The two young men were undeniably handsome. Uchiha Xiaonan, in particular, couldn't help but draw attention. He fiddled with his hair five or six times within a single minute, trying to appear casual but clearly basking in his own beauty. If he had a small mirror on hand, he might have even checked his reflection.
"Ahem," Xiaonan coughed into his fist, feigning modesty. "Appearance is something you're born with. Not everyone can grow up to be as handsome as me..."
But as the words left his mouth, he worried they might discourage his young apprentice. Quickly, he pivoted to a more serious topic.
"Anyway, let's not dwell on appearances. As members of the Uchiha clan, we must focus on improving our strength."
Xiaonan studied his student, Hokage, with growing curiosity. As he spoke, however, he paused abruptly.
His job at the police department often left him too overwhelmed by trivial matters to pay attention to the younger generation of his clan. And truthfully, he wasn't entirely sure how he had ended up with an apprentice today. The whole process felt absurd, like a surreal dream.
"Should we... introduce ourselves first?" Xiaonan said awkwardly, his mouth twitching. If it weren't for the dull ache in his thighs—a painful reminder of reality—he might have dismissed this entire day as pure nonsense.
Hokage, realizing he'd skipped over the formalities, nodded belatedly. He introduced himself earnestly:
"My name is Hokage. I'll be starting at the Ninja Academy the day after tomorrow. I like sweets and beautiful Uchiha girls. My dream is to make money and marry 99 wives..."
Xiaonan blinked, his brain struggling to process this. For a moment, he thought it was all an illusion. Children really have no filter these days, he consoled himself. Taking a deep breath, he forced a smile and introduced himself.
"I'm Uchiha Xiaonan, a Chūnin currently working in the Police Department. I also like sweets and, well... I hate unnecessary paperwork."
With their introductions complete, the two had a preliminary understanding of each other.
"Hokage," Xiaonan said seriously, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "For the glory of the Uchiha clan, you must strive to be the best at the Academy! This isn't just about you being my first student—it's about proving our worth as a clan."
In his mind, Xiaonan began imagining Hokage's bright future: defeating all his peers, becoming a renowned genius in Konoha, and earning Xiaonan himself a well-deserved paid vacation from his captain—a man who never took him seriously because he hadn't awakened the Sharingan.
"Teacher, I'll definitely work hard!" Hokage replied, his face filled with exaggerated determination.
Satisfied with the boy's enthusiasm, Xiaonan stood up, sensing that his strength had mostly returned. He began the day's lesson.
---
Chakra extraction techniques were already common knowledge for children in the village by the age of three, used to determine whether they had the potential to become ninjas. However, Hokage's real lesson began with the Three Basic Techniques: the Clone Technique, the Substitution Technique, and the Transformation Technique.
Starting with the Clone Technique, Xiaonan explained:
"The Clone Technique involves splitting your chakra to create a controllable illusionary clone. It's often used to confuse enemies and hide your real body during battle."
He demonstrated the technique, creating two perfect clones, then broke down the process step by step for Hokage. From theoretical principles to hand seals, he left no detail unexplained.
Hokage, feeling a twinge of guilt over how seriously Xiaonan was taking his teaching, resolved to make the most of this opportunity. With my presence, the Uchiha clan's tragedy will never happen. If Xiaonan plays even a small role in saving our clan, I'm doing him a favor too!
"Have you learned it?" Xiaonan asked, watching Hokage expectantly.
"Yes," Hokage nodded and replied.
He wasn't trying to portray himself as an idiot—just an average student with room for growth. After all, failing to master the basics would draw unnecessary attention.
"Clone Technique!"
Hokage concentrated, molding his chakra carefully as he made the hand seals. With a loud bang, two clones appeared beside him.
At first glance, the technique seemed to work. But the clones' wide, vacant eyes and unsteady posture gave them an air of comic absurdity. They looked less like warriors and more like clowns, staggering aimlessly.
Xiaonan's jaw dropped.
"Is this... a new style of Clone Technique?" he stammered, struggling to believe what he was seeing.
"You, uh, try again. Let me watch your hand seals," Xiaonan said, still dazed.
But no matter how many times Hokage performed the technique, the results were the same: clones brimming with an uncanny, almost sarcastic aura of "wisdom." By the third attempt, Xiaonan's dreams of becoming a renowned teacher had crumbled into dust.
"A loser teaching another loser..." Xiaonan muttered, clutching his chest in despair.
Still, Hokage was his student, and Xiaonan refused to show any disdain. Instead, he mustered his patience and moved on to teach the Substitution Technique and the Transformation Technique.
"The Substitution Technique uses chakra to create a visual illusion, making it appear as if you've swapped places with another object. It's often used to evade attacks," Xiaonan explained.
He followed up with the Transformation Technique:
"This technique allows you to change your appearance temporarily, often to disguise yourself as an enemy or gain a tactical advantage. The hand seals are..."
After a thorough explanation, Xiaonan guided Hokage through each technique until he could perform them at an acceptable level.
Although Hokage wasn't a genius, Xiaonan felt reassured that the boy had a basic aptitude for ninjutsu.
---
But as he watched Hokage practice, Xiaonan's doubts returned.
"Wait... Could it be?" he murmured, his eyes narrowing in thought.
Hokage's clones, while comical, weren't entirely useless. What if this was all a ruse? What if he was combining the Transformation Technique with the Clone Technique to intentionally appear clumsy, masking his true strength?
"Is he... really a genius?" Xiaonan whispered to himself, hope flickering in his heart.
Under the golden glow of the sunset, three figures stood in the training ground: Hokage and his two "clones," their vacant eyes filled with inexplicable wisdom. Together, they swayed in unison, mumbling nonsensical syllables—"Ya, ya, ya"—and marching in a line.
For a moment, Xiaonan could only stare, utterly speechless.