The Gap Was Already This Big?

"The exercise will last two days and one night. The destination is a long way from here. Once you reach the designated location on the map, you'll find the intelligence scrolls you each need there."

"The first team to bring back its intelligence scroll within the allotted time will take first place."

Uchiha Yun watched Itachi step forward to collect the map. Beside him, the girl named Shinko gave him an encouraging gesture.

Had their bond grown stronger?

Perhaps if nothing unexpected happened, being on a team like this would keep him from going off the rails.

"Big brother, who's the girl with the twin tails?"

Yun turned to Izumi and teased her. "She's probably a teammate on Itachi's current Genin squad. Don't you think you're overreacting a little?"

Itachi came back just then, holding the scroll. "Let's go. Next, I'll teach you some useful things. They might help if you're willing to listen."

With that, he headed out first.

Tokuma, standing behind Yun, poked him. "That guy's become our team leader. So, what do you think?"

Yun turned around and replied with a wry smile, "Are you saying you want to graduate early too, Tokuma? Spend every day clearing sewers and catching cats and dogs?"

Tokuma sighed and spread his hands. "We'll have to do that stuff sooner or later after graduating and becoming Genin anyway. Besides, the Byakugan doesn't have to be used for fighting."

Yun pondered that for a moment, then patted Tokuma on the shoulder. "Sure. That's a great way to think about it. If everyone were like you, peace would probably last forever."

"What are you two still doing? We're leaving!"

Izumi's call came from farther away.

Tokuma smiled, then replied in a low voice, "Sometimes, fate's already decided. If you can't fight it, you might as well try to enjoy it. Isn't that right?"

The two walked out side by side. Yun glanced at the forehead beneath Tokuma's headband.

"That kind of thing... protects the weak, but it's a shackle to the strong. If you become strong enough, Tokuma, that thing won't matter at all."

Yun's words made Tokuma stop, but Yun didn't wait for him.

Strong enough?

Just how strong would you have to be to ignore that thing? How could that be possible?

"Bisect the angle between the twelve o'clock direction and the hour hand to find its direction. Then use that direction to line yourself up with the sun. At that point, twelve o'clock is most likely south."

"There's lots to eat in the wild, but there are plenty of poisonous..."

Itachi kept sharing the basic knowledge he'd learned along the way, and Izumi was generous with her applause.

Yun and Tokuma didn't applaud, but they took note of anything they didn't already know.

There was no doubt about it: just like Yun remembered, Itachi Uchiha was a bona fide ninja.

He rattled off even the most basic knowledge without hesitation. Even Yun, who'd been using Shadow Clones to attend class, was completely outclassed.

Soon, the first night of the exercise arrived. After setting up their tent, the four of them ate a little and went to rest.

Once Tokuma and Izumi had settled down, Itachi opened his eyes from where he'd been resting against the tent. He gestured to Yun and walked outside first.

"Something wrong?"

"Danzo told me to start keeping an eye on what's happening within the Uchiha Clan."

Yun furrowed his brow slightly. Was that old dog already getting impatient?

If he remembered right, it was still more than four years before the clan would be wiped out. With the Fourth Hokage still alive, what was Danzo planning?

When Yun didn't reply for a long while, Itachi looked at him and asked, "Do you and Shisui have any plans?"

Yun looked at Itachi and smiled. "Are you a double agent, or do you want to join us?"

Itachi didn't answer. A long silence passed.

Join them?

"You should know exactly how your Sharingan awakened. The Uchiha Clan is very dangerous. And that Uchiha Shisui—the power of his Sharingan surpasses even yours. How can you trust someone like that, someone who's been through such pain?"

Danzo's earlier words rang in Itachi's ears once more.

But Shisui and Yun's proposed way to help the Uchiha reintegrate into Konoha kept echoing in Itachi's heart.

His clan, the village, and... his father, who had died for the village.

Back then, his father had lost his life while helping the Fourth Hokage. Surely he, too, had wanted the Uchiha to reintegrate into Konoha.

Then...

Shisui, who had helped the Fourth Hokage alongside his father, could be trusted!

"I... want to join you."

Yun looked a little surprised. After a moment's thought, he shook his head. "You're not strong enough to take part in this. You may be a genius, having graduated from the Ninja Academy after just one year, but that level of talent still isn't enough."

Not enough?

Itachi lifted his head slightly. His Sharingan activated, and the three Tomoe in his eyes slowly began to turn.

"This power... still isn't enough?"

Yun studied Itachi's eyes. Three Tomoe already?

It seemed his bonds still hadn't grown strong enough, and he hadn't experienced the loss of love either. His Genin team must have faced danger, but he still hadn't encountered Obito.

Obito?

It was hard to say whether Itachi would ever encounter Obito killing his teammates. That guy was probably off somewhere crying his eyes out right now.

"Three Tomoe already. You're growing fast. But... it's still not enough, Itachi. Whether you're facing me or Shisui, your Three Tomoe wouldn't even last until a second attack against true power."

As Yun finished speaking, Itachi silently drew a Kunai and held it across his chest.

"Though I've always admitted you're stronger than me, even though you've never awakened your Sharingan, that doesn't mean I can't withstand even one attack from you. If I'm wrong, then prove it!"

As he spoke, Itachi tightened his grip on the Kunai. The Three Tomoe in his eyes spun wildly, bringing his perception and dynamic vision to their limits.

But... that was as far as it went.

The next moment, Yun suddenly threw a Kunai.

"Whoosh!"

A shuriken struck a tree, and Itachi dodged it. But he had just been preparing to counterattack, and nothing happened at all.

Because a Kunai was now pressed against his neck, held by Yun, who stood behind him.

Fast! Far too fast!

A single Body Flicker Technique, as if Yun had known in advance which way Itachi would dodge.

Whether Itachi tried to use a substitution or a Shadow Clone, the Kunai at his neck would have interrupted him before he could act.

"Do you still think I'm wrong?"

Yun slowly lowered the Kunai. The Mangekyou turning in his eyes faded, leaving ordinary eyes in its place.

Itachi turned around, his face dark. "Has the gap really gotten this big already?"

I revised that chapter about Fugaku's death. Black Zetsu now ambushes him and pierces his chest, then, when he's on the brink of death, takes control and slits his throat and gouges out his eyes. Otherwise, it really didn't work.