"Shunichi… can something like this really increase my strength?"
Uchiha Sasuke asked uneasily, watching Uchiha Shunichi busy himself without pause.
At this point in his life, Sasuke's mind was consumed by hatred. He wasn't foolish—but the moment he heard anything about becoming stronger, he was willing to do almost anything.
"My experiments are only meant to strengthen my physique," Uchiha Shunichi said as he opened his eyes. "What I need right now isn't power—it's a strong body. Only then can I bear the burden of these eyes."
Sasuke stared at Shunichi's eyes—eyes identical to his brother's—and a surge of resentment welled up inside him.
They had gone through the same experiences.
So why… hadn't he awakened those eyes?
Noticing the emotion flickering across Sasuke's face, Shunichi spoke calmly.
"These eyes aren't a blessing. They affect my emotions and place an even heavier strain on my body. If it weren't for the uniqueness of my dōjutsu, I'd already be dead."
It wasn't the first time Sasuke had heard this—but it still left him feeling unsettled.
Then, suddenly, he caught onto something important in Shunichi's words.
"You're saying… these eyes can influence a person's emotions?" Sasuke hesitated, but still asked the question aloud.
Shunichi immediately understood what Sasuke was implying and coldly poured water on it.
"They have some influence—nothing more. What your brother did has no excuse whatsoever."
That's right.
No excuse at all.
In Uchiha Shunichi's eyes, no matter what Itachi's original intentions had been, what he did was unforgivable.
Everyone living in this world has their own unavoidable hardships.
But those hardships are never a justification for committing atrocities. Once something is done, there is no room for reversal.
In fact, Uchiha Itachi himself understood this better than anyone.
He wasn't Uchiha Shisui—someone who, even after being betrayed, still put the village first, someone who would rather take his own life to prevent internal conflict.
What Itachi truly wanted was simple: to put an end to his role as a double agent.
To him, the honor of the clan mattered more than its continued existence. That was why he made that choice—leaving Sasuke as the sole exception.
Sasuke burned with anger at Shunichi's words, but what truly enraged him was himself.
For just a moment… he had entertained the thought of running away.
"That's not what I meant!" Sasuke snapped stubbornly.
Without even turning his head, Shunichi replied, "I know. I'm just reminding you."
"Uchiha Itachi will die by my hand!" Sasuke declared, his voice sounding like a curse-bound oath.
"Suit yourself," Shunichi said indifferently. "I don't care how he dies. I only care that he no longer exists in this world."
As he spoke, Shunichi handed Sasuke a vial.
"This is a body-strengthening potion. Your physique is better than mine, so drink two bottles. Afterward, train according to my method."
"We're both too young right now. All we can do is lay a solid foundation."
"If we try to force growth by overexerting our bodies at this stage, neither of us will ever have a chance of defeating your brother."
Sasuke instinctively took the potion and drank it down without a word, then immediately turned to leave for training
But Shunichi stopped him.
"Eat first. No matter how good the medicine is, it still needs food to support it."
Shunichi continued working without looking back.
Sasuke froze, then, with a dark expression, headed to the dining room.
...
The next day came—the start of another school term.
Shunichi created a shadow clone to go to the Academy with Sasuke, while his true body headed to the laboratory.
Sasuke looked at the shadow clone with unconcealed envy. He had learned that jutsu too—he could cast it, but the duration was short, and it was easily exposed.
Besides, given Sasuke's current condition, he didn't need excessive physical training time. According to Shunichi's regimen, sufficient rest was just as important as training itself.
"I remember… that man also used shadow clones back when he was in school," Sasuke muttered unwillingly as he watched Shunichi's clone.
"Don't rush things," Shunichi replied, rolling his eyes. "Your strength right now is already decent. Back then, he was forcibly squeezing out his potential. If I'm not mistaken, his body should already be breaking down."
"What?!" Sasuke exploded instantly. "Then he has to die by my hand!"
Shunichi shot him an annoyed look.
"It's just an illness. He won't die from it. Honestly, I'd rather he did just die from sickness."
Sasuke was left speechless. The two walked the rest of the way in silence.
When they arrived at the Academy, Shunichi went straight to the back row, picked up a book, and began reading.
Soon, the bell rang. Iruka entered the classroom to begin the lesson. As for Shunichi reading during class, Iruka pretended not to see it.
He knew all too well how troublesome Uchiha Shunichi was—immune to persuasion, utterly self-directed, and most importantly…
A top-tier prodigy.
He ranked first in every exam. Even in practical combat drills, he could defeat opponents despite his frail body.
If not for his physical condition, Shunichi could have applied for early graduation long ago.
Others came to the Ninja Academy to learn.
Uchiha Shunichi came here to recover.
During class, Uzumaki Naruto glanced at Shunichi with envy—only to be immediately scolded by Iruka for spacing out.
Feeling frustrated, Naruto crumpled a piece of paper into a ball, planning to mess with Shunichi. But just as he was about to act—
He saw it.
Those blood-red eyes.
Naruto jumped in fright and awkwardly pulled his hand back, turning his head as if nothing had happened.
At the Academy, Uchiha Shunichi always wore a cold, indifferent expression. That demeanor spared him a lot of trouble—anyone lacking sense quickly learned fear.
But Uzumaki Naruto was not one of them.
Even though he felt afraid, even though he had been beaten before, even though Shunichi had humiliated him—
The way Naruto looked at Shunichi still held no fear at all.
If anything, it carried a hint of eager challenge.
Perhaps…
That really was what it meant to be the protagonist.