Kazeo was lying on the floor of his house after completing his morning workout. 'Yesterday's experience wasn't great… though I handled it better than I expected. I only woke up once because of that nightmare about the room. Before going to sleep, I knew it would be either no dream at all or nothing but that nightmare.'
He sighed. 'I know it was necessary for our future... but still, showing a group of ten-year-olds an execution—even when there's no war going on, and none coming anytime soon—is just plain cruel.'
'Anyway, only five days are left before I meet Shisui and warn him. The good thing is, I came up with a story yesterday to distract myself. It turned out pretty convincing too, even without mentioning Danzo or Shisui by name. I just need to make him remember this story, and then... everything will be left to luck.'
He stood up and headed toward the bathroom to wash off the sweat sticking to his skin. 'I also need to start using soldier pills. Shisui said that if I take one every week, there's a good chance I'll be able to eliminate the hand signs for the Body Flicker Technique and expand my chakra field to 400 meters within two months.'
He had seen those pills before in an official ninja supply store when he'd gone to buy kunai and shuriken. Back then, he'd been shocked to hear about their effects. Soldier pills were usually reserved for long missions or wartime.
They were made from high-calorie nutrients, rare herbs, and secret chakra-enhancing compounds. They allowed a shinobi to fight non-stop for up to three days without rest. But they had a serious drawback—they didn't create chakra. Instead, they forcibly drew out the user's reserves, pushing the body beyond its natural limits. This often led to chakra burnout or adrenal fatigue.
Because of this risk, Kazeo had initially dismissed the idea of using them. In his mind, they were useful only for emergencies—not for daily training. Forcing the body to draw out chakra every day seemed like a shortcut to collapse. But Shisui had corrected that misunderstanding.
He'd explained that the pills could be safely used during training, as long as they were taken once a week and followed up with large meals or ration bars to help the body recover. Without proper nutrition, the user's body wouldn't be able to handle the strain.
A few minutes later, right at 7 a.m., Kazeo slipped into a plain white T-shirt and black jeans, then stepped out of his home. The village air was calm as he jogged through the familiar streets of Konoha. His destination was the blacksmith's workshop.
He needed help. Yesterday's attempt to buy soldier pills had ended in rejection. Even though he had his academy ID, the shopkeeper at the official weapon store had refused to sell them to him. The shopkeeper hadn't even looked twice before waving him off. "Come back when you're a Genin," the man had said flatly, "or bring a certified ninja guardian if you want to buy those."
And yet, that same man had happily sold him kunai and shuriken just a few days ago.
Hypocrites.
Still, rules were rules. Kazeo wasn't about to pick a fight he couldn't win. So today, he was trying a different route. The blacksmith had seen him before—seen the Hokage pay for his wire order without question. That silent transaction had done more for Kazeo's reputation than any words could have.
Now it was time to cash in on that image.
The blacksmith's forge was alive with heat and the rhythmic clang of steel. Sparks flew in the dim workshop as Kazeo approached, waiting for a break in the hammering. When he finally explained the situation, the blacksmith frowned beneath his soot-streaked face, arms folded across a muscular chest. "Soldier pills, huh? You know I can't just—"
"I need five more meters of the same wire," Kazeo interrupted smoothly, setting a small pouch of ryo on the counter. "Just like last time."
The blacksmith's eyes narrowed. A moment passed, and without another word, the man turned around, pulled out a scroll, scribbled something on a small slip of paper, and pressed it with his personal seal.
"Give this to the shopkeeper," he said, handing it over. "Don't lose it."
Kazeo nodded, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he pocketed the letter.
'Let's hope it does,' he thought, turning back toward the store with a hint of satisfaction in his stride. The hammering resumed behind him as he walked out, the heat of the forge fading with every step.
-----
Kazeo pushed open the heavy wooden door of the weapon shop. The familiar scent of polished steel and oil wrapped around him as he stepped inside. His eyes caught a new poster on the wall—it showed a Genin crying after an unofficial explosive tag failed during a mission, while their teammate was saved by gear purchased from an official shop.
In Konoha, shops were generally divided into two categories. The first were official shops, directly controlled and supported by the Hokage and the village administration. These shops were allowed to sell only licensed equipment, often supplied or approved by the village itself.
The second type were unofficial shops, run independently by civilian merchants or ninjas. While they lacked access to high-grade or restricted tools, they sold their equipment more cheaply due to fewer regulations. However, the village imposed higher taxes on them—partly as a way to discourage unregulated trade and maintain control over the quality of shinobi gear.
Kazeo's eyes lingered on the poster for a moment before he spotted the shopkeeper and walked toward the counter. The same man from the day before stood waiting, raising a curious brow as Kazeo silently handed him a sealed letter.
The man opened it, scanned it once, and burst into laughter. "Well, brat! You should've said you were related to Fujiyo-san!" he chuckled, walking over to a cabinet and pulling out a small wooden box. "If you'd mentioned that yesterday, I would've handed these over without blinking."
Kazeo kept his expression calm, offering only a polite smile. "So… how much for these eight pills?"
The shopkeeper waved a hand. "Don't worry about it—it's already paid. Fujiyo-san included the cost in the letter."
That caught him off guard. Kazeo's brows drew together, confusion flickering in his eyes. 'Paid? Why would he cover it? ' His brows furrowed in silent confusion as he tried to piece together the blacksmith's motive. But no answer came to mind. After a moment, he gave up. 'Guess I'll ask him directly. '
Before leaving, he tilted his head slightly and asked, "By the way, what grade are these pills? And when do I need to change it?!"
The shopkeeper leaned on the counter and explained, "You're training and in the academy, right? So your chakra should be around Genin level if you are buying these pills—enough to get by, but not enough to train hard without running out. These are medium-grade soldier pills, mostly used by Chunin. Once your reserves increase to mid-Chunin level, you can switch to top-grade pills. Those are what Jounin use during tough missions."
Kazeo nodded, storing the information in his head. He lingered for a few more questions before finally leaving the shop and heading back toward the blacksmith.
The forge's heat hadn't cooled since earlier. The man was busy at work, but paused as Kazeo approached. When Kazeo asked about the payment, the blacksmith shrugged like it was no big deal.
"I just added the cost of the pills to the invoice for the chakra wire and forwarded it to the Hokage's office. Figured it'd go through without a problem."
Kazeo exhaled softly and chuckled to himself. 'That explains it.'
After a few more casual exchanges with the blacksmith, he left the forge and jogged through the village streets, chakra pills secure in his pouch. The evening air brushed against his skin as the academy gates came into view.
'This time', he thought, a smile spreading across his face, 'when I see Shisui, I'm gonna ask him to teach me a C-rank jutsu. Don't know if he'll say yes… but what's the harm in trying?'
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Same evening, elsewhere in the village…
While Kazeo wrapped up his training for the day, wiping sweat from his brow and settling down for a well-earned rest, far away, another chapter in Konoha's tragic history was nearing its end.
It was a quiet evening, but somewhere, amidst the trees near a cliff, blood was staining the wind.
Shisui Uchiha, once known for his unwavering loyalty and unmatched body flicker technique, was whispering his final words to Itachi Uchiha. One eye gone. His breath was ragged, and yet, his resolve remained unshaken.
But this story had begun months earlier, when the plot had still followed its destined course.
At the time, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had granted Shisui permission to spy on his own clan in hopes of preventing a civil war. Trusting him completely, the village hoped that Shisui's loyalty and wisdom would defuse the rising tension before it reached the point of no return.
Shisui accepted the role, though it weighed on him more than anyone could imagine.
Despite his many efforts, the Uchiha clan refused to back down from the coup d'état they were quietly organizing. Their pain, their pride, their desire for justice… none of it could be softened with diplomacy. Watching his clan's stubborn resolve grow each day, Shisui began to understand the magnitude of the disaster to come, and he grew desperate.
Eventually, a plan was formed by the elders.
Shisui would use the ultimate genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami, on Fugaku Uchiha, the clan head, to subtly manipulate his decisions and bring the rebellion to an end without bloodshed. It was risky, but it was their best shot at peace.
But peace was never Danzō Shimura's method.
The elder, ever shadowed in ambition and suspicion, believed such a strategy was naive. In his mind, even if Shisui succeeded in controlling Fugaku, someone else in the clan would rise and reignite the flames. Worse, Danzō feared that Shisui, with power as dangerous as his, might someday turn against him. So, in the name of "protecting the village," Danzō made his move and did what he always did.
He struck from the shadows and ambushed Shisui. Though Shisui easily overpowered the elder at first, the fight was far from over. Danzō had already implanted a Sharingan and activated the forbidden technique, Izanagi, rewriting the outcome of reality itself.
In one brutal instant, he snatched Shisui's right eye.
Surrounded by Danzō's Root operatives and bleeding out, Shisui barely managed to escape with his remaining eye—and his life.
But hope had faded. Shisui now understood that he couldn't stop the coup alone. Worse, he knew Danzō would stop at nothing to take the other eye.
And so, he chose to give it away. He found Itachi, the only one he could trust—the only one who might still protect what little remained of peace.
Shisui entrusted him with the left eye and his final wish: "Protect the village… and protect the name of the Uchiha."
He left behind a suicide note for the clan, claiming he no longer had the will to go through with their plans. Carefully worded, it also suggested that he had destroyed both of his eyes before throwing himself into the Naka River. It was a final deception meant to bury his power with him so Danzo won't go after Itachi and it could no longer be used as a weapon.
Because the clan had other ideas. They had hoped to use Shisui's eyes to control the Hokage, to turn the tide in their favor, and to reclaim their lost power from Danzō's grasp.
But Shisui had already made his decision.
And as the stars blinked in the sky above, one fell—leaving behind nothing but ripples in the water and a memory in Itachi's heart that would never fade. With his death, as Shisui hoped, Itachi awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan.
[ A/N:- Next chapter -> Graduation Exam ]