The training field was silent except for the steady thud of kunai hitting old, splintered tree stumps. Izuna stood there alone, sweat dripping down his chin, breath fogging in the cold morning air. His shirt stuck to his back, hair plastered to his forehead — but he didn't care. Every throw, every swing of his arm, was sharper than the last.
One more. Just one more perfect throw.
He focused his Sharingan for a second, three tomoe spinning slowly. The kunai sliced through the air and struck dead center in the wooden target.
A soft clap came from behind him.
"Not bad," said a dry, bored voice.
Izuna turned, eyebrow twitching. Of course — Hatake Kakashi, standing there like he owned the place, hands in pockets, silver hair as messy as ever. His single visible eye curved into an obvious smirk behind the mask.
"Kakashi. What do you want?" Izuna asked, grabbing another kunai.
"Oh, nothing," Kakashi said, kicking at a pebble. "I was just passing by. Thought I'd watch the hard-working prodigy sharpen sticks. I'd train too, but, well… I've been a little busy."
Izuna narrowed his eyes. "Busy with what?"
Kakashi tilted his head, tapping his chin dramatically. "Hmm… I don't know. Some promotion paperwork, maybe?"
Izuna froze mid-throw. His hand clenched tighter around the kunai.
"You… you became a Chunin?" he asked, voice tight.
Kakashi shrugged, like it was the weather. "Mm-hm. Yesterday. Minato-sensei said I did exceptionally well — but I'm sure you'll catch up… someday."
The air around Izuna crackled. He threw the kunai so hard that it embedded into the stump with a crack.
"Someday?" Izuna repeated slowly, stepping closer until they were face to face — or mask to face. "Keep talking like that and you won't survive to be a Jonin."
Kakashi didn't even flinch. His single eye curved again. "Oh? That sounds like a threat, Uchiha. Should I be scared?"
Before Izuna could answer, another voice popped in.
"Are you two fighting again?"
Shisui popped out from behind a nearby tree, arms crossed, a wide grin on his young face. He looked at Kakashi, then Izuna, then back at Kakashi. "Did he beat you again, Izuna-san?"
Izuna spun on Shisui. "I didn't even fight him! And stop adding '-san' — I'm not that old!"
Kakashi gave a low chuckle. "Careful, Shisui. If you keep calling him '-san', he might wrinkle faster."
Shisui put on an innocent face. "Sorry, Izuna-senpai?"
Kakashi flicked his silver hair back, his one eye lazily watching Izuna's stance.
"Come on, genius," Kakashi said, his voice full of mock boredom. "Show me if you're keeping up with a Chunin."
Izuna narrowed his eyes. A Chunin, huh? The word poked at him like a kunai to the ribs.
"Don't get cocky just because you have that new vest, Hatake," Izuna shot back, smirking. He dropped into a low taijutsu stance, his Sharingan flickering alive, three tomoe spinning slowly. "I'll knock that attitude off your face."
Nearby, Shisui sat cross-legged on a rock, eyes wide with excitement.
"Go, Izuna-san! Go, Kakashi-san! Beat each other up so I can learn something cool!"
With a burst of chakra, they clashed.
Kunai met kunai, their blades sparking in the fading sunlight. Kakashi ducked low, aiming a sweep at Izuna's legs. Izuna jumped over, twisted in the air, and threw a kunai point-blank. Kakashi deflected it with his forearm guard, countering with a palm strike that Izuna narrowly dodged.
They moved like mirror images — fast, precise, testing each other's reflexes with every strike.
Between hits, Kakashi's eye crinkled into a grin.
"Still slow, Uchiha."
Izuna's Sharingan caught every twitch. He blocked Kakashi's next punch and leaned in, whispering just loud enough:
"And you still talk too much."
A small shockwave blew up dust around them as they clashed again, feet skidding back on the dirt.
Finally, after what felt like minutes of pure motion, they jumped apart, both breathing a bit harder — but grinning.
Shisui clapped wildly. "Amazing! You guys are monsters!"
Kakashi brushed dirt off his sleeve, acting like he hadn't even broken a sweat.
"You'll get there someday, Shisui. Maybe."
Shisui pouted. "Hey!"
Izuna just rolled his eyes and sheathed his kunai. He looked at Kakashi's smug expression and had to fight the urge to punch it off. One day, he promised himself, I'll be two steps ahead of you, Hatake.
⸻
Kushina's House — Evening
Later, Izuna found himself sitting cross-legged in Kushina's small kitchen, sipping miso soup while she fussed over him like a second mother.
"You two boys are gonna tear each other apart one of these days," Kushina said, hands on her hips as she dropped another rice ball onto his plate. "But… I'm proud of you. You're both pushing each other to grow."
Izuna smiled, feeling warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the soup.
"Thank you, Kushina-nee. I… I just don't want to fall behind."
She ruffled his hair roughly. "Pfft! As if you could. Just don't forget — talent is one thing. Hard work is what keeps you alive."
Izuna laughed, then lowered his voice. "You'll help me train my fuinjutsu more tomorrow, right?"
Kushina winked. "Of course. You're almost ready to stop using ink for your seals, aren't you?"
He nodded. Almost. One step closer to mastering the basics of space-time manipulation — Minato's legacy was within reach.
⸻
Hokage's Office — The Next Morning
Before dawn, a messenger hawk tapped at Izuna's window. He unfolded the note and read the elegant brushstrokes:
"Report to the Hokage's office. A new assignment awaits."
His heart skipped. Finally. Something real.
Standing in the grand office, Izuna bowed his head to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who studied him over steepled fingers. The crystal ball beside him shimmered with swirling chakra.
Hiruzen's gaze was kind but sharp.
"Uchiha Izuna… I hear you and Hatake have been pushing each other hard."
Izuna said nothing — just held the Hokage's eyes. Hiruzen sighed, a hint of a smile breaking his old face.
"You'll be joining a team for a new mission. I expect you to carry your weight — maybe more. The mission is officially C-Rank, but circumstances may change."
He leaned forward, voice lower.
"You understand what that means, don't you?"
Izuna's Sharingan flickered, just for a heartbeat. He nodded.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I won't fail."
Hiruzen's eyes softened as he leaned back. "Good. You leave tomorrow at dawn. Dismissed."
Outside the office, Izuna stepped into the fresh morning air, a tingle of anticipation buzzing through his veins.
A new mission. A real chance to prove myself.
But somewhere deep in his chest, a familiar cold ember flickered — a memory of Danzo's shadowy ambitions.