Chapter 5 — Shadows at Noon
The Academy bell chimed faintly, signaling the lunch break. Sunlight spilled across the training yard, turning the dust into a warm haze. Children scattered into little clusters — some unpacking bento boxes, others racing to the far corner to practice throwing shuriken where the instructors weren't watching.
Kakashi, as Akira expected, didn't join any group. He made his way to a quiet patch beneath a maple tree near the wall, unwrapping his lunch with calm precision.
Akira walked over without invitation.
"You know," Akira began, lowering himself to sit beside Kakashi, "you're not doing a great job of blending in."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow but kept chewing. "Why would I want to?"
Akira smirked. "Because that's what you do when you're the strongest — hide your strength until you need it."
There was a subtle flicker in Kakashi's eyes. He didn't answer immediately, and Akira counted that as a win.
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A burst of energy came from across the yard. "Akiraaa!"
Shisui, barely four and already moving like quicksilver, skidded to a stop beside them. "Why are you over here? Oh—" He noticed Kakashi and gave him an appraising look, all open curiosity. "You're the Hatake kid, right? My uncle says you're scary-good."
Kakashi just hummed.
Shisui plopped down anyway, unpacking his lunch with less grace and more enthusiasm. Two other Uchiha boys, Riku and Sadao, wandered over, drawn by Shisui's chatter. Soon there was a small circle under the tree, the low hum of conversation filling the space.
Akira steered the talk toward harmless topics — favorite weapons, the fastest routes to the training field — but his eyes kept drifting to Kakashi. The boy's posture was relaxed but his gaze was always moving, cataloging. He's already reading everyone, Akira thought. Just like I am.
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Halfway through lunch, Akira felt it — that subtle shift in the air, the faint vibration in the fabric of chakra.
Without moving his head, he let his golden Byakugan slide into focus.
A thin thread of vision raced outward, peeling back the world's skin. Chakra networks lit up in his sight — the steady pulses of his classmates, the calmer, heavier signatures of the instructors… and one that was wrong.
A cold, tightly wound presence crouched three rooftops away, masked in chakra suppression techniques. Not a parent. Not an instructor. Root, Akira knew instantly. Danzō's men.
He closed the Byakugan and let his expression remain as bored as Kakashi's. If they wanted to watch, fine — he'd give them nothing to report.
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When the final bell rang and the students spilled into the street, Kakashi walked in the opposite direction without a word. Akira lingered just long enough to catch the operative still in position. He took the long route home, weaving through the Uchiha district until the chakra signature finally withdrew.
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Uchiha Compound — Evening
Fugaku's study was dim except for the lamplight. Mikoto sat opposite him, hands folded in her lap.
"You saw them too," she said quietly.
Fugaku nodded, jaw tight. "Root has been sniffing around the younger ones for weeks. Today, they followed Akira."
Mikoto's eyes softened. "He's not like the others, Fugaku. He's… sharper. And he's already careful. You'd think he's been here before."
Fugaku considered that, then looked toward the window, where the last traces of daylight faded. "All the more reason to watch him closely. The boy might be the clan's greatest asset — or its greatest target."
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