I, Uchiha, will not be whitewashed!

After the lunch break, Uchiha Sakugo returned to the classroom.

After all, it was the first day of school, and he couldn't just skip class.

However, Uchiha Sakugo didn't listen to a single word of what was taught at school.

On the one hand, it's too simple—he already knows these basic theories by heart.

On the other hand, it's too brainwashing.

"The Will of Fire," "Where the Leaves Flutter," "To Give Everything for the Village"—

These words, spoken by the middle-aged man on the podium, carried a certain self-assured sentimentality.

Uchiha Sakugo lowered his eyes, seizing every second to refine his chakra.

Chakra flows slowly through the meridians.

A trace.

Another wisp.

He was immersed in his own world.

-

"Shuoge, stand up and answer the question."

I was suddenly called out.

Uchiha Sakugo frowned and looked over.

He discovered it was his homeroom teacher, Masashi Oda, who was tapping the blackboard with chalk and staring at him with an unfriendly gaze.

—Were they caught red-handed?

He stood up, giving the other person face.

Masashi Oda pushed up his glasses, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"Answer me, the full text of 'The Will of Fire' that was just explained in class."

As soon as he finished speaking, a rustling sound came from the classroom.

Those who disliked Uchiha Sakugo immediately seized the opportunity.

"Haha, caught in the first class..."

"This is the number one student? Daydreaming in class?"

"Is this all the geniuses the Uchiha clan has?"

"I guess he got cocky after the exams and thought there was nothing worth learning at school."

"Tsk tsk, this is incredibly embarrassing."

"He even surpassed Kakashi, yet he doesn't even know the Will of Fire. It's laughable if word gets out."

Takuya Shimura leaned back in his chair, smiling the most heartily.

"The Will of Fire?" He deliberately raised his voice. "You can't even answer a question like that, and you call yourself number one?"

The follower next to him immediately chimed in, "That's right, that's right, Takuya-kun could recite it with his eyes closed."

Whispers buzzed like flies.

Uchiha Sakugo stood there expressionless.

Of course he knew the answer.

Where leaves dance in the air, the fire burns ever brighter. Its light will continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout.

I first heard this from the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

At that time, I felt that the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was a great person.

later……

I'm already tired of these high-sounding words, and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi... is just a hypocrite.

He was slightly distracted.

But to outsiders, this looks like someone who didn't pay attention in class and was caught by the teacher, looking completely lost.

The mockery grew louder.

-

Suddenly, someone gently tugged at the corner of her clothes.

Uchiha Sakugo glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

It was his deskmate.

A girl with short brown hair and purple stripes drawn on her cheeks was nervously pushing her textbook toward him.

—Rin Nohara

"here……"

Her voice was very low, her finger pointing to a line of text in the textbook, but she didn't dare to look at him, her eyes fixed on the book.

She's helping me.

Uchiha Sakugo's gaze lingered on the girl's face for a moment.

Rin Nohara.

A medical ninja of the future.

The person Obito secretly loved.

Kakashi's teammate.

Too--

Those who died in World War III.

"Cough cough."

Masashi Oda cleared his throat, interrupting the noise in the classroom.

"How's it going, Shuoge? Do you remember now?"

There was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

They seem to be really looking forward to seeing the first-place winner embarrassed.

Uchiha Sakugo withdrew his gaze.

He didn't look at the textbooks Lin pushed towards him.

"Where the leaves dance, the fire will never die."

His voice was soft, yet it carried clearly throughout the entire classroom.

"The firelight will continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout."

Word for word.

The classroom fell silent instantly.

Those mocking smiles froze on their faces.

Shimura Takuya's face darkened.

Masashi Oda paused for a moment, then pushed up his glasses to hide his embarrassment.

—I originally wanted to warn this genius from the Uchiha clan that even geniuses need to study and shouldn't be distracted in his class, but I didn't expect that he would actually master it.

"Hmm...not bad. Sit down. Pay attention next time."

Uchiha Sakugo sat down.

I didn't look at anyone.

But where the hem of her clothes had been tugged, a trace of warmth remained.

-

After class.

The students around them gathered in twos and threes, discussing what had just happened.

"Wow, he really knows how..."

"Where are those people who were laughing at him? Why are they no longer laughing?"

"I knew it! How could I not be number one?"

Shimura Takuya sat in his seat with a grim expression, saying nothing. His henchmen next to him also dared not utter a sound.

Uchiha Sakugo paid no heed.

He simply continued refining chakra.

Suddenly, a faint voice came from beside me.

"Um...you clearly knew how, why didn't you say so earlier?"

It's Lin.

She tilted her head to look at him, her eyes filled with curiosity, and perhaps a little bit of—admiration?

Uchiha Sakugo remained silent for a moment.

"I'm thinking about something else."

Lin blinked.

"What is it?"

I wonder how you died.

How can I keep you from dying?

I wonder when this damn war will start.

But what he said was:

"It's nothing."

Lin paused for a moment, then smiled.

That smile was so clean, like afternoon sunlight filtering through the leaves.

"Okay. But be careful next time, Oda-sensei is very strict."

After she finished speaking, she turned her head away and continued reading her book.

Uchiha Sakugo looked at her profile.

long time.

Then I looked away.

Continue refining chakra.

-

outside the window.

The green figure with the watermelon-shaped haircut was still running.

a circle.

Another lap.

……

……

……

As the sun sets, it bathes the rooftops of Muye in a warm orange hue.

The first day of classes at the ninja academy finally came to an end. The noisy crowd dispersed at the school gate, and laughter and children's playful chatter floated in the air above the street.

Uchiha Sakugo deliberately avoided the crowd, walking slowly along a quiet alley. His pace was unhurried, and his aura was completely out of place with the surrounding hustle and bustle.

His footsteps were gradually drowned out by the chirping of insects and birds in the forest. He walked all the way to the depths of the forest near the river and stopped at a familiar clearing that he had trodden flat.

Stand still, take a deep breath, and let the cool air fill your lungs, washing away all the restlessness in your body.

The next second, he gripped the hilt of the knife with his backhand and suddenly drew the long knife left by his father from behind his back.

The blade gleamed with a cold, matte light, tracing a clean arc against the setting sun.

-

Swing a knife.

Swing a knife.

Swing a knife.

The sound of the blade slicing through the air was muffled yet rhythmic, one strike after another, precise as a machine, slowly coinciding with his steady heartbeat.

20,000 times.

This is his unwavering daily goal.

War waits for no one, and it will not show mercy just because he is only six years old.

Those inevitable tragedies won't wait, the fate of the Uchiha clan won't wait, and he certainly can't wait.

With each additional strike, he gains more confidence to survive and a greater chance to change the outcome.

-

Meanwhile, on Konoha's main street, a bright green figure was running wildly.

Mighty ran incredibly fast, sweat dripping from his watermelon-shaped head and splashing into the dust behind him. His sun-reddened face beamed with an irrepressible, radiant smile, his eyes sparkling with joy.

He passed!

He finally passed the make-up exam for the Ninja Academy!

Before leaving, his father hugged him and cried, repeatedly saying, "This is the power of youth." Kai didn't quite understand those passionate and difficult words, but he firmly remembered the burning passion in his heart.

He could finally walk through the school gate he had longed for, finally put on the ninja uniform embroidered with the Konoha insignia, and finally take a step towards becoming a powerful ninja.

He was eager to share this good news with others, but looking around, he couldn't find anyone to confide in.

He has no friends.

The other children taking the exam with him either looked at him with disdainful mockery or with condescending pity. Even when they tried to talk to him, it was with disgust. No one was ever willing to treat him sincerely.

As Kai ran, his pace unconsciously slowed down, the light in his eyes dimmed, and his fingers clenched tightly.

But the next second, a cool, black-haired figure suddenly crashed into his mind.

The boy who wielded his knife by the river day after day, the genius who coldly rebuked everyone in the classroom when they mocked him, the person with a cold and distant gaze who never ridiculed him.

—Uchiha Sakugo.

Kai's eyes lit up instantly, brighter than the setting sun. He abruptly changed direction and sprinted with all his might toward the forest by the river, his steps light and firm.

-

riverside.

The monotonous sound of the knife swinging continued to echo through the forest without ceasing.

"Ten thousand three hundred and twenty-one."

"Ten thousand three hundred and twenty-two."

Uchiha Sakugo's breathing was steady and long, his arms mechanically and precisely repeating the same movement. Thin beads of sweat seeped from his forehead, slid down his jawline, and dripped into the soil beneath his feet, spreading out a small wet patch.

Suddenly, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Footsteps.

Heavy, rapid, and clumsy breathing, completely unable to conceal its presence, making it particularly conspicuous in the quiet forest.

It's that noisy kappa again.

With a flick of his wrist, he deftly sheathed his sword, the soft sound of the blade returning to its sheath fading audible, and then turned around.

The next second, a green figure stumbled out of the woods, almost falling headfirst into the river beside it.

"I passed!"

Kai, leaning on his knees, gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently. His face was covered in sweat and bits of grass, yet he still tilted his head back and shouted loudly at Shuoge, his eyes shining with an astonishing light.

"I passed my makeup exam! Starting tomorrow, I'm a student at the Ninja Academy!"

A clear and excited sound echoed through the woods, startling a flock of birds perched on the branches, which flapped their wings and flew away into the distance.

Uchiha Sakugo gripped the hilt of his sword, standing silently in place, calmly watching the excited child dancing with joy before him, his eyes showing no emotion.

Just for this little thing?

Did you make a special trip all this way just to tell him this?

"so what?"

His voice was flat and emotionless, devoid of any congratulations or sarcasm.

Kai's smile faltered for a moment. He scratched his messy watermelon head, looking somewhat flustered, his cheeks turning slightly red.

"So... I just wanted to tell you as soon as possible."

"Why?" Shuoge asked again, his tone still indifferent.

Kai lowered his head, his fingertips clenching the hem of his shirt. After a long silence, he finally raised his head, his eyes serious and determined, and spoke each word clearly, his voice carrying the unique clarity of a young man:

"Because you're the only one who didn't laugh at me."

As soon as he said it, Kai paused for a moment, then nodded emphatically, becoming even more determined.

When everyone in the classroom was mocking him for overestimating himself, it was Shuoge who calmly silenced the crowd; when they first bumped into each other by the river, the other party clearly had the ability to hurt him, but deliberately missed by an inch; later, when he watched him cultivate from afar, he never showed the slightest contempt or disgust.

Even though Shuoge was always indifferent, always quiet, and always turned away, he never mocked himself, not even once.

Kai straightened his back, clenched his fists tightly, and stared intently at the black-haired boy in front of him, his tone full of stubbornness and determination:

"So, I want you to know. I will give it my all! I will definitely become someone worthy of being your opponent!"

-

Uchiha Sakugo watched him quietly.

Looking at this five- or six-year-old child, covered in grass and with frayed edges on his tight-fitting clothes, and with shallow chafing marks on his knees from running that day, and looking at his dirty face, I saw his bright, unmissable eyes.

Just like that stubborn figure running on the track that day, pure and passionate.

However, this boisterous youth was meaningless to his spiritual practice.

Uchiha Sakugo remained completely calm, his gaze lingering on the target of the remaining 20,000 sword swings, his mind solely focused on the goal, with no other thoughts lingering.

After a moment, he said nothing more, but slowly turned around, faced the flowing river again, and raised his hand to grasp the hilt of the knife.

"that……"

Kai quickly stepped forward, his tone urgent, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Uchiha Sakugo did not turn back, nor did he linger with any extra glances, as if the sounds around him and the people who came were just the sound of the wind in the forest that did not disturb his peace of mind.

He was completely immersed in his own training rhythm, his wrist exerting force steadily, and the long sword was drawn again without the slightest pause. He raised his hand and made an extremely clean and swift sword swing.

The dull sound of air being torn apart rang out again. One strike after another, the rhythm was as steady as a rock, without the slightest disorder. Nothing and no one around him could interrupt his cultivation.

His only goal has always been to swing his sword 20,000 times a day, to frantically accumulate power, and to avoid the fate of becoming cannon fodder in the Third World War. The excitement, vows, and enthusiasm of others are irrelevant to him and not worth paying any attention to.

Kai froze on the spot, his outstretched hand hanging in mid-air. The excitement and anticipation on his face gradually faded, and the smile on his lips slowly disappeared.

All I could hear was the incessant sound of swords being swung, precise, cold, and devoid of any emotion.

He stared at the boy's back as he focused on wielding his knife, at the sharp aura that, despite his young age, already far surpassed that of his peers. Suddenly, he snapped back to reality, his cheeks flushing red, followed by a wave of embarrassment.

What is he so proud of?

He barely passed the make-up exam and barely stepped into the threshold of the Ninja Academy, while the person in front of him was the top scorer in the entrance exam, surpassing everyone else, and was the recognized genius of the Uchiha clan, standing in a place that was far beyond his reach from the very beginning.

Passing the make-up exam is nothing to be proud of, and it's even less appropriate to rashly come and disturb the other person's cultivation.

Kai clenched his fists, his fingertips digging deep into his palms. The passion in his heart did not dissipate; instead, it was replaced by a sense of shame and clarity.

He dared not make a sound, afraid that his noise would disturb Shuoge. He simply took a few steps back and moved quietly toward the edge of the forest.

He didn't leave, but found a thick tree not far away, leaned against the trunk, tried to keep his breathing low, and began to do basic physical training—horse stance, push-ups. His movements weren't perfect, but he did them with all his might, putting all his energy into each one.

He stopped thinking about showing off and demanding a response. He just watched the figure wielding the knife and silently told himself that he had to work harder and catch up with the gap.

The rhythmic sounds of swords clashing by the river continued, while the boy's shallow, restrained breathing echoed in the woods. One remained still, the other moved, each heading towards their own goal, with no further interaction between them.

As the sun completely set and twilight slowly enveloped the forest, only the figure that kept wielding the knife never stopped.