I Am Fugaku Uchiha

Itsuki sensed that something was amiss, a subtle unease lingering within him, but his unwavering loyalty to Fugaku kept him from voicing his concerns.

Despite the beads of sweat forming on his forehead and the rising discomfort, he maintained a stoic silence. Respecting the clan's traditions, he refrained from removing any clothing, a visible display of deference.

A furrow creased his brow involuntarily. Must he endure such a grueling test? Yet, he reasoned, enduring it could lead to greater strength. Surely, an adult ninja would find this level of heat manageable.

Three more agonizing minutes passed, each second dragging like an eternity. Itsuki finally released a sigh of relief. The oppressive heat seemed to dissipate, but his body was drenched in the aftermath of the ordeal.

"Give it a try!" the clan head exclaimed.

Itsuki, still catching his breath, was taken aback. "What did the clan head ask me to try?"

"You know I was away for half a year, but have you ever wondered how I could reach this level of strength in such a short time?" He posed the rhetorical question, not waiting for an answer.

"Of course, we've wondered," Itsuki replied thoughtfully, "but it's a secret unknown to anyone, and we wouldn't pry if the clan head didn't choose to share."

A sudden realization dawned on Itsuki. "No... No way? Could it be that just now?"

Fugaku nodded affirmatively. "As you guessed, I found something—something that can boost my strength after consuming it."

"So you mean... in the milk just now... then I can become as strong as the clan head?" Itsuki was taken aback.

The prospect of matching Fugaku's strength was the dream of every member of the clan. Now that the dream seemed within reach, astonishment painted Itsuki's expression.

Fugaku clarified, "It's not that simple. This substance is exceedingly rare, so I asked Tsunade-sama to dilute its potency. You are the first successful test subject, so you can give it a try."

Before making the solution available to everyone, Fugaku needed assurance that his blood was genuinely effective; otherwise, the effort would be futile, squandering time and resources.

Now, with certainty that his blood yielded results, his focus shifted to ensuring Itsuki's silence. Keeping it a secret was paramount. Fugaku also needed a pretext to collaborate with Tsunade—a strategy to navigate potential complications and unwanted attention.

This approach had originated from the Three Colored Pills of the Akimichi clan, a method now intertwined with secrecy and calculated moves. However, the stakes were high; exposing this matter could endanger Tsunade.

The potential of this medicine was staggering. If developed, it could elevate Tsunade to the level of the original Hokage, a power coveted by many. Fugaku contemplated using this as leverage to secure additional resources.

In the future, when resources dwindled, he could act without restraint, shielded by the power he had amassed.

Moreover, Tsunade seemed disinterested in returning to Konoha, providing an opportunity to keep her hidden and manipulate the situation to his advantage, deceiving anyone who sought her.

"Fire Release. Phoenix Sage Fire Technique."

Itsuki articulated the unleashing of his ninjutsu, each one unleashed towards the open space at the mountain's summit. As the techniques manifested, he could sense a tangible increase in his chakra reserves.

"Wow. This is incredible." Itsuki marveled at his ninjutsu, astonishment written across his face.

Though he remained a considerable distance from Fugaku's level strength, there was a noticeable enhancement in the strength of his ninjutsu, particularly in Fire Release.

The duo spent a prolonged period on the mountain, partly to safeguard Itsuki's newfound secret and partly because Fugaku was keen on observing the effects.

Through experimentation, it became evident that Fire Release showed the most significant improvement, with other ninjutsu experiencing enhancements as well. Even his chakra and strength saw a modest increase.

While not groundbreaking, the improvements held significant benefits for the Uchiha clansmen. Beyond just speed, other attributes showed enhancement, contributing to an overall strength increase of at least one-third.

In essence, the outcome was positive. Fugaku envisioned the potential of awakening the eyes of more clansmen and combining their powers with this newfound effect, envisioning a remarkable boost in the Uchiha clan's strength.

The next challenge loomed—how to secure Tsunade's cooperation and maintain her silence about this groundbreaking development.

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Inside the medical tent of the Konoha camp:

"When you recover, help me with something!" Fugaku looked at Akihiko, who was resting on the hospital bed, and spoke slowly.

Akihiko, intrigued, asked, "What is it? Why so secretive?"

"Don't resist with your Sharingan," Fugaku instructed. As he spoke, his Sharingan activated, and Akihiko instinctively wanted to open his Sharingan.

However, Fugaku's command held him back, and soon he found himself ensnared in Genjutsu. Fugaku utilized Genjutsu to communicate, a skill granted by the Sharingan.

The advantage of this method was its secrecy; only the two of them were privy to the conversation, ensuring that no one else could eavesdrop. After a while, Akihiko regained his senses, looking at Fugaku with a stunned expression.

After a while, Akihiko came to his senses and looked at him with a stunned expression: “This mission is very hard, huh? But we are in a war; everyone is tense; is it really appropriate to do this, right??"

"This mission is very challenging, huh? But we are in the midst of a war, and everyone is tense. Is it really appropriate to do this now?" Akihiko questioned.

"It's fine; the Suna Shinobi’s should retreat tomorrow," Fugaku reassured. He was planning to retrieve the bodies of his clansmen tonight, hoping that Rasa would exhibit enough wisdom to withdraw temporarily.

Akihiko, incredulous, asked, "How do you know they will retreat tomorrow?"

"Just focus on your healing; don't worry about this kind of thing." Fugaku evaded a direct answer, patting Akihiko's shoulder and offering a light smile.

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At that moment, several medical staff briskly entered the tent, each carrying a stretcher bearing ninjas with pained expressions. The blood from their wounds was disconcertingly black, a clear sign of poisoning once again.

"It's a new poison again, damn it. I can only extract the poison and send it to Tsunade-sama!! The rest of you, stop the bleeding, and I will extract the poison," a medic declared swiftly after placing the wounded.

The others nodded swiftly and followed him to start disinfecting and stopping the bleeding.

The others nodded in agreement and followed him, immediately beginning the crucial tasks of disinfecting and staunching the bleeding. Fugaku, too, rose to his feet, observing the wounded with a frown.

"Could it be that old woman, Chiyo?" he mused. Considering the Suna Shinobi's proficiency in poison research, only Chiyo and Scorpion could have concocted two new poisons in just two days. As far as Fugaku remembered, Scorpion had defected, leaving only Chiyo.

Knowing Tsunade's aversion to blood, even the detoxification process required someone else to extract the venom before she could create the antidote. It was indeed troublesome.

It appeared that Fugaku would have to find a way to help Tsunade overcome her phobia for the greater good.