Konoha 49th year.
Itachi, who had just finished school, walked quietly down the road.
He didn't plan to go straight home, but instead wanted to go to the grove to cultivate for a while.
Although he has become the top student in the first year of the Ninja Class.
But the father's expectations went far beyond that.
He needs to work harder.
In fact.
He's already planning to use his shadow clone to go to school tomorrow.
This way, I can have more time to dedicate to cultivation.
We walked into the grove.
I arrived at the place where I usually practice my spiritual cultivation.
Itachi put down his schoolbag and took out several shuriken from it.
He had set up targets in advance on the trees all around, and the positions were not exactly conventional.
Some are hanging inside the leaves, some can only be seen halfway due to limited visibility, and some are even behind the trees.
Yes.
Regular shuriken training is no longer enough for him.
Itachi also knew that his potential was not limited to this.
Whoosh whoosh——
He took a deep breath and released several shuriken from his hand.
After tracing several graceful arcs, it landed precisely on the bullseye.
Itachi frowned.
"There was one who didn't win...?"
He fired nine shots, hitting the bullseye eight times, and all of them were right on the target.
But Itachi was not satisfied.
A target that is missed is equivalent to a surviving enemy.
On the battlefield, the meaning of an enemy who survives after you have made your move is self-evident.
"The control of intensity needs to be improved."
Itachi quickly figured out the reason, lowered his body, and then jumped a few times to reach the target that had slipped through the net.
Located in the middle of a thick tree, about five or six meters high, it is extremely well hidden.
Itachi stared at the target for a while, already calculating the force of his next attack.
"call!"
"call!"
"call!"
Just then, a series of rhythmic breaths mixed with the sound of wind breaking came from not far away, attracting Itachi's attention.
The itachi, who was used to training, quickly figured out the situation.
There are people who cultivate in this area.
However, it's not about practicing shurikenjutsu, but rather something like kendo (the way of the sword).
A hint of doubt flashed in Itachi's eyes.
This forest belongs to the Uchiha.
However, the Uchiha clan has many training grounds, so few people usually come to this forest to train.
He wanted some peace and quiet, and it was also a preparation for his clone to attend classes and cultivate his main body in the future.
But I didn't expect there were other people here too.
This piqued Itachi's curiosity.
"Say hello."
After hesitating for a moment, Itachi made his decision.
Although doing so might be a little impolite.
But considering his future spiritual practice, he felt it was still necessary to learn about it.
After all, intelligence is also a subject in ninja training.
Following the sound.
The small weasel's figure flashed a few times and quickly arrived at its destination.
He did not appear in person.
Instead, it hid among the leaves and quietly observed for a while.
He guessed right.
Indeed, someone is practicing swordsmanship, specifically the most basic slashing technique.
However... she was a girl.
She was about five or six years old, wearing a long dress, with her long hair tied in a neat ponytail. Every time she swung her sword, her ponytail would flutter in the wind.
Itachi's gaze lingered on the unruly hair for a moment without him realizing it.
However, his gaze soon fell on the knife in the girl's hand.
It's clear that the girl is a beginner.
However, the girl did not use the wooden sword intended for beginners.
Instead, it was a long sword with an extremely simple and ancient design, yet with a touch of elegance.
This piqued Itachi's curiosity.
"She probably doesn't want to disappoint her elders..."
Itachi sighed silently.
He understands this feeling all too well.
His father's expectations were like a mountain, inspiring him to move forward while also putting immense pressure on him.
To gain my father's approval, ordinary cultivation methods are definitely not enough.
So he chose this secluded grove to undergo high-intensity training that shouldn't be happening at his age.
"Who is it?!"
Sudden.
The girl who was struggling to wield her sword seemed to sense something and suddenly looked in the direction where Itachi was hiding.
Itachi, overwhelmed with mixed feelings, was startled.
Is your perception really that sharp?
However, he did not panic.
Instead, he jumped down from the tree without hesitation.
"Hello, my name is Uchiha Itachi, and I happen to be training in this area as well."
I'm sorry to have bothered you.
Itachi spoke very sincerely.
It was indeed wrong of him to disturb others' cultivation.
However, he also got a clear look at the girl's face.
With red lips, white teeth, and slightly raised eyebrows, she was wary and doubtful, but there was no sign of nervousness.
On the contrary, his gaze gradually became strange.
"You... are Uchiha Itachi?"
The girl frowned and asked.
Her voice was ethereal, unlike the crispness of an ordinary girl's, but it had a unique charm.
Itachi nodded quickly, "Yes."
Do you... know me?
The girl frowned.
He didn't give a direct answer, but he uttered a four-word maxim that Itachi could never understand in his entire life.
"Damn it..."
(End of Chapter)