Shisui walked lightly into a classroom, where an atmosphere of nervous anticipation hung in the air.
A man wearing a Chunin vest stood beside the lectern, his expression serious. Holding a form in his hand, he looked at Shisui and asked directly, "Name, age, and have you managed to refine chakra?"
His crisp, no-nonsense voice rang especially clearly through the quiet classroom.
Shisui remained calm, answering steadily, "Uchiha Shisui, five years old. I've already refined chakra."
His answer was brief, but it carried an unmistakable confidence. After all, successfully refining chakra at such a young age was extremely rare, a testament to his remarkable talent as a genius of the Uchiha Clan.
The Chunin nodded slightly, a hint of approval flickering in his eyes. "That'll do. Come back after spring begins. We'll announce the accepted students then."
Shisui bowed politely to the man, then turned and left the classroom.
As he walked along the path through the school grounds, he wasn't particularly worried about the result.
Shisui had just started to leave the Ninja Academy, alive with excitement and anticipation, when hurried footsteps sounded behind him.
He turned instinctively and saw Kakashi striding toward him.
Kakashi stopped in front of Shisui, his eyes gleaming with eagerness. "Uchiha Shisui, we're both geniuses. How about a match?"
His words were full of challenge, as though he couldn't wait to find out just how capable Shisui really was.
"Kakashi?" Shisui furrowed his brow slightly and turned to face him. As he looked Kakashi over, he noticed something unexpected.
To his surprise, the scarf around Kakashi's neck was exactly like his own. The strange coincidence stirred an odd feeling in Shisui.
Shisui quickly came back to himself and asked, puzzled, "What are we competing in?"
He was surprised by the sudden challenge, but a spark of competitiveness quietly kindled in his eyes. After all, as a genius facing someone as talented as Kakashi, he wanted to know which of them was truly better.
"Come with me." Without another word, Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique. His figure blurred and became a shadow, then he sprang away in a few swift leaps, darting into the distance like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, he was already far away, leaving only afterimages behind.
"So we're starting already? Well, I'll play along for a while." Though Shisui sounded nonchalant, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. His buried competitive streak had been thoroughly roused.
He pushed off hard, chakra surging as he skillfully used the Body Flicker Technique to pursue Kakashi.
Shisui's figure darted like a ghost between the buildings and trees beside the school, stirring up a breeze. Leaves rustled in his wake, as if cheering on the match about to unfold.
It took only a moment for Shisui to catch up with Kakashi, thanks to his solid skills. Kakashi saw him and his eyes narrowed. He was startled.
"Damn, this guy's Body Flicker Technique is faster than mine." Kakashi frowned, unwilling to accept it. Keeping his eyes fixed on Shisui's back, he brooded silently.
He had been quite confident in his Body Flicker Technique. After all, none of his peers had ever used it before.
But he hadn't expected to run into Shisui today, much less have him catch up so easily. Kakashi realized that this Uchiha genius was truly not to be underestimated. The match looked far trickier than he'd expected.
As Shisui sped along with the Body Flicker Technique, an unusual red gleam flickered in his eyes. His gaze fell on the virtual interface only he could see.
Sharingan: One Tomoe (Unlocked) D-Rank Body Replacement Technique (Unlocked) D-Rank Body Flicker Technique (Unlocked) C-Rank Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique (Unlocked)
Shisui glanced at the list and pursed his lips, muttering to himself, "These really are the most basic of the basics. I wonder when I'll unlock something new."
His words were full of longing for more powerful, mysterious jutsu. After all, as someone who had crossed into this world, he wasn't content to rely on basic jutsu forever. He eagerly anticipated unlocking more impressive skills so he could go further down the shinobi path and handle any unknown dangers with ease.
Kakashi leaped lightly down from the treetop and landed on level ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust. A sheer cliff, more than ten meters high, towered before him. It was steep and treacherous, its rocky surface marked by the weathering of time, as if silently speaking of its toughness and the difficulty of scaling it.
Shisui was sitting on the ground, taking his time, with a foxtail grass stem casually dangling from his mouth. He looked relaxed and carefree, utterly unbothered. Glancing up at Kakashi, who stood before the cliff, he raised the corners of his mouth and called out teasingly, "Kakashi, you're so slow. Can you even do this?"
Kakashi was silent for a long while. His signature dead-fish eyes narrowed slightly as he looked straight at Shisui, his gaze serious and unwavering.
"The match has only just begun. That was just a warm-up," Kakashi said calmly. "This is what I'm best at. We'll climb the cliff one-handed, without using chakra. Whoever reaches the top first wins. How about it?"
As he spoke, his eyes stayed fixed on the towering cliff. He was already determined to win.
Kakashi had practiced climbing plenty of times. With his excellent physical condition and polished technique, he was confident he could take first place and put Shisui in his place.
"Kakashi, one-handed climbing takes too much skill. Is there something simpler but more decisive we can compete in?" Shisui looked at the cliff, feeling somewhat helpless.
A sly smile suddenly appeared on Kakashi's usually impassive face. The corners of his mouth lifted, and an odd glint flashed in his eyes. He grinned at Shisui and teased, "Heh, sure. All you have to do is admit defeat!"
He seemed certain that Shisui wouldn't dare continue the match. He was trying to goad him into giving in, so he could win by default and take the upper hand in this contest between two geniuses.
"I don't care who wins, but the winner has to buy the meal!" Shisui's lips curled slightly, a sly glint flickering in his eyes as he casually threw out the condition. He had his own little plan: no matter what happened, he'd get to eat.
"Of course!" Kakashi agreed without hesitation, thumping his chest with confidence. He acted as if victory was already in the bag and treating Shisui to a meal would be no trouble at all. At that moment, all he could think about was winning the match.
"I give up! Kakashi, you're truly Konoha's number-one genius!" Shisui abruptly changed his tune. His face fell, and his shoulders slumped as if he'd lost all spirit for the match.
But a glimmer of amusement hid in his slightly narrowed eyes as he waited to see how Kakashi would react.
Kakashi was stunned by Shisui's sudden surrender. But seeing how Shisui had boosted his ego with such dejected praise, he couldn't very well say anything more.
Left with no choice, he brought out his best fishing skills and prepared to make good on his promise to buy the meal.
Before long, Kakashi was sitting at the family dining table with Shisui and his father, Hatake Sakumo.
The table was set with freshly cooked Pacific saury. Its golden-brown skin gave off a tempting aroma, and the tender fish tasted delicious with every bite.
"Shisui, next time, I hope you'll take the challenge seriously." Kakashi set down the plate of grilled fish and looked straight at Uchiha Shisui.
Feeling Kakashi's displeasure, Shisui quickly put down his bowl and chopsticks and swallowed his food. He mumbled, "I know, I know. You're so naggy, Kakashi."
Hatake Sakumo looked kindly at the two of them and thought, Kakashi, you've already formed a bond of your own.
The three of them sat together, laughing and chatting as they enjoyed the rare meal. The competitiveness that had arisen from their match gradually faded in the warm atmosphere.