But Itachi quickly composed himself. He wasn't about to be overshadowed.
After all, he was already close to unlocking the three-tomoe Sharingan.
He was Konoha's genius, and he wouldn't let anyone take away what was precious to him.
The two boys stared at each other, the tension between them like drawn blades.
Izumi's heart pounded nervously. "Please, don't fight because of me! You're both important members of the clan.....if you hurt each other, it'll only bring trouble…"
She sighed deeply.
When had her life become so troublesome? She hadn't even reached adulthood, and already two of the most prominent Uchiha were fighting over her.
Arata's eyes lingered on Izumi for a moment. He could feel the tension between himself and Itachi, but he knew....if he attacked now, Izumi would only hate him.
No matter what words he spoke, her impression of Itachi was still stronger than of him.
Besides, even if he had awakened the second tomoe, he was far from a match for Itachi.
At just eleven years old, Itachi had already joined ANBU....an elite force directly under the Hokage's command. Ordinary shinobi had no chance against such talent.
And worse still, Arata knew another secret: Shisui, Itachi's mentor, had likely already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. Under his guidance, Itachi had been fed all sorts of principles—about "fighting for the village" and "protecting peace."
Arata clenched his fists. The words themselves weren't wrong.
But to protect the village at the cost of destroying one's own family? That was madness. Without the Uchiha, there would be no Konoha.
And if Konoha no longer valued the Uchiha, what worth did such a village even have?
His gaze softened, the red glow in his eyes fading as the tomoe disappeared.
Izumi let out a breath of relief. "Thank goodness…" She had feared the two of them would truly clash.
Then she turned to him with a faint blush. "Arata-nii… you should wait until I'm an adult before saying something like that again."
Her words were careful—she didn't dare anger him.
After all, if Arata snapped and unleashed his Sharingan again… who knew what would happen?
Arata nodded. "Alright." He knew she hadn't truly accepted his words.
But that was fine. His goal wasn't immediate love—it was to plant the seed. And besides, her body was still frail; it would be dangerous to push her too soon.
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the two behind.
A faint smirk tugged at his lips. He had openly stolen Izumi's attention right in front of Itachi. The anger he had been holding onto finally eased.
Izumi stood frozen in place, her heart pounding. To her, Arata had always been like an older brother...kind and protective.
Yet today, he had spoken words filled with a man's intent.
Her cheeks flushed deeper. Could it be… now that I'm nearly an adult, my feminine charm is showing? The thought brought a shy smile to her lips.
Itachi noticed her smile and frowned. "Izumi… you're not really considering his words, are you?"
Izumi laughed softly. "Don't worry, Itachi. Arata-nii is handsome, yes, and a good person… but how could he ever be as cute as you?"
Itachi blinked, caught off guard. Cute? He had never been called that before.
His ANBU comrades treated him as a seasoned soldier, never a boy.
But Izumi's words soothed him. She had chosen him, not Arata.
"It's fine then," he said, his voice more serious. "But listen carefully, Izumi. Arata said I couldn't protect you.
I swear to you now—I will protect you, no matter what happens."
And with that vow, he etched another scar into his heart.
Izumi smiled warmly. "Then Itachi, promise me. If there's danger in the future, you'll protect me."
"Of course," he replied without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Arata made his way toward the village center.
The streets of Konoha bustled with activity, but wherever he walked, pedestrians stepped aside. Their eyes flickered with mixed emotions—fear and contempt.
Fear, because he bore the crest of the Uchiha clan.
Contempt, because of the Nine-Tails' attack.
Even if the Uchiha weren't truly guilty, suspicion always pointed to them.
Only the Sharingan had the ability to control the Nine-Tails. And wasn't it true that Uchiha Madara had once unleashed the beast against the village?
The villagers whispered behind closed doors, but none dared curse openly.
After all, the Uchiha still commanded the Konoha Police Force. A careless insult could land someone in a cell.
Arata could feel their stares, but he dismissed them with a cold sneer. Ignorant fools. If only they knew the truth.
What angered him more was not the civilians—it was the village leadership that encouraged such mistrust.
He recalled the original events. During the Nine-Tails' attack, the Third Hokage had sent shinobi to monitor the Uchiha instead of letting them fight.
Even Fugaku, the clan leader, had volunteered to battle but was sternly refused.
Arata scoffed. "Idiots. Instead of using their strongest fighters, they shackled them. No wonder the Fourth Hokage died."
Namikaze Minato...young, brilliant, righteous. If he had survived, relations between the Uchiha and the village might never have reached this breaking point.
But fate had been cruel. Minato was gone, and the rift only deepened.
With these thoughts swirling, Arata finally stopped before a small ramen shop. The sign above read: Ichiraku Ramen.
His lips curved into a rare smile. How could I come to this world and not eat here at least once?
He stepped inside.
"Welcome," greeted Teuchi, the shop owner. "What'll it be, guest?"
"A bowl of ramen," Arata replied.
"Any toppings?"
"Yuba and tofu."
"Got it. Please sit and wait a moment."
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