The morning sun peeked gently through the thick layer of mist blanketing Konohagakure. The village stirred slowly to life, its rooftops glistening with dew, while a cool breeze danced through the trees, rustling the leaves in the Uchiha district. Unlike the bustling heart of the village, the Uchiha compound retained an eerie stillness in the early hours, almost regal in its silence. The tiled paths were slick with moisture, the clan's crimson fan symbol watching over the streets like silent sentinels.
In one of the training courtyards near the rear of the compound, a faint puff of smoke erupted—and in that instant, Shin appeared several meters ahead, his body trailing afterimages. His chest rose and fell lightly as he grinned to himself.
"Two hand seals," he whispered. "I finally did it."
It had been three days since Shin first stepped into the village library, and he hadn't missed a day since. Each visit deepened his understanding of chakra theory and movement techniques, and now—after relentless practice—he had refined the Body Flicker Jutsu. What once required three hand seals now only took two, and his chakra control had become sharper, more deliberate.
He exhaled slowly, focusing once more. This time, the air barely stirred before he vanished and reappeared behind the training post, placing a leaf gently on top of it—almost like a phantom.
"I'm getting faster," he muttered, a small sense of pride creeping into his voice.
Little did he know, from atop one of the nearby roofs, a pair of aged crimson eyes watched him silently—measuring, judging...
Satisfied with his progress, Shin dusted off his shorts and began walking home, hands behind his head as he strolled through the now sun-drenched Uchiha compound. The mist had thinned out, revealing the familiar stone paths and the quiet rhythm of early morning life. As his sandals tapped against the damp tiles, his mind wandered toward today's chakra control training.
"Tree walking's getting boring…" he thought, scrunching his nose. "I mean, come on, I could run laps around that tree blindfolded now." A bird chirped overhead, and Shin glanced up dramatically. "The trees fear me now. I am their natural predator."
He smirked at his own nonsense, then grew thoughtful. "Maybe I should try water walking next… Bet there's a pond near the west forest. If I fall in, well—free bath." He chuckled, imagining himself flailing around like a soaked raccoon.
His thoughts drifted again as he kicked a small pebble. "Also… maybe I should try adding weights to my training. Like ankle weights… wrist weights… that old shinobi cliché." He struck a random ninja pose mid-step, earning a weird look from a passing clan member. "But hmm… might be better to wait till I get into the Academy. Don't wanna snap my skinny legs before I even get a forehead protector."
Shin hummed a silly tune as he walked, lost in a mix of goofy thoughts and determination, unaware that destiny—and an old pair of crimson eyes—was already preparing to test his resolve.
---
Shin finally reached home. The moment he stepped inside, he bolted straight for the bath. The warm water soothed his slightly sore legs as he scrubbed off the morning sweat and chakra residue from his training.
Later, standing in front of the foggy mirror with a towel around his waist, he wiped the glass clean and inspected his reflection.
"Huh… not bad," he mumbled, tilting his head and flexing his arm like some mini bodybuilder. "I mean, I'm not shredded or anything… but there's definitely a line there! That's gotta be muscle, right?" He twisted his torso dramatically. "Future heartbreaker Shin Uchiha, coming through!" He struck a ridiculous pose, held it for a moment, then burst out laughing.
Once dressed in a plain black shirt and shorts, he trotted downstairs, humming. But as he neared the hallway leading to the main sitting room, he paused. Voices—deep and low—drifted through the sliding paper door. One of them, calm and sharp, was unmistakably his uncle Kazuma. The other, however… it was deeper, steadier, and strangely familiar, like an old echo from a long-forgotten dream.
Curious, Shin tiptoed toward the door and peeked through a thin slit in the paper. His hand hovered near the edge as he debated whether to listen or enter. Finally, his curiosity got the better of him, and he slid the door open.
Inside, his uncle Kazuma sat on one side of the low table. Opposite him sat a tall, lean old man with sharp, dignified features. His long, gray hair was tied neatly at the back, and he wore flowing traditional robes, dark with crimson Uchiha patterns elegantly woven into the fabric. His posture was regal—calm yet commanding—and his eyes, those deep, weathered eyes, flicked toward Shin with quiet intensity.
For a moment, Shin just stood there, blinking like a deer caught in torchlight, trying to place the face.
Wait… why does this guy feel like I should bow or something?
Just then, Kazuma raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Come inside, Shin. Why are you standing there looking like you've seen a ghost? What, surprised as if you're seeing your grandpa for the first time?"
"…Grandpa?" Shin blinked again. His eyes darted back to the old man. "That's Grandpa?"
Uchiha Kazuro, one of the elders of the clan.
The old man gave a small hum of amusement, his stern face creasing into something that almost resembled a smile. The room, once still with quiet conversation, now brimmed with a new kind of tension—an unexpected reunion layered in legacy and mystery.
Shin snapped out of his daze with an awkward cough and shuffled forward, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Uh… hello, Grandpa Kazuro," he said, voice uncertain, bowing politely like a good Uchiha kid should.
Kazuro, who had been sitting like a silent stone monument—serious, composed, and honestly a little terrifying—suddenly stood up. His tall frame loomed as he stared at Shin with narrowed eyes, hands folded behind his back. For a second, Shin could swear the room temperature dropped a few degrees.
Wait… did I offend him? Was my bow crooked? Did I blink too much?!
But before Shin could panic further, the old man's stoic expression cracked. His stern eyes softened, a grin tugged at his mouth, and in the next second—
"Aww, how long has it been? Three months? Look how my grandson has grown!" Kazuro exclaimed, sweeping forward and pulling Shin into a tight, shockingly warm hug.
Shin's body stiffened like a board. His arms stayed frozen at his sides, and his eyes went wide in total disbelief. Just a few seconds ago, this guy looked like he was about to recite the Uchiha clan's funeral rites. Now he was snuggling him like some doting grandpa from a slice-of-life anime.
Shin's blank expression said it all:
Nani the hell just happened?
Kazuma, still seated, let out a rare chuckle.
"You'll get used to it," he said, sipping his tea as if this emotional whiplash was totally normal.
---
The afternoon sun cast a warm glow through the paper windows of the Uchiha household, filling the room with golden light as the three of them sat around the low wooden table. Lunch had long since been served — rice, miso soup, grilled fish, and pickled vegetables — a simple but comforting meal. Kazuma, ever the responsible one, had taken it upon himself to wash the dishes, grumbling mildly about how neither of them lifted a finger to help.
Meanwhile, Shin sat awkwardly across from Kazuro, fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve. At first, the tension was thick, but Kazuro's relaxed demeanor — a stark contrast to his initial intimidating presence — slowly helped Shin lower his guard. Before long, the mood had lightened enough that Shin dared to throw a smirk and casually call, "Hey, old man, don't go glaring at me again like I owe you money."
Kazuro blinked, then laughed heartily. "So disrespectful already? Hah! You really are my grandson."
The two sat in a quiet lull for a moment, sipping tea and listening to the sounds of Kazuma clinking dishes in the kitchen. Then Kazuro turned to Shin, expression neutral but eyes sharp, as if peering beyond just the surface.
"So, Shin… I heard you've started training," he said calmly. "Why so suddenly?"
Shin paused, lowering his teacup. The smile faded a little from his face. He looked down at the tatami mat, thinking deeply, before meeting his grandfather's gaze with surprising seriousness.
"I don't want to lose anyone close to me again," Shin said softly but firmly. "I want to be strong… strong enough to protect what's mine."
Kazuro's breath caught slightly. That answer — simple as it was — stirred something in him. His gaze dropped for a moment as memories flashed of two proud Uchiha shinobi who had once sat at this same table — Shin's parents — and of the small, quiet child left behind after their passing. He hadn't said it aloud, but he knew. That pain had carved something deep in the boy's heart.
"I see…" Kazuro murmured, voice softer now. His eyes warmed, the sharp edge in them dulled by understanding. "That's a good reason. A reason worth holding onto."
Then, his brows lifted with curiosity as he added, "I also saw you using Body Flicker earlier at the training ground. You've improved."
That was all the encouragement Shin needed.
"Old man, you have to see this— I started off needing three hand seals, right? But now I'm down to two! Two! I've been going to the library every day, and tree-walking is like a joke to me now. I'm even planning on trying water walking soon — just need to find a pond or something," he said, hands animated as he talked.
Kazuro chuckled quietly as Shin kept rambling, waving his arms, switching between chakra theory and random tangents like how weird it feels to focus chakra in your feet when you're ticklish. For a moment, Kazuro just watched him — not as an elder of the Uchiha, not as a shinobi — but as a grandfather seeing his grandson come alive with passion.
Kazuma peeked from the kitchen with a smirk.
"You sure he's not possessed? This is the most I've heard him talk in a year."
"Shut it, Uncle!" Shin shot back, pouting. "I'm being educationally enthusiastic, okay?"
Kazuro let out a warm laugh. "Whatever you call it, it's good to see."
The afternoon breeze rustled through the paper walls, and a faint scent of soap still lingered from the kitchen as Shin and Kazuro sat sipping the last of their tea. Shin, ever the curious one now that his walls had come down, leaned forward with a spark in his eyes.
"Hey, old man… you're pretty good with Fire Release, right?" he asked, trying to sound casual, though the eagerness gave away the excitement
To which kazuro just smiled