Konoha, Year 54, September.
Uchiha Kagaya, just past his sixth birthday, wasn't out playing with kids his age, seeking fun. Instead, he sat quietly on the tatami in his room, sighing repeatedly.
He was a transmigrator. After an accidental death, a mysterious [voice] brought him to this world. For six years, Kagaya hadn't heard that [voice] again, which didn't bother him much. He had long accepted the reality of his transmigration.
The problem was—he was an Uchiha! An Uchiha! An Uchiha!
This was practically a nightmare. Kagaya had watched "Naruto", and though he couldn't recall every detail, he remembered the major events, including the Uchiha Clan's massacre!
Yes, the Uchiha Clan was still intact for now. But Kagaya knew all too well that the clan's extermination was inevitable, and he wouldn't be spared. He was just an ordinary clansman, not Itachi's beloved brother like Sasuke. When the massacre came, he would either die by Itachi's hand or Tobi's. It was, without exaggeration, a nightmare of a starting point.
Previously, Kagaya wasn't sure when the massacre would happen, so he focused on training his stamina and shuriken skills, preparing to escape when the time came. Though tense, the years had dulled his sense of urgency somewhat.
But this morning, his father enrolled him in the Ninja Academy, and during the process, Kagaya saw Sasuke.
He vaguely recalled that the Uchiha massacre happened shortly after Sasuke entered the academy—within half a year at the earliest, maybe a year or two at the latest. Time was running out. The looming sense of crisis gripped him, an invisible hand of death tightening around his throat, making it hard to breathe.
He had to find a way to break this deadly situation within six months. If he couldn't, he would die under Itachi's blade for the sake of the village's greater good—no exceptions! Itachi could even kill his beloved Izumi and his own parents; Kagaya had no illusions that Itachi would spare an ordinary clansman like him.
Break the situation! Break it! Break it!
For his own survival, Kagaya had to shatter this death trap. From now on, his training couldn't just be diligent—it had to be desperate!
Beyond that, if there was a chance, he needed to befriend Itachi. Though Itachi was unlikely to spare him over some fleeting "friendship," it was better than nothing. In the past, Kagaya had tried to get close to Itachi, but as a mere child, it was hard to meet someone in the Anbu like Itachi. Over six years, he had only managed to become vaguely familiar to him.
Now that he was in the Ninja Academy, perhaps he could use Sasuke as a bridge to connect with Itachi.
Additionally, Kagaya had to start learning ninjutsu. He couldn't afford to blend in with the carefree students at the academy. He had to surpass everyone, stand out, and keep getting stronger. However, he wasn't entirely confident about this. To be a genius who outshone others required not just effort but also a certain level of talent, and he wasn't sure if his talent was enough.
At that moment, the door opened, and a man in a Konoha ninja uniform walked in. It was Kagaya's father, Uchiha Takayuki.
"Kagaya, your mother said you didn't go train today. What's wrong? Don't you want to go to school?"
At this, Uchiha Takayuki's face grew stern, staring seriously at Kagaya. He could tolerate complaints about other things, but when it came to school, Uchiha Takayuki would not allow his son to resist!
Noticing his father's arrival, Kagaya suppressed his thoughts and spoke softly.
"Father, I'm not against going to school."
Takayuki walked over to Kagaya and sat down, his tone softening. He was very satisfied with this son.
"Then why didn't you train today? Are you troubled by something?"
Normally, whenever Kagaya had time, he would train his shuriken skills and stamina outside, rarely slacking off. This diligent attitude made Kagaya the best among his peers in shuriken and physical fitness, earning him the title of "genius." But Kagaya knew this had nothing to do with talent—it was all the result of his hard work. True talent would only become apparent once he started learning ninjutsu.
Looking at his father sitting before him, Kagaya spoke earnestly.
"Father, I want to learn ninjutsu."
Takayuki was a chunin, which was fortunate for Kagaya. This meant he could consult his father whenever he struggled with ninjutsu.
Takayuki looked at Kagaya in surprise.
"You want to learn ninjutsu? Have you already learned to channel chakra?"
Kagaya nodded. He hadn't neglected chakra training either, persistently trying to master it. Previously, he hadn't started ninjutsu because he couldn't channel chakra, but now, he could finally produce a small amount.
Takayuki couldn't help but smile, his satisfaction evident. His son was truly the most outstanding among his peers. While most children were just starting at the Ninja Academy, Kagaya was already channeling chakra and preparing to learn ninjutsu.
"Good. Tomorrow, after school, I'll teach you a ninjutsu."
Kagaya nodded happily. After that, Takayuki chatted with him about some family matters before leaving.
As the door closed again, Kagaya carefully considered his future plans.
Learning ninjutsu from his father alone wasn't enough. He needed to shine at the Ninja Academy—ideally, graduate early!
But he knew that was nearly impossible. Even a genius like Itachi took a year to graduate. How could an ordinary clansman like him hope to do better?
*****
A/N: The era the protagonist lived in was the [post-war] period. During wartime, children were exposed to ninjutsu at very young ages and forced to train early, so starting ninjutsu at six would not only be unremarkable but even a bit embarrassing. However, in peacetime, things were different. Regulations were more relaxed. Itachi's generation, one of the earlier post-war batches, only learned ninjutsu at home before entering the academy. By the time Naruto and Sasuke's generation came around, students spent six years in the academy learning just a few techniques like the Transformation Jutsu or Shadow Clone Jutsu. Many didn't even know how to channel chakra at the start of school. In this context, Kyojin's situation in Naruto and Sasuke's generation made him a genius.
*****
T/N: I'm thinking about adding this to my list, anybody knew if someone already translate this book?