How to Revitalize the Clan

"Revitalize the Uchiha clan?" The way to do that, of course, was to have more children, and the prerequisite for having more children was naturally to find more kunoichi…

Uchiha Ying stared out the classroom window, inwardly groaning. He'd only said it as a joke, teasing Sasuke about his perpetually serious expression. He hadn't expected Sasuke to take it seriously.

Oh well. He might as well continue reminiscing about last night's… unexpected encounter.

"G-good morning, Ying," a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. Hinata Hyuga, the short-haired girl who always seemed to glare at him with her Byakugan, had quietly taken the seat nearby.

Sunlight streamed into the classroom, gilding the edges of her dark hair. Up close, he could see the fine down on her pale cheeks; from afar, it looked like a soft, almost holy halo. The Hyuga heiress was as quiet and lovely as ever, sitting there like a delicate white flower.

Ying shifted his gaze from the window to the "white flower" beside him, holding it until she blushed a delicate pink. It wasn't that he wanted to tease the shy girl, or that he was seriously considering revitalizing the Uchiha clan. It was just… he had the distinct feeling her pearly Byakugan were constantly scrutinizing… certain parts of his anatomy. He felt obligated to return the favor.

Besides, he couldn't deny that the girl, on the cusp of womanhood, was undeniably appealing. Her legs were long and shapely, her skin as white as snow, and she had a pleasant, subtle scent that wasn't perfume. Her slender hands looked soft and delicate, the kind he could… appreciate. However, due to her rigorous taijutsu training, her fingers were covered with the faint scars of healed wounds, which slightly detracted from the overall effect.

"Ying…" Hinata whispered, her voice barely audible. She instinctively hid her hands in her sleeves and tucked her legs under the desk, overwhelmed by his gaze. Why did he stare at her every day? Was it… because he disliked her and was looking for an opportunity to hurt her? Of course, other possibilities had crossed her mind, but—

"I win, Billboard Brow!"

"I got here first, Ino-pig!"

The boisterous shouts from the doorway interrupted their silent exchange. Another day at the Academy had begun, ushered in by the usual squabbling of Sakura and Ino.

—

*Shhhing! Shhhing! Shhhing!* Shuriken and kunai flew through the air, striking the targets dead center. Graduation was fast approaching, and taijutsu practice had intensified.

"Sasuke's so cool!"

"My Ying is way cooler!" Unlike Sakura, who could only sigh dreamily from afar, Ino Yamanaka boldly clung to Ying's arm, showing him off. Meanwhile, Hinata sat alone on the grass, hugging her knees, watching the boy who usually sat next to her get monopolized by the blonde girl. He probably preferred girls like Ino—pretty and confident…

"Could you be any less obvious?" Sakura frowned, watching her "best friend" press her… advantages against Ying.

"Jealous much? My Ying doesn't seem to mind," Ino retorted, tightening her grip on Ying's arm and sticking her tongue out at Sakura. There were only two good-looking boys in their class, and Sakura had the misfortune of picking the icy one.

"Alright, it's getting hot. Let me rest for a bit," Ying said. While the contact was… pleasant, he was starting to overheat. Besides, cute didn't hold a candle to… certain other qualities. He found himself thinking back to last night's… acquisition. He still wasn't sure why, but unlike in the original story, Ino wasn't interested in Sasuke. She was interested in him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot about your…" Ino quickly pulled out a handkerchief and began dabbing the sweat from his forehead. Ying's skill with shuriken was undeniable, but his frailty was also common knowledge at the Academy.

"It's fine," Ying reassured her. He had been quite weak when he first arrived in this world, but over the years, his health had improved considerably. Especially after last night's… augmentation. He patted Ino's head gently, signaling her to put away the handkerchief.

"Mmm…" Despite her usual boldness, Ino blushed at the unexpected gesture. Her voice came out as a soft murmur.

"I'm not… jealous!" Sakura turned her head away, refusing to look at Ino's smug face. But if Sasuke were as gentle as Ying… She glanced at Ying standing next to Ino, then at Sasuke sitting alone under a tree, radiating a "do not disturb" aura. She stamped her foot in frustration.

"Next up, sparring exercises!" Iruka announced, seeing that the students had finished their shuriken training.

"Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, step forward!"

—

[You have obtained Naruto Uzumaki's Fragment x1]

Huh? He could collect fragments in real life, too? Ying stared at the fragment that appeared on the ground after Sasuke and Naruto's spar. He picked it up and absorbed it, confirming that it was real. He'd thought the system only worked at night.

"The winner, Uchiha Sasuke! Now, perform the Seal of Reconciliation." Iruka was slightly surprised. Naruto usually lost quickly to Sasuke, but this time, he'd actually held his own for a while, forcing Sasuke to use his Sharingan. Despite being the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, he was showing some improvement.

"Damn it!" Naruto slammed his fist on the ground. He could handle losing to anyone else, but losing to Sasuke was unbearable.

"Dead last," Sasuke said, using his favorite nickname for Naruto.

"What did you say?!" The two boys, who were supposed to be performing the Seal of Reconciliation, grabbed each other by the collars and began wrestling on the ground.

"Naruto, let go of Sasuke!" The girls, led by Sakura, berated Naruto for being a sore loser, their eyes full of adoration for Sasuke.

"Both of you… stop it!" Iruka sighed, pulling the two boys apart. He was used to this. It happened every time they sparred.

"Next group, Hinata Hyuga, Uchiha Ying!"