Naruto: Blacksmith

"Arrogant…"

Kuro chewed on the word carefully.

The Uchiha clan, as Konoha's military force, fulfills its responsibilities. He often saw members of the clan patrolling the streets, always alert and disciplined.

For a clan of their size, their education was impeccable, and they behaved politely with the villagers. Yet, there was something about them that made people uneasy, even when receiving their help.

Kuro hadn't understood why before, but now, listening to Itachi, it was starting to become clear.

It was arrogance and prejudice.

Though they didn't show it openly, every word and action of the Uchiha clan carried traces of deep pride and silent judgment.

They were proud to be Uchiha, but not proud to be Konoha ninjas. Their work as the village's military force wasn't done for the village's sake but for the glory of their clan.

That created a separation.

The people of Konoha couldn't relate to them.

It wasn't that the Uchiha deliberately despised others or flaunted their superiority.

But that pride in their blood showed in subtle ways, creating distance between them and others without them realizing it.

It wasn't Konoha isolating the Uchiha; they were isolating themselves.

To explain it better, it could be compared to a simpler example.

One group of guards works overtime, fights criminals and gangs, earns bonuses, and seeks to improve their reputation while serving the people. Another group, equally dedicated, focuses their efforts on their own interests and doesn't try to connect with the community.

Both groups do their jobs, but the recognition and affection they receive will not be the same.

During his five years in Konoha, Kuro had never heard anyone openly discuss the past conflict between the Uchiha and the Senju. Even in the anime, children like Naruto and Sasuke didn't seem to know anything about that historical resentment.

The village clearly worked to eliminate barriers between different groups, making it hard to blame the villagers for distrusting the Uchiha for historical reasons.

The conflicts between the Uchiha and the Senju spanned over fifty years, but it was evident that history wasn't the root cause.

If the Uchiha weren't so arrogant and prejudiced, they could have earned the respect and trust of the villagers.

The people would have loved them as dedicated protectors instead of looking at them with suspicion.

Obito told Sasuke that the distrust toward the Uchiha stemmed from historical reasons, exacerbated by the Nine-Tails' attack.

Kuro had once believed that too, but now, listening to Itachi, he realized it wasn't true.

The real root of the problem was the pride and prejudice of the Uchiha.

Obito manipulated Sasuke with that narrative because Sasuke shared the same pride and prejudice—perhaps even more than other members of the clan.

But…

"Even if the cause of all this is the arrogance of the Uchiha, your clan hasn't done anything wrong. Should they be blamed for all the problems?"

A proud and prejudiced person might be annoying, but are they truly guilty?

No.

The Uchiha clan hadn't done anything wrong.

On the contrary, as Konoha's military force, they had fulfilled their responsibilities and contributed significantly to public order. That fact was undeniable.

However, instead of receiving the recognition they deserved, they were met with rejection and persecution.

Was this fair to them?

Kuro stared at the slender, solitary figure standing at the door.

Only then did he fully realize Itachi's true age.

He was not even 13 years old.

Itachi smiled faintly as if sensing Kuro's gaze.

He looked at the white snow falling from the sky. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, drawing a knowing smile.

"The world isn't fair. If you want to survive, you have to conquer it or adapt to it. The Uchiha don't have the power to conquer, so they can only adapt. But they can't let go of the clan's pride and prejudice."

"So you…"

"Yes. I want to erase the arrogance and prejudice of the Uchiha clan," Itachi said firmly.

Kuro observed him for a moment and asked, "What are you going to do?"

"I already have a plan."

"How confident are you?"

"I don't know," Itachi shook his head. "This kind of thing is impossible to predict. But I'll remember Shisui's lesson and trust no one."

"Not even me?" Kuro grinned, teasing him.

Itachi slowly turned toward him, silently meeting his gaze.

The room fell silent, interrupted only by the sound of wind and snow.

After a while, Kuro broke the silence with a smile. "I'm just curious about what you'll do. I don't want to intervene or get into trouble."

"But, to prevent you from failing and wasting my investment, do two things for me before you act."

"What things?"

"Get me blood or hair from the Uchiha clan. You don't need much, just a little."

Itachi didn't respond immediately, staring thoughtfully at the crystal in his hand.

"Come on, don't overthink it!" Kuro shouted.

Itachi watched Kuro, who seemed like a child throwing a tantrum. A faint smile appeared on his face.

"It's not that I'm overthinking. It's just that your intentions are too obvious."

"...Sigh…" Kuro shook his head. "I wasn't trying to hide it. After all, there are many things I need to get."

"Should I thank you for your honesty?"

"No, just do what I asked."

"That won't be a problem. I can do it within a week. What's the second thing?"

"Teach me ninjutsu."

"…What?"

The surprise on Itachi's face was evident, though he quickly regained his neutral expression.

But Kuro noticed.

"What's so strange about it?" Kuro asked with a smile. "I'm five years old, I don't attend the Academy, I don't have ninjutsu inherited from my parents, and I don't have a teacher. Is there something wrong with wanting to learn?"

"No, nothing wrong," Itachi replied thoughtfully. "But I don't recommend you learn ninjutsu now."

"Why not?"

"I've been watching your progress in training over the last two months. My suggestion is to focus first on mastering weapon usage."

"But no matter how good I get with weapons, it won't compare to ninjutsu!"

"In terms of raw power, yes, ninjutsu is stronger."

"Then there's nothing to think about."

"However, ninjas who master weapons don't rely on chakra and can perform most missions. In many cases, they are more effective than ninjutsu."

"I have a lot of chakra. I'm not worried about running out."

"..."

Itachi fell silent for a moment, studying him carefully.

Sigh… I'll probably regret this.

"Even so, I don't recommend learning ninjutsu right now. It's hard to explain everything at the moment, but I'll create a long-term training plan for you when I return. If you follow that plan, it will benefit you more."

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