Uchiha Itachi, anyone who had watched Naruto would have a deep impression of him.
Some worshipped him, calling him a god. Others looked down on him, labeling him unfilial. People's opinions of him were divided.
But regardless of whether they held positive or negative feelings, their impression of him was undoubtedly profound. Even Hui had a deep impression of Itachi.
Hui's impression stemmed from Itachi's strength.
Throughout the original Naruto storyline, every battle Itachi fought was captivating. From the initial encounter where he instantly overwhelmed Kakashi with Tsukuyomi, to the final battle against Kabuto, where he forced a change of heart in the man with Izanami.
Throughout the entire series, Itachi's methods were undoubtedly the most unexpected and endlessly varied.
Because no one ever knew what other hidden techniques he possessed.
"Lord Sage, could you bestow a name upon my son?" Uchiha Fugaku, who had returned from the Region of Wind, asked tentatively, filled with nervous anticipation as he looked at the newborn Itachi, only a few days old.
He was now the leader of the Region of Wind, one of the five regional leaders, and one of the most powerful individuals in the entire Sage Shinobi Nation.
But in front of Hui, he would always be just an admirer.
Hui pondered for a moment, a subtle smile playing on his lips. "Itachi. Let his name be Uchiha Itachi."
He didn't change Itachi's name.
Since this name left such a deep impression, might as well let it continue to shine in this world. Hui was also curious to see just how far the future Itachi could grow.
However, Hui believed that Itachi's future achievements would definitely be even greater.
Because this world had the Eight Gates Sage Ascension Technique, and because this world had him, Hui.
He extended a finger, and brilliant golden light converged on the center of baby Itachi's forehead.
As the light dissipated, a faint mark remained. This was the Sage Seal, the same one Hui had bestowed upon Kakashi.
Back then, he had given the newborn Kakashi the Sage Seal partly due to his connection with Sakumo, and partly because of Kakashi's talent.
Kakashi's talent was undeniably astonishing.
n the original story, he graduated from the Ninja Academy at age 5, became a Chunin at 6, and a Jonin at 12, even creating his own A-rank Lightning Release technique, Chidori. A true genius.
Although he only became a Jonin elite in his late twenties, there was a reason for that.
The successive deaths of Obito, Rin, and Minato had broken Kakashi. The official explanation stated that during that period, Kakashi hadn't trained diligently.
His strength growth mainly came from physical maturation, experience gained through countless missions, and copied techniques. This growth was incredibly slow, coupled with the burden of Obito's Sharingan, which explained Kakashi's slow progress over more than a decade.
But even with such slow growth, Kakashi still reached the level of a Jonin elite. This was a testament to his exceptional talent.
And Itachi's talent was absolutely no less than Kakashi's. After all, Itachi's experiences were also legendary. He entered the Ninja Academy at 6, graduated at 7, awakened the Sharingan at 8, became one of the hundred individuals in Konoha to pass the Chunin Exams at 10, joined the ANBU at 11, and awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan before the age of 12, reaching Kage level strength.
Such experiences clearly demonstrated Itachi's terrifying talent.
However, the most impressive feat was probably when he learned the Great Fireball Technique...
Back then, Fugaku had only formed the hand seals once, without even a detailed explanation, yet Itachi learned it on his own and used it with apparent proficiency.
Around the same age, it took Sasuke a considerably longer time to achieve the same level of mastery with this technique. And Sasuke was widely regarded as a genius.
This highlighted just how exceptional Itachi's talent truly was. In fact, this wasn't the only striking comparison. There was another crucial detail regarding Itachi's talent: he awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan before he even turned 12.
Although the awakening of the Mangekyo Sharingan was related to the intensity of emotional trauma experienced, the Uchiha clan had existed for so long, and there must have been countless Uchiha members who experienced similar levels of trauma at the same age.
Yet, throughout history, not a single Uchiha had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan at such a young age. Perhaps the closest was Obito Uchiha.
This further emphasized just how extraordinary Itachi's talent was. And for someone with such immense potential, how could Hui not make preparations in advance? After all, these individuals were his future subordinates, the sharpest blades in his conquest of the cosmos.
The greater their achievements and the stronger their power, the more advantageous it would be for Hui. He wished for everyone in the Sage Shinobi Nation to reach the level of the Six Paths.
"...This is… the Sage Seal?!" Uchiha Fugaku's eyes lit up. He exclaimed in astonishment and excitement. Hui had actually bestowed the Sage Seal upon Itachi at such a young age.
Moreover, Fugaku knew that in the entire Sage Shinobi Nation, only Kakashi had received the Sage Seal at birth.
Now, not only had Hui personally named Itachi, but he had also granted him the Sage Seal. This was enough to prove how highly Hui regarded Itachi.
"Thank you so much, Lord Sage! This child will definitely become the sharpest blade of the Sage Shinobi Nation, conquering the cosmos for us!" He declared excitedly.
As one of the highest-ranking officials in the Sage Shinobi Nation, he naturally knew of Hui's future plans for universal conquest.
"There's no rush. Let Itachi grow up well. I believe that in the future, he will definitely become a figure renowned throughout the cosmos." Hui spoke from the heart; these were not empty words.
It wasn't just Itachi; he also held high hopes for Kakashi, Obito, Might Guy… He was incredibly optimistic about the future of this generation of young people.
Because this generation had fully embraced his teachings, they were the first generation to truly embody the path of the Eight Gates Sage Ascension Technique. The future of this generation would undoubtedly be bright.
After discussing the development of the Region of Wind with Fugaku, Hui and Tsunade departed.
On their way back, Hui noticed that Tsunade seemed to have something on her mind. He discreetly activated his Mind's Eye Jutsu and abruptly stopped.
As it turned out, Tsunade's concern was…
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