Outside Konoha, in the forest.
"Who's there? Show yourself!" Uchiha Itachi stood in the middle of the forest, his expression calm but wary as he glanced behind him.
Ever since he left the village, he had felt someone tailing him. So, he chose a secure location to stop and scan his surroundings.
His grip tightened around a kunai as he carefully observed all directions.
From the moment he entered Konoha, he had felt eyes on him—watching, tracking his every move.
He couldn't afford to lower his guard.
Step. Step. Step.
In the silence of the forest, faint footsteps echoed.
The sound was barely noticeable, but to a top-tier shinobi like Itachi, it was crystal clear. As the steps drew closer, his breathing slowed slightly.
Frowning, he turned toward the source of the sound.
Huh?
A small figure emerged. The moment he saw who it was, Itachi's pupils contracted.
Damn it.
It was really Uchiha Genya.
He had already suspected it when he first felt someone watching and following him. But now that he saw Genya with his own eyes, his heart sank completely.
Damn it… How did he know I came to Konoha?
Coming back to Konoha, this was the encounter he had dreaded the most.
And yet, he couldn't avoid it. In the end, they still met.
But what puzzled Itachi was how Genya had found him so quickly. His return to the village had been extremely discreet—how had he been discovered so soon?
Genya had been observing him all along.
"Itachi, we meet again!"
Genya's clone stopped a short distance away, facing Uchiha Itachi.
This time, Genya did not conceal himself. For the first time, the two stood face-to-face in complete calmness.
Itachi Uchiha was also facing the little guy for the first time. The Uchiha clan's former top genius, and now, the current top genius of the Uchiha clan.
Even today, he still couldn't understand why a five or six-year-old child was so strong. Genya was already comparable to a half-kage level ninja, and a top-tier one at that.
After a moment of observing Genya, Itachi finally asked the question that had been bothering him: "When did you realize I had returned to Konoha?"
Genya smiled slightly and answered seriously, "I noticed you as soon as you entered Konoha."
Who else could wander around the village, hiding on rooftops after entering Konoha?
Even Root and Anbu ninjas wouldn't do that, and you even wandered around the Hokage building.
And then, you visited the Uchiha clan to see Sasuke.
"Heh… I should have expected that!" Itachi smiled, though there was a trace of bitterness in his smile. "What do you want with me? Do you still wish to fight?"
When facing Genya, Itachi had no chance of victory.
He even felt an overwhelming pressure. If given another chance, he wouldn't want to face Uchiha Genya.
The constant use of Mangekyo techniques and terrifying strength made him deeply wary.
"Don't worry, I won't make a move on you," Itachi shook his head decisively. Then, he looked at Genya with a smile. "Your life still has some value. The Uchiha clan isn't stable right now. If you wait two more years, you'll be dead!"
"Is that so?" Itachi chuckled, then continued questioning, "Then why are you stopping me today?"
"I'm just here to remind you," Genya said, his smile never fading, but with a hint of teasing. "Don't ever think of targeting Uchiha clan members, unless you walk over my dead body!"
The meaning was clear—Genya was telling Itachi he would never surpass him!
Hearing this, Itachi clenched his fists tightly, his eyes flashing with unwillingness. He had always been considered the Uchiha clan's genius.
Perhaps Shisui could have surpassed him, but after Shisui's death, Itachi had always believed that he was the Uchiha clan's prodigy!
But now, being mocked by Genya like this, he couldn't accept it!
A sense of rivalry also rose in his heart. He had to become stronger, stronger than ever, to defeat Uchiha Genya.
After all, strength isn't fixed. He could still get stronger. There are many people who were once genius ninjas in their youth but faded into obscurity as they grew older.
But Uchiha Itachi overlooked one thing—Genya was not the kind of person who would fade into obscurity as he grew.
After thinking for a moment, Uchiha Itachi suppressed the unwillingness in his heart and asked, "Is that all you wanted to say by coming to find me?"
"Oh~~ there's one more thing!" Genya slapped his head as if remembering something, then continued, "In the future, members of the Atsukara will roam the ninja world. You'll have to avoid them when the time comes!"
At this moment,
Uchiha Itachi's face darkened further. After all, he was a kage-level ninja with the Mangekyō Sharingan, yet he was being threatened and belittled like this!
"Who are they?" He suppressed his anger again and asked.
He had been in the clan for a long time, but it seemed like Uchiha Genya hadn't been building up his own power. Who, besides Genya himself, could be part of the Atsukara?
Could it be the captains of the Uchiha Police Force Division?
"Don't worry, it's not anyone from the Uchiha clan right now!" Genya noticed the doubt in Uchiha Itachi's mind, said this first, then continued, "Atsukara will soon make a name for itself in the ninja world. It won't be long before you meet someone unexpected!"
The clan extermination crisis had been resolved, and Genya was ready to start his plans for the ninja world.
Senju Hayashi had been training for a while now and was about ready for some field experience. Besides, he already had a life-saving trump card.
To be honest, he wasn't as talented as his sister; he needed to keep training to grow stronger.
This was the only way to become a true powerhouse!
As for the person Uchiha Itachi was familiar with, that would naturally be Shisui.
He had already spoken to Shisui and planned to restore his eyes in the future. Shisui would eventually join Atsukara... no, Shisui was already a member of the organization.
"Unexpected person?" Uchiha Itachi was stunned, mumbling quietly.
"Trust me, when you meet that person, you'll be even more surprised than when you recognized me in battle!" Genya said, a smile forming on his lips as he looked at the confused Uchiha Itachi.
The reunion between Uchiha Shisui and Itachi will definitely be interesting!
"Who is it?" Uchiha Itachi asked again.
"You'll know soon enough!" Genya smiled and said, before his figure suddenly disappeared.
He turned into smoke!
"Shadow clone?" Uchiha Itachi wanted to ask more, but when he saw the dissipating shadow clone, his heart sank.
Heh, he actually got threatened by a shadow clone, and treated it like a serious threat!
Uchiha Itachi... where's your previous courage?
The next morning, as dawn broke.
The news of the Uchiha clan holding a clan meeting spread throughout the clan!
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