Itachi, from today onward, you will be Hayato's student

"What?"

Hayato looked at Fugaku in front of him and couldn't help frowning.

"The Hokage Building has sent out a notice. The Uchiha need to submit a new list of jōnin."

Fugaku picked up the teapot and poured a cup for Hayato and Shisui before speaking slowly.

Hayato and Shisui exchanged puzzled looks. Jōnin?

Though they were strong enough to become jōnin, the truth was that the thought had never really crossed their minds.

"Clan Head, is something going on?"

Hayato asked, puzzled. The village had always kept a tight grip on the Uchiha Clan's jōnin positions. Too many Uchiha jōnin would be bad for Konoha.

The jōnin council was the main forum for passing laws and discussing important matters in Konoha.

And each jōnin represented one vote.

He didn't believe the village could be so kind as to take the initiative and ask the Uchiha Clan to submit a list of candidates for jōnin.

"It was proposed by the Council of Elders and Lord Third. They said that too few jōnin have been promoted in Konoha in the years since the Night of the Nine-Tails. When it comes to certain matters, we may not be able to allocate our forces effectively."

Fugaku spoke evenly, then paused and looked at Hayato. "I have a guess. It's probably related to the border."

Hayato nodded thoughtfully. He suspected the same.

Still, this was a proposal from the Council of Elders.

"Rats in the gutter, always popping up now and then," Hayato said with a sigh, rubbing his brow.

There was no need to guess. Danzo and the other two had surely proposed this. The fact that Danzo couldn't show his face didn't mean the other two elders couldn't.

Fugaku didn't respond. He clearly knew what Hayato was thinking.

"Actually, I hope you'll become a jōnin, too."

His next words made both Hayato and Shisui look up at him.

"Itachi is about to graduate. He'll be assigned to a team led by a jōnin, so I hope you can take him under your wing, Hayato."

Fugaku looked at Hayato, his expression serious.

"Clan Head, I'm not suited to..." Hayato started to refuse without a second thought. He didn't think much of Uchiha Itachi.

Fugaku had sent him to the battlefield at the age of four, where he witnessed the cruelty of war. After that, he had lived through the events of the Night of the Nine-Tails.

Uchiha Itachi was hardly an ordinary child.

He was even harder to handle than Shisui.

"Hayato, hear me out."

Fugaku cut him off and continued on his own. "Ever since I saw that scene, I've been thinking about what I did wrong to bring about that outcome."

Hayato said nothing. Shisui, meanwhile, looked troubled. He was one of only three people who had seen the Night of the Massacre.

They had always made a point of avoiding the subject.

"I've even been deliberately keeping my distance from Itachi lately," Fugaku said with a bitter smile. "Actually, I think I have the answer."

"I didn't stop it from happening. I even let it happen. It must have been because of my own weakness and the way I raised him."

Hayato's expression turned odd. Was Fugaku asking him to take Itachi because of something he had done himself?

Was he digging himself into a hole?

"So, Clan Head, you want me to become a jōnin and then take Uchiha Itachi under my wing?" Hayato's mouth twitched.

Fugaku nodded solemnly and looked at Hayato. "Itachi is still young. Even if he might do those things in the future, I want to ask you to guide him as much as you can. After all, they haven't happened yet."

His gaze held a plea—a father's plea.

"I understand."

Hayato took a deep breath and studied Fugaku in front of him. After a moment's thought, he agreed.

At Hayato's answer, Fugaku smiled. If Itachi could change, perhaps that ending could be avoided.

It wasn't that he was unwilling to try himself. He had used his Mangekyo to test it, and with his own approach, no matter what happened along the way, the outcome was always the same—and sometimes even more tragic.

Hayato alone had shown him another possibility. On the night he decided to make Hayato Vice Clan Head, he had used his Mangekyo's power to test the future.

Though it was only a brief glimpse, the sight had put him at ease. It had only strengthened his resolve: if Hayato could guide Itachi, perhaps Itachi could escape that fate.

"Thank you, Hayato."

"Still, Clan Head, I want to make something clear in advance. Itachi's training and even his daily life will have to be under my supervision."

Hayato stated his terms outright. If Itachi was really going to be under his guidance, he wanted him where he could keep an eye on him.

He didn't know what went through seven-year-old Itachi's mind, but at the very least, with him watching, he would know what Itachi was doing and who had been in contact with him.

"No problem."

Fugaku didn't object and agreed at once.

"One more thing, Clan Head. My proposal for the younger generation of the Uchiha Clan is that they complete all six years of basic courses at the Ninja Academy."

Hayato had thought of something else. The next generation was key to changing the Uchiha. They shouldn't graduate and become shinobi when they were only a few years old, before they had even developed the most basic understanding of the world. And the Uchiha already had serious mental health issues.

It would be better to let them spend a few years properly studying at the Ninja Academy. The village wasn't short on the fighting strength of these kids.

Fugaku nodded at this. He raised a hand and formed a sign, releasing the barrier before speaking. "Mikoto, bring Itachi in."

"Okay."

Mikoto, who had been waiting outside, answered softly, then got up and left.

Footsteps soon approached. Hayato and Shisui both turned to look.

A small figure walked in through the doorway, dressed in the dark blue clan robes. His black eyes turned toward Hayato and Shisui.

"Father, Senior Hayato, Brother Shisui."

Itachi gave a slight bow, his voice perfectly calm.

Hayato nodded, while Shisui's expression softened. He stood and came to Itachi's side, reaching out to pat his head.

"Itachi, from today onward, you will be Hayato's student. From now on, follow Hayato and call him Teacher."

Fugaku pointed at Hayato as he spoke to Itachi.

"Yes, Father."

Itachi was taken aback for a moment, then bowed to Hayato. "Teacher."

The title made Hayato's heart twitch.

Well, he'd only meant to take charge of the team. But Fugaku had gone and made Itachi his student.

That title came with a very different seniority.

"Get up," Hayato said with a nod.

"All right. I'll head to the Hokage Building to submit this round's list of jōnin. Hayato, Shisui, I'll leave things here to you."