need there? It's such a boring place, you know."
"I just want to look for something," Tsuki explained, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Plus, you could read there too. You want to be an amazing ninja, right?"
Naruto nodded reluctantly. "Well, yeah, but—"
"To become a legendary shinobi, you need to be strong in mind too, not just in fighting," Tsuki reminded him.
"Okay then..." Naruto sighed, resigned to his fate.
"Well then, it's settled. Let's go!" Tsuki grabbed Naruto's hand and pulled him towards the public library.
Upon entering, Naruto raised an eyebrow. "This is your sixth visit to the library this week, Tsuki. What do you even do here?"
"Come with me," Tsuki beckoned, leading Naruto deeper into the building.
They reached a secluded corner, guarded by a sign that read "Restricted: STAFF ONLY."
"This is where they keep all the powerful ninjutsu and texts," Tsuki whispered, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Naruto's eyes widened. "We're not allowed to be here, are we?"
"You kidding? No way we're allowed in here," Tsuki replied with a mischievous grin.
"So, this is where you go?" Naruto asked, a hint of admiration in his voice.
Tsuki nodded. "Boost me up."
Naruto complied, and Tsuki carefully climbed onto his shoulders, reaching for a book on a high shelf.
"Tsuki, how are we going to take these books without getting caught?" Naruto asked, his voice laced with worry.
"The rock trick," Tsuki replied with a wink.
Naruto's face lit up in understanding. "Oooh, I get it now! Tsuki, you're a genius, you know?"
Tsuki gathered several books, carefully dropping them to the floor, where Naruto quietly collected them. "Here, hold these," Tsuki instructed. "And then we can get out of here."
Naruto nodded, his arms full of forbidden knowledge.
Tsuki activated the Body Flicker Technique, vanishing from Naruto's shoulders and reappearing outside the library window. He then focused his Rinnegan, swapping places with Naruto in a blink of an eye.
Naruto, now outside the library, pulled a rock from his pocket and tossed it beside him. Just before it hit the ground...
Fwoosh!
Tsuki appeared in its place, the rock tumbling harmlessly into the bushes.
"Alright, let's go!" Naruto exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over.
They carried the books back to their apartment, using the Body Flicker Technique to avoid detection. Once they arrived, Naruto's enthusiasm waned.
"I think I'll go train my shuriken jutsu alone," he said, a determined glint in his eyes. Tsuki nodded, understanding his friend's need to focus.
With a wave goodbye, Naruto left, leaving Tsuki alone in their small apartment, surrounded by the stolen books and the promise of hidden knowledge.
Tsuki settled onto the floor, his legs crossed, and immersed himself in the forbidden texts. He devoured the words, his Rinnegan absorbing the knowledge with an insatiable hunger.
Three hours passed in a blur of pages and whispered incantations. Naruto, exhausted from his training, returned to find Tsuki still engrossed in his studies. With a yawn, Naruto curled up on his bed and drifted off to sleep.
Tsuki, however, remained awake, his focus unwavering. He was determined to learn more about the Rinnegan and its reported abilities. But much of what he read seemed like exaggerated tales or outright fabrications. Frustrated, he shifted his attention to medical ninjutsu and the intricacies of chakra manipulation.
"Yaaawwn..." He stretched, his muscles stiff from hours of inactivity. He flipped to the next page, his eyes widening in surprise. 'I've been reading this for two hours? It's midnight! Which means...'
He rose and peered out the window. In the moonlit street below, Itachi stood, clad in the same distinctive uniform Kakashi wore on missions.
'It's time to go,' Tsuki whispered, a thrill of anticipation running through him. He carefully replaced the books, then slipped out of the apartment, his footsteps silent as a shadow.
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(Edited on: 14/9/24)
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