Because of Uchiha Itama's words, Uchiha Fugaku began to suspect Uchiha Itachi earlier than before.
The conflict between the Uchiha and the village elders grew worse.
Fugaku was ready to tear off the mask at any time, even to fight.
Measured against the entire leadership of the Leaf, the clan was weaker.
If it came to a break, Fugaku had little confidence.
A genius like Itachi should have been a powerful bargaining chip for the Uchiha.
Yet Itachi leaned toward the village, not the clan.
That only made an already bad situation worse.
And Itachi was Fugaku's son, his own child.
If the clan and the elders truly split and Itachi stood with them, Fugaku did not know how he would face him.
He could not promise he would be able to strike his own son.
"For Itachi, is the village really that much more important than family?"
A feeling rose in Fugaku's heart. Perhaps Itachi's birth had been a mistake.
By contrast, Itama's personality had issues. He often said offbeat things.
But Fugaku could clearly feel that in Itama's heart, family outweighed the village by far.
And Itama's talent surpassed Itachi's.
Fugaku thought that if only Itama were the elder son and Itachi the younger, the clan's situation would be far better now.
The clan would be stronger, and he would not face the specter of father and son turning their blades on each other.
But life had no if.
"Itama is still too young."
Itama shut the door and windows.
He had tried again to make Fugaku view him as an equal, and failed. His father still saw him as a child.
"Then joining Father's moves directly to influence the whole clan will not work."
The next day.
Fugaku and Itama arrived at the training field.
Fugaku glanced around, confirmed they were alone, and lowered his voice.
"Itama, since you have awakened two tomoe, your chakra already meets the mark. I will teach you all the jutsu I prepared."
"Good."
Fugaku nodded. "Our Uchiha rely mainly on Fire Release. Our constitution lets us draw out greater power from it."
"You already learned Fire Release, Great Fireball. It is basic, but its growth is not low. The more chakra you pour in, the stronger it becomes."
"Now I will teach you the second Fire Release technique."
"Fire Release, Phoenix Sage Fire Technique."
"Compared to Great Fireball, this has a wider spread and can strike multiple targets at once."
"Watch closely."
He finished and formed seals.
Dozens of fire pellets shot out, striking the targets opposite.
Itama recalled the pattern, then clapped his hands.
"Fire Release, Phoenix Sage Fire Technique."
Even knowing Itama learned jutsu in one pass, even knowing he could use them without seals, Fugaku still went a little blank when he saw it again.
The shock never faded.
The more so, the more pity he felt.
"Time. If only there were more time."
He could already imagine how strong Itama would be once he fully grew and his gifts bloomed. In the whole Leaf, no one would surpass him.
But time was precisely what the clan lacked.
Fugaku did not know when war between the Uchiha and the elders might erupt.
"Whatever happens to the clan, Itama must live."
"And Sasuke."
"At any cost."
He made the vow in silence.
"Father, the next one."
"Right."
Fugaku came back to himself and smiled.
"Fire Release, Dragon Flame Technique."
They trained until evening before going home.
As for learning, Itama had finished all of it by midday.
Fugaku taught four jutsu in total.
Fire Release, Phoenix Sage Fire Technique. Fire Release, Dragon Flame Technique. Fire Release, Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson. Fire Release, Great Dragon Fire Technique.
Two C rank techniques and two B rank techniques.
The afternoon was mostly Itama drilling them to fluency.
Fugaku stood nearby to keep watch, lest anyone see. He did not want a single soul to know about Itama.
Because of Itachi, Fugaku's trust in the rest of the clan had also thinned.
On the way to school.
Itama felt many gazes suddenly bloom beyond the compound.
Hidden eyes, watching.