11-15

*Chapter 11: A Challenge from a Genius*

Shiro and Tenten arrived at the hospital.

However, when they reached Rock Lee's room, they found it completely empty!

Tenten sighed helplessly and said, "He's disappeared again."

Without showing any signs of panic, Tenten casually placed the flowers into the vase and began walking out.

In the distance, they saw Rock Lee doing one-handed, one-legged push-ups nonstop, his clothes already soaked with sweat.

Standing next to Rock Lee was a man.

"Why didn't you stop Lee? His body can't handle such intense exercise right now!" Tenten complained.

Shiro looked up and instantly recognized the man by his signature eyes.

It was Neji Hyuga!

A member of the Hyuga clan, famous for the Byakugan, and one of the top talents.

But Shiro thought that if they were talking about the strongest among their age group, Rock Lee would definitely take the title!

After all, with the Eight Gates technique, Rock Lee could almost crush Gaara. If it weren't for Gaara having the One-Tail beast inside him, he wouldn't have stood a chance.

"Tenten, you know Lee's personality. No one can talk him out of this!" Neji Hyuga said, shaking his head helplessly.

But as Neji noticed Shiro, his expression turned serious.

"You're Uchiha Shiro, right?"

Shiro scratched his head and laughed, surprised that so many people knew who he was.

"That's right!"

"Please accept my challenge. I want to see who is truly the greatest genius in Konoha!" Neji said earnestly.

Ding! A mission choice has been triggered!

1. Refuse Neji Hyuga's challenge! Reward: Taijutsu: Eight Gates Technique!

2. Accept Neji Hyuga's challenge! Reward: Intermediate Taijutsu Mastery!

3. Accept Neji Hyuga's challenge and refrain from using Genjutsu! Reward: Intermediate Speed Mastery!

Shiro didn’t want to spread himself too thin. Only by expanding his strengths could he better secure victories in battle. And after sparring with Choji Akimichi, he realized his speed was lacking. This was the perfect opportunity!

"I choose option 3!"

"Alright, I accept your challenge!"

Neji nodded gratefully at Shiro, then made a hand seal, and the veins around his eyes suddenly bulged.

"Byakugan!"

The Hyuga clan, with their famous Byakugan, could see in 360 degrees, leaving no blind spots. Moreover, the Byakugan could see through skin, allowing them to view an opponent’s chakra network, which paired perfectly with their Gentle Fist technique.

Shiro’s greatest skill was Genjutsu, but now, with Genjutsu off-limits, he could only utilize about 50% of his power. However, his speed had improved considerably since making his choice.

"Since that's the case... Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Shiro hadn't yet learned Naruto's Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, so he could only summon a single clone. Otherwise, with Shiro's Senju chakra, he could overwhelm others with sheer numbers like Naruto did!

The shadow clone quickly rushed toward Neji.

Although Shiro wasn’t highly skilled in Taijutsu, with the strength of a Chunin level granted by the system, he wouldn’t go down easily.

When the clone was three meters away, Neji's eyes sharpened, and a massive Eight Trigrams formation seemed to appear beneath his feet, spinning rapidly.

"Gentle Fist!"

Neji thrust forward, and his palm landed on the shadow clone without surprise.

Poof!  

With a puff of smoke, the clone vanished.

"So it’s within three meters!" Shiro smiled, rubbing his chin.

Although Genjutsu was off-limits, Shiro still had plenty of other Ninjutsu at his disposal!

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Several fiery phoenixes flew toward Neji. Neji, unperturbed, spread his hands wide and shouted:

"Rotation!"

"So this is the so-called ultimate defense?"

"That’s right. Whatever move you throw at me, I’ll take it head-on!" Neji said confidently.

"Oh, really? Then try this!" Shiro made several quick hand seals and shouted, "Earth Style: Mud Wall!"

Neji prepared to use Rotation again but suddenly felt the ground beneath his feet turn into mud, pulling him downward at an alarming rate.

"Not good!"

Neji quickly leapt away, glancing back at where he had just stood. The mud swirled like a vortex, constantly sucking downward. If he had remained there, he would have been swallowed whole!

Cold sweat formed on Neji's forehead.

He had initially doubted Shiro, thinking that being younger, he couldn't possibly live up to his reputation as Konoha's top genius. But after witnessing the chakra-intensive Ninjutsu just now, Neji began to believe it.

"Maybe this is what a true genius looks like—a genius so extraordinary that ordinary people can only look up to them. But if you think I’ll give up that easily, you're mistaken!"

Neji charged toward Shiro at an incredible speed, closing the gap between them to just under four meters in a single breath!

Shiro quickly retreated.

He certainly didn’t want to get caught in Neji’s Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.

Fortunately, with his enhanced speed, Shiro was faster than Neji.

"All you do is run!" Neji, unable to close the gap, was starting to get frustrated.

"Oh! I almost forgot. Catch this!" Shiro said, forming hand seals at lightning speed.

"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

...

A barrage of Ninjutsu flew at Neji, as if Shiro was casting them without a second thought.

"Impossible! Earth Dragon Bullet and Water Dragon Bullet are complex techniques that require long hand seals, but Shiro completed them in a second! Three techniques in under three seconds! Is this what it means to be a genius? No, this is beyond genius!"

Neji felt the gap between him and Shiro and couldn’t help but feel a bit of despair. But his hands didn’t stop moving. He spread his arms wide once again.

"Rotation!"

As Neji spun to block the Ninjutsu, he suddenly felt the ground beneath him soften again, and his feet began sinking into the mud.

"Not again! When did he cast that?"

Despite being caught in the jutsu, Neji didn’t panic. He unleashed all of his chakra, increasing the speed of his Rotation.

In an instant, all of Shiro’s Ninjutsu were repelled, including the mud at Neji’s feet.

However, the sticky mud had already accelerated the depletion of Neji’s chakra.

Eventually, the mud wall's effect faded, but Neji's chakra was almost gone.

Breathing heavily, Neji supported himself by resting his hands on his knees.

Suddenly, he heard the chirping of birds growing louder and closer.

"Not good!"

"You’ve lost!"

---

*Chapter 12: Jiraiya’s Interception*

"I lost." Neji Hyuga exhaled deeply, then sat down on the ground.

Losing to Shiro didn’t bother Neji at all; instead, it felt like a relief.

After all, someone as freakishly talented as Shiro—forget about genin, even jonin would struggle against him!

"Your hand seals are still too slow," Shiro said with dissatisfaction, shaking his head.

"You call that slow? What’s fast then?" Neji’s lips twitched, and he had the sudden urge to punch Shiro. He'd already lost, and yet Shiro still mocked him.

"You don't get it. I once saw a ninja who could form six seals in a second!"

Neji’s body trembled.

Six seals per second? That’s beyond imagination!

"There’s a lot you haven't seen yet!"

Shiro rubbed his chin, deep in thought. Now that he had mastered quick hand seals, he realized he was still slower than Itachi Uchiha.

The remaining gap could only be closed by improving his overall strength and gaining more familiarity with jutsu!

After all, the efficiency of forming seals improves dramatically with experience—there’s a big difference between doing it once and a hundred times!

"I’ve decided! From now on, you’re my target! I’ll surpass you!" Rock Lee declared passionately, leaning on his crutch as he stared at Shiro with burning eyes.

"Yeah, from now on, you’re my goal!" Neji stood up from the ground and said seriously.

"Me too! From now on, Shiro, you're my target!" Tenten chimed in.

Shiro was taken aback, a bit embarrassed.

But for some reason, Tenten's words felt different from the other two’s.

"Maybe it’s just my imagination..."

Suddenly, all three members of Team 3 declared themselves Shiro’s fan club, making him feel even more embarrassed.

He quickly made an excuse and hurried away!

As Shiro walked home, his mind was constantly reviewing which jutsu in the Leaf Village were worth collecting.

Suddenly, he sensed a killing intent. His Sharingan instantly activated, and his hand moved to his ninja tool pouch, ready for combat!

"Uchiha Shiro—just as skilled as the rumors say! If given more time, you might even become Hokage!"

As the voice trailed off, a figure jumped out.

A man with white hair and a large scroll on his back stood in front of Shiro.

"Although you're strong, what's your real reason for coming to the Leaf Village?" Jiraiya asked, his sharp eyes locked onto Shiro.

"Perverted Sage Jiraiya!"

Shiro’s eyes lit up—Jiraiya was the third person he had been looking for!

The Rasengan was one of Shiro’s main goals!

Later on, Naruto Uzumaki’s ace move was the Rasengan!

There’s nothing a Rasengan can’t solve. If one doesn’t work, just use two!

And once Shiro mastered the Rasengan, he could develop a whole series of jutsu through shape manipulation!

After all, it was Jiraiya who taught the Rasengan to Naruto Uzumaki!

But Jiraiya was currently on guard, and Shiro didn’t want to anger this high-level shinobi with Kage-level strength!

"Perverted Sage? Only that brat calls me that. You sure know a lot about me, huh? Seems like you have some ulterior motives!" Jiraiya coughed awkwardly, then spoke more seriously.

"I heard you're going to find Tsunade. I’d like to join you!"

Jiraiya’s eyes narrowed, his body lowering as his hands prepared to form seals.

"Both the Akatsuki and finding that old lady are top secrets! Who are you really, and what’s your purpose in the Leaf? If you don’t explain, I won’t hold back!"

Shiro was startled—he hadn’t expected to trigger Jiraiya's hostility so quickly!

At this rate, not only would he not learn the Rasengan, but he might eat one any second!

Jiraiya had Kage-level strength, and Shiro knew he didn’t stand a chance.

"I swear, I have no ill intentions towards the Leaf Village! If you don’t trust me, why not take me with you and keep an eye on me? You can assess me along the way!" Shiro explained quickly.

Jiraiya straightened up, his eyes softening as he rubbed his chin, considering Shiro’s words.

Shiro dared not move a muscle.

He was terrified that even stepping out with his right foot might give Jiraiya a reason to think he was a spy, resulting in a Rasengan straight to the sky!

After a minute of thinking, Jiraiya's eyes grew resolute.

"Alright! You can come with me in two days!"

Shiro let out a sigh of relief—at least his life was spared for now.

Once he mastered Naruto’s forbidden technique and showed Jiraiya his loyalty, the complications would ease.

But in any case, he needed to grow stronger quickly!

Dealing with ordinary jonin wasn’t a problem anymore, but the power gap between jonin varied greatly.

If he faced a top-tier jonin, Shiro would be no match.

And against well-known ninjas, he wouldn’t even have the chance to escape!

Only by gaining enough strength could he truly leave the Leaf Village and explore the ninja world!

"Alright, I’ll definitely be there!"

Just as Shiro agreed, he suddenly remembered.

The day Naruto and Jiraiya left the village was also when Itachi Uchiha would arrive.

To warn the Leaf’s leaders and scold his foolish little brother, Itachi would even risk returning to the village, teaching Kakashi Hatake a harsh lesson in the process!

If he wanted to meet Itachi, he’d have to intercept him at the village gate!

Shiro wasn’t worried about being instantly killed by Itachi.

Because Itachi’s heart was still with the Leaf, as long as Shiro wore the village’s forehead protector, Itachi wouldn’t strike a killing blow!

Seeing that Shiro had agreed, Jiraiya hesitated briefly before turning and leaving.

Only after Jiraiya was completely gone did Shiro fully relax.

With Danzo’s Root team wiped out and Jiraiya convinced, Shiro was completely safe for the next day!

That meant he could enjoy himself around the Leaf Village—especially Ichiraku Ramen, which was a must-try!

The next morning, Shiro strolled leisurely to the Uchiha training grounds, which were near a large lake.

At the lakeside, a young boy was tirelessly practicing his shuriken technique.

Shiro smiled wryly.

Sure enough, Sasuke Uchiha—without being born a genius—relied on sheer effort to catch up to all the overpowered rivals around him!

And the driving force behind Sasuke’s effort was his anger and hatred towards Itachi Uchiha.

Without those feelings, Sasuke might have ended up just an ordinary ninja.

Thinking of this, Shiro hesitated.

Should he tell Sasuke the full truth, preventing the brothers from fighting to the death?

But if Sasuke knew the truth, could he still rise to the top of the ninja world?

---

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 13: The Unique Uchiha Training Method*

"Shiro! You're here!" Uchiha Sasuke, full of joy, ran over upon seeing Shiro's arrival.

Seeing Sasuke, Shiro quickly brushed aside his idle thoughts.

"That's right, I promised to guide your training today!"

"Great!" Sasuke's face lit up with excitement.

At the same age, Sasuke didn't believe Shiro trained more than he did.

However, the gap in their strength was enormous—there had to be some special training technique!

Yet, if Sasuke knew that Shiro's strength had nothing to do with training, he might just lose his mind...

Shiro, deep in thought, walked to the lake. After glancing at it, his mouth began to water.

Quickly wiping it away, Shiro pointed at the fish in the lake and laughed, "Today's training task is simple. Catch a fish in the lake without using your Sharingan!"

"You just want to eat fish, don't you?"

Shiro coughed awkwardly, then sternly replied, "You don't understand! The thought of revenge has been weighing on your mind, making you eager to grow stronger, but you haven't built a solid foundation! Walking on water will help you train your chakra control, just like walking on trees!"

Sasuke hesitated, then looked at Shiro apologetically, "You've been so diligent in teaching me, and yet I misunderstood you."

Shiro smiled and quickly waved his hands.

"It's fine, we're not children anymore. No need to worry about such things! Now, start training, I'll go gather some firewood!"

Sasuke slowly walked to the lake's edge. With gritted teeth, he stepped onto the water.

As soon as his foot touched the surface, it sank slightly, but he managed to stand.

He placed his other foot onto the water, and though both feet were submerged to his ankles, he was standing—though wobbling like he was on a giant pudding. After taking a few shaky steps, Sasuke gradually became more stable.

However, today's task wasn’t just about walking on water—he still had to catch a fish!

A fish swam nearby, and Sasuke seized the opportunity, reaching for it. The fish darted away in fear, and Sasuke, losing focus, fell into the water.

"Damn! Why is this so hard?! Again!"

Shiro returned with an armful of dry firewood, seeing Sasuke soaked from head to toe. However, Sasuke showed no signs of giving up, repeatedly falling and getting back up.

Shiro shook his head in resignation.

Sasuke wasn't the prodigy people said he was, but once given a clear direction, he worked harder than anyone. Of course, that green-suited weirdo didn’t count!

After about thirty attempts, Sasuke finally caught a small fish with one hand, running excitedly toward Shiro.

"Look! I did it!"

Shiro's mouth twitched as he looked at the fish, barely three centimeters long. "How did you catch something that small? I want big fish, not this tiny thing!"

"So, you were planning to eat it after all!"

Shiro coughed again, then looked at Sasuke in disappointment.

"The bigger the fish, the stronger its defenses, and the more force it takes to catch! If you can't handle a big fish, how will you ever face a ninja on water?"

Sasuke shivered, shame covering his face.

"I misunderstood you…"

"Good, now you know. I'll start the fire, and you better catch a bigger one!"

"Alright! I won’t let you down!"

Sasuke returned to the lake, and after about half an hour, finally caught a fish the size of a palm. This time, without boasting, he tossed it to Shiro and continued training.

Shiro looked at the small fish with a bitter smile. He had hoped Sasuke could easily catch enough for a full fish feast, but by noon, there was still just the one small fish.

Feeling his stomach protesting, Shiro reluctantly began preparing the fish.

As the fish grilled over the fire, the delicious aroma filled the air, and Shiro, now starving, could hardly wait to stuff it into his mouth.

Suddenly, a white blur flashed by, and the fish disappeared.

"Sorry, it smelled too good, so Akamaru couldn’t help himself," Kiba Inuzuka said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

Behind him stood Shino Aburame and Hinata Hyuga.

Hinata, seeing Sasuke standing on the lake, asked curiously, "What's Sasuke doing out there?"

Shiro, annoyed, was about to give a half-hearted reply, but then an idea struck him. He knew that more hands meant faster work, and the three in front of him were the perfect labor force!

"This is a special chakra control training method unique to the Uchiha clan. Normally, I wouldn’t let anyone else see it, but since you're already here, why don’t you give it a try?" Shiro said with a serious face.

"Uchiha's unique training? Can we really try it?" Hinata asked eagerly.

"Of course! Otherwise, you'll starve to death out here!"

"What do you mean by 'starve to death'?"

Shiro coughed again and looked earnestly at Hinata.

"When you're training alone, it's easy to slack off without competition. But if you all compete to see who catches the most or the biggest fish, the motivation kicks in. That’s why teams always have three people!"

The trio suddenly understood, their faces showing excitement as they rushed to the lake.

"Wait! The fish need to be at least palm-sized! Any smaller and…" Shiro called out, but they had already dashed off.

Shiro lay back by the tree, watching them plunge into the lake one after another.

After ten tries, they could barely stand on the water. It seemed catching enough fish to satisfy their hunger would take a while.

Meanwhile, Sasuke, now more experienced, caught fish after fish, but they were all too small.

Shiro’s gaze, however, was focused on Hinata...

Chapter 14: The Best Matchmaker

After countless failed attempts, the four of them returned holding just two fish, each barely the size of a palm.

One fish was caught by Sasuke Uchiha, while the other, much to Shiro's surprise, was caught by the shy Hinata Hyuga!

As for Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame, they came back empty-handed.

Shiro was furious. The future elites of the Leaf Village couldn’t even catch a few fish.

"Are you all trying to starve us to death?"

“You idiots! If you can’t catch them on your own, don’t you know how to work as a team?!”

“Weren’t you the one who told us to compete against each other?” Shino Aburame, usually reserved, spoke up.

Shiro paused, then his face gradually showed frustration.

“Sure, I told you to compete, but you need to remember you’re still a team! When one person can’t solve a problem, that’s when teamwork comes in!”

Realizing their mistake, the four exchanged glances, nodded, and headed back to the lake.

While they returned to the water, Shiro quickly began preparing the fish.

“Grilled fish, my favorite.”

As Shiro happily hummed and grilled the fish, a shadow appeared behind him from a tree.

“I didn’t expect the hero of the Leaf Village to be such a good teacher!”

Startled, Shiro almost jumped. He had been so focused on the fish that he hadn’t noticed someone approaching.

“Kurenai Yuhi!”

“No wonder I couldn’t find those three. They were helping you catch fish!” Kurenai's sharp eyes fixed on Shiro.

Embarrassed, Shiro quickly handed her one of the freshly grilled fish.

“No need,” Kurenai started to decline, but the enticing aroma got the better of her, and she couldn’t resist reaching for the fish. “Well, maybe I’ll have one.”

In no time, Kurenai devoured the fish and then turned her gaze to the other one.

Shiro’s face twitched. She had just said she didn’t want any, and now she was eyeing the second one!

Women really do love food!

Reluctantly, Shiro handed her the last fish.

Satisfied, Kurenai quickly ate it too. But two palm-sized fish were hardly enough to fill an adult’s stomach.

Kurenai stood up and shouted toward the lake, “Hinata! Use your Byakugan to locate the fish! Kiba, Shino, Sasuke, start catching! No one’s coming ashore until you’ve caught twenty fish!”

The four instantly felt the weight of her words.

Turning back, Kurenai gave a sly smile and said, “Twenty fish—ten for you, ten for me!”

Shiro almost spat out blood.

Who knew Kurenai was such a foodie? It’s impressive she maintained that figure even in Boruto’s time!

With Kurenai’s direction, the group caught fish much faster. In less than a minute, the first fish was in hand, and within fifteen minutes, they had caught twenty!

Shiro transformed the twenty fish into delicious grilled meals in no time.

Kurenai eagerly grabbed a grilled fish, savoring each bite with satisfaction.

“Shiro, let me tell you—if nothing else, your grilling skills will ensure your future wife will be one lucky woman!” She nudged him playfully. “What do you think of Hinata? Byakugan and Sharingan together, who knows what kind of genius kid you’d have!”

Hinata’s face turned bright red all the way to her neck.

“Sensei! Don’t say things like that!” Hinata protested.

“I know, I know—you like Naruto. But look at him! Has he shown even the slightest interest in you? Life’s too short to chase after someone who doesn’t care!” Kurenai’s tone had a hint of scolding.

Hinata blushed even deeper, stealing glances at Shiro.

Shiro awkwardly cleared his throat.

There was no denying it—Hinata would grow up to be a stunning beauty, her figure putting many kunoichi to shame.

Unfortunately, Naruto was always chasing after Sakura, leaving Hinata’s feelings buried deep inside.

The six of them happily finished the grilled fish, and Team 8 soon left.

Sasuke, however, stayed behind, staring intently at Shiro.

“Shiro-kun, I still want to know—why did that guy…”

Shiro’s playful demeanor suddenly turned serious.

After a long pause, Shiro decided not to reveal the truth.

It was better for both him and Sasuke Uchiha. If Sasuke knew the full story, his hatred for Itachi would shift to the Leaf Village.

That would completely alter the future events.

And if the story changed, Shiro could no longer act with the advantage of knowing the future.

It might even cost him his life!

After all, there were still many ninja out there who could kill him!

“You need to uncover the truth yourself. In the meantime, focus on getting stronger!” Shiro refused to say more, despite Sasuke's persistence, and left the training grounds to go home.

The next morning…

Two figures wearing cloaks with red clouds slowly approached the gates of the Leaf Village.

With the recent Sand Village incident, security was tighter than ever. Especially on such a foggy day, the guards remained highly alert.

As they saw the two figures approaching, they quickly readied themselves, prepared to sound the alarm at the first sign of trouble.

If anything happened, the entire village would be alerted, and the intruders would be captured immediately!

However, as the figures drew near, a wave of drowsiness washed over the guards, and before they knew it, they were fast asleep on the ground.

“Itachi, your genjutsu is as effective as ever. With the Leaf Village on such high alert, it would’ve taken me a lot more effort to get in!”

“With the Third Hokage gone, this is our best chance to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.”

Uchiha Itachi paused as he mentioned the Third Hokage.

His feelings toward Sarutobi Hiruzen were mixed—both respect and anger. But the anger far outweighed the respect.

He respected Hiruzen for protecting the Leaf Village and Sasuke.

But he was angry because, during the Uchiha massacre, Hiruzen neither agreed to nor stopped Danzo from issuing the order to wipe out the clan.

Could Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, have been unaware of such a major event?

No, he couldn’t escape responsibility for what happened!

As the two entered the village, they walked only a few steps before stopping.

“Itachi, what’s wrong? Are you lost in thought, remembering the past?”

“There’s someone here,” Itachi whispered.

Kisame Hoshigaki’s playful smile vanished, and he placed his hand on Samehada, scanning the area warily.

“Welcome back to the Leaf Village. My name is Uchiha Shiro!”

*End of Chapter*

Chapter 15: Battle Against Uchiha Itachi

Shiro slowly emerged from the mist, revealing a bright smile.

"Itachi, this guy shares your last name."

"The Uchiha clan has been completely wiped out by me. This person must be an imposter, disguised as a Konoha ninja!"

"Konoha ninja? Let me take care of him!"

Shiro was startled. Hoshigaki Kisame had the strength of a Kage-level ninja, and if he attacked, Shiro wouldn’t last more than a few rounds! He quickly raised his hands in surrender.

"Wait! I’m not a Konoha ninja!"

Uchiha Itachi frowned slightly and then urged, "Kisame, attack."

Hoshigaki Kisame, following Itachi's order, immediately drew his Samehada sword and charged toward Shiro.

*Ding-dong! A choice mission has been triggered!*

1. Surrender! Reward: Intermediate Taijutsu Mastery!

2. Survive for 10 seconds against Hoshigaki Kisame! Reward: +1 Synthesis Attempt!

3. Survive for 30 seconds against Hoshigaki Kisame! Reward: Three-Tomoe Sharingan!

Shiro’s mouth twitched.

Hoshigaki Kisame had Kage-level strength, and surviving 30 seconds against him would be harder than defeating ten Jonin.

However, after seeing the reward, Shiro couldn’t help but get excited.

"Fortune favors the bold! I choose number three!"

Suddenly, Shiro felt an intense pain in his eyes, but he had no time to adjust. He immediately began retreating, forming hand signs rapidly.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

"In front of me, using Water Style? You’re a thousand years too early!"

Seeing that Kisame had no intention of dodging, Shiro smirked and quickly formed more hand signs.

"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

The water dragon and earth dragon merged, turning into a mud dragon! Since Kisame didn’t dodge, the mud dragon hit him directly.

Though the mud dragon wasn’t very powerful, its sticky nature slowed Kisame down significantly.

Seeing this, Uchiha Itachi frowned and disappeared with a Body Flicker Technique.

*Ding-dong! Due to Uchiha Itachi’s forced intervention, the mission has been updated: Survive for 10 seconds against the combined attack of Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame!*

A herd of alpacas raced through Shiro’s mind!

Itachi and Kisame had long been in sync in battle. With one attacking from long range using genjutsu and the other close up, absorbing chakra, Shiro—a mere Chunin—would be lucky to survive even one second, let alone ten!

"Kisame, stop stalling. Let’s end this quickly!"

*Ding-dong! Recognizing Genjutsu: Sharingan! (Bloodline Limit Condition Met!)*

Itachi paused, surprised that his genjutsu, which had never failed, didn’t work on this kid! But when he saw Shiro’s eyes, he understood.

Genjutsu: Sharingan was one of the most basic uses of the Sharingan, and most ninjas couldn’t resist it. However, if the opponent also had the Sharingan, its effectiveness diminished greatly.

"An Uchiha in hiding?" Itachi’s killing intent weakened as he turned to Kisame and said, "Your attacks are too flashy. Let me handle this."

With that, Itachi swiftly approached Shiro.

*Ding-dong! Recognizing Ninjutsu: Shadow Clone Explosion!*

Shiro’s heart sank, and he quickly retreated!

Boom!

The explosion shook the ground violently.

Shiro wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Thankfully, the system had alerted him; otherwise, that explosion would have seriously injured him.

Suddenly, Shiro felt a surge of killing intent from behind.

Itachi's figure appeared, kunai in hand, aiming for Shiro’s back.

Bang!

With a puff of smoke, Shiro disappeared.

"A shadow clone? Impressive for someone so young," Kisame chuckled. "Itachi, how does he compare to you back then?"

"He’s stronger than I was."

"What? Is this kid really that good? I can’t wait to test him myself!"

"Leave him to me," Itachi said, his eyes turning serious.

Shiro smiled bitterly. At eleven, Itachi had witnessed the death of Shisui and awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, gaining access to the powerful genjutsu Tsukuyomi.

There was no way Shiro could be stronger than him! However, Shiro knew that if given enough time, thanks to his system, he could surpass Itachi.

Itachi’s killing intent gradually faded, but Shiro still felt a chill down his spine.

*Ding-dong! Mission time is up!*

Shiro’s heart leaped with joy. After a moment’s thought, he shouted, "Uchiha Itachi! I won’t let you harm Sasuke! Even if it costs me my life!"

Itachi froze, his hand halfway up, his body trembling.

The chilling feeling vanished instantly, as if nothing had happened.

"Kisame, that Sasuke... he’s your brother, right?"

"We’ve wasted too much time here. Let’s move. Don’t forget our mission," Itachi said sternly, ignoring Kisame's question.

Unhappy, Kisame glared at Shiro before sheathing his Samehada.

"You got lucky this time. Next time, I won’t let you live!" he growled.

Itachi deactivated his Sharingan, stared at Shiro for a long moment, then disappeared.

Shiro let out a deep breath. If Itachi hadn’t had a soft spot for Konoha and Sasuke, he would’ve died today.

When he fought Orochimaru before, he hadn’t realized how terrifying Kage-level ninjas were.

Now, after facing off against one, he understood the vast difference in strength. From physical reactions and combat awareness to enemy perception and chakra reserves, he was no match for them!

Still, this encounter had been rewarding for Shiro.

Not only had he awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan, but he had also stolen two of Itachi's techniques! Most importantly, he had shown Itachi where he stood, which could lead to future benefits.

Shiro smiled and looked in the direction Itachi had disappeared.

"Kakashi, I feel for you. But only through failure can a ninja grow."

With that thought, Shiro dragged his exhausted body toward the rendezvous point.

He sat down at the designated gate, and after a short while, a figure appeared.

"Uchiha Shiro, you didn’t bring any luggage?" Jiraiya started, but upon seeing Shiro's injuries, he changed his tone. "What happened to you?"

Shiro awkwardly glanced down at his tattered clothes.

During the fight, his outfit had been shredded by the exploding shadow clones, leaving him looking like a beggar.

"I ran into the Akatsuki on my way here!"

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(End of chapter)