NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Not His Match
Inside a private room at Konoha Hospital.
Itachi had regained consciousness.
He hadn't suffered any serious injuries; only his fist had been fractured from striking Yami.
The reason he fainted was that his body couldn't withstand the sudden surge in mental power caused by awakening the Sharingan. It was a natural self-protection mechanism.
After resting for a while, he had woken up.
At that moment, Shisui arrived.
The day before, Shisui had heard about the duel between Itachi and Yami, but an urgent mission had suddenly come up. He had hurriedly completed it and rushed back.
Yet, he was still too late.
He had chased all the way to Konoha Hospital, only to find Itachi lying in bed.
When Itachi opened his eyes, the first thing he saw were two familiar faces—both filled with concern.
"Father, Brother Shisui..."
"Itachi, you're awake."
Shisui smiled. "I did my best to rush back, but I was still a step too late. I heard it was an exciting match. Don't be discouraged—it's normal to lose to Yami-kun. If you keep working hard, you'll definitely catch up to him one day."
"That's right," Uchiha Fugaku nodded approvingly. "Winning or losing at this stage doesn't matter. More importantly—you've awakened the Sharingan. That alone is a remarkable achievement."
Awakening the Sharingan at seven years old was extremely rare in the post-Sengoku era. The last person to do so had been Shisui himself.
And, Itachi was even half a year younger than Shisui had been at the time.
As expected of his son.
Yet, despite their words of encouragement, Itachi remained silent, his expression somewhat blank.
Fugaku considered this for a moment before excusing himself from the room.
Although his son was usually calm and mature, Fugaku knew that, deep down, Itachi was still an Uchiha—proud and ambitious. Losing to a shinobi from outside the clan was undoubtedly a heavy blow.
There was nothing more he could say. Perhaps Shisui, who was closer in age, could get through to him.
---
With Fugaku gone, the atmosphere in the ward lightened slightly.
At least, Itachi finally spoke.
"Brother Shisui… did you teach Shimura Yami the Uchiha shuriken technique and Body Flicker Technique?"
Shisui blinked in surprise.
He hadn't expected that to be Itachi's first question.
Still, he nodded.
"Yes."
Itachi's expression changed slightly. He sat up in bed.
"Since you're his teacher… how big is the gap between us?"
Shisui smiled wryly.
He didn't answer.
He simply shook his head.
Itachi clenched his fists. "Now that I've awakened the Sharingan… do I still not have a chance to win?"
With the Sharingan, his mental strength had increased drastically. And since chakra was a combination of physical and mental energy, his overall chakra reserves had also improved.
Itachi even wanted to challenge Yami again.
Yet, Shisui still believed he would lose?
"Itachi…" Shisui sighed. "The Sharingan is not omnipotent."
Seeing the stubborn determination in Itachi's gaze, Shisui softened his voice.
"You've only just awakened your Sharingan. You haven't mastered it yet."
"Besides, a one-tomoe Sharingan isn't all that powerful—it simply enhances perception. Even without the Sharingan, Yami's dynamic vision is already terrifying."
"You still have no chance of winning."
Itachi's eyes darkened.
"Is Shimura Yami really that strong?"
At the age of four, he had followed his father to the battlefield and killed enemy shinobi with his own hands.
And Shimura Yami?
A spoiled clan heir, notorious for lazing around the village, eating and drinking at restaurants without paying.
Yes, without paying.
Yet—Shisui still thought Itachi couldn't win?
"Itachi…"
Shisui looked directly at him and spoke in a serious tone.
"Yami-kun is far more terrifying than you think."
"And to be honest, I have nothing left to teach him."
Itachi's eyes widened in disbelief.
"…That's impossible."
To Itachi, Shisui was the strongest shinobi he knew, stronger even than his father.
Shisui had mastered numerous ninjutsu, was a prodigy in taijutsu, and possessed the strongest three-tomoe Sharingan.
And yet, even he claimed he was no longer qualified to teach Yami?
If even Shisui wasn't qualified, then who in the village was?
The Hokage?
"It's not that Yami-kun's strength has surpassed mine," Shisui clarified.
"It's his talent and his learning speed."
"Some things… I probably shouldn't tell you."
"But, as an exception, I'll share them with you. You mustn't tell anyone not even Clan Leader Fugaku."
Shisui's face grew serious.
Itachi straightened. "I understand, Shisui. I won't tell anyone."
Shisui exhaled.
"He learns too fast."
"In just one week, he mastered the Uchiha shuriken technique."
"In a single month, he learned all my Fire Release ninjutsu."
"One month after that, he completely mastered the Body Flicker Technique."
"After six months…"
"In a pure kenjutsu duel, we fought to a draw."
"From that day on, I never taught him again."
"Yami doesn't need skills or jutsu. He only needs time to grow."
Silence.
"…Shimura Yami knows swordsmanship?" Itachi's voice was hollow.
He knew how strong Shisui's kenjutsu was.
With Body Flicker and genjutsu, Shisui could eliminate an enemy with a single strike.
Yet—Yami held his own?
"No."
Shisui corrected him.
"Swordsmanship isn't just something he knows."
"It's his strongest weapon."
Complete silence.
Itachi sat motionless.
Did this mean—
He wasn't even worthy of Yami taking him seriously?
Shisui looked at his expression and sighed.
Itachi was extraordinarily talented. Among his peers, no one could match him.
But—
Fate had put him in the same generation as Shimura Yami.
Fortunately, with the Sharingan, Itachi still had hope of catching up.
---
After a long silence, seeing that Itachi had finally processed everything, Shisui spoke again.
"Itachi, even though you've awakened the Sharingan, there's something very important you need to remember."
His voice was more serious than before.
Itachi frowned. "What is it?"
Shisui met his gaze.
"Until your body is fully developed—"
"Use the Sharingan as little as possible."
"Otherwise…"
"It will cause irreversible damage to your body."
---
Elsewhere, in the village.
On a quiet, grassy field, two figures lay side by side, gazing at the sky.
The young man murmured softly.
"Honestly… awakening the Sharingan too early isn't necessarily a good thing."
(To be continued.)
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