Arrogant? Me?
Uchiha Itachi lowered his head and fell silent.
Seeing that reaction, Uchiha Jin let out a quiet sigh.
This kid's mind was deeper than most adults'. Changing him overnight? Not happening.
After a pause, Jin continued calmly:
"I can guess what you're worried about. But the reason you're worried is simple—you've seen the problem from your angle, not from mine."
Itachi looked up immediately. His eyes held curiosity… and a faint hunger for clarity.
Jin only gave him a faint, teasing smile.
No explanation.
Itachi froze for a second.
Then he understood.
For once, logic lost to curiosity.
"…Jin… big brother… can you tell me what answer you see?"
Jin's smile widened slightly.
"Good. Actively asking for other perspectives—that's one way to understand the other side of things."
Itachi lowered his gaze again. For some reason, he felt mildly embarrassed.
Jin didn't drag it out any longer.
The Emotional Nature of the Uchiha
"The Uchiha," Jin began, "are emotionally reserved on the surface. We're not good at expressing what we feel."
"But at the same time… our emotions burn hotter than most people's. We're sensitive. We care deeply about how others see us."
"That combination is dangerous."
"When there's no outlet, emotions just pile up."
"And when they pile up long enough? They turn into arrogance and extremism."
Itachi listened carefully.
"The villagers have their own arrogance. Their own prejudice," Jin continued.
"That's why misunderstandings between the clan and the village keep growing."
"That's the root of the conflict."
Itachi frowned.
"But what does that have to do with you escalating things?"
"Everything," Jin answered firmly.
"Because the Uchiha suppress."
"When the village pressures us, when civilians misunderstand us, when comrades distrust us—we stay silent."
He paused.
"Silence doesn't remove emotion."
"It compresses it."
"Either it explodes… or it rots."
Itachi's eyes sharpened.
"When those emotions finally erupt on their own, no one can predict the outcome."
"What I've done," Jin said plainly, "is create a controlled outlet."
"I lit the fuse early—before the bomb detonates on its own."
"If you actually listen to what the clan members are saying," he added, "you'll notice something."
"They're angry. Yes."
"But what do most of them want?"
"An explanation."
"That's all."
"Is it unreasonable," Jin asked quietly, "for the village to give them one?"
Itachi thought back to what he'd overheard.
Aside from a few radicals… the majority really did just want acknowledgment.
Not war.
Not revolution.
Just fairness.
Jin nodded.
"But forcing the village to give that explanation is complicated. That part… I'll explain when you're older."
They had reached the clan gates.
Masked shinobi stood guard.
Not the usual ANBU animal masks.
Different.
Root.
"By order of the Hokage," one masked ninja said coldly, "Uchiha are not permitted to leave the compound unless absolutely necessary."
Jin's eyes flickered faintly red.
"Root," he murmured softly.
Then he smiled politely.
"I'm taking this child to receive medical treatment."
There was a barely perceptible pause.
"…Go. Return immediately. Do nothing unnecessary."
The guard stepped aside.
"Thank you."
Jin casually took Itachi's hand and walked straight out.
After they'd gone some distance, Itachi spoke.
"You used genjutsu on them."
Jin glanced sideways.
"You noticed?"
The technique had been subtle—no obvious Sharingan flare, no standard ocular genjutsu signature.
Even the nearby ANBU hadn't reacted.
Itachi hesitated.
"I'm not certain. It just… felt like you did."
Jin chuckled.
"You've got talent for genjutsu."
"Once we fix your illness, you should focus more on it."
Itachi nodded silently.
Behind the Mountain – A Meeting in the Shadows
After weaving through the village, Jin brought Itachi to a remote corner of the back hills.
He formed a hand sign.
Moments later—
The ground trembled.
A section of earth collapsed, revealing an underground passage.
From within emerged a pale man in a white coat.
Slender. Serpentine. Smiling.
Orochimaru.
"Jin-kun," Orochimaru said, voice hoarse yet delighted. "What an honor."
His face looked exhausted, but his golden eyes gleamed with manic curiosity.
Jin smiled casually.
"I hope I'm not interrupting your experiments."
"Interrupting?" Orochimaru licked his lips. "You're delivering material. How could that be an interruption?"
His gaze shifted to Itachi.
"So this is the Uchiha child with the bloodline illness?"
Itachi felt a chill crawl down his spine.
He was beginning to regret every life choice that had brought him here.
Jin nodded.
"Uchiha Itachi. Fugaku's eldest son."
"A textbook specimen."
"If you cure his illness," Jin added smoothly, "the Uchiha bloodline won't hold many secrets from you anymore."
Orochimaru's smile widened.
"How fascinating."
"I can hardly wait."
Jin hesitated for half a second.
"He's still a child."
"Don't break him."
Orochimaru placed a hand over his chest theatrically.
"Relax. I treasure rare specimens."
Itachi: "..."
For the first time in his young life—
He felt completely, utterly… emotionally exhausted.
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