In mid-October of Konoha Year 50, the Konoha Ninja Academy fully reinstated its pre-war requirements, stipulating that graduates must be around 12 years old.
Except for a few exceptionally gifted children who can skip grades or graduate early, ordinary children must complete six years of schooling.
Although the Fourth Hokage, Tsunade, did not immediately implement the peace agreement, she did tighten graduation requirements. The Ninja Academy's policy of easy entry but strict exit will remain in place for the next few years.
Many of the children who had never experienced war were disappointed when they heard about the new policy. Mitarashi Anko became the last child to successfully skip a grade, and her reputation at school soared even higher.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, who oversees the school's daily operations, strongly supports the Fourth Hokage's decision. Upon learning of the children's complaints, he has recently intensified the promotion of the Will of Fire: "Where the Konoha dance, the fire will never die!"
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura were somewhat disappointed to see their old friend's performance. The Uchiha Clan had basically completed their migration, and the Second Hokage's will had been abandoned by his own people in less than half a year.
The two, who cared deeply for the village, intended to communicate with Danzo, but to their bewilderment, Danzo, who was passionate about Uchiha affairs, "Disappeared."
Fortunately, the Root ninjas did not relax their efforts, and some dissenting voices emerged from the Uchiha Clan. The two advisors have recently rediscovered their "value."
The ancestral home of the Naka Shrine has become the preferred destination for young Uchiha ninjas. Although part of the new clan land is still under construction, many young people have moved here ahead of schedule.
Fugaku Uchiha knew that the previous generation of Konoha High Command officials were wary of the Uchiha Clan, and this "split" was also to get rid of those stubborn voices within the clan.
Coming to the ancestral land made it easier to hold clan meetings, Fugaku Uchiha took advantage of this to strengthen the ideological education of the younger generation.
The text cites the long history of the Uchiha, emphasizing their status as one of the founders of Konoha Uchiha.
Madara Uchiha's ideology is dangerous, but the strength of this "patriarch" is still worth promoting; the younger members of the clan love to hear about such things!
Although 3-year-old Itachi Uchiha had not yet begun formal ninja training, he had already started learning these basic ninja knowledge.
For young Itachi Uchiha, life at the Naka Shrine was very happy; the dense forest, the river, and the shrine were all places he loved.
Despite his father's perpetually stern face, Itachi Uchiha believed that his family loved him!
Looking up at the azure sky, Itachi Uchiha, carrying collected branches, came to the riverbank in the dense forest.
Itachi Uchiha looked at Shu Furukawa, who was setting up the campfire, with longing. Just moments ago, his teacher had led him down the cliff at the very top, and he couldn't describe the feeling. "Teacher, are these branches enough? How are we going to get back?"
Itachi Uchiha sat on a boulder, asking questions while staring intently at the prepared large fish with his big eyes.
Shu Furukawa was somewhat surprised by the courage of this 3-year-old child. In just a short while, Itachi Uchiha's emotions had completely calmed down, and he even had the mind to taste the wild game. "As a ninja, it is natural to use the power of Chakra to return."
"Do you want to fly back? Or do you want me to carry you up from here?"
Itachi Uchiha looked up at the towering, steep rock face again. At only three years old, he didn't fully understand the strength Shu Furukawa had displayed, but he instinctively felt that his teacher was truly formidable. "Let's climb up! My father told me that a ninja should constantly hone their body and will."
"Only in this way can we live up to the bloodline in our bodies and the name of the Uchiha Clan."
"Teacher, why is my father always so strict with me? Am I special?"
From the time he could remember, Itachi Uchiha had never seen his father smile at him. While the other children in the clan were still playing, his teacher, at his father's request, had already begun teaching him the basics of ninja.
His mother always looked at his self-awareness with a different kind of gaze, Itachi Uchiha couldn't understand at the moment; he only felt that he was a special being.
"Perhaps they have extremely high expectations for your talent!"
Don't think about these things; you'll understand when you grow up.
" Chakra is a magical energy, and I hope you will become interested in this power."
Itachi Uchiha nodded happily upon hearing Shu Furukawa's words of advice. He too wanted to "fly" and wanted to use his own power to complete this incredible challenge.
Looking at the grilled fish, Itachi Uchiha took it and immediately thanked him. He then began to eat it heartily, the delicious taste completely erasing the lingering fear in his heart. "Sensei must be the strongest ninja!"
"Even my father couldn't do something like that."
After eating his fill, Itachi Uchiha secretly admired the clan members' reverence for Shu Furukawa. Although he was still young, he could easily see their deep respect for him after careful observation.
"After you play here for a while, I'll take you upstairs."
"This is also a way to train your body; it can give you greater strength."
After giving some instructions, Shu Furukawa patted Itachi Uchiha's head. Itachi nodded vigorously, extended his right hand to form Hand Seals, and pretended to concentrate.
After Itachi Uchiha had rested, he came to the towering cliff. He instinctively took a deep breath, sat in the arms of Shu Furukawa, and subconsciously closed his eyes.
"Call out!"
A gentle breeze caressed his face. As Itachi Uchiha opened his eyes, Shu Furukawa had already begun leaping and climbing. "Master, you didn't use the power of Chakra?"
"Don't waste Chakra on these cliff faces. Remember, physical and mental strength complement each other."
Itachi Uchiha nodded as if he understood, his pupils contracting slightly as he glanced down, but as Shu Furukawa continued to climb, he eventually adapted to the height.
As they returned to the dense forest above, Itachi Uchiha stared blankly into space, looking up at Shu Furukawa, and instinctively exclaimed in admiration, "Sensei is truly amazing!"
Wearing a blue Jonin casual outfit, Shu Furukawa simply smiled. During this period, in order to cooperate with Ashura Chakra to modify his body, he could only use primitive methods to train his body.
Unfortunately, the effect was not obvious. Apart from a significant increase in vitality, all other physical indicators continued to change slowly at the previous pace.
The secret of "keeping flying a secret from your father" will be revealed next time I take you to explore other regions.
Shu Furukawa whispered his instructions, Itachi Uchiha immediately nodded vigorously. He liked secrets and always felt that this would make him closer to his teacher.
When the two returned to the clan compound in the evening, some young Uchiha members were still practicing Shurikenjutsu. Although it was the weekend, they still strictly required themselves to greet the young members with, "Greetings, Master Shu!"
"Master Xiu is still working hard, we can't let our guard down!"
"As expected of Master Xiu, he still insists on cultivating even on weekends..."
At each training range they passed, Uchiha Clan ninjas would crowd around and loudly praise them. Itachi Uchiha felt that his teacher was more popular than his father; it was the first time he had ever seen his clansmen like this.
Upon returning home, Itachi Uchiha happily rushed into his mother's arms. Uchiha Mikoto hugged her son with some guilt, saying, "Thank you for your help, Shu. Itachi is always especially happy when he's with you."
"Itachi is a smart child, and he will understand Fugaku's good intentions in the future."
Shu Furukawa responded softly, Uchiha Mikoto sighed quietly. Her husband's expectations for their son were too high, and even she felt a lot of pressure.
At dinner time, Itachi Uchiha earnestly reported his study progress to his father, Fugaku Uchiha, who rarely showed a smile, saying, "As expected of my son!"
Hearing the praise, Itachi Uchiha looked up and saw his father's expression, and he became even happier. This was the first time in his memory that his father had smiled at him.
Shu Furukawa couldn't comment on this father-son relationship. After dinner, Uchiha Mikoto left with her son. Fugaku Uchiha poured tea, then frowned and sighed, "I'm truly sorry to have embarrassed Lord Hokage. I failed to control the noise within the clan."
"Most of the clansmen who remained with the Police Force harbored great prejudice against the Second Hokage. The Senju Clan's conspiracy was nothing but their idle fantasy."
"It's very difficult to change their minds, but I assure you, these tribesmen will not cause trouble for the village."
The news spread somewhat inexplicably. Uchiha any good, but those clansmen seemed to have taken the wrong medicine, insisting on making a fuss and seeking attention.
Fugaku Uchiha suspected that Root ninjas were secretly instigating this, but he couldn't say anything about it.
After all, Danzo couldn't even be seen. The Fourth Hokage had already done enough. If he wanted to completely reclaim power, he could only wait a while longer.
" Tsunade- sensei doesn't care about these things; a few complaints won't affect the village."
"Clan Chief Fugaku needs to be wary of external forces, as this could potentially affect the Uchiha Clan."
As soon as Shu Furukawa finished speaking, Fugaku Uchiha nodded thoughtfully. The appearance of " Madara Uchiha's follower" was equally inexplicable; he had noticed this situation long ago. "I will have the clan's Anbu members report to the Lord Hokage regularly."
"No matter who it is, they shouldn't try to disrupt the existing relationship between the Uchiha and the village."
After a brief discussion about the matter, Fugaku Uchiha lowered his voice and asked with some anticipation, "Shu, what do you think of Itachi's aptitude? Does he have a chance to master even greater Uchiha power?"
Fugaku Uchiha firmly believed that a ninja's potential could be seen even at the age of three, and he prepared a comprehensive plan in order for his son to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Having recently examined Itachi Uchiha, Shu Furukawa forced a smile and reminded him again, " The Three Tomoe shouldn't be a problem. As for higher-level Dōjutsu, I can't accurately determine that."
"I've reviewed a lot of materials, and combined them with the historical records given by the Fugaku clan chief, Itachi's talent should meet these requirements."
Upon hearing that his son had gained Shu Furukawa's approval, Fugaku Uchiha's face lit up with joy once more. "If Itachi can achieve this, I swear, he will become a source of strength for the Lord Hokage!"
Thinking of the improved drug within the clan, Fugaku Uchiha made up his mind to use it on his son. With the help of the drug and his outstanding talent, the Mangekyō Sharingan had a promising future.
With this power, Uchiha is qualified to become Hokage, and all the problems left by his predecessors will be resolved in his generation.
Late at night, undisturbed by daily affairs, Shu Furukawa went to Shikkotsu Forest for his usual training, continuing to sense the coordinates of the Pure Land with the help of the Katsuyu.
The blonde girl, transformed from the Katsuyu's true form, broke free of resonance and, for the first time, revealed a helpless expression within the spiritual world of the Strength of a Hundred Seal: "Lord Xiu, that doesn't seem to be a space, but a world with unknown rules."
"If Hagoromo Otsutsuki really lives in that world, his power must have reached another level."
"No wonder Gamakichi trusted Hagoromo Otsutsuki back then; the Chakra Fruit from the God Tree truly possesses incredible power."
Indra's Chakra continuously increased Shu Furukawa's eye power, the Sharingan, enhanced by this power, began to influence his mental strength, allowing him to use Yin Release more easily.
Even with his enhanced mental strength, Shu Furukawa still couldn't pinpoint the coordinates of the Pure Land, and sending his spirit into the Pure Land to [ Collection ] the Sage of Six Paths became nothing more than wishful thinking.
"It's alright, even if we can't find the coordinates, there are still ways to achieve our goal."
"Summoning the Sage of Six Paths is also an option, but awakening him is riskier, as the spiritual power is not yet sufficient."
Shu Furukawa's spiritual body glanced at the sphere of Senjutsu Chakra gathered in the sky above, and his solidified spiritual body sat cross-legged within it. This was the result of his [ Collection ] over many years.
The Katsuyu looked at Shu Furukawa curiously, and after merging with his spiritual body, a puzzled tone appeared in his soft voice. " Tailed Beast Chakra resonates with Indra's or Ashura Chakra?"
"Would this bring the Sage of Six Paths to the world?"
"There's a high probability, but you only get one chance. After recovering the Sage of Sage of Six Paths ' power, you'll be one step closer to that original Chakra."
Shu Furukawa did not explain the source of the information; it was his backup plan. After waking the old man, it was highly likely that a sneak attack would be impossible, so he would have to forcibly [ Collection ] the information.
After finishing his training, Shu Furukawa emerged from the Katsuyu's enormous body, and soon a clone wriggled onto him. "Lord Osamu, should we allow the split spirit to continue searching for energy?"
"This is the only way. Perhaps with the increased energy, we'll be able to clearly perceive the coordinates of the Pure Land again."
Shu Furukawa's tone revealed regret; if the war had continued until now, the energy collected would certainly have been much greater.
Despite his efforts to control his influence, the war ended sooner than he remembered. Only Kirigakure remained in turmoil, while the other Small Nations were brought to peace by Konoha's authority...
After finishing the Summoning Jutsu, Shu Furukawa returned to the courtyard and suddenly saw a familiar figure. He immediately asked in a low voice, " Tsunade- sensei?"
Tsunade, wearing a bathrobe, shuddered. After her routine training, she had been having trouble sleeping and had come to the central courtyard to calm down when her disciple suddenly appeared.
Seeing that Tsunade didn't speak, Shu Furukawa simply went over and pulled her back to the room, whispering, "It's already very late. After you finish your training, Master, you should rest early."
Under the cover of night Tsunade couldn't see her disciple's profile clearly, but she was held close to the waist again, and all the words she wanted to say were swallowed back. She could only try her best to control her animated body.
Only after being taken back to her room did Tsunade finally let out a sigh of relief. Looking at Shu Furukawa, she whispered, "I've neglected your feelings lately..."
By intentionally distancing herself to create an opportunity for Shizune, Tsunade felt she had achieved her goal and returned to her usual self.
"The teacher always says strange things; helping you is what I should do."
In the dim light, Tsunade saw Shu Furukawa's sincere gaze again, and regained her usual cheerful tone, thanking him once more, "Thank you, Osamu!"