Return of the Uchiha Prodigy

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Early the next morning, Itachi was already awake, as usual. This wasn't due to any recent changes in his life but rather a habit ingrained in him since childhood. From the moment he could understand, Itachi had been committed to mastering the fundamentals of shinobi life.

Quietly, he made his way into Sasuke's room. His little brother was fast asleep in his cradle, the gentle rise and fall of his chest a comforting sight. In the short time Itachi had been away, Sasuke had grown a little—his features becoming more defined, resembling their mother, Mikoto, more each day.

A faint smile crossed Itachi's lips. As he turned to leave, Sasuke stirred, his dark eyes fluttering open.

"Ya...yah!" Sasuke's soft cry echoed in the room, and the moment he spotted his older brother, his eyes brightened with recognition. The infant stretched his arms toward Itachi.

With a chuckle, Itachi picked him up gently. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered.

Just then, the door creaked open, and Mikoto and Fugaku stepped inside. It seemed Itachi had risen earlier than his parents.

"It's time to go," Fugaku said, his tone firm and authoritative.

"Yes, Father," Itachi replied with a respectful nod. He recalled the conversation from the previous night—Fugaku had told him about the test scheduled for this morning, which he would personally oversee.

Mikoto approached and reached for Sasuke. "I'll take care of Sasuke, Itachi," she said, her voice soft and warm.

Itachi glanced down at Sasuke, who blinked sleepily at him. "Be good, Sasuke. I have something important to do, but I'll be back soon," he murmured. As he handed Sasuke over, the baby seemed content in their mother's arms.

"Let's go," Fugaku said, already heading toward the door.

"We'll be back soon, Mother," Itachi assured her with a respectful bow before following his father outside.

---

The streets of the Uchiha compound were quiet in the early morning, with only a few shopkeepers starting to set up their stalls. As father and son walked through the familiar streets, they received polite greetings from those they passed. Many glanced at the pair with curiosity—Fugaku and Itachi rarely walked together like this.

Fugaku led the way to the clan's private training ground near the forest where Itachi had been practicing over the past few weeks. Itachi had a good idea of what his father was planning. Fugaku had chosen this secluded area so that no one would witness the test, and word of Itachi's progress would remain confined to those present.

As they neared the forest, Fugaku glanced at his son. "You understand the stakes here, Itachi. Whether you win or lose today, no one outside this circle can know the details of the test," he said, his voice stern.

"I understand, Father," Itachi replied, fully aware of the importance of secrecy.

"Good," Fugaku replied, his gaze softening slightly at his son's calm composure. As they reached the training ground, another young Uchiha, around twelve years old, was already waiting under the shade of a tree.

The boy was Uchiha Nai, a recent graduate of the Ninja Academy, wearing his Konoha forehead protector with the Uchiha clan emblem proudly displayed on his back. Upon seeing Fugaku and Itachi approach, he stepped forward and bowed.

"Lord Fugaku. Itachi," Nai greeted them with respect.

"Hello, Nai-senpai," Itachi responded politely, having learned about Nai's background the previous night.

Fugaku gave a curt nod before leaping back several meters, putting distance between the combatants. "Begin."

Itachi immediately focused, preparing himself. Nai, on the other hand, smiled slightly. "Don't worry, Itachi. I'll go easy on you. I won't hurt you," he said casually, clearly underestimating the five-year-old in front of him.

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "Nai-senpai, my father has declared the start of the test. If you leave yourself open, I won't hesitate to strike."

Nai blinked, surprised by Itachi's confidence. He hadn't expected the young boy to speak so decisively.

"Don't hold back. I want you to take this seriously," Itachi said firmly. He wasn't here to play games—his goal was to prove himself, especially to his father.

Nai's expression hardened. He wasn't about to be shown up by a child, no matter how talented. "Very well, Itachi. Let's see what you've got!"

With a burst of speed, Nai darted toward Itachi, his hand outstretched in a classic palm strike aimed at the boy's chest. For a recent graduate of the Uchiha clan, such speed was expected, and to a typical five-year-old, the attack would have been overwhelming.

But Itachi was no ordinary five-year-old.

As Nai's strike came close, Itachi's body moved instinctively. He leaned back, letting the blow pass just above his torso, and flipped backward, his hands hitting the ground in a fluid motion. Fugaku, watching from a distance, was quietly impressed.

Before Nai could react, Itachi's legs shot forward, striking Nai's arm and sending him staggering back. Using the momentum, Itachi followed up with a punch to Nai's chest, causing him to reel from the impact.

---

Nai's expression shifted from confidence to alarm. His arm, struck by Itachi's earlier kick, had gone numb, making it difficult to move properly.

Itachi's counter had not only injured Nai but also disrupted his movements. He barely managed to block the next punch, crossing his left arm over his chest.

Boom!

Itachi's fist landed on Nai's arm, the force sending him skidding back several steps. However, Itachi's momentum was spent, and he landed on the ground a short distance away.

At five years old, Itachi's small frame allowed him to dodge swiftly, but it limited his ability to sustain an offensive. Nai, meanwhile, retreated instinctively, his disbelief evident in his eyes.

"How could a five-year-old force me back?" Nai thought, struggling to reconcile what had just happened.

"Itachi's movements are so precise..." Fugaku observed from the sidelines. Though Itachi's speed and strength were inferior to Nai's, he had exploited his opponent's weaknesses with impeccable timing.

These instincts were rare, especially for someone so young. Most ninja, let alone children, would never be able to capitalize on such fleeting opportunities.

Nai shook his numb arm, trying to regain his composure. His pride stung from underestimating Itachi, but even in a serious fight, defending against the boy's relentless counterattacks had proven difficult.

The spar continued, Fugaku's eyes never leaving the two combatants. Under his father's watchful gaze, Nai felt a surge of frustration.

"Itachi, I told you not to hold back," Nai said, trying to regain his footing. "You don't need to worry about hurting me."

Itachi's voice was calm. "I'm not holding back, Nai-senpai. Please take this seriously."

Fugaku, watching closely, gave a nod. "Go on, Nai. Itachi knows the risks. If he gets hurt, it's his fault for being careless."

Reluctantly, Nai gritted his teeth and charged forward. This time, he pulled several shuriken from his pouch, opting for a ranged attack.

Itachi's sharp eyes followed Nai's movements. He could easily anticipate the next move, and with practiced ease, his own hands reached for his shuriken pouch.

As Nai hurled his shuriken in a wide arc, attempting to pin Itachi down, the younger Uchiha countered. His shuriken flew in curved paths, precise and deliberate.

Clang!

The shuriken collided, their trajectories shifting. Itachi's shuriken knocked Nai's off-course, causing them to ricochet into each other.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

One by one, Nai's projectiles were neutralized, and Itachi's remaining shuriken continued their attack, closing in on him from different angles.

Panicked, Nai started forming hand signs. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" he roared, exhaling a massive ball of fire that swallowed the space between him and Itachi, incinerating the oncoming shuriken.

Itachi, anticipating the jutsu, moved swiftly to the edge of the flames, avoiding the brunt of the attack.

---

"Is this Itachi's real intention?" Fugaku murmured, his sharp eyes tracking his son's every movement. There was no doubt that none of Itachi's actions escaped his vigilant gaze.

From the beginning, Itachi's goal hadn't been to harm Uchiha Nai with his shuriken, but to force him into using ninjutsu to defend himself. Uchiha Nai had only recently graduated from the Ninja Academy, and even the simplest Fireball Jutsu (Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu) would significantly deplete his chakra reserves.

Realizing this, a chill ran down Fugaku's spine. Reflecting on the earlier moments of the fight, it became clear that Uchiha Nai had walked straight into Itachi's carefully laid trap.

Itachi had methodically pressured his opponent, pushing him into a corner and gradually wearing him down until he achieved his desired outcome.

As the flames of Nai's Fireball Jutsu died down, he lowered his hands from the jutsu seal. His eyes were dim, and exhaustion was evident on his face.

The ninjutsu had drained him considerably.

Swish!

A dark shadow flickered behind Uchiha Nai just as his spirits sank.

Had Itachi tried to approach Nai before he used ninjutsu, Nai would have noticed. But now, with his chakra nearly depleted, Nai's reaction time, speed, and strength had all diminished.

It wasn't until Itachi was within striking distance that Uchiha Nai finally sensed his presence.

"Ugh!"

Before Nai could turn around, Itachi closed the distance, locking Nai's body with his right arm while pressing a kunai to his throat with his left hand.

In a real battle, the chokehold wouldn't have been necessary—Nai wouldn't have had time to react. However, given Itachi's five-year-old stature, the move was essential to reach Nai's vital points.

Fortunately for Itachi, Uchiha Nai had almost no real combat experience. His reflexes were too slow, and his reactions were more instinctual than skillful.

As the flames from Nai's jutsu subsided, Fugaku could finally see what had transpired.

Itachi pressed the kunai firmly against Uchiha Nai's throat. Nai's face was pale with fear, and sweat trickled down his forehead. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined being utterly defeated by a five-year-old child.

Moreover, he had been bested without even having a chance to fight back. If this had been a real confrontation, Nai knew he would already be dead.

Looking toward Fugaku, who stood with his arms crossed, Nai forced a bitter smile.

"Patriarch Fugaku... I've lost this test."

Turning his gaze to Itachi, Nai added, "Master Itachi, I admit defeat. I lost, and I am fully convinced."

Although Uchiha Nai, like many members of the clan, possessed a rebellious nature, he had no pride left in front of Itachi. To have reached this level at only five years old—genius alone couldn't describe Itachi's talent. In Nai's eyes, not even the legendary figures of Konoha's past could compare.

"I accept your surrender, Nai Senpai," Itachi replied softly, nodding as he loosened his grip and stepped back.

He walked toward his father, stopping a few steps away. "Father."

"You did very well," Fugaku said, though he struggled to find words that matched his astonishment. He had hoped this exercise would teach Itachi that some things in life couldn't be achieved without experience. While Fugaku had considered the possibility of Itachi winning, he had never expected him to dominate the fight so methodically.

Itachi had held back, yet still managed to defeat a full-fledged Uchiha shinobi.

Fugaku could see that Itachi's speed and strength had improved over the past half-month, but those weren't the keys to his victory. His tactical acumen and the precision of his shuriken technique had been decisive.

The Uchiha clan was renowned for their Sharingan, fire ninjutsu, and shuriken skills, but very few could wield shuriken with the finesse Itachi had just demonstrated.

And Fugaku hadn't even taught him that technique.

Itachi's abilities went far beyond mere talent.

"Based on your performance, there's no doubt that you are qualified," Fugaku said. "You may go home now."

"Yes," Itachi replied, though there was no joy in his voice. He turned and left the training ground, disappearing in a blur.

After Itachi left, Fugaku approached Uchiha Nai and spoke in a low tone, "As I instructed before, the fight between you and Itachi, as well as every detail of it, must remain a secret."

"Understood," Uchiha Nai replied, though he was puzzled. The clan had produced a genius even more remarkable than Uchiha Shisui. Shouldn't this be something to celebrate and publicize?

But as a member of the Uchiha clan, Nai knew that following orders took precedence over personal opinions.

Fugaku nodded in satisfaction and vanished from Nai's sight.

---

Later that night, Fugaku returned home from his duties with the Uchiha Police Force. It was late, and both Itachi and Sasuke were fast asleep.

He quietly opened the door to his bedroom.

Mikoto, dressed in her pajamas, sat on the bed, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her face, usually soft and serene, was now lined with worry.

"You're still awake?" Fugaku asked, though he had expected it.

Mikoto nodded. Ever since learning about Itachi's test, she had found it difficult to sleep. She was concerned not only about Itachi's withdrawn nature, but also about what Fugaku had told her half a month ago.

Fugaku had no words to ease her worry. After today's events, he realized he, too, couldn't fully understand Itachi. Despite being his father, Fugaku found himself unable to see through his son.

In many ways, being too gifted could be a burden. When a child's understanding and thinking matured too early, they often developed a worldview that could spiral into dangerous isolation.

---

The next morning, Itachi woke up early, as usual. He glanced at his sleeping brother, Sasuke, before quietly slipping out of the house with a sandbag heavier than the one he had been using half a month ago. He headed out for his morning training.

---

At the Hokage's office...

Knock knock!

Shisui approached the door and knocked.

"Come in," a gentle voice called from within.

Shisui opened the door and entered, closing it behind him.

Sitting behind the desk was a young man with bright blue eyes, reviewing some documents.

Shisui's eyes lit up with admiration. The man in front of him was none other than the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato!

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