If the Fifth Hokage Was an Uchiha

Uchiha Kei strode toward Sasuke with a swagger that suggested he didn't care about anyone's opinion.

"Little brother, call me Big Brother and let me hear it."

Sasuke stared at him with a blank expression, his face turning increasingly red.

"Ah, and which brother was it just now who said he'd eat poop on the spot if I hit the target?"

Down in the crowd, a boy wearing a headband suddenly lowered his head, his face also flushing bright red.

"If you dare to say it, you have to dare to admit it. We are all going to become gems in the future, so we must keep our word."

"Come out, come out. Don't think that just because you aren't saying anything, I don't know you're home..."

The peers around him looked at him with bewildered expressions, completely failing to understand what he was talking about.

No one was home; weren't they all in the plaza?

"Kei, what are you talking about?"

Naruto also looked up, looking equally confused.

"Cough, cough, got a bit carried away." Uchiha Kei scratched his head. "Well, not coming out, are you? Fine, forget it then."

He could forgive someone for just running their mouth, but as for Sasuke...

"Little brother, why haven't you called me Big Brother yet?"

Sasuke's small face was flushed red, a stark contrast to his usual tsundere image.

"Bi... Bi... Big..."

After stammering for a long time, Sasuke ultimately couldn't bring himself to say "Big Brother."

"Alright, alright, I now announce that everyone has passed the entrance exam!"

The proctor stepped in at the right moment to smooth things over, leading all the youths into the classroom.

Sitting in the classroom, Uchiha Kei thoroughly enjoyed the gazes directed at him by those around him.

Surprise, confusion, and disbelief.

"Kei, how did you do that just now?"

Naruto leaned in close to him, whispering.

"This is my true strength; I was just pretending before. How about it? Did I fool you?" Uchiha Kei said with a smug look on his face.

"Tch."

Naruto didn't believe him at all, but the facts were right before his eyes; the image of those three shuriken hitting the bullseye was still fresh in his mind.

Just as the classroom was in an uproar, a ninja with a bandage on his nose walked in.

"Students, welcome to the Ninja Academy. From now on, I will be your teacher. You can call me Iruka-sensei."

"Hello, Iruka-sensei!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd.

To them, everything about the Ninja Academy was fresh and new, including Iruka.

"I will now take attendance. Please stand up when your name is called."

"Nakaya Tanaka."

"Here!"

"Tanaka Koya."

"Here!"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Here!"

Erzhuzi stood up with a haughty expression, but when he saw Uchiha Kei's mocking smile, his arrogance instantly shattered.

"Uchiha Kei."

"Here."

Uchiha Kei stood up lazily.

Iruka looked at him with interest. "I heard from the proctor that your shuriken skills are quite good?"

"Average, just average. It's all thanks to my peers making me look good; it's not worth mentioning."

Uchiha Kei waved his hand dismissively, drawing glares from the entire class.

The roll call finished quickly, and Iruka began his lecture.

After listening for only a short while, Uchiha Kei already began to feel drowsy.

To avoid spending his first class asleep, he decided to investigate how to use his Shock Value.

"Ding, 1000 Shock Value, can be exchanged for 1 random basic ninjutsu. Do you wish to exchange?"

Just as he thought of this, the notification sound rang out.

Uchiha Kei pondered for a moment and chose to exchange.

"Ding! Ninjutsu exchange successful. 1,000 Shock Value deducted."

"Obtained Genin-level chakra."

Tsk tsk tsk, the way this ninjutsu was obtained is truly... delightful!

At this very moment, Uchiha Kei just wanted to burst into loud laughter.

Over the past half year, even though he had been refining chakra day and night, he had only managed to accumulate a tiny sliver, not even enough to release a single complete ninjutsu.

Now that he possessed Genin-level chakra, he could use low-level ninjutsu seven or eight times.

The first day of school ended quickly. A group of youths were picked up by their families, leaving only Uchiha Kei and Naruto behind.

"Kei, shall we go eat ramen?"

Naruto masked the loneliness in his eyes and forced himself to sound cheerful.

"Well, ramen, huh."

Uchiha Kei touched his empty pockets and smacked his lips.

"Yeah! To celebrate our successful enrollment, let's go eat ramen!"

Since it was the beginning of the month, Naruto still had a fair amount of money given to him by Sarutobi Hiruzen, so he could afford ramen.

However, it was only for today; after eating this meal, he would be reduced to eating instant noodles for the rest of the month.

"Alright."

The two chatted and laughed all the way to Ichiraku Ramen.

At this moment when every family was reunited, they were the only two left who could provide each other with warmth.

Upon arriving at Ichiraku Ramen, Uchiha Kei was surprised to find that there were already two customers inside.

And they were acquaintances, at that.

"Hmph!"

Seeing Uchiha Kei and Naruto, Erzhuzi let out a cold snort and turned his head away with a haughty air.

"Eh, Sasuke, do you like eating ramen too?"

Naruto leaned in close to Sasuke's face, his expression full of curiosity.

"What business is that of yours!"

Sasuke curled his lip, acting incredibly aloof.

"Well, well, Uncle Teuchi's ramen is so delicious, it's only natural to like it."

"Hmph!"

The two destined rivals bickered with each other.

Naruto provoked, and Sasuke fumed.

On the other side, Uchiha Kei watched the other person with great interest.

This person was a legendary figure in the Naruto World!

His mastery of genjutsu was divine, and his strength of character was such that even Naruto paled in comparison.

He loved sweets the most, yet he had tasted bitterness his entire life.

The number one brother-complex, Uchiha Itachi!

"Kei, why are you looking at me like that?"

As members of the same Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Itachi naturally knew Uchiha Kei.

After all, Uchiha Kei was quite famous within the Uchiha Clan.

Beyond his background, it was due to a talent rarely seen since the founding of the clan.

"Ah, Itachi-nii, what a coincidence."

Uchiha Kei scratched his head sheepishly.

"Indeed, what a coincidence." Itachi smiled slightly. "I just heard from Sasuke that you really stole the show at the Ninja Academy today."

"Luck, it was all just luck."

"That wasn't just luck."

Itachi looked at him deeply. "I understand what you mean. After all, we are of the Uchiha Clan, where there are too many geniuses..."

Uchiha Kei was stunned, then immediately understood what Itachi meant.

Why would the Uchiha Clan be wiped out by Itachi in a year's time?

Because of Danzo's conspiracy?

Because of the Third Hokage's wariness?

That is not it.

It is because of the innate talent of the Uchiha Clan!

A heaven-sent gift for cultivation, coupled with ocular techniques that strike fear into the entire Shinobi World.

All that talk about the Uchiha Clan being arrogant, or the Uchiha being synonymous with destruction.

It is all complete nonsense!

The real reason is simply the strength of the Uchiha Clan!

Danzo fears the Uchiha Clan, and the Third Hokage is the same.

If it were not for the layers of oppression from these people, would the Uchiha Clan truly have rebelled against the village?

That is hardly certain.

"Keeping a low profile is a good thing, after all..."

A flash of desolation crossed Itachi's eyes. "The tree that stands above the forest will be broken by the wind..."

"Brother Itachi, what do you think the future of our Uchiha Clan holds?"

Uchiha Kei pondered for a moment, running through the original plot in his mind, when suddenly, a bold idea jumped out.

"The future?"

Confusion appeared in Itachi's eyes. "What the future of the Uchiha Clan holds—that is a question I cannot answer."

"If, and I mean if..."

Uchiha Kei gathered his thoughts. "If the Fifth Hokage were to come from the Uchiha Clan..."

"What did you say?!" Itachi stared at Uchiha Kei, dumbfounded.

Ding, received shock from Uchiha Itachi, Shock Value +99.