The Uchiha district, once bustling and proud, now lay in ruins.
Dust coated abandoned houses. Spiderwebs stretched across broken doorways. Silence hung over the land like a shroud. And yet, in the middle of it all stood a single mansion that looked strangely out of place.
It was not new, but it was clean. Maintained.
This had once been the residence of the Uchiha clan head. Who kept it this way was obvious.
Inside the mansion, Uchiha Sasuke sat quietly, staring at two neatly arranged sets of clothing and a mask laid out before him.
His fingers brushed across the green flak jacket.
A chūnin vest.
Yes. He was a chūnin now.
Originally, Sasuke had gone to see the Hokage to submit paperwork for joining ANBU. Instead, he had been met with unexpected news. Tsunade had looked at him in surprise, then told him the timing was perfect. The Daimyō's approval had already come through, and based on his performance in the Chūnin Exams, he had officially passed.
That had genuinely shocked him.
The exams had been interrupted before their conclusion. Sasuke had assumed no promotions would be granted this time.
Yet here he was.
When he asked who else had passed, the answer surprised him again.
Nara Shikamaru.
Sasuke remembered Shikamaru's matches clearly. Shadow techniques were clever, but in terms of raw combat power, he had seemed… average.
Only after thinking it through did Sasuke understand.
Strength was only one part of the evaluation. Leadership, judgment, and the ability to command a team mattered just as much. In that sense, Shikamaru was more than qualified.
The rest made sense too.
Uzumaki Naruto had won his match, but all he demonstrated was combat ability. Everything else fell short.
Hyūga Neji could have qualified, but his loss to Naruto ended his chances.
Aburame Shino and Yamanaka Ino had not fought in the third round.
As for the Sand siblings, most of them technically qualified, but their involvement in the invasion doomed their chances outright.
In the end, only two had passed.
Himself and Shikamaru.
Sasuke looked down at the vest again and allowed himself a faint smile.
It did not make him stronger, but it meant something. It meant his effort had been seen.
"Thirteen years old… chūnin," he murmured.
Then his expression darkened.
At thirteen, that man had already been a jōnin.
And Fujimoto Tōma had reached jōnin at twelve.
Compared to that, Sasuke's achievement felt… small.
But he did not feel discouraged.
He knew now what price Itachi had paid to gain that power. His body, already damaged from forcing chakra circulation too early, simply could not sustain the Mangekyō Sharingan. Every use pushed him closer to collapse.
That was why Itachi had looked so sick when Sasuke last saw him.
His strength had already peaked. From here on, it would only decline.
Sasuke clenched his fists.
And me?
His body felt strong. Healthy. Every day, he could feel himself growing faster, sharper.
That was the advantage of peace.
No forced growth. No premature strain. No burning his future for power.
This was the "rapid growth phase" Tōma had once mentioned.
At this rate, Sasuke was certain. If one rose while the other fell, the gap would close.
No.
He would go further.
He would kill Itachi with his own hands. Only then could he give meaning to the past. To the dead. To himself.
As for the other prodigy… Sasuke let out a helpless breath.
Tōma was different.
If Itachi had paid an obvious price, then Tōma's strength made no sense at all. Sasuke could not see any cost. Effort alone did not explain it. Everyone worked hard.
So this was true talent.
Even now, Sasuke could not imagine catching up. Even awakening the Mangekyō might not be enough.
After all, Tōma had defeated Mangekyō Itachi head-on.
Sasuke shook his head.
Comparing himself to monsters who matured early was pointless.
Then another thought struck him.
Hatake Kakashi had also become a jōnin at twelve.
Only now did Sasuke truly grasp how exceptional his teacher was.
Recently, Sasuke had insisted on accompanying Kakashi on high-risk missions. Only then did he realize how terrifying Kakashi was when unrestricted.
Sasuke was dead weight beside him.
That was why he had applied for ANBU.
If even Kakashi's missions were beyond him, then he needed to grow somewhere else. Somewhere harsher. Somewhere he could catch up.
He turned his attention to the second set of gear.
Black ANBU uniform.
And a plain white mask.
Tsunade had handed these to him personally. Normally, she would not have bothered. The meaning was obvious.
Sasuke ran a finger over the mask.
According to her, this was the same design Tōma had worn when he first joined ANBU.
No one else had ever used it.
Now it was his.
Sasuke smiled faintly.
He understood it was a calculated gesture. But he appreciated it anyway.
Not bad, Fifth Hokage, he thought. No wonder Tōma supports you.
"Konoha… Hokage…"
His thoughts turned heavy.
He was not blind. He knew Konoha's hands were not clean in the massacre. But what could he do? Stand alone against the village?
And yet… this future Konoha would likely be Tōma's Konoha.
If Tōma became Hokage, could Sasuke really destroy it?
The answer came easily.
No.
If Tōma stood at the top, Sasuke was willing to let go of that part of his hatred.
But the true culprits would not escape.
And he believed that future Hokage would support him in that.
For now, Sasuke's path was clear. Grow stronger during this golden period. Join ANBU. Investigate the truth in the shadows.
He only hoped the Third Hokage's hands were not too deeply stained.
Otherwise…
Sasuke put on the mask, hiding his face completely.
He donned the ANBU uniform, secured the standard weapons, and left the mansion.
His new team was waiting.
According to Tsunade, it was the same unit Tōma had once served in.
Which meant it was no ordinary squad.
At the meeting point, Sasuke arrived early.
Yet someone was already there.
He paused.
That was… unfamiliar.
The man turned, studying Sasuke's mask and his height. For a brief moment, his gaze wavered, as if seeing someone else entirely.
Then he shook his head and smiled.
"Welcome," the man said. "I'm your captain. Codename: Tenzo."
Sasuke straightened.
"Understood, Captain," he replied calmly.
"My codename is… Hawk."