Chapter 368 – Uchiha Itachi
"Father… are you all right?"
Inside the Uchiha clan compound, Itachi slipped into his father's room the moment Uchiha Sō left after reporting on the situation outside.
Having witnessed the battle between his father and Kei with his own eyes, Itachi still hadn't fully recovered.
Even now, those images echoed endlessly in his mind—the Sharingan that looked utterly different from those of ordinary Uchiha, and the colossal giants capable of destroying heaven and earth.
Is this… the true power of the Uchiha clan?
Power like that could probably destroy everything.
Whenever Itachi closed his eyes, he saw it again—the overwhelming ninjutsu, the unimaginable defenses, the land at Konoha's edge completely reshaped.
This was power that had long surpassed the limits of humanity.
And at this moment, Itachi finally understood what kind of existence his father and his teacher truly were.
Now he understood why his father valued Kei so highly—why he even hoped Kei would become his teacher.
He also understood why Kei had been qualified to say that he did not acknowledge Itachi.
And why, after learning of this, his father had taken Kei's side instead of reproaching him.
Looking at it now, everything made sense.
Because Kei truly possessed both the strength and the right.
Itachi had heard countless stories about Kei—especially those circulating within the clan.
His teacher and his father had worked together to pull the Uchiha clan back from the brink, when it was already drifting away from Konoha.
And his teacher had borne almost all the blame alone, personally killing those clan leaders who had pushed for a hardline confrontation with the village.
No wonder he could say words like:
A truly strong shinobi walks forward alone, carrying the will of fallen comrades.
He had done far too much—for the Uchiha, and for Konoha.
At this moment, Itachi's greatest wish was simple:
To gain Kei's recognition.
He had been striving toward that goal for a long time now—and he no longer intended to waste his days in the Ninja Academy.
He had already mastered almost everything the Academy could teach him.
Staying there held little value anymore. His goal lay far beyond that place—toward the heights where Kei stood.
Especially since today, he had also seen the Fourth Hokage.
That Hokage shared an exceptionally close relationship with Kei and with his father.
Itachi hoped to inherit that connection.
So he could no longer afford to waste time.
Of course, part of him still harbored resentment toward Kei.
Because Kei had struck far too hard.
Itachi hadn't forgotten that his father's Susanoo had been severed—four arms cut away, its head cleaved off.
Such damage was terrifying.
He couldn't help but worry whether it might have harmed his father.
"I'm fine. Don't worry."
Fugaku glanced at Itachi, lifted a teacup, and took a slow sip before speaking.
"It's already late. Why aren't you resting? …But since you're here, sit."
"Yes, Father."
Itachi nodded and sat properly across from him.
"Kei may have struck hard, but you underestimate the defensive power of Susanoo."
Fugaku set the cup down, his tone calm.
"Very few techniques can destroy a Susanoo. Unless the opponent possesses power of the same level—or greater. Unfortunately, Kei is one of those people."
"So… Kei-sensei's Susanoo is stronger than yours?"
Itachi nodded lightly.
It had to be stronger.
Though he felt that Susanoo shouldn't be judged purely by size—after all, his father's Susanoo was armored—
Strategically speaking, Kei's Susanoo was far more terrifying.
The ability to move alone made it superior to a stationary fortress in every way.
And judging by his father's words, Kei also possessed the same kind of Susanoo—
Only at a higher stage.
"It is stronger," Fugaku admitted quietly.
"According to the records, his Susanoo has already reached the fourth stage."
He sighed softly.
"Kei has always been stronger than me. Perhaps because he has spent so long on the front lines… or perhaps because he began studying Susanoo far earlier. I am not his match."
"The fourth stage…"
Itachi froze.
He hadn't even realized Susanoo had so many stages.
Still, he tried to comfort his father.
"Father, you achieved this level of Susanoo in just one year. I doubt Kei-sensei could match that."
"You still underestimate your teacher," Fugaku shook his head, letting out a weary sigh.
"There are things I never intended to tell you… but perhaps now is the time."
"Have you noticed? In my teachings, I rarely instruct you in chakra control or ninjutsu anymore. Instead, I focus almost entirely on helping you understand and judge the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha."
"I believe Father must have his reasons," Itachi replied calmly.
"And I believe it was for my sake. This kind of teaching broadens one's vision. Only with a broader perspective can one stand higher—and understand things that were once incomprehensible."
Fugaku nodded.
Over the past two years, he had deliberately changed how he taught Itachi.
Instead of focusing on techniques and chakra, he guided him toward deeper matters—
How to live as a person.
Politics—things ordinary shinobi would never touch.
The goal was simple: to elevate Itachi's understanding.
So he would not be easily deceived, as Uchiha Shisui once had been.
Though now, Shisui seemed to have realized something as well.
Fugaku didn't know exactly what Shisui was doing—
But fragments of his actions and behavior had been passed to him and to Kei through Uchiha Jin.
And all of it was being handled by Kei himself.
Fugaku didn't need to interfere.
Between him and Kei, an unspoken understanding had formed:
Fugaku handled matters within the clan.
Kei handled matters outside it.
Under this dual structure, the Uchiha clan was thriving.
This was a system that promised a far better future.
As for what lay even further ahead—
That was no longer Fugaku's concern.
By then, he would be old… perhaps already gone.
Those decisions would belong to the next generation.
Even so, Fugaku had resolved to tell Kei one thing:
When he eventually stepped down as clan head, Kei must supervise him.
He refused to become one of those elders who clung to power.
More than that, he wanted to warn Kei as well—
When they grew old, they must not become obstacles to the young.
Too many dragon-slayers became dragons themselves.
And someone like Kei—who wielded the art of slaying dragons—was truly terrifying.
If such a man ever succumbed to greed for power, the disaster he could bring upon the next generation would be immeasurable.
If necessary, Fugaku would oppose him even at the cost of his life—
Though he suspected he would lose.
"Yes," Fugaku said softly.
"I wanted you to see further—to break free from the narrow confines of clan and village. Only by stepping beyond those boundaries can you truly see the world."
Fugaku nodded, his gaze steady as he looked at Itachi.
"Your future is immeasurable, and you work hard for it. Strength is important—but what I truly hope is that your vision can match your strength. You are a child of the Uchiha clan; I have no worries about your power. What I worry about is—"
"I understand, Father," Itachi said seriously, nodding without hesitation.
"I will never allow myself to become a tool used by others, nor will I confine my vision to a narrow corner. Like you and Kei-sensei, I will not only be a guardian of the Uchiha—I will also be a guardian of Konoha."
"That is a very good ideal," Fugaku said, a faint smile appearing on his face. "But you still need to work hard."
Then, after a brief pause, he continued, "However, I've heard that you wish to take the graduation exam and become a full-fledged shinobi. Is that correct?"
"Ah—"
Itachi froze for a moment. He hadn't expected his father to already know.
Still, he nodded honestly. "Yes. Kei-sensei left the Academy and entered the battlefield when he was only seven or eight years old. Shisui-niisan has also been a shinobi for quite some time now. There's very little left for me to learn at the Ninja Academy, so…"
He hesitated briefly, then spoke his thoughts in full.
Since his father already knew, there was no point in hiding it. More importantly, Itachi hoped for his father's approval.
After all, he had a teacher who had risen from nothing—Kei—and an elder-brother-like figure in Uchiha Shisui.
Both were prodigies who had left the Academy early.
Itachi wanted to follow the same path.
"If you want to imitate Kei and Shisui," Fugaku said bluntly, shaking his head, "then my evaluation is this: that thinking is immature."
Itachi was startled.
"Admittedly, early exposure to real combat can be beneficial. But your current environment cannot provide the same kind of tempering. Kei's path cannot be replicated—he survived countless near-death experiences in war.
"As for Shisui, the circumstances of his time allowed him to grow on the battlefield. Your conditions are better than theirs—but precisely because of that, your growth is affected in a different way."
"Then, Father," Itachi asked respectfully, frowning slightly, "what choice should I make?"
"Isn't your greatest wish to gain Kei's recognition?"
"Yes, Father."
"Then think carefully about this question," Fugaku said calmly. "Think from a higher vantage point. And if you wish—go and ask Kei himself."
"I… I understand, Father."