Izuna sat on a wooden bench outside Ichiraku Ramen, the warm rays of the sun filtering through the leaves, filling the air with the scent of spices and smoke. In front of him was a steaming bowl of ramen, while Minato quietly enjoyed his portion beside him.
Izuna looked at Minato, admiring and thinking, "He always seems so calm and collected. I wonder how much strength and knowledge he holds inside. Hopefully, I'll learn something new soon, too."
Suddenly, from the shadow of a nearby tree, a tall man appeared, with long, wild white hair and bright eyes sparkling with mischief. A large scroll hung from his back, and around his waist was a wide belt holding various weapons and bottles. His steps were relaxed but confident.
Izuna immediately knew who it was. "That must be Jiraiya, the legendary Sannin."
Jiraiya laughed and called out loudly to Minato, "Hey, Minato! Come here, I have to show you something!"
Minato smiled and stood up. "What is it now?"
Jiraiya spread his arms and said proudly, "Look at this — I finally did it."
He began molding chakra in his hand, creating a small, swirling ball of energy, the Rasengan. The sphere softly glowed and pulsed, as if breathing in his palm.
Izuna murmured, "Rasengan…"
Jiraiya nodded. "I'm still not perfect, but every day I get closer."
Minato glanced at Izuna. "Izuna, why don't you try it?"
Izuna took a deep breath, feeling chakra flow through his body. In an instant, he formed a ball of energy in his hand twice the size of Jiraiya's, wrapped in flames dancing around it.
Fire Release: Flaming Rasengan
Jiraiya muttered in awe to himself, "This kid… This kid is a monster, he even added fire release to Rasengan."
Minato smiled and said, "If Izuna didn't help me, I might not have been able to master the Rasengan for at least another year."
Izuna just shrugged coldly, hiding his pride behind a calm expression.
—————
Later…
The sun dipped lower behind the high Uchiha compound walls, bathing the courtyard in a soft golden glow. Izuna wiped sweat from his brow, still catching his breath after a long, draining session with Shisui. The air smelled faintly of fresh leaves.
Shisui sat against a wooden pillar, breathing heavily but wearing a satisfied grin. In front of them, little Itachi stood with a small wooden kunai gripped tightly in his tiny hands. There was a strange calm in his young eyes, focused, unblinking, older than they should have been.
"Itachi, you should be resting now," Izuna said gently, but the boy just stepped forward, serious as ever.
"Izuna-san, I want to train with you. Every day." His voice was soft but didn't waver.
Izuna raised an eyebrow, glancing at Shisui, who let out a half-laugh, half-groan.
"Trust me, Itachi," Shisui said, wiping sweat off his forehead, "you don't want that. Izuna's training will drain every drop of energy you have. Even the warm-up feels like a punishment."
Itachi stared at him with that quiet defiance only he had. "I'm not afraid."
Shisui threw his hands up dramatically. "You hear that, Izuna? The kid wants to die in training."
Izuna chuckled and stepped forward, resting his hand on Itachi's small shoulder. He looked him straight in the eyes — the boy's gaze was sharp as a blade.
"You've got a shinobi's heart, Itachi. But take your time. One day, you'll be strong. But for now," He ruffled Itachi's hair, making the boy flinch. "Just watch and learn. Grow slow."
Before Itachi could answer, soft footsteps echoed behind them. Mikoto appeared at the courtyard gate, still in her simple clan robes, her calm presence instantly softening the air. She carried a small cloth bundle — likely dinner for the boys.
"There you are, Itachi," Mikoto called gently. Her eyes moved from her youngest to Izuna and Shisui, and she offered them a small, warm smile. "I hope you two haven't turned my son into a little monster already."
Shisui laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "Ah, Mikoto-san — it's not our fault. He begged us first."
Itachi looked at his mother, still gripping the wooden kunai stubbornly. "Mother, I want to train. Izuna-san promised"
Mikoto bent down, brushing a strand of hair behind Itachi's ear as she smiled softly. "Itachi… you're still so small. You have plenty of time to grow strong. Tonight, you'll rest, alright?"
She glanced at Izuna with that same motherly look, protective, but trusting. "And you, Izuna… don't push him too hard yet, hmm?"
Izuna bowed his head slightly. "I promise, Mikoto-san. For now, just basics."
Mikoto gave a small laugh. "Basics? Knowing you, Izuna, your 'basics' are more than enough to exhaust grown men."
Shisui nearly choked laughing. "She's not wrong."
Mikoto stood, gently took Itachi's hand, and led him away. Itachi looked back over his shoulder at Izuna, eyes burning with quiet promise. Izuna just raised a hand and waved.
"Rest up, little one," he called softly. "We'll wait for you."
As they disappeared into the hallway, the courtyard fell silent again. Shisui let out a long sigh, flopping back on the stone step. "You know, Izuna… one day, I think Itachi will be stronger than me"
Izuna didn't answer at first. He looked up at the fading sky — the stars just starting to appear behind drifting clouds. He could still feel the faint pulse of his Mangekyou behind his eyelids, like an ember waiting to blaze