Storm Clouds of War

Uchiha Clan District, clan head's residence

The evening sunset laid a dark golden sheen over the Uchiha Clan District. Narong walked through the familiar streets and arrived at the home of clan head Uchiha Fugaku. Returning from this mission, what he needed to report to the clan head was not only the mission itself, but also a carefully calculated piece of "information."

Inside the quiet tatami room, Uchiha Fugaku sat seiza in the main seat, his expression as stern as ever. After listening to Narong's concise report of the entire C-rank mission, he gave a slight nod of approval.

"Then, regarding the Sharingan," Fugaku said, cutting to the point, his gaze sharp as he looked at Narong. "How do you intend to explain it to the village?"

Narong answered calmly, "Clan head, I have already informed my jonin instructor, Aburame Shio, that on the night I returned from the mission, because it was my first time experiencing killing, my emotions fluctuated violently and I awakened a one-tomoe Sharingan."

A trace of understanding and approval flashed through Uchiha Fugaku's eyes. "Ten years old, one tomoe. Excellent, but not enough to be labeled a 'genius.' This reason also fits the usual circumstances in which an Uchiha awakens their eyes. Very good, Narong. You have considered this thoroughly."

In truth, Uchiha Fugaku was one of the very few people in the clan who knew the truth. Narong's real awakening had been far earlier than this.

In Konoha Year 41, when the original owner was six, both of his parents had died on a mission. Under the weight of grief, he had already awakened a one-tomoe Sharingan. Not long after, a soul from another world occupied this young body and inherited this kekkei genkai. But the young transmigrator knew well that the tree that stood tallest would be the first to be destroyed by the wind, so he chose to hide this ability completely.

At seven, relying on his extraordinary spiritual power and his transmigration benefits, along with unbroken, bitter training, his Sharingan naturally advanced to two tomoe, and he had not encountered much of a bottleneck in the process. This only made him even more certain that hiding his strength was necessary.

At nine, after several years of observation and adaptation, confirming that his foundation was already solid and that his increased age made a certain degree of strength seem more reasonable, Narong finally chose to secretly reveal to clan head Uchiha Fugaku the fact that he possessed a one-tomoe Sharingan. As for the timing of his one-tomoe awakening, he handled it vaguely, letting the clan believe he had gradually awakened it over several years of training.

The purpose of this move was to show the clan enough talent and loyalty in exchange for the clan's resources and protection, while also avoiding being pushed into the eye of the storm too early because of something too shocking, such as awakening his eyes at six. In Uchiha Fugaku's eyes, Narong was an outstanding junior who had emerged during the Uchiha Clan's period of declining talent after the Second Ninja World War, steady in temperament, capable of forbearance, and a backbone force worthy of focused cultivation.

Now, after carrying out his first C-rank mission, using the opportunity to "expose" to Konoha's officials that he had "just" awakened a one-tomoe Sharingan was a tacit strategy between Narong and Fugaku. Narong had told Fugaku that he had awakened his eyes last year. This gave the increase in his strength a logical explanation, one that would not attract excessive attention, perfectly hiding the reality of his "two tomoe" beneath the appearance of "one tomoe."

"The eyes of Konoha's higher-ups, especially Danzo's Root, have never left us Uchiha," Fugaku said in a deep voice. "Doing this will reduce a great deal of unnecessary trouble. Continue to maintain this caution."

"Yes, clan head," Narong replied. He knew very well that now, as the shadow of the Third Shinobi World War gradually loomed, keeping a low profile while growing and accumulating strength was the wise choice. Shining too early under the name of "genius" would very likely make him a sacrifice in the power struggles of various factions, whether from the village higher-ups or... the radicals who might exist within the clan.

After he finished reporting to the clan head, Fugaku again brought up the invitation to join the Konoha Military Police Force. Narong still said that he needed to focus on improving his strength and accumulating mission experience, and that he needed to consider it. Fugaku did not force him.

Afterward, Narong had dinner at the clan head's house, prepared by Uchiha Mikoto. Looking at the gentle and refined woman before him, the future mother of Uchiha Itachi, then thinking of the tragic fate destined for the Uchiha Clan, Narong had only one thought in his heart, even firmer than before: he had to become stronger as quickly as possible, strong enough that in the storms of the future, he would have the ability to change some things.

When he left the clan head's home, night had already deepened. Uchiha Narong, this transmigrator carrying secrets, would continue forward step by step in the coming chaotic era as an "excellent but not genius" Uchiha genin. His true strength, like an undercurrent hidden beneath a calm sea, was his real reliance.

The next day, Narong decided to go to the village ninja weapon shop to replenish some consumables, mainly kunai and shuriken. Continuous training and missions had consumed quite a lot.

There were quite a few customers in the weapon shop, and the air was filled with the smell of metal and leather. Narong picked out some standard kunai and replenished a few special shuriken. When he paid, he noticed that the prices seemed to have risen slightly compared with what he remembered. Although the increase was not large, perhaps this too was some kind of sign.

After replenishing his equipment, Narong went straight to the Third Training Ground, intending to warm up and get used to the feel of the new kunai.

He had just reached the edge of the field when he heard a roar full of energy. "Oooh! Narong! You're here! Let the sweat of youth pour out once more!"

Might Guy was in the middle of the field, crazily walking around it on his hands, sweat pouring down like rain. Seeing Narong, he flipped over and landed steadily, his face brimming with extreme excitement.

"Narong! Did you hear? Kakashi! It's Kakashi!" Guy rushed up to Narong excitedly, his eyes shining.

Narong nodded calmly. "Mm, I heard. Hatake Kakashi was promoted to chunin."

"That's right! As expected of my lifelong rival!" Guy swung his fist hard, as if he himself had been promoted. "A chunin at just over six years old! What youth! What hot-blooded passion! I can't fall behind! I have to train twice as hard! Sooner or later, I will defeat him in an official contest!"

Looking at Guy burning with fighting spirit, Narong fell silent inwardly. Kakashi's name as a genius was indeed well deserved. This matter had already spread through the village and caused quite a stir. Although Narong himself, relying on an adult's soul and the Uchiha bloodline, had not improved slowly, compared with this kind of true genius, there was still a difference. However, he was not discouraged. He had his own pace and goals.

After training taijutsu and shuriken throwing with Guy for a while, Narong rested while listening to Guy prattle on endlessly about his future decisive battle with Kakashi.

At that moment, the conversation of a few young ninja nearby, who seemed to have just gotten out of school, caught Narong's attention.

"...Really? The school really changed it so you can graduate in four years?"

"Of course it's true! The notice has already been posted! It says it's because... um, it's to train ninja more efficiently and meet the village's needs."

"Great! Then can I graduate earlier?"

Listening to these words, Narong's gaze flickered slightly. The ninja academy system had been shortened from six years to four? He clearly remembered that in the original work, Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin's class, as well as Naruto's much later class, had all graduated at around twelve years old, so the system had obviously been six years. Now that it had suddenly been changed to four years, it meant the graduation age would be moved up to around ten.

Combined with the traces of other ninja villages' shinobi activity he had occasionally sensed in border regions during recent missions, as well as some rumors of small-scale, undisclosed conflicts...

Plus the slight fluctuation in weapon prices, and the apparent increase in the proportion of C-rank and even B-rank missions in the village mission system...

All kinds of signs, like pieces of a puzzle, gradually assembled into a clear picture in Narong's mind.

Konoha's higher-ups, or rather the entire Hidden Leaf Village, were preparing for war. And not some minor skirmish, but a large-scale war.

The shadow of the Third Shinobi World War was already drawing closer and closer. He could almost smell the smoke of war spreading through the air.

He raised his head and looked at the sky. Konoha's sky was still a brilliant blue. But a suffocating sense that a storm was about to break had already quietly descended.

"There's still over a month until Konoha Year 45..." Narong silently calculated the time in his heart. According to his vague memories, the Third Shinobi World War seemed to have broken out from the late Konoha 40s to the early 50s.

There was not much time. He needed to improve his strength faster, so that in the coming storm that would sweep through the entire shinobi world, he would have the ability to protect himself, or even change things.

He looked at Guy beside him, still sweating buckets and with no clear concept yet of the coming war, and thought to himself, The days of peace may truly not last much longer. A mad era is about to arrive.