Southwest of the Land of Grass, the sky began to turn a sullen, oppressive grey.
Karin couldn't help but look up at the mysterious, powerful ninja beside her, though she didn't dare ask any questions.
"Let's rest here for a moment," the Black-Robed Man said, gazing ahead. "Past this point lies the Land of Fire."
"We're going to the Land of Fire?"
"Correct. It is relatively safe there."
He lowered his head and produced a scroll. Along the journey, the Black-Robed Man had already assessed Karin's general situation. Thanks to her mother's teachings, she knew how to knead chakra and could read, but her knowledge ended there; she knew nothing of combat. Fortunately, her innate talent for chakra control was exceptional. After a brief test, she had mastered water walking and tree climbing without any formal training—she simply did it. This meant she wouldn't require days of tedious instruction.
The Black-Robed Man unrolled the scroll. "Write your name using your own blood. I will teach you the basics of Ninjutsu and the Summoning Jutsu. In the future, we will communicate through summoned beasts."
"What about after we enter the Land of Fire?" Karin asked. Though young, necessity had forced her to be calm. She realized... this person did not intend to protect her forever.
"I will find you a place to live. Afterward, I will instruct you via the summoning link on how to protect yourself." The Black-Robed Man looked down at her, his mask obscuring his expression. "For someone like you, becoming strong will require effort far surpassing that of ordinary people. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my Lord!" Karin replied, her tone unwavering.
"Let's go. I will teach you as we walk. The first thing you must master is the Transformation Jutsu, along with some common hair-dyeing techniques," he said, stepping forward.
Three days later, in a mountain village in the western region of the Land of Fire, a lonely elderly woman found herself with a new "granddaughter." Having lost all her own children, leaving her entirely alone, she was more than willing to take Karin in.
Before he left, tears welled in Karin's eyes. "My Lord, will I ever see you again?"
"Survive. Climb higher. And we shall meet again."
The Black-Robed Man waved his hand, vanishing into the wild mountain landscape. Karin knew that the real him had actually left yesterday; the one who had escorted her the final leg of the journey was merely a Shadow Clone. However, the Lord had left her one final item: a scroll sealing a Shadow Clone within it.
In a moment of crisis, she could unseal it for protection—provided she learned the Unsealing Jutsu first.
I will learn it! Karin vowed with absolute conviction.
Konoha, Ninja Academy, Playground.
It was another day with a double block of Taijutsu classes. Neji gazed at the distant class, a trace of irritability surfacing between his brows.
'Why hasn't he returned yet?'
No matter how much of a genius Neji was, he was still a child not yet nine years old. This wasn't wartime; they didn't need to graduate early. He was still three years away from becoming a Genin, let alone having the capacity to research and restructure his own "Gentle Fist." The concept was simply too advanced for his current level.
And yet, he was tempted.
The man's words had struck his psychological weak points with surgical precision. Every day, the thought made his heart itch, making him desperate to attempt it immediately. But his Gentle Fist... how should he proceed?
Neji had no clue. He had barely mastered the Sixteen Palms of his clan's technique, still a distance away from the Thirty-Two Palms. The only thing that gave him a modicum of psychological comfort was that Hinata hadn't received any further guidance either.
Neji practiced his strikes silently, standing apart from the others.
"You are Hyūga Neji, correct?"
Neji looked up. A boy stubbornly wearing a high-collared shirt emblazoned with the Uchiha fan stood there, staring at him. After holding his gaze for a few seconds, Neji nodded slightly.
Sasuke spoke, "I want to fight you."
"Fight me?" Neji smiled, a cold, humorless expression. He dropped his hands to his sides. "Without your eyes awakened, you cannot possibly be my match in a duel. However... I suppose I can give you a chance."
Neji settled into his stance. Sasuke formed the Seal of Confrontation.
The moment the etiquette was finished, the two clashed instantly, the sounds of bang, bang echoing across the yard.
Neither used Ninjutsu. Relying solely on Taijutsu, Sasuke was naturally not Neji's equal and quickly fell to a disadvantage. Yet, Sasuke refused to yield. He persisted, struggling against the blows, observing, and learning from Neji's superior form.
Neji sneered. "What are you being so arrogant about? Competing in Taijutsu against a Hyūga... are you mocking me?"
"Do you care that much about winning or losing?"
Sasuke engaged again, then leaped back to create distance. He raised his head, his attitude firm. "I don't care. I only care about whether I can become stronger!"
Neji froze. He didn't pursue immediately. He stared at Sasuke and said, "Your fate has taken a trajectory I did not anticipate. It is a pity. That, too, is merely a link in the chain of destiny. It cannot be fought."
Neji's tone was heavy with pessimism.
Sasuke let out a cold laugh. "That's just because you aren't strong enough!"
Neji's eyes turned icy in an instant, veins bulging around his temples. "You know nothing—"
Just as his rage was about to boil over, a gentle voice drifted over from the side.
"Sparring, are we?"
The tension between the two was instantly doused.
Sasuke straightened up. "Sensei. I was asking the Senior for guidance in Taijutsu."
Neji remained silent.
"Asking for guidance is a good thing. Learning from one another and compensating for one's weaknesses is the only way to become stronger," Masahiko said with a smile. "But, Sasuke... what exactly can you teach him? "
"I am teaching him to see himself clearly," Sasuke said, lifting his chin to look at Neji. "Since you believe fate cannot be fought, what are you working so hard for every day? Why not just drift along with the current?"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "And since you are clearly unwilling to accept it, why do you keep hanging that word 'fate' on your lips?"
With that, Sasuke turned without looking back and walked toward his own class.
Neji was furious at being mocked to his face, but with Masahiko present, he had to suppress his anger. He stood there, his face cold and unpleasant. But as he calmed down, he fell into silence.
'Yes, I am unwilling.'
'But what does it matter if I am unwilling?'
Neji looked up at Yagyu Masahiko, then silently turned and left, never voicing the longing in his heart.
Masahiko smiled, making no move to chase after him. Neji wouldn't graduate for another three years; he wasn't in a rush. He had plenty of time to slow-cook this pessimistic "fatalist." Besides, wasn't there still Hinata to work on?
He turned back, greeting the students warmly.
Masahiko had just returned to the village. His main body had gone to the Hokage's Office to report, so he had sent a Shadow Clone here first. He wouldn't let any opportunity to farm screen time slip through his fingers!
Konoha, Hokage's Office.
Masahiko bowed and placed an intelligence scroll on Sarutobi Hiruzen's desk.
"Lord Hokage, this contains intelligence regarding Shisui and Itachi. Furthermore... this is what Orochimaru had to say."
Masahiko repeated Orochimaru's words verbatim.
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded slowly. A look of sorrow flashed deep within his eyes as he gazed out the window for several seconds. After composing himself, he asked, "So, he has indeed severed ties with that group?"
"It appears so. He also seemed somewhat weakened. Your subordinate guesses he may have been hit by the technique he described..."
Masahiko gestured to the scroll.
Hiruzen opened the scroll regarding Itachi and carefully read the information. His face darkened as he finished.
'One eye releases a pitch-black flame that burns everything.'
'The other casts an inescapable illusion.'
'Troublesome abilities.'
'Danzō!'
A wave of nameless fire rose in Hiruzen's heart. He hurriedly took a deep breath to quell his emotions.
"Regarding that portion of chakra..."
"He refused to return it."
Masahiko reported this "truthfully" as well.
Hiruzen frowned. "What does he intend to do?"
But the only answer that awaited him was silence.
After a long while, Hiruzen sighed deeply.
"Forget it. You are dismissed."
He knew Masahiko still had to report to Danzō, so he did not keep him any longer.