Early the next morning.
The Great Elder and Hakuto walked Keigo Uchiha to the entrance of the Ninja Academy. "Great Elder, you really don't need to escort me. I can get there and back on my own."
Keigo Uchiha glanced toward the shadows in the distance and chuckled. "Besides, aren't members of the Uchiha Clan watching over me from the shadows?"
"Jonin-level strength is more than enough."
In the shadows,
two Uchiha Clan Jonin
had been following him the whole time, keeping him safe!
"You noticed?"
The Great Elder froze, then shook his head helplessly. "I really can't hide anything from you. I didn't think you could even detect a Jonin's presence. I'm getting old... and now people are looking down on me. Fine, I won't come next time."
Keigo Uchiha: "..."
The Great Elder was quite imposing around others. Why was he becoming such a clown around him and Hakuto?
"Keigo, I'll study ninjutsu hard in the clan too! Then, once I'm ready, I'll be the one who heals you!"
Hakuto clenched her delicate fists, her little face brimming with determination!
"Of course. I'll look forward to that day."
Keigo Uchiha smiled. Hakuto had an aptitude for Yang Release and Medical Ninjutsu, but she wouldn't learn much at the Ninja Academy, so there was no need for her to attend.
The Great Elder had personally hired a private tutor to teach Hakuto medical ninjutsu.
Konoha.
Inside a classroom at the Ninja Academy.
"Looks like everyone here is the heir to one of the major clans."
A mature-looking boy grinned. "How about we introduce ourselves? From now on, we're Class A for this year! And Class A is the elite class!"
Keigo Uchiha glanced at the boy impassively.
The Sarutobi Clan emblem was on the back of his clothes.
Given the current timeline... could he be Sarutobi Hiruzen's son?
Of course, he couldn't be Sarutobi Asuma. The timeline didn't add up!
He must be Asuma's late older brother!
"I'll introduce myself first. I'm Sarutobi Shinnosuke, and my father is Sarutobi Hiruzen!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke smiled amiably. "I'm good at throwing kunai, and I know Fire Release and Earth Release ninjutsu. If you have any questions about those, feel free to ask me!"
He grinned, showing off a dazzling set of white teeth.
"I'm Gekko Yabu of the Gekko Clan. I specialize in swordsmanship."
A slender, handsome boy introduced himself.
He did look a little like Gekko Hayate.
"I'm Yuhi Kixia of the Yūhi Clan. I specialize in genjutsu. And... I don't think the Uchiha Clan is the strongest genjutsu clan in Konoha."
As she spoke,
Yuhi Kixia lifted her chin and looked at Keigo Uchiha.
She had an oval face and a fair, graceful neck. Her clear red eyes held a gentle warmth. Even with the hint of a challenge in her words, she didn't seem aggressive at all.
"The Uchiha Clan?!"
Everyone's eyes suddenly turned to Keigo Uchiha.
Their eyes lit up.
"He's so handsome! The Uchiha Clan has so many handsome guys!"
A blonde girl's eyes sparkled, and her pretty face instantly lit up.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke, who had introduced himself first, was already handsome, with a sunny, rugged air about him. But next to Keigo Uchiha, he was like a flower beside a leaf.
You could say he was the best-looking guy in the class.
But the best-looking guy in the village was in a league of his own!
"Nice to meet you. Maybe we can become good friends. My name is Yamanaka Asagao."
The blonde beauty smiled and waved at Keigo Uchiha.
She wasn't exactly falling for Keigo Uchiha, but a handsome face was enough to lift anyone's spirits. More importantly, members of the Uchiha Clan were practically all geniuses!
Especially those who ended up in this class!
The rest introduced themselves one by one: Nara Kano, Akimichi Lie, Ruri of the Hyuga Clan, Aburame Shiku, and Inuzuka Mi.
It was worth noting that although Inuzuka Mi belonged to the Ninja Dog Clan, she didn't have a Ninja Dog with her.
"I'm really sorry if I've caused everyone any trouble. I... I'm not particularly good at anything..."
Two symmetrical purple markings were painted across Inuzuka Mi's cheeks, in the same places as Rin Nohara's.
But compared to the outgoing, gentle Rin Nohara, her personality was more like... Hyuga Hinata's?
Keigo Uchiha took it all in and memorized everyone's personality.
"I'm Keigo Uchiha. I specialize in Lightning Release, Water Release, and Fire Release."
Keigo Uchiha thought for a moment before introducing himself.
These twelve really did live up to their reputations as the major clans' young geniuses!
At just seven or eight years old, they had already learned ninjutsu and settled on a direction for the future. By comparison, in the original story, Uchiha Sasuke had no guidance at all when he was nine.
He didn't even know his chakra nature!
"Three natural chakra natures? Then you have the same talent as the Fourth Hokage! You'll be able to use even more powerful combination ninjutsu. With the Sharingan to support you, becoming an Elite Jonin is only a matter of time!"
Nara Kano exclaimed in shock. "What terrifying talent!"
Having three natural chakra natures meant having far more possibilities.
Once he became a Jonin, he'd only need to make up the other two to use ninjutsu of all five natures.
When fighting an enemy, he could choose a nature that countered their techniques!
Never underestimate elemental advantages in ninjutsu. They could be decisive in lower-level fights below Kage Level.
"The Uchiha Clan really is full of talent. I remember one of our clan elders mentioning another genius named Fugaku Uchiha. He's every bit as brilliant!"
Akimichi Lie marveled. "What a frightening clan!"
Everyone was astonished.
It wasn't unusual for a clan to have one or two geniuses.
But the Uchiha Clan's geniuses were like bamboo shoots after the rain—so numerous it made your scalp crawl!
Nearby, Kurama Shimotsuki wore a gentle smile, her dark eyes glinting as she remarked casually, "The Uchiha Clan has plenty of geniuses, but the Senju Clan has its share too."
"One relies on powerful eyes, the other on physical strength. I'm just curious... which of the two is stronger?"
As she spoke, she brushed back her hair.
It sounded like an offhand remark.
But Keigo Uchiha's eyes narrowed at once, and he looked at Kurama Shimotsuki.
Kurama Shimotsuki met his gaze, still smiling gently.
"So Yuhi Kixia isn't the only one who wants to challenge the Uchiha Clan's genjutsu. Kurama Shimotsuki, you seem to want to test yourself too."
Keigo Uchiha spoke calmly, his dark eyes flicking toward Kurama Shimotsuki.
This woman... seemed gentle.
But she was seriously devious!
Hadn't what she just said been meant to stir up trouble between the Senju and Uchiha Clans?
She loved watching the chaos!
Keigo Uchiha immediately understood her personality. Like Robin from One Piece, she seemed gentle, but was actually a scheming woman—a rose with thorns!
The more radiant the smile, the more those thorns could hurt!
"Hey, hey! The Uchiha Clan may look prettier, but when it comes to real strength, you have to look at the Senju Clan!"
Senju Nawaki protested. He looked at Keigo Uchiha with hostility. "My goal is to become the Hokage of Konoha and make the Senju Clan shine again!"
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