The three of them hadn't waited long.
A sharp, newborn cry suddenly pierced the air.
Almost simultaneously, all three—who had been sitting in silence—broke into smiles.
They stood up together, only to be stopped by several young Uchiha girls at the door.
"Clan Head Fugaku, Lord Ran, Lady Ruka—please wait."
The joy on Uchiha Fugaku's face instantly froze.
His own son had just been born, yet he was being blocked at the door, unable to see either his wife or child. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
Sensing the danger, the girls hurriedly explained.
A newborn, they said, was extremely fragile and sensitive right after birth. At this stage, infants were highly susceptible to illness from external environments.
Moreover, a newborn's skull had not yet fully ossified. The bones, cartilage, and ligaments of the head were still soft, making them vulnerable to pressure and potential injury.
Excessive holding or shaking could easily damage the head.
In addition, a newborn's neck muscles were not strong enough to support the weight of the head. Improper handling could cause neck injuries.
There was also the matter of postpartum lochia for the mother.
Thus, it wasn't until two hours later that the three were finally allowed inside.
They saw Mikoto, pale and weak on the bed, and beside her, a small cradle.
Inside lay the newborn.
"This… is my child?" Fugaku murmured, eyes fixed on the cradle. "Itachi. One strike, seven down. You'll definitely become an outstanding Uchiha."
His smile was unrestrained.
The successor to his will had finally arrived.
"Are you alright, Mikoto-neesan?"
"How are you feeling, Mikoto-neesan?"
Ran and Ruka both spoke at once, their concern focused on the exhausted new mother.
"Ran, you're back from your missions," Mikoto said softly. "I heard you became Orochimaru's disciple. I'm really happy for you."
Then she turned to Ruka.
"Ruka, you've been on missions outside the village for years now. You should come back and rest for a while. Once things settle down, let's all get together."
"Mm. Thank you for worrying about me, Mikoto-neesan."
"Of course!" Ran added with a grin. "Once you've recovered, I'm definitely coming over to freeload a good meal."
The three chatted quietly for a while before Fugaku finally moved to Mikoto's bedside.
"Thank you… for your hard work."
He stayed there, speaking softly with her.
Only then did Ran and Ruka step away, approaching the cradle where the newborn lay.
The baby Uchiha Itachi looked like a painting.
Despite having just been born, he already had a full head of glossy black hair—enough to make middle-aged men jealous.
His eyes were deep and dark, like night itself, yet they shimmered with an unusual clarity.
Even as a newborn, there was something about those eyes—an inexplicable hint of maturity and wisdom.
Are you… a transmigrator too?
The thought flashed through Ran's mind, only to be dismissed just as quickly.
Anyone who would harm their own clan without hesitation didn't deserve to be called human, let alone a transmigrator.
If that were the case—
Then he needs proper guidance.
What stood out even more, however, were the faint nasolabial lines on Itachi's tiny face.
Though still a baby, that subtle crease between his brows looked almost like a mark left behind by time itself.
"So ugly," Ruka commented bluntly. "That crease looks awful. And he's all wrinkly—doesn't really look like Mikoto-neesan at all."
Ran's vision darkened.
Good grief—his parents are still right there!
Was this innocence, or just being completely tactless?
"Ruka-jie," Ran hurriedly explained, catching Fugaku and Mikoto's glances, "newborns are always wrinkly and a bit ugly. Give it some time—kids get cuter as they grow."
Ruka shot him a look.
"Ruka-jie? Since when are we that close?"
She didn't say it aloud, but Ran read it clearly in her eyes.
"Haha—calling you Ruka-jie isn't a problem, right?" Ran scratched his head with a silly grin. "I call Mikoto 'neesan' too. Or did I just make you sound older?"
"…I meant your skin is pretty thick," Ruka replied coolly, turning her head to look at him sideways.
Uh-oh.
The signals matched up perfectly.
Ran could only respond with a helpless look as Ruka picked up a small stick and started teasing baby Itachi.
Seeing Ran back down, Ruka shot him a smug glance and continued playing.
On one side was Ruka laughing lightly.
On the other was baby Itachi, waving his short, chubby arms, babbling incoherently as he tried to grab the stick.
She's actually quite pretty when she doesn't talk, Ran thought. Too bad she has a mouth.
He stepped closer to the cradle and nudged his chin toward Ruka.
"Move over. Let me take a look."
Ruka instantly understood, rolled her eyes, and returned to Mikoto's side.
"Well, would you look at that," Ran muttered, peering down. "You were way cuter as a baby than when you grow up, Uchiha 'One-Strike-Seven'."
Seeing baby Itachi's tiny hand innocently grabbing at himself, Ran subconsciously activated his Sharingan.
"Yep. This image is getting saved. I'll show it to you later."
Even though Mikoto was still in confinement, the overjoyed Fugaku had servants prepare a lavish meal to warmly host Ran and Ruka.
And as Itachi was born—
The wheels of the shinobi world began to accelerate.
The Land of Wind.
The Land of Earth.
The Land of Lightning.
The Land of Water.
Even smaller nations like Snow, Grass, and Rain began to stir.
In just half a month, Ran barely had time to hold a single gathering with friends before they were all dispatched on missions.
Reconnaissance.
Intelligence gathering.
Courier duties.
Border patrols.
Task volume surged across the board.
The atmosphere of the shinobi world grew heavier by the day.
Even the Uchiha Military Police Force had reassigned several members to newly formed border units.
"Ruka-jie, on patrol again?" Ran called out when he spotted her in Military Police uniform. "You just got half a month off—no need to stay so tense. At this rate, there'll be endless missions waiting for you soon."
"Uchiha Ran!" Ruka snapped back. "When on duty, use titles."
She glanced at him, then added coolly, "Since you're here, I don't need to go looking for you. The Third Hokage just summoned me and asked me to find someone for a mission."
Her gaze locked onto him.
"Since you're right here—congratulations. You're it. Come with me."
"…Huh?" Ran blinked. "What is this, forced conscription?"
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