With him here.
Itachi had never once believed he would become the strongest freshman.
That single sentence revealed just how much someone meant to him.
Everyone present—students and instructors alike—was stunned.
Who was he talking about?
The Uchiha prodigy, Itachi Uchiha—whose name had already spread through the village before he even entered the Academy—was openly showing admiration for someone else?
Following Itachi's gaze, all eyes turned toward a wild-looking boy leaning casually against a tree. He traced his fingers along the hilt of his sword, a gourd of sake hanging loosely in his other hand, just about to take a drink.
He didn't fit in at all, yet his presence was magnetic.
He stood there, utterly distinct from everyone else—carrying a pride and solitude far beyond his years.
Perhaps people should have noticed him earlier.
But now, that attention had shifted into awe.
Someone whom even the Uchiha prodigy acknowledged…
Who was he?
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, turning his gaze toward Minato Namikaze.
Itachi's answer had completely thrown off his rhythm—and his plan.
The flattery had lost its effect.
He had even lost the chance to lecture Minato, to preach about balancing the power of the Uchiha.
"Hakken Yoru," Minato said softly. "I've mentioned him before."
"He had a run-in with your son, Asuma. Apparently, Asuma was smoking in a dango shop, and the smoke choked his sister, Anko Mitarashi."
After working alongside Hiruzen as Hokage for so long, Minato understood exactly what the Third was getting at.
He wanted to know who that boy was.
But Minato had already tried to tell him indirectly, more than once.
So it was him.
Hiruzen turned his attention fully toward Hakken Yoru.
The boy met his gaze.
Their eyes locked—no tension, no sparks—just a fleeting exchange before both looked away.
Speaking of Asuma… his son.
Hiruzen sighed softly.
Asuma had already left Konoha, storming off after an argument between them.
He'd said he was going to find the "true jade."
But the answer was right here, in Konoha. What exactly was he trying to find out there?
The true jade? How could it exist anywhere else?
In the end, he still didn't understand—he never grasped what that "jade" truly symbolized.
But this boy…
Hakken Yoru.
The one acknowledged by Itachi Uchiha himself.
His plans disrupted, Hiruzen suddenly lost the will to continue his act.
Still, a civilian-born ninja who could surpass the Uchiha's talent… that was worth keeping an eye on.
Patting Itachi gently on the head, Hiruzen forced a kind smile. "As expected of you—ever so humble."
At least, he hadn't walked away empty-handed.
The moment he saw Itachi, something about the boy had felt familiar.
Unlike other members of the Uchiha Clan, Itachi carried a calm humility—a subtle light that reminded Hiruzen of another man.
Another Uchiha who had chosen to truly stand with Konoha.
Uchiha Kagami.
And his descendant—Uchiha Shisui.
That realization struck a chord deep within Hiruzen.
He cast one final glance at Itachi before his gaze shifted to the tree where the boy stood—Hakken Yoru, sake gourd in hand.
...
"I really don't know what to say about you."
The Hokage's speech—no, the lecture from Konoha's honorary headmaster—had finally ended.
Itachi and Hakken, unsurprisingly, were both assigned to the elite class.
Sitting in the corner of the classroom, Hakken extended his finger and flicked Itachi squarely on the forehead.
The sudden sting made Itachi wince, looking both hurt and confused.
Somehow, he couldn't shake the feeling that this forehead flick wasn't something Hakken should even know how to do.
Yet he did it perfectly.
Exactly right.
Hakken sighed and shook his head.
What could he even say?
Of all the possibilities he'd considered, he never expected that the one to attract the higher-ups' attention would be Itachi.
Blame him?
No.
That poor kid always had his reasons for everything he did.
And if Itachi had done this… Hakken already had a good idea why.
Helping a friend however you can.
Guiding them into the sight of the higher-ups, earning the Hokage's favor, and one day becoming a pillar of the village.
That was what Itachi believed he could do for Hakken.
Once he thought of it that way, his actions came naturally.
Itachi Uchiha was simply that kind of person—and right now, Hakken was his most important friend.
Besides, he saw nothing wrong with what he had said.
In his heart, Hakken truly was that strong.
After training together for so long, he understood exactly what kind of person Hakken was.
Hakken had once told him,
"If you can only do one thing in life, then master it—push it to the very peak!"
Itachi never thought he could surpass someone with such conviction.
Through countless sparring sessions, he'd come to realize just how powerful Hakken really was.
With him around, I could never be the strongest freshman.
That simple thought—wanting his friend to be noticed by the Hokage, to perhaps gain his favor and rise through the ranks one day—was all there was to Itachi's reasoning.
Simple. Honest.
But he didn't yet understand how narrow Konoha's so-called tolerance could be.
Being noticed too early would only bring unnecessary trouble.
Hakken said nothing to rebuke him.
There was no need.
If the Third Hokage really ordered ANBU to put him through a genjutsu interrogation just because of one sentence from Itachi, then his so-called dignity as Hokage wasn't worth much anyway.
So there was no point in worrying.
Looking around, Hakken saw his classmates giving their dull, repetitive introductions—an Academy tradition.
Finally, his turn came.
The room's attention naturally gathered on him once more.
Everyone wanted to know the name of the boy who had drawn so much attention earlier.
Standing slowly, Hakken lifted his sake gourd and took a heavy swig right in front of their instructor, Ryuji Yamazaki.
Then, with that same untamed grin, he declared,
"My name is Hakken Yoru!"
"Nice to meet you all."