Because Itachi was injured during their sparring practice, training had to end hastily for the day.
After returning to the Uchiha compound, Shisui Uchiha's expression turned serious.
Everyone they encountered wore worried expressions. Even when they saw the Uchiha clan's two talented heirs, none of them showed their usual enthusiasm.
"Something must have happened at the Naka Shrine gathering..." Shisui clenched his fists and said quietly, "I should have attended... I can't miss it again in the future..."
"Sorry, Shisui. I shouldn't have kept you training with me this afternoon." Uchiha Itachi tugged at his injured arm. It was a little itchy.
"How could you blame yourself? This was because of me." Shisui soothed the little boy and helped roll up his sleeve. "I'll take you home first, then go find one of the clan's jonin and ask exactly what happened at the gathering!"
"I'll go with you..."
"Caw..."
Kitahara pecked Itachi on the head. If it was an issue from an Uchiha clan gathering... Fugaku was the clan head. Who could explain it better than him?
The more he raised this cub, the dumber he got... He must have caught it from Sasuke!
The ruins within the Uchiha compound from the night of the Nine-Tails incident had long since been cleared away. After the simple cleanup, the area seemed noticeably empty. Fugaku stood in an open space, looking around.
As the person who bore the greatest responsibility in the clan, while the other clan members more or less wore their emotions on their faces, Fugaku Uchiha remained expressionless, as though he did not care about anything.
Only when he saw Uchiha Itachi and Shisui did a smile appear on his face. "Itachi, you're back early today..."
"Dad!"
"Were you both at the training grounds this afternoon? I was wondering why I didn't see Shisui at today's gathering..." The father looked at his son with relief, then gave Shisui a grateful look.
You're quite sensible, kid... The Uchiha clan's two most promising children of the same age getting along well was something everyone wanted to see.
Before he could hear his son's answer, his gaze suddenly stopped on Itachi's arm. "Your arm... was it burned?"
"...I'm truly sorry. It was because of me." Shisui swallowed all the questions he had wanted to ask. He should explain what had happened during their sparring practice first...
Because I wanted to test a new technique, your son was too weak at his current level and got hurt by me by accident. Then the crow he raised helped me perfect the flaws in my new technique...
That really did not sound good when said aloud!
Uchiha Itachi shook his arm. "It happened during our ninja sparring practice. It's already been bandaged, so it's nothing serious."
The little boy was clearly better with words. He glossed over the process and focused on the outcome, making the sparring practice sound like an ordinary part of training.
Kitahara saw through Itachi's little scheme... What eloquence... Some ninjas stumbled over their words and could not even speak a single smooth sentence... The crow gave Shisui a meaningful glance.
Fugaku Uchiha laughed heartily. "Oh? As expected of my son. You can already spar with Shisui?"
"..."
"Caw..."
The cub from this household had been used as a target... What was there to praise?
Shisui awkwardly changed the subject. "By the way, Fugaku-sama, did something happen at the gathering? I saw that many people in the clan... weren't in very good spirits?"
Some people really should not speak if they do not know how to speak...
Hearing Shisui's question, Fugaku Uchiha's good mood visibly faded. "The village held a meeting. They want us to move the clan compound to that area in the northeast corner... It seems everyone already knows the news..."
"But wouldn't that put the Uchiha even farther from the village? And the relationship between our clan and the village was already..."
Unlike the indignation shown by the other clan members after learning the news, Shisui clearly understood what consequences this would bring, especially at such a sensitive time.
"Shisui..." Fugaku interrupted him and continued, "The other major clans in the village have all agreed."
The unfinished meaning in his words was surely something the boy could understand... After the night of the Nine-Tails incident, the Uchiha clan had been isolated by the entire village.
Seeing Shisui standing there in a daze, Fugaku did not continue discussing the matter. He gently pulled his son close. "I'll take Itachi home first."
"Goodbye, Shisui."
"Caw..."
The Konoha higher-ups' meeting on reconstruction after the Nine-Tails incident was a political contest—or perhaps it could be called a probing attempt to pressure the Uchiha clan.
If the Police Force launched a rebellion, the village could swiftly cut through the chaos... Given Konoha's current situation, the major clans would not stand idly by, not even the Aburame clan, whose presence was the weakest.
If the Uchiha agreed to relocate, then they could slowly boil the frog in warm water... Even if the Uchiha, isolated from the village center, launched a rebellion in the future, the ANBU would still be able to clean up the mess.
The entire group of Konoha higher-ups understood this principle and naturally chose to stand together.
"Dad, are we moving?" Uchiha Itachi did not yet understand the issues involved. He only wanted to know whether they would really have a new house.
"Yes..." Looking into his son's eyes, Fugaku suddenly chuckled. "I suppose... Itachi will like that place very much... I heard they built a new training ground there."
"That's great! Kitahara damaged the training ground badly today..."
"...Caw?"
Kitahara tugged at the little boy's hair with his beak. Wasn't that to stand up for you...
To be honest, setting aside strategic concerns and the clan's relationship with the village, the Uchiha clan really did need a new compound... There were more and more people, but fewer and fewer houses.
The Fugaku family had four people and one crow, and they had two sons. Once either child got married, their house would not have enough room...
The clan head really had it rough...
Hyuga Hiashi, the head of Konoha's other great clan, lived alone in a huge house... Even if he had two daughters in the future and both took husbands into the family, there would still be more than enough room...
After Uchiha Mikoto learned that they were moving, there was some worry on her face. Even if the new homes would be assigned according to family size, that clearly was not enough to make her happy.
"We've lived here for so long. I'm a little reluctant to leave..."
"After all... they were our old neighbors." Thinking about those neighbors made Fugaku feel miserable. "You'll have to work hard these next few days. Start packing things up slowly..."
"Yes." Mikoto turned to look at her eldest son, who was playing with his younger brother. "Itachi, you'll have to take care of your little brother from now on..."
"Okay!"
Hearing their conversation, the crow took flight and landed on Itachi's shoulder. Its crimson eyes glared fiercely at Sasuke in his swaddling clothes. "...Caw!"
"Pfft... pfft..."
Sasuke was completely unafraid and spat at the crow with all his might.
You little brat, you're finished!
I lost track of time. Read first, revise later.
Before you continue