"Don't…"
Uchiha Tatsumi woke with a start, disoriented. He quickly glanced at his clothes.
"Huh…"
Relief washed over him — his own pajamas, not the dreaded women's clothing from his dream.
Why would the system even let him have such dreams?
The alarm hadn't rung yet, so he allowed himself a few more moments of sleep, the comfort of lying in bed too sweet to resist.
But then, panic struck.
"Crap… I forgot to set the alarm!"
He glanced at the clock: 8:20 a.m. Registration time was already close.
Tatsumi sprang into action, quickly donning his Uchiha-brand windbreaker, washing his face, and smoothing his black hair. Even at this age, appearance mattered — messy hair was unacceptable.
He grabbed the half-eaten bread from yesterday and dashed toward the Academy.
"I'm out!" he called to the photo on the wall, his voice bright and crisp, full of vitality. At five years old, a brand-new day had begun.
The morning sun bathed the village in light, flowers scented the air, and everything seemed alive. Tatsumi felt surprisingly light and strong, the fatigue from yesterday's training completely gone.
"Is this… really the effect of adding ninja points?"
---
At this time, Konoha was under the reign of the Third Hokage, a contemporary and friend of his father, Uchiha Kagami.
In his thirties, the Hokage was known as the "Ninjutsu Professor", unrivaled in knowledge and power. The sheer volume of techniques at his disposal was said to be unimaginable. Many from the other Four Great Nations envied Konoha's strength. Later, he would also earn the title of Strongest Hokage, though such titles were always controversial.
Titles aside, it was thanks to this Hokage that Konoha and the Land of Fire had maintained peace for nearly a decade since the last great ninja war. No one could have guessed that the next war would erupt in just 3–4 years.
But all that was far from Tatsumi's mind. His focus was on one thing: ninja points.
"Points are everything… my stupid system!"
---
The streets of Konoha were already alive with people. Shopkeepers called out to early customers, and villagers enjoyed the serenity of a peaceful morning. Tatsumi picked up his pace.
By the time he arrived at the Academy, a large crowd had already gathered.
"Oops…"
The registration desk was closing. Had he been too late?
Then, a soft voice called out:
"Tatsumi!"
He turned and saw a girl of his age. Her long black hair framed a delicate face, and her pupils were as black as his own. She wore a Uchiha Fuji outfit, just like him, and exuded a quiet grace.
"Tatsumi, you're late!" she scolded gently.
"Good morning, Mikoto," Tatsumi replied with a smile.
"I… got lost finding my direction in life," she admitted, her words far too deep for a five-year-old.
"Huh?" Tatsumi blinked. For someone so young, her answer was profound — probably beyond understanding until much later, like a fifteen-year-old Tsunade.
Mikoto handed him a registration form.
"Here, I signed up for you since you were late," she said kindly.
"Thank you, Mikoto!" Tatsumi's smile widened. She was always considerate, never treating him poorly. Unlike others in the Uchiha Clan, who could be aggressive even as children, Mikoto's gentleness had naturally drawn him to her.
Both were orphans. While the clan generally treated orphans kindly, Tatsumi often felt excluded. Mikoto, however, never treated him differently — always stepping in if someone bullied him.
Tatsumi sighed. People like Mikoto, gentle and kind, seemed like they inherited the best of Fugaku's genes.
"One day… we'll have to take care of Uchiha Fugaku… for the peace of the Ninja World," he thought quietly.
Mikoto smiled at him gently.
"Have you eaten breakfast?" she asked, pulling an onigiri from her bag.
"I made this this morning… I hope it's not bad," she said, shyly, her confidence wavering.
"If you made it, Mikoto, it has to be delicious!" Tatsumi affirmed warmly. Her eyes widened slightly, but gradually, her shyness melted under his gaze.
"En," she agreed with a smile.
Tatsumi accepted the onigiri and took a bite.
"Unexpectedly delicious," he murmured, nearly moved to tears. Since coming to Konoha, he hadn't eaten proper food.
Passing her the half-eaten bread from yesterday, he said:
"I also invite you to share breakfast."
"I've already eaten," Mikoto replied, smiling.
After their meal, Tatsumi and Mikoto walked together toward the Academy. The selection ceremony would begin shortly.