Sweat beaded on Uchiha Itachi's forehead.
He was listening intently.
With his intelligence, he fully understood Kai's words.
And that understanding made him… uncomfortable.
Yes.
Only during these childhood years at the Academy could one truly open up to others.
Once he graduated, that meant adulthood.
And he knew all too well—
thanks to listening to his teacher Kai and his father's conversations—
what adulthood in the shinobi world really meant.
Schemes.
Deception.
Everyone with their own hidden agendas, their own goals to pursue.
Perhaps the children around him seemed boring now.
But if he left the Academy early and entered the adult world—
then what awaited him would not be boredom, but endless schemes.
And as for friends?
Of course he wanted them.
He was still human.
And just as Kai said—
the only ones willing to truly befriend him were these simple, childish classmates.
Once he became a shinobi, with his nature?
Making friends would be… nearly impossible.
Realizing this, Itachi's restless heart finally began to calm.
"Sensei, I understand," he said softly.
"I'll try to make friends with everyone.
As for early graduation—
I won't bring it up again."
Hearing this, Uchiha Kai smiled warmly.
Convincing someone like Itachi, who was far too clever, was never easy.
After a moment of thought, he spoke again, slowly:
"Itachi, remember this.
Half a step ahead makes you a genius.
One step ahead makes you a madman.
So even if you can see far into the future—never show it.
In fact, you should deliberately make yourself seem… a little dull.
A little more ordinary."
Itachi frowned slightly.
Half a step makes a genius…
One step makes a madman?
He took a deep breath, then nodded firmly.
…
After chatting a while longer—letting Itachi finally pour out the frustration bottled up in his heart—
Kai sent the boy off to bed.
Only once Itachi had left did the hidden figures of Fugaku and Mikoto step out of the shadows, both with heavy expressions.
Clearly—
they had heard everything.
"Kai-kun, thank you," Mikoto said first.
"If not for you, I would never have realized…
that our Itachi carried such a dangerous flaw."
Unlike Fugaku, Mikoto cared most about her child's happiness and well-being.
So when she heard Kai's words just now, she was genuinely shaken.
And relieved.
Relieved that her son had found such a teacher.
The Uchiha had no shortage of ninjutsu instructors.
But someone who could guide Itachi's heart, his life path?
That was nearly impossible to find.
If Itachi had been raised only under Fugaku's harsh approach…
Mikoto dared not imagine what kind of "monster" her son might one day become.
Of course, Kai knew.
Under Fugaku's way of raising him, Itachi would become the model of filial piety.
The kind who would one day slaughter the entire clan with his own hands.
"…Ahh." Fugaku let out a bitter sigh.
"I truly have been too hasty.
But today's lesson—it really helped him understand a lot.
From now on, I won't force him to compete with other so-called prodigies.
He's already excellent.
What he needs now… is to blend into the ordinary."
Then Fugaku grew serious.
"But Kai-kun—that saying of yours,
'Half a step ahead is genius, one step ahead is madness'…
Could you explain it more clearly?
I feel it's profound, but I only grasp it vaguely."
His eyes were solemn.
Over time, Fugaku had come to truly respect Kai—
for his strength, his insight, his ability to navigate schemes.
In every aspect, he was top-tier.
Thanks to him, the Uchiha clan had already started to rise again.
So now, Fugaku genuinely regarded him as a life mentor.
Kai's lips twitched.
He thought for a while, then spoke in a faint tone:
"Genius… and madness, huh?
Words alone may sound empty.
Let me use our own Konoha's history as an example.
Back then, when Senju Hashirama founded Konoha—
He was half a step ahead of the rest.
That's why he became the 'God of Shinobi,' beloved by all.
But our ancestor, Uchiha Madara—
He was a full step ahead.
He believed only by destroying the other villages and uniting the world under one rule could peace be achieved.
He saw farther than ordinary people, farther even than Hashirama.
And so, everyone called him a madman.
But was he wrong?
Think about it.
Since Hashirama's death, in such a short span, there have already been three Shinobi World Wars.
Doesn't that prove Madara was right?
At that time, with the combined might of Hashirama and Madara,
erasing the other villages would have been simple.
The other clans didn't yet have loyalty to these newly formed villages.
To them, whether they served Konoha or any other village made little difference.
That was the best chance for unification.
But now?
Konoha has its 'Will of Fire.'
Hidden Stone has its own ideals.
Every village has its own guiding principles.
And after years of development, both shinobi clans and civilians feel genuine loyalty to their villages.
Now—even if another Hashirama or Madara appeared,
achieving unification would be nearly impossible.
Isn't that tragic?
If they had followed Madara back then—
Would these three wars have ever happened?
But alas.
Half a step ahead is genius.
One step ahead is madness.
Do you see now?"
Fugaku and Mikoto exchanged silent looks.
Yes.
Though Madara was taboo, the Uchiha clan still preserved records of his deeds.
And indeed—he had said such things.
But no one believed him.
Not Hashirama, not the common folk.
Yet now, after three wars in quick succession…
Looking back, it was clear:
Madara was right.
If Hashirama and Madara had united the world then,
none of today's tragedies would have come to pass.
What a pity.
Half a step ahead is genius.
One step ahead is madness.
"Kai-kun… I am enlightened," Fugaku said quietly.
"All of us—including the Uchiha—
We all misunderstood Madara.
Compared to Hashirama,
It was Madara who was the true genius.
Such a pity.
Such a genius,
dismissed by all as a madman…"
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