Asuma Sarutobi skipped school for an entire day.
Hiruzen Sarutobi knew about it, but as Hokage, he had to finish the work of the Hokage before dealing with his son.
Gazing at the moon and stars in the night sky, Hiruzen sighed.
He had not taken it to heart. Children squabbling over a girl, nothing more.
Still, it struck him as odd.
He had not expected Shiro Gen, a prodigy of the Uchiha, to be interested in girls his own age, and to act with so little restraint.
Enviable...
No.
Surprising.
Hiruzen was an old hand himself. Now and then he would use the Telescope Technique to peek at the women's bathhouse, easing the pressures of being Hokage.
Sometimes he wondered.
If he could return to childhood, could he win girls over with adult poise, then...
Mm. Best left unsaid.
He knew he could never go back.
Envy stayed envy.
Fantasy stayed fantasy.
"In truth, this might be a good thing."
"Affection is a bond. Bonds can be used."
"As for Asuma... it is also an opportunity."
"If he sets Shiro Gen as his target, perhaps he will train hard."
"In this world, the strong stand above all."
"If Asuma can turn this into motivation, and grow stronger..."
"Then some good will have come of it."
Thinking as he walked, Hiruzen soon found his son's lonely figure on the Hokage Rock.
"Asuma."
...
...
Elsewhere,
Shinku Yuhi had also heard what happened that morning.
Back home, he found his daughter poring seriously over a cookbook, and rage burned through him.
Unbelievable.
His daughter was six and already liked a boy her age.
Worse, that boy had kissed her.
And the boy even made her bring him lunch every day.
Shameless.
But how was he supposed to stop her?
If he came down hard, she might grow even more rebellious.
If he went soft, what should he do?
Headache.
What if he attacked the problem from the other side?
Find this Shiro Gen Uchiha and make him stay away from his daughter?
But bullying a child as an adult was not right.
And the boy was an Uchiha.
"Enough."
"So what if I'm older, so what if he's Uchiha?"
"For my daughter's happiness."
"I must act."
"To untie the bell, ask the one who tied it. Tomorrow night I'll go see Shiro Gen Uchiha."
After thinking it through, Shinku felt speaking to Shiro Gen would be simpler.
His wife had died early.
He really did not know how to communicate with his daughter.
Their relationship was only so-so to begin with. One wrong move and everything could collapse.
Looking up at the night sky, at the moon and stars, Shinku could not help but sigh.
...
...
Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire!
His hands flashed through seals, chakra surged, shifted to the Fire nature, then he opened his mouth and breathed out.
HOO!!!
A huge dragon of flame roared forth and hurtled ahead.
Under Shiro Gen's control, it wheeled once, then faded into the world.
[Fire Release Mastery (Green)] -> [Fire Release Control (Blue)]
[Fire Release Control (Blue): You gain an even deeper and more complete grasp of Fire Release chakra and Fire Release jutsu, and the power of your Fire Release techniques increases.]
The upgrade gave Shiro Gen a fuller, more exact understanding of Fire-nature transformation and Fire Release.
A subtle, marvelous insight filled his mind, letting him shift to Fire nature with ease and govern Fire chakra down to the finest thread.
"This feeling..."
He murmured, then opened his right hand.
He gathered chakra into his palm and shifted it to Fire in the same breath.
POOF!!!
Blazing heat boiled up, flames rolling in his hand.
"I can control this Fire chakra down to the grain."
Focusing, he watched the flame spread, covering his entire hand.
"If Fire chakra could sheath my whole body..."
"Could I create a secret art on par with Lightning Release Chakra Mode: Armor of Lightning?"
"The answer is yes."
"With [Exceptional Intellect (Purple)] in play, creating jutsu is not difficult for me."
"And Fire Release Chakra Mode: Armor of Fire fits the Uchiha sword style perfectly."
"Flames sheathing the body to form armor grant me defense. Flames coating the blade to burn bright grant me offense."
"Together, it is offense and defense in one."
"Lovely."
With that thought, Shiro Gen made up his mind.
"Creating a Fire secret art will not only push [Fire Release Control (Blue)] toward its next tier, it will also drive [Exceptional Intellect (Purple)] upward."
"Once [Fire Release Control (Blue)] upgrades, my grasp of Fire chakra and Fire jutsu will jump."
"And once [Exceptional Intellect (Purple)] upgrades, my creative power rises too."
"Then I create more jutsu even more easily, forming a virtuous cycle."
"Perfect."
Good.
With the plan set,
it was time to execute.
...
...
The next day.
Kurenai Yuhi brought Shiro Gen a delicious bento as promised, and Shiro Gen rewarded her generously.
In class, Shiro Gen read. Kurenai watched Shiro Gen.
Asuma Sarutobi sat low in the back row. He looked at Shiro Gen, then at Kurenai, and his eyes hardened.
"Dad was right."
"Only the strong deserve beauties."
"I'll study hard and train harder."
"I'll grow as strong as possible and become a true powerhouse."
"Then I will have everything I want."
"Shiro Gen Uchiha, just you wait."
"I will defeat you, then win Kurenai back."
Elsewhere,
another girl was sneaking glances at Kurenai and Shiro Gen.
Her name was Shizune.
"Shiro Gen-kun is so cool. I'm so jealous of Kurenai."
"If only I could bring him lunch every day too."