Chapter 1: Konoha

In a modest and slightly worn-down courtyard in Konoha, a boy named Kazuki Haruno was playfully teased by his mother.

"Kazuki, today is your first day of school, so don't you dare cry!" she said with a gentle laugh, holding onto his shirt tightly.

"Don't worry, Mom, I won't," Kazuki replied, feeling a bit exasperated. When he glanced at his mother's firm grip, he couldn't help but recall a time when he had actually cried—right after he was born. But as a modern youth of the 21st century, he knew it was natural for babies to cry upon entering the world; silence could mean something was wrong.

So, he had cried that one time, and there was no helping it. Physiologically, he couldn't have held it in, and even if he could, the medical staff wouldn't have allowed it.

Kazuki's mother, Senai, looked at her son with a touch of reluctance. After all, they had always depended on each other, and it hadn't been easy. Fortunately, Kazuki was independent from a young age, often helping her with light household chores, which brought her peace of mind.

Yet, she couldn't help but wish he had a bit of childlike innocence; he lacked the playful spirit other children his age exhibited. She longed for moments where he would playfully seek her affection.

"Make sure you come home early after school," Senai said with a sigh of resignation.

"Okay, Mom. You should let go now, or I'll be late on my first day."

At last, Senai released her grip. Originally, she had planned to take the day off work to accompany Kazuki to school, but he had firmly refused.

Still, she wasn't overly worried. Kazuki had always enjoyed wandering around the village, and most importantly, he had never gotten lost. He had explored the area around the ninja academy many times.

With Kazuki off to school, it was time for her to head to work. After all, they were just a mother and son, and she was the sole provider for their household.

Kazuki Haruno, now six years old, was born into a single-parent family. His father, a Chūnin, had tragically died during a mission. According to his father's teammates, his father had taken on extra tasks to save money for baby supplies during Senai's pregnancy. Unfortunately, exhaustion led to a fatal accident, leaving Senai to raise Kazuki alone.

Senai had also been a ninja, though just a Genin. After starting a family, she chose to abandon her ninja career. Following Kazuki's birth, she had to find work to support them. Thankfully, her past experience as a ninja gave her an edge in the job market, making it easier to find employment. With Kazuki being 'bright for his age,' their difficult times were behind them, and their lives had settled into a routine.

Kazuki, in fact, was a transmigrator—a soul born into this world. When he realized he had crossed over into the world of Naruto, he felt indifferent. His previous life had no significant memories, and it was a pity he couldn't repay his parents for their love.

While he had seen the anime, he admitted he had only grasped the plot superficially, having skipped through much of it. But knowing the story was better than not knowing it at all.

As for his 'cheat' or special abilities, Kazuki found himself without the typical advantages that other transmigrators possessed. All he had was a vague memory of some plot points, which he considered a form of a cheat.

The only other advantage he could possibly claim was the strength of his soul, as he discovered he could memorize things much more easily than in his previous life. While he wasn't quite at the level of photographic memory, it was still impressive.

Kazuki also observed that he didn't possess any extraordinary bloodlines. He was just an ordinary person, without any special abilities like those of the Uchiha, Uzumaki, or Senju clans.

This realization left him a bit frustrated. Naturally, he wanted to become a ninja. After all, he was here now, and experiencing this world's unique features was a must. If he only wanted to survive, he might as well seek a place in a ramen shop, though a family of that caliber likely wouldn't accept him. A regular ramen shop might be a possibility, though.

Fortunately, he wasn't an Uchiha. Kazuki had noticed that he shared the same age as the main character, Naruto. If he had ended up as an Uchiha without any cheats, he likely wouldn't last long.

Despite his lack of traditional advantages compared to those with unique bloodlines or abilities, Kazuki felt somewhat content… at least there was nothing about him that drew unwanted attention.

Over the past six years, he hadn't been idle. Although he couldn't yet harness chakra or learn ninjutsu, he understood the importance of training from a young age.

However, he was cautious about over-exerting himself due to his small frame, so he kept his training light, focusing mainly on his fingers.

While powerful ninjutsu would eventually emerge, mastering hand signs quickly was crucial, as speed in forming signs depended on finger dexterity and agility. With a determined goal in mind, Kazuki began this practice from infancy.

If he kept this up, Kazuki believed he could achieve remarkable speed in hand signs. Even if he didn't reach the absolute fastest level, he could still be among the top.

Currently, he could form three hand signs in about a second—without chakra, of course, as that would likely speed up his performance. However, this was a fundamental skill, and he hoped to reach that speed even when using chakra.

Before he knew it, Kazuki had arrived in front of his classroom. Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself that he had done all he could to prepare. The next phase of his life as a ninja student would be a time for building strength, but he needed to work even harder, as becoming a powerful ninja would require effort and a glimmer of opportunity. Most importantly, his plan included a crucial goal for this period!

At that moment, the teacher hadn't yet arrived. Kazuki looked around at the familiar faces, smiling with relief. By chance, he had been assigned to the same class as Naruto, the one led by Iruka.

He scanned the classroom without searching for specific familiar faces and settled into an empty spot.

As he observed the noisy classroom without a teacher—some children were even crying—Kazuki placed his hands below the desk and began to form one hand sign after another.

Just then, a figure walked into the classroom. He had short golden hair and fox-like whiskers on his face. His gaze swept over all the students in the room, and upon spotting Kazuki, his face lit up with joy.

Because he had seen Kazuki.

(End of Chapter)