After confirming several times that Nawaki wasn't joking, Akio accepted the reality with a stiff expression.
He had no idea what Nawaki was thinking. In the original story, even when Fugaku named his son after Hiruzen's father, it already felt strange though at least that could be brushed off as "the Uchiha showing loyalty to the Hokage."
But now Nawaki was naming his child after his own ancestor…
"So it really is revenge, huh?"
Between the two options, Akio would have preferred the name Senju Sasuke. "Senju Akio," though… that just felt unbearably awkward.
He tried reasoning with Nawaki for quite a while, but the man was stubborn. With no way to change his mind, Akio could only sigh in defeat.
"The child in Mikoto's belly must be a girl." Akio muttered a curse under his breath, the "Great Hex Technique."
After pondering for a long time, he decided he couldn't just "sit back and accept defeat." He had to get even somehow.
"Since you're being heartless, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Akio marched straight to the Uchiha compound not to find Kagami this time, but Fugaku.
"Fugaku, is Meiling pregnant?" he asked first, needing confirmation.
Fugaku blinked, stunned. "Elder Akio, I only learned about that yesterday. The news hasn't spread yet, how did you know?"
Akio chuckled slyly. "Of course I know!"
Fugaku: "…"
Something felt… off.
"Well, that's good. Pregnancy is a good thing," Akio muttered to himself.
Fugaku: "???"
Without explanation, Akio reached into a sealing scroll and pulled out a camera.
"Come on, Fugaku. Strike a pose, I'll take a few photos."
Fugaku stiffened, completely baffled as to what the old man was planning.
Click, click… The shutter snapped a few times. Akio nodded in satisfaction.
"Your face looks pretty fierce perfect," he said, turning to leave. "Take good care of Meiling. Your second child's bound to be a genius."
Fugaku: "…"
After obtaining Fugaku's photo, Akio spent the rest of the day preparing all the materials he needed.
The next morning, he headed back to the Senju compound.
"You're personally going to give Itachi his first ninja lesson?" Nawaki said excitedly, then hesitated. "But he's only four and a half. Isn't that a bit early?"
"Not early at all," Akio replied with a smile. "He's got a Sage's Body, his growth and development will outpace others."
"Then I'll leave him in your care!"
Nawaki brought little Itachi over. The boy greeted politely, "Great Ancestor."
"Ah!" Akio responded cheerfully. He'd finally settled Itachi's title for him "Great Ancestor."
He patted Itachi's small head… and then gave his tiny nose a good pinch.
Apparently, a bit too hard — Itachi's eyes welled up with tears. Akio quickly cleared his throat and got to business.
"Itachi, from today onward, I'll guide you through your first steps as a shinobi. I'll teach you my unique chakra extraction method, something no one else knows!"
Nawaki looked surprised. "There's a unique way to extract chakra?"
"Yep, one I developed myself." Akio nodded. "Follow me, Itachi. Nawaki, you stay trying to eavesdrop and steal my secrets?"
Nawaki gave a helpless smile and stayed behind, though he had a very bad feeling about this.
Akio brought Itachi to his private residence within the Senju compound. After locking the doors tightly, he smiled warmly at the boy… and pinched his nose again.
"What I'm about to teach you is my personal chakra extraction method. Don't tell anyone else."
Itachi nodded earnestly. Then Akio pulled out… a large headshot of Fugaku.
"Uncle Fugaku?" Itachi tilted his head.
Akio froze, he hadn't expected the boy to recognize him.
"No, no, not him. Just someone who looks like him."
Itachi nodded uncertainly.
"When you practice extracting chakra, I want you to focus on this face," Akio explained solemnly. "It'll help you draw chakra faster."
"Oh…" Itachi hesitated but nodded again.
Then Akio taught him the normal chakra extraction technique, though he couldn't resist giving the boy's nose another pinch.
"Got it? Then start practicing!"
…
A month later.
Akio watched as Itachi flawlessly performed the Clone, Substitution, and Transformation Techniques. He nodded in satisfaction and stepped closer.
Seeing that look, Itachi instinctively backed away but Akio's hand somehow "teleported" across space and pinched his nose again.
"Not bad, you're already at academy graduation level. My special chakra extraction method works wonders, huh?" he said proudly though inwardly, he was muttering, What terrifying talent.
Itachi pouted. "It does help a lot, Great Ancestor… but could you please stop pinching my nose every time?"
"Ah, haha…" Akio scratched his head awkwardly. "Next time, I won't."
Then he pulled out a new target board with Fugaku's photo as the background.
Itachi blinked. "You're going to teach me your unique kunai-throwing technique next?"
"Hehe, that's right."
…
Time passed quickly. Two months later, it was now Konoha Year 48. Akio had finished Itachi's beginner training, and word arrived from Kushina, she was finally pregnant. That was reason enough to end the lessons.
Packing away his "special" kunai targets, Akio gave Itachi's little nose one final pinch.
Faint marks had formed on the boy's nose bridge, and Akio nodded approvingly.
"That's the end of your basic shinobi training. But keep practicing that chakra extraction method, understood?"
Itachi nodded. "Yes, I will."
Akio added sternly, "And don't tell anyone about the special training I gave you."
Throughout those three months, he'd kept Itachi's lessons completely private. Curious people had tried to peek in, but Akio had chased them all off.
Seeing Itachi agree so seriously, Akio nodded and left the Senju compound, smiling wickedly to himself.
"Nawaki, Nawaki… since you were heartless, don't blame me for being ruthless." He chuckled darkly. "If Itachi grows up looking like Fugaku, that's on you, not me!"
Such was the vengeful pettiness of an ancient ancestor.
After wandering a bit, he arrived at Minato and Kushina's home, just in time to see Minato smiling warmly beside his wife.
"Great-Grandfather!"
"Elder Akio!"
Akio nodded. "Kushina, has someone gone to inform your grandmother? She's been waiting for this day."
Kushina gently rubbed her stomach, glowing with happiness. "Someone's gone to tell her."
Akio sighed. "What are you rubbing your belly for? It's still early."
Kushina blushed and pulled her hand away.
"How's the Nine-Tails behaving lately?" Akio asked.
"I get along with the little fox pretty well," Kushina said cheerfully.
"That's good."
Minato interjected, "Elder Akio, I heard that when a jinchūriki gives birth, the tailed beast can…"
"It's fine. It wouldn't dare, I'll be keeping an eye on it," Akio said reassuringly.
…
Two days later, instead of Nanako, Akio was greeted by Izuko.
"Sensei," she said gravely, "Elder Sister Nanako… she's fallen ill."
---
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