Inside the Uchiha clan head's residence.
Itachi stood quietly in the courtyard, sighing soundlessly.
After his father Fugaku failed in his bid for the position of Fifth Hokage, the Uchiha Clan had fallen into an inexplicable frenzy. The entire Uchiha Compound seemed to have become a powder keg that could ignite at the slightest spark.
Even without paying particular attention, Itachi could hear the faint sounds of cursing drifting in from the streets while inside his home.
It was the sound of his clansmen cursing the village. Every curse, brimming with rage and disgust, sounded so grating, so wrenching, and so hard to put out of his mind.
"So it's come to this after all..."
The expression on Itachi's face grew even dimmer.
Thud, thud, thud...
At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed through the courtyard corridor. Without even turning around, Itachi could tell from their lightness that it was his beloved younger brother Sasuke rushing over.
Sure enough, Sasuke soon darted in front of Itachi with tear tracks on his face and asked in confusion, "Brother, Brother, why did Father fail to get chosen?"
Itachi crouched before Sasuke, gently wiping away the tears at the corners of his eyes. "Sasuke, you're already a ninja. You mustn't cry so easily from now on."
Sasuke did not care about the tears and stubbornly asked, "Father awakened the strongest Mangekyō Sharingan. Why won't everyone let Father become Hokage?"
Though still young, the curses from the clansmen throughout the compound had allowed Sasuke to understand the whole story behind the vote of confidence. He understood that the Uchiha Clan had been played by the village.
"It's a very complicated matter," Itachi said softly. "You'll slowly understand when you grow up."
Sasuke pouted. "It's not complicated at all! Shouldn't the Hokage be the strongest ninja