Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred!
Tō smiled slightly as he watched Naruto, struggling under extra weights, complete his deep squat. At the edge of the clearing, Itachi and Sasuke appeared, with Sasuke brimming with Uchiha pride.
"You've mastered the climbing already," Tō remarked, smiling. "Uchiha truly earned their reputation for genius."
Sasuke snorted. "Aren't you part of the Uchiha?" he retorted, glancing at Itachi. Tō laughed softly and replied, "Actually, I'm not Uchiha—just blessed with their blood. Sharingan's great, but it has limits. The First even overpowered Madara once. Besides, my name isn't Uchiha—I'm Uzumaki."
Naruto, wiping sweat, chimed in proudly: "Yeah, I've got the same name—Uzumaki. Don't sound so proud of being Uchiha!"
The remark stung Sasuke. Losing composure, he swung a punch at Naruto. Tō stepped between them. "Let him fight. A flower in a greenhouse wilts outside. Ninjas grow only through challenge."
Itachi observed quietly. "Uchiha are under increasing Anbu surveillance," he remarked. "They've scouted the Uchiha district several times. Has something changed?"
Tō nodded solemnly: "The Uchiha may rebel. The village knows it. The tight surveillance—it's planned. Danzō's alliance with Orochimaru was discovered—and cleverly framed on the Uchiha."
Itachi's eyes narrowed. He understood the gravity: the Uchiha faced overwhelming scrutiny and danger.
Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke fought—punches and kicks, now using tree-climbing tactics. Surprisingly, Naruto matched Sasuke blow for blow. Tō, impressed, commented: "Seems Naruto's sluggish brain awakens in battle."
Itachi agreed, noting Sasuke had begun learning throwing weapons, even pulling two shuriken.
Suddenly, Tō and Itachi materialized between the boys with a flash. Tō caught Naruto, Itachi disarmed Sasuke's thrown shuriken, and both leapt back down—leaders unshaken.
Sasuke stared, astonished. Itachi gripped his shoulder firmly. "Naruto's not trained in shuriken. Fighting this way endangers allies—and the enemy."
Naruto, remorseful, bowed to Itachi. Sasuke snapped, "You fox-child, thinking Uchiha fear you? Benched if not for him—"
Itachi cut him off with an apology in tone. Sasuke paused, regret softened his eyes when he looked at Naruto's lonely expression.
Tō gently patted Naruto's head and turned away.
Sasuke bowed to Itachi. "Brother, I embarrassed our name. I lacked composure."
Itachi crouched down, voice kind: "Even noble houses need respect earned. Like Tō said: a 'genius' is born through effort. Hard work makes genius real."
Sasuke nodded soberly. "Tō seems stronger than last year—maybe stronger than you? Should we test?"
Itachi smiled cryptically: "I haven't sparred him yet—but if Tō has grown, I've grown too. We'll see."
From this, Sasuke's resolve deepened: he'd match Tō's speed and strength with sheer effort.
Tō guided Naruto to the stream for water-walking drills. Naruto looked discouraged, but Tō spoke firmly:
"If you fear your classmates calling you last… if you fear nobody noticing you… Don't train. If you fear Sasuke passing you, or getting beaten, then swim back!"
Naruto clenched his jaw and stood at knee-depth—far from swimming—but a step forward, at least.
Tō watched thoughtfully. He worried: deeper conflict loomed between the Uchiha and Danzō. He hadn't seen Tō's teacher, Shisui, in days—suspicions rose. If Itachi sensed this too, it was time to visit the Uchiha district.
Tō vanished with a flash.
Moments later, he found Shisui beneath the cherry blossoms in the Uchiha compound. Shisui looked distant.
"I'm feeling unsure," Shisui admitted, voice hollow. He gazed at falling petals. Tō also looked at the trees, equally silent and thoughtful.
They stood in the pale light—two warriors facing an uncertain future.