Chapter 14: Recruiting Uchiha Itachi
The Uchiha clan compound.
Inside the clan head's residence, Uchiha Fugaku sat cross-legged on the tatami, with a three-year-old boy sitting beside him.
Uchiha Itachi curiously peeked out from beside his father, studying the older boy sitting across from him.
He's incredibly strong.
Itachi couldn't explain why, but something about this older brother made him feel that he was extraordinarily powerful.
Fugaku looked toward Gōenji.
"I'll grant you access to the clan archives. However, you'll only receive B-rank clearance. You won't be able to access the higher-level techniques. If you need something specific, you can submit another request."
Apart from Shisui, Gōenji was one of the young members Fugaku valued most.
Naturally, he had no reason to reject the request.
Every Uchiha had the right to apply for access to the clan archives. Gōenji had already contributed enough to the clan to justify that privilege, and Fugaku, as clan head, had no intention of obstructing his growth.
The other elders remained silent as well.
After all, Gōenji was undeniably one of the most outstanding young Uchiha.
He had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, a level of talent considered exceptional even among the Uchiha.
With the Sharingan, learning other forms of taijutsu and ninjutsu became considerably easier. His ability to observe techniques, analyze chakra flow, and imitate movements meant his rate of improvement would only accelerate.
If allowing a talented clan member to access the archives could help him grow faster, especially during wartime, there was no reason to prevent him from doing so.
"Thank you, Clan Head. I'll work hard."
Gōenji smiled.
He had expected this outcome.
After returning to the clan, there wasn't much for him to do besides train. He had spent half a day thinking about how to spend his time before deciding to apply for access to the clan archives according to Uchiha tradition.
That was why he had come here today.
Of course, not every Uchiha was summoned to see Fugaku personally. The clan head didn't have enough time to deal with every trivial request.
Gōenji was here because he had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and Fugaku naturally wanted to meet him.
Within the Uchiha clan, possessing the Three-Tomoe Sharingan was already considered a high-level combat ability.
B-rank archive clearance meant that, aside from certain forbidden techniques and extremely sensitive information, Gōenji could access most of the clan's records.
He couldn't help but feel excited.
With his mind, he was certain he could make excellent use of them.
Fire Release, in particular, would benefit tremendously.
As long as he absorbed enough information from the archives, he wouldn't have to worry about gaps in his understanding when developing future techniques. He simply needed to combine the knowledge he acquired and turn it into something new.
When it came to Fire Release, the Uchiha clan's records were practically authoritative.
The clan had built much of its reputation around Fire Release.
Gōenji wasn't worried about a lack of information.
In fact, he might even discover knowledge that had never appeared in the original story.
That was entirely possible.
Encryption.
Concealment.
Intelligence analysis.
Terrain analysis.
The original series rarely went into detail about these subjects.
But shinobi weren't merely assassins.
They were scholars too.
Every shinobi had to become an expert in certain fields and study them deeply.
To truly master Fire Release, for example, one needed a profound understanding of fire itself—its properties, behavior, and potential applications.
The amount of knowledge involved was enormous.
It was no different from the countless branches of knowledge involved in cultivation in his previous life. Simply knowing the hand seals was nowhere near enough to produce powerful techniques.
Naruto's approach had been an exception. He possessed an extraordinary ability to understand and improve techniques through repeated experimentation, even without the kind of formal knowledge most shinobi relied on.
People like that were exceedingly rare.
A shinobi's time was limited.
Their talent was limited.
Even their lifespan was limited.
No one could master every branch of ninjutsu. Most shinobi could only specialize in one or two fields.
As Gōenji continued thinking about the archives, his eyes suddenly landed on the small figure beside Fugaku.
His eyes lit up.
What an adorable little Itachi.
At three years old, Itachi wasn't fundamentally different from other children.
He was simply a little smarter and noticeably more perceptive.
Right now, he was still just a little boy.
Just like Sasuke had once been.
Itachi noticed Gōenji staring at him.
Rather than becoming frightened, however, he looked back with open curiosity.
The two stared at each other for several seconds.
Something about the moment felt strangely surreal.
Fugaku broke the silence.
"Don't worry. With your ability and battlefield experience, you'll soon be promoted to Jōnin. In wartime, talent like yours doesn't go unnoticed. When that happens, you can apply to learn one of the clan's forbidden techniques."
He paused.
"You need a trump card."
Gōenji looked at Fugaku in surprise.
For a moment, he felt genuinely moved.
There was a reason the Uchiha had managed to survive since the Warring States period.
Their strength wasn't the only reason.
They had established rules, traditions, and systems that held the clan together.
And, beneath all that pride, there was also a certain warmth between clan members.
"Thank you, Clan Head."
Gōenji sincerely thanked him.
Itachi couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.
"Big brother, did you awaken the Sharingan?"
His eyes shone with admiration.
"That's so cool!"
For some reason, Gōenji felt a surge of pride.
"Haha. You're the clan head's son. You'll definitely surpass me someday."
And he meant it.
Itachi would eventually become one of the strongest Uchiha of his generation.
Still, being looked at with such admiration by the future Itachi Uchiha felt surprisingly good.
So this is Itachi.
The man whom countless fans in my previous life had called a "god."
His abilities were extraordinary, his methods seemingly endless, and his intelligence was among the highest in the series.
Itachi clenched his tiny fists.
"I'll definitely become stronger than you!"
"Then I'll end this war."
Gōenji's expression softened.
"That's a good ambition. Once your body is strong enough to withstand proper shinobi training, come find me. I'll train you."
He wholeheartedly agreed with the boy's goal.
War was something only those who had experienced it firsthand could truly understand.
The brutality of war was nothing like the short clips and scenes he'd watched in his previous life.
Reality was far worse.
Gōenji didn't intend to let Itachi walk the same path he had taken in the original story.
He wanted to change the boy's way of thinking.
But he couldn't force him.
Itachi would have to choose that path himself.
The Uchiha had never lacked talented people.
Their greatest problem was that they had failed to cultivate that talent properly.
After the Nine-Tails incident, that weakness had allowed people like Danzō to manipulate the clan's circumstances and gradually push them toward tragedy.
Ultimately, Gōenji believed the root of the problem was simple.
Strength.
If the Uchiha became significantly stronger, Konoha would have to think much more carefully before acting against them.
And why did he care so much?
Because he was an Uchiha too.
Without the clan's support, his future would become far more difficult. He had no personal faction, no established influence, and no real connections outside the clan.
He might not feel a deep sense of belonging toward the Uchiha yet.
But the clan could provide him with something else.
Security.
For now, that was enough.
"Really?"
Itachi's eyes sparkled.
"Then it's a promise!"
He extended his tiny right hand and raised his pinky.
Gōenji smiled and hooked his own pinky around Itachi's.
"Pinky promise. A hundred-year oath. No backing out."
Fugaku watched the two of them without interfering.
With the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and his impending promotion to Jōnin, Gōenji was more than qualified to guide Itachi.
And Fugaku was quite pleased to see the younger members of the clan supporting one another.
Just then, a woman wearing an apron approached.
"Why don't you stay for dinner?"
It was Mikoto.
Gōenji shook his head.
"No, Aunt Mikoto. I still need to study and train. The war isn't over yet."
He politely declined the invitation.
He had too much to accomplish.
As he prepared to leave, his mind briefly wandered.
Then his expression suddenly brightened.