Chapter 72: It's Just a Dinner Party, Don't Make It Seem Like a Wedding!

Chapter 72: It's Just a Dinner Party, Don't Make It Seem Like a Wedding!

Itachi Uchiha's participation in the joint Chunin Exams was originally just a formality. If Danzo Shimura hadn't sent Yamato to stir up trouble in the middle, there would have been almost no pressure... For Kitahara, its cub being promoted to a Konoha Chunin was nothing worth celebrating.

Advancing from the peak of the ninja world to cannon fodder, is there anything to be proud of?

However, for student cubs like Uchiha Izumi and Inuzuka Hana who haven't graduated yet... Hmm, after all, their teacher is also just a Chunin.

A large group of people left the exam hall…

The crow plus the Uchiha family, two little girl students, the Third Hokage and Kakashi Hatake, and an extra Uchiha Shisui... Kakashi's lifelong rival, Might Guy, had tagged along at some point.

In his words, Uchiha Itachi was his life-saver, and he couldn't miss this kind of celebratory event; he had to participate.

Because there were too many people gathered, Ichiraku Ramen was definitely not an option for the evening's location. Fugaku simply booked a whole restaurant... Coincidentally, a group of his trusted subordinates from the Konoha Military Police Force would also come to join the fun, treating it as a dinner gathering.

What was supposed to be a warm little get-together turned out like Uchiha Itachi's wedding... To be honest, it wasn't even this lively when Sasuke was born.

After the Nine-Tails rampage, the meeting between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Uchiha Fugaku was a bit awkward. The last time they met was because Hiruzen Sarutobi suggested Uchiha Itachi graduate directly. The next time they met, the little cub's Sharingan had awakened the Mangekyo.

In just under a year... this speed was a bit astonishing.

As the people with the highest seniority and status, they could only sit facing each other at the head of the table. After they exchanged a glance, Fugaku clearly appeared more aggressive. Hiruzen Sarutobi avoided his gaze and looked at Shisui beside Fugaku.

"Shisui, before the New Year, you still have one more training mission before entering ANBU. Have you decided on the team members to participate?"

Shisui put down his teacup and glanced at the little boy sitting beside him, "There probably isn't a more suitable person than Itachi, right?"

"True, you two can team up just right." Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly smiled as he spoke, patting his forehead, "I'm getting old, I almost forgot. ANBU's secrets cannot be leaked to outsiders."

"..."

Uchiha Fugaku paused, putting down his chopsticks, "Ninjas are not purely tools and cannot completely control their emotions. It's quite normal for Lord Hokage to accidentally let things slip."

Old geezer, if you weren't just casually looking for a chance to put Shisui and Itachi in their place, I'll eat my chopsticks and plates instead of dinner tonight!

Uchiha Shisui looked at his own clan head, then at his direct superior. Neither of them was someone he wanted to converse with, nor did he dare to become the topic of conversation between the two again.

His little companion beside him was chatting with Izumi again. If he disturbed them again, the way the little girl looked at him was no different from looking at a thorn in her side...

Shisui could only look at the person opposite him and say, "Senior Kakashi, why were summoned beasts suddenly prohibited in this year's Chunin Exams?"

"Huh?"

Kakashi Hatake snatched a plate of saury from in front of Guy, thoughtfully replacing it with a plate of tempura for his friend. Suddenly hearing Shisui's words, he thought for a moment and then asked back:

"If there isn't a summoned beast like the Sannin's that can decide the course of a battlefield, or a ninja dog from the Inuzuka clan, does prohibiting them or not make much of a difference? This year was just a routine prohibition of summoned beasts and pets."

"Kakashi-yo! There's a big difference! The crow Itachi is raising is still very strong!" Might Guy, upon hearing this, suddenly gave a thumbs-up, pointing to the end of the dining table.

Ever since Guy was saved by Itachi, he had a very good impression of the little boy. When they occasionally met, the little boy didn't reject interacting with him, and the two would exchange a few words about taijutsu.

It might be because Kitahara had always been disdainful of the little boy's taijutsu, and Kisame Hoshigaki was also proficient in taijutsu, so Itachi didn't discriminate against taijutsu ninjas.

Of course, Guy's little scheme was that it would be even better if the little fellow could join the Youth Club. He rarely met ninjas who were interested in pure taijutsu.

The reason Guy thought Kitahara was strong was purely mutual flattery. He hadn't personally witnessed Kitahara's ferocity, only inadvertently hearing Itachi and the crow's conversation... Although it was just one sentence, that sentence left a deep impression on Guy.

Kitahara, is Senior Guy really Konoha's strongest taijutsu ninja?

If he weren't on a mission, Might Guy would have been tempted to immediately jump back in front of the little boy and show him just how many special moves Konoha's Sublime Blue Beast had!

As for the crow at the end of the table that Might Guy was praising, it was arguing with Sasuke again... Mikoto held Sasuke with a helpless expression, while Inuzuka Hana held Kitahara with a weary face.

She finally knew why Uchiha Itachi always had a headache over this problem. This kind of thing was simply impossible for anyone to stop! His younger brother looked very well-behaved, but he was not worry-free at all!

Kitahara was rarely eating something quietly...

Uchiha Sasuke suddenly cawed like a crow a couple of times. After getting Kitahara's attention, the little brat looked at the crow with a cool expression and cawed a few more times...

Such provocation... it was a godsend they didn't start fighting!

Inuzuka Hana held Kitahara, fed it a small shrimp, and after soothing it, wiped the sweat from her forehead, "Are they often like this?"

"Actually, it's much better than before."

There was a hint of embarrassment in Uchiha Mikoto's words. As Sasuke gradually grew older, he had outgrown the habit of spitting whenever he saw Kitahara. She had thought Sasuke had become more sensible.

But the little brat's tricks had become more varied...

Since winter began, Kitahara, who liked to laze in bed and hibernate, would be very quiet this season. Sasuke, however, was clearly much more active. The little brat was practically self-taught in anything that could infuriate Kitahara.

This meal, except for Might Guy, was a struggle for everyone else... Several people were full of worries, and the rare carefree crow was angered to the point of fuming by the little brat.

The time remaining after dinner belonged to the group. Hiruzen Sarutobi and Fugaku left first. It was a rare opportunity for them to gather. After all, it was impossible for Hiruzen Sarutobi to visit the Uchiha clan, as that would signify weakness and might even be a bit dangerous.

Uchiha Fugaku, on the other hand, would be willing to visit the Hokage Building every day, but the problem was he couldn't directly state the Uchiha clan's demands. And even if he did state them openly, they wouldn't be agreed to by Konoha's leadership. Why seek humiliation?

Now, taking advantage of Uchiha Itachi's exposed Mangekyo Sharingan, it was better for the big boss of Konoha and the clan head of the Uchiha to directly discuss the impact of this pair of Sharingan and how to ease the relationship between the village and the Uchiha.

Uchiha Mikoto had to take Sasuke and Izumi back to the clan grounds. The little brat, after being arrogant all night, was finally too sleepy... It really wasn't easy.

Just as Kakashi Hatake was about to leave with Might Guy, Uchiha Itachi stopped him, "Senior Kakashi, I have some things I'd like to ask you."

"Huh?"

"Regarding the matter of Uchiha Obito, I might need Senior's... intelligence."

Yes, intelligence.

(End of this chapter)