Itachi Pays His Respects to Teacher Yoru (Please Follow)

With a creak, the wooden sliding door opened, and six-year-old Uchiha Itachi stepped respectfully into the living room. Though young, he already carried an air of calm composure.

The moment Uchiha Itachi entered, the smile on Uchiha Fugaku's face gained a touch more authority. He first glanced at his son, then solemnly pointed at Uchiha Yoru. "Itachi, from today onward, you will study under Lord Yoru."

Uchiha Itachi showed a trace of surprise, while Uchiha Yoru smiled. Heaven really is helping me. This way, I refuse to believe I can't set this traitor straight.

"Teacher Yoru." Sure enough, the current Uchiha Itachi was still an obedient child. He followed his father's words and respectfully performed a formal bow before Uchiha Yoru.

Seeing this, Uchiha Fugaku immediately smiled. "Hehe, Itachi, when all is said and done, Lord Yoru is also your father's cousin—your uncle. You certainly won't lose out by taking Lord Yoru as your teacher."

Uchiha Yoru laughed inwardly at those words. Sure enough, anyone who played politics had to have a black heart. Now they were relatives too. Still, looking at things from his current position, it felt pretty damn good.

"You're too courteous, Clan Head. I will certainly do my utmost to teach Itachi. By the way, I'll find an opportunity to sound out Teacher Orochimaru about this matter. Perhaps Itachi would also be suited to the Summoning Beasts of Ryūchi Cave."

As Uchiha Yoru said this with a smile, Uchiha Fugaku burst into hearty laughter. Young Uchiha Itachi was secretly astonished by the sight. His usually stern and rigid father was actually showing such an expression today.

Uchiha Itachi was indeed mature, but when it came to politics, he was a complete novice. Otherwise, how could he have become a traitor in the original story?

The reason Uchiha Fugaku was smiling so happily was simple: his successor was secure. If his son could sign a contract with a Summoning Beast from Ryūchi Cave, then he could be considered part of the Hokage Faction as well. Fugaku was still in his prime. Once his son matured in the future, wouldn't he be able to take over as clan head? And wouldn't Uchiha Yoru then be able to become an elder of the clan?

The status of Orochimaru's disciple was naturally not enough, but what about the status of the Fifth Hokage's disciple?

That was why Uchiha Fugaku was all smiles. Orochimaru was bound to become the Fifth Hokage sooner or later, and giving Uchiha Yoru an elder's seat would be enough. This was political investment.

As for the village's recent suppression of Orochimaru, Uchiha Yoru and Fugaku could naturally see it clearly. Yet they were even more dismissive of it. Shin'nosuke Sarutobi? So what if all the Front Line's war merits were handed to him? How could the prestige of the Sannin be erased so easily? Not to mention strength.

Seeing the clan head's beaming smile, Uchiha Yoru smiled as well and nodded. "If there's nothing else, Clan Head, I'll take Itachi and get acquainted with him first."

Uchiha Fugaku smiled at that and nodded. "Yoru, we're family. When no outsiders are around, you may call me Big Brother."

Though his tone was casual, Uchiha Yoru understood the implications. It was enough to hear it; taking it seriously would be rather tactless. He immediately put on a grateful smile and nodded. "Clan Head, I will certainly teach Itachi well. However, Teacher Orochimaru's research has been rather pressing lately, and I'm afraid I may not be able to give Itachi sufficient guidance. How about having Shisui teach Itachi alongside me? After all, Itachi's talent shouldn't go to waste."

Hearing this, Uchiha Fugaku smiled and nodded in even greater satisfaction. "Good. I'll leave Itachi in Lord Yoru's care from now on."

Uchiha Shisui was the most gifted talent the clan had produced in many years. His talent rivaled that of the Genius Ninja Hatake Kakashi. Not to mention that he had now awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan. In Fugaku's eyes, Shisui had already surpassed Kakashi.

This was the gap between Kekkei Genkai ninja and ordinary ninja.

Hatake Kakashi was truly synonymous with genius in this era. He graduated at five, became a Chūnin at six, and a Jōnin at twelve. His life was practically a cheat code. Yet his ordinary bloodline had also limited him to this point, and the Sharingan in one eye had further dragged him down.

Within the spacious courtyard was a sizable artificial lake. At that moment, Uchiha Yoru, Uchiha Shisui, and six-year-old Uchiha Itachi sat beside it.

"Shisui, I'll leave the task of teaching Itachi to you from now on."

Uchiha Yoru deliberately put on an apologetic expression, but Uchiha Shisui merely gave a carefree smile. "Don't worry, Brother Yoru. I'll definitely teach Itachi properly."

In Shisui's eyes, teaching Itachi was not the most important thing. What mattered most for the Uchiha right now was deepening their relationship with Orochimaru as much as possible.

Although six-year-old Uchiha Itachi was precocious, he still only vaguely understood their conversation. Yet being clever, he had already learned to commit everything to memory first, then slowly think it over and sort it out after returning home.

"By the way, Itachi, what have you been learning at the Academy lately?"

Now that the two had gotten somewhat acquainted with Uchiha Itachi, Shisui smiled casually, as though asking an ordinary child a question. However, the serious Uchiha Itachi respectfully began describing his Academy lessons.

"...Besides instruction in traps, disguises, and the Three Body Techniques, the teachers have also frequently spoken about the Will of Fire lately. They especially say that the Third Hokage was the strongest Hokage of all time."

Watching Uchiha Itachi give his solemn report, especially when he mentioned that the Third Hokage was the strongest Hokage of all time, an unnatural and strange expression appeared on Shisui's face.

Uchiha Yoru, however, smiled and nodded. "You can't say that's entirely wrong. After all, the Third Hokage has indeed been the longest-serving Hokage in Konoha's history. In that regard, he could be considered the strongest Hokage."

Itachi, who had clearly experienced something during his last visit to the Front Line and seemed to have understood a few things, looked at the two of them in confusion. "Teacher Yoru, Brother Shisui, can you tell me what the Will of Fire is?"

Shisui froze at those words. The Will of Fire? But when he saw Uchiha Itachi's confused eyes and was about to say something, Yoru suddenly laughed beside him.

Under their puzzled gazes, Uchiha Yoru smiled at them and shook his head. "Itachi, remember this in the future: when asking a question, first ask who said those words."

At that moment, even Shisui was bewildered. Who had proposed the Will of Fire?

Looking at the two of them, Uchiha Yoru sneered inwardly. It seemed the Ninja Academy could no longer wait to start brainwashing its students, making them forget the heroes of the battlefield while polishing the image of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.

If he had not known the future, he would not have been able to compare it with the current situation and infer the truth with such near certainty. He could not help but sigh inwardly. As expected of people who played politics—they had begun laying out their plans so early.

From the beginning, Orochimaru had been destined to fail. The first condition for becoming Hokage was that, unless one possessed strength capable of overwhelming the village, one should not dream of challenging power. One had to learn to integrate into it and let that power push them into position.

Clearly, Orochimaru's political skills were not bad, but he had taken the wrong path. Still, that was understandable. With Orochimaru's pride, how could he allow anyone else's will to dictate his own?

Thanks to Brother "Reader Kegel" for the 100 Qidian Coins donation, and thanks to all brothers for your support.