The Ninjutsu Professor's Reputation Was Well Earned, You Know?

While Shinji Uchiha and Jiraiya were soaking in a hot spring...

News that shocked all of Konoha came out of the Hokage Building and spread like wildfire!

Uchiha Itachi—

Fugaku's eldest son, the Previous Incarnation Uchiha Clan Head.

Former ANBU member.

He had brutally murdered his own clansmen, attempted to kill the current Clan Head, Shinji Uchiha, and then fled Konoha!

The Hokage Building had classified him as an extremely dangerous S-rank Missing-nin!

Konoha was shaken!

According to the information shared with the major clans, Uchiha Itachi also possessed the Uchiha clan's ultimate power: the Mangekyō Sharingan!

He was immensely powerful!

But...

They knew nothing about the abilities of Itachi's eyes!

For a time, fear gripped everyone!

No one knew when or where Uchiha Itachi might appear—or what he might do!

Something else troubled them, too. Did this generation of Uchiha have too many geniuses?!

It was as though a scale in their minds had begun to tip without them noticing...

At that very moment...

Shinji arrived at the Hokage Building.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Come in!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi kept his head down over his paperwork, his brow furrowed. Root losing its leader was a thorny problem.

That shadowy organization held many secrets beneath the surface.

Hiruzen Sarutobi himself had only just learned of some of its sordid dealings. What he found was appalling.

Danzo had done far too much behind his back!

"Busy, Third Hokage?"

Sarutobi looked up and paused. "Oh, Shinji. Are you here for the paperwork? I've signed it. You can choose your students for this term whenever you like."

"Oh, that's not why I'm here, Third Hokage." Shinji pulled out a Chair and sat down. After a moment's thought, he said, "Lord Jiraiya came to talk to me."

"Jirai—"

Sarutobi froze. "Ah... yes. I asked him to speak with you. You're the new Uchiha Clan Head, after all, and Konoha's future belongs to you young people. It's good for you to talk."

"Mm..."

Shinji laughed inwardly but did not call Sarutobi's bluff. "Lord Jiraiya said he didn't want to get involved in politics anymore. His goal now is to find some Child of Destiny?"

"..."

Sarutobi nearly lost his composure.

After a long silence, he sighed. "Then what brings you here, Shinji?"

"I'd like to ask you for the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu."

"Sealing Jutsu?"

Sarutobi's heart lurched. "What do you need Sealing Jutsu for?"

"Oh, don't misunderstand me, Third Hokage. If the Uchiha wanted to control a Tailed Beast, we wouldn't need Sealing Jutsu."

Shinji spoke earnestly. "Besides, I have no interest in controlling a Tailed Beast to wreck the village. That would be like tearing down my own home. I'm asking because of my student."

Hiruzen Sarutobi quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

As Shinji Uchiha had said, the Uchiha now had two pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan besides Itachi's. Releasing a Tailed Beast was hardly beyond them.

He had been too sensitive.

In fact, with Konohagakure now weaker than it appeared, it seemed the village had to rely on the Uchiha...

After all, what Uchiha Itachi had said before leaving was deeply troubling.

Still...

"Your student?"

Sarutobi smiled. "You've already taken on a student at seventeen, Shinji? In that case, why not try leading a squad?"

"Hmm!"

Shinji's eyes darted. "That's not a bad idea. I'll consider it later. But right now, I only have one student, and I urgently need Sealing Jutsu to... treat her illness."

"An illness? What kind of illness requires Sealing Jutsu?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi leafed through a file and asked casually, "Whose child is she?"

"A small clan—the Kurama. She's a ten-year-old girl with a strong talent for Genjutsu, but her body is weak. Even moving around normally is difficult for her. I want to seal away her Genjutsu talent for now so she can recover. Otherwise... I'm afraid she won't live past twenty."

"Tsk. Poor child."

Sarutobi showed little concern at the mention of the Kurama. They were barely noticed in Konoha.

They did not even measure up to the Yuhi family.

"So which part do you need, Shinji?"

"Well..."

Shinji scratched his head.

Looking perfectly innocent, he said, "I don't know the first thing about Sealing Jutsu. What would you use to seal away someone's Genjutsu talent, Third?"

"To seal her Genjutsu talent... In essence, you would seal her spiritual energy. Spiritual energy and cellular energy combine to form Chakra. The Five Elements Seal would work well to stop her from drawing on her spiritual energy to use Genjutsu," Hiruzen Sarutobi said thoughtfully.

"Great. Then I'll leave it to you, Third Hokage!"

"It's a small matter..."

Sarutobi rose and took a scroll from a nearby bookcase.

He was about to hand it to Shinji...

Then he stopped. "However... I have a mission I need you to take on. Do you have the time?"

Shinji smiled. "A mission from you, Third Hokage? I'd make time even if I didn't have any. Just give the order!"

Sarutobi relaxed. For some reason, ever since Itachi had "defected" the previous night, Shinji Uchiha had seemed more and more agreeable.

He knew just what to say, too.

Talking to him was refreshing...

"I've received word that a mysterious organization has appeared in the Land of Rain. It's called Akatsuki, I believe? According to reliable reports, its goal is to collect Tailed Beasts."

"But our scouts can't get into the Land of Rain. The moment they set foot there, they're detected and vanish without a trace."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a few troubled steps. "I can't bear to send more innocent people to their deaths. But until I know what this organization is really up to, I won't be at ease. You're strong, Shinji... I can think of no one else to send."

Investigate Akatsuki?

How did this mess land on me?

And this far ahead of time...

Something's wrong with this old man!

Shinji Uchiha's thoughts raced. Then a possibility occurred to him...

He shook his head and smiled. "Your real aim is for me to deal with one of our own, isn't it, Third Hokage? Uchiha Itachi... am I right?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi answered with righteous conviction. "Shinji, Uchiha Itachi has joined this organization! Given his hatred for you and for the Uchiha, I can't rest easy. This is all for the village—and for our comrades, the Uchiha! If you can bring him back... so much the better."

"If you can't, killing him is fine!"

"Understood."

A chill ran through Shinji Uchiha. He now had a clearer sense of just how ruthless this old man was. "When do I leave?"

"Oh, wait!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi called toward the door. "Kakashi!"

Kakashi pushed the door open and entered.

"What are your orders, Third Hokage?"

"There's a mission I need you to undertake with Clan Head Shinji. Make sure he stays safe!"

Me?

Make sure he stays safe?

Kakashi was speechless, though his face betrayed nothing.

"...Yes, Third Hokage!"

Shinji leaned back in his chair, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You've given me quite a teammate, Third. Kakashi Hatake, a hero of the last Shinobi World War... I've heard a lot about you."

Kakashi: "..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and handed Shinji the scroll. "Shinji, to perform the Five Elements Seal, you need at least a basic mastery of all five Chakra natures."

"Can you manage that?"

Shinji looked startled and scratched his head in frustration. "Oh! I've only mastered Fire Release and Lightning Release Chakra natures. Looks like I'll have to find five people from the clan to do it together..."

Sarutobi chuckled inwardly.

Not everyone could study every Chakra Nature Transformation as thoroughly as he had!

There was a reason they called him the Ninjutsu Professor.

Did Shinji understand now?