Return of the Uchiha Prodigy

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"Yuhi... that name sounds familiar," Izumi mused, her brow furrowing in thought. "I think my father mentioned it once."

Itachi nodded, his expression calm but knowing. "Shinku Yūhi," he began, "played a vital role during the Great Ninja War. He used his genjutsu to disrupt the leader of the Land of Lightning's forces, crippling their strategy. It was a key factor in Konoha's victory."

Izumi's eyes widened in awe. "Really? I didn't know that!" she said, excitement tingling in her voice. Though she had excelled in her academy studies, the intricate details of the war had yet to reach her. Names like Minato Namikaze, Konoha's Yellow Flash, often overshadowed other heroes of the era.

Itachi, however, observed her with a faint glimmer of amusement. Izumi doesn't realize that having Shinku Yūhi as her mentor is as much a challenge as it is an honor. Graduation is just the beginning.

"And who's your mentor, Itachi?" Izumi asked, tilting her head curiously.

Itachi's sharp mind had already been speculating on this. The Fourth Hokage would not make arbitrary decisions, especially with someone like him. "We'll find out soon," he replied, his tone even.

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When the new genin teams were announced, the room buzzed with a mix of excitement and nerves. One by one, instructors entered to claim their students.

When Shikaku Nara walked in, hands casually stuffed into his pockets, Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly in recognition. He knew Shikaku by reputation—and firsthand from an ANBU mission. The Nara clan leader's strategies were as precise as a master shogi player's, capable of outwitting even the sharpest minds in Konoha.

Shikaku's gaze swept the room, landing briefly on Itachi. The boy met his eyes and gave a respectful nod.

"So, you're Team 7," Shikaku said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I take it you know who I am?"

Itachi answered with a slight incline of his head. Beside him, Hattori Shinichi adjusted his glasses, his expression unreadable.

Shikaku nodded as if satisfied and called out the final member. "Daisuke Kido."

A boy with unruly hair and a nervous demeanor shuffled over, glancing between his teammates.

Meanwhile, across the room, a man with auburn hair and a gentle smile spoke. "Izumi Uchiha, Mitsumi Ai, and Ken Ishida. I'm Yuhi Shinku, your mentor."

Izumi turned to Itachi and grinned brightly. "See you around, Itachi!"

Itachi offered her a small nod as she followed her team out of the room. He turned back to Shikaku, who was already heading for the door.

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Outside, Shikaku led his team to a quiet clearing beneath a large tree. The dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves as he leaned against the trunk, arms crossed.

"Do you remember your first day at the academy?" Shikaku asked, his voice lazy but his eyes sharp.

Daisuke nodded enthusiastically, while Shinichi gave a small incline of his head. Itachi remained still, watching.

"In the years since, you've passed every test and completed every lesson. Now, you're officially genin," Shikaku said. He paused, his gaze flickering between them. "But why? Why did you work so hard to become ninja?"

His question hung in the air, heavier than the genin expected. After a moment, Shikaku looked at Shinichi. "You first."

Shinichi pushed up his glasses and spoke with deliberate calm. "At first, I did it to meet my parents' expectations. They always told me that being a ninja was an honorable path. But over time, I realized... that's just what adults tell children."

Shikaku raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And now?"

"Now, I see it differently," Shinichi continued. "Being a ninja is more than honor—it's necessity. Someone has to protect the village. If we don't, we leave ourselves vulnerable to those who would destroy us."

Shikaku nodded thoughtfully. "Good answer." His gaze shifted to Daisuke. "What about you?"

Daisuke puffed out his chest. "I want to be a hero—someone strong and respected, like Lord Fourth or Jiraiya of the Sannin!"

Shikaku's lips quirked in a faint smile, but he said nothing. His eyes finally landed on Itachi. "And you?"

Itachi looked down at the forehead protector in his hands, the Konoha insignia catching the sunlight. Then, he raised his gaze to meet Shikaku's. "My reason is simple," he said quietly. "I am Konoha's Uchiha Itachi."

For a moment, the clearing was silent. Daisuke blinked in confusion, and Shinichi frowned, as if trying to decipher the meaning behind Itachi's words. But Shikaku understood.

"Konoha's Uchiha..." Shikaku murmured. He studied Itachi for a moment longer, then straightened. "Alright. My questioning ends here. Now, we move on to the real test."

Daisuke frowned. "Test? But we already graduated!"

Shikaku smirked. "Graduation was easy. This test will determine whether you're truly ready to become ninja. Fail, and you go back to the academy."

Daisuke paled, while Shinichi pushed up his glasses with a cool composure.

"Sent back!?" Kido's voice shot up, and his expression contorted into a mix of frustration and panic. For someone who had only just passed the grueling graduation test, hearing there was another hurdle was nothing short of devastating.

Unlike Kido, Itachi remained composed. He scrutinized Shikaku carefully, analyzing the situation. This wasn't about raw strength—he was certain of that. If it came down to power alone, he knew his own abilities far outstripped what a typical jōnin like Shikaku might expect from a fresh graduate.

Beside them, Shinichi adjusted his glasses, his sharp gaze lingering on their instructor. "Sensei, what exactly does this test involve?"

"You'll be sparring against me," Shikaku replied with a faint smirk. "But there's more to it than that. You'll understand soon enough." He gestured toward the door with a lazy wave of his hand. "We'll begin now. Follow me."

The three genin exchanged uncertain glances before trailing after their sensei.

As they walked through the winding paths of the village and out toward the hills, Kido fidgeted nervously. "This isn't good. We're up against a jōnin—how are we supposed to win?" His voice cracked slightly, betraying his fear.

"You don't seem worried, Itachi," Shinichi observed quietly, tilting his head toward the raven-haired boy.

"I'm fine," Itachi replied simply, his expression unreadable.

When they reached a grassy clearing on a hill overlooking Konoha, Shikaku turned to face them. With a smooth motion, he pulled two small silver bells from his pouch, each tied with a bright red string.

"The rules are simple." He dangled the bells before them, their faint jingle carried on the breeze. "You have until sunset to take these two bells from me. Those who succeed will pass. The one who fails…" Shikaku's lips curved slightly as he left the rest unsaid.

Shinichi frowned, his sharp mind already analyzing the situation. Beside him, Kido looked between the two bells and their team in horror.

"Wait, there are only two bells!?" Kido exclaimed. "That means… one of us is guaranteed to fail?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes, watching their instructor closely.

"This isn't just about strength," he thought, his gaze flicking to the bells. "It's a test of something else—strategy, perhaps? Or teamwork?"

"How will you proceed?" Shikaku asked, his voice mild but his sharp eyes watching them carefully.

"Let's team up!" Kido urged, glancing desperately at Itachi. "If we work together, we might stand a chance!"

Itachi shook his head. "Not yet. Rushing in won't work."

Kido's face fell, but before he could argue, Shikaku spoke again. "No plans? Very well." He tucked the bells into his belt, letting his hands fall casually to his sides. "Come at me whenever you're ready."

Without hesitation, Kido shouted, "Fine, I'll take you down myself!" and charged forward.

Itachi sighed inwardly. "Reckless."

Kido's movements were solid—his stance low, his kunai held firm—but Shikaku's reaction was almost leisurely. With a fluid sidestep, Shikaku evaded Kido's lunge entirely. Before Kido could recover, Shikaku flicked his hand, and a single thread of Shadow Possession Jutsu shot forward, snaring him instantly.

"Too slow," Shikaku said as he manipulated Kido's own body to twist him into the air, tossing him aside like a rag doll.

Itachi blurred forward, catching Kido mid-air and landing smoothly. He set his teammate down with ease, his crimson eyes briefly flashing as he activated the Sharingan.

"T-Thanks, Itachi," Kido stammered, still shaken.

"You're too impatient," Itachi replied curtly, his gaze fixed on Shikaku, who stood relaxed, as though none of this required effort.

Nearby, Shinichi adjusted his glasses. "Wait. Don't rush back in," he said, gesturing for them to retreat into the cover of the nearby trees.

Itachi nodded, following without a word. Kido hesitated before joining them.

"What's the plan?" Kido asked, glancing nervously between his teammates.

Shinichi pushed up his glasses and exhaled. "I don't think this test is just about grabbing the bells."

"What do you mean?" Kido frowned.

"Think about it," Shinichi explained. "If the goal was to eliminate one of us, they wouldn't have placed us in a three-man cell to begin with. Konoha's squads always work in teams of three, balanced to complement each other's skills. This isn't about strength—it's about teamwork."

Itachi nodded slightly, Shinichi's reasoning aligning with his own suspicions.

"So… we can all pass?" Kido asked, a spark of hope in his voice.

"If we work together," Shinichi confirmed, his gaze sharp. "That's what Shikaku-sensei is testing—our ability to cooperate."

Itachi stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Shinichi. "Then we need a plan. Quickly. He won't wait forever."

The three of them huddled close, murmuring in low voices as the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon. Above the hill, Shikaku Nara stood with his arms crossed, a faint smile playing at his lips.

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