"That's enough, Itachi. What's wrong with you?" Fugaku's voice was stern, his disapproval evident. He walked towards Itachi, ignoring the three groaning men on the ground.
"Itachi, I'm worried about your behavior lately." Itachi lowered his head, avoiding his father's penetrating Sharingan gaze. "There's nothing to worry about."
"Uncle Fugaku!" Arashi interjected, his voice filled with indignation. "These three men think Itachi-Nii-san killed Shisui-Nii-san!"
Itachi raised a hand, silencing Arashi. "Stay out of this, Arashi." He turned back to his father. "I'm busy with work... That's all."
"Then why didn't you show up last night?" Fugaku pressed, his voice demanding an answer.
"... I needed to achieve the next stage," Itachi murmured, his gaze fixed on the ground.
"What are you talking about?" Fugaku's confusion was palpable.
'The next stage? The next stage of what?' Arashi wondered, his brow furrowed.
Without warning, Itachi flicked a kunai towards the wall to his right, his eyes never leaving his father's. The blade pierced the center of the Uchiha clan crest painted there, embedding itself deep into the wood.
A bead of sweat formed on Fugaku's forehead as he processed the implications of Itachi's actions. An unsettling aura emanated from his son, and Itachi finally lowered his gaze.
"My abilities have been repressed by this pathetic clan," Itachi declared, his voice dripping with bitterness. "Obsessing over worthless things like the clan, you lose sight of what's really important."
Arashi's eyes widened as he noticed the swirling patterns within Itachi's eyes. A chilling realization washed over him.
'Shisui-Nii-san's eyes...' Memories of the previous night, the cliff, and Shisui's final words flooded his mind, leaving him reeling.
Itachi's voice cut through his thoughts. "Premonition and imagination... You can't achieve real change as long as you're bound by regulations and restrictions."
"What insolence!!" Fugaku roared, his fury barely contained. Once again, he was struck by the vast chasm that had opened between him and his son.
"Enough!" Fugaku's voice thundered, his authority unquestionable. He gripped Yashiro's shoulders, pulling the kneeling man to his feet. "If you continue to speak such nonsense, you'll find yourself in prison!"
"Well, what are you going to do?!" Inabi spat defiantly, his anger barely contained.
"This will not be tolerated," Fugaku declared, his gaze sweeping over the three officers. "Captain, give the arrest order!!"
The air crackled with tension, the threat of violence hanging heavy. But before the order could be given, a voice pierced through the chaos.
"Itachi-Nii-san! Stop it!"
Sasuke's cry echoed through the compound, his young face etched with fear and desperation.
Itachi's knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the stone path, his head bowed in defeat. He placed his hands on the ground, his body trembling slightly.
'I can't kill someone in front of my brother...' He couldn't expose Sasuke to the darkness that lurked beneath the surface of their world. 'He hasn't seen the cold, dark corners of the world, and I won't be the one to introduce them to him. Besides... I have to trust in Shisui's plan.'
"You!" Arashi's voice, sharp with fury, cut through the silence. He pointed a finger at Yashiro, his eyes blazing with righteous anger. "This mess is on you! If you weren't so damn arrogant, maybe things wouldn't have spiraled out of control!"
"Tch! What's your problem, kid?" Yashiro sneered. "Don't you get that I'm here to catch the one who killed your brother?"
"Yashiro!" Fugaku's voice boomed, silencing the elder.
"Arashi, hold your tongue," he commanded, his tone firm but gentle. "Let us adults handle this."
Yashiro turned his gaze back to Itachi, who remained kneeling on the ground.
"I did not kill Shisui," Itachi said, his voice low and steady. "But I apologize for my inappropriate remarks... I'm very sorry."
Fugaku stepped forward, his voice calm but laced with authority. "Lately, the heavy mission load for the Anbu seems to have tired him out."
"Captain!!" Inabi cried out, his voice filled with reproach.
"The Anbu is under the Hokage's direct control," Fugaku continued, his gaze unwavering. "Even we can't arrest him without a warrant. As for my son... I'll take responsibility for him. Please..."
His voice softened as he bowed his head to his subordinates.
"...Understood," Inabi grumbled, clearly displeased with the outcome.
"Itachi, inside." Fugaku's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. He turned and entered the compound, leaving the lingering tension hanging heavy in the air.
Itachi remained kneeling, his head still bowed. He stared at the ground, his mind reeling from the confrontation.
'What do you know?' He questioned his father's words silently, the flames of anger still burning within him.
His emotions surged, a torrent of chakra pouring into his eyes. He felt the familiar burning sensation, the transformation taking hold.
'Mangekyou...'
For a fleeting moment, he met Arashi's gaze, revealing the newly awakened pattern in his eyes.
After the policemen had left, Itachi and Fugaku rose to their feet. Arashi approached Itachi, his eyes downcast but filled with an intensity that belied his outward calm. The sorrow of Shisui's supposed death weighed heavily on him, but he was far from naive.
"If what you told me is true, Itachi," Arashi's voice was quiet but unwavering, "how did you get them?"
"What is he talking about, Itachi?" Fugaku interjected, his suspicion evident.
"Nothing," Itachi replied curtly, his gaze fixed on the ground.
They entered the house, the atmosphere thick with unspoken questions and a growing sense of unease.
Later that evening, Arashi was immersed in his kenjutsu training when Itachi approached, inviting him for a shurikenjutsu session.
The walk to the training grounds was heavy with silence, Arashi's mistrust palpable. Finally, he broke the quiet. "Is Shisui-Nii-san still alive?"
'It's true that Shisui's genjutsu is formidable,' Itachi thought, 'but Arashi is sharp and intuitive. He'll unravel the truth eventually. I must keep stalling him, even if it means he ends up hating me.'
"As I told you before, Shisui is on an extended mission," Itachi replied, his voice carefully neutral. "He asked me to look after you while he's away."
"Then what was the point of all that earlier drama?" Arashi pressed, his skepticism clear.
Itachi looked back at Arashi, a faint smile touching his lips. "That? Just a misunderstanding. I was... frustrated."
Upon reaching the training grounds, Arashi couldn't shake the nagging doubts that plagued his mind. "You keep dodging my question about your eyes," he pointed out, his tone accusatory.
Itachi chuckled, his smile widening. "You're a lot more demanding than Sasuke, you know."
"You've got the Mangekyou Sharingan," Arashi pressed, his voice firm. "Just tell me, is Shisui-Nii-san dead?"
Itachi's smile faded as he dropped to one knee, his gaze meeting Arashi's with a newfound sincerity. "Shisui isn't dead. He gave me these eyes himself."
"He... gave them to you?" Arashi's voice was barely a whisper, disbelief etched on his face.
"Yes," Itachi confirmed, his voice heavy with emotion. "He said I'd need all the power I could muster to protect you in his absence. Shisui cares deeply for you."
Arashi scratched the back of his head, processing the revelation. "Well, when you put it that way... I guess it makes sense."
Itachi's smile returned, relieved to see Arashi somewhat reassured.
"The moment Shisui-Nii-san gets back, I'm giving him a piece of my mind for pulling a stunt like this," Arashi declared, folding his arms with a determined frown.
"Very well," Itachi chuckled. "But to do that, you'll need to become much stronger and faster. Let's begin your training for that."
"You're on!" Arashi's eyes sparkled with renewed determination.
Itachi spent the rest of the day pushing Arashi to his limits, honing his speed and accuracy with relentless focus. As the sun began to set, they returned home, their bodies weary but their spirits high.
Sasuke, Fugaku, and Mikoto were waiting for them.
"Where have you two been?" Sasuke inquired, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance.
"We were training in shurikenjutsu," Arashi replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
Sasuke shot a disgruntled look at Itachi.
"Don't worry, Sasuke," Itachi reassured him. "Next time I'm free, you can join us."
"You have another mission?" Fugaku interjected, his tone laced with concern.
Sasuke sighed audibly, crossing his arms. "Figures he'd have another mission when I want to train."
Itachi offered a strained smile. "It's not like that, Sasuke. We'll train soon, I promise."
Mikoto stepped in, her voice gentle but firm. "Sasuke, your brother has many responsibilities with the Anbu. He's doing his best."
"I understand why he's frustrated," Itachi said, his smile softening into a look of understanding.
"I'm not frustrated," Sasuke mumbled, snapping his chopsticks in frustration. "Thanks for the meal," he added, pushing his plate away and rising abruptly from the table.
Sasuke retreated to his room, the weight of his emotions evident in his slumped shoulders.
"Father, may we take a walk?" Itachi asked, lingering near the door, his tone unusually serious.
Fugaku looked up, surprised. Itachi rarely initiated such requests, and it signaled the gravity of the matter at hand.
"Of course," Fugaku responded, rising to his feet.
As Itachi closed the door behind them, Arashi caught a fleeting glimpse of his Mangekyou Sharingan activating, a chilling reminder of the events of the previous night.
"Stay inside," Itachi whispered, his voice firm but filled with concern.