Return of the Uchiha Prodigy

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The air was heavy with tension, a stillness that only came before the storm. Itachi Uchiha stood silently in the clearing, his expression calm, yet his eyes sharp with calculation. Across from him, Minato Namikaze—the Fourth Hokage—watched him with equal focus, his stance loose but prepared.

Suddenly, a crow perched near Itachi dissolved into flames, its body splitting with a deafening boom. The resulting explosion engulfed both figures in an inferno.

When the smoke cleared, a flock of crows darted from the fiery chaos, weaving through the air with frantic speed. As the last crow circled, Itachi's figure materialized in its place, a faint shimmer marking the substitution.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, his keen eyes scanning the battlefield. "A direct attack won't be enough," he murmured, forming a quick seal. The scattered crows began to circle him once again, their movements sharp and deliberate, a manifestation of Itachi's precision.

From behind, a sharp caw broke his concentration. Instinctively, Itachi pivoted, his Sharingan blazing to life.

Minato appeared in a blur, faster than the eye could follow, his kunai slicing toward Itachi's neck. Clang! Itachi raised his blade in time, but the impact was brief—his form scattered into a swirl of crows, dispersing in every direction.

"Not a shadow clone…" Minato murmured, landing softly on the ground. His eyes narrowed. "And not a simple substitution. Genjutsu, perhaps?"

The realization hit him as quickly as the technique had been cast. The subtle lift of Itachi's index finger had been the trigger.

"You're good," Minato remarked, his voice calm despite his predicament. "But you won't keep me here for long."

Closing his eyes briefly, Minato surged his chakra, disrupting the flow and shattering the illusion. The world flickered, the false imagery peeling away to reveal Itachi standing a short distance away, his hand already forming another seal.

Before Minato could act, Itachi's Sharingan shifted, the tomoe spinning into a more complex pattern—his Mangekyo Sharingan. The transformation was accompanied by an ominous aura that sent a ripple through the clearing.

"It's been a while since I've used this…" Itachi muttered under his breath.

Minato's form flickered as he activated his Flying Thunder God Technique, vanishing just as Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan unleashed its power. Black flames erupted where Minato had been standing, consuming the ground in unquenchable fire.

His sharp eyes observed the flames with unease. The black fire clung to a nearby tree, devouring it with terrifying persistence.

Itachi exhaled, blood trickling from the corner of his eye. The strain of the technique was evident, his breathing labored. "I see…" Minato's voice cut through the tension. "You've regained the power of the Mangekyo. But at what cost?"

Itachi wiped the blood away, his face betraying no emotion. "The Mangekyo has always come at a price," he replied simply.

Minato gave a faint smile. "Still, you've grown stronger. I can see why you were so feared, even at such a young age."

The Fourth Hokage glanced around the battlefield. Several of his marked kunai were scattered across the ground, placed there in preparation for a swift counterattack. Despite the Mangekyo Sharingan's power, Minato had managed to avoid its most devastating effects.

"You almost caught me," Minato admitted, his tone calm but firm. "But this battle ends here. There's no need to push yourself further."

Itachi hesitated, the tomoe in his eyes slowly reverting to their normal state. He nodded, lowering his hands. The strain of the battle was beginning to show, his chakra reserves nearly depleted.

"You're right," he said quietly, his voice tinged with exhaustion. "Continuing this fight would serve no purpose."

Minato, standing a short distance away, offered a small, apologetic smile. "Sorry about that last move—I might've pushed things too far."

Moments ago, Minato had nearly been ensnared in Itachi's genjutsu, forcing him to rely on sheer reflexes and speed to escape. The encounter had forced Itachi to unleash his Mangekyō's defensive ability, Amaterasu, by instinct.

"No need to apologize. It was my own limitation," Itachi replied calmly, though he felt a flicker of frustration at himself. Minato's near-trap had been a calculated move, not an aggressive one, yet Itachi's body had reacted out of habit, unleashing a technique meant for dire circumstances.

Minato chuckled softly, crossing his arms. "Your genjutsu skills are incredible," he remarked. "I've never seen anyone cast an illusion with just the lift of a finger."

Itachi remained silent, his gaze steady. He had heard similar praise before, but coming from someone like Minato, it carried more weight. The Fourth Hokage wasn't merely complimenting him; he was analyzing him.

"It's not just your power that's impressive," Minato continued. "It's how you use it. That's what sets you apart."

Itachi allowed a faint smile to cross his lips. The praise was mutual. Minato had avoided Amaterasu's black flames—not through some unique defense but through sheer speed and precision. He had approached the fight as a test, carefully gauging Itachi's abilities without fully unleashing his own. That level of control and insight spoke volumes about Minato's genius.

"Achieving such strength without the advantages of a bloodline or clan… that's something else," Itachi thought.

Minato broke the silence. "You should spend some time with your team," he suggested. His tone was casual, but Itachi could sense the underlying reasoning. Shikaku Nara, with his loyalty to Konoha and strategic brilliance, was the perfect ally for someone like Itachi, even if Shikaku pieced together certain truths about him.

Itachi nodded. "I'll do my best."

"Good," Minato replied. "And one more thing—can you control the number of tomoe in your Sharingan?"

"Yes," Itachi confirmed.

"That'll be useful," Minato said thoughtfully. "You'll need to use your Sharingan openly, but in a way that doesn't draw suspicion. Activating it only in combat would seem out of place, especially since you're still regarded as a recent Academy graduate."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of cracking wood. Both turned to see the tree engulfed in Amaterasu flames collapsing under its weight. The black fire burned relentlessly, showing no signs of subsiding.

Itachi frowned. If left unchecked, the flames would spread to the forest, drawing unwanted attention from Konoha's villagers.

"Can you extinguish it?" Minato asked.

Itachi shook his head. "No. Amaterasu burns until its target is completely destroyed."

Minato's eyes narrowed as he considered the problem. "Water Release won't work against it... Hold on."

In a flash, Minato disappeared, only to reappear moments later with a sealing scroll in hand. He moved swiftly to the burning tree, unrolling the scroll and forming a series of hand seals.

"Sealing Technique: Fire Seal!"

The scroll glowed with chakra, emitting a powerful suction force that pulled the black flames into it. The inferno vanished, leaving only smoldering embers and scorched earth behind.

Itachi watched silently, a flicker of surprise in his usually impassive gaze. Minato's ability to seal the unrelenting flames of Amaterasu so efficiently was remarkable.

The Hokage returned to Itachi's side, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It's getting late. Let's head back."

With a single motion, the two vanished, reappearing in an alley within the Uchiha district. Minato had left a Flying Thunder God marking there beforehand.

"See you tomorrow," Minato said with a smile. "Shikaku will be expecting you at the Hokage's office."

With that, Minato disappeared, leaving Itachi alone. The young Uchiha stepped out of the alley, his gaze sweeping over the bustling streets of the district. Minato's reforms had significantly improved relations between the Uchiha clan and the rest of Konoha. Uchiha members now mingled freely with civilians and shinobi, a sight that had once seemed impossible.

A rare smile touched Itachi's lips as he walked through the lively streets, heading toward the quieter residential area where his home was located. Upon reaching the large tree near the entrance, he noticed a slender figure sitting beneath it, curled up with her knees to her chest.

"Izumi?" Itachi called softly, quickening his pace. The girl looked up at him, her face marked with worry. Before he could speak further, she stood and threw herself into his arms.

The sudden movement froze him. Izumi buried her face in his chest, her body trembling as soft sobs escaped her.

"What happened?" Itachi wondered. She had been scheduled to take Yuhi Shinku's genjutsu test earlier that day. Had she failed? But her distress seemed far deeper than disappointment.

He hesitated before gently placing a hand on her back, mimicking the way he would comfort Sasuke. Gradually, her sobs subsided, and she pulled back to look at him, her eyes red from crying but shining with relief.

"Thank goodness…" she murmured, her voice soft but steady. "I was so worried."

Her black eyes, filled with emotion, gleamed briefly. Itachi's breath caught as he noticed a subtle shift—the faint emergence of a single tomoe in each eye.

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