Goal - Naruto: Mindfire

Satoru's voice had surprised even himself. It rang out into the quiet training ground, sharp, desperate, and just a little too loud for comfort.

"Train you?" Itachi was the first to turn, his voice level, his expression unreadable. His dark eyes lingered on Satoru for a long moment before narrowing slightly.

Shisui, standing a little ahead, tilted his head, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "What do you mean, Satoru?"

Satoru hesitated. His heart pounded as though it was trying to leap out of his chest. For a brief second, he regretted asking; what if they dismissed him, what if he had just exposed himself too much too quickly? But he pushed that fear down.

If he couldn't seize opportunities, then what was the point of his second chance at life?

Drawing in a breath, he steadied his tone. "I mean… since I've been in the orphanage, there hasn't been anyone who could really teach me about chakra. I've tried on my own, but it's not the same. I need guidance. Someone who knows what they're doing." His gaze shifted deliberately to Itachi. "Like earlier… how you manipulated the kunai like that. How did you even do that?"

Itachi blinked once, then slowly turned his head toward Shisui, his expression thoughtful. "Should I show him?"

The exchange was simple, but to Satoru it was telling. Itachi deferred to Shisui, maybe not out of obedience, but out of respect. The realisation made the two of them seem like equals standing side by side.

Inside, Satoru's thoughts twisted sharply.

'Another lie. If Shisui knew the truth—that I've had guidance, that Nono has taught me chakra control exercises already—what would he think? But he can't prove anything. Even if he knows about Nono's ties to Root, he can't prove she trained me or didn't.'

Before Shisui could even open his mouth, Satoru pressed forward, layering his lie with another. "All I know are some basic chakra control exercises. That's not enough. Not if I want to reach my goal."

Itachi's head tilted faintly, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Your goal?"

Shisui smiled, "Do you want to be a strong shinobi?"

Satoru's answer was immediate, "Not strong. The strongest."

The words carried weight, heavier than his small frame should have been able to hold. They weren't shouted; they were spoken like a vow.

Itachi's lips curved into the barest ghost of a smile. "The strongest, hm? Then tell me who is the strongest shinobi you know?"

"The Fourth Hokage," Satoru replied without hesitation, his tone matter-of-fact.

At that, something rare happened. Itachi chuckled. It wasn't mocking, nor was it cold; it was quiet, almost gentle, like a boy who had been caught off guard.

Shisui, though, pressed the question further. His tone softened, losing its humour. "Why? Why do you want to be the strongest?"

For an instant, Satoru faltered. He couldn't very well spill his reincarnated soul's ambition, nor could he tell them the full truth about the weight of the future he knew was waiting. So he framed it differently, with just enough truth wrapped in a lie.

"Because that's the only way I can protect the people I love. If I'm not strong enough, they'll be taken from me."

The atmosphere shifted, heavy and sombre. Shisui's smile faded slightly, and Itachi's eyes grew darker. The words carried too much truth for both of them; they had seen too much loss already.

Realising this, Satoru quickly added, softening his voice, "That's what my father used to tell me. That strength is the only way to protect those close to you. I guess… I just never forgot it."

The tension eased slightly.

Shisui's lips curled back into a smile, though this one was quieter, gentler than before. "Then I would be honoured to help train the future strongest shinobi."

Beside him, Itachi made a sound that was suspiciously close to a stifled laugh. His mouth twitched, his composure cracking just enough to betray the humour he was trying to hide.

Satoru blinked, stunned. 'This… this is the most emotion he's shown since I first met him. He's almost unrecognisable when Shisui's around. It's like the mask slips, just a little, and you can see the boy underneath.'

It was oddly comforting, though it made his heart ache too. He knew how fleeting this side of Itachi would be.

Shisui stepped forward, clapping a hand lightly on Satoru's shoulder. "Meet me at Training Ground Fourteen tomorrow, after your Academy classes. Itachi will show you the place. We'll see what you've got, and we'll start from there."

He glanced toward the reddening sky, where the last rays of daylight stretched across the horizon. "But for now, it's getting late. You should head home."

Satoru's eyes lingered on their backs as the two began walking away together. His fists clenched at his sides. 'This is a good decision… right? Getting closer to them now, learning from them, it'll make me stronger, faster than I ever could alone. I need this. I can't afford to waste time stumbling in the dark.'

Then his eyes widened.

"Ah!" He slapped his forehead with the flat of his palm. "The library! I still need to find the library!"

He took off running down the corridor, muttering under his breath about directions and maps and how cursed his sense of direction was in both lives. His footsteps echoed against the empty halls, his voice fading into the distance.

Meanwhile, Shisui and Itachi walked side by side down the quiet path leading away from the Academy.

After a stretch of silence, Shisui cast a sidelong glance at his younger friend. "What do you think?"

Itachi's brow furrowed slightly. "About what?"

"About Satoru," Shisui clarified. "What do you think of him?"

Itachi didn't answer immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the path ahead, his thoughts turning inward. Finally, he said, "I was surprised. It was the first time someone my age was able to reflect my own genjutsu back at me. And it seemed… it seemed to be his first time trying it."

Shisui's brow rose. "His first time, and it caught even you? Was his genjutsu that potent?"

Itachi's voice remained calm, factual. "Yes. But it was still easy to break. He only has one tomoe in his Sharingan. With that, the ceiling is low."

Shisui hummed thoughtfully, then added, "His father was from the Yamanaka clan. Maybe he inherited some of their mental talents. They've always been adept at subtle manipulations of the mind. That might explain how quickly he adapted."

For a moment, silence stretched again, only the crunch of their sandals on the dirt road filling the air. Then Shisui tilted his head, a playful glint in his eye. "Tell me, Itachi… if Satoru were to awaken a three-tomoe Sharingan, and if he trained alongside us… Do you think you could break free if he cast genjutsu on you again?"

Itachi stopped walking for a moment, his eyes flicking toward Shisui. His voice came sharp, immediate. "Of course I could."

The answer was so quick, so firm, that it almost carried the sting of insult. His pride, subtle though it often was, had been pricked.

Shisui chuckled softly, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Just asking."

Itachi looked away, his composure settling back into place, but the faintest crease of irritation lingered between his brows.

Chapter 24 - Goal