Itachi chose philosophy as his middle school elective.
But his parents did not seem particularly pleased about it.
Though they did not criticize him, over the past month, his father Fugaku had noticeably spoken to him less often, while his mother Mikoto always seemed to look at him with a faint, barely perceptible worry in her eyes.
Itachi did not really understand why.
Still, he carried his schoolbag as he walked home.
The setting sun stretched his shadow long behind him.
The philosophy class had covered some strange material. For example, during the first lesson, the teacher had not explained any grand principles, but simply asked everyone to discuss a question: "Are there absolutely motionless things in the world?"
Most of the students answered, "Yes," giving examples like tables and stones.
But the teacher said, "Is that really so? Tables age, stones erode, the universe expands, chakra flows. Everything is in constant motion and change. Stillness is only relative."
In today's lesson, the teacher had introduced an even stranger term—"materialist dialectics."
The teacher said it was a way of thinking personally included in the textbooks by Lord Fourth Hokage. Its core was to understand three things: all things were universally interconnected, they moved and developed, and contradictions were the fundamental driving force behind development.
As Itachi walked, he repeatedly turned those words over in his mind.
He found them far more interesting than memorizing the hand-sign sequence for Fire Release ninjutsu.
"Itachi."
At the entrance to their home, his father Fugaku stood waiting for him. He wore the dark blue uniform of the Uchiha Police Force, his expression calm.
"Father." Itachi respectfully bowed.
"Tomorrow is the weekend. You don't have school, do you?" Fugaku asked.
"No."
"Good. Come with me to the Police Force headquarters tomorrow morning." Fugaku's tone was