I Fire You, You Regret

"Kagami Uchiha is hailed as a genius who only appears once every few decades in the Uchiha Clan!"

A few brats huddled together, and Asuma, with a bruised and swollen face, listened with particular intensity.

Although Uchiha Obito disliked Kagami Uchiha and was disliked by him in return, seeing the Third Hokage's son get beaten up actually stirred a sense of pride in him as a fellow clansman.

He beats up Asuma too, which means he isn't just targeting me!

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

Kakashi, who hadn't been paying much attention, became slightly interested at this point.

Many members of the Uchiha Clan did not participate in the village's ninja rank assessments, but being able to become a Guard Team member meant they were implicitly considered to have the combat strength of a Chunin.

A five or six-year-old child, capable of reaching this level?

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

He was already planning to apply for early graduation, and his father also believed he possessed strength no weaker than an average Chunin.

The afternoon Combat Training was mandatory for all students.

In order to recuperate and build up strength, the Third Hokage had decided to change the original three-year system to a six-year system.

However, this current batch was mostly born after the Second Shinobi World War and were generally only five or six years old, so there were hardly any upperclassmen.

Moreover, a few years later, the Third Shinobi World War would break out, and the six years would be changed back to three.

Asuma was certainly not the type to tattle after getting beaten up; he wanted to settle the score himself.

So, he sought out Uchiha Obito to gather intel.

But Obito would only last a hit or two when he was being bullied, so he didn't know much and could only share rumors that were hard to distinguish as true or false.

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

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

"He's a new student; today he will only be demonstrating Shuriken Throwing."

"Besides... it was you who provoked him in the first place, so just let it go."

"How can I just let it go!"

Asuma wailed in frustration. If it were just him getting beaten up, he might have let it slide.

But...

But that guy actually insulted Kurenai!

That was absolutely unforgivable!

"Next match, Kakashi versus Uchiha Obito!"

On the field, the teacher began calling names.

Kakashi felt somewhat helpless; why did he always run into Obito and Might Guy?

He already disliked these boring combat exercises, and he was always stuck with two Dead Lasts.

Unlike Kakashi, Obito was fired up the moment his name was called.

"Oh!! This time I will definitely defeat you! Kakashi!!"

Boring...

"Wait a moment."

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

"Teacher, I request to take Uchiha Obito's place."

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

Kagami Uchiha walked straight toward Kakashi, and from his wide, dark blue sleeve, a Kodachi with an exquisite scabbard slid into his hand.

Kakashi's pupils constricted.

Although the Kodachi was only sixty or seventy centimeters long, it wasn't something that could be hidden in a child's sleeve.

That is... Ninja Tool Summoning Jutsu!

Having a father like Hatake Sakumo, Kakashi knew more than the average student, which was also why he felt there was no need to waste time at the Ninja Academy.

Kagami Uchiha curled his lips into a smile and said, "Uchiha Obito has disgraced our clan; as an Uchiha, he actually became a Dead Last."

"This is the reward given to me by the Clan Elder, with the requirement that I defeat you and reclaim the title of number one that belongs to the Uchiha."

"Sode no Shirayuki, a very beautiful blade."

As the oldest ninja clan in the shinobi world, although the best of the Uchiha Clan had been packed away by Uchiha Madara, their remaining collection was still something other families could never hope to match.

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

If Orochimaru could collect quite a few Kusanagi Sword, how could the Uchiha Clan, who excelled in swordsmanship, possibly lack them?

Kagami Uchiha had devoured and digested a significant amount of Spiritual Energy from Sukuna, and the talent he displayed in swordsmanship, as well as...

Such natural talent made the clan elders view him as the next Uchiha Izuna!

They dared not even think of a monster like Uchiha Madara; only those who had truly lived through that era would know...

Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara were simply at a level no ordinary ninja could reach.

Watching Kagami Uchiha approach step by step, Kakashi took the Sword Quiver off his back.

From the posture and aura Kagami Uchiha held his blade with, even before it was unsheathed, Kakashi could already feel that sharp edge...

He would not avoid the fight; this action already indicated that he was willing to accept the challenge.

"Wait!"

The teacher walked between the two, smiling bitterly: "You can spar if you want, but you are not allowed to use ninja tools!"

"And..."

"Kagami, don't take out such dangerous things!!"

The teacher was a veteran Chunin and had discovered the Explosive Tag Kagami Uchiha was holding in his other hand.

Why do you even have an Explosive Tag!

"Is it not allowed? I was planning to use the blade to distract him and then hit him with that; it would have been much easier."

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

Kakashi, realizing it a beat late, also spotted the Explosive Tag, a bead of cold sweat forming on his forehead.

This guy... is a lunatic, right...

Kagami Uchiha assumed a stance and beckoned to Kakashi.

"Come on."

Kakashi frowned and said indifferently: "You're the challenger, aren't you."

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

"A friendly reminder: the last person who said that to me was already subjected to a Waist Cut."

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

Kagami Uchiha followed the advice readily, extended two fingers, and then beckoned toward Kakashi.

How arrogant...

Kakashi raised the Seal of Confrontation.

Before the teacher could even shout the start, in the next instant.

Bang!

A puff of smoke exploded, and two small figures had already collided.

Kakashi flashed forward, a swift, straight punch aimed directly at Kagami Uchiha's chest.

Dodging the punch by turning his body, Kagami Uchiha quickly grabbed Kakashi's wrist with his right hand and, using the momentum to spin, attempted to throw Kakashi away.

Kakashi was clearly not someone so easily dealt with; he stomped his left foot hard on the ground to steady himself, while his other hand struck toward Kagami Uchiha's abdomen with an elbow.

Kagami Uchiha had no choice but to let go and leap back a few steps to avoid the strike.

"You're strong." A brief contact was enough for Kakashi to conclude that his opponent was "not beneath me."

Kagami Uchiha blasted a palm toward Kakashi's face and laughed: "You're not bad yourself."

Their movements were as fast as lightning, fists and feet flying, their techniques shifting and changing.

Every collision produced a dull thud, and the air was thick with a tense atmosphere.

"So amazing!"

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

"Too fast! So Kakashi wasn't even taking it seriously before!"

"This is youth!!!"

"Is this... really the level of students?" Even the teacher, a Chunin, was stunned by the strength displayed by these two children.

Kakashi was strong; he had always known that...

But that Uchiha youth was not falling behind in the slightest!

And looking at their expressions... it seemed as if Kagami Uchiha was the one appearing more relaxed.

Inside the Hokage Office.

Whenever there were no urgent matters to attend to, Sarutobi Hiruzen liked to use the Scrying Jutsu to observe the Ninja Academy, keeping an eye on the growth of these young saplings.

Watching the two locked in fierce combat within the Crystal Ball, he felt that the future of Konohagakure was thriving and full of promise.

Being a ninja was a high-risk profession, and this kind of competition was normal.

Bonds would grow amidst such rivalry, becoming the branches that connected the leaves!

Perhaps the change in the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the village could start with these children!

Harboring expectations for a bright future, the Third Hokage did not reprimand Danzō for entering without knocking.

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

"This Uchiha brat is a genius."

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

Because Namikaze Minato had already begun to show his brilliance, the Third Hokage did not use the word "highest" to describe him.

After all, compared to that child Minato, even Kakashi was still lacking.

"Hiruzen, this brat is a standard Uchiha. I have already investigated; he is close to the Radical Faction within the Uchiha Clan."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's relaxed brows slowly knit together.

"...As long as he stays in school for a few years, he will understand the importance of his comrades in the village."

"Do you still not understand? The more talented an Uchiha is, the more uncontrollable they become!"

Shimura Danzō said in a deep voice, "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 a child of the village to join Root."

More importantly... he could not escalate the conflict with the Uchiha right now.

In the shadows, Danzō's single eye turned sinister.

"Have you forgotten the instructions of the Second Hokage! The Uchiha are a clan cursed with evil! The reconciliation you fantasize about is impossible!"

"Danzō, I am the Hokage." Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes slightly, smoke swirling before him.

"Hiruzen... you will definitely regret this!"

Bang!

With the loud slam of the door, the conversation ended on a sour note.