At the bank of the serene lake in the Uchiha compound, Fugaku and Itachi stood side by side, watching the water. The surface was perfectly calm, disturbed only by a mild, constant wind. In the distance, a mother duck led her line of offspring in lazy circles.
Fugaku kept his eyes fixed on the water, his voice low. "Why is the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu the base requirement for our youngsters to officially join the clan, and not a different jutsu—say, Earth Release: Earth Dome or Wind Release: Breakthrough?"
Itachi stood still for a moment before answering casually. "Who knows? The simplest answer is that almost all Uchiha are naturally born with the fire release affinity, but the same could be said for many others living in the Land of Fire."
Fugaku finally turned his head to look at his son. "Hmm... a bit lazy, I would say. There are some children in our own clan who aren't born with fire affinity, you know."
"Yes, and sometimes they get bullied because of that, too," Itachi said, a small, knowing smirk touching his lips. "Kind of lazy for a clan leader, wouldn't you say?"
"Hmph... cheeky brat. I'll let that slide for now. So, what is your answer? Why only the Fireball?"
Itachi shrugged, answering offhandedly, "Tradition. Born from Madara Uchiha himself because that was the first jutsu he performed. Quite stupid, I would say. He performed it because it was his specialty, and now those old fools have made this system to fulfill their stupid ego."
"Agreed. I am glad that you understand the reasoning behind the clan rules." Fugaku spoke nonchalantly, then moved a step ahead of Itachi. "Look closely now. I will show you the Fireball Jutsu."
Itachi dropped his smirk, focusing intensely on his father, staring without blinking.
Fugaku raised his hands in front of his chest. "Hand seals are an integral part of a jutsu. It is said that with great mastery, you can reduce them, or even perform them entirely with a single hand."
With fluid, precise speed, he interlocked his fingers: Snake... followed by Ram... then Monkey, Boar, Horse, and finally Tiger.
He sucked in a great, audible mouthful of air, swelling his chest, and then released a steady, roaring torrent of flame from his mouth. The fire instantly shaped itself into a massive sphere that crackled with heat.
"FIRE STYLE: FIREBALL JUTSU!"
The fireball shot across the lake's surface. It flew toward the center, striking the water in a blinding flash that was instantly followed by a tremendous, echoing BOOM. A colossal plume of steam rose into the air, momentarily shrouding the ducks.
Itachi stared, his composure utterly gone. The sheer, overwhelming intensity of this common jutsu held him with the fascination of a teenage boy witnessing power for the first time. He finally let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, and smiled—a genuine, unguarded smile.
"So, what do you think?" Fugaku asked, his own stern face softened by a genuine smile.
"It's so damn cooool," Itachi declared, and he laughed.
"Your are a sweet boy Itachi, But remember this," Fugaku said, his eyes serious. "Power without purpose is merely spectacle. The purpose of this jutsu is not the jutsu itself, but the strength it represents."
Itachi's smile shifted into a look of focused excitement. "Can I try it?"
Fugaku nodded, a slight chuckle in his throat. "Go ahead. The feeling of gathering the chakra is the most—"
Itachi stepped forward and made the hand seals. Smoothly.
Fugaku watched, mesmerized. There was no hesitation, no wasted movement—the intricate sequence executed as though Itachi had performed it a thousand times, not just watched it once.
Snake. His right hand pressed to the bottom of the left.
Ram. The fingers bent and locked.
Monkey. Palms open, hands placed atop each other.
Boar. Hands flipped, heels touching.
Horse. Knuckles interlocked, two index fingers meeting.
Tiger. An upward-pointing gun shape, index and middle fingers straight.
Itachi drew in his breath, not with an audible gasp, but a deep, barely noticeable settling of his shoulders. Then, a column of heat materialized, much wider and faster than Fugaku's had been. It erupted from Itachi's mouth, forming a perfectly stable, immense sphere of blazing fire.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" He roared the name, just for the pure thrill of it.
The fireball screamed across the lake. The resulting KABOOM was deafening, sending a towering, violent wave of water leaping up where the sphere detonated. The shock-wave rattled the very air in the compound.
Fugaku stared at the roiling, steaming water, then slowly back at his son. A wide, genuine smile was on his face. He reached out and slapped Itachi's back with a loud, resounding thud to show how proud he was.
"That's my boy!"
Itachi lowered his hands, letting the residual chakra fade. He looked back at his father, his eyes shining like stars, a slow, wide smile forming at his lips—not from the jutsu, but from the simple, overwhelming happiness of hearing his father's praise.
"You performed the Great Fireball Jutsu," Fugaku said, his voice soft with astonishment. "It is a more powerful form, requiring nearly double the control and chakra... and you performed it perfectly, on your first attempt."
Itachi just smiled again, his cheeks starting to hurt from the effort, but he pressed on anyway. It was worth it.
"Let's practice some more,"
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