"Why is it so quiet today?"
The moment Uchiha Sasuke stepped back into Konoha, he felt something was off. Everywhere he looked, the streets were unusually empty, far too few people.
Did everyone go home for dinner?
Well, that wasn't a bad thing. It meant no one would see him like this. Sasuke tugged at the green skintight jumpsuit soaked with sweat.
Once they reached Ichiraku Ramen, he could finally take it off. After eating, he'd head straight to the Academy for special training with Naruto and the others.
Following Might Guy and Rock Lee, Sasuke crossed two streets, Then suddenly, noise erupted. A massive crowd. Voices overlapping like a tidal wave.
"What's going on…?"
Sasuke frowned.
"Sasuke!"
Might Guy turned back, thumb up, teeth sparkling.
"Whatever it is, don't let it distract you! Youth waits for no one!"
Sasuke's mouth twitched. He stopped asking. After spending enough time with Guy and Lee, he had learned an important truth:
Silence is gold.
If you talk… they only get worse. And it always ends with the two of them hugging and crying about youth.
Sasuke did not understand. How could the word "youth" be so cursed that it transformed people instantly?
He was still thinking nonsense when they stepped onto the final street. The noise hit him like waves, rolling, crashing, growing louder.
"So lively!"
Rock Lee's eyes were glittering.
"…?"
Sasuke froze.
Why was everyone gathered on this street?
Not good.
He suddenly realized,
He was still wearing Guy's green jumpsuit.
If people saw him like this…
He'd lose all dignity. The Uchiha would lose dignity.
He instinctively turned to retreat, but then he noticed Guy trembling.
No.
Sasuke raised a hand, but it was too late.
"Youth needs an audience!!"
Guy, same species as Lee, became exponentially more excited the bigger the crowd.
"Guy-sensei!"
Lee pointed at Ichiraku. "Let's have a Youth Showdown, see who finishes ramen first!"
"I accept your challenge!"
Guy flashed a perfect white shine. "Show me your youth, Lee!"
"Guy-sensei! I won't fail!"
"Too bad Naruto... "
Guy had just begun the sentence when Naruto's voice burst in.
"Guy-sensei! Lee!"
"Naruto!"
Both Guy and Lee lit up.
But neither of them noticed the crowd around them fall completely silent, staring at Sasuke.
Sasuke went rigid. Guy, Lee, and Naruto were drowning in youth, oblivious to life itself. But he wasn't. It felt like everyone's eyes were drilling into him. He even began hearing hallucinations:
"How did the Uchiha prodigy end up like this…?"
Sasuke panicked and started stepping back.
"Sasuke-kun?"
Sakura's voice cut through the noise.
He froze, looked up, Sakura stared at him in shock.
"It's really you…?"
Ino's eyes widened.
"Sasuke, why are you wearing that green jumpsuit?!"
"As expected of Sasuke."
Shikamaru nodded in genuine admiration. In his eyes, anyone brave enough to wear Guy's jumpsuit in public… was a warrior.
"Nooooo!"
Sakura wailed.
Sasuke's ridiculous outfit completely overwrote his handsome face.
"I… I… I just.. "
Sasuke stuttered from sheer embarrassment. He wanted to dig a hole and bury himself.
Damn it!
He should've taken this stupid thing off the second they entered the village!
"You, you've got the wrong person!!"
He covered his face and turned to run.
"Sasuke. What are you doing?"
A familiar silhouette stepped into view.
Sasuke's pupils shrank.
Why was Itachi here?!
No. No. No, Sasuke trembled.
"That outfit is… unique."
Uchiha Mikoto walked up behind Itachi, giving Sasuke a strange look.
She knew her son well. He would rather die than wear something this ugly.
So what on earth happened?
"M–Mom…?"
Sasuke locked eyes with his mother and brother, face burning red.
The embarrassment triggered a storm of stray thoughts:
"My son actually wore something like this? How shameful."
"Sasuke, you've disappointed me. Not a trace of Uchiha pride left."
Sasuke felt the will to live evaporate.
Emotions crashed violently inside his skull, and his eyes trembled.
"…Huh?"
Itachi was the first to notice Sasuke's reaction. He instinctively focused on Sasuke's eyes.
No way…
Was Sasuke about to awaken his Sharingan?
But why now, of all times?
Itachi froze. He had Mangekyō. He knew exactly what awakened a Sharingan,
Extreme emotional stimulus. Usually from death. Trauma. Loss.
But…
Embarrassment?
So this was… possible?
If only the Uchiha clan had known, they wouldn't have needed so many casualties. Or maybe the high-ranking Uchiha did know.
Itachi fell silent. Positive emotional extremes were far harder to trigger than negative ones.
"Sasuke?"
Mikoto rushed up.
Just as she began to speak, her eyes widened, Yin chakra surged violently from Sasuke's body. His chakra boiled, flooding into his eyes, a flash of crimson.
One tomoe spun into existence in each eye.
"Sasuke! You awakened it?!"
Mikoto gasped.
"What awakened…?"
Sasuke blinked, feeling his mind clear slightly.
"You awakened the Sharingan."
Itachi smiled gently. "Congratulations, Sasuke."
"I awakened… my eyes?"
Sasuke blinked in disbelief. Everything felt like a dream.
"Is that the Sharingan…?"
Ino leaned closer, fascinated.
"So cool…"
Sakura whispered, eyes shining.
With his Sharingan active, Sasuke suddenly radiated a dangerous, irresistible charm.
"Six years old, and already awakened. Your talent surpasses even mine."
Itachi said softly.
And Sasuke had awakened it at virtually no cost. No trauma. No death.
Unlike Itachi, who had watched a teammate die in front of him.
Most Uchiha awakened theirs on a battlefield.
Sasuke finally regained clarity. He clenched his fists, sensing changes through his body. Strength up. Chakra up. But the biggest change, his vision. Everything slowed down. Even a fly zipping through the air was crystal clear.
This was the Sharingan's first gift: Insight.
Similar to the Byakugan, though not 360-degree vision.
But the Sharingan had abilities the Byakugan lacked:
Copying.
Genjutsu.
Copying let the Sharingan duplicate any non–kekkei genkai ninjutsu it saw.
Like Kakashi copying Zabuza's Water Style techniques in real time.
Genjutsu allowed eye-contact illusions, one glare and the enemy was trapped.
And there were advanced Sharingan-based illusions, like Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes. Itachi had used the Mangekyō version to instantly restrain Orochimaru.
"I… I really awakened it?"
Sasuke whispered.
"It's real," Itachi assured him.
"Hahahaha!"
Sasuke finally lost control and burst into wild laughter.
Then midway through, he remembered the situation.
"…"
He abruptly stopped, face scarlet.
"…?"
Itachi suddenly stiffened. Sasuke's sharingan chakra had just increased again, A tiny step toward two-tomoe.
What kind of awakening method was this?
Itachi's entire worldview cracked.
"Alright, everyone's here, let's all join the ramen-eating contest."
Kitazawa arrived at last, visibly holding back laughter.
He'd been watching for a while. Naruto found Guy only because Kitazawa tipped him off.
As for Itachi and Mikoto, they simply saw the three "Youth Monsters," then spotted Sasuke beside them.
"N–No… I need to go home and change."
Sasuke pleaded, wanting to escape reality.
"No need."
Itachi casually smiled. "I think the outfit suits you."
"Wha—?"
Sasuke stared at him.
Was this really his brother?
Had he also contracted the Youth Virus?
"Going home will slow us down."
Mikoto comforted him. "It's only clothing."
"But…"
"Let's go."
Itachi grabbed Sasuke's hand and dragged him toward Ichiraku.
"W–wait—"
At Ichiraku, Sasuke froze again.
Akimichi Chōji and Hyūga Hinata sat across from each other, Both with mountains of empty bowls in front of them.
The crowd watched in awe.
"Hinata eats… this much?"
Even embarrassed, Sasuke couldn't help asking.
Chōji eating a lot was normal.
But Hinata?!
"Good question."
Shikamaru shrugged. "I want to know too."
They had arrived earlier, so they were already eating.
Apparently Chōji and Hinata were competing for the children's division title in the eating contest. That's why they hadn't gone to greet Sasuke.
"It must be a natural talent."
Sakura sighed. "So jealous…"
"If I had Hinata's ability, I'd eat through every cuisine in the ninja world!"
Ino added.
"Sorry for the wait."
Ayame stepped forward. "Your ramen will be ready soon."
"No worries!"
Guy grinned. "A little rest is good for training!"
"Thank you for understanding."
Ayame hurried back inside.
"That old man Teuchi must be swamped today."
Naruto laughed.
Mikoto glanced at Naruto. She had seen him earlier, but this was the closest they'd ever been. The Uchiha clan's relationship with Konoha's leadership had deteriorated since the Nine-Tails Attack, and Naruto, as the jinchūriki, was strictly isolated from the Uchiha.
Looking at Naruto, she couldn't help thinking of Minato and Kushina.
"Sasuke."
Itachi smiled. "Aren't you going to introduce your classmates?"
This was a rare chance. He truly hoped Sasuke could become real friends with Naruto and the others, so he wouldn't walk the same tragic path as Shisui and himself.
Maybe Naruto could even bridge the gap between the Uchiha and Konoha's leadership someday.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"
Naruto raised a hand immediately.
"Hello, I'm Sasuke's mother, Uchiha Mikoto."
Mikoto smiled warmly.
"Mikoto-auntie! Your bento is the best!!"
Naruto's eyes sparkled.
"As long as you like it," Mikoto chuckled. "Tell Sasuke what you want to eat, I'll make it."
"O–okay! Uh, actually I can eat anything! Don't trouble yourself!"
"It's no trouble."
She patted his head. "It saves me time deciding what to cook."
"…?"
Sasuke blinked between them.
Why did this feel… familiar?
Oh right.
This was exactly how his own conversations with his mother used to go.
Why did it feel like someone was stealing his family?!
If Naruto didn't have such a bizarre healing constitution, Sasuke might've suspected he had a long-lost brother.
"Mikoto-auntie, I'm Haruno Sakura!"
Sakura rushed forward, her rare chance to meet Sasuke's mom.
"Sakura? Yes, I know you. Your theory grades are excellent."
Mikoto smiled.
"Sasuke said that?!"
Sakura lit up instantly.
"I didn't say anything!"
Sasuke denied reflexively.
Mikoto paused thoughtfully. It seemed Sakura really liked Sasuke. But she didn't comment,
they were too young for such things to matter.
"Mikoto-auntie, I'm Yamanaka Ino."
Then Shikamaru, Kiba, and the others introduced themselves.
Kitazawa didn't join, he already knew Mikoto.
He checked his system panel:
[Current Quest: Help Uchiha Sasuke awaken the Sharingan.]
[Reward: Proficiency-level Yin Style Nature Transformation.]
[Quest Complete.]
Kitazawa nodded.
Knowledge flooded his mind, similar to when he learned Yang Style earlier. Proficiency level Yin Style put him roughly on par with Yūhi Kurenai's father, Yuhi Shinku.
One more breakthrough to "mastery," and he'd reach the level of Fugaku or Itachi.
He was satisfied.
With this much Yin chakra mastery, he could quickly learn five genjutsu techniques. He had two already. The remaining three should be done by next week.
Then he'd obtain the Genjutsu: Infinite Darkness Jutsu, and could even teach it to Kurenai.
Her talent wasn't outstanding, but she was his girlfriend. Of course he'd help her get stronger.
Worst case, he'd catch her a tailed beast one day.
"Ramen is here!"
Ayame returned with trays.
But everyone's attention was still on Hinata and Chōji.
"How many bowls now?"
Naruto gasped.
"Chōji's at twenty."
Shikamaru announced. "Hinata's at twenty-four."
"What?!"
Sakura nearly fainted. "Hinata's still in the lead?!"
"These kids can really eat."
Mikoto said in awe.
"Impressive…"
Itachi agreed.
Time passed slowly.
"I'm full… thank you for the food."
Chōji leaned back, exhausted.
He wanted more, but physically couldn't eat another bite. Time was up anyway, the limit was thirty minutes.
"You ate forty bowls."
Ayame counted, then turned to Hinata.
"You ate forty-five."