Naruto: The Architect

Today was going to be different. Unlike most days, when Hiroshi relied on his clones to handle daily tasks while he hunted chakra beasts in the forest or tinkered in his secret lab in Root, Hiroshi decided to show up in person.

As he walked down the street toward the academy, accompanied by two elite branch family jonin acting as his guards, Hiroshi adjusted his demeanor. Today wasn't about Root headquarters or secret projects. Today, he was just Hiroshi Hyuga, attending his academy entrance exam.

As Hiroshi approached the academy gates, he caught a glimpse of Itachi waiting near the entrance. Itachi was as composed and serious as ever, standing with his arms crossed. Hiroshi stifled a chuckle. He wasn't wearing his oni mask today, and his stature—much shorter than his disguised form—was entirely different. Itachi glanced in his direction but showed no recognition.

Hiroshi couldn't resist the thought: If only you knew, Itachi...

"Lord Hiroshi, do you need us to escort you inside?" one of the jonin guards asked.

"No, thank you," Hiroshi replied with a polite smile. "I'll be fine."

The guards nodded and took their positions just outside the academy grounds, their presence earning curious glances from other students and parents.

As all the academy students assembled in the courtyard, the Hokage himself, Minato Namikaze, stood on the podium. The crowd quieted as Minato began to speak.

"Today, we gather not just to measure your skills but to remind you of the heart of Konoha: the Will of Fire," Minato said, his warm smile radiating confidence. "Each of you carries the future of this village, a future built on loyalty, unity, and the drive to protect those you love."

Hiroshi crossed his arms and fought the urge to roll his eyes. Another speech about the Will of Fire. I bet only he himself believes this crap.

As the speech ended, all students shuffled into the classrooms for the first test. Hiroshi took his seat near the window, one row away from Itachi.

The exam papers were distributed, and the room fell silent as everyone began scribbling furiously. Hiroshi scanned the questions: basic chakra theory, historical events, tactical strategies... All of it was child's play for someone like him, armed with knowledge copied from countless clans and Root.

"This exam is hardly challenging. Shall I calculate the optimal answers for maximum results?" Nova suggested.

"No need," Hiroshi replied internally. "Just treat it as a day off."

With that, he wrote only a few answers and spent the remaining time gazing out the window. He deliberately scored just high enough to stay in the top five, leaving the number one spot open for Itachi or someone else to claim.

The second test took place on the academy's training grounds. A three-lap race around the track, littered with obstacles like swinging logs, mud pits, and climbing walls, awaited them.

As the instructor blew the whistle, the students dashed forward. Hiroshi kept a steady pace, observing the others. Itachi surged ahead, effortlessly leaping over obstacles and dodging traps with precision.

Hiroshi smirked. Of course, Itachi is showing off.

When it was his turn to shine, Hiroshi deliberately stumbled over one of the swinging logs, drawing laughter from some of the students. He didn't care. The extra weight seals he had discreetly applied to his legs made the course a genuine challenge. Besides, he had no intention of revealing his true strength.

Despite his "stumbles," Hiroshi still managed to finish second, right behind Itachi. The instructor raised an eyebrow but said nothing, chalking it up to Hiroshi's natural talent.

The final test of the day was a series of one-on-one duels. The students were paired randomly, and each match was overseen by the instructors.

The training ground buzzed with excitement as students gathered around the dueling area. The written test and obstacle course had been exciting enough, but everyone knew the real spectacle was about to begin.

Hiroshi stretched lazily, yawning as he stepped toward the dueling ring. His opponent, a civilian boy named Daiki, was already standing nervously on the opposite side.

The instructor raised his hand. "First match: Hiroshi Hyuga versus Daiki Sato. Begin!"

Daiki's hands trembled as he clutched his kunai, charging forward with a loud yell. Hiroshi tilted his head slightly, unimpressed.

"Straightforward, huh?"

Daiki leaped into the air, aiming to bring his kunai down in a desperate swing. Hiroshi sidestepped at the last moment, casually tapping Daiki's wrist to disarm him. Before Daiki could react, Hiroshi swept his legs out from under him and pinned him to the ground with minimal effort.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the instructor announced, "Winner: Hiroshi Hyuga!"

—"Huh, what just happened?"

—"Did you see that?"

—"His strong!"

Hiroshi stood up and walked back to the sidelines, casually spinning a kunai between his fingers.

The instructor called out the next match: "Itachi Uchiha versus Seji Tanaka!"

Itachi stepped forward with calm confidence, his Sharingan deactivated to keep things fair. His opponent, Seji, fidgeted nervously, glancing toward the Uchiha prodigy.

"Begin!"

Seji threw three shuriken in quick succession, but Itachi blurred into motion, evading them effortlessly. Within a single breath, Itachi appeared behind Seji, placing a kunai at his throat.

"Yield," Itachi said in a calm but firm tone.

Seji gulped and dropped his weapon. The match was over in less than three seconds.

"Winner: Itachi Uchiha!"

On a nearby platform, Minato Namikaze observed the duels with a sharp eye. Hiroshi and Itachi were clearly leagues ahead of their peers. Their effortless victories left little room for doubt—they were already operating on a level beyond their age.

"Sensei," Minato called to the instructor. "Pair Hiroshi and Itachi for the next match."

"But, Hokage-sama, it's against protocol to interfere in academy affairs."

"Do it. We aren't doing anything that will harm them."

The instructor hesitated but nodded.

"Next match: Hiroshi Hyuga versus Itachi Uchiha!"

The crowd murmured in excitement as the instructor raised his hand.

Itachi stepped forward with his usual stoic expression. Hiroshi, on the other hand, took his time, pulling something out of his pocket.

"Is that a... shuriken?" someone in the crowd whispered.

Hiroshi held up a sleek, metallic fidget spinner, its polished edges catching the sunlight. He flicked it, and it began spinning with a soft hum.

'What's he doing? This isn't the time or place to play with toys!' Itachi thought, narrowing his eyes.

Hiroshi held the spinner up, his grin widening. "Just warming up," he said in a lighthearted tone.

The other students started whispering.

"Is he seriously showing off a toy right now?"

"Typical Hyūga, flaunting his fancy stuff."

The instructor frowned but ultimately ignored it.

Minato observed the scene with a mix of curiosity and amusement. Hiroshi's carefree demeanor stood in stark contrast to Itachi's calculated focus. But there was something about that toy...

"Begin!"

Both Itachi and Hiroshi stood motionless for a moment. Then, Hiroshi flicked his spinner again. The soft hum turned into a low, melodic vibration that seemed to resonate through the air.

One by one, the spectators around the training grounds fell silent. Their eyes became blank, and even the instructor froze in place, his hand halfway raised.

On the platform, Minato felt a strange pull, his vision blurring for a split second. He shook his head, his Hokage-level chakra reserves allowing him to resist the effect.

"What the—?" Minato muttered, watching as nearly everyone present fell into a genjutsu.

Meanwhile, Itachi felt his surroundings shift. Instinctively, he activated his Sharingan, breaking free from the subtle illusion.

"This... is no ordinary toy. I'm in a genjutsu!" Itachi thought, glancing at Hiroshi, who seemed entirely unbothered.

Hiroshi observed with amusement as the crowd fell under his spell. The spinner had worked better than he expected, and it was a good test for his invention. Besides, there was little chance Minato would intervene openly, and Itachi wasn't one to attack recklessly without knowing his enemy.

"Well, this is fun," Hiroshi muttered, flicking the spinner a few more times. "But I guess that's enough for today."

He tucked the spinner back into his pocket and pulled out a bag of chips, opening it with a satisfying crunch.

"Hey, Itachi," Hiroshi called out, holding up a chip. "Want one?"

Itachi stared at him, still uncertain if he was in another layer of genjutsu.

Inside the Genjutsu...

The crowd erupted into cheers as Itachi delivered the final blow, trapping Hiroshi in a high-level genjutsu that seemed nearly unbreakable. It was a dramatic and satisfying end to the duel.

"Finally! Someone put him in his place!" one boy shouted.

"Serves him right for showing off like that," another girl muttered.

Even the instructor looked pleased. "Itachi is a true prodigy," he declared, nodding with approval.

Back in reality...

Sitting under the tree, Hiroshi casually munched on his chips, his expression one of complete indifference. In his mind, Nova's voice rang out.

"Unexpected variable detected. Tsunade Senju arrived late. The genjutsu on her will take more time to break."

Hiroshi paused mid-crunch. "Tsunade? She wasn't supposed to be here today. What's she doing at the academy?"

"It seems she arrived after the start of the match. She observed you eating chips during the supposed 'duel.' She has now fallen into the genjutsu and is watching the fabricated match. However, she has recognized it as an illusion but lacks the means to break free."

Hiroshi smirked, popping another chip into his mouth. "Poor Tsunade. Genjutsu was never her strong suit."

At the edge of the training grounds, Tsunade stood with her arms crossed, observing the duel. She hadn't been there from the beginning, but when she arrived, she immediately noticed Hiroshi sitting under a tree, casually snacking.

"What the hell is he doing?" she muttered.

Then, without warning, the genjutsu hit her. She blinked and found herself watching an intense battle between Hiroshi and Itachi. At first, it seemed convincing—both boys were trading high-level jutsu, their movements fluid and precise. But something felt... off.

"This is genjutsu," Tsunade realized, narrowing her eyes.

She tried to dispel it, channeling her chakra to break free. But no matter how hard she concentrated, the illusion held firm.

"Damn it," she muttered, her frustration mounting. "What kind of genjutsu is this? Even with my chakra control, I can't break it."

When the duel "ended," the crowd roared in approval, unaware that everything they had witnessed was an illusion.

The instructor nodded with satisfaction.

"Winner: Itachi Uchiha!"

Itachi turned toward Hiroshi, bowing respectfully. "Good match," he said in his usual calm tone, then disappeared in a blur using the Body Flicker Technique.

As the crowd began to disperse toward the other training areas, a furious blonde figure stood out against the backdrop. Tsunade was still trapped in the genjutsu.

Hiroshi watched the scene unfold from under the tree, smirking as he polished off the last of his chips.

Nova's voice grew serious. "Should we release her from the Genjutsu?"

Hiroshi chuckled. "Not yet. Let her stew for a bit. It'll be good practice for her patience."

"You're playing a dangerous game, Hiroshi. Even if Minato and Tsunade don't confront you in public, they could easily corner you in private."

The instructor approached Hiroshi, finally snapping out of his trance.

"Hiroshi, you gave it your all," he said, placing a hand on Hiroshi's shoulder.

Hiroshi looked up, feigning exhaustion. "Yeah, I guess I just couldn't keep up with Itachi's genius."

The instructor nodded sympathetically. "Don't worry. You'll catch up eventually."

Hiroshi bit back a laugh. "I'll do my best."

As the instructor left, Hiroshi glanced toward Tsunade. It was time to end her suffering.

With a subtle flick of his fingers, he dispelled the Genjutsu.

Tsunade blinked as the illusion shattered. She turned her sharp gaze toward Hiroshi, who was now walking away, hands in his pockets.

"That little..." Tsunade growled.