Uchiha Itachi's Terror! Sumimasen!

Akimichi BBQ.

The table was covered with an array of grilled meats, sizzling in butter and giving off an irresistible aroma.

"Time to eat!"

Naruto had been drooling for ages. Like a hungry wolf that had gone days without food, he grabbed a slab of fatty, grease-dripping meat and tore into it.

His hands and face were smeared with oil, making him look like a dirty little cat, yet he did not care in the slightest.

His table manners were atrocious.

Sitting across from him, Namikaze Mirai smiled like a doting aunt.

Naruto was still growing, so eating more meat would help him absorb protein.

After all, he had an Uzumaki Constitution, so his appetite was naturally much greater than an ordinary person's.

His sister-in-law Kushina could eat most of an entire roasted suckling pig in one meal. Only the small portion left over would go to him and Minato.

At the thought of his sister-in-law Kushina, Namikaze Mirai's gaze shifted from reminiscence to regret, then to a sigh...

His sister-in-law had never been inferior to anyone in her life.

At first, he had objected to Naruto taking the Uzumaki surname.

How could a son of the Namikaze Clan take his mother's surname?

If nothing else, he should have taken his uncle's surname, shouldn't he?

But his sister-in-law had been adamant.

After the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed, the Uzumaki Clan had nearly vanished. Having inherited Uzumaki Mito's legacy, his sister-in-law was practically the last direct descendant of the Uzumaki lineage.

This bloodline had to be passed on.

Minato adored Kushina, so he agreed without a second thought.

As the uncle, he naturally could not refuse.

Besides, there was another important reason.

Only he and Minato remained of the Namikaze Lineage. Such an insignificant little clan was naturally not as suitable as having Naruto inherit the Uzumaki Clan's political legacy under the Uzumaki name.

This was also Brother paving the way for Naruto's future.

Namikaze Mirai looked at Naruto's blond hair. The longer he looked, the happier he became, and the deeper the smile in his eyes grew.

Fortunately, the Namikaze bloodline was still damn impressive.

His surname might be Uzumaki, but his hair was Namikaze! The Uzumaki Clan's signature red hair had been completely overshadowed by Namikaze blond.

At least their bloodline had not been disgraced.

"Uncle, what are you looking at?"

Naruto swallowed the grilled meat in his mouth in one gulp, finding his uncle's gaze rather strange.

"Looking at your hair."

???

Naruto froze.

"Please come again."

The fat owner of the barbecue restaurant smiled and bowed to the two departing customers, his belly nearly hanging to the ground.

"Uncle, where are we eating next time? Burp!"

Naruto held his mountain-like belly and let out a long, satisfied burp.

In the past few days with his uncle, he had already sampled quite a few of Konoha's delicacies.

He seemed to have realized that everything Hokage Grandpa could give him, Uncle could give him too.

But what Uncle gave him, Hokage Grandpa could not.

"Next time..."

Namikaze Mirai rubbed his chin with his fingers. Before he could speak, a childish voice as crisp as a bell rang out ahead of them.

"Nii-san, I want to eat those dango!"

Three-year-old Sasuke looked utterly adorable. His childish voice carried a hint of babyish sweetness.

Riding on Uchiha Itachi's shoulders, he pointed at the Three-Color Dango in the shop, drooling profusely.

Dango—his favorite dango.

Itachi gently took out several coins from his pocket. Amid Sasuke's cheers, he bought the Three-Color Dango and handed it to Sasuke on his shoulders.

"Nii-san is the best!"

Sasuke took a huge bite of the dango. Before he could even start chewing, his expression froze as he saw Naruto staring at him from ahead.

Their big eyes met.

"What a cute girl."

Naruto let out a besotted murmur.

???

Sasuke flew into a rage. Before he could even swallow the dango in his mouth, he waved his arms and shouted in a childish voice.

"You're the girl! Your whole family is girls!!!"

His fair cheeks puffed up with anger, flushed a deep red.

Plenty of people had called him cute, but calling him a girl was going too far! Especially coming from a Blond Kid like this! Namikaze Mirai smiled as he sized up Sasuke and Itachi.

As he observed Itachi, Itachi was also observing him.

The longer he looked, the more cold sweat gathered on his forehead. His heart thudded wildly, as though he were standing on blazing coals.

This man, if he remembered correctly...

The Fourth Hokage's younger brother, Aunt Kushina's brother-in-law!

The Blue Flash!

Rumors had recently spread throughout the village that the Demon Fox had found herself an uncle. Konoha's major clans had long since received the Intelligence—the Blue Flash had returned to the village.

The legendary ninja who had vanished for three years had finally stepped back onto Konoha's stage.

And as a member of the Uchiha Clan, Itachi knew far more than ordinary Villagers.

The upheaval at the Hokage Office a few days ago had been Namikaze Mirai's doing! He had blasted straight through the entire Hokage Tower, then calmly departed despite being surrounded by countless Anbu and the Hokage.

Such pressure...

"Sumimasen!"

Itachi could no longer hold himself back. He bent forward at a ninety-degree angle, giving a formal, reverent bow, his head nearly touching the ground.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!!!"

Sasuke, who had been sitting on his shoulders, fell straight down and smashed face-first into the ground. The Three-Color Dango in his hand flew away as well, rolling several meters before becoming covered in dust.

"Nii-san, what are you doing?! I can't eat the dango anymore."

Rubbing his slightly swollen, reddened forehead, Sasuke's little eyes began to water.

Then his expression froze.

Itachi still had not raised his head, his body folded over at a perfect ninety degrees.

"Please forgive Sasuke's ignorance. I sincerely apologize to you on his behalf. Sumimasen!"

Sasuke's jaw nearly hit the ground, his dark brown eyes filled with disbelief.

What the hell? Am I under Genjutsu?

Why was Nii-san being so respectful toward this Blond Kid? Or had he really, without realizing it, offended someone he absolutely could not afford to provoke?

Little Sasuke shuddered.

He was only three years old, after all, and his mind was still immature. Seeing his Brother, whom he had always respected, acting like this frightened him so badly that tears welled up in his eyes.

Sweat had already beaded across Itachi's bowed forehead.

He acted this way partly because he feared Namikaze Mirai's overwhelming power, but also because he was trying to clear the Uchiha Clan of suspicion! Ordinary Villagers might not have known what happened during the Nine-Tails Attack, but as the Uchiha clan head's Eldest Son, he knew very well.

That night, three tomoe had appeared in the Nine-Tails' pupils, suggesting it had been controlled by the Sharingan.

That was precisely why the Uchiha Clan had come under such heavy suspicion from the higher-ups! They suspected the Nine-Tails Attack was connected to the Uchiha Clan! And Namikaze Mirai's Brother and Sister-in-law had died during the Nine-Tails Attack.

Given that background, if Sasuke's words just now—"Your whole family is girls"—had struck a nerve with Namikaze Mirai, the consequences would be disastrous...

It was highly possible that what had happened at the Hokage Office would be repeated at the Uchiha Clan Compound! The air seemed to freeze solid, and the suffocating pressure left Itachi and Sasuke barely able to breathe.

Itachi's clothes were already soaked through with sweat as he remained bent at ninety degrees, like a sinner awaiting Judgment. Seeing this, Sasuke covered his mouth and held his breath, nearly bursting into tears.

Amid that stifling silence.

Itachi suddenly heard a soft, slightly teasing laugh.

"Why are you so nervous? It's not like I'm going to eat you."

Though his tone carried a trace of contempt, his unconcern seemed genuine.

Itachi cautiously raised his head a little.

"You... truly don't care?"