A Chance Encounter

The spring breeze was pleasantly intoxicating as the leaves rustled in the trees.

Akashi formed Hand Seals and used the Transformation Technique. With a poof, he changed into an outfit just like Guy's: a green bodysuit that clung tightly to his body.

If he wanted to fool Itachi, he'd just have to put up with it for a while.

Before he'd crossed over, he'd even tried wearing women's clothes. What was a bodysuit compared to that? The style was just old-fashioned, and it made him look a little worse. As long as he didn't go out on the street and let anyone see him, it'd be fine.

"How do I look?"

"Good. I'll try it too!" Seeing that Akashi wore the outfit without even blushing, Itachi also used the Transformation Technique.

The two men, clad in green from head to toe, blended perfectly into their surroundings.

Maybe it was all in their heads, or maybe the outfit reduced air resistance. Either way, as they swung their arms and legs, they really did feel faster and stronger!

Itachi was astonished once again.

Why could Akashi always find such strange things? How many secrets did he have?

The more curious Itachi got, the more he wanted to know.

"Can you fight me again?"

"Give you another beating? I'd be happy to."

Akashi smiled and suddenly charged. He leaped, spun, and lashed out with an unpolished kick, twisting his hips as he swept his leg through the air. It cut through the wind, and a cloud of dust rose in its wake.

This was Guy's original technique, the Leaf Great Whirlwind.

At its core, it was just a sweeping kick, but its speed really was as fast as the wind. Compared to the Leaf Whirlwind, it also had an extra kick.

With the Sharingan, Akashi could copy the technique by observation and reproduce seventy or eighty percent of it.

Itachi immediately leaped back. The air in front of him split with a whoosh as the wind from the kick passed less than two fists' breadth from his chest. He'd almost been hit. Akashi's kick missed, but the instant he landed, he switched legs and kicked again.

The movements flowed together in a swift, powerful sequence.

To pull that off, Akashi needed exceptional control of his legs and close coordination between his nerves and muscles.

Akashi wasn't as skilled in Taijutsu as Guy, but he was still several levels above Itachi.

There was nowhere for Itachi to dodge the second kick. It hit him squarely and knocked him to the ground. His hair stood on end, and sweat ran down his skin, dropping into the dirt one bead at a time.

"Haah... haah..."

Itachi knew after just one hit that there was no point in continuing.

Had he just gotten beaten up again?

The confidence he'd only recently regained crumbled once more.

Akashi walked over and, in a rare show of encouragement, said, "You've improved quite a bit. You just need more training. Start by running fifty laps around Konoha in that outfit! If you stick with it every day, you'll definitely get a surprise."

"No problem! I'll make you see me in a new light, Akashi!"

Itachi gritted his teeth and got to his feet. He didn't want Akashi to look down on him. After taking a few deep breaths, he set off down the mountain in his green outfit.

A bodysuit and cat ears—what a perfect match.

Watching him disappear into the distance, Akashi clicked his tongue in admiration. "You little brat, you sure can run."

Back in the village, Itachi would probably understand what it meant to die of embarrassment.

It'd be even funnier if he ran into Guy. That'd be the show of the year.

Guy was the one person even Danzo wouldn't dare recruit.

Maybe Danzo was afraid Guy would single-handedly ruin the atmosphere in all of Root.

If Itachi caught Guy's enthusiasm, maybe it would set him straight. Then there'd be two people running laps around the village in green outfits every day, one saying, "Chasing the morning sun," and the other, "Running after the setting sun." The sight would be more beautiful than anyone could imagine.

Wouldn't that break him?

Akashi shook his head. Even he couldn't predict how the future would unfold. Who knew?

The first step in his plan to train and reform Itachi had succeeded—for now.

At least he'd learned a genjutsu today. No matter how he looked at it, he'd come out ahead.

He gazed into the distance. Sunlight bathed the village, and Kage Rock gleamed gold. Its towering statues solemnly guarded an illusion of prosperity.

Time to head home for dinner.

Akashi deactivated his Sharingan and went to the target boards to retrieve his ninja tools.

Most importantly, he had to dispel the Transformation Technique.

He'd just finished his final cleanup when he suddenly heard a rustling nearby. It wasn't loud, but it was close, and he could hear it clearly.

Someone was there!

Akashi immediately went on guard.

When he'd first arrived, he'd checked the area and found no sign of anyone else. Whoever it was had clearly just gotten there.

Were they watching him on purpose?

Or had they stumbled across him by chance?

A flurry of thoughts flashed through his mind as the footsteps came closer. The person walked over without trying to hide.

Akashi spun around, then froze.

"Hyuga Shingetsu?"

"Oh, it's you, Akashi."

A clear voice rang out. It was his former classmate, Hyuga Shingetsu.

She had long black hair and wore a Forehead Protector. Her pretty, innocent features held a hint of charm, and her most striking trait was her pair of pure white eyes.

The Hyuga Clan's trademark: the Byakugan.

"I didn't expect you to be around here too, Shingetsu," Akashi said, greeting her first.

"I came to train. You did too, right?" Hyuga Shingetsu glanced at the target and Shuriken, her pale eyes blinking as she spoke coolly.

She wore a loose gray training outfit, with the hems of her pants just past her knees. Her snow-white calves were bare.

The Hyuga Clan's fine family tradition was already beginning to show in her chest.

Akashi scratched his head and smiled.

In class, there were always students who ranked near the top and were held up by the teachers as examples for the rest. Hyuga Shingetsu was one of them.

As a member of the Hyuga Branch Family, she was exceptionally talented. At such a young age, she could already perform the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms, and she'd almost never lost in actual combat. Her overall abilities were not to be underestimated.

Among the other members of the great clans, Obito was often held up as a cautionary example.

Akashi wasn't close to her because Hyuga Shingetsu was rather aloof and had the sort of pride common among members of great clans. She usually kept to herself. She wasn't difficult to get along with, but she wasn't the type to make friends first, either.

The atmosphere grew awkward for a moment.

What should he talk about? Or should he just make a run for it?

"Um..."

"You don't have to say anything. I'll keep your secret." Before Akashi could come up with the right words, Hyuga Shingetsu spoke first. A hint of indescribable surprise even appeared on her face.

Akashi was puzzled. "What secret?"

Hyuga Shingetsu said meaningfully, "I never thought someone from the Uchiha Clan like you would have such a strange hobby. Being alone in the woods, wearing a bodysuit... I can see how that'd be exciting for some perverts."

A hobby?

She had to have misunderstood him, right?

Akashi froze for a moment, then hurriedly waved his hands. "I'm not a pervert."

"Everyone has their own quirks."

Hyuga Shingetsu wore a cool, aloof expression, then showed a surprisingly understanding side. "I get it."

You don't get a damn thing!

But the truth was, the situation really was hard to explain.

Akashi cleared his throat twice. "If I told you that wearing this outfit could make my attacks faster, would you believe me?"

Hyuga Shingetsu shook her head without hesitation. "No."

"I don't believe it either, so I'm trying it out."

Akashi shrugged. "That's a reasonable explanation, right?"

Hyuga Shingetsu looked him up and down, the corner of her eye twitching. "You Uchiha are all such strange people..."