CHAPTER 56

Familiar Sight

While Shisui Uchiha was carrying out covert operations, Itachi Uchiha was training with his younger brother, Sasuke, at the training grounds. Watching Sasuke's determined attacks, Itachi's absent-minded defense betrayed his inner turmoil, and he sighed quietly.

Since Shisui's death, Itachi had taken on Shisui's role as the bridge between the Uchiha clan and the Hidden Leaf Village. Though both sides seemed to vie for his loyalty, in truth, they feared him equally. Trapped between two worlds, Itachi had become a solitary figure, unable to truly belong to either.

In the village, he couldn't trust figures like Danzo Shimura, the Third Hokage, or even his former team captain, Kakashi Hatake. On the clan's side, he was equally distrustful of his own family—his clansmen, his father Fugaku, and even his gentle mother, Mikoto. The only person he trusted was Sasuke, his little brother, who idolized him. But Sasuke was still a child, unable to help shoulder the weight of Itachi's burdens.

Sasuke's excited cry of "Brother!" was Itachi's only solace in an increasingly bleak world.

Dodging a kunai Sasuke had thrown, Itachi casually picked up a stone and hurled it back, only for it to collide with a puff of smoke—the result of Sasuke's Shadow Clone Technique.

At this age, he's already learned Shadow Clones? Itachi thought, mildly surprised. Yet even as he mused, he easily sidestepped Sasuke's sneak attack and pinned him to the ground with practiced ease.

It wasn't that Sasuke was weak—it was that Itachi was far too strong. By Sasuke's age, Itachi had already become a genin, with multiple lives taken by his hands. Sasuke, on the other hand, had never killed, and his hesitation in battle was evident. Yet it was precisely this innocence that solidified Itachi's resolve to protect his little brother at all costs.

The memory of his conversation with Danzo the previous night still weighed heavily on his mind. Danzo had forced him into a cruel choice: stand aside and watch the Uchiha and the village destroy one another, or preemptively strike the Uchiha clan to preserve its dignity and Sasuke's future. Danzo had promised that Sasuke would be spared if Itachi chose the latter.

Itachi had given no answer, caught in the same dilemma Shisui had faced before his death. Either option meant betrayal—of his family, his village, or himself.

As Itachi's thoughts wandered, Sasuke noticed his distraction and began forming hand seals for the Fireball Jutsu. But midway, Sasuke stopped and, with a pout, complained, "Brother, are you thinking about your mission again? Didn't you promise to spend today with me?"

Itachi snapped out of his reverie, smiled faintly, and resumed their training until Sasuke, panting from exertion, finally needed to rest. The two sat beneath a large tree, where Sasuke offered Itachi a bottle of chilled water from a wooden box he had brought.

"Brother," Sasuke began, "last time, you said my strength is good enough to graduate early. Now I'm close to Chunin level. I want to graduate and take the Chunin Exams!"

"Why do you want to become a Chunin so quickly?" Itachi asked, genuinely curious.

"To surpass Naruto," Sasuke replied without hesitation. "He's already way stronger than me. If I don't become a Chunin soon, I'll never catch up!"

Itachi chuckled softly. "Becoming a Chunin is one thing, but to win the Chunin Exams, you'd need the strength of a Jōnin..."

He recalled his own Chunin Exam, where he'd defeated multiple skilled opponents to claim victory.

"Why?" Sasuke asked, confused.

Itachi avoided the question, instead changing the subject. "You talk about Naruto a lot. You must be close friends."

Sasuke's expression soured. "Not really. He came over to our place once, but after that, he stopped coming."

Itachi smiled knowingly. "It's not your fault. The tension between our clan and the village makes things complicated. Naruto's... special situation makes it even harder for him to visit."

"What do you mean by special? He's just the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. With so many Jōnin in our clan, why are people still afraid of him?"

"That's a secret," Itachi said firmly. "Even Naruto himself doesn't know the truth about his identity. Without permission from the higher-ups, I can't say more."

Sasuke's curiosity only deepened, but no amount of coaxing could make Itachi reveal more. Finally, Sasuke sighed and changed the topic. "Fine. But will you at least come home for dinner today? We haven't eaten together as a family in ages."

Itachi hesitated but eventually nodded. "All right. I'll come home tonight."

Later, as the brothers walked through the village streets, hand in hand, Itachi felt a rare sense of peace. Though Sasuke was already eight years old and no longer a little child, he still insisted on holding Itachi's hand, a habit that Itachi secretly cherished.

But that peace was short-lived. Itachi suddenly felt a chilling sensation, as though someone was watching him from the shadows. He glanced around, but the presence vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

The masked man? Itachi wondered, his mind flashing to the enigmatic figure with the Mangekyō Sharingan—the man responsible for the Nine-Tails' attack on the village and the death of the Fourth Hokage. If it truly was him, then the situation was growing even more dangerous.

When they arrived home, Mikoto greeted Itachi with surprise. "You're eating at home tonight?" she asked, her voice a mix of relief and concern.

"Yes," Itachi replied. "I'm not too busy today."

A warm smile spread across Mikoto's face. "Good. We're a family. You and your father should leave your work outside and focus on Sasuke's feelings tonight."

Fugaku, sitting silently in the living room, exchanged a glance with Itachi. Their unspoken understanding was clear—they needed to talk. For Itachi, it might be the last opportunity to plead with his father to abandon plans for a coup.

After dinner, as night fell, Itachi walked beside Sasuke, listening to his brother's cheerful chatter. Itachi knew he would sacrifice anything to protect this happiness. Sasuke's innocent joy was the one thing worth saving in a world filled with betrayal and conflict.

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