Konoha Orphanage

However, with the Third Shinobi World War erupting and resources in the village becoming extremely scarce, the situation was dire.

Relying solely on the subsidies from the Land of Fire and Konoha Village, it was already incredibly difficult for the Konoha Orphanage to cover the daily expenses for so many children.

Moreover, since another child had been brought in from the outside today, it was clearly unrealistic for Yakushi Nonō to scrape together the tuition fees for Yu to attend the Ninja Academy.

"No, Director."

Looking up at the expression of deep apology on Yakushi Nonō's face, Yu shook his head.

"You were the one who brought me back from the battlefield, took me in, and taught me how to refine chakra and perform medical ninjutsu."

"I am already very grateful to you all, and besides, I am well aware of the current situation at the orphanage..."

As he spoke, Yu opened his ninja tool pouch, pulled out a black bag, and handed it to Yakushi Nonō.

"This is??"

"Five thousand ryo?! Where did you get so much money?!"

Upon taking the bag from Yu and opening it, she found a full five thousand ryo inside.

Yakushi Nonō's face was filled with astonishment, as this was the standard reward for a formal ninja completing a D-rank mission in the village.

"You forgot that I've already learned the Healing Jutsu, Director."

Seeing the surprise on Yakushi Nonō's face, Yu blinked his large eyes playfully. "I've been helping to treat the wounded ninjas in the village lately. This is the money I've saved up, and I hope it can help you and the orphanage."

"As for the tuition for the Ninja Academy..."

Although he was eager to enter the Ninja Academy to become a self-reliant ninja as soon as possible, Yu was no longer in such a rush now that he had awakened a demon within his body and gained the incredibly powerful ability of the String-String Fruit.

Furthermore, Yu had seen for himself the increasingly strained income and expenses of the Konoha Orphanage over this past period.

Thus, Yu continued to comfort Yakushi Nonō, "I will find another way. After all, there are still a few months left before the Ninja Academy starts, aren't there?"

"Yu..."

"You are only five years old..."

Night fell as they stood outside the entrance of the Konoha Orphanage.

Gazing at Yu, whose pale hair shone as brightly as the moonlight above, Yakushi Nonō suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

Although it had only been a year since she brought him back from the battlefield, the young Yu gave her a feeling completely different from any other child.

Only five years old this year, Yu not only kept his clothes exceptionally neat, but he also thought about problems like an adult, and his conduct was remarkably steady and composed.

"Just consider this my way of repaying you and the orphanage for taking me in."

Just as Yakushi Nonō wanted to say something more, Yu smiled and pointed to the clock on the wooden building. "Besides, it's almost nine o'clock..."

"It's already time for the orphanage to go to sleep."

"I'm heading in now!"

With that, Yu turned and walked into the wooden building.

He left behind a small, thin silhouette, leaving Yakushi Nonō standing there, filled with deep emotion.

This child...

He really is extraordinary...

"Great!"

"As long as I can develop the power of the String-String Fruit to the level of Doflamingo from One Piece..."

"At the very least, before those terrifying Six Paths-level figures appear in the later stages of this world, I will have no problem protecting myself!"

In the middle of the night, all the children around the Konoha Orphanage were fast asleep.

The sound of cicadas outside the wooden building filled the air, yet Yu stared at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep no matter what.

His mind replayed everything that had happened today.

If he couldn't clearly feel the power of the String-String Fruit rolling back and forth within his body, he would have almost thought that everything he experienced today was just a dream.

He turned over gently in his bed.

Watching the moon rise higher outside the window, Yu's thoughts began to wander.

Such a bright, white full moon...

Who would have thought that it was a vessel created by the Sage of Six Paths, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo, using the Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei to seal the Ten-Tails?

He wondered if the Ōtsutsuki clan truly lived on the moon...

Sealed for a thousand years by her own two sons, it was no wonder that Kaguya Hime would want to destroy the entire world the moment she emerged.

Thinking further ahead to twenty years later, when the Ōtsutsuki descendant, Ōtsutsuki Toneri, split the entire moon in half with a single strike of his Tenseigan—that world-destroying, god-like power—Yu couldn't help but feel a sense of longing.

"No matter what, starting tomorrow, I will train hard."

"Beyond developing the abilities of the String-String Fruit, you must not neglect your training in ninjutsu, taijutsu, or genjutsu."

"Once I find an opportunity to acquire the secret techniques of human puppetry and unlock the full power of the Devil Fruit laws, I won't have to fear anyone ever again!"

After tossing and turning in bed for a long time, Yu finally drifted into a deep sleep.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, when a ray of warm sunlight shone on his face, Yu finally woke up.

Yu had not slept soundly the night before; perhaps too many inconceivable things had happened throughout the day.

As the saying goes, what one thinks about during the day appears in one's dreams, and Yu had experienced a series of bizarre dreams throughout the night.

At times, he dreamed of defeating Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, ascending to the pinnacle of the ninja world.

At other times, he dreamed that he, like Hyuga Neji—one of the Konoha 12 who lacked the destiny of a protagonist—had died a senseless death during the Fourth Great Ninja War.

He even dreamed that he had become like the lowest-ranking ninjas, ultimately serving as nothing more than cheap cannon fodder on the battlefield.

"It seems that too much happened yesterday; the excessive stimulation and excitement led to a restless night of dreaming."

After getting up and washing, Yu looked at himself in the mirror.

He possessed a refined, handsome face with a pair of large amber eyes, complemented by a head of snow-white hair that shimmered like moonlight.

Even Yu himself had to marvel at the fine appearance he had been granted in this world—a perfect, youthful face.

Once he had finished grooming himself, Yu donned the black kimono characteristic of the Konoha Orphanage.

He draped a white coat over his shoulders, a style somewhat reminiscent of the vestments worn by priests and nuns in his past life, which only made him look more delicate.

"Alright, from this moment on, training with all your might is the only thing you need to do." Looking at his reflection, Yu whispered to himself.

"Hit him!"

"He doesn't even know who his own parents are!"

"You're just a spy from one of those villages!"

Just as Yu was about to head out to train, a sudden, chaotic commotion erupted outside the Konoha Orphanage.