Kitagawa Gen was a transmigrator.
He still vividly remembered thirteen years ago—just stepping out for a walk, only to be met by an out-of-control dump truck.
His timing for transmigration wasn't exactly ideal, but it wasn't the worst either.
Being three years older than "Prince Naruto" meant he'd avoided the brutal Third Shinobi War, but it also left him powerless to change many events.
Like last year, when Uchiha Itachi finally completed his "Enlightenment at Dragon Meadow," then followed Obito's footsteps to deliver a wave of "filial piety" to his own clan!
Whenever Gen thought of this, he couldn't help but sigh—
Damn it, I transmigrated too late.
If he'd been stronger, he could've tried to profit from the Uchiha clan's downfall!
Fortunately, he too was a cheat user with a system.
Cheat users weren't rare in this vibrant, competitive ninja world. Even the "Naruto Prince," who'd once achieved a perfect ending through sheer plot armor, had his account suspended for excessive cheating.
But having a system wasn't everything. Hadn't Naruto and Sasuke nearly wiped out countless times against the ninja world's top-tier foes?
Besides, his cheat required completing missions for rewards. Compared to talent cheats, ancestry cheats, or even Talk-no-Jutsu cheats, his was practically a minor tweak.
"Especially since I couldn't even get my newbie gift pack..."
The thought made Gen grit his teeth in frustration.
He couldn't understand why a newbie pack—something that should've been granted upon transmigration—required him to first become a ninja?
And this "ninja" status wasn't just any definition—it specifically meant securing an official Konoha position...
Was the end of the universe really just civil service?
But if things kept going like this, wouldn't he become cannon fodder in the Chunin Exams?
Even if he survived the exams, how could he dodge the Fourth Great Ninja War?
Crushed by a dump truck before transmigrating, doomed to be wrecked after? Wouldn't that make this whole journey pointless?
Luckily, side quests were his lifeline.
Side quests were simple: complete them, get rewards. But they were also wildly unreliable.
For example, when he met Hinata, a quest titled [Delicious Sister Duo] popped up.
Worse, when he encountered Naruto, he got [Make Naruto and Pain Smoke Peacefully on Konoha's Ruins]...
Thankfully, side quests could be declined.
But once accepted, they had to be completed—or he couldn't take new ones.
There was also this:
"If I abandon too many, the system will judge me too weak and force one on me."
The quest [Become Kakashi's Sole Apprentice] had been shoved down his throat by the system.
He'd considered graduating early, but postwar Konoha strictly regulated early graduation.
Only Uchiha Itachi got "special treatment." Everyone else, including the Konoha 12, followed standard procedure—crushing Gen's hopes.
[Name: Kitagawa Gen]
[Age: 13]
[Bloodline: None (likely generations of laborers)]
[Chakra Reserves: B (Chunin average)]
[Chakra Nature: Wind, Fire, Earth]
[Skills: Body Flicker Technique, Earth Release, Kakashi's Swordsmanship, Shurikenjutsu (Ninjutsu power scales with chakra level)]
[Items: Newbie Gift Pack, Self-Cleaning Clothes]
"Kakashi's Swordsmanship? Not bad..."
Gen scanned his status panel as he left the hospital, though his focus stayed glued to the newbie gift pack.
Thirteen years!
Nezha was born after just three years and six months in the womb. Yet he'd waited thirteen years for this pack!
"Gen."
Just as he hurried home to finally see his reward, someone called from behind. He turned to see Might Guy sprinting toward him.
"Guy-sensei! What brings you here?"
Gen instantly masked his thoughts, smiling as he greeted him.
Over the years, he'd "coincidentally" met Guy while seeking taijutsu training. Using his knowledge of Guy's personality, they'd quickly bonded. Everything he'd told Kakashi was true—many of his techniques were even "legitimized" through Guy.
He had zero fear of Kakashi cross-examining Guy.
"I heard something happened to your team." Guy looked Gen over anxiously. "What went wrong? How did you end up in the hospital? That Kakashi—"
"I'm fine, Guy-sensei," Gen shook his head, still smiling. "It wasn't Kakashi-sensei's fault. It was... our own mistake."
Gen couldn't bring himself to admit his team self-destructed—especially since he'd played a key role.
To complete [Become Kakashi's Sole Apprentice], Gen had strategized carefully. He recalled Kakashi once had students who'd displayed "brotherly devotion," and guessed the system gave him this quest for similar reasons.
After team assignments, he'd subtly pressured his "teammates," constantly "emphasizing" his determination to become a ninja, projecting an air of inevitability.
Thankfully, his grades were solid, and during the test, he'd given his all to appear "dominant."
As for the bells...
Having mentally and physically worn them down, his silence shifted all pressure onto the other two.
Predictably, they drew blades on each other.
Of course, had they stolen the bells and failed outright, Gen had a backup plan—he'd just have adjusted his speech to Kakashi slightly.
"Thanks to your training, Guy-sensei. Otherwise, I wouldn't have earned Kakashi-sensei's approval."
Gen bowed slightly. Guy was his savior!
He suspected Guy had done even more.
As a civilian orphan—his parents KIA during the war, raised by his grandfather before losing him too—Gen knew the drill.
Standard procedure assigned team leaders, but a jonin instructor? Unlikely. Jonin taught clan heirs and elites, not laborers...
A regular team leader's job was acclimating new genin to shinobi life and missions—more a superior-subordinate relationship.
Ending up under Kakashi? Regardless of how it happened, Gen chose to believe someone had pulled strings.
"Glad you're unhurt—wait?" Guy paused, processing. "You mean... you passed Kakashi's test?"
"Yes."
Guy's hand slapped Gen's shoulder, a shining thumbs-up raised, his teeth gleaming. "Excellent! I worried for you! Shame my transfer request was denied—Kakashi got lucky! To celebrate, let's run ten laps around Konoha!"
[New Side Quest: Outrun Guy!]
[Defeat Guy in a lap race. Accept?]
"..."
Gen bared his teeth and instantly declined. He had no time to waste.
"Guy-sensei, I just finished the test. Kakashi-sensei told me to rest for tomorrow, so..."
"Ah, right!" Guy stroked his chin, then nodded cheerfully. "Rest is important! I'll run your laps instead—twenty! This is the power of youth!"
With that, he flipped into a handstand and vanished in a green blur.
Watching him go, Gen exhaled and bolted home.
Resisting the urge to open the gift pack this long was a feat of willpower. All he wanted was to see what this thirteen-years-late reward held.
"If it's not worth it, I'll kamikaze this system—we'll perish together!"
He kicked the door shut behind him, mentally chanting:
"Open the Newbie Gift Pack!"