Chapter 161 — The Sensei’s Curse

"That's what I imagined," Toyama said matter-of-factly.

He turned the small snake over in his hand, watching it coil lazily around his fingers.

"Think about it for a second. A greedy, hypocritical man like Sarutobi Hiruzen—do you really think he's going to sit back and let his power slip away quietly?"

A wide smile spread across Toyama's face as he finally handed the snake back to Grand Elder Setsuna.

"The moment things return to normal, he'll start taking his power back."

Setsuna accepted the snake without a word, his eyes remaining on Toyama for another moment.

Toyama's gaze shifted toward Fugaku and Shisui.

"But I don't think you two came here just to listen to me rant about your godfather, the Hokage, right?"

Fugaku's expression barely changed.

He had listened to Toyama's mockery from beginning to end without saying a word. His jaw had tightened several times, but he had refused to give the boy the satisfaction of seeing him lose his temper.

The room was quiet enough that Fugaku could hear the faint rustling of the curtains near the window.

By now, however, his patience was wearing thin.

If it weren't for whatever agreement Shisui had already made with Itachi, Fugaku would never have stepped into this room to begin with.

"Cough... cough."

Shisui cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Toyama, we're actually here to ask you for something."

"No money. Get lost."

Toyama answered so quickly that Shisui barely had time to finish.

"Nobody is getting a single penny from me."

He flicked his hand dismissively toward the door.

"Pfft."

A small laugh escaped from Kozuto.

Kohaku lowered his head, but the slight movement of his shoulders made it obvious he was trying not to laugh as well.

Fugaku's eyes shifted toward the two elders.

His expression remained controlled.

Barely.

"We didn't come here to beg."

His voice was firm, though the slight tension in his jaw remained.

Toyama tilted his head.

"Oh."

He leaned back in his chair.

"I just assumed maintaining your daily lives had become a little difficult after the split."

His tone was pure sarcasm.

Fugaku's fingers curled slightly at his side.

Toyama noticed.

Of course he noticed.

A faint grin appeared on his face.

Shisui exhaled slowly through his nose.

This isn't going anywhere.

Toyama wasn't even giving him an opening to steer the conversation toward what they had actually come to discuss.

He took a moment to compose himself before stepping forward again.

"Toyama, that's not why we're here."

His voice was calmer now, and he wore a more approachable expression.

"The clan split into two because of our differences in how we see things. But that doesn't mean we want a wall between us."

His eyes moved briefly toward Kohaku before returning to Toyama.

"We can't allow our own brothers and sisters to start looking at each other as enemies simply because our interests no longer align."

The room grew quieter.

Shisui reached back and gently took Itachi by the shoulder.

The boy had remained silent until now, his dark eyes moving from one adult to another as he tried to understand the conversation happening around him.

Shisui guided him forward.

"So I thought..."

He looked directly at Toyama.

"Let Itachi become your disciple."

Toyama's eyes immediately settled on the young boy.

For the first time since Fugaku and Shisui had entered the room, he didn't have a sarcastic reply ready.

Itachi stood quietly in front of him.

He was only five years old.

Yet there was something unusually composed about the way he looked back at Toyama.

Shisui continued.

"You're undoubtedly one of the greatest minds our clan has produced."

A small, hopeful smile appeared on his face.

"If Itachi becomes your student, he could become a bridge between our two branches."

Fugaku gave a small nod.

The plan behind Shisui's words was clear to both of them.

Itachi would eventually become the next Clan Head.

And if he carried Toyama's teachings—and the title of Toyama's disciple—with him, that connection might one day become strong enough to reunite the two branches of the Uchiha.

It was a simple idea.

At least, that was how it had seemed when Fugaku and Shisui discussed it beforehand.

For several seconds, Toyama said nothing.

He simply stared at Itachi.

Then his expression changed.

"Are you kidding me?"

Toyama's voice suddenly cut through the room.

Itachi blinked.

Shisui's smile disappeared.

Even Setsuna and Kohaku straightened slightly.

"Why would I do that?"

Toyama pushed himself upright in the chair.

"I have no interest in teaching anyone."

His voice came faster now.

"I'll never teach anyone."

The speed of his response was what surprised them most.

Toyama had rejected the idea almost before Shisui had finished making it.

Setsuna's brows rose.

Kohaku exchanged a glance with him.

Even Kazuto, who had spent most of the conversation avoiding Toyama's gaze, looked directly at him now.

Fugaku's expression hardened.

"What do you mean by that?"

He took one step forward.

"Do you look down on Itachi's potential?"

Toyama said nothing.

Fugaku's eyes narrowed.

"My son is one of the most gifted Uchiha born in generations."

His voice remained controlled, but the pride behind the words was unmistakable.

"Even the Third Hokage himself has praised him."

Fugaku's words earned him a long, unimpressed stare from Toyama.

The look on Toyama's face seemed to say everything.

Really, dude? After all this time, you're still like this?

Fugaku caught the expression and felt a brief flicker of awkwardness.

They had spent the last several minutes criticising the Third Hokage, and now he was using Hiruzen's praise as proof of his son's talent.

Still, he wasn't about to back down.

"I mean... Itachi has already trained in many Fire Style jutsu. He can even use the Rasengan now."

There was unmistakable pride in Fugaku's voice as he spoke about his son.

Toyama stared at him for a moment.

Then he shrugged.

"Still don't want to teach."

He leaned back in his chair.

"Teaching is one of the most dangerous professions in Konoha, you know."

Fugaku's brows furrowed.

Shisui stared at Toyama.

Kohaku and Setsuna exchanged a glance.

For a moment, nobody seemed to know how to respond.

None of them had expected an excuse like that.

"Dangerous?" Fugaku finally asked.

Toyama nodded solemnly.

"Very."

Before anyone could question him further, a small voice came from beside Shisui.

"Even I wouldn't want to learn from someone like you."

Everyone turned.

Itachi stood with his chin slightly raised, a faintly proud look on his face.

The room fell silent.

Toyama stopped moving.

His eyes slowly shifted toward the five-year-old standing in front of him.

For a moment, he simply stared.

Then the corner of his mouth lifted.

A playful smile spread across his face.

"And what exactly is 'someone like me'?"

Itachi's expression faltered slightly.

Shisui immediately stepped forward.

"Itachi is still young, Toyama. Don't take his words to heart."

He glanced down at the boy.

"He's probably just been listening to the elders talk about you."

Itachi said nothing.

He lowered his gaze and quietly stepped back.

Toyama, however, was still looking at him.

"No, no."

His smile widened.

"I actually want to know."

He leaned forward, resting his elbow against his knee.

"How bad is my reputation on your side of the fence?"

His eyes gleamed with genuine curiosity.

"Am I worse than Madara?"

Shisui's face immediately became awkward.

"That... that's impossible."

He quickly waved the question away.

"But forget that. Why don't you want to teach him?"

Toyama leaned back again.

The playful smile remained on his face.

"Now that's a question worth answering."

Toyama's expression changed.

The playful smile disappeared completely.

"Listen carefully to what I'm about to say, and don't ever forget it."

His eyes moved across the room, stopping on Setsuna, Kohaku, Kazuto, and finally Fugaku and Shisui.

One by one.

The sudden seriousness in his voice made everyone straighten.

Even the faint amusement that had lingered in the room disappeared.

"This village carries a very dangerous curse."

Toyama paused.

"A real one."

The word curse alone was enough to put an uneasy expression on everyone's face.

Kohaku's eyebrows rose.

Setsuna narrowed his eyes.

Even Kazuto stopped fidgeting.

Toyama continued in the same calm tone.

"Whenever a strong shinobi takes a disciple and allows that disciple to call him 'sensei'..."

He leaned forward slightly.

"...his fate is already sealed."

Silence.

"Sooner or later, that very disciple will be the one who kills him."

There wasn't a hint of amusement in Toyama's voice.

He sounded completely serious.

Shisui stared at him for several seconds.

Then he scratched the back of his head.

"Toyama... come on."

His expression was caught somewhere between disbelief and awkwardness.

"You couldn't come up with a better excuse than that?"

Toyama's face remained completely straight.

"I'm not joking."

He raised one hand slightly.

"I'd swear it on my Sharingan if you want me to."

Shisui stared at him.

Fugaku rubbed his forehead.

Itachi, meanwhile, looked up at Toyama with an expression that was becoming increasingly sceptical.

"So..."

The boy's small voice broke the silence.

"Does that mean the Third Hokage will eventually be killed by his own student?"

There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Toyama's eyes snapped toward him.

"How do you know—"

He stopped.

The words died in his throat.

For a moment, Toyama simply stared at Itachi.

Something flickered across his face.

Surprise.

Confusion.

Then it disappeared beneath his usual expression.

Why does nobody ever believe the truth when it's actually true?

Toyama let out a slow breath.

Fugaku and Shisui exchanged a look.

Neither of them had gotten the answer they wanted.

After another moment, Fugaku turned toward the door.

"Come on, Shisui."

Shisui gave Toyama one last look before following him.

Itachi quietly walked after them.

At the doorway, Shisui glanced back.

The question of Itachi becoming Toyama's disciple was still completely unresolved.

Toyama remained in his chair, watching them leave.

The door slid shut behind them.

The room became quiet again.

Toyama leaned back.

Now there was only one thing left to wait for.

The Hokage meeting.

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