"That old fossil!"
Kushina slammed her palm against the table so hard that the dessert plates jumped, and the poor ball of red yarn rolled off the edge and disappeared into the corner of the room.
The warmth in her expression vanished in an instant.
In its place came the fierce pressure of the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki.
Her long red hair rose behind her like living flames, splitting into wild strands that seemed ready to lash out at anything nearby.
"That shameless old bastard!" Kushina snapped. "He keeps circling around us like a rotten crow! First he keeps staring at me, then he targets Minato, and now he's daring to move against you too? One day I'm going to break that cane of his and stuff it right up his nose!"
Tsukiko almost burst out laughing.
She reacted quickly, diving forward and burying her face against Kushina's shoulder so the grin on her face would stay hidden.
"Sister, calm down, calm down," she said in her sweetest voice. "If you get too angry, you'll stop being pretty. Villains like him always get what's coming to them."
What she did not say out loud was much simpler.
Three of his little pets are already dead.
And Danzo… your turn will come sooner or later.
At that exact moment, far below the village, hidden within the dark underground tunnels of Root, Danzo Shimura sat in a chamber lit by a few trembling candles. The unsteady light made the bandages on his face look even more sinister.
A Root shinobi knelt before him, forehead pressed to the floor.
"Lord Danzo," the man said, his voice tight with fear, "the three operatives sent to bring Uchiha Tsukiko in… have all died in the line of duty."
Danzo's cane struck the ground with a hard crack.
"Died in the line of duty?"
His single exposed eye narrowed.
"How?"
The kneeling shinobi swallowed.
"That is the strange part. There were no traces of a large-scale ninjutsu battle. No signs of outside interference. No chakra residue from any third party."
He hesitated, then forced himself to continue.
"All three were killed by a single clean cut to the neck. Their carotid arteries were severed instantly. The wounds were smooth, precise, and fatal. Based on the scene, it appears they were all killed almost at the same time. None of them had the chance to react."
Danzo fell silent.
Three trained Root operatives.
Killed instantly.
And without a struggle.
That was not something a normal child could do.
No matter how talented.
Which meant one of two things.
Either Tsukiko was hiding far more than anyone had imagined…
Or someone powerful was protecting her from the shadows.
Danzo's fingers slowly tightened around the handle of his cane.
Minato? Impossible. He was in the Hokage Office.
Kakashi? Unlikely.
An Uchiha expert?
That last thought made his expression sink even further.
If the Uchiha clan still had hidden power capable of silently eliminating Root agents inside Konoha itself, then their threat level had just increased sharply.
After a long silence, Danzo finally spoke.
"Dispose of the bodies."
The shinobi tensed.
"And this matter," Danzo said in a voice like ice scraping stone, "goes no further."
He could not bring this into the open.
He could hardly go to Minato and say, I tried to abduct your student, but my men died instead.
That would only expose his own actions and hand Minato the moral advantage.
So he had no choice but to swallow the loss.
Quietly.
Bitterly.
"Uchiha…" Danzo murmured, his gaze darkening. "It seems I underestimated this variable."
Back above ground, Tsukiko was still using all of her skill to soothe Kushina's temper.
"Sister, don't waste your energy thinking about that old man," she said, lifting her head and smiling brightly. "Look at your scarf. It's almost become a mop. Why don't we go out instead? I suddenly want Ichiraku ramen. I heard Uncle Teuchi added a new flavor."
Kushina blinked.
The fire in her eyes dimmed a little.
"Ramen?"
Then, just like that, appetite won out over rage.
"That actually sounds amazing," she admitted. "Knitting is exhausting. Eating noodles is a much better way to calm down."
Tsukiko jumped up at once.
"Then let's go! Today I'm eating two bowls. And I'm adding extra chashu."
Kushina laughed, and the tension finally broke.
As they rushed out together, Tsukiko's smile sharpened for just a second.
Danzo, this is only the beginning.
The day I burn your nest to the ground, I hope your heart is strong enough to survive it.
---
The end of winter came slowly to Konoha.
By late February, the harshest cold had faded, but the wind still carried a sharp chill as it swept over the training grounds and bent the dry yellow grass near the riverbank.
Tsukiko stood alone in the open field.
Her hands flashed through seals.
Then she inhaled deeply.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
A blazing wall of fire roared from her mouth.
The flames surged forward in a sweeping wave, the heat distorting the air and turning the riverbank orange with reflected light.
When the technique ended, Tsukiko let out a slow breath tinged with smoke and lowered her hands.
"Not bad," she murmured, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Still smaller than I want, but definitely stronger than before."
The ancient Fire Release scroll Fugaku had given her was no joke.
In the hands of an ordinary Uchiha, it would already be valuable.
In Tsukiko's hands, with her absurd chakra control and relentless practice, it was becoming something dangerous.
The past two months had been strangely peaceful.
And wonderfully comfortable.
During the day, she did her patrol work with the Military Police while enjoying the way people whispered about her.
In the afternoons, she trained either with Fire Release near the river or with Minato on Flying Thunder God theory and movement.
In the evenings…
That was when life became complicated.
She could go to Kushina and enjoy her loud warmth and shameless affection.
She could visit Mikoto and fall into that calm, gentle atmosphere that made every meal feel like home.
Or, if she behaved for once, she could return to her own house and spend time with her adoptive mother, whose quiet kindness still softened her heart more than she liked to admit.
It was a ridiculous life.
A spoiled, shameless, beautiful life.
And Tsukiko had no intention of giving it up.
She glanced at the sky.
The sun was already dropping, painting the clouds with orange and red.
"Perfect timing," she muttered. "I'll go to Aunt Mikoto's place tonight. Uncle Fugaku is away on a mission, which means this is basically a gift from heaven."
With that, she dusted off her clothes and headed back toward the village.
On the way, she stopped at a flower shop.
Bright red camellias caught her eye at once.
"Wrap these for me," she said. "Use the prettiest paper you have."
The shopkeeper recognized her immediately and hurried to obey. By the time he handed the bouquet over, he had even added an extra flower for free.
Tsukiko left in an even better mood than before.
By now, her reputation had spread through the Uchiha district completely.
The Hokage's disciple.
The little genius who had learned Flying Thunder God.
The girl even the clan head treated seriously.
When she entered the compound, the suspicious stares that used to follow her had noticeably faded. The old conservatives still looked stern, but now they at least greeted her with stiff nods instead of cold silence.
Power changed everything.
She stopped by her own house first.
Her father was out, likely assisting with clan matters, but her mother was home.
Tsukiko handed her one of the flowers with a grin, accepted the affectionate scolding that followed, and casually announced that she would be staying at Aunt Mikoto's house that night.
Then she slipped away before any more questions could be asked.
When she reached Fugaku's home and pushed open the door, the courtyard was quiet.
"Aunt Mikoto!" she called brightly. "I'm here for dinner!"
Mikoto stepped out from inside wearing an apron, a pair of scissors still in hand. She seemed to have been arranging flowers when she came to the door.
Her eyes widened when she saw the bouquet.
"For me?"
"Of course." Tsukiko ran up, placed the camellias in her hands, then hugged her without shame. "I heard Uncle is away tonight. So I thought I should come brighten your evening."
Mikoto shook her head with a helpless smile, but the softness in her expression gave her away.
"You really do hear everything quickly."
She gently tapped Tsukiko on the forehead.
"Since you're here, don't just stand around. The soup is still on the stove. Go make sure it doesn't boil over."
"Understood!"
Tsukiko kicked off her sandals, tossed her tool pouch near the door, and hurried into the kitchen.
The scent hit her immediately.
Chicken soup, simmered slowly.
Rich, warm, and comforting.
As she lifted the lid and stirred it gently, steam rose around her face.
For one quiet moment, she smiled to herself.
This is what I want.
Not conspiracies. Not Root. Not clan politics.
Just warmth. Good food. And beautiful women who know how to make soup.
The front door opened.
Footsteps entered the house.
Then came a familiar voice.
"I'm home."
Tsukiko glanced out from the kitchen and saw Itachi stepping inside.
At first glance, he looked normal.
But only at first glance.
His clothes were dusty. There were light scratches on his face. More importantly, his eyes looked wrong.
Not injured.
Not frightened.
Just… hollow.
As if someone had planted a poisonous thought in his head and left it there to grow.
Tsukiko's smile faded.
"Itachi?" she asked. "What happened to you? Don't tell me you picked a fight with a wild boar."
He looked up at her.
The expression in his eyes was so heavy that even Tsukiko felt her chest tighten a little.
"Sister Tsukiko," he said hoarsely, "if sacrificing a small number of people can protect a larger number… then is that sacrifice correct?"
The kitchen fell silent.
Tsukiko slowly set down the ladle.
So it had finally happened.
Someone had started feeding him that poison.
That twisted logic.
Village above family.
Peace through sacrifice.
The kind of rotten thinking that sounded noble from far away and only revealed its filth when it demanded the blood of people you loved.
She dried her hands carefully and leaned against the counter.
"Who told you that?" she asked.
Itachi lowered his gaze.
He didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Tsukiko let out a sharp breath through her nose.
"Was it some instructor? Some elder? Some idiot who thinks sounding cold makes them wise?"
Itachi remained silent.
Then, softly, he said, "If it's for peace… then maybe some sacrifice is unavoidable."
Tsukiko stared at him for a long second.
Then she walked forward and flicked him hard on the forehead.
The snap was loud enough to echo in the kitchen.
Itachi stumbled back two steps, one hand flying to his head.
His eyes watered instantly.
"Does it hurt?" Tsukiko asked flatly.
He blinked in shock.
"…Yes."
"Good."
She stepped closer.
"So now you understand the first part."
Before he could recover, she flicked him again, lighter this time but with perfect accuracy.
Itachi glared at her in confusion.
"Sister—"
"No. Listen."
Tsukiko grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him closer until he had no choice but to look directly into her eyes.
"You say sacrifice is acceptable if it protects the greater number."
"Fine."
Her voice became cold.
"Then what if the people being sacrificed are your mother?"
Itachi froze.
"What if it's Sasuke?" Tsukiko pressed. "What if it's Aunt Mikoto? What if it's Izumi?"
His face turned white.
"No…"
"Why not?" Tsukiko said mercilessly. "If it protects the majority, shouldn't that be fine? Isn't that what you just said?"
He took a shaky breath.
"I… I can't…"
"That's right, you can't."
She released his shirt, but her gaze did not soften.
"Because the moment those people become real to you, your noble idea falls apart."
Itachi's breathing grew uneven.
"But if doing it prevents war—"
"Then the adults have failed," Tsukiko cut in instantly. "And they're trying to make children carry the cost of their weakness."
That hit him harder than the flicks had.
He stared at her, speechless.
Tsukiko crouched down so that her eyes were level with his.
"Listen carefully, Itachi."
"A coward chooses between two people and says only one can be saved."
"A fool chooses one and then spends the rest of his life pretending it was justice."
"A truly strong person is greedy."
She tapped him on the chest.
"A truly strong person says: I want to protect both."
Itachi's lips parted slightly.
Tsukiko continued, slower now.
"If someone tells you that you must choose between the village and the clan, tell them no."
"If someone tells you peace demands the death of people you love, tell them to achieve peace without asking children to stain their hands."
"If someone tries to corner you with impossible choices…"
Her eyes sharpened.
"Then become strong enough that no one can force those choices on you in the first place."
Itachi looked shaken.
"But that's difficult," he whispered.
Tsukiko snorted.
"Of course it's difficult. If it were easy, what would geniuses like us even be for?"
For the first time since entering the house, something in his expression cracked.
Not into a smile.
But into thought.
Real thought.
Not the dead, borrowed logic someone had shoved into his head.
Just then, Mikoto called from the other room.
"You two, what are you doing in there? The soup is ready."
Tsukiko straightened at once.
"Coming! Itachi just had a fight with the ground and lost!"
Itachi looked up in alarm.
She gave him a sideways wink.
Then, more quietly, she added, "That's what you're protecting, idiot."
He blinked.
Tsukiko lifted the soup pot and headed for the dining room.
"Warm food. Home. Aunt Mikoto smiling when you walk in the door. If peace costs all that, then it isn't peace. It's just a graveyard with better public relations."
That finally made something inside him shift.
By the time he followed her out, the emptiness in his eyes had eased.
---
Dinner that night was unusually warm.
Without Fugaku's stern presence at the table, the house felt softer somehow.
Mikoto seemed to notice that something had happened with Itachi, but she wisely chose not to ask. She simply kept placing food into his bowl and watching him with quiet concern.
Itachi, for his part, was much calmer.
Still thoughtful.
Still silent.
But not broken.
At one point, he even wordlessly passed Tsukiko a tissue when he noticed a bit of sauce on her cheek.
Tsukiko accepted it with the dignity of a queen.
Then Mikoto remembered something.
"Oh, Tsukiko, your mother came by this afternoon."
Tsukiko looked up from the chicken wing in her hand.
"My mother? Why? Don't tell me she's already trying to arrange my marriage. I'm seven."
Mikoto laughed.
"No, nothing like that. The Uchiha Spring Festival is only a few days away. Your family branch is helping organize it this year, and she wants your help."
Tsukiko's eyes lit up instantly.
The Uchiha Spring Festival.
Food stalls.
Fireworks.
Music.
Everyone dressed properly for once.
And, more importantly, plenty of chances to see beautiful people looking their best.
"How could I not go?" she declared at once. "This is a sacred family duty."
Then her grin widened.
"And I'm bringing Sister Kushina with me."
Mikoto paused.
"Kushina?"
"Of course." Tsukiko waved a hand. "What better way to show everyone the Hokage family and the Uchiha are getting along just fine? Let the bitter old rats choke on it."
Mikoto's expression shifted from surprise to concern, then finally to quiet amusement.
"You really do think boldly."
Tsukiko bit into another piece of food and grinned.
"That's because I'm right."
Across the table, Itachi glanced at her.
There was still confusion in his eyes.
Still conflict.
But there was something else there now too.
A small, stubborn spark.
And Tsukiko knew that was enough for tonight.
Because some corrections were made with lectures.
Some were made with fear.
And some—
Some had to be made over hot soup, family warmth, and a sharp slap to the head before the darkness could sink too deep.
Tonight, at least, Itachi had stepped back from the edge.
And that was worth more than any mission reward.
----------------------------------------
Extra chapters available on patreon
patreon.com/Samurai492 🔥🔥🔥
__________________________________