"Yes, I am Naraku's friend."
Kakashi looked at Uchiha Itachi's crimson three-tomoe Sharingan, his pupils shrinking in surprise.
This kid is only how old, eight and a half? Are you kidding me? Has the Sharingan already grown to this extent?
The last time in the Land of Hot Water, when Kakashi arrived, Uchiha Itachi had already passed out, so he didn't know exactly when Itachi had awakened his Sharingan.
He only knew that this child seemed to dislike him very much.
"Ah... Itachi-kun, what are you doing here? This is Hatake Kakashi-senpai. We met in the Land of Hot Water before, but you were unconscious at the time, so you didn't see him."
Uchiha Naraku patiently explained to Itachi.
"So you're Kakashi-senpai? Then I've really been rude."
Uchiha Itachi's crimson pupils gradually turned black, and although he remained very polite in his words, his expression didn't show any hint of apology.
What's wrong with Itachi today? Did he mess up and get a scolding from his dad? Why is he scowling the whole time?
"It seems that Kakashi-senpai is doing fine now. The day is getting late, Naraku-chan, let's go back."
Uchiha Naraku looked up at the sun, which was directly overhead. How could it be late at all...?
Naraku also looked at Itachi's scrutinizing gaze. Fine, let's go home then. It's been a while since I've done a lottery, maybe I'll do a few pulls when I get home?
"Alright... Kakashi-senpai, I'll head home first then."
Itachi nodded slightly to Kakashi. Although it looked like a bow, for some reason, Itachi's eyes were fixed on Kakashi's face.
Uchiha Naraku also bowed properly to Kakashi before turning and leaving with Itachi.
Kakashi stood there without saying anything, just watching the two of them walk away.
Their relationship seems special. There's no point in saying more now. Never mind, I'll have plenty of opportunities.
Thinking this, Hatake Kakashi turned and left as well.
When all three of them were gone, Uchiha Fugaku slowly walked out from behind a utility pole.
"That brat, he... well, he's truly my son."
The dining table was laden with all sorts of dishes. Uchiha Itachi's family of four, along with Naraku, sat around the table, enjoying the meal.
It turned out that Uchiha Naraku hadn't managed to run back home after all.
When she reached the door of Itachi's house, Itachi once again invited Naraku to have dinner with them.
Naraku naturally didn't want to go, so she politely declined, as she always did.
Who would have thought that this time, Itachi didn't know what had come over him; he grabbed Naraku's hand and pulled a bewildered Naraku into the house.
Uchiha Naraku had wanted to shake off Itachi, but then she thought, Itachi got beaten up today, and she probably wasn't feeling good, so she figured, a meal is a meal.
And so, Naraku, along with Mikoto and Itachi, spent the afternoon playing with Little Sasuke.
Naraku's heart was rejecting it; she wished she hadn't come.
Fortunately, everyone, including Sasuke, gave Naraku some money, more or less.
This somewhat comforted Naraku's wounded heart.
"Itachi, don't you have something you want to tell me?"
At dinner, everything had been going well.
Uchiha Fugaku suddenly put down his chopsticks and started questioning.
"Father, I don't understand what you mean..."
Uchiha Itachi didn't understand why his father was suddenly asking this.
"You've awakened the Sharingan, haven't you? How could you hide something like this from me?"
Uchiha Fugaku closed his eyes, looking a bit displeased.
And Uchiha Mikoto on the side covered her pretty little mouth, looking at her eldest son in surprise.
"How old is this child? He's already awakened his Sharingan?"
"This is too unbelievable, isn't it?"
Only Little Sasuke in the room didn't care whether his brother had awakened his Sharingan. He only knew that he wanted his brother to feed him sometimes, and sometimes he wanted Naraku-jie-jie to feed him.
Uchiha Itachi glanced at his own brother, then replied:
"Yes, Father. I have indeed awakened the Sharingan. I just haven't had time to report it to you, and I didn't mean to hide it from you..."
"Show me!"
Uchiha Fugaku slowly opened his eyes.
Uchiha Itachi didn't say much, just silently activated his three-tomoe Sharingan.
"Hahaha, truly worthy of being my son! The moment you awakened, it's already a three-tomoe Sharingan. Amazing! But, Itachi, you must remember not to be arrogant. You still have so much to learn, especially about the various applications of the Sharingan. Remember not to slack off."
Uchiha Itachi watched his father, who was laughing heartily, and silently lowered his head. His fists were clenched tightly, and his crimson Sharingan was filled with rage!
What's there to be happy about, Father!
You don't even ask me why I awakened it?
Naraku almost died in my arms!! What's there to be proud of in that?
These past few days, Itachi had been having nightmares night after night. In the dreams, Naraku was lying quietly in his arms, already devoid of life.
Itachi screamed his heart out, but no one answered.
How could the others possibly understand the fear in his heart!
"Yes, Father, I will continue to work hard."
The next second, Uchiha Itachi raised his head, a slight smile playing on his lips, his eyes also full of mirth.
No one in the family noticed Itachi's abnormality, only Naraku looked at Itachi deeply.
It seems that I need to brainwash Itachi in a while. This matter is indeed due to Fugaku's oversight in his joy.
But isn't this also Itachi's dissatisfaction with the clan?
If he doesn't work hard now, when Uchiha Itachi throws a kunai at the Uchiha Clan Crest and says, "My capacity has despaired of this boring clan", it will be too late.
After the meal, Uchiha Naraku bid farewell and left. Little Sasuke took the opportunity to lean in and planted a kiss on Naraku's cheek.
"Don't mess around, Sasuke."
Uchiha Itachi scooped his younger brother back up, then waved goodbye to Naraku.
At the same time, in the Konoha Hokage's office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked over the situation reported by Shinnosuke.
"Uchiha Itachi has already activated the three-tomoe Sharingan? This child is truly remarkable. It seems we need to bring him into the Anbu for further training,"
"Jashin Cult? Forget it, Konoha is constantly at war right now. We don't have time to deal with the problems in the Land of Hot Water."
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly closed the report. He never would have imagined that his own son had concealed the two most important pieces of information about the Uchiha clan.
The lack of these two pieces of information also laid the deepest foreshadowing for the story to come.
Time flew by, and more than half a month had passed in the blink of an eye.
Only one day remained until the Chunin Exams.
~~~~~
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