Chapter 4: A Foundation of Trust
"But, Takumi-kun, you're from the Uchiha clan. Haven't you already learned these things?" Nohara Rin asked, her head tilted in genuine curiosity. Despite his origins in the Land of Lightning, his surname was "Uchiha"—a name that carried immense weight in Konoha. The Uchiha were not just a powerful clan; they were the sole proprietors of the Konoha Military Police Force, making them one of the most influential families in the entire village.
"You can't just learn any ninjutsu you want in the Uchiha clan," Obito interjected, practically materializing at Rin's side the moment he saw her engaging with the new student. He puffed out his chest, eager to showcase his insider knowledge. "To prevent clan members from abusing powerful techniques or becoming too ambitious, you need approval from the clan elders and the department heads first."
He spoke with an air of authority, as if he personally oversaw the clan's jutsu archives. It made sense, of course; a system without rules would lead to chaos, with every young ninja recklessly chasing after the most destructive techniques they could find.
"Oh, I see," Rin nodded, her short brown hair swaying with the movement. A few strands fell across the distinctive purple markings on her cheeks. As a girl from a civilian family, the intricate politics and customs of the great clans were largely a mystery to her.
"So, Nohara Rin-san," Takumi said, his dark, earnest eyes locking onto hers. Her reflection was captured in his pupils. The late autumn chill had settled in, and she was bundled in a thicker, warmer jacket. "Will you teach me?"
His request was simple, but his calculation was precise. Nohara Rin was a valuable asset. Her guidance would accelerate his growth significantly. She was a medical prodigy, a fact evidenced by her mastery of the Mystical Palm Technique—an A-rank ninjutsu—while she was still a genin. The difficulty of medical ninjutsu often surpassed that of standard offensive techniques, demanding an exquisite, almost surgical, control over chakra. A single misstep could mean the difference between healing and harming. That she could master such a technique so young spoke volumes of her innate talent.
Tsunade's reforms—pushing for a medical-nin on every team and establishing a proper training system—were still relatively fresh after the Second Great Shinobi War. Rin's abilities had undoubtedly caught the eye of the Konoha Medical Corps, who saw her potential and invested in it early. Had her life not been tragically cut short, she might have risen to stand alongside legends like Tsunade and Sakura.
"Yeah, okay," Rin agreed after a moment's thought, a warm smile gracing her features. "But at the Academy, we only learn the most basic E-rank ninjutsu. That's all I can really show you."
"That would be more than enough, Nohara Rin-san," Takumi replied, a grateful smile touching his lips. "You have my sincere thanks."
"It's no trouble at all," she said, shaking her head gently. "We're classmates."
Obito, meanwhile, felt like he'd just expertly set a trap and then walked straight into it himself. If he'd known this would be the outcome, he would never have opened his big mouth!
"Hey, Rin! You should teach me, too!" Obito blurted out, not wanting to be left out of any special training sessions with her.
Unfortunately, the sharp chime of the class bell cut through his plea, forcing him to scurry back to his seat. As the instructor began scribbling complex chakra theory diagrams across the blackboard, Obito spun a pencil restlessly between his fingers, his mind a million miles away.
Heheh, just wait until Rin gives me private lessons, he fantasized, a goofy grin spreading across his face. I'll finally be able to wipe that smug look off Kakashi's face! His eyes darted between the white-haired prodigy and the kind-hearted Rin, lost in a world where he was the undisputed hero.
Takumi, in contrast, refocused on his textbook. This foundational knowledge was invaluable. Within the Uchiha compound, he was still an outsider, an unknown variable. Would they assign someone to tutor him? And if so, how much would they truly be willing to share? He couldn't afford to be optimistic and assume a jonin would be dispatched to give him private lessons. He had a clear, unflinching understanding of his position: he was a foundling, a half-blood Uchiha brought in from the cold. The only reason he warranted any attention was the fear that he represented a larger problem—more lost Uchiha bloodlines scattered across the nations. The fact that only one of his Sharingan had awakened might lead some to dismiss him as "foreign refuse," a diluted version of the real thing.
His choice to approach Nohara Rin wasn't random. There was another genius in the class—Hatake Kakashi. Takumi's gaze flickered to the front of the room, where the boy with silver hair and a masked face sat with perfect posture. But Kakashi was notoriously aloof and difficult to approach. Besides, Takumi knew a storm was coming for the Hatake family. The upcoming tragedy of Konoha's White Fang would shatter Kakashi's world, forging him into the cold, rule-obsessed shinobi he would become, and pushing him to graduate early. The "tool" aspect of being a ninja would be etched into Kakashi's soul.
Pushing the thoughts aside, Takumi immersed himself in his studies. Regardless of politics or personal history, increasing his own strength was the only path that mattered.
The school day passed in a structured blur, and Takumi began to settle into the rhythm of his new life. The Academy curriculum was divided into five core pillars: Theory, Physical Training, History, Fieldcraft, and Practical Application.
Theory covered ninjutsu principles, hand seals, and basic sciences like physics and mathematics. Physical Training honed their bodies and taught foundational taijutsu. History lessons glorified Konoha's heroes and outlined the landscape of the shinobi world. Fieldcraft was the dark art of being a ninja—espionage, assassination, codes, counter-intelligence, and even specialized training for kunoichi. The final pillar was live spars and combat drills.
He noted a crucial, deliberate omission in the syllabus: Philosophy and Ethics. The Academy's purpose was to produce functional shinobi, not enlightened citizens. It was a factory for tools of the state. The most glaring evidence of this was the very structure of their world. In a reality where a single person could wield enough power to level mountains, the political reins were still held by ordinary, non-shinobi Daimyo. Even in the future, when Naruto became the Seventh Hokage, he would still be subject to the whims of the Feudal Lord, forced to silently endure budget cuts to his own village.
"It's too early to dwell on such things," Takumi murmured to himself, the classroom now empty and silent around him. He summoned the translucent interface of his system, a panel visible only to his eyes.
He focused, and two entries glowed softly in his vision.
[Entry: Textual Comprehension (Novice)]
[Requirement: Read 10 academic texts and complete detailed notes on each.]
[Progress: 50%]
[Effect: Your absorption rate of written information is slightly increased. Your comprehension speed is 10% faster than the average individual's.]
[Note: This skill is capable of further evolution.]
[Entry: Rote Memorization (Novice)]
[Requirement: Commit to memory 5 selected historical biographies of notable shinobi figures.]
[Progress: 40%]
[Effect: Your short-term memory retention is slightly improved, allowing for faster memorization of terms and phrases. Your memorization efficiency is 5% greater than the average individual's.]
[Note: This skill is capable of further evolution.]
"Studying should become considerably easier now," Takumi mused. This was only the beginning. The "Novice" rank was likely the lowest tier, the easiest to obtain. Every entry he had acquired so far carried the note about potential evolution. He just needed to meet the right conditions.
"Rote Memorization" and "Textual Comprehension" were exactly what he needed. If he was to have any hope of becoming a medical-nin, he would need to devour and retain vast libraries of complex anatomical and physiological knowledge.
"Takumi-kun?"
He dismissed the panel just as a voice called from the doorway. He looked up to see Nohara Rin peeking into the room, her head cocked in curiosity.
"You're still here? Everyone else has gone home."
(End of Chapter)