Getting transmigrated wasn't exactly the best experience. I was feeling dizzy, so I did the best thing I could think of: sleep. Leave the worrying for the sober me.
Waking up was surprisingly normal. No weird dreams, no sudden power surges. Just... waking up. Light filtered through the wooden blinds and hit my eyes at an annoying angle, making me groan like a man three times my current age.
I sat up, scratching my head.
Still a kid. Still in Naruto. So it wasn't all a dream... I was half-hoping it might be, but I guess this isn't too bad.
My room looked... okay. Tatami floors, a small desk, old books on a shelf, and a closet with clothes neatly folded by someone who clearly wasn't me. It wasn't opulent, but it fit the whole Japanese minimalist aesthetic.
'So this is the standard orphan package, huh? Not bad.'
I got dressed in a simple shirt and pants, no clan symbols or edgy black cloaks, unfortunately, and stepped outside the bedroom.
The mansion was quiet. Predictably empty. Just me.
Standing in front of the mirror, I started thinking about my new life.
Apparently, I wasn't just born in Konoha. I had a bit of backstory too. My "father" had been a merchant. Not a big shot, but he dealt in goods for decent profit, apparently specialising in ninja tools. My "mother" had been a chūnin, which was slightly more impressive, but nothing elite.
They died a couple of years ago in some mission-accident combo, vague enough to not matter and convenient enough to avoid any emotional baggage. An escort mission gone wrong. Of course, the client was my father himself.
The reason I still had this mansion and all the inheritance they left behind was that Konoha knew it was in the wrong, so they didn't confiscate anything.
Good for me, I guess.
Still, they'd left behind quite a bit. Enough to pay for my life until I was old enough to earn on my own. Maybe even start a business if I was smart about it.
Which meant I wasn't poor.
And in any world, not being poor was a huge win.
I made a quick breakfast: rice, eggs, and miso soup. Apparently, my six-year-old hands had some muscle memory for basic kitchen work. Once I was done eating, I cleaned up, locked the door, and headed out.
Konohagakure no Sato.
It felt strange seeing it like this. Well, any place out of a fantasy anime would feel surreal, but you get what I'm saying.
Although the First Shinobi World War was technically ongoing, the village looked relatively peaceful. Morning foot traffic, casual shinobi leaping across rooftops like it was a morning jog.
The village was bigger than it looked in the anime. The streets were busy, with merchants shouting about their wares, kids running around with wooden kunai, and Genin teams returning from missions. Noisy, but not chaotic.
I kept walking, with no real goal in mind. Just exploring and figuring out what kind of world I'd landed in. Preferably clearing my head too, since shifting to an entirely different world wasn't exactly stress-free.
Shinobi wandered freely through the crowd, blending in with civilians. It was kind of surreal. A guy in Jōnin gear grabbing groceries next to a grandma haggling over tomatoes.
Headbands didn't make them celebrities. They were more like elite government employees. Dangerous, sure, but not untouchable.
I passed a few training grounds, most of them full. Older kids, probably Genin or pre-Academy students, sparring under bored-looking Chūnin.
I could've joined them. Tried to blend in. But there was no point pretending to be some secret prodigy.
I had exactly one thing going for me: Perfect Chakra Control.
And I didn't even have access to chakra yet.
No chakra sensing, no scrolls, no meditation guides. Just household financial records, a sealed will I wasn't old enough to open, and a medical file confirming I wasn't born with any physical defects.
No hidden scrolls or secret legacies stashed under the floorboards either.
I checked. Thoroughly.
So, for now, I had nothing to train with. And nothing to train for, at least until the Academy started in ten days.
Still, I wasn't about to just sit around doing nothing.
Back at home, I headed to the large hall and started with the basics. Stretches, breathing, push-ups, squats, and planks. Even as a kid, this body wasn't weak. Just... average.
Which was fine. I was born with an ultimate-tier talent, after all. I'll do fine. No need to panic.
I spent an hour doing laps around the mansion courtyard, keeping track of my breathing and fatigue. My limits weren't particularly high, but they weren't trash-tier either. I got tired, but not completely winded. No collapsing or puking.
After the run, I sat under a tree and closed my eyes.
'Alright... let's try.'
I focused, trying to feel something. Anything. Chakra, flow, energy, even the tiniest flicker.
Nothing.
Just my heartbeat and the wind rustling through the leaves.
'Figures. I need to know how to extract chakra first...'
Still, it wasn't wasted effort. I wasn't trying to throw fireballs around just yet. Right now, like cultivators would say, I was laying the foundation. The kind of control that would eventually let me squeeze the absolute maximum out of every drop of chakra.
That didn't start with flashy jutsu. It started with awareness, movement, and precision.
The next few days followed a similar pattern.
Morning runs, light workouts, grocery shopping, and wandering around Konoha. I didn't talk to many people. Didn't really need to.
The shopkeepers were friendly enough, and my neighbour was an old woman who kept asking if I was eating properly.
I nodded.
She seemed satisfied.
By the fifth day, I'd mapped out most of the neighbourhood. The Academy was about ten minutes away, with a few training fields nearby. There was also a dango shop that was always full. One store sold practice gear, but I didn't see the point in wasting money on that just yet. The Academy would provide starter kits anyway.
I also got a glimpse of the Hokage Monument once. Only the First and Second had been carved into the mountain so far. The Third's face hadn't been added yet.
'Pre-Hiruzen era. Still early days. That gives me time. No Danzō to worry about either... though I doubt my skill set would attract his attention.'
Time to grow. Time to plan.
By the seventh day, I had established a routine. I wasn't strong, and I wasn't fast, but I was getting used to this body, this village, and this new life.
Three days until the Academy started.
Three days until I officially stepped into the shinobi world.
Sigh... I wish I had some system or some ridiculous cheats...