Rebirth

The Konoha Ninja Academy was especially lively that day. New students were arriving, and the air brimmed with anticipation, nerves, and the distinctive chatter of children.

On the spacious school grounds, children in all sorts of clothes followed their parents or gathered in little groups, radiating youthful energy.

Amid that vibrant sea, one figure stood apart. He stood alone at the edge of the crowd, wearing plain clothes washed pale with use. His frame was thin, but his eyes lacked the innocence of others his age. Instead, they held a calmness and sharpness far beyond his years.

His name was Toru Kujyo.

Toru Kujyo had no parent accompanying him.

Ever since he had left Konoha's orphanage at the age of three, he had lived on his own.

Life at the orphanage had not been terrible, but for a soul who knew where he was and understood this world's cruelty, it had been no more than a brief transition.

He knew he had transmigrated into the dangerous world called "Naruto."

He had no distinguished family, no powerful bloodline, not even a surname. His parents had been Genin without surnames who had died on a mission, leaving him an orphan.

So he had to rely on himself.

To Toru Kujyo, the bustling school grounds looked entirely different. Glowing orbs of varying sizes and colors hovered above every child's head. They were the "talent traits" visible through his unique ability.

These traits appeared as bubbles, clearly labeling an individual's potential or characteristics in particular areas.

He had already worked out how the traits were ranked:

White was the most common, indicating ordinary or basic talent; green meant moderate potential; blue represented considerable talent; above that was purple, reserved for rare, exceptional talents; gold signified top-tier or extraordinary aptitude; and the highest rank, red, denoted supreme talents of a legendary or even bloodline nature.

He stood there, discreetly studying each child who passed him.

"Chakra affinity (white)." "Taijutsu basics (white)." "Ninja Tools proficiency (green)." "Reaction speed (green)."

Most were white or green, the level one would expect from ordinary children. Occasionally, he spotted blue traits such as "Fire Release potential (blue)" or "Sensory ability (blue)." Those children generally drew more attention from the supervising teachers.

His gaze swept deeper into the crowd and caught several conspicuous orbs. Above a boy with spiky blond hair and six whisker marks on his face, a massive green orb shone brightly-"Chunin aptitude (green)."

Something stirred in Toru Kujyo's mind. Naruto... so this really is his rank? He was dead last in the early days, after all.

Not far away stood a boy with a cold expression and defiantly spiky black hair. The orbs above his head were somewhat more dazzling-"Genin talent (green)," "Sharingan potential (purple)"... Sasuke.

The purple Sharingan potential trait foretold the future awakening of the Uchiha Clan's Kekkei Genkai.

Toru Kujyo's gaze lingered on them for a moment as his thoughts drifted back to the past.

His special advantage had activated when he was one year old. It was called the "Talent Trait System."

The system's central function allowed him to see other people's traits and acquire them by "defeating opponents."

More importantly, when he was three, the system had offered him a "Beginner's Gift Pack."

That gift pack had changed the course of his life outright.

Before then, the only orb above Toru Kujyo's head had been an unremarkable "Chunin aptitude (green)." His original talent had been merely average. But on his third birthday, he had used the Beginner's Gift Pack.

Light flashed, and his traits updated. When he looked at his information screen again, what he saw nearly made his jaw drop.

[Toru Kujyo: Talent traits: Otsutsuki bloodline (red) Super Kage aptitude (gold) Kekkei Genkai · Byakugan (purple) All-attribute constitution (purple) Medical genius (blue) Chakra control (blue) ...]

From a single ordinary green trait, he had leaped straight to becoming a monster with an array of top-tier talents in red, gold, and purple! He knew this was the true foundation on which he could establish himself in this dangerous world.

The system had also informed him that the Beginner's Gift Pack included one free opportunity to copy someone else's talent.

At first, Toru Kujyo's plan had been clear: enter the Ninja Academy, find Naruto or Sasuke, and use that precious copying opportunity on one of them.

As the Child of Prophecy and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Naruto had boundless future potential; Sasuke possessed the Uchiha bloodline and the Sharingan, making him an important future combatant. Copying their talents would undoubtedly offer enormous benefits.

However, that plan had changed completely a month earlier.

It had been an ordinary afternoon when he happened to encounter a member of the Hyuga Clan on the streets of Konoha.

The man was no key figure in either the Main Family or the branch family, merely an ordinary Hyuga ninja. But the orb above his head had instantly made Toru Kujyo hold his breath.

"Kekkei Genkai · Byakugan (purple)."

A purple trait signified a rare and powerful Kekkei Genkai. In that instant, Toru Kujyo's original plan had fallen apart. Naruto's future Nine-Tails' Power and Sage Mode, and Sasuke's future Mangekyō Sharingan and Rinnegan, were certainly powerful, but they all needed time to grow and develop.

The Byakugan, meanwhile, was one of Konoha's strongest ocular techniques, a Kekkei Genkai passed down through generations of the Hyuga Clan. Its perceptive power, scouting capabilities, and unique Gentle Fist system could provide tremendous advantages in the early stages and even well into the middle stages.

More importantly, compared with Naruto's complicated Nine-Tails modes and Sasuke's Sharingan, which required a trigger to evolve, the Byakugan was much more "plug-and-play." It was also tangible power that belonged to him alone.

He had made his decision on the spot, abandoning his original Naruto-or-Sasuke plan and quietly using his free copying opportunity after that chance encounter.

Now he possessed the Byakugan, and the system had given him the trait "Kekkei Genkai · Byakugan (purple)." That meant he possessed its full capabilities, rather than merely "Byakugan potential."

Added to that were his Otsutsuki bloodline (the source of his red trait; the system had not specified which Otsutsuki branch it came from, but the red rank spoke for itself), Super Kage aptitude (a gold trait indicating that he could theoretically surpass Kage Level), and all-attribute constitution (a purple trait meaning he had extremely high adaptability and developmental potential for every chakra nature).

With the further support of his two blue traits, medical genius and chakra control, he was no longer an orphan with a humble starting point, but a prodigy harboring limitless possibilities.

The noise on the school grounds pulled his thoughts back to reality. The entrance ceremony was about to begin, and the students started assembling as instructed. Toru Kujyo withdrew his appraising gaze and walked toward the gathering students, his face expressionless.

He blended into the crowd, utterly unremarkable. No one knew what astonishing secrets and power this silent orphan saw and carried within him.

The Ninja Academy was merely his first step onto this world's stage.