After leaving the Military Police Force, Uchiha Fugaku finally found Uchiha Setsuna at the Uchiha Clan Compound.
Uchiha Setsuna was quite surprised to see Uchiha Fugaku.
"Clan Head Fugaku, what brings you here? Don't you have things to handle at the Military Police Force?"
At Uchiha Setsuna's question, Uchiha Fugaku replied directly.
"You mean those things? I handed them over to Izumi and Itachi."
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Now it was Uchiha Setsuna's turn to be dumbfounded.
Would they know how to handle those matters? Besides, judging by your attitude, it didn't look like you'd seriously taught them how.
Still, Uchiha Setsuna knew better than to ask.
When Uchiha Fugaku saw that Uchiha Setsuna was ignoring him and starting to get back to his other work, he quickly called out to him.
"Great Elder, I came to ask you for a favor."
Uchiha Setsuna was taken aback by Uchiha Fugaku's request, and a sense of foreboding soon crept over him.
But with Uchiha Fugaku standing right in front of him, he could only brace himself and ask,
"Clan Head Fugaku, what is it?"
At Uchiha Setsuna's question, Uchiha Fugaku answered without hesitation.
"Great Elder, it's just a small matter."
"I know you're not usually busy, so I'd like you to find some time to teach Izumi and Itachi how to handle things."
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So you really hadn't taught them much, had you?
You're even dumping this sort of thing on me. Is this really the same conscientious Clan Head Fugaku as before?
Uchiha Setsuna knew exactly how much work the Captain of the Military Police Force had to handle.
It wasn't just tiring; it was exhausting.
There were all sorts of disputes to deal with, not to mention the paperwork. There was enough of it to rival the Hokage's workload.
But since Uchiha Fugaku had asked, Uchiha Setsuna couldn't very well refuse.
After all, Uchiha Fugaku wasn't the same man he used to be—the one Uchiha Setsuna could stand as an equal against.
"Of course, Clan Head. Understood."
"I'll go teach Izumi and Itachi how to handle things once I've finished my work this afternoon."
Satisfied with the answer, Uchiha Fugaku left him with a few words and hurried off.
"Great Elder, make sure you teach them properly. I'll come by later this afternoon to check."
Watching Uchiha Fugaku disappear, leaving only his voice behind, Uchiha Setsuna was at a loss for words.
Had the Clan Head always been this unreliable?
I was careless when I chose him!
Freed from the Military Police Force's tedious work, Uchiha Fugaku left the Uchiha Clan Compound in a rare carefree mood and began wandering around Konoha.
Maybe it was because of the clothes he wore, but the villagers of Konoha seemed afraid of him.
As expected, Danzo had ruined the Uchiha Clan's reputation.
At the thought, Uchiha Fugaku wanted to drag the old bastard back and beat him ten more times.
But remembering that Danzo was already dead, he let the idea go.
The villagers of Konoha might be afraid whenever they saw Uchiha Clan clothing, but Uchiha Fugaku was used to it. It did nothing to spoil his mood as he continued wandering around the village.
Before long, Uchiha Fugaku found himself outside the Three-Color Dango Shop.
A familiar figure was standing at the entrance, selling something.
When the figure turned and saw Uchiha Fugaku, he froze, then quickly hid the dango he'd bought behind his back.
He asked nervously, "O-oh, Dad, why aren't you working at the Military Police Force?"
Seeing how nervous Itachi was, Uchiha Fugaku smiled.
"No, I asked Izumi to handle the paperwork for me."
"But what about you? Why didn't you go find Izumi? Why did you come here to buy dango first?"
"Do you like Three-Color Dango?"
At Uchiha Fugaku's question, Uchiha Itachi grew even more nervous and hurried to explain,
"N-no, I was just about to go find Izumi. These are a gift for her."
Uchiha Fugaku laughed at that. He wasn't the same overworked Fugaku as before. Now, he understood Itachi very well.
Did he really think such a flimsy lie could fool his own father?
But this was the first time Fugaku had seen Itachi act like this, so he couldn't help teasing him.
"Really? But Izumi just told me she doesn't like Three-Color Dango."
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Now it was Uchiha Itachi's turn to be dumbfounded. She didn't like Three-Color Dango? How had he never known? Had he really not understood her well enough before?
What was he supposed to do now?
Itachi felt ashamed, as if his father had discovered his secret. He had always tried to present himself as a perfect ninja.
In Itachi's mind, how could a perfect ninja like something as childish and girly as Three-Color Dango?
Seeing Uchiha Itachi's reaction, Uchiha Fugaku laughed.
After a hearty laugh, he continued,
"I was lying just now."
"But Itachi, if you like Three-Color Dango, just say so."
"Who doesn't have a few unusual tastes, even a ninja?"
"So what if you like dango? That's a lot better than Third Hokage and Jiraiya, those two perverts, peeking at women bathing."
"Uh, ahem, why am I telling you all this?"
"Oh, and don't forget to bring Izumi some. She's waiting for you at the Military Police Force."
"Don't forget to go. And you don't need to pick Sasuke up tonight. I'll do it."
As he spoke, Uchiha Fugaku casually stepped closer and snatched the dango Itachi had just bought.
????
He was lying? Is this really my dad? He's changed so much.
But I waited in line for ages to get these limited-edition Three-Color Dango, and I haven't even had a chance to try them yet.
Watching his father eat one skewer after another of the limited-edition Three-Color Dango he'd just bought, Uchiha Itachi felt his heart ache so badly he could hardly stand it.
Even the Mangekyō Sharingan in his eyes activated on its own.
But intimidated by his father's authority—or, more accurately, because he couldn't beat him—Uchiha Itachi had no choice but to get back in line and buy another serving.
"Uchiha Itachi?"
Hearing someone call out to him, Uchiha Itachi froze. He finally came back to his senses after remembering how his father had stolen his limited-edition dango.
He looked up and realized the person in front of him in line was Mitaraishi Anko.
Uchiha Itachi replied,
"Hello, Senior Mitaraishi Anko."
Seeing Uchiha Itachi, Mitaraishi Anko couldn't help asking curiously,
"Itachi, do you like Three-Color Dango too?"
Itachi glanced at the women and children in line ahead of him and answered without thinking,
"No, I was just thinking about something and ended up here without realizing it."
After saying that, Uchiha Itachi stepped aside and hid.
It was embarrassing enough that his father knew. Itachi didn't want anyone else to find out that he liked Three-Color Dango.
Mitaraishi Anko watched Uchiha Itachi leave, feeling a little disappointed. How could anyone not like something as delicious as Three-Color Dango?
Still, it worked out for her. She'd just come back from a mission, and she had plenty of money for the reward.
With no one to compete with me, all the remaining dango are mine.
Before you continue