met free Chapter 236 The weasel wants to play the filial son again; filial piety breeds strength.
Chapter 236 The weasel wants to play the filial son again; filial piety breeds strength.
Chapter 236 The weasel wants to play the filial son again; filial piety breeds strength.
Evening, in the forest outside Konoha Village.
Inside the camp, the campfire was burning brightly, crackling loudly.
Kisame Hoshigaki absentmindedly turned the wild boar on the grill, the grease dripping into the fire and sizzling, the rich aroma of meat filling the air, but it did nothing to whet his appetite.
His thoughts were on that silent figure not far away.
Uchiha Itachi leaned against the rough tree trunk, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyelids drooping, as if he had fallen asleep.
But Kisame knew that he didn't.
Ever since we returned from hunting in the afternoon, Itachi has been out of sorts.
Having partnered with Itachi for so long, this was the first time he had ever felt such a clear sense of oppression.
This is different from the murderous aura during battle; it's more like a heavy feeling seeping from the depths of one's soul.
After much hesitation, he finally decided to speak.
After all, the partner's mental state is directly related to the success or failure of the mission.
"Mr. Daichi, have you discovered something? Should we request the organization's help?"
He asked cautiously.
However, he was met with a strange counter-question.
"What Sasuke?!"
Almost the instant Kisame finished speaking, Itachi, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, his body tensing instantly. His Sharingan, glowing like two burning red lights in the firelight, stared intently at him.
Kisame was filled with questions.
What the hell?
Itachi immediately realized his loss of composure, and forcibly suppressed his emotional fluctuations, returning to his usual calm and collected demeanor.
"cough-..-"
His body relaxed again, and he leaned back against the tree trunk.
"Kisame, what did you just say? I didn't hear you."
He spoke again, but his voice was completely devoid of emotion.
Kisame stared at him blankly for several seconds before reacting. He grinned speechlessly, revealing a set of shark-like sharp teeth.
"I was wondering if you'd run into some trouble and if you needed to call for backup?"
"Everything is normal. Just do your job and don't worry about anything else."
Kisame met with a resounding rebuff, gritted his teeth, and refused to ask another question.
He could sense that something was off about Itachi today.
"..-·OK."
He gave a muffled reply, focusing all his attention back on the grilled meat, though his mind was still racing with thoughts of his own.
That's really strange of you today, Oichi-san.
The dinner ended hastily in this suffocating silence.
After finishing his meal, Itachi spoke up.
"It's my turn to keep watch tonight."
Itachi patted his clothes and was about to get up when Kisame suddenly stood up.
"I'll keep watch, Itachi. You go and rest."
His attitude was surprisingly positive.
There was something in Kisame's heart, but he didn't dare to say it.
Given Itachi's current state, Kisame is genuinely worried that something might happen tonight.
"Um?"
Itachi tilted his head slightly, looking at Kisame's big face, which was smiling somewhat stiffly, and felt strange.
What is Kisame up to now?
However, he had no interest in investigating further.
Being able to rest early is something he desperately wants.
After all, a good night's sleep makes it a new day.
He can—
In a daze.
After an unknown amount of time, Itachi's consciousness gradually returned from the chaos.
He frowned slightly, feeling a bright light in front of him that made it hard to open his eyes.
Itachi instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring light, then slowly opened them.
What came into view was a familiar living room.
Itachi, having obtained the certificate, quickly looked around.
He found himself sitting on the tatami mat in his living room, with a lavish breakfast laid out on a low wooden coffee table.
Pan-fried fish, miso soup, rice, and my mother's specialty, tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet)—
Everything felt incredibly real.
"I—came in again?"
Itachi was startled and immediately understood the situation; he was once again in a dream.
The moment he realized this, the emotions that had been suppressed and subdued all day burst forth like a dam breaking.
A sense of relief and joy spread through Itachi's chest, making his breathing rapid.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Itachi Uchiha have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
A dream!
It's that dream again!
Here, he could openly look at Sasuke, talk to him, and even—touch him!
Thinking of all this, Itachi felt his heart suddenly race, his blood seemed to boil, and he trembled slightly with an overwhelming sense of anticipation.
Just as Itachi was overwhelmed with emotion, a series of light, hurried footsteps suddenly came from the direction of the stairs.
Immediately afterward, a black-haired boy rushed downstairs like the wind: "Nii-san! You're discharged from the hospital!"
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
The person who arrived was Sasuke.
He practically jumped down the last few steps, lunged into Itachi's arms, and hugged his brother tightly.
The boy's clear voice was full of surprise and excitement.
"Great! Nii-san, you're finally back!"
When his younger brother bumped into him squarely, Itachi felt a jolt in his chest and his body stiffened.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Itachi Uchiha have been detected! Emotional value +600!]
He subconsciously raised his hands, wanting to hug Sasuke back, but he didn't dare to really use force, for fear that if he used even a little force, it would all be in vain.
Itachi stood rooted to the spot, even forgetting to breathe.
It wasn't until the faint scent of Sasuke lingered around his nose that he was reminded of his presence.
This is not an illusion.
The touch in my arms felt real and warm.
Sasuke was really in my arms!
"Brother, what's wrong?" Sasuke noticed that his brother was silent and his body was stiff as a stone, so he raised his head from his arms and looked at Itachi with some confusion.
Itachi's face was pale, and his dark eyes were filled with his own reflection, which he did not blink.
Sasuke felt embarrassed by the stare and scratched his head, grinning sheepishly, "Well, it's great that you've recovered and been discharged from the hospital!"
"Yes—that's great."
The weasel murmured in agreement, a slight, uncontrollable smile creeping onto his lips.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Itachi Uchiha have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
He looked down at his younger brother's joyful smiling face, and at that moment he had only one thought in his mind.
Even if it's just a dream, he'd be willing to stay in it forever and never wake up.
He choked up a little as he spoke those few words, but fortunately Sasuke was so caught up in the joy of their reunion that he didn't notice his brother's strange expression.
Just then, a gentle female voice came from the direction of the kitchen.
"Sasuke, be careful, Itachi was just discharged from the hospital."
As Mikoto Uchiha carried the last dish out of the kitchen, she saw her youngest son clinging to her eldest son like a sloth. She couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head, saying, "He just got home not long ago, and his injuries haven't fully healed yet. It's all thanks to Lady Tsunade's meticulous treatment that Itachi was able to recover so quickly."
Looking at my mother whom I hadn't seen for so long, a warm feeling welled up in my heart.
He bowed slightly and respectfully accepted the soup bowl his mother handed him: "Thank you for your hard work, Mother."
Mikoto nodded with a smile: "It's good that you're back."
As she spoke, she reached out and ruffled Sasuke's hair.
"And you, Sasuke, stop making such a fuss. Your brother needs to rest."
"Okay, Mom."
Sasuke blushed as his mother ruffled his hair, and although he agreed, he still happily clung to Itachi's side.
Mikoto smiled helplessly and said, "Alright, everyone, sit down and eat."
Not long after, Fugaku Uchiha appeared at the living room doorway.
He was dressed in a crisp kimono, his face serious. He first carefully examined Itachi, as if assessing his condition.
"You're back? How's your recovery going?"
Under his gaze, Itachi bowed slightly and whispered, "I've almost fully recovered, Father."
"That's good."
Fugaku nodded slightly, said nothing more, and walked to the head seat to sit down.
The family of four sat around a low table and happily began their breakfast.
The long-awaited family reunion made Itachi almost feel dazed, wishing that time could stand still at this moment.
After finishing his meal, Sasuke's eyes lit up, and he excitedly suggested, "Nii-san, come with me to the courtyard to train later! You haven't taught me any new techniques in a long time."
After saying that, he looked at Itachi with anticipation.
Itachi, who was clearing the dishes, suddenly stopped, hardly believing his ears: "Training with—Sasuke?"
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Itachi Uchiha have been detected! Emotional value +800!]
Yes, how long has it been since he trained with Sasuke?
Fugaku had already stood up, hands behind his back, and walked out. Just before leaving, he abruptly said, "Itachi, you don't need to report to the police department today. Take a good rest. Sasuke has been a bit lax lately, so take this opportunity to discipline him properly and make him understand the consequences of stagnant strength!"
After saying that, Fugaku snorted coldly and stepped out of the living room without looking back.
Itachi gently patted Sasuke's head: "Let's go, let's go to the yard."
As he spoke, he took the lead and stepped out of the door.
The gravel path in the courtyard is winding and narrow, with several tall cherry trees standing gracefully, and a few clear birdsongs coming from among the branches and leaves.
The two brothers walked slowly, one after the other, to the open space in the center of the courtyard and stood side by side.
Itachi looked intently at his younger brother as the sun rose.
Sasuke was no longer the childish kid he used to be. Overwhelmed with emotion, he tried his best to suppress the surging excitement in his heart, not wanting Sasuke to discover anything amiss.
Taking a deep breath, Itachi tried his best to restore his expression and tone to that of a gentle and reliable older brother.
He recalled how his normal self in the previous dream interacted with Sasuke, and tried to imitate that relaxed and natural tone as he asked, "Sasuke, what do you want to start practicing today? Shuriken throwing, or a new genjutsu?"
To everyone's surprise, Sasuke on the other side had a serious expression on his face, a solemn look he had never shown before.
Sasuke slowly shook his head and said firmly, "Nii-san, let's talk about this later."
He took a deep breath, his dark eyes reflecting Itachi's image, and asked, word by word, "Brother, you've already awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan—right? What I really want to learn is how to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan!"
Upon hearing this, Itachi's smile suddenly froze.
"kaleidoscope?"
For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Itachi Uchiha have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
"That's right!"
Sasuke stepped forward, meeting an incredulous gaze, his expression extremely serious and urgent.
"Teach me, Nii-san! Teach me how to master the Mangekyou Sharingan!"
"I must obtain that power—only then can I become as strong as you and Shisui-nii-san!"
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +600!]
auditorium.
"The Mangekyou Sharingan? What's that? It sounds even more powerful than Sasuke's current eyes?"
Naruto scratched his head, looking at Kakashi-sensei beside him with a puzzled expression.
Kakashi stared intently at Sasuke's serious expression on the screen and explained gravely, "Yes—that's a higher form of the Sharingan, possessing power that the ordinary Sharingan cannot match."
Jiraiya, standing to the side, crossed his arms and sighed, "Perhaps the events of the day triggered him."
After hearing Kakashi's explanation, Naruto couldn't help but mutter enviously, "The Sharingan is really amazing; it can even make you so much stronger."
"Naruto!"
Kakashi suddenly turned around, interrupting Naruto's reflections.
His usually lazy and easygoing demeanor was unusually stern at this moment. He stared intently at Naruto and solemnly said:
"I know that you and Sasuke have been training incredibly hard lately because you learned something, trying to become stronger. But—"
"You must never be impatient for quick results, and you must never easily use forces that you do not understand."
"Huh?" Naruto was stunned, not understanding why Kakashi was suddenly reprimanding him so seriously.
Kakashi's voice became serious.
"The price you have to pay to reach the Mangekyou Sharingan is beyond your imagination; it's something that ordinary people can't bear."
That last sentence seemed to carry an immense weight, making it difficult for Naruto to breathe.
He had never seen Kakashi-sensei look so serious, even with a hint of fear.
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Naruto swallowed hard, mustered his courage, and asked, "Kakashi-sensei, what price must be paid to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan?"
Kakashi simply shook his head silently, offering no further explanation, and instead turned his attention back to the screen.
Jiraiya patted Naruto on the shoulder.
on the screen.
Itachi saw a burning desire, even an obsession, in his younger brother's eyes.
A determination to do anything for power.
After Sasuke made his request, he noticed that Itachi remained silent throughout and his expression gradually became anxious.
"Nii-san, did you hear me? I want to become stronger! Please tell me how to awaken the Kaleidoscope!"
The feeling of powerlessness made him even angrier and more determined; he desperately craved power.
"I need more power." Sasuke clenched his fists so tightly they cracked.
That's enough power to defeat that guy!
Hearing his younger brother's undisguised eagerness, Itachi felt a mix of emotions.
"Sasuke—" Itachi's lips moved, his heart filled with a mix of emotions.
Guilt, self-blame, and reluctance all welled up in my heart.
What he has always been pursuing is precisely to give Sasuke the opportunity and determination to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan.
But when that moment actually arrived, seeing Sasuke so eager to obtain that cursed power, Itachi's heart ached slightly.
After a moment's hesitation, Itachi let out a long sigh.
He forced himself to calm down and tried to explain in a steady tone: "The Mangekyou Sharingan—it's a power that can't be obtained through learning."
"W-What do you mean?" Sasuke's eyes widened upon hearing this. "Can't learn it?!"
He pressed for an answer, finding it hard to believe.
He has always regarded his brother as a guiding light on his path forward.
Itachi was a genius; there was almost no technique he couldn't learn. Sasuke thought that as long as his brother was willing to teach him, he could always follow in his footsteps and become stronger.
But now, Itachi is saying that this power cannot be obtained through learning?
Seeing his younger brother's face full of blame and resentment, Itachi Uchiha felt even more heartbroken.
"Yes, the kaleidoscope comes with a price that is heavier than you can imagine."
"cost?"
He had never heard his brother speak in such a tone before, as if it touched upon some unspeakable pain.
Sasuke proved it.
Uchiha Itachi remained silent.
At this moment, he was experiencing a fierce internal struggle.
His long-standing goal was to help Sasuke master this cursed power.
However, is the time right for Sasuke to truly awaken this obsession?
He suddenly felt a sense of unease.
The biggest problem that troubled Itachi in the past was that he didn't have much time left and probably wouldn't live to see Sasuke grow up to the point where he could awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan on his own.
Now that he is free from the torment of illness, he has ample time to wait for and guide Sasuke's growth, and there seems to be no need to rush things.
Perhaps we don't need to force Sasuke to take this step right now?
Itachi's gaze fell on Sasuke's still-childish face.
Moreover, does Sasuke really have the conditions to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan right now?
In Sasuke's current perception, he has already regarded himself as a fake that he could kill a thousand times over.
Are we supposed to rely on that kid Naruto?
Hoping that Sasuke's bonds with his friends are deep enough...
This idea made Itachi feel inexplicably irritated.
Just as Itachi was in a state of utter confusion, a bold and terrifying idea suddenly flashed into his mind like lightning!
His pupils contracted slightly, and his breath caught in his throat for half a second.
Perhaps there is another way.
Two days ago, didn't someone from a dream appear in the real-world Hidden Leaf Village?
Moreover, it only stayed in the mortal world for one day before disappearing—
If the parents from the dream appeared in reality, a terrifying resolve gradually surfaced in Itachi's eyes: "As long as I do it in front of Sasuke, I will do it myself—"