Chapter 86: How Far into the Future Can Your Eyes See?

Shisui Uchiha fastened his forehead protector, clasped his hands together, and bowed towards the photo on the table.

In the photo frame was a picture of a young couple, both with black hair and black eyes, wearing clothes embroidered with the clan's fan emblem. They were smiling brightly, looking silly and happy.

"Father, Mother, I'm setting off."

Shisui spoke softly, sheathed his short sword, and strapped it to his back.

He had just turned six this year and had graduated from the shinobi academy. Whether within the Uchiha clan or at the academy, he was undoubtedly the top graduate of his class.

—"Shisui is a child who possesses all the talents needed to be a shinobi. Whether as an Uchiha or a Konoha genin, he is undoubtedly a genius."

This was the evaluation written by Shisui's academy teacher upon his graduation.

Today was Shisui's first day meeting his "guiding Jonin."

Although it was wartime and most genin were sent to the frontlines, Konoha would give some leeway to those with potential, pairing them with strong Jonin for training.

Last night, Shisui was called by the clan leader and informed of this, along with the name of his new sensei.

He was looking forward to meeting the teacher known as "Lone Lion."

After closing the door and leaving the clan compound, Shisui quickly arrived outside the village. He had received a letter from a slug last night, with the meeting place and time. All he had to do was arrive on time.

Shisui arrived at the meeting point half an hour early.

It was a clearing in the forest, devoid of any weeds, evidently cleaned up earlier. In the center stood a thick wooden stake wrapped with ropes, its purpose unknown.

Being the first to arrive, Shisui leaned against the wooden stake to rest.

Before long, a boy in a gray coat and sunglasses appeared in his field of vision.

"Oh, it's Shisui." The boy had long brown hair, and he wore large toad sunglasses, giving him a mysterious look. Despite his odd appearance, his tone was unexpectedly calm and steady, "Funny how we were opponents during the graduation exam."

"Muta, it's good to have you as a teammate." Shisui greeted with a smile.

Muta Aburame, the only one in this year's class who could spar with Shisui, was a talented individual practicing the Aburame clan's insect control techniques.

They were schoolmates, and although they spent most of their time training within their respective clans, they were closer than mere acquaintances. They chatted casually as time quickly passed.

Five minutes before the meeting time, a girl slowly approached from a distance.

Both Muta and Shisui looked at her with slight curiosity.

The girl had beautiful long white hair, stood taller than most of her peers, and looked a bit aloof.

"Never seen her around the village..."

Shisui and Muta thought as they watched the girl walk over and lean casually against the stake.

"Ruri Mochizuki," she introduced herself, then fell silent.

Shisui and Muta, not being the type to pester a girl with questions, left her alone.

Five minutes later, a puff of smoke appeared above the stake, and a fist-sized slug materialized.

It spat out two bells and announced loudly, "The bell-grabbing competition starts now! Yuto-san will only meet those who successfully obtain a bell. Failures will be expelled from the team! He is waiting on the other side of the forest!"

The slug vanished, and the two bells fell onto the stake.

"Hmph, what a mischievous person..." Ruri shrugged, grabbed both bells, and with a powerful leap, disappeared into the forest.

"Eh?" Muta was taken aback, "So fast." Without further ado, he also left the clearing, pursuing her.

In a burst of speed, Muta stealthily formed a hand seal, and dozens of black insects emerged from his body, scattering swiftly.

"Found her... she's so fast?" Muta marveled, chasing after her guided by his insects.

"Seal!" As soon as he was within range to use his technique, Muta directed his insects to attack the girl. Although Ruri could easily swat away the insects, they nonetheless slowed her down.

"Hold on a second... Miss Mochizuki." Muta caught up to her, "How about giving me one of the bells?"

"Sure." Ruri flicked a bell, "Come and take it."

"One for each of us, isn't that fair?"

"Not at all." Ruri's tone was calm, "The Uchiha guy is powerful, but you... I think I can take you on."

"...Then why did you take both?"

"If he had come after me, I would have given them; since you couldn't wait, I'll deal with you first."

Muta's eyebrows twitched in frustration. Even though Shisui always overshadowed him at school, Muta was also a talented shinobi. Ruri's blatant disregard ignited his anger.

Muta extended his fingers, and a green insect emerged from his flesh.

Ruri smirked, her arm flicking to reveal sharp, white bone spikes tearing through her elbow.

The green insect fluttered, and the bone blade glinted coldly as they simultaneously attacked, ignoring the bells.

However, neither the insect nor the bone blade reached their targets.

"I said..."

A handsome boy with short hair suddenly appeared, interposing himself between them, his ninja sword blocking Ruri's bone blade while his single tomoe Sharingan controlled Muta with genjutsu.

He was fast, but not with the direct ferocity of Yuto's lightning-speed charge, nor the ethereal grace of Minato's space-time teleportation, but swift and sharp like a gust of wind.

"I said, can we sit down and talk this out?"

Shisui sighed, deactivating his genjutsu and pushing away Ruri's bone blade.

He rubbed his wrist, marveling at the strength and speed of the white-haired girl, and said helplessly, "Muta, Miss Mochizuki, let's head to the forest's edge together. Maybe that's the way for all three of us to pass the test."

"Easy for you to say." Ruri stared at the boy, "What if he fails us all?"

Muta remained silent, evidently sharing Ruri's skepticism.

In Konoha, many unlucky ones failed their guiding Jonin's test every year.

"It doesn't matter." Shisui laughed cheerfully, untying the bells he had snatched earlier and tossing them to the other two, "Here, you take the bells."

—Even at his age, Shisui understood the meaning of "sacrifice."

The previously tense boy and girl fell silent.

Ruri toyed with the bell for a moment before suddenly giggling and tossing it back to Shisui, "A true gentleman wouldn't let a lady carry the burden."

With a jingle, Muta also handed the bell back to Shisui, "If our clan leader found out that I passed while you failed, especially in this manner... believe me, my fate would be worse than failing."

Shisui stared blankly at the two bells in his hand, momentarily at a loss for words.

Clap, clap, clap.

Just then, a slow clapping sound echoed from above.

Shisui looked up towards the sound.

A young shinobi lounged lazily on a tree canopy, dressed in a loose white robe and black bandages. Despite his relaxed posture, there wasn't a single flaw under the scrutiny of the Sharingan.

Very strong... extremely strong, Shisui thought, and at the same time, he heard Yuto's first words. "Shisui Uchiha, with those eyes, how far into the future can you see?"

(End of chapter)

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