*Chapter 62: The Pride Befitting the Uchiha Bloodline!*

Cough, cough...  

Sasuke cleared his throat, his gaze falling on Ebisu, the man wearing sunglasses. For some reason, he found the snobbish vibe of this guy oddly tolerable.

"And you are?"

Sasuke wasn’t sure if his predecessor had met Ebisu before, so he decided to play it safe and act as if they hadn’t.

"My name is Ebisu, a Tokubetsu Jōnin of the Hidden Leaf Village. My main role is nurturing the village's children. I have a solid foundation in basic skills, but due to my limited bloodline talent, I haven’t achieved much in higher levels of ninjutsu." Ebisu offered a sheepish smile, one that carried a hint of resignation rather than bitterness.

Ebisu was indeed a master of fundamental ninjutsu, far surpassing most Chūnin and even rivaling some Jōnin. However, his lack of advanced techniques meant he had reached his peak.

This experience had led him to firmly believe that a ninja’s potential was dictated by their bloodline. Without exceptional lineage, it was impossible to reach the pinnacle of power.

Initially, Ebisu's theory was ridiculed in the early parts of the story.

But...

As the plot unfolded, it became increasingly hard to refute his words.

This was indeed a game of bloodlines!

"Hmm."

Sasuke nodded indifferently. Since Ebisu had already put him on a pedestal, he decided to maintain his superior stance.

"Bloodlines, huh... There's really no helping it."

Sasuke sighed regretfully, his eyes glinting with a touch of pity.

*+3*

The numbers in Sasuke’s vision jumped again. This kind of subtle boasting had once again been acknowledged by his system.

If it had been a more ambitious ninja, they might have challenged Sasuke on the spot.

But this was Ebisu, a man who fully embraced the limitations of bloodline theory. Not only was he unoffended, but he wholeheartedly agreed with Sasuke, looking at him with undisguised envy.

"Exactly why I’ve taken on the responsibility of nurturing the children with superior bloodlines in the village, ensuring they receive the best possible guidance!"

Ebisu spoke passionately, his voice filled with conviction and a hint of anticipation, hoping for Sasuke’s approval.

Ebisu craved recognition from geniuses with superior bloodlines—it was the only solace for his self-consciousness about his own lineage.

Sasuke gazed at Ebisu coolly, immediately sensing the man’s yearning for praise.

But...

Why make it so easy?

"Is there anything else? If not, I’ll be on my way." Sasuke didn’t bother to humor Ebisu, leaving him standing there awkwardly.

*+5*

The numbers in Sasuke’s vision increased again.

Ebisu fell silent, a fleeting shadow crossing his eyes as he realized he hadn’t received the validation he sought.

But the feeling was fleeting.

This was the pride befitting an Uchiha bloodline!

Yes, this was the essence of it!

Ebisu reminisced about his first encounter with Uchiha Itachi years ago, still awestruck by the memory of that overwhelming brilliance.

He had researched extensively about the noble clans of the Hidden Leaf, holding the Uchiha clan in the highest regard—especially their once world-renowned leader.

Ebisu snapped out of his brief daze and looked at Sasuke with even greater admiration.

As expected of an Uchiha prodigy!

"Hold it!"

A sudden, childlike voice broke through, pulling Ebisu from his daydream. Konohamaru appeared, holding a shuriken, and stepped in front of Sasuke.

"Little master..." Ebisu started to intervene, but it was too late—Konohamaru was already moving.

"Sasuke, since you’re a genius, teach me how to ambush Grandpa successfully!" Konohamaru demanded earnestly. "My grandpa is the Third Hokage, after all!"

What a brat...

Seeing Konohamaru’s defiant stance, Sasuke couldn’t help but think of the boy’s tearful reaction to the Third’s death in the future.

The more reckless you are now, the more heartbroken you’ll be then.

Of course, Sasuke wasn’t going to say that out loud.

"Konohamaru, ambushing the Third isn’t all that difficult," Sasuke replied with a slight smirk, already formulating a plan.

"That’s nonsense!" Konohamaru crossed his arms, proudly declaring, "My grandpa was the personal disciple of both the First and Second Hokage. He trained the Legendary Sannin, mastered ninjutsu from all five chakra natures, and was revered as the Professor of Ninjutsu—the strongest Hokage in Hidden Leaf history! Ambushing him? Impossible!"

"..."

Sasuke was momentarily speechless.

The kid’s words were full of admiration, even while he claimed to want to attack the man.

If someone flattered Sasuke like this, his stats might skyrocket just from the sheer awkwardness of it all.

"Konohamaru, I’m not lying. There’s someone in the village, around my age, who has a secret technique that could easily defeat the Third. You could learn from him." Sasuke spoke calmly.

"Who?" Konohamaru’s eyes widened with curiosity.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Sasuke replied, an amused glint in his eyes. For some reason, whenever it came to defeating the Third, the "Thousand Years of Death" technique naturally came to mind.

"That loser? What could he possibly teach me?" Ebisu’s face immediately twisted in disdain, clearly referring to the Nine-Tails brat.

"Ebisu."

Sasuke’s expression turned icy, his sharp gaze locking onto Ebisu.

"Naruto possesses a bloodline far beyond your reach!"

*+10*

The numbers in Sasuke’s vision jumped again. This was all part of his plan. He knew Ebisu’s personality would lead him to belittle Naruto the moment his name was mentioned, creating the perfect opportunity for Sasuke to make a statement.

Due to his status, Sasuke couldn’t easily provoke or attract hostility, so he had to create his own opportunities to shine.

Naruto, however, didn’t lack for such opportunities.

By befriending Naruto, Sasuke could naturally inherit some of the animosity directed at him and step in as his defender.

"What bloodline does Naruto have?" Ebisu’s voice softened.

He valued bloodline over strength and understood that Sasuke’s potential far exceeded his own. In a few years, the gap between them would be insurmountable.

"That’s a question only Naruto can answer," Sasuke replied, shaking his head and walking away, leaving the two behind.

*+5*

Konohamaru and Ebisu watched Sasuke’s retreating figure, the fan-shaped Uchiha crest on his back exuding a sense of enigmatic pride.

"Do you think what Sasuke said is true?" Konohamaru asked, his expression skeptical.

"It’s... uh... probably true!" Ebisu quickly backtracked, mentally reconditioning himself. "Little master, you should learn from Sasuke’s loyalty to his comrades. That’s an essential quality for a Hokage!"

"Really? Does Sasuke want to become Hokage too?" Konohamaru asked curiously.

"Of course! What exceptional ninja wouldn’t aspire to be Hokage?" Ebisu replied, now seeing Sasuke’s words as evidence of his excellence.

"Darn it!" Konohamaru clenched his fists, realizing he had another rival on the path to Hokage.

…

Sasuke continued toward the ninja academy.

*+5*

A random number inexplicably popped into his vision.

"Ebisu really is..."

Sasuke shook his head with a small, helpless smile.

"Kind of adorable."

(End of Chapter)  

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