Turned into Little Blondie?

(Please store your brains in an orderly fashion and line up to collect them when you leave.)

(The little author is still a novice, with limited writing skills and ability. Please forgive anything that makes you uncomfortable, and go easy on me.)

(Leaving Konoha around Chapter 60.)

"Get lost, Demon Fox! You're not welcome here!"

"Why did the Third still let this monster stay in the village?"

"Damn Demon Fox, you monster will make everyone unhappy."

"Just being near him makes me uncomfortable. What bad luck."

"Why isn't he dead yet? I clearly applied to Lord Third to have him executed."

"Lord Third is still too merciful..."

"Besides, I heard the Fourth Hokage was also because of him..."

"Lord Third is far too kind. Someone like him should be killed outright."

"..."

"Gasp!"

In the pitch-black darkness, Zhang Ming opened his eyes. His heart pounded like a drum, as though it might leap out of his chest. Sweat slid down his forehead and soaked the pillowcase, while an unreal chill filled the air. He panted heavily, trying to separate the scenes from his dream from reality, but those twisted figures and cursing voices still seemed to echo in his ears, leaving him unable to tell whether he was dreaming or awake.

What a strange nightmare?

Zhang Ming felt puzzled. He had nightmares often enough, but this one had been completely different. The immersive sensation and that profound malice made him feel suffocated. Even stranger, though he was already awake, that malice still seemed to hang over him, making it hard to breathe.

After a long while, his eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, and he began to make out the shape of the room. The vague furniture and decorations looked unfamiliar in the night, but their presence reminded Zhang Ming that he was safely lying in bed.

He wanted to reach out and turn on the bedside lamp, only to realize he could not find a switch. The dim light could not dispel the gloom left behind by the dream. Zhang Ming took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself and telling himself it was only a dream, no matter how real it had felt.

Under the moonlight, when he took a careful look at this dark, cramped, cluttered room, his breathing became even more rapid.

An unfamiliar room, unfamiliar decorations, even the bedding on his body was utterly unfamiliar.

Such a small body.

The unfamiliar surroundings filled Zhang Ming with panic. He jumped straight out of bed, looking around himself while also examining his own body.

Did I transmigrate?

Zhang Ming's mind suddenly went blank. The unfamiliar environment, his shrunken body—he fiercely pinched his arm again, and the sharp pain immediately cleared his head.

I really transmigrated.

Once he realized he had truly transmigrated, Zhang Ming's initial panic instead calmed considerably. He just felt a little speechless. Couldn't this transmigration have happened earlier or later? He had worked like a beast of burden for two months and had finally been about to become a full employee, only to get transmigrated. At least let him punch that bastard supervisor first.

"Ding!"

"Detected that the host is dissatisfied with this transmigration. The 'Life Choice' system will now issue the host's first life choice. Please choose carefully."

The system? Zhang Ming was startled. The resentment he had felt over suddenly transmigrating also vanished. After all, if he had a cheat, transmigration was not such a bad thing.

The system ignored Zhang Ming's shift in mentality and proceeded to issue the two available choices.

"Option One: Choose to return to your original world and continue being a beast of burden.

Reward: None."

"Option Two: Choose to begin a brand-new life and leave your own mark upon this world.

Reward: Chakra Mastery."

Chakra? Was this the world of Naruto?

Zhang Ming's eyes flew wide open. He did not make a choice immediately. Instead, he got out of bed and searched the house for something that could serve as a mirror.

Short golden hair, azure eyes, a somewhat round face, and six whisker-like markings on his tender, adorable cheeks.

In the bathroom, Zhang Ming stared at himself in the mirror in stunned disbelief, unable to speak for a moment.

Not only had he transmigrated into the world of Naruto, he had directly transmigrated into the Child of Destiny—Uzumaki Naruto. And judging by the looks of it, Naruto was only three or four years old.

Zhang Ming could not help feeling a headache coming on, his emotions becoming somewhat complicated. This age was not a good period at all.

"Phew~"

Zhang Ming let out a long breath and raised a hand to rub his still-youthful brow. He could not help feeling fortunate that he had no habit of talking to himself. After all, in the original story, Konoha Anbu had monitored Naruto everywhere he went as a child. There were probably quite a few Konoha Anbu squatting outside this house right now.

If he talked to himself and said something he should not, he would probably be sent to Anbu for interrogation tomorrow.

Zhang Ming silently watched himself in the mirror. The star called fate shone with dazzling brilliance, illuminating the road ahead of him. The life path that had once seemed clear at a glance now appeared to split into two completely different routes with a casual wave of fate's hand. This was an opportunity to decide his destiny, a moment capable of changing the direction of his future. How many times could someone encounter such an opportunity? Between these two lives, he chose the grander path without hesitation.

I choose the second option.

"Ding!"

"The host has made a choice. The choice reward will now be distributed. Then, host, please enjoy your new life to the fullest."

As the system's mechanical voice fell silent, Zhang Ming could sense a subtle energy gradually gathering inside his body. At first, it was as tiny as a stream, but with his breathing, it slowly converged into a river. Every breath felt like a silent conversation with this power, while every heartbeat seemed to keep time with its surging flow.

From the moment this power was extracted from his body, he was able to control it freely.

I wonder how many points of Chakra I have right now.

Feeling the power that had suddenly appeared within him, Zhang Ming was in an excellent mood. He suddenly remembered the Chakra measurement unit from the original story. If he remembered correctly, after Naruto used the Nine-Tails' Chakra, he seemed to have one hundred points, and it replenished whenever he used it.

But I wonder if there are any sensory-type ninja among the Anbu monitoring me. Will they notice the sudden increase in Chakra inside me? Otherwise, I'll have to find a way to handle Sarutobi Hiruzen's questioning.

After all, the Third Hokage, known as the "Strongest Hokage," was constantly watching the movements of him, a Jinchuriki. Thinking about it, it was truly laughable. He bragged about being the strongest Hokage in history, yet even controlling a Jinchuriki required such underhanded methods. What a lack of magnanimity.

If he once possessed even a fraction of the bearing of the Hero of the Shinobi, then now he was nothing more than a parasite corrupted by power, occupying the Hokage's seat and endlessly sucking Konoha dry.

Making the new leaves burn without end, only to illuminate their own continued miserable existence.

Truly ugly.

Come to think of it, this system...

System, you there?

Zhang Ming quietly called out to the system in his mind. Mainly because the system had vanished immediately after he made his choice. In so many novels he had read, systems would chat and joke with their hosts.

System, you there?

You there?

System?

System?

Zhang Ming called out several times in a row, but the system never appeared. This left him speechless. So it was a cold and aloof system, completely different from those in novels.

He sorted out his emotions in the bathroom and lay back down in bed. No matter what happened, he would sleep first.

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

"..."

"Gasp..."

A string of short, urgent electronic chimes directly dragged Zhang Ming out of bed again. After twitching and wriggling for a moment, he sat bolt upright in bed.

Damn it! What the hell is wrong with you, System?

Please respect the system.

The cold mechanical voice rang out in Zhang Ming's mind, leaving him speechless.

...

Fine, Mr. System, may I ask what your function is?

Zhang Ming asked his question with great humility.

"This system will only issue choice missions when the host faces major choices in life, then distribute corresponding rewards based on the different options."

"The system will not communicate with the host during daily life. Please do not disturb the system."

"However, host, please rest assured that no matter what choice you make, you will experience a wonderful life."

After the string of mechanical messages, Zhang Ming felt his brain buzzing.

In other words, this system would only appear at critical moments. If that was the case, there probably would not be any rewards during ordinary times.

Still, it was not much of a problem. After all, he was Uzumaki Naruto. At the very least, he would reach Six Paths level.

He would just have to play along with those old geezers for a while.