Genin Uchiha Makoto, Reporting for Duty

Here it comes.

Uchiha Makoto's heart tightened.

His expression remained unchanged, however, as he said calmly, "I'll follow the village's arrangements."

"Mm." Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed quite satisfied with that answer. "As is customary, newly graduated genin are assigned to teams of three under a jonin instructor. Your teacher, Orochimaru, will serve as your jonin instructor."

Nakamura was green with envy when he heard that. Fresh out of the Ninja Academy, and Makoto already got to team up with Orochimaru, one of the Sannin.

The current Orochimaru wasn't the rogue ninja he would become later.

He was the strongest candidate to succeed the Hokage, and many jonin were certain he would become the Fourth.

Cheng glanced at Orochimaru, found him still watching him with that sinister smile, and immediately turned back toward the Hokage.

He always felt there was something sinister about the way Orochimaru looked at him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a Konoha forehead protector from his drawer and handed it over. "From today onward, you are officially a genin of Konoha. Congratulations."

Uchiha Makoto accepted the forehead protector with both hands. The metal felt slightly cool.

Konoha's emblem was engraved on it.

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," he said quietly.

"There's no need to thank me. You earned this through your own hard work." Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled. "Tomorrow, we'll arrange for you to meet your teammates. Orochimaru will then take you on your first mission."

"Yes." Uchiha Makoto nodded.

"All right, off you go." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved a hand. "Get some rest. Starting tomorrow, you'll be a true ninja."

Uchiha Makoto bowed, then turned to leave.

Orochimaru and Nakamura followed him.

Nakamura tactfully went outside first to wait for Uchiha Makoto.

Uchiha Makoto gazed at the newly acquired forehead protector in his hands, momentarily lost in thought.

"What is it? Feeling sentimental?" Orochimaru's voice came from behind him.

Uchiha Makoto turned to look at his new teacher.

"I just didn't expect to become a genin so soon."

Of course, that was a lie for Orochimaru's benefit. As a Naruto fan, he simply felt a little awkward holding a forehead protector he had never worn in his previous life.

What little boy wouldn't want to put on a forehead protector and indulge in a little childish fantasy?

Orochimaru didn't say much about Cheng's reaction.

"All right, go home and rest today. See you tomorrow, Cheng." Orochimaru patted his shoulder. "Prepare yourself. My team... won't have it easy."

With that, his figure vanished in a puff of white smoke.

In the distance, behind the window of the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window, watching Uchiha Makoto walk away as he slowly exhaled a mouthful of smoke.

After leaving the Hokage Building, Uchiha Makoto felt the chill of the forehead protector in his hands.

It also marked his official entry into this dangerous yet captivating world of ninja.

"Cheng."

Teacher Nakamura's voice brought him back to reality.

Uchiha Makoto turned and saw Teacher Nakamura looking at him, his expression a mixture of pride and more complicated feelings.

"Teacher," he greeted him.

"Mm." Teacher Nakamura nodded, walked over, and patted his shoulder. "Congratulations on officially graduating. From today onward, you're a ninja of Konoha."

Uchiha Makoto looked down at the forehead protector in his hands, then back up at Teacher Nakamura.

"Thank you for teaching me this past year."

He meant that sincerely.

Although Teacher Nakamura's lessons weren't much use to someone with his "cheats," the man himself was genuinely kind.

He was conscientious, responsible, and cared about his students. Though he sometimes nagged a little, his heart was in the right place.

"Teaching you, huh..." Teacher Nakamura shook his head with a wry smile. "You're so gifted, I barely had anything to teach you. You, on the other hand, helped Obito and Guy quite a lot."

Uchiha Makoto smiled without replying.

"Oh, right." Teacher Nakamura suddenly remembered something. "You've graduated, but you still spent a year in my class. I'd like to treat everyone to a get-together, both to see you off and to bring everyone together. Would you... come?"

Uchiha Makoto paused.

A get-together?

A farewell dinner?

His first instinct was to decline. He wasn't particularly fond of crowds, and he had to prepare for things with Orochimaru next. Time was rather tight.

But seeing the hopeful look in Teacher Nakamura's eyes, he swallowed the refusal on the tip of his tongue.

"I'll come." He nodded. "If you're treating us, of course I'll be there."

"Wonderful!" Teacher Nakamura visibly relaxed, a smile spreading across his face. "Seven tonight, at Yakiniku Q. My treat! Obito, Guy, Rin, and the other classmates will all be there."

"All right," Uchiha Makoto agreed.

Teacher Nakamura offered a few more reminders before turning to leave.

Uchiha Makoto stood where he was, watching Teacher Nakamura walk away, feeling a little wistful.

It's been a year.

It's already been a year since I crossed over into this world.

He had gone from struggling to adjust to feeling completely in his element.

From being too weak to even truss a chicken to having "two Kakashis' worth" of chakra, a two-tomoe Sharingan, a heavily modified version of the Six Powers, and mastery of Fire Release...

Time really flies.

He lowered his head and looked at the forehead protector in his hands. Konoha's emblem gleamed in the sunlight.

Where should I wear it?

After a moment's thought, Uchiha Makoto tied the forehead protector around his forehead.

The standard way to wear it.

Members of the Uchiha Clan didn't seem to have any unusual habits when it came to wearing their forehead protectors.

As a typical Uchiha, Cheng decided to follow his clansmen's example rather than try anything fancy.

Once he had secured the forehead protector, he turned and headed home.

Upon returning to his apartment, the first thing Uchiha Makoto did was change his clothes.

At school, he had always worn ordinary Uchiha children's clothes.

But now he had graduated and become a genin. The occasion deserved a little ceremony.

He dug an outfit out of his wardrobe.

A dark blue, high-collared, short-sleeved shirt, with the Uchiha Clan's fan crest on the back.

Black shorts that reached just to his knees.

Paired with his newly issued forehead protector.

Uchiha Makoto stood before the mirror and examined his reflection.

His body was seven years old, but his eyes no longer looked like those of a seven-year-old child.

The dark blue shirt made his skin look paler, the black shorts made his legs look long, and the forehead protector gleamed on his brow.

The overall look...

"Pretty handsome."

Uchiha Makoto rubbed his chin.

This outfit was the Uchiha Clan's classic skin.

Itachi had worn it, Shisui had worn it, and Sasuke had worn it.

Now he was wearing it too.

"Uchiha Makoto, reporting for duty."

He struck a pose in front of the mirror, then burst out laughing himself.

So cringeworthy.

So incredibly cringeworthy.

But... it doesn't feel bad.