At the camp.
Fugaku held a battle report in his hand.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were almost wiped out-Qingyu alone killed Suikazan Fuguki and Jinin Akebino, and captured Samehada and Kabutowari."
He set down the scroll and let out a long breath.
"I was right about him after all."
Fugaku spoke softly.
As the head of the Uchiha Clan, every choice he made affected the survival of the entire clan.
Back when Qingyu had yet to truly distinguish himself, he had already made his judgment and reached out to him in goodwill, even conceding on certain clan matters.
There had been no shortage of opposition within the clan at the time.
"Does a bastard raised by the Senju deserve to call himself an Uchiha?"
"How could the Sharingan be allowed to fall into Senju hands?"
Fugaku had heard those words many times.
But he had stood firm under the pressure.
"Father."
Itachi's voice came from outside, still carrying a hint of childishness.
"Come in."
Fugaku reined in his emotions and resumed his usual composed demeanor.
Uchiha Itachi pushed the door open, walked properly up to his father, and bowed before taking a seat across from him.
He rested both hands on his knees.
"You wanted to see me?"
"Yes."
Fugaku nodded, looking at his son's face, which still held its baby fat, with growing expectation.
Though Itachi was young, he had already shown exceptional precocity and talent as a ninja.
The clan elders had praised Itachi to Fugaku more than once, saying he was certain to achieve great things.
But Fugaku knew that simply "achieving great things" was not enough.
After seeing true monsters like Qingyu and Shisui, his standards for a "genius" had risen far too high.
"Itachi, you saw Qingyu's Shurikenjutsu on the front lines