Izuna Uchiha - The Eternal Phantom

After the day Izuna first met the little fox, months had passed. From his very first training session with his father until now, he had committed himself to daily practice without fail.

It didn't matter if the skies poured with rain or if he lacked motivation; he would force himself to wake at the crack of dawn and train until the stars lit up the night sky, sometimes even pushing himself to the point of exhaustion.

Such was the depth of his dedication.

While his father admired his resolve and was proud of his discipline, his mother often worried. She would gently urge him to spend time with other children his age, to make friends, and to enjoy life beyond the rigorous training regime he had imposed upon himself.

But Izuna found little in common with the children of his clan. To him, their games and chatter seemed trivial. Why waste time on such unnecessary distractions when he could use every moment to grow stronger?

He brushed off his mother's concerns and continued as he always had: relentlessly pushing himself toward his goals.

The results of his hard work were evident. In taijutsu, where he once couldn't even touch his father's clothes during a sparring match, he could now hold his ground for a few minutes and even land a punch or two.

Granted, he knew his father was holding back—but not by much—and that knowledge only spurred him on further. One day, he vowed, he would defeat his father in a fair fight.

He wanted him to experience the frustration of being unable to land even a single hit. This burning ambition became one of his greatest sources of motivation.

Within the clan, whispers began to spread about Izuna's talent. Many elders praised him as a promising youngling, destined to become a mighty ninja and perhaps the Uchiha head someday.

His natural aptitude for ninjutsu was particularly impressive. A single demonstration was often enough for him to grasp a technique. However, for Izuna, understanding wasn't enough.

He sought mastery. He wanted to perform each technique flawlessly, even in his sleep. Even with basic ninjutsu like the Clone Technique or the Body Replacement Technique, which he had already mastered, he continued to train them tirelessly.

His goal was to cast all his ninjutsu with a single hand sign—or even without one.

The forest became his second home during these months of grueling effort, and the little fox his quiet companion.

Day after day, the fox would appear, watching from the shadows or lounging beneath a tree as Izuna trained. They had developed an unspoken understanding, a bond that needed no words.

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One ordinary morning, after a quick breakfast, Izuna returned to the forest to begin his routine. He started with a light jog and some basic exercises to warm up his body.

Afterward, he practiced the Uchiha clan's foundational kata for two hours straight, his movements sharp and precise. Following a short break, he shifted his focus to ninjutsu.

As he worked through his techniques, he noticed the little fox perched near a tree, its amber eyes fixed on him.

Izuna smiled and gave the fox a small wave, as was his custom. The fox tilted its head, tail swishing lazily, but made no move to approach. Chuckling softly, Izuna returned to his training.

After hours of rigorous practice, Izuna decided to rest beneath the shade of a tree. The little fox, sensing his presence, padded over lazily. She stopped a few feet away, her nose twitching as she smelled the food in Izuna's hands.

Her gaze locked onto the rice ball he had saved from breakfast, her focus so intense that Izuna couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hungry?" he asked teasingly.

Without hesitation, the fox suddenly snatched the rice ball from Izuna's hand. For a moment, Izuna just blinked in surprise.

When he realized what had happened, he exclaimed, "Hey!" and turned to see the fox standing a few feet away, the rice ball still in her mouth.

With quick reflexes, Izuna lunged forward and snatched the stolen rice ball back. "No, that isn't something you can eat!" he scolded lightly.

He pulled out a piece of fresh meat from a scroll. "Here, eat this. And don't worry, I won't tease you anymore—so eat in peace."

The fox seemed to understand, cautiously sniffing the meat before starting to eat it with visible relish. Despite this, she kept glancing warily at Izuna, as if expecting another trick.

Izuna rolled his eyes and returned to his own food, chuckling at the memory of teasing the fox a few days earlier. He had pretended to offer food, only to eat it himself, leaving the poor creature sulking and holding a grudge for hours.

As the fox nibbled on her snack, Izuna leaned back against the tree, watching her with a little warm smile on his face. After that little episode, Izuna got back to his training.

Time passed quickly, and when it was time to head home, he prepared to say goodbye to the little fox. But then he heard a faint sniffle and some other noises. At first, he thought it was just his imagination, but after a few seconds, he heard the sounds again.

The little boy and the little fox exchanged a glance, almost as if they were communicating silently with their eyes. After a few moments, Izuna sighed and said, "Alright, let's check it out. Maybe it's just a little guy like you who needs help."

With that, they started making their way toward the source of the sound. With every step in that direction, the noise grew clearer. Izuna quickly realized it wasn't an animal but rather a person—or, as it turned out when they arrived, a little girl.

He froze in place, unsure of what to do. From what he could tell, the girl wasn't injured, but her back was turned to him, making it difficult to be certain.

Indecisive, Izuna stood there for a few seconds until he felt a tug at his leg. Looking down, he saw the fox gently pulling at his pants with her teeth, trying to nudge him toward the girl.

Instantly, Izuna understood what the fox wanted: to help the girl, to comfort her, and perhaps to talk to her. Not knowing what else to do, Izuna moved closer to the girl.

The forest was growing darker, and he couldn't leave a small child alone out here. "How could her parents be so irresponsible?" he wondered to himself. True, he was still a child himself, but he was sharp and resourceful for his age, possessing the intelligence of someone much older.

Besides, he had his training to defend himself against any dangerous animals in the forest. The little girl, however, didn't seem to have anything to protect herself—or so he assumed, as she looked no older than two.

While all this ran through his mind, Izuna approached the girl until he was standing right in front of her. She didn't seem to notice him at first, too lost in her tears.

After a few moments, though, she sensed something was different. She lifted her head and found herself staring at Izuna, who stood silently before her. Her confused expression made it clear she didn't know what to make of the situation.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. They simply stared at each other, neither making a move. Izuna realized that he would have to break the ice; the girl didn't look like she was going to speak first.

"Hello," he said softly.

"Are you lost?"

The girl blinked a few times, then shook her head silently.

"Then why are you here, crying?" he asked, trying to sound gentle.

The girl didn't respond. Instead, she turned her head to the side, avoiding his gaze. That's when she noticed the fox, who was also looking at her with curiosity.

The two locked eyes, staring at each other in silence. Izuna watched this quiet interaction with mild amusement, taking it all in.

Then, glancing up at the sky, Izuna realized that it was getting dark.

A single thought crossed his mind: "My mother is not going to be happy about this. I promised her I wouldn't be late. Hn..., Troublesome."

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Hi, it's been a while! After a stressful month, I'm back. The story of Izuna will continue, and I hope you're still interested in his journey. In a couple of chapters, the pace will pick up, and I won't include as many details—more like summaries.

Also, a new character will be introduced in this chapter. She's my original character (OC). Do you have any ideas about which clan she should be from? Let me know your thoughts!