Hajime Gekitsuden
Chapter 6: Revelation~ Arc1: Start of a new journey
The following days at the academy were a blur for Hajime. Mechanically attending classes, he barely registered the lectures, lost in the tumult of his emotions. The revelation about Mayumi's fate and his parents' lies gnawed at him like a relentless storm.
On the evening of the due date, Hajime headed to his final class of the day when a voice called out to him.
"Hajime! Can I have a word with you?" It was Umino Iruka, his homeroom teacher.
"Of course, Iruka-sensei," replied Hajime with a surprised look on his face as he followed Iruka into an empty classroom.
"So, have you started to adapt to academy life?" Iruka asked, sitting on top of the desk, showing a fake cheerful expression. "It has been almost half a year since you arrived," he added, still smiling.
"Good…" responded Hajime, frowning slightly at his teacher.
"You are performing pretty well in general, even if you don't seem to put much effort into it," laughed Iruka as he gently tapped Hajime's shoulder. "But you always seem lost in your thoughts and… haven't bothered to make friends," he continued, crossing his arms.
"Satoru and I are friends…" mumbled Hajime, looking a bit embarrassed as his teacher hit a soft spot. Indeed, he didn't have many friends at the academy.
"Yuhi Satoru… he has potential, but he needs to be more serious in his work… but that's not the question!" reflected Iruka before breaking into laughter. "You and Satoru are childhood friends, but… you also need to enhance your social skills more," stated Iruka. "When you turn Genin, you will be placed in a team of three, thus teamwork will be a valuable asset."
Hajime hadn't even considered this aspect. He was indeed a bit socially awkward and hadn't managed to build new friendships, as he was the type to always wait for others to approach him.
After being allowed to leave, Hajime attended his last class. As the final bell rang, signaling the end of the academy day, Hajime headed towards the training ground without letting Satoru know. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the familiar battleground where shinobi honed their skills.
It was much earlier than the note suggested, but Hajime preferred waiting rather than returning home. As darkness began to loom, a feeling of dread crept over Hajime. He was alone, hadn't alerted anyone to his plans, and was about to meet an individual who could be dangerous.
Before he could change his mind or find a hiding spot, an old weathered man with piercing eyes emerged from the darkness. Hajime recognized him as a Konoha shopkeeper in his sixties.
"I see that you got my memo," the old man smiled weakly, leaning on a cane.
"I know you… you are one of the adults I asked about Mayumi several months ago," exclaimed Hajime.
"Indeed, it's me…" acknowledged the old man. "My name is Kodero, and I apologize for lying to you back then," he added while staggering on his feet.
"It's okay… but why are you reaching out to me? I thought that this topic was…" started Hajime, but the old man cut him off.
"I grew tired of all these lies. You know, when you reach a certain age, you try to fix as many mistakes as possible!" claimed the old man while sitting on a nearby rock. "Tell me all that you know, and I'll fill in the gaps for you if I can," he added.
The old man listened intently as Hajime recounted his discoveries. A grave expression settled on his face.
"That girl… was not just a member of the Uchiha clan; she was special. She was the key to a secret plan forged by the clan's leader, Uchiha Fugaku," he divulged, his voice hushed. "The Uchiha elders sought to harness a unique ability, an ability that could change the course of history in their favor."
Hajime started feeling uneasy as he listened. All of this seemed a bit too big for a kid like him.
"But… why would one of their own clan members turn on them?" inquired Hajime, feeling like the pieces of the puzzle were starting to fall into place.
"For this question, young one, I can only speculate," admitted the old man. "Uchiha Itachi was a genius in his clan and was promised special power. But maybe the appearance of a potentially more powerful Uchiha made him think his position was threatened. Maybe he wanted to eliminate any chance of that happening and got rid of his entire clan."
"That's crazy…" mumbled Hajime.
"The shadows run deep in Konoha, young one," the informant warned with a dark expression. "What happened to your friend is sad, but you have to move on, for your own sake."
Minutes later, as Hajime took his leave and started heading home, a voice suddenly called out to him from behind.