The Hatake clan was never considered a powerful or prestigious family. In fact, their numbers were so small that many didn't even think they counted as a real clan.
But everything changed because of one man.
Hatake Sakumo, known throughout the ninja world as the White Fang of Konoha, rose to fame with his unmatched swordsmanship.Even among the legendary Sannin of Konoha, Sakumo was considered superior in both strength and seniority.
Yet it was precisely because of his remarkable military record that he became a target.
The shadowy organization known as Root set its sights on him. Their interference led to the failure of a mission and a smear campaign of vicious rumors.Some say the Third Hokage himself was behind it.
Eventually, Sakumo could no longer withstand the pressure—and took his own life, committing ritual suicide.
After his death, his son—Hatake Kakashi—began to shine.
Graduated from the Academy at the age of five.Became a Chunin at six.Promoted to Jonin by the time he was twelve.
It felt like he was cheating.
With both father and son achieving such greatness, the reputation of the Hatake clan began to rise.
Unfortunately... both men met tragic ends.
One took his own life.The other became trapped in a prison of painful memories.
Thinking about all this, Hoshikawa Haru looked at Hatake Isshin with a trace of sympathy in his eyes.
"When people get older, they tend to talk more. I hope I didn't bore you," Isshin said, smiling self-consciously.
In the ninja world, life expectancy was short. By its standards, Isshin was already considered old.
"Not at all. I actually enjoyed hearing it," Haru replied honestly.
Then his tone shifted. "Uncle, can you forge ninja swords here?"
Isshin blinked, caught off guard by the question, then nodded.
"Of course. Do you need one for a family member?"
"No. I want one."
"You?" Isshin raised an eyebrow. "You want a ninja sword at your age? This isn't a toy."
He frowned deeply. A ninja sword wasn't a wooden stick—it was a deadly weapon. A single careless move could lead to disaster.
To him, Haru looked far too young to be handling something so dangerous.
Sensing his hesitation, Haru quickly added, "I've already learned to extract chakra. My family's fine with it too."
Well… except my mom. If she finds out, she'll definitely chew me out.
Isshin looked closely at the boy. His expression shifted again—he could sense chakra, and Haru wasn't lying.In fact, the amount… was startling. He had chakra levels comparable to elite Chunin.
And at his age?
Even though Isshin wasn't a ninja himself, his experience told him this kid was something else.
"…Alright. Come back in a few days. I'll give you a twenty percent discount."
Haru's face lit up. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bundle of money.
"I'm not sure if this is enough. If it's not, I'll bring the rest next time."
Isshin took some of the cash—only about 70% of the total—and handed the rest back.
"This is plenty."
Haru counted quickly in his head, then looked up, confused.
"Uncle, that's not the full amount."
Isshin laughed and gave him a friendly pat on the head.
"Consider the rest a gift."
Haru opened his mouth, wanting to insist, but Isshin had already turned and walked away, clearly avoiding further discussion.
With no other choice, Haru accepted the kindness and turned to leave. Before walking off, he shouted a loud "thank you" from outside the door.
He wasn't sure if Isshin had heard him.
Inside the Hatake residence, Isshin stood still, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"What a great kid," he murmured.
Just then, a woman approached him.
"What's going on? Those thugs causing trouble again?" she asked.
Isshin shook his head. "No, not them. Just… a funny little guy."
She raised a brow, curious.
"I'll introduce you if I get the chance," he added. "There's something special about him. I can feel it."
The woman nodded without asking further. She trusted her husband's instincts.
Hoshikawa Haru walked down the street, humming to himself. His mood couldn't have been better.
Not only had he met Hatake Sakumo's own father, but he had also commissioned his very own ninja sword.
What kid didn't dream of wielding a sword or weapon when they were young?Haru never got the chance in his past life—but this time, he'd make up for it.
He was lost in his daydreams, imagining how cool he'd look holding a blade.
So lost, in fact, that he didn't see the person walking in front of him.
Bang!
Haru crashed into the stranger hard and landed flat on his backside.
"Ugh, ow… That hurt."
"Sorry! I wasn't paying attention," Haru said, brushing himself off quickly.
The man he had bumped into looked him over with a frown.
"You… Are you that kid Hashirama took in as an apprentice?"
His tone was sharp, filled with disdain.
Haru froze for a second, then raised his head to get a better look at the stranger.
"Who are you?" he asked warily, his body tensing.
He couldn't tell exactly how powerful this man was, but he hadn't fully recovered his chakra yet—and that meant trouble.
Still, judging by the aura the man gave off, he was far stronger than Haru's own father.
This guy's a monster, Haru thought.
"You're alert—but too slow. If I were an enemy, you'd already be dead."
The man's voice was cold and matter-of-fact. He clearly didn't care that Haru was just a child.
Harsh as it sounded, there was truth in his words.
"Konoha isn't as peaceful as you think. There are spies everywhere."
"If you're this careless now, you won't survive long. You don't deserve to be Hashirama's student."
As he finished speaking, his aura exploded.
The pressure was suffocating—like a wall of pure killing intent.
Haru felt as if he had been thrown into a freezing lake. His limbs went numb.His breath caught in his throat.He couldn't move.
But his eyes stayed locked on the man. Defiant. Unyielding.
For a split second, the man's gaze softened. A flicker of respect passed through his eyes—then it was gone.
The pressure vanished as quickly as it had come.
Haru dropped to his knees, drenched in sweat and gasping for air.
"You're weak," the man said, walking toward him, towering above him. "Right now, you're just a disgrace to your teacher."
Haru grit his teeth and forced himself to his feet, even though his legs trembled beneath him.
His eyes remained firm, burning with determination.
"No one starts out strong. Everyone has to grow."
"One day, I'll surpass my teacher. I swear it!"
His voice didn't waver. There was no doubt in it.Most people would've laughed at him for being so naïve.
But the man just raised an eyebrow, mildly amused. He glanced back over his shoulder.
"…I admire your confidence."
"…And I hate it."
"I hope I live to see the day you prove me wrong."
He turned away, walking off.
Haru shouted after him with every last ounce of strength he had left.
"Tell me your name! I'll prove it to you!"
The man stopped. And without turning around, he declared in a voice full of pride and dominance:
"My name is—Uchiha Madara!"
And with that, he vanished.Leaving behind only his name… and a challenge that would echo in Haru's heart for a long time to come.