Konoha Village.
Ninja Academy.
Inside one of the classrooms, a chuunin instructor stood beside the podium, holding a roster in his hand.
"Next up, Hatake Kaede Yoru."
At the sound of the instructor's voice, a boy with short silver hair calmly walked to the front. With fluid precision, he formed a hand seal in front of him.
Boom!
With a puff of white smoke, a clone appeared to Kaede Yoru's left, identical in both appearance and movement.
The classroom erupted in quiet gasps of awe—especially from the girls. It wasn't just the flawless execution of the Clone Technique that impressed them, but also Kaede Yoru's striking looks, which easily placed him among the most handsome in the class.
"Ninety-five points. Not bad."
The chuunin teacher gave a small nod and jotted down the score.
It was a clean performance with no real mistakes, placing him in the top ten of the class. However, there was little sign of approval in the teacher's eyes.
And the reason for that was simple—Kaede Yoru's younger brother was Hatake Kakashi. Kakashi had applied for early graduation at age five and passed. He became a chuunin at six. His dazzling talent had earned him fame throughout Konoha and beyond.
In the teacher's mind, Kakashi was the one who truly embodied the legacy of Konoha's White Fang.
Compared to that, Hatake Kaede Yoru seemed ordinary.
Though Kaede Yoru consistently ranked among the top students in all subjects, when placed beside Kakashi, the brilliance faded. Now eight years old, he continued with the standard academy curriculum, never displaying any overwhelming genius.
Still, despite the teacher's indifference, admiring whispers filled the room.
"Kaede Yoru is amazing!"
"A 95! That's the highest score so far."
Several girls looked toward him with bright eyes.
Since arriving in this world and inheriting the bloodline of the White Fang, Kaede Yoru looked almost identical to Kakashi—minus the cold demeanor and mask. He didn't try to hide his face and was more approachable, making him a major heartthrob among his classmates.
Kaede Yoru returned to his seat, offering a smile to Yuhi Kurenai, who had been watching him. "It's nothing special. The Clone Technique isn't hard—you just have to focus."
He had arrived in this world two years ago, reborn as Kakashi's older brother. Unfortunately, his arrival was too late to prevent the death of their father, Hatake Sakumo, the legendary White Fang.
That event had shaken Kakashi deeply and drove him to apply for early graduation within a month.
As a time traveler and bearer of Sakumo's bloodline, Kaede Yoru didn't consider himself any less gifted than Kakashi. But unlike his younger brother, he believed that rushing to graduate was foolish.
What's the point?
Why not take it slow and refine one's skills within the safety of the academy?
Especially now, in the 42nd year of Konoha. If memory served him right, the Third Ninja World War would erupt the following year. The entire ninja world was on edge.
In times of peace, early graduation might be harmless, leading to simple missions. But now? Even genin were being sent on dangerous assignments.
Kakashi's early rise seemed impressive, but in Kaede Yoru's eyes, it was reckless. Not only did it expose Kakashi to deadly risks, but such exceptional talent also drew the attention of enemy villages.
And in wartime, attention from your enemies was the last thing you wanted.
"If I had jounin-level strength, early graduation wouldn't be an issue," Kaede Yoru mused.
Sadly, he wasn't there yet. While he believed he could defeat Kakashi, his actual combat level was only equivalent to an elite chuunin. That was assuming he used his unique ability.
At age eight, his body was still maturing. For a ninja, true physical development didn't plateau until around sixteen.
Still, there was one ability that gave him a serious edge.
A mysterious clock had manifested within his consciousness after his transmigration. An enormous, ghostly image, visible only when he closed his eyes. It reminded him of the "Emperor of Time" from a different anime world.
So far, he had unlocked just one function: Time Acceleration.
Much like time manipulation from the Fate universe, this ability allowed him to speed up time—but only for himself.
While in this state, everything he did—taijutsu, hand seals, reaction speed—became twice as fast.
That was one of the main reasons he could overpower Kakashi, despite being a few years older.
He had currently reached a x2 acceleration. In other words, in Time Acceleration Mode, he operated at double speed compared to normal.
"...Kaede Yoru, um, I brought two lunch boxes today. Would you like to eat together later?"
As Kaede Yoru mused over his progress, a girl from the front row turned around shyly, cheeks slightly pink.
Her words triggered a ripple of shock and envy from the nearby girls. Even Kurenai, seated beside Kaede Yoru, turned toward him with a glare. The air between them suddenly crackled with tension.
Kaede Yoru gave a helpless smile.
He was beginning to understand why Kakashi always wore a mask. Maybe it was to avoid scenes like this… Or maybe it was just easier not being the center of attention.
The boys in the class certainly weren't fighting over popularity.
Despite the class's stellar lineup—including the likes of Uchiha Obito (the future mastermind of the ninja world), Nohara Rin, Yuhi Kurenai, and Sarutobi Asuma—Obito was currently just a clumsy underachiever.
Others like Asuma were average in both looks and performance.
Itachi wouldn't start at the academy for a few more years. Shisui had enrolled but was two grades behind.
If Kakashi hadn't graduated early, he might've rivaled Kaede Yoru in popularity.
Ah, the curse of popularity…
Kaede Yoru sighed internally. He had once fantasized about being admired like this. But now that it was real, all he felt was quiet exhaustion. The early emotional maturity of girls in this world was also startling.
At only eight or nine years old, they were already showing jealousy and competition.
Compared to girls, boys definitely matured slower.
All around Kaede Yoru, hostile stares were beginning to surface. Jealousy, frustration—even rage—was simmering just beneath the surface.
"That guy..."
"So annoying. I really wanna punch him."
"Too bad you'd lose."
"Shut it!"
Among the boys fuming in silence, Uchiha Obito stood out. One of the girls crowding around Kaede Yoru was none other than Nohara Rin.
Kaede Yoru didn't pay much attention to most of his classmates. The only two he considered noteworthy were Might Guy and Uchiha Obito. But it wasn't this version of Obito that concerned him—only the one who would eventually fall into darkness.
Right now, Obito was just another kid trailing behind the rest of the class.