117ON REVISION PROCESS
(10/17/2021)
A/N: This story is inspired by 'The Lost Namikaze' written by FaerieLight (It was a story abandoned years ago, and so I adopted the concept but rewrite the whole thing according to my imagination. So there's nothing similar aside from the basic plot. Have fun reading!
(EDITED 10/17/2021)
Disclaimer: I do not own ANY Naruto characters, these awesome characters belong to Kishimoto.
The Fourth Hokage's Son
written by: SyrinxSilenus
Prologue:
Itachi Uchiha had never run so fast in his life. Feet flying, he couldn't catch a break. He knew, with cold certainty, that if he stopped even for a moment – his knees would buckle; and then they really would catch him.
His mind went back to the events that transpired leading to this situation. Time had passed too quickly ever since he'd made the hardest decision of his life which might've triggered another Shinobi War – the very one that could brand him a traitor and be executed on the spot.
Itachi didn't like wars. He detested them; however, with what was at stake, he knew that this would lead to war. Although he only had seconds to decide, he believed that he at least made the right decision. He really hoped he would be granted an opportunity to speak with the Hokage. As of now, all he was certain of was that his comrades had safely made it back to Konoha and reported the current situation to the Hokage.
So he couldn't back down now. This was something only he could do. Failure wasn't an option.
There were times though, that Itachi couldn't help but wonder when did his life become so complicated? Was it when he started knowing chakra? Or when he activated his Sharingan at age eight? Ever since he was branded a prodigy, obligation after obligation had been dumped on his shoulders regardless of his young age. Now that he thought of it, it had all started when he graduated from the academy and became an official active shinobi of the village.
He was always forced into situations where he needed to make a life-changing decision. From disobeying his father's wish of starting his training as clan head to joining the Hokage's personal ANBU guards instead. A choice between his family and the village.
Itachi was used to being the keeper of promises… the bearer of conflicts. However, when he had been assigned a recon mission in the Land of Earth, he hadn't expected this.
His fully matured Sharingan eyes stared down at the bundle in his arms to see a four-year-old boy clinging onto him with an arm wrapped tightly around his neck, refusing to loosen his grip; as if letting go would result in his death. A blond tuft of hair peeked from the grey blanket secured around the boy and a white injured rabbit was wrapped tightly, yet delicately on his trembling arm.
The child was scared, but he still refused to cry. It was a kind of bravery that many in his village were known for. The only indication of the boy's fear was the tightening of his hold around Itachi's neck and the coldness of his hands.
Who would have thought this innocent-looking child would be the catalyst to another life-changing conflict, the Fourth Shinobi World War?
Itachi was brought out from his quiet musing when he heard the sound of rapid steps from another team of Iwagakure Shinobi pursuing him even near the border of the Land of Fire. They were persistent. They should have backed off when he neared the frontier, but it was clear that they were determined to retrieve the child from him even if they stepped into the enemy's territory.
One of their pursuers threw an earth-style jutsu in an attempt to slow him down. He jumped and flipped in the air to dodge the attack, making sure that his grip was tight enough around the boy. Itachi felt the hold on his neck tightened as he attacked one Iwa shinobi with a chakra-enhanced kick to the gut before leaping and fleeing through the trees.
His Sharingan spun as he cast a powerful Genjutsu to all the Iwa-nin that would render them unconscious for the next 24-hours. He couldn't waste more time fighting, soon many more Iwa-nin would be dispatched; then it would be impossible to reach Konoha safely.
He needed to avoid being injured at all costs. He had been using traps, shadow clones, and Genjutsu to throw their pursuer off their tracks and now he was feeling the strain in his eyes; it could only mean he was nearing his limit.
He gritted his teeth in annoyance. Now he had to be careful with using his Sharingan or he would suffer chakra exhaustion and that wouldn't be ideal in their current situation.
He had to get to Konoha and speak with the Hokage—he had to. Whether this incident started a war or not, he knew for certain that the Fourth Hokage would gladly fight for his wife and son.
He glanced down again at the frightened child in his arm and the injured white rabbit.
'I will make sure that they get back to Konoha together.'
He steeled his resolve and sprinted towards Konoha at a speed he never knew he was capable of.
*PROLOGUE END*
Special Mention to my awesome betas
o0CrimsonsDragon0o
Roseeye (My former beta, she helped me until Chapter One but she had urgent matters to attend to, thank you so much for all your hard work.)
Kuroi raion
NeatStuff
Nedoko-maki
hakon2feb
13talos
ProngIsABadger
Ladybirdwrites
Go18
SyrinxSilenus