Back to the present.
It's now Year 38 of Konoha calendar, and Mitsuki is about to turn five.
Today's weather was especially nice. Word around the village was that Konoha had gained an upper hand on the battlefield against the Kiri. As villagers chatted among themselves, their faces were noticeably more cheerful than during last winter.
"Looks like the war's finally coming to an end."
"All thanks to Third Hokage!"
With hope for peace in their hearts, the people of Konoha allowed themselves a moment of relief.
But could a war really end so easily?
As a transmigrator with knowledge of the original storyline, Mitsuki knew better. The war wasn't ending — it was heading straight into its bloodiest and most devastating phase. Even the Kage wouldn't all survive what was coming.
As for his own life, Mitsuki wasn't too worried. As a transmigrator, he at least had one advantage: a golden-fingered cheat system of his own.
And in that system, turning five was a key milestone.
To be honest, Mitsuki's system was... well, calling it "simple" would still be overstating things a bit:
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Host: Shimizu Mitsuki
Skill: Chakra Refinement Technique
Wish Rewards: None
Mail: No new messages
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That's it. Clearly, this system believed in extreme minimalism.
Back on Earth, Mitsuki had been a fan of minimalist design, but when it came to his future in a dangerous shinobi world? He really would've preferred a system packed with features. Maybe even a cute system mascot. A long-haired cool beauty or a white-haired fox girl AI wouldn't hurt either.
Unfortunately, those fantasies remained just that.
His system had no intelligence, no AI companion, and only four features total:
Stat Panel Display – Shows Mitsuki's currently learned skills.
Wish Function – Consumes a "Wish Core" each time. A successful wish grants the skill most suitable for the host's current situation. When the system first bound to Mitsuki, it gave him one Wish Core for free. Each wish has a 1% chance of success… except for the 10th wish, which is guaranteed to succeed. (Classic gacha-style pity pull).
Daily Login – Simply opening the panel once per day logs in automatically. Logging in every day for a full year earns you a Wish Core.
Mailbox – Looks useless, and it kind of is. Except: every year on Mitsuki's birthday, the system sends him a blessing message… and one Wish Core as a gift.
That's why turning five was such a big deal for Mitsuki — this year's birthday gift would give him the 10th wish, the guaranteed hit!
When he first reincarnated into this world, he tried his luck with a few early wishes, hoping for a miracle that might help him save Chiyoko. The results? Nothing but dud rolls.
Clearly, the only hope was the pity system.
"I wonder what ability the system will give me? It's supposed to be the one most suitable for me right now..."
That thought alone was enough to make Mitsuki look forward to his birthday.
The next morning—
"Father, another mission?"
Hearing the sounds of ninja tools being packed, Mitsuki paused from frying his egg, leapt down from his stool by the stove, and peeked his head out of the kitchen with a knowing look.
"Yeah, Kiri front again. The village still needs all hands" Kento replied, carefully counting his explosive tags.
"I leave tomorrow. If anything comes up, go to the Custody Center and find Lady Nohara."
"Understood, Father."
Speaking of the Child Custody Center — though the children were cared for by all the women as a group, each lady had her own few kids to personally oversee .Lady Nohara Ai was the one responsible for Mitsuki.
She was incredibly warm-hearted. When her daughter Rin turned one, she noticed the Custody Center was short-staffed and volunteered to help out, saying,
"I just thought it'd be nice for Rin-chan to have some playmates!"
At age three, Mitsuki was finally allowed to move freely between the Shimizu household and the Custody Center.
Not that the Center was bad — in fact, the caretakers were all experienced mothers, some having raised multiple kids. It was just... they were too enthusiastic. And for Mitsuki, a reincarnator with memories of adult life, it could be a bit overwhelming.
Sometimes he felt like a doll being run over by overly affectionate moms.
"I guess I just don't know how to enjoy this kind of affection anymore..."
Still, you couldn't blame the ladies. Mitsuki's current appearance was... well, striking. He'd inherited all the best traits from both Chiyoko and Kento.
Chiyoko had been stunning, though with a slightly sharp, androgynous beauty—blonde curls flowing down her back. In modern Japan, she'd totally pass for a stylish Hokkaido gyaru.
Kento had short, neat white hair that gave him the vibe of a straight-laced intellectual. If only his vision weren't so sharp, he'd look right at home with a pair of glasses, solving mysteries like a classic detective.
Mitsuki's hair took after Kento — white, slightly unruly curls with a natural artistic charm.On top of his head stood a single rebellious ahoge (cowlick), and his eyes mirrored Chiyoko's sharp, spirited gaze.To top it off, his irises were a clear, glassy blue—like the still surface of a pristine lake.
At one point, Mitsuki had wanted to grow his hair long like his mother's. After all, back in his past life, short hair had been the social norm. And besides, long-haired male ninja weren't exactly rare — look at the First Hokage himself!
But when he mentioned it to his father, Kento hesitated for a moment, then flatly shut the idea down as he was heading out:
"I don't think long hair suits you, Mitsuki."
Kento rarely rejected Mitsuki's requests. Even when he'd asked to learn chakra refinement—something most kids his age weren't even dreaming of—Kento had agreed without hesitation. So for him to deny the long-hair idea so directly? Maybe it really wouldn't have suited him.
Lady Nohara, on the other hand, once said she really wanted to see Mitsuki with long hair.
"Wouldn't Mitsuki-chan look so cute~?"
A dangerous woman, clearly plotting to turn the future savior of the ninja world into a dress-up doll. Thankfully, Father saw through her scheme and protected Mitsuki's dignity before any blackmail-worthy photos could be taken.
Yes. Truly heroic.
Finishing up his little walk down memory lane, Mitsuki returned to the table and called out to Kento. Breakfast was served.
The Shimizu family came from a line of civilian shinobi, so there was no strict "no talking during meals" tradition. As they ate, Mitsuki glanced up and asked casually,
"Father, how long will this mission take? I mean—not that I'm asking for mission details or anything… I was just curious. Never mind."
"Ugh… Why'd I even say that?"
Mitsuki groaned internally. Was this what hormone imbalances did to a kid's brain?
In his previous life, he'd died due to an external catastrophe—something he had no power to stop. At least he'd spent his final days with family, which gave him a sense of closure.
So this time around, he'd decided to start fresh. A new life with a new heart.
And yet here he was, tripping over his words like a shy toddler.He couldn't help but blush a little.
Kento, sharp as always, gave a small smile.
"You want me back before your birthday, right?"
He'd hit the nail on the head.
"Don't worry. I'll be back before then. And you can look forward to your birthday gift, Mitsuki."
"Mm! I'll be waiting!"