The wooden sliding door opened with a soft scrape.
Uchiha Itachi stepped into the sitting room.
He was only six years old, yet his posture was calm, his movements deliberate. There was none of the restlessness expected of a child his age. His eyes were steady, quietly observant.
The moment he entered, Fugaku Uchiha's expression sharpened. The warmth he had shown earlier faded into the composed authority of the clan head.
He looked at his son first.
Then he gestured toward Uchiha Yoru.
"Itachi," Fugaku said, his voice firm. "From today onward, you will study under Yoru."
Itachi froze for a brief moment.
Surprise flickered across his face.
Yoru, however, smiled easily. Inwardly, he felt a quiet sense of relief. The pieces were falling into place faster than expected.
"Yes, Father," Itachi replied after a short pause.
He turned and bowed deeply to Yoru.
"Yoru-sensei."
Fugaku nodded, clearly pleased.
"Strictly speaking," he added, "Yoru is also a distant relative. You may think of him as an uncle. Learning under him will not disadvantage you."
Yoru accepted the words with a polite expression, though he understood the intent behind them. In the shinobi world, relationships were tools as much as they were bonds.
"Clan Head, you honor me," Yoru said. "I'll do everything I can to guide Itachi properly. When the time is right, I'll also inform Orochimaru-sensei. If possible, Itachi may even be suitable for the Ryuchi Cave summoning contract."
Fugaku laughed aloud, genuinely this time.
The reaction caught Itachi off guard. His father was rarely this open with his emotions.
In Fugaku's eyes, the future had just gained another layer of security.
If Itachi was tied to Yoru, and Yoru remained tied to Orochimaru, then regardless of how village politics shifted, the Uchiha would have a foothold in the Hokage faction.
"Go ahead," Fugaku said with a nod. "Get acquainted."
Yoru rose smoothly. "If that's all, I'll take Itachi with me for now."
Fugaku smiled. "Between us, you may simply call me Brother. No need to be so formal."
Yoru returned the smile, but he understood better than to take those words at face value.
"I won't forget my place," he replied carefully.
Before leaving, he added, "Orochimaru-sensei has been busy lately. I may not always be available. I'd like Shisui to assist with Itachi's training, if you agree."
Fugaku's satisfaction deepened.
"Good. I leave Itachi to you."
Shisui Uchiha was the clan's brightest prodigy of this generation. A natural mentor.
The courtyard behind the residence was wide, with a small artificial lake reflecting the sky.
Yoru, Shisui, and Itachi sat together near the water.
"Shisui," Yoru said, adopting a tone of mild apology, "I'll have to rely on you to guide Itachi for the most part."
Shisui laughed lightly. "Leave it to me, Yoru. I'll take care of him."
To Shisui, training Itachi was secondary. Strengthening ties with Orochimaru mattered more right now.
Itachi listened quietly, absorbing every word. He didn't interrupt. He stored everything away.
"So," Shisui asked casually, "what have you been learning at the Academy lately?"
Itachi straightened and answered seriously.
"We've been studying basic traps, concealment, and the Three Basic Techniques. Recently, the instructors have also been emphasizing the Will of Fire. They say the Third Hokage is the strongest Hokage in history."
The moment those words left his mouth, Shisui's smile stiffened.
Yoru, on the other hand, nodded calmly.
"That's not entirely wrong," he said. "He has ruled longer than any Hokage before him. Longevity has its own kind of strength."
Itachi hesitated, then asked quietly, "Yoru-sensei… Shisui-niisan… what exactly is the Will of Fire?"
Shisui paused, caught off guard.
Before he could answer, Yoru let out a soft chuckle.
"When someone talks about an idea," Yoru said, looking at Itachi, "you should first ask who's teaching it."
Both Itachi and Shisui fell silent.
Yoru's smile remained gentle, but his eyes were sharp.
The Academy had already begun reshaping the narrative. Heroes of the battlefield were being quietly replaced by symbols. Credit was being redirected. Loyalty was being cultivated early.
Orochimaru had never truly had a chance.
In Konoha, power alone was never enough. Without overwhelming strength, one did not challenge authority directly. One merged with it, and let it carry them upward.
Orochimaru's pride would never allow that.
Yoru watched the ripples on the water.
The village was already moving.
And the future was being decided far from the battlefield.