After Iruka left, Sasuke sat down beside Itachi.
He was afraid his brother and father would really punish him for the trouble he had caused today.
He kept his head lowered and waited for a while, but nothing happened!
He looked up in surprise and saw that his brother and father were also lost in thought, busy with their own concerns and paying him no attention.
Sasuke couldn't help feeling annoyed. How could they be distracted at a time like this?
"Brother, Father, aren't you angry?"
Itachi looked at him, his eyes filled with deep affection.
How could I ever blame you? You're my beloved little brother.
"I'll let you off this time, but don't skip school again tomorrow!"
Fugaku shot Sasuke a stern look, his eyes full of disapproval.
"How is that classmate of yours, Naruto?"
"He isn't crippled, is he?"
Sasuke's face showed disdain. That dead last? He thinks he can compare himself to me?
"He's fine. He won't die. He's just bruised and battered!"
Itachi and Fugaku exchanged a look and shook their heads helplessly. Just bruised and battered?
Do you know he's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? If you push him too far and he releases the Nine-Tails, you'll be the first to die.
"Apologize to him at school tomorrow, and invite him over to our house."
"After all, you were the one in the wrong. Strength is important, of course, but your fists aren't meant to be used against your own comrades."
Itachi was a few years older than Sasuke, and he thought about things more maturely.
He was already considering Sasuke's future. Naruto might become his lifelong friend.
"You want me to apologize to that dead last? I can't do that!"
"The Ninja World respects strength. A dead last doesn't deserve to be in the same class as me."
Sasuke held his head high, still defiant. His pursuit of strength had become almost obsessive.
His father, his brother Itachi, and his big brother Shisui were all strong. He was the only weak Genin, and he hadn't even awakened the Sharingan.
He didn't want people to call him Clan Head Fugaku's second son or the genius Itachi's younger brother.
He wanted to be known as Sasuke's father and Sasuke's brother.
Itachi reached out and flicked Sasuke on the forehead again. "You..."
"What kind of people do you think are in your class?"
"They're the children of the many clan heads in the Hidden Leaf. If Naruto can still be in your class in that kind of environment, do you really think he's an ordinary person?"
He couldn't tell Sasuke about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, but he still wanted to remind his younger brother not to push Naruto too far.
Fugaku nodded in agreement with Itachi.
The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was surely under close surveillance. If Sasuke pushed him too hard, it might draw out the village's higher-ups.
With tensions high, it was best not to cause more trouble!
"Listen to your brother!"
Seeing that both his brother and father agreed, Sasuke was still displeased, but he only said, "Oh," aloud.
Hmph, once I eat a few more Chakra Fruits and get stronger, let's see what you have to say!
You think grounding me will stop me?
Hmph!
At the Uchiha Clan compound, at Uchiha Izumi's home.
Tsunade arrived as promised and saw that Uchiha Izumi and her mother were waiting in the living room.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!"
She walked straight over to a chair and sat down, then took the bottle of wine from her clothes.
Uchiha Izumi's eyes lit up. My hidden injuries can be healed! But the next moment, her smile froze.
There was only half a bottle of wine left. Tsunade had clearly drunk half of it herself.
"Lady Tsunade, you..."
Tsunade looked a little embarrassed. It's all this wine's fault for being so delicious! I couldn't help myself.
Uchiha Izumi felt helpless. They had agreed to split the wine in half, after all.
But what if half a bottle wasn't enough to heal her hidden injuries?
Still, she had agreed to this arrangement with Tsunade herself, so there wasn't much more she could say.
"Izumi, could I have another sip? Just one sip!"
Tsunade reached for the bottle, but Izumi snatched it away before she could get there.
She looked unconvinced. One sip? More like one bottle!
She hurriedly held the bottle protectively against her chest and glared angrily at Tsunade.
"We agreed to split it evenly. Are you going back on your word, Lady Tsunade?"
Tsunade's face twitched. Hmph! Fine, I won't drink any. I'll open another bottle—or two—at Zhou Cheng's tomorrow. Then I won't let anyone else have a single drop!
Uchiha Hazuki couldn't stop smiling. She had only recently learned that her daughter had hidden injuries, and the wine in Tsunade's possession could heal them.
She had been worried that Tsunade wouldn't come. As someone who had once served under her, Hazuki knew better than anyone how much Tsunade loved wine.
If Tsunade had drunk the whole bottle, no one could have said anything. After all, it belonged to her.
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade!"
"You're Izumi's benefactor."
She used those words to stop Tsunade's hand from reaching for the bottle.
Tsunade smiled sheepishly and withdrew her hand.
Uchiha Izumi opened the bottle, and the aroma of wine immediately filled the living room.
Tsunade's throat bobbed as she swallowed. No matter how many times she smelled it, it was always so delicious!
Izumi took the wineglass her mother handed her, filled it to the brim, and then drank it all in one go.
She wasn't used to drinking and couldn't down the bottle like Tsunade. She could only sip from her glass slowly.
After one sip, the wine no longer had the sharp bite of the first taste. Instead, it felt rich and mellow.
A few seconds later, a warm current spread from her stomach throughout her body.
She couldn't help letting out a moan, and her cheeks grew even rosier.
She could clearly feel her hidden injuries healing a little more.
"What amazing wine. My hidden injuries feel a little better!"
Uchiha Hazuki's face lit up with excitement. It really worked!
The wine really was that miraculous!
Lord Zhou Cheng really was a good person!
Tsunade knew better than to make a scene just then, so she could only watch as Uchiha Izumi drank glass after glass.
One glass after another. Her heart grew more and more uneasy.
Before long, Uchiha Izumi was drunk!
The wine had healing properties, but it was still wine. Drink too much, and it could still get you drunk.
She couldn't even stand and could only slump in her chair, her eyes unfocused and her mind hazy.
Then she leaned back against the chair and fell asleep.
"She's drunk!"
"Help her to bed."
Uchiha Hazuki's eyes were full of concern. Being drunk was no fun!
After thanking Tsunade again, she carefully helped Uchiha Izumi toward her room.
Watching them go, Tsunade shook her head and turned her attention to the wine bottle.
There was still a large mouthful of wine inside.
"Damn it, they didn't even tell me if her hidden injuries were completely healed. Should I drink this last mouthful or not?"
She was torn, two little voices in her head arguing with each other.
After a long while, she stood up and walked over to the bottle. She picked it up.
She screwed the cap back on, put the bottle down on the table, and then turned and left.
As she walked, she thought to herself, I absolutely have to brew more wine tomorrow!
Before you continue