"Huff… huff… huff…"
Still gasping for breath, Itachi looked at Isamu in confusion.
"Grandfather… why did we stop?"
"I haven't reached my limit yet."
"I can still keep running!"
Isamu stepped down from the floating platform alongside Karura, dismissed the Truth-Seeking Orb, and smiled calmly.
"The purpose of today's training has already been achieved."
"Pushing yourself to your absolute limit every time does maximize growth."
"But if your body isn't strong enough, you'll accumulate hidden injuries."
"Besides…"
"You're still too young for that kind of training."
"It's better to improve steadily, one step at a time."
Itachi nodded before asking another question.
"Then, Grandfather…"
"How strong does someone's body have to become before hidden injuries are no longer a problem?"
"Hmm…"
Isamu thought for a moment.
"The easiest way is to show you."
He raised a finger and coated it with razor-sharp Wind Release chakra.
Without hesitation—
Slash!
He cut across the palm of his own hand.
A wound nearly five centimeters long instantly appeared.
Yet before a single drop of blood could fall…
…the wound closed completely.
Not even a scar remained.
Itachi's eyes widened.
"Amazing…"
"What incredible healing ability!"
"If your body reaches this level," Isamu explained, "hidden injuries become almost nonexistent."
"But achieving a body like this…"
"…isn't easy."
"Then why isn't it easy?"
"It all comes down to vitality."
"Certain special bloodlines pass down extraordinary life force from generation to generation."
"Combined with the proper training methods…"
"…that vitality allows someone to develop a body like mine."
Itachi pondered his grandfather's explanation.
"So…"
"If this powerful vitality is inherited…"
"Does that mean the Uchiha Clan also possesses it?"
"Very clever."
"But you're only half right."
Isamu smiled.
"The Uchiha Clan doesn't possess that physique."
"The clan best known for overwhelming vitality…"
"…is actually the Senju Clan."
"They inherit what's known as the Sage Body, granting them exceptional life force."
"What exactly is the Sage Body?"
Itachi asked curiously.
He had never heard of it before.
Isamu shook his head.
"That involves too many things."
"I couldn't explain it all in a short conversation."
"For now…"
"Just remember one thing."
"The Sage Body is extremely powerful."
In reality, explaining it would require discussing the Sage of Six Paths, Indra, Asura, Sage Mode, natural energy, and countless other things.
That conversation could wait for another day.
After thinking for a while, Itachi frowned.
"But…"
"Grandfather…"
"You're a pure-blooded Uchiha."
"If the Uchiha don't inherit the Sage Body…"
"…how did you obtain such an incredible physique?"
The moment Itachi asked that question…
Karura also turned toward Isamu.
She wanted to know the answer as well.
After all…
The Sage Body had originally belonged to Asura's bloodline.
Indra's descendants weren't supposed to possess it.
So how had Isamu obtained it?
"You little rascal…"
"You really do ask a lot of questions."
Isamu chuckled.
"Since you've asked…"
"I'll tell you."
"I wasn't born with this physique."
"But…"
"Everyone has their own destiny."
"Or perhaps you could call it fate."
"When I was young…"
"I encountered an opportunity that completely changed my life."
"It was because of that opportunity…"
"…that I obtained the Sage Body."
"And…"
"…awakened the ultimate power of the Uchiha Clan."
"Perhaps…"
"…it was simply heaven's blessing."
As he spoke, genuine gratitude appeared in Isamu's eyes.
That "opportunity"…
…had naturally been the System.
Without it…
He would never have become who he was today.
"What kind of opportunity?"
Itachi asked eagerly.
"What exactly happened?"
Even Karura looked at him expectantly.
She wanted to know too.
"…"
Isamu opened his mouth…
…then paused.
Under ordinary circumstances, he wouldn't have minded revealing the truth.
His strength had already reached the pinnacle of the shinobi world.
There was almost no one left who could threaten him.
But…
His thoughts drifted to the two mysterious figures he'd encountered within the space-time tunnel.
Those two unfathomable beings…
…were still unknown variables.
Until he understood them…
It was better to keep the System a secret.
After a brief silence, Isamu rolled his eyes.
"What kind of opportunity?"
"That's my secret."
"Can't I keep a little privacy?"
"I deserve some personal space too, you know."
"Tch."
Karura crossed her arms.
"So after all that…"
"…you still didn't tell us anything."
She grabbed Itachi's hand.
"Come on."
"Let's ignore him."
Watching the pair walk away, Isamu smiled helplessly.
Trying to uncover my biggest secret?
Not that easily.
He followed after them, continuing toward Tsunade's location.
Originally, the journey should have taken only a few days.
But because Isamu was training Itachi along the way…
Half a month passed.
…and they still hadn't reached their destination.
During those fifteen days…
Itachi's training progressed rapidly.
At first, it was nothing more than long-distance running.
Then came chakra control.
Finally…
…the practice of ninjutsu.
Throughout it all…
Isamu witnessed firsthand why Itachi had been called a genius.
Everything…
…he learned almost instantly.
C-rank Fire Release techniques.
B-rank Fire Release techniques.
He mastered them with astonishing ease.
If his chakra reserves had been larger…
Even A-rank techniques wouldn't have posed much difficulty.
Watching such an extraordinary grandson…
Isamu grew increasingly fond of him.
He was sensible.
Intelligent.
Exceptionally gifted.
In every way…
He was the perfect successor.
Floating through the air beside Isamu, Karura watched Itachi leaping gracefully from tree to tree below.
She smiled.
"Itachi's talent is remarkable."
"I finally understand why you insisted on bringing him with us."
"You want to raise him as your successor, don't you?"
"You could say that."
"But…"
"You could also say that's not the whole reason."
Isamu reached into the Kamui dimension.
A pair of eyes appeared in his hand.
Karura froze.
"Those eyes…"
She immediately sensed a familiar aura.
It belonged…
…to her eldest brother.
Indra.
"That's right."
Isamu nodded.
"These are Indra's eyes."
"Before he passed away…"
"…he entrusted them to me."
"He asked me to find someone truly worthy of inheriting them…"
"…and to find a successor for his legacy."
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