Chapter 331: Teaching Uchiha Itachi; She Has Truly Become Part of This Era [HN]

The night was as dark as ink, yet a few scattered lights still shone deep within the Uchiha Clan compound.

Chiya walked along the bluestone path, his figure stretched long beneath the moonlight.

He did not disturb anyone and went straight toward a secluded traditional house in the southwest corner of the compound.

It was Uchiha Fugaku’s residence, and also the home of his disciple, Uchiha Itachi.

He knocked lightly on the door, and Uchiha Rinbi opened it.

A trace of surprise flashed through her eyes when she saw Chiya, and she immediately bowed respectfully.

“Lord Hokage.”

“I came to see Itachi,” Chiya said gently. “Is he asleep?”

“Not yet. He’s practicing shuriken in the backyard.”

Uchiha Rinbi stepped aside.

“I’ll take you there.”

“No need. I’ll go myself.”

Chiya walked beneath the corridor and arrived at the backyard.

Under the moonlight, a small figure was repeatedly throwing shuriken at a wooden post.

His movements were precise and his eyes focused.

It was Uchiha Itachi.

“Put three parts less force into your wrist. The trajectory will become harder to predict.”

Chiya spoke up.

Itachi suddenly turned around, and a flash of delight appeared in his eyes when he saw Chiya.

He immediately put down his shuriken and bowed respectfully.

“Teacher!”

Chiya walked up to him and gently rubbed his head.

“I heard about what happened at school today.”

Itachi’s body stiffened slightly, and he lowered his head.

“Did I cause trouble for you, Teacher?”

“No, you did very well.”

Chiya’s tone remained calm.

“You stood up in the face of injustice, and you controlled your response when provoked. You showed the dignity that an Uchiha should have.”

He led Itachi to sit beneath the eaves and looked at the crescent moon in the night sky.

“Itachi, your talent is exceptional, far beyond that of your peers. But the greater your strength becomes, the more important it is to understand why you use it.

“Today, I want to talk to you about the meaning of protection.”

Itachi raised his head and listened attentively.

“A ninja is not merely a tool for carrying out missions.

“We possess strength so that we can protect the people we want to protect.

“For example, our family, our comrades, and our village.”

Chiya’s voice was deep.

“You protected your classmates today. That is protection. If you can one day use your strength to stop wars, that will also be protection.

“But the prerequisite for protection is that you understand who is worth protecting and what is worth giving everything for.”

Itachi’s eyes moved slightly, clearly beginning to think.

“And the clan…”

Chiya paused.

“The Uchiha Clan has powerful strength flowing through its blood, but it also carries deep emotions.

“We become strong because of love, and we suffer because of love.

“The clan is not a cage that binds you. It is the source of your strength and the first place you must learn to protect.”

At that moment, a lively voice came from the top of the wall.

“Yo! It’s so late, and Teacher and Itachi are still having a heart to heart talk? How about letting me join you?”

A nimble figure lightly landed in the yard.

It was Uchiha Shisui.

He wore a bright smile, and the Konoha symbol beneath his forehead protector was faintly visible in the moonlight.

Chiya smiled.

“You came at the right time. Shisui, spar with Itachi and let me see how much he has improved recently.”

“No problem!”

Shisui was eager to try.

“Itachi, let me see if you’ve been slacking off.”

Itachi also stood up, his expression serious.

“Yes, Shisui nii.”

The two stood facing each other in the yard and formed the Opposition Seal.

“Begin!”

As soon as the words fell, Itachi attacked first.

Three shuriken flew out in a triangular formation, blocking Shisui’s movements.

Shisui smiled lightly.

Without even activating his Sharingan, he relied solely on his physical abilities to dodge sideways.

However, Itachi’s figure had already closed in like a ghost, and he swept his leg toward Shisui’s lower body.

“Good speed!”

Shisui praised him as he leaped into the air, flipped in midair, and struck toward Itachi’s shoulder and neck with a knife hand.

Itachi remained calm.

He crossed both arms to block the attack, used the force to retreat, and simultaneously spat out a tiny silver needle.

“Clang!”

Shisui precisely deflected it with his kunai, and a trace of surprise flashed through his eyes.

“You’ve even learned this move?”

The two figures crossed paths repeatedly, and the sounds of their fists and feet colliding rang clearly through the night.

Itachi’s physical techniques were smooth and natural, accompanied by a calmness and anticipation far beyond his age.

Shisui was more agile, often using tiny movements to resolve crises at critical moments.

Chiya watched silently as he assessed their abilities.

‘Without activating his Sharingan, and relying purely on physical techniques, shuriken, and basic ninja theory, Itachi’s strength is already firmly above Chunin level.

‘If they fought to the death, combined with his tactical mind, he could even threaten a Special Jonin.’

In the end, Shisui used a clever change of technique to restrain Itachi’s arm, bringing the sparring match to an end.

“Thank you for the guidance, Shisui nii.”

Itachi breathed slightly heavily, his eyes bright.

Shisui released his arm and patted him on the shoulder.

“You’re improving too quickly, kid! At this rate, I might not be able to beat you in another two years.”

Chiya stepped forward and spoke to Itachi.

“I already have a clear understanding of your strength.

“But remember, the stronger your power becomes, the more important it is to understand where it comes from and why you use it.”

Itachi fell silent for a moment.

Then he suddenly raised his head, a trace of confusion in his eyes.

“Teacher, the Uchiha’s power… what exactly is the Sharingan?”

Chiya and Shisui exchanged a glance.

“The Sharingan is the Eye of the Heart’s Reflection.

“Its awakening is often accompanied by intense emotional fluctuations.

“Extreme sorrow, anger, despair, or the pain of losing someone you love dearly.”

He looked at Itachi’s gradually paling face and continued.

“Every advancement, from one tomoe to two tomoe, then three tomoe, and eventually the Mangekyō Sharingan…

“Each stage requires an even deeper and more painful emotional impact.

“We awaken our eyes because of love, and we grow stronger because of pain.

“This is the fate of the Uchiha Clan, and also the curse we must bear.”

Itachi’s body trembled slightly.

He had never imagined that the bloodline limit his clan took pride in carried such a heavy price.

“So… Shisui nii’s eyes are the same…”

Shisui touched his forehead protector, his smile somewhat complicated.

“Yes. When I first awakened my eyes, I also experienced an emotional shock.”

A heavy silence filled the air.

After a long while, Itachi finally spoke in a low voice.

“I… understand.”

Chiya patted him on the shoulder.

“You don’t need to be afraid, and you don’t need to rush. When you truly find something worth protecting, your power will naturally respond to you.”

He looked at the sky and smiled.

“All right, enough of the serious talk. Let’s go. Your teacher will take you two out for a late night snack.”

“Really? I want three color dango!”

Shisui immediately cheered.

Itachi’s eyes also lit up slightly.

Clearly, he had no resistance to sweets.

The three left the clan compound and arrived at a dango shop on the commercial street that had not yet closed.

Under the warm yellow lights, Itachi ate small bites of the sticky rice dumplings, and the sweet taste seemed to ease the heaviness from earlier.

Just then, the shop door opened, and two figures walked inside.

“Lord Hokage?”

A clear female voice rang out.

Chiya turned around and saw Uchiha Izumi standing at the entrance with Uchiha Hikari.

Izumi wore a delighted smile, while Hikari’s expression was complicated.

The moment her eyes met Chiya’s, she subtly looked away.

“Izumi, Hikari, why are you two still out this late?”

Chiya greeted them with a smile.

Izumi quickly walked over, excitement evident in her voice.

“We just finished our night classes! We happened to see you here!”

As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Shisui and Itachi.

Her face turned slightly red, but she still gathered her courage.

“Lord Hokage, Hikari nee and I have achieved remarkable results with our recent classes!

“Among the first group of students, three have already mastered the basics of chakra and can now extract chakra steadily!”

Hikari also stepped forward.

Her tone was calm, but there was a faint reporting quality to it.

“We adjusted the teaching plan and started physical training fundamentals and chakra control at the same time.

“The results were better than expected. In particular, the civilian students are progressing even faster than some of the clan ninja.”

Chiya listened carefully, admiration appearing in his eyes.

“Very good. Giving talented children a quality education regardless of their background is exactly the direction Konoha should take in the future.

“You have cultivated new sprouts for the village, and your contributions are significant.”

Izumi’s face blossomed into a bright smile after receiving his praise.

She secretly glanced at Chiya before quickly lowering her head.

Hikari merely nodded slightly.

When her eyes met Chiya’s, a complicated and indescribable emotion flashed through them.

There was admiration, gratitude, and perhaps even a trace of a stirring feeling that she herself had not yet noticed.

Chiya noticed Uchiha Hikari’s gaze and asked gently.

“Have you gotten used to living like this recently?”

Uchiha Hikari stared at Chiya in a daze for a moment.

Then she lowered her head.

“Yes. I like it very much.”

Hearing Uchiha Hikari say this, Chiya finally felt relieved.

“If there is anything you’re not used to, just tell me.”

Hearing this, warmth filled Uchiha Hikari’s heart.

“Yes, I will!”

After a long while, she finally raised her head.

She met Chiya’s gaze, and at some point, a beautiful smile appeared at the corners of her lips.

“Hikari nee, you’re smiling! I haven’t seen you smile in so long!”

Uchiha Izumi’s eyes widened as she looked at Uchiha Hikari in surprise.

Hearing her exclamation, Uchiha Hikari rarely showed a blush.

“Izumi, stop it!”

“It’s getting late. Let’s go! We still have a mission tomorrow!”

Before Izumi could say goodbye to Chiya, Hikari directly pulled her away.

Chiya watched their departing figures and could not help sighing inwardly.

‘It looks like she has truly become part of this era now…’