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"You're an Uchiha, aren't you? You mean you haven't learned them already? "Rin tilted her head, genuinely curious.
Sure, Seiji had come from the Land of Lightning, but his surname was Uchiha. The Uchiha weren't just another clan in Konoha—they were one of the big names, with influence over the entire Police Force. Basically, the closest thing the village had to nobility.
"In the Uchiha clan, you can't just learn whatever jutsu you want. "Obito jumped in before Seiji could answer. He'd bolted over the moment he saw Rin talking to him.
"Every technique has to be approved by the elders. They don't want people misusing jutsu or wasting time chasing after the strongest ones right away. "He spoke like he knew exactly what he was talking about.
Otherwise, wouldn't every kid just demand to learn the most powerful jutsu from day one?
"Oh, I see. "Rin nodded, short hair brushing against her cheeks where her purple markings stood out. She wasn't from a clan herself, so rules like that were new to her.
"So, Rin… would you be willing to teach me? "Seiji looked at her steadily, his dark eyes locking onto hers. For a moment her reflection lingered in his pupils. Maybe it was just the autumn chill, but she looked especially bundled up today.
Rin wasn't just any classmate. She was gifted. A genius in medical ninjutsu. The fact that she had already learned the Mystical Palm Technique—an A-rank jutsu—said it all.
That technique was notoriously hard to master, second only to the difficulty of S-rank jutsu. And medical techniques were even trickier than combat ones, since they required incredible precision and chakra control. A mistake as small as a hair's breadth could mean failure.
For her to have learned it so young meant her talent had caught the attention of Konoha's entire medical corps. If fate hadn't cut her life short, Rin could've become a healer as legendary as Tsunade—or even Sakura, in time.
"Mm… I can. "Rin thought for a moment, then nodded.
"But at school, the only ninjutsu we're allowed to teach are the really basic ones. The E-rank stuff. That's all I can show you."
"That's more than enough. Thank you, Rin. Really—you're helping me a lot. "Seiji's smile was warm, his words soft.
"It's nothing. We're classmates, after all. "Rin shook her head, smiling back.
Off to the side, Obito felt like he'd just kicked himself in the foot. Why had he even explained all that clan stuff? Now Rin was teaching Seiji instead of him!
"Rin, teach me too!" he blurted out, not about to let Seiji get all her attention.
But before she could answer, the bell rang. Class was starting again. With a frustrated groan, Obito dragged himself back to his seat, grumbling.
As the lesson wore on, he spun his pen between his fingers, daydreaming. He imagined Rin giving him private lessons instead, imagined himself surpassing Kakashi at last. One day, he'd wipe that smug look off his rival's face.
Seiji, meanwhile, had gone back to his books.
The material was basic, but precious. Back in the clan, he was an outsider. No one was going to mentor him personally, and even if they did, how far would they go for a half-blood picked up from another country?
To most of them, he was just a stray Uchiha. At best, a curiosity. At worst, some foreign scrap.
That was why he had approached Rin. Not because she was the easiest choice, but because she was the smartest one. Someone like Kakashi, sitting just a few seats ahead with his messy white hair and mask, wouldn't spare him the time of day.
Besides, Kakashi's path was about to take a dark turn. Soon his father would be gone, and the boy who smiled through missions would become someone colder, someone who saw shinobi only as tools.
Seiji pushed the thought aside and focused. Personal strength was what mattered. Nothing else.
By the end of the day, he'd already gotten a sense of how the academy worked. Classes were split into five areas:
➣Theory: ninjutsu basics, hand seals, and even a little physics and math.
➣Training: physical conditioning and basic taijutsu.
➣History: the heroes and legends of Konoha and the wider shinobi world.
➣Practical Knowledge: codes, infiltration, assassination tactics—and, for kunoichi, specialized training.
➣Combat Practice: sparring and mock battles.
It covered a lot. But something critical was missing.
Morality. Philosophy. Anything that taught them how to think about the world.
In the end, this was still a school designed to produce soldiers. They never once questioned why the shinobi world still bowed to daimyo—ordinary humans who couldn't even mold chakra—while even someone like Naruto, the Seventh Hokage, still had to suffer their control generations later.
Seiji sighed. "Too early to worry about all that."
The classroom was empty now, everyone else gone. He opened a translucent panel in front of him—something only he could see.
Because of his transfer, most of today's lessons had been history and culture. That worked perfectly.
→[Trait: Reading Absorption (White)]
➢Requirement: Read 10 texts and complete detailed notes.
➢Progress: 50%
➢Effect: Slightly increases reading speed and comprehension. Roughly 10% faster than average.
✦Note: Can be upgraded.
The second one appeared below:
→[Trait: Basic Memory (White)]
➢Requirement: Memorize 5 selected biographies of shinobi figures.
➢Progress: 40%
➢Effect: Slightly improves short-term memory. About 5% better than average.
✦Note: Can be upgraded.
"Nice. Culture classes are going to be a lot easier now."
He was starting small, sure, but white traits had to be the lowest tier. They all had the note about upgrades, too—meaning if he pushed far enough, they'd evolve.
For someone chasing medical ninjutsu, being able to read faster and remember more wasn't just handy—it was essential.
"Seiji?"
He snapped the panel shut, gathering his books. A voice called from the doorway.
"Why are you still here?"
Rin poked her head in, big eyes blinking curiously at him.
"....."