7: Prodigy

It all began when his son was three years old.

"I want to be a ninja." The words were spoken with a conviction and resolve rarely seen in such a young child, feelings conveyed so clearly that they caught Kizashi Haruno completely off guard.

Although he knew that in a village like Konoha, a ninja village, words like these would eventually come from his son's mouth, he hadn't expected it to be so soon, nor that those words would carry such sharp certainty.

His wife, Mebuki Haruno, who had also been present, turned to look at him with a slightly furrowed brow. The worry and doubt were evident in her eyes, feelings that he could see reflected in his own face through the bright green eyes of his son.

Kizashi thought it would be complicated, but that day they managed to make their son understand that it wasn't the time yet, that he was still young.

Sukuna seemed to accept it calmly and without much complaint. Kizashi thought that was the end of it until a few weeks later, his son brought up the subject again.

"I want to train to be a ninja."

"Uh, Sukuna-chan, I thought we already talked about this. You're still a bit young for the academy." His son nodded as calm and serene as ever.

"I know, but while I was playing in the park, some older kids made fun of me because I didn't know how to throw shurikens. And when I asked them to show me, they didn't want to teach me."

Kizashi blinked, then understood—bullies. He didn't expect his poor son to encounter them so soon.

"I see. In that case, let this old man teach you a couple of moves."

Kizashi hadn't planned to teach him much at first, just a few basic moves to impress some kids and let his son make more friends.

"So, I should do it like this, right?" Sukuna took the shuriken, a weapon that seemed a bit too big for his small hand, a weapon that his short fingers should have held clumsily.

But instead, even with the size difference, his son managed to get a perfect grip on it.

Kizashi had only shown him once. Of course, he had carefully explained how to do it to avoid getting cut, but even so... it was only once...

...and that seemed to be enough for his son to play with it as if it had been attached to his hand since birth.

"S-sure, just be a bit careful since it's a real shuriken. Your mother would kill me if she knew I was letting you play with it." Actually, she would first listen to the explanation and then beat him to a pulp. Women—they didn't understand a man's pride and why it was important to defend it.

"So, how do I throw it?" At the question, Kizashi pondered for a moment. Did he really want to teach his son how to throw deadly weapons around other children?

"Watch and learn." He took one of his old shurikens and got into position. He explained each step in detail so his son wouldn't miss anything. Then, he aimed at his target and, with speed and precision, threw the weapon across the yard. The shuriken flew steadily, in a perfect straight line, cutting through the air toward a thick training log about 20 meters away.

In the blink of an eye, the weapon embedded itself precisely in the bullseye on the wood of the log. Kizashi couldn't help but smile; even though he was no longer an active ninja, it seemed his throwing skills were still in excellent shape.

"What do you think? Isn't your dad cool? Don't worry, Sukuna-chan, in no time, and with my guidance, you'll be able to do the same. For now, don't be disappointed if your first throw misses; it's normal for—" Kizashi blinked, the smug smile on his face freezing.

There are moments when you witness something you can't believe, moments when you doubt yourself and your own senses. A ninja always had to be ready for those moments, ready to doubt everything and everyone. After all, the cruelest genjutsus were always the most subtle.

Kizashi mobilized his chakra, using an old technique that seemed almost forgotten. He disrupted the flow of his own chakra while simultaneously trying to break any external influence that might be affecting his body.

There was none.

"It seems easier than I thought, thanks for showing me."

"W-well, that was just a basic throw. Any kid in the academy could do it. How about I show you something a bit more complicated?" He shouldn't, he shouldn't do what he was about to do, but... he needed to see if this was a fluke or not.

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A ninja never stops being a ninja.

It was something Kizashi had learned over time—he and his wife might have retired when the Third Shinobi World War came to an end, but they both knew that was just an illusion.

Once a ninja, always a ninja.

"I must say, I'm surprised to see you here, Kizashi. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

The smoke drifted peacefully through the air as the Third Hokage set his pipe aside and looked at the man kneeling before him.

"A little, Hokage-sama," Kizashi stood up at Hiruzen's gesture, then met his gaze. No matter how many years passed, Kizashi always felt nervous in his presence.

"Tell me, how have the sales been? I heard you and your wife have secured some good trade deals with the Land of Bears."

"Things are progressing smoothly. If all goes well, our main store will have a second floor by next year," Kizashi said with a hint of pride. His skills in commerce hadn't been something obvious early in his life. As a war orphan who grew up in a shinobi village, he hadn't had many options other than following the path so many others had taken before him. Becoming a shinobi wasn't easy, and surviving long enough to save up for other career options had certainly been a challenge.

But in the end, it had all been worth it, no matter how hard the journey to get there had been.

'Then why are you here?' a small voice in the back of his mind whispered, a voice Kizashi easily silenced.

"I see," the hokage looked at him with a sincere smile on his face. Seeing his people advance and prosper always sparked a bit of joy within his old body.

"But you're not here just to talk to me about these things, are you?" Hiruzen would have liked to come and go a bit more, catch up with old acquaintances. It was something a man his age should be doing more often, after all. Still, as Hokage, he didn't have such luxuries. his schedule had been a bit tight lately and with it the time he could allocate to small meetings like this.

Kizashi swallowed hard. He had been thinking about this meeting for a long time, debating what was right and what wasn't. But in the end, one thing was undeniable.

He was a ninja, and he served his village.

"Leave us," Hiruzen said to the air, and from the shadows, perfectly concealed figures faded away.

"!?" Kizashi looked at the Hokage in surprise.

"You seemed a bit nervous. I thought you might be more comfortable if we spoke alone," Hiruzen's smile was kind, and Kizashi couldn't help but bow in gratitude. It seemed the Hokage had seen through his intentions to have a private conversation, even without him saying a word.

"It's about my son," he finally said, catching Hiruzen's attention.

Had he learned about his son's friendship with Naruko? The old Hokage couldn't help but think this might be the reason for the man's visit, but he chose not to speak hastily and decided to let Kizashi continue.

"I believe... No, I'm certain that he has a talent never before seen in the shinobi arts." After those words left his mouth, Kizashi felt as if the enormous weight he'd been carrying since discovering this had lightened a bit.

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"Oh? What makes you say that?" Hiruzen couldn't help but let his curiosity show on his face; this seemed like an unexpected development.

Kizashi then began to explain everything that had happened since Sukuna came to him with the desire to learn how to throw shurikens.

"Since that day, it only took him a week to catch up to me and even surpass me in Shurikenjutsu. I know I shouldn't have, but I kept teaching him. Now, he has also mastered the use of kunai and has already completed the first chakra control exercise... I didn't dare show him more without coming to you first."

There was a silence that lingered in the air for a few seconds, hiruzen stroked his beard with a contemplative look on his face.

"And you say he's only three years old?"

"Yes..."

The Third Hokage walked to the window of his office and looked at the sunset, which was beginning to tint the leaves of the trees surrounding the village.

It reminded him of autumn.

"Times of change..." he whispered, and a smile appeared on his lips.

A prodigy of such caliber appearing at a time like this—was it just a coincidence or a sign of something more?

Hiruzen removed his hat and looked at the kanji for "fire" on it. It seemed that even with all the tragedies that had struck the village, it could still prosper in the hands of the next generation.

Perhaps it was too early to be so optimistic, but Hiruzen wasn't getting any younger, and the weight of carrying the hat in his hands had begun to leave its mark. Before his time came, he needed to ensure that the village's future would be in good hands, that the Will of Fire burning within him would be passed on to the right person.

"I want to meet him."

He didn't know for sure yet, but perhaps he had found another potential candidate.

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"Ugh," Anko groaned, her consciousness beginning to return. She vaguely heard the crackling of flames and felt the familiar warmth of a campfire against her body. She blinked in confusion until her eyes could process information again. Once her vision cleared, she was greeted by a cavernous ceiling.

"Looks like you're finally waking up, Sleeping Beauty. I was starting to get tired of waiting."

Anko nearly jumped at the sound of the voice, but her body protested. Frowning, she looked at herself—her Flak Jacket was gone, as was most of her ninja gear. Instead, several bandages covered her; her wounds had clearly been treated with care.

"Don't push yourself too hard, or you'll ruin all the work I did to treat you." Though still a bit confused, Anko decided to stay down. Then, her head turned to see Sukuna, who was sitting on a rock not far from her, staring at the campfire with boredom.

'What happened?' At that question, vague images began to flood her mind.

The fight, her losing, the cursed seal slipping out of her control.

"Argh!" Despite her body's protests, Anko sat up straight, her hand shooting up to touch her neck.

The burning and stabbing pain she had expected to feel was nowhere to be found, and for a moment, she wondered if she had imagined it all.

Then, the memory of a pair of red eyes flashed in her mind, making her shudder. Unintentionally, her gaze returned to Sukuna, and for a moment, she thought she was looking into those same eyes once more. But soon that illusion shattered, as she carefully observed that his clear green irises were only reflecting the color of the dancing flames.

Without realizing it, she stared at him for too long. Sukuna stopped staring at the fire and turned his bored eyes towards her, catching her by surprise.

"It seems you've recovered enough. In that case, it's time for me to go," the boy said as he stood up, dusting off his shorts.

"Why?" Anko was surprised, as the question had come from her own mouth.

"Uh?" Sukuna looked at her in confusion.

"Why did you help me? You don't seem like the type who cares about others." Anko knew her own reputation quite well. She was aware that even among her fellow ninja, few would be willing to lend her a hand. She didn't think someone like Sukuna, young or not, would be unaware of the rumors and gossip that circulated around the village.

"Don't mistake my mercy for kindness. I didn't help you because I cared about you or any nonsense like that." Now that sounded like the boy she had fought against. Still, as she looked at the carefully placed bandages on her body, she couldn't help but think that his actions contradicted his words.

Something flew towards her. Anko, though injured, was still a ninja. Her hand shot up, easily catching the object.

"This is..." She looked at the small, marble-sized ball of dark brown color.

"It should help you recover enough energy to get out of here."

Sukuna said nothing more and left the cave he had used as a makeshift shelter for both of them. He had initially planned to carry her out of the forest, but after thinking it over, he realized it would be really annoying to figure out where she lived and If someone caught him with her on his back, it could become a bit problematic. So, he changed his mind and ended up finding a shallow cave where he set up an improvised camp and treated her wounds. Of course, he could have fully healed her in an instant with his RCT (Reversed Cursed Technique), but revealing his cards like that wasn't his style, so he had to make it look like he treated her the traditional way with bandages and all.

'How annoying. I hope you're happy with this, Naruko…' He blinked, looking at the sky starting to turn purple and orange hues at last he remembered what had been bothering him.

'Uh, I forgot about her.'

Scratching his head, he couldn't help but grimace. Well, now he needed to think of a way to make it up to her, or she'd give him those damned puppy-dog eyes for the rest of the week.

'Maybe I should just rip that damned fox out of her stomach and save myself so much trouble,' a sinister thought crossed his mind for a moment before he easily dismissed it and began walking towards their usual meeting place.

Maybe it was time to introduce her to ramen. That would surely be enough to make her happy, right?

Back in the cave, Anko watched his retreating figure with unknown thoughts.

"Mercy, huh?" A short laugh escaped her lips before she shook her head.

She tossed the soldier pill into her mouth and swallowed it without chewing. Soon, she could feel its effects hit her body. Her chakra was greatly restored, and although she was still in pain, she could ignore her wounds and stand up. She reached for her ninja gear, which had been neatly placed beside her, and prepared to leave as well.

"What a strange brat."

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Night had fallen, and in the sky, a full moon shone splendidly alongside the light of distant stars.

"Your pouting is getting annoying, so knock it off."

Walking together down a busy street were two small figures. Although they were the same age, one was a few centimeters taller than the other.

At his words, Naruko pouted even more. Ever since they met up, she had been giving him a clear look of anger, something that had been amusing to Sukuna at first but soon began to grow irritating.

Sighing, his hand rose, falling onto her head and ruffling her already messy blonde hair, causing her to shiver a bit before her body relaxed.

"Come on, we're here. Look," Sukuna said, pointing to a stall not far from them.

Naruko lifted her gaze, reading the characters on the sign at the stall.

"Ichiraku Ramen?" She had seen this stall a few times in the past but had never wanted to approach it. Her experiences dealing with people and their shops had been unpleasant, and since meeting Sukuna, she preferred going to him when she needed something rather than dealing with the disdain and hateful looks from the villagers.

She frowned. Why were they here? Why not eat where they usually did?

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," she said, clearly expressing her discomfort.

"You won't know until you try. Let's go." Sukuna gave her a push, making her move forward, and soon both entered the stall.

"Welcome!" A cheerful voice greeted them, and a man with narrow eyes and a sincere smile emerged from the kitchen. His gaze settled on them for a moment, and for a second, Naruko thought she would see the familiar disdain she had grown accustomed to.

But there was none. The man's expression didn't change at all; he still wore a kind smile as he invited them to sit down. Sukuna dragged her along, and soon both were seated on a pair of high stools.

"What can I serve you, young ones?" Naruko hesitated; she had never eaten in a restaurant or food stall before and didn't know what to say. Her blue eyes turned to Sukuna, who, noticing her hesitation, pointed to the various signs displaying the names and ingredients of the different ramen dishes.

She had no idea which one to choose.

Seeing her indecision, Sukuna sighed and decided to speak up.

"Two Miso Chashu," he said to the stall owner, who nodded in understanding.

"Two Miso Chashu coming up!"

The service was quick, and soon two enormous bowls filled to the brim were placed in front of them. The extraordinary aroma made Naruko's eyes sparkle as saliva flooded her mouth.

"Remember to blow on it," Sukuna simply said, taking his chopsticks and separating them.

Naruko, who had long since learned to listen to him, nodded distractedly. She grabbed her own chopsticks, dipped them into the bowl, and easily pulled out a good portion of noodles. Her cheeks puffed out slightly as she took a breath and began blowing on them for a few moments before impatience got the better of her, and without hesitation, she shoved the food into her mouth.

What kind of divine food was this?!

With stars in her eyes, the blonde girl completely forgot about decorum and began devouring her ramen as if there were no tomorrow. Seeing her, Sukuna chuckled a bit and looked over at the cook—if he remembered correctly, his name was Teuchi or something like that.

"Maybe we'll need two more bowls," Sukuna said. The man glanced at Naruko in surprise before turning to Sukuna and nodding in understanding.

For a moment, the place took on a peaceful atmosphere, where the sound of pots in the kitchen served as white noise, accompanying the sound of a girl eating for the first time what would become her favorite food for the rest of her life.

It was peaceful and calm, something that had seemed so distant and strange to the pink-haired boy. For a brief moment, Sukuna imagined what it would be like to live a life like this.

But soon, that illusion shattered when the sound of a conversation reached his ears from outside the shop.

"Did you hear? It seems she managed to break the previous time record, even though she was just one person."

"They say she scared her opponent so much that he went crazy and decided to stop being a ninja."

"As expected of the Uchiha clan prodigy who graduated from the academy in just one year."

"The only good thing to come out of that clan if you ask me."

"Quiet! If someone from the military police hears you, you'll get us into trouble."

"O-oh, you're right."

The voices faded into mere whispers carried by the wind.

Prodigy, huh? Sukuna couldn't help but feel a spark of interest flash through his eyes.

'I wonder... How strong are you?'

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Note:

Well, here's another chapter. I didn't plan to write this so soon, but the idea just wouldn't leave my mind, and I couldn't write about anything else until I got it out.

So here it is. Let me know what you think. Things have progressed calmly for Sukuna, but soon it's time for the turmoil and darkness of the shinobi world to collide with him. What will happen then? I guess we'll find out together.

A fun fact: Kakashi graduated from the ninja academy at the age of 5 and became a chunin just a year later... a 6-year-old chunin, what a little monster, haha.

Finally remember that You can already find the next chapter of this story on P)atreon (p)atreon .com/EmmaCruzader )All the support received is appreciated ;D