Naruto had been born in October, a little later than Sasuke.
"Sasuke, we're both going to the Ninja Academy, right?" Naruto pulled Sasuke back again. "Don't get worked up. Just hear me out."
Sasuke stared at Naruto's hand. If Naruto made another ridiculous move, he could shove him away at once. "Tell me, why should I call you big brother?"
Naruto started with an "Ah." "Sasuke, Big Brother Itachi graduated from the Ninja Academy early. He's a genuine genius of Konoha. There are countless people who want to challenge him. Now that you're entering the Academy, won't they turn their attention to you? Do you really want to be challenged every day, with no time left to train your ninjutsu?"
"You definitely don't. Besides, the ones who challenge you will surely be older students. If you lose even once, wouldn't that tarnish Big Brother Itachi's reputation? Everyone would say Itachi's little brother was nothing special, and that his reputation as a genius couldn't be real. Would you be happy about that?"
"Of course you wouldn't. So accept me as your big brother. If anyone dares challenge you, just tell them, 'If you want to challenge me, you have to get my big brother Naruto's approval first.' They'll come to me, and I'll take care of all that trouble for you. Don't you think I deserve to be called big brother?"
Sasuke was about to argue.
Naruto called out loudly, "Of course he does! Uncle Fugaku, I accept Sasuke's request. Starting today, Sasuke and I are brothers. I'll definitely be a very capable big brother to him."
Sasuke raised a hand, wanting to tell Fugaku Uchiha no.
But Fugaku Uchiha had just been all but persuaded by the benefits Minato Namikaze had promised to make Minato his big brother. Hearing Naruto, he agreed on Sasuke's behalf first.
"Sasuke, Naruto will make a fine big brother. I've agreed for you."
Fugaku Uchiha thought that from now on, the Uchiha Clan and the Fourth Hokage would be even closer.
Sasuke glared at Naruto. I'll never accept this.
"Dinner's ready." Kushina and Mikoto came out together, carrying fragrant dishes to the table.
Naruto trotted over to help Kushina carry them, all eagerness. "I'll do it. Let me do it all."
Mikoto praised him. "Naruto's such a good boy."
Kushina smiled like a flower. "He's such a little rascal. At home, he can't be bothered to lift a finger."
Usually, Naruto trained with Lee to push his body past its limits. Naruto did a thousand push-ups, and Lee did two thousand. Neither would stop until they were both completely exhausted and sprawled on the ground.
So when Naruto got home, he generally didn't want to move again.
Dinner was filled with warmth and laughter.
Sasuke had gained an older brother.
Naruto's casual teasing had brought the Uchiha Clan and Minato Namikaze together without any awkwardness.
The bond between children was pure.
The wine Minato Namikaze had brought, however, gave Kushina and Mikoto a fine time drinking. The two men had to carefully tend to the two drunken women.
"Sasuke, see you at school." Naruto stood at the door.
Sasuke turned his head away, pouting. "No."
Two days later.
A light rain fell.
At Konoha Gate.
Kakashi and Itachi appeared, having just completed a mission.
"Guy didn't even say goodbye before rushing back," Kakashi said. "Itachi, are you heading home?"
Itachi rubbed his eyes. "Kakashi-senpai, Guy-senpai was worried about his student. That's understandable. I'm going to check on Big Brother Shisui. I have a feeling something's happened."
The two of them left in different directions.
At Shisui's house!
Naruto was there.
Naruto clung to Shisui and said, "Big Brother Shisui, I know the Hand Seals for the Body Flicker Technique, but I still can't make it work."
Patiently, Shisui took Naruto's hands. "Let's start with the basics: the Clone Technique."
Naruto quieted down and copied Shisui's Hand Seals. He could feel the chakra gathering and flowing through his body, but the Clone Technique still failed.
Shisui's Sharingan had gone blind, so he couldn't identify the problem for Naruto either.
"Maybe it has to do with chakra control," Shisui offered. "Disordered chakra flow could be preventing the Clone Technique from working."
Naruto looked stubborn. "I don't believe I can't learn it."
"Hey!" Itachi landed lightly on the windowsill.
Like a graceful crow.
Shisui recognized Uchiha Itachi as soon as he heard him. The two knew each other too well.
Naruto stopped practicing and looked over curiously.
Uchiha Itachi, a genius ninja of the Uchiha Clan in Konoha. He had graduated from the Ninja Academy after just one year. At eight, he had awakened his Sharingan after witnessing a teammate's death with his own eyes. Now he was a key member of Anbu.
"Come in." After reporting the Kotoamatsukami incident to the Third Hokage, Shisui had rarely left home. Being blind made it difficult to get around, and he didn't want to embarrass himself outside.
Itachi and Shisui were both teacher and friend to each other.
"What happened to your eyes?" Itachi sat down in front of Shisui and reached out to look at them.
Shisui instinctively leaned his head back. "It's nothing. Let me introduce you to a new little friend, Naruto."
Naruto muttered quietly from the side, "Big Brother Shisui's eyes were ruined by that old man Danzo. He's blind in both eyes, and he'll never see this colorful Ninja World again."
Itachi froze as if struck by lightning.
Danzo's brainwashing of Itachi in Anbu had worked to some extent. Itachi believed that a ninja was someone who endured humiliation and bore burdens to achieve their goals. So even though Danzo's methods were sinister, Itachi thought his actions helped protect Konoha. He had yet to see Danzo's true nature.
"Is that true?" Itachi reached out in disbelief, pulling down the bandages wrapped around Shisui's eyes with one hand. "Why?"
Itachi clearly saw Shisui's eyes, utterly devoid of light.
Itachi trembled with heartache. He could no longer feel the warmth in Shisui's gaze.
"I'll plunge Danzo into endless darkness too." Itachi had always been calm and wise, but now his mind was consumed by hatred.
Naruto nimbly rolled to the left. "Big Brother Shisui, something terrible's happened! Big Brother Itachi couldn't control the power that just appeared in his Mangekyō Sharingan. A streak of black fire sprang up on the windowsill and burned like crazy."
A genius really was a genius.
Just a little provocation, and he'd awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan. How come I can't even learn the Clone Technique?
Naruto thought in frustration.
Shisui grabbed Itachi. "Itachi, don't be rash. I may have lost my sight, but I've already accomplished my goal. The Uchiha Clan has a bright future now. I've followed my ninja way, and Danzo's schemes have failed. He'll get the punishment he deserves."
Itachi closed his eyes, suppressing the power within them. "That's right. He'll become part of the past."
Before long, the black flames of Amaterasu burned all the furniture in Shisui's house to ashes, then gradually disappeared.
Naruto felt a chill of fear. If those flames had landed on me just now, would I have turned to ashes too?
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