In the World of Naruto, My System Finally Activated After 17 Years

A wandering dragon must return to the sea; if the sea won't welcome me, I'll come myself~ Readers, this is where you can leave your brains~

Some records of the Naruto timeline are pretty inconsistent, so some dates will be changed to fit the story. Just a heads-up~

The story begins below.

"My days of slacking off are about to end again."

In the teachers' office at the Konoha Ninja Academy.

Sawada Hagoromo, dressed in a Chunin flak jacket, leaned against a window and gazed at the crowd of new students and parents packed outside the school gates as he sighed.

He had transmigrated here 17 years ago, born into an ordinary family that had been around since Konoha was founded.

Everyone else who transmigrates either gets a golden finger or is born into a family with a good bloodline. When it's my turn, I end up as some miserable nobody.

Hagoromo grumbled to himself yet again.

There was no helping it. The world of Naruto was not a safe place to begin with, and it was a world where a bunch of lunatics and obsessives held power.

Having come here, Hagoromo decided that if he couldn't beat them, he'd lie low.

The Ninja Academy was the best place for that. After all, even a lowly Chunin like Umino Iruka, who had no great power, had lived safely all the way to the ending.

So, after completing his mission quota and spending some time as a Chunin, Hagoromo had kept sending job applications to the Hokage's office.

Then, two years ago, perhaps a position had just happened to open up, though Hagoromo thought it more likely that the Third Hokage had gotten a little fed up with him.

Hagoromo had finally become a proud teacher at the Konoha Ninja Academy.

Hmm?

Still reminiscing, Hagoromo suddenly turned to look at the office door behind him.

The next second, Umino Iruka, his hair tied in a high ponytail and a scar across his nose, pushed open the office door and walked in.

"Hagoromo, I knew you'd be here."

Iruka walked in with a helpless look and came to Hagoromo's side, gazing at the lively scene outside the school gates.

Hagoromo smiled and nodded in greeting. "What's up, Iruka? Shouldn't you be welcoming the new students with Hiruzen right now?"

The current principal of the Ninja Academy was the Third Hokage, who generally only came at the start of the school year to instill the Will of Fire.

"Hiruzen sent me to find you. It's about time you tried taking charge of a new class this year, too."

Iruka pointed at Hiruzen, who was busy downstairs.

"Me?" Hagoromo pointed at himself, scarcely able to believe it.

In his two years at the school, he had almost always been an ordinary subject teacher, while the homeroom teachers for ninja classes were almost always personally chosen by Hiruzen.

Although it wasn't wartime, almost the entire new generation attended the Ninja Academy.

Even the direct descendants of the Uchiha and Hyuga clans had gradually begun enrolling at the Ninja Academy in recent years.

And anyone who could serve as a homeroom teacher had to have the Hokage's approval.

Of course... it would be more accurate to say that only those with a strong Will of Fire had a chance.

"That's right. Lord Hokage has seen how hard you've worked, too."

Iruka spoke with a solemn expression, then patted Hagoromo on the shoulder in encouragement.

Hagoromo froze, his eyes turning to dots as he quickly thought back over everything he had done for the past two years.

In class, he had encouraged his students with the same Will of Fire speeches Hiruzen repeated over and over.

After class, he had checked the classrooms floor by floor to make sure no students were hiding at school instead of going home.

In his spare time, he had helped other teachers prepare lessons and told the naughty students to study hard.

The more Hagoromo thought about it, the more his scalp tingled. Wait, I was just dutifully doing what any ordinary teacher in my previous life would have done.

That can't be right. It makes no sense...

So working the way teachers did in my previous life actually earned me the Hokage's approval?

No, wait. Hagoromo's throat suddenly felt a little dry.

The supposed evaluation had probably started long ago, without his knowledge.

He had simply been so cautious that he had passed it safely without knowing a thing.

Hiss... there's no reason my guard should be this bad, is there?

"Hm? What's wrong, Hagoromo?"

Iruka, who had been looking quite gentle, saw Hagoromo's expression growing stranger and hurriedly asked in concern.

Hagoromo finally came to his senses and composed himself. He put on a warm smile and waved a hand to show he was fine.

"It's nothing. I'm just a little worried I won't do a good job."

"Hagoromo, you really are a good teacher. Don't worry, I'm sure you can do it."

Hearing Sawada Hagoromo say that, Iruka couldn't help grinning as he spoke cheerfully.

Hagoromo felt a little helpless. Iruka had probably put a great deal of effort into helping him pass, too.

"Let's go. It's probably about to start."

Hagoromo thought no more about it and pushed Iruka toward the playground.

When they arrived, many teachers were already standing near the raised platform, and the Third, dressed in his Hokage robes, was already on it.

Hagoromo and Iruka found a spot nearby and stood there.

As everyone gradually assembled, the Third Hokage began his once-per-semester speech.

The seconds ticked by, and the new students, who had initially looked excited, began to droop one by one.

Hiruzen's speech was simply too long, and the sun was at its fiercest right now.

Even the teachers near the platform, though expressionless, looked somewhat listless.

Only Hagoromo and Iruka gazed at the Third Hokage with excited expressions, as though everything he said were a pearl of wisdom.

Anyone who had worked like a beast of burden knew the workplace rule: when the boss spoke, you had to show your support, even if it was only by putting on the right expression.

But below the platform, Hagoromo felt as though his facial muscles were about to stiffen. Hiruzen's speech was longer this time than it had ever been before.

His gaze wandered over the new students standing below, and a flash of bright yellow hair made Hagoromo pause. He then casually looked away.

Was that Naruto Uzumaki?

Hagoromo couldn't help feeling curious. After all, yellow hair wasn't uncommon in Konoha.

But what year of Konoha is it this year? I think it's year 58.

With that thought, Hagoromo pretended he had finished observing the new students and looked back at Hiruzen on the platform.

His mind, however, kept searching through the information.

In Konoha year 58, the future Konoha 12, the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho, the Uchiha Clan, the Hyuga Clan, and Naruto Uzumaki would all enroll.

At this point in time, it was somewhat unclear what Hiruzen meant by having him take charge of a class.

Just as Hagoromo was considering how to respond, a voice devoid of emotion rang out.

A translucent panel suddenly appeared before Hagoromo, the text scrolling across it and filling his vision.

[Detected sufficient time spent in proximity to both children of destiny. System activation conditions met.]

[Ninja Teacher System activating]

[After teaching students, rewards may be granted based on a combined evaluation of the knowledge they have learned and their satisfaction. The higher the score, the greater the reward.]

[If an individual student meets the requirements, they may be taken as a disciple. The teacher will receive corresponding rewards as the disciple's strength grows.]

Only after Hagoromo confirmed that the people around him could hardly see the panel before his eyes did his emotions begin to stir.

This damn system! Does it know what I've been through all these years?

And the activation conditions were so complicated, too. Naruto has two protagonists.

Whether it was Naruto or Sasuke, the chances of getting close to both of them at this time were practically zero.

With the former, the slightest suspicious behavior could get him made to disappear humanely by the Anbu.

As for the latter, even setting aside his family, Uchiha Itachi, who was known as a brother-obsessed maniac, could send him straight to heaven.

Thank you, Hiruzen. If Hiruzen hadn't wanted to brainwash the new generation, Hagoromo probably wouldn't have known how much longer it would take for the system to activate.

Hiruzen, still delivering his speech, suddenly felt a burning gaze and looked over, only to see admiration practically overflowing from Hagoromo's eyes.

His mood immediately brightened, and he became even less able to stop talking. Some of the teachers who noticed couldn't help cursing inwardly.