Seated in the classroom, Uchiha Gen let out a helpless sigh.
Senju Gen had only just left his sight. In the past five days alone, this was already the third time the boy had come to challenge him.
After a moment's consideration, Uchiha Gen decided to seek out his instructor, Retsu-sensei.
He couldn't continue being harassed by Senju Gen like this forever.
Across the classroom, Senju Gen was chatting with two classmates. When he noticed Uchiha Gen leaving, his expression shifted slightly. After a brief hesitation, he rose from his seat and followed.
---
Hallway Outside the Classroom
"Retsu-sensei."
Uchiha Gen stopped before the instructor.
"Gen? Is something the matter?" Retsu-sensei asked, mildly puzzled.
"It's Senju Gen," Uchiha Gen said calmly. "He's challenged me several times already. I've refused every time. I'm concerned he might come to you and request a one-on-one match on the training grounds."
At his words, Retsu-sensei frowned—though inwardly, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
In his evaluation, Uchiha Gen possessed outstanding taijutsu, but his ninjutsu aptitude was merely average. Worse still, being from a branch family of the Uchiha, the likelihood of him awakening the Sharingan was extremely low.
As a result, Retsu-sensei ranked Uchiha Gen outside the top ten of the class.
By contrast, Senju Gen fully lived up to the reputation of his clan. His chakra reserves, taijutsu, and ninjutsu were all exceptional, placing him among the top five of the entire grade.
Retsu-sensei had already been uneasy after Uchiha Gen's earlier bout with Hyūga Kagami. He hadn't expected Senju Gen to set his sights on Gen as well.
Fortunately, Uchiha Gen appeared to understand the disparity in their strength and had no intention of fighting.
Retsu-sensei smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry. I won't arrange a match between the two of you."
"Then I'm relieved."
---
An Unwanted Encounter
Just then, a voice rang out from behind them.
"Uchiha Gen—why won't you spar with me?"
Uchiha Gen turned to see Senju Gen striding toward them, displeasing plain on his face.
"You accepted Hyūga Kagami's challenge," Senju Gen continued. "So why not mine?"
Uchiha Gen's gaze hardened.
"Senju Gen," he said coolly, "your strength is the best in the class. You're ranked among the top five of the entire grade."
"Meanwhile, I'm twelfth in our class."
His voice sharpened.
"Are you trying to humiliate me—and the Uchiha Clan—in front of everyone?"
Senju Gen froze.
That hadn't been his intention at all. He had only been excited by the prospect of a worthy fight. Somehow, it had turned into an accusation of deliberate insult.
Without another word, Uchiha Gen brushed past him and returned to the classroom.
He shouldn't bother me again now… Gen thought.
When Senju Gen eventually returned, he sat silently at his desk, head lowered, his earlier enthusiasm completely gone.
---
After School
After classes ended, Uchiha Gen and Hatake Seiko walked together toward the Hatake Clan grounds.
"I saw Brother Kakashi yesterday," Seiko said softly. "He seems even colder than before. I couldn't get close to him at all."
Uchiha Gen's expression darkened slightly.
"It's wartime," he replied. "Perhaps someone he knew… was lost on the battlefield."
Seiko lowered her voice.
"I heard an uncle mention that the father of one of Brother Kakashi's close friends died recently."
"The elders were shocked," she added. "It was Might Dai-senior."
An image of Might Guy's ever-cheerful smile surfaced unbidden in Uchiha Gen's mind.
"Kakashi-senior must be hurting too," Gen said quietly. "Seeing a friend lose his father would inevitably remind him of White Fang-senior."
He paused, then continued:
"This is war. Sacrifices are unavoidable. But it's precisely because of people like them that we can live peacefully in the Village."
Seiko nodded.
"I heard Might Dai-senior killed four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist by himself."
"Each of them is a legendary powerhouse," she said with awe. "Retsu-sensei lectured about them for three entire classes."
Uchiha Gen said solemnly,
"There may be darkness and corruption in the Village, but there are also shinobi worthy of admiration. Might Dai-senior was one of them."
---
On Hokage and Power
Seiko hesitated, then spoke again.
"Gen-kun… if the Fourth Hokage hadn't died, wouldn't everything have been different? The war only grew worse after his sacrifice."
"And if he were still alive," she added softly, "he could've stopped the darkness in the Village."
If Namikaze Minato hadn't died… Uchiha Gen thought.
Relations between the Uchiha and Konoha might never have deteriorated so badly.
With Uchiha Mikoto and Uzumaki Kushina as friends, there would have been trust—communication. The tragedy of the clan might never have happened.
A faint, mocking smile touched his lips.
"Seiko," he said, "even if the Fourth Hokage had lived, do you truly believe the Third gave up power willingly?"
He continued calmly:
"There were constant calls for a new Hokage. Even Academy students like us knew about them. That alone shows how dissatisfied many shinobi were with the Third's rule."
"In my opinion," Gen said, "even after Minato became Hokage, the real authority remained with the Third."
"The Fourth would've been little more than a figurehead."
Seiko's eyes widened.
"Orochimaru," Gen went on, "was powerful, respected, and trusted throughout the Village. If he'd become Hokage, the Third truly would've been reduced to nothing more than an old man peeking into the women's bathhouse."
"So in the end," he concluded, "Konoha's Yellow Flash won."
Seiko frowned.
"Did Grandpa Third really do all that…?"
Uchiha Gen laughed quietly.
"Then tell me—why is the Third acting as Hokage again now?"
"If a Fifth Hokage were nominated today, who could stop it? Orochimaru would almost certainly be elected."
"Then… who would the Fifth be?" Seiko asked.
Gen shrugged.
"How would we know? Those struggles belong to the people at the top."
---
Ambush in the Woods
They reached the forest near the Hatake grounds.
Suddenly, Uchiha Gen stopped.
He turned sharply.
"Senju Gen," he said coldly, "what do you want—following us all this way?"
Seiko startled and looked around instinctively.
Water Release: Water Surge Wave!
Chakra flared within the bushes as a torrent of water rushed toward Uchiha Gen.
Gen stepped forward and threw a single punch.
The water exploded into mist, scattering harmlessly through the air.
In the same instant, a figure burst from the fog, delivering a powerful kick aimed straight at Gen's chest.
Gen met it head-on.
His fist struck forward, several knuckles subtly protruding, colliding directly with the sole of the attacker's foot.
Bang!
The impact thundered through the forest.
The figure flipped backward and landed atop a tree more than ten meters away.
It was Senju Gen.
He grimaced in pain, his right foot hovering above the branch, unable to bear weight.
"Uchiha Gen…" he gasped.
"What kind of technique was that?"
His entire right leg felt numb—as if countless electric currents were tearing through it.
---
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