A Transitional Chapter

When Chen returned home, he found that Fugaku Uchiha had already come back. The whole family was waiting for him before starting dinner. Not a single dish on the table had been touched. Even though Chen had only just returned, his family didn't blame him.

Something stirred inside Chen when he saw this, but he did his best to suppress it.

"You're back." Fugaku Uchiha spoke to Chen calmly, without asking why he had returned so late.

"Come on, dinner's ready." Mikoto smiled as she served Chen a bowl of rice and invited him to sit down.

"I... Thank you, Mother." Seeing the affectionate look in Mikoto's eyes, Chen swallowed the words he'd been about to say—that he'd already eaten.

"All right, let's eat." Fugaku Uchiha picked up his bowl and chopsticks and began eating. After dealing with work all day, he was already hungry, but he'd still waited for Chen to return before starting. At home, Fugaku always played the part of a stern father. He might have seemed serious on the surface, but in truth, he loved his children dearly; he simply didn't show it.

The family didn't say much as they ate. Every so often, Mikoto served Sasuke and Chen more food, then watched them finish with a blissful smile on her face.

"I'm full, Father, Mother. I'll head to my room." After finishing the rice in his bowl, Chen bowed to Mikoto and Fugaku and started to leave.

"Hmm? You've hardly eaten. Are you feeling unwell?" Mikoto asked with concern when she saw how little Chen had eaten.

"Oh, I'm fine." Hearing Mikoto's worried question and feeling her affection made Chen feel stifled. He could only try to suppress his emotions, afraid to let them show. He answered as calmly as he could. Right now, all he wanted was to leave quickly. He was afraid he'd get too attached.

"What's wrong with that boy?" Mikoto was still a little worried.

"All right, don't worry so much. You know what he's like. Just eat," Fugaku Uchiha told Mikoto.

Meanwhile, Sasuke felt awful seeing how affectionately Mikoto treated Chen.

"Sigh." Back in his room, Chen sat on his bed in a daze and let out a helpless sigh.

...The night passed quietly...

Early the next morning, Chen was woken by Sasuke's voice.

"Hm? What's up with Sasuke? Could Itachi be back?" Chen rubbed his eyes and walked out, puzzled.

"Brother, what mission did you go on yesterday? Why did it take you so long to get back?"

Chen had just opened his door when he heard Sasuke's question. Sure enough, Itachi's back. He must have joined the Anbu by now. Thinking this, Chen stepped outside.

"That's classified. I can't tell you." Itachi tapped Sasuke on the forehead with his right hand as he spoke. Just then, he saw Chen coming out of his room. "Chen, you're up."

"Mm," Chen replied flatly to Itachi, then went straight to the bathroom to wash up.

"Come on, Sasuke. Stop clinging to your brother and come eat breakfast. You have to go to school soon!" Mikoto came out of the kitchen with breakfast and spoke to Sasuke, who was still clinging to Itachi.

"Oh!" At Mikoto's words, Sasuke reluctantly went to the table to eat. Chen finished washing up and came out of the bathroom, too.

After breakfast, Sasuke and Chen headed to the Ninja Academy together. Neither of them said a word along the way.

"Good morning, Chen-kun!" As soon as Chen entered the classroom, someone greeted him. It was Ino.

"Mm, it's you, Ino. Good morning!" Chen returned her greeting politely and headed for his seat. Passing Naruto, he asked, "Naruto, is your injury all right now?" "Uh, I'm fine, I'm fine. Naruto's body is super tough! Haha!" Naruto was startled when Chen greeted him, then answered boisterously. It was clear he was really happy. "Oh, that's good!" Chen went to his seat and sat down.

"Good morning, Chen-kun!" Ino greeted him with a smile from beside him. "Hehe! Good morning, Ino." They exchanged greetings. This time, Taichi the Idiot, who was sitting on the other side, didn't say a word!

After that, Iruka came into the classroom and announced the start of class. He continued yesterday's lesson on the Konoha Chronicles, and before long, Chen was nodding off. He eventually slumped over his desk and fell asleep, only to be woken by Ino after school.

The second day went the same way, then the third, the fourth... Every day was a repeat of the last.

As time went on, Chen gradually grew close to the talented kids from the Original Story. Though he acted cold at home, he was easygoing outside and nowhere near as arrogant as Sasuke, so everyone was willing to be friends with him. Ino and Sakura were still just as lovestruck as in the Original Story. The difference was that Sakura still followed Sasuke around, while Ino was always with Chen. They didn't become rivals as they had in the Original Story; instead, they became close friends.

A week later, after finishing the Konoha Chronicles, Iruka began teaching proper lessons. He taught them about Chakra Nature and Chakra Trait Types, then instructed them in the Chakra Refining Technique. None of it was useful to Chen, though, and he kept sleeping. Iruka had been quite displeased with this at first, but after Chen demonstrated his Chakra, Iruka stopped trying to discipline him. Soon, everyone knew that the Ninja Academy in Konoha had produced another genius: Uchiha Chen, the son of the current clan head and the younger brother of Uchiha Itachi, who had also been a genius at the Academy. Sasuke Uchiha was outstanding too, but he was still a little behind Chen. Once again, everyone marveled that the Uchiha truly lived up to their reputation as one of Konoha's great clans, full of talented people.

That year, Uchiha Chen and Sasuke Uchiha were six years old and entered the Ninja Academy. That same year, Uchiha Itachi joined the Anbu with the strength of a jonin at just seven years old.

Ever since the disaster four years earlier—the Nine-Tails attack—the Uchiha had been under suspicion from the village. After all, only the Sharingan could control the Nine-Tails. From then on, the Uchiha were constantly suppressed in Konoha. At the Konoha High Command's insistence, they were forced to move their clan compound to a remote corner of Konoha.

In the end, the Uchiha Clan decided to stage a rebellion to restore its reputation and standing. Itachi's father, Fugaku Uchiha, became the rebellion's planner and leader, and forced Itachi to join the Anbu to gather intelligence on Konoha's leadership for the clan.

Two more years passed.

During those two years, Konoha's leadership exploited Itachi's love of peace and reluctance to see a war to force him to spy on the Uchiha. From then on, Itachi became a double agent, weighing his options in the political crossfire between Konoha and the Uchiha.

In a secret base in Konoha, three people were discussing something. One was Uchiha Itachi, another was Shimura Danzō, and the last was Konoha's Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Itachi, have you made up your mind? If the Uchiha rebel, we'll send shinobi to stop them. A lot of people will die then, including your two younger brothers." Danzō spoke calmly to Itachi. "Wait, Danzō. We should negotiate with the Uchiha first!" the Third said from beside him. "Negotiate? That's impossible. The Uchiha have been conspiring for a long time. They won't agree to negotiations," Danzō retorted.

At that moment, Itachi, kneeling before them, asked, "If I do it, will you really spare my two younger brothers?"

"Yes, but one of them must join Root!"

"No! They can't be allowed to join Root."

Root had been founded by Danzō himself. Most of its members came from Konoha's various Kekkei Genkai and secret-technique clans. After joining, they were branded with various seals and brainwashed until they became tools who recognized no one and obeyed only Danzō's orders. Root had more operational freedom than the Anbu and specialized in high-risk missions such as assassinations and intelligence gathering. It was an elite organization Danzō had carefully cultivated, destined to remain hidden in the darkness.

"You have no choice. Or do you want both of them to die?" Danzō pressured Itachi.

"Danzō, you've gone too far!" the Third rebuked him.

"So? Have you made up your mind?" Danzō ignored the Third and asked Itachi.

Itachi closed his eyes in anguish and clenched both hands so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms, yet he seemed not to notice.

At last, Itachi opened his eyes and said to Danzō, "I'll do it. Afterward, I'll take all the blame and leave Konoha. I only ask that you keep your promise."

"Don't worry. I only want one Uchiha to join Root. I won't harm your other younger brother."

"Then I'll take my leave." Uchiha Itachi bowed to the Third, then left.

"Danzō, why did you do that? Wasn't that too much?" the Third asked after Itachi had left.

"Hmph! The Uchiha are too dangerous. I don't want too many of them beyond my control. You don't need to concern yourself with this." After saying this to the Third, Danzō left as well.

"Sigh..." Watching Danzō leave, the Third let out a helpless sigh.