Unfortunately, the clumsy and subtle affection from his father failed to touch Uchiha Itachi's heart.
For a Ninja like him, whose tactical system was already well-formed and possessed Jonin-level strength, an extra powerful Ninjutsu or one less powerful Ninjutsu couldn't make him as excited as Sasuke.
For a Ninja whose heart was already filled with fanatical ideals, any words spoken by an object standing on a position contrary to his own were likely as cold and rational as descriptive text on paper.
Naturally, when Uchiha Itachi spoke, the emotion he responded with was equally indifferent.
"Thank you, Father."
"Also, I have something I'd like to discuss with you in detail. I wonder if it's possible...?"
He looked at Uchiha Fugaku, then glanced in the direction of little Sasuke.
Although as a father, Uchiha Fugaku, who could take his four-year-old eldest son to the battlefield, was certainly quite incompetent, his keen senses as a Ninja had not deteriorated in the slightest, and he had a considerable understanding of his son's personality.
For his eldest son, who was always somewhat serious and sullen in front of him, to say such words to him, there must be something important.
Thus, the three parts of unintentional warmth also cooled, and Uchiha Fugaku maintained his usual serious expression, nodding steadily.
Then, he turned and led the way into the main hall.
Uchiha Itachi didn't say much either, following his father into the house.
"Father? Onii-san?"
Only young Sasuke still watched the two with a blank expression, instinctively feeling that the atmosphere was a bit off, but not daring to say anything more.
He turned his head to look at the pond in front of him, which was mostly dried up, and suddenly felt that practicing Ninjutsu was not that interesting anymore.
However, once that stubbornness in his heart flared up, he stubbornly began to re-familiarize himself with the hand seals he had just learned.
'Father and Big Brother must always be so worried because I'm an Uchiha, but my talent isn't very good, right?'
'I must make them all look at me in a new light!'
Little Sasuke pouted, thinking so innocently... Inside the main hall.
Father and son sat opposite each other.
However, looking at his father across from him, Uchiha Itachi, who had initiated the conversation, actually found himself at a loss for how to begin.
Although he hadn't spent much time with Sōusuke-senpai, or rather, precisely because Sōusuke was a complete outsider to him and the entire Uchiha, the answers he got from a relatively objective perspective had such a strong impact on the current Uchiha Itachi.
'—Carefully choose your enemy.'
'—Firmly execute your goal.'
Uchiha Itachi's eyes slightly closed, subconsciously repeating these two sentences in his mind.
His conversation with Sōusuke-senpai was long, but only these two sentences were deeply etched in his heart, guiding him through his confusion.
Therefore, he also wanted to fully convey these two sentences to his father, who now seemed to be in similar hesitation and indecision.
"Is it information from Third Hokage's side?"
Seeing his eldest son sitting there, unable to speak for a long time, Uchiha Fugaku, with a serious expression, was the first to open the topic.
"No."
Uchiha Itachi took a deep breath, looking at his father across from him with unprecedented seriousness, his tone as calm as possible:
"I want to ask something."
"If this coup failed, Father, were you originally planning to die directly?"
Suddenly hearing this question, Uchiha Fugaku's pupils instinctively contracted to a point, staring fixedly at his eldest son's serious expression.
Then, as if he had thought of something, he slowly let out a breath:
"You've seen it, haven't you?"
"The full story behind the Sakumo Hatake incident."
Not much time had passed since Itachi last questioned him, and the father and son, who already lacked communication, naturally remembered the questions from that time vividly.
Uchiha Fugaku neither admitted nor directly denied it, asking in return:
"If it's Itachi, you should understand me, right?"
As the head of the Uchiha Clan and the captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, no one was actually clearer than him about the overall power gap between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha.
From the perspective of some Uchiha in the middle and high ranks, clan members with the Sharingan always seemed to be invincible on the battlefield, even earning the reputation of 'one-on-one, always flee' by relying on the Sharingan Genjutsu system.
However, in the eyes of a strong person like him, who had already reached the level of a Kage, the gap between the two forces was like the chasm between heaven and earth.
From the beginning, the 'coup' that the Uchiha Clan desired had no possibility of success.
His position as clan head, to put it nicely, was a clan head; to put it harshly, he was merely a puppet swept forward by the general trend, too cowardly to oppose public opinion.
He dared not oppose either Konoha or the Uchiha.
Listening to his father's words, Uchiha Itachi, sitting opposite, bowed his head deeply, saying respectfully:
"Father, please abandon this path."
"Whether for Konoha or for the survival of the Uchiha Clan."
Maintaining a kneeling posture, Uchiha Itachi's voice was unprecedentedly firm, even forceful:
"Those who are attempting rebellion now are, to put it plainly, just a small group of Uchiha Ninja. Most of the clan members are merely swept up by the current public opinion within the Village—you should be well aware of who is generating this public opinion."
"If that's the case, then let's eliminate the enemies."
"Whether from within the clan or outside."
"I am confident I can persuade Anbu, and even Shisui, to act with us. To kill those fools who try to resist the Village, it would only take one night."
"With this achievement, even to maintain the Uchiha Clan's fragile situation, Third Hokage would not allow that person to continue the current public opinion offensive."
"If it still can't be stopped, I am confident I can assassinate the other party alone."
"At that time, these crimes will only be attributed to that small portion of clan members and me!"
"For Konoha, and for the clan."
"Sacrificing just a small portion of us will be enough!"
Carefully choose the enemy!
Execute firmly!
With these two sentences as guidance, Uchiha Itachi's voice became lighter and lighter, and he seemed to have freed himself from the seemingly endless pressure originating from the clan and the Village. A faint smile even appeared on his serious face.
He understood Third Hokage.
Just as Third Hokage understood him.
Even if only to maintain appearances, after his 'white gloves' were cut off, Third Hokage could not possibly order an attack on the Uchiha Clan, which had already had its dangerous elements removed.
This way, the clan would not be in danger.
Sacrificing just a small portion of us will be enough!
It was a mission that required the sacrifice of life, yet it made him so joyful and excited.
However, all these emotions were shattered by a sudden roar.
"Enough!"
Uchiha Itachi's emotions froze, and he looked up at his father with slight astonishment.
Then, he saw Uchiha Fugaku, who was always as calm as still water, now unprecedentedly furious, even his scarlet Sharingan uncontrollably revealed, glaring fixedly at him.
"Is this your solution?"
"Do you know that I am the head of the Uchiha Clan!"
"I am also your father!"
"You want me to personally kill my clan members and...?"
"Father!"
Seeing him like this, Uchiha Itachi eagerly wanted to continue to explain something.
His identity as a Konoha Ninja, the heritage of the Uchiha Clan, the bond between father and son, all his fantasies of peace... In that instant, a series of words he longed to say to his father immediately flashed through Uchiha Itachi's mind, but under the gaze of those eyes, they all seemed somewhat pale.
The Sharingan of father and son stared at each other, and the silence spreading in the main hall gradually became somewhat chilling.
Eyes that could visualize the heart, yet couldn't even convey the heart.
After a long while, Uchiha Fugaku waved his hand at him, saying bitterly:
"Don't ever bring this up again."
"Just remember that Uchiha Clan blood flows in your veins, that's enough."
"I, too, have my stance."
"..."
Uchiha Itachi watched him quietly.
The fire burning in his eyes seemed to extinguish little by little.
Gradually cooling into pure black.
It turned out Sōusuke-senpai's words were actually a bit flawed.
After all, sometimes, when it came to who the enemy was, he had no choice at all.
Uchiha Itachi remained silent for a while, then bowed again.
"I understand."
With those words, he stood up and left the room.
Leaving Uchiha Fugaku sitting quietly in the center of the main hall, watching his departing back.
He also had his stance.
Whether as the head of the Uchiha Clan, or as Itachi and Sasuke's father.
Sacrificing his eldest son, who had a boundless future, because of such a matter, that would truly be putting the cart before the horse.
With Itachi's talent, Itachi's ability, and Itachi's loyalty to the Third Hokage, no matter how dire the situation, he could at least achieve a position comparable to Kakashi's current status—and Sasuke could also be protected by him.
'As long as this is done, whether it's the entire clan or my life...'
'It's all worth it.'
Uchiha Fugaku thought silently to himself.
A slight rustle of the paper door beside him.
Uchiha Mikoto, who had listened to the entire conversation in the side room, walked out silently and sat down beside her husband.
Uchiha Fugaku looked up at her.
His wife, however, gave him her usual gentle smile:
"I'll be with you."
Simple words, yet allowing no doubt.
The main hall fell silent once more.
The 'love' of the Uchiha Clan had always been extreme.