A Talent That Kept Getting Better?

Uchiha Nagi thought of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, and hesitated.

"I guess I do have a couple of friends."

"That's great." Uchiha Eri nodded. "Nagi, just make sure you don't follow the example of those people in the clan who go around bragging about Uchiha pride. Make lots of friends, okay?"

Uchiha Nagi had no objection. He was already quite different from the other Uchiha.

After that, Uchiha Nagi told Eri about his upcoming job at the barbecue restaurant.

"Nagi, the most important things for you right now are studying and training. Once you graduate from the Ninja Academy, you'll be able to earn a lot more money." Eri fell silent for a long while before answering.

"Yeah, I think so too, but... by then, money might not matter anymore."

Uchiha Nagi didn't deny it.

"Besides, Eri, I've worked out the timing. The job at the barbecue restaurant won't interfere with my studying or training. I know what matters most."

Eri was at a loss for words. As she looked at Uchiha Nagi, who seemed to be growing more mature by the day, she felt ashamed of herself.

She was such a useless big sister that she needed a six-year-old child to go out and work to help support the household.

But, just as Uchiha Nagi had said, if he could take the job, it would greatly ease the pressure on both of them.

"I'm sorry, Uncle and Auntie. I'm so useless that I have to rely on Nagi to help."

Eri eventually agreed, but she couldn't feel good about it.

She had accepted help from Uchiha Nagi's parents before. And although this house was a little run-down, it was still his family's property and had nothing to do with her.

So she had not only relied on his parents' help, but was now living in their house, and yet she couldn't even provide for him...

Had her life really been such a failure?

However, Uchiha Eri hid her feelings well, and Uchiha Nagi didn't notice.

"Eri, have you eaten?"

After Uchiha Eri agreed, Uchiha Nagi asked her.

"Of course I have. I may not be as good a cook as you, but I've always been the one making dinner." Eri rolled her eyes at Uchiha Nagi. She wasn't foolish enough to wait for him to come home before eating.

Uchiha Nagi nodded. In that case, he didn't need to cook.

After telling Eri, he went to train.

He had slept too long in the hospital office today, so he hadn't finished his training.

It was already too late to get it all done, but doing a little was better than nothing.

Eri watched Uchiha Nagi doing basic exercises in the courtyard, her gaze briefly growing distant.

"Uncle, Auntie, Nagi will definitely surpass you one day."

Uchiha Nagi, meanwhile, found it a little strange. Although something inexplicable seemed to be wrong with his body, his training results were excellent.

He had even reached the final stage of training with weighted Water Walking.

According to Uchiha Nagi's plan, this was supposed to take him a whole school year.

After all, even the scenes of Uzumaki Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha learning to walk up trees showed that the training wasn't easy—unless he had as little chakra as Sakura Haruno.

But when Uchiha Nagi felt his chakra, it didn't seem particularly low for a six-year-old, even if it might not yet measure up to Sakura Haruno's, since she was already a Genin.

Besides, he had only just started working with chakra. He shouldn't have been learning so quickly.

On top of that, Water Walking and walking on oil, let alone doing them while carrying weights, should have grown steadily more difficult. But they all felt about the same to Uchiha Nagi.

That was what puzzled him most.

Could my talent actually be getting better?

Uchiha Nagi wondered, then gave a helpless laugh. How could that be possible?

After that, during the day Uchiha Eri was home, Uchiha Nagi stayed on high alert, afraid he might inexplicably fall asleep again and let her notice something was wrong.

Fortunately, Uchiha Nagi was gradually getting used to the problem and had found a way to deal with it.

He kept his body tense the entire time and his attention sharply focused.

Although it was tiring and mentally draining, it was better than letting Eri find out.

A thirteen-year-old girl already had enough burdens on her shoulders without taking on ones that weren't hers.

And so, Uchiha Nagi kept it up for a long time.

That night was Uchiha Nagi's first shift, and it went well.

After all, he was not only an Uchiha, but had also been recommended by Tsunade. Akimichi Store Manager couldn't afford to offend someone with both those connections.

The boss was probably wondering how the Uchiha had ended up connected to Tsunade.

However, once Uchiha Nagi started working, he found it a little exasperating.

He was supposed to be a waiter, but he might as well have been the Akimichi boss's personal server.

For most of the few hours he worked, he was grilling meat for the boss...

After all, the Akimichi Clan was famous for its huge appetites!

I'm definitely earning every bit of this pay.

Uchiha Nagi grumbled. His shift was short and his hourly wage was high.

But now he had every right to say that he'd earned this hard-earned money through sheer effort!

The next day, Uchiha Eri set out on another mission.

Uchiha Nagi wanted her to stop taking on missions so frequently, but she refused.

"Nagi is working so hard, so I should work even harder too!"

Uchiha Eri said, leaving Uchiha Nagi with nothing more to say.

Just as she hadn't stopped him from working at the barbecue restaurant, he couldn't stop her from making her own choice.

Sigh. I guess I need to think about how to graduate early.

Normally, if Uchiha Nagi wanted a peaceful life, he shouldn't need to graduate early. Going to school was already a very stable path.

But now, because of his family's financial situation, he was thinking about graduating early.

The problem is, the Second Shinobi World War hasn't started yet, so the early-graduation system hasn't been introduced...

Uchiha Nagi sighed. Given the current circumstances, he would have to demonstrate exceptional strength and talent if he wanted to graduate early.

And he would have to attract the attention of the people at the top.

The Third Hokage, Shimura Danzō, the Uchiha leadership, for example...

That was precisely what went against Uchiha Nagi's ideals. If he did that, he would have to say goodbye to a peaceful life for good.

That was what troubled him most.

I should see if there's another way...

Uchiha Nagi still didn't want to sacrifice his whole life for this.