Kaoru had just finished his morning training under Guy's watchful eye. Since setting up Kaoru's regimen, Guy had been monitoring his progress closely, and something felt off.
For someone claiming to train so intensively for years, Kaoru's body was surprisingly weak. 'Maybe his constitution is just naturally weak? I hope he's just a late bloomer…' Guy thought, but there was no way to analyze something this complex in just a few days. Unfortunately, they didn't have more time than that.
Adding to the issue, Guy had to be mindful of the constant ANBU presence. Kaoru, along with a few other examinees, was on the "monitor at all times" list - direct orders from Hiruzen. Now that Orochimaru had escaped, there was a real possibility that any remaining subordinates in Konoha might attempt kidnappings. Kaoru, as someone Orochimaru had taken an interest in, was a prime target.
But Orochimaru's men weren't the ones Hiruzen was wary of, that was just an official reason. He strongly suspected that Danzo would try something and then blame it on the rogue Sannin. And Hiruzen was absolutely right.
Danzo had been using the recent chaos to consolidate power, he was truly hoping to strengthen Root under the guise of Orochimaru, but Hiruzen countered his moves even before he made them. Still, it's not like Danzo was completely outplayed. He went as far as spreading subtle rumors, that something big had happened in Konoha. He wasn't reckless enough to openly leak the truth about a legendary Sannin betraying the village; even he knew that would cause more harm than good. The truth would inevitably come out, but Danzo preferred to control the narrative when it did. His goal was simple - to undermine Hiruzen as much as possible.
Hiruzen, however, was done playing games with him. He had tolerated Danzo's ambitions for years, convincing himself that his old friend still had Konoha's best interests at heart. But after this?
The Third Hokage had finally come to a bitter realization. 'Danzo has completely given himself over to the darkness.'
While Hiruzen was preoccupied with searching for Orochimaru's hidden labs scattered throughout Konoha, the head of the strongest clan in the village was shaken for an entirely different reason.
At first, Fugaku had dismissed Kaoru's claims outright. He had even felt anger at the audacity of a child questioning his son's health. But as he listened to Kaoru's words, his tone, and his unwavering expression, doubts began to creep in. The boy had seemed completely convinced of what he had seen - but that only meant Kaoru believed he was right. The reality could still be that he was simply mistaken.
What finally changed Fugaku's mind, however, was Kaoru's own admission. The boy had openly acknowledged that he wasn't completely sure but still chose to speak up. Because, as Kaoru had said, it was much better for Itachi to be checked and Kaoru proven wrong than for him to be ignored and proven right. It was a simple, undeniable logic.
And so, Fugaku made his decision. He would take Itachi to the best medical ninja in the village - Tsunade.
Even as the head of the Uchiha clan, securing an appointment with Tsunade was no easy feat. She wasn't a doctor in the conventional sense, after all - she was a legendary Sannin. Worse, she had long since distanced herself from the village and its people, preferring gambling houses and bars.
But what ultimately caught Tsunade's attention was how Fugaku had come upon this information. A strange child who could see something no one else could? That piqued her curiosity.
So, she agreed to take a look.
For Kaoru, this was undeniably bad news. In the span of just a few days, he had somehow drawn the attention of two of the three Legendary Sannin. But for Fugaku and Itachi, it was a stroke of incredible fortune.
Had they gone to a regular medical ninja, they might not have found anything conclusive. But under Tsunade's expert eye, Itachi's condition - one that was not yet dangerous but could become so in the future - was finally detected.
Even so, Tsunade wasn't able to fully diagnose the issue on the spot. A thorough examination would require better conditions than the room of a noisy gambling house, where Fugaku had practically cornered her into agreeing.
So Kaoru, having just finished another grueling training session under Guy's watchful eye, was preparing to leave the training grounds with his temporary but undeniably enthusiastic mentor when a familiar presence appeared beside him.
"Hello, Kaoru," Itachi greeted with his usual composed smile, before turning to Guy with a deeper, more respectful nod.
Kaoru's gut twisted slightly. 'Of all the times…'
He already had a good idea why Itachi was here. The Uchiha genius was far too perceptive not to be curious. Kaoru recalled that when he had activated his Suijingan in front of Itachi, Kaoru hadn't reacted at all - no curiosity, no worry, not even a flicker of concern. Which meant that Kaoru's claim of seeing his condition in that moment would undoubtedly seem suspicious to him.
And yet, the undeniable fact remained: Kaoru's warning had been proven right.
Itachi had likely been waiting for an opportunity to speak privately, but since Kaoru wasn't parting ways with Guy anytime soon, he had to delay their conversation and just deliver the message this time.
"Hello, Itachi. I'm glad to see you," Kaoru lied smoothly, forcing a friendly smile. 'I am absolutely not glad to see you right now.'
After Maki's verbal thrashing, he thought 'What if Maki is correct?', so he had hoped to be well on his way out of Konoha before Fugaku had the chance to confirm whether Kaoru's warning had been legitimate. But that ship had already sailed.
'Whatever. Worst case scenario, Itachi will just say he's disappointed. I can explain things to him.'
There was no way Fugaku would make a move against a ten-year-old. The absolute worst outcome Kaoru could imagine was Itachi going all out in their match if they ended up facing each other in the arena.
'And even that wouldn't be too big of a problem.'
Kaoru had been trying to predict possible consequences of his decision and he realized that the possible benefits heavily outweighed the risk.
"My father would like to invite you and your sister to our house tomorrow evening," Itachi said, his smile was definitely polite but there was a hint in it - an invitation that left no room for refusal.
Kaoru barely kept himself from sighing. 'Even Itachi's difficult to handle.' He had always pictured him as detached from clan pride, uninterested in tradition or politics, but there was still some Uchiha arrogance woven into him - small, refined, but present nonetheless.
Still, Kaoru knew better than to refuse.
"We'd be honored," he replied smoothly, offering a small nod of his own.
"Good," Itachi said, clearly satisfied. He gave a slight bow to Guy, flashed one last polite smile at Kaoru, and then flickered away.
Kaoru exhaled quietly. 'Well, this could be troublesome.'
Guy stood there, completely stunned. The Uchiha clan inviting someone to their home was rare enough - but this wasn't just any Uchiha. This was the head of the clan. And on top of that, they were inviting outsiders, one of whom was a member of the council of Takimura.
'Does Fugaku not realize the possible consequences? Or does he simply not care?'
People often dismissed Guy as a simpleminded fool, but that was a mistake. His eccentricities made him seem that way, but in reality, he was sharp when he put his mind to it. The problem was, he rarely did - his thoughts were usually occupied with training schedules and the flames of youth, which, by the way, he thought Kaoru had in excess.
Fugaku, however, was no fool. He knew exactly what kind of message this invitation would send, and he welcomed it with open arms. Officially, this was a gesture of gratitude towards Kaoru and Maki. But in reality, it was a calculated move - a way to remind Konoha of the Uchiha Clan's significance. Even if the pressure wasn't immense, it was a warning. The Uchiha were not just another clan. They were the strongest clan. And if Konoha failed to appreciate them, well… there were other options.
Of course, the idea of the Uchiha abandoning Konoha to serve under another village was ridiculous. They would never bow to anyone. But what if that village wasn't just some established power? What if it was a new, rapidly growing force, one that had already demonstrated powerful Kekkei Genkai? A place where the Uchiha's ambitions wouldn't be stifled, but embraced. A village where, instead of being a mere faction under the Hokage's rule, they could be the rulers.
So while Fugaku's invitation seemed like a simple act of hospitality, it was, in truth, a carefully executed political maneuver - one that sent ripples far beyond just thanking a boy from Takimura.
And once again, Kaoru's so-called well-calculated decision - one he thought he had analyzed thoroughly, predicting every possible outcome - spiraled into something far bigger than he could have ever imagined. If he had known just how much of a political storm he had unknowingly stirred, he would have sighed and thought:
"Great… another lecture incoming, huh?"
<<<>>>
Maki and Kaoru walked side by side toward the Uchiha compound. Though Maki had also received an invitation from Hiruzen, scheduled to meet him the following day, she didn't seem particularly bothered. The Uchiha inviting them wasn't a concern for her - it was a problem for Konoha. And once she met with Hiruzen and gave him a vague yet satisfactory explanation, it would become even less of a problem for her. Of course, she wasn't planning to share anything of real importance. She knew the Hokage wouldn't ask her direct questions, he would try to extract information through subtle, roundabout means. But Maki was well-prepared to sidestep anything he threw her way without appearing rude.
"I hope this serves as a good lesson for you, Ru," Maki said, she had returned to Kaoru's pet name. "In this world, every move you make has consequences, especially when you become the head of Takime. But this time, I'll give you some credit. We might actually walk away from this with something useful."
She seemed relaxed, but in reality, she was anything but. Walking into the Uchiha compound felt like stepping into a den of predators with her precious little bunny hopping in beside her.
After navigating the streets of the Uchiha district, enduring a mix of suspicious and curious stares from passing clansmen, they finally arrived at their destination.
"Hello, Kaoru," Itachi greeted with a rare, warm smile as he opened the door. His expression remained polite but more reserved as he turned to Maki, greeting her with clear respect. By now, she was somewhat of a minor celebrity. Word had spread of her daily spars with Might Guy, and even some Uchiha had gone to watch. Most foreign guardians kept to themselves, wary of engaging too much with Konoha shinobi, but Maki had done the opposite. She actively sought out connections, and in the eyes of many, had even gained a friend and possibly more.
Itachi led them inside to a traditional sitting room where a short table stood at the center, adorned with an array of meticulously prepared dishes. Unlike other prominent clans that had adopted more modern customs, the Uchiha, or at least Fugaku's household, remained deeply rooted in tradition.
Maki and Kaoru removed their sandals before stepping inside, following Itachi to where Fugaku and Mikoto were already waiting.
Mikoto greeted them with a warm, almost suspiciously kind smile, the kind of warmth rarely seen among shinobi. Even mothers in their world often kept their emotions guarded, yet Mikoto seemed completely at ease.
Fugaku, in contrast, was more reserved. His expression remained neutral, but when his gaze met Kaoru's, there was something distinctly different about it. His usual sharp, scrutinizing eyes now held a softer edge - one Kaoru definitely hadn't expected.
[Did I really earn his favor that easily?] Kaoru wondered, but before he could dwell on it, another thought crossed his mind. 'Where's Sasuke?'
It didn't take him long to realize. 'Right… he's still too young. He's probably already asleep.'
**
I wanted to highlight how even the most natural interactions in the shinobi world can carry deep political implications. This dinner will mark Kaoru's first-ever "political" discussion - with many, many more to come.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, especially the scene with Fugaku's household. For some reason, I really enjoy writing these kinds of moments xD
Character Notes:
Kaoru - Smug - "Thats right! I saved Itachi Uchiha!"
Maki - Thoughtful - "I might be able to squizz something very useful out of this"
Fugaku - Scheming - "I'll thank the kid and put pressure on Hiruzen at the same time."
Hiruzen - Amused - "Lame move, Fugaku, lame move!"
**