Sword of Kusanagi

"Brother, what were you talking about with the clan head? Aren't we the village's strongest clan? Why do we have to..."

Before Shisui could finish, he felt a warm, broad hand settle on his head. Mo turned to face him, his unreadable black eyes meeting Shisui's gaze.

"Shisui, you are a person with your own will. No matter what happens, don't simply listen to what others say. Don't rely on anyone else's thoughts—not even mine. The Uchiha Clan... must see things with their own eyes..."

"But... isn't that too arrogant?" Shisui muttered, clearly confused.

Mo lowered his hand and turned away without explaining.

The sun rose and the moon set. A new day had arrived.

A bright sun hung in the azure sky. It was clearly fine weather, but some of the Ninja Academy students were not in a very good mood.

Because the atmosphere in the Ninja World had recently become unsettled, the village had shortened the Ninja Academy's graduation cycle in hopes that the new generation could grow quickly enough to handle any coming turmoil.

This sudden change disrupted many students' plans. Many began worrying whether they could pass the graduation exam after having two years cut from their training.

However, the top students clearly had no such concerns.

"We're about to graduate. I wonder who'll end up in the same class as me..."

"Yeah, but compared to teammates, I'm more hoping for a strong and responsible instructor!"

"Huh? Asuma, your dad is the Hokage. You must already know how the classes will be assigned, right?"

Asuma had a blade of grass between his lips as he lazily leaned against the back of his chair. With both legs propped on the desk, he said as if he did not care:

"Who knows? But I'll tell the old man that my Jonin instructor has to be someone really strong."

His eyes kept flicking toward the curly-haired little girl nearby.

"Huh? Who could it be? Could it be Lord Orochimaru?!"

"Isn't Asuma good at Wind Release and Fire Release? I think Lord Jiraiya is more likely!"

"Idiot! Lord Jiraiya isn't even in the village. How could that be possible?"

The people around them immediately began chattering noisily, but Asuma remained fixed on the curly-haired little girl. Seeing that she had been staring blankly out the window, he called out anxiously:

"Kurenai! Do you want a strong instructor too? I can ask the old man to put us in the same class."

"Huh?" Kurenai Yuhi turned around belatedly, blinking her ruby-like eyes.

"I don't really mind..."

Seeing how distracted she looked, Asuma was puzzled.

"Kurenai, what's wrong? You haven't had any energy all day."

"Huh?" Kurenai Yuhi froze slightly. Her father had happened to be on duty with the Barrier Team yesterday, so he had brought home news of that person's return.

Mo had never attended the Ninja Academy, so most people only knew him through village rumors. But Kurenai Yuhi was an exception.

Because Mo had awakened his Sharingan early, he had once been deeply obsessed with Genjutsu. To understand Genjutsu outside the Sharingan system, he had spent some time exchanging ideas with Yuhi Shinku.

Kurenai had also had brief contact with Mo during that time.

"It's nothing. Maybe I didn't sleep well last night," Kurenai Yuhi explained casually.

Upon hearing that, Asuma immediately began fussing around Kurenai Yuhi with endless questions, but Kurenai's mind was clearly elsewhere.

As the sun slanted westward and the dismissal bell rang, Asuma impatiently leaped out the window and sprinted toward the Hokage Office Building!

The Ninja Academy was not far from the Hokage Office Building, so Asuma reached the bottom of the building without much effort.

The ninja on duty did not stop him when he saw who it was, merely standing aside as though this were nothing unusual. Asuma smoothly arrived outside the Hokage's office. Just as he was about to knock, a stern-looking man with a square mouth and straight nose opened the door, glanced at him, and left.

Asuma stared at the man's back in confusion for a moment.

"That was... the Uchiha Clan head? What did he want with the old man? Forget it! My business is more important!"

With that, Asuma shook his head and hurried into the office.

"Asuma? Didn't I tell you that you can't enter the Hokage's office whenever you want?"

Asuma ignored him completely. He merely shut the door, ran to Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk, and scratched his head somewhat awkwardly.

"Dad, the class assignments are coming up. Can you put Kurenai in the same team as me, then arrange a strong instructor for us?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe, intending to light it out of habit. But after glancing at Asuma in front of him, his hands paused and he put it away again with a snort.

"Hmph! Don't you usually keep shouting about wanting to get away from this old man? Why are you begging me today instead? Do you know what the nature of this behavior is?"

Asuma waved his hand, completely unconcerned.

"Come on, old man, quit pretending. You hide in your office every day with that crystal ball..."

Before he could finish, Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed a hard knuckle into Asuma's head, cutting off the rest of his words.

Hiruzen Sarutobi brought a hand to his mouth and coughed twice before saying righteously:

"Ahem! This old man was observing Hidden Leaf's recent development. Don't spout nonsense."

Kusanagi Sword

"Hiss..."

Asuma sat on the floor clutching his head and sucking in cold breaths. Since he had already taken the beating, there was even less chance that he would give up.

He immediately pointed a finger at Hiruzen Sarutobi and shouted:

"I don't care! If you don't agree today, I'll tell Mom about it later!"

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi covered his aged face and let out a long sigh.

"Sigh... Fine, I understand. I'll grant your request. Go home now."

Only then did Asuma climb to his feet while rubbing his head, walking toward the door with three looks back for every step.

"Old man, you'd better not lie to me!"

Click.

At the crisp sound of the door closing, Hiruzen Sarutobi let out another long sigh.

"What a disgraceful family..."

As he spoke, he took a document he had prepared long ago out of a drawer.

It was a form filled with Uchiha Mo's detailed information, complete with a portrait photo. It was unmistakably a Jonin appointment letter!

"Fortunately, this old man prepared in advance. With Mo's strength, he should count as powerful among this generation's instructors, right?"

"Cat Granny, I'm here again."

Two handsome boys stood before the elderly woman with silver hair. One looked about ten years old, with refined features. The long hair at his temples was bound with white bandages, while his black hair was tied into a braid behind his head.

The other was younger, with large eyes, slightly curly short hair, and a distinctive button nose.

"It's Mo. Didn't you buy ninja tools just two months ago? You've used them up already? Did you run into trouble?"

Mo shook his head, patted Shisui on the head beside him, and said:

"I'm here to buy Shisui a suitable ninja blade and some ninja tools."

In two days, Shisui had basically mastered Lightning Flash Sword Transformation. But when he began practicing Uchiha Style Swordsmanship, he awkwardly discovered that he had no suitable short blade.

Uchiha Mo's ninja sword was too long, while the ninja swords he had used as a child were mostly damaged. Since Shisui had just learned Lightning Flash Sword Transformation, Mo decided to bring him to the Empty District to purchase some equipment.

That was why he had a Ninja Cat use the Reverse Summoning Technique to summon the two of them here.

Shisui had only signed a Summoning Contract recently, and this was his first time seeing Ninja Cats, so he was especially curious.

He blinked his large eyes, quickly swept his gaze over the group of cats around them, and asked curiously:

"Are these all Ninja Cats?"

"No, these are all ordinary cats." Cat Granny smiled kindly at Shisui, then shifted her gaze to Mo. Taking a puff from her pipe, she spoke thoughtfully. "Speaking of ninja swords... I have a Kusanagi Sword here. Its traits are sharpness and excellent chakra conduction. What do you think?"

"Shisui is still a beginner. He only needs something to practice with. There's no need for something that high-end."

Mo's black eyes remained calm and undisturbed. Though his family was relatively well-off within the Uchiha Clan thanks to his years of mission earnings and the inheritance his parents had left behind, a ninja sword of that grade cost an astronomical amount. There was no way he could afford it.

Cat Granny removed the pipe from her mouth, a curve forming at the corners of her lips.

"Of course I know Shisui doesn't need it. This sword was prepared for you, Mo. You've bought quite a few ninja swords from me over the years. I went through a great deal of trouble to acquire this one. So? Do you want it?"

Mo raised an eyebrow slightly. "What does Granny want me to do?"

"Hehe."

Cat Granny smiled lightly.

"You really are a clever child. My condition will not be difficult for you. I came from a line of black-market merchants in the Land of Birds. Though I left long ago, I still could not help feeling some pain when I heard not long ago that the black-market merchants of the Land of Birds had been slaughtered to the last...

"The person capable of doing that must be extremely powerful. But I do not need you to avenge them. This old woman merely seeks the truth. Find out who the murderer was and why it happened... that will be enough."

"I understand."

Mo nodded without refusing. He truly needed a good blade. His current ninja sword was usable, but it could not bring out his full strength. If Mo's Fire Release had not been so powerful, he would never have been able to use Nintaijutsu so fluidly.

"Can I inspect the sword first?"

Uchiha Mo's dark eyes settled on Cat Granny. She added a fresh portion of tobacco to her pipe and nodded.

"Of course."

With that, she lit the pipe and called out behind her.

"Huan!"

"Granny!" A young girl's voice answered immediately. A girl around Shisui's age then emerged from behind the curtain.

"Bring out that Kusanagi Sword for Mo to examine."

"Okay!" The girl answered brightly, then hurriedly ran behind the curtain. Before long, she came jogging back out carrying a long, narrow rectangular object that was entirely matte black.

She stopped in front of Mo, slightly out of breath, and held out the sheathed sword in her hands.

Mo reached out, took it, and examined it carefully.

The hilt and sheath were both matte black, with roughly rectangular construction and slight curves only at the corners. An Uchiha Clan crest had been carved into the bottom of the hilt. The grip was wrapped in black leather for traction, and the guard was a few centimeters wider than the sheath.

Mo looked it over for a long while before finally gripping the sword with both hands and pulling it from the sheath.

Shing—

Like the clear sound of flowing water, the snow-bright blade slowly emerged. It was a straight sword with a long, narrow blade and a curved tip.

Looking at the pair of black eyes reflected on its surface, Mo suddenly flicked his wrist and spun the sword through a flourish.

Swish!

The air split with a pale white trail, releasing a sharp, strange whistle.

Mo had not infused it with any chakra. He had merely swung the blade lightly, yet it produced such an effect. Its sharpness was obvious!

"It's a good sword."

Mo sheathed the blade, handed it back to the girl, and promised Cat Granny:

"I'll investigate it thoroughly. If my strength allows it, I'll kill the murderer."

Cat Granny held the pipe stem between her lips and smiled.

"I'll keep this sword for you. There's no need to rush."

Afterward, Mo bought Shisui a set of ninja tools and a wakizashi, then canceled the Reverse Summoning Technique and hurriedly left the Empty District.

Although he wanted to get the Kusanagi Sword immediately, the affairs of the Land of Birds could not be rushed for now. If nothing unexpected happened, he would soon be appointed a Jonin instructor. That identity was crucial to his actions in the Third Shinobi World War, so he could not be careless.

The days passed one by one. Mo did not accept any more missions, because the Third Hokage's appointment notice had arrived. As expected, he became the Jonin instructor of Team 8.

Speaking of which, Shisui had also reached the age to enroll, but Shisui himself had no desire to attend the academy, and Mo had no intention of forcing him to go.

So Shisui remained at home.