"Like last weekend?"
"Mm-hm."
Uchiha Sagiri's request was actually very simple. She did not need Uchiha Setsuna to accompany her anywhere.
She merely wanted to watch him train.
Uchiha Sagiri had no other friends.
Yet even such an easily satisfied little girl seemed like an unforgivable existence in Uchiha Itachi's eyes. On the Night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall, Uchiha Itachi had killed quite a few people like her.
The next day.
"Start simulation!"
[At age 6, you displayed the bearing of a genius and attracted countless people's attention.] [At 6 years and 1 month, Yamanaka Ino confessed to you. You accepted, and Yamanaka Ino was very happy.] [However, your other deskmate, Hyuga Hinata, seemed somewhat downcast.] [At 6 years and 2 months, Sakura came to you, hoping to date Second Pillar through you. You refused.] [At 6 years and 3 months, you revealed that you had awakened your eyes, gaining even more attention.] [At 6 years and 4 months, you took the initiative to find Hiruzen Sarutobi and told him that the Uchiha Clan was about to rebel as a whole. Under Hiruzen Sarutobi's arrangements, you obtained an Anbu identity.] [You secretly monitored the Uchiha Clan and provided intelligence to Hiruzen Sarutobi.] [At 6 years and 5 months, under your guidance, Yamanaka Ino invited you to visit the Yamanaka Clan. While the two of you were alone, you used Genjutsu: Sharingan on Yamanaka Ino.] [You obtained the location where the Yamanaka Clan stored its secret technique scrolls.] [You arrived at the Yamanaka Clan.] [You used the Shadow Clone Technique and Transformation Technique to search through the Yamanaka Clan.] [Someone watched you from the shadows.] [Those secretly watching you were not only members of the Yamanaka Clan, but also Anbu Ninja.] [They seemed to be waiting for you to succeed.] [At last, you found where the Yamanaka Clan's secret technique scrolls were kept. You opened the box and took a secret technique scroll into your hand. The ninja watching from the shadows rushed in.] [Your shadow clone outside was defeated. Yamanaka Ino stood there blankly, having no idea what had happened.] [Yamanaka Inoichi and the Anbu Ninja trapped you inside the room, leaving no gap through which you could escape.] [You gripped the Yamanaka Clan's secret technique scroll tightly, smiled at them, then pulled out a kunai with your other hand and viciously plunged it into your own heart.] [You died.] [Yamanaka Inoichi and the Anbu Ninja's pupils shrank. They looked at your corpse and fell silent.] [The few of them exchanged glances and all thought there was something wrong with your head.] [Yamanaka Ino looked at your corpse and wept.] [This simulation has ended.] [Please choose the reward you desire from the two options below.] [1: Nothing.] [2: The item you were holding when you died.]
"Got it!"
Uchiha Setsuna smiled.
"Not bad."
"Yamanaka Inoichi and the Anbu Ninja in the Life Simulation both found my actions unbelievable. They could not understand what meaning there was in doing that, because they were merely characters within the Life Simulator."
"But for me, as long as I obtain something in the Life Simulation, I can acquire it in the real world."
"That is the meaning of my Life Simulator."
"Still, I used Yamanaka Ino again."
A thought crossed Uchiha Setsuna's mind.
"I choose 2!"
The next moment, two items appeared in Uchiha Setsuna's hands.
A kunai, and a secret technique scroll.
Uchiha Setsuna tossed the kunai aside.
Then he immediately opened the secret technique scroll.
"This is the secret technique."
Each Yamanaka Clan secret technique scroll corresponded to one secret technique. The one Uchiha Setsuna had obtained was exactly what he wanted: the Memory Invasion Technique.
As long as he could touch the other person's head, he could invade their memories.
Uchiha Setsuna read it for a while before hiding the secret technique scroll away.
"As expected of a secret technique. It's rather difficult to learn."
"But I can study it in the Life Simulator."
"At present, I can secure at most a year and a half in the Life Simulator."
"That's enough. A year and a half will definitely be enough for me to learn it."
Uchiha Setsuna left his room. After breakfast, he headed to the small woods.
"Brother Setsuna."
Before long, Uchiha Sagiri arrived.
She sat on Old Actor Stone and watched Uchiha Setsuna train.
As she watched, she told Uchiha Setsuna about what had happened last week—things around the area, some of her own thoughts and guesses, as well as her plans for the future.
Uchiha Setsuna trained while listening.
Neither interfered with the other.
Elsewhere.
Second Pillar trained at the Training Ground.
Naruto was in the small woods.
Akimichi Choji was at the barbecue restaurant.
Nara Shikamaru was spacing out.
Yamanaka Ino and Sakura were out shopping.
Hyuga Hinata was at the Hyuga Clan's Training Ground.
Kiba Inuzuka trained with Akamaru.
Hokage Office Building.
"Two weeks have passed, Iruka. How are those students doing?"
Iruka came before Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Reporting to Lord Hokage, most of the students have been performing quite well. Only a few are disobedient."
"Tell me about them."
Iruka paused, then said, "The best performer is Second Pillar. No matter the subject, Second Pillar is basically the best."
"After him is Hyuga Hinata."
"Both had received quite a bit of training before entering the Ninja Academy."
"Nara Shikamaru's grades are not bad, but he acts very lazy."
"Akimichi Choji often sneaks snacks during class."
"Among the civilian ninja, there is one promising student named Haruno Sakura."
"Naruto has caused plenty of trouble. He does not pay attention in class and often plays pranks."
"Kiba Inuzuka's Ninja Dog has caused quite a few problems in class."
"Uchiha Setsuna also often zones out. Compared to Second Pillar, he is far worse. Though both are Uchiha, Uchiha Setsuna cannot even compare to some civilian ninja."
"..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.
"That is normal. Even the most formidable ninja clans have mediocre members."
"Like Minato's student back then, the one named Tobi Uchiha. Wasn't he a dead last too?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled.
"Iruka, in such a short time, you have already understood those students so clearly. Very good. I was right about you. I'll leave these children to you."
"Yes, Lord Hokage. I will certainly do my best."
"Good."
Watching Iruka leave until his back disappeared from sight, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened slightly.
"Second Pillar..."
"Is the Uchiha Clan producing another genius?"
"As expected of the Uchiha."
"Truly enviable."
"What a pity..."
Before you continue