Chapter 201: Sasuke And Itachi
The combat training sparring continued, but Menma and Sasuke Uchiha’s brief yet shocking clash was like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up layers of ripples in the hearts of the boys and girls.
At the edge of the field, the atmosphere among the girls’ little group was subtle.
Ino looked at the few female classmates who usually only orbited around Sasuke, but now they kept glancing at Menma, who was surrounded by Naruto, Choji, and Kiba chatting and laughing, her little mouth pouting slightly.
She keenly noticed that Menma’s clean and crisp moves, his demeanor of calm with a hint of laziness, and those clear blue eyes were starting to emit an appeal different from Sasuke’s sharp, cool, and showy charm.
“Hey, don’t you think… Menma is actually pretty handsome too?” A girl with twin ponytails had stars in her eyes, whispering to her companion.
“Yeah, yeah! Especially when he held a kunai to Sasuke’s neck at the end… so calm! So cool!” Another girl chimed in, her cheeks slightly flushed.
“And he seems way more approachable than Sasuke, who’s always so cold…”
“But… isn’t the Hyuga Clan’s young lady always following Menma?” Someone hesitated, looking toward Hinata, who was quietly sitting in the corner, still a bit scared.
“Oh come on, Hinata is the Hyuga Clan’s young lady! Someone from a major ninja clan like that will definitely find a suitable ninja clan disciple to be her live-in son-in-law in the future, right? Menma is strong, but he seems to just be a war orphan…” The twin-ponytail girl lowered her voice, offering her self-important analysis.
“So… we might still have a chance!”
These “precocious little devils'” murmurs were deliberately hushed, but they still drifted into Haruno Sakura’s ears.
She had been heartbroken over Sasuke’s lonely back as he ran off, torn about whether to chase after him and comfort him, but now hearing her companions’ “reassessment” of Menma, her heart inexplicably wavered.
Under her pink hair, her little face showed a dazed fangirl expression: “Huh? Yeah… seems like it… Menma is so strong too… Sasuke is so handsome… what to do…”
“Hey! Forehead! Snap out of it!” Ino couldn’t stand it anymore and gave Sakura a light knuckle rap on the head, grumbling softly: “Whether it’s Sasuke or Menma, that’s not what you should be thinking about right now! And…”
She glanced at timid Hinata not far away, who seemed not fully recovered from the shock of the earlier Great Fireball, then leaned to Sakura’s ear and whispered so only they could hear: “You know Hinata’s situation. That ‘sister’ of hers… if she gets mad, none of us can handle it! Don’t mess with Menma!”
Sakura remembered the terrifying aura Hinata occasionally unleashed that made her heart palpitate, instantly shivering, and that budding “fangirl” spark was immediately extinguished. She nodded repeatedly: “Y-yeah! You’re right, Ino!”
At that moment, Iruka’s voice rang out: “Next group, Naruto Uzumaki! Kiba Inuzuka! Get ready!”
Naruto and Kiba, this pair of lively troublemakers, immediately put Menma out of their minds and charged into the field with whoops.
Both were energetic and straightforward types, their taijutsu styles bold and sweeping, full of youthful vigor.
Naruto had unstable chakra control but made up for it with abundant stamina and fearlessness; Kiba was more agile, with a solider taijutsu foundation.
The two traded punches and kicks on the field, kicking up clouds of dust, attacking and defending evenly, drawing cheers and laughter.
In the end, Kiba won by a slim margin with his steadier stance and a clever feint, exploiting Naruto’s opening to trip him to the ground.
“Damn! So close!” Naruto got up, brushing off the dirt, not dejected despite the loss, but rather fired up.
“Next time I’ll definitely beat you, Kiba!”
“Hmph, dead last, train another ten years!” Kiba held his head high proudly, victorious fair and square.
The training ground’s atmosphere livened up again. Just as everyone thought this little commotion was over, the two girls who had been gossiping about Menma seemed to muster their courage.
They pushed each other, faces flushed bright red, and finally walked together up to Menma, who was discussing the match with Naruto and Kiba.
“Um… Menma…” The twin-ponytail girl took a deep breath, her voice clearly nervous.
“We… we want to see the newly released 《Snow Princess Big Adventure》 theater version this weekend… are you… free? Want to… go together?” After speaking, both shyly lowered their heads.
The air went instantly silent.
Naruto, Kiba, and Choji, the three boys, gaped in stunned silence.
Ino facepalmed with an “I knew it” expression.
Shikamaru propped his chin with one hand, a trace of helplessness flickering in his lazy eyes: “What a drag…”
And Hinata, who had been sitting on a nearby stone step, sipping water with her face still a bit flushed, suddenly froze.
She slowly raised her head, her pure white eyes first blankly looking at the two blushing girls, then at Menma, who was surrounded by them and seemed somewhat taken aback.
Immediately, an invisible, cold, and powerful aura erupted centered on Hinata!
As if the calm lake surface instantly froze!
The girls around her scattered like startled birds, instinctively crying out and backing away, clearing a space.
Hinata slowly stood up, her originally soft blue hair hanging over her shoulders now floating lightly without wind.
The timid expression on her face vanished without a trace, replaced by a sharp, bold gaze filled with intense possessiveness!
The veins around Hinata’s eyes bulged, Byakugan fully activated! A powerful presence burst forth instantly!
She raised her left hand in a palm stance, right hand clenched into a fist, knuckles cracking with a series of crisp, eerie pops!
The corner of her mouth curved into a wild, aggressive arc.
“You two…” Big Sister Hinata’s voice rang out, no longer her usual soft whisper, but carrying a magnetic tone full of oppressive force.
“Want to ask ‘my’ Menma to see a movie? Hm?” The final “hm” dragged out, full of dangerous implication.
The two girls were terrified by this sudden horrifying change and the tangible killing intent!
Their faces turned paper-white in an instant, tears uncontrollably welling up.
“Wah——!!!” They let out shrill screams, no longer daring to stay, turning and fleeing the training ground tumbling and scrambling, as if chased by demons.
The edge of the field fell into dead silence.
Everyone was awestruck by Big Sister Hinata’s instant “transformation” and the aura she unleashed—even Naruto shrank back, not daring to make a sound.
Menma looked at the two scared-off girls, then at Hinata with her full aura blazing beside him, and quickly stepped forward, gently patting her shoulder, his tone soothing and gentle: “Okay, okay, don’t scare them anymore.”
Feeling the warmth of Menma’s palm and his familiar aura, the terrifying presence on Big Sister Hinata not only didn’t fade, but intensified.
“Hmph!” She pursed her lips, her sharp gaze turning to Menma with a warning: “If you dare cheat on me, I’ll kill you first!”
Big Sister’s fiery temper made even Menma raise his hands in surrender.
Choji held his potato chips bag in one hand, the chip in his other hand that was headed to his mouth dropping in fright.
Big Sister’s aura instantly dominated all the boys and girls on site.
“So… so cool…” But some girls’ eyes sparkled with admiration for this dashing, hot-tempered Big Sister.
After her harsh words, Hinata reverted to the quiet little Hinata standing beside Menma, gaze somewhat timid, face beet red.
Noticing everyone’s abnormal stares, Hinata’s face flushed as if dripping water, head bowed, steam practically rising from her head.
Iruka-sensei wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling this combat training class was more mentally exhausting than battling chunin exam proctors.
He hurriedly announced the next few spars, wrapping up this eventful lesson.
“Weird, seems like something’s missing?” Iruka checked the sparring list, shaking his head: “Whatever, take the kids back to the classroom first.”
In the crowd, Shino calmly adjusted his sunglasses.
After the group returned to the classroom, Iruka scored and commented on everyone’s performance.
He especially praised Menma’s calm judgment and solid fundamentals against Sasuke, using Sasuke’s rule-breaking Great Fireball as a negative example, and reiterated classroom safety.
He encouraged Naruto’s grit, Kiba’s progress, Choji’s stability, and so on.
As for Hinata, Iruka wisely chose to ignore that little “interlude.”
Finally, as the sunset glow faded, the day’s classes ended.
————————
At the edge of the Uchiha Compound, in a secluded training ground.
The setting sun stretched the trees’ shadows long, the air carrying autumn chill.
Sasuke hadn’t gone home; he had run wildly here, face still marked by dried tear tracks and post-exertion flush.
Intense humiliation and unwillingness gnawed at his heart like venomous snakes.
He couldn’t forget on the training ground Menma’s calm gaze, the effortless deflection of his kunai, the power that completely suppressed his taijutsu, and finally that cold touch against his neck… all of it shattered his pride as a “genius.”
“Damn! Damn!!” Sasuke growled in vented rage, grabbing a handful of training shuriken and hurling them wildly at the distant wooden targets!
The force was immense but accuracy lost, shuriken embedding crookedly at the targets’ edges, some even missing and sticking into tree trunks.
As he vented his rage, a gentle voice sounded behind him: “Sasuke.”
Sasuke stiffened, whipping around.
There stood his brother Itachi Uchiha, who had appeared at the training ground’s edge unbeknownst when.
He wore Anbu’s black tight combat suit, overlaid with a light gray vest, face bearing the typical Anbu animal mask, but now pushed up to his forehead, revealing those deep, concerned black eyes.
“Brother…” Seeing his most trusted older brother, Sasuke’s pent-up grievances burst, eyes reddening again, voice choked.
Itachi saw his brother’s disheveled state and red eyes, understanding instantly.
He walked slowly to Sasuke’s side, squatted down, eye level with his brother, voice gentle: “What happened? Did you hit a setback at school?”
Sasuke nodded vigorously, tearfully recounting the afternoon spar with Menma—from the throws easily countered, to taijutsu completely suppressed, to the final substitution jutsu trick and kunai at his throat humiliation—all spilling out.
He grew more agitated, small fists clenched tight: “…That Menma! He… he didn’t even go all out! My attacks didn’t even touch him! I… I lost so badly! Everyone saw…”
Itachi listened quietly without interrupting.
He reached out, his warm palm gently ruffling Sasuke’s hair, wiping the fresh tears from his eyes.
“Sasuke,” Itachi’s voice was calm yet forceful: “The ninja world never lacks those called ‘geniuses.'”
Sasuke looked up, eyes teary at his brother.
“True geniuses don’t avoid failure, but draw strength from every failure, becoming even stronger.” Itachi’s gaze was profound, as if piercing beyond the training ground to a wider world: “Your opponent today was strong; he read your intent, exploited your impatience. That’s good.”
“Good?” Sasuke was puzzled.
“Yes, good.” Itachi nodded firmly: “Because it will make you remember—against any opponent, never let your guard down even slightly. Arrogance is a ninja’s greatest grave. Remember today’s feeling, the unwillingness of defeat, and turn it into your drive forward.”
He paused, looking at his brother’s still stubborn eyes: “Tell me, do you want to win? Want to surpass him?”
“Yes!” Sasuke answered loudly without hesitation, flames of fighting spirit reigniting in his eyes: “Next time I’ll definitely beat him!”
“Good.” A pleased curve touched Itachi’s lips: “Then, let’s start now. I’ll train you.”
He stood, moved aside, gesturing for Sasuke to resume throwing practice.
Sasuke perked up, wiping his tears forcefully, picking up shuriken again, eyes intensely focused.
He began seriously practicing Uchiha-style throwing basics, every exertion, every wrist twist striving for precision.
Itachi stood by, gaze calm as he watched his brother train, occasionally pointing out minute technique details.
Watching his brother’s determined profile, a deeper shadow quietly veiled Itachi’s heart.
His gaze inadvertently swept to a spot outside the training ground—an Anbu surveillance camera position.
Just earlier, while on Anbu surveillance duty, Itachi had temporarily handed off “monitoring Uchiha Compound perimeter” to his teammate Senior Kakashi Hatake, freeing him to find Sasuke.
This somewhat abandoned training ground was his and Shisui’s secret base; later when Sasuke started training, Itachi brought him here, cultivating him together with Shisui.
Shisui…
Thinking of the missing Shisui Uchiha was like a heavy lead weight on Itachi’s heart.
That brotherly friend, always with a gentle smile, genius had been missing for over a year.
Though the village’s official record was just “missing,” whether in the Uchiha Clan, Konoha High Council, or other ninja clans, privately almost everyone assumed Shisui Uchiha was dead.
Who was the culprit?
In the Uchiha Clan, anger and suspicion spread like wildfire.
Clan members, especially the radicals dissatisfied with the village, pointed straight at Konoha High-Level Officials!
They believed the high-level officials dreaded Shisui’s terrifying strength, feared the Uchiha Clan producing another Uchiha Madara, and thus secretly orchestrated the murder!
Even Itachi, serving in Anbu and highly valued by the Third Hokage, faced suspicion and alienation from some in the clan.
At clan meetings, gazes from the elders like Tekka toward him always carried scrutiny and distrust.
Itachi’s gaze returned to diligently training Sasuke, a trace of inexpressible worry and heaviness flashing deep in his eyes.
Shisui’s disappearance had cracked a huge rift between Uchiha and Konoha, contradictions between the two sides intensifying, gunpowder scent filling the entire clan territory.
And Itachi, caught in the middle, was nearly suffocating under pressures from both sides.
He must protect Sasuke, and must… uncover the truth.
No matter how cruel that truth might be.
