The glowing blue screen had haunted my vision for three days straight. My parents thought I was a remarkably calm baby—little did they know I was having an existential crisis. A System. Like some kind of video game protagonist. This wasn't just reincarnation. This was something else entirely.
I'd spent those three days experimenting cautiously with the interface. It responded to my thoughts, which was fortunate since I could barely control my infant body's flailing limbs, much less speak. Mental commands worked: Status, Menu, Close, Help.
The System was comprehensive, almost frighteningly so.
[STATUS SCREEN]
Name: Kenji Yamamoto (Alex Chen)
Age: 3 Months
Level: 1
Title: Reincarnator
Stats:
Strength: 0.1
Agility: 0.1
Vitality: 0.2
Intelligence: 45 (Retained from previous life)
Wisdom: 38 (Retained from previous life)
Chakra Capacity: 0 (LOCKED)
Chakra Control: 0 (LOCKED)
Dimensional Energy: 100/100 (LOCKED)
Fate Points: 0
Every stat except Intelligence and Wisdom was pathetically low, which made sense for an infant. But that "Dimensional Energy" stat intrigued me. It was full, but locked. What did it do?
The Shop function was even more interesting. It contained hundreds of items, organized into categories: Jutsu, Bloodlines, Items, Skills, and something called "Special."
I scrolled through the Jutsu section mentally. Everything was there—every technique I remembered from the series. Shadow Clone Jutsu, Rasengan, Chidori, even the ridiculous techniques from filler episodes. But they all had price tags in "Fate Points."
[Shadow Clone Jutsu] - 5,000 FP
[Rasengan] - 15,000 FP
[Sharingan (1-Tomoe)] - 50,000 FP
The numbers were staggering. I had zero Fate Points. How was I supposed to earn them?
As if answering my question, a new window appeared:
[FATE POINTS CAN BE EARNED THROUGH:]
Completing Quests
Training and Self-Improvement
Achieving Milestones
Significantly Altering Timeline Events
Defeating Enemies
The Quest Log was the most immediate concern. I had one active quest:
[TUTORIAL QUEST: "Survive to Age 1"]
Objective: Reach your first birthday
Reward: 100 Fate Points
Time Remaining: 9 Months
That seemed... ominous. Was survival really in question? I was in a civilian family in peacetime Konoha. Then again, infant mortality was probably higher in a pseudo-medieval world.
But another quest had appeared, glowing with an urgent red border:
[URGENT QUEST: "Unlock Chakra Network"]
Objective: Activate your chakra pathways before age 4
Reward: 500 Fate Points
Time Limit: 4 Years
Note: Early unlocking provides significant advantages
Four years. That gave me time, but the quest description made it clear that doing it earlier was better. The problem was, I had no idea how to unlock chakra. In the series, it just seemed to be something ninja naturally had access to once they trained.
I dove into the System's Help function, which provided a surprisingly detailed FAQ.
Q: What is the System?
A: The System is a corrective mechanism designed to stabilize timeline corruption. Your reincarnation created a paradox—you possess knowledge of events that have not yet occurred. This foreknowledge has the potential to catastrophically alter causality. The System exists to help you navigate and manage these changes while preventing dimensional collapse.
Q: What is Timeline Stability?
A: Timeline Stability represents the integrity of the current dimension. Major deviations from the "original" timeline cause stability to fluctuate. Small changes increase stability over time as the timeline adapts. Large, sudden changes can cause dramatic drops. If stability falls below 50%, dimensional collapse becomes inevitable.
Q: Can I change future events?
A: Yes. However, each change must be carefully managed. The System will provide guidance on potential stability impacts for major decisions.
I processed this information slowly. So I could change things—prevent tragedies, save lives—but I had to be strategic about it. The universe itself was apparently fragile enough that my mere presence was a threat.
That night, as my parents slept, I experimented with the System interface. I discovered I could mentally "purchase" items if I had enough Fate Points. The Shop had a search function, which I immediately used.
I searched for "Naruto," "canon," "knowledge."
One result appeared, and my infant heart nearly stopped:
[PERFECT MEMORY PACKAGE]
Price: 1,000 Fate Points
Description: Photographic recall of all Naruto canon knowledge, including manga, anime, movies, databooks, and supplementary material. Information will be perfectly organized and instantly accessible.
Note: LIMITED TIME OFFER - Expires when host reaches age 1
Time Remaining: 9 Months
This was it. This was the golden ticket. Right now, my memories of the series were decent—I'd been a fan, after all—but they were fuzzy on details. Dates, specific techniques, character backstories, the exact sequence of events. With this package, I'd know everything.
But it cost 1,000 Fate Points, and I had zero.
I checked the training section of the interface. Apparently, I could earn small amounts of FP through daily training activities. The problem was, I was three months old. What could I possibly do?
The answer came from an unexpected source: meditation.
[TRAINING ACTIVITY DETECTED: Mental Focus Exercise]
Reward: +1 Fate Point
One point. Just one. But it was something.
I began that night, forcing my infant mind to focus, to center itself. It was harder than it should have been—baby brains weren't designed for sustained concentration—but I had an adult's willpower. Sort of.
By the end of the month, I'd earned 23 Fate Points through meditation and what the System called "cognitive development exercises." At this rate, I'd barely have 200 points by my first birthday, far short of the 1,000 I needed.
I needed a better strategy.
My father's conversation with my mother one evening provided valuable information. They were discussing ages, and I learned something crucial: I was born in Konoha Calendar Year 39. The Kyuubi attack happened in Year 48—nine years from now, not ten as I'd initially calculated. But more importantly, my father mentioned that his friend's son, who'd just turned three, had started "showing chakra sensitivity."
Three years old. That was when children typically began showing signs of chakra. If I could unlock it earlier—significantly earlier—the System would probably reward me handsomely.
But how did one unlock chakra as an infant?
I spent weeks researching through the System's database, which included basic ninja theory. Chakra was a combination of physical and spiritual energy. Physical energy came from the body's cells. Spiritual energy came from consciousness and experience.
I had plenty of spiritual energy—I was an adult mind in a child's body. The physical energy was the problem. My body was still developing, pathways not yet formed.
Unless...
The System had mentioned meditation. What if I could stimulate the development of my chakra network through focused internal awareness? It was a long shot, but I had nine months and nothing to lose.
I began experimenting during naps, when my parents thought I was sleeping. I focused inward, trying to sense any sort of energy within my body. For weeks, I felt nothing. Then, one day, I felt it—the faintest warmth in my center, near where I imagined my stomach would be.
[PROGRESS DETECTED: Chakra Network Sensitivity +1%]
Reward: +5 Fate Points
I nearly cried with relief. It was working. Slowly, painfully slowly, but it was working.
Over the next months, I dedicated every spare moment to this internal focus. My parents marveled at how calm I was, how I could sit quietly for long periods. They had no idea I was attempting something that shouldn't be possible for someone my age.
[FATE POINTS: 127]
I'd broken 100. Still far from 1,000, but progress was progress.
Then my parents had another conversation that changed everything.
"Have you heard?" my mother asked one evening. "The Uchiha clan head's wife is pregnant."
My father smiled. "That's wonderful news. When is she due?"
"In about three months. Everyone's excited. The Uchiha haven't had an heir in years."
Three months. The timeline clicked into place in my mind.
Uchiha clan head. Pregnant wife. Due in three months.
Itachi. She was pregnant with Itachi Uchiha.
The prodigy. The genius who'd awaken his Sharingan at eight, make chunin at ten, join ANBU at eleven. The brother who would slaughter his entire clan to prevent a coup.
He was about to be born.
And I was in the same generation as him.
I scrolled through the System shop, past jutsu I recognized and bloodlines that shouldn't exist. Then I saw it. The item that made my infant heart race:
[PERFECT MEMORY PACKAGE - 1000 FP]
Photographic recall of all Naruto canon knowledge, including manga, anime, movies, and databooks.
Below it, a single line in red text:
[LIMITED TIME: Expires when host reaches age 1]