Chapter 18: Esteemed Teacher Kakashi
Ninja Academy.
A month had already passed since the new students enrolled, and most of the children had grown accustomed to the daily routine of studying at the academy.
The children walking on the streets were laughing and joking. Compared to their boring lives at home, they preferred the academy, which had more peers their age.
But there were exceptions.
Uchiha Ren was leaping between utility poles and rooftops when he spotted a blond kid in the distance being bullied by older students.
"Naruto Uzumaki?"
He recalled the last time he saw Naruto was at Ichiraku Ramen.
At that time, Uchiha Ren hadn't recovered his memories. He had merely glanced at this scruffy, unapproachable blond kid.
Now, it seemed that Naruto, as the protagonist, had a vastly different fate compared to Sasuke.
"That annoying brat!"
"Fox demon kid!"
"Scram!"
An older academy student arrogantly declared, "An orphan like you, hahahaha! A brat like you should just..."
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt an immense pain in his arm!
He looked up again, startled to find his wrist firmly clasped by someone.
"Being an orphan isn't his choice. In fact, many people are forced to struggle alone from birth, never even having seen their parents."
Uchiha Ren spoke calmly. Behind him, Naruto Uzumaki lying on the ground suddenly had his pupils contract!
"That's right..."
Becoming an orphan wasn't his fault.
Why should he be bullied?
"Damn it! Let go! Do you know who I am?! Let this lord go immediately!"
No sooner had he spoken than a ninja, roughly sixteen or seventeen years old, jumped over, anxiously trying to dissuade them:
"You must let him go! He's a royal relative from the Land of Fire! Attending the Leaf Ninja Academy is just his hobby! Hurry and let him go!"
"Make him apologize first," Uchiha Ren narrowed his eyes, looking at this ninja who seemed to be a guard.
"Let go! Let me go! You damn commoner!"
"It seems our young master doesn't understand the cruelty of being a ninja," Uchiha Ren said nothing more, increasing the force in his hand again!
"Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!"
"It hurts! It hurts!"
"I... I... I apologize!"
Since the other party had apologized, Uchiha Ren released his grip without another word.
But no sooner had he let go than the brat pulled out a kunai!
"Die!"
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
Three kunai flew consecutively towards Uchiha Ren's eyes!
But in that instant!
"Clang!"
The kunai were perfectly deflected by three other kunai.
Uchiha Ren looked towards the masked Anbu standing in the distance, his eyes narrowing once more.
Sure enough, there was an Anbu following him.
"Damn it! Where did you come from?!" Naito Hao pointed at the Anbu, cursing loudly.
The Anbu ninja loudly replied, "By order of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, no fighting is allowed near the Ninja Academy."
"Hmph, damn it! You, and you, both of you, just you wait! Hmph!"
"Naito Hao! Wait, wait for me!"
After seeing Naito Hao and his entourage leave, Uchiha Ren glanced at the Anbu, then prepared to enter the academy grounds.
At this moment, Naruto Uzumaki jumped up.
"Hahaha! This lord appreciates you very much! Be my subordinate!"
"I am Naruto Uzumaki!"
"Hehehe, do you know me?"
"How about it? How about it? Hang out with this lord!" Naruto repeated incessantly, completely unaware that the older senior in front of him had already lost his patience.
Uchiha Ren clenched his fist. "Never mind." He no longer bothered with Naruto and walked straight ahead.
"Hey!" Naruto Uzumaki scratched his head, then his attention was immediately drawn to a wide-foreheaded female student, and he scrambled over. "Ah hahahaha, Sakura! You won't believe it, I just recruited a super awesome senior as my subordinate! He's really strong! I'll let you meet him tomorrow!"
Sakura Haruno was also annoyed by Naruto. She rolled her eyes, "I know, I know. Don't block my way."
The assessment for the practical class had ended, and many students had been promoted to the next Tier.
Uchiha Ren took his new textbook and went to the classroom to report.
To his surprise, he found himself to be the only person in the entire corridor.
"Where's the teacher?"
He looked at the slip of paper in his hand, confirming it was indeed the classroom number C-3-1 in front of him, and frowned.
As far as he knew, classrooms in zone C were used by graduating classes.
And the graduating classes had already formed their respective teams last month and left, so it should be empty.
After waiting for about one class period, even the usually patient Uchiha Ren couldn't stand it anymore. He stood up and kicked open the classroom door.
Inside the room, as expected, there was no one.
But just as he was about to leave, at the end of the corridor, a young ninja appeared, yawning, with a head of white hair, looking half-dead.
"So early, huh?"
Hatake Kakashi showed no intention of apologizing. Ignoring Uchiha Ren's expression, he brushed past him and entered the classroom.
He picked up a piece of chalk, yawned again, and began writing his name on the blackboard.
As he wrote, he even made a mistake.
He originally meant to write `Hatake Kakashi`.
But wrote `Hatake Uuu` instead.
A direct translation of that would essentially be something like "Farm Bug."
"He really is unreliable," Uchiha Ren muttered. "So, you're the one leading this class, Teacher Bug?"
"What 'Teacher Bug'?! How dare you speak to your benefactor like that?!" Kakashi bristled in anger, then looked back at his name and hurriedly erased it.
"It's Hatake Kakashi!"
"Right, I know, Kakashi. So, where are the other students in this class?"
"For now, it's just you and me," Kakashi yawned. "This class was just established by the Third Hokage. It's a graduation class opened early for special talents of the Village."
If Uchiha Ren still didn't understand after hearing that, he might as well donate his brain.
"I'm graduating already?"
"Otherwise?" Kakashi gave Uchiha Ren a look. "You're nine years old, you can already activate your Sharingan and use the Six-Stage Great Fireball Jutsu, there's nothing left for you to learn at the Academy."
"Then what can you teach me?" Uchiha Ren put his hands on his hips.
"Hehe, I've copied thousands of ninjutsu, earning me the title of 'Copy Ninja.' As long as it's not a forbidden jutsu you want to learn, I can teach you. How about this: write down what kind of ninjutsu you want to learn on this blackboard, and I'll take a nap first."
The bell for dismissal rang.
Hatake Kakashi, who had spent the whole morning slacking off, stretched lazily and woke up.
In the classroom, Uchiha Ren's figure was long gone.
"This kid really has no patience."
Kakashi flipped up his mask, wiped off the drool on it, and only then did he notice the content on the blackboard.
Upon seeing the content, Kakashi almost choked on his own saliva!
He cleared his throat. "Cough, cough, cough! Shadow Clone, Sealing Jutsu: Mind's Eye, Water Style?"
"What does this kid want to do?"
(end of chapter)