**Chapter 1: The Awakening**
The world spun in a haze of colors and sounds, like a bad hangover mixed with a fever dream. My head throbbed—no, *pounded*—as if someone had crammed a library's worth of books into my skull all at once. I groaned, rolling over on what felt like a soft futon, my small hands clutching at the sheets. Wait... small hands?
My eyes snapped open, and I bolted upright, staring at my tiny palms. These weren't my hands. I was a 20-year-old college dropout back on Earth, binge-watching anime and scarfing down instant ramen. Not... this. The room around me was unfamiliar: wooden walls, a low ceiling, and posters of ninja legends plastered everywhere. A mirror on the wall caught my reflection—a kid with spiky brown hair, a goofy grin frozen in shock, and a scarf around my neck. Konohamaru Sarutobi? No way.
Before I could process it, a sharp pain lanced through my brain. Memories flooded in like a tidal wave: playing pranks on the Third Hokage (who was my grandpa?), training with some guy named Ebisu, idolizing a loud blond kid named Naruto. These weren't my memories—they were *his*. Konohamaru's. They meshed with mine, twisting and turning until I couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. I clutched my head, gasping. "What the hell is happening?"
And then, as if on cue, a translucent blue screen popped into existence right in front of my eyes, floating like a holographic display from some video game.
**[System Notification: Welcome, Host! You have successfully transmigrated into the world of Naruto. Current Body: Konohamaru Sarutobi. Integration complete. Enjoy your new life!]**
I blinked, rubbing my eyes. This had to be a dream. Or a prank. Or... no, this was straight out of those isekai light novels I'd read obsessively. Truck-kun must've gotten me while I wasn't looking. "System? Like, a cheat system?"
The screen flickered, responding as if it could hear my thoughts.
**[Affirmative. I am the Ninja Evolution System. Designed to assist the host in becoming the ultimate shinobi. Scanning host data now...]**
A new panel appeared, listing out stats like an RPG character sheet.
**Host Profile:**
- **Name:** Konohamaru Sarutobi
- **Age:** 5 years
- **Affiliation:** Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village)
- **Chakra Affinity:** Fire (Primary), Earth (Secondary)
- **Additional Info:** In this timeline, you share the same age as key figures in your generation. Naruto Uzumaki: 5 years. Sasuke Uchiha: 5 years. Hinata Hyuuga: 5 years. Hanabi Hyuuga: 5 years (Note: Hinata and Hanabi are twin sisters in this altered reality.)
Twins? That wasn't canon. In the manga and anime I'd devoured—every chapter, every episode—Hanabi was younger than Hinata. But here? The system was tweaking things already. My mind raced. If I was in Naruto's world, with all my foreknowledge... I could change everything. Prevent the Uchiha massacre? Save the Third Hokage? Hell, maybe even stop Madara or Kaguya from screwing over the planet. I wasn't just some side character anymore—I was Konohamaru, the Honorable Grandson, but with a 20-year-old's brain and a system to boot.
The pain in my head subsided, replaced by a warm surge through my body. It felt like energy uncoiling inside me, familiar yet new.
**[Chakra Unlocked! As a member of the Sarutobi clan, your potential is high. Initial chakra reserves: Low (Genin level equivalent). Practice to improve.]**
Whoa. I could feel it now—the chakra flowing through my meridians, just like in the show. I flexed my fingers, and a tiny spark of blue energy flickered at my fingertips. This was real. I was really here.
The system chimed again, pulling up another screen.
**System Level: 1**
- **Attributes:**
- Strength: 5/100
- Agility: 7/100
- Endurance: 6/100
- Intelligence: 15/100 (Boosted by host's prior knowledge)
- Chakra Control: 4/100
- Chakra Reserves: 10/100
- **Skills:** Basic Taijutsu (Novice), Academy Basics (Unlocked)
- **Perks:** Foreknowledge of Naruto Canon (Passive) – Allows strategic planning based on original timeline events.
**[Note: Level up by completing missions and gaining XP. Higher levels unlock advanced features, skills, and rewards.]**
Missions? Right on time, a quest log popped up.
**Active Missions:**
1. **Tree Climbing Exercise:** Use chakra to climb a tree with your feet only. Reward: 5 XP, +1 Chakra Control.
2. **Water Walking Exercise:** Use chakra to walk on water without sinking. Reward: 10 XP, +2 Chakra Control, +1 Chakra Reserves.
Simple enough. These were straight from the training arcs in the series—stuff Team 7 did under Kakashi. But at 5 years old? Konohamaru in canon was a brat at this age, but with my knowledge, I could speedrun this. If I leveled up fast, I could get OP before the plot even kicked off. Imagine mastering the Rasengan early or learning shadow clones without Naruto's help.
I swung my legs off the bed, standing on wobbly kid legs. The room was in the Sarutobi compound—fancy, but not as grand as the Hokage's residence. Grandpa Hiruzen was probably in his office right now, smoking his pipe and dealing with village politics. I needed to act normal, at least for now. No sense in alerting anyone that something was off.
But first, testing this out. I slipped on some sandals and snuck out the window, landing lightly in the backyard garden. There was a tall oak tree nearby—perfect. Focusing, I channeled chakra to my feet, just like I'd seen in the anime. Sticky, adhesive energy. Step by step...
My foot stuck to the bark, and I took another step. Holy crap, it worked! I made it halfway up before my control slipped, and I tumbled back down, landing on my butt with a thud. Ouch. But the system dinged.
**[Progress: Tree Climbing 1/5 attempts. Keep going!]**
Grinning despite the bruise, I got up. This was just the beginning. With my meta-knowledge, I could ally with Naruto early, befriend Sasuke before he went emo, maybe even train with Hinata and Hanabi since they were twins now. What if I prevented the Hyuuga clan drama? Or exposed Danzo sooner?
The possibilities were endless. But I had to be smart— butterflies from changes could mess things up worse. For now, though... time to grind these missions.
As the sun rose over Konoha, casting golden light on the Hokage Monument, I felt a thrill I hadn't in years. This wasn't just survival—it was a chance to rewrite the story.
**To be continued...**