Spring, Konoha Year One.
Spring was the gentlest opening to the year. In a house on the very outskirts of the Uchiha Clan Compound, a baby was born.
"Retsu, look at this child. Isn't he adorable? I'm going to name him Yinglang! Uchiha Yinglang."
"Retsu, if only you were still here."
Having just given birth, Uchiha Ning spoke to a wooden memorial tablet bearing the name "Retsu Uchiha" in large characters.
That was her husband. He had died before Konoha was founded, during the battle between Madara Uchiha's Perfect Susanoo and Hashirama Senju's Wood Golem, at Tobirama Senju's hands.
A single Flying Thunder God Slash from Tobirama Senju had killed him.
His death had been so ordinary.
So commonplace.
I... I've transmigrated!
Uchiha! This is... the Uchiha Clan Compound! This is the world of Naruto!
The more Uchiha Yinglang thought about it, the more shocked he became. He had only gone out for a stroll and accidentally been hit by something that looked like a truck and was, in fact, a truck. How had that made him transmigrate?!
He had been an orphan in his previous life, but he hadn't been completely destitute! Sure, he had still been single, but he had been a novelist earning a little money.
Uchiha Yinglang carefully recalled the story of Naruto.
As a novelist in his previous life, Uchiha Yinglang had read plenty of novels and watched plenty of films and television shows.
He could say he knew quite a lot about Naruto's plot, but he wasn't going to ride anyone's coattails!
What a joke! How could a man living between heaven and earth resign himself to spending his life beneath someone else?!
Besides, even if I threw in my lot with them, would they take me in?
I'm not the Child of Prophecy!
Well versed in all kinds of novels, Uchiha Yinglang knew perfectly well that the affection of important supporting characters was reserved for the so-called protagonist!
Are there benefits to following the protagonist? Depends on who the protagonist is!
If he's like a certain Flame Emperor, then sure, follow him! Plenty of benefits there!
If he's like a certain Sea God, I could consider it. If he gets the meat, at least I'd get some broth. There'd be something in it for me.
But what could Naruto Uzumaki do for me? Never mind that we're decades apart! Just look-is there any benefit to following him? Did he remove Neji's Caged Bird Seal? Did he avenge Sasuke? Neither! Neji died! Sasuke went from a revolutionary to a fucking idiot!
Yes! A fucking idiot!
Konoha slaughtered your whole family. Go slaughter them back!
If you don't want to hurt innocents, you could wipe out just the Shimura Clan and the Sarutobi Clan.
Don't give me that crap about leaving their families out of it!
When the good times come, the whole family gets to benefit, but when trouble comes, their families are off-limits? Bullshit!
And the Konoha 12? What did Naruto Uzumaki ever do for them? They grew stronger through secret clan techniques and teachings passed from master to student! What did any of that have to do with Naruto?
Did Naruto give Kiba Inuzuka the Inuzuka Clan's secret techniques, Shino Aburame his insect techniques, or Rock Lee the Eight Gates Release?
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this so-called "plot armor" and "righteous bonds" in the world of Naruto had been an elaborately woven lie from beginning to end.
And the foundations of that lie had been built on the bones of unremarkable Uchiha shinobi like his father, Retsu Uchiha.
Retsu Uchiha! To put it bluntly, he had been a minor character whom Tobirama Senju had casually killed with a single Flying Thunder God Slash while Madara and Hashirama fought it out!
Not even his name had been recorded, and no one mentioned a single achievement of his. His death had been utterly ordinary, utterly unremarkable, no different from a little pebble crushed under someone's foot by the roadside.
Why had it happened? Just because he was an Uchiha!
In Tobirama Senju's mind, the Uchiha were people to guard against at every turn and suppress relentlessly. When the need actually arose, he could dispose of them at will. He never took them seriously at all!
Beside him, Uchiha Ning gently stroked Uchiha Yinglang's soft newborn hair. Her gaze fell on her husband's memorial tablet, and she sighed softly.
"Retsu, all I want is for our Yinglang to live safely and peacefully. No conflicts, no hatred..."
Uchiha Yinglang quieted in her arms. His eyes were closed, but beneath his lids lay a cold severity utterly at odds with the gentle spring day.
Safely and peacefully?
In this Shinobi World where the strong ruled and the weak were prey, in this Konoha that had harbored murderous intent toward the Uchiha from the very day it was founded, what safety or peace could there be?
If I want to live safely and peacefully, avenge my father, and keep the Uchiha from heading toward extermination...
I have to abandon my illusions!
Prepare to fight!
Just as Uchiha Yinglang steeled himself and resolved to fight to the end on his own, a sudden "ding" rang out in his mind.
Only he could hear it. Bright and clear, it startled him into a daze.
[Ding! Compatible host soul detected. The Myriad Worlds Lottery System is now bound!] [Host: Uchiha Yinglang] [World: Shinobi World] [Identity: Uchiha Clan newborn] [Current strength: none (chakra not yet extracted)] [Sharingan: not awakened] [Beginner reward: beginner gift pack. Open immediately?]
Uchiha Yinglang froze at first, feeling a little bewildered, but a few seconds later, he caught on!
Joy instantly bloomed in his heart.
A system is great! There's no shame in having cheats!
Who in the Shinobi World doesn't have cheats? Bloodline cheats are the most common!
Descendants of the Sage of Six Paths, reincarnations of Asura, reincarnations of Indra, the Child of Prophecy, Hashirama Cells-there are a ridiculous number of cheats.
Uchiha Yinglang had been worrying that, as a newborn baby with neither strength nor anyone powerful to back him, he could only grind through the days and proceed with painstaking caution. But now, a tremendous helping hand had arrived!
That'll save me decades of detours!
Open it! The beginner gift pack! Uchiha Yinglang shouted wildly in his mind. Unfortunately, all he could produce now were baby coos, making Uchiha Ning beside him think he was hungry and prepare to nurse him.
[Ding! Beginner gift pack activated...] [Congratulations, host! You have obtained an aptitude for chakra of all natures!]
Oh yeah! Now even my lower limit is Kakashi Hatake! Uchiha Tianxiu was overjoyed, but immediately forced down his excitement.
I have to keep a low profile! My enemy is still alive! I can't reveal my talent carelessly, or it'll get me killed!
I still have my mother. I can't let her fall into a hopeless situation! That "sacrifice your parents for boundless power" storyline isn't for me!
System! Can you help me hide my talent and strength? Uchiha Yinglang asked the system in his mind.
[Ding, yes!]
You're a very conscientious system! Uchiha Yinglang kept praising it in his mind.
Uchiha Yinglang's mental exchange with the system had taken only a few breaths.
During those few breaths, Uchiha Ning had already gotten ready to nurse her child.
Oh no! I'm still a newborn baby, so... Uchiha Yinglang cried out inwardly, but quickly calmed down.
He had no choice but to calm down.
A baby drinking milk was perfectly natural. How was he supposed to resist?
Especially as a newborn baby.
Forget it. I was an orphan in my previous life. It's my turn to enjoy a mother's love in this one, Uchiha Yinglang told himself.
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