The Uchiha Born with Great Love

Uchiha Izumi beamed.

"He means he's a genius far beyond you!"

"Oh, you..."

Uchiha Minamoto pressed his index and middle fingers together and tapped Izumi's forehead with a smile.

"You always find some new way to translate what I say."

Watching the two "flirting" before him again, Uchiha Itachi did not really mind. He was not so easily rattled, but a friend of his might have been feeling a little uncomfortable.

Senior Minamoto...

Uchiha Itachi tried several times in his mind, but he really could not bring himself to say "senior" right now.

He forcibly suppressed his emotions and relayed the Third Hokage's order.

"Uchiha Minamoto, the Third Hokage wants to recruit you into the Anbu!"

Even with Uchiha Itachi's calm disposition, he could not help feeling a little off balance as he said this.

He had participated in the Third Shinobi World War at four, graduated from the Ninja Academy at seven, awakened his Sharingan at eight, and passed the Chunin Ninja Exams alone at ten...

Yet he still had not officially joined the Anbu.

Then there was Uchiha Minamoto.

Just because he had spent a day interacting with Naruto Uzumaki, the Third Hokage had personally invited him to join the Anbu.

Did that make sense?

"Huh? The Anbu! Really?"

Uchiha Izumi exclaimed, as though her sole purpose was to play the straight man.

"Wasn't everyone saying Itachi was about to join the Anbu?

"To think Senior Minamoto actually got there first!"

"And the Third Hokage personally invited him, too!"

"Senior Minamoto is so amazing!"

Every word of Izumi's praise seemed to become a blade forged from words, mercilessly piercing Uchiha Itachi's heart.

He... that friend of his from earlier might have started sweating a little.

Uchiha Itachi was, of course, still doing just fine, but that friend of his might genuinely have been rattled.

"Is this an order from Lord Third?" Uchiha Gen asked.

Uchiha Itachi answered, "Yes. Please come with me."

"Hmm, straight into the Anbu without an assessment?"

"Yes."

"But I refuse."

"What?!"

"One of my favorite things to do is say 'no' to self-important fools!"

Uchiha Minamoto raised his chin slightly and looked down imperiously at Uchiha Itachi, as though looking at a weasel that liked to crawl around in the shadows.

"Anything else?"

Uchiha Itachi was speechless.

He had never imagined that Uchiha Minamoto would reject the Third Hokage's order so bluntly.

Why would he refuse?

How could he refuse??

How dared he refuse!!!

"Uchiha Minamoto—senior!"

Uchiha Itachi abruptly raised his voice, causing his already forced expression of indifference to crumble somewhat.

"Do not reject Lord Hokage's order!

"Your actions are causing trouble for the clan!"

"Whew..."

Uchiha Minamoto pulled his right hand out of Izumi's embrace and took another deep breath.

Thunder Breathing operated at full power. Lightning Release chakra surged ceaselessly through his body, wisps of silvery-white electricity seeming to seep out through him.

The next second.

Lightning Body Flicker!

Uchiha Minamoto abruptly vanished from where he stood and appeared before Uchiha Itachi as though he had teleported.

He leaned forward, his right hand at his waist, and placed his left hand on Uchiha Itachi's right shoulder. Hooking his left arm around Uchiha Itachi's neck, he pinned him in place, unable to move.

"You're telling me how to do my job?"

So fast!

Uchiha Itachi's pupils contracted slightly.

Even if he had just lost control of his emotions, slowing his reactions somewhat.

The speed Uchiha Minamoto displayed still shocked him.

Hadn't the records said this senior had barely graduated from the Ninja Academy and only joined the Konoha Military Police Force because of his surname?

Supposedly, he had even been a dead last back at the Ninja Academy...

You call this a dead last?

Uchiha Itachi almost thought he was facing Shisui Uchiha rather than Uchiha Minamoto!

He really was fast!

Once Uchiha Itachi reacted, he did not simply stand there.

Caw-caw-

Accompanied by a chorus of shrill, piercing crow cries.

Uchiha Itachi's body turned into a flock of crows, dispersing from the spot before gathering into human form again several meters away.

Crow Clone Technique!

"Senior Minamoto, I am very sorry."

Uchiha Itachi regained his composure and bowed at the waist. He appeared to be apologizing politely, but his attitude remained firm.

"I am not instructing you, but offering counsel.

"Naruto Uzumaki's identity is far too special and sensitive. I fear your rash contact with him could bring unnecessary trouble that threatens the clan's safety."

"Hah! Ridiculous!"

Uchiha Minamoto scoffed.

"All that pompous talk, and you don't even hold an office.

"In what capacity are you saying this to me?

"And on what basis have you decided I'll cause trouble for the clan?

"Lord Third praised you for 'thinking like a Hokage at seven,' and you actually think you are the Hokage?

"You have no business talking about the clan's safety!"

When it really came down to it.

In the future Uchiha Clan Massacre.

If blame were to be assigned.

First and foremost would be Uchiha Itachi, guilty of the sin of arrogance!

He smiled disdainfully whenever the clan's other ninja came up and constantly had "my foolish little brother" on his lips. An arrogant ninja like that was destined not to get far, and that was exactly what happened.

After teaming up with Obito Uchiha and Shimura Danzō to almost completely wipe out his clan at thirteen, he had gone steadily downhill. Hadn't he ultimately died right in front of Sasuke Uchiha?

Yet even after Impure World Reincarnation, he still loved to drone on, his verbal persuasion surpassing even Naruto Uzumaki's. Who knew whether he wore that same expression when he met his own mother and father in the Pure Land?

"You..."

Uchiha Minamoto could only advise him to watch himself.

"You really do look down on everyone!"

Chapter 11: Uchiha Izumi: That man looks like a dog!

Uchiha Minamoto's words froze Uchiha Itachi on the spot.

Looking at Uchiha Itachi, who seemed to have turned into a wooden dummy.

Uchiha Minamoto shook his head in utter disdain.

At the end of the day.

This was merely "rookie ninja Itachi."

Not "reanimated Itachi."

Not "veteran Itachi."

Not even "Anbu Itachi."

To deal with this young version of Uchiha Itachi, who was still growing and developing.

Uchiha Minamoto brought out the superweapon known as "verbal artillery."

The scene was indeed a little brutal.

But that did not matter.

Uchiha Minamoto liked chasing down his kills!

"Is that all you amount to? Hmph!"

Uchiha Minamoto gave a cold snort full of contempt.

"The way you stand there speechless and drenched in sweat is truly ugly!"

After leaving him with those words.

Uchiha Minamoto simply beckoned to Izumi.

She approached with small, quick steps, then walked right past Uchiha Itachi, as though she had made some sort of decision.

To be honest.

Uchiha Izumi's feelings were still somewhat complicated.

In her mind, she silently compared her "childhood friend" with the "senior who had appeared out of nowhere."

It was just a single place in the Anbu.

Uchiha Itachi had desperately pursued it for a long time without any results.

Uchiha Minamoto had been personally invited by the Third Hokage, only to refuse outright.

The difference could not have been clearer!

At that thought, Uchiha Izumi suddenly turned and glanced at her "childhood friend's" lonely back.

At that very moment.

A particularly fitting remark suddenly surfaced in Uchiha Izumi's mind.

That man looks like a dog...