After listening, Shiyu Uchiha found the idea made perfect sense. Without hesitation, he sat cross-legged on the spot, recalling every detail of sword training until the final slash.
Fifteen minutes later, Shiyu Uchiha stood up and focused intently, delivering the last slash of the night. Then he decided to take a bath and call it a night.
He glanced at Mikoto Uchiha, but she was still deeply immersed in her cultivation. Clearly, her stamina hadn't reached its limit yet and she could continue for some time longer—an enviable sight indeed. Yet he no longer had the energy to watch.
Giving Uchiha Shizhi a brief nod, he headed back inside. He was utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically.
Then, however, Shizhi Uchiha called out, "Go get that potion I brewed earlier. Pour it into your bathwater and soak for half an hour—it'll help relieve your fatigue effectively."
Without hesitation, Shiyu Uchiha followed his instructions. While soaking in the medicinal bath, he also practiced his meditation technique for a while, finally alleviating part of the exhaustion from both mind and body. Afterward, he collapsed onto his bed and fell straight asleep.
The next morning, Shiyu Uchiha woke up right on schedule like always, finding himself nearly fully recovered. It was evident just how effective the Uchiha Clan's secret remedies were for physical recovery, so he began practicing his meditation technique again.
Refreshed after the meditation, he warmed up alone in the courtyard before being called by his mother to come inside for breakfast. Then, he headed to school together with his sister.
At that moment, Mikoto Uchiha wasn't as energetic as usual—clearly, last night's sword practice had drained much of her energy. Her recovery ability simply couldn't match his enhanced condition.
Shiyu Uchiha welcomed the peaceful silence and chose not to disturb her. The two walked silently until Mikoto finally seemed to recover just before reaching school.
"Shiyu," Mikoto said, "you must study diligently at school, listen carefully to what the teachers say, never whisper or chat during class, and memorize all the knowledge they teach. Do you understand?" As she spoke, she patted Shiyu's head affectionately.
Shiyu felt as though she were petting a cat. Indeed, many members of the Uchiha clan were total cat addicts. At home, for example, ninken (shapeshifting ninja cats) often visited, and Uchiha Shizhi even prepared special meals tailored to their feline tastes.
"Don't worry, sis," Shiyu assured proudly, placing a hand over his heart. "I've always been well-behaved. I promise I'll work just as hard as you do." Locking eyes with Mikoto as he spoke, he couldn't help but suspect that Mikoto herself had never really followed that kind of advice.
Sure enough, Mikoto tensed up for a moment, then quickly recomposed herself. Just then, they arrived at school. Spotting some of her classmates, Mikoto suddenly offered an excuse: "Shiyu, my friend and I need to go this way. You can walk alone now." And with that, they parted ways.
As Shiyu Uchiha headed toward his classroom, muttering to himself, "What a great big sis I've got — always pushing me to study... I wonder if all that advice is exactly what you did back then?"
Shiyu Uchiha then remembered how Mikoto Uchiha had stiffened slightly at the end—so subtly that only someone watching her closely, like himself, would notice. This further confirmed the truth.
Grumbling under his breath, Shiyu made his way toward the classroom. Once inside, he stopped overthinking and took a seat. As more students gradually filled the room, class finally began.
Unlike other members of the Uchiha clan who usually carried themselves with pride and coldness, Shiyu was remarkably gentle and approachable. Still, because he bore the Uchiha emblem, only two girls from minor, almost forgotten ninja families dared sit near him. And even that was only because they arrived late and had no other option left.
The reason for this was that Shiyu was enrolled in the academy's elite class. All students here had already mastered the Chakra Extraction Technique before entering—meaning they were at least from small ninja clans.
Old enough to understand social complexities, they didn't just represent themselves individually. Knowing there was tension between the Hokage faction and the Uchiha, none of them would dare sit too close to an Uchiha on the first day. Otherwise, it might cause misunderstandings.
Even more importantly, this class also included the young master from the Sarutobi clan this year: Shin'nosuke Sarutobi, the eldest son of Hiruzen Sarutobi as mentioned in records, and father of Konohamaru Sarutobi.
That was why everyone avoided getting too close to Shiyu. They feared being reported to Shin'nosuke. Many parents had specifically warned their children to show some respect for the Hokage. At this time, Hiruzen still held strong authority. Of course, this formality would only last during the first few days of school; afterward, personal relationships could naturally develop without concern.
Certainly, Shiyu absolutely refused to admit the real reason—that his looks were just about average by Uchiha standards. Though good-looking, his appearance wasn't yet stunning enough to completely captivate the fangirls around him into ignoring all rational concerns.
As for why there was only one Uchiha in the entire class, it was because the Uchiha household sent only this branch to attend the academy, serving as a bridge between the clan and the village. However, as the expert in charge of maintaining this bridge within Konoha grew increasingly powerful and extreme in behavior, the bond between the Uchiha and Konoha eventually shattered.
Other Uchiha members underwent training internally within the Konoha Police Force, so they never attended this school. After all, the curriculum here mostly included only the Trio-body Jutsu and chakra extraction techniques—in the eyes of most ninja clans, such basic teachings were nothing but a waste of time. As for the Uchiha clan's deep martial tradition, that went without saying.
To the ninja clans, the ninja academy served purely as a place to demonstrate allegiance to Hiruzen Sarutobi and build connections. Although few Uchiha attended here, each student came from an important family background—usually offspring of high-ranking members within the clan.
For commoners, however, this academy represented a rare opportunity to change their destiny. Only by coming here could they access chakra extraction techniques and Trio-body Jutsu, learn fundamental ninja knowledge like hand-to-hand combat and [Shuriken Throwing Technique], and receive guidance from many skilled Chunin instructors dedicated to teaching.
Anyone with a talent for chakra would get some training. After all, even the worst of them were still fit to be grunts. And if your talent was top-notch, you'd catch the Hokage's eye and get real training.
When the teacher walked into the classroom, he greeted everyone and then spoke about the Will of Fire — the unbreakable spirit that honors those who gave their lives. Then he told everyone to take turns introducing themselves. Naturally, the first one to step forward was Sarutobi Shin'nosuke. With his father being the Hokage, no one dared to challenge him for that spot.
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