Obito, his head swimming with math problems, looked up at the sound of a roaring flame and froze. He recognized that face.
The Uchiha Clan lived in a tightly-knit district, so members of the same generation generally knew of one another. Shisui was the "Golden Child" of the clan—the one every elder compared their own children to. It was impossible not to know him.
Obito was baffled. Why was Shisui here, and why did he look so comfortable around Luke?
"Is Teacher Luke a secret distant relative of the Uchiha?" Obito wondered, his imagination spinning a wild, improbable theory.
"Teacher! I'm finished!"
Might Guy's voice boomed through the clearing, shattering Obito's daydream.
"That fast?" Obito blinked. He didn't think he'd been spacing out for that long. How could Guy be done already?
Obito leaned over to sneak a peek at Guy's desk. His jaw dropped. Of the ten questions on the diagnostic test—four multiple-choice and six long-form—Guy had only filled in the first three circles. The rest of the page was a pristine, snowy white.
Might Guy looked sheepish as Luke walked over to grade the paper. Of the three he attempted, only the first one was correct.
"I'm sorry, Teacher... I just..." Guy's voice trailed off.
"It's alright, Guy," Luke said with a reassuring smile. "If you already knew the answers, you wouldn't need me. Don't be discouraged by a low score. Think of it this way: you have a massive 'growth ceiling.' It's much easier to improve from five points to twenty-five than it is to go from eighty to a hundred."
Guy's eyes widened. Throughout his life at the Academy, he had been labeled a "Dead Last" and largely ignored by the instructors. This was the first time anyone besides his father had looked at his failures as a stepping stone rather than a dead end.
"You're right, Teacher! My growth potential is infinite!" Guy's aura practically caught fire with renewed determination. He dove back into the lecture with a ferocity that made the paper smoke.
Next was Obito. He had managed to fill in six questions, but only two were right. Luke used the same "sandwich" method—comforting him first, then meticulously breaking down the logic of the problems.
Once the review was done, Luke handed them two more practice sheets.
"More!?" Obito groaned, his eyes drifting back to the riverbank where Shisui was practicing.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Shisui's hands were a blur. A two-meter-wide sphere of orange heat erupted, screaming across the clearing and slamming into the water. The impact sent a wall of spray into the air.
Obito felt a pang of genuine admiration. Even as a fellow Uchiha, he had to admit Shisui's mastery was on another level. Obito could perform the Great Fireball, too, but his version was a mere "ember" compared to Shisui's "sun."
"Is he another genius like Kakashi?"
Might Guy didn't know Shisui by name, but he could judge a ninja's age by their build. This kid was barely six or seven, yet he was wielding B-rank power. It reminded him of his self-proclaimed rival, Kakashi Hatake, who had skipped through the Academy so fast he was a Chunin before Guy could even master the basic Clone Jutsu. Shisui gave off that exact same "Natural Born Legend" vibe.
Then, Shisui transitioned into the Great Dragon Fire.
As the boy manipulated the flaming dragon to dance through the air, Obito felt a surge of envy. If he could pull off a move that flashy, Rin would never look at another ninja again.
"Your shape transformation has improved significantly since yesterday," Luke called out, his voice carrying over the sound of the river. "The dragon is faster, more cohesive. You've been practicing."
"Your manual made all the difference, Teacher," Shisui said, a small, rare smile gracing his face.
"Let me show you the next stage," Luke said.
He stepped forward, his hands coming together in a single, sharp clap. Chakra compressed within his lungs like a coiled spring. He exhaled, and three massive, snarling dragons of violet-orange flame tore through the air.
Obito's eyes nearly fell out of his sockets. A moment ago, he thought Shisui was the pinnacle. But Luke's version was the difference between a garden snake and a king cobra. The speed was so high it didn't even look like he had used a seal.
The three dragons spiraled through the sky, their heat charring the leaves of nearby trees. They traced intricate paths in the air, leaving behind glowing lines of smoke and fire that formed large, legible characters in the sky:
[STOP WATCHING AND DO YOUR WORK.]
Obito read the flaming words aloud, then slowly turned his head to find Luke staring at him with a "kind" but terrifyingly sharp smile.
"I... I was just resting my eyes!" Obito squeaked. He glanced at Guy, who had somehow already sensed the danger and was scribbling so fast his pen was vibrating.
"Are your eyes sufficiently rested?" Luke asked.
"Yes! Perfectly! Rejuvenated!" Obito buried his face in his test.
After a few more minutes of silence, Obito couldn't help himself. "Teacher Luke... what exactly is your relationship with Shisui?"
"Master and disciple," Luke answered, checking over Guy's work. "What else would it be?"
"Hehe, I figured," Obito said, his mind already racing. "Teacher, if I pass my exams... will you teach me that dragon move?"
"Of course," Luke nodded.
"Seriously!?"
"I don't break my promises, Obito."
"And what about me, Teacher?" Might Guy asked, his face a mask of intense focus. "What kind of Taijutsu do you know?"
Guy didn't care about the flashy fire. He had a singular path.
Luke didn't answer with words. He walked over to a thick, ancient oak tree at the edge of the clearing. He focused chakra into his heel, his muscles coiling like a steel trap. In a blur of motion, he spun, his leg cutting through the air with a distinct crack of broken sound.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
CRUNCH—!
The massive tree trunk shattered under the impact. The upper half of the oak tilted and collapsed into the brush, sending a cloud of dust and splinters into the air.
Luke retracted his leg and casually brushed a bit of dust from his shin. He looked at the stunned Guy and smiled.
"Do you like that one?"