Pretty as a Little Girl

Konoha...

After the Fourth Hokage officially took office, it grew increasingly lively...

First, Kakashi joined the ANBU. After a brief setback, he gradually became famous for his exceptionally high mission completion rate and cold-blooded style.

Cold-Blooded Kakashi...

The genius ninja of the past had only just grown up when new geniuses began emerging one after another... Even a genius like Kakashi had become someone else's footnote.

Uchiha Shisui, during a support mission, fought a fierce battle against Kirigakure ninja who had launched a sneak attack on the coast, leaving a shadow in the hearts of the invading enemies—Body Flicker Shisui.

Besides those two, the taijutsu ninja Might Guy, the heir to the genjutsu family Kurenai Yuhi, the Third Hokage's second son Asuma Sarutobi, Genma Shiranui, whose true love was toothpicks, and other members of the younger generation began to show their promise...

Under the Fourth Hokage's leadership, with the older generation of ninja led by the Third Hokage holding down the fort... Konoha had begun with a flourishing momentum.

Elsewhere in the village...

The five-year-old Sharingan remained a hot topic... Though they did not understand that awakening the Sharingan had nothing to do with age, it did not stop them from voicing their opinions.

"If it were wartime, Uchiha Itachi would be even more outstanding than Kakashi!"

This was something Konoha's villagers often said... When many Uchiha clansmen heard it, they could not tell whether they ought to feel regret or relief...

That newly minted Uchiha genius was currently helping a crow scrub a bamboo mat.

Because summer had arrived.

"Sharingan, activate!"

The little boy carefully inspected every crevice where grime might be hiding with his crimson eyes. Satisfied, he nodded his little head and said happily, "It's very clean!"

The crow eating ice cream: "...Caw..."

"Kitahara, hurry up..." Uchiha Itachi wiped his hands clean and carried two round lunch boxes out of the room. "We agreed that we'd go to the hospital today and bring lunch to Father and Mother..."

The crow swiftly landed on Itachi's shoulder.

Uchiha Mikoto was close to giving birth and had checked into the hospital early to await delivery, so Fugaku and Itachi had to take turns doing housework and keeping her company... This was perfectly normal in the ninja world; nothing was more important than adding another member to the family.

What was more, the child in Mikoto's belly... was that man's... (...)... man's child...

When Itachi and Kitahara arrived at the hospital, several nurses eagerly told the little boy... Uchiha Mikoto had given birth successfully at dawn, and then the young nurses had immediately started arguing...

"Hey, hey, I heard Lady Mikoto gave birth to a boy! The little brother will definitely be as cute as little Itachi in the future!"

"What nonsense! I just passed by Lady Mikoto's room and took a peek—it's a daughter! She's very pretty!"

"But..."

"Definitely..."

"...They're arguing again..." Uchiha Itachi did not try to stop them. He knew these nurses had already lost their minds... He carried the lunch boxes alone toward the ward.

As for that crow... It had no idea why it liked this sort of scene... Was a group of young nurses chattering and arguing really that entertaining?

To be fair... it was.

After the nurses learned the answer from a doctor and instantly dispersed, Kitahara flapped his wings and flew into the ward. Since he had known the result all along, he was not anxious in the slightest.

Inside the ward, Fugaku Uchiha held the baby while sternly lecturing his eldest son. He was gradually learning to take on the role of a strict father...

"...You must not neglect your training every day..."

"...Go to the training ground this afternoon... But remember to protect your body too..."

"...As expected of my son. You've kept up your training for so long!"

The old father still could not give up doting on Uchiha Itachi...

Kitahara lightly landed on Fugaku's shoulder, his crimson eyes watching the sleeping infant... Uchiha Itachi's younger brother...

"Kitahara, I have a little brother now!" Seeing the crow arrive, Uchiha Itachi shared his joy with his friend. "His name is Sasuke, Second Pillar!"

"...Caw..."

Kitahara's cry sounded a little displeased... He had merely been curious about Second Pillar, but now he felt as though his chick had gotten himself a new dog... Would they still be able to play happily together in the future?

"Hey, Kitahara has another playmate now too!"

"...The house will be lively from now on..."

Second Pillar was pretty and adorable, a little like a child from a New Year painting. It was not without reason that others mistook him for a little girl.

It had to be said that Fugaku's family had good genes.

Whether it was the husband and wife or the two brothers, they all had attractive faces. Sasuke in particular... no matter whether they were men or women, they would be captivated by him...

Fugaku Uchiha could not possibly relax his education of Itachi just because his younger son had been born... The main account was steadily progressing and destined to reach max level and become a god, so would it not be brain-dead to turn around and focus on the alternate account now?

The Konoha Police Force captain's brain had clearly not been flooded. After lunch, he drove Uchiha Itachi out of the hospital, unwilling to let him delay his afternoon ninjutsu training...

Uchiha Itachi reluctantly touched his little brother's cheek before finally leaving the hospital...

Holding Sasuke in her arms, Mikoto suddenly said, "...Hey, Fugaku, haven't we been paying too little attention to Itachi...?"

Having witnessed the whole thing, Fugaku shook his head. "...Or perhaps we've been too strict with Itachi... We'll make it up to him slowly!"

...What kind of parents were these...

Only Kitahara, standing on Itachi's shoulder, remained clear-headed. Recalling Itachi's behavior just now, he went, "...Caw?"

Is the chick I raised really going to get himself a new dog?

Murphy's Law proved that when you believed your little chick would get himself a new dog, fate would arrange dog candidates for him...

For example... among the children playing near the training grounds... one might very well emerge...

"Uchiha Itachi!"

A little girl who clearly did not care much for playing house suddenly walked over and blocked Itachi's path. "I heard we're the same age. Do you want to play with us?"

"...And you are?"

"My name is Izumi... We've met before, during New Year's!" The little girl wore her long hair down, with a beauty mark beneath the corner of her eye... As she spoke, she even puffed out her chest, looking very brave. There were no women in the ninja world who were not brave...

If they lacked courage, would they not stay single for life?

Kitahara curiously watched the childhood sweethearts meet, drawing the little girl's attention. "Is that your crow? It looks so... strange..."

That hesitant little look in her eyes... She was clearly so cute, so why was her mouth so vicious?

"Caw!"

Kitahara flew into a rage. Actually, I know my art style isn't pretty, but saying it out loud makes it your fault!

Uchiha Itachi hurriedly soothed the crow on his shoulder. "He's my friend. Sorry, I'm going to the training ground."

"You can already use the training ground? As expected of the genius everyone in the village praises..."

Many things proved that if a woman liked a man, she should not say it in public. It was better to tell him privately... Otherwise, you would never know whether you wanted to like him... or harm him...

The little girl's other playmates clearly could not sit still any longer... Especially the few little brats who wanted to show off...

"Hey, Uchiha Itachi, isn't it a little too arrogant to just leave like that?"

"Yeah, yeah!"

"Izumi, don't talk to him anymore!"

"Yeah, yeah!"

"You raised such a scary crow and even brought it out to frighten people!"

"Yeah, yeah!"

Kitahara: "..."

...Did I provoke you?