NARUTO: GOD LEVEL FORGING SYSTEM

"That's it?"

Kazuki felt an odd sense of amusement.

Just because of a casual remark from Shisui Uchiha before his death, now Uchiha Itachi had sought him out, determined to uncover the truth?

Was this the infamous Uchiha obsession with their loved ones—this unwavering devotion to both their brothers and their clan?

Itachi Uchiha embodied this trait perfectly.

Kazuki suddenly recalled the mission issued by his system.

The Uchiha clan's Fire Release techniques were renowned across the shinobi world, far superior to ordinary fire jutsu in both intensity and destructive power.

And the young prodigy standing before him, Uchiha Itachi—who had awakened the Sharingan at just eight years old and joined the Anbu at eleven—was undoubtedly the best candidate to help him complete this task.

"I can tell you, but I need a favor in return," Kazuki said after a brief hesitation.

"Go ahead."

Kazuki retrieved a kunai and held it out.

"If you can burn this kunai using Fire Release, I'll tell you everything I know."

Burning a kunai with Fire Release?

What kind of bizarre request was that?

Itachi's dark eyes flickered with suspicion, but he didn't question it. The task was trivial for him.

The Uchiha clan's Fire Release was said to reach temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius—more than enough to melt a kunai instantly.

"Alright, I'll do it."

Itachi nodded, placed the kunai on the ground, and performed the hand seals with precision.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!)

The kunai remained unchanged. It didn't even glow red-hot, let alone melt.

"Huh?"

Itachi's brows furrowed slightly, a rare flash of surprise in his expression.

"The quality of this kunai is exceptional. Even better than the ones sold by Granny Cat of the Uchiha Clan." His voice was calm as ever, but he made no move to stop.

With swift hand seals, he executed jutsu after jutsu.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!)

"Katon: Endan!" (Fire Release: Flame Bullet!)

"Katon: Karyūdan!" (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet!)

One after another, waves of flames engulfed the kunai.

Yet, despite the barrage of high-temperature ninjutsu, the metal remained unaffected.

Kazuki watched in quiet admiration.

As expected from an Anbu shinobi—at just thirteen, Itachi's strength was already close to that of a jōnin.

If he were to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, he would be able to eliminate several elite ninja in an instant. His potential was terrifying.

And yet, he was still only thirteen.

A true genius.

But Kazuki was confident.

By the time he reached that age, he would surpass even the Itachi standing before him.

"Are you messing with me?"

Itachi's face darkened. His breath was slightly heavier than before—understandable, given that he had unleashed multiple B-rank and C-rank Fire Release techniques in rapid succession.

Even with his chakra reserves, this level of exertion was not insignificant.

If it weren't for his determination to uncover the truth behind Shisui's death, he wouldn't have wasted his energy entertaining Kazuki's bizarre request.

More importantly, none of this made any sense to him.

Fire… burning a kunai…

What was the point of this?

Kazuki chuckled awkwardly. "Relax, take a breather first."

He hadn't expected the mission to be this troublesome.

Even with Itachi's formidable Fire Release skills, the system had yet to register the necessary energy absorption.

At least he had found Itachi—without his help, who knew how long it would take to complete this mission?

Uchiha Itachi's face softened slightly, his usual calm demeanor unwavering.

He didn't speak but sat cross-legged on the ground, his fingers forming a quick seal—蛇 (Hebi), 羊 (Hitsuji), 猿 (Saru), 猪 (I), 午 (Uma), 寅 (Tora)—before closing his eyes. The familiar flow of chakra circulated within him as he concentrated on replenishing his reserves with precise control, a testament to his mastery of the Uchiha clan's chakra discipline.

After half an hour, Uchiha Itachi opened his eyes again, the crimson glow of his Sharingan flickering before fading. He adjusted his posture, taking a deep breath before repeating the previous technique with unwavering precision.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

A massive fireball erupted from his lips, illuminating the dim surroundings with its fierce glow.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"

A volley of smaller fireballs scattered in multiple directions, each one controlled independently with his refined chakra manipulation.

…

After repeating this several times, the sun had shifted considerably in the sky, marking the passage of half a day.

Kazuki, who had been waiting on the sidelines, rested his chin on his hand, eyes drooping. The monotonous repetition had lulled him into a half-dazed state, his patience wearing thin.

Just as Uchiha Itachi prepared to stop, ready to conclude his training session, a sudden "crack" echoed through the air.

The kunai in front of him had finally succumbed to the intense heat, splitting apart.

Great!

Uchiha Itachi nearly leaped from the ground in triumph. It was a rare moment—his usual composure was momentarily shaken by the sense of accomplishment, as though he had just completed an A-rank mission alone.

But his disciplined nature prevailed. He quickly suppressed the excitement within, allowing only the subtlest smile to appear at the corner of his lips.

However, as he surveyed the charred remnants, a realization struck him.

Wait… why was I burning kunai with Fire Release?

"Wow! You actually did it!"

Kazuki, jolted awake by the sound, sprang up from the ground. He walked over to Uchiha Itachi, clapped him on the shoulder, and grinned. "Well done, brother!"

Uchiha Itachi: "…"

Since when did we become so familiar?

Kazuki, unconcerned with Itachi's internal monologue, carried on with his easygoing attitude. In his eyes, those who aided him—even once—were already friends.

"Thanks for this," Kazuki said, offering a sincere smile. "As for what you wanted to know about my connection to Shisui, I'll tell you everything."

With that, Kazuki recounted the details of his previous meeting with Uchiha Shisui.

"You're trying to survive…"

Uchiha Itachi absorbed every word, his expression thoughtful.

Kazuki studied the young prodigy. The weight of the rumored death of Uchiha Shisui still lingered in his gaze.

But in the original events, the last person Shisui saw before his death was Itachi himself. He entrusted Kotoamatsukami, the ultimate genjutsu, to him—before leaping from a cliff into the Naka River.

Yet, looking at Uchiha Itachi's reaction now… something was off.

If things had happened exactly as they did in the original timeline, Itachi would already know the truth about Shisui's fate.

Instead, he was here, searching for answers.

"When was the last time you saw Shisui?"

"On Hokage Rock," Uchiha Itachi replied truthfully. "He told me he was going to see Hokage-sama. If he succeeded, he could…"

He stopped, leaving the rest unsaid.

It was a delicate matter—the ongoing conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha clan.

Kazuki nodded. He didn't need the rest of the sentence to understand. He already knew just how tense the relationship between the village and the Uchiha clan had become.

After contemplating for a moment, Kazuki suddenly smiled.

"I think… Shisui isn't dead."

"…What?"

Uchiha Shisui had been more than a mentor to him; he was a trusted comrade. The mere possibility of his survival made Itachi's eyes widen, breaking through his usually impassive mask.

"Since they never found his body, they can't confirm his death, right?" Kazuki said casually.

"If Shisui really is alive, then he must have his reasons for staying hidden.

As for you—trust him."

"…Yeah."

Uchiha Itachi nodded slowly.

For the first time since hearing about Shisui's 'death', the suffocating weight pressing on his heart lightened.

Shisui might still be out there.

A faint ember of hope ignited within him, giving him renewed determination.

He would continue moving forward, just as Shisui had entrusted him to do.

After parting ways with Uchiha Itachi,

Kazuki returned home and began drafting blueprints for the hidden mask he had obtained this time.

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