Chapter 10: First Meeting with Samui
"Are all people from the Land of Lightning this talented?"
Yūhi Kurenai politely declined the candy Sarutobi Asuma offered. She was worried about gaining weight. Asuma could be considered her childhood friend—they had known each other since before starting at the academy.
"My family's fought Cloud ninja before. From what I've heard, yeah, that's pretty normal," Asuma said, recalling the burly, dark-skinned warriors he'd heard described—completely unlike the lean and pale Seiji.
"But Seiji isn't even dark-skinned," he added. According to his old man, while most of Kumogakure's inhabitants were dark-skinned, there were exceptions—fair-skinned individuals who were still built like tanks. No one knew exactly how they trained to get that way.
"Who knows," Kurenai replied with a shrug. She wasn't particularly concerned with Seiji's skill in taijutsu. What she was really curious about was his talent in genjutsu.
Her father always told her that Uchiha shinobi were masters of genjutsu—that anyone who awakened the Sharingan would naturally excel at it. Kurenai refused to accept that. To her, genjutsu was something her father had perfected over a lifetime of effort. No way could a single eye replace all that dedication.
Among their peers, Seiji was the only one who had awakened the Sharingan. She had even heard that Tsunade herself came to observe him after it happened.
Seiji noticed a gaze and glanced over. It was Kurenai. Why is she staring at me? he wondered, then dismissed the thought. He responded politely to a few students around him but kept his attention on the panel in front of him.
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[Trait: Long-Distance Runner (White)]
Condition Fulfilled: Run 5 kilometers.
Progress: 100%
Effect: Increases lower-body strength by 5%, enhancing endurance and leg power for extended travel.
Note: Can be upgraded.
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"Not bad—one class period, and I've already gained a new trait." Seiji closed the panel, feeling a warm energy spread through his legs, strengthening every fiber of his muscles. Any taijutsu involving kicks would likely see some improvement.
"I wonder if rock climbing or shuriken throwing would trigger more traits," he mused.
"Seiji, are you pondering the meaning of youth?" Might Guy asked enthusiastically, sensing a fellow spirit.
"..."
Seiji said nothing.
Ten minutes later, after the students had rested, the instructor began announcing the rankings.
"Might Guy, first. Kakashi, second..."
When he finished the list, Seiji had placed sixth. Seiji showed no reaction.
Considering he had only just begun physical training, jumping to sixth place already spoke volumes about his potential. The others had been training every semester, and yet he had surpassed most of them. No wonder Yakushi Nonō said he was suited for a taijutsu-oriented path.
"Alright, everyone—don't forget to prepare for next week's sparring lessons. Here are the pairings," he continued. With Seiji's addition, the even number of students became odd.
After some thought, the instructor noticed Obito talking to Rin and announced, "Obito, you'll spar with Seiji next week. The matchups rotate every week."
Obito blinked. Was this not the perfect chance to show off? If he could beat Seiji in front of Rin, she'd see that last time was just a fluke.
"Understood, sensei!" Obito said loudly. The instructor nodded approvingly. Obito's scores weren't great, but his attitude was earnest. His low taijutsu rank made him a good match for Seiji to get used to the class.
"Dismissed," he declared, ending the lesson.
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After school, Seiji again asked Rin to help him train chakra control. This time, both Kakashi and Obito were present.
As he did the day before, Seiji practiced diligently—this time climbing even taller trees, which required more sustained chakra control.
By sundown, when golden light streamed through the trees, Seiji was the first to leave.
"Heading out early today, Seiji?" Rin asked.
"I've been in Konoha for about a month. Thought I'd check out some local food spots."
"Ah, makes sense," Rin nodded. She recalled some popular street vendors, some of which sold red bean soup and dango.
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Instead of going home, Seiji wandered through Konoha's streets, pretending to browse casually. Eventually, he stepped into a modest-looking sushi restaurant.
Before he could even speak, a server approached.
"You're here to try our new dish—squid sushi, right?"
The waitress had short blonde hair and wore a shop apron that barely hid her ample figure, her gray shirt visible underneath.
Samui.
Seiji remembered her vividly. She was one of the few kunoichi in the original story who could rival Tsunade in a certain... regard. In a word—big.
He quickly pulled his gaze up to her face, frowning slightly. Samui already looked like she was in her teens. This didn't match the original timeline at all.
Could his arrival have caused some butterfly effect?
"I'm here for the squid sushi," he said smoothly. She's from Kumogakure—if she's here, it must be with approval from Cloud's higher-ups. And the fact that she approached him directly likely meant she recognized his face.
"You're the first guest to try this new dish. Please, follow me," Samui said, leading him deeper into the shop.
"This dish requires the freshest squid—our guests select them personally," she explained.
They entered a room filled with glass tanks, each teeming with fish. Bubbles rose from filtration tubes, breaking the water's surface.
Samui didn't stop there—she pressed her hand to the wall. A black sealing pattern lit up, and a hidden door opened to reveal a dim corridor.
At the end stood a man with dreadlocks, who turned around and gave Seiji a scrutinizing look.
"Yotsuki Seiji, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Samodo."
"That was once my name," Seiji replied coolly. "I go by Uchiha now."
The man's hairstyle wasn't unusual in Konoha. In the first arc, Iruka had taken his students on an outdoor lesson when Hiruzen Sarutobi showed up to speak about the Will of Fire. Among the children present, there was one with dreadlocks—so it wasn't exactly rare.
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