Three days later, in the evening, Uchiha Gen sat at the dinner table with Mikoto, Itachi, and Sasuke.
"Gen-nii," Itachi said, looking up with anticipation in his eyes, "can you come to the Ninja Academy tomorrow?"
Gen raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly do you need me there for?"
"Oh, I remember," he answered himself after a moment, "this must be about the early graduation you mentioned before."
Itachi nodded firmly. "Mm."
"No problem. I'll go tomorrow morning," Gen promised. Then he glanced at Mikoto. "Mikoto-nee, Itachi really is outstanding. At his age, only Kakashi managed to graduate earlier. And that was during the height of the war. If we compare fairly, Itachi is no weaker."
Mikoto smiled, though her tone was more cautious. "I'd rather he stay at the Academy a little longer. Graduating too early means endless missions."
"That's true for most ninja," Gen agreed. "But Itachi is different. He's from our clan. If missions become too much, I can always transfer him into the Police Force."
The Police Force's duties were closer to civil service work than constant combat, a regular post with a clock-in, clock-out rhythm.
Turning back to Itachi, Gen asked, "Did you master the Fire Release: Exploding Flame Bullet I taught you?"
"I did," Itachi said, eyes shining. "And I also learned the Shadow Clone Technique."
Gen nodded with approval. "Not bad. With your Sharingan, your strength already matches that of a standard chunin. But remember this: when you're on missions, no matter how talented you are, there are plenty of shinobi in the world stronger than you. Tactics can sometimes bridge the gap, but if the difference is too great, no amount of cleverness will save you."
The weight of those words made Itachi's small face grow serious. "I'll be careful," he promised.
Mikoto's smile softened even more.
Watching the two, she felt warmth in her chest. Gen's concern reminded her of Fugaku's, yet in some ways, he was gentler, more willing to guide instead of just expect. She also couldn't help but think, a little amused, how this man always managed to tease her in ways no one else could.
Just then Sasuke, who had been busy stuffing his cheeks, looked up. "When my brother graduates, will he have more time to play with me?"
The table fell quiet. No one quite knew how to answer. Finally, Itachi managed a gentle lie. "Yes, Sasuke. I'll have time to play with you."
And for a while, that would even be true.
The night passed in warmth and conversation.
The next morning, after Gen finished two hours of paperwork at the Police Force, he headed to the Ninja Academy to sign off as Itachi's guardian for early graduation.
Unlike in the original timeline, Danzo was far too consumed with his constant schemes to recover his lost finances to meddle or 'analyze' Itachi's early graduation.
That afternoon, Itachi officially returned home as a graduate.
Still, graduation didn't mean immediate missions, teams would only form after the rest of the class finished their training. Until then, he had free time.
That evening, Mikoto's closest friends, Uzumaki Kushina and Anna Uzumaki, came by with Naruto and Karin, bringing gifts to congratulate Itachi.
The house filled with laughter as everyone shared a celebratory dinner.
For a short while, Sasuke's wish came true. With no missions yet assigned, Itachi had time to play with him.
But once the rest of the Academy students graduated and teams were assigned, things changed. Missions began. Itachi started leaving at dawn and returning late, his time with Sasuke shrinking rapidly.
Half a month later, Itachi returned home looking unsettled. Mikoto and Sasuke were away visiting Kushina, so no one noticed at first.
It wasn't until dinner that Gen, with his sharp eye, spotted it, the subtle tension in Itachi's chakra, the restless, unstable flow.
"Your chakra has grown stronger," Gen said quietly, studying him. "And restless. That means you've awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan. What happened?"
Itachi froze, surprised. His voice grew heavy. "…Nagasumi died on a mission."
Just like in the original story, Itachi's Sharingan had deepened because of a comrade's death.
When this had happened before, Itachi had gone to Fugaku for comfort, but Fugaku had only congratulated him, showing no concern for his grief.
That coldness, that lack of understanding, had left cracks in Itachi's heart.
In truth, Fugaku bore some responsibility for the tragedies to come. His blind faith in his son's strength, his refusal to acknowledge his pain, had made Itachi vulnerable to manipulation.
But tonight was different.
Gen rose from his seat and walked to Itachi's side, placing a steadying hand on the boy's shoulder. "I understand," he said gently. "I've been through the same. Not just once, but many times."
He met Itachi's eyes. "And it's not just me. Your mother, and many in our clan—anyone who awakened the Sharingan has faced something like this. You're not alone. Do you want to know how I endured it?"
Itachi nodded, almost desperately.
"Our Uchiha clan feels emotions more deeply than any other. The Sharingan itself is born from that. It transforms grief and despair into strength. Other ninja suffer losses too, not just in Konoha but everywhere—but none of them gain this gift. We do."
He tapped lightly near Itachi's eyes. "Every tomoe is power granted to you by someone you lost. The first, from your father Fugaku. These next, from Nagasumi. How could you reject them? They are with you now. Don't turn away from that."
Itachi's eyes widened.
"Live well for them," Gen continued firmly. "Master the power they entrusted to you. And more importantly, do everything in your power to prevent more tragedies."
He gave Itachi's shoulder another reassuring squeeze.
Though not a master of speeches, Gen's words carried weight. For someone as young as Itachi, still fragile, still raw, they mattered deeply. Left alone, such grief could fester, turning to extremes.
"Gen-nii," Itachi whispered, eyes glistening, "I understand."
"Good." Gen smiled faintly. "Now eat. You won't have the strength to do anything on an empty stomach."
"…Mm." Itachi nodded, some of the heaviness lifting from his face.
Mikoto, watching silently, felt her heart stir. Her eyes softened like autumn waters as she looked at Gen, her smile turning tender. That night, she decided, she would agree to his request to 'take the side path.'
As the old saying goes, where there is no road, one is made by walking.
Main path, middle path, side path, all were still paths. And each held its own beauty.
The next morning, thanks to Gen's skilled use of medical ninjutsu, Mikoto rose radiant, unburdened by exhaustion, moving through the kitchen with the glow of a flower after rain.
Last night, they hadn't just explored the 'side path.' They had walked the middle one as well and soon, the main path would follow.
Medical ninjutsu: truly the ultimate tool.
A few days later, Gen once again gathered the senior officers of the Police Force at his home, preparing to light the third and final fire of his assumption of office…