As Itachi and I walked back into the house, the three pregnant women's chatter and laughter carried through the corridors. Their voices were warm, a soft animation that seemed to infuse light into the air. For a moment, the house was filled with happiness. But we didn't go to join them, we slipped away silently into another room and lay down, giving them room to themselves.
The silence hung there for a moment before I spoke to Rin. My tone was low, near cautious."Big Sis Rin… how's Kakashi doing these days?"
Her cheeks pinked with a soft flush as a tiny smile pulled at her lips. Her eyes grew soft, with a light I hadn't seen in years."He's doing well… perhaps even better than ever. He still buries himself in work most of the time, but on weekends and holidays, we spend time with each other. We… officially became lovers last year." Her voice became softer, her face dreamy. "He's changed. Softer over the years."
I could see it etched clearly on her face. Her eyes shone with warmth, with love, as if even thinking his name colored her world more brightly. A soft sigh slipped out of me, deeper than I meant. Obito… Even in canon, and now in this one, you could never capture her heart.
My voice changed, now serious as I asked, "How are his eyes? I heard that he's still refusing to seal the Sharingan."
The burden of that reality weighed on my mind. I understood the price of his obstinacy—the manner in which his abysmal chakra reserves spilled endlessly, devoured by that eye. Still, Kakashi was a Hatake clan genius. If he would only seal the Sharingan, then employ it like a true Uchiha, employing it sparingly, he could regain his power and develop into the man he was destined to become.
There were no fuinjutsu masters left in the original timeline after Minato and Kushina's demise. The Third and Danzō weren't interested in assisting him; in fact, they were happy to watch his potential dry up. But now. Now it was different. Rin and I had mastered fuinjutsu. She, with Kushina's meticulous tuition, was learning not just to stabilize her seal but to reform it. And I, having severed connections with almost all for two years, immersed myself in mastery. Even Itachi, who was so young, had learned the fundamentals—his seals keen, for fight.
And with both Minato and Kushina alive… Kakashi's destiny could be altered.
Rin's shoulders relaxed in a faint slump as she exhaled. "He's still obstinate about it… and keeps turning it down. I know why—really, I do—but we all know it's more of an imposition on him now, particularly at this point, when he should be developing. Minato-sensei and Kushina-sensei have attempted to reason with him, but he turns them down every time, always with an excuse."
Her voice trembled between frustration and sorrow, her eyes fading with quiet helplessness.
I leaned against the wall, my arms folded, my eyes dropping to the floor. My mind honed to a chill point. Kakashi's pride, his grief… they weren't scars. They were shackles, chaining him to a fate he didn't deserve.
But if I allowed him to stay like that… if I did nothing… he would tread the same path as before.
And this time… I would not permit it.
I sighed and shook my head in dismay before facing Itachi.
"Ah, so you've been training that Izumi girl."
For one brief moment, his eyes flashed with light at the sound of her name, a fleeting spark betraying his calm. But at once, the tranquil mask was back as he answered, "Yes. We first met last year. She was being bullied by a group of Uchiha clan members… because her father is a civilian and not a shinobi. They believe that she is weak, not good enough to be compared to them. It is ridiculous, their thinking."
His tone hardened a little, with that subtle irritation he always concealed. Then softly, he went on, "When I defended her, she insisted on training me. She told me she wished to depend on herself, to defend her family. So… I agreed."
I could not resist the sly smile that pulled at my mouth. "Ohh, so Itachi really does have himself a little girlfriend, Big Sis Rin. Who'd have thought? The cold and detached kid from two years ago… now running around with a girl. Ahh, time really does change people."
My sentence lingered in the air with a taunting bite, and Rin laughed at once, covering her mouth as her shoulders bobbed. Itachi, however, went crimson, his eyes revealing a tiny crack in his poise. He shifted his gaze hastily, attempting to stifle the embarrassment, and shook his head."You're still as… cranky as ever."
I leaned back with a big smile, my voice lighthearted. "Of course. It's my responsibility as your friend to make your life a living hell… and heaven too."
This time, even Itachi released the slightest laugh, though his ears remained flushed. The room grew warm with laughter and conversation, the previously tense quiet giving way as we chatted.
Rin showed her progress with the Three-Tails. The Cloud Domain seal had steadied it, allowing her to pull out small amounts of its chakra. It wasn't a lot yet, but it was progress, so much so that Konoha now had a jinchūriki with less than no chance of losing control. The look of relief in her eyes when she described it meant more than her words.
Itachi explained to me how his father had brought him onto the battlefield, how he'd awakened his Sharingan a year and a half before, among blood and turmoil. He'd been training ever since, learning how to use it effectively on the battlefield. He explained too of encountering Shisui, personally appointed by Fugaku himself to mentor him. His regard for Shisui was not apparent in what he said, but in the almost respectful gleam that danced in his eyes as he spoke.
We chatted till dusk fell, forgetting the time in the comfort of mutual tales. Supper came afterwards, and laughter graced the table as we all ate together. Afterwards, Mikoto, Kushina, Rin, and Itachi came back home from assisting Aunt Yoshino with the dishes. I remained behind, staying on to help out. After Yoshino retired, I crept over to Aunt Inoiki's place.
The shadow clone I had left behind had already depleted its chakra, so I went over to assist her. She smiled wearily at me, and the two of us cleaned up the remains of dinner. Uncle Inoichi arrived soon after, his presence reassuring as ever, and the three of us conversed for a bit before retiring to bed.
Outside, the sky grew darker. The stars were covered by thick clouds, but the moonlight still found a way to seep through in gentle, silver beams and painted Konoha with a soft, pale light.
I recrossed my arms, my awareness slipping into my mindspace where Nano was waiting."Nano… is the space isolation prototype seal ready?" I asked, my voice firm but tainted with urgency.
I already had the scheme in mind. In order to stop Obito, the easiest thing to do was to cut him off from access to the location that Kushina would be in. If I had placed Minato-sensei and Jiraiya as bodyguards at that point, then even if Obito attempted anything, they would be more than a match for him. And if all else failed, we still had the old monkey, and even Orochimaru… although I had not kept track of him, he had not defected yet, which unsettled me.
Fugaku's fate was unknown. I didn't know if he'd awakened the Mangekyō or not, but I could at least hope. At least Shisui at least had his, whether or not he had access to Susanoo; his strength was still precious. Then there was Kakashi, Rin herself with the Three-Tails, and Konoha's other ninja.
Danzo's meddling was another issue. For that, I'd need to speak with Minato beforehand, have Kakashi or Shikaku keep him under lock and key, and allow the Uchiha themselves to participate in the defense to save the civilians. Overkill, perhaps. But destiny was a capricious beast, and the instant you thought you had it pinned down… it could snap back around, keeping the world on its familiar path.
I breathed slowly, brows furrowing in consideration. "And as for Kushina's protection… Rin, Biwako, and the most powerful kunoichi will watch over her."
The fragments were finally aligning. But at the back of my head, I couldn't dispel the impression that destiny was waiting—watching—prepared to strike when not least anticipated.
I was in deep contemplation when Nano's soothing, robotic voice echoed within the mindspace."Host, the seal is in place and ready. Knowledge transmission will commence in 3… 2… 1."
A searing pulse hit my head, like strands of light falling into alignment, and the data flooded in at once. The seal was complicated, multifaceted in ways most would never be able to grasp—but not impossibly so. If you knew how to deal with space and dimensions, it was all manageable, almost intuitive.
I couldn't help but laugh at this. If Minato had ever even thought about there being some other spatial-user other than himself during canon, he could have done something like this during the Nine-Tails attack. But he never did.
In any case, the seal was complete. Now it was up to me to get it there. But most importantly of all, I had to graduate and make my place in the ANBU before then. It was hurried, perhaps, but my abilities had already risen above the standard of an elite chūnin. And if I used absolutely everything, every trick, every seal, every technique. I could even challenge a veteran jōnin, perhaps even an elite jōnin, to the limit. Kage-level? Not quite yet. But soon enough.
My eyes wandered upwards. Even within this mental space, the "sky" glowed dully, a strange mixture of silver and black, like reality was seamed together with ink and light.
"In roughly four months," I said to myself, "Konoha will be hosting the chūnin exams."
Not some inter-village affair like the one with the Konoha 12—no, this would be humble, internal. And yet, it was the best chance to make a move. If I played carefully, I could elevate myself to chūnin and conceal my actual talents from the outside world.
That implied just one thing: I was going to graduate within this month. If I were made a genin now, I'd have three complete months to reach the conditions for advancement. From memory, it took at least eight missions to be done, whatever rank. For caution, however, I'd set my sights higher—ten D-ranks, three C-ranks, and one B-rank.
And if you want to know how? That was easy. I'd select C-rank missions with potential contact with foreign shinobi, increasing the risk factor—and the rank—of the mission itself. And as for gaining access to them… I smiled. It's all just a matter of Kushina-sensei giving the push and pulling a few strings. How could the Hokage possibly deny a 'loving request' of his beloved wife? And Minato knows full well that I can manage it on my own.
No, the real problem wasn't the missions. The real problem was convincing Uncle and Aunt to let me apply for early graduation. And even then, there was the risk of rejection—whether from Minato himself or, worse, from that old monkey.
I could almost hear the sanctimonious voice already: "You need more time… more friends… more bonds… more of the Will of Fire…"
I tightened my fists in the mindspace, the ground of silver-black below me shaking a little with the intensity of my annoyance. "Bullshit," I said.
I will have to persuade Uncle Inoichi and Aunt Inoki first. They're the most protective of me, particularly Uncle. And while that warmth always warms my heart, it's also the chain that continually holds me back. If I simply explain to them that I wish to graduate early because I wish to be a shinobi, or worse, out of revenge, they'll never approve. I will need a sound reason, something they can accept.
'Tomorrow morning, after Uncle Inoichi departs for the Intelligence Division… I'll speak to them at that time.'
That resolved, I stepped out of Nano's mindspace and floated into slumber.
Outside my window, sparrows chirped. A gentle wind blew past the curtains, along with the smell of morning dew. My eyes sprang open, feeling unweighted compared to yesterday, released after my conversation with Rin and Itachi.
I stretched, struggled to my feet, and started my morning routine: brushing teeth, a quick bath, and the rest of it. Then I made a hand seal. With a wisp of smoke, a shadow clone appeared, and he took off towards Uncle Shikaku's place to assist Aunt Yoshino. I remained behind, tying my hair into a ponytail as I started cleaning the kitchen and cooking breakfast.
The master bedroom sliding door creaked as Aunt Inoki came out, still wearing a loose robe, her movements still fragile.
"Akira, you didn't need to," she whispered, rubbing her eyes. "I can do the chores myself. I'm only two months in—I'm not totally helpless."
I faced away from the counter, smiling softly. "I like to do the chores, Aunt. And for now, it's safer if you just rest. We don't want anything to happen to you or the baby."
Her lips bowed into a slight smile, though she did let out a sigh, her hand sweeping across her stomach before continuing into the bathroom. I took that as my signal to begin heating the bathwater for Uncle Inoichi.
Sure enough, roughly an hour and a half before the academy opened, Uncle appeared with his typical half-asleep eyes, yawning as he staggered towards the bathroom, not remembering that it was taken.
The following second—
"AHHH! A PERVERT!!!"
Splash!
I cringed at the sound of splashing water followed by his embarrassed, muffled voice. "S-sorry, dear, I didn't see you there!"
A dripping-wet Uncle Inoichi stumbled back into the hallway a few moments later, hair stuck to his face, half-wet and half-dry, obviously more awake now. I offered him a towel.
"Good morning, Uncle."
He took it with a groan, scratching his head. "Yeah… good morning, Akira. Breakfast ready?"
"Yes," I said. Then, calmly, I continued, "But before that, I have something important I need to speak with you and Aunt Inoki about."
His eyebrow shot up at that. "Important?"
I nodded. He blinked, then released a weary laugh before he turned back toward the bathroom. "Inoki, go wash together with me. Akira has something serious to discuss. We'll hurry up. …And could you wash my back too?"
I shook my head hard as Aunt's muted reprimand followed him into the bathroom.
A little while later, both of them emerged newly dressed in their everyday attire, and I completed preparing the table. We had eaten. Usually, Aunt would be chattering mindlessly and Uncle muttering into his food, but today the silence hung heavy over the room. Both of them kept glancing at me, curiosity evident, but neither prodded.
By the time I had finished eating, there were forty-five minutes left before I had to be on my way to the academy. I set down my chopsticks, my eyes stern.
"Uncle, Aunt… I want to graduate early."
The words hung in the air like smoke. Both of them stopped moving, gazing at me silently. Aunt's fingers clamped tighter on her chopsticks before she carefully placed them down with a soft clink. Uncle Inoichi slowly leaned back, exhaling deeply.
"Akira," he started, his voice serious, "although I would have you not… although I'd prefer you to spend more time with friends and be a child for a little longer… I cannot restrain you. This is your way. You alone can choose how to ease your hurt and find peace with it. If this is something you truly desire, then both your aunt and I will permit you to apply."
He gazed at me with a weary but soft smile. "So… when do you think you'll apply? Next year, after your first exams? Or the one after that?"
I remained silent.
For an instant, I was nearly taken aback by how effortlessly they granted me their approval. But then it clicked. Naturally, they assumed I meant next year. Or perhaps the year after.
My hands fisted under the table, nails digging into my skin. The actual issue wasn't whether or not I had their blessing.
The actual issue was how to break it to them that:
I was going to apply for early graduation this month.
I breathed deep and announced, "Uncle, Aunt… I am going to apply for early graduation this month."
Silence engulfed the room immediately. The gentle small talk of Uncle Inoichi and Aunt Inoki, which had just started moments before, froze on their lips as my words registered. The warmth of the morning, the aroma of freshly cooked breakfast, and the song of birds outside all seemed to recede, giving way to a crushing weight.
Uncle Inoichi broke the silence first, his voice biting and acidic. "What're you thinking, Akira? You want to quit the academy in a month? You've only just gotten here yesterday! Are you crazy? You think being a shinobi is easy? Or you think you're that good and you can just do whatever you please? Or…" His voice shook a little, anger entwined with concern. "…are you that desperate for revenge that you'd give up your own childhood?"
The weight of his words was oppressive against me. My chest constricted, and my hands shook a little beneath the table. I did not answer right away. I had to consider this carefully. This wasn't just about me; it was about persuading the ones who had adopted me as their own, who loved me like their child.
Finally, I raised my head, though my voice came out softer, carrying every ounce of emotion I had been holding back.
"Uncle, Aunt… I am not doing it out of revenge. And I am not killing a shinobi lightly. I know it's difficult, much more difficult than anyone could ever think. But only if I clench my teeth and push through it, only if I rub against the pain and overcome it, can I become genuinely stronger. Only then can I guard what's still mine for me, you, my upcoming siblings, my friends."
My throat began to constrict, but I forced myself on, my voice breaking as tears threatened to come. "I cannot sit idly by and bask in peace knowing that peace can be destroyed in a moment. This world is cruel… takes and gives without purpose.". I am content with what was offered to me, but I will not sit idly by and see what I love taken from me again. Not until I am strong enough can I find peace in my hardships and accept them. I don't know how long I will live… but before I pass on, I want to give all that I have to those I love. This world does not pardon; it does not sympathize with the weak. Only by being hard can I achieve my purpose."
With this, I could no longer restrain myself. My tears fell freely as I slid off my seat, prostrating myself, forehead against the wooden floor. My voice trembled as guilt and desperation spewed forth.
"Please… Uncle, Aunt… let me do this. Forgive me."
The silence that ensued was agonizing, each moment elongating like hours. The sound of my own breath was all that echoed in my ears, and the chilly ground beneath my head seemed to suck the heat out of me.
Finally, Aunt Inoki cracked. Her voice shuddered, raw with pain as tears poured down her face. "I can't… I just can't…" Her sentence tore apart into sobs as she stood up and ran towards their bedroom. The door closed behind her with the sound of a slashing blade through my heart.
I didn't raise my head. I couldn't. Guilt was all that flooded me, and I remained bent, still.
Uncle Inoichi rose slowly, his shadow falling across me. His voice was steady now, but deep, loaded with grief.
"Akira… I know your drive. I know what fuels your hunger. But the more you pursue it, the more it will destroy you. Even now, all you notice are your ambitions, not others around you. You think you're training, you're suffering, you're pushing yourself on our behalf… but actually, you are nourishing your heart with a false expectation."
His words sting sharper than any knife.
"We don't need your protection," he went on, his voice shaking. "If our lives are destined to be cut short, then so be it. I am not afraid. I will never turn back out of fear. But until that day arrives, I want to spend every moment of my time with my family… all of them. And you… You're wasting it, Akira. You are here, but you're not with us."
I clenched my lip so hard it was almost bleeding, but I didn't dare to interrupt him. "I know you're keeping something from me. I know this isn't your real aspiration. You're too clever and too mature for your age. I've watched you grow from a kid to the boy you are today. I know you know balance… and yet, here you are, abandoning it. I also know that if I refuse you, you'll manage to do it anyway. That's what you do."
He sighed, a sound that seemed to come from the very depths of his being. "But… I won't be able to endorse this. I won't. If Lord Fourth permits you, then have it so. But remember this, Akira—" His tone was becoming burdened, with an unbreakable love. "Even if you become a shinobi, don't forget that you still have people who will love you. People who will be there for you, even when you don't love them. Don't forget that, or one day, when you look back, you'll find nothing."
With that, Uncle Inoichi walked away, slowly to the bedroom, to console Aunt Inoki. The closure of the sliding door left me in solitude.
I didn't stir. My forehead remained on the floor, my tears seeping into the wood. I could sense the wound I had just inflicted on their hearts… and yet, I couldn't help myself. I couldn't turn back.
After an eternity, I finally hauled myself to my feet, wiping my eyes, my chest still weighed down by guilt. My heart pained more than any injury I had ever received, but I hardened it, making the cracks within me set into determination."I'm sorry… but I have to move on," I breathed to myself, before facing the academy.
""""
(A/N)-Hello everyone, thank you for your support during my comeback. I am still recovering; my hands are trembling here and there, but it's better not to move at all. Also, thank you for your heartfelt wishes. As for the reason why Akira is graduating early, I think I may not have expressed it very clearly or well. ,
Akira wanted to ask for his uncle and aunt's permission to graduate early, but the moment he saw the anger in Uncle Inoichi's eyes, he realized that if he insisted on asking properly, their relationship would suffer. So instead, he intentionally lied about his reasoning, saying it was because of protection and duty.
Both his aunt and uncle immediately understood that he was lying. This hurt them deeply, because Akira was someone who never lied to them unless he either did not trust them or did not want to burden them. To them, this lie felt like cold, distant words coming from a stranger, not the boy they had raised.
In the end, Akira chose to hurt them on purpose, knowing that if they were heartbroken or angry with him, they might allow him to take the exam, or at least neglect him long enough for him to go through with it.
So basically, Akira sacrificed his bond with them by lying, just to push his early graduation through.
"""