3. Look Down On All Families Equally

To be honest, the Ishigami clan's current situation can be summed up as having relatives scattered throughout the ninja world. While these "relatives" are not very close, this still ensures the orderly inheritance of the Ishigami clan from the Sengoku era to the present.

Although Ishigami Hara didn't want to admit it, he found himself in a similar position when he traveled through time. When Uchiha Izuna confronted him with a question, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.

"It's unbelievable that, with such a diluted bloodline, you—a mere kid—managed to awaken a bloodline limit, and it's the Sharingan from my Uchiha clan! Hahaha, kid! From now on, you can bear the noble name of Uchiha."

"I refuse."

Ishigami Hara remained calm and composed.

Uchiha Izuna's voice faltered, clearly taken aback.

But Ishigami Hara paid him no mind. He gathered the belongings scattered the previous night due to the chakra surge and, after tidying up, headed out leisurely.

The area where Ishigami Hara resided was considered a civilian district in Konoha, yet it was prosperous and close to the homes of ninja clans and the ninja academy.

Moreover, Ishigami Hara's good looks made him quite popular in this neighborhood.

"Hey, Brother Hara, I just made some potato cakes. Want some?"

"Good morning, Mrs. Keiko, I've already eaten."

"Why call me Madam? Call me sister."

"Oh, it's Hara-kun. You look so handsome today."

"You're too kind."

"Good morning, Hara-kun. My back's a little sore. Would you mind giving me a massage?"

"Good morning, Mrs. Sato. Please be more modest. Brother Sato won't be happy if he hears about this."

The neighbors were all very enthusiastic, although it would be better if the women were a bit less so.

Every day, as he walked out, women would definitely stare at him, while the men would look at him with envy.

By now, Ishigami Hara was used to it.

"Hmph, I didn't expect you to be so popular."

Uchiha Izuna's voice in his mind sounded somewhat resentful.

Ishigami Hara smirked, "You'll get used to it soon enough."

Do you understand the value of Konoha's handsome men?

"Brat, you think you're better than me, Uchiha?"

Ishigami Hara continued smiling, politely greeting each neighbor, while responding to Uchiha Izuna's remark casually in his mind.

"Please don't misunderstand. I don't look down on your clan specifically."

"What do you mean, kid? Being given the name Uchiha is something anyone should take pride in," Uchiha Izuna responded coldly.

Ishigami Hara nodded slightly before replying, "Please don't take it the wrong way. I simply look down on all clans equally, including the Uchiha."

Uchiha Izuna was momentarily stunned into silence by Ishigami Hara's words, forgetting how to retort. He had never encountered someone so arrogant.

Fortunately, the awkward mood was broken when Ishigami Hara continued, "It's currently the 39th year of Konoha, which means it's been over 40 years since your death. From what I know, the Uchiha clan's current situation isn't looking great."

"What do you mean by that?"

Uchiha Izuna's curiosity was piqued by Ishigami Hara's words.

"Ever since Uchiha Madara betrayed Konoha, the Uchiha clan has been in decline. Due to the policies of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, the Uchiha clan has gradually become marginalized within the village."

Ishigami Hara didn't mind explaining the current state of affairs to Uchiha Izuna. As he spoke, Uchiha Izuna began to comprehend the situation and grew increasingly furious.

"Damn it! How could the Uchiha clan fall to such a low point? What about my elder brother, Madara? Is he dead too?"

Ishigami Hara frowned, sensing his chakra starting to fluctuate again. Since he was out in the open, he couldn't let Uchiha Izuna's chakra presence become too obvious, so he controlled his chakra carefully to suppress it.

His eyes felt the familiar strain, but thanks to his control, the Sharingan didn't activate.

"Calm down. You're dead now; these matters don't concern you anymore."

"How can you say that!"

"Look over there—that's the Hokage Rock. You see the faces of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, and the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. There's no place for an Uchiha."

"To be precise, the Uchiha are excluded from the Hokage system. With the volatile nature of your clan, it's not surprising things turned out this way."

As Ishigami Hara rounded a street corner, he disappeared in a flash, all while continuing to soothe Uchiha Izuna's rage. In no time, he arrived at the Ninja Academy.

"This is the Ninja Academy, founded by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. It's a solid initiative," Ishigami Hara remarked as he pointed toward the distant Hokage building. He continued, "Uchiha Madara came very close to becoming Hokage, but he abandoned that path and betrayed the village he helped create. In doing so, he also abandoned the Uchiha clan."

He paused briefly before adding, "So, in my opinion, your pride in the Uchiha name is pointless. After all, it's something that can be so easily discarded."

Uchiha Izuna was silent, struggling to process everything. The weight of this new information was overwhelming.

"My brother… How could he do this? Impossible! It can't be true!"

Ignoring Izuna's turmoil, Ishigami Hara walked into the Ninja Academy, found his seat in class, and settled down. As usual, he picked up a book and immersed himself in his own world, blocking out the noise around him.

The classroom was bustling with chatter. Having completed their graduation assessments, most of the students were eagerly awaiting the day they'd leave the academy. However, none of this concerned Ishigami Hara.

"Hey, Hara-kun, why did your hair turn the same color as a blood-red pepper?" a classmate sitting next to him asked.

Without looking up from his book, Ishigami Hara replied, "Kushina is sitting behind you. I have a feeling you're about to get punched."

Bang!

As soon as the words left his mouth, the unfortunate student was knocked down by a swift punch. A voice echoed across the room.

"Damn it, do you think I'm deaf?"

Standing behind the fallen student was a girl with long red hair, swaying as if in a breeze. Her fists were clenched, and her presence was intense.

"Ah, Kushina! Why?" the unlucky student groaned, "I was just asking about Hara-kun's hair color! What's it got to do with you?"

"Humph!" Uzumaki Kushina snorted, grabbing the student by the collar before turning and sitting next to Ishigami Hara. She curiously eyed his hair.

"Wow, it really is the same color as mine. Wasn't your hair light red before? How did this happen?" Kushina asked, clearly intrigued.

Ishigami Hara remained calm, still not looking up from his book. "I don't know. It was like this when I woke up—probably a blood-related thing."

Closing his book, Ishigami Hara looked at Kushina seriously and said, "You know, the Ishigami family once had ties to the Uzumaki clan through marriage. I have some Uzumaki blood in me."

"Ah, that's how it is," Uzumaki Kushina exclaimed, slapping her hand in realization.

"So, should I call you Uzumaki Hara then?" she asked with a playful smirk.

Ishigami Hara calmly reopened his book, replying, "I'm sorry, but I'll have to refuse."

"Why not?"

"No particular reason."

Everyone seemed intent on changing his surname, which was rather baffling to him.

Not long after, the teacher entered the classroom and scanned the students. It didn't take long for him to notice Ishigami Hara's hair color.

Before the teacher could say anything, Ishigami Hara raised his hand and spoke up, "Teacher Daigo, I don't know why my hair color changed like this, so please don't ask."

"Ah? Oh, um... right," Honma Daigo stammered. He had planned to ask about it, but after Ishigami Hara's preemptive explanation, he dropped the matter.

There were always a few students who stood out as unique, and Ishigami Hara was one of them. Honma Daigo had long grown accustomed to his peculiar nature and didn't give it much thought.

"Alright, everyone. The class divisions have been finalized. Please leave the classroom in an orderly fashion when your name is called," Honma Daigo announced, starting to read off names in groups of three.

Soon, the classroom was nearly empty, leaving only three students—Ishigami Hara, Uzumaki Kushina, and Namikaze Minato.

Honma Daigo looked at them and said, "The Hokage has special arrangements for the three of you."