Qingyu: We're the Ones Coming to You

Just as he was about to leave, a member of the Uchiha Clan approached him.

"Qingyu, the Clan Head would like to see you."

Here we go.

Clan Head Fugaku was summoning him.

"A banquet at Hongmen," Izuna said.

"They mean trouble. Evil Uchiha!" Tobirama cursed under his breath.

Qingyu: We're the Ones Coming to You

Qingyu's heart raced. His chakra sensing picked up three powerful presences inside the study, pressing down on him like three mountains.

"Lead the way."

As he followed the Uchiha Clan member along the stone-paved path through the clan grounds, his thoughts went into overdrive:

I know this plot!

A private summons from the Clan Head? Either I'm about to get a hidden quest or trigger an important story event!

By video game logic, this should be a choice between two options:

A. Accept a secret mission from the clan

B. Find out you're "not really an Uchiha"

...Wait, I'm a transmigrator anyway. Oh, never mind.

"This way, Qingyu." The clan member stopped in front of a Japanese-style mansion. "The Clan Head is waiting for you in his study."

Qingyu looked up at the elegant, imposing building before him.

As expected of the Clan Head's home. This place is at least three times bigger than my shabby little house.

Was the wealth gap in the Uchiha Clan really this bad? Couldn't they set up some kind of clan relief fund or something?!

Fugaku: I'm suffering while you all live in luxury!

The front door opened onto an entryway where slippers had already been laid out.

Qingyu changed into them and followed the clan member into the inner courtyard.

The study was at the end of the corridor.

The clan member knocked. "Clan Head, Qingyu is here."

"Come in," Fugaku called from inside.

Qingyu opened the door and was immediately surprised to find that Fugaku wasn't alone in the study.

Itachi Uchiha stood by the window, still wearing his usual calm expression, as if the whole world owed him five million.

Shisui Uchiha sat beside the tea table, smiling as he brewed tea.

Clan Head Fugaku sat behind his desk with a document in his hand.

Wow, the Uchiha F4... No, the Uchiha F3 are all here!

Is this a small fan meet-and-greet for me?

Should I scream to set the mood?

"Sit." Fugaku pointed to a cushion beside the tea table.

Qingyu obediently sat down, and Shisui immediately passed him a cup of tea. "Freshly brewed. Careful, it's hot~"

"Thank you, senpai." Qingyu accepted it.

Meanwhile, he wondered to himself:

Had they slipped some kind of "truth serum" into the tea?

Was Uchiha tea culture really this wild?

"How are you feeling?" Fugaku set down the document and got straight to the point.

"I've recovered completely. Thank you for asking, Clan Head," Qingyu answered honestly.

"I watched your match with Neji." Fugaku picked up his teacup and gently blew on it.

"Your choice of tactics was excellent, especially that last move... It was very bold."

Qingyu's heart tightened.

Here comes the important part!

"However," Fugaku continued, "your growth has been somewhat... unusual in its speed."

The air in the study instantly grew heavy.

Qingyu felt sweat break out across his back. Two voices sounded in his head at once:

Izuna: "What are you panicking for? Just say you're a late-blooming genius!"

Tobirama: "We need a more reasonable explanation. I suggest crediting some of his progress to our guidance, but framing it as a 'dream inheritance'..."

"I..."

"Don't be nervous." Fugaku suddenly smiled, though there was something about it that said he had everything under control.

"Every Uchiha has a period of rapid growth. Yours simply came unusually late and hit unusually hard."

Qingyu: "..." Clan Head, that explanation almost fried my CPU.

So the Uchiha were actually a race of Saiyans? Get beaten half to death, recover, and come back stronger?

Here I go!!!

"The Clan Head didn't call you here to interrogate you," Shisui cut in at just the right moment, smiling as warmly as the friendly older brother next door.

"There's something... we'd like to hear your opinion on."

My opinion? What could a twelve-year-old Genin possibly have to say in front of the Clan Head and two big shots?

I can't even decide what to eat for lunch!

"Go ahead," Qingyu said, looking obedient.

Fugaku took another document from his drawer and pushed it over. "Next month, Konoha and Sunagakure will hold a joint Chunin exchange event. Each village will send three newly promoted Chunin to take part in a week of tactical exercises and live combat."

Qingyu picked up the document and skimmed it.

A joint event? Was this in the original story?

Wait, could it be...

"You want me to participate?" he asked tentatively.

"Not just you." Fugaku glanced at Itachi by the window.

"Itachi will go as one of Konoha's team leaders. One of the other two spots will go to Neji Hyuga, and the last will most likely go to Naruto Uzumaki."

Qingyu's hand shook, and he nearly spilled his tea.

Good grief! An Uchiha, a Hyuga, and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki! Were they going to an exchange event or to kick in the door?

Wouldn't Sunagakure pack up and flee overnight when they saw this lineup?

"Of course, the final roster will need the Lord Hokage's approval," Fugaku continued.

"But I've recommended you for the Uchiha's spot."

Qingyu set down his teacup and grew serious. "Clan Head, may I ask why? I only just became a Chunin..."

"Because you need experience," Fugaku replied, meeting his eyes.

"And you need... more people to see what you can do."

There was more to that than met the eye!

Qingyu understood at once.

They were building up his résumé! The Uchiha Clan was paving the way for him!

By workplace logic, this was the treatment given to a high-potential employee!

But why? Just because he'd beaten Neji?

Qingyu: I didn't have a choice before. Now I want to be a Senju!

"It's not just because of the match," Shisui said with a smile, as if he'd read Qingyu's mind.

"Your fighting style is unusual, Qingyu. You have the Uchiha's explosive power, the Senju school's steadiness, and some other qualities... I can't quite put my finger on."

He paused. "There aren't many young Uchiha like that. The Clan Head thinks you might be able to forge a different path."

A different path... Did he mean one where the Uchiha didn't have to wait to be wiped out?

"The exchange event is an opportunity," Itachi suddenly said, his voice as calm as ever.

"It'll let us meet shinobi from other villages and learn about different fighting styles. We can also... observe Sunagakure's movements."

Observe Sunagakure? Qingyu's thoughts stirred.

Right. In the original story, Sunagakure later joined forces with Orochimaru to carry out the Konoha Crush Plan. That happened around this time, didn't it?

Had the Uchiha already noticed something?

"Of course, it's up to you whether you go," Fugaku said.

"But if you do, Itachi and Shisui will train you. Sunagakure's shinobi have... a rather unusual style."

Unusual was putting it mildly. They fought like they were out to kill!

Qingyu thought of Kankuro's poison-laced puppets, Temari's iron-slicing fan, and Gaara's sand smothering your face... What kind of exchange was this? Extreme survival training!

I'm not Bear Grylls!

[Ping!]

[System Notification: Important story event detected!]

[Side Quest Triggered: Sunagakure Exchange Survival Guide]

[Quest: Accept Fugaku Uchiha's proposal and take part in the Konoha–Sunagakure joint Chunin exchange event. Complete the following objectives during the event:

1. Have "friendly" sparring matches with at least three Sunagakure shinobi (knocking them flat counts)

2. Collect combat data on Sunagakure shinobi (the more, the better)

3. Come back alive (most important)]

[Quest Rewards: Depending on completion, unlock "Sunagakure Ninjutsu Analysis (Partial)" or receive one exclusive training session with Itachi Uchiha or Shisui Uchiha]

[Failure Penalty: Sunagakure Affinity -100 (not that you had much to begin with), and a humiliating reputation within the Uchiha Clan as "the one who gets beaten the moment he leaves home"]

[Uchiha: Good at internal strife, hopeless at fighting outsiders]