Chapter 210: Special Equipment
These experiences made Itachi exceptionally mature and profound.
He was always thinking silently by himself, as if the whole world had nothing to do with him.
He exuded an aura that warned others to stay away, making his peers afraid to approach him.
However, deep in Itachi's heart, he was filled with awe and exploration of life.
He often asked himself, "What exactly is life?"
This question accompanied him through countless long nights.
As he grew older, Itachi entered the Ninja Academy to study.
Here, he gave full play to his extraordinary talents.
Whether it was Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, or Genjutsu, he could quickly master and apply them in actual combat.
His talent and hard work made him a top student in the school.
For Itachi, who had already begun training with Fugaku and Shisui, the school's coursework was far from enough.
However, Itachi did not become conceited because of this.
He still maintained a humble and low-profile attitude, working hard in silence.
But his excellence and the attention he drew sparked dissatisfaction among the older students.
They thought that a junior student like Itachi daring to show off in front of them was simply not knowing his place.
So, they confronted Itachi, wanting to teach him a lesson.
However, they underestimated Itachi's strength.
In front of Itachi, they were as insignificant as a swarm of ants.
Itachi easily neutralized their attacks and defeated them with thunderous momentum.
From then on, Itachi's name spread throughout the school.
He became a prominent figure in the school, and both teachers and students looked at him with new respect.
However, Itachi did not lose himself because of this.
He still held onto his beliefs and pursuits, silently moving toward his goals.
"Sasuke, do you know? I was once as lost and hesitant as you," Itachi said, looking at Sasuke. "But I never gave up on exploring life and pursuing power."
Itachi fell into deep memories, as if returning to those youthful years.
After graduating from the Ninja Academy, Itachi became a Genin and formed a squad with three other companions.
They were Tenma Izumo and Shinko Inari, along with their responsible Jonin, Yuki Minazuki.
Although this squad was young, it was full of vigor and vitality.
They trusted and supported each other, experiencing every bit of their Ninja careers together.
One day, the squad received a request from the Cat Cafe—to find a lost cat.
However, this wasn't an ordinary cat, but a Ninja Cat.
Ninja Cats possess great power and wisdom, making them important partners for Ninjas.
After receiving the mission, Itachi and the others immediately set off for the Cat Fortress.
This was a mysterious place, with cats everywhere.
They equipped themselves with special gear—not ordinary Ninja Tools, but "Cat Tools."
These Cat Tools allowed them to better communicate and interact with the Ninja Cats to complete the mission.
In the Cat Fortress, Itachi and the others encountered all kinds of cats.
Some cats were gentle and cute, some were exceptionally fierce, and others were clever and sharp.
They interacted and communicated with these cats, searching for the lost Ninja Cat.
Tenma and Shinko were Itachi's first companions; they fought and grew together.
However, just then, Itachi's friend Shisui came to find him.
---Asking for Flowers--- "Itachi, let's go participate in the exercise together!" Shisui said enthusiastically.
Itachi looked up and saw Shisui's familiar face.
He smiled and nodded, "Sure."
So, Itachi and Shisui went to the training grounds together and threw themselves into the intense training.
This exercise had three parts: the first was to find the location of escapees, and the second was night camping.
During the exercise, Itachi learned many things from Shisui, and the bond between them grew deeper.
During the final part of the exercise, Itachi and Shisui were moving through the jungle when they suddenly heard the sound of fighting nearby... They glanced at each other and immediately hid in the nearby bushes.
They cautiously peeked out and saw that in a nearby clearing, the Hokage's Anbu were fighting members of "Root."
"What's going on?" Itachi frowned. "Why are they fighting?"
Shisui also looked puzzled: "I'm not sure, but this situation is very unusual."
Both sides went back and forth, locked in a fierce struggle.
The Anbu members were agile and their moves sharp, while the "Root" members appeared cunning and brutal.
Watching this scene, Itachi found it hard to tell who was right and who was wrong.
They were all fighting for their own beliefs, so which side was actually correct?
Shisui clenched his fists, a determined light flashing in his eyes: "Itachi, we can't just sit by and watch."
Itachi looked at Shisui with some surprise: "You mean... we should stop them?"
Shisui nodded: "Exactly. As Ninjas, we can't just stand by and watch this happen."
Saying this, he was about to stand up.