In the First Examination Hall of Konoha Ninja School, a black-haired boy wearing clothing emblazoned with the fan clan crest walked in steadily.
The chuunin instructor wearing a bandana looked at the form in his hand, verified the examinee's information, and explained the assessment content to the black-haired boy.
"The graduation exam consists of the Three Basic Jutsu.
The Clone Technique requires creating four clones.
The Substitution Technique must be performed using the substitution log on the floor to the right.
The Transformation Technique requires transforming into my appearance.
Do you understand?"
"Understood."
The black-haired boy responded.
Without any noticeable hand signs, a poof sounded, and five identical boys appeared on the field.
Then the Substitution Technique was activated the boy in the middle vanished from his spot and instantly appeared to the right where the substitution log had been.
Finally, another puff of smoke, and the bandana-wearing instructor appeared in the area.
"The Three Basic Jutsu are satisfactory. Congratulations on passing the exam."
The instructor looked satisfied at the scene in the arena, stamped the approval seal on the exam form, and handed the Konoha forehead protector placed to the side to the black-haired boy, who had dispelled his transformation.
The black-haired boy was named Uchiha Kazuhiko, a ninja from the Uchiha clan, one of the two great noble clans of Konoha Village.
Today, along with dozens of other students, he participated in the ninja school's unified graduation exam and passed smoothly.
Expressionlessly accepting the forehead protector, Uchiha Kazuhiko tied it around his forehead like the vast majority of ninjas.
Without looking back, he left the ninja school.
Following the village's regulations, Uchiha Kazuhiko completed the graduation procedures, registered officially, and became a genin of Konoha Village.
Evening. Uchiha Kazuhiko returned to his home, where he lived alone, closed the door, and looked at the words "Konoha Year 55, March 1st" displayed on the electronic calendar on the wall. His heart grew increasingly bitter.
"Sigh. Just over a year left. I'm so unlucky. Out of all the ninja clans in Konoha, why did I have to become a member of the Uchiha clan?"
The reason for Uchiha Kazuhiko's lament was, naturally, the Uchiha clan massacre incident that would occur a year later.
Given his status as a legitimate Uchiha clansman, he would inevitably become a target for elimination.
As for how Uchiha Kazuhiko could know about events a year later, it was because he was a transmigrator.
Two months ago, he was just an ordinary office worker on Earth. For some unknown reason, he woke up one day and had transmigrated into the world of Naruto, becoming a boy named Uchiha Kazuhiko.
As one of the most popular anime in his previous life, Uchiha Kazuhiko had followed Naruto for a long time during his free time and had fresh memories of major events in the original story. Once he calmed down, he recalled this matter that concerned his own safety.
So, Uchiha Kazuhiko began looking through the original body's memories, only to discover something even more disheartening.
The original was twelve years old this year. His parents had long since died on a mission.
Although he was in the same class at the ninja school as Uchiha Itachi, the gap between them was like that between a firefly and the bright moon completely incomparable.
The extraordinarily talented Uchiha Itachi graduated from the ninja school in just one year, became a chuunin at age ten, and not long ago, due to Shisui's death, awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, becoming a powerful Kage-level ninja.
The original, with his poor aptitude and excessive playfulness, muddled through six years at the ninja school.
Even by the time Uchiha Kazuhiko transmigrated, he still hadn't managed to graduate.
Concerned for his own life, the transmigrated Uchiha Kazuhiko began training twice as hard in taijutsu, the basic Three Jutsu, and the C-rank fire release jutsu he had some basic foundation in the Great Fireball Technique.
One week later, Uchiha Kazuhiko mastered the most basic taijutsu and tool-throwing techniques.
Two weeks later, Uchiha Kazuhiko could skillfully use the Three Basic Jutsu, reaching a level where he could use them without hand signs.
One month later, Uchiha Kazuhiko completely mastered the C-rank Fire Release Jutsu the Great Fireball Technique and could adjust his chakra output to release fireballs of varying power.
After mastering all his current abilities, Uchiha Kazuhiko didn't hesitate to submit a graduation application to his homeroom teacher.
He didn't plan to waste his limited time remaining at the ninja school and wanted to quickly improve his strength through real combat, striving his utmost to secure a slim chance of survival.
"Enough, no more pointless thinking. Start training according to plan."
Uchiha Kazuhiko took a deep breath, didn't continue his useless complaining, but sat down cross-legged to meditate and refine his chakra.
Perhaps because of his soul fusion after transmigration, Uchiha Kazuhiko's spiritual energy was much higher than the original's.
He found chakra refinement effortless. In just two months, he had increased his chakra reserves to the peak of the genin level.
Tonight, Uchiha Kazuhiko planned to continue refining chakra, striving to advance further and raise his chakra reserves to the chuunin level.
An hour later, Uchiha Kazuhiko's body, tired from extracting chakra, surged with power once again.
A purer, more concentrated chakra appeared within him.
"Haha, finally reached chuunin level! This means my strength has improved by another twenty percent, and I can use the Great Fireball Technique a few more times."
Uchiha Kazuhiko opened his eyes, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and stood up excitedly.
He planned to rest for a moment and then make a hearty dinner to reward himself.
"Not good! My chakra!"
Suddenly, Uchiha Kazuhiko felt the abundant chakra in his meridians slip from his control.
Manipulated by some unknown force, it surged en masse towards his brain, then vanished into the deep, unknown recesses of his mind.
"What's happening? Where did my chakra go? Am I about to awaken my Sharingan? But that doesn't seem right either. If it were Sharingan awakening, the chakra should be rushing to my eyes, shouldn't it?"
Just as Uchiha Kazuhiko was filled with confusion and unsure what to do, a mechanical voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
"Energy replenishment complete... System self-check program initiating..."
"Self-check complete. System integrity 100%. Host detected... System fusion beginning..."
"Fusion progress 5%... 10%... 50%... 90%... 100%..."
"System binding successful. The Ten Thousand Realms Mercenary System is now officially activated..."
"Prompt: Silently think 'System' to enter the system interface. We wish you a pleasant experience."
The mechanical voice fell silent after speaking.
When Uchiha Kazuhiko processed this, a long-absent smile finally appeared on his previously cold face. He laughed excitedly,
"Hahaha, it seems my luck isn't all bad. I've finally gotten my golden finger!"
Having been through the baptism of online novels in his previous life, Uchiha Kazuhiko was no stranger to transmigration tropes like obtaining systems, golden fingers, or old masters and accepted it easily.
Following the mechanical voice's prompt, Uchiha Kazuhiko silently thought "System" in his mind and activated his golden finger.