Chapter 2

The Second Great Ninja War that ended a few years ago had swallowed up ninja from every land. However, as the saying goes 'Ninja are creatures that are born to fight'. The conflicts among the various nations and ninja villages never ceased to stop.

Izuna wasn't any less aware of it or rather he knew more than others around him.

Currently, he was four years old. Meaning, that it would be seven-eight years or so until the third war started.

The next war would start eight years in the future and Izuna had no time to waste - he had to become as strong as possible, sooner the better.

Thus, despite the fact that the young Uchiha had yet to start the ninja academy yet. He had dedicated himself to training with his father and mother.

This goes without saying that he's been exceptional in every aspect possible and his parents marveled at his skills.

"Hm?"

After walking down the hallway next to the kitchen, Izuna arrived near his father's room but halted his steps as he sensed someone else's presence in the room besides his father's.

It was rather unfamiliar.

"It's clearly the Anbu's job. I just don't understand, why don't you take any measures, vice-chief?!"

The fierce but calm voice on the other side confirmed his guess, Izuna never met or heard someone like that.

It was now that his father's even tone fell into his ears.

"Keep your voice down, Yashiro! We are the Konoha Military Police Force and it's our responsibility to maintain the law and order in the village. Also, don't forget that we are elite shinobi who monitor fellow shinobi."

"...All right, if you say so. But I still can't accept it. First, it was the Clan leader Fugaku and now you too."

Standing next to the sliding door, an image popped up in Izuna's mind. Yashiro, a man with narrow eyes and closely spiked-up white hair. Although he was older than his father, he served him as a subordinate.

However, Izuna had only seen him once or twice near the Police department. It was the first time he had come to the house.

"Yashiro, we'll talk about it later. My son is waiting outside."

"Oh, okay. I'll take my leave."

This startled Izuna, he had tried his best to hide his presence, but it seemed that he was still green.

'Yeah, what else did I expect from him.'

Izuna smiled awkwardly and having no choice, slid the door open as Yashiro passed him before giving him a slight glance.

Izuna couldn't care less what he was thinking, so he simply ignored him.

Inside the room was his father, sitting on his spot with a few scrolls lying on the bench before him.

"What is it Izuna?"

"Was it something important that I interrupted, father?"

The man sitting in front of Izuna was Akio Uchiha, the vice-chief of the Military Police department and an S-rank ninja of the Leaf.

He was donned in his usual attire which consisted of a black kimono fastened with a thin blue sash and matching trousers. The long black hair and black eyes on his sharp face made him a handsome man.

Listening to his son's question, Akio shrugged his shoulders.

"No, it was just the usual business. Nothing for you to worry about."

"I guess not."

Izuna nodded his head.

"But you still didn't tell me why you came to see me just after returning from the training ground."

"Um, I wanted to ask something about Kenjutsu."

"I see..."

Akio quietly folded the scrolls and while putting them in the nearby drawer, calmly explained and cleared his son's doubts.

"Oh! Now, I get it. That makes sense, thanks a lot father."

"Haha, it's all right. There's no need for that. Instead, I'm surprised that you could come up with a question like this at your age."

The instant he said, a crimson light grew in Akio's eyes, and his smile widened. Sharingan, the kekkei genkai inherited by the members of the Uchiha clan.

'His growth just seems unstoppable, huh.'

He could see the brightly flickering blue flames burning inside him with the size rivaling that of his own, on the other end of the house was his wife's.

This didn't surprise Izuna, who was rather busy reflecting on the details his father had explained but was soon startled by his mother's voice that came from the kitchen.

"The food's ready, boys!"

"All right, let's get going, son."

Izuna nodded his head.

With his doubts cleared, following his father's lead, Izuna made his way to the hall where the family of three usually has supper. When suddenly, he recalled the tension filling his father's room.

'I wonder what was all that about...'

Izuna thought, looking at his father. The emblem of the Uchiha clan was printed on his outfit.

In the eyes of normal people, it wasn't necessary for someone as young as him to be worried over something like that, but he had heard the word 'Anbu' during their conversation.

Akio did tell him that it was a trifling matter, but Izuna felt the air between the village and the clan slowly tightening, causing him to be worried.

____________________

Izuna had trained tirelessly since the day he started his ninja training at the mere age of three. It wouldn't be long before the start of his days at the academy.

The young Uchiha's sole objective was to get stronger and it didn't concern him too much, considering his perks.

From having an affinity towards all existing elements to having an abundance of chakra, and from having extreme healing ability to having no-bloodline limits.

Given the time for his growth, he'd become a peerless existence.

It was true that he had the means and talent to become considerably strong, but it also doesn't change the fact that hard work would be just as necessary.

Say it another perk of being the vice-chief of the Police department, his house was rather large and had a quite large grove near his house.

That grove near his house was Izuna's training ground, a quiet place for him.

Wooden targets were hung up on the cluster of trees surrounding him.

Izuna stood alone in the woods, rocks many times larger than him all around, with kunai tucked in between his fingers. Four in each hand.

"Fuu..."

Taking a deep breath, Izuna closed his eyes and slowly pushed the air out of his lungs.

Eyes that were shut, opened the next moment as he kicked at the ground as hard as he could, leaving some spider cracks.

The body of the young Uchiha leaped into the air, dancing as he crossed his arms and shot the kunai out to the targets.

Whoosh!!

Eight weapons and eight targets- it happened then. The eight kunai flashed and scattered in eight directions.

Thuk! Thuk! Thuk!

The sound echoed all around Izuna as he gracefully landed on top of a boulder with a smile on his face.

The pointed kunai had pierced their targets, right at the centers.

But that wasn't the end of it as they seemingly penetrated the tree itself and raced to another batch of targets.

So in total, he had aimed at sixteen targets and without a shred of doubt, was successful in that.

"Nice work, Izuna!"

A voice suddenly came from behind, he turned around to see his mother coming towards him with a canteen of food.

"Well, It's natural that I should be able to do that."

"So it's only natural, huh?"

Akane said, reaching her towards his head and ruffled his hair.

'You haven't even started the academy yet, but can already do something like that, huh.'

She was no doubt praising him but didn't voice out the words as she didn't want Izuna to be conceited.

It was true for a fact that people got lazy when they thought they were special. And that was the least she wanted her son to become.

"All right, here's your lunch."

"Uh-hm. Thank you for the food."

Sitting under the shade of a nearby tree, the mother-son duo had warm food while sharing some sweet talks in-between.

"So you'll be starting the academy soon. Are you excited about that?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure. But, I really don't think they would teach something better than you and father."

Izuna was silent for a moment before responding to his mother's question as he thought to himself.

'The academy, huh.'

The progress in he was making while training with his parents made him sure that he'd learn nothing new there at the academy.

'We'll see about that.'

The corner of his lips curled into a soft smile as he glanced past the dense leaves of trees, looking at the vast blue sky, painted with white clouds.

"We should be getting back, it's enough training for today."

"Okay."

After having the short break, Izuna resumed his training with his mother. Given the fact that the sun was almost set, she reminded him to return home.

Their shadows stood side by side in the evening sun, as the duo slowly walked towards their home.

< Chapter 2 > Fin.