"As long as there are leaves dancing in the air, the fire will continue to burn.
The will of fire will illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout.
When one wishes to protect what is precious, the true strength of a ninja is born.
This… is the Will of Fire."
On the stage, the Third Hokage spoke with a calm and steady voice, preaching to the future "flowers of Konoha."
Below the stage, Alex was already half-asleep.
These words again…
Back on Earth, he had heard similar speeches at least twice a year—about responsibility, the future, and sacrifice. It seemed that no matter which world it was, leaders always liked long, smelly speeches.
The Third Hokage noticed him.
After all, among hundreds of excited children, there was only one who dared to openly yawn.
The old man didn't get angry. Instead, he observed Alex quietly.
So this is the child… born with a tail.
The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes slightly. The boy's file had crossed his desk many times. Strange birth. Abnormal physique. Exceptional physical talent.
Perhaps… he could become the bridge between the village and the Uchiha.
If he signs a summoning contract… even the Sarutobi clan's monkey summons could help ease tensions.
If Alex knew what the old man was thinking, he would probably point straight at a black-haired boy nearby and shout:
"Old man, look there! That polite little genius will solve all Uchiha problems in the future—with genocide! No need to worry!"
"I hereby announce," the Third Hokage said, "that from today onward, you are officially students of the Ninja Academy. I hope you will grow into the pillars of the village… and perhaps even Hokage."
"Dismissed. Teachers, take your students to class."
With that—
Uchiha Akihiro's ninja career officially began.
Back in the classroom, Alex quietly scanned his surroundings, searching for familiar faces from memory.
But aside from Uchiha Itachi, none of the others stood out.
Looks like this generation only produces one real monster, Alex thought.
The war outside the village hadn't yet reached the Ninja Academy. These children still laughed, played, and dreamed about becoming legendary ninja.
They didn't understand what it meant to step onto a battlefield.
They didn't know that "ninja" meant gambling one's life every mission.
Alex didn't fit in.
He couldn't.
He knew what was coming.
Knowing that a massacre would happen in a few years made "playing around" feel like a joke. From the first day of school, Alex studied desperately—ninjutsu theory, chakra control, history, tactics.
With the mindset of an adult, his learning speed completely crushed most of his classmates.
Before long, only Itachi could compete with him academically.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
"Puff! Puff! Puff!"
Three kunai struck three bullseyes in rapid succession.
The instructor nodded with satisfaction.
"Uchiha Akihiro—excellent! Next!"
For Alex, this result was expected. For others, it was despair.
,
Some students couldn't even land a single kunai on the target.
The Ninja Academy didn't sugarcoat reality—those without talent would eventually be persuaded to quit. Ninja were not performers. They were weapons.
"Itachi Uchiha—excellent!"
At the end of the assessment, only Alex and Itachi achieved perfect scores.
After school, Alex packed his things and hurried home.
His mother's belly had grown noticeably larger, and his father was still away on missions. There was no one else to rely on.
"I'm back, Mom."
Alex went straight into the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Misa watched him quietly, unable to hide her smile.
"How were your results today, Alex?"
"Excellent," he replied calmly.
For someone who trained like his life depended on it, anything less would have been shameful.
"You don't have to push yourself so hard," Misa said gently. "You should make friends too. I've never heard you talk about classmates."
Alex didn't answer immediately.
Friends?
Everything had a price.
To survive the Uchiha massacre, he couldn't afford emotional attachments. Even with Saiyan blood, he wasn't invincible.
In ninjutsu and genjutsu, he wasn't as talented as Itachi.
But—
In taijutsu, Alex was a monster.
Thanks to his Saiyan physiology, his physical combat ability had already reached chūnin level, possibly higher.
If this were pure hand-to-hand combat…
I could fight the entire class and still win.
After dinner, Alex went out to train again.
"Don't stay out too late!" Misa called after him.
He didn't reply—only waved before disappearing into the woods.
That night, the Hokage's office remained brightly lit.
The Third Hokage stared at a thick file.
Uchiha Akihiro.
Born Konoha Year 42.
Born with a tail—removed one month after birth.
Began independent physical training at age one.
Taijutsu aptitude: abnormal.
The old man sighed.
Before he could speak, a cold voice emerged from the shadows.
"You're not seriously thinking of taking him as your disciple, Sarutobi."
Danzō stepped forward.
"Why not?" the Third Hokage replied calmly. "He could become the key to easing tensions with the Uchiha."
"Hmph. Don't be naive," Danzō scoffed. "The Uchiha don't want a disciple. They want power. They want control."
The Third Hokage's voice hardened.
"When the war ends, I will step down. Minato will become the Fourth Hokage. And I will personally take Uchiha Akihiro as my disciple."
He turned sharply.
"And you will not touch the Uchiha."
"I order you—as Hokage."
Danzō's expression darkened.
"Hmph."
He turned and left.
The office fell silent once more.
Somewhere outside…
A small boy continued to punch trees beneath the moonlight—unaware that the village's fate was already shifting around him