Perhaps even the distant, intangible gods felt sorrow and pity for the conflicts of this world.
The sky that had been clear in the morning was already heavy with dark clouds by the time Itachi finished dressing and stepped outside.
He left together with his father. After gathering with other clan members at the entrance to the Uchiha district, the group set out toward the Memorial Stone.
"Captain, the letter Lord Aomon had someone deliver to you yesterday—have you had time to read it? If not, I can explain it to you in detail right now…"
"I've already read it."
"Then… what does the clan head think? The clan members are hoping you'll fight for the position of Fourth Hokage."
"According to the intelligence he submitted, the Third Hokage merely wants to explore the possibility of reconciliation with Iwagakure. He has no intention of stepping down. I do not agree with that proposal."
"But Clan Head, you know the Uchiha's current situation in the village. We—"
…
As the son of the Uchiha clan head, Itachi often overheard information he really shouldn't have been exposed to at his age.
Yet perhaps because his father trusted his abilities, he made no effort to avoid letting these conversations reach his ears.
At the same time, another voice echoed within Itachi's mind—Artoria's.
"It sounds like the relationship between your clan and Konoha isn't harmonious."
"The Fourth Hokage… are they trying to push your father into that position?"
"Internal conflict again. Even though the war isn't over, even though there are still so many external enemies unresolved, the kingdom's interior always gives rise to dissenting voices."
"They ignore the bigger picture, ignore the kingdom itself, acting only for the sake of their own narrow vision…"
The conversation between an Uchiha jōnin and his father seemed to remind Artoria of her past in Britannia, stirring her emotions.
She complained, questioning it all in confusion…
Yet from beginning to end, Itachi did not interrupt her. This time, he made no attempt to comfort her.
He did not fully understand the friction between the clan and the village, so he did not wish to judge—or take sides in an argument he couldn't yet comprehend.
When Artoria realized that Itachi was not responding, she gradually fell silent.
By the time they arrived at the public cemetery, a light drizzle had begun to fall.
The rain was faint, so no one bothered to open an umbrella.
Standing before Konoha's cemetery, the first thing Itachi saw was the towering black Memorial Stones.
Carved into them were countless names—Senju, Uchiha, Hyūga, Sarutobi, Shimura… Some belonged to great clans, others to small families, or even shinobi with no clan at all.
But without exception, every name engraved there belonged to someone who had died for Konoha—heroes who had given their lives and earned honor through sacrifice.
As a first-timer paying respects to the fallen, Itachi carefully mimicked his father's actions—lighting incense, bowing, offering flowers.
Thinking about it, ever since returning from the battlefield, he had been trying things he'd never done before: going out alone, eating outside, purchasing medicinal supplies, and now… coming here to pay respects to the fallen.
"Lamenting the dead is meaningless…"
A cold, hoarse voice sounded beside him. Itachi turned his head.
A pale, long-haired middle-aged man stood there, calmly watching the crowd offer flowers at the Memorial Stone.
"If death has meaning," the man continued, "it only exists when it can be put to use."
In a daze, Itachi found himself standing before the man.
"Then… what does life mean to you?"
"Itachi!"
Artoria followed closely, her gaze sharp and alert as she stared at the cold man.
"My intuition is telling me this man is dangerous. You should stay away from him."
But Itachi did not listen. He had his own judgment.
His clan members were all nearby. In a situation like this, no one could possibly act against him.
"It has no meaning."
The man cast a detached glance at the Uchiha boy beside him and spoke again.
"If it does… then for me, it would be when I become an eternal existence—beyond life itself."
Eternity…
Itachi quietly committed that answer to memory.
At present, he knew three people's views on the meaning of life.
His father believed life's meaning lay in the glory of the Uchiha.
Artoria believed life's meaning was the protection of her kingdom.
And lastly, the man before him—whose answer was completely different from the others.
Rather than entrusting life's meaning to others or to ideals beyond himself, this man defined it through eternity—something centered entirely on his own existence.
That way of thinking felt strangely novel to Itachi.
"That man you spoke to earlier—stay away from him."
After finishing their visit and leaving the cemetery with the clan, Uchiha Fugaku suddenly spoke in warning.
His words mirrored Artoria's—both urged Itachi to keep his distance.
"Father, who is that man?" Itachi asked curiously.
All he knew was that the man was a jōnin.
"Orochimaru. A man like a venomous snake."
Fugaku spoke the name solemnly.
"In any case, do not provoke him lightly."
"If you encounter him, leave as soon as possible."
"At least until you possess all the combat qualities required of a jōnin, he is extremely dangerous."
Itachi nodded silently. He neither argued—nor promised.
"By the way… you've been focusing on taijutsu training lately, haven't you?"
Fugaku quickly shifted the topic.
"Remember this: for a shinobi, chakra is the most important thing. It is the foundation of all shinobi training."
"Compared to physical training, I would rather see you master the various applications of chakra. That will be far more beneficial to your future."
"I haven't had time to train you lately. Once the war stabilizes, I will personally test your progress. Do not slack off."
"I understand, Father," Itachi replied.
He never argued with his father's words.
As for how he arranged things in practice—that was another matter entirely.
By the time they returned home, dusk had already fallen.
Yet the moment father and son arrived at the entrance, they saw a fierce-looking middle-aged man standing outside with a boy who closely resembled him.
Upon seeing them return, the man strode forward.
"Fu—Captain, there's something I'd like to discuss with you again."
Not only did he look intimidating—his voice was equally harsh.
The boy following behind him was familiar to Itachi.
Uchiha Hui—the boy who had been captured on the battlefield.
Which meant…
This fierce-looking man was indeed familiar.
Itachi recalled seeing him briefly the day the troops returned from the battlefield.
Uchiha Aomon.
"And my useless son as well—thank you, Captain, for bringing him back alive from the battlefield."