Orochimaru squeezed the report in his hand, his snake-like pupils scanning the document before a sly smile appeared on his pale face. "Sarutobi-sensei, I told you not to put Hyuga and Uchiha kids together. Didn't you come up with this plan yourself in the first place?"
The Third Hokage, despite being in his fifties, was still in his prime as a ninja. He didn't react to the disrespect in his student's tone, instead taking a slow puff from his pipe before exhaling a cloud of smoke. "I considered it carefully. Hyuga Hayato and Uchiha Hui don't have personalities that would clash too much, even if placed in the same class. Plus, the Hyuga clan isn't overly concerned with Hayato since he's from the branch family. It seemed reasonable to put them in a squad together later on."
Orochimaru casually tossed the report on Hinata Yufumi's situation back onto the desk and smirked. "And yet, the outcome completely defied your expectations. A five-year-old Uchiha defeated Hyuga Yufumi, a graduating class student. It wasn't a severe injury, but at this rate, people will soon be saying that a Hyuga shinobi was effortlessly taken down by a five-year-old Uchiha."
The Third Hokage rubbed his temples, visibly frustrated. "And of course, the Uchiha-run police force personally returned the boy to the Hyuga estate. These two clans never miss a chance to escalate things, even with the war looming over us." His voice carried a faint trace of irritation.
Orochimaru licked his lips, his narrow eyes drifting toward the window as he stared at the village below. "Either way, old man, your plan is already in shambles. When Uchiha Hui graduates, why not assign him to me? I find him… interesting. My current student could use two teammates to complete a squad."
The Third Hokage tapped his pipe against the edge of the desk and said pointedly, "I didn't expect this Uchiha to be such a prodigy. If he keeps progressing at this rate, he'll be graduating this year. That means we only have ten months to make a decision. If I hand him over to you, people will say I'm playing favorites with the Uchiha."
"As long as he's recognized as a genius, it won't be an issue." Orochimaru's eyes glinted with confidence.
The Hokage nodded slightly, trusting in his student's abilities. He knew that certain discussions were best had in private, away from official reports and council meetings. He adjusted his ceremonial cloak and gave Orochimaru a thoughtful look. "Then tell me, what do you propose we do about this?"
Regardless of what the village leadership decided, Uchiha Hui had become the center of attention.
News of his victory over Hyuga Yufumi spread quickly, and the fact that a five-year-old had defeated someone of near-Chunin level became the talk of the village. The most shocking part? He had already mastered the Uchiha clan's signature Fireball Jutsu at such a young age.
Learning the Fireball Jutsu after seeing it only once was enough to solidify his reputation as a prodigy.
Typically, the Uchiha clan would have pushed for special training for someone like Hui. However, because of Orochimaru's interest in him, the clan opted to wait and observe. Instead, they hinted to Hui that he should request an early graduation from the Academy.
Hui smiled bitterly at the political maneuvering but didn't protest. He was willing to shoulder the expectations of his clan. And so, he officially applied for early graduation, just as planned.
A month had passed since his battle with Yufumi.
During that time, Hui had gained a reputation not only as a formidable fighter but also as the most talked-about boy among the Academy's female students. His skill, combined with his cold demeanor and striking looks, made him the center of attention. If he weren't so distant, he would have been overwhelmed by their constant attempts to get closer to him.
On this particular morning, Hui arrived at the Academy and went straight to his instructor. Without hesitation, he stated, "I want to apply for early graduation."
Normally, this process took a few days, as it required the Hokage's approval. But to his surprise, his instructor simply nodded. "Your clan already arranged special qualifications for you. Given your abilities, all that's left is a basic proficiency test in substitution, transformation, and shuriken techniques."
Hui paused for a moment, slightly surprised. He hadn't expected the clan to handle the paperwork behind his back.
He thought to himself, Father must have known about this. He probably wanted to keep it from me, hoping I would stay in the Academy longer to avoid the war.
But that wasn't an option. He needed to get stronger—faster. He wouldn't waste time.
He had no intention of disappointing those who believed in him.
(T/N: if there are any inaccuracies tell me )