The next day.
Morning sunlight streamed across Uchiha Kaien's face as he groggily opened his eyes.
Unlike last time, the black cat nestled in his arms didn't cling to him like a furry shadow. Instead, it gracefully padded over to its food bowl on white-tipped paws and began eating with quiet dignity.
That was premium cat food Kaien had specifically bought from the Inuzuka clan's shop.
Fun fact: if you're good at making dog food, you're probably a pro at cat food too.
A deep, unprecedented comfort washed over Kaien, warmth spreading through every limb.
With some of his vitality restored, Kaien could feel his bones creaking faintly as he stretched, a long, lazy yawn escaping him.
"Kaien, it's time to get up. You're going to be late for class!"
Namikaze Minato's voice rang out from the window.
Still without a response, he walked right up to Kaien's window—just in time to catch a glimpse of Kaien slipping on a short-sleeved shirt.
Realizing the moment was getting a little too personal, Minato quickly turned around, only to hear Kaien chuckle.
"What are you doing, Minato? Why'd you turn your head like that?"
"A-Ah, nothing!"
Recalling that fleeting glimpse of a pale, toned waist, Minato's cheeks flushed red.
So white. It practically reflected sunlight—how could you do this to your best friend?!
On the way to school, a slightly flustered Minato tried to steer the conversation.
"You're looking good today, Kaien."
"Mhm. After I got home last night, I got some help from my clan. Kagami-san agreed to teach me how to better control my Sharingan."
Of course, that's not mentioning the generous power boost gifted by that benevolent man Uchiha Madara himself.
Minato had brought breakfast for Kaien, and the two of them made it to the classroom with just a minute to spare.
The first class of every morning was theory. Kaien never paid attention.
And now that Minato knew he'd awakened his Sharingan, Kaien could copy everything in broad daylight without issue.
Not like Minato knew you needed a certain number of tomoe for copying techniques anyway.
Without a care in the world, Kaien unwrapped the breakfast Minato had given him and started eating right there in class.
As long as it didn't disturb anyone, it wasn't really a problem.
Sometimes, the Uchiha name did carry some perks. Even when the teacher Yamakawa Taiga spotted Kaien's casual eating habits, he never said a word.
Geniuses were allowed a few liberties—especially when that little Uchiha had Orochimaru as his mentor.
With such a powerful figure backing him, the point of attending the Academy was really just to polish the basics.
Kaien munched contentedly, drawing three envious pairs of eyes from the back row—Team Ino–Shika–Chō.
"So chill, Kaien. If you told me you were from the Nara clan, I'd totally believe you."
Nara Shikaku looked at him with admiration. Sometimes, this guy slacked off even more than he did. Who was the real Nara here?
Kaien just blinked innocently and pulled out some extra buns from his lunch, handing two to Akimichi Chōza and one each to the other two.
Chōza clutched his buns like they were treasures. He was honestly touched. Kaien knew he loved steamed buns and even brought him two. He's too good. He's the best. I'm gonna cry.
[Affection +1 from Akimichi Chōza][Affection +1 from Nara Shikaku][Affection +1 from Yamanaka Inoichi]
See? Team Ino–Shika–Chō were just that easy to farm affection from.
After splitting the buns, Kaien pulled out some soy milk and sipped it slowly. A few students kept sneaking glances at him, unable to stop themselves from thinking how cute Kaien looked again today.
Unfortunately, people without potential couldn't provide affection.
Some thought they were being subtle, but their stares would sometimes be met with a mischievous smirk from Kaien, leaving them red-faced and flustered. Even so, Kaien's popularity remained sky-high.
...
"Brother, Uchiha Kaien's not paying attention again today. As expected, the Hyūga clan is still Konoha's number one dojutsu family."
"Well said, Hizashi. Let's hope you don't get flattened in today's sparring match."
Hyūga Hiashi nodded approvingly, already deciding that if today's sparring drew a match with Kaien, he'd make Hizashi go up instead.
He even brought bandages on purpose—nobody could tell them apart anyway.
"..."
That may be true... but, Brother, did you forget that while others might not tell us apart, Kaien always can?
Hizashi really wanted to remind him. But when he remembered that his brother planned to use him as a Kaien-shield, he decided to just keep that little fact to himself.
...
Ninja Academy sparring was actually pretty simple.
Ninja tool throwing practice, followed by taijutsu combat training. That was about it.
Kaien always ranked first in ninja tool throwing—he was an Uchiha, after all. But Minato had also learned the Uchiha throwing style, and now his shuriken throws were dazzling and precise. The two of them tied for first.
"Taijutsu sparring begins. When I call your name, step forward," announced Yamakawa Taiga-sensei. After countless theory classes, he still worked tirelessly to teach practical skills. A true overachiever.
"Uchiha Kaien, Hyūga Hiashi. Step up."
Upon hearing his name, Kaien used the Body Flicker Technique to stylishly appear at the center of the field.
Meanwhile, Hiashi gave his brother a nudge to take his place instead.
See? The prep was worth it. Hiashi kept his expression calm, but inwardly he was gleeful.
Only the gods knew why Kaien always went all out against him. Every time, he ended up covered in bruises. But Hizashi? Not a scratch. Kaien never exposed their switch either, and that completely baffled Hiashi.
Hizashi, reluctantly shoved forward by his brother, had no choice but to indulge him. As he made the sign of confrontation, he quietly warned Kaien:
"Kaien, go easy, okay? The Hyūga are still Konoha's largest clan..."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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