Uchiha Clan Compound.
After dinner, Sasuke hesitated for a moment, his gaze shifting toward the darkening horizon before he headed toward the lakeside.
The air near the water was cool. Uchiha Itachi, drenched in sweat, sat by the edge catching his breath. Hearing footsteps, he tilted his head slightly, his sharp eyes softening just a fraction.
"Big brother."
Sasuke walked up, offering a towel with a shy, hesitant gesture. Itachi took it, a faint smile surfacing on his otherwise stoic face. He shifted aside, patting the ground to make room.
"I heard you've got a new Taijutsu teacher?"
"Mm," Sasuke nodded, his eyes brightening. "His Taijutsu and Shunshin no Jutsu are way better than the last teacher's. He's amazing with a Kunai, too."
Itachi's gaze turned thoughtful. "Is he good to you?"
"Mm!" Sasuke smiled widely. "He's not as strong as you, but he teaches seriously and... he's really interesting."
Itachi ruffled Sasuke's hair, his expression briefly clouded by a complicated shadow. After a pause, he spoke softly. "Then promise me you'll get along well with your teacher and classmates."
"I will!" Sasuke promised firmly. "Big brother, can you teach me Shurikenjutsu now?"
Before Itachi could answer, another set of footsteps approached. Uchiha Shisui dropped from a nearby tree, landing silently. He paused for a beat, his eyes dimming with a secret weight, before tapping Sasuke's forehead.
"Forgive me, Sasuke. Something has come up tonight—next time."
"It's always next time!" Sasuke rubbed his forehead, grumbling in protest as the two elites vanished in a flicker of movement.
Beside a stream outside Konohagakure, Naruto sat on the grass grilling fish while Hiruzen Sarutobi tended the fire, his aged face illuminated by the gentle orange glow.
"Naruto, how is your new teacher?"
"Terrible!" Naruto snapped irritably. "He's a jerk I'm gonna clobber him next time!"
"Oh? What makes him so awful?" Hiruzen chuckled, tossing another branch into the flames.
"He... he..." Naruto faltered. He couldn't bring himself to explain how those cold eyes had seen right through him. "Grandpa Third, he looks down on me!"
Hiruzen listened attentively and sighed. "Naruto, many things and people cannot be judged by appearances alone."
"I saw his real thoughts!" Naruto puffed his cheeks, gnawing at the fish.
Hiruzen frowned, glancing at the skewer. "Naruto, that fish isn't cooked yet!"
"Huh? Should I... grill it longer?"
"Forget it, I'll handle the cooking; you keep training."
Early next morning, Naruto lay sprawled on his bed, snoring softly.
Bang-bang-bang!
Someone rapped sharply on the window. Naruto cracked one eye open. "Who now...?" He checked the clock. Six a.m.
Knock-knock-knock!
The window rattled again. Naruto leapt from the bed, his annoyance flaring. "Hey! Even for a prank, this is too much!" He stomped over and slid the window open.
Naruto blinked, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. "Teacher Masahiko? You...?"
"Look at the time," Yagyu Masahiko lounged on the sill, looking down with an insufferable air of superiority. "At your age, with your grades, how can you still sleep? My class doesn't allow wastes of space. Up time to run!"
He flashed a bright, mocking grin. "I'm only calling you aren't I kind?"
"You !" Naruto ground his teeth. "So what if you're a teacher? You can't keep targeting me!"
"Sorry being a teacher really is something," Masahiko answered cheerfully.
Slam! Naruto shut the window, but a minute later he flew back out with a desperate flying kick. Masahiko caught his leg effortlessly, dangling the boy upside-down in the morning air.
"Perfect. From now on, you'll run fifty laps along my route every morning. Otherwise, you run twenty-five laps on your hands."
Masahiko hopped down from the second floor, unceremoniously dumping Naruto on the cold ground. "Keep up."
"I haven't even eaten!" Naruto wailed.
"Eat? A loser's time is more precious than a normal person's. Siz don't deserve food, only Soldier Pills." Masahiko tossed a bitter, grey pill at him. "Swallow."
Naruto caught it, seething.
"Scared already?" Masahiko taunted over his shoulder. "With your guts, you still dream of being Hokage? Maybe in your next life!"
"Who says I'm scared!" Naruto gulped the pill. His face immediately twisted. "Disgusting! Why does it taste like dirt?"
"Tasty food is for humans," Masahiko's words were merciless as they entered the woods.
While Masahiko looked away, Naruto quietly hefted a stone and hurled it at his back. But just before impact, Masahiko sidestepped, deflected the stone with a flick of his wrist, and sent it flying back.
"Ah!" The rock struck Naruto's stomach.
"Fifty extra laps during lunch the price for that sneak attack," Masahiko's voice was icy.
"Damn it!" Naruto roared, sprinting up to kick again, but Masahiko simply seized his ankle and flung him forward into the dirt. Thud!
"Fifty more this afternoon." Masahiko beamed at him, looking like the kindest man in the world to any passerby.
Naruto clenched his teeth. This teacher was different. Others ignored him; Masahiko treated him like a soldier in a war zone.
I'll get way more screen time next episode! Masahiko grinned inwardly. As the villain, he didn't have to wait for Naruto to find him he would hunt the protagonist down under the guise of "strict education."
As they jogged past the village gate, a neighbor waved. "Teacher Masahiko, taking the boy for a run?"
"Yes," Masahiko gave a gentle, saintly smile. "His Taijutsu scores are poor; I'm just giving him a little extra help."
"Even for someone like him... you're so kind, Masahiko-sensei!"