White Dove: I am also heartbroken!

On the street.

Uchiha White Dove spoke with ease while maintaining the flow of combat:

"Do you know, I've actually found you an eyesore for a long time!"

He did not suppress his voice, allowing those in the vicinity to hear him clearly.

As he spoke, Uchiha White Dove slammed a fist into his opponent's abdomen.

Thud!

Uchiha Itachi used the force to leap backward, evading the follow-up strike while creating distance. As the battle paused for a brief moment, he replied.

"Is that so!"

As a combat genius, he was happy to gather more intelligence on Uchiha White Dove, so he naturally did not mind chatting a bit more.

Just as the two were exchanging words.

On the side of the street a few dozen meters away, several six or seven-year-old children climbed onto a rooftop to watch.

"It's Nii-san!"

The handsome little boy wearing the blue Uchiha clan uniform saw the two figures confronting each other in the center of the street and shouted in instant excitement.

Uchiha Sasuke!

Known in the world as "Second Pillar," "Pillar of the Sunny Day," and "Sasuke."

He was already in school now, so he naturally knew Naruto and the other young prodigies. Upon hearing that something had happened here, he had run over to watch the excitement.

Since the Uchiha clan had not yet been wiped out, the Second Pillar was not yet the "bitter and deep-seated" figure of the future; he was entirely lively and cute.

"Dove-nii!"

A voice full of shyness came softly from the girl wearing conservative long clothes and pants, her pure Byakugan eyes visible beneath her blue hime-cut hair. Her gaze was locked firmly onto Uchiha White Dove, never wavering.

Hinata Hyuga! (As she appeared six years later)

She had come along today as well.

"Hinata, do you know him?"

Ino looked at Hinata beside her; even though they had only just met, their relationship was already quite good.

The other young prodigies who had climbed onto the roof looked over as well.

They were very curious about how this "princess" of the Hyuga clan's main house knew someone from the Uchiha, the Hyuga's greatest rivals.

"Mm, Dove-nii saved me before, and even treated me to food...!"

Hearing Ino's question, Hinata shyly lowered her head, tapping her index fingers together as a red steam seemed to rise from her smooth, small cheeks.

Yes, she was very familiar with Uchiha White Dove.

Years ago, when she had run out alone and gotten lost, she was bullied by some other children. It was he who helped her drive them away and even treated her to a full bowl of ramen. This led her to secretly keep an eye on him ever since, and it was only because she heard his name today that she had followed along.

I never expected that someone my father calls a dangerous element would have a side like this!

Shikamaru, who had his hair tied in a pineapple style, had this thought cross his mind.

He had recognized the man immediately, and since his father had called him "very dangerous," he hadn't expected him to have such an image in Hinata's heart.

"Big Brother, go for it! You have to beat up that stuck-up Sasuke's Nii-san!"

Naruto, with his short blonde hair, sky-blue eyes, and whiskers on his face, clenched his fists and cheered loudly for Uchiha White Dove—he absolutely could not let that stuck-up Sasuke's Nii-san win.

"Naruto!"

Sasuke looked at Naruto beside him with annoyance, but he was met with a grimace. The two faces drew closer and closer like fighting cocks.

It was at this very moment.

"They're moving!"

Choji Akimichi slapped Naruto on the back, reminding him to look down.

But who could have known that this slap would cause the two, who refused to give an inch, to collide.

"..."

The silence was deafening.

Because of Choji's slap, the scene that was originally supposed to happen years later after the official start of the plot was perfectly recreated.

A kiss!

The kiss of the century between Prince Naruto and the Second Pillar.

Neither of them had given their first kiss to a girl; instead, they had given it to each other.

So, were they a couple only by accident, and brothers by true love?

Fortunately, everyone else's eyes were fixed on the street below; only Shino, hidden beneath his hooded coat and wearing dark glasses, witnessed their kiss.

On the street, White Dove had already begun weaving hand seals.

"Lightning Style: Lightning Cloak!"

This technique was his foundational ninjutsu, so naturally, he couldn't afford not to use it.

Furthermore, since the technique had already been used and the intelligence leaked, he didn't mind showing it off.

If he wanted to cooperate with the Pot King, he had to demonstrate his own value.

Zzzzt!

A streak of blue lightning, like a light veil, shrouded his entire body.

"Flash Step!"

White Dove appeared at Itachi's side like a bolt of lightning, sweeping out with a horizontal kick.

Bang!

Itachi didn't have time to dodge; he could only raise his hands to block the kick, and his entire body was sent flying.

Flash Step!

It was a short-range, high-speed movement technique uniquely created by White Dove, combining the "Shave" from the Ninja Army Six Styles with the Body Flicker Technique. Only by pairing it with the speed and reflex enhancements of the Lightning Cloak could one perfectly master the Flash Step.

As for the effect?

One only had to look at the dazed expression on the White-Eyed Wolf's face to know.

"How... is this possible!"

Lying on the ground, Itachi completely ignored the pain in his body, his heart filled with utter shock.

Even during their brief taijutsu exchange just moments ago, he had sensed that White Dove was no simple opponent.

Yet, he hadn't expected the other party's strength to be this terrifying.

"Isn't this our Uchiha genius? It's only been a few days, how have you become so pathetic?"

White Dove began to taunt him.

So satisfying!

Right now, the other party hadn't awakened his Mangekyo yet, so his strength was only around the level of a Jonin; to him, that was nothing special.

No matter how strong one's combat talent was, in terms of raw stats, he still couldn't compare to him.

One could only say that the most miraculous and unsolvable aspect of the Mangekyo lay right there.

Regardless of whether one was a two-tomoe Chunin or a three-tomoe Jonin before awakening, once the eyes opened, they were at the Kage level.

However, it was not without a price.

After the Mangekyo awakened, it signified that one's "Ninja Way," or rather their obsession, had turned dark, as if their mental state had become compromised.

If things followed the original plot, the other party should be awakening his Mangekyo in the near future after witnessing Shisui's death with his own eyes.

Beat the child while he's young!

Once the other party reached the Kage level, it wouldn't be easy to beat him up anymore. Since he had managed to seize such a rare opportunity, one couldn't blame White Dove for being unable to resist taking action.

Naturally, he couldn't go too hard in this kind of fight, so White Dove had refrained from using his ninja blade, sticking only to taijutsu.

As White Dove continuously used his speed to pummel the White-Eyed Wolf, the corners of his mouth were curled so high that even an AK couldn't press them down, and he muttered to himself:

"Itachi, don't blame me; it breaks my heart to beat you too!"

This was the "bonus" period where his strength had just been exposed, so naturally, he would vent his frustrations and settle old scores.

The problem was, the things he muttered while beating the other party into a pulp were speechless.

If one didn't look at the smug expression on his face, they might have actually believed he was truly heartbroken.

While beating him, White Dove even used Lightning Style to paralyze the White-Eyed Wolf, giving Itachi no chance to dodge or escape, leaving him to lie on the ground like a ragdoll, taking the beating.

"Enough!" Uchiha Fugaku interrupted White Dove's assault with a stern tone: "I order you in my capacity as the head of the Police Force: hand the item over to me!"

His eldest son, whom he was so proud of, had actually been defeated so miserably.

Even though he had anticipated this to some extent—having sparred with them last night and knowing how strong the other party was—he hadn't stopped his eldest son, harboring a desire to let him suffer a blow to his arrogance.

The problem was, he wanted to humble him, not beat him to death!

Bang!

White Dove delivered a fierce kick to Itachi's abdomen, and only after venting some of his resentment did he speak to Uchiha Fugaku, who had a grim expression and a hint of anger in his eyes:

"Yes... Captain!"

The other party's status was the Police Force Captain, and he was a Logistics Squad Captain; by all accounts, the other party had the authority to order him around.

Unless he chose to flip the table entirely and start a massacre from one end of the village to the other, he couldn't just ignore the man's words.

"You will regret this, Fugaku!"

After handing the box to the other party, White Dove lowered his head and left the scene.

There was no helping it; if he didn't leave now, he wouldn't be able to suppress the smirk on his face.

He had successfully "dumped" this ticking time bomb.

The items were genuine!

He had previously dealt with a Cloud Ninja spy in private and obtained the defense maps and other materials the man had stolen, so the evidence planted today was "the real deal"—it was just that he hadn't been able to bring these things out before.

After all, he would have had to explain how he discovered and neutralized the spy, not to mention that it would have drawn the attention of the higher-ups; he would have to be insane to risk bringing them out.

He had no sentimental attachment to the village, so naturally, he would never expose himself just for the sake of a Cloud Ninja spy.

Once he departed, Tekka and Inabi followed him away in silence.

Uchiha Itachi also endured his pain, leaving the scene like a wounded lone wolf.

His mood at this moment was complex!

Because he had never expected that he would be defeated so miserably.

Although it was true that he hadn't taken his opponent seriously, and even more so that he hadn't used his Sharingan, a defeat was a defeat, and he was not one to make excuses.

As for Uchiha Fugaku, after handing the box to Mitokado Homura beside him, he immediately led his clansmen, who were looking at him with strange expressions, away from the scene.

There was no helping it; when facing the Konoha higher-ups, his performance had truly chilled the hearts of these Uchiha clansmen.

Anyone could see that there was definitely something wrong with that box, and they could have easily used it to launch a challenge, yet Uchiha Fugaku had simply given up—how could they not be disappointed?

At this time, White Dove did not return to the One Heart Chamber of Commerce, but instead went to meet someone who had been waiting for a long time.