Fugaku intervenes/Arashi's doubts!

"That's enough. What's wrong with you?" Without looking at the three men on the ground, his father walked straight toward him. 

"Itachi, I'm worried about your behavior of late." Itachi dropped his head to avoid the visual axis of his father's sharing. "There's nothing to worry about." 

"Uncle Fugaku! These three men think Itachi killed him! They think he killed Shisui!"

Itachi waved his hand and stopped Arashi.

"Stay out of this, Arashi. 

I'm busy with work… That's all." He answered his father. 

"Then why didn't you show up last night?" His father waited silently for Itachi's answer. 

"… I needed to achieve the next state," Itachi murmured. 

"What are you talking about?" 

'The next state? The next state of what?' Arashi wondered.

Itachi took out a kunai and tossed the blade toward the wall to the right without even looking in that direction. 

The cold tip plunged into the center of the Uchiha clan crest drawn crisply there.

Sweat appeared on Fugaku's forehead as he absorbed what just occurred. Restless energy emanated from him, and Itachi lowered his gaze.

"My ability's been repressed by this pathetic clan. 

Obsessing over worthless things like the clan, you lose sight of what's really important." 

That's when Arashi noticed it, the odd chakra swirling within Itachi's eyes. It was hauntingly familiar.

"Shisui's eyes..." he whispered, suddenly awash in a sea of memories and unanswered questions.

Itachi continued speaking and said,

"Premonition and imagination… 

You can't achieve real change as long as you're bound by regulations and restrictions." 

"What insolence!!" His father could only hear insolence in the cries of Itachi's heart. Once more, he was stunned by how far apart they were. 

"Enough!" His father glared at him as he held the crouching Yashiro by the shoulders.

"If you continue to speak this nonsense, you're going to prison!"

"Well, what're you going to do?!" Inabi spat fiercely. 

"This will not be tolerated. Captain, give the arrest order!!" Itachi could not be captured there. 

Shattering his resolve was his brother shouting, almost shrieking. 

"Itachi! Stop it!"

Sasuke cried out to him.

Suddenly, Itachi's knees folded, and he crumpled onto the stone paving of the path. 

He quietly put both hands on the ground and bowed his head deeply. 

'I can't kill someone in front of my brother… 

He hasn't seen the cold, dark corners of the world, and I won't introduce them to him. Besides… I have to trust in Shisui's plan.'

"You!" Arashi jabbed a finger at the gray-haired man, his eyes ablaze with fury. "This mess is on you! If you weren't so damn arrogant, maybe things wouldn't have spiraled out of control!"

"Tch! What's your problem, kid? Don't you get that I'm here to catch the one who killed your brother?"

"Yashiro!" Uncle Fugaku's voice boomed, cutting through the tension.

"Arashi, hold your tongue. Let us adults handle this."

Yashiro turned his gaze to Itachi.

"I did not kill Shisui… But I apologize for my inappropriate remarks… I'm very sorry." Itachi apologized.

Fugaku replied, calmly, 

"Lately, the heavy mission load for the Anbu seems to have tired him out."

"Captain!!" Inabi cried as if reproaching Fugaku for his weakness. 

"The Anbu is under the Hokage's direct control," he continued,

"Even we can't arrest him without a warrant. As for my son… 

I'll take responsibility for him. Please…" 

His father's voice was hoarse as he bowed his head to his subordinates.

"…Understood," Inabi said, sounding displeased. 

"Itachi, inside." His father turned and slipped through the gate. Still on his knees, head bowed to the ground, 

Itachi stared after him. 

'What do you know?' 

The flames burning inside his heart had not been quenched. 

His feelings became a torrent of chakra pouring into his eyes. 

Itachi felt his Sharingan transform. 

'Mangekyou…' For an instant, he met Arashi's eyes, revealing the Mangekyou.

After they left, Itachi and Fugaku stood up.

Arashi approached Itachi, his eyes downcast but piercing. The sorrow weighed heavily on him, but he was far from naive. "If what you told me is true, Itachi, how did you get them?" Arashi questioned.

"What is he talking about, Itachi?" Fugaku interjected, suspicion lacing his voice.

"Nothing," Itachi replied tersely.

They entered the house, the atmosphere thick with unspoken tension.

Later that evening, Arashi was immersed in kenjutsu training when Itachi beckoned him for a session on shuriken jutsu. 

The ensuing walk was heavy with silence, Arashi's mistrust palpable in the air between them. Finally, he broke the silence. "Is Shisui still alive?"

'It's true that Shisui's genjutsu is formidable. But Arashi is sharp and intuitive. He'll unravel the truth eventually. I must keep stalling him even if it means he ends up hating me,' Itachi thought.

"As I told you before, Shisui is on an extended mission. He asked me to look after you while he's away."

"Then what was the point of all that earlier drama?" Arashi pressed, his voice tinged with skepticism.

Itachi looked back at Arashi, a slight smile gracing his face. "That? Just a misunderstanding. I was... frustrated."

Upon reaching the training grounds, Arashi's eyes still simmered with lingering doubts. "You keep dodging my question about your eyes."

Itachi chuckled, his smile widening. "You're a lot more demanding than Sasuke, you know."

"You've got the Mangekyou Sharingan. Just tell me, is my brother dead?"

Itachi's smile faded as he dropped to one knee. "Shisui's not dead. He gave me these eyes himself."

"He... gave them to you?"

"Yes. He said I'd need all the power I could muster to protect you in his absence. Shisui cares deeply for you."

Scratching the back of his head, Arashi finally spoke, "Well, when you put it that way... I guess it makes sense."

Itachi's smile returned, grateful to see Arashi somewhat reassured. 

"The moment Shisui gets back, I'm giving him a piece of my mind for pulling a stunt like this," Arashi declared, folding his arms.

"Very well. But to do that, you'll need to become much stronger and faster. Let's begin your training for that."

"You're on!"

Itachi dedicated the remainder of the day to train Arashi intensively, enhancing his speed and accuracy. Finally, they returned home for dinner. Sasuke, Fugaku, and Mikoto awaited them.

"Where have you two been?" Sasuke inquired, his voice laced with irritation.

"We were training in shuriken jutsu," Arashi responded.

Sasuke cast a disgruntled look at Itachi. 

"Don't worry, Sasuke. Next time I'm free, you can join us," Itachi assured him.

"You have another mission?" Fugaku interjected.

Sasuke sighed audibly and folded his arms. "Figures he'd have another mission when I want to train."

Itachi offered a strained smile. "It's not like that, Sasuke. We'll train soon, I promise."

Mikoto chimed in, "Sasuke, your brother has many responsibilities with the Anbu. He's doing his best."

"I get why he's frustrated," Itachi said, still smiling.

"I'm not frustrated," Sasuke muttered, snapping his chopsticks. "Thanks for the meal," he added, his voice heavy with unspoken resentment.

After dinner, Sasuke retreated to his room, clearly wanting to be alone.

"Father, may we take a walk?" Itachi asked, lingering near the door.

Fugaku looked up, surprised. Itachi rarely initiated such a request, signaling the matter's gravity.

"Of course," Fugaku responded, rising to his feet.

As Itachi closed the door behind them, Arashi caught a brief glimpse of his Mangekyou Sharingan activating. "Stay inside," Itachi whispered.