"Seiji-kun is from the Uchiha clan, right? Haven't you learned any ninjutsu?"Nohara Rin tilted her head curiously.
Although Uchiha Seiji had come from the Land of Lightning, he still bore the proud family name Uchiha. And in Konoha, the Uchiha clan wasn't just any clan—it was one of the great shinobi families. They even held exclusive control over the village's Police Force. To put it bluntly, they were Konoha's aristocracy.
"In the Uchiha clan, it's not as simple as just learning any ninjutsu you want," a voice cut in before Seiji could answer.
It was Obito, who had immediately rushed over the moment Rin started talking to Seiji after class.
"To prevent clan members from abusing jutsu or being too reckless, everything has to be approved by the elders in charge."Obito explained with the tone of someone who thought he knew it all.
Otherwise, wouldn't everyone just skip straight to learning the strongest techniques?
"I see." Rin nodded in understanding. Her short hair swayed slightly, and a few black strands brushed against the violet markings on her cheeks.
She was just a girl from a civilian family; things like clan restrictions were outside her experience.
"That's why, Nohara Rin-san…" Seiji finally spoke, his dark eyes locking onto hers."Would you be willing to teach me?"
Her reflection shone in his pupils. Maybe it was the season, but as autumn deepened, her clothes looked thicker than before.
Seiji wasn't asking out of whimsy. Rin was valuable—someone worth approaching.
Because Rin was a medical prodigy. Even as a chunin, she had already mastered Mystical Palm Technique.
And what level was that?An A-rank medical ninjutsu.
Just one step below S-rank techniques, and significantly more difficult to learn than most combat jutsu. Medical arts required extreme precision in chakra control—one small mistake could be disastrous.
The fact that Rin had learned something so advanced at her age meant her talent had already caught the eye of Konoha's Medical Corps. If not for her early death, she might have gone on to become a legendary medic like Tsunade or Sakura.
"…Alright," Rin said after thinking for a moment, nodding with a smile."I can teach you. But here at the academy, the only things I know are E-rank jutsu. That's all I can pass on."
"That's more than enough." Seiji gave a small, grateful smile. "You've really helped me out."
"It's no big deal—we're classmates, after all." Rin shook her head lightly.
Meanwhile, Obito felt like he'd just shot himself in the foot. If he'd known, he would never have explained Uchiha clan rules to Rin in the first place.
"Rin! Teach me too!" he blurted out, unwilling to let her attention focus only on Seiji.
But before she could answer, the class bell rang. Obito groaned, rushing back to his seat.
As the lecture resumed, he fiddled with his pen and let his mind wander."Heh… once Rin trains me too, I'll crush that arrogant Kakashi and wipe the smug look off his face."
Obito grinned at the thought, sneaking glances at Kakashi and Rin.
Seiji, on the other hand, quietly kept reading. The lessons might have been basic, but knowledge was precious.
Because in the Uchiha clan, he was always going to be an outsider.
Would anyone bother guiding him? If so, how much? It was impossible to predict.
He wasn't foolish enough to assume the clan would assign him a skilled tutor.
After all, he was just a half-blood Uchiha picked up from outside the village. The only reason the elders even acknowledged him was to prevent rumors of others like him existing.
And with only one Sharingan awakened, there was still the risk others would see him as nothing more than foreign trash dragged in from the Land of Lightning.
That was why he had chosen Rin. She wasn't random.
There was another genius in class—Hatake Kakashi. Seiji's eyes flicked toward the boy with silver-white hair and a black mask sitting ahead.
But Kakashi would never be as approachable as Rin.
In fact, once his father, the White Fang of Konoha, died, Kakashi's personality would change completely—becoming cold, ruthless, and eager to graduate early. He'd embody the idea of shinobi as mere tools more than anyone else.
Seiji set the thought aside. No matter what, the path forward was the same: grow stronger on his own.
The school day passed.
Life here had a rhythm he was slowly adapting to.
The academy curriculum could be divided into five main sections:
Theory: basic ninjutsu, hand seals, and foundational math and physics.
Physical Training: conditioning the body and simple taijutsu.
History: learning about Konoha and famous shinobi of the past.
Fieldcraft: lessons on espionage, assassination, code-breaking, intelligence-gathering, and—for kunoichi—specialized training.
Practice: sparring and mock battles.
But what was missing was just as important: there was no real focus on philosophy or morality.
The academy existed for one purpose—to produce shinobi.
Take the Daimyō, for example. In a world where individuals could level mountains and split seas, the rulers were still ordinary humans. Even later, when Naruto himself became Seventh Hokage, he remained bound by the Daimyō's authority. If funding was cut from Konoha, even he could only endure it.
"Thinking about things like that… is still too far away."
When the classroom finally emptied, Seiji sat alone at his desk. He exhaled, then summoned his translucent interface.
He'd tested it: no one else could see this panel but him.
Today's lessons had been heavy on history and cultural studies, probably because of his transfer.
[Entry: Reading Absorption (White)]Requirement: Read 10 articles and complete detailed notes.Progress: 50%Effect: Slightly improved ability to absorb written knowledge. Understanding speed +10%.Note: Can evolve with further progress.
Seiji's eyes shifted to the second entry.
[Entry: Basic Memory (White)]Requirement: Memorize 5 selected biographies of shinobi history.Progress: 40%Effect: Slight boost to short-term memory. Word and phrase recall speed +5%.Note: Can evolve with further progress.
"…This should make academic studies a lot easier," he thought to himself.
Both were low-tier entries, but clearly useful. And each had the note: can evolve further.
"Reading Absorption" and "Basic Memory" were perfect for his goals. After all, becoming a medical ninja meant memorizing massive amounts of technical knowledge.
"Seiji-kun?"
A voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
He closed the panel and looked up.
At the door, Rin leaned in, her curious eyes fixed on him.
"Why are you still here? Everyone else already left."