Sun Ming stared blankly at the ceiling above his head. He clearly remembered that last night he had just played a few rounds of Overwatch: Return, and then watched a few episodes of Naruto. After all, it was a nostalgic memory from his youth, even though the series had long ended.
But when he woke up, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar place.
The house couldn't be called shabby, but it was certainly very traditional in style. Then he looked into a mirror—his appearance had inexplicably grown much younger. He looked like he was only fourteen or fifteen. His hair was long, and his features were strikingly handsome.
At first, Sun Ming was so thrilled at returning to his teenage years that he nearly jumped up in excitement. But the moment he saw the Uchiha clan crest behind him, and the three-tomoe Sharingan reflected in the mirror, his excitement evaporated. Damn it—he had transmigrated into the world of Naruto!
In that instant, Sun Ming—or rather, Uchiha Ming, as he was now called—didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Sure, gaining back a few years of youth was a pleasant surprise, but if his inherited memories were correct, the relationship between the village and the Uchiha clan was already at a breaking point.
On the surface, things looked fine, but in truth both sides were on the brink of war.
Even though Ming had stayed home all day, he had still heard the news of Uchiha Shisui's death.
Shisui was the Uchiha's greatest genius—both his strength and his reputation were second only to the clan leader. And yet, such a powerhouse had been killed without a sound, his eyes stolen from him. The clan was in an uproar. Some suspected the village of orchestrating it, while others whispered that it had been the work of the clan leader's own son, Uchiha Itachi.
Ming knew the real culprit was Danzō, but first, he had no evidence—and second, saying that Shisui was killed by both the village and Itachi wasn't exactly wrong either. After all, the mastermind behind it all was none other than Konoha's shadow, Shimura Danzō.
Of course, calling him a scapegoat was already giving him too much credit—after the deaths of the First and Second Hokage, nearly every dirty deed in the ninja world could be traced back to Danzō in one way or another.
"I get it, I get it! But why at this exact time? What's the point of getting a younger body if I'm just gonna die right away!?"
Furious, Uchiha Ming smashed the mirror in front of him.
What good was being handsome!? He was about to be killed anyway! That traitor Uchiha Itachi wouldn't show him a shred of mercy. Aside from his little brother, everyone else in Itachi's eyes was already dead.
"Damn it, he won't even spare his own parents, so how the hell would he let me go? What do I do, what do I do!?" No matter how much he racked his brains, Ming couldn't find a way out of the situation.
"No—I can't just sit and wait for death. I've got to escape!"
Acting quickly, Ming packed up some valuables, a few changes of clothes, and some silver, sealing them away in a scroll. At least he could be grateful that his predecessor's body was healthy and had no shortage of wealth.
Once everything was packed, Ming also pulled out his hidden stash: a few kunai, an unremarkable sword, and some explosive tags.
"Let's try my luck and see if I can slip away unnoticed."
Walking down Konoha's streets, he could see the towering Hokage Rock looming overhead. Unlike in the anime, the real thing looked even grander and more imposing. If not for the Uchiha massacre looming over his head, Ming might have even enjoyed the sight.
But every passerby who noticed the Uchiha crest on his clothes instantly kept their distance, as though he carried a plague.
"The Uchiha really have it rough—despised even by their own village. No doubt Danzō's handiwork again. And the Second Hokage did the clan no favors either…"
Ming pretended not to notice, ignoring the wary stares as he headed toward the village gate.
"Hey, you're from the Uchiha, aren't you?"
"Yeah, it's been a while since one of them came down this main road."
"Whenever the Uchiha show up, nothing good follows."
"Shh, keep it down! What if he takes you to the Police Force? You'd be in big trouble."
Could you people speak any louder!? Uchiha Ming almost went deaf from their whispering. He forced himself to act deaf, ignoring everything as he made his way toward the gate.
"Who goes there!?" The two guards at the gate were instantly recognizable—Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, Konoha's so-called "gate gods." Rumor had it that during Pain's assault, the entire village was destroyed, but the gate guarded by these two was still standing.
Oh right—and Ichiraku Ramen, too.
Seeing their wary expressions, Ming smiled and waved. "Yo, if it isn't Izumo and Kotetsu. I just want to head out of the village for some personal business. Any chance I can get through?"
Ming's cheerful smile immediately made the two relax. Unlike most Uchiha, this one didn't have a perpetual grim face or an arrogant attitude.
"Sorry, you can't leave right now unless you've got a mission order signed by the Hokage," Izumo explained politely. "Otherwise, no one is allowed in or out."
As if I'd be here asking if I already had a mission order! Ming had expected this answer, but he still wanted to try. Better to test the gate than resign himself to death.
"It's fine, I'll just go ask the Hokage myself," Ming said with an easy grin before turning toward the Hokage Tower.
Plan A had failed easily enough.
Time for Plan B.
Ming walked straight toward the Hokage building. His new plan was simple: see if he could fool that old monkey Sarutobi into giving him a mission permit. If he managed to leave the village, he'd find some remote place in the middle of nowhere to hide.
As long as he stayed out of sight, could the old monkey really track him to the ends of the earth?
"Stop! Identify yourself!" The guard at the Hokage Tower entrance barked. He was a young-looking white-haired boy, his voice still a bit childish. With that mop of silver hair, there was no doubt—it was Kakashi, the living chakra-measuring unit himself.
Digging through his inherited memories, Ming realized his predecessor had been a total loner, obsessed only with training jutsu. He had little contact with the villagers—and barely even with other Uchiha.
"Good, being a loner means I can slip into his life unnoticed." Ming thought with relief. He had no ties to Kakashi, so this was as good a chance as any.
"Hello, I'm Uchiha Ming of the Uchiha clan. I have urgent business with the Hokage. Could you please announce me?" Ming said politely, offering a small gift as a token of respect.