Uchiha Nobuhiko, the Man Who Cannot See the Future?

"Izumi-chan, with grades like these, I'm afraid graduating will be difficult..."

Each class at the Ninja Academy had about thirty students, and those who successfully graduated were usually in the single digits.

Though Sasuke didn't know where all those extra ninjas came from.

But being tenth in the class meant there was basically no chance of graduation.

"I know, but I've already been trying my hardest..." Izumi said, feeling a bit dejected.

Sasuke knew she was trying.

After all, every single night, he would urge Izumi to train.

Sasuke probed, "The ones ahead of you are all from ninja clans, right?"

Izumi nodded. "Mhm, mostly."

Sasuke realized.

This had nothing to do with talent.

There were many students in the Ninja Academy from ninja clans, or second and third-generation civilian ninjas.

Before they even started school, they had already begun receiving training and guidance from their parents or their clans.

Even Itachi Uchiha had started training at three or four years old; not only did he have his father, the head of the Uchiha clan, personally guiding him, but recently he even had Shisui Uchiha as a sparring partner...

He had even been to the battlefield at the age of four, witnessing the brutality of war firsthand.

But Uchiha Izumi... neither of her parents were ninjas.

When she was little, she had only played at ninja games that were little more than house...

It was only after entering the Ninja Academy that she began receiving systematic training, and outside of class hours, she had absolutely no one to guide her.

Even though she had awakened the Sharingan, she likely had no idea how to use it.

To be able to achieve above-average grades was already a sign of innate talent.

"That's fine, you're already doing quite well." Sasuke offered a word of comfort. Recalling that an elder in the clan was critically ill and nearing the end of his life, he patted Izumi's thigh and said, "I'll think of a way to help you with the rest."

A genius who awakened the Sharingan at five and could reach the Three Tomoe by thirteen at the latest, yet couldn't last a single round against Obito—it was too much of a waste of talent.

"Think of a way? You?" Izumi was stunned.

She truly couldn't imagine how Sasuke could possibly help her.

Several days later, in the afternoon.

Fugaku Uchiha, who had already left the house, returned and said to Mikoto, "Elder Nobuhiko is nearing the end. Let's go see him one last time."

Nearing the end?... Mikoto sighed inwardly, then nodded. "Alright."

Sasuke, who was busy learning characters, heard the commotion and pulled Izumi along as he ran out. "Father, Mother, are you going to see Elder Nobuhiko? We're coming too!"

Elder Nobuhiko?... Izumi whispered urgently, "Sasuke!"

She had thought Sasuke wanted to say something to his parents, but she never expected he would want to tag along to see Elder Nobuhiko!

Elder Nobuhiko's final moments were surely meant for his family and the high-ranking members of the clan; how could he have time to see children like them?

To go over rashly would only seem incredibly impolite and lacking in judgment.

Fugaku took a deep look at Sasuke, then nodded. "Let's go, we'll go together. Izumi, you come along too."

After saying this, he turned to Mikoto and added, "Perhaps seeing the little geniuses of the clan will make Elder Nobuhiko happy and allow him to pass on peacefully."

"That's true."

They were really going? And she was going too?... Izumi was completely bewildered.

When they arrived at Elder Nobuhiko's home, she was still in a daze.

Inside the room.

"Elder Nobuhiko, my youngest son, Sasuke, wishes to see you."

Elder Nobuhiko's breath was as thin as a thread. "Sa... suke?"

He had heard of the name Sasuke, the little prodigy of the clan.

Born at the end of the Warring States period, he had witnessed everything from the final battle between the Senju and the Uchiha to the laying down of hatred to establish Konoha, and then to the departure of Madara. As an old relic who had seen how the Uchiha clan had been suppressed and how it had gradually declined, he held a transcendent status within the clan, and his greatest regret in life was not being able to see the resurgence of the Uchiha.

Even now, as his life force withered away, he still paid attention to the geniuses of the clan.

He still longed to see hope for the Uchiha clan as his life reached its end.

But Sasuke... was too young.

What he had shown so far was merely early intelligence.

As a ninja clan, what ultimately mattered was talent for ninjutsu.

It was just a pity that he wouldn't live to see Sasuke's potential.

Seeing that Elder Nobuhiko didn't seem to have any intention of acknowledging Sasuke, Fugaku closed his eyes and opened them again, his gaze shifting into a pair of Mangekyo.

"Hmm?" Elder Nobuhiko narrowed his eyes, a look of confusion crossing his face.

Fugaku spoke, "Ever since Sasuke was born, these eyes of mine have been unable to see the future of the Uchiha clan clearly..."

!!! Elder Nobuhiko's pupils constricted!

He knew that Fugaku possessed the Mangekyo, and he even knew what its ability was!

It was a Forbidden Eye that allowed one to see the threads of the future after making a choice in one's heart!

And now, to think...

Could the revival of the Uchiha clan be destined to fall upon him?

At this thought, as if experiencing a final burst of vitality, he spoke fluently and urgently, "Fugaku, could you have made a mistake?"

Fugaku shook his head, "At first, I didn't suspect Sasuke either..."

"But in the futures I saw, whenever Sasuke was involved, the vision would cut off."

"Because of this, I tried to look into Sasuke's future, but I gained nothing..."

"Even the futures of those who come into contact with him become increasingly blurred..."

"Eventually, I couldn't even see the future of Konoha clearly anymore..."

"Because of this, my eyesight has also..."

To think that even the future of Konoha could no longer be seen?... Nobuhiko immediately asked urgently, "When did this happen?"

"The night of the Nine-Tails."

"So you brought Sasuke here?"

"No, he insisted on seeing you himself, and he brought Uchiha Hazuki's daughter, Uchiha Izumi, along."

"And she... is one of those whose future has become increasingly blurred..."

Unable to see the future... capable of affecting the futures of those around him... Nobuhiko's breathing grew rapid, and he immediately said, "Quick, bring them in!"

"Yes!"

Outside the room.

A group of high-ranking clan members glanced at Sasuke and Izumi from time to time.

Sasuke looked calm, but Izumi was on pins and needles.

At this moment, Fugaku walked out, "Sasuke, Izumi, come in."

Hearing this, Mikoto was stunned, Izumi's brain short-circuited, and even Sasuke was taken aback.

Why were they being let in?

He only wanted to confirm when Elder Nobuhiko would die.

After all, he had only left three Spore Clones in Konoha, and they all had their own tasks.

"Fugaku!"

At this, an elder immediately reprimanded, "It's one thing for the children to be ignorant, but as the clan head, are you ignorant too?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth!

"Let them in!"

Elder Nobuhiko's voice, full of vigor and tinged with dissatisfaction, rang out from the room.

The elder's expression froze.

The others who heard Elder Nobuhiko's voice felt their hearts sink.

They understood that Elder Nobuhiko was already...

But they did not understand why he would spend his final moments with two children...

"Let's go, Izumi-chan."

Sasuke took Izumi's hand and walked into the room.

"Elder Nobuhiko." X2

Elder Nobuhiko first looked Sasuke up and down; just from his spirit, energy, and aura, he could tell that Sasuke was extraordinary.

As for Izumi... well, she was quite ordinary.

Withdrawing his gaze, Elder Nobuhiko waved his hand at Fugaku Uchiha.

Fugaku exited the room.

To think he would grant them a private audience?... The clansmen outside cast sidelong glances.

Inside the room.

Elder Nobuhiko spoke, "Sasuke, is it? Let's be direct. I don't have much time left. Fugaku said you wanted to see me? State your purpose."

Straight to the point—this was the most direct probe.

Sasuke's heart stirred.

He understood that rashly imprisoning someone's soul, even a clansman's, would inevitably create resentment.

It is best to persuade someone while they are still alive, if possible.

At the very least, providing a warning beforehand makes it easier for them to accept the situation once they are mentally prepared.

Therefore, he had no intention of beating around the bush with Elder Nobuhiko: "To be honest, I didn't expect you to see us either. I only came along this time to confirm when you were going to die..."

"I have no idea what my father said to you to make you meet with us personally..."

"But since we are already here, let's just say it."

Having said that, he tugged on Uchiha Izumi beside him: "Izumi, show the Elder your Sharingan first."

What do you mean 'confirm when you're going to die'?! Izumi retorted fiercely in her mind.

However, complaints were just complaints; in this situation, she dared not question him and could only obey, her eyes instantly turning a deep crimson.

Sasuke said: "She awakened this at five years old. Within the Uchiha clan, that should be considered exceptional talent, right?"

"Five years old... awakening the Sharingan at such a young age is indeed rare." Elder Nobuhiko did not mind Sasuke's words; he showed an expression of approval and affirmation, then shook his head: "But it is not enough."

"If this had been ten or twenty years earlier, perhaps I could have guided her personally, or even taken her on as my final disciple, but now... this reason is not enough."

"Elder Nobuhiko, you may not be able to do it now... but you could after you die!" Sasuke offered a subtle yet polite smile: "I wonder if, after you pass away, you would be interested in continuing to shine for the Uchiha clan and guiding Izumi's training?"