April in Konoha Village is the perfect time of year—neither too cold nor too hot. A gentle spring breeze rustles the cherry blossom branches, sending pink and white petals fluttering down like soft rain. Passersby can't help but stop and admire the sight.
It's prime flower-viewing season.
But not everyone has the luxury of strolling around to enjoy the blooms. At the Konoha Ninja Academy, it's the annual enrollment season, and the flood of application forms has the entire staff worn out. March is for graduating seniors, April for incoming freshmen—those two months are always the busiest.
"Hey, did you hear? That demon fox is starting school this year."
"No way, for real? Letting that monster into the Ninja Academy… my son's starting this year too! Ugh, what are the higher-ups even thinking?"
"Shh!"
"Keep it down, don't be reckless. Lord Hokage must have his reasons. Just make sure your kid steers clear of that demon fox."
At the academy's entrance, parents and relatives dropping off their kids gather in small groups. Word about a certain demon fox-turned-boy enrolling spreads quickly among most of the parents. The mood shifts to something eerie the moment a blond-haired boy appears on the street leading to the school gate.
Disgusted glares, whispers loud enough to hear clearly…
The boy lowers his head, dragging his heavy steps toward the school.
"Big brother, hurry up! We're gonna be late!"
"Late? No way! Look, that kid up there just got here too. Fujika, stop pulling—my sleeve's gonna rip!"
At the end of the street, a little girl tugs at her brother's sleeve, charging forward like a missile.
The boy ahead, lost in his grim reality, doesn't notice the incoming collision. Caught off guard, he's knocked flat on his face, sprawled out in a humiliating heap, butt sticking up in the air.
"See, Fujika? I told you not to run! Now what if you broke this guy?"
"Broke him? No way, big brother, stop scaring me."
The girl, clearly unimpressed, kicks at her brother's shin.
"Whoa, whoa, stop! Fujika, my bad, don't kick me—my bones are gonna snap!" Uchiha Sogen raises his hands in surrender, hopping around to dodge his little sister, who's now a shinbone-destroying machine.
"Hey, you okay?"
Uchiha Fujika, who didn't land a single kick, ignores her prankster brother and turns to the blond kid she knocked over.
"…I'm fine."
The boy gets up, brushing off the dirt without any intention of making a fuss. He turns to leave.
"Wait, where're you going? You're a new student starting today, right?" Fujika calls out, stopping him.
"…You're not scared of me?"
The boy scratches his messy blond hair, looking at the girl in front of him with genuine surprise.
Her eyes narrow at his out-of-left-field response. "Scared of you? Pfft, you're a boy, but you're shorter than me. You look like an easy target. Alright, here's the deal: since I knocked you over, I'll make it up to you. From now on, I've got your back at the academy. If anyone messes with you, just tell me, and I'll beat 'em up for you."
"Huh?"
The boy stands there, dumbfounded, like he can't process what just happened.
"What're you spacing out for? Move it, or we'll *actually* be late!" Fujika sighs dramatically, shaking her head. Her first "underling" of the school year seems kinda slow—not the sharpest kunai in the pouch.
"Yo, Fujika, already recruiting minions, huh?" Uchiha Sogen sizes up the blond kid.
Messy bird's-nest hair, bright blue eyes, three whisker-like marks on each cheek, wearing a black short-sleeve shirt and white shorts… A closer look reveals an incredibly powerful seal on the boy.
Naruto Uzumaki, Konoha's third Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
"Ugh, big brother, you're so annoying! Go away already, we don't need you here!" Fujika huffs, shoving her teasing older brother. "Hurry up and leave! Don't you have a mission or something? Go work! Oh, and don't forget the enrollment gift you promised me!"
"You're still on about that? I was just joking! Besides, what's a five-year-old gonna do with a short sword? I'll carve you a wooden one to play with."
"No way! You promised, so you better deliver. If you try to trick me, I'm telling Mom you're bullying me!"
"…Fujika." Sogen's voice suddenly drops, his hand resting on her shoulder as he speaks with mock seriousness. "Listen up. Tattling is for little kids. You're stepping into the Ninja Academy now—you're a ninja-in-training. If your classmates find out you're doing something so childish, they'll laugh at you."
"Yeah, right! Grandpa said promises are meant to be kept, so don't try to fool me, big brother. I'm not falling for it!" Fujika, wise to his tricks after being fooled one too many times, sticks out her tongue and grabs her new "minion" to dart into the school.
"Slow down, you'll crash into someone again… She never learns!" Sogen watches his sister and the blond kid disappear into the school building, slowly retracting his craned neck.
It's the first day of school, and to help students adjust quickly, parents aren't allowed past the gate.
"Big brother Sogen!"
"Sogen-nii!"
Familiar voices call out from behind.
Sogen turns to see two figures, one tall, one short. "It's Itachi! And… dropping off Sasuke, huh?" Standing before him are none other than Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke, the clan leader's sons.
"Yeah, that's right. Sogen-nii, you're…" Itachi starts, but he's cut off.
"Fujika's the same age as Sasuke, right? Oh, Sasuke, you're in Class A too, aren't you?"
"Yup, I'm in Class A," Sasuke confirms.
"Perfect. I've got a mission for you. Think you're up for it?" Sogen crouches down, meeting little Sasuke's eyes.
"What mission? Leave it to me—I'll get it done!" Tiny Sasuke, full of enthusiasm, lights upd. At his age, boys are obsessed with ninja games, especially when the task comes from the famous Sogen-nii. He agrees without a second thought, not even asking for details.
What a good kid! This version of Sasuke is still an earnest Uchiha, untainted by any talk-no-jutsu nonsense—way cuter than his older brother, who's always prioritizing the village over family.
"This is a long-term mission," Sogen says, clearing his throat. "This year, you and Fujika are the only Uchihas starting at the academy. You two are carrying the pride of our clan. Fujika's a girl, so… Sasuke, don't hold back. Show everyone at that school, with your strength, that the Uchiha are Konoha's strongest."
"Got it!!!" Sasuke's little face flushes with excitement, nodding vigorously and puffing out his chest. "Sogen-nii, don't worry. I won't let the Uchiha name down!"
But beside him, Itachi's brow furrows slightly.
"That's the spirit!" Sogen pats Sasuke's shoulder encouragingly. "Sasuke, if you can take first place in every exam at the academy this year, I'll give you a chakra weapon."
"For real?"
"I never lie."
Chakra weapons, made with special metals that absorb, conduct, extend, amplify, or conserve chakra, are incredibly valuable due to their complex craftsmanship and high demand. Even most jounin can't afford a good one. Though Sasuke's only five, his family background means he knows their worth.
First place? He's not losing to those dumb classmates.
Beaming, Sasuke charges into the school.
Left behind, Sogen and Itachi stand at the gate.
"Sogen-nii," Itachi begins.
"What's up?"
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's identity is sensitive. Our clan… it's best we don't get too involved."
"Hmm… Look at you, Itachi, all grown up and giving me advice now!"
"Sogen-nii, that's not what I meant. I just…" Itachi tries to explain.
"Haha, just messing with you!" Sogen laughs. "Don't worry, I'm not interested in the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. But I won't stop Fujika from making friends. Since Lord Hokage allowed the Jinchuriki into the academy, a little kid-to-kid interaction should be fine, right?"
"…Sogen-nii, I spoke out of turn."
"No worries, you're just looking out for the clan!"
Sogen keeps up his fake smile, waving it off.
"Itachi, if you've got stuff to do, go handle it. No need to waste time here with an idle guy like me."
"Then… excuse me." Itachi politely takes his leave, heading toward the Hokage Tower. As his small figure fades from view, Sogen's smile vanishes, his expression turning icy.
Uchiha Itachi.
In Sogen's memories, this is the cold-blooded monster who'd slaughter his entire clan for his brother and the village. The Uchiha clan isn't just a bunch of arrogant jerks—there are elders, children, and plenty of ordinary folks who never even awakened their Sharingan, not ninjas at all. Yet man, woman, elder, or babbling toddler, all were wiped out.
For this ruthless junior, Sogen feels nothing but wary disgust—no trace of fondness. If he'd started as an ostracized orphan, maybe with a cheat ability, he could've faked his death, avoided Itachi and Obito—those teacher-killing, parent-slaying fiends—and bided his time somewhere else, growing stronger to eventually avenge his clan.
But his parents are alive, his friends are many, his family is warm and loving, and he's got an adorable little sister…
No running.
No hiding.
And the time left to defy his clan's tragic fate isn't exactly generous.
Konoha's "little powerhouses" have all officially enrolled now. The night of the clan's annihilation… it's not far off. History has shifted slightly because of Sogen's presence, but not by much. Uchiha Obito still "died gloriously" in the Kannabi Bridge battle, and the Fourth Hokage and his wife met their end the night Naruto was born…
During the Kannabi Bridge battle, nine-year-old Sogen was just a newly promoted chunin fighting Mist ninjas on the eastern front, nowhere near influential enough to affect the northern battlefield.
The night the Nine-Tails attacked, forget ten-year-old Sogen—none of the Uchiha ninjas could leave to aid the Fourth. The Anbu and Root had the Uchiha compound completely surrounded.
Five years have passed since that night.
In that time, through relentless effort and with the help of his cheat abilities, Sogen has become a powerhouse in the clan, on par with Uchiha Shisui.
Oh, right—Sogen's cheats are an inherent skill called [Mana Burst (Flame)] and a Noble Phantasm called [A Knight Doesn't Die Unarmed].
Sounds a bit mismatched, and honestly, it kinda is. Compared to the near-omnipotent systems some transmigrators get, his cheats… aren't *that* bad, but they take serious effort to develop.
Still, it's way better than starting from scratch! He was thrown into battle at seven, fighting for his life. Over eight years, through countless bloody fights, he's boosted [Mana Burst (Flame)] quite a bit. Without a system interface, it's hard to gauge its exact level.
As for [A Knight Doesn't Die Unarmed], this invisible Noble Phantasm is pretty handy. It grants any weapon he holds the properties of a D-rank Noble Phantasm, usable as long as he recognizes it as a "weapon." Kunai, shuriken, short swords… even rocks or trees can become D-rank Noble Phantasms.
Trees aren't exactly practical weapons, though—shuriken are way better. A shuriken imbued with D-rank Noble Phantasm properties can shatter a typical chunin's hardening jutsu. Paired with his Sharingan and Uchiha-style throwing techniques, just this shuriken skill is enough to survive on the battlefield, as long as he avoids monsters or getting ganged up on.
But—
It's not enough!
Not nearly enough!
No matter how much others hype his strength, Sogen, still at the three-tomoe Sharingan stage, has little confidence facing the future Itachi and Obito—those cold-blooded monsters. Mangekyo Sharingan's unique eye techniques, the "godly power" of Susanoo… his two cheats can't easily overcome them.
He needs more power!
(Chapter End)