The Uchiha's Fate Is Mine to Bear!

It had only just gotten dark.

Ruohuo, the future Uchiha Clan Head, and Obito, the future Hokage, finally returned home.

"Huh?" Before they even reached the house, Ruohuo sensed something was off.

At this hour, Grandmother usually sat by the door, enjoying the breeze while waiting for the two boys to come home. It also saved a little on the electricity bill.

But Grandmother wasn't there today, and the lights inside were on.

"Do we have guests?"

Ruohuo quickened his pace. Before he'd even stepped inside, he heard Grandmother's voice.

"I'm old, and my mind isn't what it used to be. If you need anything, you should talk to my two grandsons..."

Someone looking for trouble?

What idiot would dare come looking for trouble with the Uchiha!?

Ruohuo rushed into the house, but the moment he saw the figure in the living room, he immediately calmed down.

So it was the former clan head from a few years in the future, and the former clan head's wife.

"Auntie, you're joking. You look fit as a fiddle!" Mikoto said with a smile, sitting beside Grandmother.

Fugaku noticed the two brothers at the door and laughed heartily. "Look, the two young men of the house are back. Grandmother was just telling me how sensible you are."

"Good evening, Clan Head. Good evening, Auntie Mikoto."

Ruohuo greeted them obediently, then patted Obito on the back of the head.

"Good evening, Clan Head. Good evening, Auntie Mikoto," Obito echoed.

After greeting them, the brothers went to stand beside Grandmother, one on either side.

Grandmother turned to Ruohuo.

"Ruohuo... Grandmother heard from young Fugaku that you and Obito got into another fight today?"

Obito tensed up.

Grandmother hated it when they fought with other people. Win or lose, they always got chewed out when they came home.

Ruohuo glanced away from the two scrolls and the gifts on the coffee table, then nodded calmly.

"Yeah. A few Hyuga with cataracts tried to bully Obito, so I used Fire Style to send them to the hospital."

"You fought the Hyuga? Then it's fine... You didn't kill anyone, did you?"

"No, but they won't be getting out of bed for three to five months."

"That's a real shame..." Grandmother shook her head in disappointment.

Fugaku's eye twitched.

The old woman's approach to discipline was something else.

"Next time you fight, remember to show some restraint. You're the big brother, so don't hold back too much when protecting your little brother. Understand?"

"Understood, Grandmother," Ruohuo replied obediently.

Grandmother stood up. "You two can talk with young Fugaku. I'm tired, so I'll go rest."

Fugaku and Mikoto stood as well, seeing the old woman back to her room.

Once Grandmother closed the door, everyone in the living room visibly relaxed.

"Good work, kid," Fugaku said first. "I heard what happened today. One against three, and you still managed to send your opponents to the hospital after beating them. You did well."

Fugaku made no effort to hide his praise for Ruohuo. He pointed to the two scrolls on the table.

"I heard you can already use Fire Style. These are two C-rank Fire Release techniques. You can try practicing them."

"If you have any questions, you can always come by the Konoha Military Police Force. Even if I'm not there, the senior members will be happy to give you some pointers."

Fugaku's admiration and eagerness to mentor Ruohuo were unmistakable.

Clearly, he'd come to win him over.

Maybe Shisui had received the same treatment in the original timeline, which led him to "run into" Itachi after he skipped class and become Itachi's true mentor?

An ordinary kid might have quickly fallen for this sort of "carrot-and-stick" approach.

But Ruohuo clearly wouldn't.

In Ruohuo's eyes, Fugaku wasn't a competent clan head. Otherwise, the Uchiha wouldn't have been wiped out.

The entire clan had been slaughtered... the old and the young, men and women, without a single one spared.

Itachi had done it, but Fugaku, as clan head, couldn't escape responsibility.

Whether Fugaku could have stopped his son was beside the point.

Even if he couldn't, shouldn't he at least have taken responsibility for his clan?

And even if Fugaku had tried and ultimately lost to Itachi, Ruohuo still would have looked down on him—as long as the Uchiha's fate remained unchanged...

Yes, protecting the Uchiha wasn't easy.

But if you weren't up to the task, then step aside.

I'll bear the Uchiha's fate myself!

As for Itachi Uchiha...

Ruohuo glanced at Mikoto's belly. She wasn't showing yet, but Itachi should be in there.

Maybe he could hand Itachi over to Obito later, too...

"Thank you, Clan Head. May I take a look?"

Ruohuo put on a curious expression.

He might look down on this future former clan head, but there was nothing wrong with the jutsu...

For one reason or another, Ruohuo had only mastered one Fire Release technique so far: the Great Fireball. He'd gotten pretty creative with it, but it was still a bit embarrassing.

He obviously couldn't pass up such a great opportunity.

"Of course." Fugaku gestured for him to go ahead. "These are gifts for you, so don't be shy. They're only two C-rank Fire Release techniques, but..."

Fugaku stopped mid-sentence when he noticed the odd look on the kid's face.

Jutsu type: C-rank Fire Release: Dragon Fire Jutsu.

Learning requirements: 3

C-rank fire-nature chakra saturation: ✓

C-rank chakra control: ✓

C-rank chakra reserves: ✓

This jutsu meets the activation conditions for "Fire Style Little Genius." Activation successful.

Successfully learned jutsu: Fire Release: Dragon Fire Jutsu.

The last time he'd seen a prompt like this was when he learned the Great Fireball...

After all these years, Ruohuo had finally added another Fire Release technique to his skill set!

But Ruohuo didn't look all that happy. If anything, he seemed a little disappointed.

"Clan Head, I already know this one. Can I exchange it for something else?"

"Of course." Fugaku didn't think anything of it.

It was only a C-rank Fire Release technique. Mastering it at six years old—six years old... That was a little young, but that was what made him a genius!

Ruohuo opened the second scroll.

Jutsu type: C-rank Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu.

Learning requirements: 3

C-rank fire-nature chakra saturation: ✓

C-rank chakra control: ✓

C-rank chakra reserves: ✓

This jutsu meets the activation conditions for "Fire Style Little Genius." Activation successful.

Successfully learned jutsu: Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu.

Current Fire Release jutsu stock: 3. "Fire Style Little Genius" has upgraded to "Star of Fire Style."

Star of Fire Style: The requirements for learning and using Fire Release techniques are reduced by 50%, and their power boost increases to 60%.

The new information took a little longer to appear, and Ruohuo missed the perfect moment to show off.

Fugaku smiled. "Kid, you don't know this one yet, do you?"

"But that's all right. With your talent, it won't take you long to master it."

"How about this? Once you've mastered it, come find me at the Konoha Military Police Force. I can teach you plenty more... Hmm?"

Fugaku stopped mid-sentence, his smile suddenly faltering.

A flash of crimson appeared in Ruohuo's eyes. It was unmistakably the One-Tomoe Sharingan!

Fugaku was utterly astonished. Awakening it at six years old... That was on a completely different level from learning a jutsu!

Look at him, so easily impressed.

Enjoy these last few years as clan head, Fugaku!

"I like to keep my Sharingan active when I'm studying and thinking. It helps me concentrate."

Ruohuo picked up where he'd left off, finishing his boast—and then some.

"I've already learned this jutsu..."

"Clan Head, what was it you just said?"