"Teacher Luke, I'm begging you! Please, please don't tell Teacher Ikeya!" Obito continued to plead, his hands clasped together as if in prayer.
"That depends entirely on your performance," Luke said with a cat-like grin, deliberately leaving the answer hanging.
"Teacher, is something wrong?" Might Guy asked, scratching his bowl-cut head. He was confused; he hadn't helped any grandmas across the street today, nor had he been late. Why was he being singled out?
Luke looked at the young boy. This was the child who would one day nearly kick the "God of Shinobi" into early retirement—the man Madara Uchiha would declare the strongest in Taijutsu. Right now, however, Guy was still green. Literally and figuratively.
Though he already wore the iconic green spandex, Guy's "Power of Youth" was more of a flicker than a bonfire. He believed in his daily grind, but he hadn't yet fully grasped his father's philosophy of "Self-Rule." He needed a mentor, and Luke was more than happy to step into that role.
"Teacher Ikeya is quite distressed by your theoretical grades," Luke began, his tone becoming professional.
At those words, even the thick-skinned Obito hung his head in shame.
"It's not that I don't want to learn," Obito muttered, trying to find an excuse. "It's just... the questions are so weird! Why do I care how many rabbits and chickens are in a cage? If I see a cage, I'm just going to let them out!"
Luke felt a phantom headache. He remembered his own battles with high school mathematics back in his original world. Fortunately, the Academy's math curriculum was rudimentary—mostly basic arithmetic and logic. It was far less demanding than the history or Ninjutsu theory classes.
"It's not just math, Obito," Luke countered, shaking his head. "History, theory, tactical analysis... you're failing across the board."
"What's the point of history anyway?" Obito grumbled. "It already happened! Math is at least useful for buying groceries, but history?"
"I actually agree," Might Guy added, nodding vigorously. His brain seemed to physically reject dates and names of former Kage.
"You'll have to take that up with the Third Hokage; he's the Academy Principal," Luke said, waving off their complaints. "But staying at the bottom isn't an option. It's bad for Teacher Ikeya, and it's worse for your future careers."
"Does Teacher Luke have... a secret?" Obito asked, his eyes suddenly sparkling with hope.
Might Guy leaned in as well. Nobody wanted to be the "Dead Last" if they could help it.
"I do," Luke whispered conspiratorially. "It's a secret technique called 'Aggressive Iteration.' You study the patterns of the tests until the answers become muscle memory."
In his previous life, Luke had been a master of the standardized test. He knew exactly how to game the Academy's system. Since passing only required half of the class average, getting these two to a 'C' grade was entirely doable with enough rote memorization.
"Aggressive... what?" The two boys looked lost.
"Think of it as a specialized training camp for your brain. And," Luke added, leaning in closer, "if you manage to pass the exams next month, I have a reward for you."
"A reward? Like a bowl of ramen?" Obito asked.
"Better. I will personally provide you with specialized Ninjutsu and Taijutsu instruction outside of school hours," Luke replied.
"Seriously!?" Their eyes nearly popped out of their heads. A private tutor who actually knew high-level jutsu was a dream come true for two kids who were currently being ignored by the elite instructors.
"Only if you pass," Luke reminded them.
"Is this... the spark of youth?" Might Guy shouted, his fist trembling with excitement. "I can feel the fire in my soul!"
"I'm definitely passing this time!" Obito declared, striking a heroic pose.
Luke watched them, satisfied. The master hunter often appears as the prey, he thought. The boys felt like they had won the lottery—getting "cheat codes" for school and free elite training. Meanwhile, Luke was salivating at the thought of the system rewards two more S-rank disciples would bring him.
Even if they failed, he could always act the part of the "Kind Teacher" and offer the lessons as a consolation prize, securing their trust regardless. Unlike Shisui, where he could play the "ancestral debt" card, he had to build a rapport with these two from scratch since he was only a guest teacher for this class.
After finalizing the details of their "special training," Luke led them back to the classroom.
"Obito! What did Teacher Luke want?" Rin Nohara asked worriedly as they sat down. "He didn't punish you, did he?"
"Punish me? No way!" Obito bragged, puffing out his chest. "Teacher Luke is the best. He's teaching me the secret to acing the exams. Just you watch, Rin. Next month, I'm taking your spot at the top of the rankings!"
"I'd love to see that happen," Rin said with a gentle, slightly skeptical smile. She was a top-tier student; she knew exactly how far Obito had to climb.
When the bell for the next session rang, Obito sat up straighter than he ever had in his life. He stared at the chalkboard with such intensity that his eyes started to water. He was already imagining what cool Ninjutsu he would ask Luke to teach him.
Rin watched him, genuinely impressed. Maybe he's serious this time? she wondered.
Three minutes later, Obito's head hit the desk with a dull thud. He was out cold.
Fwip—!
A piece of chalk flew across the room in a perfect arc, bouncing off the back of Obito's head. He bolted upright, looking around wildly. He saw Luke's knowing smirk, Rin's disappointed sigh, and Might Guy next to him scribbling notes so fast the paper was smoking. Flushing a deep red, Obito stayed awake for the rest of the hour.
[Lecture Complete. Calculating rewards...] [Evaluation: A] [Reward: Leaf Whirlwind]
Luke was pleased. This wasn't a complex Ninjutsu, but a high-speed Taijutsu kick—the signature move of the future Might Guy himself. Though it looked like a simple spin-kick, the reward came with the intrinsic knowledge of weight distribution, muscle timing, and the specific chakra burst required to shatter a target's guard. It was the perfect thing to "teach" Guy later.
After school, Luke didn't go straight home. He wandered into the dense forest on the southern edge of the village, searching for a training ground.
As a member of Root, he knew Danzo kept tabs on his operatives' residences. If he started teaching an Uchiha genius like Shisui in his backyard without reporting it, Danzo would suspect treason in a heartbeat. He couldn't keep his Sensory Ninjutsu active 24/7—his chakra reserves were still too low for that.
He eventually found a secluded spot by a small, winding river. It was remote, well-screened by old-growth trees, and the sound of the running water would mask the noise of training.
Satisfied, Luke headed back to his house.
His caution proved justified. As he stepped into his courtyard, his heart skipped a beat. Standing in the center of the yard was a silent figure wearing a grey flak jacket and an expressionless porcelain animal mask.
A Ninja of Root.