"I don't think you're a match for Uchiha Yuan. Don't humiliate yourself."
A calm, indifferent voice suddenly sounded from nearby.
Uchiha Lihuo abruptly turned toward the source of the voice. His brows furrowed, and the anger on his face slowly receded.
"So it's you, Itachi."
Several meters away, Uchiha Itachi had appeared at some point without anyone noticing. His cool gaze rested on the scene before him. In his hands were several skewers of three-colored dango, while his younger brother Sasuke was cradled in his arms.
Sasuke clung to Itachi's neck, his pitch-black eyes darting around curiously as he observed the crowd.
"You think I'm not Uchiha Yuan's opponent? Hmph. I remember that guy only beat Special Jōnin Yoshihara Yūdō. I, on the other hand, personally killed two Mist jōnin!"
Lihuo spoke with clear dissatisfaction. Yet he did not shout or curse.
Because he knew how terrifying Uchiha Itachi was.
On the battlefield, Lihuo had witnessed it with his own eyes—Itachi calmly eliminating incoming Mist ninja.
Whether genin, chūnin, or jōnin, before Itachi's Sharingan, all it took was a single glance.
They would be frozen by genjutsu—then cut down with one clean strike.
Itachi withdrew his gaze and turned to leave.
In his eyes, Uchiha Lihuo was nothing more than an ignorant, arrogant fool—no different from the majority of the clan.
Then, his thoughts drifted to Uchiha Yuan.
A complicated expression surfaced on Itachi's face.
He hadn't expected Izumi's older brother to possess such overwhelming strength.
Suppressing Sunagakure.
Driving back the Fourth Raikage.
Being feared by enemies and given the title Ferocious Tiger of Absolute Destruction.
Suspected of having a close relationship with Orochimaru.
These were all things Itachi had learned about Yuan from his father, Fugaku.
He recalled the joy on Fugaku's face—his genuine happiness at the clan gaining another powerful warrior.
But then…
Itachi remembered the disappointed look on Shisui's face.
He knew how much Shisui had hoped for Yuan to become an ally—to stand alongside him and work toward easing the tension between the village and the clan.
Yet Yuan had rejected Shisui.
Uchiha Yuan… are you just like the rest of the clan?
Blind to the crisis closing in on the Uchiha?
Itachi pondered silently.
He had a growing premonition that Uchiha Yuan might become a serious problem in the future.
"Itachi-kun!"
A cheerful voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
Itachi looked up to see Izumi running toward him from another part of the festival.
Then his gaze sharpened slightly.
Behind Izumi, Uchiha Yuan followed at an unhurried pace.
As if sensing Itachi's stare, Yuan subtly shifted his eyes and met Itachi's gaze for a brief moment.
"Itachi-kun, long time no see."
Izumi ran up to him, her face glowing with a sweet smile.
"Izumi. It's been a while."
Itachi replied softly, a faint smile appearing on his face.
In his arms, Sasuke pouted the moment he saw Izumi, his expression full of open dislike.
In Sasuke's tiny world, Izumi was the villain who always tried to steal his brother away.
Izumi noticed his expression and couldn't help pinching his nose.
Sasuke immediately started flailing and shouting, angrily trying to hit her.
Izumi giggled and easily dodged his tiny hands. She then pulled out a skewer of snow-white dumplings dusted with colorful sugar from her paper bag and waved it in front of him.
A rich, sweet aroma spread through the air.
Sasuke froze instantly, his eyes locking onto the dumplings.
"Sasuke, call me big sister, and this rainbow snow dumpling is yours~"
Izumi teased, holding it just out of his reach.
Even Itachi's gaze drifted toward the dumplings.
The sweetness wasn't overpowering—rich yet delicate, enough to make one salivate unconsciously.
Sasuke scrunched up his face in struggle. After a brief internal battle, he finally muttered two unclear syllables.
"Big… sister…"
Izumi beamed and handed the dumplings to him.
She then took out another skewer and offered it to Itachi.
"Itachi-kun, this is the newest flavor. I think you'll like it."
At that moment, Uchiha Yuan stepped up beside Izumi. His gaze passed over Itachi and landed on Uchiha Eiji and the others not far away.
Eiji met Yuan's eyes and spoke first.
"Yuan. Long time no see."
"Eiji. I'm glad to see you're safe."
Yuan replied calmly.
Eiji smiled faintly.
"So am I."
Yuan glanced over the group and asked,
"Why are you all gathered here?"
Standing beside Eiji, Uchiha Lihuo had been watching Yuan closely. Hearing the question, he spoke with an arrogant sneer.
"We found a few outsiders here. And it seems they're connected to you."
Footsteps sounded as three figures approached.
"Yuan."
Senju Gen and Hatake Haruka spoke at the same time. Senju Yuki, meanwhile, let her gaze fall upon Izumi.
"Haruka!"
Yuan turned around, surprise flashing across his face when he saw Hatake Haruka. He quickly stepped forward.
Seeing the new scars on Haruka's face, Yuan chuckled.
"These scars make you look even more manly."
Haruka, however, wore a lingering look of unease as he touched one of them.
"They're from some brutal fights. There were times our squad almost got wiped out."
"Iwagakure is a troublesome enemy—especially their earth-style concealment."
Before the reunion could continue, an impatient voice cut in.
Uchiha Lihuo spoke sharply,
"Uchiha Yuan, did you bring these outsiders into the clan compound? Who gave you permission to do that?"
Yuan's expression cooled. His eyes turned toward Lihuo.
Under Yuan's gaze, Lihuo felt as though a cold wind had brushed his heart, causing him to flinch involuntarily.
At that moment, Uchiha Kawa and Uchiha Jinren stepped to Yuan's side.
After listening to their brief report, a chilling aura radiated from Yuan.
He studied Lihuo with sharp eyes for a moment, then turned to Eiji.
"For your sake, Eiji, I won't pursue your companion's rudeness this time."
"But if it happens again—don't blame me for stepping in."
Lihuo strode forward, stopping directly in front of Yuan, his voice cold.
"How arrogant. Uchiha Yuan, if you want to discipline me, do it right now."
"And if you don't dare—then take those outsiders and leave immediately."
"Lihuo!"
Eiji couldn't help but shout, glaring at him in anger.
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