Ignoring

"By the way, why was Sora hanging out with Obito?"

The weather had turned chilly, but for a ninja, the cool air didn't feel cold. It was refreshing.

Kurenai Yuhi narrowed her eyes, looking back and forth between Sora Uchiha and Obito.

Obito shivered. The way Kurenai was looking at him made him feel like a delinquent on the street who'd kidnapped some innocent young man.

He felt offended again. His whole body felt out of sorts, and he snorted.

"Why can't Sora hang out with me? Kurenai, I seriously suspect you have a problem with me."

"Oh, no, I don't~" Kurenai looked away and waved her hand. "I just think... well, you're so carefree, Obito, and it doesn't quite go with Sora's innate sense of distance, like he's always drifting alone."

"Heh. Then who do you think goes with Sora?" Obito sneered.

"Obviously me! I'm all lively and fiery, while Sora's all cool and quiet. We go together best."

"You're biased! Do you like Sora?!" Obito shouted, convinced Kurenai's reasoning made no sense.

He'd thought that saying this would make Kurenai back down. But to his surprise,

she proudly thrust out her chest. Her figure was beginning to take shape, and at eleven or twelve, girls didn't have that many twists and turns in their thoughts.

"That's right, I like Sora. And it's not just me. Rin does too. Unlike some people, who clearly like someone but don't dare say it."

Obito jolted like a cat with its fur standing on end and hurriedly looked at Rin. She turned her head slightly, her face faintly red, and tugged at Kurenai's sleeve. "Kurenai!"

Crack—

Some boy's heart quietly shattered like glass.

"Kurenai Yuhi—!!!"

Sora Uchiha coughed twice and grabbed Obito.

If he didn't step in, Obito might actually start a fight with Kurenai right here.

"Calm down. There are people watching," he said quietly.

Obito looked around. Sure enough, quite a few people nearby were sneaking glances in their direction.

His expression darkened. His nose felt itchy, and he turned away, no longer wanting to talk. He was starting to look like a reclusive teenager.

"Kurenai, you should stop talking too." Sora flicked a finger at her. Seeing that she seemed ready to twist the knife, he quickly flicked her again.

Kurenai clutched her head and glared fiercely at Sora, displeased that he was helping Obito.

Mitaraishi Anko watched them without blinking and swallowed.

Intense! So intense!

When had Kurenai gotten so fierce?

Kurenai's image immediately grew larger in Anko's eyes.

"By the way, why are you all out shopping together?" Sora hurriedly changed the subject, hoping to dispel the awkward atmosphere.

Kurenai folded her arms across her chest and turned away, her face practically spelling out, "Don't talk to me."

Sora rubbed his nose and looked at Rin. Fortunately, Rin wasn't as hot-tempered as Kurenai. She said softly,

"The front line is tense. Those of us who just passed the exams to become Chunin will be heading to the battlefield soon. Kurenai brought us out shopping to clear our heads."

Sora understood. So that was why Kurenai had been so irritable today. The gloom of heading to the battlefield had been getting to her.

He thought for a moment, then placed a hand on Kurenai's head and gently ruffled her hair.

"Don't worry. It'll be all right," he said, his gaze unconsciously drifting to the faces of the girls with paint on their cheeks.

"Everyone will be all right." His voice was gentle, yet utterly resolute.

Sora's voice seemed to have a certain magic to it, soothing the Chunin.

Kurenai felt the warmth on the crown of her head. A blush crept to her earlobes, and she gave a quiet "Mm."

"By the way, where are you all planning to go next?"

Once everyone had mostly recovered, Sora asked.

"We're planning to go to the training ground," Kurenai said, her voice carrying a hint of tenderness. At that moment, she seemed a little afraid to meet Sora's eyes.

"The training ground? What for?" Sora asked in confusion.

Rin rolled her eyes at him. She seemed like a different person from the one who'd been with Kurenai, far more lively... or perhaps she'd simply returned to her usual self.

When Sora had told them that everyone would be all right, his gaze had lingered on her for a moment. She'd noticed, and it had made her very happy.

"Because Minato-sensei will be teaching everyone about the war at the training ground later."

"Minato-sensei?" Sora froze for a moment, then realized who she meant. "Minato Namikaze! He's actually in the village at a time like this?"

He knew that Minato Namikaze was in charge of Team 7, and in a way, Minato was his teacher too.

But ever since the war began, Minato had been active on battlefields everywhere under the title of Yellow Flash. He rarely returned to the village.

He hadn't expected Minato to be back today.

But...

He was a little puzzled and looked at the others. "How do you know Minato will be instructing people at the training ground today?"

They exchanged glances, looking a little uneasy. In the end, Kurenai stood up.

"Someone from the security team specifically notified the ninjas who took the Chunin Ninja Exams."

Sora gave a quiet "Mm," his expression unchanged, as though he'd only been asking casually.

Interesting. Very interesting. Everyone had been notified, but he, the top scorer in the Chunin Ninja Exams, hadn't heard a thing.

Even Obito, who was also in the Uchiha Clan, had been notified.

That meant the problem had to lie with either the Konoha High Command or Minato Namikaze.

The chance that it was Minato was tiny. After all, they'd once gotten along very well, and Sora didn't believe Minato would deliberately shut him out.

That left the Konoha High Command. The old Third Hokage? Or Root?

He sneered inwardly. He knew why they'd done it. Someone in the Konoha High Command was afraid of his talent, afraid he'd become the next Fugaku Uchiha. This was a warning.

Back in Fugaku Uchiha's generation, at least the Konoha High Command had controlled his grandfather, Kagami Uchiha, to keep Fugaku in check.

But in this generation, there was no one among his peers who could restrain him. If he became Uchiha Clan Head in the future, he would hold absolute power.

After all... Shisui Uchiha and Uchiha Itachi were still too young to spread their wings. They hadn't even entered the Konoha High Command's sight yet.

Now that he understood, he felt all the more that his father's plan to change the Uchiha Clan's standing through the Third Shinobi World War was absolutely the right decision.

"Maybe they forgot to notify me." Sora Uchiha smiled faintly. "I'll go to the training ground with you later."

Everyone fell silent. Forgetting to notify the top scorer in the Chunin Ninja Exams? That was about as likely as the Third Hokage choking on a drink and dying.

They knew, more or less, what the Uchiha Clan's situation in Konoha was like.

They didn't say anything, silently nodding instead.

Sora followed behind them with his head lowered, his expression hidden. If anyone had bent down to look, they would have seen that he was smiling.

They were deliberately ignoring him?

Then what would happen when he showed up at the training ground himself?

Interesting. Very interesting.

Perhaps it was hereditary. Sora Uchiha had the same pride that most members of the Uchiha Clan carried.