"Honestly, even without this, I'd still do whatever you ask, Takeshi."
Obito's face was filled with sincerity, making even Takeshi feel a little tense.
"Alright, didn't raise you for nothing. Good son finally knows how to take responsibility for his old man."
Scratching his head, Takeshi didn't know how to express his feelings, so he could only resort to joking around like this.
"It's not a big deal, really... I just started an organization behind the village's back..."
...
Time passed day by day.
Under Sakumo's thunderous methods, everything in Konoha proceeded just as he envisioned—except for the lack of funds.
Little Naruto, now babbling his first words, had reached a rather mischievous age. Not long after his third birthday, he eagerly dragged Karin off to find Yamato.
"Hey, Naruto, Karin, I'm really busy right now. I don't have time to play with you guys..."
Yamato, in the middle of renovating the Shimura residence, looked helpless. He hadn't even finished the work in front of him, and the noisy little rascal had already come dragging his sister along to bother him.
"Really? Then what are you so busy with?"
Naruto looked up at Yamato with curiosity as the latter kept climbing up and down.
"It's Takeshi's random idea. Said the house looked a bit too old and wanted me to fix it up, and clear out a couple of rooms while I'm at it."
Yamato couldn't help but complain,
"I'm only thirteen, okay? This is straight-up child labor. I'm filing a complaint with Danzo-sama!"
"Eh? Yamato-nii is only thirteen? But you look way older than Takeshi."
Karin blinked innocently, her words sharper than blades.
"Who could compare to that guy!"
Hearing Karin compare him to Takeshi, Yamato's voice unconsciously raised in protest.
"Hm? Yamato, what exactly are you trying to compare with me?"
Before Yamato could finish, Takeshi appeared behind him like a ghost.
After three years, Takeshi's height and appearance hadn't changed much. If there had to be one noticeable difference, it would be the diamond-shaped mark now appearing on his forehead.
No one could recall exactly when it happened—not even Takeshi himself—but somehow, the Yin Seal had been completely charged.
Isobu: That's obviously all thanks to me.
Takeshi: Yeah yeah, the tailed beast wants credit now, huh?
"Takeshi-nii! I want a shuriken, but Yamato-nii won't make me one!"
As soon as Naruto saw Takeshi, he leapt into his arms and started tattling on Yamato.
Karin also rushed to Takeshi's side and clung tightly to his pant leg, refusing to let go.
"Alright, alright. If Yamato-nii won't give you one, I will. Hey, Yamato, make two wooden shuriken with your Wood Release—make sure the edges are blunt."
Takeshi patted Naruto and Karin on the head while issuing the order to Yamato.
"I knew it'd end up being my job again."
Resigned, Yamato set aside his tools. To prevent the two little troublemakers from losing them and coming back to pester him again, he simply made several wooden shuriken in one go.
Takeshi had considered making them himself, but Ice Release shuriken looked far too dangerous. Even though both kids had Uzumaki blood and could handle a few nicks, if Kushina ever found out...
Just imagining her flying red hair was enough to make Takeshi's legs tremble uncontrollably.
"Yay! Let's go, Karin—let's find Sasuke and play!"
The moment he got the shuriken, Naruto abandoned Takeshi and dragged Karin off toward the Uchiha compound.
"Slow down, Naruto—watch your step, it's slippery."
Seeing the snow-covered ground, Takeshi couldn't help but call out.
After all, if Naruto and Karin fell right in front of his house, he'd have to face Kushina's wrath.
"Sigh, by the way, Takeshi-senpai... why did you suddenly want me to clear out some rooms?"
As he watched the kids leave, Yamato finally asked the question that had been bugging him all night.
"Take a guess."
Takeshi didn't plan to tell him the answer. After tossing out that sentence, he vanished from the Shimura residence in a blink.
"Ugh, heartless. Every single one of them."
Yamato grumbled, returning to his ox-and-horse labor.
"But still..."
Hearing the door open, Yamato turned his head instinctively. When he saw that it was Shisui entering, his mood instantly brightened.
"Compared to the great 'Shisui of the Body Flicker,' I guess my situation isn't so bad."
"Yamato, Takeshi-sama said to clean up the wiring in the spare rooms upstairs—is it those ones on the second floor?"
Beast of burden meets beast of burden—tears filled both their eyes.
...
Elsewhere, in the Uchiha compound.
"Sasuke! Come out and play!"
Standing outside Sasuke's house, Naruto shouted with his hands on his hips.
"It's Naruto, huh? So early already?"
Hearing the commotion, Mikoto opened the door with a smile, motioning for the two kids to come inside.
"It's okay, Mikoto-san. Karin and I aren't cold."
Naruto grinned and shook his head, craning his neck to peek inside the house.
Soon enough, a neatly dressed Sasuke came out the door, looking proud and aloof.
"You won the running race yesterday, but I'm definitely not losing to you in today's shuriken throwing!"
"Uh-huh, sure. Whatever—let's just go already."
Naruto didn't care what Sasuke was saying. He just responded vaguely and reached out to grab his hand.
"Wait! I haven't said goodbye to my brother yet!"
Sasuke broke free and looked longingly toward the staircase.
Before long, Itachi appeared at the top of the stairs.
Home for a break, he was holding a metal basin, about to wash the clothes he'd dirtied during training. Noticing Sasuke's gaze, he returned it with a warm smile.
"Ew, Sasuke's a total brother-con."
Naruto couldn't help teasing.
"Hmph, what's a 'brother-con'? Where'd you even learn that word?"
"You don't know? Takeshi-nii said it. It means someone who really relies on their big brother."
"Then doesn't that make you a brother-con too?!"
Sasuke shot back, unwilling to be outdone.
"I don't even have a brother."
"Not a brother-con, then just a 'con,' right? You're totally obsessed with Takeshi-nii!"
"As if you aren't! I saw it last time—you pretended to fall asleep just to get Takeshi-nii to carry you!"
"Stupid Naruto, stop spouting nonsense!"
Yeah... this one was probably true.
Karin thought to herself in secret.
Because she'd noticed—before Sasuke protested, his whole face had turned bright red.
"Tch, these two really get along well, huh."
Itachi's shoulders suddenly sank under a heavy weight, and a familiar voice rang in his ear.
"Takeshi-nii, it's pretty rude to suddenly show up at someone else's house."
Itachi sighed and closed his eyes, muttering in exasperation, though he didn't actually resist.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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