Second Pillar, Would You Be Willing to Sacrifice Yourself?

"This Life Simulation's primary goal is to learn the Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction Technique."

"While I'm at it, I can get some revenge on Uchiha Itachi in the simulation."

"Even if it isn't revenge in the real world."

"But Uchiha Itachi in the Life Simulation is still Uchiha Itachi."

"Uchiha Itachi in the Life Simulation has killed me several times."

"At the very least, it can help me feel a little less frustrated."

"I've been feeling far too stifled these past few days."

[At age 6, you were utterly ordinary and attracted no attention.]

[On the surface, you were a mediocre Uchiha.]

[In secret, you studied the Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction Technique.]

[At age 6 years and 1 month, you studied the Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction Technique.]

[At age 6 years and 2 months, you studied the Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction Technique.]

[At age 6 years and 3 months, you studied the Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction Technique.]

[At age 6 years and 4 months, Yamanaka Ino confessed to you. You accepted, and Yamanaka Ino was very happy.]

[At age 6 years and 5 months, you learned the Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction Technique.]

[You decided to seek revenge.]

[Of your many targets for revenge, the one you currently wanted to retaliate against most was Uchiha Itachi.]

[The two things Uchiha Itachi cared about most were Second Pillar and Konoha.]

[So you found Second Pillar.]

[You used Genjutsu: Sharingan on Second Pillar.]

[Within the illusion, you showed Second Pillar the scene of the Night of the Uchiha Clan Downfall.]

[Within the illusion, you asked Second Pillar—would he be willing to sacrifice his own life to take revenge on Uchiha Itachi and make Uchiha Itachi suffer?]

[Second Pillar did not realize it was an illusion. He was in immense pain, but he agreed.]

[You killed Second Pillar.]

[After Uchiha Itachi learned the news, he fell into a frenzy.]

[Uchiha Itachi searched everywhere for the culprit, like a madman.]

[You quietly approached Uchiha Itachi and hit him with a Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation.]

[Uchiha Itachi then understood that you were the one who had killed Second Pillar.]

[Uchiha Itachi wanted to question you.]

[Uchiha Itachi wanted to kill you to avenge Second Pillar.]

[But before Uchiha Itachi could reach you, you chose to end your own life.]

[This made Uchiha Itachi even angrier.]

[You died.]

[Please choose one of the following two options as your reward.]

[1: Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction Technique.]

[2: The item you were holding when you died.]

"I choose 1!"

A flood of information poured into Uchiha Setsuna's mind. In an instant, Uchiha Setsuna had completely mastered the Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction Technique, as though he had learned it long ago.

Uchiha Setsuna smiled.

But it was not because he had learned a ninjutsu.

It was because of what he had done in this Life Simulation.

"In the previous Life Simulations, I always got the short end of the stick when facing Uchiha Itachi."

"Not only was I killed by Uchiha Itachi, but he even forcibly pinned crimes on me."

"This time, I finally made Uchiha Itachi suffer."

"Awesome!"

Even though it had not happened in the real world, it still made Uchiha Setsuna happy.

"Uchiha Itachi really does care deeply about Second Pillar."

"Second Pillar's death made Uchiha Itachi so angry that he nearly went mad."

"That look on his face was truly satisfying."

"And this was only an experiment."

"I can continue provoking Uchiha Itachi and taking revenge on him in the Life Simulation."

"Some of it can even be brought into the real world."

After breakfast, Uchiha Setsuna headed to the Ninja Academy.

On the way, Uchiha Setsuna saw Second Pillar. He immediately found the current Second Pillar much more pleasing to the eye than before. In the Life Simulation, Uchiha Setsuna had killed Second Pillar only after obtaining Second Pillar's consent.

Second Pillar had agreed to use his own death to take revenge on Uchiha Itachi.

However, neither of them greeted the other.

He entered the classroom.

"Setsuna, morning."

"Ino, morning."

Yamanaka Ino's eyes brightened slightly.

Uchiha Setsuna had replied to her before, but at most, he had merely said morning.

Today, Uchiha Setsuna had actually included her name.

That made Yamanaka Ino a little happy.

"Setsuna, morning."

"Hinata, morning."

Hyuga Hinata looked toward Uchiha Setsuna. When she realized that Uchiha Setsuna had noticed her, she hurriedly looked away, a faint blush rising across her cheeks and ears.

Hyuga Hinata quietly murmured to herself.

"Setsuna looks really happy today?"

"Did something good happen?"

"Did he make progress in some class?"

Iruka entered the classroom.

"Students, I forgot to remind you of something yesterday."

"In the blink of an eye, you've been studying at the Ninja Academy for nearly a month."

"According to Ninja Academy tradition, you will have an assessment this Friday."

"There will be three main subjects."

"One is academics, one is physical training, and one is Ninja Tool studies."

"I hope everyone will work hard and strive for better results."

As soon as Iruka mentioned this, many students became interested.

Most children loved competing.

They all hoped to achieve better results than children their own age.

That would make them look impressive.

Second Pillar, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Kiba Inuzuka...

All of them were eager to give it a try, practically rubbing their hands in anticipation.

Uchiha Setsuna had no interest whatsoever in the monthly assessment, but he put on an interested expression.

The only one who truly showed no interest at all was probably Nara Shikamaru.

The price of having high intelligence was that Nara Shikamaru matured earlier than children his age.

He simply could not muster any interest in these activities.

Within the Uchiha compound.

For some reason, Uchiha Itachi suddenly began feeling uneasy.

It was as though he had been cursed by something.

"Is something going to happen?"

Uchiha Itachi furrowed his brow.

There was academics in the morning and physical training in the afternoon. Uchiha Setsuna went through the motions, but his mind was already occupied with plans for the next Life Simulation. Taking revenge on Uchiha Itachi in the Life Simulation had been rather interesting.

"Last time, I killed Second Pillar and drove Uchiha Itachi mad."

"This time, I'll destroy Konoha, the other thing Uchiha Itachi cares about."

"I really can't wait."

The day's lessons quietly came to an end.

Uchiha Setsuna returned home.

The next day.

Dawn had only just begun to break.

Uchiha Setsuna opened his eyes.

"Begin the simulation!"