Return of the Uchiha Prodigy

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"What about after gaining power?" Minato asked, his eyes downcast, his expression solemn.

He had sensed Itachi's ambition during their conversation and in their previous confrontation with the masked man two years ago.

Gathering the most dangerous S-class rogue ninjas from across the world to form the Akatsuki organization, and using the Sharingan to control the Fourth Mizukage—these actions alone were enough to threaten the entire shinobi world.

Thus, Minato didn't believe that the enemy's ultimate goal was simply world domination. From what he knew, Uchiha Madara didn't leave Konoha for such a trivial reason.

"I don't know the final stage of that man's plan," Itachi said, his eyes flickering slightly.

During his time with the Akatsuki, Itachi had never truly uncovered its core secrets. He suspected that even Pain, the organization's leader, had been deceived by the masked man. No one knew the real reason why the masked man was using the Akatsuki to collect the tailed beasts. But one thing was clear—the masked man's ultimate goal would endanger the peace of the entire ninja world.

Having relayed all the information he could to the Fourth Hokage, Itachi fell silent.

Minato pondered for a moment, his tense expression gradually softening.

"Then, let's work together to stop him," Minato said with a slight chuckle.

From Itachi's account, it seemed like the masked man's plan would take time to fully come to fruition. This also explained why the masked man had released the Nine-Tails and attacked Konoha.

On one hand, the attack dealt a massive blow to the village, keeping the five great nations distracted, unable to focus on his other activities. On the other hand, the masked man had tried to eliminate Minato—clearly fearing the Fourth Hokage as a major threat to his plan.

Though Minato wasn't one to boast, after the Third Shinobi War, he had been regarded as the strongest shinobi among the five great nations—Konoha's "Yellow Flash."

The masked man must have seen Minato as an obstacle in his path. This was also part of Itachi's reasoning and why he had taken such a risk to alter the Fourth Hokage's fate.

Itachi nodded. He had to admit, Minato's presence had a warmth that put people at ease—like the sun, capable of warming even the coldest of hearts.

Naruto had inherited this trait, which explained why he'd managed to rise above the tragic circumstances of his childhood to earn the recognition of others. As Itachi's younger brother, even Sasuke, filled with thoughts of vengeance, had considered Naruto his only true friend.

"You should rest. We'll discuss more later," Minato said, forming seals with his hands as the barrier around the room began to fade.

With a puff of smoke, Minato's shadow clone disappeared.

Itachi walked over to the window and gazed out at Konoha, knowing that tonight, the village would not be at peace. He sighed softly.

---

The night passed, and the first light of morning filtered through the window, illuminating the hospital bed.

Itachi, seated cross-legged on the bed, slowly opened his eyes. He jumped forward, grabbed the guardrail at the end of the bed, flipped over, and landed smoothly on the floor.

After nearly ten hours of rest, his body had fully recovered.

He clenched his fists and swung them in a straight punch, testing his movement. Though his actions were still slightly jerky, Itachi could feel his body beginning to respond properly again.

To reacquaint himself with his physical abilities, Itachi began with basic stretching exercises, rotating through different movements—using his hands, arms, elbows, legs, and even his head.

His movements gradually became faster, and the strength of his adult body began to show itself.

His fists cut through the air with a faint whistle, and this continued for about half an hour before he finally stopped.

A sense of clarity and lightness filled his body, and his cheeks flushed slightly from the exertion. Sweat dampened his black bangs, and if not for the faint nasolabial folds on his face, his delicate features might have made him resemble a short-haired girl.

Satisfied with his progress, Itachi glanced outside. The sky was just beginning to brighten.

"It's still early. Mother should be home."

With that thought, Itachi opened the window and leaped out.

*Swish!*

There were few people awake in the village at this hour, and Itachi moved swiftly, bounding across rooftops. In no time, he arrived at a familiar lake within the village.

Standing on the wooden bridge, he quickly formed hand seals. His hands moved so fast they became blurs, and he brought his index fingers to his lips.

Taking a deep breath, he puffed out his cheeks.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" (*Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!*)

A massive fireball several meters in diameter erupted from his mouth, expanding rapidly over the lake's surface, heating the water to a boil. Itachi released the jutsu, and the fireball dissipated, leaving clouds of steam rising from the lake.

When he had fallen into a coma two years ago, Itachi didn't have enough chakra to perform such a large-scale fire jutsu. But after his growth and Tsunade's medical treatments, he now had no difficulty with the Gōkakyū.

Just as he finished the jutsu, Itachi sensed quick footsteps approaching from behind.

Turning around, he spotted a familiar figure.

"Izumi?"

Though she was running swiftly, Itachi recognized her immediately.

Izumi glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and upon realizing it was Itachi, she turned and dashed toward him.

In just a few quick strides, she reached him.

"Why are you here?" she asked, frowning as she noticed the sweat on his face.

"I couldn't sleep after resting for so long, so I came out to exercise," Itachi responded with a rare smile, one he reserved for her.

Izumi pouted, crossing her arms. "Tsunade-sama said you still need a few more days of observation."

"I know. I'll head back soon."

Itachi glanced at Izumi, noting the weights strapped to her body.

"And you? What's with all this?" he asked, slightly concerned.

Judging by her actions and the early hour, it was clear that this kind of intense training had become a routine for her. While Izumi had always trained hard, this level of dedication was unusual.

Izumi stared into Itachi's eyes before her expression became serious.

"I want to get stronger. I don't want what happened two years ago to repeat. I don't want you facing danger alone."

Izumi's* gaze locked onto Itachi's, her cheeks slowly flushing.

"Izumi... you."

Itachi's heart was touched by the sincerity in her voice.

Because she promised that he would never be alone again...

Lowering his eyes to hide the emotions swelling within him, he whispered, "Thank you."

Izumi shook her head and gently took his hand. "Come back to the hospital with me. You shouldn't be outside."

Feeling her palm tighten slightly with nervousness, Itachi found himself a bit lost. He was always able to face difficult situations with calm detachment, suppressing his emotions. But now, having opened his heart, he couldn't fully control his feelings about something so unfamiliar.

Moreover, he didn't see Izumi as a mere girl, but as an equal…

He didn't pull away from her grasp and followed her back to Konoha Hospital.

"It's getting late. I should head back and tidy up. I'll see you later."

After escorting Itachi to his ward, Izumi, unsure of what to say next, quickly left, almost fleeing the scene.

Once she was gone, Itachi stood in place for a moment, before a soft smile crossed his face.

---

Orochimaru's defection caused ripples across the peaceful world of shinobi once again.

After all, the name of the Sannin carried weight.

For the other four Great Shinobi Nations, Orochimaru's defection was welcomed news. Konoha, having grown stronger after the Third Shinobi War, had now suffered a significant loss.

Still, while Orochimaru was an important figure, he was not irreplaceable in today's Konoha.

Two years ago, after the masked man's attack, Tsunade overcame the anemia that had plagued her for years.

Although Tsunade's nature would lead her to leave the village once Itachi's condition improved, her psychological breakthrough made her an even greater force.

A few days later, after a final check-up, Tsunade confirmed that Itachi had fully recovered, and he was finally discharged after two years in Konoha Hospital.

That evening, to celebrate his release, Mikoto hosted a banquet at the Uchiha residence, inviting Minato's family and Tsunade as special guests.

---

As night fell, the main hall of the Uchiha home was bustling.

Kushina, Naruto, and Tsunade had arrived early, but Minato and Fugaku didn't arrive until later.

As Hokage, Minato often met with Fugaku and other prominent clan leaders, which signaled his intent to reshape the village's long-standing dynamics.

Although some of the higher-ups supported the Third Hokage, many were opposed to these changes. However, Minato was no longer the newly-appointed Hokage of two years ago, being cautiously controlled from all sides.

In the past two years, the ANBU under Minato's command had grown significantly. Among them, two shinobi had particularly risen to prominence: Kakashi and Shisui.

Both were extraordinary talents, and their names were becoming known throughout the shinobi world.

Kakashi, in particular, had earned the moniker "Copy Ninja" after a series of high-profile missions, thanks to his skilled use of the Sharingan.

Even though Kakashi wasn't an Uchiha, his mastery over the Sharingan surpassed many within the Uchiha clan itself.

Shisui, too, had made his mark, becoming the youngest ANBU captain in history just a year prior.

They were now considered Minato's right-hand men.

---

The dinner table was filled with delicious dishes, lovingly prepared by Mikoto.

At the table, Tsunade poured herself a drink, downing it in one swift motion. She then glanced at Itachi before turning to Minato and saying, "I've fulfilled my promise to you. I'll be leaving the village tomorrow with Shizune."

"You're leaving so soon?"

Minato had anticipated this but hadn't expected Tsunade to depart so quickly.

Tsunade gave a brief glance at both Minato and Fugaku as she refilled her cup. "I can't stay here any longer. Dealing with those old-fashioned council members has been exhausting."

"I need to leave before I'm forced to see them again."

She had little love for Konoha's upper ranks, and Tsunade never liked being tied down.

In this village, the people she truly cared about were long gone...

Minato sighed and furrowed his brow. "But if you leave too, the Third Hokage—"

The Sannin were all students of the Third Hokage, and they were his greatest pride.

With Jiraiya wandering the world and Orochimaru's defection, the loss had been devastating for the Third.

"Don't worry, the old man is tougher than he looks," Tsunade replied, emptying her cup again. "Besides, he probably knew this was coming with Orochimaru."

Looking at Minato again, she smiled and added, "He's already entrusted the village's future to you. As long as you're here, Konoha will be fine."

The Third Hokage had chosen Minato, Jiraiya's disciple, over Orochimaru as the one to protect Konoha's future.

"If something does happen, just contact me. I'll come back as soon as I can."

Tsunade mentioned that all five Great Nations had their own ways of sending urgent messages.

"Then I wish you safe travels," Minato said, nodding in resignation.

"Lady Tsunade, please allow me to thank you once more before you leave."

Itachi stood and bowed deeply to her. Without Tsunade and Minato, he knew he wouldn't have survived.

"You really are a persistent kid..."

Waving him off, Tsunade grabbed her sake bottle and headed for the door.

"I'm off! See you later!"

In a flash, she disappeared from the courtyard.

---

"Tsunade-sama's free-spirited nature is so admirable," Kushina sighed wistfully. Brought to Konoha at a young age and becoming a Jinchuriki, Kushina was bound to the village.

Moreover, with her role as a mother now, freedom wasn't an option.

However, Kushina's eyes sparkled with happiness as she glanced at her loved ones beside her.

Minato gently placed his hand on hers and turned to Itachi, saying, "By the way, Itachi, once you're fully recovered, it might be a good idea to return to the Academy."

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