If Shimura Danzo could have spoken honestly, he would have grabbed Uchiha Souji by the collar and shouted:
"Your talent is incredible… but it belongs to me now!"
But he held back. He only smiled stiffly.
"Very good, very good! Mizuki-kun, before the mission officially begins, you will need a short period of spy training."
Mizuki blinked in disbelief.
Spy training?
Again?
He wasn't a stranger to undercover work. In his own mind, Mizuki considered himself a professional in "secret operations."
"Danzo-sama," Mizuki coughed lightly, "actually, before this I—"
"I know," Danzo cut him off instantly. "But this mission is crucial. It must succeed. There is no room for failure."
Danzo did not trust Mizuki's self-proclaimed "past experience."
Root was once known as the Anbu Training Department—they did not let untrained amateurs run missions.
After delivering that decision, Danzo stood up, patted Mizuki's shoulder, and spoke with deep, fake sincerity.
"Don't worry. The training is not difficult. It will only take a day or two. The purpose is to help you understand Root's communication system—how to send time-sensitive information quickly, how to report covertly, and how we operate."
Danzo nodded approvingly.
"This will pave your way to becoming a Root squad captain in the future."
He paused, then added dramatically:
"Do well, young man.
I like you."
With that, Danzo limped out of the office with his cane tapping rhythmically against the floor.
A Root ninja immediately entered and pulled Mizuki toward the Root training area.
---
Meanwhile, as he walked deeper into the darkness of the corridor, Danzo touched his chin thoughtfully.
"This 'Sarutobi Hiruzen' speech style… it really works."
Hiruzen had always been skilled at using warm, noble words to manipulate people. Danzo had just imitated it—and Mizuki instantly became loyal.
Danzo smirked.
"Just say a few empty, heroic lines and they throw themselves at your feet. Truly… Sarutobi Hiruzen is Konoha's greatest villain. And I… I have been assisting him."
Danzo clenched his fist.
"I should be Hokage!"
---
The next morning
Uchiha Souji lazily stretched inside his home. He was absolutely not in the mood to go to the Ninja Academy.
He was mentally in his twenties or thirties—how could he attend school with a bunch of six-year-olds?
It was embarrassing. Painful, even.
But reality was cruel.
The strong had privileges, yes.
But a student who didn't attend class…
could not graduate.
And a shinobi who didn't graduate…
could not become a ninja.
If he couldn't become a ninja, leaving Konoha Village would be impossible.
So with the helpless dignity of a man twice his physical age, Souji dragged himself behind Uchiha Itachi on the way to school.
The morning wind carried a lively energy across the village. Birds chirped, villagers bustled, and everything felt strangely peaceful.
Souji yawned as he bit into the meatball Itachi had given him.
Since starting school, he had changed his workout schedule from mornings to afternoons. Even geniuses had to adapt.
Beside him, Uchiha Itachi walked with unusual cheer.
"Souji, even though you haven't been attending school recently, I've made a lot of friends."
Itachi looked genuinely proud.
Souji felt goosebumps spread over his arms.
What happened to you?! You weren't like this! Please revert!
He forced a smile.
"Yeah…"
He reminded himself:
Say less. Make fewer mistakes. Silence is safety.
As long as he stayed silent, nobody could twist his words.
As long as nobody twisted his words, he could wait for Mizuki and start his Navy Plan.
Itachi, however, looked troubled by Souji's brief response. He scratched his head.
"Huh… Souji always replies so short. Maybe I'm not doing enough. Maybe our friendship isn't deep enough."
Then Itachi turned to him.
"Souji, how do you deepen a friendship?"
Souji stared at him.
Brother… please stop. Please. For both our sakes…
He rubbed the back of his head. He had to fix this quickly.
Itachi was a dutiful son—dangerously dutiful. If Souji didn't guide him back onto the original path of the timeline, the future might collapse entirely.
After all, the reason Sasuke became so strong was due to sacrifices… sacrifices Itachi would eventually make.
Without Itachi following that path—
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya might never be sealed.
The world might end.
Souji had to course-correct him.
"Ahem, Itachi… we Uchiha are a proud clan—"
But before he could finish, Itachi nodded vigorously and interrupted him.
"I understand! Commoner ninja have fewer resources. So the Uchiha clan should support them!"
Souji blinked.
What?? No! That's not what I meant!
Itachi continued passionately:
"If they grow stronger because of Uchiha support, they'll feel grateful. It's good for Konoha, too! Even the Hokage won't object."
He clapped his hands together.
"I see now! Souji, go ahead to school—I need to discuss this with my father!"
With a flicker, Itachi vanished using Body Flicker Technique.
Souji stood frozen in the road.
He replayed the conversation in his head.
"That's… not what I said…"
Then—
SLAP!
He smacked himself across the face.
"I should have followed my oath…!
Say less! Speak less! Why did I talk?!"
He trudged toward the Academy with the spirit of a defeated soldier.
---
As he walked, he pondered what ninjutsu he needed to learn.
He already mastered the Three Body Technique during his hospital stay, but that was only the basics.
He needed to expand his arsenal.
His natural chakra affinities were Fire and Lightning.
Fire Style was standard for the Uchiha clan.
He had to learn it—no question.
But Lightning Style?
That had to be kept secret.
Because Fire Style immediately identified him as a Konoha shinobi—more specifically, an Uchiha.
Lightning Style, however…
Almost nobody would think of Konoha first if they saw it.
It was perfect camouflage.
Ninja perception was dangerously sharp—sharper than a woman's sixth sense.
And the world was chaotic, full of idiots who provoked strangers without thinking.
When those situations arose, Souji needed a technique that didn't scream "Uchiha."
Lightning Style was his perfect hidden card.-
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