SCARLET ; itachi uchiha

〔 二十二 〕 cortège of the sky

To live with the concept of the sky . . .

The occurring week was filled with activities leading up Itachi to feeling so resigned. It wasn't the missions that were particularly exhausting, it was the sense of hollowness of being parted from a dearest friend.

What was even more surprising was how she left a controversial statement.

"Here lies the faces of the hypocrites who singlehandedly ruined one's life, who claimed they saved humanity to gratify their own altruistic narcissism."

Itachi could tell it was Akane who did it, aware of the fact that she grew hatred towards the leaders and elders of Konoha. Somehow, he understood her hate . . . Yet somehow again, he couldn't comprehend why would she disseminate it to the whole crowd. Even in his young mind, he knew it was wrong to tarnish the names of the Hokage, to destroy the images because of a stupendous display of emotions . . .

How worrisome.

That was the only thing he could say.

Akane herself was the focal point around everyone. She had made a shift, now there was no stopping the momentum. And oddly enough, his father—Fugaku Uchiha—was impressed by it.

"What a brave person, don't you think?"

The young man could only nod with a brief hum. It was rare that his father to call his son during his rounds.

Fugaku then added, "Everyone should have the same mindset like that: embracing the core values of political equality as the bedrock of democracy—a desire to make changes that push for a better country and taking action to do so. Years and years . . . where inequalities have been laid bare across our society; standing up and not getting be silenced have always been more the necessary."

Itachi could tell . . . His father was trying to cultivate his political objectives in him. Although he wasn't sure of the thoughts his father had been running through his mind.

He felt incredibly sad. And he carried that sadness ever since he was seven—the same age when his father first brought him to the nightly meeting of Uchiha in the Nakano Shrine . . .

Watching how his father developed an unmistakable admiration for a person whom he didn't personally know, Itachi remained muted. He couldn't risk saying another word, because his father might get some ideas that Akane was still alive.

Itachi cleared the accumulating thoughts caving in while he was training. The third bout of the chunin exams would be in the next three days. He should keep his focus as his priority for now.