"Yo, Sasuke."
"Your speed isn't bad," Satoru said lazily, lying on a tree branch with a lollipop in his mouth, the words coming out muffled.
Sasuke, who had caught up to him, scanned the surroundings before looking up at his second brother perched on the branch.
*So that's where he went,* Sasuke thought.
"Hmph." He let out a soft snort, a subtle smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. The praise, no matter how slight, had reached him.
"One day, I'll surpass you," Sasuke declared to himself. *If only I'd been born earlier, I'd already be stronger than you, second brother.*
Satoru chuckled. "You're a little faster than a snail, I'll give you that. Amazing, really," he teased, bursting into laughter.
"Bastard!" Sasuke shouted, his eyes sparking with frustration. His small, chubby cheeks puffed out, and his mouth set in a firm line. "Get down here, second brother!"
"But it's sunny up here, perfect for a nap," Satoru said, stretching his arms and closing his eyes as if settling in for a long sleep.
The sunlight streamed through the leaves, casting dappled shadows. Birds chirped, adding a gentle soundtrack to the peaceful afternoon.
"You… just fell asleep?" Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief. *Tired?* How could his second brother, with a strong ninja physique, be tired so easily? He hadn't even trained with the clan today. What kind of fatigue was that?
In the morning, his second brother had said something about real combat being the best teacher, then promptly skipped family training. All he'd done was teach Sasuke a few things before dozing off.
*This guy,* Sasuke thought bitterly, *he's probably the most laid-back person in the entire clan.*
Suddenly, Sasuke became aware of the curious stares from the people around them. *Wait… is this the clan's training ground?* He hadn't noticed that they'd attracted so much attention during their quarrel. His heart sank.
"Is that Satoru Uchiha and his brother?" a girl in a black Uchiha uniform whispered to her friend.
"Yes, that's Satoru Uchiha," her friend confirmed.
Among their peers, Satoru Uchiha was well known—not just for his strength, but also for his mischievous and unpredictable nature. He didn't seem like a typical Uchiha. Yet, for reasons unknown, people trusted him. He was a bit of an enigma.
*Eighty percent of the trouble—no, ninety-nine percent of it—came from him,* she thought. *But when it truly mattered, he was reliable.*
If Satoru could read her mind, he'd have said confidently, *Of course! Because I'm the strongest!*
"Satoru Uchiha!" a loud voice cut through the murmurs. It was Uchiha Sora, the patriarch in charge of this section of the clan's training. He stormed over, his eyes fierce. "Get down here, and don't make me say it twice."
*This kid's making a fool of me,* Sora thought, embarrassed that a student had escaped from under his watch. His peers would never let him live it down.
With a flick of his fingers, Sora performed a series of seals. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" A sphere of flames roared toward the branch, engulfing it and reducing it to ash.
"Oh dear, is it really wise to be so reckless with the trees, old man?" Satoru's voice called out mockingly. In a flash, he was standing in front of Sora, completely unscathed.
"Could it be that someone's feeling their age, stressed and overwhelmed, and decided to take it out on an innocent young boy like me?" Satoru sighed, feigning concern.
"You—!" Sora's face flushed with fury. *Feeling their age?* He was only in his thirties! This brat would be the death of him. *How did someone as serious as Fugaku produce such a child?*
He hadn't used a powerful technique, after all, and there were others around to ensure Satoru wouldn't get hurt. But how had the boy avoided it so effortlessly? He hadn't even seen it clearly.
"Hmph. The patriarch wants you here now," Sora said, forcing himself to stay calm. He smirked knowingly, already imagining the look on the troublemaker's face once they were done.
*Just wait, you little menace.*
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 10 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
Gimme power stonesssss
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