Anbu Teammates...

"Shunichi, why are you..." Back home, Uchiha Sasuke looked at Uchiha Shunichi strangely and asked.

"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 to be proud of, but to Uchiha Shunichi, it was utterly commonplace. He did not care about it at all.

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

However, all his goals were now focused on revenge. While he was somewhat envious of Uchiha Shunichi's status, what he truly envied more was the other's 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 Uchiha Sasuke's thoughts at a glance and spoke.

Being told that by Uchiha Shunichi made Uchiha Sasuke feel somewhat embarrassed.

"Don't get too complacent. I could surpass you at any time!" Uchiha Sasuke said, his face full of unwillingness.

"You do possess that talent, but whether you can put it to use depends on yourself."

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

"I've already laid down your foundation, but I don't know how far you'll be able to go."

For the first time in a long while, Uchiha Shunichi gave Uchiha Sasuke some advice. Yet he knew very well that Sasuke would not take those words to heart.

Uchiha Sasuke fell silent for a while, seemingly having guessed something. Then he said, "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!" Uchiha Sasuke said firmly.

"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 are even more intense. It's just that most clan members hide those feelings."

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

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

Uchiha Shunichi told Uchiha Sasuke directly without hiding anything, even including some of his own speculations.

"So that's how it is. That man did it for this kind of power..." Uchiha Sasuke muttered after hearing Uchiha Shunichi's words.

Hearing that, Uchiha Shunichi opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

"Don't worry, I won't do something like that for power. And besides, you don't even count..." Uchiha Sasuke noticed Uchiha Shunichi's reaction and said with a disgusted expression.

He was not disgusted by Uchiha Shunichi himself, but by the thought Uchiha Shunichi had revealed.

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

So he would never become another Uchiha Itachi.

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

In an instant... Uchiha Sasuke's fragile heart suffered a devastating blow!

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

His furious rage caused the Sharingan, which Uchiha Sasuke had activated and then deactivated on the Night of the Massacre, to reappear. His scarlet blood-red eyes radiated intense killing intent.

"Your Sharingan should be usable now." Uchiha Shunichi's casual remark made Uchiha Sasuke's sustained anger vanish like smoke.

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

There probably would not be any fighting tonight, but Uchiha Shunichi still made thorough 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 that possibility was not particularly likely, Uchiha Shunichi had already prepared for it. If anyone crossed his bottom line before the Third Hokage died, then he could only leave.

If everything went normally, then when the Third Hokage died, Shimura Danzō would die as well!

Uchiha Shunichi would not keep one of the culprits behind his clan's destruction by his side. Even if his feelings for the Uchiha Clan were not particularly deep, others might not think the same way.

That evening, a ninja named Tenzō found Uchiha Shunichi. He first showed him an order from the Hokage, then brought him to the Anbu to meet his other two teammates.

Coincidentally, they were both acquaintances: Uzuki Yugao and Gekko Hayate.

Of course, they were acquaintances only from Uchiha Shunichi's perspective. To Uzuki Yugao and Gekko Hayate, there was merely an extra brat beside them 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 is also your first mission. This mission will serve as your assessment!"

"Come up with a codename, then 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-shaped mask from his clothes. One half was pure white, while the other bore dark patterns resembling tentacles.

Tenzō froze for a moment, then nodded and agreed to Uchiha Shunichi's request. A mask was only meant to conceal one's real face; the design 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, albeit one with exceptionally outstanding grades.

But in reality, Uchiha Shunichi knew very well that many things about him had already been exposed to Sarutobi Hiruzen over the years.

His two teammates were both 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!

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