The three of them hadn't waited long.
With the sharp cry of a newborn cutting through the stillness, all three—almost instinctively—broke into smiles at the same time.
They rose together, only to be stopped at the doorway by several young Uchiha girls.
"Clan Head Fugaku, Lord Ran, Lady Ruka—please wait."
Uchiha Fugaku's face, which had been glowing with joy just moments ago, instantly turned cold.
He was the head of the Uchiha clan—yet his own son had just been born, and he was being stopped at the door, unable to see either his wife or child.
Sensing the sudden chill in Fugaku's gaze, the girls hurriedly explained.
A newborn's first moments were an extremely fragile and sensitive stage. At this time, infants were highly vulnerable to environmental factors and prone to illness.
Moreover, a newborn's skull had not yet fully ossified—the cartilage and ligaments were still soft and loose, making the head susceptible to injury from even minor external pressure. Excessive holding or shaking could greatly increase the risk of head trauma.
Their neck muscles were also underdeveloped, incapable of properly supporting the weight of the head. Improper handling could easily lead to neck injuries.
On top of that, postpartum mothers experienced lochia and required rest.
As a result, it was a full two hours later before the three of them were finally allowed inside—to see Uchiha Mikoto, pale and exhausted on the bed, and Uchiha Itachi, sleeping peacefully in his cradle.
"So this is my child…" Fugaku said softly, joy blooming across his face as he looked at the cradle. "Itachi… one against seven. You'll grow into a fine Uchiha."
A successor who would inherit his will—had finally arrived.
"Are you alright, Sister Mikoto?"
"How are you feeling, Mikoto?"
Ran and Ruka both spoke at the same time, their concern directed immediately toward the mother.
"I'm fine," Mikoto said weakly, smiling. Then she looked at Ran. "Ran, you're back from your mission. I heard you became Orochimaru's disciple—I'm truly happy for you."
She then turned to Ruka. "Ruka, you've been away on missions for so many years. You should really come back to Konoha and rest for a while. Once things settle down, let's all get together."
"Mm. Thank you for worrying about me, Sister Mikoto," Ruka replied.
"And when you've recovered, Sister Mikoto," Ran added with a grin, "I'm definitely coming back to freeload a proper meal."
The three of them whispered quietly for a while before Fugaku finally stepped to Mikoto's bedside.
"You've worked hard," he said gently, staying by her side and speaking softly with her.
Only then did Ruka and Ran move away, approaching the cradle where newborn Itachi lay.
Freshly born, Itachi looked like a painting come to life.
Despite being only a newborn, he already had thick, glossy black hair—so dark and lustrous it would make middle-aged men jealous.
His eyes were large and deep, black as night, yet filled with a clear, crystalline light. Even as a baby, there was something unsettlingly mature and thoughtful hidden within that gaze.
…Are you a transmigrator too? Ran wondered fleetingly.
But he immediately dismissed the thought.
Anyone who would blindly turn on their own clan wasn't worthy of being called human—let alone a transmigrator. If that were the case, Ran felt an intense urge to "re-educate" them.
What caught his attention even more, though, was the faint nasolabial line on Itachi's face.
Even as an infant, that thin crease between his brows was strikingly obvious—as if time itself had prematurely carved its mark onto his tiny features.
"He's kind of ugly," a girl's voice said bluntly beside him. "That line looks weird. And he's all wrinkly—doesn't look much like Sister Mikoto at all."
Ran's vision went dark for a second.
Good grief, he thought. The parents are still right here, you know?! Is this innocence… or just zero tact?
"Ruka, babies are always wrinkly and ugly when they're just born," Ran hurriedly explained, catching the looks being thrown over by Fugaku and Mikoto. "Give it some time—he'll get cuter and cuter."
"Hmm?" Ruka didn't speak, but her narrowed gaze said it clearly.When did we get so familiar?
Ran instantly read the message.
"Haha… I mean, Ruka—uh—Ruka-nee," he scratched his head, grinning awkwardly. "I call Mikoto 'big sister' too, so calling you that doesn't mean I'm calling you old… right?"
"No," Ruka replied flatly, finally turning her head. "What I mean is—you're thick-skinned."
Oh no, Ran thought. Our wavelengths matched.
Even though she hadn't said much, he understood perfectly from her eyes alone.
Ran shot a helpless look at Ruka, who was now holding a small stick and teasing baby Itachi.
Seeing Ran's surrender, Ruka smugly returned a look of victory—and continued poking the stick toward the cradle.
On one side, Ruka laughed brightly.On the other, baby Itachi reached out with short, chubby hands, babbling incomprehensibly as he tried to grab the stick.
She really is pretty when she doesn't talk, Ran thought. Too bad she has a mouth.
He stepped closer to the cradle and jerked his chin at Ruka.
"Move over. Let me take a look."
Ruka understood instantly. Rolling her eyes, she stood up and returned to Mikoto's side.
"Well, well… Uchiha Itachi," Ran muttered. "You're way cuter as a baby than you are grown up."
Watching Itachi clutch at his own tiny fingers, Ran couldn't help himself—his Sharingan activated.
"Saved," he muttered seriously. "I'll show you this later."
Although Mikoto was still in her recovery period, a son's birth was cause for celebration. Fugaku ordered a lavish meal prepared, warmly hosting Ran and Ruka.
And as Itachi was born into the world, the shinobi world itself seemed to shift into a higher gear.
The Land of Wind.The Land of Earth.The Land of Lightning.The Land of Water.
Even the Land of Snow, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Rain began to stir.
In just half a month, Ran had only managed to gather once with his friends—before they were all sent off on missions.
Intelligence gathering.Reconnaissance of strongholds.Courier missions.Border patrols.
Assignments surged across the board.
The atmosphere of the shinobi world grew heavier by the day.
Even the Uchiha Police Force reassigned several of its members into newly formed units dispatched to the borders.
"Ruka-nee, on patrol again?" Ran called out when he spotted her in police uniform. "You finally got half a month of rest—don't stay so tense. At this rate, you'll have endless missions waiting for you soon."
"Uchiha Ran," Ruka snapped sharply. "Use titles while on duty."
She glanced at him, then continued coolly, "Since you're here, I don't need to go find you. The Third Hokage summoned me earlier—he wants me to select someone for a mission. And since you're right here…"
She turned, already walking away.
"It's you. Come with me."
"…Huh?" Ran blinked. "What? I'm getting drafted now?!"
So much for easing into things.