Prologue: Konoha, I'm here!

Land of Fire, Fire Temple.

The early spring drizzle was like a flower thief slipping into a boudoir at night; it arrived in a sudden, violent gust and departed in a hurried blur, leaving behind only muddy ruts and a pear tree beginning to bloom.

As the wind died down and the rain ceased, the streets gradually stirred to life. Commoners emerged from their homes, and the sounds of peddlers hawking their wares echoed along the thoroughfare.

Amidst the noisy street, a youth stood silently within the temple, his expression dazed.

The youth wore a white robe beneath a straw raincoat. Though the surrounding ground was a muddy mess, his clothes remained spotless. He had a well-proportioned build, fair skin, and eyes that shimmered with a bright luster. A pair of sword-like brows added a touch of sharpness to his handsome face.

The youth seemed not to hear the clamor of the peddlers outside the temple. He stood perfectly still, and had it not been for the melancholic look on his face, he would have appeared as nothing more than a statue.

"Your Highness, are you feeling homesick?"

The youth turned his head slightly to look at the elderly abbot behind him, then shook his head.

"I was wondering if there are any other ninjutsu in the Fire Temple that I have yet to learn."

The elderly abbot was rendered speechless, a wry smile soon tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Your Highness's talent is truly rare. In just two and a half years, you have not only learned every ninjutsu in the temple but have mastered them to perfection. Even I would find it difficult to gain the upper hand against you."

The youth in white nodded, his expression lost and forlorn.

"Two and a half years, huh... I've been begging my father for two and a half years now. Surely, if I ask this time, I'll succeed?"

The youth in white—an outsider who had no business being in this world—was none other than Ye Ning, son of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire!

In this world of ninjas, few dared to commit the sacrilege of assassinating a Daimyo. The Daimyo held supreme status, controlling the lifeblood of every major ninja village. Even the most powerful village, Konoha, had to rely on the funds provided by the Daimyo to develop.

As the only son of the Daimyo, Ye Ning was destined to inherit the position of the Land of Fire's Daimyo, with beauty, wealth, and power all within his grasp.

But Ye Ning knew deep down that the Naruto world was, at its core, a world of ninjas. Even if inheriting the throne could buy him a moment of peace, the later stages of this world were filled with monsters capable of destroying the planet at a whim. A mere title as Daimyo would never guarantee his safety.

The Infinite Tsukuyomi wouldn't care if you were a Daimyo or not.

Admittedly, if he followed the original trajectory of the Naruto world, two "cheat-code" protagonists would save the world, but who knew if his arrival would trigger some butterfly effect?

Only by becoming strong himself could he control his own destiny.

Hiding in the capital of the Land of Fire meant his progress was far too slow, and besides, there was no one left in the Fire Temple for him to spar with. If he wanted to improve his strength, he might have to go to Konoha and find some sparring partners there.

Furthermore, setting everything else aside, as an outsider, he was filled with curiosity about the number one village in the ninja world.

Therefore, the trip to Konoha was something he was determined to achieve!

"Lord Daimyo, His Highness has returned from the Fire Temple!"

Hearing his subordinate's report, the Daimyo, who was in the prime of his life, widened his eyes. He immediately ordered the removal of the "entertainment" his son shouldn't see and waved away those who had no business being there.

As soon as he stepped into the palace, the scent of privet flowers hit him. Ye Ning even noticed the rouge and lipstick marks his cheap father hadn't managed to wipe off his face. The desk that symbolized power and status was in total disarray, with various books scattered across the floor.

Ye Ning naturally understood what kind of earth-shattering battle had just taken place in the palace. Although he had expected it, he still couldn't help but twitch his mouth.

"Oh ho ho, little Ning is back."

"..."

To be honest, Ye Ning actually admired his cheap father's thick skin.

Anyone with eyes could see how absurd the situation had been, but his father's calm, unruffled demeanor still made him want to give a thumbs-up.

"Greetings, Father."

Ye Ning bowed formally before casually finding a seat. "The time we agreed upon has passed—two and a half years have gone by. When will you arrange for me to go to Konoha?"

Upon hearing this, the Daimyo, who had been all smiles, reined in his expression and straightened his posture, looking serious.

"Little Ning, are you truly determined to become a ninja?"

"That goes without saying. Or did you think I spent the last two and a half years playing children's games?"

A long silence followed.

Facing the gaze of his cheap father, Ye Ning did not retreat in the slightest, meeting his eyes with firm resolve.

He had already made up his mind: if the Daimyo tried to stall with more excuses, he would pack his bags that very night and head straight for Konoha. With his current strength, the small fry under his father's command wouldn't be able to stop him at all.

During this silence, the Daimyo was secretly weighing his options.

Though he appeared to be a spendthrift, his body hollowed out by wine and women to the point where Ye Ning was his only son, it didn't mean he was a complete fool. He was carefully considering the pros and cons of this matter.

After a moment of thought, the Daimyo returned to his smiling expression. "Well, since little Ning insists on going to Konoha, then go."

"I knew you were going to find some excuse... wait, what?"

Ye Ning looked at the Daimyo in shock, his face full of disbelief.

He had expected the same result as always—to be put off by all sorts of reasons—but he hadn't expected him to give in so easily this time.

The Daimyo shook the feather fan in his hand and made the arrangements.

"I will grant your wish and let you go to Konoha to study ninjutsu. I heard... Konoha has something called the Scroll of Seals, is that the name? I will arrange for someone to notify Sarutobi Hiruzen in Konoha later. In any case, you can just go and study those ninjutsu."

!?

Scroll of Seals?

Are you serious?

Ye Ning's eyes widened, and he suddenly found the wrinkled face of his cheap father much more pleasing to the eye.

That was the Scroll of Seals! In the original story, even Minato Namikaze could only learn one of the ninjutsu within it with the help of Jiraiya!

And he was saying he could just borrow it like that?

Ye Ning clicked his tongue, suddenly discovering the second benefit of his current identity, aside from the wealth.

The Daimyo shook his head thoughtfully and continued:

"It just so happens that those ninjas have finished their war, so I'll stop by Konoha on my way to see how it has developed. Come to think of it, it's been a long time since I've been there..."

"Eh? Father is coming too?"

"My only son is going on a long journey, so of course I, as his father, must see him off!"

Ye Ning clenched his fists, his heart filled with anticipation.

After two and a half years of hard work, he could finally head to Konoha!

Konoha, I am coming!