"Thank you, Kai-kun." Uchiha Fugaku bowed slightly as he held his young son, Uchiha Itachi, close. "Thank you for saving this child."
"The patriarch is too polite. Honestly, even if I hadn't acted, he likely would've been fine." Uchiha Kai shook his head modestly. "Besides, I wasn't alone—Kakashi helped a lot."
That's right—the child Kai and Kakashi found clinging to the cliffside was none other than Uchiha Itachi.
If it hadn't been for Kakashi's presence, Uchiha Keijin might've drawn his kunai and attacked the boy outright.
Kakashi didn't know the child's identity. Then again, it wouldn't have mattered. Whether it was Itachi or not, Kakashi would've jumped down to save anyone in danger. That's just who he was.
Uchiha Kai sighed inwardly. He had no choice but to follow Kakashi and help rescue the child.
And truthfully, even without knowing the boy was Itachi, perhaps Kai would've stepped in too. Not because of duty—but because of what Itachi would become.
The Uchiha clan's situation was already complicated. With the Fourth Hokage's death during the Nine-Tails' attack, the clan found itself on the edge of political extinction.
Internal division, rogue actors, and festering distrust had pushed the clan toward a breaking point. Even without the issue of Itachi's family, the clan was already walking a tightrope.
Had things escalated further, perhaps even Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Third Hokage—would have stepped in personally. That might have led to outright conflict, something even the village elders feared but were prepared for to contain the "Uchiha problem."
Kai glanced at the quiet child standing beside Fugaku. Despite knowing how messy things would get, he couldn't help but feel a strange urge to offer the kid something more.
But he also knew he probably wouldn't get the chance. At least, not yet.
As for raising or shaping the boy—instilling his own ideas?
Kai considered it... and dismissed the thought. Just remembering Uchiha Itachi's "great achievements" gave him chills. In the end, maybe Itachi would still be swayed by Sarutobi Hiruzen or Danzo and walk the same path.
"Kakashi, you say?" Fugaku nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Still, I must thank you. And Kai-kun, it's been a while since you visited for tea."
"My recent training has taken up most of my time, Patriarch," Kai replied with a polite smile. "But I'd be honored to visit when I'm free."
"There's no time like the present," Fugaku said suddenly. "You don't have anything pressing, do you?"
"This…" Kai hesitated but eventually nodded. "Since the Patriarch invites me personally, it would be rude to decline."
Drinking tea with Uchiha Fugaku was a draining affair. While the man lacked decisiveness in times of crisis, he was far from foolish. He had a sharp mind, and Kai suspected that when the Uchiha clan fell, Fugaku may have seen it coming—and chosen to exchange his and his wife's lives for those of his sons.
If cold pragmatism was a virtue, Fugaku wore it well. Kai couldn't say for certain if his theory was correct, but history didn't wait for validation. The dead rarely explained themselves—unless, perhaps, through the Impure World Reincarnation.
Fighting a mind like Fugaku's was both dull and dangerous. But Kai couldn't refuse—not yet. Not until he was in a position to earn Fugaku's trust and his caution.
He followed Fugaku in silence toward the clan's ornamental pond. Interestingly, Fugaku didn't send Itachi away.
Kai said nothing. Maybe Fugaku believed his son sharp enough to begin understanding the currents of clan politics.
They sat in the wooden pavilion by the pond while young Itachi heated the water and began to prepare the tea. For a moment, the atmosphere was oddly serene.
"I wonder what Kai-kun's future plans are," Fugaku asked, watching his son work.
"Plans?" Kai tilted his head, unsure what the question meant. Did Fugaku mean his ambitions within the clan—or within the village?
Within the clan, Kai had offended many of the hardliners, but his talent had earned their reluctant respect. The doves—those seeking peaceful coexistence with the village—also viewed him as an ally, or at least as someone who could be persuaded.
As for his place in the village, Kai was considering the Konoha Military Police. It offered influence, relative safety, and a chance to steer things from within.
And as a member of an elite wartime unit, Kai had already earned some prestige. He could use that to continue protecting the village—and maybe his friends—from within the system.
"I don't know yet," Kai answered vaguely. "For now, I'm observing and learning."
"Wise," Fugaku nodded. "Not every path offers a way back."
"I appreciate the lesson," Kai said, bowing his head slightly. He had already made his choice—but had ensured he had a way out, just in case.
"What do you think of the clan?" Fugaku asked, sipping his tea.
The clan, huh?
Kai frowned. It was a difficult question—one not easily answered. He'd only recently entered the clan's inner circles, but what he saw wasn't encouraging.
Still, some things needed to be said.
"It's fractured," Kai said plainly. "There's no unity. Even you, Patriarch, can't change that alone."
"Uchiha Shū and his faction are dead-set against the village leadership. On the other side, you have those advocating peace and diplomacy. Neither side is willing to budge—and I suspect there are others with different agendas lurking in the shadows."
"You're perceptive, Kai-kun." Fugaku nodded approvingly. "But do you understand why this division exists—why the clan and the village are at odds?"
"I do," Kai said after a pause, a hint of irony in his voice. "It's about power, isn't it?"
Yes—power. That was what it always came down to.
At least, from the clan's point of view, they were being denied the influence they believed they deserved.
As for deeper truths—well, perhaps the clan wasn't willing to confront them. Or perhaps they feared what those truths might reveal.