"Naruto, that Lightning Release you just used was so cool. Could you teach me?"
Even if Sasuke had not asked, Naruto had intended to teach him this ninjutsu anyway. It was not anything precious, after all.
"But that ninjutsu of yours should..."
"Oh, relax. It's just a perfectly ordinary Lightning Release Ninjutsu. As Sasuke's good friend and big brother, what's wrong with teaching my little bro a ninjutsu?"
Naruto cut Itachi off before he could finish. Itachi could see how terrifying this ninjutsu was. He had noticed that when Naruto used it, he merely clapped his hands and shouted something, and lightning fell from the sky. How could a ninjutsu like that be simple?
With a casting speed like that, even he would have trouble dodging it. If someone ambushed him with it, he would take the hit.
Naruto merely grinned at that. Do you even understand the value of an instant-cast hitstun secret scroll?
While they were still chatting, Fugaku arrived with a large group of Uchiha clansmen. He had just been sitting in his courtyard when he suddenly sensed an enormous surge of chakra, then saw a bolt of lightning descend from the sky. With neither of his sons home yet, he had rushed out with his clansmen.
"Father, what brings you here?"
Itachi was somewhat surprised to see Fugaku. Why had his father suddenly come here?
Sasuke noticed Fugaku too. He lowered his head and obediently called out, "Father."
Fugaku merely nodded without speaking. He could hardly say he had brought people rushing out because he was worried about his two sons' safety, could he? For the sake of his dignity, Fugaku chose to keep quiet.
Naruto, standing beside Sasuke, caught his attention instead. He carefully sized Naruto up, sighing inwardly.
He looks like him. He really looks just like him, as though he and Minato were cast from the same mold.
While Fugaku studied Naruto, Naruto was studying Fugaku too. In the original story, Fugaku had been far too spineless, playing a great hand disastrously. The Uchiha had possessed three pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan as their top-tier fighting strength, yet he had somehow managed to get the clan wiped out, leaving just two or three lone survivors.
Besides, if Naruto had not stepped in to stop Itachi and Obito today, Fugaku might already have been stone cold. In a roundabout way, Naruto counted as his savior.
Meanwhile, Sasuke was already cowering like a quail, not daring to raise his head to look at his father at all. He secretly glanced up at Naruto and discovered that he actually dared to look his father straight in the eye, just like his older brother. So impressive.
He secretly gave Naruto a thumbs-up, leaving Naruto somewhat bewildered. Seriously, that admiring look on your face is one thing, but why give me a thumbs-up too?
Naruto clearly had no idea what Sasuke meant. Otherwise, he would definitely have rewarded Sasuke with his favorite-a big slap across the face. What a joke. That was not his dad. Had he not seen how even the original Naruto dared to punch his own father? Let alone a transmigrator like him. I'd even throw hands with my own dad, never mind someone who isn't!
"You must be young Naruto? Sasuke mentions you to me often."
Naruto nodded, his expression unruffled. To Fugaku, however, this was maturity beyond his years, an almost uncanny precociousness. Perhaps he was a genius like Itachi too.
Looking at Naruto's face inexplicably reminded Fugaku of Minato Namikaze, a man so outstanding it was outrageous. Born a commoner, he had nevertheless reached the position of Hokage through his own efforts. To Fugaku, Minato's life had been far too legendary, far too dazzling.
To think his son was already displaying his talent at such a young age. From the chakra fluctuations still lingering around him, Fugaku could guess that the Lightning Release just now had been his work. Who would have thought he could possess such enormous chakra reserves so young? As expected of someone named Naruto Uzumaki.
Even as it shocked him, it prompted him to secretly compare his own children to Naruto.
My second son, Sasuke... forget it. There's simply no comparison. Luckily, my eldest is respectable enough, quite outstanding, even if he doesn't really listen to me.
At that thought, Fugaku secretly breathed a sigh of relief. See that, Minato? My son has the makings of a Hokage too. He's outstanding enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with your son, Naruto Uzumaki.
As for why he could stand shoulder to shoulder with Naruto Uzumaki, that had to do with Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan ability. His Mangekyō Sharingan had granted him the ability to see into the future.
So with just one look, Fugaku could roughly guess that Naruto's future achievements would certainly be far from insignificant. He might even surpass his father, Minato Namikaze.
He now felt an urge to activate his Mangekyō Sharingan and confirm exactly what Naruto's future held, but an intuition told him that if he did, his Mangekyō Sharingan might go blind on the spot.
Shaking his head, Fugaku hurriedly dismissed the thought. Can't be having that.
Actually, Fugaku's guess was quite accurate. After all, Naruto Uzumaki would indeed accomplish quite a lot later, things like ending the Fourth Shinobi World War, saving hundreds of millions of lives, blah, blah, blah. This was getting off topic.
Only then did Fugaku remember what he had come here for.
"Did you encounter an enemy just now?"
Fugaku's gaze sharpened. He could not work out who would dare attack his two sons right at the entrance to the Uchiha Clan Compound.
Sasuke and Itachi exchanged looks, first glancing at each other before turning to Naruto in unison, both hoping he would explain.
Naruto naturally saw the plea for help in the brothers' eyes. He briefly organized his thoughts before saying:
"Yes. Someone showed up just now and said he wanted to wipe out the Uchiha Clan. He even threatened Sasuke's life to force Itachi to assist him in slaughtering the Uchiha Clan."
"What?"
The moment Naruto finished speaking, the Uchiha clansmen who had followed Fugaku could no longer contain themselves.
"Who? What arrogance! He actually wants to wipe out the entire Uchiha Clan, even going so far as to threaten the clan head's son's life."
"Damn it, he'd better not let me catch him, or I'll make him pay."
"Yes, yes, same here."
Seeing his clansmen grow furious, Fugaku hurried to calm them down. He had never imagined someone would actually want to wipe out the Uchiha Clan, even threatening his eldest son to make him help slaughter them. His own eldest son-how could he not know him? How could he help an enemy...
The more Fugaku thought about it, the more something felt wrong. Suddenly realizing something, he whipped his gaze toward his eldest and second sons. His intuition told him that the situation Naruto described might really happen. As for what would happen afterward, he dared not imagine it. He did not dare imagine it at all.
While they were still seething with righteous indignation, a group of ninja wearing various animal masks suddenly rushed over. One of them shouted as he ran:
"Lord Danzo's orders! Tonight is the night the Uchiha Clan is exterminated! Not even a single fly is allowed out!"
But when their leader saw Fugaku and the others standing at the entrance to the Uchiha Clan Compound, he was dumbfounded.
Naruto's expression turned mocking. Look, the best scapegoat in all of Naruto is about to arrive.