Uchiha Gen

The Shinobi World, Konoha.

In the woods behind the Uchiha Clan Compound.

The setting sun's afterglow fell across the leaves, bathing the lush greenery in golden light.

Beneath a tree, a black-haired, spiky-haired child gazed at the fading golden light in his hand and shook his head helplessly.

"Still can't do it? Golden Light Materialization... Is my life cultivation insufficient? Or is my control over the Golden Light too weak?"

The boy was named Uchiha Gen. In his previous life, he had been Chen Beixuan. He'd been walking down the street, so absorbed in arguing with a pirate-loving online friend over whether Naruto was a series for gay guys that he hadn't noticed a huge truck robot suddenly appear and punch him dead. Then he'd transmigrated into the Naruto world.

Unlike those who took over someone else's body after it had grown up, Uchiha Gen had retained his memories from infancy. But his infant body was too frail, and it wasn't until he was two or three that the consciousness containing all his memories fully awakened.

It was also in the year he turned three that Uchiha Gen suddenly found himself in a Mist Space while sleeping.

Countless cards, glowing in an array of colors, floated in midair in the Mist Space. They flew around Uchiha Gen in a steady rhythm, their faint rustling filling the space.

When Uchiha Gen grabbed one of the cards, a dazzling golden light flared. He immediately learned what the card did and what the space could do.

Each card represented an ability, item, or even a creature from a different world. Once Uchiha Gen drew a card, he gained the power it contained.

The power in the first card Uchiha Gen drew was called...

The Golden Light Spell!!!!

Legend: The Golden Light Spell

Source World: Anime — The Outcast

Card Type: Cultivation Technique

Description: A method of cultivating both one's nature and life. By entering a state of "rightness," one can improve one's cultivation of both. Practicing the Golden Light Spell also produces Golden Light, an incredibly versatile substance that can be freely controlled.

(Not the Daoist Golden Light Divine Spell!!!)

"Tomorrow I report to the Ninja Academy. Finally... I'll be able to get a new card."

The Golden Light faded from his fingertips. Uchiha Gen looked at the wooden target ahead, riddled with shuriken marks, and thought to himself.

After obtaining his first card, Uchiha Gen had also learned everything about the Mist Space—his cheat ability.

By defeating an enemy recognized by the Mist Space, he could earn a chance to draw a card of the corresponding level. Uchiha Gen's first draw had been something like a beginner's gift pack.

The cards that had surrounded him at the time included cards of every level. But Uchiha Gen had been very lucky: the card he'd drawn at random was legendary.

Once he understood what the Mist Space could really do, Uchiha Gen started seeking out Uchiha children around the clan compound and challenging them.

Unfortunately, the Mist Space didn't recognize those Uchiha children as strong enough.

So after obtaining the Golden Light Spell, Uchiha Gen hadn't gotten another chance to draw a card.

As a result, he'd focused on the Golden Light Spell. Three years of training had allowed him to cover his whole body in Golden Light, though... only in a very thin layer.

What Uchiha Gen had just failed to do was shape the Golden Light into an object.

Golden Light Materialization should have been a byproduct of reaching a certain level of cultivation in the Golden Light Spell. Uchiha Gen knew that.

But... it looked so cool!

Of course, Uchiha Gen wasn't going to lose sight of what mattered. He knew the heart of the Golden Light Spell lay in how cultivating both his nature and life improved him. Aside from looking cool, he wanted to master Golden Light Materialization to strengthen his control over the Golden Light.

Nature was the spiritual awareness of one's body, while life was its vitality. Ever since obtaining the Golden Light Spell, Uchiha Gen had worked hard to cultivate both.

Uchiha Gen stood and walked over to the wooden target. He picked up a special training shuriken from the ground and tossed it lightly in his hand.

The next moment.

Uchiha Gen flicked his wrist. A sharp whoosh rang out as the shuriken shot from his hand and plunged into the bushes nearby.

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal rang out of nowhere. The shuriken Uchiha Gen had thrown was knocked back, landing on the ground not far in front of him.

"You actually noticed me? Not bad. No wonder you managed to beat Koichi and the others all by yourself."

The bushes rustled, and a spiky-haired boy who looked a little like Uchiha Gen emerged. Several familiar faces followed behind him.

Looking at the group, Uchiha Gen smiled. His gaze swept over the leader's forehead and the rest of his body. When he saw that the boy wasn't wearing a Konoha Forehead Protector, a trace of disappointment flashed in his eyes.

Not a ninja...

"Demon King! You're definitely going to lose this time. Big Brother Baiyu is a third-year student at the Ninja Academy!"

When Uchiha Gen fell silent, one of the Uchiha children behind Uchiha Baiyu immediately shouted. His eyes were full of smugness as he looked at Uchiha Gen.

"So? Did you come to stand up for them?"

Ignoring the Uchiha child's taunts, Uchiha Gen looked at Uchiha Baiyu and asked softly.

"You..."

The Uchiha child had been ignored. When he saw that Uchiha Gen wouldn't even look him in the eye, his little face flushed red with anger.

"Calm down, Haohuo. I'm not interested in standing up for them. I'm not some loser who only bullies the weak. I came here just to see who could take on Haohuo and the others single-handedly.

"As Uchiha, if you lose to someone, you have to win the next time on your own. Even as his older brother, I won't interfere with his own experiences."

Uchiha Baiyu placed a hand on Uchiha Haohuo's shoulder, stopping him from charging at Uchiha Gen in anger. Then he spoke calmly, looking at Uchiha Gen.

"Childish."

Seeing that they hadn't come to fight him, Uchiha Gen dropped that one word and turned to walk out of the woods.

He'd lived among the Uchiha Clan for so long that he knew their personalities too well. Basically, no one outside his own age group was willing to fight him.