Uchiha Hikaru knew that even if he reported this situation to the clan leader, the response would likely be the same—he'd be told to agree.
Though the Uchiha clan had distanced itself from much of the rest of the village's families, they still coveted the position of Hokage. Their willingness to have Uchiha Obito placed under Jiraiya's apprentice, Minato, was proof of this. However, due to their isolation, further integration into the village's power structure was difficult.
If Orochimaru, one of the strongest candidates to become the next Hokage, offered to take an Uchiha child as a disciple, the clan would not refuse.
That was why Hikaru planned to have his son, Uchiha Hui, enroll at the academy. If he could keep Hui at the academy for as long as possible, without applying for early graduation, both the clan and Orochimaru would find it difficult to interfere. The academy fell under the direct control of the Hokage, after all.
Hikaru's plan seemed solid, but he couldn't help but smile bitterly. He knew his son's nature. Hui was not the kind of person to sit idly through his time at the academy. And as a father, Hikaru didn't want to stifle his son's ambitions. He could only hope for the best and trust fate.
The academy, unlike in later years, was structured with a flexible enrollment system. Though now officially called the "Academy," children between the ages of four and six could enroll, and while the time required wasn't as short as during the Second Great War, students generally graduated after four years.
For Uchiha Hui, however, even four years seemed like too long. He had already resolved to learn as much as possible as quickly as he could and apply for early graduation.
The village, under the leadership of the Third Hokage and a wealth of talented shinobi like the Sannin and other elite warriors, had created a relaxed academic environment. While graduation wasn't open at all times, skipping grades was common. As long as a student met the necessary requirements, they could move to the graduating class at any time.
Given his age and background, Hui's admission process was handled smoothly. By the third day, he had already joined the academy's first year.
Whether it was the basics of being a shinobi or foundational theory, Hui mastered the textbooks with ease, using his Sharingan to absorb and memorize everything in a single read-through. As for weapon handling, did a child of the Uchiha clan really need the beginner tutorials provided by the academy?
Ninjutsu wasn't taught in the first year, so a week later, Hui applied to skip directly to the second year. After passing a simple written exam, his request was granted.
At the academy, the Uchiha name naturally made Hui a focal point of attention. He was the subject of awe from many of the civilian students, while others, particularly those from rival clans like the Hyuga, often looked at him with hostility. If he wanted to remain unnoticed, he would have to hide much more than just his talents.
Though Hui couldn't openly use his Sharingan to replicate the three basic techniques—substitution, transformation, and clone—he didn't need it. These were simple enough that even without external instruction, Hui quickly mastered them on his own.
The substitution, transformation, and clone techniques required only a single hand sign and consumed very little chakra. Their simplicity was the reason they formed the core techniques all shinobi were required to learn.
In order to perfect them, Hui practiced these three techniques daily after school during his workouts, honing his abilities as he made his way home.
When Hikaru saw his son return, he couldn't help but feel proud. He knew that effort and dedication were what made a true shinobi. Patting Hui on the shoulder, he smiled. "Well done."
Although Hikaru was initially concerned about Hui skipping a grade within just one week, at this moment, he was filled with pride.
Hui stopped his training and looked up at his father, asking, "Will you teach me a real ninjutsu now?"
Skipping straight to the graduating class required more than just basic skills. Though the challenge wasn't overwhelming, Hui's shuriken throwing and mastery of the three basic techniques still weren't at the level required for graduation, especially without revealing his Sharingan. He needed to learn the Great Fireball Technique but wanted to do so without exposing his bloodline abilities too early. That meant going through the motions of "learning."
Hikaru was taken aback for a moment. His hand rested on Hui's shoulder as he frowned slightly. "You've only been refining chakra for three months. Even if we consider the amount of chakra you have, it's too soon to teach you advanced ninjutsu." He felt his son was rushing.
But Hui shook his head, his eyes full of determination. "I've been working hard to build up my chakra. I believe I'm ready."
Hikaru chuckled softly, rubbing his temples in mild exasperation. With a small smile, he turned toward the door. "Alright, I'll demonstrate the Great Fireball Technique for you in the clearing."