White Dragon Hidden in The Leaves

The sun shone brightly in the sky, casting its warm golden light on the bustling village below. As they finally reached the training ground. Izumi pointed across from her. determined and spirited Ayumi, her long white bouncing as her bright Honey golden irises sparkled with excitement. i would finally get a chance to fight someone that wasn't a monster like my grandfather, I was eager to prove myself.

"Alright, Ayumi. Remember what I said," Izumi, instructed as they stood on the soft grass of the training field.

"We'll be focusing on taijutsu today."

"Got it, Izumi-sensei!" I replied enthusiastically, clenching my small fists with determination. I had always admired Izumi's skill as a ninja and knew that learning from her would bring her one step closer to her dream. Besides Grandfather always commented on her achievements.

"Good. Let's start with a simple sparring match. Try to land a hit on me," Izumi said, adopting a defensive stance.

"Okay!" I exclaimed, launching myself at her with all the speed I could muster.

Izumi pov

Her movements were agile and precise, belying her young age.

"Nice try, but you need to work on your footwork," I commented, dodging Ayumi's attack with ease. I could see the potential in her, despite her age, but there was still much work to be done.

Frustrated, Ayumi gritted her teeth and launched another flurry of attacks, her small fists striking. But each time, I gracefully evaded, my calm demeanor never faltering. I know that remaining calm would anger her more making her sloppy.

"Your speed is impressive, but you need to learn when to strike and when to hold back," I advised, blocking one of Ayumi's punches with an open palm.

"Fine then, watch this!" Ayumi shouted, determination flaring in her eyes. She took a deep breath, focusing her energy as she prepared for her next move.

"Remember, Ayumi, it's not just about strength. It's about strategy and timing," I reminded her gently, watching the young girl's intense focus.

"Right, strategy," Ayumi muttered to herself, her brow furrowed in concentration. She took a step back and then charged forward, feigning an attack to the left before quickly switching direction and aiming a punch at Izumi's right side.

"Excellent!" I praised, barely managing to block the unexpected strike. "You're learning fast." The pain that came from that strike was more than I had expected.

"Thanks, Izumi-sensei!" Ayumi beamed, her cheeks flushed with pride. "But I won't stop until I become a great ninja like Grandpa Hayai!"

"Your grandfather would be proud of your determination," I said softly, a fond smile gracing my lips. "Now, let's continue our training."

End Pov

Training Ground 7 was bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, casting long shadows across the grassy field. Sweat ran down my face as I wiped my brow with my sleeve, breathing heavily after an intense round of sparring with Izumi.

"Great job today, Ayumi," Izumi said, a hint of exhaustion in her voice. "You're making remarkable progress."

"Thank you, Izumi-sensei!" I replied, determination filling my body, as the fatigue I had quickly vanished. "I won't rest until I become the best ninja there is!"

"Your dedication is commendable," Izumi acknowledged, her gaze wandering to the edge of the training ground, where two figures stood watching them from a distance. She tensed slightly, her hand instinctively moving to the kunai pouch at her side.

"Is something wrong, Izumi-sensei?" I asked, following my mentor's line of sight.

"Ah, no, everything is fine," Izumi replied quickly, a smile growing on her face. "It's just... Itachi and sasuke are here."

I squinted into the distance, spotting the enigmatic young ninja leaning against a tree, his arms crossed over his chest. while a smaller figure appeared similar and had not taken his eyes away from us. "Why does he make you so nervous, Izumi-sensei? He's just another ninja, right?"

"True, but Itachi is... different," Izumi hesitated, her eyes narrowing slightly. "He's incredibly skilled and knowledgeable, but his presence can be... too calming and reassuring at times."

"How so?" I questioned, my curiosity piqued.

Izumi sighed, weighing her words carefully. "Itachi has a way of making people question their own abilities, of getting under your skin without even saying a word. And at the same time make you feel safe as if nothing in this world would ever be able to hurt you. It's difficult to explain."

"Maybe he's just shy?" I suggested innocently, my eyes scanning the mysterious figure and his younger brother. "He doesn't seem like a bad person."

"He isn't I... he's just a dunce," Izumi conceded, her expression softening as she stared longingly at him "But we should focus on our training, Ayumi. Don't worry about Itachi for now."

"Okay, Izumi-sensei," I agreed, as I watched she couldn't help stealing one last glance at the enigmatic ninja before returning her attention to our lesson.

"Alright, let's practice your evasion techniques," Izumi instructed, trying to put the presence of Itachi out of her mind as they resumed their training.

As I dodged and weaved between Izumi's strikes, my thoughts kept drifting back to the mysterious figure watching them from afar. Who was Itachi, really? And why did he have such an effect on my usually unflappable mentor?

"Focus, Ayumi!" Izumi snapped, her voice pulling me back to the task at hand, As her fist slammed into my chest.

"Right, sorry Izumi-sensei!" I replied, trying to shake off the pain while redoubling my efforts. I would get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Itachi eventually, but for now, I had more immediate concerns about dodging Izumi's strikes.

My muscles tensed, while my focus sharpened to Izumi's every movement became a blur of speed and precision. sweat trickling down my forehead, her chest heaving with each labored breath.

"Is that all you've got, Ayumi?" Izumi taunted, her voice laced with challenge. "You'll never become a great ninja if you can't keep up!"

gritting my teeth, frustration threatening to boil over. I refused to back down, I would show Izumi what I was capable of. With a determined roar, I lunged at my mentor, Kicks flying.

"Keep your guard up!" Izumi instructed, easily blocking my strikes. But the intensity of our battle only increased, pushing both of us to our limits. As we exchanged blows, Izumi's eyes began to change, strange dark orbs transforming into the swirling red of the Sharingan.

"Wha—?" I gasped, momentarily thrown off by the sudden shift in my mentor's gaze. Despite my surprise, I couldn't help but stare, captivated by the hypnotic pattern.

"Stay focused, Ayumi!" Izumi barked, snapping me out of my trance. "Your opponent won't wait for you to gather your wits!"

"Got it!" I shouted, my heart pounding as I redoubled her efforts. I couldn't afford to lose this battle, not when it was someone that wasn't my grandfather. I needed to prove myself, not just to Izumi, but to my grandfather as well.

As my determination surged, something within me stirred, causing my veins to turn a deep shade of purple. Unfazed by the change, I pushed myself harder, strikes becoming more powerful and precise with each passing second. As my eyes became slit-like.

"Your chakra is on a rampage," Izumi said worriedly as she watched her, struggling to keep up with her pupil's relentless assault. "But don't get cocky, Ayumi!"

I gritted my teeth, As my fists blur as I continued my barrage of attacks.

In the midst of the heated battle, I could feel my own strength growing, fueled by something with, the feeling of needing to be on top, the best, the Queen pushed me on. I knew that no matter what challenges I would be on top. Something like a voice whispering in my ear to strike to kill.

"Let's finish this!" I roared, drawing upon her newfound power for one final, devastating strike.

"Bring it on!" Izumi shouted back, her Sharingan blazing Spinning rapidly.

As Our fists collided, a shockwave rippled through the air, and for a moment, it seemed as if time itself had stopped. In that instant of impact, I knew that I had given my all and that, win or lose, This very moment would decide that.

Pov Itachi

I activated my Sharingan as I watched their every movement. That girl something was strange about her, and while I thought of that a voice pulled my attention.

"onichan will I be able to get that strong too?" Sasuke asked the fight had become too fast for his eyes to perceive. I sheepishly looked at him. My sweet little brother, that thing was a monster, but if she could become that strong so could he. I nodded

"if you focus on your training then yes" I commented as I poked him on the forehead. Returning my attain to the battling, something Sasuke said surprised me.

"Onichon they kind of remind me of how siblings play." as I watched them Ayumi suddenly stopped moving.

End Pov

The shockwave from our collision sent Izumi hurtling backward, her body slamming through the trunks of several trees before coming to a stop. I panting heavily, watched in disbelief as my mentor struggled to rise from the wreckage.

"Did I... go too far?" I muttered, concerned for Izumi's welfare yet unable to suppress the pride swelling within her. I had taken on a formidable opponent and emerged victorious or so I thought.

"Is that all you've got, Ayumi?" Izumi called out, wiping blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. "I told you not to get cocky!"

"Enough!" I shouted, storming over to where Izumi lay. "You're hurt! We need to stop this, now!"

"Stop?" Izumi chuckled, struggling to sit upright. "We're just getting started."

In that instant, I was struck by a sudden, dizzying disorientation. The world around me seemed to shift, the landscape of Training Ground 7 warping and flickering like a mirage.

"What's happening?" I demanded, clutching my head as I tried to make sense of the rapidly changing surroundings.

"Genjutsu," Izumi replied, her voice cold and distant. "And you fell right into it."

I gritted my teeth, furious at myself and at her. My anger grew as something within was surging. Suddenly something hit the back of my neck and everything faded to black. After a few moments, I woke to find myself resting under a tree as Izumi was sitting next to me drinking water.

"What was that," I asked as my head was still in pain.

"That was a Gentjutsu, let me explain. genjutsu is created when a ninja controls the chakra flow of a target's cerebral nervous system, thereby affecting their five senses, like I did in our training, it creates false images that trick the body into believing its has experienced what you did. Though our fight was real up to the end part. You fell I to mine after looking into my eyes."

"You may have caught me off guard," I hissed!

"Good," Izumi replied, her tone softening. "That's was the point" she said while leaning back resting."

As my vision cleared my heart sank, weighed down by disappointment in myself for falling victim to such a ploy.

"Did I... fail?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

"Failure would have been death, so no you did not fail Ayumi" Izumi reassured me,climbing to her feet. "You fought with everything you had, even when faced with impossible odds. That's what matters."

"Then why the genjutsu?" I demanded, tears brimming in my eyes. "Why make me believe I was winning?"

"Because a true ninja must be prepared for any situation," Izumi explained, her gaze unwavering. "And sometimes, the greatest battles are waged within our own minds."

As i mulled over my mentor's words, I struggled to understand the lesson hidden within their spar. i might not have emerged victorious in the traditional sense, but i had proven my resilience and determination I think.

"Thank you, Izumi-sensei," Ayumi whispered, bowing her head in gratitude.

"Don't let it bother you to much Ayumi, realistically you had no chance of winning" Izumi replied, placing a hand on Ayumi's shoulder. "Now come on, let's get you patched up and back to training."

Together, they walked away from the battered trees, leaving behind the shattered remnants of the illusion as we walked pass Sasuke and Itachi.