Chapter 116: Itachi and Sasuke

Itachi scrambled to his feet, watching Uchiha Li walk away.

He looked utterly disheveled, his clothes covered in dust. Yet, Itachi paid no mind to his appearance, his gaze fixed on the retreating figure of Uchiha Li. He etched every detail of today’s battle into his memory. Uchiha Li, his future mentor, had trampled all of his pride underfoot without exerting any significant effort. Rubbing his aching arms, Itachi did not linger and began his walk home.

As he neared the streets, passersby whispered and pointed at his disheveled state. Itachi ignored them, indifferent to their curious stares, and made his way back to his house.

"Big brother! Come and play with me!"

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, Sasuke, who had been playing there, scurried over on his small feet. Sasuke was only three years old, and because Itachi spent most of his time looking after him, they were extremely close. Seeing his brother in such a state, Sasuke asked anxiously, "Big brother, what happened? Did someone bully you?"

He had never seen Itachi look so messy; his brother always kept himself impeccably neat. The sudden change suggested an accident, which filled Sasuke with worry.

Itachi looked at Sasuke’s concerned face, forced a calm, indifferent smile, and said softly, "Don't worry, I just took a tumble." He did not want to reveal his failure or his weakness to Sasuke.

"Is that really true? Are you lying to me, big brother?" Sasuke’s face showed a hint of skepticism. Though small, he was not foolish. Itachi’s state could not possibly have been caused by a simple fall; he had clearly been beaten by someone. Yet, Sasuke was hesitant to believe it, as in his eyes, Itachi was omnipotent and should have been invincible. This left him conflicted. He did not want to believe his all-powerful brother could be so wretchedly defeated, yet the evidence was right before him.

Itachi saw the probing look in Sasuke’s eyes and said, "It’s true. Look, I’m perfectly fine, no wounds at all."

Hearing this, Sasuke chose to believe him. After a moment, he said, "Big brother, go take a bath and then play with me. We haven't been out together in a long time." As Sasuke grew older, Itachi had begun taking on more missions, and their time together had dwindled. Sasuke desperately wanted his brother’s company.

Looking at the hope in Sasuke’s eyes, Itachi felt a pang of guilt. He reached out and gently tapped Sasuke on the forehead. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. Big brother has things to do. I’ll play with you next time."

The calmness on his face was a facade; in reality, his entire body was aching with pain. Uchiha Li had shown no mercy during his "instruction." Fortunately, his clothes hid the bruises; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to deceive Sasuke. In his current state, all he wanted was to rest; he had no energy left for play.

*I’m sorry, Sasuke. This is the last time.*

He apologized silently in his heart. Without giving Sasuke a chance to protest, he quickly turned and left the courtyard. Behind him, Sasuke’s eyes filled with disappointment, his face full of grievance as he watched his brother walk toward his room. However, he did not pester him further and remained alone in the courtyard.

...

In his room, Itachi applied medicinal salve and changed his clothes before lying on his bed. His body still throbbed with dull pain, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

*If I had been calmer, would the outcome have been better?*

Itachi replayed the fight with Uchiha Li over and over in his mind, trying to pinpoint exactly where he had failed. But no matter how he simulated the battle, he couldn't find a way to improve the outcome. The gap in strength was simply too vast. The more he reflected, the more he felt the insurmountable distance between them.

*Can a Three-Tomoe Sharingan really be that much stronger than a Two-Tomoe? But that guy didn't even activate his Sharingan! I must have missed something, which is why I lost so thoroughly.*

As time ticked by, Itachi grew increasingly frustrated, unable to find the missing piece. It was an unpleasant feeling.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, followed by a familiar voice: "Itachi, are you resting?"

Itachi scrambled off the bed and opened the door. "Not yet, Father."

Uchiha Fugaku scrutinized him carefully, his face severe. "Did you go to see Uchiha Li?" He hadn't known about the encounter until he returned from work and heard the villagers gossiping about Itachi’s disheveled state.

Itachi looked at his father and said, "I’m sorry, Father. I have brought shame upon you."

Fugaku shook his head, his voice deep. "It seems you were thoroughly defeated."

"Yes," Itachi replied with a bitter smile. "I thought I could hold my own for a few rounds against my teacher, but I was no match for him." He kept his eyes on the floor, afraid to meet his father's gaze. He held himself to high standards and didn't want to disappoint Fugaku, yet he had clearly failed.

Seeing Itachi’s expression, Fugaku softened his demeanor. He patted Itachi on the shoulder and said, "You don't need to blame yourself. Li is truly not someone you can defeat."

Itachi wanted to protest, believing that while he couldn't win now, he would surely be able to in the future. But Fugaku cut him off. "I won't hide it from you anymore; you would have found out eventually, as Li is your teacher."

Fugaku’s expression turned serious. "In truth, even if I were to face Li now, I could not guarantee a victory."

"How is that possible?" Itachi’s first reaction was disbelief. "Father, how could you not win? You possess the Mangekyō Sharingan, unless..." He trailed off, his mouth closing as a look of utter astonishment crossed his face.

Seeing this, Fugaku stated flatly, "You guessed correctly. He also possesses the Mangekyō. Furthermore, he awakened it three years ago, when he was only thirteen! This is why I insisted that Li be your teacher. Do you understand now?"

Itachi stood frozen at the door, unable to process the information. He had taken pride in awakening his Two-Tomoe Sharingan at eight years old, a feat no one else in the Uchiha clan could match. But compared to Uchiha Li, that pride had been utterly crushed.

"Alright, get some rest. Remember to be obedient when you receive his instruction." Fugaku patted Itachi’s shoulder once more and turned to leave.

Itachi nodded reflexively, still unable to snap out of his stupor.