Fading Daily Life

"Shunichi, can this really make me stronger?" Uchiha Sasuke asked uneasily as he watched Uchiha Shunichi bustle about.

Uchiha Sasuke was now consumed by hatred. He was not stupid, but whenever he heard that something could make him stronger, he was willing to do almost anything.

"My experiment is only meant to strengthen my own constitution. What I need now is not strength, but a strong body. Only then can I bear the burden of these eyes." Uchiha Shunichi opened his eyes and spoke.

Uchiha Sasuke looked at Uchiha Shunichi's eyes, identical to his brother's, and his heart filled with resentment.

They had gone through the same thing, so why had he not awakened those eyes...

Uchiha Shunichi noticed Uchiha Sasuke's resentment and said, "These eyes are not a good thing. They affect my emotions, and the strain they place on my body is even greater. If my Dōjutsu were not special, I would have died long ago."

This was not the first time Uchiha Sasuke had heard that, but he could not help feeling somewhat upset.

However, Uchiha Sasuke quickly caught the key point in Uchiha Shunichi's words.

"You mean... these eyes can affect a person's emotions?" After hesitating for a moment, Uchiha Sasuke still asked Uchiha Shunichi that question.

Uchiha Shunichi guessed the implication behind Uchiha Sasuke's words and poured cold water on it. "Only a little. There is no excuse for what your brother did!"

That was right—there was no excuse!

In Uchiha Shunichi's eyes, regardless of Uchiha Itachi's original intentions, what he had done was utterly unforgivable.

Everyone living in this world had hardships they could not avoid. But those were not reasons to commit evil. Once something was done, there was absolutely no room to turn back.

In fact, Uchiha Itachi thought the same way.

He was not Uchiha Shisui. Even when faced with betrayal, Shisui had remained loyal to the village, willing to commit suicide just to stop the village's internal conflict.

What Uchiha Itachi wanted was merely to put an end to his life as a double agent.

To Uchiha Itachi, the clan's honor mattered more than existence itself. That was why he made that decision; he simply did not lay a hand on Sasuke.

Uchiha Sasuke was furious because of Uchiha Shunichi's words, but what truly enraged him was himself. At that moment, he had actually entertained the thought of running away.

"That's not what I meant!" Uchiha Sasuke stubbornly retorted.

Without turning his head, Uchiha Shunichi said, "I know. I was only reminding you."

"Uchiha Itachi will definitely die by my hand!" Uchiha Sasuke said, as though swearing a curse.

"Fine. I do not care how he dies. I only care that he no longer exists in this world!" After saying that, Uchiha Shunichi handed Uchiha Sasuke a vial of medicine.

"This is a potion that can strengthen your body. Your body is stronger than mine, so drink two bottles. Afterward, train according to my method."

"We are both too young right now. All we can do is build a solid foundation."

"If we use methods that drain our bodies to increase our strength now, neither of us will ever be able to defeat your brother."

Uchiha Sasuke subconsciously took the potion and drank it without a word. Once he finished, he was about to go train...

But Uchiha Shunichi stopped him.

"Eat first. No matter how good the potion is, it still needs food to replenish you." Uchiha Shunichi continued working without looking back.

Uchiha Sasuke froze, then went to the dining room to eat with a dark expression.

The next day was the first day of school.

Uchiha Shunichi created a Shadow Clone to go to school with Uchiha Sasuke, while his real body went to the laboratory.

Uchiha Sasuke looked enviously at Uchiha Shunichi's Shadow Clone. He had learned this Ninjutsu too and could cast it successfully, but it lasted too briefly and was easily seen through.

Besides, Uchiha Sasuke did not need to spend too much time training his body at his current age. After all, under Uchiha Shunichi's training method, getting enough rest was extremely important.

"I remember... that man seemed to use Shadow Clones while he was still in school too." Uchiha Sasuke looked at Uchiha Shunichi's Shadow Clone and spoke unwillingly.

"Do not be so impatient. Your strength is already quite good. Back then, he was squeezing out his potential. If I am not mistaken, there should already be something wrong with his body." Uchiha Shunichi rolled his eyes at Uchiha Sasuke.

"What! He has to die by my hand." Uchiha Sasuke immediately exploded.

Uchiha Shunichi rolled his eyes irritably. "He is only sick. He will not die! I would much rather he just died from illness!"

Uchiha Sasuke was instantly left speechless, and the two remained silent for the rest of the way.

After arriving at the school, Uchiha Shunichi went straight to the last row of the classroom, picked up a book, and began reading.

Soon, the class bell rang. Iruka came in to teach, and regarding Uchiha Shunichi reading during class, Iruka could only pretend not to see it.

He knew very well how troublesome Uchiha Shunichi was. Not only was he impervious to persuasion, but he also did whatever he pleased. Most importantly...

This guy was a top student. He came first in every assessment, and even in combat drills, he could defeat his opponents despite his frail body.

If not for his physical condition, Uchiha Shunichi could have applied to graduate early long ago.

Others came to the Ninja Academy to learn, while Uchiha Shunichi came here to recuperate.

During class, Naruto Uzumaki glanced enviously at Uchiha Shunichi, then was scolded by Iruka for spacing out.

Feeling discouraged, Naruto Uzumaki rolled a piece of paper into a ball and wanted to prank Uchiha Shunichi. But just as he was about to act...

He... saw Uchiha Shunichi's blood-red eyes.

Naruto Uzumaki immediately jumped in fright and awkwardly pulled back the paper ball. He turned his head away, as though nothing had happened.

At the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Shunichi had always acted cold and aloof. That demeanor saved him a great deal of trouble; even those who lacked judgment gradually learned to fear him.

However, Naruto Uzumaki was not among them.

Even though he felt afraid, had been beaten before, and had also been humiliated by Uchiha Shunichi.

Naruto Uzumaki's gaze toward Uchiha Shunichi still carried not the slightest fear. If anything, he looked eager to try.

Perhaps... that was what it meant to be the protagonist?