"Are you prepared?"
It was Monday again—the day Uzumaki Shuji ca to block Sasuke.
He had left Sunday free. Shikamaru was easy—just showing up was enough to earn points—and after that, he had gone to find Neji.
As for Rock Lee, they had already agreed to fight every Saturday, saving him the trouble of tracking him down.
"This ti, I'm serious. This is a kunai. If you get cut, you'll bleed."
Sasuke had made up his mind.
He couldn't keep getting beaten like this. Even if it ant using weapons, he would fight back.
"I've got one too. I pick them up all the ti. Let's see who's better with it."
Uzumaki Shuji pulled a kunai from the pouch at his waist and faced Sasuke.
"Hey… this might get a little troubleso."
The ANBU watching nearby muttered in mild surprise.
But then he recalled that at seven years old, so older kids were already being sent to the battlefield. Compared to that, this situation didn't seem too serious.
Besides, he was confident he could stop them at any mont. They were just children.
And truthfully, he had been enjoying the show these past few days.
He ca from a civilian background, and Uzumaki Shuji had been beating up kids from major clans. Why would he object?
If anything, he thought it was a sha Uzumaki Shuji didn't attend the academy. The boy clearly had talent—and plenty of tricks.
Those clan kids had been completely toyed with.
"If that's the case… don't bla if you die!"
Sasuke Uchiha was already full of anger.
He believed Uzumaki Shuji wasn't actually stronger than him—just relying on dirty tricks.
This ti, he would use the shuriken techniques taught by his brother to defeat him.
Even if it ant injuring him.
He didn't dare engage in close combat anymore. It was too dangerous—and who knew what traps might be hidden on the ground?
Holding a kunai in his left hand, he drew three shuriken with his right and threw them instantly.
Two curved in from the sides, while the third flew straight at Uzumaki Shuji.
A three-directional attack.
But Uzumaki Shuji easily deflected the frontal shuriken with his kunai and charged forward.
His left hand clenched tightly, as if holding sothing.
"It's coming—the flour attack!"
Sasuke didn't blink, keeping his eyes wide open as he stared at Uzumaki Shuji, trying to read his movents.
He had fallen for that trick four tis already.
This ti, he wouldn't.
"Bang!"
"A flash bomb?!"
A sharp pain stabbed into Sasuke's eyes. He couldn't keep them open and reflexively shut them, tears streaming down his face.
Just as Uzumaki Shuji moved in to kick him down, a sudden chill ran down his spine.
Without hesitation, three golden chains shot out from behind him, while he rolled forward to dodge.
When he stood back up, his expression turned serious.
Itachi Uchiha.
Dressed in casual clothes with a forehead protector, Itachi had appeared behind him.
At that mont, three golden chains had wrapped around his right arm.
"Whoosh!"
"Itachi Uchiha, what are you doing?!"
The ANBU assigned to protect Uzumaki Shuji appeared instantly, staring at Itachi with full vigilance.
The flash bomb had blinded him briefly as well, and the mont his vision cleared, he saw Itachi standing there—shocking him.
At first, he had assud the major clans would co looking for trouble.
But after two weeks, he realized these brothers lived under the Hokage's watch. No clan would dare act recklessly.
And yet, the first to appear was the recently low-profile Uchiha clan.
"I'm just here to take my brother ho. I thought soone was attacking him."
Itachi spoke calmly.
But the faint redness in his eyes suggested otherwise.
"Then take your brother and leave."
"And this is…?"
The ANBU didn't want to escalate things with Itachi.
His mission was simply to protect Uzumaki Shuji—nothing more.
But he had noticed the three golden chains that had appeared midair.
Before he could examine them, they dissolved into particles of light and vanished.
Itachi glanced at Uzumaki Shuji, then took Sasuke and left.
The ANBU let out a breath of relief.
But those golden chains lingered in his mind.
Still, he didn't suspect Uzumaki Shuji. He had been watching him for a long ti and knew the boy had so skill—but he had never practiced chakra refinent, let alone used ninjutsu.
"Was there soone else nearby… secretly protecting him?"
The thought made his expression tighten.
He hadn't sensed anything.
"Definitely a overprotective brother… actually showing up himself at a ti like this."
Uzumaki Shuji put on a slightly frightened expression, like a child caught fighting by an adult.
But internally, he was on high alert.
The Uchiha clan… should be nearing its destruction.
The ANBU didn't think much of Uzumaki Shuji's reaction, but remained wary of the unseen presence that had intervened.
If he weren't tied to his duty, he would have already called for reinforcents.
Uzumaki Shuji, acting like an ordinary child, hurried ho in fright.
Once inside his room, his expression returned to calm as he resud cooking for Naruto.
…
"Soone is secretly protecting Uzumaki Shuji?"
"Three golden chains?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi asked seriously.
Itachi's appearance to help Sasuke didn't surprise him.
Recently, he had already discussed with Itachi the matter of sparing Sasuke.
For soone willing to abandon his entire clan just to protect his younger brother, intervening like this was only natural.
"Yes. And they vanished midair."
The ANBU replied firmly.
This report gave Hiruzen a headache.
"Could it be… remnants of the Uzumaki clan? Have they infiltrated Konoha?"
"Dispatch ANBU. Investigate everything around Uzumaki Shuji and Naruto!"
Hiruzen never once suspected Uzumaki Shuji.
The possibility was simply too low.
He had watched the boy grow up under his own eyes. There was no way Uzumaki Shuji could possess such power.
The only explanation was that soone else was protecting them in secret.
"Is this… Minato's backup plan?"
After the ANBU left, Hiruzen's expression darkened.
This was a critical mont for dealing with the Uchiha.
He didn't want any additional complications.
But at the sa ti, the jinchūriki was of utmost importance.
Nothing could be allowed to happen to him.
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