Whether or not he'd actually been distracted, Sasuke wasn't sure.
But since Shikage-nii had asked, he answered honestly and spilled everything—family stuff, the usual.
Shikage didn't actually care if the kid had been distracted or not.
He'd gotten what he wanted. Mission accomplished.
After a round of one-sided chatter—Sasuke talking, Shikage just nodding—they'd burned enough time. Shikage finally spoke up.
"That's it for today. You head home or your folks might whip your ass for being late."
"Okay…"
The words were blunt, but true. Sasuke wanted to argue, but he did have a strict curfew.
He stood up reluctantly, legs stiff and wobbly, and limped off toward the Uchiha district looking ridiculous.
Shikage didn't laugh.
"This little brat still hasn't triggered the 'Shadow Vassal' achievement."
"Guess we double the training tomorrow!"
Thinking back on the flood of family gossip Sasuke had just dumped on him, Shikage's eyes flickered with faint interest.
—Itachi's been in a good mood lately?
...
Exhausted, Sasuke finally dragged himself home, kicked off his shoes, and staggered toward the living room.
The moment he saw the figure kneeling neatly on the cushion, his whole face lit up.
"Big brother!"
He called out happily to Uchiha Itachi and broke into a clumsy little run, launching himself straight into his brother's arms.
Itachi smiled softly, opened his arms, and caught him, gently stroking the boy's hair.
Before he could say anything, a sharp voice cut in from the side.
"Sasuke! Covered in mud and sweat—what kind of example is that?"
Only then did Sasuke notice his father sitting across the low table, radiating that familiar, intimidating aura.
He scrambled up quickly. Realizing he'd smeared dirt all over Itachi's shirt, his cheeks burned red and he stammered an apology.
"It's fine, Sasuke."
Itachi lightly tapped the boy's forehead with a fingertip and smiled.
"Go wash up. Mother's almost done with dinner."
"Yes!"
The second Sasuke rushed off to the bathroom, Itachi and Fugaku locked eyes. The room fell into heavy silence.
Fugaku broke it first, picking up the conversation they'd paused earlier.
"You've done well, Itachi."
Even while praising him, Fugaku kept staring hard.
"Remember—you are an Uchiha first. Only after that are you Konoha's."
"Any information about the Uchiha you hear in Anbu, report it to the clan immediately."
Itachi's eyes were half-lidded. He answered quietly.
"I understand."
But he didn't say the second half out loud.
—As long as the Uchiha don't betray the village…
Satisfied with the reply, Fugaku gave a curt nod. The two fell back into dead silence.
Only when Sasuke returned with damp black hair did Itachi speak again.
"Come on, Sasuke. Let's help Mother."
"Mm!"
Maybe because Itachi rarely ate at home anymore, tonight's dinner for the clan head's family felt unusually warm and peaceful—no trace of the earlier tension between Itachi and Fugaku.
Sasuke, who normally ate in silence, couldn't stop chattering tonight. He bounced between school stories and everything he'd learned training with Shikage-nii.
Watching his little brother's pure happiness, Itachi spoke with real regret.
"Sorry, Sasuke."
"I've been too busy lately to teach you myself."
Sasuke shook his head like the good kid he was.
"It's okay!"
"Plus Shikage-nii is really good!"
Itachi recalled the file he'd read on Nara Shikage and nodded in agreement.
"Nara Shikage is solid."
"Last night when Mizuki tried to defect, he intercepted and killed him halfway."
"Lord Hokage thinks very highly of him."
He kept the summary short and left out the rest.
Sasuke had no idea about the deeper details—he was just happy to hear more praise for Shikage-nii.
Fugaku, however, reacted differently.
He knew exactly how Mizuki had manipulated Naruto into stealing the Scroll of Seals.
He just hadn't expected Nara Shikage to be the one who stopped it.
Between Itachi's assessment, Naruto's background, and Shikage's own position, Fugaku's eyes narrowed with new calculations.
He pulled out a stack of bills—500,000 ryo—and handed it to Sasuke.
"Tomorrow, give this to Nara Shikage. Consider it the next month's tuition."
"Fifty thousand ryo every month after that. If he wants more, add it."
Sasuke looked surprised, but Fugaku's expression said "no arguing," so he took the money.
Itachi was surprised too—but for a different reason: his father's sudden friendliness toward someone clearly aligned with the Hokage's side.
—Nara Shikage is obviously Third Hokage faction.
—Is Father trying to send a message to Lord Hokage?
The possibility made Itachi's usual tight frown relax just a fraction.
Because that was exactly the outcome he wanted most.
After dinner, Fugaku returned to his room. He sat on the engawa, staring at the cold, bright moon in silence.
A robe was gently draped over his shoulders. Uchiha Mikoto rested her hands on them and asked softly.
"What are you thinking about? You look so serious."
"I have a bad feeling."
Fugaku sighed—something he only allowed himself to do in front of his wife.
"Itachi's attitude feels… off."
"He keeps saying he'll never betray the clan, but I raised him. I know him better than anyone."
"Today he seemed like he'd finally made up his mind. The usual conflict and worry in his eyes—they were gone."
"It doesn't feel right."
"I'm worried he's hiding something important."
Thinking about the Uchiha's current situation—the village leadership's pressure, the other clans pushing them out, the suffocating atmosphere inside their own district—Fugaku looked genuinely tired for once.
"Ha…"
...
Several days later.
Underground beneath Konoha, where sunlight never reached.
The Roots spread like a dark web, greedily drinking the land's nutrients.
In the deepest chamber, Danzō sat on his imitation Hokage chair, chin propped on his hand, listening to the report. A flicker of impatience crossed his face.
"Enough!"
Nara Suzaku, cut off mid-sentence, clenched his fists so hard his body shook.
"Lord Danzō, my son is dead!"
"He was about to become a Root member!"
"We can't just let this go!"
"It had to be that Nara Shikage brat!"
"We need to hit back!"
Seeing Nara Suzaku not only disobey but try to pressure him, Danzō narrowed his eyes and lightly tapped the armrest.
"I told you to shut your mouth. Did you not hear me?"
"Do you have proof?"
Nara Suzaku ground his teeth.
"…No."
If he had proof, he wouldn't be here begging Danzō.
The worst part? He couldn't find a single clue about the killer.
His son had simply died at home with no warning, no trace.
"No evidence and you want to lash out at whoever you please?"
"Besides, we don't even know it was Nara Shikage."
"We are Root."
Danzō straightened in his seat, eyes boring into Nara Suzaku as he spoke with absolute authority.
"We are the roots that guard Konoha."
"Not the roots that abuse power!"