A single remark from Uchiha Itachi plunged the dinner table into an eerie silence, until the oblivious Uchiha Sasuke reached out with his chopsticks and picked up a piece of fried tempura.
Sasuke suddenly sensed that something was wrong, and his little hand froze for a moment.
He looked left, then right.
He found his father, his mother, and even his beloved older brother sitting motionless in their chairs.
Sasuke also noticed that his brother was looking at their father, while both their father and mother were looking at his brother.
"What's wrong?"
Sasuke swallowed nervously, unable to resist trying to break the silence.
But his father ignored him and spoke directly to his brother. "Itachi, I told you earlier today that at a critical time like this, I will never allow you to attack a member of our own clan without a valid reason."
"And..."
Fugaku's voice grew grave. "You and Chisen are both gifted enough to shoulder the Uchiha Clan's future. If the two of you clash, what will others think of our clan?"
"We're already being ostracized. If people discover serious discord within our ranks, the Uchiha's situation will become even more difficult."
"Itachi, you may only be twelve, but you should understand what I'm saying. You've always been mature for your age."
Uchiha Itachi shook his head.
"Father, I won't fight him," he said expressionlessly. "I only want to talk to Uchiha Chisen."
A moment later, Uchiha Itachi added, "I promise."
The next day, before dawn.
Uchiha Itachi stood outside a modest two-story house.
The slight dark circles beneath his eyes made it clear that he had not slept peacefully that night.
He raised his head, his gaze settling on the doorbell before him.
"Go ahead and ring it."
A somewhat low voice sounded behind Uchiha Itachi. "Didn't you say you wanted to talk to Chisen?"
The speaker was Fugaku!
Fugaku believed that since Itachi had given him his word, he would never use force against Uchiha Chisen. He considered himself to know this eldest son, who made him so proud, very well.
But...
He also believed he understood Uchiha Chisen fairly well, and he wasn't sure whether Chisen would attack Itachi. After all, Chisen had already done so several years ago.
Although Chisen seemed to have "calmed down" afterward, merely exchanging glances with Itachi whenever they happened to cross paths.
Fugaku still didn't want to take that risk.
So he had come along.
Just then, both Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Fugaku shifted their gazes upward at the same time.
They saw an orange ninja cat perched on the second-floor balcony railing, watching them both.
What a fat cat.
That was the father and son's first impression.
"That's Chisen's ninja cat," Fugaku told Itachi. "A very capable one. He was already at Chisen's side during the Third Shinobi World War, accompanying him across the battlefield. They say even an Elite Jonin would struggle to catch him."
"I recognize him," Uchiha Itachi said impassively. "On the day Uchiha Chisen fought me, this ninja cat left three deep wounds on my ankle. The scars are still there."
Fugaku fell silent.
It seemed even the ninja cats around Uchiha Chisen were no pushovers!
"Lord Fugaku."
Kijiro was willing to show Fugaku some respect.
But he extended no such courtesy to Uchiha Itachi. He didn't even greet him.
Kijiro licked his paw, then continued, "Lord Chisen is already in the downstairs living room. The tea is ready, meow. There's no need to ring the bell. The door is open, so just push it and come in."
Fugaku paused.
Then he realized that his eldest son had been standing outside for over three minutes without ringing the doorbell.
Presumably, Uchiha Chisen had noticed them as soon as they arrived.
Uchiha Itachi stepped forward of his own accord.
He pushed the door open.
This was his first time entering this house, and his first time standing face-to-face with Uchiha Chisen in years. This young man, several years his senior, was of Shisui's generation, and apparently a little older than Shisui. His reputation within the Uchiha Clan had once rivaled Shisui's.
Fugaku followed him inside.
Fugaku realized that he was the most nervous of the three people present.
He dreaded the possibility of the two young men coming to blows.
He was already prepared to stop them. Even if it meant revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan, he couldn't stand by and watch two geniuses of the Uchiha Clan destroy each other through infighting.
Uchiha Itachi did not sit down. He approached a sofa and looked at Uchiha Chisen, who was seated there in casual clothes.
"I thought that the moment I stepped inside, I'd be greeted by a torrent of magma. I was prepared for a fight to the death."
Uchiha Itachi glanced at the cups of strong tea still steaming on the coffee table.
The tension within him eased a little.
His words had not been empty pleasantries. They reflected his true thoughts.
Facing a man who had once been as renowned as Shisui, Uchiha Itachi did not let his guard down in the slightest.
Even with those legendary eyes, he wasn't the least bit overconfident. He couldn't be certain whether the man before him, whose "capacity" was equally remarkable... possessed the same eyes as he and Shisui did.
Uchiha Itachi removed the Ninja Sword from his waist and set it aside, his voice level. "What happened back then has always puzzled me. As far as I remember, I never did anything to offend you."
"So why did you want to kill me?"
Meanwhile.
Not far from the door.
"Ah, finally here..." Having learned her lesson after being late once, Izumi had silently sworn never to be late again. She had woken before dawn and hurried to Chisen's home.
But just then, she suddenly noticed that the door to Chisen's home was open!
The girl froze.
Someone broke into his house! That absurd thought flashed through her mind, only to be quickly dismissed.
Izumi didn't think anyone in Konoha could be foolish enough to try stealing from Chisen's home.
Curious, Izumi patted her little cheeks, still looking listless from lingering drowsiness.
She quickened her pace.
And walked over.
"Sir! Uchiha Izumi, trainee of the Konoha Military Police Force, reporting for duty!" Standing at the door with one hand raised, the girl shouted energetically, drawing all three gazes inside the house toward her.
"Huh?"
"Huh?!"
Izumi hadn't expected to find Patriarch Fugaku and Itachi in Chisen's home!
She sucked in a breath!
Did I come at a bad time?
Before you continue