I Fire, You'll Regret It

"Uchiha Kagami, hailed as a once-in-several-decades genius of the Uchiha Clan!"

Several little brats gathered together. Asuma, his face bruised and swollen, listened especially attentively.

Although Uchiha Obito hated Uchiha Kagami, and Uchiha Kagami hated him in turn, seeing even the Third Hokage's son get beaten up somehow filled him with pride as a fellow clansman.

He beat up Asuma too, so he wasn't targeting me specifically!

"I heard his Uchiha Style Taijutsu has already reached the level of a Guard Team member, and he's even mastered Fire Style Ninjutsu!"

Kakashi, who hadn't paid much attention at first, grew interested as well.

Quite a few Uchiha clansmen didn't participate in the village's shinobi rank assessments, but anyone who became a Guard Team member was assumed to possess Chunin-level combat strength.

Could a five- or six-year-old child really reach that level?

But after thinking about himself, Kakashi felt it wasn't impossible.

He had already planned to apply for early graduation, and his father also believed he possessed strength no weaker than that of an ordinary Chunin.

The afternoon practical combat class was mandatory for all students.

For the sake of recuperation and recovery, the Third Hokage had decided to change the original three-year system to a six-year system.

However, most of this batch had been born after the Second Shinobi World War and were generally only five or six years old. There were hardly any upperclassmen.

Besides, the Third Shinobi World War broke out just a few years later, and the six-year system was changed back to three years.

Asuma naturally wasn't the sort of person who would report to a teacher just because he had been beaten. He intended to reclaim his dignity himself.

So he found Uchiha Obito to gather information.

But Obito had only been bullied once or twice before collapsing. What could he possibly know? He could only share rumors whose truth was impossible to determine.

"Asuma, Kagami won't be participating in practical combat training."

Nohara Rin, who was bandaging Asuma's wounds, kindly reminded the scheming duo.

"He's a new student. Today, he'll only demonstrate shuriken throwing."

"Besides... you were the one who provoked him in the first place. That wasn't right. Just let it go."

"How can I just let it go?!"

Asuma wailed indignantly. If he had merely been beaten up, he could have let it go.

But...

But that guy had actually insulted Kurenai!

That absolutely couldn't be forgiven!

"Next match, Kakashi versus Uchiha Obito!"

On the field, the teacher began calling out names.

Kakashi felt somewhat helpless. Why did he always end up facing Obito and Might Guy?

He already disliked these boring practical combat exercises, yet he kept running into two Dead Lasts.

Unlike Kakashi, Obito burst into flames the moment he heard his name called.

"Oh!! This time, I'll definitely defeat you, Kakashi!!"

How boring...

"Wait."

A voice rang out abruptly. Uchiha Kagami stepped out from the crowd.

"Teacher, I request to replace Uchiha Obito."

"Huh? Kagami, you just enrolled..."

Uchiha Kagami walked straight toward Kakashi. From within his wide dark-blue sleeves, a beautifully sheathed kodachi slid out, and he gripped it in his hand.

Kakashi's pupils contracted slightly.

Although a kodachi was only sixty or seventy centimeters long, it still couldn't be hidden inside a child's sleeve.

That was... Ninja Tool Summoning Jutsu!

With Hatake Sakumo as his father, Kakashi knew far more than ordinary students. That was also why he felt there was no need to waste time at the Ninja Academy.

The corners of Uchiha Kagami's lips curved upward as he smiled. "Uchiha Obito has disgraced our entire clan. As an Uchiha, he actually became a Dead Last."

"This is the reward the Clan Elder gave me. He wants me to defeat you and reclaim first place for the Uchiha."

"Sode no Shirayuki. What a beautiful blade."

As the oldest shinobi clan in the Ninja World, the Uchiha Clan had lost its finest possessions when Uchiha Madara took them all away, but even the remaining collection was beyond the reach of other clans.

This was a weapon on the level of a "Kusanagi Sword," forged from Chakra Metal.

Even Orochimaru had managed to collect quite a few Kusanagi Swords. How could the Uchiha Clan, renowned for its swordsmanship, possibly have none?

Uchiha Kagami had devoured and assimilated a considerable amount of Sukuna's Spiritual Energy. His displayed talent in swordsmanship, as well as...

Such talent led the clan elders to regard him as the next Uchiha Izuna!

They didn't dare dream of someone like Uchiha Madara. Only those who had truly lived through that era could understand...

Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara had reached a level that no ordinary ninja could ever attain.

Watching Uchiha Kagami approach step by step, Kakashi removed the Sword Quiver from his back.

From Uchiha Kagami's posture and aura as he held the blade, Kakashi could sense that sharp edge even before it was drawn...

He wouldn't avoid a fight. This action already showed that he was willing to accept the challenge.

"Wait!"

The teacher stepped between the two of them and said with a bitter smile, "You can spar, but you're not allowed to use ninja tools!"

"And..."

"Kagami, don't bring out something so dangerous!!"

The teacher was a veteran Chunin. He had noticed the Explosive Tag pinched in Uchiha Kagami's other hand.

Why do you even have an Explosive Tag?!

"Can't I? I was planning to distract him with the blade and then hit him with this. It would save a lot of effort."

Uchiha Kagami had no choice but to put away the Explosive Tag and hang the kodachi at his waist.

Kakashi, realizing it a moment later, also noticed the Explosive Tag. A trace of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

This guy... is he a lunatic?

Uchiha Kagami assumed a stance and beckoned to Kakashi.

"Come on."

Kakashi furrowed his brows and said indifferently, "You're the challenger."

Uchiha Kagami seemed to think of something and couldn't help smiling.

"Just a friendly warning: the last person who said that was cut in half at the waist."

"Seal of Confrontation! Seal of Confrontation!" the teacher shouted at the top of his lungs, attempting to make his presence known.

Uchiha Kagami readily took his advice. He raised two fingers, then curled them toward Kakashi.

What arrogance...

Kakashi formed the Seal of Confrontation.

Before the teacher could even shout for them to begin, in the next instant—

Bang!

A cloud of dust exploded, and the two small figures had already collided.

Kakashi blurred sideways, driving a fierce straight punch toward Uchiha Kagami's chest.

Uchiha Kagami dodged the punch by turning sideways, then swiftly seized Kakashi's wrist with his right hand. Using the momentum, he spun around and tried to throw Kakashi away.

Kakashi clearly wasn't so easy to deal with. He stomped his left foot against the ground to steady himself, then drove his other elbow toward Uchiha Kagami's abdomen.

Uchiha Kagami had no choice but to release him and leap backward several steps, avoiding the blow.

"You're strong." After their brief exchange, Kakashi concluded that Uchiha Kagami's strength was "no weaker than his own."

Uchiha Kagami smashed a palm toward Kakashi's face and smiled. "You're not bad yourself."

Their movements were as fast as lightning. Fists and feet flew, their techniques changing unpredictably.

Every clash produced a dull impact, and the air was thick with tension.

"So amazing!"

"Kakashi is amazing! That new student is amazing too!"

"They're so fast! Was Kakashi never serious before?!"

"This is youth!!!"

"Is this... really a student's level?" Even the teacher, a Chunin himself, was shaken by the strength displayed by the two children.

Kakashi was strong. He had always known that...

But that Uchiha boy had actually held his own completely!

And judging from his expression... Uchiha Kagami seemed even more relaxed.

--

Inside the Hokage Office.

Whenever there was no urgent business to handle, Sarutobi Hiruzen liked to use Scrying Jutsu to observe the Ninja Academy and keep an eye on the growth of these young seedlings.

At this moment, watching the two combatants clash fiercely within the Crystal Ball, he felt that Konohagakure's future was flourishing and full of promise.

Being a ninja was a high-risk profession. This sort of competition was normal.

Bonds would grow through such competition, becoming branches that connected the leaves!

Perhaps the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the village could begin to change with these children!

Carrying hopes for a bright future, the Third Hokage did not rebuke Danzo for entering without knocking.

After silently watching for a while, Danzo said in a low voice:

"That Uchiha brat is a genius."

"Yes." Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his cigarette and smiled. "Kakashi's talent is already extremely high. I didn't expect this child to be so strong as well."

Because Namikaze Minato had already begun to reveal his brilliance, the Third Hokage didn't describe Kagami as the greatest.

After all, compared with that child Minato, even Kakashi fell somewhat short.

"Hiruzen, this brat is a textbook Uchiha. I've already investigated him. He's close to the Radical Faction within the Uchiha Clan."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's relaxed brows slowly drew together.

"...If he spends a few years at the academy, he'll understand the importance of his village comrades."

"Don't you understand? The more talented an Uchiha is, the less controllable he becomes!"

Shimura Danzō said heavily, "Let me train him in secret. Only my methods can turn him into someone useful to the village."

Without hesitation, Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head. "Impossible. I will never allow one of the village's children to join Root."

More importantly... now was not the time to intensify the conflict with the Uchiha.

Within the shadows, Danzo's single eye turned sinister.

"Have you forgotten the Second Hokage's instructions?! The Uchiha are a naturally evil clan! The reconciliation you imagine is impossible!"

"Danzo, I'm the Hokage." Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes slightly as smoke curled around him.

"Hiruzen... you'll definitely regret this!"

Bang!

With the resounding slam of the door, the conversation ended on bad terms.