Under the dim light, Kyohaku Uchiha leaned on his cane and began the first—and last—thorough inventory of this "new home." The air was thick with dust and the silence of a world that had changed beyond recognition. He needed to know exactly what he possessed, and what he could rely on to establish himself in this world.
He first made his way purposefully toward the small wooden box where his mother had kept important belongings. The key still lay quietly beneath the vase on the dining table; that habit had not changed. Opening the box, the first thing he touched was a dark blue bankbook. He flipped it open, and the account holder's name, "Keita Uchiha," came into view. The final balance was clearly printed: "200,450 ryo." This was the family's savings from many years, a far more considerable sum—but it was frozen in the bank. He tried to recall the withdrawal procedure. It seemed to require the account holder's seal or proof of identity. For a five-year-old child, that would be exceedingly difficult, and would most likely alert the clan. Don't touch it for now, but I must remember that this money exists. He placed the bankbook back at the bottom of the box.
In one corner of the wooden box was an even smaller cloth pouch, containing scattered coins and small-denomination bills. Together, they amounted to several thousand ryo—loose change for everyday groceries and rice. He took those out as well and placed them with the one hundred thousand ryo. This was all the liquid cash he could freely use at present.
After finishing that, he leaned on his cane and slowly made his way to his father's small study. The furnishings here were simple, yet they carried all this family's dreams of being "ninja." There were not many books on the shelves, and only a few unsharpened training shuriken and kunai remained on a small weapon rack. His target was the drawer his father had often used.
The drawer was unlocked. It made a faint scraping sound as he pulled it open. Several scrolls and a notebook lay neatly inside.
He first picked up the topmost Detailed Guide to Chakra Refinement Technique. The edges of the scroll had been polished bright from use, showing how often its former owner had read it. When he opened it, he found not only the standard content, but many annotations and insights his father had written in fine script in the blank spaces—"Calming the mind is the first hurdle," "Feel the flow of energy within the body, like a stream," "Use spiritual energy to guide physical energy, not force it"... The handwriting grew from slightly immature to steadily composed, recording a ninja's reflections as he matured.
Below it was <Ninja Academy Basics: Three-Body Technique Applications>. The key points of the Clone Technique, Substitution Technique, and Transformation Technique were listed one by one. His father had added many observations of his own beside them, especially techniques for precisely distributing chakra during transitions between jutsu, as well as common mistakes to avoid chakra waste and jutsu failure.
Below that were two ninjutsu scrolls: Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu and Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique. "C-rank" was marked on their sides. The Fireball Jutsu scroll had been read the most. His father had even drawn a simple diagram of chakra pathway flow in the margins, with detailed notes on the key points of each hand seal in the sequence "Snake-Ram-Monkey-Boar-Horse-Tiger." He had particularly emphasized the delicate control of chakra transformation during the Boar seal, along with a warning: "Never output too much chakra too quickly. Greed for speed and power will only injure yourself."
There was also Genjutsu: This Place Is Not Here Technique. It had comparatively fewer notes, though it still contained scattered thoughts on how to guide an opponent's perceptions more naturally.
Finally, there was a not-too-thick notebook bound with ordinary paper. It had no title on the cover, looking plain and unadorned. Kyohaku picked it up and opened it. Inside was the slightly messy but passionate handwriting of his father, Keita Uchiha, along with many simple diagrams and analyses. This was not some advanced ninjutsu scroll, but the accumulated insights and summaries of a Chunin with a One-Tomoe Sharingan, gathered over years of practice in shuriken throwing, close-quarters kunai combat, and physical training. It recorded in detail various angles, methods of exerting force, wrist movements, analyses of wind direction and speed, as well as many practical taijutsu tricks and ideas for chained attacks.
He gently stroked the notebook. His fingertips could feel the texture of the paper and the writing into which so much effort had been poured. This was even more precious than those C-rank ninjutsu scrolls. It was the core crystallization of experience from a ninja who had kept his feet on the ground and climbed with determination—a true treasure suited for laying foundations and making steady progress.
He carefully gathered the scrolls and notebook together, storing them separately from the money. Money was the foundation for survival, while this knowledge was the key to gaining strength and making "completion" possible.
Leaning on his cane, he looked around the house. The material inventory was complete.
Available funds: 100,000 ryo in cash + several thousand ryo in loose change. (Approximately 105,000 ryo total.)
Frozen assets: 200,000 ryo in the bankbook. (Need to find a way to access it.)
Core assets: The Chakra Refinement Technique, basic Three-Body Technique, two C-rank Fire Style techniques, one C-rank genjutsu scroll, and accompanying notes left by Father. Father's personal training insights (shuriken and taijutsu notes).
Physical condition: Disabled right foot; limited mobility.
External environment: Both parents dead; an Uchiha orphan; the shadow of war has yet to disperse.
Advantages: Vast spiritual power and exceptional perception brought by the fusion of two lifetimes' souls; anatomical knowledge from his previous life as a forensic examiner, logical analysis, and a mentality so calm it bordered on coldness.
Kyohaku Uchiha took a deep breath. The dim light outlined his childish yet unusually calm profile.
"Inventory complete," he murmured, as though delivering a formal report. "Capital is limited, but I have not been left with nothing. Next comes how to use these assets to maximize my chances of survival and development." His gaze swept over the scrolls again, especially that plain notebook of insights.
The first step, perhaps, should start with the most basic matter—finding another place to live, far from the Uchiha Clan, especially the neighbors of this body's former owner.
Before you continue