13: Phantasm?
by inkadmin“Sasuke!”
The call turned heads. Students streaming out of the Academy gates glanced toward the entrance, where a young man—thirteen or forteen, maybe—stood with an easy smile and a raised hand.
The little fan-crested kid who’d been scowling two seconds ago lit up like someone had flipped a switch.
“Nii-san!”
Sasuke broke into a run and skidded to a stop.
“What are you doing here?”
“Finished a mission early. Figured you’d still be in class.” Itachi smiled and reached over to ruffle his hair. When he smiled, two faint lines curved from the corners of his mouth, giving his whole face a strange warmth—like standing in sunlight. “Let’s go.”
Sasuke nodded quickly, and they fell into step toward home.
“Is that Sasuke’s brother?”
“He’s so—wow.”
“Did Sasuke just smile?”
Whispers chased their backs out of the gate.
……
“No missions today?” Sasuke asked.
“Not today. Why?”
“Because—” His voice went flat. “You promised to train with me.”
“Ah.” Itachi’s tone softened. “You’re right. I’ve been busy. I forgot.”
“It’s fine.” Sasuke shook his head. “You’re here now.”
A beat.
“What do you even do in ANBU all day? Is it always this hectic?”
Silence.
“And why didn’t you join the Military Police?”
Longer silence.
Sasuke glanced sideways at his brother, thrown by the stillness. They walked half a block without a word.
“…Do you want to join the Military Police?” Itachi asked at last.
“Huh? Oh.” Sasuke blinked, then nodded, energy returning. “Of course. If I’m in the Police, I can actually help Dad. He won’t have to work himself into the ground.”
And then maybe Dad will actually look at me.
Maybe things between him and Nii-san would get better, too…
“Isn’t it our clan’s honor?” Sasuke said. “The Military Police?”
“…Is it,” Itachi murmured.
If only every Uchiha saw it that simply. Honor isn’t a privilege.
“Nii-san?”
“Sorry—I spaced out.” Itachi smiled again, warm as before. “Ready to train?”
Sasuke shook his head. His brother was always like this. Gentle even when he wasn’t fully there.
“Taijutsu today, right?” Itachi asked. “Anything specific?”
“Countering leg attacks.” Sasuke’s expression soured. “There’s someone who kicks and follows with a second kick before you can react. Same leg. That’s how I lost last time.”
“I’m not a taijutsu specialist, but I can offer a few ideas.” Itachi smiled. “This Shin Takami. He’s supposed to be something, isn’t he.”
Sasuke looked up. “You know about him?”
“Word gets around. They’re saying he’s the top student this year.” A brief pause. “Every class, people pay attention to who’s at the front. They’ll be Konoha’s future, after all.”
“Shin Takami… top of the class…”
Sasuke drifted.
“Sasuke.” Itachi stopped walking and turned to face him. He’d read the silence. “The title doesn’t matter. Be grateful you have someone like Shin as a rival. He’ll push you further than anyone else could.”
“But—” Sasuke hesitated. “I’m an Uchiha.”
Uchiha…
Itachi exhaled quietly. Then smiled—just slightly.
“Does being Uchiha mean you have to be first?”
“Think about it—how many of Konoha’s legends were Uchiha? Of all the genuinely great talents across the village’s history? How many?” He tilted his head. “The top student in the year above yours isn’t even Uchiha. He’s a Hyuga.”
“But you—” Sasuke looked at him. “You’re my brother.”
You’re my brother. And I’m your little brother.
The words landed somewhere Itachi hadn’t expected. He pressed his lips together. His expression shifted into something harder to read.
“Don’t model yourself after me, Sasuke.” His voice was quiet. Level. “I shouldn’t be your goal.”
Because Father only ever sees you anyway.
Sasuke stared at his brother’s face and said nothing.
Western forest, just outside Konoha.
“Well, well. Top student. Still grinding away.”
Shin was mid-throw when a lazy drawl cut through the clearing behind him.
He knew that voice.
He turned.
The young man from before was draped across a forked branch overhead, watching him with a half-lidded smile. Not the plain clothes from last time—today he wore a black shinobi bodysuit, a short blade strapped across his back. ANBU-issue gear, more or less. No mask, though.
“You—”
“Heard you got first in the shuriken test today.”
Shin stopped. “How do you know that?”
“I have my sources.” The young man dropped from the branch without hurry, landing a few feet away. He was tall—Shin barely came to his waist. “Are you ANBU? Is this a mission?”
“ANBU?” The young man tilted his head. “More or less.”
Shin filed that away without comment.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
“I never thanked you,” Shin said. “For the lesson.”
“Thank me?” Those fox-like eyes curved with amusement. “How? Last I checked, you’re an orphan. Not a lot to offer.”
He said it without cruelty. Just fact.
Shin had no answer.
“Relax, I don’t want your thanks.” The young man waved a hand. “What I want to know is—are you going to ask my name or not?”
Shin looked at him. “…Can I?”
“You want to?”
The question was too direct. Shin hesitated. Then nodded.
“Shisui.”
Shin blinked.
“Shisui Uchiha.” The young man smiled.
“Shisui… Uchiha?” Shin repeated.
“What—never heard of me?”
“I’ve heard the name.” A beat. “Shisui of the Body Flicker.”
“Is that right.” Something brightened in Shisui’s eyes.
“So why,” Shin said carefully, “would someone like you pay attention to someone like me?”
“Someone like you.” Shisui clicked his tongue. “That’s not something you say at your age.”
Shin said nothing.
“Do you know what it means to be the top student at the Academy?” Shisui asked.
“Best grades?”
“Sure. But think—someone who shows across-the-board excellence that young. What happens after they graduate?” He leaned against a nearby trunk. “You think I’m the only one who knows your name?”
He let that sit.
“How many eyes do you think are already on you? Whether the Hokage’s desk already has a file with your name on it.” His tone was light. Conversational. “Are you aware of that?”
Shin felt something cold settle in his chest.
He ran through it quickly. His background, his behavior, his daily life—all ordinary. All unremarkable. To any observer, he was just a talented kid.
A talented kid. That’s all.
He let out a slow breath.
“Your composure really is something else. For an eight-year-old.”
Shin met Shisui’s eyes.
“…You approached me on purpose.”
“No.” Shisui shook his head. “I genuinely walked past. Your throwing form caught my eye. That’s all.”
“The technique you taught me is an Uchiha clan secret.” Shin’s voice stayed level. “Does your clan know you handed it to an outsider?”
“A clan secret.” Shisui smiled. “You’re really overthinking this.”
Shin frowned. He didn’t believe a word.
Shisui stepped closer—close enough to stoop slightly and bring his face level with Shin’s ear.
“Being this paranoid.” His voice was soft. Almost amused.
“Kid. You’re eight years old.”
A pause.
“You’ll get yourself exposed.“
The cold started at Shin’s feet and shot straight up his spine.
“Kiba.”
Hana’s voice came from the kitchen. Kiba, mid-session with Akamaru, looked over.
“Take this to Shin for me.” She leaned through the doorway and held out a lunch box. “I made saury.”
“He’s probably not back yet.”
“I know. Just go.” She smiled. “And hurry—it’ll go cold.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Kiba scooped up Akamaru and took the box from her hands, heading for the door.
“That kid,” Hana murmured to herself, watching him go. “When is he going to grow up a little…”
Outside, the street was quiet. Evening dinner hour—most people already inside.
Kiba popped the lid.
The fish was arranged neatly, almost artfully. He pinched a piece and put it in his mouth.
“…Not bad.” He took another.
“Here, Akamaru. Try some.”
“Woof!”
“Well?”
“Woof!”
“Yeah—actually, this is Shin’s. We’ll eat when we get back.”
“Woooo~”
“Fine. One more.”
“Woof!”
A rushing static filled Shin’s ears.
Then a hollow boom—and his consciousness went dark.
He was dragged somewhere vast and wrong, full of blinding light. Hundreds of millions of luminous threads streaked past him in every direction, spinning in a whirlpool he couldn’t escape no matter how he twisted.
Images flashed by. Some felt like yesterday. Some felt like they hadn’t happened yet.
0 Comments