“Big Brother!”
The moment Sasuke saw Akira at the entrance, he hurried over.
“Big Sister Izumi.”
Izumi blushed and quickly pulled her hand free from Akira’s grasp.
This time, Akira released her.
Now that Sasuke had called out, Mikoto would certainly come outside to look.
If Akira refused to let go, Izumi would become angry with him.
“Good evening, little Sasuke.”
Izumi reached out to rub Sasuke’s head, but he dodged her hand.
“Don’t rub my head.
Only my brothers are allowed to do that.
Even if you become my sister-in-law in the future, you still can’t.”
Mikoto emerged from the house.
“Akira, you’re back.
Izumi, why don’t you come inside for a while?
Now that Akira has started attending the Academy, please look after him at school since you’re his big sister.”
“Izumi isn’t my big sister.”
Akira looked at Mikoto.
“Mother, Izumi is going to become my wife.
Have you forgotten?”
“Your wife…”
Mikoto froze briefly before laughing.
“I haven’t forgotten.
I remember.
Once you come of age, I’ll have your father visit her family and formally propose marriage.”
Izumi’s face turned red again.
“Aunt Mikoto, my mother is still waiting for me at home, so I won’t come inside today.
I’ll visit another time.”
“I should return before Mother starts worrying.
Goodbye, Aunt Mikoto.”
With that, Izumi hurried away.
Mikoto lightly knocked Akira on the head.
“Stop teasing Big Sister Izumi all the time.”
“I’m not teasing her.
I’m serious.”
“Truly?”
“Yes.”
Mikoto’s smile faded as she looked at him seriously.
“Akira, marriage isn’t a game.
Do you understand what it means?”
She had always assumed Akira was joking.
Akira often said all kinds of strange and ridiculous things, so Mikoto had gradually stopped taking them seriously.
This time, however, she sensed that he was genuinely sincere.
“You’re still far too young to discuss marriage.
Master everything you need to know about being a shinobi first.”
“I’ve already mastered it.”
Akira continued, “Mother, Father personally admitted that I’m an even greater genius than Itachi.
You don’t need to worry about my shinobi training.”
“That doesn’t mean you can become complacent.”
Mikoto rubbed Akira’s head.
“I know.”
Akira lowered his head.
His eyes turned red as two tomoe slowly revolved within each of them.
He had never neglected his shinobi training.
Once he realized he was a genius and could potentially surpass Itachi through hard work, Akira began training relentlessly.
He worked harder than anyone else his age.
Only by doing so could he possibly change the Uchiha clan’s fate.
Akira had noticed Fugaku’s change.
Compared with the original story, Fugaku had begun doubting Itachi much earlier.
Even so, Akira knew that he couldn’t place all his hopes upon Fugaku.
His talent had made Fugaku value him more highly, but Fugaku still regarded him primarily as a child.
The only person Akira could truly rely upon was himself.
The next day, Akira encountered Yamabuki Yuki again.
More precisely, she had deliberately waited for him along the road.
She didn’t say anything and merely followed quietly behind him.
Akira glanced back at her but paid her no further attention.
After class, a young shinobi blocked Akira’s path.
Akira raised his head.
A pair of white eyes entered his vision.
The boy was a member of the Hyūga branch family, although Akira had forgotten his name.
“What do you want?”
“Uchiha Akira, fight me.”
Hyūga Hikaru crossed his arms.
“Let’s determine which clan is stronger—the Uchiha or the Hyūga.
You’re the only person in our entire class qualified to be my opponent.”
“This is also something everyone wants to see.”
“Come to the training ground and fight me!”
Akira waved dismissively.
“I’m not going.
You win.”
Hikaru’s expression darkened.
“I win?
Wait… Are you looking down on me?”
“You won’t even come to the training ground.
Does the Hyūga name carry no weight in your eyes?”
“Are all members of the Uchiha clan this arrogant?”
Akira shook his head.
“The Hyūga name carries considerable weight in my eyes.”
“However, you’re merely a member of the branch family.
Strictly speaking, can a branch family member even be considered a true Hyūga?”
“You!”
The words “branch family member” pierced Hikaru’s chest like a blade.
His breathing became rapid and ragged.
Endless rage burned within him.
“Pfft!”
He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
Hikaru felt his body involuntarily falling backward.
Another student had been standing directly behind him, but quickly moved aside when he saw Hikaru falling.
Hikaru crashed heavily onto the ground.
“That’s why there’s no need for me to fight you.”
“A member of the main family might be another matter.”
With that, Akira walked through the Academy gates.
Izumi’s classes hadn’t ended yet.
The curriculum became more demanding for the upper grades.
Suddenly, a loud commotion attracted Akira’s attention.
He turned toward the noise.
A little girl was curled up in the corner beside a wall.
Several young delinquents stood around her arrogantly.
“Those white eyes… Is she from the Hyūga clan?”
“And at her age… could that be Hinata?”