What Makes a Home, a Place Where the Heart Finds Peace

The rebuilt Konoha, having utilized a large amount of funds and manpower, has a larger building area than the original.

It retains some of the Konoha features, and the overall space is more spacious and tidy.

The Ninja Cat of the Land of Cats simply designated a piece of land for themselves and built their dwellings.

Their labor costs exactly offset the cost of buying the land.

There was absolutely no intention to sabotage Ninja Cat.

In comparison, the Uchiha Clan Compound, with its old-fashioned courtyard architecture, has a bit of an urban village feel to it.

However, in terms of living comfort alone, a courtyard is definitely much more comfortable than an apartment.

Kagami Uchiha greeted his clansmen along the way and was about to leave the clan's territory.

I saw two small figures on the lake shore.

"Itachi-kun, why don't you go to the Ninja Academy?"

A cute little girl with long, jet-black hair and a beauty mark under her right eye leans in and asks a boy who is eating Three-Colored Dango a question.

Seemingly sensing something, Uchiha Itachi suddenly turned around and saw Mirror.

A standard 90-degree bow.

"Greetings, Clan Head!"

Turning her head, Uchiha Izumi also saw Kagami and patted Itachi on the shoulder.

"It's just Brother Kagami, why are you so nervous, Itachi-kun?"

Izumi's mother runs a breakfast shop, Kagami Uchiha often eats breakfast at her house.

Uchiha Izumi has known Kagami since she can remember, even though she knows that Kagami Uchiha is now the head of the Uchiha clan and a very powerful ninja.

But... she's no different from before, she's a very gentle person.

Smack

Kagami Uchiha placed his hand on Izumi's head and twirled his hair several times.

"What do you mean 'just'? I'm very capable."

"Ugh!! I spent so long combing it! You big idiot!"

Uchiha Izumi struggled fiercely, kicking Kagami Uchiha with her small feet.

Kagami Uchiha released his hand and smiled, "If you don't go to school soon, you'll be late. I'll tell your mother if you're not careful."

Uchiha Izumi glared fiercely at Kagami, smoothed her hair, and waved to Itachi, "I'm off to school, goodbye Itachi-kun!"

After saying that, he made a face at Kagami Uchiha, then immediately turned and ran away.

Uchiha Itachi remained bowed, not daring to stand up.

Kagami Uchiha's voice was calm. "Izumi isn't afraid of me at all, so what are you afraid of, Itachi?"

"Because... we are sinners..."

Itachi lowered his head, his voice slightly choked.

Not long after he could remember, he was no longer allowed to leave the Uchiha Clan Compound.

Every time he saw his peers like Izumi happily going to school, he longed to know what that felt like.

He couldn't understand why everyone in the tribe was so happy and fulfilled.

Only their family is different.

Like a caged bird.

This is the home of the Uchiha clan, but it is also their prison.

What terrified him even more was...

His younger brother, Sasuke, will experience the same feelings as him.

There is absolutely no hope...

Thinking this, a pair of scarlet eyes appeared in his lowered eye sockets.

Sensing Itachi activating his Sharingan, Kagami Uchiha smiled slightly.

"Did Fugaku tell you that?"

Kagami Uchiha remained silent, taking it as his tacit agreement.

Kagami Uchiha sat down directly on the shore, looking at the shimmering lake surface.

"Itachi, do you know?"

"I really like the Uchiha Clan."

"A monster dwells within me, and suddenly I find myself in this strange world."

"I am also afraid, afraid of the unknown future, and also afraid of the predetermined future."

"I had no relatives before, and I didn't have any when I first came here."

"My grandmother adopted me, and the people in my clan are very kind to me. No one wants to hurt me."

"After that, I had the courage to fight that monster."

"Because I know that only by relying on his power can I change the predetermined future."

"Your father told you that you are sinners, but he didn't tell you what sins you committed."

"I know, that's the kind of person he is."

"I can tell you definitively that if it weren't for my appearance, the Uchiha Clan would have been wiped out by you and your son."

Uchiha Itachi's pupils contracted sharply, and his small body trembled violently.

Kagami Uchiha's voice was extremely calm, but to Uchiha Itachi, it sounded like thunder.

"So..."

"I will never forgive you, never."

"I won't assume you're right just because this hasn't happened yet."

"I hate you all, I've hated you for ten whole years."

"Only when you spend your lives in regret will my hatred be appeased!"

Tick-tock... tick-tock...

Uchiha Itachi could no longer hold on and collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

"Kagami-sama... thank you for making me understand..."

"I am willing to atone for my sins with my father... but I beg you... please don't let Sasuke such a life..."

"Please..."

Kagami Uchiha stood up.

"I will take Sasuke as my disciple; he is different from you."

"He and Uchiha Mikoto will live as normal Uchiha clan members."

"Thanks..."

"Thank you..."

Uchiha Itachi's tears have a different meaning now.

It is a transformation from despair to hope.

It's okay if I don't have freedom... as long as Sasuke can leave, that's enough...

——

Hokage Building.

Upon arriving at the Hokage Office, Kagami Uchiha saw a large group of people sitting outside the door.

There were people from the village, and others whose attire clearly indicated they weren't from the Land of Fire.

Tsk tsk, it feels like waiting for Minato to examine me.

Kagami Uchiha bypassed the crowd and gently kicked open the office door.

The guards at the door acted as if they hadn't seen anything, and closed the door after Kagami Uchiha went inside.

A Noble from a small country who had been waiting for a long time suddenly became dissatisfied and stood up.

"By..."

He had barely uttered the first word when a cold blade was pressed against his neck.

He cautiously turned his head and met a pair of scarlet eyes.

"You'd better shut up. Kagami-sama might not mind your rudeness, but I will definitely kill you!"

Sharingan...

The Uchiha Clan!!

The Noble from that small country was almost scared to death... oh, no, he was already scared to death.

The Uchiha who was holding the sword immediately looked disgusted, and the blade moved away slightly.

"Someone come quick and drag this guy out, he stinks!"

Minato in the office looked noticeably more haggard than before.

This truly represents the countless counties of the Land of Fire on his shoulders; it's normal for him to be a little tired.

Seeing Kagami walk in, Minato put down the documents and gave a warm smile.

"You've arrived."

Kagami Uchiha casually sat down on the sofa, looking at the few people standing in front of the desk.

The headband of Kusagakure...

One of them was a red-haired woman with a slightly protruding belly.

"They are ninjas from the Kusagakure. They say that a powerful monster is causing trouble in the Land of Grass and they hope we can send someone to eliminate it."

After introducing himself to Kagami Uchiha, Minato turned to the people of Kusagakure and rubbed his temples in distress. "But the village really doesn't have enough manpower, so there's nothing we can do to help."

"But Hokage..."

Before the person who was supposed to be the leader could finish speaking, a voice interrupted.

"That red-haired woman, what's your name?"

The woman trembled when she was suddenly mentioned.

Although we don't know Kagami Uchiha's identity, judging from his casual way of entering and leaving the Hokage Office, we can tell that he is an important person.

"I... I'm called Chiho..."

A glint flashed in the eyes of the Kusagakure, who turned and bowed respectfully to Kagami Uchiha.

"My lord, this woman is not only beautiful, but she also has a very special ability: a single bite from her can heal your injuries!"

"If Konoha helps us kill that monster, we will offer her to Konoha!"

Upon hearing this, Minato Namikaze frowned.

His mind was completely focused on the documents, and it was only after hearing what this person said that he began to carefully observe the red-haired woman...

Her hair color is much darker than Kushina's, but this aura... there's no mistake!

Brush!

An invisible blade sliced through the woman's sleeve, leaving her arm covered in a dense array of bite marks.

"Hey, Chiho, who's your husband? Is he dead?"

Chiho shook her head in terror. "I... I don't know..."

Don't you know...?

Kagami Uchiha smirked. "Minato, you don't mind making a mess of your office, do you?"

"It's okay, we can have someone clean it up later."

Minato Namikaze's eyes were filled with a chilling light, his killing intent almost overflowing.

——

Minato Namikaze placed his hand on Chiho's face, and then they heard a sound of something being chopped up.

"It's okay, don't be afraid."

"This will be your home from now on."