Chapter 21: The Uchiha Family

"This... Lord Orochimaru."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, then gave a slow, knowing smile.

Uchiha Shinzu's reaction was... strange.

With the perceptiveness of the Sharingan, he should've noticed the figure standing beside the clan head right away. And Orochimaru's distinct appearance wasn't exactly easy to miss. So why the delay?

No—Shinzu recognized him. That much was clear. He understood the situation: the Uchiha clan was in a difficult position, and their patriarch had aligned with Orochimaru for support, hoping to leverage his power and influence.

Shinzu was no fool. Sharp and quick-witted. But what he did was telling.

He didn't immediately bow with respect. He didn't offer gratitude for the intervention. Instead, his gaze shifted—straight back to Fugaku.

Why?

Because he didn't see Orochimaru's help as something to be proud of.

Orochimaru licked his lips, intrigued.

How interesting.

Smart. Arrogant. Fearless.

That was his first impression of Uchiha Shinzu.

And judging from the security squad around him, he wasn't alone. The same fire, the same attitude—he saw echoes of Shinzu in each of them.

Ah, youth...

Fugaku's expression had darkened. Orochimaru noticed—but he wasn't the only one. Fugaku, as clan head, had seen it too. And seeing Shinzu still frozen in place, he barked sharply, "Do as Lord Orochimaru instructed. Now."

"Yes, sir!"

Shinzu gave a short nod and departed with his team.

Orochimaru chuckled softly. "Patriarch Fugaku, your people are certainly... eye-opening."

His tone danced on the edge of mockery.

"With clansmen like that, your options are... limited."

Fugaku's face grew even darker.

"They can afford to act with emotion," Orochimaru continued, his tone shifting into something almost persuasive. "But you—as their leader—cannot. You'll only regret it if things spiral too far."

He leaned in slightly, his eyes narrowing.

"The Uchiha have to go through this. You know that. And the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails attack is still at large. How long will you let the village blame Uchiha for everything?"

"The village's patience isn't infinite. Push too far—and it'll break. And you know what that will lead to."

Fugaku remained silent, eyes downcast, his expression shifting between fury and defeat.

"Or…" Orochimaru added quietly, "do you plan to lead a rebellion—just to force your voice to be heard?"

"That's enough," Fugaku said coldly. "We don't need to go there… I agree."

He raised his head slowly, each word gritted out like it physically hurt to speak them.

Right now, Fugaku was burning with hatred.

Hatred for Madara, who once unleashed the Tailed Beasts on the village and sowed the seeds of conflict.

And hatred for the unseen hand that had triggered this latest crisis.

"Good," Orochimaru said, his voice smooth. "Then let's move on to the details."

…

In the heart of the Uchiha compound…

Under the shade of a tree, Itachi sat quietly, having just finished lunch. In his arms, he cradled his infant brother Sasuke, feeding him from a small milk bottle.

A soft smile formed on Itachi's face as he watched Sasuke suckle.

He genuinely cherished these moments—feeling his brother's warmth and innocent dependence brought him a rare sense of peace.

"Itachi-kun!"

A voice called out from a distance. A girl with a ponytail came running over, waving as she approached.

"Izumi," Itachi greeted her with a small nod, his attention still focused on Sasuke.

Uchiha Izumi—he had met her on the night of the Nine-Tails attack. He'd saved her life by chance, and ever since then, she had taken to visiting him often.

"Aww, Sasuke's drinking milk... he's so cute!"

Izumi leaned in with a bright smile. "Can I hold him?"

"No," Itachi replied flatly. "You'll make him cry again. Just like last time."

Izumi pouted, recalling her previous failed attempt. "That was just an accident! I'll be super careful this time. Look—he's calm and focused."

Despite Itachi's warning, she gently reached out to take Sasuke.

As if on cue, Sasuke—ever sensitive—sensed the unfamiliar presence and immediately began to squirm and cry.

Itachi smoothly took him back into his arms, rocking him gently to calm him down with practiced ease.

Izumi stood there, rejected once again, her confidence shaken as her ponytail drooped with her spirits.

"…?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Itachi suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure. His eyes widened.

Father…

Without a word, Itachi stood up and jogged over, still holding Sasuke carefully.

As he drew closer, he saw another figure standing beside his father—tall, pale, and unfamiliar. Something about the man made his instincts tingle.

He stopped in his tracks.

Noticing his approach, both men turned toward him.

Their presence—especially the stranger's—shifted the air, but the tension eased slightly as they looked at the two children.

The man's golden eyes studied Itachi with an unreadable glint.

"This your son?" he asked. "Mind introducing us?"

At the mention of his son, Fugaku's stern features softened a little, a hint of pride in his voice. "This is my eldest, Itachi. The younger one is Sasuke. Itachi, this is Lord Orochimaru."

Itachi bowed politely, still holding Sasuke. "Lord Orochimaru."

"Itachi…" the man murmured, echoing Itachi's name as if tasting it.

For some reason, the name unsettled him.

Itachi…

A weasel. A natural enemy of snakes.

That thought flickered through Orochimaru's mind—and it made him laugh quietly to himself.

"Is something wrong, Lord Orochimaru?" Fugaku asked, confused by his sudden amusement.

"No, nothing," Orochimaru replied, shaking his head.

His gaze lingered on Itachi, intrigued by the boy's composed demeanor and deep, quiet eyes.

He was beginning to like this child more and more.

"How old is he?" Orochimaru asked.

"Six," Fugaku answered. "He'll enter the academy with the next class."

"I can already tell he's a genius," Orochimaru said, almost to himself. Then he looked back at Fugaku. "I want to take him as my student. What do you think?"

Fugaku's expression tensed.

Of course, being trained by one of the Sannin was a rare and prestigious opportunity. Orochimaru was one of the most powerful shinobi in the village—his guidance would be invaluable.

But his reputation… wasn't exactly clean.

Orochimaru saw right through his hesitation and chuckled. "Patriarch Fugaku, do you think the Uchiha are in a position to be picky about who offers help?"

The words were sharp—but he didn't press further.

Instead, Orochimaru added casually, "I want to take Itachi as my disciple—not just because of his talent. But also…"

He paused, then smirked.

"Jiraiya raised a student who became Hokage. If I can't do the same, wouldn't that make him better than me?"

"Hokage…?"

The word struck deep.

Fugaku's heart skipped a beat. The very thought of one of his sons reaching that height stirred emotions he couldn't ignore.

After a pause, he composed himself and smiled politely.

"Lord Orochimaru, please don't misunderstand. I was only hesitating because I wasn't sure if Itachi was ready."

He turned to his son and gave a subtle nod.

Understanding the cue, Itachi bowed again, more formally this time. "It's an honor to meet you, Lord Orochimaru."

________

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