Chapter 1: Uncle

Chat GPT did an update and I didn't notice. The changes were making it wonky and starting over from the beginning instead of translating the text as requested. I'll have to redo these chapters again from scratch. Now that I know what is going on I know which protocol I need to use moving forward to make sure there are no more repeats. Apologies.

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Hidden Leaf Village.

Uchiha Itachi strolled into a secluded alley that was off the beaten path, arriving at a gym at the end of the alley.

He glanced upwards.

What caught his eye was a conspicuous signboard with five big red characters:

"Body Transformation Department."

Itachi shook his head, his eyes filled with a bit of helplessness.

He wasn't fond of running errands, especially when the person he was about to meet was not the most likeable guy.

However, that guy happened to be his uncle.

"Sigh~"

Taking a deep breath, Itachi pushed open the large doors of the gym and stepped inside.

At the reception desk, a young woman with blonde hair and green eyes was lazily resting her chin in her hand, yawning out of boredom.

Itachi remembered her name.

Samui.

This older sister was fair-skinned and beautiful, particularly her ample bosom was quite eye-catching.

However, even such a pretty receptionist couldn't salvage the poor turnout at the gym.

The concept of a gym.

It was said to be popular in the northern Cloud Village, but in Hidden Leaf, there was evidently no market for it.

"Itachi, are you here to see the gym owner?"

Samui spotted Itachi and greeted him with a bit of surprise.

Itachi gave a nod.

The gym owner Samui referred to was his uncle—Uchiha Dan.

"The owner is training in the equipment area. I can show you the way," Samui said, stepping out from behind the counter. She was bored anyway.

"There's no need to trouble yourself. I'll go there myself," Itachi said calmly, courteously bowing to Samui.

Watching Itachi's departing figure, a mysterious meaning flickered through Samui's deep blue eyes.

She arrived in Hidden Leaf Village three years ago, officially working at this gym, but in reality, she was a spy from Cloud Village.

According to the information Samui had gathered,

Uchiha Itachi was the son of the head of the first prestigious family in the Hidden Leaf, the Uchiha clan, and had taken and passed the Chunin Exam alone at the age of just 10.

And not long ago, Itachi made history once again by becoming the youngest member of the Hidden Leaf's Anbu Black Ops at the age of 11.

Such a prodigy was one of Samui's key observation targets.

Given the rare opportunity to interact with Itachi at close range, she, as a spy, wouldn't miss it.

So, she discreetly followed him.

...

The vast training area.

At a glance, it was filled with various dazzling equipment: power racks, benches, chest press machines, rowing machines... and sets of dumbbells and barbells, all gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen.

It was a sight for sore eyes.

Itachi had heard from his mother that his uncle had specifically made a trip to Cloud Village three years ago to import all this equipment, spending a great deal of money and effort.

What a pity.

In stark contrast to the luxurious equipment was the desolate atmosphere; at this moment, there wasn't a single customer in sight.

Thinking about it...

Having the gym in such a remote location, it would be surprising if there were customers.

Itachi couldn't help but recall his father's evaluation of his uncle:

Dan, whether as a ninja or a businessman, doesn't really have any talent.

Just then,

He suddenly heard a noise coming from deep within the gym.

"That's...," a deep, rhythmic hum from a man resonated through the space.

At first, it sounded like the low growl of a dangerous beast, carrying an unspoken warning to keep distance, echoing throughout the gym.

Unfazed, Itachi moved with measured strides across the equipment area, gradually closing in on the source of the sound until— A shirtless, towering figure came into his view. His uncle, Uchiha Dan.

Itachi halted, his pupils slightly contracting. Dan, his back turned to Itachi, was seated on a bench, lifting a set of dumbbells of indeterminate weight, immersed in his training.

Itachi was taken aback because this was the first time he'd seen a human back with such a visually striking impact:

Mighty latissimus dorsi muscles, like a range of rolling mountains, undulating with each lift of the dumbbells;

A muscular ridge, like a giant serpent, running down his back, the definition of his muscles spreading out in a pattern from the central seam, connecting to the surrounding well-separated, full muscle groups, resembling a Christmas tree laden with plentiful fruit;

Even the most difficult lower back muscles were as defined as the abdominal muscles.

Suddenly, Itachi had an illusion. He was looking not at a human back, but a face formed by an abundance of muscles—a demon's face.

Indeed. Especially below Dan's shoulder blades, the major round, minor round, and infraspinatus muscles, three extremely developed muscles, were squirming, squeezed together. At first glance, they resembled a pair of demonic eyes, Staring evilly at Itachi, Making him feel an inexplicable unease and pressure. If there were any softness to be found on this intimidating, demonic back, It was only the purple pentagram birthmark situated below Dan's sturdy neck, where it connected with his left shoulder.

Snapping back to reality, Itachi's expression returned to its usual calm. Though he had met his uncle, he didn't immediately state his purpose. Instead, he quietly stood in place, patiently waiting for Dan to finish his workout.

Finally. With a "thud," Dan dropped the gigantic dumbbells in his hands to the ground. The entire gym floor seemed to shake violently. His muscles, after a rigorous workout, were swollen and reddened with blood, and his copious sweat had formed a white steam, curling up and around him.

A man named Samui approached, handing over a white towel for Dan to wipe his sweat.

That's when Itachi finally spoke: "Uncle, mom wants you to come over for dinner tonight."

"I'm busy." Dan's refusal was immediate, his deep, cold voice carrying a sense of estrangement.

Hearing this, Itachi furrowed his brows slightly. He had anticipated Dan's response. However, remembering his mother's earnest plea before he left home, Itachi, maintaining his patience, spoke again.

"Mom says she has important matters to discuss with you. Please, come with me." Despite using the word "please," a hint of firmness had unconsciously crept into Itachi's tone, reminiscent of an ANBU interrogating a criminal.

Huh? Picking up on the change in Itachi's tone, Dan finally stood up, turned around, and walked over to Itachi, looking down at his nephew.

Silent.

Unintimidated, Itachi too lifted his gaze, his face calm as he looked at his uncle. The man standing before him had neat black hair, sharp eyes and a high nose bridge, his facial features chiseled, exuding a sense of coldness and resilience.

Dan was quite tall, his stature imposing. With a height nearing 2 meters, his broad shoulders were like tires hanging on each side. His pectoral muscles were as thick as doors, and his entire figure cast a heavy shadow over Itachi like a small mountain.

If one were to judge purely by appearance, the face of Uchiha Dan seemed to be etched with two words: invincible.

But Itachi wasn't nervous at all. Because he knew his uncle was merely a man of outward strength and inward weakness.

Uchiha Dan, 24 this year, was the younger brother of Itachi's mother, Uchiha Mikoto.

To be continued...

As far as Itachi knew, his uncle never showed any talent in ninjutsu growing up. When tested with a chakra paper, he didn't react at all. None of the five basic chakra natures—Water, Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth—were accessible to Uchiha Dan. He was a complete anomaly—a born ninjutsu insulator. His only standout trait was his robust physique.

Itachi's mother once told him about an incident from Dan's days at the Ninja Academy. When a teacher had made an "insulting remark" towards him, Dan attacked the teacher in front of everyone with nothing but his fists.

As a result, he was expelled after only three days, earning a reputation as the most notorious delinquent in the history of the Ninja Academy. Consequently, he lost the opportunity to become a respected ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village.

A few years later, after disagreements with his clan and his sister Mikoto's marriage, Dan moved out of the Uchiha clan territory. He opened up a deserted gym in a small alley, severing ties with his clan members.

Over a decade passed in the blink of an eye. Nowadays, besides his family, almost no one knew that the man named Dan was once an Uchiha.

This troublesome uncle caused Mikoto a lot of worry, and Itachi, who had always been mature for his age, couldn't help but look down on him.

Inside the gym, uncle and nephew stood facing each other.

"So, what do you plan to do if I don't go?" Dan asked, arms folded across his chest, looking down at his tiny nephew with an air of indifference.

"As far as I know, father plans to arrange a position for you in the police department this time. If I were you, I wouldn't refuse such a good opportunity," Itachi responded assertively.

The night before last, he had overheard a conversation between his parents. His mother, always supportive of Dan, had persuaded his father, who usually kept work and family matters separate, to allow Dan to join the police force.

This was a stable job with a good salary and prestige. In Itachi's view, Dan should be sensible enough to see the benefits, given his age. But to his disappointment, Dan seemed ungrateful.

"I didn't mishear, did I? You're teaching me how to live," Dan said, his tone chilling slightly.

"Correct," Itachi replied, his voice ice-cold. His patience was running thin. As a prodigy who had been on the battlefield at 4 and was capable of thinking from a Hokage's perspective at 7, Itachi's mind was occupied with the affairs of the village and the clan.

He didn't want to waste too much time on such trivial matters. As expected, Itachi's response angered Dan. His eyes flashed, and he clenched his fist, seemingly ready to teach his nephew a lesson.

Itachi also silently raised his hand. It was time to show his uncle the real difference between a true ninja and a musclebound man who spent his days in a gym lifting weights.

In the tense atmosphere, a bystander named Samui hid nearby, feigning panic, but her eyes held anticipation.

She had been working in the gym for three years and had never seen Dan in action, but judging by his terrifying muscles, his strength was certainly no joke.

How would Itachi, known as a genius, defeat this opponent? Samui was curious. But soon, something unexpected happened.

"Thump!" A dull sound of a fist hitting flesh rang out.

Before Itachi could react, his vision blurred, and a severe pain pierced his abdomen. He involuntarily dropped to one knee, his insides churning as if a storm was raging within him. Finally, he vomited out his breakfast.

"Why did you suddenly throw up? Do you feel unwell?" Dan asked in feigned surprise. He even crouched down, ruffling Itachi's hair as if he was genuinely concerned about his nephew's wellbeing.

Itachi, pale-faced and too uncomfortable to speak, couldn't respond. He could only let Dan tousle his hair into a mess.

From what Itachi knew, his uncle had never shown any aptitude for ninjutsu since he was a child. When tested with a chakra paper, it showed no reaction.

Neither water, fire, wind, lightning, nor earth - Dan Uchiha didn't possess any of the five basic chakra natures. He was a natural - a ninjutsu insulator. His only standout quality was that he was physically robust.

According to his mother, when Dan was in the Ninja Academy, he had beaten up a teacher in public for "insulting" him with just his fists. As a result, he was expelled three days after enrollment, becoming the number one delinquent in the history of the Ninja Academy. He lost his chance to become a glorious Leaf Shinobi forever.

A few years later, Dan fell out with his clan. After his sister Mikoto got married, he moved away from the Uchiha clan and started this ignored gym in a small alley, distancing himself from his clan.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten years had passed. Nowadays, apart from his own family, almost no one knew that the man named Dan used to have the surname Uchiha.

In any case, this troublesome uncle caused his mother, Mikoto, a lot of worries and made Itachi, who was mature beyond his years, look down on him from the bottom of his heart.

Inside the gym, uncle and nephew locked eyes. "So, what will you do if I don't go?" Dan crossed his arms and asked, looking down at his pint-sized nephew.

"As far as I know, father wants you to work in the Police Force this time. If I were you, I wouldn't refuse such a good opportunity," Itachi replied bluntly, his tone becoming more firm.

He had unintentionally heard his parents' conversation in their room the night before last. His mother was a "little brother-loving demon." She had said many good things for Dan, which finally softened his father's heart, who was always strict about separating personal and public affairs. He agreed to let Dan work in the Police Force.

It was a secure job with a high salary and prestige. In Itachi's opinion, his uncle was already a grown man and should act sensibly, no matter what. But what disappointed him was...

"If I'm not mistaken, you're teaching me how to do things?" Dan responded, not only showing no gratitude but also slightly intensifying his tone.

"That's right," Itachi sighed, his voice cold as ice. His limited patience had run out. As a genius who had been on the battlefield killing enemies at four and could think from the Hokage's perspective at seven, Itachi's mind was filled with the major affairs of the village and the clan.

So, he didn't want to waste too much time on trivial matters. As expected, Itachi's response completely infuriated Dan. His eyes flashed as he lowered his right arm and clenched his fist, as large as a pot. He seemed to be planning to teach his nephew a good lesson.

And Itachi, too, silently raised his hand. It was time to show this uncle the real difference between a true ninja and a muscle-bound gym rat.

Just as the situation was getting tense, Samui hid on the side, pretending to be in a panic, but her eyes were full of anticipation.

She had been working here for three years and had never seen Dan make a move, but judging by his terrifying muscles, his strength was definitely not small.

How would Itachi, known as a genius, defeat this opponent? Samui was curious. But soon, something unexpected happened.

"Thump!"

The dull thud was the sound of a fist hitting a body hard. Before Itachi could react, his vision darkened as a wave of intense pain erupted from his abdomen. He involuntarily fell to one knee, his insides feeling like they were being churned, and then...

With a gagging sound, he vomited up his breakfast.

"How come you suddenly threw up? Are you feeling sick?" Dan asked, feigning surprise. He even squatted down, patting Itachi's head as if genuinely concerned about his nephew's health.

Itachi, pale-faced, was too uncomfortable to speak or respond. He could only let Dan mess up his hair.

"Stop playing around," Dan finally rose, instructing Samui who was off to one side, "Get some water for my dear nephew and bring a mop. We need to clean this floor."

"…Yes." Samui came back to her senses, responding with an incredulous look in her eyes. What just happened? From her third-party perspective, Itachi mysteriously ended up on the ground even though Dan had seemingly stood still without moving a finger.

It was utterly baffling.

Half a minute passed.

Itachi, clutching his stomach, laboriously looked up at Dan. The calm facade he had been maintaining was gone, replaced by fear. He wasn't feeling ill; he had been punched. Yet, what was terrifying was that, just like Samui, he had not seen how Dan made his move.

Was it genjutsu?

Or had Dan moved so fast that the eye couldn't follow?

Regardless of which possibility, Itachi had to admit that Dan was far stronger than him. Only now did he realize that his uncle, who seemed only to be physically developed, had been hiding his true strength for many years.

The fool had been him all along.

"Go tell my sister that her cooking doesn't agree with my stomach. Don't come looking for me anymore." Dan glanced at Itachi, bid him farewell with a wave, and then headed to the bathroom with a towel.

Itachi watched his uncle's retreating figure with a complicated expression, enduring the pain in his stomach as he slowly left the gym. Samui rushed over with a mop.

"Coach…" She hesitated, finally giving voice to her question, "Do you... dislike Uchiha Itachi?"

The perceptive Samui could tell that Dan's target in their recent confrontation wasn't Itachi's parents, but Itachi himself. Faced with her question, Dan didn't answer immediately, but instead asked her, "What do you think of my nephew?"

"Umm... Uchiha Itachi is a genius, mature for his age, polite, and cool both in appearance and behavior," Samui truthfully answered. She thought that having such a cool and praiseworthy nephew should make the Coach happy, shouldn't it?

What surprised her was his response.

"Don't let that boy's harmless exterior deceive you. Weasels are the most ruthless and heartless creatures. They kill for sport, not just their prey, but even their parents."

As he spoke, he raised two fingers, gently poking Samui's smooth forehead, leaving her stunned as he walked into the bathroom.

In the bathroom, hot water fell from above, washing over Dan's sturdy body in a cloud of steam. He glanced at the mirror. In the reflection, a strange humanoid figure over three meters tall appeared behind him.

This figure, like Dan, had a robust body, deep blue skin, wore a gray-white armor, and a metal helmet that covered the upper half of its face.

In reality, this figure was a manifestation of Dan's mental energy, a 'Stand' known as—

The World.

During his confrontation with Itachi, he had activated The World's ability, stopping time for a second, allowing him to land a punch on his nephew without anyone noticing.

Of course, he had held back with that punch.

Otherwise, Itachi would have been nothing more than a broken corpse by now.