"Alright, Sister-in-law."
Uchiha Ryu agreed and walked into the house.
"Your elder brother is changing clothes," Uchiha Mikoto said gently.
"Ryu, come in and have a cup of hot tea first."
She placed the watering can on the stone stand beside her, then led Ryu and Itachi into the living room.
"Sister-in-law, go ahead and finish your work," Ryu said casually.
"I'll pour the tea myself."
Ryu had come here countless times.
There was no need to be overly polite—doing so would only make things feel distant.
"That's fine," Mikoto nodded.
"Ryu, I'll get back to work. Itachi, chat with your uncle for a bit."
After giving the instructions, Mikoto left the living room.
Ryu picked up the kettle and gently placed it on the table, then sat cross-legged on the futon.
Itachi knelt properly, lifted the kettle, and carefully rinsed the two porcelain cups with hot water. After pouring the water out, he placed tea leaves into the cups and slowly filled them with boiling water.
"Itachi, your tea-making has improved a lot," Ryu said with a smile.
"You flatter me, Uncle," Itachi replied calmly.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit boring?" Ryu asked teasingly.
"No," Itachi answered seriously.
"They just say I'm strange."
"Then be careful," Ryu laughed.
"At this rate, no girl will like you in the future."
He picked up the teacup and took a sip.
Itachi didn't know how to respond and chose to stay silent.
As they drank tea, Ryu asked Itachi many questions about training and cultivation.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted them.
"Little brother, you're here."
Ryu looked up and saw Uchiha Fugaku, wearing a green vest, standing at the doorway.
"Big Brother."
"Father."
Ryu and Itachi greeted him one after the other.
"Mm," Fugaku nodded.
"Little brother, has Itachi made significant progress recently?"
Ryu had long been Itachi's true mentor, so Fugaku often asked him about Itachi's condition. When he had time, he would personally test his son's strength.
"Itachi has improved a lot," Ryu said first.
"But taking him to the battlefield this time was too much, Brother."
The praise made Fugaku feel proud—
But the criticism immediately made his expression stiffen.
He wasn't afraid of criticism from others.
But when it came from this younger brother—who was frighteningly intelligent—he felt uneasy.
Time and time again, whenever Ryu warned him about something and he ignored it, reality proved Ryu right.
Because of that, Fugaku subconsciously felt nervous whenever Ryu scolded him.
"I'm not going to argue with you," Ryu said, rolling his eyes.
"Let's go."
"Alright! Alright!" Fugaku replied quickly, wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead.
The three walked out of the living room and greeted Mikoto together before leaving the house.
Outside, a large number of Uchiha clan members had already gathered.
With a wave of Fugaku's hand, the clan followed him in an imposing procession toward the square from the previous day.
The familiar high platform.
The familiar crowd.
"Uchiha clan, your position is over there."
A ninja wearing a Konoha forehead protector on his arm pointed toward a direction.
"Yes."
Fugaku nodded and led the clan toward the indicated area.
But as soon as they arrived, the expressions of the Uchiha clan members darkened.
Their assigned position was almost at the very edge of the square.
If someone didn't look carefully, they might not even notice that the Uchiha clan had attended the commendation ceremony at all.
"What kind of garbage position is this?!"
An Uchiha jōnin wearing a green vest cursed angrily.
"Our clan made huge contributions in this war, and we're put here?"
"That's right! How can we stand in a place like this?"
"Why are even the people who cooked meals standing closer than us?"
For a moment, angry voices erupted among the Uchiha.
At that moment, a resentful voice came from the left.
"The Uchiha clan over there—don't think you're the only ones angry. We're furious too."
The Uchiha members turned to look.
To their left stood a large group of shinobi with white eyes—
The Hyūga clan.
The two strongest clans in Konoha looked at each other with complicated expressions.
Neither had expected that they—main forces on the battlefield—would be pushed to the most inconspicuous corner.
Even the logistical ninjas stood in front of them.
Uchiha Fugaku and Hyūga Hiashi both looked toward the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had just stepped onto the platform.
Anger burned in their eyes.
But as clan heads, they suppressed it and forcibly calmed their people.
This was not the time to cause trouble.
"Silence!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood on the platform.
After restoring order, he launched into a long speech about the victory of the Third Great Ninja War.
After a long while—so long that many people were nearly asleep—
The Third Hokage finally woke everyone with a single sentence.
"Next, we will reward those who made contributions in this war."