The next morning, Indra sat beside Minato and Noboru as usual when the classroom door slid open. Daiki-sensei stepped forward, his tone firm.
"Uchiha Indra, please step outside. Someone's here to see you."
Indra frowned, brows raised. Noboru and Minato exchanged quick glances as Indra rose and left.
Outside, he was greeted by his brother.
"Renji!" Indra's eyes brightened, though his brother's smile carried a weight behind it. Renji knelt, ruffling Indra's hair.
"Indra… I'm going to participate in the war. I won't be home for a while."
Indra's expression dimmed, his chest tightening. "Be careful," he said quietly.
Beside Renji stood a boy around the same age, with spiky brown hair and wide, confident eyes.
"This is Nawaki Senju, my teammate," Renji introduced.
"Hello, Indra!" Nawaki grinned, his presence almost radiating sunshine.
Indra gave a respectful nod. "Hello, Nawaki-senpai."
"Don't worry about your brother, okay? I'll protect him!" Nawaki declared with a bold smile.
Something uneasy stirred in Indra's stomach, but he forced a nod. "Thank you, Nawaki-san."
Then he threw himself into Renji's arms, hugging him tightly before pressing a quick kiss against his brother's cheek.
Renji's smile softened as he returned the gesture. "I'll be gone for a while… so eat healthy, don't make a mess of the house, and keep making friends. Promise me, Indra."
Indra nodded fiercely, though his throat burned.
Renji stood and began walking away. Just before turning the corner, he looked back, eyes glistening as he waved.
Indra's vision blurred with tears as he waved back until his brother disappeared. Then, shoulders heavy, he returned to class.
The others noticed his mood, but no one pressed him. He slumped onto his desk, burying his face in his arms.
---
At lunchtime, Indra sat with Minato and Noboru, sharing their bentos.
"Who was that?" Minato asked.
"My brother," Indra replied. He puffed his chest slightly, as if to make the truth clear. "He's a Jōnin."
He added the title with emphasis — a quiet warning: don't mess with me, I've got a powerhouse behind me.
Minato's lips pressed together, unsure how to respond. Indra lowered his gaze. "He's going to war."
A silence settled between them.
Later, as they finished their food, Kushina turned from her desk. "Your brother's a Jōnin?"
Indra nodded.
"He must be strong then," she said, her tone curious.
"Yes. Very strong," Indra said firmly. His thoughts churned. Maybe… maybe the strongest in the entire war.
Patting his stomach, he leaned back. "I'm full."
Kushina turned to Mikoto, starting their own conversation.
Noboru leaned in. "Indra, if we were sent to war, what are the chances we'd survive?"
Indra thought carefully. "I, as an Uchiha, would have a decent chance. Minato… if he learns a powerful jutsu, maybe. But right now? He's asking to be killed."
Minato frowned, but Noboru pressed further. "And me?"
Indra's lips curved into a mischievous smirk. "You'd die the moment you saw a corpse."
"What?! Hey, I'm not like that!"
"You are!" Indra shot back.
"Look! A cockroach!" Minato suddenly shouted, pointing.
"Wha—!" Noboru leapt onto his chair in panic, yelping as half the class turned to stare.
Indra seized the moment. "Yes! That's the secret jutsu for improving chakra control!"
The clan kids narrowed their eyes — shameless Uchiha. The civilian students, meanwhile, immediately tried to copy it, confused when nothing happened.
Flushed red, Noboru sat back down. "You guys are bullying me too much…"
Indra chuckled. "Oh, we're not bullying you, Noboru."
---
After class, the trio wandered into a newly opened noodle shop.
Ichiraku Ramen.
The scent of broth and freshly made noodles welcomed them as Teuchi, the owner, greeted them warmly.
"Hello, young lads! What can I get for you?"
"I'll have miso soup," Noboru said.
"Me too," Minato added.
"A lamb ramen for me," Indra said without hesitation.
Both Minato and Noboru stared at him. "Quite rich, huh? Even without being a clan heir, you're dazzling already."
Indra only chuckled.
Minutes later, steaming bowls were placed before them.
"Here you go!" Teuchi said cheerfully.
The three dug in. Their expressions shifted from casual… to eager… to pure delight. Teuchi smiled as he moved to serve another customer.
"What will you two have?" he asked.
"Two lamb ramen," Kushina ordered, glancing at Mikoto.
Indra, catching sight of them, smirked. He also noticed Minato and Noboru's empty bowls.
"Mister, add three more lamb ramen!"
"Three more? Coming right up!"
Minato panicked. "Indra, we don't have that kind of money—"
"Who said you're paying?" Indra cut him off.
Noboru fumbled. "But we should—"
"No buts. Just eat."
Soon three more bowls arrived, and the boys eagerly devoured them.
"Mister, what's your name?" Indra asked at last, leaning back with a full belly.
"My name's Teuchi!"
Indra grinned. "Teuchi-san, when my brother comes back from the war, I'll bring him here with me!"
For a moment, Teuchi was quiet, watching the boy's smile. Then he returned it warmly. "I'll be waiting."
From their seats, Kushina and Mikoto overheard everything. Their eyes lingered on Indra as the trio finally left.
---
That evening, Indra trained in the Uchiha compound.
Kunai sliced through the air, embedding themselves into wooden posts. His hands trembled with effort as chakra gathered, shaping into a small spinning sphere.
The ball wobbled once, twice—then collapsed.
Indra gritted his teeth. Rasengan… I'll master it one day.
Turning to tree climbing, he pressed chakra to his feet. The bark clung beneath him, step by step.
Second step. Third step. Fourth—
Buuush! The tree split as he poured in too much chakra.
Trying again, he made it to the fifth step before losing balance and tumbling down.
Sweat ran down his face. He panted, frustrated.
I don't have enough chakra in my body…
As the sun dipped into the horizon, painting the sky in hues of fire, Indra stared at his hand. His chest ached with the weight of helplessness.
I need more power… before it's too late.
Then, shoulders sagging, he walked back home.