A few days later.
Feeling a bit bored, Itachi walked over to the training grounds of Konoha.
Compared to the bustling streets, Itachi found this place to be much quieter.
The sorrow and joy of humans are not shared, and Itachi only found their noise disturbing.
So, he decided to revisit this familiar, quiet spot, a place filled with memories, to reflect on the village he once desperately tried to protect.
It wasn't just a lingering attachment to the past; it was also his personal interest.
To be able to traverse into the world of Naruto, a dream many could never achieve—what a rare opportunity.
To witness firsthand this world that captivated so many and was filled with so much regret was incredibly beautiful.
In his past life, he was consumed with mere survival, striving to grow stronger. Now, he finally had the time to stop and appreciate everything around him.
...
The area connected to the forest, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.
The newly graduated ninjas at this hour were likely out doing D-rank missions, wandering around.
Meanwhile, the students were probably just fooling around at the academy.
As for the other ninjas, they were busy with their own tasks.
After all, mature ninjas often have underground or indoor training rooms at home where they can research and practice ninjutsu in peace, away from the prying eyes of the outside world.
Ninjutsu is a life-saving skill, something every ninja takes seriously.
...
"If only this village had Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, Senju Tobirama, Uchiha Izuna, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Hatake Sakumo, Orochimaru, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, Uchiha Obito, Hatake Kakashi, Nohara Rin, and the new generation all gathered together, how interesting that would be."
This would be like a reunion of multiple generations.
You could see Hashirama casually beating up Tobirama, Madara fighting Izuna, and Tobirama being defeated while lecturing his old, long-forgotten disciples, with a fight breaking out between him and Izuna.
Hiruzen would be lectured, in a bad mood, as he tried to deal with the rebellious, middle-aged Sannin.
Itachi couldn't help but sigh softly, his mind drifting to these imagined scenes, and he smiled a little.
He also thought about his current body and the regrets of his previous self.
...
As he walked, Itachi took in the scenery around him.
His movements were carefree, not concerned with destination or direction, just letting himself wander.
In this moment, he felt an extraordinary sense of freedom and contentment in his heart.
"This place..."
Itachi suddenly stopped in his tracks, his gaze distant and complicated.
With a slight movement of his arm, two shurikens appeared in his hands.
His hands moved like shadows, gracefully sending the shurikens flying.
Each of the shurikens struck a tree trunk.
There had been quite a few targets set up here in the past...
Despite hitting a few trees, Itachi did not stop.
He gently leapt into the air, his body floating upwards.
The shurikens once again left his hands.
This was muscle memory.
The kunai collided in mid-air before striking a large rock, behind which was another target that Sasuke had mischievously placed.
...
"Perfect..."
Itachi performed a flawless mid-air flip and landed gracefully on the ground.
Once he landed, Itachi murmured softly, his voice filled with confidence, complexity, loss, and nostalgia.
These were the beautiful memories of his past life, memories that now surged in his mind, overwhelming him.
Itachi turned his head and looked at the large tree behind him.
"Come out, Izuna..."
As if he had suddenly realized something, Itachi spoke softly, his eyes clearing as he did.
That tree was the spot Izuna, who had a somewhat humble heart, liked to stay at.
She would always secretly follow him while holding a rice ball or some other food, watching him practice his shuriken throwing.
As the scene in front of him became clearer, he no longer saw the figure of that woman.
This was a deep regret in the heart of his previous self.
...
"Itachi, she's already gone..."
Just as Itachi fell into silence, a figure appeared beside him, speaking in a soft voice.
There was a complexity in their tone.
Amazingly, Itachi hadn't noticed their presence until then.
Upon hearing the sound, Itachi's body tensed, but upon hearing the words, he relaxed.
"You're awake, Kakashi."
Itachi didn't turn around. Chakra flowed faintly as he evaporated the slight dampness that had unknowingly gathered in his eyes.
"Yes, I woke up two days after you left. Lord Orochimaru told me you were in Konoha, so he sent me to find you," Kakashi responded softly, his black eyes glinting beneath his mask as he listened to Itachi's calm words.
…
"You came looking for me in such a hurry—are you worried I'll do something that could harm Konoha?"
Itachi turned his head to look at Kakashi, who appeared unkempt, teasing him. However, the turbulent emotions in his eyes hadn't completely subsided, showing faint ripples.
"I'm here to protect you. Knowing your past, even if I, Hatake Kakashi, were to act against Konoha, you wouldn't. Because you're Uchiha Itachi."
Itachi's façade wasn't very convincing, and Kakashi saw through it instantly, responding to his jest.
"How do you feel now? Have you gotten stronger?"
Itachi shifted the conversation, wrinkling his nose slightly at the sour smell coming from Kakashi. His tone carried a hint of disdain.
This guy hadn't changed clothes or bathed in half a year. He was filthy.
…
Seeing the odd expression on Itachi's face, Kakashi seemed to realize something, feeling a bit embarrassed but masking it well.
"I already washed in the river on my way here. I was just too concerned about your safety to change my clothes."
Kakashi avoided answering Itachi's question directly. After all, Itachi already knew the state he was in.
Rather than discussing his strength, Kakashi cared more about maintaining his image…
"Go change already. How can you stand being this filthy?"
Hearing Kakashi's slightly playful response, Itachi shook his head.
…
"You look like you're feeling a bit lonely. Want me to stay and chat with you?"
Kakashi once again changed the subject.
Men don't need to sweat the small stuff.
After all this time, a little more patience wouldn't hurt. He was an excellent ninja, after all.
Besides, seeing Itachi show such rare emotions made Kakashi slightly uneasy. Excessive emotional fluctuation could easily lead to negative thoughts, and he felt a small twinge of concern.
"Lonely? Kakashi, your choice of words is a bit off. As a cultured man, you should be more precise with your vocabulary. And even if I were lonely, I wouldn't need a grown man like you to keep me company."
Itachi felt slightly annoyed by Kakashi's words. This conversation was making him uncomfortable.
Why was Kakashi so bad at talking?
"Fine, lonely isn't the right word. How about 'isolated'?"
Kakashi caught the annoyance in Itachi's tone, removed his mask, and looked into his eyes, sincerely correcting himself.
It was as if he were saying, "Look into my eyes. I'm not lying."
…
Seeing Kakashi's face left Itachi momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected to see what was beneath Kakashi's mask so suddenly.
This was the face Naruto and the others had tried so hard, yet failed, to see.
…
…