I woke up early. Today was going to be good.
Shisui was coming over, and Father had said we could spar. I'd been waiting for this training with a friend, someone my age, not just practicing on leaves or wooden dummies.
I rushed into the backyard, completely skipping breakfast in my excitement.
Mom laughed and shook her head. "You're going to tire yourself out before you even eat."
I didn't care.
Shisui was already here. I spotted him running in through the gate, waving wildly.
"Shinji!" he shouted. "Ready to get owned?"
I smirked. "Ha. In your dreams."
We started slow warm-ups, running laps, rolls, and light punches. Shisui was fast, his movements smooth and efficient. I wasn't as quick, but I was stronger, thanks to Father's relentless training.
"Alright," Father said from the porch, arms crossed. "Now for the real thing. Remember control your chakra."
I nodded. Shisui grinned.
We moved at the same time.
I pushed chakra into my legs and surged forward faster than I expected. I threw a punch. Shisui slipped past it and countered with a kick. I blocked, but the force sent me sliding back a step.
"Good," Father said approvingly. "Both of you. Shinji, stay focused. Shisui, your precision is impressive, don't hold back."
We sparred for a while, laughing whenever one of us stumbled or misstepped, constantly testing each other. At some point, I noticed that I could anticipate Shisui's movements just slightly.
My Sharingan stirred subconsciously. The faint red swirl at the edge of my vision sharpened everything.
It helped.
"Enough," Father finally said. "You both did well."
We collapsed into the grass, breathing hard.
"You're fast," I admitted.
Shisui smirked. "You're strong. Not as strong as you think, though."
"We'll see," I shot back, grinning.
That evening, something felt… different.
Mom and Dad were rushing around the house, whispering, smiling, glancing at me when they thought I wasn't looking. I didn't understand until Mom stepped into the room holding a tiny bundle.
"It's a boy," she said softly.
My breath caught.
My little brother.
"Itachi."
Dad carefully placed him in my arms. "Be gentle, Shinji."
I held him like he was made of glass. He was warm, soft, impossibly small. He stirred, opened his eyes, and looked at me.
"I've got you," I whispered. "Don't worry."
Suddenly, he grabbed my nose.
Hard.
"Ow!" I laughed. "He's strong for a baby!"
Mom and Dad laughed with me.
"That's his first grab," Dad said. "Looks like he's already testing you."
Later that night, I stayed beside his crib, resting my hand on his tiny chest as he slept. My thoughts felt heavier than before but not in a bad way.
I had a brother now.
And this world was dangerous.
The next morning, Shisui and I walked to the academy together.
"Can you believe it?" he said, practically bouncing. "First day!"
"Yeah," I replied. "I just hope they don't make us do boring exercises all day."
Our instructor was strict but fair. Warm-ups. Taijutsu drills. Chakra control.
Shisui and I stood out immediately.
I had coordination and discipline. Shisui had raw talent and focus. By the end of the first week, no one else could really keep up.
Months passed.
We trained relentlessly. Shuriken techniques. Clone jutsu. Chakra control. I surprised the instructors with how quickly I adapted to Fire Style learning to control the size, shape, and even sequence of my fireballs.
Shisui had precision.
I had power.
Together, it worked.
One day, the instructors called us in.
"You've exceeded expectations," one of them said. "Next year, you'll be moved to the final year of the academy. You'll still cover the basics, but advanced training will begin early."
Shisui nearly vibrated with excitement. "We did it!"
"Yeah," I said quietly, smiling. "Last year."
We walked out together.
"Not bad," I said. "We could graduate at eight."
Shisui laughed. "We're going to be great shinobi."
That night, I sat beside Itachi's crib again. He slept peacefully.
Mom joined me. "He likes you," she said softly. "You're good with him."
"I'll always watch over him," I said. "No matter where I am."
She smiled and ruffled my hair.
Across the room, Shisui sat quietly under Father's watchful eye, carefully handling a kunai. Even he seemed to understand the weight of it all.
Father stood silently, observing us.
I didn't know what he was thinking but I wasn't afraid.
I turned back to Itachi as he grasped my finger.
"Don't worry," I whispered. "I won't let anything happen to you. Or anyone in the Leaf."
That night, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, I felt it clearly.
More training.
More responsibility.
More challenges ahead.
But I was ready.
Shisui and I had each other.
And next year… we'd begin to show the village what we could really do.