Time passed minute by minute, and darkness gradually fell over the village.
Finally, at around nine o'clock that evening, Uchiha Senba returned home.
As soon as he stepped through the front gate, he noticed someone sitting calmly in the middle of the courtyard.
"Who are you?"
Senba frowned in confusion.
The man before him looked strangely familiar, yet he couldn't immediately remember where he had seen him.
Looking at his son—now in his thirties, with a family of his own—Isamu sighed inwardly.
Time really does fly.
In the blink of an eye, that naïve little boy has grown into a grown man… and become a father himself.
But sentimentality was one thing.
Discipline was another.
No matter how old Senba had become, a disobedient son still deserved a lesson.
A cold smile appeared on Isamu's face.
"What?"
"Our distinguished Captain of the Anbu…"
"After all these years, have you already forgotten a nobody like me?"
Hearing that incredibly familiar voice, combined with the equally familiar appearance, Senba's eyes widened.
"…You…"
"That voice…"
"It can't be…"
"Mother!"
Itachi immediately tugged on Mikoto's sleeve.
"Father's back!"
Hearing that Senba had finally returned, Mikoto's drowsiness vanished instantly.
She nervously looked toward the father and son standing in the courtyard, her heart pounding.
"So…"
"You've become Captain of the Anbu, and now you're acting like a big shot."
"I finally come home, and you don't even bother coming back to welcome me."
"And now…"
"You can't even remember who I am?"
"Then let me help refresh your memory."
The moment the words fell—
Boom!
An overwhelming surge of Chakra erupted from Isamu's body.
Wild winds exploded outward.
The ground beneath his feet cracked apart.
A terrifying pressure swept directly toward Senba.
"What…?!"
Feeling that crushing aura, Senba's eyes widened in shock.
His mind instantly flashed back to the battle years ago…
…when his father had annihilated the Iwagakure shinobi.
There was no mistaking it.
That king-like pressure…
No one else in the world possessed it.
Standing nearby, both Mikoto and Itachi were equally stunned.
Shielding themselves from the violent wind, Mikoto exclaimed,
"I can't believe it…"
"After all these years, Father's strength hasn't declined at all."
"If anything…"
"He's become even stronger."
"Senba is really in trouble this time."
Meanwhile, five-year-old Itachi stared with wide eyes.
So… this is Grandfather's strength?
He had never witnessed such terrifying power before.
The scene left him completely speechless.
"Well?"
After withdrawing his Chakra, Isamu narrowed his eyes.
"Uchiha Senba."
"Do you remember who I am now?"
"F-Father…"
Disbelief filled Senba's face.
"Is it really… you?"
"Who else would it be?"
Isamu snorted.
"You really are something, Uchiha Senba."
"You didn't listen to a single word I told you before I left."
"You treated every warning I gave you as though it meant nothing."
"Well…"
"I…"
For a moment, Senba didn't know how to answer.
Before Isamu disappeared all those years ago, he had specifically warned him not to become too deeply entangled with Konoha.
Yet here he stood…
…serving as Captain of the Anbu.
There was no denying he had gone directly against his father's wishes.
Glancing briefly at Mikoto and Itachi, Isamu spoke in an unusually serious tone.
"Uchiha Senba…"
"You've truly disappointed me."
"Do you have any idea?"
"One wrong step…"
"And you'll destroy your own family."
Back then, Isamu had repeatedly warned him because he feared the tragedy from the original timeline.
He had hoped to prevent Itachi's future altogether.
Yet despite all those warnings…
Senba had still chosen to become the Captain of the Anbu.
Everything Isamu had tried to prevent was now walking straight toward them.
"Father…"
"That won't happen."
"I'll definitely protect—"
"Enough."
Isamu interrupted him immediately.
"There's no point explaining."
"If you really want to convince me…"
"Then show me your strength."
"You know how I am."
"If you want to speak to me as an equal…"
"Then let your fists do the talking."
"…"
Senba gave an awkward smile.
"Father…"
"You've only just come home."
"How about you rest for a few days?"
"We can discuss everything afterward."
Fight his father?
Absolutely impossible.
No matter how much stronger he had become over the years…
He simply couldn't bring himself to attack the man who had raised him.
Not to mention—
The memory of his father wiping out the Iwagakure army still haunted him.
He had never believed he could surpass that man.
"What?"
A look of disappointment spread across Isamu's face.
"It's only been a little over ten years…"
"And you've already lost the courage to challenge me?"
"How disappointing."
Boom!!
Isamu stomped heavily on the ground.
The courtyard exploded apart.
A crater nearly five meters across instantly formed beneath his feet.
"Father…"
Seeing the enormous crater, Senba sighed inwardly.
There was no escaping today's fight.
Realizing things were getting out of hand, Mikoto quickly pulled Itachi forward.
"Father…"
"Please calm down."
"We're all family."
"There's no need to fight."
"We can sit down and talk this through."
"Grandfather…"
Itachi added nervously,
"Please don't be angry…"
Looking at his daughter-in-law and his Grandson, Isamu's expression softened considerably.
He crouched down and gently rubbed Itachi's head.
"Little Itachi…"
"Grandfather isn't angry."
"I just want to see how much your father's improved over the years."
"Really?"
Itachi glanced back and forth between the two men.
"They don't look like people who are simply going to compare strength…"
"Haha."
Isamu smiled.
"Don't worry."
"If I really intended to deal with your father…"
"He wouldn't still be standing there talking to me."
Hearing that, Senba could only roll his eyes helplessly.
Yep.
That's definitely my father.
Never gives me even a little face.
Since the fight couldn't be avoided…
The only thing left was choosing where it would happen.
Without another word, Senba leapt onto the rooftop and sprinted toward the mountains behind Konoha.
"You little brat…"
Isamu snorted.
"Trying to run?"
With a flash of white light, he instantly gave chase.
"Fa—"
Mikoto had barely opened her mouth when both of them had already disappeared from sight.
She could only sigh helplessly.
"Honestly…"
"Mother…"
Itachi asked worriedly,
"Nothing bad is going to happen… right?"
"Nothing too serious."
Mikoto shook her head.
"But…"
"I'm afraid your father is definitely going to get a proper lesson from your Grandfather today."
"That can't be…"
Itachi frowned.
"Father is the Captain of the Anbu."
"His strength isn't inferior to the Hokage's."
"In some areas, he's even stronger."
"So how could he possibly lose…"
"…to Grandfather?"