Ryuu took them for steak.
"Eat well, I'm paying." They nodded.
"Thanks for the food!" They said before eating.
Shisui tapped Itachi on the shoulder.
"We're so dead, sensei's treating us too well, I bet he's going to kill us in the training grounds tomorrow." They looked over at Ryuu, who smiled and waved.
'It was a mistake to listen to Shisui…'
Itachi glared at Shisui, who just shyly smiled and scratched his head nervously.
"Hey, I have an idea, why don't we go get some Dango after this, Itachi, you love Dango, isn't that right?" Itachi nodded.
"Thanks, big brother, but I'm full."
"Nonsense, you're still growing, eat up."
"Look at you, being all kind and treating us." Ryuu smiled at Ichika.
"That's what I do, you know."
Ryuu glanced at Itachi and Shisui, still smiling.
'Big brother has an evil look in his eyes, that smile can fool anyone who doesn't know him but those who know him, you can read the evil behind those eyes.'
They finished eating steak and then they took a walk towards a Dango shop.
"Itachi, I feel like spoiling you and Shisui today, take as much as you want."
"It's like you're preparing them for their execution or something."
"Hahaha!" Ryuu hysterically laughed at Ichika's comments.
"That was so funny, right, guys?"
They nodded with forced smiles.
"Yeah, so funny, sensei." They forced themselves to laugh.
"Oh well, I'll walk Ichika home while you two walk back, is that alright?" They nodded.
"Good, sleep well, training starts early tomorrow."
Shisui and Itachi gulped.
"How early?" They both asked.
Ryuu ignored that question and waved them off.
"Good night!"
Ryuu walked with Ichika to the Senju compound.
He even opened the door for her.
"Well, we're here, I better get going now, I told Itachi and Shisui to sleep early and I don't want to be late, only Kakashi and Obito can do that."
Ichika smiled.
"Just take it easy on them, they did a lot for you today."
Ryuu's eyes widened.
"What do you mean?"
"Ryuu, we both know you don't treat people this well unless you're preparing them for something.
But I saw how desperate they were to learn from you, and so I forgave you for ditching me."
Ryuu started sweating.
"Ichika, you've known from the start, haven't you?"
"Yup anyway, today was fun, I could do it all again sometime, although, next time I think it should be just the two of us, don't you agree?"
"Yeah… good night."
"Good night," Ichika nodded.
Ryuu started walking back.
"Ryuu?" Ryuu looked back.
"Don't tell me you miss me already, I haven't even left, you know."
"Don't get so full of yourself."
Ryuu smiled.
"Then what is it?"
"Stay safe."
"Of course, nothing's going to happen to me, you know." Ryuu confidently replied.
"Ryuu, I'm being serious, we've lost Minato-sensei and Kushina-sensei, I don't want to lose you too."
Ryuu's eyes widened.
"Ichika…"
"That day we saw you being carried by Sakumo-sama… I thought we were going to lose you. I just…"
Ryuu walked over to Ichika and looked at her.
"Ichika, I promise, I'm not going anywhere."
"Close the door, Ichika!"
Ryuu looked at the woman shouting.
"Oh, I didn't know you were here, Ryuu.
What brings you to the Senju compound?"
Tsunade asked.
"He's just dropping me off, that's all."
"Is that so?"
Ryuu and Ichika simultaneously nodded.
Lady Tsunade smirked at seeing their behavior.
"I see what's going on here…"
"Well, Ichika, sleep tight, I have to go.
Pleasure seeing you again, Tsunade." Ryuu teleported away.
'Oh, young love…
But why did it have to be Jiraiya's student?' Tsunade asked herself as she closed the door.
Meanwhile, Ryuu and Kakashi met inside Ryuu's dimension.
"So? How'd it go?"
"Danzo wants to recruit me into his foundation. But that's impossible, they banned the foundation just the other day, I was there when it happened."
"It's not impossible, lord third is the one who ordered the root to be disbanded, not lord 5th."
"Dad? What happened? Why isn't Danzo in cuffs right now?"
"Because I made a deal.
A deal where Danzo gets to keep some of his power and influence and so do the other council members."
"What kind of deal is that? I thought you hated him?"
"I do, but the foundation still has a role for now and there's only one way to get rid of them permanently.
I want him to fulfill his part in this role, his foundation is key to stopping him once and for all.
I couldn't say this when lord third and the other clan members were there because they would've thought I'm insane for saying what I was thinking after seeing what Danzo and the others did.
I have a plan to take them out while saving others, you know."
Kakashi frowned.
"When we're you going to let me in on this plan?"
"Literally at this moment.
Danzo pries on people once their mind is weak. Your mind was weakening the moment Minato and Kushina died, I figured it would be best to tell you now."
"Sigh…" Kakashi couldn't help but let out an exhausted sigh.
"Anyway, Danzo blames the death of Minato-sensei and Kushina-sensei on Lord third and he says he doesn't trust dad to become the next Hokage.
Tomorrow, he wants me to go to his hideout and give him Intel on where dad will be.
He says he won't kill him."
"I see…
Tomorrow we're going to escort dad and lord third to meet with the Daimyo. I have a plan.
But for it to work, you need to give Danzo the plans and make sure he believes you would betray the current Hokage."
Kakashi nodded.
"Kakashi?" Kakashi looked up.
"How about you? How have you been holding up?"
"I'm alright."
"OK, just know, you can always talk to me, you know.
We're brothers. We'll always have each other back, no matter what."
Kakashi nodded.
"Of course." He responded.
Ryuu held his fist out.
Kakashi looked at him and bumped his fist.
Ryuu smiled.
The next day, after an exhausting training session that lasted until the afternoon, Ryuu and Shisui went to the Uchiha compounds for a clan meeting while Itachi waited outside.
Ryuu sat across from Fugaku next to Shisui, along with the other
Uchiha's.
"During the nine tails incident, we Uchiha were not called upon, because they fear that we would use the Sharingan to manipulate the nine tails!"
One of the Uchiha's stated.
"And what's even worse, there are some who believe that the Uchiha actually caused the nine tails incident!"
Another one added.
"They're sending us to the outskirts of the village in order to keep an eye on us."
"It's just like…
During the second Hokage's era! When the Uchiha were rounded up and isolated in one part of the village!"
"Only this time, it's even further away.
Captain, we can't accept this!"
Fugaku sat in silence, his eyes were closed while they waited for him to answer.
"Well, captain?"
They started arguing, one voice over another, and the room turned to chaos.
Everyone wanted to know what Fugaku would do.
Shisui looked at Ryuu, who had clenched his fist out of frustration.
Fugaku opened his eyes.
"I agree, you're absolutely right.
But the other clans have accepted their relocation.
The Uchiha cannot be the lone voice of descent."
"But captain!"
"I'll negotiate the conditions.
But our only choice now is to accept this move, all of you spread the word around.
That's all, dismissed!"
Everyone, including Shisui, left to spread the word.
"I already know how you feel about this," Fugaku spoke to Ryuu.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you, Uncle."
"That's alright, you did all you could.
Besides, we should thank you for what you did." Ryuu tilted his head.
"How so?"
Fugaku looked outside and saw Itachi reading what looked like a map.
"I'll tell you later." Ryuu nodded.
"How do you feel about it, Itachi?" Fugaku asked.
"Let's go see it.
The new training grounds, come on."
he said excitedly.
Along with Ryuu, Itachi and Fugaku walked to the new training grounds.
It was a nice and quiet lake with many trees surrounding it.
"I like it here."
Itachi stated as he looked around.
"Is that so?" Fugaku asked.
Itachi ran up to the bank of the lake.
"Father, watch me, big brother taught me this jutsu."
Itachi stood by the bank of the lake and did the tiger seal.
"Fire style: Fireball jutsu!"
Whoosh! A giant fireball came from Itachi and boiled the water below.
Fugaku's eyes widened, and he was in awe of what Itachi was doing.
"It's much greater than last time you've been practicing," Ryuu stated as he gave Itachi a fist bump.
"Hahaha!
What a surprise!" Fugaku said with a smile.
Fugaku looked at Itachi and said,
"That's my boy Itachi."
"Big brother, can you teach me another ninjutsu?" Ryuu nodded.
"Of course, if you master this one, I'll even teach you another one of my ninjutsu, is that a deal?" Itachi excitedly nodded.
"Watch closely, I performed this one to graduate from the academy."
Ryuu made hand signs and inhaled a lot of air.
"Fire style: fierce dragon jutsu!"
Three fire dragons flew from his mouth, he aimed them upwards and then made them explode.
Itachi watched in awe.
'Wow, just like the jutsu he showed us last time.'
Itachi stepped forward and got ready to try.
"Remember, this is a difficult jutsu compared to the Fireball Jutsu, don't be mad if it doesn't work at first."
Itachi nodded.
He quickly made hand signs and then inhaled a lot of air.
"Fire style: fierce dragon jutsu!"
A dragon smaller than Ryuu's came flying around.
Itachi also aimed it at the sky and made it explode.
This time it was Ryuu who was stunned, along with Fugaku.
"Amazing," Ryuu said.
Ryuu and Fugaku were happy to see Itachi's progress. However, Itachi wasn't pleased with himself.
'I should've done better.' Itachi said to himself, clenching his fist.
"Relax, you did well, you just need more training, that's all," Ryuu said.
Itachi nodded.
They walked to the new Uchiha compound; it was still under construction but was progressing faster.
"We'll be moving in no time, huh?"
Itachi asked.
"Yes." A stern response from Fugaku.
Itachi noticed his response.
"What's the matter?"
Fugaku looked around at the other buildings, he noticed the Anbu black ops hidden within them.
"We're surrounded.
I wish it was just my imagination but… I'm right, aren't I, Ryuu?"
"Yes… we are."
"What is it?" Itachi asked them.
"It's nothing you said in no time, just like you.
You'll be six years old soon."
Fugaku responded with a smile.
Ryuu went over to the construction workers.
"Hey, do you guys need some help?"
Most of them were old men with a lot of experience, plus some young men to make them finish faster, they looked tired; they were sweating and panting a lot but they continued working.
"Ryuu-sama, no need to worry about us."
Ryuu shook his head.
"C'mon, I insist." The man looked at his peers and saw how tired they looked.
*Poof!*
Ryuu made a wood clone and unsealed some drinks and ramen.
"I'll take care of this row and the next, take a break and you can handle the rest, OK?"
They all nodded.
"Wood style: Row houses jutsu!"
Multiple houses came from underneath, they were painted and already had windows.
"Thanks a lot, sir!" Ryuu smiled and waved them goodbye.
"You know, if you keep going on like this, you'll even surpass my prestige in the clan."
"Wow, you think so, Uncle?" Fugaku nodded.
"When that happens, I might accept your role for being the Uchiha clan leader."
Ryuu jokingly said.
Ryuu escorted Itachi and Fugaku back home.
"Itachi, go inside the house, I want to talk with your father."
Itachi walked back into the house.