After Kushina left, the sound-suppressing seal she had placed on Sasuke's ears was lifted. The drowsy little "Second Pillar" stirred and opened his eyes—only to see the older brother he adored, Uchiha Itachi.
"Nii-san!" Sasuke flung himself forward, eager for a loving hug.
"Forgive me… Emo-kun." Itachi raised his hand, two fingers pressed together, aiming for his signature forehead flick.
But with their mother Mikoto watching, Itachi held back from giving in to temptation.
With Itachi's fingers resting lightly on his forehead, Sasuke puffed out his cheeks, crossing his arms in a sulky pose. "Nii-san, you promised we'd train together tonight. But you came back so late…" He tried to sound annoyed, but a trace of hurt slipped through.
"Come on, Emo-kun, your brother just finished a seven-on-one battle. Let him rest. You can train tomorrow," Mikoto said gently, ruffling Sasuke's hair.
"No! Tomorrow won't do—it has to be tonight! I've been dying to beat up Sasuke for ages!" Itachi grumbled inwardly.
"Nii-san, you promised! Don't break your word!" Sasuke pleaded, eager to spend time alone with Itachi.
"It's alright, Mom. I'll train with Sasuke now. You go get some rest," Itachi said with a warm smile.
Sasuke's face lit up. I knew it—Nii-san really does love me!
Mikoto smiled as she left. Watching her sons so close brought her comfort. Itachi truly doted on Sasuke.
"Nii-san, this way!" Sasuke grabbed his hand, leading the way. He didn't notice the wicked grin forming at the corner of Itachi's mouth. He just thought Itachi was happy to train with him.
Once inside the training room, Sasuke was the first to speak. "Nii-san, let's spar today. The kids in my class are too weak—it's boring."
"Alright." Itachi didn't hesitate.
"Then here I come!" Sasuke charged in with full force—only to instantly go flying backwards, crashing into the wall with a loud bang, stunned and confused.
"You okay, Emo-kun?" Itachi asked with fake concern.
"I-I'm fine…" Sasuke gritted his teeth and stood up. All he remembered was Itachi lightly tapping his forehead—and then the wall. His forehead throbbed red, and tears welled in his eyes.
If Itachi hadn't held back and dispersed the force, Sasuke would've ended up with a concussion.
"Again!" Sasuke growled and dashed forward.
"Resshūken!" Itachi called out, landing a powerful uppercut that launched Sasuke into the air.
"Again!" Sasuke cried as he crashed to the ground, tears slipping from his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he picked himself up and charged again.
"Hyah!" Itachi's long leg swept out in a clean roundhouse, slamming into Sasuke's stomach. His eyes bulged as he flew backward again, stuck to the wall for a second before sliding down with a splat.
This time, Sasuke cried for real.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for successfully beating up Sasuke once. You've acquired the skill: Resshūken.]
[Resshūken – A martial art from Yu Yu Hakusho, used by Shinobu Sensui. Known as the "strongest fighting style," it's a high-level technique that relies on mastering all forms of combat. Focused on devastating counterattacks after reading the enemy's moves. Despite being called a "fist" technique, most of its power comes from leg-based attacks.]
[Watch this—he charges in! Hyah! He flies back out! Just because it's called "fist" doesn't mean it uses hands—same as how wife cakes don't actually have wives in them! Hyah!]
"You alright, Emo-kun?" Itachi asked again with mock worry. He wasn't a sadist, nor an overbearing older brother—but his love for Sasuke was real.
As the saying goes: to hit is to love.By beating him up, Itachi was just loving him… a little roughly.
Better he toughen up now than get flattened later. This was for his own good. Definitely.
"I-I'm okay…" Sasuke wiped his tears and tried to look tough.
"Maybe we should stop. You're still a bit too…" Itachi trailed off.
"…Too weak?" Sasuke whispered, disheartened. He thought about Itachi going to war at four, entering the Academy at six, graduating at seven… The gap felt like heaven and earth.
"You're doing fine," Itachi offered.
"Nii-san, how much strength did you use just now?" Sasuke asked, clinging to hope. He prayed it was only 10–20%.
"Uh…" Itachi didn't want to crush him.
"Nii-san!" Sasuke insisted. "Tell me! I won't be upset. The stronger you are, the more motivated I'll be!"
"…I didn't use any strength," Itachi said gently.
Sasuke, morale damage ×1: "…"
"I didn't even use chakra."
Sasuke, morale damage ×2: "…"
"Look—I didn't even move from where I stood."
Sasuke, morale damage ×3: "…"
"Then, when you were seven…"
"I'd already wiped the floor with everyone in the Academy and graduated top of my class. So Emo-kun still has a long way to go." Itachi gently ruffled Sasuke's hair.
Sasuke leaned into the touch like a kitten, his pain momentarily forgotten.
He made a vow: starting tomorrow, he would dominate the Academy—just like Nii-san!
First goal: defeat Neji from the upper class!
Naruto's House
After tidying up Naruto's room, Kushina sat at his bedside, gazing at him tenderly.
This is my son… In just seven years, he's suffered more than any child should have to endure.
All because of Danzo!
She lifted Naruto's shirt, revealing the spiral-shaped Eight Trigrams Seal on his stomach—a signature of the Uzumaki Clan.
Years ago, Minato had used this seal to trap the yang half of the Nine-Tails' chakra inside Naruto. He entrusted the key to Gerotora, the scroll toad, asking him to pass it to Jiraiya when the time came—so Naruto could one day control the power.
But now that Kushina had returned via Impure World Reincarnation, she had a change of heart.
Leaving Naruto's future to that shameless perv Jiraiya? No way.Better to entrust him to Mikoto and Itachi.
Mikoto was a capable and loving mother. She would raise Naruto well.
Kushina thought about the look on Mikoto's face whenever she spoke about Itachi—full of pride and joy. It filled Kushina with envy… and longing.
At six, Itachi had entered the Academy.At seven, he graduated.At ten, he passed the Chūnin Exams—alone.At eleven, he became a Jōnin and joined the ANBU.By thirteen, he was ANBU squad leader and head of the Uchiha Clan.
And Naruto?
He had no mother.No one to teach him right from wrong.He was ignored, judged, isolated.He skipped class. He stole. He pulled pranks.He failed every test, was loud and obnoxious, and was a constant headache to teachers. A laughingstock.
And then there was Sasuke—top of his class, praised, adored, perfect.
Comparing the two? It hurt. A lot.
If she and Minato had raised Naruto themselves, the village's golden child wouldn't be Sasuke—it would've been Naruto.
If not for Danzo, Naruto would be a studious, polite, exceptional child—loved by all.
Danzo ruined everything!
But now, there was still time.
With the unlimited chakra granted by her Edo Tensei body, she could recharge the chakra imprint inside Naruto.With her, Minato, and Itachi guiding him, Naruto could start over—he would definitely grow into someone truly remarkable.
With determination in her heart, Kushina placed her palm over Naruto's seal and began channeling her spirit into him.