4 Interlude
Nothing wounds a parent's heart like the loss of their child. Akira Uchiha, one of the elders of the Uchiha clan, knew this firsthand. His son, Masashi Uchiha, was united in a dynastic marriage with Kazumi. Their union wasn't born out of love but rather out of strategic alliance.
As the son of a clan elder, Masashi was a genius. Of course, he was far from Madara; that man was a monster. But Akira was formidable in his own right.
Masashi Uchiha was to become the next head of the clan. The choice of clan head was carried out among the heirs of the elders, whenever the current head died or retired, as was the case with Madara.
Masashi was an unprecedented genius. He had everything - a huge supply of chakra, impeccable control. He awakened the Sharingan at a young age and reached its full stage with three tomoe by the age of thirteen. By the age of twenty-two he had become a jonin.
Masashi was the light of Akira's life.
And then, two months ago, he died on a mission. Iwagakure and their famous "explosive clay".
The light disappeared from their lives along with Akira's hopes and ambitions for political power. But more importantly, the one he loved with all his heart was gone.
His wife Asumi was crying, her tears literally stained with blood.
Glory to Kami, his new hope. His grandson Makoto was born without complications. His name meant "sincerity", and at first Akira didn't have much hope for him. But now he will make every effort to raise him to be a genius superior to his father.
Otherwise, he too will suffer the same fate, and one of the main Uchiha families will fall into oblivion.
Three of his brothers died, leaving behind only his three-year-old daughter - Mikoto.
Akira sighed as he entered the house, removed his sandals, and walked into the living room.
Kazumi sat with Makoto on her lap, but her gaze was distracted as she looked at Masashi's photo, tears flowing from her beautiful black eyes. After greeting them and opening the book, Akira began to read.
Lately, he had been delving into various philosophical thoughts about the life of a shinobi.
Makoto was very active for his age, actively seeking his mother's attention, but she only ruffled his hair. Noticing him, the boy extended his chubby hands to Akira's face.
- "What an obsessive child," - Akira said sternly. Kazumi seemed to snap out of her daze as she glanced at her son and then at him.
- "Take him, he's your grandson," - she said in an even voice. No one dared to approach the elder of the Uchiha clan, Akira Uchiha, except for his wife and his son's wife. Well and grandson, whenever he will learn to speak.
- "Hmph,"- Akira snorted and picked up the child. The child turned out to be very perceptive and quickly began to study his grandfather's facial features with his hands.
- "Oh, - his finger poked Akira in the eye.- Pathetic boy! - he said sternly. - This is war!" - No one would believe that this laughing old man was Akira.
Always serious, always calm, a man who had been through hundreds of battles, who had witnessed the battles of Madara and Hashirama when they were still warring clans, even though he was only ten years old at the time!
The elite jounin of Konohagakure was distracted from his dark thoughts. Masashi was dead, and she would soon realize that too, but he also knew that dwelling on grief was pointless.
He still had a grandson, and he would do his best to grow up to be the strongest and best, even if it meant reintroducing the most rigorous and terrible training in his clan.
Akira returned Makoto to Kazumi's arms and stood up.
- "Where are you going?" - asked the young woman, taking the child and exposing her breasts, apparently preparing to feed him.
- "To the Inuzuka nursery. I want my grandson to have company."
- "That's good,"- Kazumi said, smiling. Due to Masashi's arrogance, he did not get along well with people, but the dog helped Makoto develop social skills.
- "Yes, - Akira said gloomily. - That's good... Naive woman. " Although Kazumi was a jonin, she did not know the entire history of the Uchiha clan that existed before the formation of Konoha.
How their ancestors awakened the Sharingan, how Akira himself awakened it. Children always believe in the light in the world. Akira didn't pay much attention to Masashi, the boy was already a genius. Now he didn't know how brilliant Makoto would be, but he did know one thing: no matter how brilliant he was, Akira would make him the best shinobi of the clan!!
