Fugaku had been asking questions, trying to understand exactly how Naruto was training.
Sasuke repeated everything he had seen with his own eyes.
Fugaku and Mikoto exchanged glances. Both of them looked conflicted, carrying equal parts confusion, concern, and reluctant admiration.
This method of training was something Fugaku had never witnessed before. For a six-year-old child, wasn't this the kind of regimen that could permanently damage his body?
"I heard from Kakashi that Naruto's taijutsu teacher is Might Guy," Fugaku finally said.
Mikoto thought for a moment. "The taijutsu specialist in the village? The jōnin who's considered a physical arts prodigy?"
"That's right." Fugaku nodded slightly. "If it's him, then I don't need to worry too much. With Guy's experience, he would never let Naruto's body suffer irreversible harm."
The shadow of worry faded from Mikoto's face.
"You truly are my son," Fugaku added, looking at Sasuke with an uncharacteristic softness. "Your talent is beginning to rival even Itachi's."
For once, the stern Uchiha patriarch allowed a smile to crease his features. Sasuke's lips curved into a bright, pleased grin.
"But… don't follow Itachi's path." Fugaku's sudden change of tone stunned his younger son.
Sasuke froze. For so long, he had treated his older brother as the light ahead of him, the goal he chased relentlessly. But now, his father was forbidding him from walking that road?
"Instead, follow Naruto's example," Fugaku continued, voice deep and commanding. "As an Uchiha, you cannot allow yourself to be left behind by him."
At the mention of Naruto's training, Sasuke clenched his fists. The memory of Naruto's relentless effort surged in his mind, and determination flashed across his young face. He nodded with gravity, no hesitation in his expression.
"Good. Go rest." Fugaku waved his hand, dismissing him.
Sasuke bowed slightly and left, leaving Fugaku and Mikoto alone in the quiet of the sitting room.
"Has Itachi still not returned?" Fugaku suddenly asked.
"No," Mikoto replied, shaking her head.
Fugaku's brow tightened. His expression grew darker.
Mikoto's eyes filled with worry. Recently, the tension between Itachi and Fugaku and by extension, between Itachi and the Uchiha clan had only worsened.
She felt torn in two. On one side stood her husband, on the other, her eldest son. Both were her flesh and blood. How could she possibly choose?
The clan itself was nearing the edge of open conflict with the village. The radical faction whispered treason in Fugaku's ear. Kill the Third Hokage and the elders, they urged. Let the Uchiha take control of Konoha. Make Fugaku Hokage.
Some even whispered more dangerous schemes: bring Naruto into the Uchiha compound again, seize control of him, release the Nine-Tails, and make the beast their weapon.
That plan earned Fugaku's furious rejection. He forbade Sasuke from ever bringing Naruto to the clan's grounds again.
As long as Naruto stayed inside the village, Fugaku believed he would be safe. The Third Hokage surely had Anbu shadows protecting the boy in secret.
Sasuke knew nothing of these darker undercurrents. To him, his days remained simple training side by side with Naruto.
Soon Hinata began joining them as well. Recently, her chakra reserves and physical strength had grown at an astonishing rate, leaving even her father Hiashi puzzled. Could it be that his daughter's true talent was only now surfacing?
Naruto, ever practical, even taught her the Shadow Clone Technique. Hinata used her clones to attend classes while her true body trained with Naruto and Sasuke.
The Hyūga clan specialized in close combat, their gentle fist style enhanced by the Byakugan. They were never known for elemental ninjutsu. Their entire legacy centered around refining the body and channeling chakra precisely.
Naruto's philosophy fit them perfectly. Instead of forcing young children to master complex family techniques, he believed they should first build the strongest possible foundation.
Guy had told him once: whether taijutsu or ninjutsu, everything came down to the body. A weak body limited chakra. A weak body blunted taijutsu. But a strong body? That was a wellspring of endless chakra, fists that struck like hammers, legs that broke stone, a living weapon sharpened by discipline.
Hinata listened to Naruto with quiet obedience. Soon she, Sasuke, and Naruto were running, sparring, and pushing themselves day after day.
To Sasuke's horror, Hinata progressed faster than him.
Why? Because she ate more. That was her gift.
Every meal became fuel for her training, creating a cycle of growth he couldn't match.
Frustrated, Sasuke forced himself to eat past his limit every day, determined not to fall behind. If food meant energy, then he would devour it all.
And so the three of them grew. Days turned into weeks.
But then, one evening, Naruto noticed Sasuke seemed off.
After much prodding, Sasuke finally whispered, "Shisui… Shisui is dead. The clan says he committed suicide, but others believe he was murdered."
"Shisui? Who's that?" Naruto scratched his head.
"My brother's closest friend. One of the strongest shinobi in our clan," Sasuke replied, his face pale. He remembered clearly the day members of the clan stormed their home to confront Itachi. Fugaku had stopped the fight before it started, but for a fleeting moment Sasuke saw Itachi's eyes shift patterns more intricate than any Sharingan he knew.
He didn't understand what those eyes were. But he felt the suffocating killing intent radiating from his brother in that instant.
It terrified him.
"We're still too weak," Naruto said quietly. His voice carried none of his usual cheer. "Even if we wanted to do something, how could we? Shisui was one of the greatest in your clan. If even he died without answers, what can we do?"
Sasuke's fists trembled. For the first time in his young life, the weight of powerlessness pressed on him. His Sharingan, triggered by grief and frustration, spun open again.
"Sasuke, are you alright?" Hinata gasped, startled by the sudden glow in his eyes.
He drew in a sharp breath, forcing the power down, closing the eye. He shook his head. "I'm fine. Let's just keep training."
And he did. Harder than ever. Every punch and kick was filled with desperation.
Naruto and Hinata exchanged a worried glance, then joined him.
Together, the three trained, their strength growing day by day.
But far from their innocent circle, in the shadows of the village, another story was unfolding.
The clang of steel rang out in the night.
Sparks leapt into the darkness as blades clashed.
Three figures broke apart two masked Anbu standing together, facing a lone shinobi with cold eyes.
It was Itachi Uchiha.
"We've worked with you long enough to know your tricks," one of the masked men said with a cruel laugh. "You won't catch us in your gaze. We won't look into your eyes."
"Attack!" the other barked, and they rushed forward.
Their blades struck true or so they thought.
Pain seared their chests. Both gasped, blood spilling from their mouths. Confusion twisted their features as they realized their swords weren't buried in Itachi at all.
They had pierced each other's hearts.
"How… when did you use your genjutsu?" one of them choked, terror replacing arrogance.
Itachi's figure emerged from the shadows, eyes like frozen fire. "From the first moment we fought, I placed a suggestion in your minds. The instant you chose to kill me, it activated."
He looked at their collapsing bodies without a flicker of emotion. Even though they had once been his comrades, they were nothing to him now.
Then his gaze lifted, turning toward a deeper patch of shadow. His voice was cold, stripped of all warmth.
"I know you're there."