My Son Itachi Has Hokage Potential!

The Uchiha Clan Compound, central district.

Fugaku returned home and pushed open the door.

"I'm home."

"Welcome back."

Mikoto poked her head out of the kitchen, still wearing an apron. "Dinner will be ready soon. Go wash your hands first."

Fugaku nodded and glanced around the living room.

Three-year-old Sasuke was playing with a wooden kunai on the floor. At the sound of the door, he looked up and called out in a childish voice,

"Dad!"

"Mm." Fugaku smiled faintly. He walked over and sat at the dining table as Mikoto brought out the food.

"Mikoto, bring out the sake. I feel like having a couple of drinks tonight."

Mikoto looked a little surprised.

Her husband was always disciplined and rarely drank on a workday.

But she didn't ask any questions. She turned to fetch the sake flask, filled his cup, then asked,

"Is there something to celebrate?"

Fugaku raised his cup and smiled without answering.

Good news!

Of course there was good news.

Kazuhiko had helped Shota awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, letting Fugaku glimpse the Uchiha's destined future of prosperity.

What did it mean that a technique could help a clan member with "no potential to awaken" unlock the Three-Tomoe Sharingan?

It meant the number of Uchiha Jonin would multiply.

It meant Konoha could no longer afford to look down on the Uchiha.

But he didn't tell his wife any of this.

The S-rank secret could only be shared among a select few Uchiha, and Uchiha Mikoto had become a full-time housewife.

"Where's Itachi?"

"He went on a mission and hasn't come back yet."

Mikoto put a piece of fish on Sasuke's plate. "He said it was a tracking mission."

Just then, the entrance door opened.

"I'm home."

Itachi walked into the living room, still carrying the chill of the night.

"Father, Mother."

When Sasuke saw Itachi, he dropped his rice bowl and ran over to his big brother. "Nii-chan~"

Itachi's expression softened at once. He crouched down to meet Sasuke's gaze.

"Sasuke, were you good today?"

"I was! I can throw kunai now!"

"Really? That's impressive."

Mikoto watched her sons interact, a smile on her face.

"Itachi, come with me to the study. Mikoto, keep an eye on Sasuke and don't let anyone disturb us."

"All right." Mikoto was puzzled, but she didn't ask.

In the study, Fugaku activated a small projector.

The image appeared, showing the scene during the psychological treatment procedure.

Kazuhiko stood before Shota, his Two-Tomoe Sharingan slowly turning.

"What is this?"

Itachi's pupils contracted slightly in surprise.

He had already awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan, so why was he still a medical Genin?

"This is a recording of the entire process of Doctor Kazuhiko helping Shota awaken his Sharingan."

Fugaku's voice was brimming with restrained excitement.

"Psychological treatment combined with genjutsu really can help the Uchiha awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan!"

In the recording, Kazuhiko began to cast a hypnotic genjutsu with all his might.

"His genjutsu structure is fascinating."

"It's not an ordinary Sharingan Genjutsu. It's several layers of genjutsu stacked together, with targeted improvements and refinements."

"Built on the framework of the Sharingan: Hypnotic Illusion, guided by the Yūhi Clan's genjutsu, and combined with his own understanding of genjutsu output, he abandoned genjutsu's ability to control..."

Fugaku spoke at length, his eyes gleaming with fervor.

"That level of control over genjutsu, that method of awakening... Itachi, do you know what this means?"

Itachi stared at the unchanging image on the recording and fell silent for a moment.

"It means he's a genjutsu genius."

"A genius?"

Fugaku looked at Kazuhiko on the screen, utterly certain.

"Of course he's a genius. It means you can awaken the Sharingan through psychological treatment too!"

He looked at Itachi. "Shisui said you went to Kazuhiko's Psychology Clinic with him, right?"

"Yes."

"What did you think of it?"

"It didn't seem all that special."

Itachi recalled what had happened that day and the conversation they'd had. He felt a little awkward.

He agreed with Kazuhiko's ideas and thought he was different from other Uchiha.

But he still had some reservations about Kazuhiko using genjutsu to impersonate Shisui and talk to him.

Fugaku furrowed his brow slightly.

"Since you went to the Psychology Clinic, he should have given you a Psychological Diagnosis Report, right? Bring it here so I can take a look."

He had already learned the details of Shota's awakening, so he was familiar with the procedures at Kazuhiko's clinic.

"I don't have a Psychological Diagnosis Report."

Of course he had one.

Kazuhiko had written it up on the spot that day. After Itachi declared, "We're never meeting again," Kazuhiko had even predicted he'd come back to collect it of his own accord.

"What?"

Fugaku's expression darkened at once.

"He didn't give you a Psychological Diagnosis Report? Did he think you had no potential to awaken the Sharingan?"

Fugaku was annoyed.

He had high expectations for Itachi and was raising him to be the Uchiha's successor.

What was this Kazuhiko playing at?

His son had gone to the Psychology Clinic, and you couldn't even issue him a Psychological Diagnosis Report?

Did you have any respect for me as clan head?

Eri's son was terribly impolite!

"That's outrageous!"

Itachi was startled by his father's reaction and hurried to explain.

"Doctor Kazuhiko probably, maybe, possibly did give me a Psychological Diagnosis Report. He also told me to come back for a follow-up..."

Fugaku frowned.

"Then why didn't you bring the report?"

Itachi fell silent.

What was he supposed to say?

That he couldn't bring himself to go back to the Psychology Clinic?

After all, the great Itachi had never lost in his life or bowed his head to anyone.

Even when he lost to Sasuke in the Pacific War, he was only showing his foolish little brother the true power of Water Release.

Fugaku's gaze left Itachi no room to keep hesitating, so he braced himself and began to explain.

"At the time, I thought..."

"You thought what?"

"I thought Doctor Kazuhiko's psychological treatment might not do much."

Itachi clenched his fist to himself and made up an excuse.

That's right! That was it!

I'd never thought Doctor Kazuhiko was a fraud or a quack.

From the moment Shisui called him big brother, I knew he wasn't like an ordinary Uchiha Genin.

"Ridiculous!"

Fugaku folded his arms, his expression stern.

"Do you know how many elders are trying to send their juniors to the Psychology Clinic right now? Or do you not want to awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan?"

"Doctor Kazuhiko personally asked you to come back for a follow-up, and you refused?"

"You should know that Shota awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan with his help after just three days of follow-up visits!"

Fugaku got up and paced. "That was incredibly rude. Go to the Psychology Clinic tomorrow and collect your report. Remember to bring a gift to show your gratitude!"

Itachi was willing, but he couldn't help feeling that it would be embarrassing.

Hearing that Kazuhiko could help him awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan naturally tempted him too.

Itachi could already imagine how popular Kazuhiko would become among the Uchiha.

You could put it this way: no Uchiha could refuse Kazuhiko.

But he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

At that moment, Shota stirred in the recording. His eyes snapped open, and the Three-Tomoe Sharingan turned slowly within them.

There wasn't the slightest surprise in Kazuhiko's eyes, as if everything had gone exactly as expected.

"Welcome back, Shota."

He wore a smile, with a hint of pity.

It was the absolute certainty of someone in control.

Seeing was believing. Itachi stared at those freshly awakened Three-Tomoe Sharingan eyes and at Kazuhiko, whose expression remained calm.

How had he managed to do all this?

Then Shota's family rushed into the operating room, and Kazuhiko turned to leave.

The recording captured only his steady, unhurried figure as he walked away.

"A pioneer! Doctor Kazuhiko is the pioneer of a new era for our Uchiha!"

Though he hadn't met Kazuhiko in person, Fugaku had already begun to praise him to the skies.

"His arrival is destined to go down in history and make even the Uchiha's ancestors pale in comparison!"

"Itachi, make sure you go early tomorrow. Understood?"

"I understand."

Hearing his father, whom he admired, praise Kazuhiko so highly, Itachi came back to himself.

It didn't seem all that embarrassing after all.

Shisui was hailed as the "First Genius," an Uchiha valued by the Lord Hokage, and even he called Kazuhiko big brother.

His father was the head of the Uchiha Clan, and he addressed him as Doctor Kazuhiko too.

Even if people laughed at him for going back to the Psychology Clinic for a follow-up, it didn't matter, right?

"Going alone would still be too casual. Have your mother go with you!"

Fugaku began imagining his son awakening the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

What did it mean for a seven-year-old to awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan?

Even if it took a little longer—eight, nine, or even ten—

it would be time to pass the title of First Genius from Shisui to someone else.

The Hokage often praised Itachi for having a "Hokage Mindset," too!

My son Itachi has Hokage potential!

"Go to bed early and get plenty of rest. Make sure you're in your best shape when you meet Doctor Kazuhiko!"

"All right."

"This is an S-rank secret. Don't tell anyone!"

"I understand, Father."

Itachi left the room, lost in thought.

"Doctor Kazuhiko... Can I really awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan?"

Fugaku watched the recording replay and murmured to himself,

"The Third Hokage and Danzo probably don't know about this yet. We need to keep it secret for as long as possible and help more of our clan members awaken their Sharingan, building up our strength..."