My name is Kuroda Renji. I was just an ordinary high-school student until, inexplicably, I ended up in the world of Naruto — reborn into the Uchiha family as Uchiha Izumi. Unfortunately, I even ran into someone my own age: Uchiha Sasuke.
Right now I'm lying in ambush, and my target is Uchiha Itachi — that genius with the notorious brother-complex. Why am I ambushing him? Blame the golden finger I got. Everyone else who's been reborn gets all kinds of crazy BUFFs: one second they're nothing, the next they're ruling the world; the worst of them at least have Nine-Tails chakra. Me? I'm pathetic. I did bring a system with me, but this godawful, troll system forces me to finish stupid missions before it hands out any benefits. And the mission I just received? Purely malicious.
"Ding. Congratulations to the host for successfully refining chakra. Main quest automatically accepted: Assault Uchiha Itachi. Rewards will be granted based on completion. Valid for three days. Failure = annihilation."
"You've got to be kidding me, system. That's Itachi — Itachi of the Uchiha. He might not have reached his prime yet, but he's still Itachi. Are you trying to get me killed? How about we negotiate and change it?"
"Okay. I can change it to 'Assault the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.'"
"Bro — you're my bro, I was wrong. I'll just assassinate Uchiha Itachi."
Yeah, right. Assassinate Sarutobi Hiruzen? Don't even talk about the odds. Even if I somehow threw a kunai from eight hundred miles away, I'd immediately be murdered by the ANBU. And if I somehow survived that, being invited to tea by Ibiki wouldn't exactly be pleasant.
My only consolation is that, being an Uchiha, getting hold of ninja tools is easy. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have even seen Itachi up close.
Training Ground No. 7 — the Uchiha-exclusive practice area — is one of the spots Itachi frequents when he has nothing better to do. The thick trees make it perfect for a surprise attack, but facing the famous Itachi, I had zero confidence.
I forced myself to calm down. Then Itachi appeared within range, and I activated my trap without hesitation. A dozen kunai sprouted into the air, encircling him and flying straight for Itachi.
At this point Itachi was only a Genin, but his actual ability was already at Chunin level. He simply leapt up and easily dodged my trap. But before he could land, a wooden stake flew from the side. Because he was midair and couldn't get any purchase, the stake struck true and sent him hurtling away.
"Did that actually work?" I couldn't believe my eyes watching the legendary Itachi seemingly taken out by my trap. Did I accidentally skip timelines? Maybe this wasn't really the Naruto world. Or maybe this Itachi was an impostor?
Before I could puzzle that out, I felt someone behind me. Before I could react, a cold kunai was pressed against my throat — one twitch and my head would be separated from my body.
"Itachi-nii, I mean no harm. I was only joking." Facing Uchiha Itachi, I had no courage left to resist. I wasn't even a real shinobi; if I escaped his grip, Itachi's lifelong reputation would be ruined.
"…" Itachi didn't respond. He didn't lower the kunai, either.
"All right, all right. I'll tell the truth. My parents said you're the prodigy of our generation, so I wanted to challenge you. But I knew you were already a ninja, so I set a trap instead."
Only then did Itachi lower the kunai. Whether he believed my story or not — only he knew.
As Itachi turned to leave, I pulled out the detonating tag I'd hidden and readied to throw. Unexpectedly, Itachi suddenly looked back at me.
Being stared at by the Sharingan for the first time felt like the shadow of death had fallen over me; I froze and trembled uncontrollably. Normally, being looked at by the Sharingan isn't the end of the world — but remember, I was holding a burning detonating tag.
In the manga a detonating tag is just a disposable item, but for a four-year-old like me it's a lethal weapon.
The detonating tag had already begun to smoke — it was about to explode. Despair washed over me; maybe I'd be the first transmigrator to kill themself by accident.
I shut my eyes and waited for death.
But the other Itachi didn't expect that. He didn't expect me to react this way. Though he was displeased at being attacked, I was family after all. Itachi instantly closed the distance, threw his own detonating tag while tackling me to the ground.
If I'd had my eyes open I would have noticed it was a Shunshin no Jutsu — an instantaneous movement technique normally only a Jonin could pull off — yet Itachi, a Genin, had used it.
I didn't get to die. I heard a thud, opened my eyes, and saw a puff of white smoke.
"Shadow clone?" That was my last memory before I blacked out.
While I was unconscious, the system's voice echoed in my head.
"Ding. Main quest completed. Quest rating: C. Rewards: Shurikenjutsu and five kunai."
Deep in Training Ground No. 7, Itachi — who had been talking with Uchiha Shisui — suddenly looked up toward the trees.
"Itachi, what's wrong?"
"One of the clan's kids tried to sneak-attack my clone and ended up injuring himself. I'm going to check." With that, he left in my direction.
"A sneak attack? Interesting kid."
When I came to, I was in my room at home. Everything was familiar. I remembered the ambush on Itachi.
"I planned all that, and the ambush only hit a shadow clone — but it still counted as a total success. Even young Itachi is far beyond everyone else." After a quick check to make sure I was okay, I opened the system interface.
Uchiha Izumi (Transmigrator)Ninjutsu: 5Taijutsu: 3Genjutsu: 4Wisdom: 4Strength: 3Speed: 2Chakra: 5Hand Seals: 6
Looking at my pitiful stats, I didn't even know what to say. In the four years since my rebirth, the only things that had improved were my chakra and my hand seals; everything else lagged far behind.
Out of habit, I clicked the task list. I'd thought the sneak attack on Itachi hadn't been completed — but the task was highlighted and marked as finished. I was speechless. From start to finish I hadn't even touched the real Itachi, let alone wounded him. How did this count?
You have to understand: the system's mission required me to hurt Uchiha Itachi. But I'd only hit a clone. Even if I destroyed it, it's just a clone — that shouldn't count as hurting Itachi, right?
"System — how did I complete the task? Even if my detonating tag blew up Itachi's clone, that shouldn't count as me injuring him, right?"
"Shadow clones pass their knowledge and fatigue back to the original. Destroying a clone and returning its fatigue to the main body is classified as damage."
"System, damn you — why didn't you say that when you issued the task?" After hearing the explanation I felt like smashing the system. What the hell kind of logic is that?
"First: I do not have an uncle. Second: you didn't ask."
"…"