"Charge ahead!!"
"Kill! Kill all these Iwa-nin!!"
"Don't let a single Konoha ninja escape!!"
Within the Land of Fire, not far from the Konoha Ninja Village, inside a canyon.
After being successfully intercepted by Yu earlier, a faction of Iwa-nin pursued by the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and his ninja forces infiltrated the Land of Fire and found themselves blocked outside the Konoha Ninja Village by a group of Konoha ninjas.
In the vast canyon, the thunderous sounds of battle echoed continuously, with shuriken mixed with explosive tags, and various ninjutsu colliding in sight.
"So this is..."
"The Great Ninja War, huh..."
On the cliff above the steep cliffs, a young member of the Uchiha Clan watched the intense battle erupting between Konoha and Iwa-nin in the canyon below, with a gaze both shocked and perplexed.
"Why do people engage in war?"
"If possible, I must completely change this world..."
Although only five years old, this Uchiha youth, having witnessed this brutal war with his own eyes, could contemplate issues like a sage.
"Where there are people, there will be war."
"If one wants to change this world, they must possess overwhelming power."
"Moreover, compared to a real Ninja World War, what's happening below is just leftovers..."
At this moment, suddenly, an unfamiliar and clear voice echoed. The Uchiha youth, engrossed in observing the Genin battle below, shuddered.
"How is it possible..."
"Somebody approached, and I didn't notice..."
The Uchiha youth, somewhat unbelieving, turned around, only to find someone standing beside him—someone impossible to ignore.
Dressed in a black ninja uniform, with neatly cut pale hair, and a flawless face adorned with a pair of amber eyes.
Although he appeared only a few years older than himself, the aura emanating from this youth far surpassed his own. The person seemed like a black sun, deep and radiant.
"Who are you?!"
The Uchiha youth looked somewhat wary at the person who appeared out of nowhere, and in his hands, a sharp kunai materialized like magic.
"No need to be so tense..."
"I am Shisui's friend. You must be Itachi, right?"
Watching the Uchiha youth in front of him with a somewhat amused expression, Yu felt a strange emotion in his heart. Finally, I met you, Itachi...
"Shisui's friend? Are you...?"
Upon hearing Yu's words, the young Uchiha Itachi paused, and suddenly, a name that resounded like thunder in the ninja world flashed through his mind.
"It seems Shisui mentioned me to you..."
Seeing the seemingly young Itachi react to his name, Yu smiled subtly without confirming, his gaze, however, shifting to the battle raging in the canyon below the cliff.
"I'm Yakushi Yu. They all call me..."
As Yu spoke in a soft voice, the young Uchiha Itachi only saw a black figure flash by, like a swift wind.
"Ice Prison!"
Under the manipulation of Parasitic Threads, Toshogun, clad in a black cloak, shot out explosively.
Leaping into the high sky outside the cliff, the intensely freezing power of deep ice erupted from his body, instantly condensing massive and colossal ice pillars in the air.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Below, in the canyon where the Iwa-nin were still trying to comprehend what had happened, they were already being crushed by the continuously falling gigantic ice pillars.
Then, countless colossal ice pillars suddenly converged! Immediately, the entire canyon was filled with a vast white ice field, and all the Iwa-nin were completely sealed within the ice.
"Scarlet Yu."
As Yu's self-introduction echoed, he casually moved his fingers, and a blue Chakra Threads swiftly pulled Toshogun from the high sky outside the cliff, transforming it into a mist and drawing it into the space of the Summoning Jutsu.
"This... what is this?!"
Witnessing the white-haired youth before him effortlessly eliminating all the Iwa-nin in the battle below with a snap of his fingers.
Staring at the immense canyon below, which had instantly transformed into a despair-inducing white ice field, the young Uchiha Itachi's black eyes widened in disbelief, revealing a shock he had never displayed before.
"Scarlet Yu..."
This guy is the one Shisui mentioned...
But his power...
Having joined the Academy this year and astonishing everyone with his remarkable talent, Itachi couldn't help but feel lonely and isolated amidst peers of mediocre abilities.
However, apart from Shisui, who was on par with him and even surpassed him in some aspects, Itachi had never imagined that there could be someone in the world achieving such feats at this age.
Gazing fixedly at Yu before him, the young and composed Itachi expressed all his astonishment on his face. Sensing Itachi's gaze as if trying to see through him, Yu smiled lightly, simultaneously appraising the Uchiha youth with handsome black hair and black eyes.
During this period, Itachi had always dreamt of becoming the first Hokage of the Uchiha Clan, aiming for a future filled with peace alongside his cherished ones, right?
As a character in the original work who surpassed Kakashi in popularity, Uchiha Itachi, like Minato Namikaze, was almost portrayed as a perfect figure—strength, appearance, intelligence—almost everything reached the pinnacle that others could not achieve.
Graduating as the top student from the Academy at the age of 7, awakening the Sharingan at 8, becoming a Chunin at 10, and being appointed as the captain of an ANBU squad at 13.
Itachi was supposed to continue running on the glorious path. However, in the frontiers of the road, the spreading darkness turned out to be unexpectedly cruel.
The flames of war in the ninja world had mostly subsided, and even Yu hadn't expected to encounter Uchiha Itachi, a figure filled with tragic aura just like Shisui, here today.
"Yu-sama!"
"Hokage-sama and esteemed Elders-sama, are callsing for you..."
At this moment, a sudden voice brought Yu back to reality. Two ANBU ninjas wearing cat-faced masks had appeared behind Yu and Itachi, seemingly out of nowhere.
"Alright, I understand."
Upon hearing this, Yu nodded calmly, showing no surprise at the appearance of the two ANBU ninjas. Since returning from the battlefield and experiencing a few peaceful days in the village, Yu expected that the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and some Konoha Elders couldn't resist calling for him.
"Pleasure to meet you... Itachi."
"But it seems I have to leave for now..."
Turning to look at Itachi, who was still standing in place, Yu gave him a meaningful glance before gradually disappearing into the wilderness under the guidance of the two ANBU ninjas.
"Scarlet Yu, huh..."
I never expected there would be someone like him in the world...
Watching Yu and the two ANBU ninjas depart, Itachi, silently standing in place, unconsciously clenched his fists. Clearly, Yu's appearance today had brought an unprecedented shock and impact to this genius ninja, who even in peacetime had risen to fame.
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