Reborn In The World Of Naruto

"..."

'...That's it! I'm done with this whole ninja nonsense. If Itachi wants to kill me, he can go right ahead and do it!' Uchiha Ryuuji fumed internally, flopping onto his bed with a loud, resigned sigh.

[DING!]

A notification popped up in his vision, startling him.

[A Chain Quest has been triggered!]

[Chain Quest: Gaining Strength Part 1 has been created!]

[Description: This Quest has been specially created for you to elevate your currently insignificant level of strength. For now, at least try not to embarrass yourself.]

[Requirements: 100 push-ups, 100 squats, 100 sit-ups, and a 10-kilometer run every day for an entire month.]

[Reward: Mid-level Genin-stage in Body Cultivation, Gaining Strength Part 2, ???]

[Penalty: Death]

Ryuuji, who had just been sulking over his grim fate, perked up, a flicker of hope sparking in his eyes. But as he read through the message, his expression darkened again.

'Penalty: Death?!' he thought, aghast.

'Why does this system keep threatening to kill me? It's like it wants to finish me off before Itachi even has the chance! What's more, even this System is making fun of me!'

As he reread the requirements, another thought struck him, and he couldn't help but snort. 'Wait… is this just copy-pasted from that manga with the bald guy? What's next—am I going to go bald if I train too hard?'

'But at least it doesn't sound too hard, he mused,' feeling slightly optimistic.

'If I can stick with it, maybe I can manage to survive the Uchiha Massacre night… assuming this stupid system doesn't actually make me explode.'

His eyes drifted back to the reward section.

'Question marks again,' he thought, narrowing his gaze. 'What's with these mysterious rewards? That S-rank Quest had them too. Guess I'll just have to complete the quest and find out. Hope it's something cool and not another life-or-death ultimatum.'

"Hey, System?" Ryuuji asked aloud, his voice tinged with a mix of irritation and curiosity.

[Yes?]

"What about Energy Cultivation? How do I increase that?"

[Increasing your Energy Cultivation would be… detrimental to your health at this stage.] The System's monotone response sent an unexpected chill down Ryuuji's spine.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing.

[It's simple. Your body would explode like a poorly executed firework if you tried to absorb more chakra than it can handle, resulting in an extremely messy demise.]

Ryuuji went pale. He could almost feel a phantom breeze sending a chill down his spine as he imagined himself exploding like a water balloon filled with tomato juice. "…Why would that happen?"

[Your Body Cultivation is merely at the Low-level Genin Stage, while your Energy Cultivation is already at High-level Genin Stage. As the wise saying goes, 'Don't bite off more than you can chew.' Increasing your chakra reserves further at this point would be fatal.]

"Haah… nante dorragu." Ryuuji sighed, the tension turning into reluctant resignation. "Fine. I'll hold off on becoming a chakra powerhouse just yet."

He glanced at his bed. "Tomorrow's my first day at the Academy. I should get some sleep. All this stress is giving me a migraine." With a weary sigh, he flopped down, hoping for some restful hours before meeting the main cast and whatever other chaos awaited him.

***

Meanwhile, inside a dimly lit room...

A tall man stood in front of a desk shrouded in shadows. Behind the desk, a person sat, half-hidden in darkness, radiating authority.

"So, you're saying there's a boy named Uchiha Ryuuji who awakened the Sharingan?" the figure in the shadows asked, voice calm but carrying a trace of interest.

"Yes," the man replied with deep respect.

"And he's only six years old… making him the youngest Uchiha to unlock the Sharingan," the shadowed figure mused.

"Correct."

"And you know this because?"

"His grandfather, Uchiha Jima, brought him to the hospital. I was the one who treated him," the man said.

The shadowed figure's eyes narrowed slightly. "Did you just say… Uchiha Jima?"

"Yes."

"The Elder of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Jima?"

"Indeed."

The figure leaned forward, deep in thought. "This is… interesting."

'Uchiha Jima... just when will you die?' The figure thought to itself.

The shadowed figure let out a quiet, satisfied hum.

"He's six years old, meaning he'll be starting at the Academy tomorrow…"

The figure tilted their head thoughtfully. "Good job. You'll be rewarded for your service. You're dismissed."

"Yes!" The man bowed, his voice filled with enthusiasm as he disappeared.

Once alone, the shadowed figure sat in silence for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, then called out.

"Chicken."

A man in a chicken mask and standard ANBU gear appeared as if from nowhere.

"Yes?"

"I want you to keep an eye on a boy named Uchiha Ryuuji. He'll be starting at the Academy tomorrow."

"Understood."

"Good. I expect weekly reports."

"As you command…"

"Koharu-sama," he finished, bowing before disappearing with a flicker.

Koharu Utatane sighed deeply. "What a mess," she muttered, tapping her fingers on the desk. This boy could be a problem. And when it came to problems…

"…I'll have to inform Danzo about this."

***

Meanwhile, in the Uchiha Clan Compound…

The clan elders sat around a large, low-lit room, their expressions tense as they argued.

"We need to take down the Third Hokage and his Council," one elder said, his voice sharp."It's the only way to secure our clan's survival!"

"While I agree the Third Hokage has wronged us, we should aim for peace, not aggression," another elder argued back.

"Peace? Look where peace has gotten us!" the first elder spat. "Our clan has been pushed to the outskirts of Konoha, our Police Force's funding cut, our influence diminished. This is no way to live!"

"I agree with Elder Taiji!" another chimed in. "If we want peace, we must prepare for war."

"And do you think we'd win this war?" one elder interjected. "We'd be up against all of Konoha's clans! And even if we won, the other Hidden Villages would seize the chance to destroy us in our weakened state!"

Arguments erupted on all sides. Finally, Uchiha Fugaku, the Clan Leader, raised his voice.

"Enough!" His voice carried an authority that silenced the room.

"Those in support of peace, raise your hands," he said calmly. Seven elders raised their hands. Fugaku glanced over them, then spoke again.

"Those in support of war, raise your hands." Another seven raised their hands, leaving the room deadlocked. Fugaku's gaze turned to three empty seats.

"Where are Shisui, Itachi, and Elder Jima?"

"Hohohoho…"

The sound of an eerie laughter echoed across the room.

"...!?"

The eerie laughter sent a collective shiver through the room. Out of nowhere, Uchiha Jima appeared, his wrinkled face lit with a mischievous grin.

"Elder Jima, please don't sneak up on us like that," Fugaku sighed. The others exchanged glances, muttering under their breath.

'Elder Jima and his antics…'

'How is he the brother of the legendary Uchiha Kagami?'

"I'm in a good mood today," Jima chuckled.

"Oh? That's rare. What's the cause for your good mood, Elder?" Elder Taiji asked.

"My six-year-old grandson unlocked the Sharingan," Jima said proudly.

Silence fell over the room, the elders staring at him in shock.

After a moment, they all exploded, voices overlapping in exclamations of surprise and disbelief.

"WHAT?!"

***

In an unknown place…

"You said I'd see Rin again!" Uchiha Obito shouted, voice trembling with anger and hatred.

Madara looked at him, unamused. "I said… Rinnegan."

"GAAH!!" Uchiha Ryuuji bolted upright, gasping for breath as he clutched his sheets.

"What a weird dream," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow as he glanced out the window. It was just the start of a long, complicated journey.

***

Shoutout to:

Swone56 (Thanks for the suggestion.)

Joshua_Johnson_4664