It had been three years since Kenta had been reborn into the world of ninjas and chakra. The first two years had been filled with frustration and a lot of peeing and pooping without any self control.
But as the years passed, he slowly started piecing together the puzzle that was his new life. He wasn't just some random kid in the Land of Fire. Oh no. He was someone special.
More precisely, he was the son of a noblewoman and to be more precise the daughter of the current Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
"Hold up," Kenta muttered when he first heard that he was the grandson of the current Damiyo, adjusting his little pants—though they weren't exactly pants, more like a diaper that was too big for him, given his current form.
'I'm a noble? The hell? This is like being a prince or something. What happened to being born in a simple ninja village?'
Kenta had figured it out over the past few months, aided by overheard conversations, the occasional slip of the tongue by servants, and, of course, the fact that his mother was constantly addressed with titles like "Milady" or "Daimyo-sama's daughter."
'To be honest, I don't know if I'm lucky or cursed,' Kenta thought with a grin. His noble status meant a certain level of protection and comfort. He had access to training, resources, and opportunities that most villagers could only dream of.
On the other hand, he had no idea what kind of expectations and responsibilities came with being the child of a powerful family. Not to mention the threats that would come with being a noble.
And judging by the way people constantly kissed up to him even though he was just a kid who might not even remember the faces of people in future, Kenta knew his status as the Grandson of the Daimyo of the strongest Land in all of the elemental nations would bring some serious complications.
But before he could get too deep into the thought of his royal lineage, his mind wandered back to the part of his family that had always piqued his curiosity—the story of his father.
His mother had told him about his father on numerous occasions as bedtime stories.
Every time she did, Kenta wanted to protest, to say something like, "Mom, please, I'm three years old. I don't need the whole tragic love story every time I sit on your lap."
One evening, as his mother combed his hair, Kenta caught her gazing off into the distance. Her fingers froze as she began to speak, her voice was filled with grief.
"You know, Kenta," she started, her eyes distant, "your father was a noble man. Not a Noble like you or me. A great shinobi of the Senju clan, an elite jonin. He was sent to guard me when I was very young. I never thought we would fall in love. But we did. His dedication to protecting me, his strength, his kindness... I couldn't help but fall for him."
Kenta, who was sitting on her lap and fiddling with a small toy, blinked up at her, though he didn't fully understand what she was talking about. He didn't have the words to respond, and honestly, he didn't want to hear it. It was the same thing every time: how they had met, how they had loved each other, and how their love had been a secret, born out of necessity and respect.
"Your father, Kenta... he was always determined to protect me, even when it meant putting himself in danger. He loved you before you were even born." Her voice cracked, and Kenta felt a strange tug in his chest, but he didn't have the ability to put it into words.
Her fingers gently brushed the top of his head, and she continued, "He was a warrior, a hero. He died four months into my pregnancy with you. He died protecting the Land of Fire."
She had said it to a child believing that he would not understand what pregnancy or died meant. She just wanted to let her emotions out.
Kenta sat still for a moment, the words settling in the air between them. His father had died protecting the Land of Fire? That was heavy.
But more importantly, his father was a senju and not to sound rude or anything, he was quite excited about it. At least, He was glad that he had some shinobi in his blood. It might be helpful in the future.
Just as Kenta's mind began to drift toward these thoughts, a new face entered his life.
His elder brother, Ikkyū Madoka, was only five years old.
The boy was strikingly similar to the images Kenta had seen of the future Daimyo of the Land of Fire—the man who would eventually hold power when Naruto became Hokage. [A/N: It is not AU as it's in Boruto]
Kenta knew that his older brother would one day inherit the Daimyo's title, taking on the responsibility of the Land of Fire. He also knew that it wasn't just because Ikkyū was the son of the Daimyo's daughter. It was the fact that Ikkyū had the charisma, the presence, and the love of the people that would make him a great ruler.
Kenta remembered the first time he saw Ikkyū up close. He was playing with some of the servants in the garden when Ikkyū approached him with a smile.
The moment Ikkyū reached Kenta, he scooped him up with surprising ease, showing a strength and confidence that most adults would envy.
"You're growing so fast, Kenta," Ikkyū said in a voice that was gentle yet filled with authority. "One day, I'll show you how to lead the people of the Land of Fire. You'll be as strong as our father was. I promise."
Kenta blinked up at him, recognizing something about Ikkyū's words. "Father?" he asked innocently to get more information about his father. "Wasn't he a Senju?"
Ikkyū paused, his smile softening into something a bit more wistful. "Yes, he was. A brave warrior who died protecting us." He set Kenta back down gently and looked at him with a gleam of fondness in his eyes. "But you're my little brother. I'll always protect you, no matter what. We're a team, Kenta. You'll see."
Kenta thought,'Please, we are no team. After you become Daimyō, you would have to make rules to my liking.'
And while his brother was destined to become the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, Kenta would support him in every way he could—whether that meant training to become a great shinobi or becoming something else entirely. He will be his Brother's weapon and shield. That sounded a good plan for his future considering he has no interest in becoming a Daimyō that sounded too much responsibility for a man who fought in the Underground fist fights.