章 4: Izumi Uchiha!

"Itachi! Be good at school and make sure you come home early for dinner!"

Mikoto Uchiha knelt in front of her son, carefully straightening his small black schoolbag and brushing dust off his clothes. Her short black hair framed her gentle, smiling face, but her eyes held a sternness only a mother could wield.

Itachi Uchiha, however, looked indifferent. His sharp black eyes stared past her, distracted by thoughts that were far from the concerns of a five-year-old.

School. A living nightmare.

The mere thought of sitting in a classroom filled him with dread. Why does this nightmare feel like it's been going on forever?

A sharp pinch to his ear jolted him back to reality.

"Itachi! Are you listening to me?!" Mikoto scolded, tugging on his ear just hard enough to command his attention. "And no bullying your classmates, understand?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Itachi muttered hastily, pulling free from her grip. Adjusting his bag, he darted toward the door. "I'm going to school now, Mom!"

As he walked through the familiar streets of Konoha, Itachi's expression remained pensive. It had been five years since he woke up in this world, five years of grappling with the reality that he was no longer the person he once was.

In his previous life, he had been an ordinary young man, the kind of person who led a peaceful and uneventful existence. He had fallen asleep in front of his computer after grumbling about how Boruto paled in comparison to Naruto. When he woke up, he found himself reborn—not as some nameless villager or background character, but as Itachi Uchiha, the future prodigy of the Uchiha clan.

At first, he had been in denial. But as the years passed, the truth became inescapable. His parents, Fugaku and Mikoto. His younger brother, Sasuke. His family's symbol, the red-and-white fan.

There was no escaping it. This was the world of Naruto.

But why me? he often wondered. I had a good life! Why would I, of all people, be chosen for reincarnation?

A cheerful voice broke his train of thought.

"Itachi! Wait for me!"

Turning around, he spotted a familiar figure sprinting toward him. It was Izumi, her short black hair bouncing as she ran to catch up.

"You're late again," Itachi said flatly, crossing his arms. "Not that I ever wait for you."

Izumi giggled, unfazed. "Itachi, you're so mean! But you're still as cute as ever."

The two walked together toward the academy. Izumi watched in fascination as Itachi toyed with a small wooden kunai, flipping it effortlessly between his fingers.

"Hey, Itachi, did you finish your homework?" she asked innocently.

"Homework?" Itachi blinked, clearly caught off guard. After a brief pause, he rummaged through his bag, his brow furrowing. "Was there homework?"

Izumi gasped dramatically, covering her mouth. "You forgot?! Sensei's going to be so mad!"

Itachi sighed, pinching her cheek lightly. "What's the worst he can do?"

"You're so confident!" Izumi clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Before their playful banter could continue, a deep voice interrupted.

"Itachi! You're dawdling again instead of heading to school?"

A large hand clamped down on Itachi's shoulder, effortlessly lifting him off the ground. Turning his head, Itachi found himself face-to-face with none other than his father, Fugaku Uchiha.

"Good morning, Lord Fugaku!" Izumi greeted him nervously, bowing respectfully.

Fugaku raised an eyebrow at her. "Ah, Izumi. A promising girl from the clan."

Before he could say more, Itachi smirked. "Gotcha!"

In one swift motion, he twisted free and jabbed Fugaku's chin with the hilt of his wooden kunai. Startled, Fugaku released him, and Itachi hit the ground running. Grabbing Izumi's hand, he sprinted toward the academy.

"Haha! Too slow, old man!" Itachi called over his shoulder, his laughter echoing through the street.

Fugaku rubbed his chin, watching them disappear with a faint smile. "That boy... He's always been a handful, but there's greatness in him. And Izumi... she's not bad either."

Later at the Academy

"Itachi, you really shouldn't tease your father like that," Izumi said, glancing nervously behind them.

"It's fine," Itachi replied with a grin. "Come on, let's get to class."

Just as they reached the academy doors, Izumi hesitated. "Hey, Itachi, I heard you have a new baby brother?"

"Brother?" Itachi paused, then remembered. "Oh, you mean Sasuke!"

Izumi tilted her head in confusion. "Sasuke? That's not what I heard. It sounded like you called him something weird earlier..."

Itachi rolled his eyes, flicking her forehead. "You misheard. Stop overthinking it."

Before she could argue, Itachi kicked open the classroom door.

"Itachi!" The teacher's voice boomed from the front of the room. "Late again—and you've damaged the door!"

Without missing a beat, Itachi pushed Izumi forward. "It was her fault! I was late because I was waiting for her, and she pushed me, so I accidentally kicked the door open!"

"Itachi!" Izumi whispered in disbelief.

"Just roll with it!" he muttered.

Unfortunately for him, Fugaku had followed them to the academy. A shadow loomed over Itachi as his father grabbed him by the collar.

"ITACHI!"

Caught red-handed, Itachi groaned inwardly.

Izumi sighed, watching the spectacle unfold. He's such a troublemaker... but still so adorable when he's mischievous.

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(Author's Note: This was originally meant to be the opening chapter, but I decided to repurpose it as a side story. Hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into Itachi's mischievous childhood!)

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Translator Note;

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