The shuriken embedded itself in the target with a satisfying thud.
"Huh, did he really hit it?" Sasuke whispered, his eyes wide with surprise. Compared to the chaotic misses earlier, this was a marked improvement. He watched as Satoru adjusted his stance and threw another shuriken, which landed just shy of the bullseye.
*What's missing?* Satoru wondered, considering variables like wind speed and gravity. After a moment's thought, he let all the remaining shuriken fly.
The cold metal sailed through the air, each piece finding its mark near the center of the targets surrounding them. Satoru quickly realized that once he had control of the release point and trajectory, he could manage consistent, successful throws. With renewed confidence, he adjusted his aim and made several more precise throws, each hitting the bullseye.
Sasuke stood rooted, mouth slightly agape as he watched his second brother go from clumsy mistakes to flawless throws in such a short span. It was as if he were witnessing a different person altogether. The sheer speed at which Satoru adapted and improved was almost unnatural.
*What kind of learning ability is this?* Sasuke thought, his admiration mixing with a hint of confusion.
"Hey, little Sasuke!" Satoru's voice broke through the younger boy's thoughts. "Did you see that? I'm amazing!" He beamed, his usual playful grin back in place.
Sasuke blinked and crossed his arms, regaining his composure. "You're such a show-off," he muttered, though a small smile crept onto his face.
"If you don't say anything, I'll take it as agreement!" Satoru declared, puffing out his chest. "Hahaha, the great Satoru is invincible in shuriken throwing. Do you want to learn, my dear brother? I've got a secret technique."
Sasuke's interest piqued. He had watched Wu's rapid transformation and couldn't deny his curiosity. "Secret technique?" he repeated, eyes narrowing skeptically. But in the end, he nodded.
"The trick is—" Satoru began, but he suddenly tensed and shifted, eyes locked on a distant spot. Without warning, he hurled a shuriken with lethal precision.
Sasuke followed his gaze and gasped. The shuriken had pinned a small white snake to the ground, its golden eyes glaring as it wriggled helplessly.
"I hate snakes," Satoru muttered as he approached, eyes cold. He bent down and decisively ended the snake's life. "Especially the slippery, cold kind."
Sasuke's confusion deepened. "Second brother, what are you doing?" he asked, watching Satoru light a small flame to burn the snake's body.
"Just taking care of a pest that shouldn't be here," Satoru said nonchalantly, watching the small blaze consume the snake.
*Orochimaru,* he thought. *He's bold enough to send a spy to the Uchiha clan grounds? Either he's confident in his secrecy, or he's already collaborating with someone within Konoha.*
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit cave, golden, snake-like eyes gleamed with interest.
"Hehehe... what a perceptive child," Orochimaru whispered, his voice slithering through the darkness. "It seems there's more to Uchiha Satoru than meets the eye." His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Such talent. Such sharp instincts. How interesting."
The cave echoed with Orochimaru's soft, menacing laughter as he contemplated the implications of this discovery.
Back at the training ground, Sasuke tilted his head, eyes narrowed at his brother. "Are you sure that wasn't just one of your stories? A snake choking on a meal bigger than itself?"
Satoru burst into laughter, tousling Sasuke's hair. "Well, well, seems like someone's getting smarter. Maybe I *did* make it up," he teased, hiding the seriousness that had flashed in his eyes moments before.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 40 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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