Night.
The wind howled~
Moonlight.
Pure Haku.
Chirp chirp~
Crickets~~
Cicadas chirped, crickets howled...
Konoha, Uchiha clan grounds.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Itachi Uchiha landed atop a utility pole, a tachi strapped to his back, his Sharingan watching below.
"Begin. Let me see what you're made of."
The air warped, and a masked man emerged, speaking to Itachi Uchiha.
Clang!
The tachi on his back was slowly drawn. Itachi remained expressionless.
Uchiha residential district.
"Only a little over ten days until I graduate. When that happens, I'll definitely join the Military Police Force and grow stronger,
then catch Tobitake Tonbo and teach him a lesson."
In a room, Uchiha Tong studied diligently beneath the lamplight.
Ever since third grade, when Teacher Iruka had used the Eight Fragrances of Fire ninjutsu on him, he had set his sights on the person who developed that technique.
He swore that once he grew up, he would beat that person up.
For that goal, Uchiha Tong worked harder than ever before, often studying late into the night.
He did not know why he was so obsessed with it. He only knew that he would feel awful if he did not see it through.
Even though Tokuma Hyuga had developed the Throat Protection Technique and no one had tried it again afterward, he had not forgotten.
"Tong~ It's time for bed. Why are you still studying?"
A Haku-haired, elderly grandmother opened the door. Seeing Uchiha Tong still studying, she carried a lunchbox in her hand.
"Grandma, didn't I tell you? I'm going to surpass a ninja,
then beat him up. Go back and rest. You don't need to worry about me."
Though he said that, Uchiha Tong still took the lunchbox. He opened it to find some sweets his grandmother had made.
"Haha, don't think your