Burdened Slave

Chapter 4


"Look Haru, see what tou-san taught me today," Itachi said, going through a string of seals.

Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!

The air over the lake parted and what didn't get out of the way fast enough was consumed by a searing heat. Oranges flames spread and formed a giant roaring ball. A few seconds later, Itachi breaks the technique and the ball shrinks. Small pieces of fire dance away before disappearing.

Itachi turned his dark eyes to Haru. The edges of his mouth turned upwards. "Your turn."

Haru steps forward and brings his hands up to go through the seals. He stops. His hands falling to his sides.

"Haru?"

"I don't like seals,"

"Huh?" eyes widen.

"They make me feel uncomfortable,"

"Why?" eyebrows bunch together.

Silence spread over them. Haru's eyes turn towards the sky.

"The universe is so big, Itachi,"

"Yes, Haru," Itachi's gaze turns towards the sky as well.

"There's a very good reason why I can't use seals,"

"But?" Itachi asks.

"But I can't remember,"

Itachi sighs. He then steps in front of his cousin and waits for his gaze to meet his own. It's been a few days since the Kyubi attack and Itachi is glad Haru made it out safely. Though, his cousin is as strange as he's always been.

Slowly, Haru's gaze locks with Itachi's. Itachi could tell that his cousin has entered that strange state again. His cousin's eyes look so deep and he feels as if Haru is looking at something far away. Slowly, but surely his cousin comes back.

"Haru, how will you do ninjutsu without seals?"

"I saw kaa-san doing jutsu without seals the other day," Haru states. "Besides, I felt your chakra when you executed that jutsu earlier."

"You felt my chakra?"

"Mm..." Haru nodded. "I don't understand why chakra reacts the way it does to seals, but I suspect with that with some focus, it will respond to what is on your mind."

Itachi steps to the side and tilts his head as he hears his cousin mutter some words he couldn't understand.

With that, his cousin's small chest puffed up with inhaled air. Soon afterwards, everything above the lake was eaten up by flames. It kept growing and growing. Spreading flatly far and wide. Uncontrolled, unlike the fireball Itachi had made. Itachi's hair was blowing violently in the heated wind. Just as he was going to ask his cousin to stop, the flames began to lessen. Haru looked back to Itachi.

"Haru, I don't think that was the right jutsu."


"Hokage-sama, the Uchiha clan will not stand for Danzo's disrespect!"

"Fugaku," the old Hokage closed his eyes. "I understand your feelings, but my old teammate only has the village's best interest at heart,"

"I find that hard to believe,"

Hiruzen let out a frustrated breath. "Fugaku, the village needs the Uchiha clan more than ever. Especially with this masked man running about somewhere out there,"

Fugaku took a seat in his chair once more, letting the old Hokage continue.

"Please continue to lend Konohagakure the strength of the Uchiha clan, Fugaku, and in a couple of years, once things have started to settle down, I will put my full support behind you as the fifth Hokage!"