"Test the wrist beside the torch first."
Those words were not spoken by Sasuke, nor by the young clansman from last night. They came from deep within the training ground, low and steady, suppressing even the wavering torchlight by the wall.
Uchiha Fugaku stood before the target rack.
When Che entered, his footsteps paused. Sasuke had already straightened up, the fan crest on his back illuminated by the torchlight like an old brand heated red-hot. The young clansman handed over the practice notebook. Fugaku did not open it at once; he merely looked at Che's cuff.
"The Substitute Log at the Ninja Academy cracked?"
Che nodded. "It already had a shallow crack. It got worse during practice."
"Who hit it?"
"A classmate."
The young clansman frowned. "Name."
Che hitched his schoolbag strap higher onto his shoulder. "It was Ninja Academy practice, not an internal clan investigation."
The training ground fell silent for a breath as those words landed. Sasuke looked at him, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes before it quickly vanished. The young clansman's expression darkened. Fugaku, however, did not get angry. He opened the practice notebook and saw the crack pattern Mizuno had asked Che to trace. His fingers paused on the page.
"Even if it breaks, you still need to know how to use it." Fugaku read the sentence aloud.
Che did not respond.
He knew that anything he said at a time like this could easily be wrong. If he said Iruka was right, it would sound as though he were using the Ninja Academy to pressure the clan. If he said he would remember it, it would seem like he was willingly placing himself beneath the ruler of clan lessons. Silence was cleaner instead.
Fugaku closed the notebook and gestured for the young