"Wow, Kirito-kun, you're amazing!" Uchiha Izumi was astonished to see that Fujiwara Kirito had mastered the Three Body Technique on the first day, and she couldn't stop praising him.
"Shh," Fujiwara Kirito quickly covered her mouth, gesturing for her to be quiet. "Please keep this a secret. I don't want others to know."
Izumi, blushing, nodded in agreement. "Of course, but why don't you want anyone to know? With your looks, you could be as popular as Itachi-kun," she thought to herself.
"If too many people notice, I won't be able to get free meals here anymore," Kirito made up an excuse.
Izumi took his words seriously, her blush deepening. "I do have a collection of ninjutsu at home, but most are clan secrets. If I give them to you, it might cause trouble."
She hesitated before suggesting, "How about I teach you the Fire Style: Great Fireball, Shadow Clone Technique, and Body Flicker Technique? These are common in Konoha, so my clan wouldn't mind."
"Thank you!" Kirito eagerly took her hand. These were the techniques he needed most, especially the Shadow Clone Technique, which allowed him to create physical clones that shared experiences with him. It felt like cheating. The Body Flicker Technique also excited him, as it could enhance his agility.
In peacetime, ninja schools focused on both training Genin and teaching necessary life skills. In the morning, the teacher introduced chakra refinement and the Three Body Technique, with formal classes starting in the afternoon.
Despite many students from powerful families like the Uchiha, the first lesson still centered on chakra refinement.
As the evening approached, the day's classes ended. The next day, Kirito received the Fireball, Shadow Clone, and Body Flicker Techniques from Izumi. He reviewed the first-year curriculum and found it focused on basics like stealth, traps, and ninja knowledge, with no actual combat. Shadow clones could handle this easily.
After mastering the Shadow Clone Technique that night, he rarely attended school. Instead, he trained in a secluded grove. Uchiha Itachi also started using shadow clones to attend school.
Though Kirito didn't particularly like Itachi, he had to admit that Itachi was a true genius, mastering skills quickly and even surpassing his teachers. If Kirito hadn't read the original story, he might have thought Itachi was also a time traveler.
One year later, in the Konoha Hokage Building, all the Konoha Elders members, including Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzo, Mito Kado En, and Utane Koharu, were present, seated in leadership positions. Below them stood the Chunin teacher responsible for teaching Kirito and Itachi's class.
Just as in the original story, Uchiha Itachi had a conflict with an older student, revealing his shadow clone ability and cementing his reputation as a genius. Near the end of the school year, his Chunin mentor reported him to Konoha Elders, recommending early graduation.
Kirito, aware of the original plot, learned of this through his shadow clone. To avoid drawing attention, he attended school more frequently during this time.
"A genius?" Danzo remarked with a calm expression. His right eye was covered by a bandage, but his left eye showed a mix of emotions: fear, cunning, and even a hint of malice. He had always been the staunchest critic of the Uchiha clan, envying their unique Sharingan while despising them.
"Yes, Lord Danzo. He mastered the Clone Jutsu in last year's graduation exam and even learned the Shadow Clone Jutsu. He's excellent in all aspects and doesn't need to stay in the Ninja School any longer," the Chunin teacher responded respectfully.
Danzo, always at odds with the Third Hokage, countered, "Isn't it good? There's precedent for this."
"But times are different now," the Third Hokage started to argue, only to be cut off by Danzo.
"He's a genius," Danzo declared.
The Chunin teacher confirmed, "I've never seen a student like him."
The Third Hokage reluctantly agreed, saying, "Letting Itachi graduate early might be for his own good."
The Chunin teacher continued reporting on other outstanding students, most from well-known families. The Third Hokage remained silent until Fujiwara Kirito, a commoner, was mentioned. "Is he the child of the Fujiwara family?" the Hokage asked.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. Among the first-year students, besides Itachi, the orphaned child of Jonin Fujiwara has the best talent. He's not as exceptional as Uchiha Itachi, but he's still excellent and has a bright future with proper training," the Chunin teacher replied.
The Third Hokage thoughtfully repeated, "It seems Fujiwara gave birth to a good child." No one knew what he was thinking, while Danzo and the others remained focused on Uchiha Itachi, dismissing the so-called "civilian genius" like Kirito.
Of course, this was exactly what Kirito wanted.
(End of chapter)