The classroom had grown much quieter.
Uchiha Itama sat in the corner, undisturbed.
Since last time, Hyuga Hikaru had not provoked him again, as if deciding Itama no longer qualified as his rival. Now Hikaru only cared about the class's second place.
Yamabuki Yuki.
But because she was a civilian born ninja, he cared a little less.
So his gaze slid to third place.
An Aburame student.
Aburame Reita.
Like Aburame Shino, he had almost no presence.
Itama noticed the Aburame seemed to share this trait.
Perhaps it suited their way of fighting.
They relied on insects.
The user did not need to stand at center stage.
Once the user was found, the fight often turned against them.
A figure stepped into the room.
Mizuki.
"Hello, class."
"Hello, sensei."
"Sit."
He cleared his throat. "I will teach you this morning. Aoki-sensei and Iruka-sensei worked too late yesterday. They will come in the afternoon."
"Let us begin."
A flicker of displeasure crossed his face.
Yesterday, Yamashiro Aoki and Iruka had pushed through to tally the results.
Mizuki, also a teacher, had left early.
So he had not been present for the announcement.
He decided Iruka had done it on purpose.
To keep him out of the moment.
To leave a poor impression of him with Aoki and the students.
Today the pair used their late night as an excuse to stay away.
That left the entire morning's lessons to him alone, far harder than proctoring.
He felt it was deeply unfair.
He did more work while Iruka took the praise.
"Scheming Iruka."
"I did not know you were like this."
Anger welled up in him.
Itama looked at Mizuki, brow lifting slightly.
Something about him was different today. A black aura seemed to coil around Mizuki's body.
"What is that?"
Instinctively, he remembered last night's dream.
He turned his head and looked at others.
On each person there was a trace of that same black haze.
None as thick as Mizuki's.
The next most obvious was Hyuga Hikaru.
Itama reached a hand toward the desk ahead.
He stretched his fingers toward that black mist on the student.
Nothing happened.
It had no substance. His hand passed through.
No sensation at all.
He frowned.
In the afternoon, Yamashiro Aoki and Iruka arrived.
They took the lessons. Mizuki rested.
Itama saw that both Aoki and Iruka also bore that black haze, although Iruka's was much fainter, and even Aoki's did not match Mizuki's intensity.
A guess took shape.
After class, he hurried home.
He brought Sasuke to the doorway.
One passerby after another went by.
"Sasuke, do you see black stuff wrapped around people?"
"Black stuff?"
Sasuke looked baffled.
"No. There is nothing."
"Truly?"
"Truly. Brother, what is wrong?"
"Nothing."
Itama smiled. "Come on. I am treating you. What do you want to eat?"
"I want wooden fish rice balls."
Sasuke's eyes lit up.
"All right. I will buy them now. Wait here."
"Brother, I want to go with you."
"No. Stay home. I will be quick."
"Okay."
That day, Itachi still did not return, as if he had forgotten this was his home.
Fugaku spent less and less time at the house.
A tense air settled over the compound.
Itama kept going to the Academy as usual.
He entered the room and took his seat.
"Everyone has it."
"But only I can see it."
"So what is it really?"
Suddenly.
A sharp pain stabbed his eyes.
He clutched at them.
In his pupils, the three tomoe spun fast.
"Itama, are you all right?"
Yamabuki Yuki noticed and glanced over.
"I am fine."
Just now.
The instant he looked at Mizuki on the platform, an image struck his mind, and a wave of emotion crashed through him.
The black haze on Mizuki surged toward him.
It plunged straight into his eyes.
In that moment, Itama roughly understood what the black aura was.