Sudden Change

Ninja Academy.

The students had only just enrolled, and the classes taught at the academy were the most basic of basics. For Nanfeng, who had already mastered some basic Ninjutsu, it was simply hellish torture!

Watching Teacher Iruka's mouth open and close at the podium, he felt as though his very spirit was being completely drained away in the process!

When the evening dismissal bell rang, Nanfeng finally stood up and let out a huge yawn. A day of classes was far more exhausting than a full day of training!

"Sasuke, can we go home together?" Sakura Haruno, her pink hair framing starry eyes, came up to Uchiha Sasuke and asked somewhat cautiously.

Sasuke had yet to experience the upheaval of his clan. His coldness was merely an act he forced himself to put on because he was unfamiliar with others. Faced with such an enthusiastic girl, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable!

"No... I still have training to do. Goodbye..." Sasuke's expression barely changed, but his voice was slightly hesitant!

Nanfeng could not help finding the scene amusing, but after calculating the timing, he looked at Uchiha Sasuke and sighed!

"What's wrong, Nanfeng?" Hinata, who had been watching Nanfeng the whole time, asked. Ever since fate had changed, Nanfeng had become the most important person in Hinata's heart!

"It's nothing. I'm just a little tired after a whole day of classes."

Nanfeng did not say much more. Smiling, he rubbed Hinata's little head.

The girl's soft, silky long hair really did feel nice to the touch, and Nanfeng's heavy mood eased a little at that moment.

Hinata still could not accept such an intimate gesture, especially with so many people around. Her face instantly flushed red, and she hurriedly ran off into the distance!

"You two really have a good relationship!" The one who spoke was Shikamaru. Seeing Hinata's reaction just now, he teased Nanfeng with a mischievous smile.

"We're very good friends. You too," Nanfeng said to Shikamaru with a smile. He had quite a good impression of Shikamaru. At the very least, the two of them had become comrades on the same side today because of sleeping in class!

You asked what the battle was? Naturally, it was Teacher Iruka making them stand as punishment!

Although Iruka was only a Chunin, he was extremely responsible during lessons. This made things miserable for the two guys who only wanted to slack off. After waking them twice, Iruka finally lost patience and made the two of them stand outside the door as punishment!

They stood there for an entire day, and the two quickly became familiar with each other in the process!

"Alright, see you tomorrow. Today was really exhausting!" Nanfeng stretched lazily and quickly left the classroom amid everyone's strange looks!

You had the nerve to call it exhausting? You clearly slept through the entire day, didn't you?

After leaving the classroom, Nanfeng spotted Sasuke not far away. He noticed Sasuke's gaze linger on him for a moment, then smiled and waved!

The boy was thin-skinned, and the coldness he forced himself to maintain made Sasuke somewhat poor with words. He hurriedly nodded in response before quickly leaving the Ninja Academy!

"Judging by the direction he's heading, he should be going to train. But after tonight... I probably won't get to see Sasuke like this ever again..."

Nanfeng sighed inwardly, filled with regret for the Uchiha Clan!

Unfortunately, his current strength was insufficient to change the overall situation. Even though he knew the coming tragedy, he had no ability to change reality!

"Strength is still the most important thing. I should go back and dispel my Shadow Clone Jutsu, then see what I gained today..." Nanfeng shook his head and quickly headed home!

"Nanfeng, do you want to go eat Ichiraku Ramen with me?" Just as Nanfeng left, Uzumaki Naruto shouted after him!

"I have something to take care of when I get back today. How about I go eat Ichiraku Ramen with you tomorrow?" Nanfeng turned around and said to Naruto with a smile!

This simple gesture made Naruto's eyes redden slightly. Aside from Teuchi Ichiraku and Teacher Iruka, there were very few people who treated him so kindly!

"Then it's settled! Remember to treat me to Ichiraku Ramen tomorrow!" Naruto waved and quickly ran toward his home!

It looked like he was in a pretty good mood!

Nanfeng actually had a very good impression of Naruto. Combined with Naruto's future strength and status, Nanfeng had the intention of becoming close friends with him, but his thoughts...

"Forget it. There's plenty of time. Changes like this need to happen gradually. Having another capable helper by my side in the future is still a result I'm quite satisfied with!"

With those thoughts in mind, Nanfeng slowly returned home!

Night began to fall. After finishing a day of training, Sasuke quickly ran back to the Uchiha Compound!

Perhaps it was just an illusion, but why did this familiar road feel somewhat unfamiliar today? At this hour, there should have been quite a few people around. Why was it as quiet as it was today?

Uchiha Sasuke forcibly suppressed the doubts in his heart. A peculiar sensation of being watched suddenly arose within him. He swiftly raised his head and looked at the utility pole in the distance.

That strange feeling of being watched seemed to have come from there just now, but when he focused his gaze, he found no one. Perhaps he was overthinking it!

Sasuke pushed aside his thoughts and quickly ran home. The moment he opened the door, a thick stench of blood assaulted his nose!

Seeing the figure standing in the room, Sasuke's eyes widened!

His parents lay in pools of blood. Itachi Uchiha, who stood there, seemed like a completely different person. His scarlet Sharingan stared coldly at the helpless Sasuke before him!

"Brother, what exactly happened? Father and Mother..." Sasuke had just begun to speak when a kunai grazed his shoulder and embedded itself in the wall behind him!

A stabbing pain and warm wetness came from his shoulder. Sasuke stared at Itachi Uchiha before him in disbelief, unable to believe what he was seeing!

"My foolish little brother, do you still not understand? I did all of this!" Itachi Uchiha struck Sasuke with a punch, sending him into the wall. His scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan fixed tightly upon Sasuke's eyes!

"Let me show you the pain from before..."

Tsukuyomi activated silently. Within the world of Genjutsu, Sasuke watched again and again as his parents and clansmen died miserably, along with the cold expression on Itachi Uchiha's face as he slaughtered them!

No... none of this was real!

Under the intense mental stimulation, Sasuke's eyes suddenly turned red. The single-tomoe Sharingan was so bewitching within the darkness, but the mental strain soon made him lose consciousness, and he did not see what happened afterward!