NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1: Chapter 1
[Year 34 of Konoha]
Konoha Village, Ninja Academy.
"Fujiwara Tetsuya!"
Inside a classroom, a shout rang out as several pieces of chalk flew through the air, landing squarely on the forehead of a black-haired boy.
"Here! I'm here, Sanjodou-sensei!"
Clutching his aching forehead, Fujiwara Tetsuya quickly stood up amid the snickering of his classmates.
"Fujiwara Tetsuya, tell me, how many times have you fallen asleep in my class this week?"
"And fine, if you must sleep, but what was with that snoring?!"
As Fujiwara Tetsuya looked up in terror, a slender white hand brushed past his cheek and grabbed his ear.
"Sanjodou-sensei, I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I'll change, I promise!"
The pain in his ear instantly made Fujiwara Tetsuya abandon the one thing he always swore to uphold.
A man's dignity!
As Fujiwara Tetsuya winced in pain, Sanjodou Suzuko leaned in close, her face inches from his.
The warm breath on his skin made Fujiwara Tetsuya's face flush.
Sanjodou Suzuko, how you've desecrated that angelic face.
Sanjodou Suzuko was a teacher for the first-year students at the Ninja Academy, an elite Chunin who had grown weary of the endless killing. At the prime age of twenty-three, when she was at her most attractive, she decided to join the academy.
As for Fujiwara Tetsuya himself, he wasn't originally from this world. By a twist of fate, he had transmigrated into the world of Naruto a few days ago, into the body of a seven-year-old boy named Fujiwara Tetsuya.
That's right—a complete nobody in the Naruto universe.
"Fujiwara Tetsuya!"
"You dare to zone out in front of me!"
"I should've known. You apologizing was nothing but a joke. Looks like I've been too naive."
Under Sanjodou Suzuko's furious gaze, Fujiwara Tetsuya suddenly felt as if the world had flipped upside down. With a loud thud, Sanjodou Suzuko lifted him by the ear and slammed him onto the floor.
"Sanjodou-sensei, you're going to kill me!"
As Fujiwara Tetsuya struggled in pain, Sanjodou Suzuko didn't hesitate. She kicked him against the wall at the back of the room.
"Stand there quietly until the end of class today. Otherwise, after class, I'll show you what real affection is!"
Seeing Sanjodou Suzuko's wicked smile, Fujiwara Tetsuya shuddered. Ignoring the pain in his stomach, he immediately stood up straight.
Damn you, Ōtsutsuki!
Damn you, Sage of Six Paths!
Why do ninjas even exist?
How could a gentle woman possess such terrifying strength?
As Fujiwara Tetsuya glared forward and silently cursed, the other children in the room—both boys and girls—shivered the moment Sanjodou Suzuko's gaze landed on them.
Fortunately, Fujiwara Tetsuya behaved well after that. Sanjodou Suzuko, satisfied with his compliance, decided not to keep him after class for further 'discipline'. Relieved, Fujiwara Tetsuya ran straight home without looking back.
[πThe Fujiwara Clan Compound]
That's right, Fujiwara Tetsuya came from a small, unknown ninja clan.
Calling it a "clan compound" was generous—there were only three simple wooden houses, all of which had leaky roofs due to years of neglect.
On the left side of the Fujiwara compound were a few houses belonging to the Tanaka Clan, and on the right stood two small buildings of the Uesugi Clan.
These three clans—Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi—had moved to Konoha from the southern region of the Land of Fire in the early days of the village's founding. They had been close neighbors ever since, with no barriers between their houses.
Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi shared a deep bond that dated back to the Warring States period.
Back then, this bond was more about mutual survival, helping each other's families endure the bloody, treacherous ninja world.
If you go back a decade or so, these three clans had a few Jonin, several Special Jonin, and elite Chunin to their names.
But the leaders of those times couldn't have imagined that they would survive the bloodiest, most chaotic Warring States period only to be nearly wiped out during the First Great Ninja War.
All the Jonin and elite Chunin of the three clans perished, leaving only a few Chunin to barely hold the clans together.
In the ninja world, strength is everything.
Without Jonin to lead them, the three clans were inevitably marginalized, whether in terms of resource allocation or mission assignments. In the years that followed, the remaining Chunin also died in action, becoming nothing more than cold, engraved names on the low tombstones in the Heroes Cemetery.
Even Fujiwara Tetsuya's parents, who had only recently become Chunin, died on a mission when he was just three years old.
"Chūnin Tanaka, I've explained everything clearly. You need to think this over carefully."
"After all, you've lost your qualifications as a ninja. The only reason you still have a Chūnin certificate is because the Third Hokage is merciful!"
"But how much do you think that certificate is worth in monthly stipends? Can that small amount of money support the thirty-seven members of the Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi clans?"
When Fujiwara Tetsuya returned home after weaving through the crowded streets, he saw two Chūnin standing in the center of the three clans' homes.
Emblazoned on the backs of their uniforms was the crest of the Koharu Utatane Clan, the symbol of Konoha's elder advisor, Utatane Koharu.
In Fujiwara Tetsuya's sight, a limping man in his mid-twenties was forcing a smile, surrounded by seven or eight fearful women.
These were the last remaining adults of the Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi clans.
The limping man was Tanaka Jirou, the last male of the three clans. Years ago, he was severely injured on a mission, losing his qualifications as a ninja.
"Understood, esteemed sirs. Please, just give me some time. I'll consider it carefully."
As Tanaka Jirou spoke with a forced smile, the two Chūnin of the Utatane Clan looked at him with disdain, then swaggered past Fujiwara Tetsuya and walked away.
"Tetsuya, you're back!"
"So, how was your day at the academy? Did you pay attention in class?"
Seeing Fujiwara Tetsuya, Tanaka Jirou quickly hid the bitterness on his face and approached him with a laugh, running his calloused hand through Tetsuya's hair.
"Uncle Jirou, who were those two people?"
Fujiwara Tetsuya didn't stop Tanaka Jirou's overly familiar gesture, his mind still focused on what he had just witnessed.
"You saw them, huh? Those two are ninjas from the Utatane Clan. But don't worry, Tetsuya. Uncle Jirou will handle everything."
"Now go get ready! We'll be having dinner soon."
Tanaka Jirou gave Fujiwara Tetsuya a pat on the head and gently pushed him towards the Fujiwara clan's house.
———
Late at night, the bright moonlight filtered through the dense foliage and into the room, casting a pale glow on Fujiwara Tetsuya's sleepless face.
Due to the clans' financial struggles, dinner for the Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi clans was very simple. The adults each received a fist-sized rice ball, while the children were given half a rice ball and a bowl of thin vegetable soup that lacked even a trace of oil.
Since Fujiwara Tetsuya was one of only three students from the clans attending the Ninja Academy, Tanaka Jirou made sure Tetsuya received a full fist-sized rice ball.
But even after eating that rice ball, Fujiwara Tetsuya's stomach growled in hunger.
It wasn't enough!
As he rubbed his flat belly, Fujiwara Tetsuya recalled the events he had witnessed earlier that day.
From what he learned from the only adult left in the Fujiwara clan, Fujiwara Sachiko, Tetsuya understood the full story.
After the end of the First Great Ninja War, in the decade that followed, Konoha's native population had grown rapidly thanks to a period of peace. Combined with the fact that the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was in his prime, his strong leadership attracted many new residents to Konoha.
With more people came the need for more housing, which naturally required more land.
And as land closer to the center of Konoha Village became increasingly valuable, the Utatane Clan set their sights on the potential profits.
The Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi clans, lacking powerful ninja to protect them, became an easy target.
That's the Utatane Clan!
Thinking about the current status and influence of the Utatane Clan in Konoha, Fujiwara Tetsuya couldn't help but sigh.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzo—these four were as close as brothers, so much so that they could probably strip naked and dance together without shame.
Getting Tanaka Jirou's ninja certification revoked wouldn't be difficult for them.
Without a certified ninja, the three clans would lose their standing as ninja clans, along with all the rights and privileges that came with it, including ownership of their land.
If that happened, the thirty-seven members of the Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi clans might not even have a place to shelter themselves.
The thought made Fujiwara Tetsuya's head ache.
[Ding! The host has been detected with a strong will to survive, meeting the system activation requirements!]
[System activating...]
Hearing the strange voices in his head, Fujiwara Tetsuya leaped up in excitement.
It's here!
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