THE UCHIHA ASCENSION

Land of Fire, Konohagakure—one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations. As one of the village's most prestigious clans, the Uchiha owned a vast compound near the Konoha Military Police headquarters.

At this moment, within an ordinary house in the Uchiha district, a two-year-old boy sat on the backyard steps, his small hands ruffling his dark hair in frustration. His expression was troubled, as though grappling with something beyond his years.

"So… I really transmigrated?" he muttered to himself, his young voice laced with uncertainty. "Or… is it reincarnation? Whatever. No point in overthinking it."

Indeed, the boy harbored a secret. He was not originally from this world. Or rather, his soul wasn't. In his past life, he was a university student named Lin Qing from a place called Lan Xing. There, he was a high-achieving student, double-majoring in biology and medicine at one of the country's top universities.

Lin Qing had been passionate about fantasy novels, losing himself in tales of legendary warriors and mythical abilities. One fateful night, he had indulged in a marathon reading session, immersing himself so deeply that, before he realized it, he was no longer in his original world. His soul had been reborn into the body of a young boy named Uchiha Kiyo .

Perhaps he had been a fan of the Naruto world even before birth?

Uchiha Kiyo hadn't immediately retained his past-life memories. As a baby, he had behaved like any other child. But from the age of one, he began experiencing dreams—fragmented flashes of Lin Qing's previous existence. At first, they were occasional, but over time, they became more frequent, slowly piecing together into something coherent.

Even as these memories resurfaced, Kiyo had instinctively kept quiet about them. Perhaps it was an unconscious defense mechanism, or maybe his knowledge of similar tropes from novels warned him that revealing such a thing could be dangerous. The last thing he wanted was to be dissected in a hidden ANBU lab.

Thus, he silently absorbed his past-life knowledge while maintaining the outward innocence of a normal Uchiha child.

His transformation remained unnoticed—even by his own parents, who were both Uchiha clan shinobi. His father, a Chūnin, had awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan, while his mother possessed a single tomoe. Just a few days ago, they had perished during a mission gone wrong, ambushed by a rogue ninja from Kirigakure. Their entire squad had been wiped out, and only later did reinforcements discover their remains.

Kiyo had learned of his parents' Sharingan not through careful deduction, but because they had proudly shown them to him in the past—boasting of the power within their bloodline.

Since the tragedy, something within Kiyo had shifted. The memories of Lin Qing, which had been dormant for years, fully awakened. And with them, the realization that he had indeed transmigrated—his past-life knowledge coming to him in fragmented episodes over time.

Looking back, it was a blessing that his memories had returned gradually. If he had been born with full awareness, the experience might have overwhelmed him, making his behavior unnatural and raising suspicion.

Now, with his past fully integrated, Kiyo felt his mind growing clearer. His memory had sharpened, allowing him to recall details with surprising accuracy—not photographic, but enough to absorb information at a rapid pace. He suspected his soul had grown stronger due to the fusion of two existences.

But none of that mattered right now.

The real concern was the world he now inhabited.

With his past-life knowledge, Kiyo was intelligent beyond his years. At just two, he had already learned the local language fluently and could walk and speak without difficulty. Based on the political atmosphere between the Uchiha and the Hokage's office, he estimated that he was still in the early timeline—before the clan's coup attempt.

"Damn it," Kiyo groaned, rubbing his temples. "Why did I have to be reborn here? The shinobi world is brutal enough, and I had to land in this clan of all places…"

The Uchiha, after all, were destined for massacre.

Every time he thought about his future, his head ached. One day, he might wake up only to find him standing at his doorstep—the man who would single-handedly exterminate the Uchiha.

For days, Kiyo had struggled with his next course of action. But today, he finally made up his mind. His small fists clenched, and his dark eyes flashed with resolve.

"Enough. If I have to survive in this world, I have no choice. A ninja must be a ninja. Without strength, I'll just be another casualty."

With that, he began to draft a plan for his future.

"First of all, I can't be too talented. At any point in history, Uchiha's relationship with Konoha has been… complicated. If an orphan like me stands out too much, I'll either be recruited by the Hokage faction or pushed aside by my own clan. Neither option is ideal."

He smirked wryly.

"Not that it matters yet—I don't even know if I have talent. But I was a top student in my past life. In this world, surely I can carve out a name for myself. My soul is strong, and I have the Uchiha bloodline. If things go well… awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan someday isn't out of the question, right?"

He paused.

"...Well, maybe that's a bit much."

For now, he needed to take things one step at a time.

After setting a general direction for his future, Kiyo stood up and headed inside.

"Planning only does so much. The first thing I need to do is eat. My parents' passing left me with too much on my plate. I need time to settle things, assess my situation, and find out exactly when I am in the timeline."

Judging by the lack of open conflict between the Uchiha and the village, the coup hadn't begun yet. Which meant he had some time to prepare.

While preparing a meal, he muttered under his breath.

"In my past life, I was a top student. And in this life, my parents were often away on missions, so I learned to cook early. Not bad."

As he sat down to eat, his mind drifted to his potential future, imagining himself growing stronger—capable of shaking the world with his every move.

Then, another thought struck him.

"There's also the Sharingan… I wonder how I'll awaken mine. The novels always exaggerated things—awakening at six, or instantly unlocking three tomoe after a tragic event. That's nonsense. My parents had it, so my bloodline's fine… but it's been days since their deaths, and still nothing."

He frowned.

"So there must be other factors. Maybe Chakra? I don't even have mine yet, so awakening the Sharingan might not be possible."

As he pondered, a gentle voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

"My, my. Qing has already cooked? Such a good child."

Startled, Kiyo stiffened before quickly relaxing.

"Oh, Granny. I was just… reviewing the food," he said, forcing an awkward laugh.

He mentally scolded himself. He had to be careful. Talking about Sharingan, past lives, and transmigration aloud was reckless.

At the doorway stood an elderly woman with a kind face, a basket in her hands. She was Kiyo 's neighbor—the one who had cared for him in his daze after his parents' deaths.

She walked in, sympathy in her eyes.

"Qing, life and death are fated. Your parents would want you to live happily. In a few days, someone from the clan will come to arrange for you to stay in the Uchiha orphanage. If you don't want to go, I'll tell them. I can take care of you instead."

Kiyo felt a pang of warmth but shook his head.

"Grandma, forget it. I can take care of myself. Look, I can even cook."

Seeing his determination, the old woman sighed and placed the basket on the table.

"These are for you. Even if you've already cooked, I'll leave them here. They're still warm. If you're ever hungry, you can always come to my house."

With that, she turned and left.

Watching her go, Kiyo 's heart softened.

"Maybe… not all Uchiha are cold and arrogant. Some are still kind."