Itachi Uchiha's Adolescence

At Konoha Hospital, Shisui brought Itachi along to visit his teacher.

Jiraiya lay in a hospital bed, wrapped from head to toe in bandages.

Tsunade had not held back that punch at all.

They said Jiraiya had been sent crashing into a house, smashed through three whole walls, then fallen into a garbage bin in the alley behind it!

When the ANBU found him, a great many of his bones had suffered comminuted fractures.

Lying in bed, Jiraiya hurt all over whenever he drew a breath. This was the pain of breathing.

Kind-hearted Shisui looked worriedly at his teacher in the hospital bed. Wasn't this injury a little too serious?

It seemed it would not be easy for his master and martial aunt to end up together!

Shisui sighed and shook his head. Such bonds and love among the older generation!

Beside him, Itachi found this strange. He clearly had no idea what Shisui was sighing about.

Itachi's heart held only his younger brother and his clan; there was no room for any woman! Of course, that was only for now...

Itachi was still young. If he did not have to worry about his clan, then once he reached adolescence, would he accept Izumi Uchiha's feelings?

Itachi was already studying at the Ninja Academy, but because he was too much of a genius, he was clearly out of place among his classmates.

Other than Izumi Uchiha, he had no other friends at the Ninja Academy. In a sense, Itachi was proud and lonely as well.

"Shisui, cough cough, don't worry about me. I'm fine!"

Lying in bed, Jiraiya endured the pain as he comforted his disciple.

"Teacher, with Lady Tsunade here, you'll definitely be fine."

As the foremost authority on medical ninjutsu in the Shinobi World, Tsunade's medical skills were beyond question. Injuries like Jiraiya's were nothing to her.

Shisui's expression turned serious as he continued, "Teacher, if you want to pursue Lady Tsunade, this won't do!"

"What?! I never said I wanted to pursue that violent maniac!"

Jiraiya sounded a little flustered. After speaking, he sucked in another sharp breath as every bone in his body throbbed with pain.

"Master, being stubborn will only push the two of you farther apart!"

Unexpectedly, Shisui was something of an expert at this, leaving Jiraiya at a loss for words.

What Shisui said seemed to make some sense.

"Kid, stop talking nonsense!"

At that moment, Tsunade pushed the door open and walked in, glaring at Shisui with a very unfriendly expression.

Shisui immediately broke out in a cold sweat and scratched his head sheepishly.

"There's no chance between your master and me! He's just a sleazy creep who likes peeping into women's bathhouses!"

After saying that, Tsunade looked at Jiraiya lying in the hospital bed.

"Jiraiya! Once you've recovered, have another taste of my fist!"

With that, she turned and left. Tsunade seemed truly angry this time, leaving Jiraiya in bed with a bitter expression on his face.

It was because Tsunade was so violent that he did not dare pursue her, all right?

"Teacher, recover well. Once you're better, take me training again!"

Shisui looked at Jiraiya. It seemed his master and Lady Tsunade really were not a good match. Given Jiraiya's usual behavior, if he got together with Lady Tsunade, he probably would not survive a week.

Thinking back to after he had become Jiraiya's disciple, Jiraiya was either peeping into women's bathhouses for material or visiting all sorts of red-light districts. Shisui sighed.

His teacher was powerful and talented, yet also an incorrigible rake. He truly was a great hero of his generation, but he was not all that compatible with Tsunade.

The two walked along the streets of Konoha. Itachi Uchiha held a stick of three-colored dango in his hand. Though the dumplings were delicious, he still looked preoccupied.

"Shisui, I want to apply for early graduation."

After hesitating for a while, Itachi finally spoke.

"Isn't school going pretty well?"

Shisui was not too surprised by Itachi's words. This friend of his was exceptionally mature, far surpassing his peers in both thought and strength. It was only natural that he found the Ninja Academy boring.

However, the Shinobi World was peaceful now, and the relationship between the clan and the village had improved greatly. Shisui still hoped Itachi could continue studying at the Ninja Academy and enjoy his childhood.

"There is no meaning in staying at school. I want to seek the true meaning of life."

The village and the clan no longer needed Itachi Uchiha to worry over them. He had begun contemplating a deeper question: the true meaning of life!

What was the meaning of a ninja's existence? And what did he live for?

"Perhaps life itself does not need meaning?"

Upon hearing about the meaning of life, Shisui became somewhat lost as well.

Everyone pursued different things. Finding the meaning of life was easier said than done.

"If you've truly made up your mind, you can apply to the school. Orochimaru will personally assess you then. Perhaps he may have a different answer to your question!"

Shisui still held Orochimaru in very high regard.

After all, ever since Orochimaru became Hokage, the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the village had improved considerably.

The Uchiha Clan had once again integrated into the village and no longer needed to hide away in their clan compound.

Orochimaru's personal charisma had also become increasingly apparent. Since taking charge of Konoha, quite a few ANBU ninja had developed a blind admiration and confidence in him.

Perhaps that was the charm of a villainous character. His leadership was far better than Hiruzen Sarutobi, who talked about nothing but the Will of Fire all day.

Itachi Uchiha nodded, anticipation rising in his heart. What kind of answer would Lord Orochimaru give him?

Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi was at the Sarutobi Clan compound, teaching his two sons.

Asuma had joined the ANBU. Once the Ninja Academy had new graduates after some time, he would become a squad leader.

Shinnosuke and Hinako had chosen to take leave for the time being. The reason was simple: Hinako was pregnant!

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not name the child in Hinako's belly this time. Instead, he gave Shinnosuke that right.

Originally, the child in Hinako's belly should have been named Konohamaru Sarutobi. The meaning of that name was far too obvious.

"I'm leaving Konoha for a while. Shinnosuke, you and Hinako will stay in Konoha, understand?"

In the original story, not long after Konohamaru was born, Shinnosuke and Hinako would die during a mission.

Naturally, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not want that to happen.

"Understood, Father."

Shinnosuke nodded. He took Hiruzen Sarutobi's words seriously. His father had changed greatly recently, and the village truly was developing in a better direction.

After instructing his two sons, Hiruzen Sarutobi set off.

First stop: Star Ninja Village!