Sasuke's chakra recovered quickly.
He immediately asked to continue fighting Itachi.
Itachi naturally agreed. But Sasuke's performance afterward kept forcing him to revise his assessment of his younger brother.
Fire Style: Great Fireball—could it explode?!
That terrifying range—was this really only a C-rank Fire Style technique?
How could a five-year-old have such precise control over his chakra?
How could a five-year-old's mental strength sustain the use of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan?!
After their third training match, Sasuke lay motionless on the training ground.
Even with the system's help and all the training he'd done lately,
he was still some distance behind Uchiha Itachi.
"Sasuke, those things you just said—did Father ask you to tell me?"
Itachi had originally come to train with Sasuke and strengthen the bond between the brothers.
But now, his heart was anything but calm.
His younger brother was a genius who was practically a monster, and he had such an unusual way of thinking...
It even made Itachi, once a genius himself, feel ashamed by comparison.
"That's just how I see it."
"Father may still have a glimmer of hope for the village."
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have let you join the Anbu."
Sasuke spoke softly.
His tired voice reached Itachi's ears.
"Release!"
Itachi formed a hand seal and dispelled the barrier around them.
Then he picked Sasuke up and carried him back to his room.
After laying Sasuke on the bed, Itachi left.
"Two more times."
"What should I do next to shock my cheap big brother?!"
Sasuke looked at the system panel, feeling somewhat helpless.
If he could've lasted just one more round, he would've completed the mission today.
Well, with his brother-complex, Itachi would probably come looking for him again soon.
For now, it was better to focus on improving his strength.
With that, Sasuke began training to refine his cellular activity and extract chakra.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Itachi put on his mask and went to the Hokage Office.
"How did the investigation go?"
"I'm still quite curious about your younger brother."
"With talent like that, he should be properly guided and made into a powerful asset for the village."
"He could even be groomed to become Hokage someday."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke kindly, pipe in hand.
"Today, Sasuke asked me to teach him Taijutsu training methods and tell him what I understood about Fire Style."
"He's stronger than most children his age, but I wouldn't call him a genius."
"At least, I could do everything he can do now when I was five."
"As for persuading him to change his dream, that'll take time."
Itachi stood before Hiruzen Sarutobi and spoke without a trace of emotion.
His mask hid his expression.
"Hmm..."
"In that case, I'll leave this matter to you, Itachi!"
"If the village needs to provide any support, let me know."
"And don't get involved with Danzo."
As he spoke, Hiruzen waved his hand.
Itachi nodded, then disappeared.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't realize that Itachi's attitude had already changed.
Instead, Itachi's words eased his concerns about Uchiha Sasuke.
With such a good big brother looking out for him, Hiruzen didn't need to worry too much.
Just as Shisui had influenced Itachi,
it would be easy for Itachi to influence Sasuke...
The bigger problem now was Shimura Danzo.
Hiruzen still didn't know why, but Danzo's hostility toward the Uchiha seemed to be growing more urgent.
He would have to put the Root Organization in its place.
Late that night.
"Grrr..."
A wave of hunger pulled Sasuke out of his training.
"Crap, I forgot to prepare a late-night snack."
Between extracting chakra and refining his cellular activity,
he was burning through a huge amount of energy!
At this hour, it wouldn't be easy to find something to eat.
Besides, Sasuke didn't want to disturb his mother just because he was hungry.
"Wait, Ichiraku Ramen is open at night, isn't it?"
"I can finally meet the so-called Uncle Otsutsuki, too!"
With that, Sasuke got up and left his room.
Following the route he remembered, he soon found Ichiraku Ramen, its lights still on.
"Someone else is here?"
A small figure stood behind the noren curtain.
He hadn't expected someone else to be out eating so late at night.
"Uncle, give me ten bowls of your special ramen."
Sasuke lifted the noren, sat down, and ordered.
"Ten bowls?"
"We don't recommend eating that much at night... Never mind. Kids these days seem to have big appetites."
Teuchi had been about to say more, but then he remembered the little girl who'd just come in, so he said nothing further.
He went straight to cook the ramen.
"Hinata?"
"Sasuke?"
They both spotted each other.
Neither had expected the little princess of the Hyuga Clan to be out for a late-night meal.
They were both rather surprised to run into each other there.
"Were you training until this late?"
"Doesn't the Hyuga Clan give you anything to eat?"
Sasuke teased her.
"No."
"I... I just..."
Hinata had always been shy.
Now that a classmate had caught her sneaking out for a late-night meal, and ten empty bowls sat beside her, she nearly blushed herself unconscious.
There was no way she could get the words out properly.
"Can you eat a little more?"
"I'll treat you, as a classmate."
Sasuke offered generously.
Ever since Sasuke had revealed his extraordinary talent, Fugaku Uchiha had given him plenty of pocket money.
"I'm not hungry. I'm already full..."
"Really?"
Hinata had meant to refuse.
But Teuchi had already brought out two bowls of ramen, and, as if possessed, she found herself asking that question.
"Of course."
Sasuke found it amusing.
In the original story, this girl could eat more than Naruto and Choji!
He hadn't realized her big-eater talent had started awakening so early.
But then again, training took a lot of energy. As the heir to the Byakugan, a Kekkei Genkai, it was natural that Hinata needed plenty of food.
And with her personality, she probably didn't feel comfortable eating too much at home.
That was likely how this had happened.
But Sasuke's amusement didn't last long.
Soon, he was stunned.
Hinata had already eaten ten bowls of ramen, and now she'd eaten five more.
What surprised him most was that she still looked like she wanted more.
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