Setting the clothes back down, Isamu's gaze landed on a ninja tool pouch lying beside the bed. He walked over, picked it up, and began examining its contents, taking out shuriken and kunai one by one.
"Judging by the wear on these kunai, my Grandson—whom I haven't even met yet—must train very hard. Not bad. He's already this diligent at such a young age. It seems our family's legacy is in good hands."
From the condition of the weapons alone, Isamu could tell that his Grandson was an exceptionally hardworking child, and that pleased him immensely.
Click.
Just then, the bedroom door opened.
A little boy dressed in black training clothes stepped inside.
Hearing the sound, Isamu turned around, and a smile instantly spread across his face.
That familiar face—one he had only seen in his previous life—stood before him.
There was no mistake.
This child was Uchiha Itachi.
Aside from the faint lack of the signature nasolabial lines he would develop as an adult, he looked exactly the same.
"Who are you?" Itachi asked with a stern expression, speaking with the composure of a little adult. "Why are you in my room? Didn't I make it clear that no one is allowed in here without my permission? What are you doing?"
He assumed Isamu was simply a newly hired servant.
Even at his age, Itachi was already different from ordinary children.
"Heh. Is there anywhere I can't go if I want to?" Isamu folded his arms across his chest and grinned mischievously. "What's wrong, kid? Got a problem with that?"
Seeing the real Uchiha Itachi in person made Isamu feel unexpectedly playful.
"Hm…"
Itachi narrowed his eyes.
"Judging by your attitude, you're definitely not one of our servants."
His gaze shifted toward the open wardrobe and the ninja tool pouch in Isamu's hand.
"…You're a thief."
"A thief?"
Isamu looked around the room before realizing how Itachi had reached that conclusion.
Shaking his head, he replied,
"I'm definitely not a servant, but you're wrong about the thief part. There's nothing valuable in this room. If I were a thief, I'd rob the storage room instead. That would make a lot more sense."
"Oh?"
A faint smile appeared on Itachi's face.
"Actually, if you hadn't explained yourself, I might have doubted my conclusion."
"But the more you explain, the more convinced I am."
"People only make lengthy excuses when they're feeling guilty."
"So you've just confirmed that you're the thief."
"Hahaha!"
Isamu burst into laughter.
"Interesting! Very interesting!"
"You're analyzing psychology at your age?"
"You really don't act like an ordinary five-year-old."
Today, Isamu had finally witnessed the legendary genius of Uchiha Itachi firsthand.
Clear-headed.
Sharp.
Excellent at analyzing people.
A natural strategist.
So even as a child, he had already been extraordinary.
"So you've admitted it."
Itachi glared at him.
"You broke into our house to steal. You've got some nerve."
Breaking into the home of the Captain of the Anbu…
Either this man possessed incredible ability…
…or there was something seriously wrong with his brain.
Looking at the strange white robes Isamu wore—and noticing that he couldn't sense the slightest trace of Chakra from him—Itachi leaned heavily toward the second conclusion.
Ninety-nine percent chance he's mentally unstable.
The guards actually let someone like this sneak inside… they're completely useless.
Of course, what Itachi didn't know was that Isamu's strength had already surpassed anything he could comprehend.
The gap between them was like comparing a single spark to the stars in the night sky.
To Itachi, Isamu naturally appeared no different from an ordinary civilian.
"Hey now."
Isamu curled his lips.
"I didn't sneak in."
"I walked through the front gate openly."
"Sneaking around is beneath someone of my status."
"Your status, huh…"
Itachi sighed.
"I really don't know which institution let you out."
"Come on, Uncle."
"I'll take you back."
With that, he grabbed Isamu's hand and began leading him toward the door.
"Uncle?"
Isamu's eyes widened.
"What uncle?"
"I'm old enough to be your Grandfather."
"You can't just mix up the generations like that."
Hearing this, Itachi became even more convinced that the man before him had something wrong with his head.
He clearly looks around thirty… yet he insists on being my Grandfather.
No normal person says something like that.
Choosing not to argue, Itachi simply continued pulling him through the hallway toward the front entrance.
Just then—
"M-… Father? Itachi?"
Uchiha Mikoto rounded the corner and froze.
Looking at the pair holding hands, her face filled with confusion.
What happened?
How did these two end up together so quickly?
"Father…"
Itachi stared blankly.
"W-What's going on?"
Hearing his mother call this strange man "Father," his entire mind went blank.
Wasn't he supposed to be a thief?
How did he suddenly become… Mother's father?
He couldn't process it at all.
"Father, where are you going?" Mikoto asked.
"I have no idea."
Isamu shrugged innocently.
"This little guy said he was taking me back somewhere."
"I still don't know where he's planning to take me."
"Itachi!"
Mikoto immediately flicked him on the forehead.
"It's almost lunchtime."
"Why are you dragging your Grandfather around instead of bringing him to eat?"
"Grand… Grandfather?"
Itachi's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
How did I suddenly become his Grandson?
He doesn't look like a Grandfather at all!
Then realization struck him.
Wait…
If he isn't the crazy one…
Then he was messing with me this whole time!
Damn it!
"What's gotten into you today?" Mikoto said with a helpless smile before turning to Isamu.
"Oh, Father, I forgot to introduce him."
"This is Senba's and my son—Uchiha Itachi."
"He's five years old this year and just enrolled in the Ninja Academy a few days ago."
As she spoke, she smiled proudly while introducing her precious son to Isamu.