He was the same age as Musashi, but their styles were worlds apart. The boy's fighting style was sharp, deadly, and efficient. Every kunai he threw ended an opponent's life with surgical precision.
Itachi Uchiha, huh?
Musashi was distracted for a split second, and the enemy Genin's eyes lit up! Seizing the opportunity, he launched a kunai straight at Musashi!
Just as Musashi was about to deploy his "Tactical Combat Roll" to dodge, a flash of light cut through the air!
Clang!
Two kunai collided in mid-air. One clearly carried far more force than the other, knocking the first off course and driving it—along with itself—straight into the Cloud Genin's body, ending his life.
"Motherf—" Musashi almost cursed out loud.
That was the opponent he had painstakingly selected!
He turned around only to find the battle had died down. The enemy was already retreating.
Musashi immediately plastered a bright, youthful smile on his face.
"Thanks a ton!" He walked up to Itachi Uchiha and extended his hand.
"I'm Musashi Ryomiya. Just call me Musashi. And you?"
Itachi didn't shake his hand. "Itachi Uchiha."
"Ah! Itachi. Seriously, thanks for that back there. If not for your kunai, I would have been toast! Thank you."
"You're welcome," Itachi said flatly. Unsure how to handle Musashi's sudden enthusiasm, and hearing his clan members calling his name in the distance, he turned and walked away.
The enemy retreated, and the Konoha forces began to regroup, treat the wounded, and recover their stamina.
Musashi bandaged his minor scrapes.
In a full-scale ambush like this, with his current weak power level, simply staying alive was the best he could do.
The exhausted Konoha ninjas took turns resting.
But what they didn't expect was a second wave. Before dawn, the Cloud Village launched another night raid.
Screams, battle cries, blood.
The scene from a few hours ago repeated itself.
Musashi was back in the thick of it. Even though he was cursing up a storm internally, he could only resume "slacking off" on the battlefield.
He ran into Itachi Uchiha again during the fight.
Unlike Musashi, who was struggling just to maintain a stalemate with his chosen opponent, Itachi was on another level.
His attacks were fierce. After taking down two enemy Genin, the Cloud ninjas realized this kid was dangerous. This attracted the attention of three Genin who surrounded him.
Even for Itachi Uchiha, facing three opponents at once was becoming perilous.
Genius or not, he was only four years old.
After a fierce exchange, two ninjas pinned Itachi down, while the third, with a ruthless look on his face, formed hand signs to finish off the Konoha prodigy with a jutsu.
Itachi's eyes widened.
Is this it?
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Several... no, a whole handful of shuriken slammed viciously into the Cloud ninja. Blood sprayed everywhere, and the sheer impact knocked the man sideways by half a meter.
Seizing the sudden shift in momentum, Itachi broke free from the other two, rushed forward to finish off the injured ninja, and then turned to eliminate the remaining two enemies.
When he looked back, he saw the person who had just intervened still struggling to "fight" his own opponent.
By dawn, the enemy finally retreated for good.
Itachi walked up to Musashi, who seemed to be waiting for him.
Itachi didn't ask why Musashi had the spare energy to help him but not finish his own fight.
Perhaps he dislikes killing, Itachi thought.
Itachi: "Earlier... thank you."
Musashi fought hard to suppress the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Don't mention it."
Itachi nodded. "Your shuriken jutsu... could use some work."
Musashi: "..."
He hadn't focused on shuriken training, and he certainly couldn't compare to the Uchiha clan's shurikenjutsu. His style was all about brute force and volume—as long as it hit, it worked. Some of his shuriken weren't even spinning when they hit; they were basically thrown like bricks.
Secret Technique: Throw Everything You Have Jutsu.
Itachi: "I know some techniques. I can teach you when we have time."
Musashi: "It's a deal!"
The two raids had significantly reduced Konoha's numbers.
The logistics team had taken heavy casualties, so Musashi had to take on more work. For example... serving food.
This meant he saw Itachi Uchiha a lot more often.
"Konnichiwa, Itachi! We meet again!"
"Here, I'll give you extra. Eat up, grow tall!"
"Itachi, I have some questions for you tonight. Let's burn our Youth together!"
"Itachi, did you meet any tough enemies today? You look a bit ruffled."
"You brat! Who gave you the nerve? How dare you speak to the Clan Head's son like that!" A sudden wave of malice startled Musashi.
Behind Itachi stood an Uchiha clansman with bandages wrapped around his head, glaring at Musashi with hostility.
Musashi checked the uniform style... yep, a Genin!
The Chunin line wasn't at his station.
Seeing that Musashi wasn't trembling in fear, the Uchiha Genin's face grew even darker.
"Damn brat! A commoner like you doesn't even know the basic respect due to an Uchiha lord?"
"Enough! Daisho, go back!" Itachi's expression turned ugly.
"Lord Itachi, but..."
"Go back! Don't make me say it twice."
"...Yes!"
Musashi watched the two walk away.
Itachi... is this the 'capacity' of the Uchiha clan that you despise so much?
Following the Cloud's ambush, Konoha naturally launched a counterattack.
You raid me, I raid you.
Sometimes battles broke out in the camps; other times, raiding parties ran into each other halfway and started slaughtering immediately.
Musashi began to feel numb and weary.
Having to stay alert 24/7 was grueling.
His strength was still too low. He could handle cannon fodder or weak Genin to stay alive, but he had to avoid anyone stronger like the plague.
If he accidentally got caught in a Jonin's wide-range ninjutsu, his ninja career would end before it even started.
A few days later, another chaotic battle ended.
This was the largest battle since Musashi arrived. It wasn't just Konoha and Cloud; Stone ninjas were involved too.
The constant screaming made his ears ring, and the smell of blood numbed his nose.
It was a free-for-all, and people were dying every second.
After the battle, Musashi and Itachi leaned against each other, exhausted, resting.
Perhaps Musashi's ability to survive earned him some respect, or maybe Itachi wasn't naturally cold.
After many interactions, although Itachi still looked stoic, he didn't reject Musashi's attempts to get close.
A groan came from a pile of corpses nearby. Itachi followed the sound and found an enemy who was still alive.
To Musashi's surprise, Itachi took out his water canteen and gave the enemy a drink.
The enemy opened his eyes, his gaze shifting from confusion to shock... and then he suddenly attacked!
Shnk!
Thud-thud-thud!!
A kunai and a shuriken hit him simultaneously! The enemy lay down again, this time for good.
Itachi looked up, confusion written on his face.
"Musashi, I was trying to save him. Why did he try to kill me?"
Musashi shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe he was just as confused: 'He's trying to kill me, why is he saving me?'"
"Alright, stop overthinking it. Let's go back. Don't make your father worry."
"Father won't worry."
Walking across the blood-soaked ground, Itachi suddenly spoke.
"Musashi, where... are we going?"
Musashi: "Where? Back to camp to eat."
"No, I mean... this ninja world. These meaningless conflicts. What is the meaning of our existence? What is the future?"
Musashi: "Going home to eat a bowl of ramen made by Big Sister Ayame."
Itachi: "..."
"Hey, stop spiraling!" Musashi slung an arm around Itachi's shoulder as they walked. "Let me tell you: Ninjas are tools. Fighting is just a job! You and I aren't even Genin yet; we're barely the lubricant for the tools."
"As for 'meaning' and all that stuff, you have to find it outside of work hours."
"How about this: when the war is over, I'll take you to Ichiraku Ramen. You'll understand then! Let me tell you, Uncle Teuchi's new seafood ramen is delicious. One bite and your mind will clear right up..."