The Genius Girl, Izumi Uchiha

Inside the Hokage's office, the pipe in Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand flickered uncertainly.

On the desk before him lay a pursuit report written by Kakashi.

It had been two weeks since Orochimaru's defection. Kakashi had returned to the village with the unconscious Yamato.

After receiving treatment, Kakashi and Yamato reached an agreement: they did not want Yukimi to get involved.

So the two concealed certain information, leaving out the matter of the Iburi Clan. They only reported to Danzo and the Third Hokage that they had encountered Orochimaru and "Asura," who had come to meet him. The two appeared to have reached some sort of agreement.

Orochimaru had escaped the Land of Fire, while "Asura" had injured Yamato and defeated Kakashi as well.

Yet for some unknown reason, the other party had spared them both.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not blame Kakashi. He merely told Kakashi and Yamato to recover properly.

Then there was the matter of Yamato's placement. Recently, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been considering how to take Yamato away from Danzo.

After all, Danzo's Root nominally fell under the Anbu. Yamato was a Konoha ninja and should naturally obey the Hokage's orders.

But if Yamato's loyalties remained with Danzo, then even if he joined the Anbu, it would only make it easier for Danzo to place a pawn within the Anbu.

Hiruzen Sarutobi understood the Will of Fire well. He knew that for Yamato to truly become a Konoha ninja, he had to cast off the mindset of serving Danzo. Changing one's thinking was far more difficult than changing one's position or identity.

Thus, Hiruzen Sarutobi was in no hurry to demand Yamato from Danzo.

But before one wave had settled, another arose.

Fugaku Uchiha, captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, brought him an investigation report.

"Are you saying 'Asura' has come again?!" When Hiruzen Sarutobi heard Fugaku Uchiha's report, the elderly face beneath his Hokage hat showed astonishment, and even the pipe in his hand froze.

After the attack a month ago and Orochimaru's defection half a month ago, Hiruzen Sarutobi had dispatched Konoha's sensory ninjas to work with the Barrier Team in inspecting the village's entire protective barrier. They had indeed discovered several breaches and repaired them.

Yet now the Konoha Military Police Force was reporting that "Asura" might have come again!

Did he think Konoha was some public latrine? Coming and going whenever he pleased!

Fugaku Uchiha delivered the wording he had prepared. "We cannot determine the exact time for now. It may also have been left behind earlier and concealed, only to be discovered by the shopkeeper's family now."

Huff—

"Are you certain 'Asura' did this?" Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice came from beneath his conical hat.

"On that night, I find it impossible that any ninja from the village possessed the ability to do this." Fugaku Uchiha's words made the air in the office grow even more stagnant.

Would you suspect a mysterious enemy, or suspect your own village's ninjas?

Choose one.

"I understand. Let this matter rest for now. He paid for it as well." Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep draw from his pipe and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke. His aged voice drifted out from beneath the conical hat.

"Yes, Lord Hokage!" Fugaku Uchiha left the office.

After Fugaku departed, Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the Konoha Military Police Force's report, unable to make sense of it no matter how he thought.

"What exactly is your purpose, a powerful man like you?" Hiruzen Sarutobi had even once suspected that this mysterious ninja was the person who had caused the Nine-Tails Incident three years ago, resulting in the deaths of the Fourth Hokage and his wife, as well as his own wife, Biwako.

But many ninjas had seen the Sharingan pattern in the Nine-Tails' eyes that night, while the abilities displayed by "Asura" had never shown any connection to the Sharingan or the Uchiha Clan.

Neither the reports from Hiashi and his brother nor the intelligence gathered by spies lurking in Kumogakure had revealed any abilities or ninjutsu related to the Sharingan.

That spiral-shaped spherical ninjutsu, on the other hand, bore some resemblance to Namikaze Minato's self-created technique.

"Ah, these are troubled times." Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly rose from his chair and walked to the window.

He happened to see Fugaku leaving the Hokage Office Building, his back receding along the street.

"And the Uchiha Clan..." Recently, the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the village had intensified by the day. As Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt it deeply.

If the Uchiha Clan's dissatisfaction could not be resolved, would it be exploited by someone with ulterior motives?

Deep furrows formed between Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows.

After leaving the Hokage Office Building, Fugaku headed straight toward the Uchiha Clan District.

Though the Uchiha Clan was the Hidden Leaf Village's largest ninja clan, its district lay in the most remote part of the village.

As Fugaku Uchiha passed by the river not far from the clan district, he saw two familiar figures seated on a small dock by the riverbank.

The short-haired boy accepted a skewer of Three-color Dango from the girl.

"Is that Itachi and... Izumi?" As their father, Fugaku Uchiha smiled faintly and did not go over to disturb the two youths whose first love was beginning to blossom.

"I wonder whether Sasuke will get angry once he finds out his brother has a girlfriend?" Thinking of his younger son, who depended heavily on Itachi at home, Fugaku found himself almost looking forward to it.

For the Uchiha Clan, which valued "love," such familial warmth brought even deeper emotions.

And once family members or close friends died, that emotional anguish would stimulate the evolution of the Sharingan.

"Hey, Itachi, how is it? Is it good?" On the small dock, Izumi Uchiha beamed like a flower, impatient to hear Itachi Uchiha's opinion.

Her long black hair slid gently down as she tilted her head. Though she had not yet fully grown up, the beauty mark beneath her right eye added a touch of charm to her face.

She had been a little beauty since childhood.

"Mm, it's good." Itachi Uchiha had never been treated to sweets like this before. Izumi's warmth gradually opened a crack in his heart, and he began to feel fondness for this gentle, radiant girl.

That hazy affection gave Itachi Uchiha, who had been contemplating the meaning of life, a different kind of life experience.

Suddenly, Itachi turned to look above the riverbank.

A familiar figure was turning away.

"That seemed to be Father." Itachi had already awakened the Sharingan, and his perception far surpassed that of an ordinary Genin.

He had Obito's "help" to thank for that. During one of Itachi Uchiha's missions, Obito had killed his teammate, stimulating Itachi Uchiha to awaken his eyes.

However, Itachi Uchiha would still have to wait several years to awaken the Mangekyo, until Shisui died.

"I'm heading home first." Itachi placed the unfinished dango on the lotus leaf in Izumi's hand, then rose and left like some heartless scumbag.

"What a hopelessly unromantic guy." Izumi watched Itachi's lonely figure depart and sighed, unsure how she could ever open this boy's heart.

After a while, Izumi finished the dango as well. Humming softly, she began making her way home.

As she walked, she did not know when the sky had become completely dark.

When she reached the gates of the clan district, the smell of blood reached her nose, making the hairs all over her body stand on end!

Izumi, already a Genin, immediately became vigilant. She drew a kunai from the weapon pouch on her thigh, her Two-Tomoe Sharingan spinning as she ran toward the source of the bloody scent.

"Why is this happening? Where has everyone gone?!" Izumi's little face was full of confusion. The Uchiha Clan District was deathly silent beneath the night sky; even the dogs had stopped barking.

Before long, following the thick scent of blood, Izumi arrived at a courtyard and witnessed a shocking sight.

Two elderly Uchiha lay in pools of blood in the living room. Itachi Uchiha, now a teenager, dragged a child of only three or four out from a hidden compartment. Blood dripped from the short blade in his hand.

Then he swung it down without mercy!