Fugaku finally offered a reminder.
"You need to mold chakra while forming the hand seals."
"Don't focus so much on your fingers that you forget the flow of chakra inside your body."
At the sound of his father's voice, Sasuke gave a slight tremble.
He quickly took a deep breath and tried to compose himself.
This time, he finally managed to get through the hand seals, if only barely.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Sasuke shouted, puffing out his cheeks.
He gathered the chakra he had just molded in his throat.
Then he blew it out with all his might.
No spectacular flames erupted.
No scorching heat followed.
Only a wisp of black smoke drifted slowly out of Sasuke's mouth.
Along with a few pitiful little sparks.
The sparks landed on the lawn and died without setting even a single blade of grass alight.
Sasuke stared blankly at the tiny patch of black ash on the ground, his little face flushing crimson.
He ducked his head, not daring to look his father in the eye.
His small hands clutched the hem of his shirt, twisting it into a ball.
Itachi stood in the shadows of the corridor, watching everything.
He knew his father's temperament all too well.
As the head of the Uchiha Clan, his father valued the Family's honor above all else.
He was even stricter with his sons.
When Itachi had first begun learning ninjutsu, even the slightest mistake had earned him a harsh reprimand.
His father had always stressed that Uchiha men could not afford to slack off in ninjutsu.
Though Sasuke's performance was normal for his age, it fell far short of his father's old expectations.
His hand seals were slow, his chakra control was unstable, and all he had produced in the end was a mouthful of black smoke.
Itachi had already begun rehearsing his father's next words in his head.
"Sasuke, you've disappointed me terribly."
"Your brother never made mistake after mistake like this when he first learned hand seals."
"How can you call yourself an Uchiha if you can't even remember the most basic seals?"
Itachi started forward.
He intended to take Sasuke away before their father lost his temper, or at least put in a few good words for him.
After all, Sasuke was still young. Learning the seal sequence for a C-Rank ninjutsu this early was already pushing him.
Actually expecting him to perform the ninjutsu now was out of the question.
Just as Itachi was about to speak, Fugaku moved.
Fugaku uncrossed his arms and strode over to Sasuke.
Sasuke hunched his shoulders in fright and squeezed his eyes shut.
He had already braced himself for a scolding.
But the harsh reprimand he expected never came.
A broad palm settled on Sasuke's head and gently ruffled his hair.
Sasuke opened his eyes in surprise and looked up at his towering father.
Much of the sternness had faded from Fugaku's face, and there was even a clear smile on it.
"Well done."
Fugaku's voice was unusually gentle, without a hint of reproach.
"You've memorized the sequence of hand seals, and you didn't make any mistakes on that last attempt."
"You also managed to give your chakra a little fire-nature transformation."
"You're simply too young and don't have enough chakra yet. That's why no flames formed."
Sasuke's mouth fell open. He could hardly believe his ears.
Had Father just praised him?
Well done?
But all he had done was cough up black smoke!
"Father..."
Sasuke stammered.
"I didn't blow out a fireball. Aren't you angry with me?"
Fugaku laughed.
His hearty laughter rang through the courtyard.
"What is there to be angry about?"
"How old are you? It would be strange if you could already perform a complete Great Fireball."
"There's no need to rush your training."
"As long as you're heading in the right direction, a little progress every day is enough."
Fugaku crouched down to meet Sasuke's eyes.
"Not every member of our Uchiha Clan has to be a ninjutsu prodigy."
"You just need to find a path that suits you and contribute to the Family."
"Look at your cousin Chikage."
"He can't even use the Great Fireball properly. He only knows the Three Body Technique."
"But didn't he bring Konoha High Command to heel today with nothing more than a copy of the Public Security Administration Regulations?"
Itachi froze where he stood.
Was this really his stern, stubborn father?
He was actually using Chikage as an example to encourage Sasuke.
And, for the first time ever, admitting that an Uchiha did not have to be a ninjutsu prodigy.
His father had always valued strength above everything else.
Fugaku stood and spotted Itachi in the corridor.
"You're back, Itachi."
Fugaku beckoned to his eldest son.
"Don't just stand there. Come help give your little brother some pointers."
Itachi descended the steps and walked onto the lawn.
Seeing his father so unusually relaxed, he could not help asking.
"Father, are you in a good mood today?"
Fugaku nodded, unable to hide his smile.
"Of course I am."
"Today was the most satisfying day our Uchiha Clan has had in years."
"That old Danzo is always ordering us around, looking down his nose at us."
"But today, Chikage forced him to put down his red-ink handprint and accept that he owed 350,000 Ryo."
"Just thinking about his face in the Hokage's Office makes me feel better. He looked ready to devour someone, but he didn't dare lift a finger."
Fugaku patted Itachi on the shoulder.
"Itachi, you always used to advise me not to confront the higher-ups head-on."
"At the time, I thought you cared only about the village, and it made me rather angry."
"After seeing what Chikage did today, I've come to understand a few things."
"There really are things that force alone can't solve."
"Following the village's own rules can actually leave the higher-ups with nothing to say."
Sasuke listened beside them, utterly confused.
"Father, is Cousin Chikage really amazing?"
"Is he even better than my brother?"
Fugaku stroked his chin and gave the question some serious thought.
"In terms of strength, your brother could beat ten Chikages."
"But when it comes to collecting debts and arguing the rules in the Hokage Building, ten of your brothers couldn't match one Chikage."
Fugaku laughed again as he spoke.
"All right, that's enough training for today."
"Go wash your hands and get ready to eat."
Sasuke cheered and ran toward the house on his short little legs.
No scolding and no more tedious hand-seal practice-it was the best news he could have asked for.
Itachi watched his little brother's cheerful retreat, then looked at his father.
Even the wrinkles at the corners of his father's eyes seemed to have eased.
The anxiety and weight that had burdened his father for so long had actually lifted considerably today.
What Chikage had done at the Hokage Building today.
Had not only secured the compensation and freed Yashiro.
More importantly, he had shown their father a new path.
A path that could preserve the Family's dignity without bloodshed or rebellion.
At that moment, much of Itachi's concern over Chikage's methods faded.
If this change could help the Family and the village find a balance.
If it could keep Father from frowning with worry all day.
Then Chikage's approach was right.
"Itachi, what are you thinking about?"
After taking a few steps, Fugaku noticed that Itachi had not followed and turned to ask.
Itachi gathered his thoughts and quickly caught up.
"Nothing, Father."
"I just think Chikage really did something remarkable today."
Before you continue