"Rin!"
A figure rushed past Rikuya Hayashi from behind, running straight toward a short-haired brunette girl with two purple markings on her cheeks.
Under normal circumstances, it would have been a heartwarming sight. But Rikuya reacted as though he'd just seen a venomous snake.
Yes… the boy who had just run past him was none other than the future teacher-slaying, clan-exterminating, world-destroying white-eyed wolf himself—Uchiha Obito!
Even knowing that Obito's absence wouldn't stop disaster from striking the Uchiha clan—thanks to "Master Scumbag" Madara and "Shadow of Schemes" Danzō—Rikuya still felt that, if possible, he would have tried to remove this ticking time bomb from the world.
Back in his previous life, there were plenty of people who admired characters like Obito—those "romantic" types who would destroy everything for the sake of their beloved.
But in reality? That was disgusting and detestable.
The Fourth Hokage gave everything for him, but just because Minato hadn't arrived to save Rin in time, Obito decided to hate him for life?
What the hell is wrong with you?
The Fourth Hokage was one of the village's top combat forces—his job was fighting battles, not "babysitting." And at that moment, Minato wasn't even there!
As for the Uchiha clan—they hadn't wronged Obito in the slightest.
Yet in the future, Naruto would completely "redeem" this scumbag just because his dream was to become Hokage.
Tch, tch!
If the people who had died by Obito's hands could come back to life, they would probably want to tear Naruto apart themselves.
To forgive someone like this… are you out of your damn mind?
So no matter how the story painted it, in Rikuya's eyes, Obito could never be redeemed.
Still, right now Obito was only a new student, far from becoming the "white-eyed wolf" he would one day be. You couldn't convict someone based purely on future crimes—otherwise Rikuya wouldn't just dislike him; he'd be actively making moves.
The truth was, the ninja world's moral compass was badly warped. And Rikuya had no intention of flattering it.
One thing did need to be said, though—while their moral values might be crooked, their aesthetics were top-notch.
Maybe it was the chakra. Somehow, kunoichi didn't look like they were from a world as harsh and poor as this one.
Take his own fiancée, for example—her looks were strikingly similar to a character from a game he'd played before crossing over. If not for that, he might not have been able to enjoy the benefits of his "soft rice" situation.
Ahem!
Anyway, even if Rin was adorable, Rikuya had zero interest in playing "the bull-headed fool." And besides, they were all just kids. He wasn't some creepy degenerate.
…Right?
Obito kept talking loudly to Rin as the two walked off with smiles. School had already been dismissed for vacation, and since they weren't heading toward the Academy, their paths naturally diverged.
Before long, Rikuya arrived at the school building.
The Uchiha clan's compound was right in the center of the village—much closer to the Academy than his previous place at the village's edge.
As soon as he stepped into the classroom—
"Rikuya!"
Honda Taka, sitting in the corner, waved him over. The other students all turned to look as well.
Not long ago, as the class dead-last, Rikuya had only been acknowledged by his two close friends—everyone else avoided him like the plague.
But yesterday's fight, where he had taken down the super-genius Kakashi in a direct challenge, had changed everyone's view.
Ignoring the stares, Rikuya walked over and sat with his two buddies.
"Any intel on today's team assignments?" he asked right away.
Don't be fooled by the chubby kid's unimpressive fighting skills—when it came to information, he was a goldmine.
Team assignments and their Jōnin instructors were critical. A good-natured, powerful teacher could make all the difference in a genin's future.
Look at the so-called "Konoha 12" in the future—if they'd had mediocre Chūnin or Special Jōnin instead of elite mentors, most of them wouldn't have survived long enough to grow strong.
Assassinating "genius" ninja from enemy villages was standard practice, after all.
That's why Rikuya cared so much about who would lead his team. Ending up under a Chūnin meant questionable guidance and, worse, less protection during missions.
Honda Taka leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"I heard there's been a change in the instructor list this time…" He shot Rikuya a meaningful look.
Clearly, that "change" had something to do with him.
Yesterday's match had caused a stir—after all, the ninja world valued individual power above everything. A top-tier fighter was worth far more than countless cannon fodder.
When the village found a promising talent, they would always invest in training them—never waste them.
And right now, Rikuya was considered one of those "promising talents."
Sure, his victory was due in part to his summoned beast, but defeating Kakashi was enough to prove his value.
In the shinobi world, there was no such thing as a "fair fight"—only results.
Before long, one by one, instructors began entering the classroom to announce their squads.
"Team 2: Kuriyama Kazuhiko, Kido Eri, Toda Ayaka…"
Three-man cells, also called "teams," were called out, and newly graduated genin left with their new leaders.
"Honda Taka!"
A Chūnin instructor suddenly called out his friend's name.
Team assignments were decided by the higher-ups, not personal relationships, so it was normal for friends to be split up.
"Be careful out there. And… here." Rikuya slipped him a few bottles of diluted healing potion. "If you run out, come find me."
Since the existence of his potions had already been exposed, there was no reason not to give his friend some.
The usage instructions were written on a small slip of paper.
With these, Taka would have a better chance of surviving missions.
Taka didn't examine the bottles immediately—just gave Rikuya a grateful glance before quickly leaving. Smart—anything valuable like this was better kept out of sight.
It showed just how thoughtful the chubby kid was—completely unlike his appearance.
"Yours."
Rikuya handed another set to his other friend, Yamanaka Kōji.
"Thanks."
Kōji accepted the gift without fuss, his eyes showing a flicker of emotion.
With their friendship, there was no need for long speeches.
Rikuya knew that despite Kōji's cold exterior, he was warmhearted inside. If that weren't the case, Rikuya wouldn't have bothered befriending him, talent or not.
In fact, when he first arrived in this world, his plan had been simple: rely on Taka for money and Kōji for muscle, so he could coast through life like a salted fish.
But fate had other ideas. His "lay low" plan had been ruined, and now he had to work hard himself.
Still, these two were his real allies—the only ones he truly trusted. Not even his own fiancée earned his full confidence yet.
After all, they were only betrothed, and hadn't spent much time together.
Unlike other reincarnated protagonists, Rikuya didn't blindly trust the Uchiha just because of how they were portrayed in the anime. That was the kind of thinking that would get you killed fast.
Anime was anime; reality was reality. The show exaggerated "passion, youth, effort, bonds" and ignored the less flattering parts.
Inside the Uchiha clan, there were plenty of internal power struggles—but the anime only ever emphasized their "tragic beauty."
Too much of a filter.
That's why Rikuya had never planned to move back to the clan compound—until his plan failed, that is.
While he was lost in thought, the number of students in the room dwindled.
Most of the instructors were Chūnin; only occasionally did a Special Jōnin appear—and they always took either clan heirs or geniuses.
Dark. Absolutely dark.
Compared to that, the future Konoha 12 all having elite Jōnin instructors seemed almost too convenient.
Ordinary genin, especially civilians, were basically treated as expendable.
In the end, only Rikuya and Kōji were left in the room.
Before they could speculate about their instructor, two figures—one tall, one short—walked through the doorway.
Damn it!
That was all Rikuya could think.
(End of Chapter)