Shocking Vending Machine--Uzumaki Naruto

"Konoha belongs to everyone, and the Uchiha clan is one of the founders of Konoha. Why can't we become the Fifth Hokage?"

"Besides, the Hokage doesn't belong to any specific organization. As long as someone truly cares for Konoha and contributes to its growth, why shouldn't they be able to become Hokage?"

Uchiha Kei grew more excited as he spoke; a path completely different from the original plot began to unfold before his eyes.

"But..."

Itachi looked left and right, seeing that Sasuke and Naruto were still bickering, before whispering, "Our Uchiha reputation..."

Uchiha Kei scoffed and pulled a newly issued textbook from his pocket, placing it on Itachi's table.

Itachi was confused, but he opened the book and began to flip through it.

This was a foundational textbook from the Ninja Academy, documenting every major event in Konoha from its founding to the present day.

From Senju Hashirama earning the title of God of Shinobi to Sarutobi Hiruzen becoming the Professor of Shinobi, the book focused heavily on the lives of the various Hokage.

"Where the leaves dance, the fire burns on."

"It is the village's Will of Fire that makes Konoha what it is."

"..."

A flash of insight crossed Itachi's eyes as he looked up at Uchiha Kei with a profound expression.

"Do you understand now?"

Uchiha Kei looked at Itachi with a grin.

"I understand."

Itachi took a deep breath. "Kei, you're only eight years old this year, right?"

"Mhm, I'll be nine in another month."

Uchiha Kei understood what Itachi meant, but he didn't offer much of an explanation.

The ninja world was full of geniuses—like Itachi, like Shisui—so it was perfectly reasonable for him to display a bit of monstrous talent himself.

"Only eight years old."

Itachi said, his face calm.

Ding, received shock from Uchiha Itachi, shock value +99.

Whoa, I didn't expect Itachi to be a two-faced person too.

Smiling on the outside, but cursing on the inside!

"You know where I live."

Uchiha Kei tapped the table three times with his finger.

At that moment, Naruto's ramen was ready, and a younger Uncle Teuchi brought over two bowls with a smile.

"Well then, let's dig in!"

"Well then, let's dig in!"

Naruto and Uchiha Kei pressed their hands together and launched a fierce assault on their bowls of ramen.

"Hmph, gluttons!"

Sasuke turned his head away with a haughty air, though his eyes couldn't help but drift toward the two of them eating so happily.

Itachi took one last deep look at Uchiha Kei, left the money, and pulled Sasuke away.

He now had an urgent desire to understand Uchiha Kei, to know more about this little guy with such a pitiful background.

After finishing the ramen, Naruto let out a burp and rubbed his round belly.

"Uncle Teuchi's ramen is truly delicious."

Uchiha Kei nodded in deep agreement.

The anime only described Ichiraku Ramen as enduring, standing tall no matter what major events shook the ninja world.

Only by tasting it for oneself could one truly understand the deliciousness of Ichiraku Ramen.

"Kei, it's still early before dark, let's go to the woods and practice shuriken!"

Full and satisfied, Naruto was brimming with energy as he dragged Uchiha Kei toward the forest.

Uchiha Kei had originally wanted to go home, but he couldn't resist Naruto's pestering and had no choice but to follow.

"Ding."

In the woods, Naruto looked in frustration at the shuriken that had embedded itself into the dirt.

"Kei, why do you think that guy Sasuke can hit the target so easily?"

Uchiha Kei rubbed his smooth chin. "Maybe it's because he's a bit of a tsundere?"

"Tsundere?" Naruto blinked, then burst into laughter. "You're right, maybe it's because he's a tsundere!"

Naruto mimicked Sasuke's expression. "Hmph, boring practice!"

As he spoke, the shuriken flew from his hand, only to pierce the dirt once again.

"Ah! Missed again!" Naruto slapped the ground in frustration.

Uchiha Kei naturally understood that at this stage, Naruto was being influenced by the Nine-Tails; his taijutsu and ninjutsu were both filled with wild, chaotic energy.

Taijutsu required a sense of split-second intuition, and ninjutsu required a calm, steady flow of chakra—this was precisely what had turned Naruto's childhood into a nightmare of being the class dead-last.

"Swish!"

Uchiha Kei threw a shuriken casually; it spun as if it had eyes of its own, striking the dead center of the target.

"What the—!"

"Ding! Received shock from Uzumaki Naruto. Shock value +99."

Uchiha Kei looked at the dumbfounded Naruto, a wicked smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Sorry about this, Naruto!

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Uchiha Kei's fingers blurred into afterimages. Shuriken after shuriken left his hand, striking the targets one after another before Naruto could even react.

"Wha... what the!"

"Ding! Received shock from Uzumaki Naruto. Shock value +99."

"Ding! Received shock from Uzumaki Naruto. Shock value +99."

"Ding! Received..."

In an instant, nearly six hundred shock points were credited to his account.

A look of total breakdown appeared on Naruto's face. "Kei! How did you do that!"

"You just take it, aim, throw, whoosh, thwack—and it hits."

Uchiha Kei's gaze turned golden as he looked at Naruto.

This kid was a living, breathing shock-generating machine!

"Heh heh..." Naruto offered a strained, awkward smile. "Your explanation... is truly brilliant..."

"Not at all, just average."

Uchiha Kei waved his hand dismissively.

If there were a ranking for god-tier explanations, you and your father, the King of Naming Things, would be the top two.

After continuing to practice for a while, Naruto gradually grew accustomed to it and was no longer shocked by Uchiha Kei's maneuvers.

Feeling bored, Uchiha Kei bid Naruto farewell and sauntered back home.

It would be more accurate to call it a dilapidated shack rather than a home.

It consisted of four simple, weathered wooden boards covered by a thatched roof, and inside, there was only a bed covered in patches.

It was hard to imagine such a ramshackle house standing on the land of the Uchiha clan.

After tidying up a bit, Uchiha Kei lay on the bed, crossed his legs, and filled his mind with thoughts of the events to come.

Right now, the Konoha Rookies were still growing, and the two main protagonists were still just wet-behind-the-ears brats.

The ninja world looked peaceful, but in reality, undercurrents were surging.

The eternal schemer Black Zetsu, the chuunibyou-state Uchiha Obito, the ambitious Uchiha Madara lying in wait, and Nagato, who had fallen into a misguided path...

Any one of these figures was someone Uchiha Kei could not contend with right now; he would be killed just by brushing against them.

Sitting around waiting for death was a guaranteed dead end, so Uchiha Kei decided to go all out.

He would start by changing the fate of the Uchiha clan!

"Knock, knock, knock."

A crisp knocking sound echoed.

"Coming."

Uchiha Kei sat up and looked toward the visitor.

"You're here."

The visitor was not tall, possessing a thin, frail frame, but he had a pair of scarlet eyes.

Three-Tomoe Sharingan!

The two sat opposite each other with a tacit understanding, waiting quietly for the other to speak.

"You seemed very surprised today when I said that if the Fifth Hokage were an Uchiha..."

After a long silence, Uchiha Kei was the first to speak.

"Anyone in this village can become the Fifth, but the Uchiha are the only ones who cannot."

Itachi said calmly, his expression showing a hint of unnaturalness.

"Why?" Uchiha Kei smiled. "Because the Third told you..."

"That the Uchiha clan is planning a rebellion?"

"Ding! Received shock from Itachi. Shock value +99."

Itachi's expression remained unchanged, but his heart was already churning like a stormy sea.

He...

How could he possibly know what the Third had said!