The scroll Yusuke had given Orochimaru contained the head of the White Zetsu he had cut off earlier in the Land of Rain. For Orochimaru, a master of biological science, it was certainly worth studying.
Orochimaru put the scroll away and asked in a sinister voice, "Now that the Cursed Seal is complete, Yusuke, which village's Jinchuriki are you planning to target first and take the Yin Release Chakra from their Tailed Beast?"
Yusuke's gaze remained calm. "Don't worry about that. I already have a target."
At that moment, in a training ground within the Uchiha Clan, Genma had just finished instructing Itachi and Izumi in ninjutsu. The three of them were chatting.
"Genma, what ninjutsu are you best at?" Izumi asked curiously.
Genma grinned smugly. "Ninjutsu isn't what I'm best at. It's senbon. When it comes to using senbon, I'm absolutely the best among my peers!"
Izumi's big eyes shifted as she smiled. "Senbon are ninja tools, too. I bet you can't beat Itachi at using ninja tools, Genma!"
Genma couldn't let Izumi's doubt stand. "No way. I admit Itachi is an exceptionally gifted genius, but I don't believe he can already surpass me at using ninja tools."
Izumi tilted her head slightly. "How about a bet? Itachi's good with kunai, so he'll demonstrate with them. If you can copy him using either kunai or senbon, you win. If not, you lose. How's that?"
Genma replied casually, "Sure, it's a deal. If you win, I'll treat you both to three-color dango for a whole year!"
"Genma, maybe we shouldn't do this," Itachi said, being considerate.
Genma waved a hand, confident. "Itachi, go ahead. I can definitely copy you."
Since Genma had put it that way, Itachi said no more. He casually pulled out three kunai and threw them. Then he drew three more and sent them after the first three, striking them and changing their trajectories. In the end, all six kunai hit the bull's-eyes of six separate targets.
This wasn't even Itachi's best. After recently studying how to use ninja tools with Shisui, he had learned to perform even more precise maneuvers.
Genma's eyes were wide with disbelief. The senbon in his mouth slipped out because he hadn't kept his teeth around it, and it stabbed into the top of his foot.
"Ah!" Genma clutched his foot and cried out in pain.
"Genma, give it a try, too," Izumi said with an innocent smile, looking at him expectantly.
Genma shook his head with a wry smile. "Forget it. I lose."
He sighed, lamenting inwardly:
Three-color dango for two little brats for a whole year. That's going to cost a lot. Poor me—my wallet was already thin, and now it's going to get even thinner.
"I was only teasing you, Genma. You've been helping us train for so long, and we haven't even thanked you yet. We'll treat you to three-color dango today!" Izumi said happily, seeing Genma's bitter expression.
Looking at Izumi, clever yet considerate, Itachi smiled slightly. Genma also breathed a sigh of relief, scratching his head a little sheepishly.
Just then, a voice interrupted their plans to go eat dango together. "Young Master Itachi, the clan head asks you to go to the hospital as soon as possible."
Looking at the Uchiha who had come to deliver the message, Itachi asked, "Did my father say what it's about?"
The messenger replied, "Madam is in labor."
Hearing that his mother was about to give birth, Itachi apologized to Izumi and Genma, then hurried to the hospital. Naturally, the three of them no longer went to eat dango together.
By the time Itachi arrived at Konoha Hospital, Uchiha Mikoto had already given birth safely. In a private hospital room, Mikoto held a crying baby in her arms, while Uchiha Fugaku stood beside her.
"Mother, I'm sorry I'm late." The door opened, and Itachi walked into the room.
"Itachi, it's a boy. You have a little brother now," Uchiha Mikoto said with a gentle smile. Then she turned to Uchiha Fugaku. "You've kept it secret for so long. Can you tell me the baby's name now?"
Uchiha Fugaku bent down and took the baby from Uchiha Mikoto's arms, cradling him as he said joyfully, "Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha."
Uchiha Mikoto was surprised. "That's a lovely name, but..."
Uchiha Fugaku smiled. "That's right. It's the Third Hokage's father's name. I already spoke with the Third Hokage, and he agreed."
Uchiha Fugaku lifted the infant Sasuke in his arms. Bright sunlight streamed through the hospital-room window, falling on Sasuke's tiny body.
"Sasuke, live up to that name. Grow up to be a fine man!" Uchiha Fugaku's voice brimmed with hope.
With that, Uchiha Fugaku laughed heartily.
Watching Sasuke in his father's arms, Itachi silently vowed that no matter what happened, he would look after his little brother—even if it cost him everything!
Yet as Itachi made his vow, the innocent, adorable smile of a little girl also flashed through his mind.
When Izumi got home, she was delighted to see that her older brother Yusuke was there for once. "Big brother, why are you home so early today?"
Yusuke smiled and beckoned to Izumi. She ran over, and he reached out to pat her head. "I've been busy developing an important jutsu lately and haven't had time to spend with you. I'm sorry. Tonight, I'll take you and Mom out to eat."
Izumi exclaimed happily, "Great! I want barbecue tonight!"
"Sure. You can have whatever you want." Yusuke pinched Izumi's cheeks, which still had a hint of baby fat, then asked curiously, "Why did you come home so early today? Don't you usually spend some time walking around with Itachi after training?"
"Itachi's mother had a baby today, so he's about to have a little brother or sister. I'm excited for him, too. I wish I had a little brother or sister of my own." Izumi looked envious.
At her words, Yusuke fell into thought.
Sasuke's already been born. Naruto will be born before long, too. I need to make some preparations in advance. If possible, I hope I can help the Fourth Hokage and his wife survive the Nine-Tails Incident this time.
Yusuke greatly admired the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. Born a commoner, he had risen to become Konoha's leader without relying on any cheats, then won the hand of the Uzumaki Clan's beautiful heiress. He was the perfect example of an ordinary person achieving greatness.
The Fourth Hokage himself could be called a perfect man. His strength, talent, character, and appearance were all exceptional.
I hope I can reach you before you use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal!
After completing the development of the Two-Yang Cursed Seal, Yusuke released Shiranui Genma and resumed overseeing the ninjutsu training of his three students, including his younger sister Izumi.
Guy, meanwhile, had grown fond of being a teacher to others. He begged Yusuke to let him continue teaching the children Taijutsu, and Yusuke, naturally, readily agreed to be "helpful."
He couldn't help it. He simply couldn't refuse a friend's request!
"Yusuke-sensei, have you heard the rumors about you and Shisui lately?" One afternoon, after finishing that day's ninjutsu training, Yusuke was strolling through the snack street with Kabuto, Itachi, and Izumi when Itachi suddenly asked.
Yusuke nodded. "I have. Someone's clearly been spreading them on purpose. They're probably trying to stir up discord within the Uchiha Clan."
"By calling me the clan's strongest and Shisui the clan's greatest genius, they could set us up as rivals and make the clan head wary of us."
"I don't know Shisui very well, and I haven't spoken with him about this yet. But I've already talked with the clan head. He doesn't take the rumors seriously, and he said he'd talk to Shisui, too, to make sure the clan stays united."
Itachi seemed somewhat reassured. "I'll talk to Shisui, too."
Yusuke patted Itachi on the shoulder. "Then I'll leave that to you as well. I have no interest in competing with Shisui over empty titles."
At the time, Yusuke, Fugaku, and Itachi had no idea that the rumors weren't just meant to sow discord among the Uchiha Clan's strongest members. More importantly, they were intended to pave the way for Shisui to challenge Yusuke, so that if he won, he could legitimately become both the strongest and greatest genius in the Uchiha Clan. The Third Hokage really was a shrewd old fox!
In a teahouse, Yusuke took a small sip of oolong tea. His old friend, Shiranui Genma, sat across from him.
"Yusuke, why have you been so generous lately? You're either treating me to tea or taking me out for a meal. You know I'm not someone who covets good food!" Genma asked curiously.
"Waiter, another serving of cherry blossom mochi, a serving of yokan, and four strawberry daifuku!" Before Yusuke could answer, Genma unabashedly ordered two more kinds of sweets.
Yusuke's eyelid twitched. He smiled and said, "Of course, I'm thanking you for helping guide my students' ninjutsu training a while back."
Genma furrowed his brow slightly. "But you've already thanked me five times."
For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that the man across from him was up to something.
After all, Yusuke was the hardest person among their peers to deal with. Nobody had ever gotten the better of him.
Yusuke slowly took a sip of tea. His eyes fell on the new Hokage Guard armband on Genma's sleeve, and he said calmly, "This time, I'm also congratulating you on officially becoming a Special Jōnin and the Fourth Hokage's personal guard."
Genma smiled at that. "It took me a long time just to make Special Jōnin. I still can't compare to you, Yusuke. People are saying you're already the strongest in the Uchiha Clan."
Yusuke waved a hand. "I don't know where that rumor came from, but it's giving me a headache."
"By the way, starting tomorrow, I'll be going on a secret mission. If you want to treat me to tea again, you'll have to wait a while," Genma continued.
At Genma's words, a gleam flashed in Yusuke's eyes, and he thought, It's here!
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