[Bond] Ch 15: "It's All Danzo's Fault!"

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At the Same Time – The Uchiha Clan

Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Itachi sat facing each other.

"I'm sorry, Father. I disappointed you," Itachi said softly, lowering his head.

Since he was a child, Fugaku had been extremely strict with Itachi. At just four years old, he had taken him to the battlefield to make him understand the harsh realities of the ninja world.

Itachi knew how high his father's expectations were, so he had always trained diligently.

Yet today, he had been taken down with a single punch.

Shimura Yami was simply too fast. Itachi's eyes could keep up, but his body couldn't react in time.

"There's no need to apologize. Learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu at your age and maintaining it throughout the entire school day is already an impressive feat, Itachi."

Fugaku's voice was deep, but instead of disappointment or anger, there was a hint of satisfaction.

Itachi had surpassed his expectations.

"According to Lord Hokage, you will fight Shimura Yami again tomorrow. If you perform well, you may be able to graduate early," Fugaku added.

"I understand, Father. I will do my best to defeat him," Itachi replied seriously.

"First, tell me what happened today in detail. I'll analyze it for you."

"Yes."

Honestly, there wasn't much to say—he was defeated in one hit. But Itachi chose to express the doubts in his heart.

Fugaku's brows furrowed. "The Uchiha throwing technique... and Shisui's Body Flicker..."

"Actually, Shisui has become Shimura Yami's personal instructor."

Itachi couldn't help but ask, "Then why didn't Brother Shisui tell me?"

"Foolish!" Fugaku scolded him harshly. "This is Shisui's mission. Yami is Lord Danzo's grandson—do you think information about him can just be shared freely?"

"If Shisui had told you, that would have been a serious problem!"

"I understand, Father," Itachi said, lowering his head further.

"A ninja must think before they speak. Be more careful with your words next time," Fugaku said, waving his hand dismissively.

"As for tomorrow's battle, your chances of winning are slim. But don't be discouraged—Uchiha's true strength doesn't lie in mere ninjutsu or taijutsu. It lies in the Sharingan."

"Speed is relative. Once you awaken your eyes, you'll surpass Shimura Yami in no time."

From Itachi's description and his own deductions, Fugaku understood that the gap between them was too large for Itachi to close in the short term.

"Go rest. Gather your strength. Even if you lose, show the village your talent and power. That way, you can graduate sooner."

"Yes."

Back in his room, Itachi lay in bed, replaying the memories returned by his Shadow Clone. He couldn't sleep for a long time.

— — —

Hokage's Office

"Lord Hokage, these are the test papers for Uchiha Itachi and Shimura Yami," Kazama said, hesitating as he placed the papers on the desk.

Hiruzen was busy reviewing documents and didn't notice his expression. He simply nodded and waved him away.

Half an hour later, after finishing his paperwork, Hiruzen finally picked up the test papers, curious to see how Yami and Itachi performed academically.

He checked Itachi's first. As expected—perfect score. His knowledge was far beyond what a first-year student should have.

Then he looked at Yami's... and was left utterly speechless.

What the hell is this?

The multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank sections were perfect—full marks. But the Questions & Answers? They nearly gave him a stroke.

Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk, furious.

"Danzo! This is all your fault!"

"You must have taught him this! Look at what you've turned a perfectly good child into! You deserve to die!"

...

Meanwhile, Danzo was in the middle of planning a new round of assassinations and conspiracies when he suddenly sneezed twice. His face darkened.

"Damn you, Hiruzen. You must be jealous that I have such an exceptional grandson!"

— — —

The Next Morning

With the exams over, the academy was heading into a month-long break. The once lively campus became eerily quiet.

Except for the training field where the first-year test took place yesterday.

A long table was set up at the edge of the open field. Hiruzen, Danzo, and the other two elders sat behind it.

Around them stood about a dozen ninjas, including Uchiha Fugaku.

Most of them were just there for the show, having heard the news the day before.

Konoha had never lacked geniuses, but this time was different.

One was a Uchiha. The other was Danzo's grandson. The hype was through the roof.

If more Jonin and Special Jonin weren't away on missions, the audience would've been twice as big.

At precisely 9 AM, Shimura Yami and Uchiha Itachi faced off once again, ten meters apart.

This time, they were both their real selves.

And the referee was no longer Kazama, a weak Chunin, but an Anbu in a cat mask.

"The rules of the battle are as follows," the Anbu announced coldly. "If one participant is incapacitated or the referee determines they cannot defend against an attack, they will be declared the loser. Now, form the..."

"No need," Yami interrupted bluntly.

The Anbu was about to glare at him, but the moment he tried, he felt several killing intents lock onto him. His anger immediately vanished, and he became a lot more patient.

"It's the rule, Shimura Yami."

"I already formed the Seal of Confrontation with him yesterday. This is just a continuation of that fight. No need to waste time."

"Fine," the Anbu said, stepping back in frustration.

Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled, turning to Danzo. "Danzo, your grandson has quite the personality."

Danzo smirked, not even glancing at him. "Barely. Maybe your son Asuma is much more impressive. Hehehe! Who knows?"

Hiruzen's smile disappeared.

His youngest son had been going through a rebellious phase, constantly arguing with him at home. 

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, sitting beside them, struggled to hold back their laughter.

These two old men had been arguing since their youth. Some things never changed.

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