In the Uchiha clan's new territory, within the walls of Fugaku's home, Mikoto's warm voice called out from the kitchen. "Sasuke, it's time to eat!"

"Sasuke? Sasuke, did you hear me?"

After calling several times with no response, Mikoto placed the freshly prepared meal on the dining table, wiped her hands on her apron, and pushed open the door to her youngest son's bedroom. It was empty.

"Strange," she murmured to herself. "Where could that boy have gone? He was here just a moment ago."

Mikoto shook her head with a helpless sigh, her thoughts drifting to her absent eldest son. "Itachi… where are you now? Are you doing well? Are you eating properly?"

"I truly hope you can come back soon," she whispered to the empty room. "Perhaps you could finally discipline Sasuke for me."

In a dense part of the jungle not far from his family's home, Sasuke was training alone. He hurled shuriken with a desperate frustration, each one thudding into the wooden practice post, his aim wild and unfocused.

"Damn it! Damn it all!" he seethed, his small hands trembling with a mixture of anger and shame. "Why can't I even do something this simple?!"

Lately, Sasuke had been feeling the sting of inadequacy more sharply than ever. That boy, Shiro, was obviously younger than him, yet in every conceivable way—character, status, strength, wisdom, even his looks—he was leagues ahead.

"Why! Why!"

His thoughts turned to his father. Fugaku had been leaving early and coming home late for weeks. Sasuke never saw him anymore, let alone had the chance to ask him for help with his training. If he didn't improve, he would fall further and further behind.

"Damn it! If only my brother were here!" he cried out, his voice cracking. "Where in the world are you, brother?!"

After throwing his last shuriken, Sasuke's frustration finally boiled over. He could no longer suppress the overwhelming sense of grievance and inadequacy. He let out a hysterical, heartbroken howl.

"Sasuke."

A calm, familiar voice sounded from behind him. Sasuke froze. He slowly came to his senses and spun around, his heart pounding with a wild hope. There, standing on a large stone, was his brother, Uchiha Itachi, a gentle smile on his face.

"Brother!"

Sasuke hadn't seen Itachi in what felt like an eternity. Tears of joy and relief welled up in his eyes. He ran, stumbling over his own feet, and threw himself into his brother's arms.

"Hehe," Itachi chuckled softly, gently stroking Sasuke's hair. "Sasuke, you've grown taller. And your shuriken skills have improved."

"Heh, of course," Sasuke said, rubbing his nose with a flash of his usual pride. "I'm your brother, after all. I'm not going to be anything less than the best!" But the bravado lasted only a moment. His shoulders slumped, and the light in his eyes dimmed. "But brother… I'm still so far behind. Shiro is younger than me, but his strength is…"

Seeing the familiar look of frustration on his younger brother's face, Itachi smiled sadly. He knelt down, his voice a soft, comforting murmur. "Sasuke, there's no need to compare yourself to him. He's different from us. A different kind of person."

"We just need to keep our feet on the ground and improve, one step at a time." With that, Itachi took a handful of shuriken from his pouch. "Come on, Sasuke. Are you ready to train with me? It might be hard."

Hearing his brother's offer, Sasuke's face lit up with pure, unadulterated joy. "That's great! As long as I'm with you, I'm not afraid of anything!"

Clang! Thud!

Soon, the sound of colliding steel and the sharp thwack of shuriken hitting their mark filled the forest.

As evening began to fall, casting long shadows through the trees, Itachi finally spoke. "Sasuke, it's getting dark. We should head back."

Pulled from his state of intense concentration, Sasuke realized with a start that the day was nearly over. He had been so completely immersed in his training, so eager to absorb every lesson his brother had to offer, that he hadn't noticed the time flying by.

"Brother! Please, just a little longer!" Sasuke begged.

Itachi looked at him, a warm smile on his face. He raised his arm and beckoned him closer.

"Hehe," Sasuke laughed, running happily toward his brother, thinking he had agreed. But just as he reached him, Itachi suddenly stretched out two fingers and gently poked him on the forehead.

"Ow! That hurts!" Sasuke yelped, clutching his forehead.

"Hehe, forgive me, Sasuke," Itachi said, his voice full of a deep, unspoken sorrow. "Next time, I promise."

__________________________

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