They Even Stripped Me Down to My Underwear

They Even Stripped Me Down to My Underwear

Aokiji's pupils contracted as he said weakly, "I don't understand what Elder Itachi is talking about."

Elder Itachi spoke unhurriedly. "You've hidden yourself well, but you overlooked one thing."

Aokiji instinctively asked, "What thing?"

As though he had received the answer he wanted, Elder Itachi's lips curled slightly. "Just as I thought..."

Aokiji: ??? Damn it, this old bastard tricked me into talking.

This rotten old man was bad news.

He wanted to explain himself, but it was probably useless.

Since the other party had already confirmed it, he must have sufficient evidence.

Aokiji could not understand how Elder Itachi had discovered it when he had concealed himself so well.

As if he had seen through Aokiji's thoughts, Elder Itachi slowly spoke. "Chakra..."

"W-what?"

Elder Itachi said calmly, "When you fought Fugaku that day, I observed you with the Sharingan. You possess Chakra far beyond that of others your age..."

Aokiji stopped pretending and came clean. "Elder, did you infer that I might have awakened a Kekkei Genkai based on that alone?"

Damn it. He had pretended for so long, only to realize that he himself had been the clown.

Elder Itachi nodded slightly.

Aokiji fell silent for a moment. "If I had answered a little better just now, could I have muddled through it?"

Elder Itachi gave him a meaningful look. "Then I might have used the Sharingan's power to make you tell me yourself."

Aokiji: ...

Sure enough, once he was suspected, he had no ability to resist at all.

One look from the old man, and he would spill everything.

And it would cost him nothing.

"Which Kekkei Genkai did you awaken?"

There was a trace of anticipation in Elder Itachi's voice.

Aokiji held his breath. Let me think about how to answer you first...

Elder Itachi raised his voice slightly and pressed, "At this point, what are you still hiding?"

Urged on, Aokiji gritted his teeth and made his decision. "Ice Release."

Frankly speaking, Konoha treated the Sharingan like something that needed guarding against fire, theft, and even one's best friend.

Compared to exposing his Ice Release, he still did not want to expose his Sharingan.

The clan members were all blunt and straightforward, and there were traitors within the clan as well. News that he possessed the Sharingan would soon spread without wings and reach the higher-ups, especially Sarutobi Hiruzen.

He could get so close to the old man's three precious disciples now because he had no Sharingan and lazed around, so they did not take him seriously. But once they learned he had the Sharingan, they would probably label him a hidden "terrorist."

"Ice Release..."

Elder Itachi muttered, unable to conceal his disappointment.

Ice Release was good, but it paled beside the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan. Not to mention that the Sharingan had the potential for higher-level evolution—the true power of the gods. With Aokiji's talent, it was not impossible for him to attain it in the future.

Compared to that, Ice Release was truly ordinary. Unless he could someday add another Chakra nature to his Ice Release and evolve from a Kekkei Genkai into a Kekkei Tōta, it would barely be worth considering.

But that difficulty was no less than evolving into the Mangekyō Sharingan—perhaps even greater.

After all, there was at least a pattern to follow for the Mangekyō Sharingan's evolution. Kekkei Tōta, on the other hand, had no pattern at all.

Throughout Ninja World history, there were only a handful of ninja who had developed Kekkei Tōta, even fewer than Mangekyō Sharingan users.

Aokiji asked weakly, "Um, Elder Itachi, do I really have to become a ninja?"

Elder Itachi grinned and asked in return, "What do you think?"

Aokiji let out a heavy sigh. Heaven truly hates me. The thought of having to go to war later made him feel miserable enough to cry...

"Why? Why do I have a Kekkei Genkai? Doesn't that mean my dream of not becoming a ninja can never come true?"

Seeing Aokiji's devastated expression, Elder Itachi was speechless. A Kekkei Genkai was something others could only dream of obtaining, yet this fellow seemed to avoid it as though it were a ghost.

"When did your Ice Release awaken?"

Aokiji replied helplessly, "Only within the past two years or so."

Elder Itachi nodded in understanding.

Aokiji tried to struggle a little. "Um, Elder Itachi, could I become a Medical Ninja..."

"A Medical Ninja?"

Elder Itachi looked at Aokiji strangely, as if to say, Why would an Ice Release Ninja become a Medical Ninja?

He had never heard that Ice Release enhanced Medical Ninjutsu. Wasn't an Ice Release Ninja becoming a Medical Ninja a complete waste of talent? Aokiji placed a hand over his ample conscience and revealed a sincere gaze. "To be honest, whenever I hear of clan members on the front lines losing their lives because they did not receive treatment in time, I am deeply grieved. That is why I want to become a Medical Ninja who saves lives and heals the wounded, to save the lives of these Uchiha Clan members."

"Studying medicine can't save the Uchiha Clan..."

Elder Itachi sighed softly.

The Uchiha Clan's greatest problem now was not outside the village, but within it. Establishing the Konoha Military Police Force had brought the Uchiha Clan's prestige to its peak, but it had also planted enormous hidden dangers. It would likely be as difficult as ascending to heaven for them to advance any further.

Unless the Uchiha Clan produced an unparalleled genius, dreaming of taking the Hokage's seat was sheer fantasy.

Besides...

Elder Itachi's expression changed, becoming solemn. "Don't think I don't know what you're plotting. You're afraid of death, aren't you? I've heard quite a lot about your glorious deeds at the academy."

Aokiji smiled awkwardly. His bad reputation had already spread far and wide.

Elder Itachi sighed helplessly. He could not understand how such an oddball had appeared in the clan. Aokiji was not like an Uchiha Clan member at all. If he did not look so much like his father in his youth, Elder Itachi would have suspected he was not an Uchiha Clan child.

Yet this fellow clearly had ninja talent, so they could not simply leave him alone.

Aokiji: ...

"Now that's settled. Since you possess such talent, it's time for you to wash away the clan's shame."

Elder Itachi suddenly asked, "You're graduating from the academy in a few months, aren't you?"

Aokiji paused. "Yes. Why?"

Elder Itachi acted decisively. "You don't need to go tomorrow. I'll send someone to the academy to apply for your immediate graduation. I'm sure they'll be delighted to get rid of a fellow like you, who sleeps all day in class and ruins the school's atmosphere."

"Isn't that a little too hasty?"

Elder Itachi's attitude turned cold and firm, leaving no room for dispute. "Do you know how much time you've wasted without training? And you still have the nerve to say something like that?"

Aokiji: ...

I thought I worked pretty hard at night, though.

"I've said what I needed to say. You may leave now. Go back and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, come here with Fugaku to train. I'll personally train you."

Aokiji stood rooted in place. This rotten old man truly did not give him any chance to speak. It looked like he intended to train him to death from now on.

"What are you still standing there for? Do you want to stay and train right now?"

The scolding jolted Aokiji awake. He quickly answered, "Yes, yes," and hurried to leave.

"Wait..."

Before Aokiji could even take a step, a voice from behind stopped him. His face fell as he turned around listlessly and asked what else was the matter.

What answered him was a pair of crimson eyes burning like fire.

Within the round pupils were tiny circles, surrounded by three Tomoe Pattern.

The Uchiha Clan's strongest inherited Dojutsu—the Sharingan...

Damn.

Aokiji was completely unguarded at that moment. And even if he had been prepared, his Dojutsu Power could not withstand those eyes.

Shameless old thief. He actually tricked and ambushed a ten-year-old kid like me.

Aokiji raged inwardly.

In an instant, he was completely caught.

Although the earlier questioning had already given him his answer, Elder Itachi still felt it necessary to use the Sharingan to interrogate the boy thoroughly, just in case. Aokiji was too slippery. To avoid becoming a ninja, he had concealed his strength and his Kekkei Genkai. Who knew what else he might be hiding?

At the same time, Elder Itachi held a certain expectation. What if the boy was also hiding that thing?