Teammates in the Anbu...

"Shunichi, how did you..." Back home, Second Pillar looked at Uchiha Shunichi and asked strangely.

"I was specially recruited into the Anbu, so I don't need to go with you." Uchiha Shunichi answered calmly.

For ordinary Ninja Academy students, this was something worth being proud of. But to Uchiha Shunichi, it was entirely unremarkable. He simply did not care about such things.

After hearing Uchiha Shunichi's words, a trace of unwillingness flashed through Second Pillar's eyes. After living in Konoha for so long, he had still been influenced by it to some extent.

However, all his focus was now on revenge. While he envied Uchiha Shunichi's status somewhat, what he truly envied more was his strength.

"Your strength is still too weak. Study properly under your Jonin instructor. Once you complete the most basic ninja training, I'll tell you how to further improve your strength." Uchiha Shunichi saw through Second Pillar's thoughts at once and spoke up.

Being told that by Uchiha Shunichi made Second Pillar feel somewhat embarrassed.

"Don't get too complacent. I might surpass you at any time!" Second Pillar said, his face full of defiance.

"You do have that talent. But whether you can put that talent to use will depend on yourself."

"I won't say too much, but I need to warn you of one thing. Sometimes, improving your strength too quickly is not a good thing."

"I've already laid down your foundation for you. But how far you can go, I don't know."

For the first time in a long while, Uchiha Shunichi earnestly advised Second Pillar. Yet he knew perfectly well that Sasuke would not take these words to heart.

Second Pillar fell silent for a while, seeming to have guessed something. Then he asked, "Now, you should be able to tell me how to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, right?"

"Are you sure you want to know? You'll regret it once you do." Uchiha Shunichi said.

"I'm sure!" Second Pillar answered without hesitation.

"It's actually very simple. You only need sufficiently extreme emotions. People often say the Senju Clan is a clan of love, but in truth, the Uchiha Clan's emotions run even deeper. It's just that most clan members hide those feelings away."

"The method to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan—understand love, then lose love!"

"Of course, that isn't the only method. If you can find another way to stimulate your emotions, you can awaken it as well."

Uchiha Shunichi told Second Pillar directly without hiding anything, even including some of his own conjectures.

"So that's how it is. It was for this power that that man..." Second Pillar muttered after hearing Uchiha Shunichi's words.

Uchiha Shunichi opened his mouth at those words, but ultimately said nothing.

"Don't worry. I won't do that kind of thing for power. Besides, you don't even count as..." Noticing Uchiha Shunichi's reaction, Second Pillar spoke with a look of disgust.

It was not that he hated Uchiha Shunichi. Rather, he hated the thought Uchiha Shunichi had revealed.

When he was young, Sasuke's favorite person had been his older brother. But after that night, the person he hated most had become that very brother.

So he would never become another Uchiha Itachi.

"No, that's not what I'm worried about! You can't beat me anyway. I'm just a little concerned that if you run into Uchiha Itachi, you'll be killed before you even get the chance to make a move!" Uchiha Shunichi said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.

In an instant... Second Pillar's fragile heart suffered a brutal blow!

"You... what did you say?!"

His intense fury caused the Sharingan, which had been shut off since it awakened on the Night of the Massacre, to reappear. His crimson blood-red eyes radiated a powerful killing intent.

"Your Sharingan should be usable now." Uchiha Shunichi's casual remark immediately made Second Pillar's anger vanish without a trace.

Ignoring Sasuke behind him, who wore a complicated expression as he ran to the mirror to examine himself, Uchiha Shunichi entered his room and began preparing for battle.

There probably would not be any fighting tonight, but Uchiha Shunichi still made ample preparations.

He could choose to defect from Konoha, but before leaving... he would definitely slaughter every last one of those people who had forced his hand!

Although the possibility was not high, Uchiha Shunichi had already prepared himself. If anyone crossed his bottom line before the Third Hokage died, then he could only leave.

If everything proceeded normally, then the day the Third Hokage died would also be the day Shimura Danzō met his end!

Uchiha Shunichi had no intention of keeping one of the culprits behind his clan's destruction by his side. Even if he did not hold particularly deep feelings for the Uchiha Clan, others might not feel the same way.

That evening, a ninja named Tenzō came to find Uchiha Shunichi. After showing him the Hokage's written order, he brought him to the Anbu to meet his other two teammates.

By coincidence, they were both familiar faces: Uzuki Yugao and Gekko Hayate.

Of course, they were familiar only to Uchiha Shunichi. To Uzuki Yugao and Gekko Hayate, he was merely another brat who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy.

"The Hokage should have already told you everything, right? The mission you're responsible for is extremely important and concerns the safety of the entire village."

"So today is your first day in the Anbu, but it's also your first mission. This mission will serve as your assessment!"

"Next, come up with a codename and choose a mask."

After entering the Anbu armory, Tenzō pointed at the masks on the wall and spoke to Uchiha Shunichi.

"Can I use my own mask?"

Uchiha Shunichi pulled a skull-like mask from his clothes. One half was pure white, while the other was patterned with dark markings resembling tentacles.

Tenzō paused for a moment, then nodded and agreed to Uchiha Shunichi's request. A mask was only meant to conceal one's true face; the pattern did not matter.

"Your codename!"

"Void!"

After filling out some paperwork, Uchiha Shunichi officially became an Anbu of Konoha.

On the surface, Uchiha Shunichi was merely a Ninja Academy student who had just graduated. His grades were simply exceptionally good.

But in reality, Uchiha Shunichi knew very well that Sarutobi Hiruzen had already seen many things he had revealed over the years.

Both of his teammates were Special Jonin, while his captain was the sole survivor of the Wood Release experiments. This was not merely because his mission was difficult; more importantly, they were probably meant to keep an eye on him!

But... this sort of thing... did not really matter!