"Those who forgive themselves, and are able to accept their true nature… They are the strong ones!" – Itachi Uchiha.
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In a secluded room overseeing the open field down below, where the sixth year assessment was being done, a few important people were watching the tests and deciding the future of the final year students.
… but there was a small issue.
"Is this okay, Captain Commander? He's being unfair to the students with such a display."
The Head Instructor and stand-in Director of the Academy under Yamamoto, Oboro Kuchiki, frowned as Itachi swiftly incapacitated yet another student.
"I don't think he's been extreme. He's probably taking this just as seriously as we are. Don't you think so, Old Man Yama?" Kyōraku tipped the side of his hat to look at his old teacher/father figure.
Yamamoto grunted but said nothing in favor of or against Itachi's actions.
"The students are practically avoiding him." Oboro Kuchiki, a very old man, scoffed as he saw none of the students looking in Itachi's direction, even going as far as to line up behind Gin and Miyako.
Another spectator, Jūshirō Ukitake, the frail Captain of the 13 Division, remarked with criticism. "Then I'm afraid it can be counted for them as their shortcoming if they can't understand what he's doing."
"You are right, Jūshirō." Kyōraku agreed, adding on to further clarify. "It's also why none of us have reprimanded him."
"I still don't understand."
"It is quite simple, Director Oboro. The young man down there is basically holding back and fighting them at their one level. It's just a difference of skill." The last person in the room, Captain Unohana Retsu, explained to the Kuchiki elder.
"That means…"
"This is truly an assessment of skills. Hence we can't call him out with how serious he is with his task. It also helps that he gives them the chance and space for them to show their skill. A perfect test for comparison, if you will."
Unohana's calm and serene voice sounded through the room, earning silent nods from everyone except the Captain Commander.
Kyōraku looked at Itachi and couldn't help but acknowledge the boy's skill and insight. "The skill to pull off something like this so easily is commendable on its own rights."
....
Down below, almost half of the spectators had their attention solely on Itachi's assessment as their mind was now looking forward to how long someone lasted against Itachi instead of complaining about how harsh he was.
This had started when someone from the crowd yelled something that not only made the sixth year students angry and frustrated, but also put pressure on the Lieutenants and 3rd Seats.
"He's not even a Lieutenant. He's just a 3rd Seat, damn it!" The power of suggestion and social pressure showed itself as some of the braver students, a very scant few, went back to line behind Itachi.
'I'll fucking show you, smug bastard!' They all thought, joined together under the single goal of beating Itachi.
With how the crowd and some of the final year students were reacting to the insurmountable wall that was Itachi, the other Lieutenants and Seated Shinigami were pressured not to put up a subpar assessment.
"Hajime from year six. Please guide me."
"Itachi, 2nd Division 3rd Seat. Likewise."
Hajime stared at Itachi with a determined look in his eyes as they circled each other with the back of their hands touching the other.
Opening up with a flurry of punches and kicks, Hajime spun and brought down his heel on Itachi's head, only for the latter to slither away from the strike gracefully.
Hajime tried pressing forward but nothing he did seemed to help. Itachi was just too skilled, even despite holding back, that it hurt more than consoled them after they realized that fact.
"Surrender." Hajime heard Itachi's voice from behind and felt two fingers at the side of his neck, causing him to sight dejectedly.
When Itachi looked up, he realized that he had run through most of the students for Hakuda and Hohō, the only ones remaining were the ones still clashing against Gin and Miyako.
He was already walking away when he felt a strong gaze on him, one that felt familiar and he remembered quite well.
There in the front crowds among the fifth year, he saw the grinning face of Junpei staring and then suddenly waving at him.
'He feels stable… and fifth year?' Itachi thought surprised. He nodded at the youth before turning around to find somewhere to sit as he was done but someone called him back.
"Itachi, mind staying behind for a bit. We have to give our personal assessment too."
The assessment took a few hours after which Kaien led them to an adjacent building where Itachi could feel some powerful presences.
"Captain Commander, Lieutenant Kaien requesting to enter."
"Come in."
They entered the room and saw five people, four Captains and the Academy Director, and it was then that some of them realized that these five people had probably watched the whole assessment.
First to give their reports were the Lieutenants, followed by the three Shinigami from the Kidō Corp, and then the 3rd Seats.
It was a simple enough report that they quickly went through it and coincidentally Itachi was the last to give his report and also last to leave the room.
He gave a clear and concise report on the students he assessed to which the Captains and Director either gave a rare nod or just listened in silence.
"And your methods of assessment, don't you think it was a bit too harsh?" The Director squinted his eyes at Itachi while the others remained silent.
"No, I don't." Itachi simply replied. "It was an assessment before they are put into line of duty. I believe I was fair."
"Hmm."
A few questions later and they permitted him to leave. After he walked out of the room, the Director turned to Yamamoto and asked.
"Is there a reason why he's still considered a 3rd Seat? From what I saw, his skills should put him at the level of a Lieutenant."
He looked at the Captains in confusion, two of whom shrugged nonchalantly, one simply remained silent, while the last stroked his long beard.
"He's never challenged anyone for the position of Lieutenant. Even his promotion to 3rd Seat was pushed by his Captain." Yamamoto answered.
"So he doesn't care much for the position and status. A bit similar to Kaien, no?"
"In some ways, but not entirely." Kyōraku commented and lent a hand to Jūshirō to pull him up. "This is where I say goodbye."
"What are you thinking about, Captain Unohana?" Yamamoto suddenly asked, looking at Unohana who had looked to be in the middle of her thoughts.
She shook her head softly as she rose up to leave. "Nothing important, Head Captain. I'll be taking my leave as well."
...
Itachi was currently sitting in a cave with his Reiatsu softly billowing around him with his sword resting across his legs.
'I can't seem to push through. What do you think it is, Tsukuyomi?'
'You are already at the threshold, and with the unexpected troubles you seem to be having, I reckon you need a spark. A figurative spark to reignite the flame – so to speak.'
Itachi exhaled as he stood before Tsukuyomi. Both covered with smokes of illusory crows, a testament to the familiarity between them that most Shinigami lacked.
"How will I understand if Amaterasu refuses to speak?"
'Amaterasu is just as part of you as it is its own soul. The answer to your problems lies between you and Amaterasu. I have no power to interfere.' Like always, Tsukuyomi's advice was always vague but Itachi had known him for some time to figure out what the giant crow meant.
'Perhaps the problem lies in the roots: what makes Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu different, and why are we essentially one and the same at our roots?'
"In other words, me." Itachi stated matter-of-factly, except when he looked around Tsukuyomi was already gone.
Figuring out problems relating to the soul was always such a headache even when one was a soul.
He had spent the last few years growing his soul capacity and his understanding of Tsukuyomi and now that he was ready to reconnect with Amaterasu, he was suddenly experiencing a block.
'What is the spark Tsukuyomi was talking about? What is Amaterasu at its roots?'
What was the most basic thing about Amaterasu that he remembered?
'It burns. It's a flame, hence it burns.'
'If Amaterasu is a part of my soul then that means there's a part of me similar and no different to Amaterasu. A burning flame. Passion or desire? Both?'
He was on the cusp of figuring it out, he could feel it. He was a genius even amongst geniuses. Who could understand him better than himself?
The roots.
'If Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu are the same at their roots, with both of them being me at the same time, then that means I'm just as synchronized with Tsukuyomi as I am with Amaterasu… or should be.'
If Tsukuyomi can be described as calm and deceiving, a personality trait Itachi shared, then Amaterasu's burning flame was also a trait Itachi had, but perhaps wasn't expressing.
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