"I've seen what you can do. Let's call it a day for now. Take a break."
Dan gave Itachi's shoulder a pat and headed into the gym.
"Here, take this."
Samui handed Itachi an ice pack and told him to hold it against his cheek.
"Thank you."
Itachi held the ice pack to his face. His cheek hurt, but he was more concerned about the punch his uncle had just thrown.
Why had he fallen for a genjutsu?
His uncle hadn't even activated his Sharingan or made eye contact with him, yet he'd still trapped him in an illusion. It was unbelievable.
Could Dan release genjutsu with his fists?
Was that even possible?
Itachi furrowed his brow, utterly baffled.
Just as he was racking his brains over it—
"Had enough rest? Time to work out."
Dan walked over with a pair of dumbbells and said to his nephew, "Starting today, you're training six days a week. You'll cycle through chest, back, arms, shoulders, and legs. No slacking off."
With a thud, Dan dropped the dumbbells in front of Itachi, then instructed Samui, "You'll be Itachi's trainer. Show him how to do the exercises."
"Yes, Gym Director."
Samui answered. She'd worked under Dan from morning to night for three years, so she'd become a professional fitness trainer herself.
And so—
Under Samui's guidance, Uchiha Itachi officially began his fitness journey.
Dan stood off to the side, savoring his steak and occasionally offering a pointer.
Soon, two hours had passed.
"Hah... hah..."
Itachi lay flat on his back, his face flushed and his body drenched in sweat. His chest heaved as he panted heavily.
Working out was much harder—and more exhausting—than he'd imagined.
During the training session—
Samui had forbidden Itachi from using chakra, making him rely solely on his physical strength. She'd not only insisted that he perform every exercise with perfect form, but had steadily increased the weight as well.
She'd pushed him right to his limit.
After all that, Itachi's chest and arms ached terribly, accompanied by an intense feeling of tearing.
He'd worked them properly.
But Itachi's "torment" wasn't over yet.
Dan took a large piece of fresh chicken breast from the fridge and tossed it straight into a juicer. After blending it, the meat had turned into a thick, brown liquid.
At least a liter of it.
As Itachi looked on in alarm, with a hint of fear, Dan held the large cup of chicken breast juice to his nephew's lips.
"You're still growing, so you need plenty of nutrients, especially protein. You can't eat with your tooth knocked out, so this chicken breast juice is clean and hygienic. Drink it."
Dan smiled.
This rich chicken breast juice was proof of his love for his nephew.
"..."
Itachi grimaced, but still took the cup in both hands. He raised it, shut his eyes, and gulped it down in one go.
It tasted like chicken droppings.
Itachi couldn't help pulling a face of agony. His stomach cramped, and he looked ready to throw up.
"Don't spit it out. Then you'll have drunk it for nothing."
Dan held his nephew by the shoulders and reminded him earnestly, "From now on, you're going to drink a cup of chicken breast juice every day to build up your strength. My poor nephew, you're only eleven and already working long, grueling hours in Anbu. It'd be awful if you wore yourself out and died young."
As far as Dan knew—
In the Original Work, Itachi seemed to have developed lung disease from overwork and coughed himself to death.
Dan was already twenty-four, and he'd never once caught a cold or had a fever in his life. The most direct reason was that he was strong.
So putting on a little muscle would be good for Itachi's health.
"Thank you, Uncle."
Touched by Dan's concern, Itachi managed a smile. It wasn't a very pretty one, but it was the first time he'd smiled since coming here.
"Go take a shower and change your clothes. Don't catch a chill."
Dan pulled his nephew up from the floor in one go.
Ten minutes later—
Itachi pushed open the bathroom door and came out wearing a white T-shirt with a cartoon print and a pair of black shorts.
They were a little big.
"These were the clothes the Gym Director wore when he was three. There isn't anything smaller, so you'll have to make do."
Samui covered her mouth as she spoke, holding back a laugh and doing her best to maintain her Iceberg Beauty image.
Itachi: "..."
No wonder the style was so childish.
Just then—
With a bang, the gym door swung open, and two masked shinobi walked in.
"Uchiha Itachi, come with us." The two stopped in front of Itachi and spoke in emotionless voices, like robots.
Itachi's pupils contracted. He recognized them as Root. He silently nodded, then bowed to Dan and Samui.
"Uncle, Senior Samui, I'll be heading back."
"Wait."
Dan reached out a large hand to stop Itachi and asked, "Are they your colleagues from Anbu? I thought your colleague was a white-haired guy named Kakashi."
At that, the two Root shinobi stepped forward and warned Dan coldly:
"Uchiha Dan, don't meddle in things that don't concern you."
"You know who I am?"
Dan was a little surprised, then replied as casually as ever, "I'm his uncle. What's wrong with caring about my nephew?"
As he spoke, he placed his large hand on Itachi's head.
Itachi stiffened. He'd been about to explain things to his uncle, but swallowed his words.
The two Root shinobi exchanged a glance. In the end, they didn't try to force the issue. They seemed to know Dan was difficult to deal with.
At last, one of them explained why they'd come:
"We're here under orders to take Itachi to meet Lord Danzo, the Hokage Assistant."
Just as he'd thought.
Dan knew they weren't Anbu, but Root shinobi.
Root was part of Anbu, officially its training division, but in practice, it wasn't under the Third Hokage's control. It was loyal only to Danzo.
As for his nephew, Uchiha Itachi—
Dan hadn't bothered getting involved before, but now that he'd decided to, he'd see it through. He wouldn't let Danzo harm his nephew again.
So—
With his hand still on Itachi's head, Dan replied to the two Root shinobi without a moment's hesitation:
"Itachi is my sister's son. If you round things up, you could say he's my son, too. As his guardian, I don't feel comfortable letting him go out alone so late at night, so I'm going with him."
"Impossible!" The two refused flatly.
"What, is there something you don't want people to see? Then I'm even more determined to go. If you won't agree, get lost."
Dan spoke without expression. His tone was calm, but still carried an air of authority.
"Dan, don't push your luck!"
The two Root shinobi had had enough. They were just about to attack.
At this tense moment—
"Mr. Dan, Lord Danzo has ordered us to invite you and Itachi over for a talk." A voice came from the doorway.
Dan turned toward it.
The speaker was a man in a black cloak and dark glasses, with a purple marking on his right cheek.
Aburame Ryoma.
He was Danzo's confidant and had once served as one of Danzo's bodyguards alongside Orochimaru. After Orochimaru defected, Aburame Ryoma became the First General under Danzo.
Hearing Aburame Ryoma's words, the two Root shinobi immediately dropped their hostility toward Dan and obediently stepped aside.
"Then let's go."
Dan readily put an arm around Itachi's shoulders and headed out.
In the dark alley—
Aburame Ryoma walked at the front with his hands in his pockets.
Dan and Itachi followed behind him, while the two Root shinobi flanked them on either side, subtly surrounding uncle and nephew...
Happy New Year's Day, everyone!
Before you continue