---
"Is Aunt Kushina's child like that too?"
Unlike many other ninjas his age, Uchiha Itachi was already a member of the Anbu Black Ops, directly under the command of the Hokage. As such, he was privy to many of Konoha's deepest secrets.
He knew that Naruto Uzumaki was the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki. They had both died protecting the village during the Nine-Tails' attack, sealing the beast inside their newborn child. Naruto wasn't some monster—he was the orphaned child of heroes. But the villagers, either unaware or willfully ignorant, saw him only as the Nine-Tails' vessel.
Itachi also understood why even Kushina's former friends stayed silent. Just like his own family, they all kept their distance. No one dared interact with a jinchūriki.
The jinchūriki's identity was far too sensitive. A single misstep could shake the village's fragile political balance—especially for someone from the Uchiha clan, who had long been under suspicion since the days of the Second Hokage.
Thinking of this, Itachi couldn't help but worry. The rift between his clan and the village was growing deeper.
Together with Uchiha Shisui, he had been mediating between the Uchiha elders and Konoha's leadership. But their efforts weren't enough. The clan's anger and discontent had reached a boiling point—it was only a matter of time before it erupted.
At the same time, the village had tightened surveillance on the Uchiha. Every move was being watched. Tension thickened with each passing day. War was on the horizon, and caught in the middle, Itachi felt lost—unsure of what path to take.
---
"What do you think of us Uchiha?"
In the quiet forest, Itachi broke the silence. The question wasn't aimed at anyone specific, but it was Ye Dou who was with him.
Even Itachi didn't fully understand why he asked. Perhaps being a double agent for so long—always hiding his true thoughts—had worn him down. Maybe he just needed someone to talk to.
Though Ye Dou wasn't as close as Shisui, he was still someone Itachi felt he could trust. Ye Dou's tendency to remain distant from village affairs made him seem… safe. Itachi could lower his mask, if only slightly.
"Strong. Flourishing," Ye Dou replied simply.
He didn't want to get involved. Political power struggles were always dangerous, no matter the time or place. What looked like prestige on the surface often hid unimaginable darkness beneath. A single misstep—a careless word—could lead to bloodshed.
And to Ye Dou, neither Konoha nor the Uchiha clan held any personal ties. This was a struggle rooted in the Uchiha and Senju's historical enmity.
Still, after a brief pause, Ye Dou seemed to consider something and changed tack.
"Is that so?" Itachi murmured, a hint of disappointment flickering in his voice.
But it was only natural. Ye Dou was just a child—seven years old. Expecting him to understand such complex matters would be absurd. If he did, that would be the true anomaly.
Just as Itachi was about to leave, Ye Dou stopped him.
"Something else?" he asked.
Ye Dou pulled out a map and spoke with unusual seriousness. "I'm planning to train my body under a waterfall. Since this area is part of the Uchiha territory, I figure you'd know the best places for that."
Waterfall training?
Itachi had never practiced that way himself, but he grasped the concept. It was similar to weight training: a brutal method that pushed the body beyond its limits by exposing it to harsh natural forces.
Unlike weighted gear, however, waterfall training hit the entire body at once—from skin to internal organs. But it was also extremely dangerous. One mistake, and the waterfall could crush or drown you.
"I don't recommend it," Itachi replied, shaking his head. "It's too risky."
"I know my limits. My teacher knows them even better than you do. Just tell me where."
Itachi paused. "That's true. In that regard, Might Guy is indeed more qualified than I am."
Recalling the loud, energetic man who shouted about youth at every opportunity, Itachi actually smiled. He squatted beside Ye Dou and pointed out a few locations on the map.
Ye Dou frowned. "Too far. The round trip takes too long. What about here? Or here?"
The spots Itachi had marked were ones Ye Dou had already eliminated beforehand.
That was suspicious.
It confirmed what Ye Dou had suspected—Itachi and Shisui were hiding something. These three marked locations were exactly where he believed their secret meetings or plans were most likely taking place.
Itachi fell silent at the question but eventually nodded. "Those are closer. The scenery's nice too. Any of them will do."
As Ye Dou pretended to deliberate, his fingers drifted across the three points, watching Itachi's face carefully for any emotional shifts.
But there were none.
Either Itachi truly didn't care, or he was just that good at hiding it. Ye Dou couldn't tell. No giveaways. No flickers of thought across his face.
Frustrated but undeterred, Ye Dou finally pointed. "Then here."
"Nanga River, huh?" Itachi nodded. "You'll like it. The scenery there is beautiful."
He paused and looked back seriously. "Don't push yourself too hard. Training's important, but so are the people around you."
With that, he disappeared with a soft whoosh.
Bang!
Left alone, Ye Dou drove his fist into a wooden training post.
He hadn't gotten anything concrete out of Itachi. That annoyed him.
Going up against Root to seize Shisui's Kotoamatsukami was already risky. He needed every advantage possible—every clue, every opportunity.
But right now, he had nothing. Not even a solid lead. He was stumbling in the dark.
"Is this all just a gamble?" he muttered.
Ye Dou wasn't the kind to gamble with his life. If he couldn't uncover Root's ambush before the Uchiha massacre began, then he would abandon the plan.
If he won, everything would fall into place. But if he lost… he'd have no choice but to walk away.
And right now, his odds felt abysmally low.
A one-in-three chance? One in seven?
This was worse than rolling dice in a thunderstorm.
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