Training Itachi Uchiha

"Hmph. Even if he earned credit for saving people, that still couldn't erase the fact that he abandoned his teammates."

Though Danzo hadn't backed down completely, his response was no longer so aggressive.

In the end, kindhearted Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up and settled the matter.

"That's enough, Danzo. Shisui helped Minato eliminate four Jonin from Iwagakure. He also avenged Kamii Sarutobi and Akira Shimura. The merits and demerits cancel each other out, so Shisui won't receive any additional punishment."

"Shisui, you're back!"

As soon as Shisui Uchiha entered the house, three-year-old Itachi Uchiha came rushing toward him.

"Itachi, what are you doing here?"

Shisui caught Itachi and ruffled his head, messing up the little boy's hair.

At that point, Shisui was the only person in the Shinobi World who got to enjoy this treatment.

"Here, this is a present for you."

Shisui handed Itachi the C- and D-rank ninjutsu scrolls he had taken from the battlefield.

Three-year-old Itachi already longed to become a ninja. But because he was still so young, Fugaku Uchiha had forbidden him from practicing any ninjutsu on his own, following Shisui's advice. He could only practice under Fugaku's or Shisui's supervision.

He couldn't use the scrolls yet, but just holding them and looking through them was enough to satisfy his curiosity.

Itachi happily accepted the scrolls. "Father heard you were back, so he asked me to wait here for you. You're coming to our house for dinner."

Shisui's parents had been close to the clan leader's family, so after they died, Fugaku Uchiha's family had taken good care of the orphaned Shisui.

In turn, Shisui treated Itachi with great affection as his older brother.

"All right. It's been a long time since I've had one of big sister Mikoto's meals."

The Fugaku family had been clan leaders for three generations, and their residence stood in the heart of the clan compound.

But Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha weren't the sort to flaunt their status. Once inside the courtyard, their home looked much like those of most Uchiha.

"Shisui, you're here."

Seeing Shisui return with Itachi, the gentle, warmhearted Mikoto Uchiha immediately poured him some tea.

"You did well, kid. I heard you not only saved three comrades on the front lines, but also helped Minato Namikaze eliminate four of the enemy's Jonin. You've done your grandfather and father proud."

The hearty voice came from inside the house. It belonged to the clan leader, Fugaku Uchiha, who was only thirty years old.

"But that old man Shimura Danzo openly slandered you, so you didn't get the treatment you deserved. What a shame."

Shisui knew that while Fugaku was complaining about the unfair treatment he had suffered, he was also lamenting the Uchiha Clan's current situation in the village.

"Clan Leader, during this mission I realized that Minato Namikaze of the Hokage Faction isn't prejudiced against the Uchiha Clan. Thanks to Obito, we've also been able to establish a connection with Minato. If he becomes Hokage one day, we may have a chance to improve the village's attitude toward us."

"Hmm?"

Fugaku was astonished as he looked at the seven-year-old Shisui. Suddenly, he felt as though a light had dawned on him.

Ever since becoming clan leader, Fugaku had been trying to find ways to ease tensions between the Uchiha Clan and the village.

But the hardliners led by Shimura Danzo insisted that the Uchiha were a hypocritical, evil clan that harbored sinister intentions. They wouldn't even give the Uchiha a chance to sit down and talk. This extreme way of thinking had persisted since Tobirama Senju's time in office.

Shisui's words had just given Fugaku a new idea.

"Truly worthy of being Kagami's grandson. You've done the Uchiha Clan a great service this time," Fugaku Uchiha said with a sigh.

Back then, Kagami Uchiha had been a student of the Second, Tobirama Senju, and a bridge between the Uchiha Clan and the Hokage.

Under normal circumstances, Kagami Uchiha, with the support of the Hokage Faction, would have been the leading candidate to become clan leader.

But talent often met with misfortune. Kagami Uchiha had died in an accident during a mission, and they had never even found his body.

"Itachi, you should learn from Shisui. When you grow up, you should be as capable as he is."

Looking at his three-year-old son, Fugaku Uchiha's eyes were full of affection. His gentle, virtuous wife and sensible son were his greatest motivation.

"Yes, Father. I'll do my best to learn from Shisui."

To three-year-old Itachi, his father and Shisui were both role models. Shisui in particular cared for him and looked after him, and Itachi's dependence on him grew by the day.

This time, I won't let you suffer the same fate again. Shisui affectionately ruffled Itachi's hair.

"All right, you've finished your important talk. Time to eat."

Mikoto Uchiha brought out the dinner she had prepared earlier. There were Japanese rice balls, sushi, and tempura made with deep-fried white shrimp, sardines, and okra.

It was a simple meal, but Shisui savored its warmth and ease, and his resolve to protect this happiness grew stronger.

After dinner, Shisui took Itachi to the clan's training ground.

"Shisui, even Father agreed with what you said today. I want to learn more from you and grow up to be as capable as you."

In Itachi's heart, Shisui was his role model.

"Then you'll have to work hard, too, Itachi."

As he spoke, Shisui's hand found its way to Itachi's head again. He was starting to enjoy the feel of it.

"I didn't let you train on your own before because developing your body too early could actually drain your potential. While we have the chance today, I'll teach you how to cultivate chakra first."

In the original story, Itachi suffered from a serious illness. Though the cause was never clearly explained, Shisui suspected it had something to do with Itachi pushing his body too hard at an early age.

"All right, Shisui. I'll do whatever you say."

Looking at the obedient, well-behaved Itachi Uchiha, Shisui found it hard to connect him with the headstrong killer who would later wipe out his entire clan.

But how much of that was my fault, too? Shisui thought guiltily.

This time, Shisui wouldn't let the tragedy of his previous life happen again.

"Chakra, as I understand it, is a mixture of physical and spiritual energy. Everyone is also born with their own chakra natures. Let's test yours first."

Itachi took the Chakra Paper from Shisui. The front half of the paper ignited, a sharp notch appeared in the middle, and the severed half became slightly damp.

"As expected of you, Itachi. You have Fire, Wind, and Water chakra natures."

At Shisui's praise, Itachi happily narrowed his eyes. To him, earning Shisui's approval made him happier than learning a new jutsu.

"Ninjutsu is the release of your chakra in different forms. To control the chakra in your body, you need to learn how to extract and transport it through your body's network of pathways. Let's start with how to extract chakra..."