After returning home, Uchiha Tunan opened his diary and began writing a sorrowful entry.
Though his hand kept moving nonstop, his mind was filled with those soaked Sharingan.
After finishing, he sat beneath the eaves, staring blankly at the occasional Uchiha clansman passing by his door.
All the Uchiha clansmen had now returned to Konoha.
In other words, if Orochimaru wanted to obtain Sharingan for his experiments, he could only make a move within the village.
With his Three Tomoe, and living on the outskirts of the clan compound, he was an extremely convenient target.
"War has completely ended.
That really makes me uneasy.
I should never have refused the Great Elder."
Uchiha Tunan rubbed his temples.
When he had awakened his Three Tomoe earlier, the Great Elder had intended to move Uchiha Tunan into the center of the clan compound.
But Uchiha Tunan had already sided with Hiruzen Sarutobi at the time, and with so many secrets of his own, he had declined the Great Elder's offer.
"I can only rely on myself." Uchiha Tunan muttered as he examined the layout of the courtyard before getting up and heading for the storage room.
One must not intend to harm others, but one must guard against being harmed by others.
Uchiha Tunan had always upheld the principle of not offending others unless offended, and if someone offended him, he would make them criminals.
For now, he could only take a few more precautions.
The days that followed were peaceful.
Uchiha Tunan had no intention of causing any more trouble.
Because graduation season was approaching.
"Nani? Tunan-kun, you and that Kakashi guy are both planning to apply for early graduation?" Obito asked, staring at Uchiha Tunan with surprise.
Uchiha Tunan nodded modestly. "I'm not very confident, but I want to give it a try."
Having overheard Obito and Uchiha Tunan, Might Guy rushed straight to Kakashi's side and asked excitedly, "Kakashi, are you really applying for early graduation?"
Kakashi nodded indifferently.
Might Guy immediately clenched his fists, his eyes seeming to blaze with fire as he declared passionately:
"Worthy of being my lifelong rival. Youth should burn with passion.
Since you're graduating early, I'll join you. Let's see who can graduate first.
The loser has to run five hundred laps around the field."
Might Guy's booming shout was loud enough for the entire classroom to hear.
A large group of girls immediately swarmed over, stars shining in their eyes as they said:
"Kakashi is graduating early?"
"Tunan-kun is graduating early too?"
"Tunan-kun is amazing. He already has the confidence to graduate early."
"I can't even perform ninjutsu yet, but Tunan-kun already has the strength of a Genin."
"Tunan-kun is the best."
"Kakashi is the best."
"Tunan-kun."
"Kakashi."
A crowd of girls surrounded Uchiha Tunan, while another crowd surrounded Kakashi. The two sides began competing against each other.
Obito glanced at Rin, who was gathered around Kakashi, and slammed his hand heavily onto the desk, announcing loudly with an unhappy expression:
"I've decided. I'm applying for early graduation too.
I'm going to be the future Hokage. How can I fall behind?"
What he got in return, however, was a chorus of eye rolls from the girls.
Only Rin kindly reminded him:
"Obito, to apply for early graduation, you must master the Three Body Technique, and your usual grades must be an A."
"Nani! The Three Body Technique!" Obito and Might Guy covered their faces with both hands at the same time, looking as though they had eaten shit.
Might Guy was the first to recover. With tears streaming down his face, he said to Kakashi:
"Damn it, just as expected of Kakashi. You win this time."
Just then, Mizuki Uno entered the classroom and gave a heavy cough.
Everyone quickly returned to their seats as fast as they could.
Mizuki Uno braced both hands on the teacher's desk and announced:
"Quiet, everyone.
Tomorrow is the final exam. I hope you all perform to the best of your abilities.
Also, Tunan and Kakashi have both applied for early graduation.
Your exam will be held in the third-year classroom. Remember not to be late.
School will end early today, so get some proper rest."
"Let youth burn!"
The moment Mizuki Uno left, Might Guy was the first to rush out of the classroom.
Judging by the way he looked, he was probably going to keep his promise and run five hundred laps around the field.
"Kurenai, the exam is tomorrow. Want to have dinner together tonight? I heard a new ramen shop opened on the shopping street, and it's supposed to be really good."
"Kakashi, good luck."
"Tunan-kun, goodbye."
Once most of the others had left, Kakashi finally stood up and walked over to Uchiha Tunan, handing him a scroll.
"Take it. Everything's inside."
Uchiha Tunan smiled faintly and accepted the scroll.
It was full of good stuff, things that could greatly increase Uchiha Tunan's sense of security.
"Thanks, Kakashi. How much was it?"
Uchiha Tunan took out his wallet and began counting money.
Kakashi rested both hands behind his head and said lazily, "No need."
Uchiha Tunan immediately put on a serious expression and said solemnly:
"Kakashi, do you consider me a friend?"
"W-why are you asking that?" Kakashi blushed and turned his head away.
"If you consider me a friend, then please accept this money.
Friends help each other in times of crisis. They don't just take.
Even if these things are unimportant to you."
After saying that, Uchiha Tunan stuffed a stack of money into Kakashi's hand.
Kakashi looked down at the thick wad of cash in his palm and froze for a moment.
"If you don't accept it, I won't be able to rest easy. If something comes up later, I won't feel right asking you for help."
"Trouble."
Kakashi casually shoved the money into his pocket and asked in an apparently offhand tone:
"Wanna come to my place?"
There was even the faintest hint of seduction in his words...
Seeing that Kakashi had accepted the money, Uchiha Tunan smiled with narrowed eyes. "No, I need to get some proper rest today."
After returning home.
Uchiha Tunan shut the courtyard gate.
Then he opened the scroll inside the house.
After forming several hand seals, he pressed a hand onto the scroll.
"Release."
A puff of white smoke rose, and the items sealed within the scroll appeared before him.
Uchiha Tunan began checking them one by one.
Five Three-proof Explosive Tags, four Fuma Shuriken, two barrels of Burning Oil, two hundred meters of Chakra Wire, and one bucket of Quick-setting Cement.
These items did not look like much, but they were expensive and not something ordinary people could afford.
Especially the Three-proof Explosive Tags and Chakra Wire.
A Chunin could probably afford them, but only after saving up through several missions.
Even the compensation issued after his Parents Perished had been drained by nearly half because of this.
Moreover, most of these items were regulated goods that only ninja could purchase.
Of course, if Uchiha Tunan truly wanted to buy them himself, he could buy them through the clan.
But Uchiha Tunan feared that this would cause Hiruzen Sarutobi to misunderstand and affect the ambiguous relationship between them.
Fortunately, Uchiha Tunan had a brother-in-arms like Kakashi.
Presumably, Kakashi had asked Hatake Sakumo to buy these items for him.
Of course, it was also possible that Kakashi had simply taken them from home.
Uchiha Tunan began attaching the Chakra Wire to the Fuma Shuriken and several kunai.
Once he had connected them, he sealed the Fuma Shuriken and kunai into a Storage Scroll.
After night fell outside, Uchiha Tunan moved the remaining items into the courtyard.
At the same time.
The white pigeons hidden around the house activated their Sharingan at once, preventing anyone with ill intentions from discovering what was happening in the courtyard.
Before you continue