Kakashi Sakuya

Early summer, 73rd year of the Konoha era.

The sun already carried a scorching heat, and the cicadas buzzed incessantly in the old cherry trees surrounding the training ground. This was the designated area for the Genin preparatory class, where a group of children aged nine to ten were engaged in basic taijutsu sparring.

The air was thick with the scent of sun-warmed grass, sweat, and the vibrant vitality of young bodies. Himawari Uzumaki nimbly dodged a straight punch from her opponent, used a gentle backhand motion to redirect the force, and sent the other child tumbling onto the soft mat. She reached out to pull them up, a gentle, apologetic smile on her face: "Sorry, was I a bit too rough?"

The boy shook his head, his face flushed, barely daring to meet her eyes. As the daughter of the Seventh Hokage, Himawari was naturally the center of attention in class, yet she possessed not a shred of arrogance; instead, she was like a piece of warm, polished jade, drawing everyone around her in.

Under the shade of a nearby tree, Shikano Nara—almost a carbon copy of Shikadai, though with even more laziness in his brow—sat with his eyes half-closed. He appeared to be dozing, but in reality, his gaze swept lazily across the field, analyzing the movements and openings of every student. Chiba Akimichi (Chocho's younger sister) was whispering complaints to Kazamatsuri Yamanaka (Ino's younger brother) about how the heat was ruining her mood for snacking.

In the center of the field, Jieno Tiehe—Iwabe's younger brother—was drenched in sweat, his bronze skin glistening as he unleashed a barrage of strikes against a wooden post. With his hair cropped to a half-inch buzz cut and a sturdy, muscular build, every punch and kick he threw carried a whistling wind, brimming with violent power. He was the most notorious brawler in the class, a firm believer in the supremacy of taijutsu; when words failed to bridge a gap, he would not hesitate to throw a punch.

The atmosphere of the training ground shifted abruptly with the arrival of three individuals.

Their homeroom teacher, Kakei Sumire, walked in front. Dressed in her Chunin uniform, she carried herself with a gentle yet steady composure. Her gaze swept across the field, radiating an unquestionable authority. Behind her followed two unfamiliar figures.

All eyes were instantly drawn to them.

They were two exceptionally striking youths. The one in front was slightly taller, with neat, short black hair and a few rebellious strands falling over his forehead. His skin was fair, yet his features were as sharp as if carved by a knife. His eyes, in particular, were a rare, deep violet, like a night sky harboring a storm; his gaze was sharp and cold, and a mere glance was enough to make several children instinctively look away. His thin lips were pressed tight, his jawline taut, and his entire being radiated a tense, "keep away" aura. His gait was steady, every step seemingly measured with precision, carrying a latent, restrained power.

The youth half a step behind him possessed a delicate face that resembled his brother's by seventy or eighty percent. He shared the same black hair and violet eyes, yet his expression was far softer. His hair was slightly longer, resting against his head in soft layers, and his skin was so fair it was almost translucent. His long, thick eyelashes made those large, slightly anxious violet eyes even more captivating. He kept his head bowed, appearing somewhat reserved, and that exquisite beauty was almost blinding in the sunlight, carrying an androgynous charm that blurred the lines of gender.

Both wore dark blue short-sleeved training outfits embroidered with the crest of the Hatake clan on the back.

"Assemble." Sumire's voice was not loud, yet it reached every child's ears with perfect clarity.

The students quickly gathered around, their gazes—curious, probing, and scrutinizing—practically pinning the two newcomers to the spot.

"Today, our class welcomes three new students," Sumire said, turning slightly with a gentle expression. "These two are Kakashi Sakuya and Kakashi Lian. They are the nephews of the Sixth Hokage, Lord Kakashi. From today on, they will be studying with all of you."

"Hatake?" "The Sixth's nephews? I've never heard of them!" "They look... pretty impressive, don't they?" a girl whispered, her eyes lingering mostly on the delicate and beautiful Lian. "Tch, nepotism," came a disdainful mutter from Tiehe's direction. It wasn't loud, but in the sudden silence, it sounded exceptionally clear.

Sumire's gaze swept over Tiehe with a hint of warning, though she did not pursue it immediately. She continued the introductions: "The other student is an exchange student from Nadeshiko Village, Nadeshiko Haku."

Only then did the crowd notice a girl standing slightly further back. She had short, silver hair like moonlight and ice-blue pupils. Dressed in the form-fitting combat gear unique to Nadeshiko Village, she stood tall, her temperament as cold and aloof as a lotus on a snowy peak. She gave a slight nod as a gesture of greeting; her posture was impeccable, yet it carried an insurmountable sense of distance.

The three newcomers were unusually silent, a silence that felt jarringly out of place with the original atmosphere of the training ground.

After the brief introduction, Sumire arranged for a group shuriken-throwing practice. She deliberately split up the three newcomers: Sakuya was grouped with Tiehe and another civilian student; Lian was with Himawari and Shikano; Nadeshiko Haku was paired with Chiba and Kazamatsuri.

The practice began. Tiehe's hostility toward Sakuya was barely concealed.

"Hey, 'Hatake'," Tiehe said, crossing his arms, his muscles bulging. "Did the Sixth Hokage teach you how to throw shuriken himself? Don't let us down, now." The sarcasm in his tone was obvious.

Sakuya didn't even lift his eyelids, as if he hadn't heard a word. He walked to the throwing line, his fingers brushing over the shuriken in his ninja pouch with fluid, precise movements. He didn't even bother to aim, merely flicking his wrist.

Whoosh! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

The three shuriken transformed into three streaks of black light, hitting the dead center of the target twenty meters away with astonishing speed. The latter two perfectly struck the tail of the first, the three shuriken stacking into a perfect triangular formation, deeply embedded in the bullseye.

The entire sequence was silent and so fast it was almost impossible to track.

The surroundings fell silent for a moment, followed by a few low gasps. Even Shikano opened his eyes slightly wider.

Tiehe's face flushed red. He hadn't expected the other boy to actually have real skill, which only made him feel more humiliated. He snorted coldly and threw his own shuriken. They were full of power and hit the bullseye, but they lacked the effortless precision and technique Sakuya had displayed.

"Hmph, all flash and no substance," Tiehe muttered stubbornly, though his momentum had clearly waned.

In the other group, Lian's performance was standard. His movements were almost graceful, and his shuriken hit the bullseye, but his force and speed seemed slightly inferior to his brother's. Coupled with the lingering nervousness on his delicate face, he didn't appear quite as impressive.

"That was a great throw, Hatake-san," Himawari praised him sincerely, her smile warm.

Lian's face flushed slightly, and he whispered, "Th-thank you." His voice was clear, carrying a soft, gentle tone.

This voice and demeanor, combined with his excessively pretty face, gave Tiehe—who had been holding back his frustration—a new target.

During the group rotation break, Tiehe deliberately walked past Lian, sneering in a voice loud enough for everyone nearby to hear:

"Hey, are you really a boy? Don't tell me the Sixth Hokage, just to save face, took some distant niece and forced her in as a nephew? You look like a porcelain doll, and you talk like a sissy. Does your 'Hatake' family rely on your faces to get ahead?"

Malicious laughter erupted from Tiehe's cronies.

Lian's body stiffened abruptly, his face turning pale in an instant. He bit his lower lip hard, his violet eyes welling up with humiliation and a flicker of panic. He instinctively looked toward his brother.

Sakuya's movements stopped.

He turned around slowly. In that instant, the surrounding air seemed to drop in temperature. All his previous indifference and restraint vanished, replaced by a cold, tangible killing intent. Those deep violet eyes were no longer calm; they were churning with a terrifying storm.

Teacher Sumire was in the distance instructing Nadeshiko Haku and did not immediately notice the conflict.

"Tiehe, that's enough!" Himawari stepped forward, frowning as she scolded him.

But Sakuya moved.

His movement was so fast it left only an afterimage. Almost no one saw how he moved; they only felt a blur before their eyes, and he was already standing in front of Tiehe.

Tiehe didn't even have time to adopt a defensive stance, seeing only a cold hand gripping his throat like an iron pincer. He instinctively tried to block, but felt as though his arm had collided with solid steel.

The next second, the world spun!

Bang!

A heavy, muffled thud!

Jieno Tiehe, the boy who prided himself on his taijutsu and strength, was slammed hard into the hard earth of the training ground by a shoulder throw so clean and ruthless it was brutal! The force was so great that the ground itself trembled slightly.

"Urgh!" Tiehe let out a pained grunt, the air squeezed out of his lungs in an instant. His vision went black, and his entire frame felt as if it had been rattled apart.

But this was only the beginning.

Sakuya's knee pressed heavily against his chest like a war hammer, stealing the air from his lungs. Immediately following, cold fists rained down like a violent storm!

There was no ninjutsu, no flashy techniques. It was merely the most primitive, brutal, and precise taijutsu assault!

Every punch avoided vital organs, yet struck the most painful points on the human body—the abdomen, the ribs, the brachial plexus!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The dull thuds of impact rang out in rapid succession, accompanied by the tuneless, agonizing whimpers squeezed from Tiehe's throat. He tried to struggle, but Sakuya, pinning him down, was like a mountain. There was no emotion in those purple eyes, only a cold, despairing darkness. His gaze was chillingly detached, and the trajectory of his storm-like fists was nearly impossible to track...

Fast, accurate, and ruthless!

The entire process occurred in the blink of an eye. By the time the surrounding children recovered from their shock and let out terrified screams, Tiehe was already slumped on the ground like a pile of mud, lacking even the strength to groan, his body twitching involuntarily.

Sakuya stopped, his breathing not even quickened. He stood up slowly, looking down at the disheveled Tiehe from above. The storm in his eyes gradually subsided, returning to a bottomless, icy pool.

He shook his hands as if brushing off something filthy, then spoke in a voice so calm it was bone-chilling, enunciating every word:

"Watch your mouth. If I hear you talking about my brother again, it won't just be a few ribs that break next time."

The entire training ground fell into a deathly silence.

All the children turned pale with fright; even Shikano's eyes were wide open, filled with horror. Chiba didn't even notice the snacks falling from his hand onto the ground.

Himawari covered her mouth, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Only Nadeshiko Haku's ice-blue eyes flickered slightly, her gaze locked firmly onto Sakuya. There was no fear in them, but rather a sense of extreme surprise and... inquiry.

"Stop!"

Only then did Instructor Kakei Sumire arrive. Seeing Tiehe on the ground and the expressionless Sakuya, her face turned incredibly stern.

Sakuya offered no defense, merely nodding slightly toward Kakei Sumire before turning and walking over to Lian, who was still pale.

He reached out and, with a natural motion, brushed non-existent dust off his brother's shoulder. The gesture was almost gentle, a stark contrast to his previous violent demeanor.

He lowered his head slightly, warning him in a cold, clear voice that only the two of them could hear:

"Remember our status. Forbearance is a strategy, but our bottom line must not be crossed. You are my brother; that is enough."

Lian looked at his brother's still-cold profile, then at the groaning Tiehe on the ground. Color slowly returned to his pale face, and he nodded heavily, the panic in his eyes gradually replaced by something firm.

Kakashi Sakuya. From this moment on, this name was deeply branded into the hearts of every student in the Konoha 73rd Genin Preparatory Class in an overwhelmingly powerful and brutal fashion.

Kakei Sumire's eyes flashed imperceptibly. When she had just arrived, she had clearly seen the killing intent in the young boy's eyes. She was absolutely certain that if Tiehe had dared to say one more word, he would have been killed without a moment's hesitation!

Such a gaze made her involuntarily think of that long-haired figure, clad in armor like a god of war—

"Do you also wish to dance?"

She looked at Sakuya with a sharp gaze.

"Kakashi Sakuya. Come to my office after class!"