Chapter 24

Waking up early in the morning, the protagonist opened his eyes and got out of bed and he also realized that he slept very comfortably from the T-shirt that Hana gave him, and opening Sakura's pendant halfway, he saw a picture of that little innocent girl and realized what she would be in a couple of years, and also knew that he would still have that pendant, because he would keep that positive gift from a loved one, Heh....

Itachi's POV

As soon as I got out of bed I closed the pendant, and also looked out the window, and saw that there were still traces of explosive rock fireworks, although the celebration in my honor was not bad, I didn't expect that I could improve the time line so much, heh, I went out of the house, and met my neighbor Maito-Gai, he came out too, and I was glad because I wanted to wait for him to propose a training session in the forest where I used to train with Shisui, I approached him and he noticed me and turned around and gave me a thumbs-up and shiny teeth and started:

-Good morning neighbor, you have become a year older and a level above yourself, but know that your spring of youth will be eternal! - he said it in his own way, and strangely enough he doesn't even know how right he is, because the soul is indeed eternally young, and even after death from deep-maturity, the fact of reincarnation is still possible, or at least the fact that I moved into my 13-year-old body, Heh....

-Good morning Guy, how did you sleep here?" I asked with a smile, folding my arms across my chest.

-Great, although at first it's not usual, but time heals everything, haha - said Guy, a very clever phrase, time heals everything, reminded me of the second timeline, which I managed to heal from the scars of the first timeline, which did not even come.

-Really... - I said, smiling and closing my eyes, and decided to add, "I was going to the training field near Konoha, why don't you go too? It'll be a good warm-up.

-Of course! I haven't warmed up with my partners in a while, although everyone knows how good I am at taijutsu, they're even calling me the Blue Beast of Konoha, but I only care about health, not fame, and it's a shame I can't use all five elements like Kakashi, or master ninjutsu or genjutsu at all, lucky for my opponent," he said, clenching his fists and smiling as he remembered him.

-I'm sure you've surpassed him in taijutsu long ago, and he admits it, and when you use the sixth gate, it opens asajukachi, which allows you to be fast and fire from your hands, it's a good substitute for good ninjutsu, and the seventh gate, allows you to open hirodora white tiger, which can even neutralize any ninjutsu of all elements by turning their power against them, and at the expense of ninjutsu there is no point in using them, because you have already perfected taijutsu so that you can fight the enemy and closed eyes, and whatever seal would not apply, or even if you use kekkei genkai eye power, it will not work, - finished the speech tactfully.

-Ha, you know a lot about taijutsu, I didn't know you were an expert, so I thought you were only good at astronomy and anatomy, like Kakashi said- replied Gai, surprised.

-I was familiar with taijutsu in my previous life, but this year I've been learning even more about all the ways to become stronger than I was.... - As I said that, we started walking towards the training ground, and I knew that I could say anything to him about time and the previous life or even the next one, and he would accept it as philosophy.

I knew that of all the shinobi in Konoha, the most difficult fight for me would be against Gai, back when I was in Akatsuki in the first timeline, I had fully appreciated his talents back then, and when I could see through the sage orb in paradise, how he opened all eight gates, I realized that there was nothing to oppose him, perhaps only Obito could survive him by simply moving into his own space and waiting 5 minutes for the gates of death to close, Madara was only able to survive because he had Hashirama's regeneration cells and sage mode, also ten-tailed, in the first timeline when my partner was Juzo-Bivo, he said that Maito-Dai, was able to destroy four fog swordsmen by opening eight gates, the only ones left alive there were, Raigo-Kurotsuki, and the second Fuguki-Saikazan, now in Akatsuki, and Shisui's partner, I learned this from Tobi when he suggested we join Akatsuki too, and the third survivor was Juzo-Bivo himself, and they were able to defeat Maito-Dai only by surviving when his eighth gate closed.

The training ground was well appreciated by Gai, we stood against each other and prepared for the training, and Gai is the most difficult opponent for me because his types of techniques are effective against mine, he can easily dodge any of my genjutsu, and even if I activate mangekyo-sharingan he will also dodge tsukuyomi, and even izanami will not work on him, because his essence is pure.... and unlike Kabuto he knows what he wants and what he lives and trains for, and izanami can be eliminated, he can even effectively counter the speed of my sharingan, even if my intuition and reactions are enhanced he will be prepared for it, he has trained his own intuition for years and can roughly predict his opponent's possible move by his movements, he can also fight with his eyes closed, I can only defeat him if I use Susanoo and knock him out before he activates his gate, and if he can open all eight gates he will be much stronger than me and I can survive by using Izanagi and survive I can only defeat him, but luckily he is on our side and in this timeline he is the same blue beast of Konoha heh, now we are in opposite stance we start each other and I don't activate sharingan because without it I can hone my taijutsu and physical body better, although it will be very difficult to train without sharingan and starts training.

We had already started practicing and he was pretty fast, he tried to kick me in the left shoulder, I barely got a block, and one time he tried to kick me in the stomach but I was able to take 2 quick steps back, without sharingan it's hard to fight him in taijutsu, and now I'm hitting him, coming at him I do a right hook and he went down, but that's what I was expecting and I hit him almost simultaneously with my knee to his side and he elbowed him back and wanted to strike back with his left arm right in his shoulder and I managed to dodge and as I stepped away from him I realized that he was more skilled in taijutsu, considering that he couldn't master anything but taijutsu, he literally spends every day on it, well then the training will be equal if I activate the sharingan.

Activating the three-tomoe sharingan, Gai only smiled, because he thought that this way his training will pass only intensely, well, although it is and for me, too, it will go well, we again ran to each other, and it was about an hour, and we decided for now on no one's, and we began to walk towards the street Konoha and on the way started a theme.

-Hah, great workout!, although the power of youth is eternal without it! - said Guy, with a deep smile and his green overalls were a bit tattered, although my pants were also stained, but my shirt remained untouched, I smiled and added.

-Huh, really... Without the sharingan I wouldn't have lasted long, although I need to hone my taijutsu to the fullest, because a 14 year old body is not like my current self, and I have to start from scratch - Gai looked at me with a smile, considering my words as philosophy, although I used philosophy halfway.

-You were pretty good at taijutsu, but if you become fast and strong without sharingan, then with sharingan you'll be like lightning, I think you need to perfect your taijutsu without kekkei genkai, but with the sharingan you're very good, you're even up to my level, ha," later on the way to the village we started to keep up and he also started to tell me a couple of taijutsu tricks, what kind of blows to use to speed up my movement, and even advised me to wear weights on my legs to speed up not only my speed, but also my reactions and consciousness, normally I'm only this fast during mangekyo-sharingan mode, but if I listen to Guy, I can keep my eyesight by relying on speed and strength without the sharingan, Guy's advice was helpful and his words about taijutsu tricks are good too, and now we're passing the hokage residences and I have another idea for serious training, and looking at Guy I start.

-You know Gai, your advice is very useful, who knows, maybe one day your youth will save the world, and the advice will never be lost," he smiled with a gleam in his teeth, and I continued, "Now I have to go to the Hokage's residence, I have something to discuss with the third.

-Good luck, and it was a great workout," he said cheerfully.

-I'll see you around and maybe there'll be more periodic training, Heh... - I said with a smile, folding my arms across my chest, and he replied the same way and I walked towards the hokage residences.

After saying goodbye to Gai, I headed towards the hokage building, and went inside, and met the third hokage, he was sitting on a chair in his white hokage uniform, and was thinking about something it was obvious when he put his elbows on the table, crossing the fingers of both hands, I went to his desk and started.

-Itachi," he began, noticing me entering his office, he raised an eyebrow and turned his attention to me and continued, "I was just thinking about you, and the fact that in the five kage meetings we have a neutral relationship with all of them, although it's a shame it's temporary...

-I'm sure they'll have a friendly relationship soon, and I doubt it will be temporary," I replied with a slight smile.

-I see you have another black shirt, and I see that it's clean, and with the Uchiha crest on the chest and back, but instead of a red fan there's a blue one, I see you've already been showered with gifts by the whole village heh, - he replied smiling, and stood up from his chair and headed towards the window, looking at the blue sky and continued, - time has improved for the better, this year everything has become much better than it was before, and all thanks to your intervention, in the first timeline everything was the same?

-Not really, in that time line Kisame and I were in Akatsuki and wore black cloaks with red clouds, and I also exterminated my clan then, but you were aware of it even then and even apologized and allowed me to enter Konoha from time to time in secret, also in that first time line the man in the orange mask, and even helped to exterminate the Uchiha clan, and with his help I joined this organization, and I'm telling you this because it happened during this year, and what will happen in the next years it can't be revealed to anyone yet, - I finished my speech with my hands folded on my chest and with a slight smile.

-I'm sorry I had to do that to the clan, I'm sorry," he said, closing his eyes, and then he looked at me and added, "We're living in the second timeline now, although you like to call it that, and I don't think anyone needs to know that and I want you to know I believe in this prophecy, because the second hokage told me this story, and he gave me a book from Mieboku Mountain, which he had heard from Hashirama when Gamamaru told him about the chosen one in time, and he began to tell all the details to his younger brother, and the other one told me that at first he didn't believe it, but then when his dream came true and he was carved into stone, he said that since his dream had come true, he didn't doubt the prophecy, he even wrote about it in his diary many times before he died... the death of a brave shinobi," he finished, sitting back in his chair.

-I've already read the diary of the second hokage on zame-kikyo, and I've learned a lot of things," the hokage smiled at my words, because I knew I wouldn't have to explain everything about the second's life in detail, and I think he understood that I understood the meaning of the second's life, and I continued, "I came here for you to do something for me.

I started the story about how when Kisame fought against the thug, he took special pills, and could also use the chakra of the pills, and they don't damage the body even if you use strong jutsu, because all the damage doesn't reach the body, or even the eyes, it uses purely the chakra of these drugs, and the only side effect is not a big headache and pressure, Kabuto would someday use these pills when fighting against Tsunade, these pills would strengthen his chakra flows by adding his own that were in the pills, and it also easily helped him create slashing slash-blades out of chakra, without these pills Kabuto would have to accumulate chakra for a long time, and these pills allow me to train my amaterasu, I have to perfect this black flame style, not only to control it with one eye, but also with the other eye to shape them and make them into anything, although I doubt I'll call this technique, flame style, I should have a name for it, and with these pills I can use mangekyo-sharingan freely for an hour, if I take about 3 pills, and when I told the third person, he replied that he would make these forbidden pills and let me know when they were ready, and to inform his scientists and also the irienins to create it now, and he also added with a smile that he would try to test them to make sure there were no unnecessary side effects, I thanked him and left the office.

***

It's been exactly 3 years since I left the third hokage's office, after that I started serious long training, and perfected myself in taijutsu, even periodic training with gai, and was able to reach his level of taijutsu, and he even told me how to open the eight gates, during those 3 years I also started taking periodic pills, and mastered the art of amaterasu perfectly, I succeeded on the first try, and then I perfected it so that I could control the flame, make it like a shield and a weapon, and even I could control it like a torch, and blowing the black flames flew in front of me like projectiles of fire, mostly I practiced it outside of Konoha, or in free fields, so as not to hurt anyone, and when my black flames from my mangekyo, hit trees or dense, I immediately canceled the amaterasu, so that nature would not suffer...

And these 3 years went by pretty fast, I recently turned 17, but it seemed like I was still 14, and these holidays were mostly not like when I was 14, because I'm not a party person, they were relaxed and comfortable, and I was congratulated by the people of Konoha, easy to clone, and in canteens and in different establishments, I was allowed in for free at the expense of the establishment, and the managers said at the expense of the establishment, but I still wanted to pay with a smile, and they didn't accept it, it was even nice, it was nice to have those days, but I liked those gifts that I got when I was 14, I still have that Hana T-shirt, and I also bought a couple of black T-shirts that were similar to that crest, I even got a T-shirt with a blue lightning bolt, or a raven, I bought those too.

I started seeing Kakashi more often in these 3 years, as we had missions together, he eventually merged with Kurenai's group and I noticed their glances, I guess it's love.... Asuma's probably a little sad that he didn't make it, but I'm sure he'll get over it when he's captain of his team, Ino-Shika-Cho, I started seeing Sakura a lot too, she'd tell me how her day was going, and I'd even see her with Ino, and she blushed when she saw me, though she'll eventually realize that she's not in love with me, it's just a temporary crush, I think she'll find someone to love her, and I even heard Sakura tease Ino with the words "Huh, You'll never stand a chance with him anyway" and she said "But I'm not big-headed haha" and then they got mad at each other and pouted, it was cute, I was watching it from the roof of the academy looking out over the training ground, and even when I wanted to see how they were doing, Naruto had improved his kunai throwing a bit, and was bragging as always, though he was still a couple percent worse than Sasuke, because his trajectory was good, but not great... But he wasn't considered the weakest in the class, and Naruto was happy about it, and bragged about how he was on his way to the hokage title, but about Sasuke, I watched him too and realized that he was the same as in the first timeline, exactly the same childhood, and I'm also sure he's just as vengeful, and he's always thinking about someone, is it me again? the third hokage would give me pills, he always told me to limit myself, I'd give him a smile and a nod, and there were no rumors from the Akatsuki, although I'm sure Shisui would go on the same missions as me in the first timeline, but in the second timeline, I mostly had rank-C or rank-B missions, but when I would get a rank-S mission, I would try not to use my sharingan in many missions, on Gai's advice, I didn't use my sharingan for the same reason he didn't take off his weights, to win difficult missions, even without my trump cards, and when I eventually get used to it and open my trump cards, they would seem stronger than they were before, I've also been on missions with Gai, and I've been on missions with the Anbu group that Hayate commands, too, mostly during these 3 years, we've been to the hidden cloud village and the hidden fog village, I've crossed paths with Kakashi too, I even gave him these pills for his birthday so he could use the kamui, without side effects, he smiled back at me and said thank you, and we continued to jump from tree to tree, and completed our mission in cloud country, we mostly worked as a team, and even the anbu squads seemed redundant, and over the years I finished my favorite book, and when I closed the page I thought I was done... but I was wrong, I reread it again, and I'm sure I'll reread it again if I want to.

While I was thinking about all of this, I was walking towards the training field where Kakashi's team of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura would train, but for now I was alone, and in that place I had honed my taijutsu to Guy's level, and was wearing weights like him, and with the sharingan I was even stronger and faster, I think that would be enough for the final fight with Sasuke.... but something tells me that I have to become even stronger, I looked at the sun, and roughly calculated the exact time by looking at the shadow, and realized what minute and what second, 11:00 exactly 3 years ago, I came out of the third hokage's office, when I finished my story about the pills, and went to this place to start training in taijutsu, but now I finished it even though the time passed very quickly without it... as if it was only 1 year, but I must now practice concentrations of black-fire, controlling amaterasu to better create from black-fire, armor with the size of susanoo, it will be my ultimate defense, this morning when Gai came to visit, he also offered me some adrenaline pills, but I politely declined, and we talked about the eight inner gates, and when I told him I had already mastered it, he smiled and added "Well done, that's the power of youth, and I think the training over the last three years has done you good!" Saying this he took his adrenaline pill and left, with his cheerful gait, while I was thinking about it I smiled, Heh....

The end of Itachi's POV

Itachi reached his training spot and began training in black flame control, and he was handling it much better than Sasuke ever had, but he knew he had to make sure he mastered it perfectly and so, began a three hour training session.