I Punch the Tailed Beast Ball

Chapter 434: Different Choices

Itachi and Kabuto were discharged from the hospital on the fourth day. They weren’t seriously injured; it was just that their minor injuries made them look much worse than they were. The real issue was that they were exhausted and had significantly depleted their chakra. Thanks to the unique nutritional supplements provided by Nagasawa, they recovered quickly. They could have been discharged on the third day, but they stayed an extra day to reassure their families.

On the day of their discharge, Itachi’s family picked him up, and Nonou came to the hospital to take Kabuto home.

"You shouldn’t have pushed yourself so hard. There’s no special reward for first place. It wasn’t worth it," Nonou gently stroked Kabuto’s short white hair, speaking softly.

She had once been an elite ninja and had noticed Kabuto’s exceptional talent when she started teaching him medical ninjutsu. She hadn’t expected him to be even more remarkable than she imagined, achieving graduation from the ninja academy in just one year. Although there hadn’t been any significant news about him after that, she had always sensed Kabuto’s continuous improvement in strength.

In this Chunin Exam, Kabuto had emerged as a dark horse, standing out among over three hundred participating ninjas, making it to the finals, and demonstrating extraordinary skills to tie for first place. While Nonou was happy about his achievements, seeing Kabuto covered in bandages and lying in bed made her feel it wasn’t worth it.

Suffering injuries for a mere title seemed unnecessary to her. "I don’t remember Kabuto being a child who liked vanity."

Hearing Nonou’s words, Kabuto scratched his head sheepishly and explained, "Actually, Itachi is my good friend, and we’ve always been evenly matched in our fights. I wanted to take this opportunity to see who was stronger, but it ended in a draw."

Kabuto didn’t mention Nagasawa’s words. He realized some inconsistencies in what Nagasawa had said after the battle. While defeating Itachi to help him grow and face setbacks sounded reasonable, it didn’t fit Itachi’s character. Itachi, who had experienced unimaginable hardships and pondered the meaning of life and peace from a young age, wouldn’t become complacent over minor achievements. Kabuto now felt that he had believed Nagasawa’s words only because he was focused on how to fight Itachi at that time.

"Also, there is some reward. Nagasawa promised to grant me a wish if I got first place, as long as it wasn’t too outrageous."

"A wish from Nagasawa..." Nonou was taken aback, not expecting it to be Nagasawa’s influence that had driven Kabuto to push himself so hard. ’I need to talk to Nagasawa about this when we get back,’ she thought. If Nagasawa didn’t have a good reason, she would have a serious discussion with him.

"What wish do you have?" she asked Kabuto.

"I want to ask Nagasawa for some money," Kabuto said after a moment’s thought.

"Are you in need of money?" Nonou asked, puzzled. Nagasawa covered all Kabuto’s expenses, so he shouldn’t lack funds.

"It’s not for me. I want to use the money to renovate the orphanage and improve everyone’s living conditions. This way, you won’t have to work so hard," Kabuto explained.

Kabuto had become busier since joining the ninja academy, juggling Nagasawa’s training and studies, leaving him little time to visit the orphanage. After graduating, he would return to the orphanage whenever he had time to help and see his old friends.

In the past, Kabuto was often the quiet one being taken care of. Despite not having a large build, his strength from training and chakra use made him very capable. He frequently told his friends stories about life at the academy and as a ninja.

Kabuto’s original motivation to become a ninja was to help Nonou and improve the orphanage. He hadn’t forgotten his initial goal. If he hadn’t joined the special forces class, he might have already become a mission enthusiast, constantly taking on missions to earn money. The special forces class focused on training and strengthening skills, with a formal examination to become an official member, which would then allow for mission assignments.

The first examination was scheduled for half a month later. "Kabuto, you..." Nonou’s eyes were filled with complex emotions as she looked at him. She hadn’t expected Kabuto to remember those words and be such a considerate child. Her previous hardships now felt worthwhile. She considered these orphans her children, and they saw her as a mother.

"Actually, there’s no need for that. The orphanage now has support from the village and isn’t as difficult as you think. You should choose a wish that benefits yourself," Nonou advised.

The orphanage was no longer solely dependent on funding from Danzo; it now had official support from Konoha and was well provided for. However, being an orphanage, Nagasawa couldn’t give too much money to make it overly luxurious.

"I’ll think about it," Kabuto replied, though he had no intention of changing his plan. The orphanage might not be as struggling as before, but it could still be better. Even if the money wasn’t immediately used, it could serve as a reserve for emergencies.

He verbally agreed to ease Nonou’s mind, knowing that she wouldn’t object too much once he had the money.

...

Back home, Fugaku was visibly pleased with the results of the Chunin Exam, his face beaming with pride. Initially, Fugaku had hesitated to say much due to Kabuto sharing a room with Itachi in the hospital, but now that they were home, he felt free to speak.

"You did well, Itachi. Even though it’s a tie, achieving first place in this special Chunin Exam is proof of your strength. I’m proud of you," Fugaku said, his stern face breaking into a broad smile.

With the improving relationship between the Uchiha clan and Konoha, and Itachi being his eldest son and Nagasawa’s disciple, Fugaku felt hopeful that the relationship would fully mend when Itachi matured. He even saw the potential for Itachi to become Hokage. Itachi’s exceptional abilities, coupled with Nagasawa’s influence and position as the strongest in Konoha, created a promising path for Itachi.

Standing nearby, Sasuke watched with envy and happiness. He envied Itachi’s praise from their father but was also proud of his brother’s achievements.

"Wait here; I have a gift for you," Fugaku said, smiling as he left to retrieve it.

Itachi nodded, remaining calm and waiting patiently. Neither sharing first place with Kabuto nor receiving a gift from Fugaku stirred much emotion in him. His genuine excitement lay in the promise from Nagasawa.

This might sound hurtful, but Itachi believed his father couldn’t help him much in his quest for peace. Fugaku, the Uchiha clan leader and one of the clan’s strongest, couldn’t compare to Nagasawa in strength. In the face of the clan’s and village’s tensions, Fugaku was powerless. It was thanks to Nagasawa and Shisui that the tensions had somewhat eased.

This wasn’t to belittle his father, but comparing Fugaku to Nagasawa was a harsh reality. Itachi’s feelings toward Nagasawa were complex. Nagasawa wasn’t perfect, but he embodied many qualities Itachi aspired to. Nagasawa was a strong and learned individual with a unique understanding of war. He seemed to understand Itachi better than Itachi himself did. Thus, Itachi saw Nagasawa as a mentor and a kindred spirit, something Fugaku couldn’t provide.

Fugaku soon returned with a beautifully wrapped long box. "Open it," he said, smiling and handing it to Itachi.

Itachi nodded, opened the box without hesitation, and found a thick scroll inside. Unraveling it, he saw it contained fire-style techniques and two powerful fire-style jutsus.

"This scroll contains two fire-style jutsus: Great Fire Annihilation and Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction. Both are very powerful," Fugaku explained.

"Thank you. I will practice diligently," Itachi responded, a faint smile appearing.

The two jutsus aligned with Fugaku’s style—nothing surprising but decent enough. "Very good," Fugaku nodded in satisfaction, feeling that Itachi was the hope for the Uchiha clan’s revival.

Fugaku then reiterated some usual advice, encouraging Itachi to continue training hard and strive to restore the clan’s glory. Itachi nodded in agreement without saying much.

With his duties fulfilled, Fugaku left to tend to his work. The Police Force was busy with the ongoing Five Kage Summit. Even though it was unlikely anyone would dare cause trouble during the summit, the Police Force still had to be prepared for any eventuality.

Once Fugaku left, Sasuke approached Itachi, having come with their mother to pick him up. "Brother, how are you feeling? Are you still in pain?" Sasuke asked with concern.

Itachi smiled, ruffling Sasuke’s hair. "Thank you for your concern, Sasuke. I’m fine now, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been discharged."

"Can you teach me shurikenjutsu? I want to make father proud too," Sasuke asked, eyes wide with anticipation.

"Not now, Sasuke. I have something to do," Itachi replied after some thought. He needed to visit Nagasawa.

"But if you want to become a good ninja, start by training your body. Try running regularly," Itachi suggested.

"Okay, I understand," Sasuke said, though his eyes showed disappointment. He resolved to start running every morning and evening to become as skilled as his brother and make their father proud.

Sasuke also considered Naruto. He wanted to ensure that he would perform better than Naruto when they entered the ninja academy.

After tidying up his room and resting briefly, Itachi said goodbye to his mother and Sasuke and left the house. On his way, he ran into Uchiha Izumi, who seemed pleased to see him.

"Itachi, you’re out of the hospital?" she asked, jogging up to him.

"Yes, I’m fully recovered," Itachi replied.

"Really? Maybe I should check you over just to be sure," Izumi joked.

"No need, thank you," Itachi declined politely.

"Are you heading somewhere?" Izumi asked.

"Yes, I’m going to see my teacher," Itachi answered.

"Alright then, don’t let me hold you up. Come find me if you have time," Izumi said with a smile, waving goodbye.

"Thanks for the sweets earlier; they were delicious," Itachi said before continuing.