Noticing the movement on Yuhi Kurenai's side, Hatake Kaede Yoru turned around and, recognizing Shisui instantly, tilted his head and said:
"Kurenai probably had no intention of questioning the reputation of the Uchiha clan. Besides, it's unfair to judge an entire clan based on one person. The Uchiha still have many geniuses."
...
Hearing Kaede Yoru's words, Shisui's expression softened slightly. He hadn't intended to escalate things with Kaede. He had only stepped in because Kurenai's words sounded borderline disrespectful.
However—
The next moment, Shisui's pupils shrank.
A hand had silently landed on his shoulder.
His body froze.
It was Kaede Yoru!
"How...?!"
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Kaede Yoru gave him a harmless smile, withdrew his hand, and turned to walk toward the classroom. The 'Kaede Yoru' that had just been standing and talking to Shisui dispersed into a puff of white smoke.
A shadow clone!
The Kaede that had been speaking to him was just a clone. The real Kaede had moved beside him instantly.
As a genius, Shisui immediately understood what had just happened—but even with understanding, he couldn't help but feel a chill.
"Shadow Clone and... Body Flicker Technique? That fast?"
In a real fight, he'd have been eliminated instantly.
...
Yuhi Kurenai and Nohara Rin were stunned.
They hadn't seen how Kaede left the clone and moved so quickly to Shisui's side.
They exchanged looks of shock.
Then they glanced once at Shisui and immediately hurried after Kaede Yoru toward the classroom.
...
Shisui took a deep breath, trying to calm the turbulence in his chest.
Kaede Yoru had always been written off as having 'average talent,' unlike his famous older brother Kakashi. But now, Shisui was sure:
Everyone who said that—was blind.
Kaede Yoru might be stronger than Kakashi.
"That kind of skill doesn't come out of nowhere. He's been hiding his strength and never showed off. Even under criticism, he remained calm..."
In contrast to Kakashi's youthful arrogance, Kaede had strength, maturity, and restraint. That kind of self-control made him all the more dangerous.
...
"Shisui should be on par with young Itachi, but I'm not sure when he awakens his Mangekyo Sharingan and gains Kotoamatsukami."
Kaede Yoru rubbed his chin as he returned to the classroom.
He'd provoked Shisui a little on purpose—just to test if the future "Shunshin Shisui" could catch his trick.
He couldn't.
"Kaede, just now—"
Kurenai and the others followed into class. Sitting next to him, she leaned in.
"What was that? Did you just frighten Uchiha Shisui?!"
Kaede Yoru smiled and opened his textbook.
"I just said hello. Don't worry."
Kurenai gave him a look.
"He looked terrified."
Kaede replied casually, "Maybe. I do have two extra years of experience with ninjutsu."
She stared at him.
Shisui was a known prodigy across the academy.
To intimidate someone like him...
Kurenai was impressed. Unlike boys who bragged at every chance, Kaede had real power and never flaunted it. His quiet strength only made him more admirable.
She stared a moment too long.
Kaede sighed internally.
That look in her eyes... it was as if she were already imagining children.
He hadn't even done anything outrageous.
Ah well. Youth is reckless.
Kaede Yoru leaned back in his chair and stretched.
"It would be nice... if this were just a peaceful, daily-life world."
Kurenai tilted her head.
"Huh? What did you say, Kaede?"
"Nothing," he replied, laughing softly.
Even in a world like Kaguya-sama, there would still be pressure to move forward. Unless he was born there, no reincarnation could truly escape.
Still, starting with time manipulation, before the Third Ninja War, in peaceful Konoha?
That was a fair deal. Better than being born into the brutal Mist Village.
There, even students had to kill comrades.
If he had started there without time abilities, it would have been a nightmare.
...
While waiting for the day's test, Kaede began circulating chakra through his body.
"The Eight Gates technique shouldn't be too hard to understand..."
He began tracing the chakra flow points in his memory.
The true difficulty of the Eight Gates wasn't learning it, but mastering it through repetitive training over years.
It was a matter of persistence.
Unlike high-level ninjutsu like the Dead Demon Consuming Seal or Flying Thunder God, which were like solving world-class mathematical problems, the Eight Gates were more like writing lines repeatedly until muscle memory took over.