It had been difficult to escape Kushina's after we spent several hours going over the basic and advanced forms of applications of my Phantom Map. It was easy to tell that she was lonely with Minato and me gone to the battlefield, so I felt guilty when she pouted, but I knew that I would have an early day tomorrow.
I arrived at the training field before dawn and summoned my five basic elemental clones. I had already created Lava, Scorch, and Boil Release, so I had hoped to use some quiet time to try fusing another combination that the village was known for, despite not having a wielder for years, Wood Release. Unfortunately, Shisui proved to be even more eager than I had expected and arrived at the training ground not too long after I did.
"You're early," I said, striding into the center of the field.
His chin lifted slightly. "I didn't want to waste any time, sensei."
"Good answer," I replied, then clapped my hands together once. "Then let's not waste any. Start running. Ten laps around the village walls, and we will likely run into Duy and Guy... They're on my team, a father and son pair, and taijutsu specialists, so don't compare yourself to them. You won't be following their path; you have your own."
His eyes widened slightly at the order, but he did not argue. "Yes, sensei!"
He set off at once, his small frame moving faster than I expected for someone his age, but then again, it made sense with 'who' he was. I followed at a distance, keeping within eyesight without pushing him as I gauged how his stamina held. Unsurprisingly, Duy and Guy were making their usual runs around the village, so I greeted them causally and asked them to gather the team at the dango shop around lunchtime after they were done with their morning routine.
I introduced them lightly and promised to do a proper one when we met up later, but I wanted Shisui to focus on his test and not be distracted. They understood, wished Shisui luck, then continued on their laps. Although he never said anything, I was fairly sure Shisui understood why I told him to not compare himself to them after the seventh time they passed us; I did not have the heart to tell him just how much weight they were carrying on their bodies while running at those speeds.
By the eighth lap his stride faltered, and by the tenth he was visibly drenched in sweat, but his determination never cracked. He stumbled back to the center, chest heaving, and stood straight even though his body wanted to bend. I handed him a bottle of water and let him catch his breath.
"Not bad. Your stamina is pretty for a young genin, but you'll need to work on your speed and even stamina if you want to be deployed in the future with my team. Kurenai and Asuma may not be physical monsters as Guy and Duy, but they can lap the current you, probably twice or three times even. Some of it is age, but stamina is an often-overlooked attribute of ninjas as we tend to be a strike hard and fast type rather than a prolonged battle, but unfortunately, that is more common in a large-scale war like we find ourselves in."
"I understand and will work harder, sensei," Shisui said with a determined nod.
"We will start training each morning with a jog like that while we are in the village then move onto the day's training, whatever I feel like, so feel free to ask if there is something specific you would like for me to teach you; I might be willing. Now, for the next test, do you know tree climbing?"
"Yes, sensei," he replied.
"Water walking?"
"No, sensei."
"Good, give me a moment," I said then turned around as I formed a few hand signs. With the stomp of a foot, I created a deep pit next to us and, with another set of signs, I filled the pit with water. "Now, the principle of it is the same as tree climbing, but it requires a much more delicate balance and control of your chakra. Give it a try; I'll fish you out before you drown."
His first attempt was clumsy, allowing his foot to sink into the water due to his unfocused control. I tugged him back by the collar, just as I had done for Asuma and Guy when they were learning and made sure that both of his feet were firmly on the ground before letting go. He tried again and managed to shakily place one foot on the water, standing on it for a moment as he tried to step forward with his other foot. Unsurprisingly, his chakra balance slipped, and I caught him by the collar yet again.
"Relax, don't rush it. Kushina, Asuma, and Guy all failed numerous times by they learned this basic form, and they fell again when they practiced on a real river. It's a learning process," I instructed.
He nodded his head then looked back at the pool and shifted his stance. Balancing most of his weight on one foot, he stretched the other out as he slowly stepped onto the water's surface, but what caught my eye was his. One-tomoe Sharingan lazily rotated around his pupil in each eye as he analyzed how his chakra reacted with the water.
He eased his weight onto the foot on the water then slid the other out over the water. With a few, slow gliding steps, Shisui reached the center of the pool and the perfect place for my usual last test. I did not use a lot of Water chakra, but enough to cause a ripple in the otherwise steady surface. It came in just the right direction, and as he was adjusting his weight with a little more confidence, disrupting his balance yet again but I was not there to catch him this time. He fell face first into the water then, as he resurfaced, he looked at me with a hint of annoyance, though he tried to mask it.
"Impressive! Kurenai had been the fastest to pick it up with five tries," I praised as he climbed out of the pool. "My test is to remind you that a river is much different than this contained pool of water, so don't do anything foolish because of a new trick."
"I understand, sensei," he replied, looking a little less displeased.
"Let's sit over in the sunlight, so you can and dry off. We can go over the general duties you'll be expected to do while we are at the front, and the protocols and rules need to be followed," I suggested.
He agreed with a nod, and we sat down in the sunlight. We discussed the Mist front, his likely tasks, and common codes that could pop up. It was not the most exciting event of the day, but it gave him the opportunity to rest and recover for his final trial. Once I knew that he was ready, we both stood up, and I summoned my Phantom Realm clone to test a theory. I tossed my clone a small pouch of marked shuriken and smirked as she pulled out several, already preparing for the spar.
"This is your final test," I announced. "A spar against my clone. Don't hold back, but don't expect her to play fair."
My clone smirked at him, and in the next heartbeat, she scattered the shuriken across the field, not at him but into the dirt, grass, and trees around, embedding them in wide arcs.
"Begin," I called.
Shisui moved first, closing the distance with a burst of speed, and aimed a kick at my clone's midsection. She twisted away, vanishing in a flicker of silver, and reappeared by a nearby shuriken, then lashed out with a counterpunch that he barely ducked under. He recovered quickly, weaving hand signs, exhaling a stream of fire toward her.
Again, she vanished to reappear by another shuriken, which left him frustrated as his attack met only air. His brows drew tight, his body settling into sharper stances as he tried again, this time layering feints into his taijutsu. My clone's laughter echoed, a low taunt, as she slipped between strikes, teleporting from one point to the next with ease. Then his eyes shifted and the Sharingan reappeared.
The Sharingan whirled, and for the first time he did not chase her blindly. He watched, and he saw. Phantom shifted her tactics, layering illusions over the field as she created false bodies standing by the shuriken. Yet as she flickered between the illusions, Shisui's eyes narrowed, and he struck through the haze, throwing a kunai through where the real clone had been a fraction of a second before. He exhaled, low and steady, as the Sharingan gleaming. Step by step, he began unraveling her tricks, but it was the combination of chakra that I sensed within him that made me excited.
"Enough. I don't need you to figure out that technique before I have the chance to perfect it," I chuckled, shaking my head. I can't have people wondering if I stole the technique from my student, even if I did copy the idea from his future-self.
My clone allowed her illusions to fade then walked around to collect the shurikens that she threw out. Shisui was breathing hard as his eyes still faintly glowed red. I closed the distance between him and me with my hands in my pockets and a light smile on my face.
"You did well," I said, walking forward until I stood before him. "Better than well. For your age and level of training, you're far beyond what most would expect. We just need to strengthen your foundation, and you'll grow into a powerful ninja without a doubt."
He bowed, voice low but proud. "Thank you, sensei."
I held his gaze. "Shisui, listen carefully. I believe you may carry something unique. Your Sharingan is obvious as a legacy of your clan. But when you began to pierce my clone's illusions, I felt something else. If I'm right, you may have a double Kekkei Genkai, a fusion of Yin and Space-Time. As incredible as that is, it is also a danger for you if others discover it; I should know as I have developed my own dual-element fusion."
His eyes widened slightly, the Sharingan fading back to black as he processed my words.
"You must not tell anyone of this possibility," I continued, voice firm. "Not your friends, not your squadmates, not your family. The only one you may wamt to share it with is Fugaku, if you choose to do so. He is your clan head and can offer you another layer of protection and resources that I can't, but jealousy and greed can affect anyone, even someone as calm and rational as Fugaku."
He nodded quickly, the seriousness of the moment anchoring him. "I understand, sensei."
"Good," I said, then let the tension ease by ruffling the boy's hair with a hand. "Enough of the heavy talk. We have somewhere to be. Let's go get some dango, and I'll introduce you to the rest of the team."
The gleam in his eyes returned, brighter now, and a smile spread across his face "Yes, sensei!"
By the time Shisui and I reached the dango shop, the sun was overhead, and the streets were alive with the hustle and bustle of people coming and going about their business. The savory-sweet smell of skewered dumplings drifting from the shop made my stomach grumble softly, but the sound of laughter caught my attention first. At a table outside, shaded by a broad paper umbrella, my team was already gathered.
Asuma leaned back in his chair, chewing lazily on a skewer. Guy was mid-gesture, arms sweeping wide as he told some exaggerated story to the group. Both Duy and Kurenai sat straight in their chairs, though relaxed, and listened to Guy rant with casual expression, long used to his enthusiasm.
A neat tray of dango skewers sat in the middle of the table with several untouched. Kurenai's quiet efficiency was written all over the order since every flavor the shop offered was arranged neatly so no one would leave unsatisfied. She always prepared for the unknown.
I stopped just behind Shisui and gestured toward them. "Here's my team, my first genin team. Duy is my assistant for taijutsu, the muscle of the team, and a chunin. Guy is his son, as I told you before, and a copy of him, while that is Asuma, my brother, and specializes in ninjutsu though his taijutsu is stronger than most genin as Duy is his personal teacher. Kurenai is the acting leader when I'm not around, and a genjutsu specialist, so you two could learn a lot from each other.
He gave a short, nervous nod, as we walked over. The chatter cut off as four pairs of eyes turned toward us.
"This is Uchiha Shisui," I said evenly, resting a hand briefly on his shoulder. "He'll be joining us, stationed at the command center with me when we move to the Mist front. Just like I told you before, you'll be operating as your own team, under Kurenai's leadership, but Shisui will be under my direct guidance until he's ready for more."
Shisui bowed politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Please take care of me in the future."
Asuma snorted, leaning his chair back on two legs as he gave the boy a long, pitying look. "Condolences, kid. You've got no idea what you're in for."
Shisui blinked, unsure if he was being serious, while Guy laughed so loudly a few passersby glanced over.
"Asuma..." Kurenai chided, though the twitch of her lips betrayed her amusement. "He's kidding... Mostly."
Shisui gave me a sidelong glance, and I only shook my head.
"Ignore them. They're dramatic." I pulled out a chair and sat, gesturing for him to do the same.
The boy hesitated then pulled out a chair and sat down across from me and next to Asuma. Kurenai passed me a skewer of the kinako dango, which she knew was my favorite, and I took a bite. Shisui hesitated for a moment then grabbed a tri-colored dango skewer and tried it with a happy smile.
To shift the energy among the group, I leaned forward, and commented, "Speaking of dramatics… do you all remember your first mission outside the village?"
As expected, Guy's eyes lit up instantly. "Yosh! The merchant caravan! I posed as a cripple, dragging myself along the road! The flames of my youth burned brighter in disguise!"
"Flames of youth," Asuma muttered, rolling his eyes. "More like your shouting almost costing us the mission."
Guy's protest was immediate, Duy laughing as he clapped his son on the back, and soon the whole table was caught in the back-and-forth, though it was mostly Guy and Asuma. Even Shisui cracked a smile, shaking his head as though wondering what kind of madhouse he had just stepped into.
We lingered there longer than I planned as the conversation wandered from stories of missions of the past to boasts of training milestones with laughter weaving easily between bites of dango. The tension of war felt distant, the kind of afternoon that let you almost forget what waited just beyond the village walls.
An hour or two later, and many dangos, we all stood up and headed down the street. As tradition when our group gathered with nothing pressing, we escorted everyone home one at a time. First, we left Kurenai at her family's house, and her father was waiting by the door, ever watchful of his precious daughter. Next, Duy and Guy peeled off toward their house with Guy already boasting that he would outdo his father's evening regimen. Then we stopped at the edge of the Uchiha compound, and I turned to Shisui.
"Tomorrow morning, same time. We'll work on some fuinjutsu to see if you like it. Patience is needed to mastery even the basics, but if you apply yourself, I believe that you can do it."
He bowed deeply. "Yes, sensei."
Finally, I escorted Asuma back to the Sarutobi compound, where our mother was waiting at the porch with her arms folded and already sniffing for the faint smoke clinging to his clothes. She noticed that I was lingering, so she sent him inside and gave me a questioning look. While I enjoyed messing with my father, I knew that my mother was far more responsible than Kushina and smartly left the scrolls containing the Mist swords with her after a short explanation.
The next few days fell into a steady rhythm. Each morning before the sun had fully crested the horizon, Shisui would be waiting at the training field. First, he would run laps around the village, and greet Duy and Guy as he saw them, then we would settle into whichever training that I felt like for the day. He was picking up fuinjutsu fairly well while his water walking skills have reached the point that he was practicing on a river. After using chakra paper to test his affinities, it was surprising to find that he had a Water affinity, very rare among the Uchiha, so I taught him a few C-ranked Water justus that he could practice on his own.
That did not mean I trained him alone during that time. Asuma dropped by a couple of times, watching with feigned nonchalance until I dragged him into a spar. Despite his grumbling, sparring had been his goal as I kept coaching him on my unique nin-taijutsu combat style that he was developing. His skill was improving quicker than I had, but I never got pointers like he did.
Kurenai stopped by twice for help with her genjutsu and applying it with sound. I pulled Shisui into the discussion and lesson as he had a natural talent with genjutsu as an Uchiha. Even if the Sharingan required eye contact to cast, sound-based genjutsu could still be useful to him.
Even Guy and Duy made an appearance, though they just wanted to spar endlessly. Sweat, laughter, and shouts of encouragement filled that morning. Shisui was left wide-eyed by Duy's raw speed and strength as it was the first time that he had ever seen the Eight Gates technique in action. Guy still could not match his father in strength or speed, but he was closing the distance faster than he knew.
After morning training and lunch, I would send Shisui home then head to Kushina's house. We had ironed out the details of what I needed for deploying my basic Flying Thunder God map, but that did not mean the work was done there. Together, Kushina and I sat cross-legged on the floor inscribing the seals onto specially made small iron bars that could attach to a person's belt without any difficulty. Each one had a special combination of seals to act as a 'name' and it easier for me to know who-was-who out in the field, but it was a time-consuming process.
Far faster than I would have liked, our deployment to the coast was approaching rapidly. A lot of important events would start happening soon, and there was only one that I could possibly change though I still debated it. If I saved Rin, would Madara corrupt another pawn or lie to young Obito? Is the devil I know better than the one that I don't?