Genius Sasuke

The Ninja Academy's practical combat class was held in an outdoor training ground.

Iruka stood in the center of the field, holding a teaching scroll. More than twenty first-year students surrounded him; some were excited, while others were nervous.

"Today's practical lesson will cover the basics of the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."

An uproar broke out below.

"Great Fireball? Isn't that a technique for upperclassmen?"

"Yeah, we're only first-years—"

"Quiet." Iruka raised a hand. "Someone can already use it. Today, he'll demonstrate for everyone."

Shuo Ye stood outside the crowd with his arms crossed.

He knew who it was.

When Sasuke Uchiha stepped out from the crowd, the entire class focused on him.

Black hair, black eyes, and a small, thin lower lip pressed into a straight line. An expressionless face—Shuo Ye had seen countless fan illustrations of Sasuke online in his previous life, but seeing the real person still hit differently.

At six and a half, Sasuke was already the model student of the first year.

"The Fireball Jutsu is a Fire Release ninjutsu passed down through the Uchiha Clan," Iruka explained. "It requires concentrating a large amount of chakra in the throat, then expelling it through a fire-nature transformation."

Sasuke walked to the center of the training ground and assumed the opening stance for hand seals.

Hand seals.

Tiger—Snake—Dog—Ram—Monkey—Hare—

He was fast. Most first-year students were still practicing the basic Three Body Techniques, but Sasuke could already smoothly form the entire sequence for the Great Fireball.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A blast of flame poured from Sasuke's mouth. The fireball was not large, only around thirty centimeters in diameter, but it was hot enough to distort the air. It flew five meters before scattering into sparks the instant it struck the training ground wall.

The whole class fell silent for three seconds.

Then cries of amazement erupted.

"That's amazing!"

"It really is a Great Fireball!"

"The Uchiha really are incredible..."

Shuo Ye stood where he was, expressionless.

Of course he knew Sasuke could do it. In the original story, Sasuke awakened his Sharingan at seven and became a genin at eight—proof enough of his genius.

But seeing it with his own eyes still felt a little... complicated.

That was the Uchiha talent. The power of bloodline.

He had Uchiha blood too. But his talent—if he had any—had yet to show itself.

"Well?" Iruka was clearly very satisfied with Sasuke's performance. "Everyone needs to practice diligently. Even if you cannot use the Great Fireball yet, you can begin learning chakra control in advance—"

When the dismissal bell rang, Shuo Ye packed up and prepared to leave.

"Shuo Ye."

A voice called from behind him.

He turned around.

Naruto stood behind him with a textbook in hand, his expression a mixture of admiration and disappointment.

"Sasuke is amazing," Naruto said. "When will I be able to use the Great Fireball?"

"Learn to control your chakra first," Shuo Ye said.

"Huh? You sound exactly like Iruka-sensei."

"Because he's right."

Naruto curled his lip.

Shuo Ye ignored him and walked out of the classroom with his schoolbag on his back.

After school, Shuo Ye did not go straight home.

He took a detour to the training grounds behind the academy—Zone C, an open area that was usually deserted.

Before he got close, he heard a sound.

"Tiger—Snake—Dog—"

The sound of hand seals.

Shuo Ye slowed down and stopped among the trees at the edge of the training ground.

Through gaps between the trunks, he saw Sasuke.

The black-haired boy stood alone in the center of the field, forming hand seals again and again. Sweat covered his forehead, and his breathing had become somewhat labored, but his hands never stopped moving.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Another fireball. It was even smaller than the one from class, as though his chakra was nearly depleted.

Sasuke stopped and bent over, taking several breaths.

Then he straightened and formed the seals again.

Shuo Ye watched the scene.

Memories from his previous life told him that Sasuke had always been like this as a child—training desperately, trying to catch up to his older brother Itachi. The brother the entire village called a genius, the brother on whom his father had placed such high hopes.

And now, Itachi had not yet defected. The night of the clan massacre had not happened either.

Sasuke was still that little boy who worshipped his older brother.

Shuo Ye stood behind the tree, hesitating over whether to leave.

Just then—

Sasuke turned his head.

His black eyes met Shuo Ye's directly.

The Sharingan was not active. But that instinct—that perception unique to the Uchiha Clan—had made Sasuke aware that someone was watching him.

Their eyes met.

The air over the training ground went quiet for a second.

"You're Uchiha too."

Sasuke spoke first. His voice was calm, without surprise or any particular emotion.

"Yeah."

Shuo Ye stepped out from behind the tree.

The two stared at each other across half the training ground.

Sasuke studied him. His gaze moved from Shuo Ye's face to the fan crest on his coat, then back again.

"You're... Shuo Ye?"

"You know me?"

"I heard Dad mention you," Sasuke said. "Uchiha Takuma's son."

Fugaku and Takuma knew each other—just as Shuo Ye had expected. Most adult men of the Uchiha Clan worked together in the police force, so it was normal for them to be acquainted.

"Are you here to see the training ground too?" Sasuke asked.

The question could have been simple politeness, but Shuo Ye heard another meaning beneath it—Sasuke was testing him.

The Uchiha genius was testing a fellow clansman.

"Just passing through," Shuo Ye said.

He did not approach, nor did he show any desire to talk.

Sasuke fell silent for several seconds.

In the eyes of this six-and-a-half-year-old boy, this clansman was strange. Whenever other Uchiha saw him, they either looked impressed or nervously looked away.

But Shuo Ye did neither.

Expressionless. Neither worshipful nor evasive.

It was as though—he was looking at Sasuke as an equal.

"How is your chakra control?" Sasuke asked.

"Not bad."

"What does 'not bad' mean?"

"It means not bad."

Sasuke frowned slightly.

He was not used to this kind of conversation.

"I'm going to continue training," Sasuke said.

"Yeah."

Shuo Ye turned and left.

After walking some distance from the training ground, he stopped and glanced back.

Sasuke had already resumed his hand-seal stance.

That small figure looked very lonely beneath the setting sun.

Shuo Ye looked away.

What would his relationship with Sasuke become in the future?

In the original story, after the night of the clan massacre, Sasuke survived alone and embarked upon the path of revenge. And Shuo Ye—if things went according to his wishes—wanted to change that ending.

But changing the ending meant facing Itachi.

Facing the man who had already awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Shuo Ye clenched his fist.

He was still far from strong enough.

When he returned home that evening, Takuma was cooking. Shizuka helped beside him, and the two worked together seamlessly.

"How was school today?" Takuma asked.

"Not bad."

"I heard Sasuke demonstrated the Great Fireball in class."

"Yeah, I saw it."

Takuma glanced at him.

"Do you want to learn it?"

Shuo Ye hesitated for a moment.

"Yes."

Takuma did not look surprised. He turned off the heat and lifted the pot from the stove.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you."

"...Really?"

"You're my son." Takuma's tone was calm when he said it, but his palm rested on Shuo Ye's head, ruffling his hair.

Shuo Ye lowered his head, avoiding his father's hand.

But he did not pull away.

Since coming to this world, it was the first time he had felt—

Maybe some things did not have to be carried alone.