One percent gained—and the entire village began to move.
[Ding! Overwhelmed the entire class and took first place.]
[Fusion Rate +1%]
The moment Alaric returned from the Academy, the familiar, pleasant chime echoed again in his mind.
What he hadn't expected—
Was that this time, it wasn't a pitiful fraction.
A full one percent, added in a single stroke.
"Oh?"
"So my guess was right after all."
That realization alone was enough to put Alaric in an excellent mood.
Hands clasped behind his back, he strolled leisurely toward the clan compound, completely at ease. Several household retainers followed closely behind, their steps disciplined and silent.
As for safety?
At his current stage, it wasn't even a consideration.
Leaving aside the guards at his back—each one a solid chūnin—there were countless eyes hidden in the shadows. ANBU. Root. Layers upon layers of invisible protection.
Anyone daring to make a move against him inside Konoha would have to be blind to reality.
This was the foundation that allowed Alaric to live as a lawless young master without restraint.
As long as he didn't leave the village—
He was untouchable.
—
Inside the Hokage's office.
The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi returned, his temper finally exploded.
"That damned brat!"
"He's going to be the death of me!"
What truly infuriated him wasn't Alaric alone—but the students in that class.
Several of them had the ability to score a perfect ten under normal circumstances, yet right in front of his eyes, they deliberately settled for seven.
Hiruzen had planned to give a speech afterward. A proper talk about the Will of Fire.
After what he saw?
Fire my ass.
Will of Fire—bullshit.
Just as his anger peaked, the door opened.
"Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, forcing his emotions back under control. He lifted his pipe, took a measured puff, and looked up calmly.
"Oh, Iruka. What is it?"
He took Iruka Umino seriously.
After all, Iruka's class included heirs of major clans—and the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
Any one of those identities demanded attention.
"Hokage-sama, I'd like to speak about Alaric Sarutobi."
Hiruzen immediately understood where this was going.
Chuckling, he waved a hand.
"Perfect timing, Iruka. I was just thinking about that boy myself."
"You know he didn't attend school at all last year."
"Frankly, I'm not entirely comfortable letting him remain in second year."
"How about this—have him repeat and place him directly into your class instead?"
Iruka froze.
He'd come to report Alaric's terrible attitude, his arrogance, his complete disregard for rules.
How had this turned into Alaric being dumped into his classroom?
Before Iruka could even respond, the decision was already made.
And just like that, he left the Hokage Tower in a daze.
Staring at the file in his hands, Iruka fell into deep confusion.
"…Why did I even come here?"
—
Meanwhile, news of what had happened at the Academy spread rapidly throughout Konoha.
As the young master of the Sarutobi clan—and the Hokage's grandson—Alaric was a name many people kept a close eye on.
Inside the Akimichi clan's barbecue restaurant, the current generation of Ino–Shika–Chō sat together, intelligence scrolls laid out on the table.
They exchanged glances.
"Shikaku, you're the smartest. What do you think?"
"Yeah—what's your take?"
Shikaku Nara calmly flipped the meat on the grill, utterly unconcerned.
After a moment, he spoke lightly.
"Some things are fine as long as you know them."
"No need to discuss them openly."
"Don't forget who his other grandfather is."
That was enough.
Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka immediately understood—and dropped the subject without another word.
As for Konoha's smaller clans?
They didn't even dare mention Alaric's name.
—
The Uchiha clan, however, was another matter entirely.
Within the Naka Shrine.
"Hahahaha! To think the old man Sarutobi's grandson turned out like this!"
"Nothing to worry about!"
"Exactly! Just a useless spoiled heir."
"If the Sarutobi clan ends up in his hands, our good days are finally coming!"
Dozens of Uchiha gathered together. Led by the clan's elder hawks, the atmosphere was openly jubilant.
Only the clan head, Fugaku Uchiha, remained silent.
In his mind, he unconsciously compared Sasuke to Alaric.
The conclusion was obvious.
Sasuke would crush him.
Still, watching the clan members grow increasingly reckless, Fugaku finally spoke.
"That's enough."
"He is still the Hokage's grandson."
"Don't get carried away."
The voices gradually died down.
But the First Elder stepped forward again, eyes burning.
"Fugaku, preparations must be made."
"The Hokage's faction is nothing but dead weight now."
"This is the Uchiha clan's greatest opportunity."
"Don't let it slip away."
Fugaku said nothing.
The clan's situation was like a lone boat on a stormy sea—one wrong move, and everything would be destroyed.
As clan head, he walked on thin ice every day, exhausting himself trying to maintain balance with the Hokage's faction.
A peaceful solution was his only goal.
Finally, he spoke—cold and firm.
"I will consider it."
"But remember this."
"I am the clan head."
"Do not take any unnecessary action."
His scarlet Sharingan swept across the shrine.
Including the elders, every Uchiha present fell silent.
After all, Fugaku bore a name earned through blood and slaughter—
Wicked Eye.
The clan meeting ended in heavy silence.
And when it was over—
Several figures slipped quietly out of the Uchiha compound, vanishing into the night.
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