As the number one clan in Konoha, the Uchiha were known for their brilliance, each generation bringing some of the most promising talents to the Ninja School. Yet here was Uchiha Obito, struggling at the bottom, earning him the reputation of "crane tail"—the lowest rank in the class. Branded a disgrace to the clan, he felt the weight of inferiority and the need to prove himself to others. And here was Youyu, ignoring him completely, not even giving him a second glance.
Anger flared within Obito. Even knowing the gap between them, his impulsive nature had taken over, and his pride wouldn't allow him to back down. "I'll make sure you remember my name!" Obito yelled, his voice filled with defiance as he glared at Youyu. But what stoked his frustration even more was seeing Rin lean in close, speaking to Youyu with an affectionate smile.
Tanaka glanced at Obito with closed eyes, sighing internally. There was no reasoning with this stubborn boy. Though he would never admit it aloud, Tanaka was nervous—he couldn't let anything happen to Obito, a member of the Uchiha clan, especially not here in the academy. Anticipating the risk, he had requested additional backup from the Third Hokage, so several elite ninjas were already stationed around the playground, ready to step in at a moment's notice.
Meanwhile, Youyu took a long drink, listening as Rin introduced Obito. He raised an eyebrow, slightly tipsy. "So your name is… Uchiha Boruto?" he mumbled, thoroughly butchering Obito's name.
"It's Uchiha! You bastard!" Obito shouted, his patience snapping.
The other students, having seen this play out, backed away quickly, some shooting Obito pitying looks. This "crane tail" was walking a dangerous line.
"Obito, you idiot! Stop provoking him!" Tanaka yelled, breaking out in a cold sweat. He turned to Youyu, pleading, "Youyu, please remember, this is just a test—take it easy on him!"
Youyu, looking hazy from the alcohol, grinned at Tanaka's request. "Do it harder? Got it!" he replied with enthusiasm, misunderstanding completely.
Tanaka's face paled, horrified. He muttered, "Did I just… oh no…" Meanwhile, the students whispered among themselves, assuming Tanaka really had told Youyu to go all out. Tanaka cursed his own hesitation—his low voice and nervous tone had clearly caused a disastrous misunderstanding.
Obito, however, was too angry to care. He shouted, "I'll fight you!" drawing a kunai and charging forward, Sharingan activated, his eyes blazing red.
Youyu sighed, gripping the hilt of his sword, Qiu Shui, ready to meet Obito's charge. The other students watched in horror. After all, the last person who dared attack Youyu with a weapon was Kakashi, and even he had barely walked away from that encounter.
Just as Obito lunged, Youyu's focus sharpened, his sword already halfway drawn in a smooth, practiced movement. He murmured, "One Sword Style—Lion Elegy," locking his gaze on Obito.
But before the blade could fall, three figures leapt from the shadows. In a blur of movement, a shorter ninja appeared at Youyu's side, firmly grabbing his sword hand, while two others held his shoulders.
Tanaka exhaled in relief, recognizing the trio—elite ninjas assigned to prevent exactly this kind of disaster.
The shortest of the three spoke up. "That's enough, Youyu."
"Kakashi?" murmured the students, recognizing the figure. He was older now, but unmistakable. Youyu glanced over, unimpressed. "You can't stop someone I intend to cut," he growled, grinning.
Suddenly, a ripping sound echoed as Youyu's half-drawn sword flashed, and Obito stumbled back, yelling, "Ahhh!"
Turning to look, Kakashi blinked, his shock freezing him in place. Obito stood there, unharmed except for a few minor scratches and his clothes—shredded to rags. In shock, Obito looked down, realizing that only a piece of fabric around his waist remained intact. Face bright red, he quickly covered himself and ran off.
"That idiot," Tanaka muttered, covering his face, though he couldn't help feeling grateful Youyu had shown restraint. His opinion of Youyu shifted—perhaps the boy wasn't as reckless as he'd thought.
Just then, a familiar "ding" echoed in Youyu's mind: "Ding! After satisfying the master's need to drink, and bringing embarrassment to an important person: Kendo Comprehension +100! Reward: Listen to the Breathing of All Things (Steel-Slashing Realm)!"
"Huh? Did I just get 100 points?" Youyu wondered. "Who was that guy again? Uchiha Boruto?" He thought about it for a second but, feeling slightly tipsy, shrugged it off. "Guess I should drink a little more to clear my mind."
Shisui, one of the ninjas restraining Youyu, twitched. Listening to Youyu's logic made his head spin. But what truly unsettled Shisui was that, even with his Sharingan, he hadn't detected Youyu's sword movements at all.
Watching Youyu reach for another bottle, Shisui muttered to himself, "To cut with such precision… Truly one of Konoha's most remarkable geniuses."