Shikai discreetly left the Uchiha residence after concluding his discussion with Mikoto. Before crossing the estate's boundaries, he paused briefly near an isolated building. His fingers swiftly executed a hand sign, and a thin Hiraishin mark appeared on a stone hidden in the shadow of an ordinary tree. With a slight smile, he murmured to himself,
"Just in case the massacre happens sooner, you never know..."
Resuming his journey, Shikai headed towards the ninja academy. But as he traversed an alley leading to the training grounds, the sound of combat caught his attention. Intrigued, he approached stealthily and discovered an unexpected scene.
Itachi Uchiha, eight years old but already formidable, stood facing his teammate Tenma Izumo, who was visibly exhausted. Lying on the ground, Tenma breathed heavily, his face marked by fatigue and injuries. Itachi, his face as impassive as ever, stared coldly at him, his two-tomoe Sharingan activated.
Shikai walked calmly, crossing his arms.
"Itachi, shouldn't you be taking on someone your size?" he said with a mischievous smile.
Itachi slowly turned his gaze from Tenma to fix Shikai. He remained silent for a moment, then stated in a neutral tone,
"Shikai... It should be 'sensei' now... If you're so curious, enlighten this genin."
Without waiting for a response, Itachi leaped towards Shikai, his Sharingan analyzing every move.
Shikai, now a chunin, saw no reason to hold back, especially with his significantly increased chakra after using the *Kage Tensei*. As Itachi lunged at him, Shikai made a simple hand sign, and his eyes seemed to glow with a golden light.
*Yellow Flash*
He suddenly disappeared, reappearing right in front of Itachi, stopping his attack with disconcerting ease.
The ensuing taijutsu battle showcased Itachi's incredible talents. Despite his young age, his mastery of martial arts was already exceptional. His movements were fluid, precise, and nearly perfect. But Shikai, with his experience and increased speed, dodged each strike with a disconcerting ease, a smile still gracing his face.
"Impressive, Itachi. But you still lack endurance."
Itachi, realizing he couldn't surpass Shikai in taijutsu, took a step back and quickly composed mudras.
*Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!*
An immense fireball erupted from his mouth, roaring in Shikai's direction. But just before the flames reached him, Shikai vanished.
"What?! " Itachi murmured, his Sharingan frantically searching for his position.
*Hiraishin.*
Behind him, a calm voice rose,
"Quite predictable, if you ask me."
Itachi turned on a bounce, but it was too late. Shikai's shadow suddenly extended, forming a circle that immobilized him.
"Caught, huh?" Shikai brandished a kunai marked with an Hiraishin seal, ready to deliver the final blow.
However, something was amiss. Itachi's body disintegrated into a flock of crows.
"An shadow clone?" Shikai thought with an amused smile.
A moment later, he felt a disturbance beneath his feet. Itachi, using the underground concealment technique, burst from the ground for a surprise attack.
But Shikai, already aware of his stratagem, threw his marked kunai towards a random position.
*Hiraishin Level 2.*
In a flash, he teleported and reappeared behind Itachi. In an instant, he had avoided the attack, teleporting near his kunai and quickly returning to his initial position, as he had already marked Itachi's true body with his mark during their taijutsu exchange.
Before Itachi could react, Shikai composed a rapid hand sign.
*Raiton: Lightning Explosion.*
A bolt of lightning erupted from his hands, his palm striking Itachi full force. The young Uchiha was thrown to the ground, his body slightly smoking.
"You've become faster, Itachi," Shikai said, crossing his arms with a serene smile. "But... so have I. And not just that, my strength and endurance are far superior to yours now."
Itachi nodded slightly, still not uttering a word. His glowing red eyes focused on Shikai, analyzing every word and movement.
Tenma, who had witnessed the battle, rose with difficulty, even more impressed by the Yondaime's disciple's abilities than his teammate.
"I'm older, but I have no chance, so that's innate talent, huh..." he murmured, leaning on a tree.
Shikai straightened up and extended his hand to help Itachi stand.
"Well, that was good training. But don't forget, Itachi: power alone is not enough. Use your instinct to anticipate your opponents' movements, not just your eyes."
Shikai knew that instinct came from multiple life-and-death battles. Something Itachi didn't have yet but would have in the future. And he had it thanks to his memories.
Itachi remained silent, but a faint smile fleetingly crossed his lips before disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. Shikai, amused, picked up the Hiraishin-marked kunai he had thrown earlier. He observed it for a moment, then turned to Itachi and Tenma.
"I think we'll meet again years later," he said calmly before disappearing in a golden flash, leaving the two genins stunned by his mastery of Hiraishin.
He was truly the worthy heir of the Yondaime.
...
Shikai materialized near the ninja academy, immediately resuming his path. The bell had just rung, signaling the end of classes. A wave of excited students poured out of the building, and among them, he spotted a familiar silhouette: Izumi Uchiha.
Izumi, still wearing that bright smile that seemed to be her trademark, noticed him too. Her eyes lit up, and without hesitation, she ran towards him.
"Shikai-kun!"
Before he could say a word, Izumi jumped on him, clinging to his neck. Surprised by her own momentum, she burst into laughter, half-apologizing, though she didn't seem to regret her action.
Shikai, slightly taken aback but amused, caught her to prevent her from falling. "Always so enthusiastic, huh, Izumi?" he said with a sideways smile.
Around them, the other students stopped, curious. Whispers began to spread through the crowd.
"Is that Shikai?"
"You mean the Yondaime's heir!"
"He's really popular these days..."
"He's even more handsome than the rumors..."
"Do you think they're close, him and Izumi?"
Izumi blushed slightly upon hearing these comments but didn't loosen her grip. She finally descended slowly, looking at Shikai with an admiring gleam in her eyes.
"So, you came to find me?" she asked joyfully, ignoring the stares around them.
"Not exactly," Shikai replied, adjusting his coat. "I happened to pass by and saw you leaving. But it's always nice to see you, Izumi."
She blushed even more at his words, twirling a lock of her hair while smiling shyly.
As they talked, a loud and familiar voice interrupted their exchange.
"Shikai!"
The two turned to see Tsunade approaching, carrying a hefty pile of luggage—scrolls and cumbersome suitcases.
"What...?" Shikai raised an eyebrow, a mix of surprise.
Tsunade approached them with a satisfied smile. "You don't have to worry, I took everything from your room. There was nothing you could forget."
Shikai sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "I see you didn't hold back..."
Izumi, observing the scene, covered her mouth to hide her laughter. She found it amusing to see Shikai, usually so calm and confident, a bit disarmed by Tsunade.
"Well, in that case, I suppose everything is ready," he replied, nodding.
He turned to Izumi, who suddenly seemed nervous.
"I'll have to leave for a while," he said softly.
Izumi slightly lowered her head, her voice almost a whisper. "You'll come back, won't you?"
"Of course," Shikai assured her and then leaned into her ear. "Just for you..."
Izumi lifted her head, her cheeks reddening as she held his gaze. "Then... I'll wait patiently for you, Shikai-kun."
'You better, you slut. I swear that when I return, you don't have the three tomoe yet, I'll fuck you.' Shikai thought as he gave her a sincere smile, placing a hand on her head and gently ruffling her hair.
"Let's go, Aunt Tsunade!"