In mid-July of Konoha Year 51, apart from Kirigakure, the Shinobi World appeared peaceful on the surface.
Konoha Hospital has been exceptionally busy lately, as the village is experiencing a baby boom, with more and more young ninja couples choosing to have their next generation at this time.
In the intensive care unit, 4-year-old Hana Inuzuka kept glancing up at the handsome older boy on the other side. It wasn't until her mother, lying in bed, impatiently called her name that the girl finally snapped out of her reverie, "Honestly, raising these kids is such a hassle!"
"Don't let Hana's docile appearance fool you; when it comes to training Ninja Dog, she always causes me trouble."
"Unlike in the past, with the secret medicine, controlling Ninja Dog is no longer a simple matter; if they are overindulged, the master will eventually only be able to cooperate with the Ninja Dog to complete ninjutsu."
"That's how it is with Kuromaru. I neglected my exercise during my pregnancy, and after giving birth, this guy has already surpassed me."
"If this continues, the Inuzuka Clan will be in big trouble. The elders in the clan have said this many times, but these children still don't realize the seriousness of the situation."
When Tsume Inuzuka spoke of the changes within the clan, a resentful look appeared on his face, and his gaze toward Shu Furukawa held a hint of pleading.
The secret medicine did indeed enhance their strength, but it also made the excellent Ninja Dog unruly.
The big dog, capable of independent thinking, has learned to bargain; it not only wants to take its medicine but also wants a salary!
This behavior has caused concern among many members of the clan: raising Ninja Dog has become a costly affair.
What makes things even more difficult for the dog clan is that hard work in cultivation is not as effective as spending money on medicine to improve their strength. The more money they spend, the stronger they become, and a competitive spending culture has even emerged within the clan.
Konoha Hospital has made a lot of money by offering "packages" for Ninja Dog, and the veterinary department has even more revenue-generating projects, attracting nobles to come with their pets.
" Kuromaru and his team really should be more restrained; they can't always spend the money they earn."
"As for improving her abilities, I don't have any good solutions. Later, when she enrolls in school, we can have her join the medical department, which will help save the family money."
" Ninja Dog are different from humans; they can absorb secret medicines more easily. Ninjas only experience rapid growth in strength when they approach adulthood."
"The best way to close the gap is to work twice as hard!"
As he finished speaking, Shu Furukawa smiled at the shy child opposite him. Hana Inuzuka stared at the mark of the Strength of a Hundred Seal, her mind filled with the gentle smile of her older brother, and for a moment she stared blankly at it.
The four-year-old girl simply thought that Shu Furukawa was handsome and gentle, completely different from his mother's usual fiery temper, and was involuntarily attracted to him.
Tsume Inuzuka also turned her head awkwardly. Humans all yearn for beautiful things, and she was no exception. After controlling her emotions, she complained again, "Without the war, everyone has become complacent."
"Having a better job and making money more easily—this kind of comfort is addictive. No wonder the Uchiha Clan chose to go to their ancestral land for arduous training."
"They are a wealthy family after all; they anticipated this situation long ago."
"Hua, you must study hard when you start school. If Kuromaru keeps spending money so extravagantly, your younger brother won't be able to support you."
Hana Inuzuka turned to look at her younger brother in the baby basket beside her. Thinking of the situation at home, the little girl obediently lowered her head and replied, "Yes, Mother."
"These little gifts will help your Ninja Dog grow better. After another week of hard work, our senior will be able to be discharged from the hospital soon."
When Shu Furukawa took his leave, he gave Hana Inuzuka several bottles of secret medicine. The girl accepted them with both hands and nodded shyly. Even after her older brother left, she still stood blankly at the door.
"Alright, Hua! Put the gift away, don't just stand there like an idiot."
"Mother, Lord Xiu is so beautiful..."
Back at the bedside, Hana Inuzuka didn't know how to best describe her feelings, so she could only whisper them. Tsume Inuzuka gently rubbed his daughter's head and sighed softly, "Just keep your aspirations. It's very difficult for ordinary ninjas to enter the world of geniuses."
"You'll understand what I mean when you grow up. Your brother only needs one-tenth of Xiu's talent."
Around noon, when Shu Furukawa entered another intensive care unit, Itachi Uchiha immediately jumped down from his chair and bowed respectfully. "Good afternoon, teacher!"
"Mom feels great. Will I be able to see my little brother in a few days?"
He has a different aura from Itachi Uchiha, who just celebrated his birthday. He has become more composed after experiencing killing, and he doesn't seem like a 4-year-old child at all.
"Alright, Itachi, maybe it's a little sister!"
"I'm so sorry to have troubled you these past few days. I didn't expect this little guy to react so strongly."
Uchiha Mikoto, leaning against the headboard, smiled in gratitude. Shu Furukawa Osamu, approaching the bedside, quickly recorded the data and smiled, reminding her, "There should be less than a week left. With the hospital's current level of Medical Ninjutsu, there shouldn't be any problems."
Itachi seems to really like this child.
Itachi Uchiha nodded. Although the adults didn't believe him, he could truly sense his younger brother. That feeling of blood connection gave him the urge to protect him.
Uchiha Mikoto could naturally sense the change in her son. Thinking of her husband's strict demands, a look of tenderness appeared in her eyes. "I hope this child won't have to suffer like Itachi."
"I will protect my younger brother and make sure he grows up happily like other children."
Itachi Uchiha made a solemn promise: he had learned to control his emotions, and thinking of his unborn younger brother, he would never let him experience what he was going through.
Being a normal child is enough; there are no strict requirements, and there's no need to experience the real ninja world.
Itachi hoped to become his younger brother's support, so that he could empathize with the happy life his brother experienced, which would make up for some of the regrets in his heart.
Shu Furukawa smiled and offered encouragement again, and only after seeing the arrival of the Uchiha Clan members did he leave with Itachi.
At lunchtime, the two went to the rooftop, from where they could see the peaceful scene of the village and faintly hear children's laughter. Itachi Uchiha suddenly turned his head and asked, "Master, my father told me that a ninja's duty is to kill."
"Other villages are indeed not like Konoha; they seem to become hostile towards each other because of missions."
"The peace we enjoy now is because the village has a powerful ninja like our teacher."
"If someone could become a ninja better than anyone else, could that power eliminate all conflict in the ninja world?"
When Itachi Uchiha completed a killing, he could always sense the other person's desire for life. He disliked this kind of fighting and did not want his unborn younger brother to experience it as well.
Itachi, who longed for a peaceful life, rarely showed such longing. He was too embarrassed to express his ideals in front of his teacher, so he could only ask in this subtle way.
"It seems that Fugaku has taken you through a lot. In this magical world where Chakra power exists, anything is possible."
"Does Itachi want to become such a powerful ninja? You have the talent."
"However, achieving such a goal on one's own is not easy, since people often cannot understand each other."
Itachi Uchiha nodded somewhat embarrassedly; this was indeed his current wish. He looked at Shu Furukawa again, asking with considerable anticipation, "Sir, you should be able to achieve this goal, right? I haven't encountered a ninja stronger than you yet."
"Becoming the best ninja is not my goal."
Seeing the confused look on Itachi Uchiha's face, Shu Furukawa suddenly burst out laughing. It was indeed amusing to have such a serious discussion about life goals with "Little Radish Head": "Even the most powerful ninja will eventually come to an end."
"Having mastered the wondrous power of Chakra, one naturally seeks eternity."
"The world is vast; perhaps there are other extraordinary worlds beyond our planets. Only eternal life can discover these delights."
Young Itachi Uchiha didn't understand his teacher's aspirations, but he was moved by the emotion, a smile appearing on his face. He stopped thinking about the killing and softly replied, "Teacher is indeed different from Father and the others!"
"Although I don't understand, I believe that once the teacher achieves their goal, they will be able to end all the disputes."
On the morning of July 23, Uchiha Mikoto gave birth to her second child. Both mother and child were safe and sound, and Fugaku Uchiha, who came to the hospital, had a relieved smile on his face.
"I've obtained the Third Hokage's permission; let's name this child Sasuke!"
"I hope he can become a powerful and great ninja like his father, the Third Hokage."
Fugaku Uchiha announced his youngest son's name, Itachi Uchiha, standing nearby, looked at the little one in his mother's arms with a joyful expression. "My little brother's name is Sasuke Uchiha? What a lovely name."
Uchiha Mikoto held Sasuke with a loving expression, and perhaps sensing the gazes of the crowd, little Sasuke suddenly burst into tears.
Shu Furukawa's spirit was watching the reincarnation of Indra's Chakra from the bedside, but despite his full sensitivity, he did not sense the familiar aura he expected.
When I first Collection the Madara Uchiha, the feeling of resistance wasn't an illusion. It seemed like a trace of instinct still remained, but I couldn't sense it at all now. "Is it because it hasn't awakened yet?"
"Or is it that the remaining power is no longer capable of being manifested?"
Shu Furukawa's spirit appeared thoughtful; the [ Collection ] ability seemed stronger than he had anticipated, and he had received all the information carried by Indra's Chakra.
Sasuke loudly, seemed to sense the danger. Shu Furukawa looked at the soft little guy and silently wished, "Live peacefully with your brother's blessing, and whatever you do, never awaken this power again."
Sasuke calmed down after Shu Furukawa's spirit left. Itachi Uchiha, who was standing to the side, also breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing his mother smiling at him, he lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly.
"Itachi, come and hug your little brother!"
Fugaku Uchiha wanted to say something after hearing his wife's words, but Uchiha Mikoto saw her son's expectation and softly added, "Be careful, it's alright, Itachi is our genius."
Itachi Uchiha carefully took Sasuke into his arms, and to his surprise, the little guy suddenly smiled the moment his older brother held him.
The innocent smile touched Itachi Uchiha, and the pain from a month of killing was washed away by his younger brother's smile, " Sasuke, I will protect you!"
At noon, the Uchiha Clan Head gave small gifts to everyone in the Medical Corps, and everyone was very happy to receive them.
Back in her office, Shizune continued her gossip. Snake Ci, who had just been transferred from the Anbu to the medical department, seized the opportunity to remark, "Boys tend to resemble their mothers more. Fugaku's children will all grow up to be handsome!"
The girls immediately agreed, saying that Uchiha Mikoto was very beautiful, and the two children would definitely be good too.
For some unknown reason, Shizune blushed slightly and looked at Shu Furukawa beside her, asking in a low voice, "Osamu, do you think boys or girls are better?"
"Kids are all pretty much the same, aren't they?"
Shu Furukawa responded with a smile, and seeing Shizune's blank expression, he put another pork chop on the girl's plate. "Eat more, you need to eat more protein while you're growing."
Shizune glanced instinctively at her flat chest, then suddenly remembered Tsunade- sensei. Nagato immediately stammered, "I haven't developed yet, but I'll definitely have a perfect figure like Tsunade- sensei in the future!"
Late at night, in the Root laboratory, Orochimaru frowned as he looked at the latest "container" for the mercury-binding technique. His Sharingan with its Three Tomoe seemed to be rejecting Hashirama Cells.
Even those with the Uchiha Clan bloodline cannot be compatible with this primal power.
This is a valuable piece of material that Orochimaru collected on the battlefield. A body with Three-Tomoe Sharingan is rare. It was only thanks to Fugaku Uchiha leading his clan in a desperate battle that he was able to find this opportunity.
Upon seeing this scene, Pakura's face turned deathly pale. She had almost been devoured by the cells back then, and if it weren't for Shu Furukawa reversing the mutation, she would have become a puppet by now.
"Recording the data, it seems we still need a stronger Uchiha bloodline."
"This rejection reaction is so strong that even basic ninjutsu cannot be controlled, let alone perfectly contained within my Senjutsu Chakra."
After giving the order, Orochimaru turned and left. The experimental subject, who was in a living dead state, had already had half of his shoulder corroded, and the woody skin made Orochimaru feel anxious.
Arriving at another laboratory to look through the scrolls and wait for Shu Furukawa's arrival, Orochimaru tried hard to calm himself down and concentrate, but to no avail.
Frowning, Orochimaru pulled out a scroll. After carefully reading it, his brow furrowed even deeper. "Killing a beloved person?"
"To allow extreme pain to generate more pupil power?"
"Is this why Madara Uchiha was able to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan back then?"
Orochimaru pondered to himself that the information obtained through the exchange could not be completely trusted, but this method of Mangekyō Sharingan was worth a try.
Retrieving the information he had collected from another pile of scrolls in the lab, Orochimaru wrote down his investigation into Shisui Uchiha, ultimately identifying a few individuals. "I hope they disappoint me again this time."