Although Uchiha Izumi was a lovely, gentle girl, Ryōsuke wasn't the type to interfere in someone else's budding feelings—if Izumi truly liked Itachi, and if Itachi wasn't the future brainwashed executioner of the Uchiha clan.
That was a very big "if."
Besides, there were countless beauties across the shinobi world. Since he had the name "Uchiha Ryōsuke," naturally he planned to live like a man capable of driving the "biggest car" possible.
And his Many Wives, Many Blessings system gave even better rewards based on the strength of the woman who bore his children.
And the strongest kunoichi in the entire world?
None other than Tsunade of the Sannin.
Right now she was still in her thirties—still breathtaking, still at her peak.
In the original storyline, Tsunade grew old in loneliness, carrying grief across decades.
To Ryōsuke, that future was unacceptable.
A woman without a man is as pitiful as a man without a woman.
Tsunade deserved better. Much better.
Saving her… perhaps even giving her "maternity leave"… sounded absurd now, but not impossible.
If he were bold enough, he might even try to put Kaguya Ōtsutsuki on maternity leave someday.
Crazy? Yes.
Impossible? Maybe not.
Itachi, of course, disliked Ryōsuke.
The last time they met, Ryōsuke had shown rather blatant possessiveness toward Izumi, which had unsettled him.
Itachi didn't trust him near her—Izumi was precious, someone he sincerely wanted to protect.
The Uchiha were proud, intense, and often impulsive. What if Ryōsuke said something inappropriate to her?
Izumi was a good girl. Too good.
Izumi glanced nervously between the two boys. Their expressions were stiff, neither looking friendly.
They were clansmen—she didn't want them at odds.
So she made a suggestion with a bright smile:
"Ryosuke-nii, I asked Itachi to teach me kunai throwing. Why don't you join us?
I want your guidance too!"
She hoped that while both of them taught her, their relationship might soften.
Ryōsuke nodded immediately.
This was a perfect opportunity to talk to Itachi—to start planting seeds to pull him away from that twisted "Will of Fire" interpretation.
Itachi remained calm and distant.
There was no need to take Ryōsuke too seriously. Two-tomoe Sharingan or not, Ryōsuke was still weak—no different from any ordinary chūnin in his eyes.
His priority was Izumi.
His shurikenjutsu could curve mid-air and kill from impossible angles. But Izumi didn't need any of that right now.
She needed basics. Stability. Reliability.
He drew a kunai, explaining:
"Izumi, the key is to grip firmly, shift your body slightly, and use your waist for power.
Your arm only adds acceleration—the real control is in your torso."
"That's how you get accuracy, speed, and force."
Izumi listened carefully, but her eyes showed confusion.
Itachi slowed down, demonstrating again with patient clarity.
He flicked the kunai.
Thunk—
It buried itself dead-center in the tree trunk.
Izumi gasped. Itachi's precision was flawless, and his explanation was clearer than any academy teacher's.
She tried next.
Her kunai flew slightly off from center—but struck true and remained firmly embedded.
Izumi's face lit up.
"Itachi, your explanation was amazing! Just following your method once already helped so much! You really are a genius!"
"It's only the basics," Itachi replied, though warmth touched his voice.
Seeing Izumi smile always softened him.
Ryōsuke, watching from the side, absorbed every detail of Itachi's explanation with ease. His system-boosted learning made it simple.
But in real combat, kunai throwing wasn't a decisive art.
It was usually a distraction, a feint—something to hide another technique, like a clone or substitution.
Izumi suddenly looked at him.
"Ryosuke-nii, do you want to try too?"
Ryōsuke didn't refuse.
He extended his hand. "Kunai."
Izumi blinked, then quickly placed one in his palm.
He mimicked Itachi's form exactly—slight tilt, controlled waist power, sharp flick.
Thunk.
The kunai pierced the tree trunk, nearly center.
Izumi's eyes widened.
"Ryosuke-nii, you're amazing too!"
Ryōsuke laughed.
"When you reach chūnin level, you'll throw like this as well. I'm just copying Itachi's method—he explained it well."
Beside them, Itachi paused.
This was… strange.
Last time they met, Ryōsuke practically radiated hostility and territorial behavior.
Now he was praising him?
Something felt off.
Izumi, though, felt relieved.
As expected—getting the two to spend time together was helping.
She continued practicing until her pouch was empty. Some kunai even sailed deep into the woods.
With a sheepish laugh, she said:
"I'll go look for them before I lose any!"
Then she hopped away into the trees like a little rabbit.
Now only Ryōsuke and Itachi remained.
Silence settled.
Perfect.
Izumi couldn't hear what needed to be said. Clan matters were far too heavy for a child.
Ryōsuke turned to Itachi, smiling thinly.
"If the clan and the village leadership ever come into conflict…
Which side will you stand on?"
Itachi's breath caught.
A simple question—but it pierced straight into the secret he carried.
Right now, he wore an ANBU mask.
Officially, he was meant to observe Konoha's upper ranks for the clan.
But in truth, he was already the Hokage's mole within the Uchiha.
He had promised the Hokage to report clan secrets in exchange for "peace."
A double-agent.
He did it because he believed preventing war was worth any cost.
He believed he alone could stop bloodshed.
Ryosuke's question… was too sharp.
Too direct.
He couldn't reveal anything.
Not to a moderate.
Not to a radical.
Not to anyone.
So he answered with a calm, perfect smile:
"Of course I would stand with the clan.
After all… I am Uchiha."
Inside, though—
his heart tightened.
Because even he wasn't sure that was true anymore.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 50 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/maniacvman