Joining the Anbu

In Year 54 of Konoha, the peaceful village of Konoha welcomed a new change. At just 11 years old, Uchiha Itachi graduated early from the Ninja Academy thanks to his exceptional talent and far-above-average abilities as a ninja, and successfully joined the Hokage's personal Anbu.

The news was like a boulder thrown into a lake, sending ripples across Konoha.

Within the Uchiha Clan, Fugaku's eyes flashed with mixed emotions when he heard the news.

Pride and worry were intertwined in his expression. He was proud of his son's excellence; after all, being selected by the Hokage to join the Anbu was a great recognition of Itachi's abilities. However, he also knew how dangerous Anbu missions could be. It was a place filled with secrets and unknown dangers.

Mikoto silently shed tears beside him. She was happy for her son's achievement, yet couldn't help worrying about the dangers he was about to face.

Izumi's reaction was more direct. When she heard that Itachi had joined the Anbu, she was filled with worry. She had already been reluctant to see him graduate early, and now that he had joined the Anbu, she figured they would have even less time together.

Besides, Izumi knew that Anbu missions often involved the risk of death. She was afraid of losing Itachi. She badly wanted to go find him, but was also afraid of disturbing him, so all she could do was hide in a corner of the Uchiha Clan Compound and grieve in silence. Her eyes were always clouded with sorrow as she silently prayed for Itachi.

Sasuke didn't really understand what being in the Anbu meant. He only knew that his older brother was getting busier and busier. Whenever Sasuke eagerly went to Itachi to ask him to teach him how to train, Itachi always turned him down, saying he was busy.

Once, Sasuke found Itachi again, his eyes full of anticipation. "Big brother, can you teach me a new ninjutsu today?"

Seeing the longing in Sasuke's eyes, Itachi felt a pang in his heart, but he still said helplessly, "Sasuke, forgive me. I'll teach you next time. I have a very important mission to take care of right now."

Sasuke's little face fell. A little angry, he said, "Big brother, you always say that. It's always next time. Do you not want to teach me anymore?"

Itachi crouched down and placed both hands on Sasuke's shoulders, looking at him earnestly. "Sasuke, that's not it. Big brother has joined the Anbu, and Anbu missions are urgent. They concern the safety of the whole village. Once I've finished this busy stretch, I'll teach you properly. You have to trust me."

Sasuke didn't quite understand, but he still nodded. "Then you have to keep your promise, big brother."

In the Hokage Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Itachi with a serious expression. "Itachi, do you know why I recruited you into the Anbu?"

Itachi answered respectfully, "Lord Hokage, I believe it's because the village needs my strength."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slowly. "You're clever. Konoha may seem peaceful these days, but many dangers lurk beneath the surface. Naruto and Menma are Jinchuriki. They're important assets to Konoha, and also targets coveted by many enemies. You're on good terms with them, so I'm giving you a long-term mission: protect them in secret. This mission is extremely important and concerns the safety of Konoha."

Itachi's heart tightened. He knew how difficult this mission would be. As an Anbu member, he would have to hide his feelings and devote himself entirely to the mission.

Naruto and Menma's smiling faces surfaced in his mind, and he silently vowed to protect them. At the same time, he understood that this meant he would be even busier, with less time to spend with his family and Izumi.

"Lord Hokage, I understand. I'll do everything I can to complete the mission, even if it costs me my life," Itachi said firmly.

After that, Itachi's life changed dramatically. Like a shadow hidden in the darkness, he silently followed Naruto and Menma. Whether they were training in the village or heading out on simple missions, Itachi was always nearby, watching over them.

The first time Itachi secretly protected Naruto and Menma, Tenzō—also known as Yamato—went with him.

Tenzō said to Itachi, "Naruto's movements are easy to keep track of, but Menma's are another matter. That kid knows the Flying Thunder God Technique. No one can tell whether the one we're secretly protecting is his real body or a Shadow Clone."

Tenzō told Itachi about the two brothers and their daily lives, including where they often went and whom they often met.

Itachi already felt a headache coming on. He suddenly realized the mission was like drawing from a mystery box, because he could never know whether he was protecting the real body or a Shadow Clone. If anything happened to the Jinchuriki, they would definitely be held responsible.

For example, when Naruto and Menma were attacked by Cloud Village ninjas last time, the Anbu assigned to protect them had let their guard down for just a little while, and Naruto and Menma had disappeared right before their eyes.

They had panicked and searched all over Konoha, but couldn't find them anywhere. They hadn't dared to report it to their superiors, and in the end, that was how the incident had happened.

Fortunately, everything had turned out well. Neither Jinchuriki had been seriously hurt, and the several children who had been with them were safe too.

Even so, Hiruzen Sarutobi had held the two Anbu ninjas accountable. They were both still in jail, doing hard labor.

As he carried out his mission, Itachi's heart often churned with emotion. He felt guilty toward his family, especially Sasuke.

Every time he saw the longing in Sasuke's eyes as he asked for his company, it felt as if he'd been stabbed hard in the heart. He missed Izumi's gentle smile too, but he knew he bore the responsibility of protecting the village and couldn't slack off for even a moment.

The first time Itachi secretly watched over Naruto and Menma as they trained in the forest, he saw them working hard and couldn't help letting his thoughts drift.

He thought of his own childhood. Back then, he too had trained with such enthusiasm. Now, he could only watch over them silently from the shadows. His gaze grew more resolute. He knew this was his duty. For Konoha, for his family, and for his friends, he had to persevere.

At the same time, he was amazed by Naruto and Menma's training methods and intensity. He had never heard of or seen anyone train by creating more than a hundred Shadow Clones. He admired their ingenuity.

At that moment, Naruto and Menma were rapidly depleting their chakra. They knew they had enormous reserves, but no one ever complained about having too much chakra.

So the two of them often depleted their chakra deliberately, hoping to increase their reserves. The results were clear: compared to before, their chakra reserves had grown considerably.

Their training wasn't just about increasing their chakra reserves. They also competed in Taijutsu, testing things like endurance and stamina.

That was why the two of them were exhausted every time they went home, often collapsing into bed as soon as they got back. But they didn't train like that every day; sometimes they went out to play with Shikamaru and the others.

Their training gave them a clear advantage over their friends. They were far ahead in many areas, including stamina and endurance.

Naruto and Menma had led a pretty eventful life over the past few years. Compared to his original life, Naruto was much happier. Every time Menma thought about that, he felt a strong sense of accomplishment.

Besides, his arrival had changed many people's fates. The most obvious example was that the Uchiha Clan had avoided being wiped out.

Itachi silently watched Naruto and Menma training from the shadows, considering the best ways to protect them. He knew Menma's Flying Thunder God Technique made protecting him more difficult, while Naruto's unpredictability made things even more complicated.

As time went on, Itachi gradually picked up on a few patterns. He noticed that when Naruto and Menma were utterly exhausted, the Shadow Clones around them would automatically disappear. That might be a crucial clue to identifying the real body. Even so, he didn't dare let his guard down and stayed highly alert at all times.

Whenever Itachi returned to the compound, he often saw Sasuke practicing ninjutsu by himself on the training ground. Sasuke's movements were still clumsy, but he was full of determination.

Itachi's heart was heavy with guilt. He walked over and gently patted Sasuke on the shoulder. Sasuke turned around and saw Itachi. A flash of delight crossed his eyes, but it was soon replaced by stubbornness.

"Big brother, are you free today?" Sasuke asked.

Itachi was silent for a moment. "Sasuke, big brother still can't spend time with you, but I'm glad to see you working so hard."

Sasuke lowered his head. "I understand, big brother. I'll keep working hard. One day, I'll become as strong as you."

Itachi looked at Sasuke, his heart a tangle of emotions. He knew his duty still lay before him, and he could only bury his love for his family deep in his heart for now, devoting himself completely to protecting Naruto and Menma.