The Road of Life

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all of its characters.

A/N: Before we continue, I want to address something, just in case anyone is wondering. Canonically, Shisui is much older than Itachi, but for the sake of this story, I'll be taking some liberty with a few things. Also, some things will follow Itachi Shinden, but major changes will be applied to the events as well. Also expect some changes to other parts of the series (of course), major changes.

And I see that one of you has voiced their concern over the pairing. Tora is straight, and while not a self-insert, many parts of him are based on my own personality. Oh, and for the record, I'm going to use the westernized Japanese names starting from this chapter. As in, surnames are going to be said last, while their given names are first.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked out from his office window, or rather, his old office. Taking in the village under his care with his weathered eyes, he took a puff from his pipe. Even if he had done it a hundred times in his life, he never found it boring. Looking out across the horizon while villagers milled about with their own business, blissfully shielded from the war, it feels his heart with content, knowing that not everyone had to experience the horrors of war.

"Lord Third."

Hiruzen turned around, seeing his successor, Minato Namikaze. The young man had proved himself splendidly during the war, paving the way for victory for Konoha. And given the young man's wisdom, it was no surprise that he was chosen to be the next Hokage; a fact that one of Hiruzen's students did not take lightly. He hadn't talked to Orochimaru, the man proving himself to be as eluding as ever. He knew not where his student was, or what he was doing, always away on missions whenever he could, but so far, there hadn't been anything peculiar happening. But one thing for sure, was that their relationship had been crushed beyond repair.

Still, maybe it is better this way, Hiruzen thought. Prying himself away from his thoughts, the wizened old man addressed his successor. "Ah, Lord Fourth!" he greeted.

"I'm still not used to people calling me that," Minato rubbed the back of his head, a little embarrassed.

Hiruzen chuckled. "I understand. And please, no titles for me. I'm no longer the Hokage. You are."

"Well, if you wish, Sarutobi-sama," Minato entered, his coat tail gliding behind him as he made his way to his newly acquired desk. "What brings you here, if I may ask?"

Hiruzen took another puff from his pipe. "Just wanted to check in. It's part of my job description to make sure you acclimate well to the seat of Hokage," he said.

"Kushina has been a big help. She's very supportive and kicks me back up whenever I'm down," Minato sat down, already internally wincing at the bundle of paperwork set on his desk.

"Oh, I'm sure you meant that quite literally," Hiruzen chuckled. Minato gave a small laugh of his own, not denying the statement one bit. "How do you like the view?" the older man asked.

Minato looked towards the window. He felt like a guardian, watching over his subjects from above. It felt like the possibilities were endless, that he could do anything from up here. "It's what I've dreamed of all this time," Minato said. "And yet, somehow, it's much better than I imagined."

Hiruzen smiled. He was not wrong in choosing Minato. He would prove an excellent leader. "Anyway, the Anbus patrolling the area near the Uchiha Compound have reported something peculiar over the past few months," Hiruzen moved beside the desk, gazing his eyes towards the window.

"To capture your attention, I'm sure it's something worth noting, no?" Minato asked.

"Yes. Though, nothing harmful, I assure you," Hiruzen said.

"I'm all ears, Sarutobi-sama."

A moment passed as the older man took another puff from his pipe, savoring the tobacco before getting to the point. His successor patiently waited for the older man to continue.

"Do you know Itachi Uchiha?" Hiruzen asked.

"Mikoto and Fugaku's son?" Minato's eyebrows raised in interest. "I heard they are expecting another one soon."

Hiruzen nodded. "They are," he let out a mouthful of smoke. "What interests me is the company young Itachi keeps around him."

"Oh? Do tell."

"Two other boys are frequently seen with young Itachi; one of them another Uchiha," Hiruzen said. "They are either walking around the village, mostly the library, or most of the time, training. Awfully independent for someone so young."

"Who are they?" Minato asked.

"One of them is Uchiha Shisui. Word of his potential has spread around the clans, and I'm sure it would spread even more once he enters the Academy," Hiruzen said.

"And the other?"

"The son of a small-time baker near the Compound. Though, lately, it's been getting a bit more popular. Tora Mori is the boy's name," Hiruzen answered.

"Clanless, huh?" Minato mused. "What about his parents?"

"Young Tora's father was killed alongside his unit during the war. His mother manages the bakery, with him lending a few hours to help," Hiruzen said. "And still, he manages to find the time to train with young Itachi and Shisui."

"The Anbus don't hold back when they gather information, do they?" Minato chuckled.

"Still, Minato," Hiruzen said. "I'm sure you have quite the inkling on how Uchihas train their young, let alone the clan heir."

The Fourth Hokage nodded. "Basically pushes their young to the limit, expecting the best to produce the best. It's not the lifestyle I think kids should have, but I can't really argue with the results."

"Indeed. The Uchihas and the Hyugas are among the best when it comes to fighting prowess in the village. You can just imagine the training their young ones endure."

Minato blinked. "And you said that the three of them regularly train together, Sarutobi-sama?" he asked.

Hiruzen nodded. "While young Itachi regularly gets private training from his father, most of his practices come from being with Shisui and Tora, with the latter even keeping up with the clan heir. To say that the Anbu watching them was impressed is an understatement. Even young Shisui had almost spotted our Anbu agent, showing his remarkable sense, perhaps as a sensor. These boys have great talent, no doubt." Despite the praise he was showering them with, the older man had a grim expression on his face; a fact that Minato noticed immediately.

"You're worried that they might be whisked away by Root?" Minato asked.

Hiruzen casted a sullen gaze towards the floor, fingers clutching around his wooden pipe, as if it would give him comfort. "Young Itachi has the benefit of being the clan heir, but the other two…"

Minato narrowed his eyes. "I understand," he nodded. "Anything that you think we should do?"

"For now? No," Hiruzen answered. "We leave them as they are. Placing people to watch them would alert Danzo, prompting him to do something we do not desire."

Minato just nodded grimly. A moment of silence passed over them before Hiruzen turned the gloomy mood around with a question that caught his successor off guard.

"Speaking about children, Kushina is also pregnant. How is she?" Hiruzen asked.

Minato rubbed the back of his head, a small blush adorned on his face. "She's been worrying about the baby incessantly. It's quite endearing, to be honest."

Hiruzen just chuckled. "Well, that's how my wife was with Asuma as well. A handful, she had been," the older man said.

"Well, I don't mind her protectiveness. Makes me think how she would be when the baby is finally born," Minato mused.

"Oh, don't worry. If the child is anything like you or Kushina, the child will manage, one way or another, Lord Fourth," Hiruzen assured.

"It still feels weird to be called that," they both laughed. The grim atmosphere that surrounded them before put on the back of their mind.

Months had passed since the three of us had gotten together. After mom's reluctant permission, there was nothing to stop me from preparing for the academy. A lot had changed in the past months. A new Hokage was anointed, the war was pretty much over, my apparent ability to keep up with Itachi and Shisui's training regime, and the fact that Itachi was going to be a brother soon.

Apparently, Mikoto had been in the early stages of pregnancy when I first met her. Shisui and I could certainly tell that Itachi was excited, something easily missed by those who don't know Itachi on a personal level. It was hard not to notice the glimmer of excitement whenever we mentioned his yet to be born-brother. His brother would be born anytime now. Itachi only had to wait.

Despite all that, we had never slacked off on our training. The time when other boys would usually go out and play, we used for training. Any down time we had was usually reserved to indulge Itachi's hobby. I myself was quite the reader, but no one I knew absorbs words like Itachi. He had a certain fondness for books, especially history books. Any other time we had was used to scurry around the village, jumping across rooftops and just run; an activity Shisui thoroughly enjoyed, and it also helped with our agility and speed. While I had no memory of how I was in my previous life, I was sure that I had no chakra. The addition of this chakra made everything so much easier, and physical feats that I thought would be impossible, were pretty much feasible with the right chakra control.

Itachi's family, particularly Mikoto, had taken quite a liking to me, saying how nice it was to see Itachi bringing friends home. However, I could not get a read out of Fugaku, Itachi's father. His face was like steel, rarely changing, and always hard. It was like the man was constantly judging me and deeming me unworthy or something. He never disapproved of my presence, however, much to my relief. I hadn't seen Shisui's father, as he only got back a few weeks back. Shisui seemed really excited at the thought of introducing me to him.

I arrived at our usual training ground; the fence gate had long been fixed. The culprit had never been found, fortunately. Ever since mom had agreed to allow me to join the Academy later, she had spared about a fifth of her total earnings to my training. I vehemently tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't budge. If I was going to be a ninja, she insisted that I became a great one, which starts by having a good fundamental. While I couldn't disagree with her, a fifth was still quite a lot, in my opinion.

Still, I couldn't argue with the results that came with the money. Reaching into my pouch, I pulled two shurikens and threw them both. They flew forward for a second before clashing in mid-air, sending each to different directions, directly towards the dummy targets. As the satisfying thud reached my ears, I checked the targets. The first one hit the target, but the second one strayed and hit the target's shoulder instead. Well, one can't immediately be an expert in something.

It was a trick Itachi taught me, which was something he tried himself while he was alone. Really, while Shisui helped me a lot on endurance and Taijutsu, Itachi helped me immensely when it comes to Shurikenjutsu. We haven't delved into Ninjutsu together, but I had a feeling that Shisui and Itachi already had the basics down. After all, they had their fathers for private trainings. I couldn't help but feel a flash of jealousy, but I knew that it wasn't fair for either of them. Although, one of the first things Shisui covered with me was the leaf-training. As weeks of said training came back to my head, I could understand his decision to cover it first.

It wasn't fun. And Shisui's opinion of it was pretty much the same. But the fundamentals were needed, and so, we did it anyway.

I stretched my arms behind my head, hearing them let out a few satisfying pops. I should say that it was quite the morning. The kind that was perfect for an outing, and certainly a perfect one for a sparring practice.

I continued to stretch until a feeling of unease washed over me. It was too quiet. I whirled around, expecting something, but came up with nothing. The feeling of unease permeated within me. It did not cease. I stared at the bushes and trees. I felt like I was being stared at, and not the kind of staring I like. If anyone was out there watching me, I could not find them.

The sound of the fence gate opening broke me out of my thoughts, and I turned around to see both Itachi and Shisui, before they stilled as well. They realized it too. Our eyes met, and the message was clear between us.

Act normal.

Children might fidget or become nervous when cornered like this, but the three of us knew better. If you can't act like you normally do, simply don't overact. Doing so would only land you on a hot frying pan.

"Yo, Itachi! Shisui!" I called out to them. Shisui sent his own holler while Itachi silently waved. I walked closer to them, close enough to talk with them without the need to whisper, but not loud enough that whoever's watching us could catch the entirety of our conversation.

"What do we do? The usual practice?" I asked.

Shisui shook his head. "No. Let's just practice Shurikenjutsu for today. We don't know who's watching us," Shisui said, to which Itachi gave a nod as an answer. It wasn't the first time we noticed that we were being watched, but this was the first time that this sense of unease washed over us. Whoever it was, it wasn't our usual spectator.

Shuriken practice went along swimmingly. The three of us put the thought of our spectator behind our minds and focused on the practice. Even had a small competition going on for a while.

I threw three shurikens at once, seeing them lodge themselves onto three separate dummies. "So, Itachi," I called. This time, I pulled a kunai from my pouch.

"Hm?" Itachi pulled out another set of shurikens.

"Any idea when your brother is going to be born?" I asked.

"I don't know," Itachi hummed. "The doctors said that it could be any day now."

"Are you worried?" Shisui asked too as he threw a set of kunai towards a few dummies.

"Not really. Mother is tough," Itachi answered.

I laughed. "Not that. Are you worried about being a brother?" I asked.

Itachi stopped for a moment to look at me, before pulling a kunai and throwing it unceremoniously without a stance. It hit true to its target. He always did it with so little effort that it was kind of mesmerizing to watch. It was a seconds later before he answered. "A bit," he answered.

Shisui and I took that as a signal to stop practicing for now. Itachi sat down on the grass, where we followed suit. "Any reasons for your worry?" Shisui asked.

I looked at Shisui, silently asking him if this was a safe subject with a spectator with us. He held up a hand and smiled. It was safe. No more holding back for now.

"I guess it's because of how quiet I am?" Itachi said. "Will that make my brother happy?"

Shisui blinked. "Your brother will accept as you are. That's how brothers are," Shisui assured. Itachi gave no answer, seemingly not reassured. I let out a sigh before inching myself closer to Itachi.

"Itachi. We know that you don't like fighting," I said. Itachi didn't grace my statement with a confirmation or a rebuttal, but it was enough of an answer in our eyes. "So, why are you still training as a ninja?"

"I want to protect those I love," Itachi answered in a quiet voice, but without hesitation. Both Shisui and I smiled, satisfied.

"Then there's your answer," Shisui nudged Itachi's shoulder. "You'll make a great brother."

"What's gotten into you, Itachi?" I asked. "You're usually so self-assured."

Itachi hesitated, looking at me for a second before taking a breath. "I unlocked my Sharingan," he said. I was of course, familiar with the Uchiha's special eyes. It was hereditary, not unlike the Byakugan, but for some reason, needed to be unlocked. Shisui noticed my confused look and inched closer to me.

"Basically, to unlock the Sharingan, an Uchiha needs to experience an extreme state of emotion. It could be anything, but unfortunately, with the way things are, it's usually negative emotions. Often times caused by some form of bloodshed," Shisui explained. I had the feeling that this wasn't some information that any Uchiha would just give out to anyone, but after hearing his explanation, the realization hit me. Itachi's jaded expression when I first met him. As I had thought back then, something happened to Itachi. But I wasn't curious enough that I'd pry it from him. If he didn't want to talk about, I wouldn't ask.

"Hey now," I put a hand on Itachi's shoulder. "I'm not going to pretend that I understand, but whatever happened is not going to impede on your ability on being a brother."

Itachi stared at me, not giving an answer, until a small smile graced his face. It was enough for me.

"It seems our spectator's gone," Shisui cut in. He was right. I did not feel the sensation of being watched anymore. There were no hostile presences from any direction. Itachi relaxed beside me, taking in the midday wind. Sometimes, it felt nice to just sit back and forgo training. Unfortunately, our moment was cut off.

"Itachi!" a man came in through the fence gate. He was wearing a high-collared shirt, pretty much a guarantee of being an Uchiha. He had dark-colored hair, and he seemed out of breath. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"What is it?" Itachi asked. The man came towards us, seemingly ignoring both Shisui and I, his attention focused solely on Itachi.

"It's your mother," the man wheezed. "The baby is coming! She's currently in the hospital!"

Itachi widened his eyes and looked at us, expressing his disbelief and surprise. I was still surprised myself. Our timing couldn't be more impeccable. It was Shisui who finally broke our staring session, a huge grin on his face.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Shisui stood up, hands on his hips. "Don't you want to be one of the first people to greet your brother into the world?"

Face filling with resolve, Itachi stood up and gave both of us a small nod. "Thank you," he said. Without another word, he followed the man, leaving the both of us on our own.

"You think he'll be fine?" I looked at Shisui.

"What?" Shisui scoffed. "It's Itachi. I'd be surprised if he's anything other than fine. Maybe a little happier, preferably. Can't wait to see his baby brother, though."

"Want to continue practicing?" I asked Shisui. He mulled about it for less than ten seconds before delivering an answer.

"Nah!" he grinned. "Let's get some ramen! I hear old man Ichiraku has a special discount for two today!"

I turned to a crouch from a sitting position and hopped to a standing one, dusting myself off any dust and dirt. "Race you to the place?" I challenged.

"Please," Shisui grinned. "We all know who's faster here."

"Prepare to get dethroned, then!" I grinned back. "Whoever wins will pay for the ramen!"

"Deal!"

Midway there, we crashed onto a red-headed pregnant lady. Thankfully, she was fine, but to say she was furious was an understatement. After escaping from the red she-devil's grasp, neither of us remembered about the bet. We were too busy wondering just how a pregnant lady was able to keep up with us.

Itachi ran through the pristine-white corridors of the Konoha Hospital, his mind set on seeing his mother. Though worried for his mother, a sense of joy and excitement came over him. He was going to be a brother. He was both overjoyed and scared.

The sight of his father stopped him in his tracks, and Itachi walked towards the older man. He looked up. "Is mother inside?" he asked, gesturing to the operating room. Fugaku only nodded.

"Don't worry, Itachi," he said with a small smile; a rare sight for the man. "Your mother is a strong woman."

Itachi stood beside his father, staring at the operating room door. His mind went back to his conversation with Shisui and Tora. They believed that he could become a great brother. That it was because of his drive.

A part of his mind doubted that, but another part of him was happy at the encouragement. He hadn't been sure when he first met Tora. The boy was only a year older than him, but exuded the feeling of maturity that Itachi could appreciate. Not a lot of people could understand Itachi, and not a lot of people desire to understand him either. But other than Shisui, Tora was the closest to understanding him. And it all started with a single stare from the older boy; a stare filled with interest and curiosity.

Fugaku looked at his son. He never could guess what Itachi was thinking when he was contemplating things like this. He had always been proud of Itachi's maturity, but he admitted that there were times that he wished Itachi was a more open child.

"Come on," Fugaku put a hand on Itachi's shoulder. "We can wait in the waiting room. There's something I want to talk to you about as well."

Itachi only nodded before being led off by his father. As soon as they found the waiting room, they picked a vacant spot to talk. Fugaku sat down and Itachi followed suit to sit beside his father. Patiently, Itachi waited for his father to start talking.

"It's about your friend, Tora."

Itachi held himself back from tensing his body, instead staring at his father, his expression not betraying anything. "What about him, father?"

"Relax, Itachi," Fugaku crossed his arms. "From what I've seen, he's a good kid, and determined too. In fact, I would prefer if you keep this friendship going. You never know what you might get from that relationship."

Itachi understood what his father meant perfectly. The word 'you' was not referring to Itachi only. It was to refer to the entire clan. His father had something in mind for Tora for the time he was older, and Itachi was aware of the tension that had been going on for long between the Uchiha and the rest of Konoha. Perhaps Tora would be a middle-person; a close person from the outside that could be trusted. Itachi wasn't sure. But as long as the plan wasn't putting Tora in danger, Itachi did not see the problem.

"Understood, father," Itachi answered. Fugaku only nodded before standing up again. This time, Itachi looked surprised, not really knowing what to expect now that their talk was over.

"Now, then," Fugaku cracked his neck and looked at Itachi. "There's a dango stall not far from the hospital. Why don't you get some for yourself. You must be hungry after morning training." Fugaku fished out a few bills of Ryo for Itachi, which the boy took and pocketed.

"What about you, father?" Itachi asked.

"Someone has to wait for your mother," Fugaku said. "I'm not leaving her until the operation's done."

"Then I'll stay here, too," Itachi said.

"Don't be foolish," Fugaku sighed. "You haven't eaten anything today. Come back once you've filled that stomach of yours with something."

Itachi knew better than to argue with his father, and he had a point, too. Itachi was hungry. Though, today's practice had just been simple shurikenjutsu training, some other things had been occupying his mind. Shisui understood what it was when Itachi mentioned his Sharingan. Tora didn't. He hadn't seen death, only the aftereffects. Tora only knew a life without a father, but not the sensation of seeing death itself. He wouldn't understand, at least not yet.

Birth, death, birth, death, birth, death, and so on, and so on… People are born, and then die, often times, by the hands of others. Why do people try to live, when they're going to die anyway? This vicious cycle that grips the village, no matter how people butter it up, has been a norm for decades. What drives people? What drives people to kill not for themselves, but for their village, dying fruitlessly in the process, not really knowing why was it that they killed and were slain?

Arriving in front of the vendor, Itachi ordered few dangos. It didn't take long for him to receive his order. Paying the man and finding a secluded spot to eat, Itachi watched as kids his age came and went, playing games he never found particularly interesting.

Tora and Shisui never do see the point of those games either, Itachi thought. When Tora started training with them, Itachi was curious what drove the older kid. In a way, it was selfless and selfish at the same time. Itachi could see it in Tora's eyes. Tora would never put the village's wellbeing above his mother's, but his mother was his priority, not himself. He did not want to be a ninja because it was 'cool'. Tora thought it as a necessity.

What do I think of becoming a ninja? Itachi asked himself. From early on, his father had trained him in the arts of combat, conditioning Itachi to be the perfect heir, and Itachi himself trained endlessly for it. But why?

Why should I fight? Itachi thought. He had asked this question to himself a hundred times, and yet, no answer came to his mind. Before he knew it, he had eaten all his dangos, and a few hours had passed with him just thinking. I should get back to the hospital.

For now, he banished the thoughts from his mind. And while he was sure that those questions would plague him soon, today was the day he was going to greet his new sibling into the world.

My head shook and felt like it was ringing. I put a hand on it in an attempt to dissuade it, to no avail. It was then that I realized that almost everything shook around me. I tried to focus my eyes, only to see blurs everywhere. I realized I was lying down on the ground and tried to sit up, only to see a human-shaped blur in front of me. The only thing I could make out was a smudge of blue on top of where its head is supposed to be.

The individual said something to me, but I could not make sense of it. Another set of shakings and ringing came from the side. Was it an explosion? I couldn't tell. The individual gripped my shoulder and pulled me to its side.

"Tora!" it called. "Can yo- hear –e?" it said. I could finally make out the words it was saying. The voice was female, and was filled with extreme urgency. Just what was happening around me?

"Get up!" the voice called. The voice finally became clear, and I recognized the female. "The rear is in danger, and we're the closest ones to them!" she said.

"What happened?" I gasped. She pulled me up and I leaned on her, my legs still shaky from whatever it was that I did. My vision went back to normal. Everything still seemed a little too bright, though. Looking around, I could see the grounds that were leveled. Something huge struck it or something really strong.

"You did well," the female said. "The Zetsus in the area are gone, but we should be moving. Can you stand on your own?"

"I'll manage," I winced, putting both my hand on her shoulder to stabilize myself before letting go. I stood shakily, focusing on not falling off. I felt something pressed against my hands. The female's hands were in mine, and I could feel something between our palms. It felt like pills.

"Take these," she said. "You need it." She shoved the chakra pills to me. I did not argue with her, and immediately chewed on the bitter concoction.

"Thanks, Kona-

I woke up with a gasp. Another dream that I couldn't remember. Sitting up, I rubbed a hand down my neck. It was covered in sweat. Taking the drenched shirt off, I searched for another in my drawers. Putting on a fresh set, I made my way to the kitchen. A glass of water would help me calm down.

It was close to two in the morning. Mom was asleep, as seen by her closed bedroom. Practically the only time she ever closed it. I filled a glass and drank from it until the last drop. I knew that I should, but I didn't feel the need to sleep anymore. The hole left by the dreams gnawed at me, despite having no memories of them. And though I had them often, they didn't feel that important. That, it wouldn't really matter if I knew. But still, the feeling was there.

Looking out the window, I realized it was a full moon. Its light shined down towards the earth, illuminating the dark corners of the village. I was about to return to my room with my glass when I heard soft footsteps heading to my room. It was almost silent. I would've missed it if I wasn't heading there myself. Whoever it was, had been trained in stealth.

I took a few steps back and put the glass on the dining table, and then inched to the kitchen counter and took a knife. I had left my kunai and shuriken set in my room. A knife would suffice.

Inching closer, I heard footsteps from within my room. A single set. He was inspecting my room. I could take him by surprise, provided I stay silent myself. Pressing myself against the wall, I inched to my door. Standing beside the entrance, I took a quick peek. There was no one. But my bedroom window was closed. I would've heard it if it had been opened. He had hid himself.

I held the knife in my hand like I would a kunai. The grip felt alien compared to a kunai, but a weapon was a weapon. Letting my guard down would be a death sentence, but doing nothing was just as bad. If anything happened to my mom…

I didn't want to think of it. I crept in, knife ready in front of me. It was silent, not even a sign that the room had been disturbed, nor that there had been anyone in it. But I knew how ninjas operate. Shisui had covered me on it, and I took his teachings diligently.

It wasn't a perfect system. Itachi and Shisui would get private trainings from their fathers, and they would relay those teachings to me. I had to make do with whatever it was they brought to me, and they didn't mind either. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough.

I took a step, then another. A part of me was nervous, but another part of me was calm, composed. If things would turn into a fight, I was confident that I would manage. My spars with Shisui and Itachi were not for naught. At the very least, I would be able to hold the assailant back and get my mother to safety. If I were to stand a chance, I would have to reach for my weapon pouch by the bed.

It didn't take me by surprise when I felt a movement just behind me. I turned around, and caught the assailant's blade with my kitchen knife. The assailant seemed shocked, plastered in place. I took the time to examine my attacker. Surprisingly, it was a child, probably not much older than me. The child wore a porcelain mask, similar to those of Anbus, but the black cloak differentiates him from regular Anbus. The kitchen knife broke in two under the pressure of the better trained attacker, as well as the ninjato he used.

I jumped back towards the room, and immediately reached for my weapon pouch. I pulled out a pair of shurikens and threw them. My opponent swiftly avoided it and ran out the room, his cloak billowing behind him. I pulled a kunai and held it in reverse grip. I followed him, afraid for my mother.

I scanned the small corridor, and saw the cloaked child about to jump out a window by the living room. I threw my kunai, stabbing his cloak in place. He stopped in his tracks, the cloak trapping him in place. I made my way to him and he promptly uncloaked himself to get away. But he was too late, as I was on him already, a roundhouse kick about to plant itself onto the side of his head.

The child brought his right arm up, blocking my kick with his armguard. My uncovered foot stung as it hit metal. I winced but did not relent. I delivered a right hook, my body moving on its own after the many spars I did with Itachi and Shisui. With Itachi and Shisui, both being supremely talented, having your feet on the ground was a death sentence when you're in a spar with them.

The key is to watch their moves, and keep moving with them, not to wait for them. It pained me to admit it, but I knew that they were holding back for my sake. Itachi had never used his Sharingan on me, and Shisui was faster than he let on. But I was catching up, and in time, I was sure that they wouldn't need to hold back. Their slightly deeper breaths after our spars signaled as much. Sooner or later, they would need to get serious.

My opponent caught my right arm mid-punch and flipped me over him. I landed on my feet, nearly hitting the table just in time to throw my head sideways from a kick. Seeing the opening, I tried jabbing the child's side, but he redirected his kick towards me. I took the kick, seeing no way of avoiding it. Using the force of the kick, I rolled sideways further from my opponent, and promptly dashed back towards him. He certainly did not expect this move from me. It was obvious that while better trained, he did not have much more experience than your average Genin. Talent only goes a long way in front of experience, after all.

I shot a jab and another, all of which he blocked. Undeterred, I mixed my attacks with jabs and kicks. From the way he was blocking my attacks, I knew that a full frontal assault would be naught. I needed to mix things up.

A glint caught my eyes, and I ran for it, remembering the kunai I had thrown, still stuck on my opponent's coat. Pulling it free, I held my kunai in front of me and stood between him and the window. Getting a good look of my opponent, I saw that he was wearing a gear similar to that of an Anbu, but much more streamlined. It was darker, and had much less armoring.

My opponent did not pull out a weapon. It was obvious that by that point, his main priority was to escape and avoid further conflict. I ran for him, and he steeled himself, arms ready to throw me off for him to escape. It was a strategy Itachi had used on me many times. I picked up the cloak off the floor and stopped in my tracks throwing the cloak in front of me in the air before throwing a kunai to it. The clothing was propelled forward as the kunai I threw drove it forward. Its blunt tip prevented it from piercing through. It was enough to create a blind spot.

I prepared two pair of shurikens as the kunai and the cloak lodged themselves onto the wall beside my opponent. He had his weapon ready and in a blocking position, but I threw all two pairs at him, regardless. The distraction intended to make him on guard worked. He was ready to block, and would have succeeded were it not for the two pairs of shurikens to clash onto each other and bounded sideways, harmlessly off his trail. He glanced at the weapons in confusion, and it was enough of a distraction for me, even if it was just half a second. Before he knew it, I was in front of him. I threw a punch to his masked face, making it crack a bit, and he bounded back from the force. Taking his ninjato from his hands, I kicked him in the gut and promptly brought the ninjato down. But quick as light, he blocked it with his metal armguard. Both metals shrieked as the grinded off each other.

I could not see his eyes, but I was sure it was similar to mine; narrowed in strain. He pushed my attack away, and pulled my kunai off the wall. He rushed forward in an attempt to slash at me, but I blocked it with the ninjato. The bigger weapon felt strange, but welcome in my hands. I avoided his slashes, some of them almost nicking my eyes. After the sixth slash, however, his movements slowed down a bit, and I spun sideways along with my newly acquired weapon, aiming it at my opponent's arm. The sound of metal slicing through skin reached my ears.

I could see it. A long line of blood marked the child's right arm, starting his shoulder to his hind bicep. It was sure to leave a scar. He clutched his bleeding arm in pain, but did not let out a scream. Trained to do so, I guessed. I panted, but prepared myself for another attack from the child. None came.

He looked at me before pulling something from his pouch and throwing it down. Smoke covered my vision in a second, and I coughed profusely, my eyes blinded as well. When the smoke dissipated, the boy was gone. I looked back to the wall and saw that he had taken his cloak with him, most likely as a makeshift bandage. The only evidences that he was here were the open window, and the bloody ninjato in my hands.

I kept the ninjato in my room and tidied the mess that had happened early that morning. Thankfully, not a long of things were touched in the fight. I only had to explain the broken knife to my mom, saying that I had tried using it as if it was a kunai for midnight training. She wasn't happy, but let the matter go quick enough.

I couldn't help but think about the fight. My opponent was clearly young, just a year or two older than me. The mask was clearly a sign of an Anbu, but I had never seen children as part of the Anbu. Not that I had seen a lot of the Anbus. They had clearly lived up true to their reputation and stayed out of sight. Were it not for my constant adventuring with Shisui over the past months, I would've never seen an Anbu before.

Regardless, the child I fought was unlike the Anbus I had seen. He was too young, and felt like he was still in training. Anbus don't take inexperienced children and train them. That's what the academy and the Jonin team system was for.

One thing was clear, though. I had marked the child. Whoever sent the child would see that wound, and a few things could happen. Either they stay away, or gain even more interest in me, for whatever reason I could not fathom.

I sat on my bed and examined the short ninjato within my hands. Thankfully, the boy had dropped the sheath strapped around his back when I was punching him. That eliminated the need for me to look for another sheath. Still, it was a simple weapon and certainly nothing special either. But considering what I had, it was a full step onward. If I train with it, look for a bit of guidance, I could become better.

Hopefully, much better. It would not do for me to fall behind on Itachi and Shisui more than I have until now. I sheathed the blade and put it under my bed. For now, it was the best place I could think of to hide it. If mom found the weapon, she would think I stole it or something, which I totally had, to be honest. Still, it would be much nicer if she didn't think so.

"Tora!" mom called out from the front door.

"Yeah?" I got out of my room to head to the front. I was greeted by a smiling Shisui, waving his hand in greeting.

"Hey, Tora!" he called. "How about coming to my house?"

Shisui did mention about meeting his father. I had no notion of refusing the offer. Talking about last night's events with Shisui would probably help me sort out things, too.

"That'd be great!" I answered.

FYI, the Root Anbu that attacked Tora was not just a random throwaway character, nor an OC. Put two and two together and think. Who was it that was just a few years older than Itachi, and was a member of Root when they were a child? A shoutout to whoever got the answer.

Anyway, expect the next updates to have similar wait time as this one. College has been busy and probably will be for an indefinite time. And I aim for almost all chapters to have around six thousand to seven thousand words on average.

As always, leave a review. And don't forget to follow and favorite in order to stay tuned.