Naruto: I Am Itachi Uchiha!

The days passed in a blur.

Uchiha Itachi sat slumped over his desk, his dark eyes lazily gazing out of the classroom window. The bright sunlight streamed in, illuminating the aftermath of Konoha's recent tragedy. The Nine-Tails attack had shaken the village to its core, yet it was already beginning to fade into the background like an unpleasant memory swept under a rug.

Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, had made the ultimate sacrifice, battling the rampaging Nine-Tails alongside his wife, Kushina Uzumaki. Together, they sealed the beast into their newborn son, Naruto Uzumaki, at the cost of their own lives. Despite their sacrifice, the village had repaid Naruto with scorn and hatred. Under the Third Hokage's orders, the truth of the Nine-Tails' attack was suppressed, replaced with sanitized lies to prevent panic. But it was all a cruel joke.

Itachi's lips curled into a bitter smirk. Secrecy to protect the peace? Lies to manipulate ignorant masses? It was a mockery of the ideals Konoha was supposed to stand for. Even Naruto, a helpless infant, bore the weight of the villagers' fear and hatred.

He clenched his fist, his mind swimming in dark thoughts. 'This isn't the Naruto I once watched as a mere anime. This is real—an unforgiving world ruled by power, politics, and prejudice. Konoha's so-called Will of Fire? Just a flickering illusion in the face of those who truly wield power.'

The loud chatter of his classmates snapped him out of his brooding. It was recess, and many of them were huddled together, whispering about the Nine-Tails incident.

"Shut up," Itachi growled, his voice low but menacing. When they didn't listen, he stood, his voice sharp and commanding. "I said, shut up! Keep talking, and I'll burn you all to ashes!"

The room fell silent, the children shrinking under Itachi's glare. Even those who had been whispering rebelliously now sat still, casting wary glances his way. Satisfied, Itachi dropped back into his seat, his attention returning to the sunny world beyond the window.

'Weaklings, the lot of them', His scorn was palpable, though he didn't bother to voice it aloud. He knew what these children were—a product of privilege and ignorance, oblivious to the reality of the ninja world.

His thoughts drifted to the Nine-Tails attack. Something about it gnawed at him. According to his knowledge of this world's timeline, the Nine-Tails Rebellion should have occurred when he was five, not six. Sasuke was supposed to have been born just before the incident, but now... What did I change?

Itachi's stomach twisted at the thought. His actions, no matter how small, must have altered the course of history. The advantage he once held—the knowledge of future events—was slipping away. If things have already deviated this much, what's next? Will anything play out the way I remember?

His frustration boiled over. With a sharp punch, he drove his fist into the desk, splintering the wood. The sudden sound made the entire class flinch. Even Uchiha Izumi, who sat beside him, froze, her wide eyes staring at him.

"Itachi... are you okay?" Izumi's voice trembled as she tugged at his sleeve.

He took a deep breath, willing his temper to settle. "I'm fine. Just... irritated."

The other students dared not speak. They had learned their lesson well—crossing Itachi meant trouble. But Itachi paid them no mind. In his eyes, they weren't worth his attention. Only Izumi remained.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of recess. The teacher's booming voice filled the room, attempting to restore order and focus to the class. Itachi, however, found no interest in the lesson. He leaned back and closed his eyes, drifting off into his own thoughts.

Beside him, Izumi was trying her best to pay attention, though her gaze occasionally flickered toward Itachi. A small, shy smile tugged at her lips as she watched him. Itachi... he's saved me in so many ways.

Her mind wandered back to that night—the night he came for her amidst the chaos, risking his life to protect hers. Since then, she had found solace in his presence, trusting him more than anyone else in the world. Even now, she felt safe knowing he was nearby, even if he seemed distant.

Meanwhile, Itachi continued to feign sleep, his mind still grappling with the weight of his existence in this world. For all his pride as a prodigy of the Uchiha clan, he couldn't shake the unease that came with knowing the future was no longer as certain as it once seemed.

The path ahead was shrouded in shadow, but one thing was clear—he would need to grow stronger, faster than ever before. If the world was already beginning to shift, he had no intention of being left behind.

With that resolve, Uchiha Itachi remained silent, letting the day pass by as he drifted between thoughts of what was and what might yet come.

###

Check out my Patreon and read 15+ advance chapters!!

👉Patreon.com/Tyrouge