When the second tomoe settled into place, the surge of chakra gradually stabilized.
Itsuki lowered his gaze.
The strain was real, but manageable. His reserves were still shallow compared to a seasoned genin, yet the flow through his coils had become smoother, more responsive. Each pulse answered his intent with less resistance.
Not enough to fight a chūnin.
More than enough for the Academy.
He exhaled slowly and leaned back in his chair, returning to his earlier posture by the window.
The Hokage Monument stood in the distance, unmoved.
Two tomoe at five years old.
He did not feel triumphant.
He felt exposed.
The Sharingan was not merely a talent. Within the Uchiha clan, early awakening meant expectations. Outside it, suspicion.
Strength attracts interest.
Interest becomes interference.
He rested his chin against his palm and let his eyes drift toward the trees beyond the training yard. The lecture resumed, Takeda Hiroto's voice steady but faintly strained.
Across from him, Yuhi Kurenai watched in silence.
There was no childish squealing, no exaggerated reaction. Just quiet curiosity. The faintest flush colored her cheeks before she turned back to the front of the room.
Behind them, Sarutobi Asuma no longer looked annoyed.
He looked competitive.
Takeda Hiroto paused mid-sentence and glanced back at Itsuki again.
The boy was staring out the window as if nothing of importance had occurred.
The teacher felt a flicker of irritation.
I'm explaining chakra control basics, and he's admiring the scenery.
Still… he could not deny what he had witnessed.
Two tomoe.
In seconds.
Takeda had taught long enough to understand the weight of that. Most Uchiha students awakened their Sharingan near graduation, if at all. Even then, it was usually one tomoe.
This was different.
He turned back to the blackboard and continued writing, forcing his thoughts into order.
The news traveled quickly.
By late afternoon, it had moved beyond the Academy walls.
Within the Hokage Tower, a report lay open across Sarutobi Hiruzen's desk.
The Third Hokage read in silence, pipe resting between his fingers.
Across from him stood Shimura Danzō.
"You've seen it," Danzō said evenly. "A five-year-old Uchiha with two tomoe. That kind of talent should not be left to grow unchecked."
Hiruzen did not look up immediately.
"He is a child."
"He is an asset," Danzō corrected. "Give him to me. Root will shape him properly. Loyalty before pride."
Hiruzen finally raised his eyes.
"You already know the answer."
Danzō's gaze sharpened.
Hiruzen slid the file across the desk.
Danzō opened it.
A single line near the top was enough.
Grandson of Uchiha Kazuma. Senior elder of the Uchiha clan.
Danzō's expression shifted.
Kazuma was not merely an old man living off reputation. He had fought since the late Warring States era. Even in old age, his influence within the clan remained formidable.
The Second Shinobi World War was still ongoing.
Alienating the Uchiha now would be reckless.
If Kazuma interpreted outside interference as a threat to his bloodline, he could pressure the clan's forces to withdraw from the front lines. Whether they would fully comply was uncertain.
But the possibility alone was dangerous.
For many clans, village and family interests overlapped.
For the Uchiha, the line was thinner.
"He'll remain in the Academy," Hiruzen said calmly. "Under observation."
Danzō closed the file.
"You're allowing a blade to sharpen itself."
"I am preventing a fracture," Hiruzen replied.
Smoke curled upward from his pipe, blurring the space between them.
"A prodigy within the Uchiha clan is not a simple matter," Hiruzen continued. "Handling him poorly would create more problems than it solves."
Danzō said nothing more.
But his silence carried its own intent.
Back in the classroom, Itsuki remained unaware of the discussion his name had already sparked.
He flexed his fingers slightly beneath the desk.
The Sharingan's afterimage lingered in his thoughts.
The second tomoe had not appeared from emotion.
It had responded to resolve.
To pressure.
To the instinct that survival in this village would require more than obedience.
He closed his eyes briefly.
If this was the starting line, then the road ahead would not be simple.
Two tomoe at five would not save the Uchiha.
But it would ensure he would not be powerless when the night arrived.
Outside, the wind stirred again.
The stone faces of the Hokage watched the village below.
Unblinking.