Yagami stared at Sasuke and Naruto for a while. Although the school taught fairly basic things, Sasuke took it very seriously. Naruto, on the other hand, seemed to have endless energy, unable to sit still for even a moment.
"Uchiha Yagami, you showed up at the ninja school—what do you want to do?"
Shortly after Yagami arrived, a teacher approached him with a somewhat nervous expression.
Though the school had other Uchiha children, the name Yagami held significant weight among those aligned with the Hokage's faction.
Compared to the clan leader Fugaku, Yagami was the one who repeatedly forced the Hokage to concede. It would be an understatement to say the teacher wasn't anxious.
"I'm here to check on Sasuke. The clan leader is away for diplomatic duties, so he asked me to look after him. Is that a problem?"
Although the Uchiha's reputation in Konoha had improved and they'd relinquished some power, ingrained prejudice wasn't easily dispelled—especially among those influenced by past rhetoric.
"Is that all?"
The teacher furrowed his brow, and Yagami's expression hardened.
"What are you implying? Do you think I'd harm a group of children? What reason would I have to concern myself with them? Honestly, we Uchiha should be the ones more worried! Who knows if you teachers might be scheming about our Sharingan?"
Ridiculous! I only came to check on Sasuke and Naruto. What's the need for suspicion? They're just a bunch of brats who haven't even grown up yet; they're hardly worth the effort.
"W-We…"
The teacher's expression changed dramatically upon hearing this. He remembered the Shimura clan's misfortune and understood why it happened. If Danzō hadn't taken Shisui's eyes, the Uchiha wouldn't have targeted the Shimura clan so intently.
"Besides, even if I did something, do you think you could stop me? So, stop viewing me with suspicion. We Uchiha are skilled in combat, yes, but we're not bloodthirsty. We don't seek to cause trouble without reason..."
As he finished speaking, Yagami sensed he was being watched—most likely by the Third Hokage's Telescope Technique.
The teacher, clearly intimidated, had no response. Seeing that Yagami didn't intend to leave, he could only steel himself and stay nearby, enduring the tension.
*This is a Mangekyō user! And here I am, a mere Chūnin, trying to keep tabs on a Uchiha with Mangekyō… Why did I put myself in this position?*
Sir, when will you leave? I'm struggling to keep my composure…
Yagami didn't do anything, yet the teacher beside him was visibly sweating. With the Byakugan, Yagami could easily sense the teacher's discomfort.
Inwardly, he could only roll his eyes. He hadn't taken any action or even made any unusual moves—there wasn't a hint of threat.
This guy's scaring himself. If Terumi Mei hadn't warmed up to me so easily, I'd think I was some kind of menace.
Time passed, and finally, when class ended, Sasuke stepped out of the building, immediately spotting Yagami. He waved, calling out in greeting.
"Senior Yagami! Are you here to pick me up from school?"
Although Yagami hadn't proactively reached out to Sasuke due to clan matters, he visited Fugaku's house from time to time and often stayed for meals.
Sasuke, frequently speaking with his father or relaying messages to his brother, naturally grew familiar with Yagami.
What's more, Yagami's influence within the clan was notable. Though he held no official position, many of the elders took their directions from him.
For example, the formidable Fourth Elder was assigned by Yagami to handle operations at the Big Hand Company, while the more conciliatory Fifth Elder remained in the police force, assisting Fugaku with village affairs.
It was clear that many in the Uchiha, including the clan leader Fugaku, basically followed Yagami's guidance.
"Your father is working on something outside the village, so I'll be watching over you for now. How's school treating you?"
Seeing Sasuke's proud look, Yagami couldn't resist ruffling his hair into a messy tuft, making Sasuke bristle with indignation yet unable to protest, casting only a wounded glare in return.
"It's not great; everything they teach is too easy, and those girls are so annoying!"
Sasuke complained outright, completely oblivious to the teacher's embarrassed expression beside him. Much of what Konoha's academy taught had long been covered in Uchiha training, and Sasuke had already learned plenty from his family.
For Sasuke, school felt like placing a sixth-grader in a first-grade class, repeating basic concepts.
Take the Three Basic Techniques, for instance—these were part of the academy's graduation criteria, yet Sasuke had already mastered the Great Fireball Technique, so it was no surprise he found it dull.
"There's nothing you can do about it, but since you're here, get used to it! There's always more to learn, and honing your mind is a lifelong advantage. If you really can't stand it, then graduate early."
All right, kids everywhere don't like staying in school—it's practically a universal truth, so Yagami didn't press further.
Sasuke nodded, though he only partially understood Yagami's words, finding them a bit advanced for him.
As he talked to Sasuke, Yagami also observed Naruto sitting alone on the swing. His Byakugan could clearly see the boy's longing gaze as he watched Yagami and Sasuke interact.
"Sasuke, that blond kid keeps looking at you. Are you two friends?"
Recalling the earlier sense of surveillance, Yagami sensed an opportunity to gain more feedback points. *If you're so protective of the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Third Hokage, then I'll just get closer to him.*
"Uh... I guess so! He seems a bit different," Sasuke replied uncertainly, glancing at Naruto. After all, they'd only exchanged names and a quick greeting earlier.
"Well, he's your friend! Let's go eat together! I'll treat you to celebrate making a friend on your first day of school."
"Different?" Of course, Naruto was different, but Yagami ignored that, pulling Sasuke toward Naruto.
Kakashi, who was watching from the shadows, felt his thoughts spin, and in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage took a long, heavy drag from his pipe.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for receiving negative feedback from Sarutobi Hiruzen, gaining 1,467 feedback points.]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for receiving negative feedback from Sarutobi Hiruzen, gaining 1,732 feedback points.]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for receiving negative feedback from Sarutobi Hiruzen, gaining 1,593 feedback points.]
…
Seeing the five-figure total of feedback points rapidly accrue, Yagami gave a mental thumbs-up to the Third Hokage.
Today was truly a great day. He needed a break, and here was Danzō handing him a pillow while the Third Hokage added a thoughtful soundtrack.
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