Transition Chapter

When Chen got home, he found that Fugaku Uchiha had already returned, and the family was waiting for him to start dinner. No one had touched the food on the table. Seeing Chen come back, his family didn't blame him.

Seeing this, something stirred in Chen's heart, but he held it back with all his might.

"You're back." Fugaku Uchiha said calmly to Chen, not asking why he was so late.

"Come here, time to eat." Mikoto smiled and filled a bowl of rice for Chen, gesturing for him to sit down.

"I... thank you, Mother." Looking at Mikoto's doting gaze, Chen swallowed the words "I've already eaten" that were on the tip of his tongue.

"Alright, let's all eat." Fugaku Uchiha picked up his chopsticks and began eating. He'd been busy with work all day and was very hungry, but he'd still waited for Chen to return before starting. Though Fugaku usually played the stern father at home, and seemed strict on the surface, he truly loved his children—he just didn't show it.

The family didn't say much during the meal. Only Mikoto occasionally put food in Sasuke's and Chen's bowls, watching them eat with a happy smile on her face.

"I'm full, Father, Mother. I'll head to my room now." After finishing his rice, Chen bowed to Mikoto and Fugaku and wanted to go back to his room.

"Huh? Eating so little? Are you feeling unwell?" Mikoto noticed Chen had barely eaten and asked with concern.

"Oh, I'm fine." Hearing Mikoto's worried inquiry and feeling his mother's care, Chen's heart tightened. He forced himself to stay composed, afraid to let his emotions show, and answered flatly. Right now, he just wanted to leave quickly, scared he might sink into this warmth.

"What's wrong with this child?" Mikoto was still a bit worried.

"Alright, stop fussing. You know what he's like. Just eat first." Fugaku Uchiha said to Mikoto.

Meanwhile, Sasuke, watching Mikoto dote on Chen, felt a bitter pang in his heart.

"Sigh..." Back in his room, Chen sat blankly on the bed, letting out a long, helpless sigh.

...A silent night passed...

The next morning, Chen was woken up by Sasuke's voice.

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

"Brother, what mission did you do yesterday? Why were you gone so long?"

Just as Chen opened the door to leave, he heard Sasuke's words. "So Itachi is back. He should have joined the Anbu by now." Thinking this, Chen opened the door and stepped out.

"That's a mission secret—can't reveal it." Itachi tapped Sasuke's forehead with his right finger as he spoke. Then he noticed Chen coming out of his room. "Chen, you're up."

"Yeah." Chen replied flatly to Itachi and walked straight into the bathroom to wash up.

"Alright, Sasuke, stop clinging to your brother. Come eat breakfast—you have school soon!" Mikoto brought out the breakfast she'd made in the kitchen and said to Sasuke, who was still hanging on Itachi.

"Oh!" Hearing Mikoto's order, Sasuke reluctantly went to the table and started eating. Chen had also finished washing up and came out of the bathroom.

After breakfast, Sasuke and Chen headed to the Ninja Academy together, walking in silence.

"Good morning, Chen-kun!" As Chen entered the classroom, someone greeted him—it was Ino.

"Oh, Ino. Good morning!" Chen replied politely and walked to his seat. Passing Naruto, he said, "Naruto, is your injury okay?" "Uh, yeah, it's fine! Naruto-sama's body is amazing. Haha~~" Naruto was startled at first that Chen greeted him, then said boisterously, clearly happy. "Oh, good!" Chen then sat down.

"Good morning, Chen-kun!" Ino smiled and greeted him from the side. "Heh, good morning, Ino." They exchanged greetings. This time, Taichi the Idiot, sitting on the other side, kept quiet.

Then Iruka walked in and announced the start of class, continuing with the Konoha Chronicles from yesterday. It bored Chen so much he dozed off on his desk, only woken up by Ino when school ended.

The next day was the same. The third day, the fourth day... every day repeated.

Over time, Chen gradually got to know the various little troublemakers from the Original Story at school. Though Chen was cold at home, he was easygoing outside, not as aloof as Sasuke, so everyone was happy to be friends with him. Ino and Sakura were still as boy-crazy as in the Original Story, but unlike the original, Sakura clung to Sasuke while Ino always followed Chen. The two didn't become rivals like in the Original Story—instead, they were close friends.

After a week, Iruka finished the Konoha Chronicles and started real lessons, teaching about Chakra Nature, Chakra Trait Types, and then the Chakra Refining Technique. None of this was useful to Chen, so he kept sleeping. At first, Iruka was annoyed by this behavior, but after Chen demonstrated his chakra in front of him, he stopped caring. Soon everyone knew that the Ninja Academy had another genius: Uchiha Chen, the son of the Uchiha clan head and the younger brother of Uchiha Itachi, who had also been a genius at school. In comparison, Uchiha Sasuke was outstanding too, but still fell short of Chen. People once again marveled that the Uchiha clan truly lived up to its reputation as Konoha's elite family, so full of talent.

That year, Uchiha Chen and Uchiha Sasuke were six years old and entered the Ninja Academy. That same year, Uchiha Itachi, at eight, joined the Anbu as a jonin.

...Scene break...

Since the disaster four years ago (the Nine-Tails), the Uchiha clan had been under suspicion by the village—after all, only the Sharingan could control the Nine-Tails. From then on, the Uchiha were suppressed everywhere in Konoha. At the demand of the village's higher-ups, the clan was forced to move to a corner of Konoha.

In the end, the Uchiha clan decided to rebel to restore their name and status. Itachi's father, Fugaku Uchiha, became the planner and leader of the rebellion, forcing Itachi to join the Anbu to gather intelligence from Konoha's upper echelons for the clan.

Two more years passed.

During these two years, Konoha's higher-ups exploited Itachi's love for peace and unwillingness to see war, pressuring him to spy on the Uchiha. From then on, Itachi became a double agent, balancing between Konoha and Uchiha politics.

In a secret base in Konoha, three people were discussing something. They were Uchiha Itachi, Shimura Danzō, and the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Itachi, have you made up your mind? If the Uchiha launch a rebellion, we'll have to send ninja to stop them. Many will die—including your two younger brothers." Danzō said calmly to Itachi. "Wait, Danzō, we should negotiate with the Uchiha first!" the Third said. "Negotiate? Impossible. The Uchiha have been plotting for too long—they won't accept talks." Danzō countered.

At this, Itachi, kneeling on one knee, asked, "If I act, will you really spare my two younger brothers?"

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

"No! They can't join Root."

Root was founded by Danzō. Most of its members came from clans with Kekkei Genkai or secret techniques in Konoha. Once inside, they were implanted with various curses, brainwashed, and turned into emotionless tools that only obeyed Danzō's orders. More flexible than the Anbu, they specialized in assassinations, intelligence, and other high-risk missions—an elite organization Danzō had carefully cultivated, forever hidden in the shadows.

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

"Danzō, you're going too far!" the Third scolded.

"So? Have you decided?" Danzō ignored the Third and asked Itachi.

At that moment, Itachi closed his eyes in pain, his hands clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh, but he showed no reaction.

Finally, Itachi opened his eyes and said to Danzō, "I'll do it. Afterward, I'll take all the blame and escape Konoha. I hope you'll keep your promise."

"Don't worry. I only need one Uchiha in Root. I won't touch your other brother."

"Then I'll take my leave." Uchiha Itachi bowed to the Third and withdrew.

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

"Hmph! The Uchiha are too dangerous. I don't want too many of them slipping out of my control. You don't need to worry about this." Danzō said and walked out as well.

"Sigh..." Watching Danzō's back view as he left, the Third let out a helpless sigh.