The Ninja Academy classroom buzzed with the usual energy of the students. Izuna walked through the space with silent steps, his discreet gaze sweeping across familiar faces—not because he knew them personally, but because he recognized them from another life.
Ino Yamanaka, blonde and confident, flashed him a smile and a casual compliment:
"Hey, Izuna, as always, you're better-looking than Sasuke!"
Izuna, by instinct, almost replied with a compliment of his own, but in the end, he only inclined his head in a brief nod of thanks, without breaking his stride. He wasn't rude, just… distant.
Not that he didn't want to respond or make friends, but that was simply how he had always been. Or rather, how his predecessor had always been.
At the back of the room, in his usual seat, he sat and began observing his classmates.
Hinata, shy as ever, blushed discreetly while stealing glances at Naruto.
Naruto himself, chatty as usual, was talking animatedly with Shikamaru and Choji.
"Saaasuke-kun!"
Sakura rushed over to Sasuke, who masterfully ignored her presence.
Kiba was playing with Akamaru on his head, and Shino was quietly fiddling with small insects on his desk.
It was strange.
Izuna knew all these people. He knew their futures, their struggles, their fears. But here and now, they were just children—and he, merely a spectator among them. He didn't originally belong to this world, and he shouldn't be here, but something had willed it… and so it happened.
'If I just suddenly try to get close to them, it'll be weird. Izuna never talked to anyone except Sasuke, and even then, it was rare.'
A nearly imperceptible sigh escaped his lips.
Sasuke, seated a few rows ahead, briefly glanced back. They weren't really close friends, but they shared the same surname and the same pain—at least that's what he believed—so it was normal that one's subtle changes in behavior were noticed by the other.
Thankfully, he didn't ask anything, and soon Iruka-sensei entered the room and began the lesson.
Izuna pretended to pay attention, but his mind was far away.
'I need to change this personality little by little… without drawing attention.'
That's how it had to be. In the meantime, he'd have to be placed in a team of three genin, and for that, he had to become stronger.
The Chuunin Exams were approaching fast, and he needed to be even stronger by then. After all, Orochimaru would soon be looming above Konoha, seeking the perfect opportunity to strike.
Thinking ahead…
Still this year, or at most the next, Naruto would leave to train with Jiraiya, and Orochimaru would lure Sasuke to become his next vessel. Both of them—especially Sasuke—would become much stronger during the timeskip.
He himself had to start thinking of ways to increase his power, both now and in the future.
Iruka's voice echoed through the classroom, but his words were lost in Izuna's thoughts. His fingers lightly drummed against the desk as his eyes stared into the void, analyzing every possibility.
'Naruto will train with Jiraiya. Sasuke will seek Orochimaru, and Sakura with Tsunade.'
And him? What was left for a forgotten Uchiha?
His mind raced, filtering through options:
Taijutsu with Might Guy? He could try, but that would mean staying in Konoha—on Danzou's radar and others'. Guy also wasn't exactly someone with authority to protect him.
Train with Tsunade? Difficult. She would come to Konoha, but he was an Uchiha. Besides, his chakra control was good—but not great. And he had no interest in medical ninjutsu.
Sage Mode? Yes, he could try with Jiraiya, but the odds were slim.
Maybe he should seek a new kind of Sage Mode? A summoning animal never shown in the anime.
Izuna shook his head...
Thud!
A pencil fell to the floor, pulling him from his thoughts, and rolled down to near his feet.
"Ah, sorry!" said Hinata, quickly bowing to pick it up.
Izuna reached down first, grabbing the pencil before she could. Their fingers brushed briefly, and he saw her white eyes widen.
"Here."
He handed it back without a smile, but also without his usual coldness. It might seem trivial, but it was the first time, since they'd been in class together, that he had spoken a word to her.
Hinata hesitated for a moment, then accepted it with a timid nod.
"T-thank you."
Izuna nodded, then turned his gaze back to Iruka at the front, soon losing himself once again in thoughts of everything still to come.
---
[End of class]
The afternoon sun bathed the streets of Konoha as Izuna left the academy, ignoring the chatter of students dispersing around him. He wasn't in a hurry to return to the emptiness of his apartment—a place that could barely be called home.
His feet carried him aimlessly, but with purpose: to see everything with his own eyes, not just through the memories of another life.
The Mountain with the faces of the Hokages was his first stop.
Lifting his gaze, he studied the four faces carved into the stone. Hashirama, Tobirama, Hiruzen… and Minato. He knew that someday, Tsunade's face would join them.
"Leaders… and failures."
The thought was bitter. How many of them had truly protected the Uchiha?
But thinking further… as a former spectator, did he truly care about the Uchiha clan? No. In his past life, he always believed Itachi had done the right thing—that the massacre had been inevitable.
Now, as a member of that clan, his feelings were… complicated.
Izuna smiled faintly, resuming his walk.
Finally, the smell of broth and meat guided him to Ichiraku Ramen.
There was the simple counter, the stools, old Teuchi and his daughter Ayame welcoming customers with warm and inviting smiles.
Izuna stopped a safe distance away, observing. He didn't go in—this was Naruto's refuge, not his. But for a moment, he imagined himself sitting there, eating ramen with him, just like any other normal kid.
Further ahead, the Yakiniku Q sign shone in the sunlight. He could almost picture Team Asuma inside, Shikamaru complaining about missions, Choji devouring meat, Ino laughing out loud. A ritual of camaraderie that he perhaps hoped for someday.
In his mind, he decided that if he had the chance, he would try to prevent Asuma's death, since it was truly a sad one.
As he passed through the central square, he saw elders playing shogi, children chasing a fleeing cat, and a couple arguing over groceries.
Konoha breathed life—a life he had always watched from afar, like an anime that never changed.
His steps took him to the Uchiha district. Or rather, what was left of it. The rusty gate creaked in the wind.
Noticing that the sun was already starting to set, he sighed and walked through.
There was much to do. Much to plan.
---
The apartment room was dark, lit only by a single candle when Izuna closed the door behind him. The silence of night enveloped Konoha, but for him, the real work was only beginning.
He placed the leaves he had gathered on the floor, aligning them carefully before him. It was a simple exercise—almost childish—but necessary. His body still had much potential to grow, especially his chakra control.
He knelt down, taking a deep breath.
Focus.
He extended his hand over the first leaf, feeling its light weight against his palm. The chakra had to be minimal—just enough to create a delicate adhesion.
He gently placed it against his forehead and let go.
The first attempt failed. The leaf slipped and landed on his lap.
The second one failed too.
On the third, a slight tingling sensation touched his forehead. The leaf stuck for a second before falling.
Izuna didn't get frustrated. His Sharingan flashed momentarily, analyzing his own chakra flow.
"I'm being too forceful. I need to be more subtle."
He inhaled again, adjusting the chakra output like tuning an instrument.
On the fifth attempt, the leaf stuck to his forehead—flat and firm, like a seal.
A small victory, but meaningful.
He continued, soon realizing that sticking leaves to the backs of his hands, arms, or palms was easier, as his body was more accustomed to chakra flowing through those areas.
Thus, he learned: the more uncommon the spot, the harder it was to keep the leaf there. So he focused on placing them on his face—cheeks, chin, etc.
With enough practice, he would move on to other areas.
Thankfully, he still had time.
Tomorrow, and every other morning, he would train his body to the limit. But for now, in this quiet, it was time to master the fundamentals that should never be underestimated.
In the distance, Konoha's bell chimed midnight.
Izuna picked up another leaf. Even with five already stuck to his face, he didn't stop. He still had energy to keep going.