Morning Mist
The next morning, the orphanage yard buzzed with kids, each carrying worn satchels. Today was Academy enrollment day.
Kushina bounced beside me, practically vibrating. "Today's the start of everything, ya know!"
Her excitement was contagious, but I couldn't shake a strange chill in my stomach. In this timeline… this is when everything begins to move. Nawaki, Kushina, even Sakumo… fates are already locking into place.
I clenched my fists. Not if I have anything to say about it.
System Prompt
New Mission – Path of a Shinobi
Enroll successfully into Konoha's Ninja Academy.
Reward: +2 Chakra, +50 EXP, Basic Ninja Gear Pack.
The Academy
The wooden building was larger than I imagined, with training fields stretching far behind it. Young boys and girls gathered near the gates, some already tossing shuriken at wooden dummies.
That's when I saw her—Mikoto Uchiha, standing alone under a tree, watching the crowd with calm eyes. Even at this age, she had an air of quiet elegance.
"Oi, Kuro, stop staring!" Kushina elbowed me, smirking.
I coughed. "Just… scanning the competition."
Inside the Classroom
We sat down as a chūnin instructor walked in, eyes sharp like a hawk.
"Alright, brats. From today, you're students of the Academy. The first step to becoming ninja. Don't expect it to be easy."
The air buzzed with nervous energy. I noticed the Hyūga boy from yesterday glaring at me from across the room. His Byakugan wasn't active, but the look said enough: We're not done.
Leaf Exercise – Round Two
We started with the leaf exercise again, this time under direct supervision.
The instructor walked past me and muttered, "Good control for a civilian."
Civilian. That word stung. No clan. No special bloodline. But they didn't see my System interface glowing faintly in my vision:
Chakra Control: +1 → +2
Skill Unlocked: Chakra Thread Manipulation (Lv.1)
I smiled faintly. They'll see soon enough.
Lunch Break… and a Challenge
As I ate quietly, the Hyūga boy approached.
"You. Outside. Now."
Whispers followed. First day, and already a fight?
The Spar
Outside on the practice mat, we faced each other. He smirked. "A civilian who thinks he can act like a shinobi? I'll put you in your place."
The instructor didn't stop it; sparring was part of the curriculum.
"Ready… begin!"
He charged forward with a Gentle Fist strike. My System triggered:
Slow-Time Assist (Lv.1) Activated
The world slowed slightly, enough for me to side-step and grab his arm.
Threads… now.
Thin chakra lines shot from my fingertips, anchoring to his sleeve. I pulled, spinning behind him, and lightly tapped his back.
"Point to Kuro," the instructor announced, sounding surprised.
The crowd murmured, eyes wide. Even Mikoto tilted her head with faint curiosity. Kushina pumped her fist. "You showed him, ya know!"
The Hyūga boy clenched his teeth but said nothing, walking off stiffly.
System Notification
Mini Mission Complete: Win your first spar.
Reward: Shurikenjutsu +2, EXP +40.
Evening at the Orphanage
That night, as I stared at the ceiling, my thoughts kept circling back.
Why here? Why now?
The System chimed again, this time with something new:
Upcoming Event Detected:High-Risk Mission within 72 hours.
Hint: "Someone close to you is in danger."
My pulse quickened. What? Already?
Across the room, Kushina slept peacefully, red hair falling over her pillow.
I sat up slowly, whispering to myself, "Who's in danger… and why so soon?"