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In less than a day, Ken had already gotten the hang of every ninjutsu and genjutsu he'd picked out.
Fugaku, who had been guiding him the whole time, was completely stunned.
This kid's comprehension was ridiculous!
And on top of that, Ken had awakened a one-tomoe Sharingan at just six years old.
His talent for training was downright terrifying.
Even Itachi couldn't compare.
Fugaku couldn't help but speculate. Maybe Ken had awakened his Sharingan so early because his parents had died on the battlefield. Thinking that, he felt a trace of sympathy for the boy.
As for Ken, the reason he revealed his Sharingan in front of Fugaku wasn't just because he trusted him.
It was also because only by showing his talent could he earn attention and proper training.
Keeping a low profile in front of Fugaku? That wasn't an option.
Time always flew during training.
In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.
During that time, Fugaku had been sparring with Ken constantly.
But this wasn't like their earlier practice matches.
Now, everything was allowed—ninja tools, ninjutsu—just like on a real battlefield. Every clash was fought with full effort.
Only that kind of pressure could push strength to grow quickly.
Aside from that, Ken steadily continued using chakra to upgrade his Sage Body.
That was the foundation of his power.
"Let's take a break today."
It was the weekend, so Ken grabbed his fishing gear and bait, planning to head to the river and improve his meals a bit.
Ever since he showed off his shocking talent, the clan had started supporting him more. Fugaku had even suggested that he move in with them.
Ken declined, saying he was used to living alone.
As for the living allowance, though… he accepted it with a big smile.
Even if he had a bit more money now, it didn't mean he could forget the value of being frugal.
With everything packed, he set off.
"Ken, going fishing?" a familiar clan member greeted him as he stepped outside.
"Yeah. Fish is nutritious and tasty!" Ken replied with a grin.
The mullet from the village river really did taste great. Add some seasoning, and it was incredible.
Walking through the streets, his good looks and cute face attracted attention. A few female members of the police force came over, affectionately patting his head.
Some even pinched his cheeks, taking full advantage of him.
Ken blushed and dodged away.
That only made them laugh even harder.
"I'll get you back when I grow up…" he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for himself to hear.
All in all, the atmosphere within the clan was pretty good.
"Ken, if you like fish, just tell Aunt Mikoto. No need to go through all that trouble," Mikoto said as she stepped out with a basket of groceries, spotting him with his long fishing rod and bucket.
"Aunt Mikoto, I'm really good at fishing! If I catch a big one, I'll share half with you for dinner." Ken held up his rod confidently, his dark eyes shining.
"Then I'll be waiting for your big, delicious catch tonight!" Mikoto smiled and made a small cheering gesture.
"I won't disappoint!" Ken nodded firmly.
As he passed by the entrance, he saw Itachi sweeping the yard.
Itachi noticed him too.
Ever since his defeat last time, Itachi had remained calm.
Not only was he not jealous, he often discussed ninjutsu and training with Ken.
Their friendship was surprisingly solid now.
Ken figured Fugaku probably had something to do with that.
"Ken, wait a second." Itachi leaned the broom against a rock in the yard and walked over.
"I've been training a lot lately. I want to relax a bit. If you're going fishing, take me with you."
Ken glanced at him. "Fine. Just don't mess up my performance."
"Got it!" Itachi nodded seriously.
An hour later, the two of them arrived at a small river deep in the Konoha forest.
It wasn't very wide.
The water was only about one to two meters deep.
But it was full of fresh, high-quality mullet.
And since the spot was hidden, very few people knew about it. Perfect for fishing.
Over the past year, aside from occasionally freeloading meals at Fugaku's house, fishing had been Ken's main way of improving his diet.
After picking a great spot, Ken scattered bait into the water.
Itachi stayed quiet, sitting on the grass and watching.
Time passed slowly.
Ken remained focused, his eyes fixed on the float.
Seeing that Ken wasn't paying him any attention, the usually reserved Itachi seemed a bit awkward and tried to start a conversation.
"Ken, what do you think about the current relationship between the village and the Uchiha?"
"Use your eyes and look," Ken replied without even turning his head, still watching the float.
Right now, Itachi was conflicted.
He admired Hiruzen Sarutobi and believed in the Will of Fire.
But those ideals clashed with his clan.
He felt lost.
Sometimes, he was even afraid.
If the village and the Uchiha went to war… what would he choose?
Ken glanced at him, then spoke in a low, steady voice.
"You know, Itachi… sometimes I envy you. You've got a good family. You never had to worry about money or survival growing up. You can chase what you want, live proudly, talk to the world with confidence… unlike me, worrying about basic necessities since I was a kid."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"You need to understand where everything you have comes from. Who's been protecting you and helping you grow. Don't get lost in meaningless thoughts all day."
"If you want to change things, don't just trap yourself in pity and overthinking. Act. Do something."
"For example… become Hokage. Change the relationship between the village and the Uchiha at its root."
After saying that, Ken turned to Itachi and gave him a sincere smile.
Meanwhile, inside, he was thinking—
Wow. My talking skills are getting better and better.
Itachi… you won't end up killing me in seven years now, right?
Itachi stood there stunned for over a minute before finally replying seriously, "Okay."
To be fair, Ken really was good at fishing.
In about an hour, he had already caught four or five plump mullet.
"I'll treat you to grilled fish!" Ken said with a grin.
There were too many fish to carry back anyway.
Might as well treat their "one-vs-many prodigy" here.
"Mm." Itachi nodded.
While Ken cleaned the fish, Itachi didn't just sit around. He went to gather some firewood for cooking.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A burst of flames shot from his mouth, igniting the pile instantly.
Five minutes later, the fish were grilled to a perfect golden color.
Ken sprinkled some seasoning on top.
The aroma spread immediately.
"Here, try it." He handed a grilled fish to Itachi.
Itachi took it, sniffed it, and instinctively licked his lips before taking a big bite.
"Delicious!"
His eyes lit up.
Even at barbecue restaurants, it was rare to eat grilled fish this good.
Ken's skills were legit.
"Of course," Ken said smugly.
Over the years, he'd perfected his grilling through countless experiments.
If he had the startup money, he'd probably open a grilled fish shop in the village. Business would definitely boom.
Each fish weighed over a pound, and Itachi had already eaten more than half of his.
Just as the two of them were enjoying their meal—
Ken suddenly sensed danger.
"Watch out! Move!"
Boom!
A poison gas bomb exploded right where they had been moments before.
Toxic fumes spread rapidly…
"....."
