You're the True Genius

Uchiha Clan Compound.

Zhengye led the brothers Sasuke and Itachi toward the Police Force headquarters.

"Senior, where should I go next?" Itachi asked quietly from the side.

He had grown accustomed to the busy days in the ANBU. After idling for two days, he wanted to get back to work.

Zhengye laughed irritably. "Everyone else wants to slack off, but you're the one thinking about work."

"Our Police Force has entered a new stage. Everyone is waiting to see how we change, and the Third Hokage is also waiting to see what we Uchiha will do. Rest easy for a few days first."

"When you have free time, go to the Uchiha Library and read more."

"So you won't get so carried away after a few flattering words."

A complicated look flashed across Itachi's face. He knew Zhengye was referring to the days when the Third Hokage had praised him.

"Yes, Senior Zhengye. I understand."

Little Sasuke was only five years old and could not understand what Zhengye and Itachi were talking about at all.

Thinking about Naruto earlier, Sasuke's little mouth remained pursed, and an awkward expression stayed on his face.

But when he heard that Itachi could rest for a few days, a smile immediately bloomed across his face.

"Nii-san, I want to go to the library with you!"

Itachi stroked Sasuke's hair affectionately. "All right. You should read more books too."

He had once believed combat ability was the most important thing. He had taken Sasuke out hunting, taught him the Shuriken Throwing Technique, and made him practice the Great Fireball Technique.

But after the incident with Shisui, Itachi finally understood that perspective and temperament were what mattered most.

His gaze toward Zhengye was filled with respect as well. If not for Zhengye, Shisui would already be dead, and two years later, he himself would have wiped out the Uchiha Clan.

As if recalling something, Itachi suddenly asked, "Senior Zhengye, what do you think of Sasuke's talent?"

Zhengye rubbed his chin and fell into thought.

This question really was a little hard to answer.

Say Sasuke was capable, and he had awakened a single tomoe after the entire clan was exterminated in a rage.

Say he was not, and he had become the second strongest in the ninja world by seventeen.

Although there was suspicion that the old Six Paths Sage had handed him cheats, being Indra's reincarnation meant he was destined to be extraordinary.

Unfortunately, with his whole clan wiped out, no one had taught him, causing his mentality to swell far too quickly.

The moment he obtained the Mangekyō Sharingan, he went looking for trouble with Eight-Tails Killer B. If his teammates had not saved him, he probably would have died on the spot.

After gaining the Eternal Mangekyo, he immediately challenged Madara and was left near death with a single slash.

Amaterasu had done nothing except burn a few White Zetsu.

His entire life could be summed up as:

[The sky cleared, the rain stopped, and Uchiha Sasuke thought he was invincible again.]

Although his future achievements would not be low, Zhengye felt there were too many uncertainties involved.

Seeing Zhengye deep in thought, Sasuke could not help feeling expectant.

Even at only five years old, he had heard the legends of the Mangekyō Sharingan within the clan.

Zhengye was someone who possessed the power of a god.

Sasuke cared especially about what someone like that would think of him.

"Heh..." Zhengye reached out and flicked Itachi on the forehead.

Just as Itachi often flicked Sasuke.

There's already a genius right here. Why gamble on Sasuke's uncertainty?

"Sasuke is not as good as you."

"You're the true genius."

Itachi froze for a moment, then an unnatural look crossed his face—he had always thought Zhengye felt only disappointment and wariness toward him.

After all, two years later, he would commit the massacre of the Uchiha Clan.

But he had not expected Zhengye to recognize him so highly.

"Senior, you flatter me."

Sasuke bit his lower lip at the side, feeling a little wronged. He glanced at Itachi, hoping his nii-san would comfort him.

Yet this time, Itachi's attention was not on him at all. Instead, he stared fixedly at Zhengye.

Sasuke stomped his foot and ran off without saying goodbye!

Only then did Itachi seem to wake from a dream. He glanced in the direction Sasuke had run, but did not hurry after him. They were in the clan grounds, after all, so there was no danger.

Instead, he immediately apologized to Zhengye. "Please forgive him, Senior. Sasuke is still a child."

Zhengye shook his head slightly to show that he did not mind. He smiled as he watched Sasuke run away.

"I wasn't flattering you. Your thinking may be immature, and you may have been led astray, but that does not erase your talent in battle."

"Even someone as strong as Uchiha Madara was an idiot when it came to politics."

"So don't belittle yourself."

"I understand your thoughts, but rather than cultivating Sasuke, it would be better for you to become a towering tree and shelter him from the wind and rain."

Zhengye patted Itachi's shoulder. "A child who corrects his mistakes is a good child. I have even higher hopes for you."

Feeling Zhengye's trust in him, Itachi's eyes reddened slightly. He took a light breath.

"Thank you, Senior. I won't disappoint you."

He really is just a child.

Zhengye watched Itachi's moved expression and thought to himself.

"Come on. Let's go to the Police Force and see the results of our first day."

Hokage's Office.

After listening from beginning to end, Jiraiya's expression was extremely grave.

After a long silence, he finally let out a breath. "The Uchiha have hidden themselves deeply."

Jiraiya simply did not believe that the five Susanoo had only just been awakened by the Uchiha.

He believed that, like Fugaku, all of them had long possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan and had merely kept it hidden.

Yet there was one particularly contradictory point.

If the Uchiha had been this strong all along, why had Fugaku acted like a quail before, letting anyone come and bully him?

Looks like Danzo went too far!

Jiraiya did not like the Root leader who always hid underground.

Now that he knew Danzo had caused so much trouble, he disliked him even more.

"Danzo is crippled now. Why keep him around?"

Jiraiya knew little about politics. He was a standard protector of Konoha, and he felt that a parasite like this should be executed immediately.

The Third Hokage removed his pipe and tapped it twice against the desk.

He did not explain anything else to Jiraiya, only choosing the subject Jiraiya cared about most.

"If Danzo dies, who will bear Orochimaru's crimes?"

Only then did Jiraiya suddenly understand. He gave an embarrassed laugh. "That's true."

"Now the Uchiha have begun trying to approach Naruto. What exactly they are planning is still hard to say." A worried look appeared between the Third Hokage's brows.

"Naruto?"

"How is he doing?" Jiraiya asked casually.

"He's a five-year-old child. Isn't he just running around and playing every day? Don't worry, I'll go see him in a while," the Third Hokage said casually.

Jiraiya gave an oh. He had no interest in entertaining children, but the name Naruto reminded him of that extraordinarily gifted disciple.

What a pity...

"All right, then. I'll stay in Konoha for a while."

As he spoke, Jiraiya came back to himself, placed a hand on the windowsill, and prepared to climb out.

The Third Hokage frowned. "Where are you going now?"

A lecherous grin appeared on Jiraiya's face.

"It's been too long since I came back. I'm going to see if there's any new material."

The veins on the Third Hokage's forehead bulged as he roared, "Get lost, get lost, get lost!"

Jiraiya shrank his neck in fright, then flipped out through the window.

The Third Hokage snorted and picked up his pipe.

Then he seemed to suddenly remember something.

"Oh no! The Police Force's patrol range has expanded. Uchiha Zhengye won't go looking for trouble with Jiraiya, will he?!"

"Forget it. I should go see Naruto first."