Three days earlier, when the two boys had come back covered in wounds, Fugaku had already scolded them harshly.
He had warned them not to provoke the ninja dogs again, lest the villagers mock the Uchiha clan's younger generation for being unable to even defeat dogs.
And now?
The reputation of their Uchiha clan had been completely ruined by these two!
Whenever the villagers spoke of the Uchiha, their first thought wasn't Uchiha Madara, who had defected years ago, nor the clan's prodigies Shisui or Itachi.
No—it was his two youngest sons, who were constantly being chased by dogs!
Lately, tensions between the clan and the village had been growing increasingly strained. Fugaku was barely able to suppress the restless impulses of his clansmen.
And now, with this incident happening at such a time, Fugaku was genuinely afraid that his two sons might become the spark that ignited conflict with the village.
On top of that, considering the clan's pride, sending someone to intervene would not only be humiliating but might even make the Third Hokage suspect that the Uchiha were deliberately stirring trouble.
Intervening wasn't an option, and not intervening wasn't either.
Fugaku thought of his eldest son, who constantly opposed him, and his two younger sons, who not only neglected their training but also spent their days fooling around with ninja dogs…
Truly, a disgrace to the family!!
"Father… I… I know…"
Sasuke dropped to his knees with a thud, stammering as he lowered his head, ready to admit his mistake.
There was no helping it. Knowing his father's temperament, trying to explain himself now would only make Fugaku angrier.
Standing beside him, Kaito met Fugaku's gaze and took a step forward, shielding Sasuke.
At that moment, Sasuke looked up at Kaito's back, as if it were radiating a dazzling light.
This guy…
Was he really going to take all the blame himself…?
However, the instant Kaito spoke, the budding gratitude in Sasuke's heart was utterly shattered.
"Sasuke is too weak."
"I took him for special training. Fighting ninja dogs isn't something to be ashamed of."
"Besides."
"Right now, Sasuke is strong."
"If you don't believe me, test him."
Sasuke: ???
Kaito's words were spoken with righteous conviction, but inwardly, he was silently praying for Sasuke.
Sorry, dummy.
The struggle for succession has always been like this.
You take the heat for this one…
Consider it repayment for the training I've been giving you these past few days.
Hearing this, Sasuke looked up in bewilderment, his face a picture of shock as he stared at Kaito's confident expression, then turned to see his father's rising fury.
Already tense from his mistake, this sudden twist left him completely at a loss.
Sasuke was deeply moved that Kaito had taken the main blame alone, and he truly wanted his father's approval.
But…
He really didn't want it to happen this way!Fugaku heard about Sasuke's recent improvement in strength but was somewhat dismissive, thinking it was just an excuse for the two kids to fool around.
After all...
You're both pure-blooded Uchihas, with absolutely no connection to ninja hounds or the Inuzuka clan.
Training with ninja hounds or something like that...
No matter how you look at it, it's utterly ridiculous.
"Nonsense!"
"Are you saying your current strength is enough to challenge me now?"
"Do you even realize—"
Fugaku immediately began scolding, but Kaito raised his hand, cutting off his father's words.
"Enough!"
"Father, let's end this discussion here for today."
"Let's eat first."
Fugaku: ?
Sasuke: !!
Kaito's tone was even more stern than that of his father, Fugaku, and there was even a hint of role reversal in his words.
It left Fugaku momentarily dazed.
Wait, who's the father here—me or you??
Sasuke was so shocked by Kaito speaking to their father like this that his jaw nearly dropped, sweat trickling down his cheeks.
It took Fugaku a long moment to process what had just happened. His face darkened, anger visibly rising.
BAM—
The wooden coffee table shattered under the force of Fugaku's chakra, his overwhelming presence filling the room. It looked like a classic "loving father and filial son" moment was about to unfold.
"Uchiha Kaito!"
Clatter—
Fortunately, Mikoto slid open the living room door at that moment, offering a gentle smile at the sight of her husband and sons.
"Dear, dinner's ready. Let's eat first."
As she spoke, she beckoned to Sasuke and Kaito.
"You two, go wash up. You reek."
Seeing his mother, Sasuke acted as if he'd found salvation, immediately darting behind her before bolting straight for the bathroom without a second glance.
As for that infuriating Kaito...
He didn't care!
Seeing Sasuke run off first, Kaito also swiftly moved behind his mother, though he paused at the doorway and casually tossed a remark back at his father inside.
"Sasuke... isn't weak."
In Fugaku's eyes, Sasuke was not only constantly spoiled by Itachi but also looked after by Kaito, making him cry at the slightest setback.
When facing Fugaku, he wouldn't even dare to lift his head.
His personality was nothing like the other children in the clan.
Kaito had noticed all this, and he could only conclude that the entire Uchiha clan—no, the entire Shinobi World—had something wrong with their heads.
His little brother Sasuke was practically the only normal one among them.
For example.
Sasuke's natural affinity was clearly for Lightning Release chakra, yet Fugaku stubbornly insisted on drilling Fire Release into him with brutal intensity.
And the result?
When Itachi first learned Fire Release, the flames he exhaled could reach nearly ten meters—almost on par with Fugaku's own.
Kaito considered himself average in talent, yet even his first attempt at Fire Release produced flames spanning about five meters.
But Sasuke...
When he first tried, all he managed was a tiny flicker of flame.
It seemed that ever since then, Fugaku had begun to feel disappointed in Sasuke.
"Hmph!"
"These ungrateful sons are a disgrace to the Uchiha name!"
Fugaku's expression remained stern, but Kaito's parting words had softened the tension in his brow somewhat.
Mikoto couldn't help but find her husband's behavior amusing.
Fugaku wasn't good at expressing himself, yet deep down, he cared deeply for all three of his sons. Every time he wanted to talk things out, he couldn't bring himself to set aside his pride and have a proper conversation.
After a long silence, Fugaku turned to his wife, unsure if he was asking her or himself.
"Mikoto... have I been too harsh?"
"Pfft—"
Mikoto covered her mouth with a light laugh, then playfully pointed toward the door.
"Well, you'll have to ask the kids about that."
"But Kaito, that boy..."
"Sometimes, he's even more perceptive than Itachi."Fugaku's face, which had just softened, instantly darkened again upon hearing about that boy.
"Don't mention him to me!"
"You didn't see the attitude that kid had earlier..."
Before long, Sasuke and Kaito had both finished bathing and were seated at the dinner table.
Itachi was said to be on a mission and wouldn't return for several days, so he wasn't present for the meal.
Throughout the entire meal, Sasuke kept his head down and wolfed down his food as if finishing quickly could help him avoid the beating that might come later.
Kaito, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed. After all, getting beaten was something he'd been dealing with...
Ever since he was three years old and found his father's secret stash of money under the bed.
"I'm done eating!"
After finishing, Sasuke put down his chopsticks, gave a slight bow to everyone, and immediately tried to make his escape from the dining room.
"Hold it."
Fugaku's voice stopped Sasuke in his tracks, but his gaze was fixed firmly on Kaito at the table.
"It seems like it's been a long time since I last tested both of your training progress."
Feeling his words sounded a bit too sentimental, Fugaku added at the end to clarify his intentions.
"Ahem... You'll be starting school soon. I hope you won't embarrass me there."
"Hmph! Both of you, follow me."
...