"Can you really activate the Byakugan?"
After absorbing the ninja fragment dropped by Hinata, Uchiha Kage was surprised to discover he could open and close the Byakugan at will.
"Finally, I have at least some way to defend myself."
Thinking back to the moment he first arrived in this world—unable to open his Sharingan, nearly devoid of chakra, confused and afraid—Uchiha Kage couldn't help but sigh.
But...
He was still far from establishing a real foothold here, let alone reaching the point of acting freely and doing whatever he wanted.
For now, he had to develop slowly. No recklessness.
Luckily, the Byakugan granted by the ninja fragment didn't require any outward signs to activate—no bulging veins around the eyes or color change in the pupils. It simply consumed chakra to turn on. That made it much easier to keep hidden.
Today, Uchiha Kage was in an exceptionally good mood. He had received such a convenient and low-profile Byakugan, and completely for free.
"So this is what the Byakugan's vision is really like…"
A full 360-degree view within a one-kilometer radius—no blind spots—but everything appeared in black and white, like X-ray scans.
People showed up only as bones and chakra networks, making it impossible to, well, indulge in certain fantasies.
He suddenly felt bad for ever doubting baby Hinata.
Sunset.
It was dismissal time at the academy, and because the next day was a holiday, the school gate was crowded with parents waiting to pick up their children.
"Hinata-sama, the clan leader is waiting for you."
"Understood."
Hinata followed the Hyuga guards assigned to escort her, but her eyes remained on Uchiha Kage walking through the crowd alone.
After their match, he'd insisted he was fine—he even kept cheering himself up in front of everyone.
But Hinata couldn't forget the blood he'd quietly wiped from the corner of his mouth.
"Kage-san must be injured. He says he's fine, but maybe... maybe now he hates me even more."
Next time…
If there's another chance, I'll let him hit me. If it helps him feel better, I'll take the loss.
"Hinata-sama, did you say something?"
"No—nothing!"
Shaking her head quickly to dispel the guard's suspicion, Hinata turned away, already starting to worry about what her father might say when she got home.
"Hey, why are you alone? Where's that Sasuke guy?"
Naruto sat apart from the crowd, on the old swing beneath a leafless tree near the academy gate. His presence was like a quiet void at the edge of the noisy schoolyard.
"What about you? Why haven't you gone home?"
Uchiha Kage didn't know why he approached Naruto.
Maybe it was because of the look in Naruto's eyes—so much like a stray puppy's—that he just couldn't ignore him.
"I…"
Naruto had just been sitting around, bored, and when he saw someone nearby, he spoke up automatically.
He hadn't expected this boy to actually respond.
Usually, people treated him like air—or worse, like some sort of plague.
"I was thinking of having some ramen. You..."
Naruto jumped off the swing. He didn't want to go back to his cold, empty apartment just yet. But seeing classmates being picked up by their parents had left a strange hollow feeling in his chest.
He reached into his pockets, half-thinking he could treat this quiet Uchiha to some ramen—and maybe ask him about the dream from the night before—but then stopped.
The truth was simple. He didn't even have enough money for a single bowl. Let alone two.
"You were going to buy me ramen?"
Uchiha Kage saw through Naruto immediately—his thoughts, and even his embarrassment.
"Yeah, but… I don't have any money right now."
Naruto shrugged, sheepish.
"So why offer in the first place?"
"Because... I think you might be like Shikamaru and Choji. You might be someone I could be friends with. I think we'd get along."
Not just today—but in that strange dream, too—he was the only one who called out to me, told me to hide.
If that dream was real… maybe I'd finally have a real friend.
Naruto kept those thoughts to himself.
"Is that so?"
Uchiha Kage had deliberately kept his distance from Naruto, so as not to draw attention.
He hadn't expected Naruto to approach him on his own.
And somehow… maybe it was because of the comics he used to read in his past life… he just had the feeling that Naruto was a genuinely good person.
"Then forget the ramen. Ichiraku's is great, but it's not exactly healthy."
"Home? I..."
We're both orphans. What home do we have?
Naruto didn't quite understand what Kage meant.
"Want to try Sasuke's cooking instead?"
"That guy knows how to cook!?"
Naruto looked up in shock. But then his expression lit up—he realized Uchiha Kage was inviting him over.
"You mean it?"
"Are you coming?"
"Of course I am!"
Naruto jumped with joy, nearly yanking the swing off its hinges.
"I knew that guy had to be good for something!"
I didn't expect Uchiha Kage to be such a nice guy!
And imagining that smug Sasuke cooking for him? Naruto suddenly couldn't wait to try it.
Caw—
A crow's cry echoed from the branches of a tall tree.
A masked, black-clad ninja stood there, tying a small message to the leg of a carrier pigeon.
The Uchiha orphan Kage is making contact with the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
A few moments later, the pigeon fluttered back, carrying a new message in the wooden tube attached to its leg.
"Find a way to eliminate Uchiha Kage. Be careful not to alert the Jinchūriki."
The masked ninja read the message respectfully, then crumpled the note in his fist.
In a few silent leaps, he followed after the two boys walking toward the Uchiha district.
"Tch. I thought the guy monitoring us had gone off duty. Guess not."
Uchiha Kage rolled his eyes. The masked ninja who'd been keeping his distance was now sprinting toward them.
"This could be a problem…"
He'd assumed that Naruto approaching him wouldn't set off any red flags with the Anbu or with Danzo.
Clearly, he'd underestimated how much the names Uchiha and Nine-Tails still haunted Konoha's higher-ups.
Whoever this was, they didn't have good intentions.
But it was too late to send Naruto home now.
And…
Uchiha Kage glanced toward a nearby rooftop corner.
Let's see how this plays out. Surely, they wouldn't silence someone just for inviting Naruto over for dinner… right?
"Kage, what trouble were you talking about?"
Naruto was still chatting happily, completely unaware of what was happening.
"Nothing. Just thinking out loud."
Silently slipping a kunai into his sleeve, Uchiha Kage walked on, remaining alert.
"Ah! There's a kitten stuck in the tree—I need to help it!"
A mewing cry caught Naruto's attention. Without hesitation, he rushed toward the tree.
Uchiha Kage stiffened immediately.
That cat looked like bait.
Could this masked ninja really be targeting Naruto?
Ding!
Just as Uchiha Kage tensed to act, two figures flashed in mid-air—blades clashed.
The sharp clanging echoed several times.
A female ninja with purple hair and an Anbu mask stood protectively in front of Uchiha Kage, sword at the ready.
Facing her was the masked black-clad ninja from before, holding his long sword, clearly frustrated.
"Who are you to attack villagers in broad daylight?"
The purple-haired Anbu's tone was icy. She was one of the guards assigned by the Third Hokage to protect Naruto.
But she hadn't expected someone to attack Uchiha Kage, a Konoha student, in plain sight.
"Stay out of this!"
The masked ninja growled, clearly displeased, but the moment he saw Naruto returning with the kitten in his arms, he reluctantly sheathed his sword and vanished into the shadows.
"Someone from Root?"
She didn't need confirmation. Only the Root acted so brazenly within Konoha.
"Thank you."
Uchiha Kage played the part of the clueless civilian, acting as though he hadn't understood what had happened.
"No need. Protecting the villagers of Konoha is the Anbu's duty."
The woman glanced briefly at him, then at the giant stone faces on Hokage Rock in the distance.
Then she disappeared.
Only the two Uchihas remained now.
Danzo... and the Root agents weren't going to let them live peacefully.
Today's incident must be reported to the Hokage.
She thought grimly, and vanished from sight.