Under the Anbu mask was a striking face framed by long purple hair—a direct subordinate of the Third Hokage. It was Uzuki Yugao, once a classmate of Uchiha Nanaya and Moonlight Hayate during their time at the ninja academy.
At that time, there were few Uchiha clan members in the academy, and Nanaya was the only one in their class. Despite his mediocre performance, Uzuki Yugao had inexplicably taken an interest in him. Her attention baffled her other classmate, Moonlight Hayate, who harbored feelings for her. He couldn't understand what she saw in an underachiever from the Uchiha clan.
After graduation, Uzuki Yugao became an Anbu member, while Moonlight Hayate rose to the rank of Special Jōnin. Meanwhile, Nanaya had failed his exams and repeated the academy, much to Hayate's satisfaction. To him, the growing disparity in status meant that Nanaya was no longer a competitor for Yugao's affection.
Even after joining Anbu, Uzuki Yugao couldn't stop paying attention to Nanaya. She heard rumors of him sleeping through classes and showing no intention of improving his skills or graduating. She grew disheartened, convinced that her youthful affection had been misplaced. But just as she was about to let go, she realized something shocking—Nanaya's constant sleeping wasn't laziness; it was part of his training.
Her feelings were further tested when news broke of the Uchiha clan's annihilation. The absence of Nanaya's body among the deceased stirred both worry and a faint hope in her heart. When she later heard from Iruka that Uchiha Nanaya was alive, a heavy weight was lifted from her.
---
"Cough, cough..."
Moonlight Hayate struggled to catch his breath, his face pale as he addressed the Third Hokage. "Lord Hokage, Uchiha Nanaya was my classmate at the ninja academy. He couldn't even perform basic techniques like Body Replacement, Clone, or Transformation. He's likely still a repeater."
Sarutobi Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "An Uchiha unable to master basic ninjutsu? That's certainly unusual."
Around the room, Jōnins like Kakashi, Sarutobi Asuma, and Might Guy exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued. Even the Anbu present couldn't hide their surprise.
Kakashi, in particular, was stunned. In his experience, even Uchiha Obito—once the class dunce—had managed to graduate and become a Chūnin. For an Uchiha to still be repeating at the academy at the age of seventeen was unheard of.
An Anbu member handed Sarutobi a dossier on Uchiha Nanaya. The Hokage opened it and skimmed the details:
Name: Uchiha Nanaya
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Height: 179.2 cm
Weight: 66 kg
Occupation: Ninja Academy Repeater
Mission Record:
D-Rank: 0
C-Rank: 0
B-Rank: 0
A-Rank: 0
S-Rank: 0
Ninja Talent: 0
Sarutobi frowned as he set the file down. "This boy truly lacks aptitude for being a shinobi."
"Lord Hokage," Hayate interjected, "could Uchiha Nanaya have been an accomplice to Uchiha Itachi during the massacre?"
Before the Hokage could respond, a crisp voice from beneath an Anbu mask cut in. "Uchiha Nanaya doesn't even know basic ninjutsu. How could he possibly be an accomplice to Itachi?"
The voice was unmistakable. Hayate clenched his fists, recognizing Uzuki Yugao. Her continued defense of Nanaya only fueled his frustration.
Sarutobi raised his hand, silencing the room. "Hayate, your theory doesn't hold. If Uchiha Nanaya's abilities are as limited as described, he couldn't have assisted Itachi. Besides, Itachi spared his younger brother, Sasuke. Does that mean we should suspect an eight-year-old child as well?"
The room grew quiet. Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed deeply. He knew all too well the circumstances behind the Uchiha massacre. It had been a mission assigned to Itachi by Danzo, Homura, and Koharu, one that he had reluctantly sanctioned. The condition had been clear: Sasuke was to be spared.
But now there was another survivor—Uchiha Nanaya.
Could Itachi have made a mistake? Or had something else occurred that night? Sarutobi decided he would investigate further, either by questioning Itachi or interrogating Nanaya himself.
"Since Uchiha Nanaya is still at the academy, we can monitor him. Let's use the crystal ball to check on the only two Uchiha left in the village."
---
The room fell silent as Sarutobi activated his crystal ball. When the image appeared, the cigarette in Asuma's mouth fell to the floor.
"What does this old man usually look at with that thing?" he muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.
The others glanced awkwardly at the Hokage, their respect barely masking their curiosity. Kakashi, in particular, widened his exposed eye, thinking the scene was more entertaining than his favorite Icha Icha Paradise.
The Hokage coughed, clearly unbothered by the reactions. "Ahem, I seem to have made a mistake. Let me try again."
This time, the crystal ball displayed the academy's training ground. Sarutobi straightened. "Let's see what those two Uchiha brats are up to."
---
On the training ground, Uchiha Nanaya stood face-to-face with a young Sasuke.
This was a sparring match—a simple exercise meant to end with the "Seal of Reconciliation." But Nanaya had little interest in fighting a seven-year-old.
"Do I really have to beat this kid senseless?" Nanaya thought to himself. Memories of Sasuke always topping the academy rankings flashed in his mind. Nanaya couldn't bring himself to ruin the boy's confidence before he even graduated.
Across from him, Sasuke's expression was cold and domineering. He spoke with an intensity that belied his age: "Uchiha Nanaya, tell me—how did you survive?"