An enrollment gift

"Children? They're the precious future fighting strength of our Uchiha Clan."

Madara Uchiha answered Shisui's question as he hurled the Shuriken in his hand. As it flew through the air, it knocked down every Shuriken Shisui had thrown, ricocheting at an angle before burying itself in the ground in front of him.

"Every time I come back from a mission, you've gotten stronger, Itachi. I get the feeling it won't be long before you surpass me."

As Madara Uchiha's sparring partner, Shisui understood his strength better than anyone else in this world. For now, Shisui could still overpower him with his physical abilities during their matches, but he always had the feeling that his young sparring partner had yet to give it his all. Otherwise, why did every exchange with Madara Uchiha reveal something Shisui needed to improve?

Yet the thought of a child not even six years old guiding his training struck Shisui Uchiha as absurd. So he often teased Madara Uchiha, hoping that one day he would fight him seriously.

"You were away on this mission for quite a while. Didn't you notice when you came back that even the Uchiha Clan's residential area had been relocated?"

Madara ignored Shisui's teasing. In his eyes, Shisui was simply a future assistant he was training. Why bother getting annoyed with a brat like him?

"I noticed, but since it was the village leadership's decision, all we can do is comply. What's wrong, Itachi? Are you unhappy with the move?"

"Shisui, as a member of the ANBU, you must carry out plenty of missions that can't see the light of day."

As Madara Uchiha chatted with Shisui, the two began exchanging Taijutsu blows. Rather than answer Shisui's question, Madara turned and punched at his face. Unlike the peers Madara Uchiha had easily defeated, Shisui reacted in time, blocking the strike with his left palm.

"That's something I can't tell you. The ANBU answers only to Lord Hokage. If I told you the details of my missions, I'd be a traitor to Konoha. You're better off not knowing about these things, either. The more you know, the more danger you're in."

Though his words expressed concern for Madara Uchiha's safety, Shisui's hands never stopped moving. The moment he blocked Madara's attack, he clenched his right fist and drove it toward Madara Uchiha's body.

"I'm not interested in what you've done. I only want to ask you this: after carrying out so many dangerous, secret missions for the village, how do you see your future? Which matters more to you, the village or the clan?"

Madara Uchiha ducked beneath Shisui Uchiha's sweeping punch, then planted both hands on the ground and flipped into a kick. His movements flowed together so seamlessly that Shisui Uchiha could only bring his palms together to block the flying kick. The impact sent him flying off the ground.

"You hesitated, Shisui."

Though Shisui's physical abilities surpassed Madara's, Madara utterly outclassed him in agility and combat skill. Madara Uchiha's words sent ripples through Shisui's normally tranquil mind, and in a battle between experts, even a moment's hesitation could lead to defeat. As Shisui's body left the ground, he briefly lost every surface he could use for leverage. In the blink of an eye, several Shuriken flew at him from all directions. Though he reacted swiftly and threw his own Shuriken to counter them, his trajectory through the air was already fixed. In the end, Madara Uchiha's Shuriken surrounded him, each with a thread attached. It was only because Madara had no intention of killing Shisui that he survived; otherwise, that fleeting hesitation alone would have cost him his life.

"As a shinobi, once you enter battle, you must let nothing disturb your mind. Shisui, you still have a long way to go."

Madara Uchiha flicked his right hand gently to the right. Countless threads drew the Shuriken past Shisui, burying them in the trees beside him. Shisui, who had been caught in their sights only moments before, broke out in a cold sweat.

"Itachi, to be honest, I used to think of you as a little brother. But for some reason, whenever we're together, I feel like you're the one guiding me. I've learned far more from you than I ever did at the Ninja Academy."

Looking at the utterly composed Madara Uchiha, Shisui Uchiha could not help giving a wry smile.

"I wouldn't mind being your teacher."

After all, you're far smarter and more capable than my last student.

Though Shisui's distraction had allowed Madara to force him into a desperate position, Madara also knew that he was not yet a match for Shisui if he used ninjutsu. Judging by his talent, for Shisui to have reached such a level at such a young age, he would surely have made a name for himself even if he had been born in the Warring States Period alongside Madara.

"This is for you. You'll be starting at the Ninja Academy soon, right? Consider it an enrollment gift. Of course, don't go taking it to school as soon as you enroll."

Once he had calmed down, Shisui Uchiha took a rather short Samurai Sword from his back. After completing his mission, he had specifically sought out a renowned Swordsmith in the Land of Fire to forge this Short Sword.

Madara Uchiha accepted Shisui's gift without ceremony. The Short Sword's hilt and scabbard were both ink-black and had a refined feel. He drew the blade, revealing beautiful black-and-white patterns along its length. It was clearly a fine weapon.

"Thanks, but I doubt I'll be staying at the Ninja Academy for long. A place like that probably has nothing to teach me."

Putting away the Short Sword, Madara Uchiha headed home. It was nearly time to have dinner with his little brother.

"Itachi, don't you want an answer to your question?"

Watching Madara walk away, Shisui Uchiha recalled the question that had distracted him. Though he still did not know how to answer it, Madara's way of leaving the conversation unfinished had thoroughly unsettled him. Shisui Uchiha felt he would truly go mad if they did not talk it through that day.

"There's no hurry. You're still a long way from needing to answer that question. For now, just observe and think. Think carefully about your future, and about the Uchiha Clan's future. Take a good look at how Konoha treats the Uchiha Clan. Oh, and Naruto Uzumaki is the Fourth Hokage's child, isn't he? He's a hero's son, yet he has the Nine-Tailed Fox inside him. How will Konoha treat a child like that? I'm very curious about all of it. Shisui, we still have plenty of time. You can answer that question a few years from now."