"Itachi, did you notice how hostile those Uchiha were?" After leaving, Itachi reflected on how different their demeanor was from the Uchiha of his own timeline.
"There might be a special reason for it. You'll have to explore that yourself," Yoichi replied. "From what I can tell, the trajectory of this timeline diverged significantly starting around the Fourth Hokage."
He handed Itachi a bag of red bean dumplings he'd bought earlier, finding the taste subpar. "These aren't as good as what Mikoto makes. You can have them."
Itachi tasted one, agreeing internally that the dumplings were indeed inferior. However, his upbringing prevented him from wasting food.
"Excuse me, do you have any more red bean dumplings?"
"No, we just sold out, but we have a few servings of red bean soup left," the shopkeeper replied.
"Dumplings are gone? That's disappointing; without them, red bean soup just isn't the same."
As they overheard the conversation, Yoichi and Itachi turned to see two kunoichi with Konoha headbands talking with the shop owner. One of them was Kurenai, but Itachi knew this was likely a version changed by the timeline's divergence.
Seeing Yoichi's neutral expression, Itachi took the opportunity to approach Kurenai and the other kunoichi, Anko, holding out his bag. "Hello. We just bought these but haven't eaten them yet. If you'd like…"
Anko looked delighted, exclaiming, "Really? Thanks! I'd die if I went without red bean dumplings today!"
"Wait, Anko!" Kurenai interrupted. She hesitated, then asked Itachi, "Why didn't you eat them yourselves?"
Glancing back at Yoichi, Itachi answered, "My father says they're not as good as what we have at home." Hearing this, the shop owner's face darkened.
Anko, however, was unimpressed, retorting, "Kid, these dumplings are perfectly fine!"
Without argument, Itachi retracted the bag, saying, "If you don't need them, then I'll be on my way."
But Anko quickly grabbed the dumplings, grinning, "Thanks! These are really great when paired with red bean soup. Want to try it? My treat!"
"No, thank you. My father and I have other matters to attend to." With that, Itachi handed over the bag and returned to Yoichi.
Once they'd left, the shopkeeper muttered, "Strange folks…buying so much, then leaving without eating."
Kurenai mused, "They must come from a well-off family to waste food like that."
"Anko, we got our dumplings; now let's go buy some sake."
"Aw, why not enjoy red bean soup instead?"
Kurenai sighed, "You're not getting out of this!"
Their banter faded as they left the shop.
After leaving the shop, Itachi and Yoichi parted ways. "Itachi, you need experience. Go explore on your own. Don't worry about making mistakes; I've got your back."
Wandering through Konoha, Itachi pondered where to begin. He wanted to see this timeline's version of himself, Sasuke, and his family, and to investigate how the Fourth Hokage turned out differently—he suspected it had to do with a certain Jonin named Minato.
"Maybe I'll start with the library. They should have histories of the Shinobi World and the clans… and Father might have gone looking for his alternate self."
Being aware of the chakra-detection barrier over Konoha, Itachi refrained from using chakra unnecessarily.
But after a long search, he was still lost. "This is so different from home…where is the library?"
A voice behind him asked, "Looking for something?"
Turning, Itachi saw an ANBU with a cat-face mask. "Excuse me, I'm looking for the library, but I'm unfamiliar with the area."
"The library? Come with me; it's not in this direction." As they walked, the ANBU added, "If it's your first time in Konoha, don't wander too much. You nearly wandered into the Uchiha district."
"Is that area off-limits?"
"In a way. The Uchiha are an insular clan here. They aren't particularly friendly, and they don't have a good reputation in the village. Ordinary citizens usually avoid them."
Hearing this, Itachi couldn't help but frown. Even though he was not from this timeline, he felt uncomfortable with the disparagement of the Uchiha name.
"In my town, the Uchiha clan contributed greatly during the Shinobi Wars, protecting the village. Doesn't that matter here?"
The ANBU hesitated for a moment before answering, "Living in past glories, a prideful clan like that is bound to fall eventually. Arrogant, detached, thinking themselves untouchable…"
Shaking his head, Itachi replied, "I think you're too biased. Just because the Uchiha have pride, you think they've done no good? They've surely left lasting achievements."
The ANBU's eyes glowed momentarily behind his mask, and he questioned, "Why defend the Uchiha? Aren't you a newcomer here?"
"Your words are filled with prejudice," Itachi replied seriously. "There's good and bad in every group. If the Uchiha were as bad as you say, they'd have been eradicated long ago. How could they survive if everyone despised them?"
After a long pause, the ANBU said, "Perhaps you're right. But my advice is to stay uninvolved with them. Here's the library. Try not to get lost again."
With a flicker, the ANBU vanished.
Entering the library, Itachi was surprised by how small it was. He obtained a pass and found a seat, grabbing books on the history of the Shinobi World and the ninja clans.
"So, in the Third Shinobi War, Konoha's 'Yellow Flash' saved the village from near-defeat, earning him the position of Fourth Hokage. But he perished the following year in the Nine-Tails disaster. Namikaze…was he really the Fourth Hokage here?"
Itachi found himself comparing this Minato to his own world's Fourth Hokage, Sakumo, who had died even earlier here, before the war began.
Shifting to another book, he realized it was a brief overview of the clans, containing only the barest information on the Uchiha. There was no mention of Yoichi or himself.
"Father…didn't exist in this world, it seems. As for me, I should be nearly thirteen here," Itachi mused. "Perhaps I'll go to the academy tomorrow. Sasuke should be there, though Haku and Kimimaro likely aren't."
"Excuse me, young man, I've called you three times now."
Itachi looked up to see the librarian, having been lost in thought. "Apologies. Is something the matter?"
"It's already dark, and I need to close up. Please come back tomorrow if you wish to continue."
"It's night already…sorry for the trouble." He returned the books and left, realizing that, without Yoichi, he had no clear next step.
This wasn't a mission. It was a "time-space journey."
"I should find a place to stay."
He asked around, finding directions to an inn. Unbeknownst to him, the ANBU from earlier observed him as he walked.
The following day, Itachi had lunch before returning to the library, intent on gaining a better understanding of this timeline.
In his home timeline, Yoichi had instilled a love for knowledge in him, and while others studied standard ninja techniques, Itachi had broadened his horizons with various texts. This habit now led him to explore history with a curious, analytical mind.
As he read, he became engrossed in how vastly different this timeline was. "I guess the Third Shinobi War changed things here. Without Father's influence, Konoha seems to have suffered…"
Two worlds with such similar beginnings yet so divergent in their paths. A desire grew in Itachi to witness those turning points firsthand.
"Guess I should grab lunch before finishing the rest of the books."
Exiting the library, Itachi thought, "This timeline diverged from mine in significant ways, perhaps beginning with the Third Shinobi War. Without Father, Konoha seems to have struggled…"
Suddenly, a figure appeared before him, startling him enough to nearly react instinctively.
Seeing the familiar cat-face mask, Itachi relaxed. "Oh, it's you. You nearly scared me. I was just heading to lunch before returning here."
"Not many people here appreciate books as much as you seem to. How about I treat you to some ramen?" the ANBU suggested, blocking Itachi's path in a way that left little room for argument.
"Would that be too much trouble for you?"
"Not at all. I just finished my shift and was planning to grab a bite myself."
"If that's the case, thank you. I do enjoy ramen," Itachi replied, intrigued by the ANBU's clear intent to engage with him. He decided to follow, curious to see what the ANBU had in mind.
End of Chapter
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