บท 53: Chapter 53: Preparations in Advance
The elite jōnin of the clan would naturally be the first to use the Elixir, followed eventually by the most gifted of the younger generation. As the son of the Uchiha clan leader, Uchiha Itachi was already recognized for his exceptional talent and had even accompanied Fugaku to the battlefield. His skills placed him far above his peers, not just within the Uchiha but even among the new generation in Konoha. With such talent, it was only fitting that he would be granted access to one of these precious potions. Fugaku intended to carefully nurture this exceptional child, hoping to mold him into a future Hokage candidate. He believed Itachi had the potential to achieve this ambition.
As Fugaku was pondering Itachi's future, he heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he was greeted by Akira.
"Well, look who it is!" Fugaku greeted him with a smile. "Akira, what brings you here? Weren't you busy researching Fūinjutsu?"
Akira chuckled. "I just thought of something and figured it was worth discussing with you, Clan Leader."
Fugaku's expression grew serious as he led Akira into his study. "What's so important that you felt the need to come all the way here?"
"It concerns the Hokage," Akira replied.
"The Hokage?" Fugaku looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"I heard that the Fourth Hokage's wife is expecting a child," Akira inquired.
"That's right, she is. Why? Is there a problem?" Fugaku asked, looking at Akira with a hint of curiosity.
"It's well-known that a jinchūriki's seal weakens somewhat during childbirth, correct?" Akira said.
Fugaku nodded, his brows furrowing. "That is true. Akira, don't do anything rash."
Akira waved his hand, sensing Fugaku's caution. "Don't worry. I'm more concerned that someone else might try to take advantage of this timing."
He continued, "Clan Leader, I think it would be wise to alert the Hokage to this vulnerability. It's best if as few people as possible know about the timing of her delivery to avoid any unwanted surprises."
Akira had his reasons for wanting the Hokage and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, to remain safe. As long as Minato was around, dealing with threats like Danzo or the Akatsuki in the future would be much easier. With Minato at the forefront, Akira could focus on his own plans, developing his abilities without interference.
"You think that supposed 'Uchiha Madara' might try to exploit the childbirth?" Fugaku asked in a low voice.
"Yes," Akira nodded. "Even if he isn't the real Madara, he's certainly connected to him. Madara harbored a deep grudge against Konoha. If not for the First Hokage, he would've destroyed the village himself. Whoever this person is, they might carry on Madara's will, and if they get the chance, they might try to unleash the Nine-Tails. That could spell disaster."
Fugaku nodded solemnly. "Yes, this is definitely something we can't overlook. The power of the Nine-Tails is too great—if it were unleashed, we'd be in serious trouble."
Fugaku added, "I'll speak with Minato about this tomorrow. We can't afford to be careless."
There wasn't much more Akira could do concerning Minato and Kushina's situation, given that he didn't have a personal relationship with them. This was why he wanted Fugaku to relay the message. He could only hope that Minato would take Fugaku's advice seriously and keep Kushina's delivery date under wraps to prevent Obito from seizing an opportunity.
"Let's hope it works," Akira thought with a sigh. He couldn't be sure how well they could keep Kushina's delivery a secret. White Zetsu's stealth abilities were simply too strong, making him nearly undetectable within the entire village. Akira pondered, "I've done what I can. Now I need to prepare for the worst."
As his thoughts wandered, Fugaku suddenly spoke up. "Akira, what do you think of Itachi?"
Akira snapped back to the present. "There's no doubt—itachi is a true genius."
Fugaku looked at him thoughtfully. "I'm thinking of having him study under Minato. What do you think?"
Akira stroked his chin. If Itachi could indeed become Minato's disciple, it would certainly be beneficial, especially if they could get through the impending night of the Nine-Tails' attack unscathed. With Minato as his mentor, Itachi would naturally become part of the Hokage's inner circle, bolstering his future as a Hokage candidate. After all, becoming Hokage would require connections within the Hokage's faction. Unless some major upheaval happened in Konoha, the Hokage's circle would never easily hand over the title to an outsider.
"Having Minato as his master would definitely be a good thing," Akira agreed.
"I think there's a fair chance Minato would accept him," Fugaku mused.
Fugaku had complete confidence in Itachi's abilities. Whether it was ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu, Itachi mastered every skill he learned with ease. In Fugaku's eyes, Itachi was the most gifted ninja he'd ever known. Surely, Minato would recognize such talent and not turn him away.
Besides, Fugaku's wife, Mikoto, was close friends with Kushina, which could help smooth things over. He could always rely on Mikoto to bring it up casually with Kushina, further increasing the chances.
"But I'm not planning to bring it up to Minato just yet," Fugaku said with a hint of anticipation. "I'll wait until after Minato's child is born. By then, Itachi should be about ready to start his training. I'll ensure he graduates early so he can study under Minato as soon as possible."
Akira wished him luck. Given the current state of Konoha, there was a high likelihood Fugaku's plan could succeed. Even if the Nine-Tails attack did occur, Konoha was still powerful enough to subdue it.
The next day, Fugaku went to the Hokage's office to meet Minato and share Akira's concerns.
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