"Nooo!"
Tatsu jolted awake, still dazed.
He quickly checked his clothes.
"Phew..."
Thankfully, it was his pajamas, not women's clothing.
Why that dream?!
That cursed system.
The alarm hadn't gone off, so he could sleep more. He loved going back to sleep.
But then—
"Crap!"
He'd forgotten to set the alarm last night.
It was 8:20 AM. He was late for registration!
He hurriedly threw on his stylish Uchiha coat and washed up quickly.
Facing the mirror, he fixed his hair.
After all, you could lose your head or spill blood, but your hairstyle had to stay perfect.
Grabbing the half-eaten bread from yesterday, he rushed to the Ninja Academy.
"I'm heading out!" Tatsu called to his parents' portrait.
...
In the courtyard, his young, crisp voice echoed. A five-year-old boy brimmed with energy, starting a new day.
Morning sunlight bathed the earth, the air filled with floral scents, everything vibrant and alive.
Despite last night's intense training, Tatsu felt no fatigue. His body was lighter, stronger. The change surprised even him.
Was this the power of point allocation?
...
It was the era of the Third Hokage, a friend of Tatsu's father, Kagami, now in his prime.
At thirty-something, this ninja hero was Konoha's strongest and most knowledgeable, dubbed the "Professor of Ninjutsu."
Rumored to know countless techniques, he was feared by the Kage of the other four nations.
Later, he'd be called the strongest Hokage—though that title was debated.
How much was mutual flattery?
Hanzo was called a demigod, after all.
Titles got louder the more they were hyped.
Maybe one day, Tatsu would have a cool title too. Should he reserve one now?
Uchiha Fifty-Fifty? Invincible Tatsu?
Nah, too tacky.
...
Still, the Third Hokage's strength, however exaggerated, ensured Konoha and the Land of Fire's peace.
Nearly a decade of peace had passed since the last war.
No one suspected the next war was just three or four years away.
Peace was fleeting.
But these concerns were far from Tatsu.
His goal was points.
Points were art!
Oh, my foolish system!
...
Konoha's streets bustled with people. Shopkeepers were already open.
For civilians, nothing was more pleasant than this peace.
Feeling it, Tatsu quickened his pace.
At the Ninja Academy, a crowd had gathered.
"Crap."
The registration booth was packing up.
Was he doomed to miss out on becoming a ninja?
"Tatsu!" A light, melodious voice called. Tatsu paused and turned.
A delicate face met his eyes—a girl his age with long black hair and dark eyes, wearing the same stylish Uchiha coat, radiating a gentle aura.
"Tatsu, you're late!"
Sensing her concern, Tatsu said, "Morning, Mikoto."
"Well, you could say I got lost searching for the meaning of life."
"Huh?" Uchiha Mikoto looked puzzled.
Okay, that excuse was too deep for a five-year-old girl.
Maybe he should stick to "helping an old lady cross the street" next time.
"Here, I got your registration form since you were late," Mikoto said, handing it to him.
"Thanks, Mikoto!" Tatsu grinned excitedly.
Mikoto was truly kind. She and Tatsu got along well due to her gentle nature.
In Konoha, the Uchiha name carried weight, making many Uchiha children arrogant.
But not Mikoto.
As orphans, both Tatsu and Mikoto were treated decently by the clan—far better than Konoha's support.
But Tatsu was subtly ostracized.
Mikoto, however, never treated him differently. When others bullied him, she stood up for him.
Tatsu sighed. Such a gentle girl, yet she'd have those two knuckleheads, Itachi and Sasuke.
It must be Fugaku's genes causing trouble.
He really should find a way to take out Fugaku—for the sake of ninja world peace, of course.
What other reason could there be?
Mikoto smiled warmly at him.
"Have you eaten breakfast?" she asked, pulling a rice ball from her bag. "Here, I made this on the way. Try it. I'm worried it might not taste good..."
She blushed, clearly lacking confidence in her cooking.
What a powerful excuse...
Tatsu smiled reassuringly. "If you made it, Mikoto, it's bound to be delicious!"
Her shyness faded under his confident gaze.
"Mm!" she nodded, smiling.
Tatsu took the rice ball and bit into it.
"Surprisingly tasty!"
He felt like crying. Since arriving in Konoha, he hadn't eaten anything decent.
While eating, he offered Mikoto his half-eaten bread.
"Here, have some breakfast too..."
Okay, ignore that.
"I already ate," Mikoto said with a laugh.
"Oh."
After eating, Tatsu and Mikoto headed to the Ninja Academy.
The selection was about to begin.