The Real Ninja World

The next morning.

"Mmm~"

Inside the small house, Uchiha Kai groaned as he climbed out of bed.

A wave of soreness crept into his gradually awakening mind. He sniffed, then immediately frowned.

He hurried into the bathroom and began washing up, spending quite a while scrubbing away all the grime from his body.

"Ah, I feel refreshed." The boy spoke as he dried his hair, then opened his panel with a thought.

[Host: Uchiha Kai]

[Body: 4.2]+

[Spirit: 6]

[Energy (Chakra): 100]

[Energy Control: Fire (Proficient) Wind (Beginner) Lightning (Locked) Water (Locked) Earth (Locked) Yin (Locked) Yang (Locked)]

[Special Talent: Sharingan (Single Tomoe)]

[Skills: Great Fireball Technique, Three Basic Ninjutsu Techniques, Genjutsu—Sharingan, Shurikenjutsu, Konoha Style Taijutsu]

[Overall Assessment: Barely repaired broken porcelain. Possesses a little power, yet remains a mayfly in troubled times.]

Seeing the plus sign beside the Body stat, the boy chose to add a point without hesitation.

"Let me see your power, Panel."

The next second, an invisible force enveloped Uchiha Kai. It seemed as though something from the outside world was merging into his body.

The enhancement had begun. There was no agonizing pain like he had imagined, though it was hardly comfortable either. A sour, aching sensation swept through his entire body, only to vanish without a trace before Uchiha Kai could fully savor it.

[Body: 4.2 → 4.3]

[Energy: 100 → 105]

"Huh? That's it? And here I spent two whole seconds mentally preparing myself." The boy scratched his head.

"Shouldn't there have been intense pain, followed by a bunch of foul-smelling impurities getting expelled?"

He clenched and unclenched his hands, feeling the tangible increase in strength, yet his face instead showed disappointment.

"Hmm—after Body was enhanced, Energy, or rather Chakra, increased along with it?" The boy rubbed his chin in thought.

"That's not hard to understand. Chakra is originally formed by mixing physical energy and spiritual energy extracted from the body's 130 trillion cells in a certain ratio." Drawing on what he had learned at the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Kai began to analyze it.

"If physical fitness is enhanced, then an increase in Chakra is only natural. If I add points to Spirit instead, it'll probably increase my Chakra reserves too."

Having figured out the point-allocation mechanics, Uchiha Kai's movements became much lighter. He quickly finished drying himself and put on his training clothes.

Pushing open the door, he took a deep breath of fresh air as he looked at the sun that had just risen.

"The future looks bright—"

Then, as usual, he walked along the streets of the Uchiha Clan Compound.

"Oh~ Is that Kai? Starting your training again?"

As he passed a shop, a kindly old man's voice suddenly rang out from inside.

Hearing this, Uchiha Kai walked over with practiced familiarity and revealed a gentle smile.

"Yep, Grandpa Teashop. After all, your body is your greatest asset."

Inside the shop, a kind-looking old man folded up the newspaper in his hands and began chatting with Uchiha Kai.

"Hahaha~ Young people really are full of energy. Unlike these old bones of mine—I can't even exercise anymore. If I'm not careful and throw out my back, I'll be in for a world of pain~" The old man scratched his head and laughed.

"Oh~ Grandpa, you're being too modest. You get up so early every day to open your shop, so you must be in great health. By the way, why haven't I seen Granny Koshihikari today?" Uchiha Kai asked.

"Ah, the old lady? You haven't come by these past few days, so you probably don't know. She got sick with a fever a few days ago. She hasn't rested enough, so she doesn't want to get up yet." As he spoke, the old man showed a helpless yet doting expression.

"No helping it~ I can only work a little harder and keep the shop running by myself for a couple of days."

The next moment, the old man began working at the griddle.

"Ah~ That really is tough~ Grandpa Teashop is such a manly man~" Uchiha Kai deliberately drew out his words, teasing the old man in a playful tone.

"Go on, go on. What would a child like you know?" The old man's face reddened slightly.

"The usual, right? One pancake with an egg." He changed the subject with the movements of his hands.

Five minutes later, a steaming hot pancake was wrapped up and handed to Uchiha Kai.

"Here's fifty ryo." Taking the breakfast, which was clearly heavier than usual, the boy handed over the money he had prepared beforehand.

"Oh~ No need to pay this time. You haven't come by for several days, and the old lady kept talking about you. Consider it a little gesture from the two of us."

The old man blocked the boy's hand, clearly intending not to accept the money.

"How could I do that? Business is business, and kindness is kindness. Please take it." With that, the boy pressed down the banknotes, twisted his body, and vanished from the spot.

"Hey! Hey..." The old man raised his hand, but he did not even have time to call out. He looked at the hundred-ryo note left on the counter, then in the direction of Uchiha Kai's home.

"What a good child... It's just... sigh..."

Uchiha Kai fled the scene at top speed, munching on a hot pancake as he walked out of the Uchiha Clan Compound.

As he took in the food's aroma, a sense of security slowly welled up within him, and the feeling of unreality in his heart gradually faded.

He had been reincarnated in the ninja world for ten years. Some things had already become deeply ingrained in his mind, and their conflict with his newly awakened memories had left Uchiha Kai deeply anxious these past few days.

Especially after seeing the future of the Hokage World from his memories, along with the bloody and cruel history of the ninja world that had only been glossed over—unimportant details casually skipped in the series became countless instances of pain and bloodshed in this world.

After all, this was not a manga or an anime. What lay before Uchiha Kai was a real world, filled with countless living, breathing people.

"I'll never accept that shitty future."

The youth raised his head, pure resolve shining in his eyes. He was determined to change that tragic story from the original work.

"I'm still too weak right now..." the youth muttered, only for his thoughts to be interrupted the next moment by a loud voice.

"Yo! Kai-san!"

An incomparably booming voice rang out, and some inexplicable aura shattered Uchiha Kai's wild thoughts.

The owner of the voice dashed toward Uchiha Kai, then suddenly performed a flip as he drew close. After landing, he began rapidly jogging in place.

"Yo! Young man, have you finally returned to the training of youth?!" The young man with a watermelon-shaped haircut and a green jumpsuit opened his mouth with words overflowing with passion.

"Senior Guy is as fired up as ever." Even Uchiha Kai, as socially outgoing as he was, wilted a little in the face of this hot-blooded figure bursting with energy.

No matter how many times I see him, this guy's presence still shocks me... I can only say, as expected of Lord Guy... the youth thought silently.

"Of course! Youth must burn freely with this much passion!!" As he spoke, Might Guy suddenly flashed a gleaming set of Snow Fang teeth and gave a thumbs-up.

"But you, young man! Why haven't you been training as usual these past few days? Could it be that the flame of youth has begun to fade?! That it can no longer be sustained!?" Might Guy suddenly asked Uchiha Kai with a pained expression.

"Is it really that dramatic... You make it sound like I'm about to die..." Uchiha Kai wiped at the nonexistent sweat on his forehead and answered helplessly.

"I'm just about to graduate from the Ninja Academy, and my body suddenly had some minor issues, so I've been resting at home."

"Ah! I see. It's all right, young man! On the journey of youth, it is only natural to occasionally stop and rest! So long as the flame in your heart has not gone out!" Might Guy raised his voice again, his expression so impassioned that he seemed about to cry.

"Then training will never cease!!!"

"Yes, yes, yes... You're right about everything, Senior Guy." Ignoring Might Guy's passionate speech, the youth suddenly asked, "Come to think of it, why are you training alone today? Where's Uncle Dai? Didn't he come with you?"

"Ah, you mean Dad..." Might Guy suddenly lowered his voice, seeming somewhat embarrassed.

"He was called away by Madam Shijime to do some mission again. It's probably something like finding cats or carrying luggage..."

Might Guy's voice grew quieter and quieter, as though he were speaking of something difficult to admit.

"Oh—so that's how it is. Uncle Dai still has such conviction. He's obviously so strong, yet he willingly takes on these simple, tedious missions. He really is a strong man who steadfastly lives by his beliefs," Uchiha Kai praised.

"Kai! You're as kind as ever!" Might Guy wailed.

"What does that even have to do with anything..." The youth's brows suddenly furrowed again, and he began regretting trying to comfort him.

"Wuwuwu! I've trained for so long, yet my outlook is still so narrow! To think I need a junior to remind me!"

"Clearly, my training is still lacking! Very well, extra training! I'll run another hundred laps around the village as punishment for misunderstanding youth!"

"Kai! You should come too!" Just as Might Guy's little universe erupted once more, and before Uchiha Kai could think of a way to refuse—

A calm voice suddenly rang out.

"My, Guy, are you tempting your junior again?"