(POV: Mysterious Narrator)
Tenmei woke up early that morning. The soft sunlight reflected on the glass of the window, illuminating his small refuge. In his eyes, a faint glimmer of helplessness sparkled.
— "It seems it's beginning..." — he murmured to himself, watching the shadows of the curtains sway like veils of distant contours.
Lost in thought, he remembered the nights he roamed through ruins searching for food. In those days, creeping shadows were clear signs of danger.
— "Those poor children..." — he thought, a lifeless smile forming on his lips. — "In the end, the true evil was me."
After getting ready, he opened the door, finding Haruto outside.
— "Hey, Tenmei! Good morning!" — exclaimed Haruto excitedly, though slightly nervous about the first day of class.
— "Well, what a surprise... Falling out of bed again? Did something slip under your feet?" — teased Tenmei playfully.
— "Ah, how could it! I'm just... excited, hehe." — Haruto replied sheepishly, recalling how his cat had woken him up earlier by sneaking between his legs.
— "Alright, enough chatter. We'll be late." — Haruto quickly changed the subject, not questioning how Tenmei knew what had happened.
— "Yes, yes." — Tenmei replied with a faintly mysterious smile.
As they walked, Tenmei suddenly made a quick slash with his hand, forming a seal with the other at impressive speed.
Ding! The metallic sound of colliding blades echoed. The stealthy attacker hesitated for a moment but quickly spun his body, delivering a sidekick aimed at Tenmei's torso. In response, Tenmei puffed out his cheeks as if about to spit something.
Haruto froze, but upon realizing the danger, stepped back and threw two shurikens to support Tenmei.
A jet of water shot from Tenmei's mouth, blocking the attack and forcing the opponent to retreat quickly.
— "Tch, how terrifying... No openings." — the attacker muttered, dissatisfied.
— "Good morning, Mr. Uchiha. What a polite way to greet someone, haha." — Tenmei remarked, amused but expressionless.
— "Hey! You're the annoying guy from yesterday!" — Haruto shouted, moving closer again.
— "You're strong... I'll let it slide for now." — said Akuma, revealing his ident
While they argued, Tenmei discreetly observed Akuma, reflecting. "Truly distinct... The Uchiha people are undoubtedly unique."
— "Are you heading to the academy? I think I'll join you." — Akuma announced suddenly.
— "Sure. A beautiful leaf joining the thicket... Always a smile for the cold morning winds." — replied Tenmei with his usual mysterious tone.
— "Tch, what are you always saying? I never understand!" — Akuma retorted, irritated.
— "Don't worry. It would be abnormal if he said something we understood. Hahaha!" — Haruto commented, already used to it.
The trio's dynamic was peculiar: simultaneously warm and strange. A slight smile appeared on Tenmei's lips. He seemed content.
Although they had only met the day before, the bond forming between them was inexplicably natural, as if already predestined.
On the way, Akuma bragged about how he defeated a friend that morning over a stolen loaf of bread. Haruto, meanwhile, shared the oddities of his cat, who always seemed to threaten him while he slept.
Tenmei, walking with his peculiar posture, drew curious glances from passersby. Their youthful and playful combination fit perfectly into the scene of the first days at the ninja academy.
Parents and students passed by, some nervous, but all carried the same expectations. In Konoha, seeing young people begin their ninja careers was always a source of pride and hope.
(POV: Haruto)
I'm so excited! Tenmei and I are finally going to school. I'll prove I can be a great ninja! Mom will be so proud of me.
Akuma... I don't like him much, but Tenmei doesn't seem to mind, so for now, I'll accept it. After all, he's not that bad...
Oh, beating up friends? Stealing food? That's unforgivable! If it were me... Well, I wouldn't have the courage to face Tenmei.
I remember the illusory pain from the day I stuck my finger into his soup to taste it. Did it leave a scar?
And my cat has been acting strange lately... He must have switched food and now holds a grudge against me. He always looks at me with that threatening, scary gaze, especially early in the morning.
(POV: Mysterious Narrator)
While Haruto reflects on his day-to-day life, his cat's behavior continues to worry him, and he ends up venting to Akuma, who doesn't miss the chance to laugh at him.
Without realizing it, Haruto begins to accept the boy's presence more. Perhaps battles are a good way to create friendships.
Meanwhile, Tenmei diverts his attention to the girl approaching the group: Merlin, who wears a restrained smile as she spots them.
— "Hey, Akuma! What are you scheming so early?" — she teases in a playful tone.
— "Ah, Merlin, you finally showed up! My grandfather talked about you all day; it was unbearable! But soon I'll awaken my Sharingan; you'll see!" — Akuma responds, irritated but letting slip a touch of envy.
— "Satisfied, Miss Uchiha? Defeating me is surely something worth celebrating, isn't it?" — Tenmei says, deliberately charming.
— "Tch! Don't try to fool me! Next time, I'll defeat you under better conditions. A Uchiha doesn't lose to anyone!" — Merlin retorts, unsatisfied but with concealed pride.
— "Fascinating. I'll look forward to seeing the blossoming of such a promising root." — Tenmei smiles, expressionless, with an enigmatic tone.
— "You and your riddles! Hey, Tenmei, will you ever say something I actually understand?" — Haruto laments, frustrated.
Merlin shoots Haruto a piercing look, as if wanting to pry open his head to see what's inside. She refuses to believe someone so naive could be strong.
— "Idiot! That was the clearest he's ever been!" — she snaps, irritated, but secretly enjoying the group dynamic.
Tenmei, however, seems distracted, observing a stall along the way. His distant gaze unsettles Akuma. "How could I lose to this weird guy?" Akuma thinks, feeling helpless.
Meanwhile, Merlin and Haruto argue over something trivial, and Merlin excitedly mentions a gift from her grandfather: a teddy bear. Embarrassed, she quickly tries to change the subject.
— "Teddy bears are so childish... I've never played with those things!" — Haruto tries to tease her, though his maturity is questionable.
Tenmei then exposes the truth:
— "You liked drinking milk from a bottle until last year, Haruto."
The boy turns as red as a pepper, while Merlin shifts the focus of the conversation, laughing internally.
Akuma, on the other hand, keeps complaining about his rigorous training to become a great ninja. The atmosphere among them is light and natural, as if they've been longtime friends.
"Everything is as it should be..." Tenmei muses, hidden in his thoughts. "But guiding interactions drains energy... Come on, my little stones, create good ripples in this pond."
(POV: Narrator)
Upon arriving at the academy, the group undergoes a simple aptitude test and, as expected, is placed in the elite class.
— "Mom will be so proud! I want to learn lots of powerful ninjutsus!" — Haruto exclaims enthusiastically.
Tenmei cracks a faint smile, as if already predicting the disappointment to come.
— "Hey, don't ignore me, Tenmei!" — Haruto complains but is suddenly taken aback by an unexpected hug.
— "W-what are you doing, man?" — Haruto exclaims, blushing.
— "Comforting my shy friend who just wants some attention." — Tenmei replies playfully.
— "That's not what I wanted!" — Haruto yells, running off in embarrassment.
Tenmei laughs but turns his attention to a girl in the corner of the room. Norahara Rin...? He recognizes the name. His ultimate target was also present.
"Obito Uchiha..." He thinks, pondering his strategy.
For characters like Akuma, Merlin, and Mirla, Tenmei knew that being unpredictable was the most appealing approach. But with Obito, the strategy needed to be subtler.
"All in due time. The stage is set, and the pieces are beginning to move."
Thus, with the group united and rivalries forming, Tenmei observes the start of a journey destined to change all their fates.
Class finally began, and with everyone present, Haruto felt relieved to see familiar faces around him. Kakashi, Mirla, Merlin, Akuma, and Tenmei were all there, together. It was comforting for him to be among his old and new friends, which brought him genuine happiness.
Meanwhile, Akuma animatedly discussed his skills with a boy who had a fake cigarette dangling from his mouth. The other, though seemingly annoyed, showed some interest upon hearing Kakashi's name mentioned. He remembered his father's words: "Pay attention to the details."
Across the room, Tenmei appeared bored. But, of course, that was only what others saw. In his mind, he calculated the perfect moment to capture the attention of a boy with goggles and the iconic outfit of the Uchiha clan.
Obito was complaining to Rin, trying to justify his tardiness. He insisted it wasn't deliberate, but that an elderly lady needed his help, so he couldn't arrive on time. Rin, always kind, consoled him with a warm smile, dissipating his frustration from being scolded by the teacher.
Suddenly, a pen rolled to Obito's desk. He blinked, surprised, but didn't think much of it. He quickly picked it up and turned to return it, only for his eyes to meet a handsome, mysterious boy. His expression revealed slight surprise.
— "Oh, this is your pen. Here, you can have it." — said Obito, trying to mask his discomfort with an awkward tone.
— "Thank you, Uchiha boy. And how should I address you?" — Tenmei replied lightly, a smile playing on his lips.
— "I-I'm Uchiha Obito! And of course, I'm going to become a great Hokage!" — Obito exclaimed, regaining his confidence.
— "A Uchiha Hokage? Interesting. Want to climb a tall rock with such small steps?" — Tenmei quipped, amused but cryptic.
— "Huh? What are you talking about?" — Obito asked, confused but with a slightly irritated tone. He suspected he was being underestimated.
— "It's a pleasure, Uchiha Obito. And this lovely young lady beside you, what's her name?" — Tenmei said, ignoring Obito's reaction, with a relaxed tone.
— "Hey! Don't ignore me!" — protested Obito, clearly frustrated.
— "M-me? I'm Nohara Rin." — Rin replied, her cheeks slightly flushed, surprised to be mentioned.
— "Hm, what a beautiful name. So, you like medicine? It's a good start. Medical ninjas are always in demand." — Tenmei commented softly, revealing an unusual perceptiveness.
— "How do you know?" — Rin asked, genuinely surprised.
— "You two! Quiet!" — shouted the teacher, throwing a piece of chalk that hit Obito on the forehead. — "Class has already started! Tsk... Uchiha clan? Don't think you can do whatever you want in my class!"
Obito grimaced but avoided causing trouble. He knew that if he misbehaved, his grandmother would scold him, and that would mean saying goodbye to his favorite sweet dumplings. Rin smiled discreetly, trying to console him, while Tenmei played with the pen in his hand, bringing a lighthearted, youthful atmosphere to the trio.
Obito accused Tenmei of acting on purpose, but Tenmei shifted his attention to the lesson, adopting the posture of a model student.
Kakashi, observing discreetly, sighed. It was impressive how Tenmei could interact with anyone without seeming forced. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something hidden about such a distinctive boy. It was as if he always had something to conceal.
While pondering this, the image of Mirla appeared in his mind. The girl had surprised him during the previous fight, sparking more interest than Might Guy ever managed. Even so, he couldn't ignore the feeling that Tenmei had deliberately involved him in something bigger.
Suddenly, an idea lit up in his mind. Tenmei seemed to be gathering students with the best results in the entrance evaluation. "So, that was his plan? But why? For fun? That doesn't seem like something he'd do..."
Lost in thought, Kakashi felt the doubt grow. He remembered his father's words: "You think too much." But how could he be wrong?