At the Uchiha Clan Compound's training ground, Uchiha Itachi had just finished school and was practicing his Shuriken-throwing technique with a serious expression.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
Uchiha Itachi sprinted forward, flinging Shuriken from all angles and repeatedly hitting the bull's-eye of the distant target.
He furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment, then shook his head in dissatisfaction. Lowering his gaze, he connected several Shuriken with mechanism wires. After throwing them, he flicked the wires with his fingers.
Just as the Shuriken were about to hit the bull's-eye, they suddenly arced widely around to the back of the wooden target and embedded themselves in the reverse side of the center.
"Clap, clap."
"You have quite a talent."
Obito emerged from the shadows, applauding as he looked at Uchiha Itachi with an appreciative smile.
"Clan Head."
Uchiha Itachi bowed. Of course, he knew this senior. Though he hadn't attended the Uchiha Clan meeting because of school, he knew that his father had become the deputy clan head, and that this man had become the new clan head.
"Mm."
Obito nodded casually, sizing up Uchiha Itachi, who had been called the God of Itachi in his previous life.
Uchiha Itachi had led a legendary yet tragic life. He entered the Academy at six and graduated at seven. At eleven, he witnessed his friend Shisui take his own life and awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. At thirteen, for the sake of his younger brother Sasuke and peace in the Hidden Leaf Village, he personally wiped out the Uchiha Clan, including his parents. At twenty-one, gravely ill, he chose to die at the hands of his own younger brother, Sasuke.
Uchiha Itachi felt a little uncomfortable under Obito's gaze. Remembering how his mother had lost her temper at home, complaining that his father hadn't been back for days, he asked respectfully, "Clan Head, when will my father be home?"
"Senior Fugaku..."
Obito looked a little awkward and laughed it off. "He's carrying out a very important mission, so he may be busy for a while."
Uchiha Itachi nodded in disappointment. He removed the Shuriken from the wooden target one by one, bowed to Obito, and prepared to leave the training ground.
"Wait."
"Your father personally asked me to take you on as my student."
"I came here to evaluate you."
Obito deliberately turned his back to Uchiha Itachi, putting on the air of a master.
Uchiha Itachi looked at Obito hesitantly and said, "Clan Head, I don't want to take a master."
Obito's expression darkened. He took a deep breath and thought, I can't get angry. I can't get angry. Chen Yulou refused to become my student at first too, but later he practically begged to call me Master.
After adjusting his expression, Obito turned around with a gentle smile and asked, "Why?"
Uchiha Itachi looked as if he wanted to say something but held back. At last, he made up his mind. "Senior Shisui has taught me a lot. Though we're only friends, I consider him a respected teacher, so I won't take anyone else as my master."
"Shisui, huh?"
Obito wore a kind smile, while mentally making a note against Uchiha Shisui. He lifted his chin proudly. "I taught him most of what he knows. Wouldn't taking me as your master be just right?"
"Really?"
Uchiha Itachi looked confused. "But Senior Shisui never told me that!"
Obito waved a hand impatiently and raised his voice. "I told him to keep it secret. As the Uchiha Clan Head, would I lie to you? Ask him later if you don't believe me. Now hurry up and bow. You should know that I'm much stronger than Shisui."
Uchiha Itachi thought for a moment, then nodded. He knelt on the ground and called out respectfully, "Master."
"Mm."
Obito smiled in satisfaction and took out a crystal ball that measured spiritual power. "Put your hand on it and clear your mind. I'll see how strong your innate spiritual power is."
Uchiha Itachi was a little confused, but obediently placed his hand on the crystal ball.
It was already dusk, and the surroundings were dim. But when Uchiha Itachi put his hand on the crystal ball, a dazzling white light burst from it. Obito was delighted to have found such a gifted student, yet also felt a little bitter.
To be honest, Obito's spiritual talent hadn't been outstanding in the Wizard World. Otherwise, even after obtaining a huge amount of resources through the patent rights to his modified pistol, he wouldn't have needed seven or eight years to become a full-fledged wizard.
After transmigrating to the Naruto World, Obito had been delighted to discover that his original self had excellent spiritual talent.
He hadn't expected both of his students to be even more talented than him. Obito was genuinely jealous. He could accept Chen Yulou's talent, since he was the protagonist of the story.
In the Naruto anime, Obito had clearly been the final boss, while Uchiha Itachi was only his subordinate. So how could Uchiha Itachi be more talented than him?
"Master!"
"Master?"
Uchiha Itachi looked at Obito, who was standing there in a daze, and called out to him a few times in confusion.
Obito came back to himself and shook his head with an amused smile. Ever since merging souls with his original self, he'd become more and more childish. Wasn't it a good thing for his students to be talented? When he went out with a powerful disciple in the future, wouldn't that make him, the master, look good too?
Obito composed himself and pressed a finger to Uchiha Itachi's brow. Just as he had when teaching Chen Yulou, he transmitted the Meditation Technique and some basic knowledge directly into Uchiha Itachi's mind.
Uchiha Itachi felt a mass of knowledge he'd never encountered before suddenly flood his mind. He shook his head, feeling a little dizzy, and staggered slightly as if he were drunk.
Seeing Uchiha Itachi's discomfort, Obito suppressed the mischievous smile tugging at his lips and said solemnly, "You're my second disciple from now on. You have a senior fellow disciple named Chen Yulou, though you probably won't meet him anytime soon."
"I don't have many rules. Just remember not to harm your fellow disciples, and to respect your master."
With that, Obito took a ring from the Kamui Dimension, identical to Chen Yulou's, and handed it to Uchiha Itachi. "This is your welcome gift from your master. It has spells that maintain Clear Mind and Deflection Field. Clear Mind will protect you from ordinary genjutsu, and Deflection Field can repel attacks."
Uchiha Itachi took the ring in both hands and said respectfully, "Thank you, Master."
"Mm."
Obito patted Uchiha Itachi on the shoulder, a relaxed smile on his face. "I've fulfilled your father's request. Train hard, and I'll come check on your progress in a while."
As soon as he finished speaking, Obito's figure vanished like an illusion, dissipating into the wind.
Uchiha Itachi clenched the ring in his hand and watched Obito disappear in the blink of an eye. His eyes were full of determination as he said earnestly, "Master is so good to me. I'll work hard."
The sky gradually darkened. Uchiha Itachi hurried out of the training ground and headed home.
"Mother, I'm back."
Uchiha Itachi called out as he saw Uchiha Mikoto busy in the kitchen.
Uchiha Mikoto gently wiped the sweat from Uchiha Itachi's forehead, looking concerned. "Itachi, you went to train again after school. You must be tired."
"I'm fine."
Uchiha Itachi smiled obediently, enjoying his mother's tenderness.
"Oh, right."
As he helped his mother carry dishes from the kitchen, Uchiha Itachi said, "Father asked Teacher Obito to take me on as his student. I've already become his disciple."
Uchiha Mikoto bent down to put the food on the table and snorted. "Your father is heartless. He hasn't been home for days. He's busier now than when he was clan head."
"And Obito is no good either. He must have dumped all the work on Fugaku. I even saw him eating ramen with his friends on the street today. I used to carry him when he was little, and this is how he repays me."
Uchiha Itachi felt awkward and spoke up for his father and teacher. "Mother, Father must have important things to take care of. Teacher is very good to me too."
"That's good."
Uchiha Mikoto nodded and piled more food into Uchiha Itachi's bowl. "Eat more, and study hard under Obito. He must be capable if he became clan head at such a young age."
"Kushina and I are close friends. If he dares bully you, I'll have his wife deal with him."
"Mm."
Uchiha Itachi nodded firmly and shoveled mouthfuls of food into his mouth.
Meanwhile, Obito, who was thinking about how to put Uchiha Itachi through some intense training, suddenly yawned and felt an inexplicable chill.
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