Training

The newly built training room at the Ninja Academy was spacious, filled with the rhythmic scrape and thud of feet against wooden boards.

The students rested against the walls. Those who had finished training silently recovered their strength, while those who had yet to take the field watched the two people facing off with complete focus.

It was Uchiha versus Uchiha, though this was already the second round. Their consecutive, spectacular taijutsu clashes were impossible to look away from.

Having finished his training, Rikusei pressed a hand to his slightly numb legs. He smiled at Kagami's concerned look, then slowly sat down against the wall, his attention wholly drawn to the center of the room.

After a round of probing, Naori's purple ponytail swayed restlessly behind her. Beneath the damp strands of hair on her forehead, her sharp eyes stared intently at the motionless man before her.

Uchiha Kaku.

A quick-witted and adaptable man, his taijutsu matched his personality. His ever-changing defenses defied all logic, which was precisely why, at such a young age, he had become the strongest Uchiha after Madara.

If not for the unfamiliar setting, Naori would have felt as if she had returned to the days of training alongside her clansmen at the Clan Academy.

The two who knew each other well silently faced one another in the center of the room. The girl slowly shifted her footing across the smooth wooden floor, her arms raised before her chest trembling slightly as she held her breath and focused, trying to find an opening that did not exist.

Rikusei could not help clenching his fists as he cheered her on.

You have to win.

Naori seemed to have heard his thoughts.

She moved with the wind.

Since she could not find an opening, she would do as Rikusei had done and seek one in the midst of battle.

Kaku's pupils narrowed slightly, and he could not help curling his lips into a faint smile. "Have you broken through your limits?"

The purple figure lunged at him like a lioness, accompanied by the howl of the wind. Kaku's eyes shifted, taking in the trajectory of every one of her attacks.

He lowered his stance and planted his feet firmly on the ground. His bandage-wrapped arms collided with the girl's slender ones, and a numbing sensation actually traveled through them, surprising him with the strength she possessed.

Still, it was only natural. She was at the age when she was growing, so her strength was bound to increase.

Yet the fierce attacks before him and the gusts kicked up by her fists gave him no time to think further.

With the keen eyesight honed through years of blade training, Naori did everything she could in battle to find a flaw in his defense.

Her fists cut toward him like blades, sharp and fierce, but it was all in vain. She could not break through his defense.

The fighting spirit reignited on her slightly dejected face. "Again!"

Naori continuously pushed past her limits. Chakra within her cells flowed through her meridians and into her limbs, her strength and speed increasing rapidly at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Kaku greatly enjoyed the feeling. He blocked all of Naori's attacks, after all—he had personally taught her taijutsu. A sense of accomplishment at nurturing an Uchiha sapling rose in his heart.

He glanced at the boy sitting by the wall, looking this way, and muttered in a voice only he could hear, "What a pity Madara snatched that one away. Otherwise, there would have been two."

The afterimages appearing across the training ground left the watching Shimura Danzō deeply shocked.

That Rikusei from earlier did not count, since he was Madara's disciple.

But why was this purple-haired girl so strong as well? She usually looked quiet and refined in class, yet she had a side no one knew about.

Danzō imagined himself in Teacher Kaku's place. He would probably be knocked down by Naori within ten exchanges.

No.

The two in the center collided their fists fiercely, the crisp sound of bone striking bone ringing in his ears.

He boldly revised his prediction to three exchanges.

Without saying a word, he turned his head and stole a glance at the eagerly watching Koharu.

Did she have a hidden side as well?

The Reconciliation Seal.

This training session was over.

Danzō and Kaku both let out a breath at the same time. Everyone in the room, whether fighting or watching, finally relaxed their taut nerves.

Kaku watched the girl's receding back, hiding the pity in his eyes deep within his heart. She must have endured quite a lot of hardship to work this hard.

Then he looked toward the foolish boy by the wall. Not bad—at least he knew what he should do. Kaku called out loudly, "Kagami!"

"Here!"

Kagami Uchiha sprang to his feet, steadied his legs, and strode resolutely toward the center.

Unable to stop himself, Danzō braced both hands against the wooden floor and sat up straight, watching the little fan step onto the field. He muttered, "Will he be as strong as those two Uchiha before him?"

When he turned back, he discovered that he was not the only one watching eagerly. Everyone was equally focused on the two Uchiha, one large and one small, standing opposite each other.

Her long purple hair, tied up high, bounced cheerfully with her steps as she walked toward Rikusei.

Glistening sweat slowly trickled down from her forehead to her neck, which had turned pinkish-white from the intense exercise. Through the light, the soaked white shirt revealed the delicate, youthful collarbones beneath its collar.

Exhausted, Naori leaned against the wall and relaxed beside Rikusei. She lowered her head to look at her condition, then expressionlessly shifted farther away from him.

She must look terribly disheveled, drenched in sweat.

Her brilliant purple hair drooped beside her ears along with her low spirits, while the Star Eyes that had shone so brightly moments ago dimmed somewhat.

How could Rikusei fail to notice the change in her? He quietly shifted closer after her and handed her the towel he had prepared earlier, which he had been hiding behind his back.

"Thank you."

Naori felt the loose strands of hair scattered across her back sway slightly, making her heart itch. Heat flooded her delicate ears as her fair little hands tightly clutched the towel wrapped around her face. If she showed her cheeks now, they would probably already be covered in a crimson blush.

Rikusei stared blankly at Naori, who had curled up like an ostrich. He set down the cup of cold water in his hand and abandoned the thought of helping her untie her hair ribbon.

Wouldn't wrapping both sides of her face like that suffocate her?

The strands of hair floating upward before her forehead reminded him that the girl had left herself enough room to breathe.

Danzō watched the center of the field intently. The proper, ordinary sparring match made him relax.

"Good thing only those two are exceptions. The Uchiha Clan isn't full of monsters like the rumors say!"

"But there are four Uchiha here, and only one of them is weak." Sarutobi turned sideways and whispered into his ear.

"..."

Like a demon's whisper, it made Danzō realize that he had accidentally spoken his thoughts aloud.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen!"

Kaku, having withdrawn the Reconciliation Seal, stood in the middle and called out loudly.

"Here!"

The clear voice of the boy beside him made Danzō look at him with eyes full of encouragement. "Go, Hiruzen!"

"Mm!"

The bright smile at the corner of the boy's lips made him momentarily dazed. As expected of his closest rival—even his smile was better than Danzō's.

Danzō decided that when he got home, he would practice his smile properly in front of a mirror. It wasn't as sinister as they said. His laugh was sinister, not his smile.

Kaku evaluated the boy charging toward him.

His flexibility and physical strength were both above average, and his sharp reactions were no worse than Rikusei's earlier.

As the spar continued, Kaku's gaze grew increasingly satisfied.

As expected of Sarutobi Sasuke's son.

The Sarutobi Clan head who had mastered all five transformation techniques had earned the Uchiha Clan's recognition and praise for his Fire Release techniques.

Now, Kaku acknowledged his son as well. If nothing unexpected happened, Hiruzen would one day stand shoulder to shoulder with his father.

After forming the Reconciliation Seal, Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly stepped down.

"Shimura Danzō!"

"Here!"

With fighting spirit blazing in his eyes, Danzō brushed past Hiruzen and walked straight to the center of the field.

He lowered his right hand, which had formed the Seal of Opposition, and rushed forward.

"Shimura Danzō?"

Kaku searched his memories for information. The son of a Shimura Clan elder.

He raised his arms and felt out the boy's speed and strength. Not bad. He blocked the sweeping side kick—decent power.

Seeing the look in his teacher's eyes, Danzō's own eyes filled with unwillingness. How could he be weaker than Hiruzen? He increased his speed and strength as he lunged forward. One punch, two punches, three punches—all missed.

Again.

He still had strength. Drawing upon his remaining chakra, he channeled it into his feet and fists before rushing forward again.

Another miss.

The figure in front of him was as slippery as a loach, making him increasingly agitated. He could not help speeding up the swings of his arms.

Kaku's right hand clamped firmly around his wrist, leaving him unable to move. Danzō gritted his teeth and silently endured the aching pain radiating through his meridians. The twitching of his mouth made his expression somewhat ferocious.

"Be careful not to strain yourself. If you can't control your competitive nature, it can easily become a bad thing." Kaku slowly lowered his arm and looked seriously into his eyes. "I like the look in your eyes."

"Thank you, Teacher Kaku."

Forming the Reconciliation Seal, Danzō tightly gripped his teacher's fingers, bent forward, and spoke earnestly.

"?"

Rikusei handed the prepared cup of water to Naori, who had finally revealed her little face. He looked puzzledly at Danzō, who was thanking Kaku in the field, and Kaku, who wore an expression of elderly satisfaction.

Kagami opened his mouth, wanting to describe what had happened, but the familiar look beneath the purple hair made his small body shudder. His immature thoughts were snuffed out then and there.