A new arrival and it's about Itachi God. So, do give it a go.
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***
News of Konoha's attack spread throughout the ninja world within a few days.
The initial reaction from the four ninja nations was one of complete shock.
In their minds, only the four major ninja villages could possibly attack Konoha.
However, the Third Shinobi World War, which had lasted for years, had only ended less than a year ago, and the nations were still far from recovered from the damage sustained in that war.
Therefore, the news immediately shocked the ninja world.
However, upon learning that Konoha's attackers weren't from one of the other four ninja nations, the leaders of the nations that had suffered losses in the previous war naturally took a somewhat gloating approach.
After all, they all knew that while Konoha's victory in the Third Shinobi World War was a narrow one, it had truly outmatched the forces of the four ninja nations through sheer force.
Therefore, this attack, which had inflicted heavy losses on Konoha, was good news for them.
However, this also left the leaders with a sense of trepidation.
Until then, they had been unaware of the existence of such powerful individuals within the ninja world.
After the shock of the attack on Konoha, all nations were secretly and closely engaged in precautionary measures.
Meanwhile, within Konoha Ninja Village, reconstruction efforts were proceeding smoothly.
Over half of the Fire Country's artisans had gathered in Konoha.
After all, ninjas are the armed forces of a nation.
Without the strength of a ninja village, the people could never live in peace.
In the attack that night, civilians and ninja alike who had lost loved ones and companions mourned their deaths and began to move on.
The strong men who had bravely defended the village that night became heroes.
With Minato Namikaze's prior arrangement, the Uchiha ninjas protected countless civilians during the attack.
Many also witnessed the Uchiha clan leader, Fugaku Uchiha, personally take action that night.
The Uchiha's role as a security force had previously been controversial among both civilians and ninja.
However, this incident transformed the public's perception of the Uchiha.
However, the young man who had defended the village that night with all his might, even risking his life, remained unknown.
He was even still in a coma.
As Hokage, Minato had spent days attending to various trivial matters.
Kushina Uzumaki had been accompanying Mikoto Uchiha and caring for Itachi Uchiha at Konoha Hospital during these days.
Minato learned from her that, just as Tsunade had said, Itachi had been in a coma the entire time.
He didn't know the true cause of Itachi's coma—the forced activation of his Mangekyō Sharingan.
In Itachi's current state, while he had survived, it was uncertain whether he would ever regain consciousness.
But Minato had already decided to address the decades-long tension between the village's high command and the Uchiha.
To do so, he first needed his own power.
That night, the masked man manipulated the wooden figure to attack the village, killing many ANBU.
Minato used this as an excuse to recruit new ANBU members.
After some discussion, Hiruzen Sarutobi acquiesced to his plan..
After all, it was he who had propelled Minato to the position of Hokage.
The problems exposed by the attack on the village demonstrated the profound flaws in Hiruzen's past approach.
Reforms must begin.
By the time Minato had mostly finished his tasks, it was already two weeks later.
Finally having some free time, early this morning, Minato and Kushina went to Konoha Hospital to visit Itachi.
Konoha Hospital, Itachi's ward.
Minato and his family pushed open the door and entered the room.
Sasuke Uchiha lay asleep on another bed in the room, while Mikoto was wiping Itachi's cheek with a towel.
She heard the door open and turned.
"Minato?!"
Mikoto asked, slightly surprised to see Minato at Kushina's side this morning.
Minato glanced at Itachi in the bed, then apologized to Mikoto, "I'm sorry I didn't come until today."
"No, I should be thanking you," Mikoto said, bowing slightly.
She had learned from Tsunade that it was Minato who immediately found her and saved Itachi that night.
"You must not do this."
Minato waved his hands repeatedly.
Speaking of favors, Itachi had done a great favor to their family, but this favor could not be expressed in front of Mikoto.
"We were all good friends before, why are you being so polite?"
Kushina smiled faintly and walked to Itachi's bedside.
"Has Lady Tsunade been here today?"
She turned to look at Mikoto.
"Not yet."
Mikoto shook her head, frowning.
For the past two weeks, Tsunade had come every day to treat Itachi with medical ninjutsu.
However, Itachi's condition still did not improve much.
"Don't lose heart. Tsunade-sama is the best medical ninja. She'll definitely find a way to cure Itachi," Minato could only reassure Mikoto.
"Hey, you've got time to come over?"
Just as everyone was chatting about her, Tsunade approached the wide-open ward door.
She leaned against the doorframe and looked at Minato.
"Yes," Minato nodded, and Tsunade walked into the ward, past Mikoto and Kushina, and arrived in front of Itachi.
A soft green light shone from her palm as she pressed it against Itachi's forehead.
Everyone stared at Itachi, who was being treated by Tsunade.
"Sorry, I'm late!"
Just then, Izumi Uchiha, looking hurried, ran into the ward.
Mikoto turned, a gentle smile in her eyes.
"It's still early. You don't have to come so early every day."
Because the village had been attacked, the ninja school had been temporarily closed.
For the past two weeks, Izumi had stayed here every day to help Mikoto care for Itachi and Sasuke, leaving only in the evening.
"How's Itachi?"
As soon as Izumi entered, her focus was on Itachi, so she didn't notice Sasuke was still asleep, and her voice grew louder.
In the bed next to Itachi's, little Sasuke opened his eyes sleepily, then, as if by habit, tilted his head to look at Itachi.
"Wah!"
Sasuke burst into tears upon finding Itachi still lying there as he had yesterday.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Izumi nodded repeatedly, walked over to Sasuke, and began to soothe him.
Minato frowned at Sasuke and asked, "Is Sasuke always like this?"
"Yeah, every time he wakes up and sees Itachi still unconscious, he bursts into tears," Kushina said, her eyes lowered.
Sasuke cried fiercely, and no matter how much Mikoto and Izumi tried to soothe him, it wouldn't stop.
Meanwhile, Itachi, whose consciousness was disoriented, was awakened again by Sasuke's cries after a fortnight of silence.
This time, he wasn't as powerless as before.
Hearing Sasuke's wailing, Itachi tried his best to open his eyes.
But with his current strength, he couldn't do it.
At this moment, Tsunade, who was treating Itachi, was shocked.
She stared at Itachi, a look of surprise on her face.
"He's awake?!"
...
As Tsunade finished her words, Mikoto Uchiha and Izumi Uchiha, who were coaxing Sasuke, suddenly looked over.
Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki stared.
Their gazes fixed on Tsunade.
After a moment, Kushina asked in confusion, "Tsunade-sama, it seems Itachi isn't moving."
As a ninja, Kushina could instantly detect the slightest change in Itachi's behavior.
"He can't move yet," Tsunade said, placing both her hands on Itachi Uchiha's forehead.
The chakra glow of her medical ninjutsu shone once more, even more intense than before.
Mikoto and the others left Tsunade, who was completely focused on the treatment.
After a long moment, the light in Tsunade's palms gradually dimmed.
Her brows furrowed again, and she murmured, "Strange, so strange!"
"Tsunade-sama, what's wrong?"
Mikoto asked anxiously, not bothering to comfort Sasuke Uchiha, who was still crying in her arms.
"My treatment doesn't seem to be having any effect on him," Tsunade slowly withdrew her hands.
"Why is this?"
Izumi's face paled, for she knew Tsunade was the best medical ninja in the ninja world.
If her treatment had no effect on Itachi...
"Izumi, don't worry. Lady Tsunade still has something to say," Minato reached out and patted Izumi's shoulder, soothing her. Then he looked at Tsunade.
Tsunade shrugged and said, "Although my treatment was ineffective, this boy's depleted mental energy has begun to repair itself."
"Self-repair?"
Everyone was stunned.
"What exactly does that mean?" Minato asked again.
These days, in order to truly understand Itachi's condition, he had read a lot of books on the subject during his free time.
But he didn't fully understand what Tsunade meant.
"Simply put, just like the human body has the ability to heal itself, mental energy can also achieve similar self-repair," Tsunade said.
"Even your treatment was ineffective. If it relies solely on mental self-repair, wouldn't Itachi…" Minato's eyes trembled.
The mental self-repair is extremely slow, especially in a case like Itachi's.
Even if the physical body reaches its limit, it might not be able to complete the repair.
"Normal mental self-repair is truly useless for this kid," Tsunade said, her eyes filled with surprise as she looked at Itachi.
"But his recovery speed is more than ten times faster than you'd imagine."
"That's far superior to my medical ninjutsu."
"My medical skills can only provide him minimal help."
The medical system she established focused primarily on the physical level, with limited exposure to the realm of mental strength.
Even so, Tsunade was the best medical ninja in the ninja world.
But what was happening to Itachi was something she had never seen before.
Just like the abnormal self-protection symptoms Itachi had experienced two weeks ago, she still couldn't understand.
"If he continues at this rate, he'll be able to wake up on his own even without me," Tsunade said, gazing at the expectant faces of the people before her.
"Great!"
Kushina exclaimed joyfully, glancing at Mikoto beside her.
Mikoto and Izumi also looked ecstatic.
Minato remained relatively calm, as Tsunade hadn't finished her words.
"How long will it take for him to wake up?" Minato asked.
Tsunade paused for a moment, then replied, "That's not fixed. A year or two at the shortest, maybe five years at the longest."
"It'll take that long?" Kushina frowned slightly.
"This result is already very gratifying. As long as Itachi wakes up, that's all!"
After so many days, a smile finally appeared on Mikoto's face.
While a few years is not a short time, it's much better than the aimless waiting before.
Minato nodded, then looked back at Tsunade.
Itachi was only five years old.
If he needed another five years to wake up, his body would have to rely on medication to maintain its energy.
While standard medication could keep Itachi alive, Minato worried it would harm his body.
Itachi was a rare genius among the people he had met.
If his body was damaged during his slumber, it would hinder his future progress.
Tsunade chuckled and said, "Don't worry. I promised you I'd stay in the village until this kid wakes up, so I won't let you down."
"I'll be watching over him for the next few years."
With Tsunade's words, Minato felt completely at ease.
"Thank you," Mikoto and Izumi nodded gratefully at Tsunade almost simultaneously.
Sasuke sobbed incessantly in Kushina's arms, and little Naruto Uzumaki frowned in Kushina's arms.
"Aaaa!"
He suddenly opened his mouth loudly, babbling something indistinctly, his large blue eyes widening as he stared at Sasuke fiercely.
Sasuke startled at Naruto's voice, paused his tears, and looked at him, his eyes also etched with a hint of displeasure.
The two children stared at each other, startling Minato, Kushina, Mikoto, and the others.
"Hehe," Minato said with a wry smile, "Although Naruto's reaction seemed a little unfriendly, it seems to have had some effect."
Sasuke's tears had ceased.
"These two little ones," Kushina raised an eyebrow, suddenly filled with worry.
Could Naruto and Sasuke really become good friends, as she had hoped?
Sasuke's crying stopped, and Itachi's heart gradually relaxed.
Although he couldn't move, he had heard everything that had just happened between Tsunade and Minato.
"Could this self-repairing of his mental power be related to the Mangekyō's eye power?"
It wasn't until the night of the village attack that Itachi realized his Mangekyō had never disappeared.
Rather, his current body was too weak, and to avoid harm, it had automatically sealed off most of its eye power.
However, now that he thought about it, there was still something Itachi couldn't understand.
With his five-year-old body, even with his chakra nearly depleted, he couldn't possibly unleash enough power to override the masked man's eye power.
Furthermore, the damage to his mental state was somewhat unusual.
Since the Mangekyō hadn't disappeared, it meant that Itachi's mental power hadn't weakened.
The correlation between mental energy and physical depletion wasn't significant.
Regardless of Itachi's physical age, his mental strength remained constant.
Therefore, according to common sense, Itachi couldn't unleash the Mangekyō's eye power with his five-year-old body, and the eye power that had been inexplicably released shouldn't have caused such drastic damage to an unchanged mental state.
Although Itachi wasn't a medical ninja, based on these two unusual behaviors, he probably knew what had happened to him when he forcibly activated the power of the Mangekyō.
....
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