"Bang!"
A tentative close-quarters fight began on the training ground. The opponent was a Chunin who had only recently been promoted, but Itachi looked utterly unhurried.
"Is that a bad habit you picked up from him?"
Yun glanced at Shisui beside him. "What do you mean, picked it up from me? I'm just laid-back. He's trying to look cool."
"But you taught him that swordsmanship, right? It works pretty well with the Two Tomoe Sharingan. That Chunin drew the short straw, getting assigned this mission."
As it happened, Yun really did know the Chunin down below. He was the older brother of Tenma, one of this year's graduates. A few months ago, when he was still a Genin, Yun had given him a scare at the school gate.
Shisui scratched his head. "If you graduate early after spending only a year at the Ninja Academy, your skills have to be above a certain level. That said, this mission really is a raw deal. If he wins, it's only what everyone expects. If he loses, he'll make a fool of himself."
Yun replied with interest, "I heard this Chunin's younger brother is graduating this year too. Imagine if he ended up on the same team as Itachi. That'd be fun."
Shisui hesitated. "There's no way it could be that much of a coincidence, right?"
The practical test went by quickly, and the written portion was child's play for a top student like Itachi.
By the end of the afternoon, Itachi had passed the special test. Next, he would join this year's graduating class for the graduation assignments.
At the barbecue restaurant, Shisui raised his glass. "You two are minors, and I'm a ninja, so I have to follow the Three Ninja Prohibitions. That means we can only celebrate Itachi's early graduation with drinks."
"Clink."
After tapping their glasses together and taking a sip, Shisui brought out his gift: a scroll.
"It's for emergencies. Come see me tomorrow, and I'll give you some crows."
Itachi took the scroll, then immediately turned to Yun. The meaning in his eyes couldn't have been clearer.
Yun swallowed the barbecue in his mouth and casually pointed to the small box by the door. "I heard your little Sasuke still wets his pants, so I bought you a whole box of diapers. I figured you could use them."
Uh...
The mood turned awkward for a moment. Itachi frowned. "If you hadn't scared Sasuke with that prank last time, he wouldn't have..."
Shisui gave an awkward laugh and waved his hand. "Yun, maybe don't joke about that again. Itachi's little brother is still young..."
Yun scratched his head, thought for a moment, then set down his chopsticks and said to Itachi, "All right. You didn't take my advice and graduated early anyway, but to keep certain rats from making trouble, you can ask me about a few things."
As soon as he finished speaking, Shisui hurriedly cut in. "Yun, Itachi's only just turned seven."
Yun raised a hand to stop Shisui. "Once he's assigned to a squad, he'll already be a ninja. And Shisui, Itachi's talent is no worse than yours. Who knows... maybe a second pair of those eyes will appear."
That made Shisui fall silent. He looked at Itachi, who was still deep in thought.
A second Mangekyō Sharingan? Could someone really see that kind of potential already?
Itachi lifted his head slightly and asked Yun solemnly, "What exactly is the plan you and Shisui have been working toward?"
Just as expected.
Yun glanced at Shisui. Then a simple barrier was set up around their private room in the barbecue restaurant.
Only then did Yun speak. "You might not understand if I explain it all, so I'll keep it simple. Crush the faction in the clan that wants to rebel, and join forces with the faction that wants to coexist with the village. Then stand with the Fourth and unite the strength of the village's clans. Finally, purge the Root Division, which has rotted beneath Konoha's great tree."
It was a simple statement, but the room fell silent at once.
Itachi was weighing whether the words were true. Yun and Shisui watched him, hoping to read his true thoughts in his eyes.
Shisui, who had gained the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, understood the strength of those eyes. Yun had openly said that Itachi had the potential to awaken them too.
If that power ended up on the opposing side, it would obstruct every step of their plans.
The Uchiha had worked so hard to earn the Fourth's recognition and acceptance. Shisui wouldn't allow anything to derail their plans.
"I need some time."
The celebration of Itachi's early graduation ended on a somber note. After Itachi left, Yun and Shisui exchanged a glance and headed to the Back Mountain.
"Does Itachi have the potential to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan too?" The Three Tomoe in Shisui's eyes slowly turned as he sensed that power.
Yun nodded slightly. "Itachi has spent his whole life thinking about life and death. If he experiences love and then loses it, there's a serious risk of him losing his mind."
Shisui couldn't help laughing helplessly. "Seriously, why do you keep saying Itachi is at risk of going crazy?"
Yun looked at Shisui. "Now that you've awakened the Mangekyō, you should know the price of gaining that power. Feeling and understanding love isn't hard. What's hard is not losing your mind the moment you lose that love... hard enough to want to destroy the entire world."
"Kekkei Genkai can be understood as hereditary diseases. The Uchiha Sharingan awakens in an exceptionally unusual way. Drastic changes in personality, turning evil, wanting to destroy the world—those are all risks left behind by this Kekkei Genkai."
At those words, Shisui recalled the moment it happened: loss, regret, helplessness...
A special power had suddenly surged up. At that moment... he had truly felt he could do it—turn the whole world upside down.
Yun sighed and continued, "After Itachi applied for early graduation, his behavior made me realize a few things. Konoha's darkness has probably already made contact with him."
"He awakened the Two Tomoe Sharingan at five and a half, a genius with no equal in Uchiha history. And that person who witnessed the Two Heroes of the Warring States has always coveted the power of the Uchiha and Senju."
Shisui froze. "They've already made contact with him? The Fourth has been pretty busy lately. Something's going on with Kumogakure..."
Shisui didn't mention the classified details, and Yun didn't ask. Instead, he continued, "It's just a guess. Now we'll have to see what he chooses. If... Shisui, things have gone this far. I hope you won't let sentiment get in the way..."
Shisui nodded slightly as the cross-shaped mark in his pupils slowly turned. "I've always treated Itachi like my little brother, but no one can be allowed to ruin all of this!"
"The ability in my left eye has recovered."
At those final words, Yun understood what Shisui meant. "Wait a little longer. It won't be long now. One Hawk Faction defection and a pair of Mangekyō aren't quite enough for the clan meeting. It won't be much longer..."
Shisui nodded. "I've always known you had secrets of your own, Yun, but you still haven't awakened your eyes. What is that overwhelming power you have?"
Yun didn't answer. He just smiled and said, "Maybe I'll awaken the Mangekyō tomorrow. Who knows?"
Beneath the night sky, under Konoha's Hokage Building, in the Root Division.
"Itachi, what did you discuss inside the barrier today?"
Before you continue