The next morning, Kagaya woke up early, dressed in a grey outfit adorned with the distinctive Uchiha Clan fan symbol on the back. Perhaps because he was born an Uchiha, Kagaya's appearance could be considered quite handsome for his age.
Following the familiar route in his memory, Kagaya soon arrived at the Ninja Academy. Entering the classroom, the setup matched his expectations perfectly: a tiered classroom with three rows of seats. At first glance, he spotted Sasuke sitting at the back of the middle row.
Sasuke had arrived early. Right now, he was still an innocent boy, untouched by the bitterness and hatred that would consume him after the clan's massacre. Without vengeance driving him, he wasn't particularly remarkable yet.
Next, Kagaya noticed a boy in a grey outfit sitting one row ahead of Sasuke, his hands clasped behind his head, with two red triangular marks on his face—Inuzuka Kiba. However, Kagaya didn't see Kiba's dog, Akamaru, who might have been under the desk.
These two were the only ones who arrived earlier than Kagaya, who had already come quite early himself. He figured Sasuke was probably woken up by Itachi, so it wasn't surprising he got here first. As for Kiba, Kagaya guessed it was likely his "Hokage dream" spurring him on. People tend to be extra diligent when they find motivation, so it wasn't too unexpected.
"Hey, it's Kagaya! My brother woke me up at the crack of dawn, telling me not to fall behind you. Ugh, Kagaya, how do you manage to be so diligent? I got up so early and still only beat you by a bit," Sasuke said enthusiastically, waving at Kagaya as soon as he saw him. Kagaya's reputation as a genius made him well-known among his Uchiha peers, or at least they had heard of him. Sasuke admired his brother Itachi, a true genius, and naturally had a favorable impression of Kagaya, who carried the same "genius" title.
Kagaya shrugged helplessly and replied, "No choice. My father's too strict."
Saying his father was strict was just an excuse. Kagaya knew exactly why he was so diligent. While others might train out of fleeting passion, he was fighting for his life—a completely different motivation.
"An Uchiha genius, huh?" Kiba glanced at Kagaya, muttering under his breath before ignoring him.
From this alone, Kagaya sensed the Uchiha Clan's precarious situation. As an Uchiha "genius," he wasn't admired by his peers, unlike Sasuke in the original story. Kagaya remembered from watching the anime that Sasuke was adored by many girls at the academy, but he received no such attention.
It wasn't that Kagaya craved admiration, but this made him realize the worsening relationship between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha. People like Kiba, from prominent Konoha families, had likely been warned by their parents to avoid close ties with Uchihas during this time.
The tension between the Uchiha and Konoha was a closely guarded secret, unknown to most clans. However, many could sense the unusual atmosphere through subtle cues. It was likely that only after the Uchiha massacre would these clan disciples be allowed to interact freely with Uchihas.
Of course, Kagaya's lack of popularity wasn't solely due to this. It was the first day of school, and though he was called a genius within the Uchiha Clan, no one had seen his true abilities yet, so many were skeptical. Additionally, the Uchiha's prideful nature and tendency to look down on others made them unpopular in Konoha. Most people, especially boys with their own pride, wouldn't willingly approach an Uchiha, not wanting to be looked down upon.
Kagaya didn't bother with Kiba. He had no interest in chasing after someone who gave him the cold shoulder. Every second from now on was precious, dedicated to breaking the deadly trap he was in.
Sitting next to Sasuke, Kagaya started chatting with him.
"Sasuke, does your Brother have time today?"
"You want to ask him to train you again? Sure, let's go together after school. Though, he usually brushes me off with something like 'next time,'" Sasuke said.
"It's worth a try. What if Itachi has time today?" Kagaya replied.
"You're right! If Brother teaches us, we'll definitely be the best in our class!" Sasuke said excitedly.
Kagaya continued chatting with Sasuke as more students gradually arrived. Some were unfamiliar faces, but others were well-known to Kagaya—the future Konoha Twelve.
Sakura Haruno, who kept stealing glances at Sasuke, and Ino Yamanaka, who occasionally looked at Kagaya, soon entered. At this age, their feelings were far from love—just a bit of admiration due to Sasuke and Kagaya's good looks. Being young, they didn't take their families' warnings about Uchihas too seriously.
Naturally, both Sasuke and Kagaya ignored the attention. Sasuke didn't care, and Kagaya had no time to worry about others' opinions. Even if the whole world admired him, it wouldn't stop Itachi's blade on the day of the massacre.
Getting stronger was the only thing that mattered to him right know.
Then came Nara Shikamaru, his face practically screaming "school is such a drag," followed by the chubby Akimichi Choji, and behind them, Shino Aburame and Hinata Hyuga.
Hinata, like Sakura and Ino, looked around the classroom upon entering but seemed to lower her head in disappointment, likely not finding who she was looking for.
At this point, all the people Kagaya recognized had arrived. The rest were unfamiliar faces, and he didn't know who they were.
The future Konoha Twelve were mostly in this classroom, except for Lee, Neji, and Tenten, who were in the year above.
Most importantly, Kagaya hadn't seen the person he wanted to see most.
'Hm, late? Typical,' Kagaya thought to himself.
Soon, everyone found a seat, and a ninja with a forehead protector and a scar on his face entered the classroom. He clapped the podium to quiet everyone down.
"Good morning, students. I'll be your teacher for the next six years. My name is Iruka Umino. You can call me Teacher Iruka. Now, let's start with introductions so I can get to know you. Go in order."
With that, the student in the front right corner stood up shyly under Iruka's gaze, preparing to introduce themselves.
At that moment, the door Iruka had closed was flung open, and a blonde boy in a yellow outfit stood at the entrance, panting heavily.
For the first time, Kagaya observed someone with a truly serious gaze. Up until now, he hadn't paid much attention to the Konoha Twelve, but with this blonde boy's arrival, he couldn't help but look closely.
Uzumaki Naruto—the absolute protagonist of Naruto, the son of the Fourth Hokage, and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Watching the panting boy, Kagaya gave a slight smile. As expected, Naruto was late. Back when Kagaya watched the anime, he related to Naruto's perspective. Now, as a character in this world standing on the other side, it felt oddly surreal.
Iruka, of course, recognized Naruto—how could he not? The memory of the Nine-Tails' rampage, which mercilessly took his parents' lives, was still vivid. It had been sealed into Naruto by the Fourth Hokage.
Before today, Iruka had avoided interacting with Naruto, afraid he might lose control and do something he shouldn't. But now, as a teacher, he had no choice but to face the boy the village secretly called the "demon fox."
After a moment of thought, Iruka spoke calmly.
"What's your name?"
Iruka knew Naruto's name but asked anyway, reminding himself that the boy before him wasn't the demon fox and that this was their first meeting.
Naruto, aware he was late, scratched his head and grinned sheepishly.
"Hehe, uh, I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"
Iruka nodded.
"You're late. Since it's the first day, I'll let it slide. Find a seat."
Kagaya quietly observed Iruka. It was clear that Iruka still harbored some resistance toward Naruto, understandable given that the Nine-Tails had killed his parents.
But six years at the Ninja Academy was a long time—long enough to change someone's perspective. This teacher, currently distant toward Naruto, would become a significant figure in his life. Iruka was truly an exceptional teacher.
Next, the introductions continued. Most of the kids didn't have much to say about hobbies or ambitions, so they simply stood up and gave their names.
When it was Kagaya's turn, he stood up confidently, without hesitation.
"I'm Uchiha Kagaya. Nice to meet you all."
He sat back down immediately, and the person behind him continued.
However, Kagaya's name clearly stood out.
"Uchiha Kagaya? Is that the Uchiha genius?"
"They say he's a genius, but what's so special about him?"
"Genius? Hmph, I bet he's nothing special."
The students whispered among themselves—some with admiration, others with skepticism or disdain.
Naruto, overhearing Sakura and Ino discussing Kagaya, became curious. Always eager for attention, he was naturally interested in someone who sparked so much discussion. He leaned forward and whispered to Sakura.
"Hey, Sakura, why do they call that Uchiha Kagaya a genius?"
Sakura replied matter-of-factly, "Because he's really outstanding, obviously."
Naruto pressed further. "Outstanding? How's he outstanding?"
Sakura faltered. Everyone called Kagaya a genius, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly why.
Meanwhile, Sasuke, sitting next to Kagaya, overheard some of the skeptical remarks and wanted to retort, but Kagaya stopped him.
"Don't."
Sasuke, still annoyed, turned to Kagaya and whispered, "Kagaya, you've got to show those guys what an Uchiha genius really is!"
Kagaya sighed inwardly but nodded. "I will."
Sasuke, too, carried the Uchiha Clan's signature pride.
*****
T/N: Please leave a comment ;)