Konoha — Ninja Academy
Under the dim glow of an office lamp, a lone teacher still sat at his desk, long past the time everyone else had gone home.
"Villain…"
"A good villain…"
Masahiko scribbled for a long time before finally slumping forward, his forehead hitting the desk.
"Damn it. Why does it have to be a villain?!"
He shot to his feet, crushed the paper in his hand into a tight ball, and tossed it aside. With a grim expression, he summoned his status panel once again, staring at it as if hoping it would change.
[Life is a stage. Welcome to the grand production of Naruto.][To take part, you must assume a character role within Naruto: Prelude.][When your performance is edited into an episode, you will receive a salary reward.][Note: Higher popularity and greater screen time yield better rewards.][Rewards are issued per episode.][Assigned Role: Villain]
Below it sat his attribute panel.
Name: Masahiko YagyuAge: 17Bloodline Limit: NoneSecret Techniques: NoneSkills:• Body Flicker Technique (Mastery)• Clone Jutsu (Mastery)• Transformation Jutsu (Mastery)• Substitution Jutsu (Mastery)• Kunai Throwing (Mastery)
It was… painfully ordinary.
This panel was the result of seven years of relentless effort after his transmigration into this world. The original Masahiko had died during the Night of the Nine-Tails, leaving everything behind.
After seven years, Masahiko had to admit something bitterly clear:
In this world, talent mattered far more than effort.
Despite all his training, every technique he knew had stalled at simple mastery. Among Chunin, that was passable. Among the entire ninja population? Barely above average.
But there was nothing he could do about it.
In his previous life, he'd been an ordinary college student.
In this life, the original owner of his body had been a civilian orphan whose parents died in the war. Even entering the Ninja Academy had taken years of struggle.
No bloodline.No secret techniques.No high-level ninjutsu.
The techniques he knew were standard Genin and Chunin fare. He hadn't even had the opportunity to learn a single advanced jutsu.
He had also trained in swordsmanship for years—but the panel didn't even acknowledge it.
That stung the most.
At first, though, Masahiko had been excited when the system awakened.
Thanks to his steady training, he had passed the Chunin Exams earlier this year. After another six months, he'd secured a position as a taijutsu instructor at the Ninja Academy.
As a teacher, he would naturally interact with the protagonist early, which meant guaranteed screen time.
More importantly, he had a role model.
Iruka.
Iruka wasn't particularly strong, but by forming a close bond with Naruto and saying the right things at the right time, he survived all the way to the end of the series—appearing constantly.
That proved something important:
As an early supporting character, strength wasn't everything. Relationship with the protagonist was what mattered.
And yet—
"Villain?!"
Masahiko slammed his hand onto the desk.
"Villains are people too!""Why can't I get Iruka's script?!"
He stood there fuming before finally forcing himself to calm down.
"…Wait."
"Being opposed to the protagonist doesn't mean being opposed to everyone."
"As long as I'm against Naruto specifically, I still qualify as a villain."
"No matter what, I have to survive the Prelude. I can't get written out this early."
Once his emotions settled, his thoughts began to organize themselves.
What kind of character steals the spotlight?
Someone impossibly handsome.Or someone so ugly they're unforgettable.
Masahiko didn't qualify for the second option.
Despite coming from a civilian background, the original Masahiko had been good-looking enough to receive love letters from village girls.
After transmigrating, Masahiko had focused entirely on training, letting his appearance fall by the wayside.
But now—
Staring into the lamplight, his eyes burned with determination as he wrote a single sentence:
"A great villain must first have a great image."
Then he tore the paper into pieces and tossed them into the trash.
Image management.
In simple terms—
Start with the hair.
The next morning, Masahiko walked out of the barbershop and headed toward the Ninja Academy.
His hair was neatly styled, his face freshly groomed. Compared to his usual self, he looked sharper—more confident.
Just as he reached the academy gate, he noticed a blond kid sneaking around with a bucket in his hands.
Masahiko raised an eyebrow.
Target spotted.
Perfect timing.
He changed direction and walked over.
"Hehehe… I, Naruto Uzumaki, the future Hokage, will—"
Clap.
A hand landed on Naruto's shoulder.
A cold voice followed.
"Hey, kid."
"AHHH!"
Naruto flinched and instinctively hurled the bucket of ink backward.
In a flash, Masahiko flicked his wrist. A kunai appeared in his hand. With a smooth half-circle motion, he hooked the bucket's handle—
Not a single drop spilled.
He could have caught it barehanded.
But this looked cooler.
And cool meant screen time.
Masahiko held the bucket aloft with the kunai, staring down at the boy retreating in panic.
"So you're…"
"…that troublesome brat everyone talks about."
Naruto clenched his teeth, fury flashing across his face. Then his expression darkened. He said nothing and turned to run.
After a short distance, he spun around, stuck out his tongue, and shouted:
"Bleh! Catch me if you can, jerk!"
Then he bolted.
Masahiko didn't chase him. He simply watched, his expression cold and indifferent.
Only after Naruto disappeared did he let out a breath.
"Whew…"
"Being the bad guy really doesn't feel great."
"I hope he doesn't take it too hard."
With a faint smile, Masahiko carried the ink bucket toward the gate.
"Good morning, Mr. Masahiko ."
"Morning, Mr. Nagano."
Masahiko raised the bucket slightly. "Confiscated this from a blond troublemaker. Mind disposing of it?"
The guard scowled. "That kid again…"
Then he hesitated.
"By the way, isn't he in the class you teach?"
"It's fine," Masahiko replied gently. "No matter who he is, he's still my student. But thank you for the warning."
"You're in for a headache," the guard laughed.
Masahiko smiled and headed inside.
He was finalizing the first rule of the Villain's Code he had drafted for himself:
A villain's image isn't just appearance—it's personality and presence.
He only needed to play the villain in front of Naruto.
There was no reason to do so with anyone else.
For now, this was enough.
And today—
Had been a perfect first step.