Andrew stood silently, his sharp gaze sweeping over the group of children in the schoolyard. His focus lingered on two particular boys—Sasuke Uchiha, who sat upright with the pride expected of his clan, and Naruto Uzumaki, whose energy seemed borderline chaotic. The contrast was striking.
"Uchiha Andrew, what are you doing at the academy today?"
A cautious voice called out from behind. A teacher, clearly on edge, approached with a slightly stiff expression. Though the academy welcomed Uchiha children, the name Andrew carried a different weight altogether.
Andrew was not just any Uchiha—he was the one who'd repeatedly forced the Hokage's hand. Compared to even Patriarch Fugaku, his presence was far more unsettling.
"I'm here for Sasuke. The patriarch is away on a diplomatic mission, and he asked me to check on him. Is that alright with you?" Andrew asked calmly, yet there was an unmistakable edge to his tone.
Though Uchiha's status in the village had improved, old prejudices were slow to die. Some still viewed the clan with distrust—especially those influenced by Konoha's dark politics.
"Is that... all?" the teacher asked again, unable to hide his suspicion.
Andrew raised an eyebrow and replied coldly, "What are you implying? That I came here to harm children? What exactly do you think they mean to me? If anything, we Uchiha should be more cautious! Who knows what kind of thoughts you teachers have about our Sharingan!"
The teacher's face paled instantly. He remembered all too well the downfall of the Shimura clan, and the events that followed. It was said that if Danzo hadn't stolen Shisui's eyes, the Uchiha wouldn't have retaliated as harshly.
"And even if I did want to do something… do you really think you could stop me?" Andrew added, his gaze cold as ice. "We're good at fighting—not addicted to it. Don't paint us as villains just because you can't understand us."
At that moment, Andrew sensed a familiar, subtle fluctuation—someone was watching him. With his heightened perception, he easily identified it as the Telescope Technique, most likely being used by the Third Hokage himself.
The teacher beside him was sweating bullets. Being just a Chūnin, standing next to a Mangekyō wielder like Andrew was unbearable. His thoughts screamed:
Please go already, sir! I can't handle this pressure anymore!
Andrew, sensing the teacher's distress through his white eyes, could only roll his eyes internally.
He hadn't even lifted a finger, and yet the man beside him was trembling like a leaf. Honestly, if not for people like Terumi Mei who accepted him without hesitation, Andrew might have begun to believe he really was that terrifying.
Time trickled by until the bell rang, and the classroom doors swung open. Children poured out into the courtyard. Among them, Sasuke immediately spotted Andrew and lit up.
"Senior Andrew! You came to pick me up from school?"
Though Andrew rarely took the initiative to contact Sasuke, his visits to Fugaku's home were frequent enough that Sasuke had grown used to him. Often during meals, the young boy would chatter away, and Andrew would occasionally respond or listen silently.
Despite holding no formal position, Andrew had become an unspoken authority among the Uchiha. The Fourth Elder had been conveniently sent away to manage external business, while the Fifth—more diplomatic—assisted Fugaku in village affairs and remained in the police force.
In short, even the patriarch himself often followed Andrew's advice.
"I'm taking care of you while your father is away. So, tell me—how's school life treating you?" Andrew asked, walking alongside the boy.
Sasuke pouted, brushing his spiky hair back in irritation. "Not great. The stuff they teach is too basic, and the girls are super annoying."
Andrew chuckled and ruffled Sasuke's hair into a tangled mess. The boy wanted to get angry but held it in, simply glaring with teary eyes.
"It can't be helped. You've already learned so much from the clan. It's like putting a sixth grader into a first-grade classroom—of course it's going to feel boring."
Sasuke had already mastered advanced ninjutsu like the Great Fireball Technique, a far cry from his classmates still struggling with the basic Three Body Techniques.
"If it really bothers you, just graduate early. But don't forget—the polishing of your mind is a lifetime endeavor. There's always something to learn, even if the material seems easy."
Sasuke blinked, clearly not understanding everything, but nodded out of respect.
As they talked, Andrew's gaze drifted toward the swing set in the corner of the schoolyard. There, sitting alone with a wistful look in his eyes, was Naruto.
His white eyes picked up on Naruto's constant glances in their direction. Jealousy, loneliness, curiosity—it was all written across the boy's chakra flow and posture.
"Sasuke, that blonde kid over there—do you know him?" Andrew asked, gesturing slightly.
Sasuke turned his head. "Naruto? Sort of… I guess? We only talked today. Not sure if we're friends exactly."
Andrew smiled slightly. "Friends it is, then. Why don't we go grab a bite to eat together? My treat—let's celebrate you making a friend on your first day."
Sasuke blinked in surprise but followed obediently as Andrew led the way.
Watching from the shadows, Kakashi's single visible eye narrowed. Meanwhile, deep within the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly choked on his pipe.
[Ding! Negative Feedback Received from Sarutobi Hiruzen: +1467 Feedback Points]
[Ding! Negative Feedback Received from Sarutobi Hiruzen: +1732 Feedback Points]
[Ding! Negative Feedback Received from Sarutobi Hiruzen: +1593 Feedback Points]
Andrew grinned to himself. "Thanks, Old Man. Keep it coming."
In just a few minutes, Sarutobi had handed him a fortune in feedback points. Today was shaping up to be perfect. First Danzo handed him a pillow, now Third Hokage was offering him a lullaby.
He waved cheerfully at Naruto.
"Hey, kid! You hungry?"
Naruto looked up, confused at first, but his eyes lit up with surprise. "Me? Uh… yeah! I'm always hungry!"
"Come on, then. You're eating with us."
As the three walked off together, teachers and onlookers exchanged shocked glances.
Uchiha Andrew had just publicly taken the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki to dinner.
And somewhere in the Hokage's office, a pipe shattered against the floor.
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