Kaito hadn't met Shisui many times, but his general impression of him was that of a sunny, cheerful older-brother figure from the neighborhood.
However, there was one thing about this guy that Kaito really disliked...
"Kaito, you should build good relationships with your peers at school."
"Don't put on a cold face like some of our clansmen. The power of bonds can sometimes surpass even the Sharingan."
The four of them walked down the streets of Konoha, with Shisui walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Kaito while Sasuke had just climbed down from Itachi's back.
Along the way, Shisui patiently lectured Kaito about the village, comrades, and the importance of bonds.
In his words, it seemed as though the Uchiha clan had already fully integrated into Konoha, and everyone had a bright future ahead.
Among the Uchiha, Kaito considered Shisui to be the strongest among the talkative ones.
As for his character…
He wasn't bad, but he was also genuinely naive.
If Kaito had to make a comparison, Shisui was like a college student from his past life who had lived in an ivory tower, untouched by the harsh realities of society—always full of idealistic visions for the future.
Kaito let the words go in one ear and out the other, occasionally tossing out a few syllables to humor the chatty neighbor.
But Sasuke couldn't stand this kind of talk. He believed no one could compare to the mighty Uchiha clan.
Sasuke dashed ahead of the three, his expression arrogant, chin slightly raised as he spat out his haughty words.
"Hmph!"
"Predators walk alone—only sheep and cattle herd together!"
All three of them stopped in their tracks, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads. Itachi and Shisui didn't immediately voice their thoughts. Instead, they turned in unison to stare at Kaito.
As if Sasuke's current state was entirely his fault.
"What?!"
Kaito took a step back, putting distance between himself and the two. "Why are you looking at me?"
"You can't blame me for how he turned out!"
The two nodded silently, their meaning already clear.
Because…
Such bizarre sayings could only come from Kaito. He bore at least half the responsibility for Sasuke's current personality.
Shisui covered his face with a sigh. "Sasuke, strength isn't the only measure of everything. Even the strongest individuals have their limits."
Speaking of this always reminded him of the struggles he and Itachi faced between the village and their clan.
Even geniuses like them couldn't change the current situation alone....Itachi nodded in agreement, finding Shisui's words quite reasonable.
Kaito wanted to use Uchiha Madara as an example, but he figured the two wouldn't be receptive, so he obediently kept his mouth shut.
The young Sasuke couldn't grasp Shisui's meaning. His small face was deadly serious as he spoke with unwavering determination.
"Then I'll just get stronger!"
"Stronger than Nii-san, Kaito, and Shisui-nii!"
"Stronger than the Hokage! Stronger than everyone!"
The childish words carried an unprecedented, overwhelming force, stunning Itachi and Shisui into silence for a long moment.
A few minutes later.
Kaito's voice drifted lazily from ahead, breaking the quiet between them.
"Hey, wild beast, time to go."
He stood at the front, glancing back at the three of them, though his gaze lingered on Sasuke for a while.
"If we don't leave now… we'll really be late."
At his reminder, varying degrees of panic flashed across their faces. In the end, Shisui used the Body Flicker Technique to get them to the academy grounds just in time to catch the Third's speech.
"Where the leaves dance, the flames will never die… *cough… The fire's light will continue to illuminate the village and nurture new leaves to sprout."*
"Children… *cough cough… You are the future hope of Konoha."*
...
Standing on the podium, the Third proclaimed the Will of Fire with fervor.
Today, he wore only casual clothes, looking like an ordinary, balding old man with a goatee.
But for some reason, he kept coughing at critical moments, occasionally tilting his head to spit out thick phlegm in tiny, discreet motions.
Only Itachi and Shisui knew the truth—the Third had returned at six in the morning after chain-smoking all night, likely having barely closed his eyes before rushing to the academy.
No wonder he was exhausted.
The parents in attendance watched the frail old man on stage, silently marveling at how much the Third had sacrificed for the village.
Once the speech ended, the parents left their children behind and departed. The students were then led by their teachers to their respective classrooms.
The ninja world's schooling system differed from Kaito's past life—classes began immediately after enrollment day.
In fact, as soon as the Third's speech concluded, Kaito turned to leave with the parents.
If Sasuke hadn't called out to him in time, he might've already been back home catching up on sleep.
"Haah—"
Kaito yawned, drowsily trailing behind Sasuke as they entered the classroom.
His mind wandered to how he could complete the system's mission.
But…
He genuinely didn't understand how Sasuke, after tinkering with that electric lock all night, was still so full of energy.
"Sasuke, you brought your little brother?"
Kiba Inuzuka stood at the very back of the classroom. Spotting the brothers, he was the first to wave and greet Sasuke.
"Woof!"
Akamaru, who also seemed quite friendly with Sasuke, barked in greeting.
"?"
Snapped out of his thoughts by the keyword, Kaito shifted his gaze slightly to peer into the classroom.
Sasuke's… little brother?
Me?
Kaito didn't have a strong impression of Kiba—whenever he visited the Inuzuka kennels, it was usually Kiba's sister who handled things. But the Inuzuka clan's distinctive… markings?
Or tattoos? Whatever they were, the two red fang-like marks on his face, along with his wild demeanor, made him easy to recognize.
Plus, Kiba seemed to be the only one in class who brought a dog.
Well… maybe Kaito counted too?
Still, one thing puzzled him…The temperature today was nearly 30 degrees Celsius, yet Kiba Inuzuka was wearing a down jacket.
Wasn't he hot?
After glancing at Kiba, Kaito's gaze immediately landed on his younger brother, who stood with his hands in his pockets, deliberately acting cool.
Sasuke clearly sensed the faint killing intent in that look. Even his aloof expression stiffened slightly, barely stopping himself from dropping the act and rushing over to explain that things weren't what Kaito thought.
"What are you standing around for?"
"Sasuke, hurry up and bring your brother over. There's still space here."
Uchiha Sasuke: "..."
At that moment, Sasuke desperately wanted to hit Kiba's big mouth with a 220V Lightning Release.
Why did you have to say anything?!
Sasuke was terrified that Kaito would expose his lie on the spot, ruining the cold, detached persona he had barely maintained for half a day in front of the whole class.
"Not bad friends you've got there."
To Sasuke's surprise, Kaito didn't immediately call him out. Instead, he walked past him and headed straight into the classroom.
Sasuke's expression softened, his gaze toward Kaito growing noticeably warmer.
This guy…
Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.
Just as Sasuke was thinking this, Kaito suddenly spoke in a strange, mocking tone, as if imitating someone else's voice.
"Beasts walk alone. Only sheep and cattle travel in herds."
What should have been a profound and normal-sounding statement somehow made Sasuke freeze up, his face burning with embarrassment. He wanted to dig his toes into the ground and vanish into a hole right then and there.
"Ah—!"
"So cool!"
At that exact moment, a pink-haired girl who had just entered the room spotted Sasuke standing stiffly in place and squealed in admiration.
But the ill-timed outburst felt like a knife stabbing straight into Sasuke's heart.
The girl's praise didn't make him happy at all…
It only made him even more mortified!
...