The training ground fell into complete silence.
Naruto stood there with his mouth hanging open. Sasuke's one-tomoe Sharingan was still spinning, and Sakura had only just woken up in time to witness the scene.
Kakashi landed lightly, glanced at the bell on the ground, then looked at Rin.
"Curved throwing," he said. "An Uchiha secret technique. Where did you learn it?"
"In a dream." Rin walked over and picked up the bells. "An old man taught me while I was dreaming."
"That answer again."
"Believe it or don't."
Kakashi stared at Rin for a long moment, then suddenly smiled. "Alright. The exercise is over."
"Huh?!" Naruto jumped. "I-It's over?! But I didn't—"
"Rin got the bells," Kakashi said. "So he passes. As for the rest of you…"
He paused briefly.
"Although you didn't get a bell, you showed teamwork. Sasuke used Fire Release to cover Naruto, Naruto used Shadow Clones to draw my attention, and Sakura…"
He glanced at her.
"…you fainted, so that doesn't count."
Sakura's face instantly turned red.
"So," Kakashi concluded, "everyone passes."
Naruto erupted into cheers. Sasuke snorted, but the tension in his expression eased. Sakura's eyes welled up with emotion.
Rin casually tossed the bells back. "Still a boring test."
"But a necessary one," Kakashi said as he caught them. "Starting tomorrow, we'll begin taking missions. Assemble in front of the Hokage Building at eight."
He turned to leave, then paused.
"Rin."
"Yeah?"
"You said earlier that Hashirama learned from Madara," Kakashi said without turning around. "That's not what the history books say."
"History is written by the winners," Rin replied calmly. "And Madara lost."
Kakashi left.
Only the four of them remained at the training ground. Naruto was still chattering excitedly. Sasuke had already turned away, and Sakura hurried after him.
Rin stayed where he was.
He looked down at his hands.
That instinctive response during Kakashi's attack—had it come from the system, or was it a lingering memory from this body itself?
He didn't know.
But he could feel that something had loosened during that exchange.
[Combat Action: Displayed Uchiha Ancient-Style Taijutsu]
[Compatibility increased to 5.2%]
[Gained: Slight improvement in taijutsu coordination]
"Only 0.7%," Rin muttered. "Too slow."
He exhaled and prepared to leave—then noticed someone standing behind a tree.
It was Sasuke.
"That footwork just now," Sasuke said, staring at him, "was it really Uchiha?"
"Yes."
"Teach me."
Rin smiled. "Why should I?"
"Because," Sasuke clenched his fists, "I want to get stronger."
"Not good enough."
"Then what do you want?"
Rin thought for a moment. "Bring me breakfast tomorrow. Three-color dango."
Sasuke froze. "That's it?"
"That's it."
"…Fine."
Sasuke turned and left. Rin watched his back and shook his head.
"Still too green, Sasuke."
But that was fine. Young shoots were easier to shape.
---
That afternoon, Rin went to the Ninja Library.
Calling it a library was generous—it was just a small two-story building stuffed with scrolls and old books. The elderly caretaker was dozing off. Rin slipped inside quietly and headed straight for the history section.
He wasn't interested in Konoha's official records, but in obscure accounts from the Warring States period.
After searching for a long time, he finally found a book titled Uchiha Clan Chronicles. The author was unknown, and the book was extremely old. Rin checked it out and sat in a corner to read.
The pages were yellowed with age. The early chapters were filled with tedious clan affairs, until midway through, a familiar name appeared.
"…When Master Madara was young, he often trained by the Naka River. His throwing technique could curve to strike a falling leaf from a hundred paces away…"
Curved throwing.
Rin recalled Kakashi's words from earlier. So it really had been Madara's technique.
He kept reading.
"…After a century of war against the Senju, the clan suffered heavy losses. Master Madara once declared, 'This hatred must be repaid.' But after his younger brother Izuna was gravely injured, Master Madara's temperament changed drastically…"
Izuna.
Madara's younger brother—the one who gave his eyes to him and died.
Rin closed the book.
In the system's memory fragments, images sometimes surfaced: blood, the Sharingan, Izuna collapsing. Every time they appeared, his chest ached.
Those memories weren't his.
But this body remembered them.
He returned the book and left the library.
The setting sun cast Konoha in gold. People passed by on the streets—laughter, shouting vendors, children crying.
A peaceful scene.
Rin paused at a street corner, then turned toward the Uchiha clan grounds.
The place was unchanged: walls, sealing tags, and watchful gazes hidden in the shadows.
He didn't enter—only stood across the street, watching.
"You come here often too?"
Rin turned around. Hinata stood there, holding a basket of vegetables, likely on her way home.
"Sometimes," Rin replied.
"I—I pass by here a lot too," Hinata said softly. "It always feels… very sad."
Rin didn't answer.
After standing quietly for a while, Hinata gathered her courage. "Rin-kun… what kind of ninja do you want to be in the future?"
"What kind?"
"Um… like the Hokage, or like Kakashi-sensei…"
Rin looked toward the Hokage Monument, where the faces of the First through Fourth Hokage were carved into stone.
"I want to be," he paused, "someone the world remembers."
Not a hero.
Not a Hokage.
Someone who would be remembered—like Uchiha Madara. Even decades later, his name still inspired fear.
Hinata nodded as if she half-understood. "That sounds… amazing."
"Maybe," Rin said. "What about you?"
"M-Me…" Hinata blushed. "I want to be a ninja who can protect the people important to me. Like Naruto-kun…"
Her voice grew softer and softer.
Rin smiled. "Then you'd better work hard. Or Naruto might get snatched away by someone else someday."
"Huh?!"
He turned and walked away. After going some distance, he glanced back.
Hinata was still standing there, staring at the Uchiha clan grounds, lost in thought.
---
Late at night.
The lights were still on in the Hokage's office.
Kakashi stood before the Third Hokage, reporting on the day's events.
"…His taijutsu is confirmed to be the ancient Uchiha style. The throwing technique is also authentic, but he insists it's self-taught."
The Third Hokage puffed on his pipe. "And what do you think?"
"Two possibilities," Kakashi replied. "One: he's a genuine prodigy who learned these techniques from leftover clan materials. Two—"
"And the second?"
"Someone taught him," Kakashi said. "An Uchiha survivor made contact with him after the night of the massacre."
The Third Hokage fell silent.
"Raise his surveillance level to B-rank," he said at last. "But don't alert him. If there really are surviving Uchiha, we'll follow the trail."
"Understood."
Kakashi turned to leave, then hesitated. "Hokage-sama… about the things he often says regarding the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara…"
"It may simply be a child's delusion," the Third said calmly. "Children who lose their families sometimes project themselves onto heroes or villains as a form of psychological defense."
"I hope that's all it is."
Kakashi departed. The Third Hokage walked to the window and gazed out at Konoha.
Uchiha Rin.
Would this child become Konoha's strength… or its next hidden danger?
He didn't know.
But one thing was certain.
The days of peace might not last much longer.
---
At the same time.
Rin lay on his bed, eyes open, staring at the ceiling.
He had seen the look in Kakashi's eyes today—suspicion, vigilance.
Good.
"I want you suspicious. I want you wary. That way, when you finally realize my power is real…"
He smiled faintly.
"…the look on your faces will be priceless."
He closed his eyes and entered the system space.
[Current Compatibility: 5.2%]
[Memory Fragment Available: Uchiha Madara (Youth) — Clan Training Ground]
"Begin."
Darkness descended.