Chapter 2: The Seeds of Ambition

Itachi never forgot that day. The end of this Great War that swallowed up ninjas from every land came several weeks after the day Itachi became aware of the meaning of his existence. Later called the Third Great Ninja War, the conflict came to an end after an armistice agreement was concluded between Konohagakure and Iwagakure, the principal aggressors.

Although the war had been proceeding favorably for Konoha, Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, established a policy of reconciliation to bring an end to the fighting with an unprecedented offer to not seek reparations from Iwagakure. Advocates for the war opposed Hiruzen's seemingly weak decision, and to keep dissatisfaction in the village in check, he decided to step down as Hokage. This led to the selection of a new Hokage, and the hero of the Great War, Namikaze Minato, became the Fourth.

With Hiruzen's retirement as Hokage, the village inched toward recovery after the tumult of the war. Itachi had a clear objective: "Become the best ninja ever, and eliminate war from this world." An adult might speak of such a grandiose dream with a laugh. But for four-year-old Itachi, it was precious and irreplaceable.

To achieve it, he would first learn basic ninja skills at the academy, take his exams, and be formally recognized as a ninja. This, even though the boy had still not been accepted into the academy yet. But he wanted to become a ninja as soon as possible, so he was training by himself.

"I'm home." Itachi quietly slipped off his shoes in the entryway and walked slowly down the hallway.

"How was your day?" his mother Mikoto called out to him when he passed the kitchen. At that moment, a new life was growing in her womb. *Will it be a little brother or a little sister?* At any rate, it would be Itachi's first sibling.

"Were you training by yourself again today?"

"Yeah." At this reply, sounding too grown-up to have possibly come from her four-year-old son, Mikoto turned around, holding her heavy belly, and shrugged her shoulders.

"Is Dad in his room?"

"He is, but right now's a little…" his mother said, but Itachi was already stepping toward his father's room. After the day's training, he had a question about the way to hold a kunai, and he wanted an answer right away.

"Why should the fourth be Minato?!" The fierce voice on the other side of the closed sliding door stopped Itachi in his tracks.

"You don't know who could be listening." His father's even tone. "Keep your voice down, Yashiro."

"But I just can't accept it. The only name other than Minato put forward for the selection of the Fourth was Lord Orochimaru! Why did not a single person say your name, Lord Fugaku?" the man named Yashiro demanded of his father.

In Itachi's head, Yashiro's face popped up. A man with narrow eyes and closely cropped white hair. Although he was older than Itachi's father, he served him as a subordinate.

"It's just as you say, Yashiro. I cannot accept this either."

"Inabi…" His father spoke the name of the master of this new voice. Uchiha Inabi was a leading ninja in the Konoha Military Police Force. His distinguishing feature was his long black hair. He was also Itachi's father's subordinate.

"Ninja from the other lands trembled at the mention of 'Wicked Eye' Fugaku during the Great War."

"The head of the Konoha Military Police Force. That is my position in the village."

"There's talk it's all the administration's plan!" Yashiro shouted, and then spat out, "Village officials don't want the Uchiha clan standing on center stage. They said nothing in the village about all the work you did during the Great War, Lord Fugaku. Because of that, it was Minato and the Sannin, and even Hatake Kakashi—who has the Sharingan despite not being a member of the clan—who shone. If the people can make a fuss over Minato and Kakashi, then your name should also—"

"Enough." Fugaku's controlled voice cut Yashiro off. "My son is listening."

Itachi winced slightly.

He noticed me… Rookie.

Itachi gritted his teeth. Having no other choice, he pushed the sliding door open. Inside were four people: his father Fugaku, Yashiro, Inabi, and one more, a man with a dot on his forehead. A subordinate of Itachi's father, Uchiha Tekka.

"What is it?"

"I wanted to ask you about shuriken."

"I'm busy right now. Ask me later."

"All right." He quickly slid the door shut as he spoke. The instant it was almost entirely closed, a crimson light grew in the eyes of the four men. Sharingan. The kekkei genkai is inherited by members of the Uchiha clan.

Returning to his room, Itachi recalled the air filling his father's room. And then, for some reason, the battlefield he had seen with his father came back to life in the back of his brain. The very picture of Hell, overflowing with evil intent and malice. The aura hanging over the men in his father's room was the same ominous air he had felt on the battlefield.

"What is Father thinking…?" There was no one to reply to his murmured question.