Chapter 27: Repercussions and a Teacher's Duty
"Hey, you two, stop chatting and go check on Uchiha Fugaku!" Nara Shikaku interjected, shaking his head in exasperation. "If that guy actually dies, Shinra, you'll be in real trouble."
"Don't worry. I know my own strength," Shinra replied dismissively. "At most, I broke seven or eight of his ribs. He's not going to die."
He had been very careful. If he had actually killed the Uchiha clan head's son, there would be no place for him in Konoha. Even with Tsunade's support, the political fallout would be immense. Based on his understanding of Sarutobi Hiruzen's character, the Third Hokage would likely hand him over to the Uchiha to maintain village stability. The Uchiha clan in this era was a powerful, unified force; provoking a full-scale conflict with them was unthinkable for the village leadership.
"Don't worry, Mikoto," Shinra said, turning his attention back to the trembling girl beside him. "Leaving the Uchiha clan might be a blessing. They've been living in the glory of the Warring States era. The truth is, the clan has been weakening ever since Uchiha Madara left. It's good to get out now."
"Y-yes. Thank you, Shinra," Mikoto said, offering a weak, forced smile.
"And since you're leaving the Uchiha compound," Shinra continued, a genuine smile touching his lips, "you can come live with me. My house is plenty big, and honestly, it gets a bit lonely. I'd like that." There was a clear note of hope in his voice.
Mikoto's cheeks flushed a deep crimson. In her current state of confusion and fear, having nowhere else to go, she found herself unable to refuse his offer. She gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.
I didn't expect Uchiha Fugaku to basically hand me this opportunity on a silver platter, Shinra mused privately. Maybe I should thank him. If I see him again, I'll just give him a lighter kick as a token of my gratitude.
"Hyuga Shinra! You just wait! The Uchiha clan will not let this stand!" one of Fugaku's lackeys yelled as they helped the groaning boy to his feet.
"And what exactly is going on here?"
A stern voice cut through the threat. Their teacher, Ueno Kuri, had finally arrived, his face like thunder as he glared at the Uchiha group.
"Are you threatening my student?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. A palpable wave of killing intent—the kind only gained from real battlefield experience—washed over the Uchiha boys, making them tremble instantly.
"I-It was Hyuga Shinra! He attacked our young master first!" one of them stammered out, pointing a shaking finger.
Ueno Kuri shot a sharp look at Shinra before turning his fury back on the accusers. "I will deal with him. But you dare to openly threaten a student under my care? Do you think I am a joke?"
He then gestured to the smoldering crater in the ground. "And who is responsible for this? Who dared to use ninjutsu on school grounds?" The residual chakra signature made his anger spike.
"Teacher, that was Uchiha Fugaku! He tried to kill Hiashi with it!" Nawaki quickly supplied.
"Very well," Ueno Kuri said coldly. "I will be reporting this directly to the Hokage. Let's see how he deals with it." He then rounded on his entire class. "As for the rest of you little troublemakers, get back to the classroom! Now! Must you cause me so much worry?"
After barking the order, Ueno Kuri hurried over to check on Uchiha Fugaku. He needed to assess the damage to know how to protect his own student. A wave of relief washed over him as he confirmed the injuries were severe but not life-threatening. He arranged for Fugaku to be taken to Konoha Hospital before making a beeline for the Hokage's office to report the incident, emphasizing the unauthorized and lethal use of a ninjutsu by an older student against a first-year.
After his report to Sarutobi Hiruzen, Ueno Kuri rushed back to his classroom to get the full story.
"Namikaze," he said, his voice weary. "Tell me what happened." He had chosen Minato because the boy was reliable and honest. The others... he wasn't so sure.
True to form, Namikaze Minato gave a clear, unbiased, and thorough account of the entire confrontation.
"Hyuga Hiashi. On your feet," Ueno Kuri commanded.
Hiashi stood, his head bowed.
"What were you thinking?" the teacher scolded. "Do you have any sense of your own strength? You're a first-year student thinking you can take on a fifth-year about to graduate? Use your head!"
The harsh rebuke made Hiashi shrink, humiliation and frustration warring on his face, but he had no defense.
"I know you care about your clan's honor. But if you act so recklessly next time, you won't live long enough to inherit anything! You'll die pointlessly on some battlefield!"
"That's all I have to say. Now sit down and think about it."
He waved Hiashi away and then turned his glare onto Shinra.
"And you! Smirking like that, you think this is funny?" Ueno Kuri's voice rose. "You nearly kicked a fifth-year student to death! Have you considered the consequences? If Uchiha Fugaku had died today, no one—not me, not your clan, not even the Hokage—could have saved you!"
Shinra lowered his head, remaining silent. He didn't feel resentful. In fact, Ueno Kuri's tone and his fierce, protective scolding reminded him strangely of a homeroom teacher from his past life.
"I'm not going to waste my breath; I know you won't listen. I just hope you'll think about the fallout before you act next time."
With a heavy sigh, Ueno Kuri let the matter drop for the moment and began the day's lesson. The topic was, once again, Chakra Refinement. Shinra, having no need for the basics, laid his head on the desk and focused inward, beginning the long, tedious process of compressing and purifying his vast but impure chakra reserves. He estimated it would take him at least six months of dedicated effort to complete the process. His reserves would likely shrink by dozens, maybe even hundreds, of times, settling around the level of a Jonin or Elite Jonin. But the resulting quality would make every technique far more potent, ultimately increasing his true combat power significantly.
The morning passed uneventfully. When the lunch bell rang, Ueno Kuri paused at the door.
"Hyuga Shinra. With me. Now," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I need to speak with you."
"Shinra..." Mikoto looked at him, her eyes full of fresh worry.
Shinra just shrugged, giving her a reassuring look before following his teacher out of the classroom.