Trouble

After a while of talking, both Jun and Aito excused themselves as they left Akane's residence. Feeling much better, Jun thanked her one last time before leaving.

"Take care... Aito, make sure your brother doesn't run into any more trouble!"

"Sure thing! See you, big sis!"

On the way back to the cabin, Jun organized his thoughts. From their earlier conversation, he managed to gather little pieces of knowledge, helping him understand his current situation a little better. According to what he heard, both he and Aito were orphans. Both of their parents died on a mission, two years after Aito was born.

Ever since then, the clan provided them with their basic needs, but they had to fend for themselves. This was because Jun wasn't all that talented, so he didn't receive any special attention.

Since he was an untalented orphan but possessed great looks, he was often the target of envious children. Then again, no one dared to be excessive, because of the crest on his back. The only one who could do as he pleased was Ren, the son of the clan-head.

Usually, average children from the Uchiha clan would take, at most, three years to graduate from the academy. The norm was four, but they tended to skip a grade or two.

Jun was not talented enough, already in his fourth year at the academy. His aptitude was comparable to that of untalented commoners, bringing great shame to the prideful Uchiha clan and resulting in him being treated as an outcast.

Even in the face of such adversity and rejection, the original Jun seemed to still love the Uchiha, remaining thankful for the little help they offered. The kid held no resentment whatsoever, impressing him.

'Well, I guess I'll go and earn him some respect. He's given me his body, after all.'

Soon, they made it back to their small cabin. It was tiny, just enough for two people to live inside.

Next to it, there was a small lake, with a beautiful forest standing behind it. Although the cabin was modest, the scenery could only be described as breathtaking.

Suddenly, Jun halted his footsteps. Extending his arm, he also stopped Aito from continuing.

"What's up, Aniki? Is everything ok?"

"Come out."

Ignoring Aito's words, Jun spoke calmly. Looking towards the cabin, his eyes narrowed a bit.

"Hehehe… So you noticed us, impressive. How did a useless brat like you achieve that?"

"Boss! He probably just said it out of the blue, to appear mysterious... Like we'd fall for that!"

"Hahahaha! That makes sense. How amusing!"

Contemptuous voices sounded from behind the cabin, as five kids walked out. One of them had a forehead protector, indicating his status as a ninja.

"Ren!"

Next to Jun, Aito gnashed his teeth in frustration.

Taking a closer look at him, Jun saw right through Ren. He was tall for his age, with well-developed muscles. His hair was very short, and he had venomous eyes for his age. From the way he carried himself, Jun noticed an underlying superiority complex.

"Look who's here... Isn't it the pair of useless, orphan brothers? I hear you've enjoyed Akane's company today… Tell me, how'd it go?"

"Gah… How did you know…"

Taking a step back, Aito's face paled as he noticed Ren's rage-filled expression. It looked like they were in for a beating, once again.