The Gunbai should have reflected the bright moon, but the moon wouldn't claim me, so I became a clan of my own and shone through the ages~ Dear readers, this is where you can park your brain~
The timeline of Naruto is pretty muddled, so some dates will be adjusted to fit the plot. Just a heads-up~
The story begins
"Two more months."
In a residential area near the Konoha Military Police Force barracks, in the northeastern part of Konoha.
Uchiha Hayato had just finished his patrol and returned home, wearing a dark blue, high-collared jacket with the Uchiha Clan crest—a red Gunbai—on the back.
He raised his eyes slightly and looked at the calendar hanging in the living room.
Two years ago, in Year 51 of Konoha, the Nine-Tails Incident had taken place.
But that wasn't what Hayato remembered. What he remembered was that two months from now, in March of Year 53, Orochimaru's human experiments would be exposed.
As for how he knew about these things, it was because he had transmigrated here fourteen years ago.
He had been born into the Uchiha Clan, not into the family of Uchiha Fugaku or one of the elders, but into the family of an ordinary Uchiha.
It had been during a lull in the Second Shinobi World War. His father had been a shinobi, too, and was called back to the battlefield soon after Hayato was born. As expected, he never returned from that deployment.
His mother raised him alone, but she passed away the very year he entered the Ninja Academy.
After offering incense to the two memorial portraits in the living room, Hayato stood there in a daze.
He seemed to be reminiscing, but in truth, he was already planning his next move.
If Orochimaru's human experiments were exposed in March, that would be his chance to use the opportunity to escape the village.
He was now a member of the Konoha Military Police Force, so he would probably be assigned to the pursuit as well.
"If I can seize this chance, I won't be killed outright during the Night of the Massacre."
He murmured to himself. His eyes were already crimson, with a single Tomoe spinning in each.
He had awakened his Sharingan at the age of seven, when his mother died. No one in the Uchiha Clan or Konoha knew about it.
That power wasn't enough—or rather, though his body belonged to the Uchiha, his soul didn't, so his Sharingan had never advanced.
Still, it had let him take part in a few small-scale battles during the Third Shinobi World War several years ago. He had barely survived multiple ambushes.
After returning to the village, he had been assigned to the Police Force by the clan.
He had been there for several years now, patrolling or helping with arrests whenever he had nothing else to do.
There was plenty of busywork, but no real authority.
The Uchiha Military Police Force's jurisdiction covered law enforcement, justice, and firefighting throughout Konoha, after all.
Detention and interrogation, judicial rulings, firefighting, and defense were all handled by clan members with high standing or those who had awakened the Sharingan.
Though he had awakened his Sharingan, he had never let it show.
In Konoha and the Uchiha Clan of this era, displaying talent meant having a sword of Damocles hung over your head.
There was Danzo and Orochimaru in the village, and a lunatic in the clan's future—Uchiha Itachi.
"As long as I can escape, even if they find out and issue a wanted notice, at least I'll have a chance to live."
Hayato's gaze darkened. As long as he could get away, he could find a way to grow stronger.
Though people might covet his Uchiha bloodline even after he escaped, that was still better than waiting in the village for the clan's massacre.
Konoha was too troublesome.
Every promotion came with endless red tape. The village required you to meet mission quotas before you could advance.
The Uchiha Clan, meanwhile, required time and personal contributions. That created a vicious cycle.
If he showed off his strength to earn the clan's support, what would happen when the massacre came?
A One-Tomoe Sharingan against Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyo would be nothing but a free offering.
Did he think everyone was Uchiha Sasuke, going to war across the Pacific?
Hayato shook his head, picked up his clothes, and headed to the washroom. There was no point thinking about it any longer.
When the time came, he would seize the chance to escape during Orochimaru's defection. After years of patrols, he knew Konoha's defenses and routes inside and out.
As long as he acted while Konoha was in chaos, he could get away.
Then the whole world would be his oyster!
After washing up, Hayato took his clothes to the rooftop. The Uchiha Military Police Force barracks stood not far away.
This was the village's outermost edge and one of the highest points in Konoha. From here, he could look down over the whole village.
Far from the center of power, watching over the village.
Hayato suddenly let out a mocking laugh. The policy that began with the Second Hokage had turned the ideals of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama into a joke.
What had Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama's ideal been back then?
"Watching over and helping one another, guarding Konoha together."
But now, the Senju Clan had disappeared, while the Uchiha had been pushed to the edge of a cliff.
That so-called ideal was nothing but a joke.
[Beep—]
[The Land of the Covenant has been detected.]
[The covenant has been betrayed. The Bitter Fruit Entry System is now activated!]
Hayato froze.
A rumble exploded deep within his soul.
A cheat?!
As a transmigrator, Hayato knew all about systems.
But the activation requirement was absurd, to say the least.
The Land of the Covenant...
Hayato looked in confusion at the distant Kage Rock, towering above the village. Hadn't Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama sealed their pact with a handshake there?
No, why was he even thinking about that?
He hurried downstairs to check the system.
[Bitter Fruit Entry System]
Core Rules:
Reap all bitter fruits in the world born of regret, sin, betrayal, and destruction. Extract entries and exchange them for power.
The deeper the regret and the more shattered the vow, the richer the bitter fruit.
[Currently available for reaping: Epic-grade Bitter Fruit Entries]
[Hashirama · Bitter Fruit of the Broken Covenant]
[Available Entry: Sage Body Foundation (accelerated injury recovery), Wood Release Affinity · Trace]
[Madara · Bitter Fruit of Betrayed Resentment]
[Available Entries: Increased chance of awakening the Sharingan, Uchiha bloodline purity increased by 10%, killing-intent pressure]
Epic entries, and even double yolks?
Too bad he could only choose one from each. That was too little.
Hayato tried to calm the surging emotions inside him. For the first time, he felt secure.
A sense of security unlike anything he had ever felt in the past fourteen years.
This cheat was worth it!
"Extract."
"For Hashirama's Bitter Fruit of the Broken Covenant, I want the Sage Body Foundation. For Madara's Bitter Fruit of Betrayed Resentment, I want the 10% increase in Uchiha bloodline purity!"
Boom!
As soon as Hayato confirmed his choices, a vast surge of vitality poured into his body, and his Uchiha bloodline began to strengthen.
Hayato slowly straightened up and hurried to the washroom.
He looked at the two Tomoe in his eyes in the mirror and couldn't help laughing with delight.
"I... can finally stand tall, too!"
He took a deep breath. His whole body seemed to be cheering, as if welcoming a new life.
On the system panel, two rich purple entries glimmered brightly.
[Bitter Fruit Entry System]
[Current Entries: Sage Body Foundation, Uchiha bloodline purity increased by 10%]
Hayato clenched his fist. Though he had chosen to strengthen himself rather than immediately increase his combat power, he was certain of one thing.
Right now, he could beat his former self to a pulp!
Before you continue