Naruto: I, Uchiha, Just Want to Die

Chapter 187: Fugaku's Astonishment! Family Arrangements and a Letter from the Land of Hot Water!

"Mikoto's due date is this June."

"I'm about to have my first child. I've decided to name him Itachi."

"Uchiha Itachi!"

In the heart of the Uchiha clan's compound, within a luxurious shinden-zukuri residence, Uchiha Fugaku sat on the veranda of a moonlit room. Across the low table from him sat Uchiha Ci, listening quietly.

After pouring tea for both of them, Ci gazed at the bright moon in silence. The atmosphere between them grew somewhat tense, perhaps because Fugaku was overwhelmed by the idea of becoming a father, or perhaps because Ci was naturally reserved.

"Itachi… I remember that's not a particularly auspicious name, is it? Why choose that for your child?"

Cradling his steaming tea, Ci curiously asked. In the shinobi world, weasels were considered inauspicious creatures.

But then again, Fugaku was known for his unconventional naming sense. His elder son was named Itachi, and his younger son, Sasuke, was named after the Third Hokage's father. Whether in Ci's previous life or the present, Fugaku always seemed enigmatic, shrouded in mystery.

Calling Fugaku a dove didn't fit, considering his readiness to lead a coup. Labeling him a hawk didn't entirely capture his bizarre, sometimes questionable actions either. Fugaku was like a riddle.

"This child will be born into an ill-fated era," Fugaku said, shaking his head.

"War, bloodshed, hatred, and resentment dominate the world. In such a time, if my child is to be marked by misfortune, I hope it will make life easier for him. After all, our lives are painful enough."

Fugaku hesitated as if wanting to say more, but ultimately chose silence. Then, he looked up abruptly.

"Uchiha Ci," he began.

"The matter of the elders nominating you as the heir apparent—I'm aware of it."

"You…"

Ci looked up in astonishment, meeting Fugaku's calm gaze, which seemed to treat this monumental news as a trivial matter. It was as if Fugaku didn't see the clan leader position as something Ci was "taking" from him.

Fugaku shook his head, his tone steady.

"It doesn't matter who becomes the clan leader. What's important is what that person can bring to the clan."

"To be honest, Ci, I feel relieved because of this decision."

Fugaku sipped his tea, exhaling lightly, his face filled with tranquility.

"Although I was prepared to lead, I know that, compared to Uchiha Madara, who founded the clan alongside Konoha, or Uchiha Kagami, who mended ties between the village and our clan as a Second Hokage confidant, my abilities are lacking."

"There are many things I understand but cannot resolve. All I can do is apply band-aid solutions."

"However," Fugaku stood abruptly, staring directly at Ci.

"You're different!"

"Your rapid growth amazes me! From relying solely on Fire Style and shuriken techniques in your first battle, to holding your own against Kage-level opponents in the Jashin Cult, and ultimately becoming a disciple of the Sannin while obtaining tailed beast power—your rise has been astonishing."

"To outsiders, it seems like the culmination of twelve years of silent effort exploding in one moment. But I know the truth—"

"All of this, you achieved in just three days!"

"Without a doubt, Ci, you are a greater genius than Uchiha Madara himself! Silent before, and now resounding!"

"Wait, that's…"

Hearing such praise, Ci hesitated.

After all, his meteoric rise wasn't due to his own capabilities but to a combination of luck and cheats. Following the usual training and mission progression, even with cheats, there was no way he could have advanced so quickly.

Everything he had achieved thus far felt unreal, like a castle built in the sky, constantly haunted by the fear that it might collapse one day.

Since returning to the village, without the intensity of constant battle, his growth rate had slowed dramatically. Beyond the Kage threshold, each improvement became less apparent.

After all, the ceiling of the ninja world was fixed. Without reaching the Six Paths level, everything was fleeting.

"I understand how you feel," Fugaku said, noticing Ci's expression of worry.

His gaze softened as if seeing a younger version of himself—hesitant, uncertain, and lacking confidence. Yet, Fugaku couldn't fully understand what troubled Ci. The young man possessed overwhelming power, even rivaling the Mangekyō Sharingan-wielding Uchiha Kagami, far surpassing Fugaku himself.

In Fugaku's eyes, the only explanation was the burden of responsibility thrust upon Ci at such a young age.

Looking at Ci's face, Fugaku smiled faintly, memories of his own past surfacing.

At sixteen, he had defeated three elite jonin of the clan and earned the position of Police Force Captain. The expression on Ci's face now mirrored his own from back then.

With this thought, Fugaku crouched in front of Ci and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry—I'll support you!"

Ci looked up in surprise at Fugaku's unexpectedly heartfelt gesture, suppressing the urge to twitch at the corners of his mouth.

Here we go again!

What's wrong with the Uchiha clan? Is everyone insane?

The elder, Seijiro, Shinichi, Shisui, and now Fugaku—why did they all act like this?

Returning to a serious tone, Fugaku asked, "Although it's impolite to inquire about another's technique, this concerns your upcoming training. I must ask—Ci, can you now use Fire Release: Chakra Mode without injury?"

Ci frowned but eventually nodded.

Seeing Ci's confirmation, Fugaku's expression turned solemn.

"The elder sent word from Hell Valley about this matter. If true, you'll be undergoing training in the clan's forbidden techniques, along with Uchiha swordsmanship and complementary ocular genjutsu."

"The goal is for you to master an S-rank secret sword technique: Dance of the Solar Halo!"

"Additionally, the clan has allocated 300 million ryo to Orochimaru's lab for experiments related to cultivating your tailed beast."

"And according to Orochimaru, your unique ability requires extensive medicinal testing. The clan spent another 500 million to purchase half of the Nara family's herb fields, along with 30 million for…"

As Fugaku continued listing the investments, Ci's face grew increasingly pale.

For the first time, Ci grasped the true meaning of "wealthy beyond reason."

Just to ensure his training went smoothly, the Uchiha had spent a staggering 1 billion ryo!

The clan was essentially forging him into a pay-to-win champion!

Finally, Fugaku pulled a sealed envelope from his robe and slid it to Ci.

"By the way, this letter came from the Land of Hot Water. It's addressed to you. The sender's name is… Hidan?"

"Huh?"

Ci blinked in surprise before hurriedly taking the letter.

A letter from Hidan? It had been nearly a month since he left the Land of Hot Water, and he had no idea what the situation was like now.

Opening the envelope, Ci scanned the letter.

Midway through reading, his expression changed drastically.

Standing abruptly, he turned to Fugaku, his face grim.

"War is coming!"