After leaving the Hokage Tower, Yuji and Sagato walked side by side along Konoha’s bustling main street. The morning air was still cool, carrying the faint, tempting aroma of freshly made dango drifting from a nearby shop.
"So..." Sagato finally broke the silence, clearly struggling not to laugh. "Cleaning the classroom for an entire week?"
"That’s correct," Yuji replied with his usual expressionless face. "You heard it too. Lord Hokage said it was to build my character."
Sagato stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Well... that’s a pretty light punishment."
Yuji glanced sideways.
"You sound... strangely satisfied."
"Of course I am." Sagato puffed out his chest with unmistakable Uchiha pride. "I still can’t believe I have a genius son who’s personally recognized by the Hokage."
Yuji remained silent.
"...You’re smiling too much."
"I’ve earned it."
After a few more steps, Sagato stopped.
"Alright, I have to get back to work. You should return to the Academy."
Yuji nodded politely.
"Be careful, Father."
"You too, son."
Sagato turned around with a grin so wide it could probably be seen from the Fire Daimyo’s palace.
He could already imagine tomorrow’s conversation at the Military Police headquarters.
"Good morning, everyone."
"By the way... did I ever mention my son defeated two Sunagakure Chunin?"
Nobody had asked.
He was going to tell them anyway.
Yuji watched his father disappear into the crowd before quietly sighing.
"...Poor Father’s coworkers."
Then he continued walking toward the Ninja Academy.
By the time Yuji arrived, the first class had already started five minutes earlier.
The academy courtyard was unusually quiet. The only sounds came from teachers lecturing inside the classrooms.
Yuji jogged toward the main building.
Stopping outside Classroom 1-A, he knocked three times before slowly opening the door.
Every student immediately turned to look at him.
Standing before the blackboard was a man wearing round glasses with the permanently messy hair of someone who had clearly lost several battles against a comb.
Kishimoto-sensei.
"Uchiha Yuji," the teacher said while adjusting his glasses.
"You’re late."
"I apologize, Sensei."
Yuji bowed slightly.
"I was summoned to the Hokage Tower this morning. That’s why I arrived late. You may confirm it later if necessary."
Kishimoto-sensei blinked.
...What kind of excuse is that?
Normally students claimed they had overslept.
Or gotten lost.
Or their cat had somehow stolen their homework.
Being summoned by the Hokage?
That was definitely a new one.
Still...
Yuji isn’t the type to lie...
At least, that was what the teacher believed.
He had no idea about the incident in the Forest of Death. News like that rarely reached ordinary Academy instructors so quickly.
After a brief pause, he nodded.
"Very well. Go take your seat."
"Yes, Sensei."
Yuji quietly walked into the classroom.
More than twenty pairs of eyes followed him until he reached his usual seat in the back row.
Most of the students simply looked confused.
Hana Sato frowned.
"Summoned by the Hokage...? Did something happen to Yuji?"
But the atmosphere in the front rows was completely different.
Shikobu of the Nara Clan narrowed his sleepy eyes.
Chojiro of the Akimichi Clan actually stopped eating his potato chips.
It was a historical event.
Someone should probably write it down.
Ayaka of the Hyuga Clan lowered her head, though her cheeks turned slightly pink after stealing a quick glance at Yuji.
The children from the major clans had already heard the rumors from their parents the previous night.
A six-year-old Uchiha defeated two Sunagakure Chunin.
No one dared ask questions.
Kishimoto-sensei had a strict rule.
Interrupt his lesson...
...and your life expectancy somehow felt shorter.
The next hour felt like an entire year.
The moment the dismissal bell rang...
The classroom exploded.
"Yuji! Wait!"
Shikobu stood up first.
Chojiro followed immediately—with a brand-new bag of chips already open.
Priorities.
Ayaka approached more hesitantly.
Tsuki Uchiha and several other students from the major clans soon gathered around as well.
Meanwhile, Hana could only stare in complete confusion.
"Um... what’s going on?"
Tsuki spoke first.
"Yuji, is it true you defeated two invading Chunin by yourself?"
Chojiro immediately cut in while casually offering his chips.
"More importantly... why were you in the forbidden forest?"
He held the bag closer.
"Want one?"
Shikobu silently stared at him.
How does he always return the conversation to food?
Yuji raised both hands.
"One at a time."
Hana finally squeezed closer, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Wait... defeated Chunin? You?"
She pointed accusingly.
"Weren’t you sick yesterday?"
Yuji scratched his cheek.
"...About that."
"I lied."
"I skipped school."
"I went to the Forest of Death to train because the Academy lessons were getting... a little boring."
The classroom became completely silent.
"..."
Then Yuji calmly added,
"And unfortunately, I happened to run into two invading ninja."
The silence somehow became even louder.
Tsuki crossed her arms.
"So you’ve been hiding your strength?"
"Not exactly."
Yuji answered as calmly as ever.
"I simply never had a reason to show it."
Shikobu let out a long sigh.
"How troublesome."
"We’ve only been classmates for less than a month, and you’re already becoming the village celebrity."
Chojiro patted his stomach.
"If you’re that strong, you should celebrate by treating me to grilled meat."
Yuji immediately shook his head.
"Can’t."
"I was punished by Lord Hokage for entering the forbidden forest."
"I have to clean the classroom after school for a week."
The entire class burst into laughter.
Even Hana, who had been completely stunned moments ago, covered her mouth while shaking her head.
"So..."
She leaned closer and whispered,
"You got punished instead of rewarded?"
Yuji glanced toward the broom still resting in the corner of the classroom.
"I was rewarded too."
He calmly explained everything.
The money.
The new jutsu.
And the privilege of graduating from the Academy without taking the final examination.
Class 1-A immediately erupted again.
This time...
Not with laughter.
But with pure admiration.
For the first time since the Sunagakure incident, Yuji felt almost... normal again.
Surrounded by noisy children.
Listening to endless questions.
Watching Chojiro somehow finish another bag of chips.
"...Maybe," Yuji thought quietly, "being an ordinary student isn’t so bad after all."
Suasana saat bersekolah memang menyenangkan bagi yuji.