With Mikoto's help, Fugaku applied medicine and rested for quite some time before finally calling Ryan into the study.
Father and son sat facing each other across the tea table, locking eyes for a long while—yet neither of them spoke first.
"Father, aren't you going to the Police Force tomorrow?"
Ryan glanced up at the clock. Without realizing it, it was already around ten at night.
Fugaku pondered for a moment, then smiled gently.
"Ryan…"
"About that technique you used today…"
"What exactly was it?"
To cover up the ability Ryan had shown, Fugaku had even gone out of his way to "invite" the brown ninja dog that had been wandering outside the compound back inside.
He had observed it carefully—no Inuzuka clan markings. Most likely a failed breeding specimen.
Tomorrow, he planned to have someone contact the Inuzuka clan to purchase such ninja dogs.
Ryan possessing a space–time technique absolutely could not be known by the village.
Nor could it be known by the rest of the clan.
This was to protect Ryan—and to protect the Uchiha as a whole.
"Oh, it's just swapping positions with ninja dogs."
Ryan yawned, answering casually, nearly provoking Fugaku into clenching his fists and beating some sense into this brat.
Just swapping positions?!
Fugaku felt his son was putting on an infuriatingly smug act.
If Ryan knew what his father was thinking, he'd be crying injustice.
Compared to cultivation techniques and immortality arts, the special ability attached to this achievement title really wasn't that impressive.
If the system would just give him a cultivation manual…
He'd take that over this any day.
But he'd more or less figured out how the system worked: as long as he could trigger tasks, no matter how absurd they were, rewards would follow.
Sooner or later—cultivation methods, treasures, even immortal maidens—he'd have them all.
As for whether to hide this ability from Fugaku, Ryan chose to be honest.
No matter what, it was far better than using it in front of outsiders.
Besides—
Even if the Uchiha's influence in the village was weakening, they still had some say.
Shisui was still alive. The massacre was still some time away.
For now, his father could still protect him.
Seeing Fugaku remain silent, Ryan added,
"It should count as… a space–time ninjutsu?"
Fugaku fell silent again.
He gripped his teacup, thinking deeply for a full ten minutes before finally speaking.
"This is a Beast Substitution Technique."
"It's the same type of technique as Itachi's Crow Clone."
Fugaku forcefully corrected him.
Ryan nearly flipped the tea table when he heard those three words again.
But on second thought… his father was clearly trying to protect him.
Still—
Could you at least give it a better name?!
Ryan nodded solemnly, took several deep breaths, and reluctantly agreed.
"Yes. A Beast Substitution Technique."
Fugaku was extremely satisfied with the answer. He picked up the teapot and personally poured Ryan a cup of tea.
"Remember—don't mention this technique to anyone else."
"Not even Itachi or Sasuke."
Ryan accepted the tea, studying Fugaku with a meaningful look, concern flickering in his eyes.
"The clan… and the village…"
"Has it really reached that point?"
Fugaku sighed—an answer in itself.
Then he looked at his six-year-old son, opening his mouth several times, only to close it again.
He truly didn't know how to talk about these matters with a child so young.
"Go get some rest."
"This isn't something you need to worry about… I'll handle it."
Ryan pursed his lips, wanting badly to say something. More than that, he was worried his father might repeat the same foolish choices from the original timeline.
At that moment, he desperately wanted to shout—
Please turn on your mic and communicate!
But as he lifted his head, he noticed the white strands at Fugaku's temples… and the extra wrinkles on his face.
"…Alright. You should rest early too."
In the end, Ryan swallowed the words he wanted to say.
He was still weak. He still needed his father's protection.
Whether his words would even carry weight aside, Fugaku would never allow him to be dragged into the clan's mess regardless.
Ryan stood up, bracing himself on his knees, and was about to leave when Fugaku suddenly called out to him.
He stopped and answered softly.
"I'll protect you all."
Fugaku held his teacup, as if sensing Ryan's earlier emotions, and added lightly.
Ryan stood at the doorway for a long time. As he closed the door, he replied,
"I know."
"I'll protect you too."
Ryan firmly believed that this stern, prideful father—who loved hiding his private stash—would protect them.
As for what the idiots in the clan might do… that was another matter.
As much as he hated to admit it, the Uchiha clan really did have problems.
To awaken the Sharingan in their descendants, they used every method imaginable, no matter how extreme.
Was it wrong?
Not really—if power was the goal.
But it destroyed fragile minds, twisting personalities already influenced by the Sharingan into something even more extreme.
And when dealing with outsiders, the Uchiha acted arrogant, looking down on everyone, practically walking the streets with their noses in the air.
They were just one step away from shouting, "The Hokage position should belong to the Uchiha!"
There were normal people, sure—but most of the older generation was like this, and they taught their children the same way.
If nothing went wrong, that would be the real miracle.
Thinking about how his brother might one day slaughter the clan with his own hands—and how a one-eyed traitor lurked in the shadows, ready to raise the blade—
Ryan's head throbbed.
Shisui…
He had to find a way to save him.
With that thought, Ryan returned to his room and fell asleep.
The next morning.
Ryan was jolted awake by Sasuke's shouting outside.
The two of them normally shared a room, but last night Sasuke—still sulking—had taken his blanket and gone to sleep in Itachi's room.
"Onii-san!"
"Teach me the Crow Clone! You already taught Ryan—why not me?!"
In the living room, Sasuke clung to Itachi, pestering him nonstop. Itachi was sweating bullets.
It wasn't that he didn't want to teach him…
Sasuke just didn't have the talent for it.
"Sasuke, how about I teach you a powerful Fire Release instead?"
"It's a technique I use often."
Sasuke pouted, his stubborn streak flaring instantly. He turned his head away in refusal, then kept shouting.
"No! I want to learn the Crow Clone!"
Itachi thought for a few seconds and tried again.
"Then how about a genjutsu? This one is—"
"No!"
Sasuke cut him off outright.
"I want the Crow Clone!"
"Ryan even learned a Beast Substitution Techniquefrom you!"
Uchiha Itachi: ?
Rubbing his eyes sleepily, Ryan passed through the living room and just happened to witness Sasuke throwing a tantrum.
Itachi stared at Ryan in shock, his expression clearly saying—
What the hell is a Beast Substitution Technique?!
The only dog-related techniques he knew belonged to the Inuzuka clan—and even they didn't have anything called that.
"Morning, Sasuke. Itachi."
Ryan raised a hand in greeting, then glanced at Sasuke with mild annoyance.
"And this early in the morning…"
"Could you keep the whining down?"
Sasuke clenched his fists tightly, turning his head away and refusing to look at Ryan.
He wasn't ready to deal with this guy yet.
Itachi awkwardly rubbed Sasuke's head and smiled apologetically at Ryan.
"Sorry, he woke you up."
Just as Ryan was about to leave, he suddenly stepped back into the living room, walked up to Itachi, and asked once more—the same soul-searching question.
"Itachi."
"If one day, Sasuke and I could only have one survivor…"
"Who would you choose?"
...
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