***
On September 7th, the village buzzed with excitement. Children clamored everywhere, their voices filled with vigor and anticipation for the Shinobi Academy exams. But our hero, Yuu, sat idly on the edge of the wooden porch, staring absentmindedly at the neighborhood below.
From inside the house, his mother Kana's voice called out softly. "Yuu, aren't you going to apply for the academy? Today's the exam day—you'll be late if you stay idle any longer"
Kana's love for her son had only deepened since her husband's death. As an orphan herself, she now had no family left except Yuu, and her affection for him burned brighter than ever.
"I'm not applying to be a shinobi, Mom," Yuu replied from the porch, his tone steady. "I'm just going to help you around the shop and grow our business later on."
Kana paused, perplexed. "But Yuu, you've been training and practicing every day for the past few years... ever since..." Her words choked in her throat, the painful memory of her husband's death halting her mid-sentence.
Yuu turned and smiled gently at her. "I'm only training to protect you and myself, Mom. I can do that without the academy. Besides, being a shinobi is too dangerous. I don't want to leave you behind as well."
Kana's eyes welled up at her son's mature words. She broke down softly, shedding quiet tears, then knelt behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a tight hug. "My sweet baby... Mother knows. If this is what you want, I won't stop you. Whatever you choose, I'll be there for you. I'll hold the sky down if it falls, just like you always say to me, Yuu."
Yuu leaned into her embrace, the morning sun warming them both. Mother and son shared a few more tender moments, their fears mirroring each other—she terrified of losing him, he equally afraid of losing her. Joining the academy might promise resources, but that path was a gamble with death, especially without cheats or overwhelming power.
Inwardly, Yuu mused, *If I don't have cheats or any special powers, heading to the academy just to become cannon fodder is suicidal. I could hug some powerful person's thigh, but my pride and ego won't allow it. Better to stay home, train as a civilian—more freedom, more time to train my way. Chakra? Who says I can't buy crude refining methods and tweak them with knowledge from my past life's experiences, books, and fanfictions? It's safer to lie low for now...*
### A Month of Resolve
And so, Yuu's routine continued: swinging his wooden sword through rigorous swordsmanship drills, drawing inspiration from tales of Might Guy and Rock Lee proving that physical training alone could forge legends. Even with low chakra reserves, it didn't matter—he'd focus purely on strengthening his body.
A month slipped by like that, filled with training and helping at the shop. Word spread through the village that the First Hokage's granddaughter had joined the academy, her strength and cuteness earning widespread praise. Yuu paid it no mind, prioritizing survival over thigh-hugging politics.
One afternoon, after closing the shop early—his mother had gone to help neighbors with a community event—Yuu wandered home along the riverside. The water sparkled under the sun, but shouts shattered the peace.
"You freak! What's with that creepy look? I'll beat you up, believe me!" a kid yelled, joined by jeering voices.
Thinking someone was being bullied, Yuu hurried toward the noise. Bursting through the bushes, he saw five kids, aged six to eight, ganging up on a slender boy covered in bruises. Without a word, Yuu leaped high, slamming both feet into the loudest bully's back. The kid crumpled with a yelp, sprawling face-first into the dirt.
The group froze in stunned silence as Yuu landed gracefully, drawing his wooden sword from his waist with a slow, deliberate rasp. But he paused, dumbfounded. The slender boy was bruised, yes—but so were the bullies, some worse off. One had an eye swollen red as a peach, and blood trickled from split lips.
Yuu chuckled inwardly. *This kid looks shocked, but with those feminine wiles, long dark hair, and delicate build, he could pass for a girl—well, if not for the dark, rugged intensity in his eyes and his voice while huffing that's clearly a boy's. He's about my age, and he clearly held his own.*
The boy met Yuu's gaze silently. Yuu nodded at him. "Back off a bit, let me handle this."
The boy tilted his head, then nodded once.
Yuu whirled back to the bullies, brandishing his sword. "You lot done picking on someone tougher than you? Scram, or I'll make you regret it."
Yuu wasn't afraid of mere children taking in his mental age along with his training, teaching brats a lesson shouldn't be too hard he mused.
The leader scrambled up, spitting dirt. "Who the hell are you? This freak started it!"
"Doesn't matter, You brought people in and made it unfair " Yuu said coolly. "Walk away now."
They charged instead—two from the front, three circling behind. The leader swung a wild fist; Yuu sidestepped, cracking his sword across the boy's knuckles with a sharp *thwack*. The kid howled, clutching his hand.
Another bully lunged low for Yuu's legs. Yuu vaulted over him, driving an elbow into the kid's shoulder on the way down, sending him tumbling into the river with a splash. The remaining three hesitated, but one grabbed a rock and hurled it. Yuu deflected it mid-air with a precise sword flick, then dashed forward.
He swept the legs out from under the rock-thrower, following with a controlled pommel strike to the gut that doubled him over gasping. The last two bolted, but Yuu pursued, tripping one with a low slash and pinning the final bully face-down with his knee. "Had enough?" he growled.
"Y-Yeah! We're sorry !" they whimpered, scrambling away in terror, leaving their bruised pride behind.
### An Unexpected Ally
Panting lightly, Yuu sheathed his sword and turned to the slender boy, helping him stand. "You good? Looks like you were handling them fine on your own anyway."
The boy nodded, brushing dirt from his torn clothes. His voice was soft but steady. "Thank you... I suppose I was, but more would have been trouble."
Yuu grinned. "No problem. Name's Yuu Yagami."
The boy paused, then replied simply, "Orochimaru."
Yuu froze, staring shellshocked. "Orochi... maru?" The name hit like a kunai from his past-life knowledge—the legendary snake sannin, right here as a battered kid.
Orochimaru tilted his head, dark eyes narrowing in confusion.
***