Uchiha Akira's words left the old man beside him momentarily stunned.
Saying something like that in front of Clan Leader Fugaku... that wasn't very appropriate, was it?
The old man sneaked a glance at Fugaku, thinking that if the clan leader were truly angry, he'd have to step in as a mediator and smooth things over.
However, when the old man looked at Clan Leader Fugaku, he noticed that Fugaku wasn't showing any signs of anger. Instead, he seemed lost in thought.
This made the old man's heart tighten—could it be that his beloved grandson had hit the nail on the head again?
Could it really be that Itachi might choose to side with Konoha?
After all, as the clan leader's eldest son, Uchiha Itachi was practically the crown prince of the Uchiha clan!
Could it be that, at the critical moment of the Uchiha clan's survival, he would choose to stand against them?
In truth, upon hearing Uchiha Akira's words, Fugaku's initial reaction was anger.
No parent likes to hear someone criticize their child, especially not in front of them.
However, Fugaku also knew that Uchiha Akira wasn't the type to make baseless accusations.
So, he suppressed his anger and carefully considered Akira's words, reflecting on Itachi's actions and behavior over the past two years.
To his dismay, Fugaku realized that Akira's concerns weren't entirely unfounded.
The possibility of Itachi betraying the Uchiha clan and siding with Konoha was not completely out of the question.
This realization left Uchiha Fugaku inwardly astounded.
Akira's eyes always seemed to see things others couldn't.
Just like in recent days, when everyone, including Fugaku himself, believed that Konoha was hesitant to oppress the Uchiha clan due to their strength.
But Akira saw the potential crisis, suspecting that Konoha was deliberately trying to lull the Uchiha into a false sense of security.
And most importantly, while Akira's words were shocking, upon closer consideration, they weren't just idle talk.
"Grand Elder, you have a remarkable grandson," Uchiha Fugaku finally said after a long moment of contemplation. He stood up to take his leave, realizing there was much work to be done, and sighed with admiration as he spoke.
"Clan Leader, take care," the old man said, watching Fugaku leave. He knew that Fugaku had taken Akira's words to heart, so he didn't try to make him stay longer.
After Fugaku left, the old man turned back and sat down in front of Uchiha Akira.
"Grandson, when did your body recover?" he asked, scrutinizing Akira.
"That very night, I was already healed," Akira replied honestly, not hiding anything from the old man.
"If you were already healed, why did you go around in a wheelchair?" the old man said reflexively, raising his hand as if to give Akira a smack.
This kid! Doesn't he know how much his family worries about him?
He made me worry for days!
But before he could finish his sentence, the old man stopped himself, his hand pausing mid-air as realization dawned on him.
Then, a sly grin spread across his face. "You did it on purpose, didn't you?"
"Of course! If the Third Hokage wants to lull the Uchiha into a false sense of security, why can't I do the same to him?" Akira nodded, confirming his intent.
"You little rascal, you've got quite the devious mind!" The old man's smile grew even broader, though it was clear his pride was shining through.
Though he called his grandson mischievous, his expression was one of pride and joy.
"I learned it from you!" Akira replied cheerfully, not at all offended by the old man's words.
"Nonsense! Your grandpa is as pure as they come, kind-hearted and all. You're the one who's gone astray, don't blame that on me!" the old man retorted, his face suddenly taking on a stern, righteous expression.
Pfft...
Hearing the banter between the grandfather and grandson, Keiko couldn't help but stifle a laugh.
But as soon as she realized what she had done, she quickly covered her mouth, thinking she had overstepped.
The grandfather and grandson looked at Keiko, but neither of them seemed to mind.
Instead, they exchanged glances and then burst into laughter themselves!
For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became harmonious and warm.
"By the way, grandson..." After a while, the old man's expression became serious again as he looked at Akira. "When you go after the Third Hokage, be careful. If things don't go as planned, prioritize your safety."
"Don't worry, Grandpa. I understand the principle of 'as long as the green hills remain, there's no fear of running out of firewood,'" Akira replied, nodding.
"With my talent, as long as I stay alive, I'll eventually avenge the Uchiha."
"And as long as I'm alive, I can father dozens of children. Within a hundred years, our Uchiha clan will rise to power again!"
Akira spoke with confidence, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"You rascal, if that's truly how you think, then that's the best," the old man laughed, clearly pleased with Akira's response.
No matter what, the old man seemed very satisfied with his grandson's answer.
Following this conversation, the Uchiha clan quickly sprang into action.
All the elite Uchiha, especially those outside the village, were summoned back, and patrols were strengthened.
The elite Uchiha shinobi, aware of these new orders, were not only without complaints but were actually invigorated!
Was the clan leader suddenly tightening the defenses, or had he changed his mind and was planning to initiate a coup?
Thanks to Akira's warning and Fugaku's subsequent reflection, the recent activities of the Uchiha clan were subtly kept from Itachi.
Even Itachi's whereabouts had been somewhat erratic these past few days.
"I'm finished," Itachi announced one evening, setting down his bowl early and standing up.
"Itachi, where are you going?" Uchiha Mikoto, his mother, had recently noticed that her eldest son seemed a bit off.
"There's some work in the Anbu that needs handling," Itachi replied calmly, his expression as composed as ever.
"But brother, you promised to teach me how to throw shuriken!" Sasuke, who was nearby, complained unhappily.
Seeing Sasuke's disgruntled face, Itachi's otherwise stoic expression softened slightly. He motioned for Sasuke to come closer.
When Sasuke approached, Itachi gently tapped his forehead with his finger. "Forgive me, Sasuke, this will be the last time."
As Sasuke cried out in frustration, Itachi turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the night.
"Darn it, always treating me like a child!" Sasuke grumbled, rubbing his forehead and glaring in the direction Itachi had gone.
Sigh, I hope Akira was wrong...
"The Third Hokage and Itachi will soon make their move against the Uchiha? We should stay vigilant and on guard these coming days."
"If a month passes and Akira's visible injuries are about seventy to eighty percent healed, and the Third Hokage hasn't acted yet, then maybe Akira was wrong."
Fugaku mused quietly to himself, setting a rough timeline for the increased security measures within the Uchiha clan.
But then, glancing at Sasuke and comparing him to Uchiha Akira, who was the same age, Fugaku shook his head in silent contemplation.
Though they were both seven years old, even playmates, the difference between Sasuke and Akira was vast.
Sasuke was still just a child, unaware of anything.
Meanwhile, Akira was already risking his life for the future of the Uchiha clan.
"Fugaku..." Uchiha Mikoto hesitated, looking at her husband as if she wanted to say something.
Understanding that his wife had likely sensed something, Fugaku gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, everything will be fine."
Reassured by her husband's words, Uchiha Mikoto nodded slightly, feeling a bit more at ease.
The night passed without incident. The next morning, Uchiha Akira woke up and noticed that his savings had dwindled to just over 200,000 ryō.
"Fūton jutsu feels satisfying, but if I keep using it, I'll feel satisfied all the time!"
The 2 million ryō inheritance left by Shisui-sensei had almost been completely drained!
Just two more attempts—I hope I can finally master the Eight Gates!
This time, Uchiha Akira thought carefully about what he needed to do next, made up his mind, and began a new round of life simulation.
The life simulation began...
[On the surface, you appear to be severely injured and crippled, but in reality, you have long since recovered.]
[With your strength, you managed to secretly leave Konoha without being detected.]
[Three days later, the Night of the Massacre occurs, and the news of the Uchiha clan's annihilation shocks the ninja world!]
[You hide in the Land of Snow, fully dedicated to mastering the Eight Gates.]
[Two years later, the Eighth Gate remains unopened, but your chakra has increased by 10%, placing you firmly at Kage-level.]
[Five years later, you encountered Uchiha Sasuke and his companions who were with Princess Koyuki Kazahana as they sought to reclaim the Land of Snow. You chose to avoid meeting Sasuke and slipped away unnoticed.]
[Your chakra reserves have increased by another 20%, but more importantly, you finally began to feel some give in the final gate of the Eight Gates.]
[Seven years later, you heard rumors of Konoha being destroyed by Pain. You drank a few extra cups in celebration, sensing that you were close to mastering the Eighth Gate.]
[Eight years later, the Fourth Great Ninja War broke out, engulfing the entire ninja world!]
[You decided to observe the war and, using your Sharingan, witnessed Might Guy open the Eighth Gate and enter Night Guy mode!]
[Might Guy's attack severely injured Uchiha Madara, leaving him unable to move!]
[After years of grueling training and observing Might Guy's use of the Eighth Gate, you finally found the breakthrough you needed. You attempted to open the Eighth Gate and succeeded!]
[With Uchiha Madara already gravely injured, you engaged him while in the Eighth Gate state, utterly overwhelming him!]
[You completely dominated Uchiha Madara in battle!]
[As the Eighth Gate's effects wore off, you died.]
[Please choose one of the following rewards from the simulation:]
[Option 1: All learned knowledge, skills, and combat experience.]
[Option 2: Increase in chakra reserves.]
[Option 3: Bloodline awakening status.]
The life simulation concluded, and seeing the final outcome, Uchiha Akira was overjoyed.
After all the effort, he had finally managed to open the Eighth Gate!
P.S.: If you'd like more mass releases like this, help me reach the top spot in the power rankings and support me on Patreon at patreon.com/Emik01. Your support will enable me to dedicate more time to translating additional chapters like these.