Hokage Building.
"Hiruzen, Uchiha Raizen must be monitored around the clock."
Shimura Danzō spoke.
A little more than a month ago, an Uchiha clansman found Uchiha Raizen and brought him into Konoha.
During this time, they investigated whether Raizen was a spy.
"Danzō, didn't you already send your best Root operatives?"
Hiruzen puffed his pipe, smoke filling the Hokage office.
Danzō frowned.
Based on Yakushi Nono's micro-expression analysis, Raizen wasn't a spy and had done nothing against Konoha.
Still, Danzō was not reassured.
Not being a spy didn't mean he had the Will of Fire.
A naturally twisted Uchiha brat with the blood of Kumogakure's "bandits"—how deformed could such a person become?
An unstable element like this had to be placed in Root and branded with the Curse Mark of Tongue Eradication.
"Hiruzen, give Raizen to me. I'll strip away his past and forge him into a new Konoha shinobi."
"No. The Uchiha and the village are in a delicate state. Doing this will spark their dissatisfaction."
Hiruzen refused immediately.
As a veteran of the First and Second Great Ninja Wars, he could smell the approaching storm.
Kumogakure was building military strength and showing signs of expansion.
Konoha had only recently recovered; if another war broke out, he feared it would be even fiercer than the last.
Provoking the Uchiha now was unthinkable.
They were vital military power.
"Hiruzen!"
"Enough, Danzō. I am the Hokage."
Hiruzen set down his pipe.
In his eyes, Danzō lacked perspective.
He had entrusted Danzo with managing the Root division, and the result was exactly what the elders feared.....Root had become a place where only Danzo's will mattered.
If the village's entire Uchiha policy followed Danzo's opinions blindly, who knew what kind of disastrous consequences it might bring?
"Hmph… Hiruzen, you will regret this!"
Shimura Danzo slammed the door and left.
The Third Hokage watched him disappear and let out a quiet sigh.
Hiruzen had long forgotten the teachings of the Second Hokage, and his softness toward the Uchiha… would one day plunge the village into danger.
He gazed out the window at the distant Hokage Rock, where his own stone face looked back at him.
A few seconds later, he summoned an ANBU member.
The masked ninja knelt and presented a report....information about Uchiha Raizen.
Every detail of Raizen's performance at the Academy was recorded clearly.
The next morning.
Konoha Ninja Academy.
"Next match....Kakashi versus Might Guy."
With Instructor Umino's announcement, a white-haired boy stepped forward, facing a boy in a bright green jumpsuit.
They exchanged the Seal of Confrontation and immediately launched into battle.
Obito clenched his fists below the platform.
He had been practicing like his life depended on it these past few days, all for one purpose....to finally save face today.
"Obito, don't lose to the new Uchiha kid," Genma Shiranui teased, chewing on a thin toothpick.
"Hmph! I'll prove myself today. From this moment on, I will no longer be the dead-last of the class!"
Obito pointed proudly at his own face, brimming with confidence.
"Oi oi… you serious?"
Genma stared, and despite himself, he subconsciously believed seventy percent of it.
Obito and Raizen were both Uchiha, but Raizen had transferred in recently. Their training time wasn't the same at all.
Even if Obito was the class dead-last… beating Raizen should still be possible, right?
"Don't embarrass yourself."
"Just watch me!"
Obito turned away, searching for Rin Nohara in the crowd.
He just wanted her to notice him—just once.
"Next match, Raizen versus Obito! Obito, are you even listening!?"
Instructor Umino raised his voice sharply.
"Coming, coming!"
Only then did Obito snap back to reality. He squeezed out from the crowd and stepped into the training field.
"Don't say I bullied you," Obito muttered as he formed the seal.
"This is just a normal spar. Why would I?" Raizen responded, also forming the seal.
The moment the seal broke.....Obito charged.
A straight punch!
Raizen shifted slightly and dodged.
Obito rolled and followed with a whipping kick. Raizen lowered his stance, caught Obito's leg with his left hand, and with his right.....attempted to slam him into the ground.
Mid-air, Obito pulled a kunai from his pouch
Clang!
Sparks scattered as their kunai collided.
The two began exchanging blows.
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