Who would've thought… his old man would actually go out of his way to split him and Kurenai up, cutting off any signs of early romance before it even bloomed!
If they'd been assigned to the same squad, the one standing beside Kurenai training every day would've been him—Sarutobi Asuma!
The more he thought about it, the more Asuma stewed.
"Hey, Kurenai, are you free tomorrow? I'm gonna be around here for a few days."
He'd rehearsed that line in his head—casual, confident, just the right mix of cool and sincere.
But Kurenai shook her head before he even finished.
"Tomorrow? No time."
"...That's fine, no rush."
Asuma forced a laid-back smile. Maybe she just had an important mission. Gotta play it cool.
"What about the day after?"
"Nope."
Strike two. His smile tightened slightly.
"Day after that?"
"Still no."
Strike three.
Asuma froze. What kind of mission takes three full days? Was she going on reconnaissance?
"Are you going on a mission or something?" he asked, frowning.
"No," Kurenai replied matter-of-factly. "I'm training with Kiyohara."
Boom.
Asuma's heart sank like a stone. His expression cracked so fast it was like someone slapped a painful mask over his face.
So that was it.
She wasn't busy.
She just chose Kiyohara over him.
"Ahem—Kurenai, I've been learning a bunch of new jutsu recently."
Asuma quickly switched gears, pulling his hand from his pocket like he was about to show off some flashy move.
"The Sarutobi clan's fire-style jutsu? Not any weaker than the Uchiha's, you know."
There was genuine pride in his voice.
Even if he had a natural affinity for Wind Release, he still made sure to learn his clan's signature Fire Release techniques.
But Kurenai didn't look impressed. She asked coolly:
"What about genjutsu? How's your training going there?"
"Uh—well… about that…"
Asuma scratched the back of his head.
Truth was… not great. Genjutsu wasn't exactly his strong suit.
"So what, can Kiyohara do genjutsu?"
Asuma gestured toward him in disbelief.
He'd heard that Kiyohara was some kind of Magnet Release user—but that had nothing to do with illusions!
"Of course he can," Kurenai replied immediately.
She went on to describe the illusions Kiyohara had learned—how fast he'd mastered them, how quickly he grasped even the subtleties.
Asuma's face twitched.
Not to be outdone, he insisted, "I can do it too!"
So Kurenai recited the beginner genjutsu—the same D-rank one Kiyohara had picked up instantly.
Asuma stared blankly.
She repeated it—several times.
Finally, Asuma understood the structure… but he still couldn't perform it.
"Every ninja excels in different areas," Kiyohara offered with a gentle shake of the head.
According to the databooks, Sarutobi Asuma's chakra affinities were Fire and Wind.
Genjutsu, which required Yin Release, was far outside his domain.
It wasn't a flaw—it was just reality.
Not everyone could be a generalist.
Only someone like Kiyohara, backed by multiple future selves and layered talents, could span so many fields.
"We're heading off, Asuma."
Kurenai waved and walked on ahead.
Training with Kiyohara meant she could constantly refine her illusions.
Why waste time with someone who didn't even understand the basics?
"Later, Asuma," Kiyohara added with a nod.
Honestly, he had nothing against the guy.
Asuma was a good person. A bit hot-blooded, a bit rebellious.
Just… emotionally immature right now.
He'd need to go out into the world, be tempered by hardship, before he became the mature man seen in the later canon.
Asuma was left standing there, alone.
He wanted to call out, but… the words wouldn't come.
His chest felt tight. Frustrated, he raked his fingers through his already messy hair.
"Damn it… I need to learn some genjutsu too."
He clenched his fists.
No way he was letting Kiyohara and Kurenai spend every day together.
If only he had Kiyohara's face, things would be so much easier…
Ten days later.
On the far side of the camp, new reinforcements had arrived.
A group of shinobi wearing the Uchiha fan crest marched in with precision. At their head—sharp-eyed and imposing—was Uchiha Yakuimon.
"They're finally here."
Nara Shikatan stepped forward to meet them. The Mist's invasion was inevitable.
To hold the line, the Konoha elders had mobilized a full Uchiha unit to the front.
As the commanders discussed plans, one figure among the Uchiha stood out—
noticeably smaller, younger than the others.
His demeanor was different from the hawk-like gazes around him. His eyes were clear, his expression calm and composed beyond his years.
"Big Brother Tekkō, the atmosphere here is definitely different,"
Uchiha Shisui said sincerely.
"With your strength, you'll definitely make a name for yourself here."
Uchiha Tekkō smiled proudly, clearly enjoying the praise.
He clapped Shisui on the shoulder. "Hearing that from you feels good."
Then his expression shifted—serious and intense.
"But talk is cheap, little cousin. You wanna make me proud?
Prove it."
Shisui blinked, confused. "Prove it… how?"
Tekkō's voice dropped slightly. His tone became quiet—but sharp.
"It's about Kiyohara."
"The last Chūnin Exams… losing to him really stuck with me. But now I know he has a kekkei genkai—hah, somehow that makes it easier to swallow."
He chuckled bitterly, half at himself, half at the situation.
"But listen—Uchiha pride doesn't tolerate being looked down on for long. Shisui…"
He leaned in, eyes gleaming with expectation.
"You've got talent. You're one of our clan's brightest hopes. So I want you to fight him. Beat him. Not just for me—for our whole clan."
Shisui frowned slightly.
He wasn't one to seek conflict. He preferred dialogue, harmony—resolving matters with words, not fists.
But seeing the sincere look in his cousin's eyes, remembering all the help Tekkō had given him…
He hesitated, then slowly nodded.
"I understand, Tekkō-nii. If it's just a sparring match… I'll do it."
"Good! That's what I like to hear!"
Tekkō clapped him on the back, grinning.
In his eyes, the battle was already decided—
Soon, the name of Uchiha would once again reign supreme.