After returning to his room, Nara Haruki first checked on the giant green caterpillar lying motionless in the flowerpot by the window. He poked it gently with his finger. The bug lazily rolled over, belly up, twitching twice like a cricket stretching, then went still again.
This peculiar creature was a bonus Haruki received when his talent ranking upgraded from white to blue. Along with it came some basic knowledge of ghost arts.
Of course, ghost arts weren't applicable in this world. One couldn't expect to cultivate ghost techniques here or build an entirely new ghost-based system to rival ninjutsu. But that didn't make the knowledge useless. At the very least, it served as inspiration—some ideas could be adapted and integrated into the ninjutsu framework after sufficient modification.
The Shadow Coffin was just such a result—a modified Yin Release technique inspired by the "Kidō Black Coffin" from the Bleach universe.
Had the Nara Clan not specialized in shadow-based Yin Release techniques, or lacked the accumulated knowledge, practices, and support from his father, Nara Shikakichi, these ideas would have remained nothing more than fantasy for a long time.
As for the sluggish creature—which looked like nothing more than an ordinary bug—the moment Haruki touched it, an informational panel appeared in his mind:
[Name: Unknown Larva Quality: White (+) Traits: No special features. Only notable traits are high vitality, strong adaptability, and exceptional potential for transformation. Skills: Cricket Pupa (Crawling), Eating, Silk-Spinning Evaluation: Growth potential depends entirely on the cultivator's skill and feeding strategy. Conclusion: Currently a useless bug with zero combat capability.]
The stats were laughably poor. With zero combat power, it couldn't compare to the Inuzuka Clan's ninja dogs—even a common bird was deadlier than this larva.
Without strong traits or guidance from its evaluation, this thing would be embarrassing to summon, likely shocking everyone by its utter uselessness.
After days of consideration, Haruki finally devised an early-stage training plan for the unknown larva. If he treated it like hardware that could upgrade itself with resources, then his job was to choose the right components and install an "operating system" and "functional software."
His inspiration came from Kurotsuchi Mayuri's biological Zanpakutō, Ashisogi Jizō. It might not be overwhelming in power, but it could certainly deceive, confuse, and trap others.
First, he planned to ask the Akimichi Clan for assistance in establishing the larva's foundational growth. Their Yang Release (Yang Release) techniques, Haruki believed, could solve the issue of the larva's future body size.
Of course, this was just the beginning. To reach the ideal state Haruki envisioned, many complex problems would still need solving—some too big for one person to handle in the short term.
Whether the Akimichi would help never really concerned Haruki. A personal request might be denied, but the Akimichi wouldn't refuse a request from the Nara Clan, given the close bonds between the Ino-Shika-Chō trio.
After all, the Nara Clan was merely asking them to raise the larva the same way they trained their own members. When it came to secret techniques like Yang Release, these three clans had centuries of collaboration and understood each other's methods deeply. Unlike bloodline limits, secret ninjutsu were derived from generations of experiments and optimized to suit clan-specific traits.
Without the full training method, even if you stole a secret jutsu, you might not be able to use it properly. And even if you could, the effects would be significantly weakened compared to those raised within the system.
The Nara's shadow manipulation, the Yamanaka's mind techniques, and the Akimichi's body enhancement all stemmed from careful nurturing from childhood. Those subtle training regimes and resource allocations formed the true core of a secret clan's inheritance—not the flashy techniques known to outsiders.
Haruki moved the flowerpot from the window to his bedside. The last thing he needed was a bird swooping down and snatching it while he slept. Then he slipped under his blanket and closed his eyes.
...
Konoha Ninja Academy.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi stood at the podium, pipe in hand, addressing the new students.
Nara Haruki slouched in his seat, gazing around the room with tired eyes. The crowd was a colorful mix of familiar faces and attire.
Of course, the Uchiha and Hyūga clans were present. In the front row sat a masked, silver-haired boy, while beside him, a child in green tights with thick eyebrows was doing push-ups in the aisle, breathing heavily and nearly leaving an afterimage.
In a corner stood a solitary kid wrapped in a large robe and wearing sunglasses, seemingly invisible to the rest of the class.
Nearly every major family was represented. As Haruki took in the scene, an odd feeling stirred within him—a peculiar curiosity driven by the influence of the Kurotsuchi Mayuri card.
To his altered mind, these students were no longer just peers; they were ideal research subjects. With all their unique bloodlines and odd physiques, he suddenly wanted to draw their blood—maybe even dissect a few.
He quickly shook off the dangerous thoughts. That way lay madness—and certain death. He was too weak to be a rogue ninja. That level of insanity would only lead to disaster.
"...wherever the leaves dance, there is fire. The shadow of the fire will illuminate the village. And new leaves will sprout..."
With that, the Hokage's speech ended.
Some students looked energized, nearly bouncing in their seats. But Haruki, along with the emotionless Aburame child, remained unaffected.
Unlike other reincarnated souls who had no background or were stuck in awkward roles like Uchiha or Hyūga castaways, Haruki had no need to win others' favor or act friendly just to get ahead.
As a member of the Nara Clan, he didn't have to worry about things like popularity or alliances.
The Ino-Shika-Chō alliance was Sarutobi Hiruzen's most trusted group.
Even if Hiruzen noticed Haruki's apparent laziness, he wouldn't take it seriously. The Nara were known for being laid-back. The Akimichi were known for eating, the Aburame for their eerie quiet, and the Hyūga and Uchiha for their arrogance. These traits were all expected and accepted.