"To fight for the sake of protecting this country?"
Itachi's eyes clouded with confusion.
He didn't feel much attachment to Konoha, let alone the Land of Fire.
After all, his world since birth had consisted only of his home and the training field.
And now, hearing Artoria suddenly call him the "protector of the Land of Fire," he found himself completely… unprepared.
"Someone's coming."
Before he could delve deeper into those thoughts, Artoria's voice interrupted, her tone sharp. "It sounds like… quite a few of them."
She turned slowly, gazing into the dense trees.
The righteous aura that had risen in her earlier speech now cooled, taking on a sharp, almost glacial edge.
"Are they enemies?"
Itachi asked mentally, even lowering his inner voice without realizing it.
Artoria shook her head slightly. "As a spirit, I can't use my mana right now. I'll need to see them up close to confirm."
Itachi consciously slowed his breathing. "I see…"
"These Uchiha… are monsters."
"We had more than triple their numbers! How did we still get scattered?!"
"Stay calm! The Uchiha aren't called the strongest bloodline clan in the ninja world for nothing!"
In the forest, four Iwa-nin in dark red vests moved swiftly through the trees.
At their front, a jōnin carried a limp boy slung over his shoulder—unconscious, and unmistakably Uchiha, the clan crest clearly visible on his clothes. Even in spirit form, Artoria recognized it immediately.
"I can't sense chakra," she said, "but judging by their gear and headbands, I'd estimate one jōnin, three chūnin."
Then she added quietly, "Your clansman's been taken. They're likely researching the Sharingan."
She'd seen it in Itachi's memories. The Sharingan—a bloodline trait as coveted as treasure—was often the target of greed and exploitation.
Inside the hollow, Itachi remained completely still. His voice was calm.
"If possible, please keep track of which direction they're headed."
"Once Father returns, we'll pursue them."
"From what they're saying, it sounds like the battle has shifted in our favor."
Even if he couldn't risk revealing himself, he could still hear their conversation—catching slivers of intel between their breaths and footsteps.
As for launching a rescue mission…
That thought never crossed his mind.
He was five. He had only just learned how to mold chakra. Facing four trained enemy ninja? That would be suicide.
"Damn it! Even after we spent half a day rallying forces, we couldn't wipe them all out!"
"Be grateful we at least managed to take one Uchiha alive! Don't push your luck."
"If we can get this prisoner back in one piece, maybe Lord Kurotsuchi won't punish us too harshly."
Their voices grew more distant.
But their words…
Itachi's body flinched ever so slightly.
Whoosh—
Suddenly, the jōnin who had been talking stopped mid-sentence.
He vanished in an instant, reappearing in the shadows beneath a nearby tree, his back pressed to the trunk. He scanned the forest carefully, sharp eyes darting from tree to stone to underbrush.
Nothing.
No movement. No presence. Just trees, moss-covered rocks, and silence.
"What is it?"
One of the chūnin signaled silently from behind another tree.
The remaining two were already crouched in hiding, kunai in hand, waiting for orders.
"…I thought I heard another breathing pattern. One that wasn't ours."
The jōnin signed back quickly. "We should've brought a sensory-type with us."
He then tossed the unconscious Uchiha boy to one of his comrades. "Stay here. I'll check it out."
Even though nothing had shown itself, his instincts as a jōnin wouldn't allow him to ignore that subtle disturbance.
"They've detected you."
Not far away, beneath the hollowed base of another great tree, Artoria turned to Itachi.
"What do you intend to do?"
She didn't understand.
This child had demonstrated a composure far beyond his years. Even in danger, his heartbeat and breathing had remained controlled.
But just now—for a brief instant—his breath had become uneven.
"Half a day…"
Itachi noticed it too.
In the moment his breathing had faltered, all background noise vanished.
They had gone still. They'd heard him.
He had been discovered.
But more than the immediate danger, his mind lingered on that phrase—"half a day."
"They said they used the half-day we rested to gather triple our numbers…"
"And we rested… because I collapsed. Because I needed time."
"So this situation—this ambush—it's my fault."
That thought landed like a boulder on his chest.
Until now, even with all his training and battlefield experience, Itachi had never felt this weight.
He'd never felt guilt.
Because up until now, if he lived or died, it had only been about him—just Uchiha Itachi.
But now…
If others died because of me…
The ambush happened because I delayed them. People were killed because I needed rest. A clansman was captured… because of me.
His mind raced, scenes flashing back to when his father carried him away from the chaos.
Uchiha after Uchiha had fallen to enemy blades. Explosions, screaming, the sound of kunai tearing through flesh, bones snapping.
Blood had splattered onto his skin like rain.
"Enough."
Artoria's cold voice cut through the storm in his mind.
"Right now, shouldn't you be thinking about how to survive?"
"I'll be fine."
But Itachi didn't hesitate. He answered her through his thoughts, steady once again.
"The Sharingan is sharp. There's no way these men could've abducted an Uchiha without being seen. Someone will come."
"They've stopped moving… which means…"
Before he could finish—
Whish!
A sharp slicing sound broke the silence, coming from a tree near his hiding place.
Thunk!
A dull thud followed.
"You were right," Artoria said, eyes narrowing. "One of your clan has arrived."
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!