In those years without a system, I saw people for who they really were!

"Inferior aptitude."

"If he trains diligently, he might become a Genin in this lifetime."

Back then, an elder of the Uchiha Clan had taken just one look at the newborn Uchiha Gua, shaken his head, and delivered that chilling verdict.

These were turbulent times.

Talent really mattered.

Take the clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku, for example. Not long after Uchiha Gua was born, he too had a son, whom he named Uchiha Itachi.

The boy was extraordinarily gifted.

At his birth, a blood-red glow had blanketed the Uchiha Clan Compound. The clan had hailed it as an auspicious omen-a blessing from heaven!

He carried the hopes of the Uchiha Clan.

Uchiha Gua, on the other hand, seemed like a complete dimwit.

That was no exaggeration. He really did seem like a dimwit.

Not only had there been no unusual phenomena at his birth, he hadn't cried or fussed either. His mother, Uchiha Nai, had been so frightened that she'd hoisted him up and given his bottom a good spanking before he finally started wailing.

Once Uchiha Nai put him down,

Uchiha Gua went right back to his vacant stupor.

So Uchiha Nai spanked him again!

The cycle repeated.

Uchiha Gua reached the age of five.

He was still somewhat different from ordinary people.

Other children his age liked running around outside. He liked idling at home.

Well... he was a shut-in.

For that very reason, his father, Uchiha Oyama, came up with a fine name for him: Uchiha Gua.

Fine though the name was, Uchiha Gua's mother, Uchiha Nai, vetoed it outright.

"Who names their child Idle?"

Uchiha Nai scolded him.

Uchiha Oyama scratched his head and gave an honest, good-natured grin. "Our son does nothing but stay home all day. I just thought it suited him."

"That doesn't mean you can call him Uchiha Gua!"

Uchiha Nai's pretty eyes narrowed.

Uchiha Oyama grinned sheepishly.

As though she'd remembered something pleasant, Uchiha Nai smiled faintly. "Let's call him Uchiha Gua, with the character for 'hanging around.' Hmm, that doesn't sound nice. The character for 'divination' would be better. He'll be a handsome little boy."

And just like that, Uchiha Gua received his name in this world.

Now, back to Uchiha Gua's side of the story.

He wasn't actually a dimwit. He'd simply been dealt a crushing shock after transmigrating into this world.

He'd seen his mother's Sharingan.

He'd seen that "ping-pong paddle" clan crest.

He'd even caught a glimpse of the clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku, from afar.

At the time, Fugaku had been watching him from the shadows, sizing him up with his Mangekyo.

That had completely stunned the newly transmigrated Uchiha Gua.

He'd transmigrated into the world of the Hokage. Worse still, he'd become an Uchiha.

So all he could do was hope that bastard Uchiha Itachi would spare the elderly and children when he swung his blade.

Later, when he heard that Clan Leader Fugaku had a baby boy only a few days younger than him, hope flared in Uchiha Gua's heart.

He eavesdropped while nursing and finally learned the truth.

The boy was Uchiha Itachi, who was the same age as him-no, five days younger.

The corners of Uchiha Gua's mouth lifted. It seemed he might have a bright future after all.

But reality soon dealt him a heavy blow.

The elder's original assessment had been correct.

Inferior aptitude!

Normally, this world didn't hand out arbitrary verdicts on aptitude. Even when it did, a child had to grow for a while before any signs became apparent.

Yet Uchiha Gua had been branded with inferior aptitude shortly after birth.

That alone showed just how inferior his aptitude really was.

Uchiha Gua despaired.

"Oh, vast heavens, why do you treat me so cruelly?!"

And so Uchiha Gua began fretting over impending doom.

He went idle!

His daily routine consisted of eating, sleeping, and beating little beans.

Why only little beans?

Because his equipment wasn't ready for a different kind of beating yet.

During that time, Uchiha Itachi, the little boy his age, often came over to invite him out to play.

At first, Uchiha Gua had entertained the idea of "going hiking together."

Once they reached the summit, he planned to become an assassin through time and kill Itachi before his future could unfold!

Unfortunately, his father, Dashan, happened to pass by and caught him red-handed.

He hauled him home and gave him a savage beating.

From then on, Uchiha Gua began his long career of idling.

No one could get him to go outside.

Idling was all well and good, but damn it! He didn't have a system!

He was literally just idling while waiting to die!

Every day, he counted down.

Three thousand three hundred and twenty days until the night of the massacre. Three thousand one hundred and seventeen days until the night of the massacre. Still...

As he counted, the days flew by.

In the blink of an eye,

Uchiha Gua was six.

Uchiha Itachi was six too.

They were old enough to attend school, so Uchiha Gua could no longer keep idling at home.

He had to go to school.

He wondered whether the teachers would beat him for idling there.

In a decidedly gloomy mood, Uchiha Gua was taken to school by Uchiha Nai.

At the school gates, they ran into Uchiha Itachi and his mother, Uchiha Mikoto.

Uchiha Mikoto was beautiful, the very picture of a young Japanese wife.

Uchiha Gua liked her very much.

Of course, Uchiha Gua thought his own mother, Uchiha Nai, was even more beautiful-lively and spirited, like an energetic eighteen-year-old girl.

Everyone in the clan thought Uchiha Gua had inherited his father's personality, but fortunately, he'd inherited his mother's looks.

"Mikoto, what a coincidence."

Uchiha Nai greeted Uchiha Mikoto from a distance.

Uchiha Mikoto responded warmly and walked over with Itachi. "Itachi and Gua will be classmates from now on. You'll have to get along."

"Of course we will, Mother. Uchiha Gua and I are already very good friends."

Itachi hadn't become withdrawn yet. Compared with Uchiha Gua, who idled all year round, he actually seemed quite lively.

Uchiha Gua's mouth twitched.

Buddy, good thing you don't know about that time I wanted to assassinate you before you grew up.

Yes, only Uchiha Oyama had caught Uchiha Gua's attempt to become an assassin through time. He hadn't told anyone, merely given Uchiha Gua a harsh lesson.

After that, Uchiha Gua had behaved himself.

With Uchiha Itachi being so friendly, Uchiha Gua couldn't very well give him the cold shoulder. He put on a reasonably amiable smile.

"We will."

Uchiha Nai affectionately ruffled Uchiha Gua's hair. "Make sure you talk to the other children at school. Even if you can't become a great ninja, you should still have a friend or two. Understand, Gua?"

"Understood."

Uchiha Gua gave his usual robotic reply.

"Then off to school with you."

As more and more new students arrived around them, Uchiha Nai nudged Gua toward the school.

Itachi followed behind Uchiha Gua.

"Little brother, why don't you walk in front?"

Uchiha Gua had Itachi move ahead of him, mostly because having that guy behind him sent a chill down his neck.

Itachi didn't understand.

But Itachi did as he was told.

As Gua turned his head, he saw his mother waving at him from behind, a radiant smile on her face.

"Do your best, Gua!"

Uchiha Gua nodded robotically.

Then he turned to look at Uchiha Itachi's back. Right now, he rather wanted to smash him to death with a brick.

He stepped into the Ninja Academy.

Voices clamored all around.

The children were all around six, at an age when the world filled them with curiosity. Gathered together, they were lively and had endless things to talk about.

But Uchiha Gua froze.

He stood amid the crowd, alone, like the only idle NPC in the world.

[Ding-]

[Congratulations, host, on idling for six years. Your sincerity has paid off. The idle leveling system has been bound.]

[Idle slot (tenfold boost)]

[Idle slot (tenfold boost)]

[Idle slot (tenfold boost)]

Uchiha Gua stood among the crowd, outwardly calm but laughing wildly inside.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"

"In those years without a system, I saw people for who they really were!"

"So what if I have inferior aptitude! I, Uchiha Gua, will carve out a place for myself in this shinobi world! Through dreams and longing, let the winds and clouds surge... bring on the cheats!"