Chapter 21: The Goal is to be Forced into Becoming a Ninja!
Uchiha Itachi's pupils contracted ever so slightly.
His gaze locked, unblinking, upon Amamiya Rei's seemingly ordinary hand.
Gifted with natural intelligence, Itachi instantly recognized that the deceptively simple ninjutsu Rei had just displayed was, in truth, far from simple.
At the very least, he had never once witnessed any other shinobi perform such a technique.
Shisui too was momentarily taken aback, freezing in place for an instant. When he regained his composure, he immediately turned to Rei beside him and asked,
"Rei, when did you learn that move?"
Rei tilted his head slightly in confusion before replying, "I saw you all using these… shuriken, so I wondered if wood could do the same thing… and it turns out it really can!"
By the time he reached the end of his sentence, a spark of pure delight glimmered within his eyes.
Yet, when Rei's gaze met Shisui's face, that joy instantly vanished, replaced by a flicker of guarded wariness.
A storm surged within Shisui's heart.
Just learned it…?
In that instant, Shisui realized that Rei's talent for Wood Release(Mokuton) was extraordinary—exceptional even—but utterly unguided. If someone were to properly instruct her, the power Rei could unleash would be beyond imagination.
Shisui's earlier excitement was abruptly doused, as though a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, the moment he saw the caution in Rei's eyes.
Rei was afraid.
Afraid of her own abilities.
Recalling the chain of events that had followed the first time Rei's Mokuton had been exposed, Shisui's chest tightened with guilt. He understood then—the reason Rei had become so timid and wary was because of him.
"Rei, that's amazing," Shisui said simply, his tone sincere but stripped of any sudden, overreaching gestures.
It was enough to make Rei relax—if only slightly.
Rei had never once said he wouldn't become a shinobi. In truth, being a shinobi meant far more chances to eat meat. Yet but his earlier resistance toward the idea of becoming one had been something Shisui and the others had witnessed with their own eyes.
That change of heart needed a convincing reason—and the right opportunity.
His Mokuton was a perfect stepping stone.
The power of the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai was well-known throughout the entire shinobi world.
Even the smallest display of talent would surely stir certain people into action, eager to force him into becoming a shinobi.
Rei was simply waiting for that moment to arrive. Until then, he would lie low, while revealing only a fraction of his skill to bait the hook.
Shisui and Itachi soon began their true sparring session.
Their movements were lightning-fast, their figures flickering between the trees like shadows in a storm.
In battle, both of them shed their usual warmth. Their strikes were sharp, relentless—so much so that, to an uninformed observer, they would seem like genuine enemies locked in deadly combat.
Even the wind in the forest seemed to be sliced into countless ribbons by their movements, releasing sharp whistles with each cut.
Though Itachi was a genius, the gap in age was undeniable. As in past training sessions, he was still no match for Shisui.
Shisui never held back in sparring, determined to push Itachi's limits and accelerate his growth.
Itachi's small frame plummeted from the air.
Rei could not help but marvel at the shinobi world's merciless methods of education.
He did not want Itachi's "meat quality" to be damaged from the fall.
A massive vine burst through the soil beneath the boy, coiling securely around his waist before gently setting him down.
Itachi blinked in surprise.
Even without the vine, he could have adjusted his stance midair and landed without injury.
Rei stepped over to Itachi's side, examining him carefully—checking whether the "quality" of his meat had suffered any damage, lest it affect the "flavor" when the boy grew up.
Neither Itachi nor Shisui bore any serious wounds—only the inevitable scrapes and bruises of close combat.
With careful precision, Rei used medical ninjutsu to erase erase every scratch and bruise, restoring their skin to a pristine, unblemished state.
Only after confirming they had returned to their healthy, soft-skinned appearance did he release them with satisfaction.
"…It's probably dinner time, isn't it?" Shisui murmured, glancing toward the darkening sky before casting a tentative look at Rei.
Perhaps it was the hope and courage Rei had given him today, Shisui gathered his nerve and invited her boldly, "Rei, let's go eat yakiniku together."
The anticipation in his eyes made it hard to refuse.
Unfortunately for him, Rei was a demon.
Rei averted his gaze—not because he didn't want to eat, but because he very much did. Still, he had to refuse.
He'd already given Shisui more than enough sweets for one day; it was time to let him cool off, lest he grow too self-satisfied.
Rei's rejection was swift and unhesitating.
Disappointment surged through Shisui like the incoming tide but he recovered quickly.
"I'll walk you home, then," he offered.
Rei refused once more.
"I can go back by myself," he said firmly.
His tone left no room for argument and Shisui dared not push further. All he could do was watch regretfully as Rei's figure disappeared from sight.
The thought of not seeing Rei again for quite some time left a faint sadness lingering in Shisui's heart.
Though Rei no longer treated him with yesterday's cold indifference, the trust they'd once shared was still far from restored.
Once broken, trust was indeed hard to rebuild.
Drawing a deep breath, Shisui steeled himself once more. He would win Rei's forgiveness—no matter how long it took.
Gathering his thoughts, he turned to the boy beside him.
"Itachi, could I ask you not to tell anyone about Rei's jutsu?" Shisui said earnestly.
For now, only a handful in all of Konohagakure knew of Rei's Mokuton bloodline. Itachi's seeing it today had been purely accidental.
Rei was not a shinobi. She had no understanding of Mokuton's true significance, nor did she have any desire to become a shinobi. Shisui would not force her.
Once the secret was fully exposed, the decision of whether or not Rei became a shinobi would no longer be her to make.
Shisui had already wronged Rei once. He would not see her hurt a second time.
Fortunately, the witness was Itachi. Shisui trusted him to keep his silence.
"…Alright," Itachi replied with a nod.
Meanwhile…
Rei returned home and had barely opened the door when he found Kushina lounging on the sofa, chin in her palm, eyes glimmering with curiosity and gossip.
In the kitchen, Minato was still at work, moving tirelessly like a diligent honeybee.
"Welcome back," Minato greeted warmly, smiling as he stirred the bowl in his arms.
Rei returned the greeting—only to be immediately pulled over by Kushina.
"So… how did things go with Shisui?" she asked, her tone casual yet brimming with expectation.
At that moment, Rei felt an inexplicable guilt—like a child caught sneaking out to play.
"…It was fine," he replied cautiously with a nod.
Kushina's lips curved faintly. She did, in truth, think rather well of Shisui…
But then—
A thought struck her, and her smile vanished at once.
No, something was wrong.
Rei hardly knew any boys in Konoha at all.
Of course Shisui would stand out in such circumstances!
"This won't do!" she declared suddenly.
"Rei's circle of friends in Konoha is still way too small! Rei is so charming—"
"If she ends up liking that Shisui kid before meeting more friends, won't that be far too much of a bargain for that boy?"
Recognizing her "mistake," Kushina resolved to help Rei meet more outstanding friends.
From the kitchen, Minato poked his head out, smiling helplessly.
"Kushina… you're overthinking it. They're just friends right now."
Kushina gave a soft, dismissive huff.
Hadn't Minato himself swept her off her feet when she was still young?
Rei was far too exceptional to be "handed over" so easily.
While she plotted new ways for Rei to expand his circle of friends, Minato's voice called from the kitchen.
"Dinner's ready!"
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