In the spring of Konoha Year 47, Uchiha Ran's academic performance was far from ideal. Known throughout the academy as a notorious underachiever, he had made rapid progress during the year he repeated a grade, and finally, he graduated successfully.
Before being assigned to a ninja squad, Ran moved into a new house built right next door to the young clan head.
According to the young clan leader, Fugaku, his parents had died heroically protecting him on a dangerous mission—a tragedy that left him with no living relatives.
Fugaku was an exceptionally busy man. As the young head of the Uchiha clan, he bore the responsibility of protecting the village and overseeing the guards. Every day was filled with tasks, his schedule never stopping. To ensure Ran's safety and comfort, he personally ordered a new house to be built next to his own, where Ran could move in.
Although Fugaku was always busy, the neighbor next door—Aunt Mikoto—was seven months pregnant. She had given up her Jonin status to focus on taking care of her unborn child.
Once, Ran's parents had been good friends with Mikoto, a fact Fugaku noticed. He then arranged for the two to serve as Ran's guardians. As head of the Uchiha clan, Fugaku had no worries about his own or their safety; no one would dare provoke Konoha's most prestigious clan.
However, fate is unpredictable. Who could have imagined that Fugaku would be ambushed on what should have been a simple mission? Out of thirteen guards, nine were killed, leaving only Fugaku and four surviving Uchiha. The survivors restrained their grief and brought back the Sharingan of their fallen comrades.
Mikoto Uchiha was deeply saddened by the deaths of Ran's parents. If it weren't for her, perhaps they wouldn't have died on the battlefield.
As a result, Uchiha Mikoto, the young clan leader's wife, gave Ran abundant care and affection. She understood the pain of losing his parents and knew he needed to be accepted and understood. Every effort was made to fill the emptiness in his heart.
Even heavily pregnant, Mikoto prepared hearty breakfasts each morning and personally delivered them to Ran next door. Her dishes smelled enticing, their colors vibrant and appealing. Every plate was meticulously crafted—delicate, delicious, and full of love.
With Mikoto's guidance, the not-yet-graduated Ran began exploring every corner of Konoha. They strolled along cherry blossom-lined paths, sunlight filtering through the leaves and dappled on the ground. Seeing Ran smile filled Mikoto with joy; perhaps this child had already begun to move past the grief of losing his parents.
What no one knew was that Uchiha Ran's soul had already merged with other souls from another world. Yes, that's right—a soul from another world. It was simple enough: a recently graduated college student, exhausted after finishing homework, had been watching anime at his desk until his eyelids grew heavy…and then, that weary body never opened its eyes again.
No one knew that a soul had traveled through time and space. When it awoke, it found itself without a human body, replaced instead by a white, drifting spirit.
This soul floated through countless years and universes, marveling at the bizarre and wondrous phenomena of the cosmos. But time seemed to stretch endlessly. Gradually, the soul lost its fluctuations, perhaps out of fear of the endless passage of time, and closed off its senses. On its journey, it passed through strange realms and was even attacked by someone called the Spirit King. It seemed that other forces had also merged with this soul.
One day, on a distant planet, this wandering soul finally merged with a newborn soul.
But it remained dazed and unawakened…until the day of the devastating news of his parents' deaths. Only then did the soul fully merge.
Yes, this person is Uchiha Ran. Everyone else assumed he was just an ordinary Uchiha, graduating from the Ninja Academy at age thirteen.
Because he had repeated a grade, everyone knew that as a ninja, Ran's hand seals were slow, his ninjutsu limited to the family's Great Fireball Technique, his taijutsu mediocre, and his theoretical grades below average. Aside from swordsmanship, only his genjutsu was truly exceptional. He was not on the same level as a genius like Hatake Kakashi. Originally, he could have graduated earlier, but at his parents' insistence, he was only allowed to graduate this year.
Today was the day after Uchiha Ran's graduation. Sunlight filtered through thin clouds, shining on his face. Ran and his friends had arranged to meet at a barbecue restaurant to celebrate his promotion to Genin.
In front of the restaurant, Kakashi Hatake stood, his face obscured by a mask, engrossed in a book. Standing next to him, smiling, was Ran himself.
From afar, Nohara Rin approached, holding a bouquet of flowers, petals swaying gently in the breeze. She smiled brightly at Ran, a fresh floral fragrance surrounding her.
Rin handed Ran the flowers. "Ran, I happened to pass by the Yamanaka family flower shop, so I brought you some lilies. Congratulations on your graduation!"
"Thank you, Rin! You're such a good girl!" Ran replied.
Soon, Uchiha Obito, Sarutobi Asuma, Yuhi Kurenai, Yamashiro Aoba, and Shizune arrived one by one, each congratulating Ran.
Asuma patted Ran on the shoulder like an older brother, encouraging him to keep trying. His aged face gave off a distinctly middle-aged vibe.
Kurenai approached lightly, her eyes warm and kind. Seeing her arrival, Asuma immediately abandoned Ran and Kakashi and went to greet her, striking up a conversation.
Finally, Aoba and Shizune arrived. Once everyone was seated, the restaurant served fresh, sizzling meat, the aroma making mouths water.
Many hadn't gathered like this since graduating and becoming Genin.
During the meal, Rin asked, "Ran, has your Jonin mentor been decided?"
"Ah…how should I put this?" Ran scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Kurenai's father never told me this before—I only just found out!" Kurenai Yuhi said, tossing her hair.
Kakashi explained to the group: "Ran's Jonin mentor is Kurenai Yuhi, the genjutsu master. That's Kurenai's father!"