Chapter 46 - Fugaku: My Strength Needs No Further Explanation!
Sasuke was very unhappy that his brother had left on a mission right after dinner.
You promised to spend more time with me. Why are you on another assignment now?
Unbelievable.
Fine. Next time we meet, I'm going to pretend I don't know Nii-san until he apologizes.
A short while later, the Third Hokage dressed in his combat uniform — arrived at Sasuke's house.
Sasuke was quite surprised. The Third Hokage, whom he had assumed was probably already asleep at this hour, had come to their door.
Is he here to tell me a bedtime story?
Fugaku, internally: I wish that were really the case.
Sarutobi led his ANBU directly to the Uchiha household, knocked, and entered alongside a white-haired ANBU and a brown-haired ANBU.
"Fugaku what do you know about that Susanoo?"
Given the urgency, Hiruzen got straight to the point.
Currently, the Uchiha most likely to possess a Mangekyou Sharingan were Shisui and Fugaku.
If even one of the extremists had awakened a Mangekyou, things could spiral out of control very quickly.
"???"
Fugaku had been sitting at home, eating the meal his wife had prepared, chatting with his two sons, and quietly turning over the clan's problems in his head.
What Susanoo?!
As far as I knew, there were practically no other Mangekyou Sharingan in the clan besides mine.
"Lord Third Hokage I was unaware of this matter."
Fugaku was completely sincere.
He had been spending every day trying to maintain the balance between the clan and the village, hoping for nothing more than to come home to his wife and children in peace.
Looking into Fugaku's eyes, the Third Hokage could sense that sincerity.
Then where did it appear?
Fugaku asked quietly.
"..."
The Third Hokage paused, then spoke.
"The exact location is unclear — but it descended from the back of the mountain behind Uchiha territory."
"It's very likely... to be Shisui."
The moment that name was spoken, Fugaku's pupils stilled.
Shisui. Itachi. The mission.
"Lord Third Hokage — let's go to the training grounds on the back mountain."
Fugaku rose immediately and led the Third Hokage toward the training grounds inside Uchiha territory.
Behind them, Mikoto gently took Sasuke by the shoulders and covered his ears.
"Sasuke, be good. Daddy has something to discuss with the Hokage. Let's go back to your room and rest."
Sasuke nodded but given the personality he'd developed over years of spending time with Naruto, was he really the type to simply suppress his curiosity?
The moment Mikoto's back was turned, Sasuke jumped and rolled straight out of the window.
Yes!
The plan is in motion!
They had arrived in a hurry and brought few ANBU members.
The surrounding area was full of Uchiha clansmen, and the ANBU wouldn't make a move without direct orders from the Hokage.
This meant the ANBU outside assumed Sasuke was just another ordinary Uchiha child wandering around — perfectly normal for an Uchiha.
And so Sasuke began tailing his father, the Third Hokage, and Hiruzen Sarutobi.
They were walking fast. Sasuke had to run at full speed just to keep up.
Sasuke: If I weren't so young, I wouldn't be struggling like this! o(´^｀)o
Naruto: Honestly, I once chased a Chunin. Three years ago, though.* (ಥ_ಥ)
At some point, a white-haired ANBU glanced back and noticed a small figure trailing behind the group.
Running and pretending to be casual at the same time.
Why can't you kids just stay put.
Kakashi looked at the Uchiha child with quiet exasperation.
Because of the distance and because he hadn't paid close attention to Sasuke's face before, he only registered him as some young Uchiha kid who had wandered out.
Wasn't Obito exactly like this back then?
Kakashi shook his head and kept walking.
Until they came upon Itachi — walking slowly back through the pale moonlight, carrying Shisui's body.
The sun had long set. Moonlight fell over the man and the one he carried.
Sasuke peeked out from behind a tree and went cold.
"Nii-san..."
He wanted to step forward. But he didn't know what to say.
Then he noticed his father's expression shift and the next moment, Fugaku's genjutsu settled over him.
"Third Hokage this is a clan matter. Please return first."
Fugaku looked at the scene before him his two sons, Shisui's body and felt the weight of it all pressing down.
These are turbulent times.
Sasuke only remembered being caught in his father's gaze — and then nothing.
---
The next morning, Mikoto gently shook Sasuke awake.
"Sass, time to get up. Get ready for school."
Sasuke surfaced slowly from sleep.
"Mother..."
He rubbed his head. Fragmented memories drifted back. He turned sharply to look at the window he had climbed out of the night before.
?
Those were glass windows yesterday. Why are there iron security bars on them now?
"You snuck out last night and your father found out. To prevent any repeat performances, we had the same security windows as the school installed overnight."
"Surprised? Didn't see that coming?"
Mikoto was in surprisingly good spirits — it was quite entertaining watching her youngest son stare blankly, unable to process what had happened.
゛(◎_◎;)
Wait.
Last night — Nii-san was carrying Shisui-nii. And Shisui-nii's eye — one of them was gone. Sunken inward.
Shisui, from somewhere: Sasuke, a little respect, please.
"Last night..."
Sasuke started to ask. Mikoto pressed a gentle finger to his lips.
"Sasuke. That's not something you need to concern yourself with right now."
"Get dressed and go to school."
Her soft eyes held a trace of sadness carefully hidden so her son wouldn't see it.
"But—"
"No buts. Go to school. Itachi can't take you today you can manage on your own, can't you?"
Fugaku walked in.
The presence that came with him was enough to make Sasuke go silent without a single word being exchanged.
Who was Fugaku Uchiha?
In the ninja world, there were only a handful of people capable of defeating two truly terrifying opponents.
Itachi Uchiha a future S-rank rogue ninja who had wiped out an entire clan, wielded the Mangekyou Sharingan, and served as a core member of the Akatsuki.
Sasuke Uchiha the reincarnation of Indra, one of the future saviors of the world, a shinobi powerful enough to seal away the mother of the Sage of Six Paths himself.
And Fugaku raised both of them.
When he disciplines them, it's a father putting his sons in their place.
Funny.
"...okay."
Sasuke nodded without argument though inside, he was quietly devastated.
Shisui-nii must have been badly hurt last night. I hope he's alright.
Nii-san isn't here again...
Okay. School first. I'll find Naruto. I'll go see Shisui-nii when I get back tonight.
Sasuke got dressed, slung his bag packed with two extra-large bento boxes over his shoulder, and headed to school.
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End of Chapter.