1 A True Shinobi.

'I see'

A five-year-old spikey black-haired kid thought to himself. He had a small book in his hand.

Sitting on a swing. He read the book, his black eyes as deep as darkness itself, glued on every sentence of the book.

"A True Shinobi, huh?"

His gaze as sharp as a blade landed on the familiar Green-Vested Ninjas.

'How depressing... They are Shinobis? Then all I can say is... The way of the Shinobi is lost'

He threw the book. Taking one last glance at the pathetic adults who were flirting with some passerby women.

He strolled through the streets and finally reached in front of the Uchiha compound. Which was just 'outside' of Konoha.

The black-haired boy walked through the streets of the Uchiha clan. His every step attracts the attention of one not if another's.

After quite a bit of time, he reached his destination.

"I'm home"

The black-haired boy announced. Soon, a well-built woman in her mid-twenties entered the hallway and softly looked at him.

"Sasuke. Breakfast's ready... be at the dining table ok?"

Sasuke nodded at her words. She walked away leaving him alone. He gazed through the hallway before heading toward his room.

Sasuke slid the door and entered his room. He took off his clothes and entered the bathroom to freshen up.

'The Ninja Academy's entrance will begin after 1 hour... I guess I should warm up a bit till then'

***

"I'll be off then, mother"

"Hn, Stay safe"

The conversation was only brief. Sasuke exited his home and went toward the Uchiha training ground.

"Let's see... I guess I'll practice the body-flicker technique father has taught me"

Sasuke took a deep breath. He channeled Chakra through his legs to his feet and shot forward.

"Tch... That's not it. I need to do it in a matter of milliseconds"

Sasuke sighed. The Jutsu was a little tricky to grasp, but he was sure he could repeat it if he got it right once or twice.

***

For the past half an hour, Sasuke had repeatedly tried to do the Jutsu, but to no avail. His efforts only lead to exhaustion.

"Huff...I'll be late if I stick around more. I wish I trained yesterday instead of lazing off. Sigh...I guess I learned my lesson today. Don't leave anything for tomorrow"

He splashed water into his face from the pond nearby. He looked at his own reflection and then made his way toward Konoha's Ninja Academy.

All alone. He has a brother, a mother, and a father as well. But still has to be alone... how pitiful of an existence.

'That's a big crowd'

He stood at the entrance, looking at all the kids around his age and their parents accompanying them. For once in his life, he thought.

'I wish my parents were as loving as theirs'

He felt something snap inside his chest. A weird feeling he couldn't describe. It was like a part of him was slowly shedding away.

"Why does it hurt?"

He asked himself, gripping his chest. He didn't feel any intolerable pain or anything else like that...Still, he felt pain.

'This is really wierd...Is this a heart attack? Am I going to die?'

He asked himself, completely ignorant of what he was currently feeling.

"All of those who registered, please come at the assembly hall at once!!"

A statement from the loudspeaker gained his attention. Be suppressed his current thoughts and walked toward the assembly hall.

'Hmm...That guy gives me really creepy vibes. What's up with him?"

Sasuke's gaze landed on a spikey-blonde-haired boy's figure. He felt something odd about the kid.

'Whatever. Not my problem anyways'

Sasuke took his distance and stayed away from him. That kid was giving off something that he felt...familiar?

'Why the hell do I feel like I know him...but at the same time, I don't'

Questions after question rose in his mind, not a single one was answered. His geared shifted, trying to recall his memories and try to find him in them.

'...What a headache'

He hated this feeling. He could feel it somewhere deep in him, It was so close yet so far away. Escaping from his grasp everytime he tried to reach it.

'Who is h-'

His thoughts were cut off from the moment his instincts flared. His eyes widened and every hair on his body stood up.

'The Hokage'

He sweated from the dangerous aura the old-looking man gave. He reeked of blood, his every step making his heart beat faster and faster.

'...This guy'

That was the day that Sasuke understood, why this old man was known as the God of Shinobi in the current era.

'...A true Shinobi'

That was the same day when a fire lit inside Sasuke's heart. A fire burning like a majestic Pheonix's crimson flames for strength like that!