Onii-chan

Three years later

"Onii-chan~ You're back?"

The sound of the door opening came from outside. Little cutie Sasuke bounced his way toward the entrance.

"Sasuke." Itachi looked tenderly at his younger brother and patted his head.

Then he asked in confusion, "Why don't I see Josuke?"

Sasuke pointed toward the backyard. "Brother Josuke is practicing throwing shuriken."

Itachi's eyes flickered slightly as he asked, "What about little brother Sasuke? Why aren't you going to learn with him?"

Sasuke's little face reddened, and he said shyly, "I... I want big brother to teach me."

Itachi smiled and said softly, "Mm, all right. You need to study hard. You told big brother that you wanted to become Hokage."

Sasuke waved his fists fiercely despite his childishness. "I'll definitely become Hokage!"

Itachi said nothing. He took Sasuke's hand and headed toward the backyard.

The moment he pushed open the door, he saw a child who looked ninety percent like Sasuke practicing shuriken throwing.

He had imitated the form quite well. Five out of every ten throws struck the target accurately.

Itachi spotted the problem at once, but he did not point it out. Instead, he slowly walked over to Josuke's side. "Little brother."

Josuke turned around, spotted Itachi, and said happily, "Big brother, you're back?"

Itachi nodded. "Do you need some guidance?"

Josuke felt a little embarrassed. He could only trouble Onii-chan, then. Itachi did not waste any words and adjusted Josuke's posture.

Using that posture, Josuke immediately found it much easier.

"Big brother, weren't you supposed to teach me?" Sasuke said sulkily.

Hearing his other little brother call out, Itachi gave Josuke a few more instructions before walking over to Sasuke.

Over the past three years, Josuke had gradually grown up. He had gone from a little round bun to a handsome little boy who was loved by everyone.

However, Josuke and Sasuke had been protected too well and had never left the clan grounds, so they had no way of understanding the sinister nature of the people outside.

Josuke lightly wiped the sweat from his face and continued throwing shuriken. Itachi truly lived up to his name—he had merely changed Josuke's stance.

Yet his accuracy had improved immediately.

Although Josuke was still a useless brat after three years,

he had already roughly replayed the contents of Naruto in his mind.

Ummmmm.

While Josuke was spacing out, Sasuke had already tired himself out. Drawn in by a butterfly nearby, he ran off to play.

Itachi could only shake his head helplessly. After all, he was his little brother.

Josuke stopped as well. Two hundred shuriken throws for the day were enough. Any more would not be good for him.

If he were strong enough, perhaps the tragedy of the clan massacre night would not happen.

Forget it, forget it. Just let nature take its course. As he thought that, Josuke suddenly remembered something and walked over to Itachi.

Josuke tugged on his big brother and said in a childish voice,

"Onii-chan, can you take me out to play?"

Itachi looked down at the little boy who only came up to his knees and smiled faintly. "Why does little brother want to go out?"

Josuke was not about to reveal his little secret, so he answered, "I just want to go out and have some fun. I want to meet more good friends."

Itachi nodded.

"Sasuke, do you want to go too?"

Hearing the voice of his beloved Onii-chan, Sasuke stopped chasing the butterfly. "Okay! Let's go play together!"

Thus, Itachi led the two little ones out of the clan grounds. Shops gradually became more numerous, and though Josuke was holding Itachi's hand, his ears still sharply caught the whispers around them.

"Are those those hateful Uchiha brats?"

"Keep your voice down. Do you see that oldest Uchiha brat? He's classmates with my son! I heard he's already a Chunin!"

"Hey, hey, speak more quietly. Did they hear us?"

As a ninja, Itachi heard the villagers' gossip. The Uchiha clan crest was on the back of their clothes; anyone could recognize it.

Itachi could not change the villagers' opinion of the Uchiha. During the Nine-Tails Rebellion, Fugaku had ordered him not to leave the clan grounds, but he had still counted every clan member.

Other than the dead and missing Uchiha, every member of the clan had been on the clan grounds. Years of investigation had also made Itachi keenly aware that someone must have been controlling everything from behind the scenes.

But with Itachi's current abilities, he had no way of knowing who that hidden hand was.

While Itachi was lost in thought,

Josuke gently tugged on the hem of Itachi's pants. "Onii-chan, look at the ramen up ahead!!!!"

Itachi looked forward. After walking so long, they had somehow arrived at Ichiraku Ramen.

Itachi looked at the two little ones. "Do you want ramen?"

It was Sasuke's first time leaving the clan grounds, so everything excited him. Naturally, he shouted, "Yes!"

At the sight of Ichiraku Ramen, Josuke could not stop drooling either. Ichiraku Ramen—the delicious legendary ramen made by Otsutsuki Ichiraku.

No matter who it was in Naruto, they all loved Ichiraku Ramen dearly.

Especially their young prince.

So Josuke answered as well, "Yes!!!!"

Itachi nodded.

He led the two little ones into the ramen shop.

Inside, one adult and one child were busy at work in the ramen shop.

The owner was delighted to see Itachi and greeted him, "Itachi, you're here. You actually brought your younger brothers out today. Your little brothers are really adorable."

A faint smile appeared on Itachi's face as well. "Mm."

Looking over the original, soy sauce, tonkotsu, salt, and miso flavors,

Itachi thought for a moment before saying, "Two bowls of tonkotsu ramen, and two small bowls for me as well. Thank you, boss."

Josuke asked in a childish voice, "Big brother, can you teach me ninjutsu?"

Itachi could not help but feel puzzled. Why?

So he asked,

"What's wrong? You're still young. Why do you want to learn ninjutsu so early?"

Josuke suddenly became serious.

"Because I want to become someone as strong as Grandpa Third Hokage. I want to become Hokage and protect Onii-chan and Otouto."

Itachi's heart trembled. How could he know that an adult soul lived inside Josuke's three-year-old body? He merely took it as childish talk.

So Itachi gently rubbed Josuke's head.

"You're still too young, little brother. But I can teach you how to throw kunai."

Hearing Itachi's answer, Josuke happily raised his little hand.

Hmph, hmph!

All of this was an act for that old Third Hokage and the Anbu ninja hidden nearby to see, though some of it was also Josuke's genuine feeling.

Still, not even a dog would want to become Hokage.

Inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage watched those scenes through the crystal ball and was moved beyond measure. This was their Will of Fire!!

Protecting their finest Konoha Village.

Look, even those most hateful Uchiha brats—ptui, Uchiha children—had such lofty ideals. It seemed that Lord Third truly was the greatest Hokage.

Thus, the Third Hokage summoned an Anbu ninja and said slowly, "The Anbu monitoring Josuke and Sasuke can withdraw. Also, approve Itachi's entry into the Anbu."