Root

If the village and the Uchiha went to war, how would he choose?

Genya glanced at Itachi, then spoke in a low voice.

"Itachi, do you know? Sometimes, I envy you. You have a good family. Since childhood, you never had to worry about expenses or the pressures of life. You could do what you wanted, live proudly and confidently, and calmly converse with this world, unlike me, who had to worry about daily necessities from childhood onward."

Genya paused before continuing, "You need to clearly understand where everything you have comes from, and who is protecting your growth, instead of immersing yourself in meaningless thoughts every day."

"If you want to change everything, the main thing isn't to trap yourself in a cocoon and pity the world. It is to act, to make changes."

"For example, become Hokage and fundamentally change the relationship between the village and the Uchiha."

After finishing, Genya turned to Itachi and gave him a sincere smile.

Yet inwardly, he thought to himself.

My speaking skills are really getting better and better!

Itachi, you won't be able to chop me down seven years from now, right?

Itachi stood stunned for over a minute before solemnly replying, "All right."

It had to be said.

Genya was excellent at fishing.

After about an hour.

He had already caught four or five plump pike.

"I'll treat you to grilled fish!" Genya said with a chuckle.

There were too many pike.

They would be inconvenient to take back.

Then their "one-versus-many" could have the benefit.

"Mm-hm." Itachi nodded.

Seeing Genya cleaning the pike, Itachi did not remain idle either. He took the initiative to gather some firewood for the fish they would grill later.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" Itachi opened his mouth and breathed out flames, setting the pile of firewood ablaze.

Five minutes later.

The fish had been grilled to a rich golden color.

Genya sprinkled on some seasoning powder.

The fragrance immediately filled the air.

"Here, this is for you." Genya handed a grilled fish to Itachi.

Itachi accepted the fish.

After giving it a sniff, he unconsciously licked his lips and took a huge bite.

"Delicious!"

Itachi's eyes lit up.

Even at barbecue restaurants, he rarely got to eat grilled fish this tasty.

Genya's skills were incredible!

"Of course." Genya spoke smugly.

Over the years.

His fish-grilling technique had gone through countless repeated experiments and had already reached perfection.

If not for his lack of startup capital, Genya had even planned to open a grilled fish shop in the village. It would definitely have booming business!

Each grilled fish weighed over a pound, and Itachi quickly finished more than half of his.

Just as the two ate heartily.

Genya suddenly sensed danger and shouted, "Watch out, move!"

Boom!

A poison gas bomb.

Exploded out of nowhere where the two had been standing.

Poisonous gas spread everywhere...

Root

Genya's Sage Body gave him exceptionally sharp senses.

The instant he sensed danger, he warned Itachi while darting away like an agile cheetah.

Itachi reacted quickly as well.

His body shot five or six meters away with a whoosh.

Pitch-black mist.

Spread through the spot where the two had been moments earlier.

The fish in the bucket smelled the mist and rolled their eyes before fainting in the blink of an eye.

It did not seem like poison. It seemed more like a sedative.

A cold, emotionless voice rang out from the dense forest.

"Your reactions are quite fast!"

Two ninja wearing black-and-gray jackets and animal masks stepped out of the forest one after the other, staring coldly at them.

One was tall and muscular, while the other was well-proportioned and carried a katana on his back.

"Anbu? No, Root!"

From the details of their clothing, Genya identified them and immediately raised his guard to the utmost.

Root ninja were at least Chunin-level.

There were even quite a few Jonin among them.

Yamato and Sai had both once come from Root.

This was dangerous!

Genya narrowed his eyes slightly.

What was the Root ninja's purpose in attacking them?

Was it him? Or Itachi?

But Genya knew.

No matter who the target was.

The fact that they had attacked the two openly meant either they were certain of victory, or they could withstand the Uchiha's retaliation.

Neither was good news for the two of them right now!

"We are Uchiha of this village. As Root ninja, why are you attacking us?" Itachi had spent years at Fugaku's side and knew Konoha's forces well. He had likewise identified them, and his face was cold as he questioned them.

The Root ninja sneered but said nothing.

Originally, the two had planned to use the sedative invented by Lord Orochimaru to knock them out and take them away.

But the two's reactions had exceeded their expectations, so their first move had failed.

A cold glint flashed through the tall Root ninja's eyes. His name was Hei, and he said coldly.

"According to the intelligence we received, Root suspects that you two are spies planted in Konoha by another village. We are taking you back for interrogation!"

Danzo's order had been to capture Fugaku's children.

Because Sasuke was always within the Uchiha compound and difficult to target, Itachi had become the primary target.

Moreover, according to intelligence reports, the other youth, Uchiha Genya, was also highly valued by Fugaku.

If they brought him back to Root as well, Fugaku would surely go mad.

That was also Lord Danzo's goal.

As for the trouble afterward.

Root held absolute power in Konoha. Lord Danzo would resolve it for them.

Watching Root close in step by step, Itachi guardedly rebuked them.

"Since you claim we are spies, do you have an arrest warrant from Lord Hokage?"

According to Konoha's procedures.

Without clear evidence.

Capturing "spies" required an arrest warrant from the Third Hokage.

The only response Itachi received was the disdainful sneers of the two Root ninja.

Itachi had always believed in the Will of Fire.

Was Root not established to preserve the village?

Why were they trying to capture them for no reason?

At this moment, his heart had gone cold...

Sensing that danger was about to descend, Itachi quietly said to the side.

"We are no match for them. Split up and run!"

"At least one of us can escape..."

Hm?

Where was he?

Genya had already run seven or eight meters away.

Itachi stood there utterly dumbfounded, a mess in the wind...

After hearing Genya's grand speech today, Itachi had begun to think of him as a bond.

In the end, he had entrusted his feelings to the wrong person...

"Hurry up and run."

The breeze carried Genya's voice.

The boat of friendship had capsized without warning.

"Hehe, if I let you escape from my hands, where would Root ninja be able to show our faces?"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Root ninja turned into two afterimages and split up to pursue Genya and Itachi.

Itachi used the Body Flicker Technique to race through the forest.

A sudden sense of danger came from behind him. His hairs stood on end, and he stomped the ground before flashing to the right.

A frigid blade flashed past.

Slash!

The cold blade gleamed like a streak of silk.

A tree as thick as an adult's thigh was cut down.

Had he been a second slower, Itachi would have been struck by the sharp katana.

"Where do you think you're going?" The Root ninja carrying a kodachi blocked Itachi's retreat.

He wore a teasing expression, like a cat toying with a mouse.

Itachi was only six or seven years old.