There Was No Insight in His Heart, Only Hatred!

By the time Itachi returned to the training ground, Sasuke had already planted his foot on Yasuda Shimura and won the battle.

"This kid..."

"Let's go back first and tell Father about this."

"Perhaps..."

Itachi didn't continue. He used the Body Flicker Technique and left.

Meanwhile, the battle had reached its final match.

Shikamaru's team versus Sasuke's team.

"Sensei, we forfeit."

Just as Iruka was about to announce the start of the battle, Shikamaru raised his hand and declared that his team was forfeiting.

"Why are you forfeiting?"

"Shikamaru, you..."

"We can't win."

"So far, only Sasuke has fought."

"Neither Hinata Hyuga nor Uzumaki Naruto has even made a move."

"Even if our team faced Sasuke alone, we might not win, let alone with two more opponents."

"I don't want to get beaten up, so we forfeit."

Shikamaru spread his hands.

Charging into a fight when he knew he couldn't win wasn't his style.

"Fine. The winning team is Uchiha Sasuke, Hinata Hyuga, and Uzumaki Naruto."

"The prize is a set of rare medicinal herbs. They can be used to make a bath tonic that will greatly improve your bodies."

"Additionally, the cash prize is 50,000 yen."

As Iruka spoke, he handed the herbs and money to the three of them.

"Sasuke, I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"Ow, ow, ow... It hurts... Hahaha, I'm not dreaming!"

Naruto cheered.

50,000 yen!

To Naruto, that was an astronomical sum.

As for those herbs, Naruto wasn't interested in them at all.

He was already calculating how many bowls of ramen he could buy with 50,000 yen.

Since they had been taking tests, school ended as soon as the tests were over.

Naruto wanted to drag Sasuke to Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate, but Sasuke had other things to do at home.

Itachi had come to observe him, so he was probably home now.

If Sasuke wanted to bring Itachi back to normal as quickly as possible, he needed to make the most of the time Itachi was home.

So he let Naruto go by himself.

Hinata had to go home and train, so she left too.

"Why's everyone going home?"

"Do I have to go eat ramen by myself again?"

"Sigh..."

"Naruto?"

"Still not home yet?"

"Want to train with me in the spirit of youth?"

Just as Naruto was feeling down, Lee showed up.

Then the two simple-minded boys launched into a trial they called "youth."

When Sasuke got home, Itachi was indeed there.

However, the atmosphere in the living room was rather strange.

Fugaku Uchiha sat in the seat of honor, his face stern, while Uchiha Itachi hung his head with a helpless expression.

Their mother, Mikoto, sat quietly to one side.

"Father, Mother, Big Brother."

"What's going on?"

Sasuke set his bag aside and looked at the three of them curiously.

This was the first time he had ever seen such a strange scene!

After all, in the original story,

even on the night of the massacre, Fugaku and Mikoto had chosen to forgive Itachi.

"Mikoto, go check whether the food we prepared for Sasuke is ready."

Fugaku spoke.

"Okay."

Mikoto Uchiha looked at Sasuke, then at Itachi.

Then she rose with a smile and headed for the kitchen.

"Sasuke, your brother said you got full marks on today's written test and came first in the practical test."

"What do you think about that?"

For a moment, Fugaku Uchiha didn't know how to question his younger son.

Sasuke had shown too much these past few days.

Fugaku Uchiha felt as if he'd overeaten and couldn't digest it all.

"Full marks?"

"Looks like the Third Hokage was pretty pleased with my little essay."

"Father, is there a reward?"

Sasuke innocently held out his hand, eyes wide as he asked.

"A reward?!"

"Wait, what do you mean by 'little essay'?"

Fugaku Uchiha had originally wanted to know why Sasuke had such a strong sense of the Will of Fire.

He thought it was likely because of Itachi's influence.

On top of that, Itachi had a mission to carry out... It all made Fugaku Uchiha vaguely uneasy.

But Sasuke's answer left him completely baffled.

It felt like he'd thrown a punch and had no idea where it had gone.

"A little essay is... when you use what you've learned as a foundation to make up an article that fits the prompt."

"You can find this kind of praise for the Third Hokage everywhere."

"You gather it all together and embellish it with some fancy wording, and there you have a little essay."

"Father, why are you suddenly asking about this?"

Sasuke looked at Fugaku Uchiha in confusion.

If that was all there was to it, there was no need to dwell on the matter.

He didn't want it to delay dinner.

So Sasuke tossed the question right back at him.

"It's nothing."

"Go wash your hands, then go eat."

"Afterward, come to the study with your brother."

After saying that, Fugaku Uchiha slowly stood up.

His brow furrowed, his expression still stern and puzzled, as he disappeared from their view.

"Sasuke, was what you just said true?"

"Was it something you made up, rather than a genuine insight from your heart?"

Itachi felt somewhat disappointed.

After all, he had just accepted a mission to properly nurture Sasuke.

"An insight from my heart?"

"He—the Third Hokage—made our whole clan move to this remote place. I have to walk so much farther to school every day."

"Do you think I'd have any heartfelt insight about him...?"

"I'm sure I feel hatred toward him."

Sasuke spoke with a serious expression.

"You... Sasuke, there are some things your big brother doesn't know how to..."

"Big Brother, I'm going to eat first."

"I'm starving!"

Sasuke said, then dashed away.

"That kid..."

"Is the Will of Fire really right?"

"Am I...?"

Itachi was starting to feel confused.

Deep down, he wanted to hold on to the beliefs he had upheld for so long.

But... the things Sasuke had brought up were undeniable facts.

Caught between those two ways of thinking, Uchiha Itachi felt increasingly tormented.

Meanwhile, the one responsible for all this—Uchiha Sasuke—

had already begun stuffing himself.

He needed to replenish the nutrients his body had used up if he wanted to train properly!

The news that the Uchiha had produced another genius spread through the ninja village in no time.

The Uchiha were, after all, Konoha's strongest clan in the public eye, and even now, many people were keeping tabs on them.

Uchiha Sasuke's name began to enter the public eye in earnest.

At the same time... Hinata also drew attention!