Time flew by, and once again spring passed into summer.
Unknowingly, it had already been nearly half a year since Haruma first met Hinata, and half a year had gone by quickly. Haruma continued to train diligently as always, never missing a meal, got a full nine hours of sleep every night plus a one-hour nap during the day, and devoted the rest of his time to practicing hand seals, and chakra control.
In half a year, Harumas chakra reserves had nearly doubled.
If he had the ability to see chakra, he would have realized that his chakra was already more abundant than that of third-year students at the Ninja Academy.At this rate, it wouldn't be long before his chakra levels reached those of sixth-year students, those who were on the verge of graduation and becoming a Genin. With that much chakra, he was already qualified to start learning ninjutsu.
Since last year, through repeated falls and setbacks, Haruma had successfully taught himself how to walk up walls at home using chakra control, perhaps due to inheriting his mother's talent, being both a genjutsu and medical ninja. Haruma also displayed a natural aptitude for chakra control.
At present, his chakra control surpassed that of most students in the academy.
Having completed the first few stages of chakra control, Haruma knew he could no longer continue training only at home.
The Naka River was where Shisui's body had gone missing, most likely swept away by the current so if Haruma wanted to retrieve the body, he needed the ability to walk on water. Otherwise, with the body of a five-year-old, it would be nearly impossible to drag a corpse from a river.
Thus, Haruma's training moved outdoors.
Fortunately, if there was one thing Konoha didn't lack, it was forests and trees, These forests were filled with streams and ponds. Haruma chose a forest close to the village to train in substitution, transformation, and clone techniques, as well as chakra control.
Anyone witnessing this scene would think Haruma was some sort of genius, but Konoha never lacked geniuses, many were more talented than Haruma could ever hope to be. Shisui, Itachi, and even Kakashi, who became a Jonin at twelve.
Compared to them, Haruma's talent was just "a bit above average."
So as long as Haruma didn't reveal his ability, he had no fear of attracting the attention of the Third Hokage or Danzo.
Through hard work, Haruma finally mastered the Transformation Technique in July, completed all three basic jutsu (Clone, Substitution, Transformation) by September, and learned how to walk on water by November. With water-walking now under his belt, Haruma could begin learning basic medical ninjutsu.
However, instead of medical techniques, he was more interested in sensory jutsu and the body flicker technique.
Luckily, his parents had left him scrolls on basic versions of both.
Although those jutsu weren't high-level, their potential was astonishing.Tobirama Senju's sensory jutsu could reach across the entire Land of Fire during the Fourth Ninja War, and his body flicker technique evolved into the Flying Thunder God.
To master such techniques required an immense amount of chakra control and incredible comprehension, both of which Haruma lacked. But he didn't care. Once he grew strong enough, he could simply raid a grave, find the remains of Tobirama or Minato Namikaze, and devour them. Problem solved.
One good thing about this world was that corpses, even after years, were often well-preserved. Kabuto became one of the major villains in the Fourth Great Ninja War precisely by digging up graves and mastering the reanimation jutsu. If it weren't for Itachi's intervention, the war's tide might never have turned.
"Now that I've mastered the Three Basic Jutsu and water-walking, all I need is the Body Flicker Technique. Then I can go to the cliff along the Naka River."
Feeling once more motivated, he finally made it home, dry for once, Haruma thought to himself. Would he break through to Kage-level potential, or stay average until twelve and rely on devouring others? That depended on how hard he worked next year.
In December, Haruma learned a new technique.
The Hiding with Camouflage Technique.
This was one of the more advanced techniques taught at the final year of the academy. At the start of the series, Naruto once used the camouflage Technique to prank pursuers by blending into a wall.
Now that he had Transformation and camouflage down, only the Shadow Clone Technique remained.
The year turned and Haruma had turned five years old, this year would be a turbulent one for Konoha.
The Uchiha clan, once the village's strongest, had been forced to the remote area near the Naka River. Their patience was running thin. Upon awakening the Sharingan, Uchihas often experienced deep emotions, radicals in the clan were pressuring Fugaku, the clan leader, to stage a coup.
As double agents, Shisui and Itachi had already relayed all of this to the village elders, tensions between the Uchiha and the higher-ups were at their peak.
Shisui, the clan's strongest, yet still loyal to Konoha, found himself unable to stop the radicals. As clan members began taking their anger out on villagers, Shisui's idea solidified:
In July, he approached the Hokage and elders, revealing both his plan and the truth about his Mangekyo ability. Kotoamatsukami, a genjutsu that could permanently alter a person's will. He intended to use it on Fugaku to prevent the coup, though the elders kept calm on the surface, they were inwardly alarmed.
Danzo, in particular, grew both envious and murderous. The Third Hokage, knowing Danzo would act, still allowed it to happen.
The day before another Uchiha clan meeting, Shisui met Danzo in the forest.Danzo attacked, but was blocked. Shisui let it go, respecting Danzo's status.
However, Danzo struck again, this time using Izanagi, stealing Shisui's eye.
Even with one eye, Shisui activated a one-eyed Susanoo and obliterated most of the Root operatives. Using his well-known Body Flicker, he escaped and met Itachi at the cliff over the Naka River.
There, he entrusted his remaining eye to Itachi and asked him to protect both the village and the Uchiha name. With a smile, Shisui jumped off the cliff to his death.
Watching his friend fall, Itachi awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.
He was only 11 years old.
At 11, he awakened the Mangekyo.At 13, he annihilated his entire clan.At 14 or 15, he was known as the S-rank kinslayer ... absolutely insane.
What Itachi didn't know was that he wasn't the only witness to Shisui's death.
Beneath the cliff, a cat had seen everything.
When Shisui fell flat, didn't resist, and only hit the river, his death was instant.The river was especially fierce that day, quickly washing his body downstream. That same cat followed the floating body. After gaining some distance from the cliff, the cat suddenly went poof into a cloud of smoke.
From the smoke emerged a short figure, who instantly appeared on the water's surface, grabbed Shisui's clothes, and flickered away.