Uchiha Haneda's Home – Uchiha Clan Grounds
Haneda's house was located in a quieter, more remote section of the Uchiha district—closer to the clan's private training grounds and bordering the edge of the Forest of Death.
The closer he got to his home, the fewer people he saw. By the time he reached his front gate, only a few distant silhouettes of shinobi could be seen sparring under the setting sun.
Creak—
He pushed open the door, stepped inside, and quietly removed his sandals, placing them neatly to the side. Then, as he always did, he called out by habit:
> "I'm home…"
No response.
His gaze briefly fell on the framed black-and-white photograph sitting atop the small table by the entryway. The solemn expressions in the photo told the story clearly.
Haneda was an orphan.
Both of his parents had died on a mission when he was very young.
In the world of shinobi, that wasn't uncommon. Especially for ninja families.
> "Four people barely make one complete family set," Haneda thought bitterly, thinking of Team 7 as a cruel metaphor.
His parents had both been jōnin, skilled and experienced. They died heroically during a classified mission, and though their sacrifice was great, the compensation from the village had been… minimal. Especially during the years when the Uchiha clan was quietly marginalized by the village's higher-ups.
Thankfully, his parents had saved up a decent inheritance.
Haneda walked down the corridor and entered his father's old study. A tall bookshelf stood against the wall, lined with scrolls and books, most worn and faded from years of use.
He stepped up to the shelf and reached for a seemingly ordinary volume on the far right.
Pressing his fingers together in a half-seal, chakra flowed through his hand, and the bookshelf quietly rumbled to the side, revealing a hidden staircase descending into the darkness.
Thump, thump, thump…
Haneda moved down the steps.
The basement room that greeted him was a private archive. Scrolls lined the walls, and in one corner, several stacked bars of gold glimmered under the flickering lamp.
The scrolls contained Ninjutsu techniques his parents had collected over the years. He had cataloged them once—ten C-rank jutsu, and a few B-rank ones, primarily Fire Release and Genjutsu.
The gold? That was legacy wealth—handed down from his grandparents' generation.
> "They say gold holds its value in war-torn times. That was never truer than during the Warring States Era," Haneda mused.
But he didn't come here for scrolls or treasure.
He walked over to a briefcase tucked away under the shelf, flipped it open, and was greeted by the fresh, crisp scent of stacked banknotes.
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.
> "Ah… that ink smells like comfort."
He counted a few bills, stuffed them in his pocket, then quietly closed the case and exited—sealing the passage behind him.
---
Later That Evening – Yakiniku Q
Their meeting place was Yakiniku Q, the famous barbecue restaurant that would one day be known as Choji Akimichi's favorite.
Ichiraku Ramen hadn't opened yet, so for now, this was one of the more popular spots among ninja.
Because they were still students, Haneda, Rin, and Obito sat in the main dining hall where it was bustling and noisy.
> "Haneda, this place is kinda pricey... Are you sure about this?" Rin asked, worried.
She knew about Haneda's family circumstances and didn't want him spending money carelessly.
Haneda just smiled and waved her concern away.
> "It's fine. Three kids can't eat that much. Besides, we're already seated. Would be awkward to leave now, right?"
Obito chimed in from the side, grinning:
> "Yeah, Rin! Let me tell you, Haneda's pockets are loaded! We should make him pay properly for once!"
He'd wanted to get a free meal out of Haneda ever since Haneda started calling him a dead last loser every other day.
Rin hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. She'd brought her allowance with her just in case—ready to help if Haneda fell short.
> "Ladies first," Haneda said, handing her the menu.
Rin politely ordered a few modest dishes before passing the menu to Obito, who immediately froze.
> "Uhh… hey Haneda, what do you usually get again?"
Obito stared at the menu like it was a puzzle scroll.
> "Pork belly. Wrapped in grilled lettuce," Haneda replied.
> "Oh! Right. That!"
Obito then quickly selected a few pricier items, clearly tempted—but not excessive. He remembered Haneda didn't have parents. If the inheritance ran dry, he'd be alone.
So he held back.
Haneda skimmed the menu and immediately noticed the pattern. He smirked.
> "Obito has a conscience... just not a strong one."
Suddenly, loud voices from the neighboring table interrupted them.
> "Did you hear? The Konoha White Fang abandoned an S-rank mission and caused major losses to the village!"
> "Yeah, and all for a few comrades. Ridiculous, right?"
> "His actions were disgraceful! The mission came first. Everyone knows that!"
Haneda's eyes sharpened.
> Sakumo Hatake… It's already started.
Obito, on the other hand, was visibly agitated.
> "Konoha's White Fang? Isn't that Kakashi's dad?!"
He stood up and walked over.
> "Hey, uncles, are you talking about Sakumo Hatake?"
One of the men looked down at Obito with a sneer.
> "That's right. The White Fang. Betrayed the village's interests. What about it?"
Obito's voice rose with emotion.
> "Lord Sakumo is a hero! He completed countless S-rank missions. How can you badmouth him like this?"
> "A hero?" the man scoffed. "A ninja who abandons his mission isn't a hero—he's a failure."
> "Comrades matter more than missions!" Obito snapped.
> "He's a ninja. He should act like one," came the dismissive reply.
Their tone struck a nerve.
Obito clenched his fists, ready to argue to the bitter end.
At their table, Haneda noticed movement in the corner.
Just beyond the bustle of the dining hall, sitting alone by a grill, was a boy in a black mask.
White hair. Dead-fish eyes.
Hatake Kakashi.
He was grilling silently, eyes fixed on the men insulting his father—expression unreadable.
Haneda frowned.
> "So it's begun. The ridicule. The isolation. The trauma that would harden him into a cold genius…"
> "The perfect time to gain Kakashi's trust has arrived."
Back at the table, Rin quickly tugged on Obito's arm.
> "Come on, Obito. The food's here."
> "Rin, didn't you hear them slandering Kakashi's father?!"
> "I did. But fighting won't change their minds," she said, holding his hand tightly to keep him seated.
Obito huffed, frustrated but unwilling to brush Rin off.