The reason was never that Sasuke didn’t do well enough, but simply because Itachi had done the same thing.
But was this something Sasuke could decide?
If Sasuke had been born first, Uchiha Fugaku would have ignored Itachi just the same!
“What right do you have to turn a blind eye to everything Sasuke has done, simply because Itachi once did the same thing!!!”
“Why use Itachi’s standards to deny Sasuke!!!”
Naruto didn’t know why Uchiha Fugaku treated Sasuke with such distinction.
Sakura, however, knew the reason very well.
The pink-haired girl put down the barley tea in her hand, found the gap in Naruto’s continuous questioning, and interjected:
“Uncle Fugaku, you are demanding Itachi-senpai and Sasuke with the standards of a clan leader, but you’ve forgotten that before that, you are first the father of Itachi-senpai and Sasuke, and then the clan leader.”
The conflict between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha caused Uchiha Fugaku to confuse being a father with being a clan leader.
His attitude toward Itachi and Sasuke was more that of the Uchiha Clan leader than their father—the requirements of an elder for a junior and a father for a son are two completely different concepts.
Uchiha Fugaku, as the clan leader, demanded Uchiha Itachi sacrifice for the Uchiha, which resulted in Itachi’s disappointment in the clan, his hatred for the Uchiha Clan’s arrogant and blind obsession with the “Uchiha” name, and finally… that bloody night.
But he still had a chance to make amends.
Itachi, who had been personally sent into the chaos by Uchiha Fugaku, already had his own radical will of fire that was not recognized by the world.
But the current Sasuke could still break free from the path Itachi took.
“So, please let me ask the previous question again, evaluating from a father’s perspective—’Do you acknowledge Sasuke?'”
Sakura watched Uchiha Fugaku and asked again.
Naruto also clenched his fists at this moment, staring intently at Uchiha Fugaku: “If you aren’t willing to believe in Sasuke and acknowledge him! Then I will believe in him and acknowledge him!”
“Until Sasuke surpasses Itachi, I will stand by his side unwaveringly, no matter how long this persistence takes or how many difficulties I must go through—I will always believe in Sasuke!”
Naruto’s words were full of sincerity and confidence; his words sounded like a fairy tale to anyone’s ears.
A dead last surpassing an Uchiha?
A dead last becoming Hokage?
But everyone felt for no reason that perhaps he really could do what he said.
Because—
“I say what I mean, and I mean what I say! That is my, Naruto’s, Ninja Way!”
This was the belief Naruto had forged during his Ninja training.
It was the first time he spoke his belief, and the first time he formally challenged Sasuke!
The atmosphere at the table fell into silence following Naruto’s declaration, but this atmosphere was not as oppressive as before.
Sakura glanced at everyone.
She wanted to take this opportunity to break the silence, give it her all, and guide Uchiha Fugaku to personally break the shackles on Sasuke’s heart, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the gentle mother who had left earlier and now returned at just the right time.
So Sakura gave up on the idea and continued to remain silent.
Although she had taken a radical approach in her eagerness to help Sasuke gain his father’s recognition, the moment she saw that mother, Sakura suddenly felt instinctively that letting things take their natural course might achieve better results.
Sasuke needed his father’s recognition and needed to understand his father’s love for him, but emotional maternal love was often more important than rational paternal love.
“That’s amazing, Naruto. You already have your own Ninja Way at such a young age.”
Uchiha Mikoto placed the dinner on the table, her gaze fixed on Naruto as she praised him without reservation.
Her words, gentle as a spring breeze, and Uchiha Mikoto’s identity as a “mother”—a concept unfamiliar to Naruto—immediately sent the previously aggressive boy into a state of fluster.
But the mother quickly smoothed over the awkwardness in Naruto’s heart.
She said, “When Sasuke looks for his own Ninja Way later, please help him then as well.”
The mother was also looking forward to her child’s growth.
Naruto’s gaze quickly swept over Sasuke.
The moment the blonde boy’s eyes met the black-haired boy’s, their gazes instantly darted away like a dragonfly skimming the water.
This was the first time in Naruto’s life that he was so trusted, even entrusted with a request…
This joy welling up in his heart… this first-time experience of such an emotion felt strange to Naruto, but he didn’t dislike it.
Uchiha Mikoto smiled, then walked over to Sasuke and knelt down.
Looking at her youngest son’s naive yet forced-strong face, she said:
“I heard the conversation just now… I also understand Sasuke’s feelings very well, because Dad always has a stern face and is always so serious and out of touch with worldly wisdom, so it’s easy to understand why you would have such worried thoughts… But when it’s just Dad and Mom together, Dad is always talking about you. Whether it’s Itachi or you, you are both children loved by Dad and Mom.”
Sasuke widened his eyes as he looked at his mother.
His father was always talking about him?
This was the first time he had heard such a thing.
Sasuke felt an irrepressible sense of nervousness in his heart, and his heart seemed to be beating harder than usual.
To verify his mother’s words, Sasuke subconsciously looked toward his father.
However, Uchiha Fugaku’s continued silence was like a bucket of cold water poured over Sasuke’s head, cooling his excitement.
Were the words Mom just said only comforting lies?
Dad… as expected, he doesn’t acknowledge me… but how could a mother lie about her love for her child?
Just as Uchiha Mikoto understood her husband, Uchiha Fugaku was serious and out of touch with worldly wisdom, which was why he caused his children to have all sorts of misunderstandings.
Before Sasuke completely lost confidence, perhaps the words of Sakura and Naruto truly became an opportunity for the father and son to understand each other.
Father Uchiha Fugaku acknowledged the difference between Sasuke and Itachi and no longer sought for the two brothers to be the same.
Uchiha Fugaku spoke:
“Sasuke, just pursue your own path according to your own ideas. I will believe in the path you choose.”