At noon, under the warm winter sun,

Itachi didn't eat at home for the first time in a long time, but chose to eat out with Hui and them.

After lunch, they said goodbye to Itachi and continued their sparring practice.

Itachi, on the other hand, is on the way home with Artoria.

"You are today...... It seems to be a little different from usual. ”

Slowly following Itachi, Artoria spoke meaningfully, "In the past, out of etiquette, you might have comforted them, but you would never have invited them as guests. ”

Hearing this, Itachi was silent for a moment, and replied in his heart, "Very mixed feelings. ”

"Complicated?"

Artoria was a little confused.

"Yes, complicated."

Itachi continued, "I've found it hard to let go of emotions. ”

"Originally, I thought that the relationship between me and Zen and them was probably that of each other's practice companions, and that was it."

"If I have a different position, I can give up this relationship at any time, after all, from the perspective of time, I have only known Zen people for less than three months."

"And even Hui, who has known him for the longest time, is less than a year ago."

Speaking of this, his demeanor fluctuated a little, "But I found that I was wrong, and I was a little reluctant to have this emotion." ”

"They...... I think it's someone I've had a lot of contact with other than my parents and you. ”

"In just a short period of time, I've seen a lot of ninja favorite tactics from them, and they're constantly trying to improve themselves because of me."

"I don't like to talk to people, but it's actually quite interesting to sit quietly and watch them make a noise......

Itachi talks about how he feels about this new emotion that has been inserted into his life.

"Yes, I remember the first time you went to eat barbecue, they learned how to eat with a knife and fork, and it turned out to be slow, and the meal lasted almost an hour."

"And the time Hui practiced against you, he also tried to use the same tactics to set a trap for you, but you used it in reverse."

"Actually, I later felt that you were more capable of competing with several of them at the same time than if you were to train them alone."

……

Artoria followed him, listening very attentively, smiling from time to time and making a mention or two to help him remember the scene.

In fact, it's not just the ferret, even she is a little reluctant to show a few people.

Because this time of practice together is very beautiful, there is no war, no troubles.

Everyone was giggling every day, and life was very easy, which made Artoria feel as if she had returned to the time when she had not yet drawn the sword in the stone and had not yet become the heir of the king.

She is undoubtedly a witness to this bond of friendship.

Artoria watched Itachi go from being ignorant and indifferent to a few people, using them to help with his practice, and then getting used to and accepting them.

In a sense, she was part of this friendship, but ...... She could only watch from the sidelines, and the few of them didn't know that such a person existed.

The two chatted, but under the warm sun, there was only the shadow of one person......

……

"Itachi, you try the fire escape technique for me."

It's been a long time again, and the ferret is still at home at this time in the morning.

"Fire Escape: Hao Fireball Technique."

In the courtyard,

Hearing his father's instructions, Itachi sealed his hands, and after matching the flow of chakra in his body and reciting the name of the technique in his mouth, tiny flames erupted from his mouth.

Precise chakra control allowed him to display his technique perfectly in this courtyard without letting the flames affect the plants in the courtyard.

“…… Very good. ”

Fugaku opened the writing wheel eye and carefully observed Itachi's technique.

For a long time, he was relieved but very regretful to make an evaluation.

I was relieved because Itachi had really completed the practice of chakra's nature change alone, as Mai Trin said, and adjusted chakra's control so exquisitely.

This means that Itachi already has one of the factors to become a shinobi.

And unfortunately, the same is true.

When Itachi was growing up, as a father, he only spent a small amount of time mentoring.

He didn't have much sense of participation in his success, which Fuyue regretted.

But there is no way, he is the patriarch of the Uchiha, not an ordinary family of ninjas, except for the time of the mission, most of the time can be spent at home with his family and teaching children.

When Itachi dispersed the technique, Fu Yue said with satisfaction, "With your talent, I may not be able to teach you anything soon. ”

"I'm sure you'll soon have the ability to carry the Uchiha's banner."

"In the next few days, I'll tell you about Chakra's form changes, illusions, and a few things about our Uchiha clan's Sharingan."

Itachi nodded, but soon, he asked with some hesitation, "Father, since you know very well that my strength already meets the requirements of a ninja, why did you let me go to the ninja school to study?" ”

"I think what I'm missing now is combat experience, mission experience."

"In school, I probably didn't learn much."

After coming into contact with Zen and them, Itachi knew very well that his strength assessment could fully reach the level of the middle ninja.

That being the case, going to a ninja school is a bit of a waste of time.

For this, he raised questions.

"There are two main purposes."

Uchiha Fugaku didn't hide Itachi's meaning, "The first purpose, the ninja school is the best opportunity for you to meet your foreign peers, and you can meet people from other races in Konoha in the school. ”

"Befriending them will help you to sit in the position of patriarch in the future, and it will be helpful to maintain the relationship between Konoha and the family."

That being the case, the Itachi can understand.

In terms of family stability, he has always agreed with his father's arrangement since he heard about it.

After all, the stability of the family means that their family can be stable.

And all Itachi wants at the moment is the safety of his family.

"Second purpose."

Uchiha Fugaku's gaze was a little complicated, "I hope to be able to protect you as much as possible before you have the strength to truly protect yourself." ”

Protect me?

Itachi was a little puzzled.

"The situation in the entire ninja world is very delicate right now."

Fugaku explained, "Although we have signed a peace agreement with the Land Country, there has been some mitigation with the Battle of the Wind Country due to the Tachibana Mountain. ”

"But the two big countries of the Land of Thunder and the Land of Water, and even some small and medium-sized countries including the Land of Rain...... None of them are really stable yet. ”

"The flames of war on the border of the Fire Nation have never been extinguished, but there has been no large-scale conflict for the time being, and there has been no large-scale dispatch of troops."

"If you become a shinobi, there is no doubt that you will be sent on missions throughout the Fire Country."

"At the beginning, I took you to the battlefield, and you should understand that in that environment, even Shangnin is not absolutely sure to protect himself."

"You will only be six years old next year, the same as everyone else, as long as you hide your strength, you will not be forced to graduate early and set foot on the battlefield."

"That way, you still have a lot of time to improve yourself and improve your ability to survive on the battlefield."

Although it is said that there is a little bit of evasion.

But Itachi's talent is really good, and Fugaku doesn't want him to pounce on that fire like a moth before he has raised his strength to a certain stage.

Itachi was a little silent about his father's explanation, and then asked calmly, "What about it...... What about Kakashi Hachiki? ”