Izumi quickly shook off her swirling thoughts and stared intently at Rukawa's face.
"Uh... what's wrong, Izumi-nee? Don't tell me you've fallen for me?"
"That won't do. I have principles. I'm not about to steal Itachi's girlfriend."
"You brat! What nonsense are you spouting?!"
She swatted him on the shoulder, her face flushed—likely at the mention of being Itachi's girlfriend.
Ah, so pure, Rukawa sighed inwardly.
"So according to what you told me, you're the reincarnation of some 'Indo-whatever'? So are you still Uchiha Rukawa, or are you someone else now?"
"It's Indra," Rukawa corrected. "And yes, I'm still me—Uchiha Rukawa. One hundred percent legit."
"I inherited Indra's power, not his memories. So I'm still me."
"Is that so? Because you seem really different from before," Izumi said, narrowing her eyes.
"Different how?"
Rukawa frowned, wondering what detail might've tipped her off.
"You used to ignore me, always sulking when I was around. But now you're all 'Izumi-nee this, Izumi-nee that.'"
Ah, right. The original Rukawa hadn't liked Izumi much.
To him, she was the girl who kept taking his big brother Itachi away.
Gotta fix this fast.
"Well, now that I've gained strength, my mindset's changed. I don't act like a petty kid anymore."
"Still... your methods against Yashiro and the others were a bit much. Not something a seven-year-old should be capable of."
"Ah, that. My power surged too fast—I couldn't control it yet.
I just wanted to give them a light lesson, really."
Izumi stared.
Broken arms, scorched bodies, gouged-out eyes. That's your idea of a 'light lesson'?
"Anyway, Izumi-nee, got any more questions? I can make up—uh, I mean, explain anything."
Rukawa put on his most serious expression.
"No need. I believe you're Rukawa."
She finally smiled.
"If you were some ancient guy or whatever, you wouldn't have risked yourself to save me."
Whew. She bought it.
It wasn't even a real lie, technically. Rukawa really was Indra's reincarnation.
So why settle for being just another kid in the Uchiha clan?
He was their damn progenitor.
If anyone questioned him, he'd just show them the Eternal Mangekyō and Six-Tomoe Rinnegan.
Doubt me? Then prepare to get educated.
...
They walked and talked until they reached a fork in the road.
"Hey, why not come over to my place? As thanks for saving me, I'll make you my best tri-color dango!"
Izumi beamed.
"Tempting, but I've got stuff to do at home. Rain check on that dango, okay?"
Rukawa declined politely.
"Alright, but you owe me!" she pouted, waving goodbye.
They parted ways.
At the door of the Uchiha residence, Mikoto stood in an apron.
"Rukawa? Shouldn't you be at the Academy right now? Why are you home so early?"
She looked puzzled.
Rukawa didn't answer directly. "Is Itachi home?"
"Aw, missing your big brother already?" she chuckled. "Sorry, he left on a mission two weeks ago and hasn't returned."
"That boy always worries me—gone so long without sending word."
Then she turned her attention to Rukawa.
"And you! Skipping school isn't okay, young man. A good student never leaves early without a valid—"
Yak yak yak...
Yup. There it is. Classic mom-mode, Rukawa sighed internally.
"Mom, I didn't skip. I got permission from Iruka-sensei. All totally legit."
He quickly retreated into his room.
"I've got something urgent to handle, okay?"
Mikoto sighed at the closed door.
"What a handful. And something's off about him today..."
...
Whew.
Inside his room, Rukawa exhaled deeply.
No force in the world is more oppressive than a mother's nagging.
Originally, he'd come back hoping to find Itachi and convince him to turn on Danzō when the time came.
Too bad the guy was already prepping for the Uchiha purge.
Even if I'd found him, convincing him would be a nightmare.
I'm not Naruto. I don't have speech jutsu.
Better to wait for the night of the massacre... then beat some sense into him.
Kids don't listen? Spank 'em. Simple.
Hopefully, that cold face of his would show at least a little shock when it happened.
Rukawa walked to the mirror and unleashed the full power in his eyes.
In an instant—
His right eye blazed with a complex six-pointed star: the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
His left eye shimmered with concentric rings of purple, studded with six tomoe: the Six-Tomoe Rinnegan.
It was the first time he'd truly seen himself in this form.
He radiated arrogance and domination.
Throw in a "Would you like to dance too?" and I'm basically Madara reincarnate.
He smirked.
Time to test what these eyes could really do.