Chapter:4

When he arrived at the dinner table, besides Mikoto Uchiha, Fugaku Uchiha also saw a child around four or five years old. The boy had jet-black hair and eyes, with features as delicate as a carved piece of jade. Even at such a young age, his potential was undeniable—destined to be a handsome young man who would surely catch the attention of many girls.

This child was none other than Sasuke Uchiha.

The one he resented most, Itachi Uchiha, was not present. He had left the village on a mission alongside Shisui Uchiha.

"Father," Sasuke said with a clear, innocent voice when he saw Fugaku.

"Mm." Fugaku responded with a brief nod, gently patting Sasuke's head before sitting down cross-legged at the table.

The young Sasuke beamed with joy at his father's gesture, as if he'd received a reward. Unlike the cold and distant Sasuke from the original story who had endured the Uchiha massacre, this Sasuke had grown up in a relatively normal environment. While he still possessed some of the pride typical of the Uchiha clan, he didn't display the cold, jaded demeanor from the canon timeline.

"This one has potential. If I can steer him the right way, I could turn him into a valuable ally," Fugaku thought to himself.

Compared to the likes of Itachi and Shisui, Sasuke was far more malleable, and at this stage, had not yet experienced the trauma that would later drive him down a dark path. With the right guidance, Sasuke could become a crucial asset.

After finishing dinner, Fugaku moved to the training field in the backyard. Even though he now possessed the memories of his previous incarnation, he needed to confirm whether he had retained Fugaku's combat experience. If he only had strength but lacked battle instincts, his fighting ability would be significantly hampered—something that would not bode well in trying to survive the upcoming Uchiha massacre.

He retrieved eight shuriken from his pouch and held them between his fingers—an instinctive grip that triggered a wave of familiarity.

With a quick motion, he threw all eight shuriken at once.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!* The shuriken flew through the air at slightly different speeds, the ones in the back catching up to those in the front. *Clang! Clang!* They collided midair, changing their trajectories as planned, scattering across the training ground.

Each shuriken struck dead center in the target's bullseye.

Without hesitation, Fugaku weaved hand signs and formed a funnel with his right hand before his mouth.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

He expelled several fireballs in quick succession, sending them towards the eight targets. The fireballs hit their marks, causing each target to explode into a shower of sparks.

"It seems the original combat experience is still intact," Fugaku thought with satisfaction.

Being able to land every shuriken and execute such precise ninjutsu confirmed that Fugaku's previous battle experience had been ingrained into his muscle memory. It was clear that he wouldn't need to start from scratch in terms of training.

"Kage-level combat ability!"

With his retained combat experience, physical prowess, and his Mangekyo Sharingan, Fugaku was confident he had the strength of a Kage.

"But just being at Kage-level isn't enough. I need to grow stronger," he mused.

He knew full well that preventing the Uchiha massacre would require more than Kage-level strength. After all, his enemies weren't just Itachi but also Obito Uchiha. Against two Mangekyo Sharingan users, he wouldn't stand a chance with his current power.

Though killing Itachi before he could awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan was an option, Fugaku was reluctant to resort to that. It wasn't because of the bond between father and son, but rather because he would need a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan with similar blood ties to achieve the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. Killing Itachi prematurely would be a waste of that opportunity.

"Itachi hasn't awakened his Mangekyo yet, so I can't evolve my Sharingan to the Eternal Mangekyo right now," Fugaku reasoned. "For now, the best way to increase my power is by obtaining Hashirama's cells. It's risky, but not for me."

With the corpse-melting technique, Fugaku realized he could bypass the dangers associated with Hashirama cell transplantation. By merging with the corpse of someone who had already successfully fused with Hashirama's cells, Fugaku could acquire those cells without any of the usual risks.

"Yamato and the White Zetsu clones are the only ones who've perfectly fused with Hashirama's cells," he remembered from his previous life's knowledge.

Yamato, a survivor of Orochimaru's experiments, had managed to perfectly merge with Hashirama's cells and had even awakened the rare Wood Release without any side effects. The White Zetsu clones, created from Hashirama's cells by Madara Uchiha, were similarly free from negative effects.

Either one of their corpses would allow Fugaku to access Hashirama's cells, increasing his strength and eliminating the side effects of the Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Yamato is currently in the Anbu, and attacking him would definitely draw the attention of the Hokage. That could expose me."

"The White Zetsu clones, on the other hand, are expendable. No one would care if one or two of them went missing."

Fugaku made his decision. Compared to the high risk of targeting Yamato, White Zetsu clones were the more practical choice. They were numerous, and even if one died, it wouldn't raise alarms.

After practicing for a few more hours in the yard, night had fallen. Fugaku returned to the house, took a shower, and entered the bedroom.

Inside, Mikoto was sitting cross-legged on a tatami mat, dressed in light pajamas. The thin fabric clung to her body, highlighting her graceful figure, while her pale skin peeked through in places. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, carrying a faint scent of jasmine.

Seeing her sitting there so casually, Fugaku's gaze heated up, unable to ignore the fact that the beautiful woman before him was, after all, his wife.

(End of this chapter)