Heir to the Will of Fire: Uchiha Izumi

"Elder Nobuhiko, Sasuke, do you think I'm ready to graduate early?" Uchiha Izumi was looking forward to graduating.

Ever since she'd received Elder Nobuhiko's guidance and learned the Shadow Clone Technique, she'd used a shadow clone to attend school every day while her real body trained her stamina and her consciousness entered the Soul Space to practice ninjutsu.

Now, barely a year later, her strength had undergone a tremendous transformation.

She'd mastered numerous ninjutsu, become proficient in Taijutsu and Uchiha Swordsmanship, and awakened her Sharingan to the Two-Tomoe level. Her grades had also soared from tenth in her class and somewhere in the thirties in her year to an overwhelming first place, making her a renowned genius at the Ninja Academy.

Of course, this was after Itachi Uchiha had already graduated.

Still, she believed she was now at least as strong as Itachi Uchiha. She even had some confidence that she could defeat him, since he still hadn't awakened his Sharingan.

So she no longer wanted to waste time at the Ninja Academy.

Elder Nobuhiko looked at Sasuke. In principle, he agreed, but Sasuke was the one who could make the final decision.

Uchiha Izumi also turned to Sasuke, looking at him expectantly.

Graduate early? Sasuke's thoughts stirred.

It was already March, and the end-of-term exams were only a few days away.

Clearly, Uchiha Izumi had concealed the fact that she could now create three shadow clones so she could catch Elder Nobuhiko off guard and lay the groundwork for graduating early.

He'd originally wanted Izumi to keep quietly developing for another two years and graduate at ten, when she'd have the strength of an upper chunin. But seeing how much effort she'd put into this, he didn't want to refuse. He nodded. "All right, Izumi. Go ahead and apply first. Whether they approve it is up to the Third Hokage."

"That's wonderful!" Uchiha Izumi's face lit up. Excitedly, she hugged Sasuke and spun him around on the spot. Then she leaned in and planted a hard kiss on his cheek. "Mwah! Thank you, Sasuke!"

Ninja Academy.

"Apply to graduate?" Homura Funano, the homeroom teacher, was slightly taken aback, but not surprised.

Uchiha Izumi was now much stronger than Itachi had been when he graduated. Applying for early graduation was only natural.

"Yes." Uchiha Izumi spoke seriously. "Teacher Homura, I believe I've met the graduation requirements. I hope to graduate early and contribute my strength to the village."

Contribute to the village? Spending so much time around Sasuke had even taught her to say things like that without hesitation.

"Very good." Homura Funano couldn't help smiling. He nodded approvingly. "It's wonderful that you have this kind of resolve. I'll submit your application to the Hokage, and I'm sure it'll be approved soon. Go back to class for now and wait for my message."

"Yes. Thank you, Teacher Homura."

"Early graduation?"

Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback, too.

He remembered that Homura Funano was the homeroom teacher for a second-year class, and wondered if another genius had emerged there.

"Yes, Lord Hokage." Homura Funano handed the file to the Third Hokage and continued, "Uchiha Izumi has applied for early graduation. Since Itachi Uchiha graduated, she's been first in both her class and her year."

"I believe her current strength surpasses Itachi's at the time of his graduation and meets the requirements for early graduation."

"Oh? She's already surpassed Itachi Uchiha as he was when he graduated?" Hiruzen Sarutobi grew interested. He took Uchiha Izumi's file and began to read it.

"Yes." While the Third Hokage reviewed the file, Homura Funano added, "She also said she hopes to contribute to the village sooner. Considering her consistently perfect marks in political studies, I believe she's inherited the Will of Fire very well."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's interest deepened, and a thought stirred in his mind.

Perfect marks in political studies, already inherited the Will of Fire, and she's an Uchiha...

Thinking of the growing tension between the village and the Uchiha, he couldn't help thinking, The village should make an effort to win over Uchiha clan members who've inherited the Will of Fire.

Then he noticed that Uchiha Izumi's initial grades hadn't been very good, but she'd improved significantly every semester afterward. By her second year, she'd become the top student in her year and remained there.

He couldn't help remarking, "Uchiha Izumi has improved very quickly."

It sounded like a casual observation, but was really a question.

"Yes." Homura Funano naturally understood what the Third Hokage meant. "Uchiha Izumi works very hard. Her father was a civilian, and her mother wasn't a ninja, so she never received any training."

"Her father died during the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha. Afterward, she moved back in with the Uchiha clan, where she must have received guidance from the clan members."

"Oh, so she's Hazuki's daughter..." Hiruzen Sarutobi realized.

Hazuki Uchiha was one of the few members of the Uchiha clan to marry outside the clan, and her marriage had caused quite a stir in Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi naturally remembered it well.

As for Uchiha Izumi, Hazuki's daughter, he didn't remember her name very clearly, but he knew she existed.

And since she lived mostly in the clan head's home, it was hard for him not to notice her.

She was still young, though, and he hadn't yet begun paying attention to her as Hokage.

He hadn't expected that she'd turn out to be a little genius despite her impure bloodline.

He had to admit he'd misjudged her.

Remembering a rumor he'd heard, he asked, "I heard... Uchiha Izumi became the second young master of Clan Head Fugaku's..."

"Um." Homura Funano nodded. "That's right."

"I believe that's exactly why Uchiha Izumi received the clan's attention. She even received personal guidance from Clan Head Fugaku, which is why she improved so quickly."

He'd heard a little about the rumor that she was being raised as a future bride, but hadn't expected the Third Hokage himself to be interested in such gossip.

Of course, it wasn't exactly big news. In clans where marriages almost always took place within the clan, arrangements like future brides and future husbands were very common.

The Uchiha were relatively liberal. As long as someone belonged to the clan, they could generally choose whom to love freely. Even marrying someone from outside the clan usually met with little resistance.

They simply tended to marry within the clan because of generations of custom and upbringing.

But the Hyuga?

Forget marrying outside the clan. Most members weren't even free to choose their partners within the clan; they could only accept the marriages arranged for them.

Of course, if someone had the ability to find a partner like the Hokage or the savior of the Ninja World, then it might be open for discussion...

After asking Homura Funano for a brief explanation of the situation and carefully reviewing Uchiha Izumi's political studies exam again, Hiruzen Sarutobi approvingly wrote the word "Approved" on her graduation application.

"Sorry for the trouble, Lord Hokage."

"Have Uchiha Izumi prepare. She'll take the graduation assessment this afternoon."

"Yes!"

Although her application had been approved, the proper procedures still had to be followed, and she still had to take the assessment.

The assessment for early graduation was also stricter than the usual graduation exam. It wouldn't be some make-believe test of the Three Body Technique...