Meanwhile, Uchiha Itachi had returned to the Uchiha Clan compound. As soon as he stepped into his home, he immediately began rummaging through boxes and cabinets, searching for scrolls containing Ninjutsu techniques.
To outsiders, Ninjutsu was an incredibly valuable treasure. But within the Uchiha compound—especially in the Clan Head's home—it was, ironically, the least precious item of all.
Because of the Sharingan's unique power, nearly every Uchiha who awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan could easily become a "copying master," able to learn their opponents' Ninjutsu with ease.
After a thorough search, Itachi finally discovered a Shadow Clone Jutsu scroll tucked away in a corner. He carefully placed it into his satchel and prepared to leave.
Just as he was about to step outside, he noticed a familiar figure standing silently at the main entrance.
Itachi's heart leapt with joy at first—but that joy quickly turned into worry when he noticed the layers of bandages still wrapped around the man's body.
"Shisui-kun, why are you here?" he asked anxiously. "And your injuries... did you encounter a powerful enemy on the battlefield?"
Regarding Riku's disguised attack on Hyuga Sōtai and the subsequent injury of Shisui, only the higher-ups of the major clans knew about it. Ordinary ninja had no idea, and certainly not a child like Itachi, who was still studying at the Ninja Academy.
To him, Shisui was a hero who often fought on the front lines. Naturally, he assumed the wounds came from a fierce battle.
Although Itachi's guess was wrong, Shisui didn't correct him. He simply smiled, walked over, and gently patted the boy's head.
"Yes, the enemies on the battlefield were too strong," he said lightly. "But the Uchiha Clan is stronger. Otherwise, your Shisui-kun wouldn't have made it back alive!"
Then he tilted his head, curious. "By the way, Itachi-kun, what are you doing?"
Itachi's expression stiffened for a moment. The moment Shisui mentioned the battlefield, a deep admiration flickered in his eyes—but it was soon replaced by the memory of a certain Hyuga boy who had made him clench his teeth in frustration.
His face darkened. "Shisui-kun, I'll tell you in secret. I'm actually looking for Ninjutsu to compensate a certain detestable guy."
"Compensate?" Shisui raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Were you bullied at the Academy?"
The question made Itachi flustered. "Ah—no, no! Shisui-kun, you misunderstood!" he said quickly, waving his hands. "It's not that I was bullied. I lost a challenge to someone, and this is just my way of compensating him."
Even though admitting defeat made Itachi feel humiliated, he couldn't bring himself to lie to the person he respected most.
Shisui's expression softened. "Oh? You lost? Itachi-kun, did you challenge an older student again?" He chuckled. "Even among geniuses like the Uchiha, talent still takes time to mature—"
"No, Shisui-kun, you guessed wrong again," Itachi interrupted. "It wasn't an older student. It was my classmate—from the Hyuga Clan!"
"Hyuga?"
"Yes, Hyuga Riku!"
"Hyuga, huh?" Shisui's eyes narrowed slightly. "I didn't expect that the Hyuga Clan of this generation would produce such a genius."
He paused, as if recalling something unpleasant. A complicated expression crossed his face, but he didn't elaborate further.
"Well," he said at last, "if that's the case, I have no objections. A loss is a loss, and it's fair to compensate him with a Ninjutsu. But Itachi-kun, you must continue working hard. As the young heir of the Uchiha, you'll represent our clan in the future."
Although he knew that even if a genius appeared in the Hyuga Clan, they would have a hard time growing under that clan's rigid traditions, Shisui still encouraged Itachi warmly.
But those words only deepened Itachi's frustration. "Don't worry, Shisui-kun. There won't be a next time. I've completely seen through that guy."
Shisui smiled knowingly. "Hmm, you truly live up to your name, Itachi-kun."
The two exchanged a brief smile—each with unspoken thoughts behind their eyes.
Elsewhere, Riku, on his way home, suddenly sneezed several times in a row.
"...Huh?" He rubbed his nose. "Did I catch a cold?"
Then he remembered something and laughed quietly to himself.
"Wait, I fused with Hashirama cells. My vitality's supposed to be stronger than an ox. There's no way I'd catch a cold so easily."
He tilted his head in thought. "So which scoundrel is talking about me again?"
After a moment's pause, he shook his head with a sigh. "Forget it. Not worth thinking about."
Time passed quickly, and before long, a new day began.
That morning, Riku arrived at the Ninja Academy unusually early—but to his surprise, Itachi was already there before him.
When Riku entered the classroom, he found Itachi sitting upright, studying intently, his eyes reflecting a fierce determination. He was reading a book titled The Will of Fire.
Riku couldn't help but feel both amused and impressed. Even at this age, he's already this serious, he thought silently.
As soon as Itachi noticed him, he snapped the book shut and reached into his bag. Without saying a word, he pulled out a scroll and tossed it across the room in a perfect arc.
It landed neatly in Riku's hands.
"I'm giving you the Shadow Clone Jutsu," Itachi said coolly. "But I have to remind you—it's a B-Rank technique. The learning difficulty is quite high."
He crossed his arms and continued, "You haven't even fully mastered those two C-Rank Ninjutsu you got from my house before, right? This one will probably keep you busy until graduation!"
Because Riku had used only a fraction of his Taijutsu strength during their earlier duel, Itachi assumed he was weak at Ninjutsu altogether.
Of course, the truth was the complete opposite.
But Riku didn't bother explaining.
Recognizing that Itachi's words came from genuine concern, Riku simply nodded politely. "I'll do what I can. Still, I have to thank the Uchiha for their generosity."
The first sentence sounded humble enough—but the latter half carried a subtle tone that Itachi couldn't quite place.
No matter how he interpreted it, it didn't sit right with him. Yet he couldn't find a reason to argue, so he just snorted softly, turned away, and returned to his studies.
Riku smiled faintly at the sight of Itachi's slightly pouting face. Without saying another word, he sat down and unrolled the scroll.
His eyes scanned the contents quickly and precisely. Within minutes, he had already understood the key structure and chakra control method behind the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Then, before anyone could notice, a translucent prompt appeared before his eyes—something only he could see:
[Ninjutsu: Shadow Clone Jutsu (B) successfully recorded!]
Riku's heart leapt with excitement, but his expression remained calm. He closed the scroll, tucked it away, and quietly stood up.
Without explanation, he turned and walked out of the classroom.
Itachi watched him go, confusion clouding his features.
"What's this?" he muttered under his breath. "Does he think the Ninjutsu is too difficult? Did he give up after just one glance?"
He frowned deeply, disappointment settling in his eyes.
Ever since their match, Itachi had secretly been paying attention to Riku. He wanted to understand his rival better. But now, seeing Riku seemingly abandon the study of a B-Rank Ninjutsu after merely glancing at it, Itachi's opinion of him plummeted.
"So he really doesn't have a talent for Ninjutsu..." Itachi sighed. "In the end, a ninja must rely on Ninjutsu. Those without talent in it won't go far. Hyuga Riku... what a pity."
He leaned back in his seat, his expression calm yet tinged with faint regret.
In his mind, Itachi could already see Riku's future—an ordinary ninja, skilled only in the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist, forever limited to close-range Taijutsu.
Compared to the vast potential of the Uchiha's Ninjutsu and Sharingan, such a future felt bleak.
"It's unfortunate," Itachi murmured softly, closing his eyes for a moment. "There are too few geniuses like Shisui-kun... and me. Riku... perhaps he was never meant to stand in the same world as us."
With that thought, a faint melancholy washed over him. But Itachi quickly shook it off.
He straightened in his seat, his focus hardening once again. The fire of ambition and discipline burned in his gaze.
This time, he completely immersed himself in his studies, as if everything beyond his book no longer mattered.
And thus, while one boy quietly mastered a B-Rank Ninjutsu after a single glance, the other doubled down on his determination to surpass all others—neither realizing that their paths would one day cross again under far greater circumstances.
End of Chapter 54 — Conjecture