The mountains passed through countless years while the world below saw a thousand.¹
Although only half a year had passed in the outside world, Uzumaki Kuming, who was training to strengthen his Sage Mode at Mount Myoboku, could no longer feel the passage of time.
At Mount Myoboku, Uzumaki Kuming's life had become very simple. Aside from training in Sage Mode, he taught Shisui Uchiha and Uchiha Itachi. Teaching these two prodigies was incredibly easy for him.
Both of them had top-tier talent in the Shinobi World. They learned incredibly quickly, whether it was Taijutsu or ninjutsu. Under Uzumaki Kuming's tutelage, nine-year-old Uchiha Itachi had already mastered the Shadow Clone and Summoning Technique, along with several intermediate Fuinjutsu techniques. The toads he could summon were only small, but even that was astonishing.
Itachi's Taijutsu was improving rapidly, too. He had picked up Shurikenjutsu and Kunai throwing all on his own. In that area, Kuming had Shisui teach him.
As for Shisui, aside from teaching him the Summoning Technique and Fuinjutsu, Kuming spent more time sharing his own thoughts and understanding of the Shinobi World. Kuming knew his understanding couldn't possibly be entirely correct, but he believed that his presence could influence the young Shisui.
He wanted to influence Shisui's way of thinking as much as possible. Itachi, on the other hand, had been by Kuming's side since childhood, so his convictions were much firmer than Shisui's.
In the stone forest of Mount Myoboku, a cool breeze swept between the trees.
Shisui Uchiha and Uchiha Itachi sat cross-legged atop two stone peaks, eyes closed as they sensed what it was like to become one with nature.
They were still too young, and their Chakra reserves were too small for them to use Senjutsu. But they could already begin training in the