At the Ninja Academy in Konohagakure…
Orion looked out the window at the rustling leaves.
"It's been twelve years already… I've been in this world for twelve years. Time really flies."
Orion was a transmigrator. He had been born on the night of the Nine-Tails Attack on Konoha.
His parents died during that disaster.
Six years later, he entered the Ninja Academy.
He was no different from the other students. His grades were average, his rank was average, and the only thing that could be called notable was that he looked decent.
With such ordinary performance, Orion was practically invisible in class. No one paid attention to him.
He wasn't like Sasuke Uchiha, who always ranked first, nor like Naruto Uzumaki, who always came last but somehow drew everyone's attention.
Orion had no special encounters. He lived these twelve years plainly.
He never displayed anything that would attract the attention of Hiruzen Sarutobi or Danzo Shimura.
Nor was he ever invited by Root for a "chat."
"Idle System activated. Binding host: Orion."
Orion paused.
"…A system?"
"Idle System at your service."
He frowned, thinking he might have been caught in a genjutsu. He bit the back of his hand. The sharp pain confirmed it was real.
"System, you're twelve years late."
His voice carried no emotion. He had long since made peace with his life.
The system didn't respond.
"So you're one of those cold, silent systems."
What Orion didn't know was that the Idle System had no intelligence or emotions at all.
When it didn't respond, he didn't push it.
"So… what exactly do you do?"
"This system functions on idle time. Simply idle for a period, and you will receive rewards."
Orion chuckled. "That's simple enough. Then how do I use it?"
"You are already using it. The Idle System is currently in operation."
Orion was slightly surprised. "So I'm already using it… I wonder what I'll get."
After twelve years here, Orion was already familiar with this world. Whether the system existed or not didn't matter much to him. Without it, he'd just drift along like before. With it, he'd live a little more comfortably. Nothing more.
He shifted his attention away from his inner world and back to the classroom.
At the front, Iruka Umino was speaking.
"So graduation is finally here… I wonder which team I'll end up on," Orion thought.
The graduation exam tested the Clone Technique. Despite his average performance over six years, passing wasn't an issue. He had already mastered the Three Basic Jutsu.
Or rather, except for Naruto—whose progress was affected by the Kurama—everyone else in the class had mastered the Three Basic Jutsu by now.
Iruka called out from the front:
"The students whose names I call will come to the next room."
"First: Sasuke Uchiha."
Iruka called Sasuke first. Since enrollment, Sasuke had always been the top student. His name naturally appeared first.
Sasuke stood up expressionlessly, hands in his pockets, and walked out coolly. Many of the girls in class stared dreamily.
"Sasuke is so cool!"
"Good luck, Sasuke!"
"Sasuke, I love you!"
They were like fans chasing an idol.
Below the stage, Naruto glared at Sasuke.
"Damn it, Sasuke! What's so great about him?"
Not far from him, Shikamaru Nara spoke lazily:
"He's top of the class. Always has been."
Naruto clenched his fists. "Shikamaru, I'm definitely going to surpass him! I'm the man who's going to become Hokage!"
Shikamaru sighed and laid his head down on the desk.
In class, only Shikamaru and Kiba Inuzuka really got along with Naruto. The others avoided him—Orion included. Others kept away because of their parents' influence; Orion simply didn't want unnecessary trouble.
A few minutes later, Sasuke returned. The test went smoothly—so smoothly that Iruka had even considered exempting him.
Sasuke had mastered the Three Basic Jutsu during his first year. In Iruka's eyes, Sasuke was undoubtedly the strongest student in this batch.
As Orion expected, everyone passed the exam except Naruto.
Later, the Third Hokage appeared and gave a speech to the graduating students, filling them with dreams and fantasies about their ninja careers.
Naruto sat alone on a swing under a tree, watching the other graduates with envy. After a while, he left.
"He's probably being tricked by Mizuki (Naruto) right now," Orion thought.
He had no intention of getting involved in Naruto stealing the scroll.
After leaving the Academy, Orion headed home. Passing by Ichiraku Ramen, he decided to eat there instead of cooking.
But as soon as he entered, he saw Iruka treating Naruto to ramen.
Having lived here for twelve years, Orion had forgotten many story details and didn't realize this would be the day Iruka treated Naruto.
He was about to leave, but Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, called out to him.
"Orion! What are you having today?"
Orion ate here often—more often than Naruto did. Over the years, he and Teuchi had become familiar with each other.
Teuchi's voice drew Iruka and Naruto's attention.
With no choice, Orion walked in.
"Good evening, Iruka-sensei. Naruto, you're eating here too?"
Orion's parents had been ninjas, and the money they left him was enough for him to live comfortably until adulthood. He usually avoided coming here when Naruto was around.
In all these years, he had never run into Naruto here before.
Iruka smiled when he saw Orion. "Orion, you did well today."
Naruto, however, stared at Orion with a confused frown.
Orion had such little presence in class that he was nearly as unnoticed as Shino Aburame. Naruto didn't recognize him at all.
Orion sat down and smiled faintly. "Thanks to your teaching."
He spoke politely.
Naruto stared hard at him, trying to remember who he was, but nothing came to mind.
Finally, he leaned toward Iruka and whispered, "Iruka-sensei… who is he? Is he one of my classmates?"
Iruka, who had been about to say something to Orion, froze. He looked at Naruto speechlessly, the corner of his mouth twitching.
"Naruto… this is Orion. You really don't know him?"
Naruto laughed awkwardly. "Hahaha… Sorry, Iruka-sensei. I really don't remember him."