"Kitazawa, long time no see."
A tall, graceful woman approached, her long legs wrapped neatly in white bandages. It was Yuhi Kurenai.
Kitazawa raised a brow. "Not that long. We just saw each other last week."
His gaze drifted to the bandages around her thighs and forearms. Even in his past life, he'd always wondered — why did Kurenai always have those wrapped up?
"Kitazawa, I wanted to ask a favor."
Kurenai's pale face softened with a faint smile as she spoke.
That surprised him.
Although they were both Chunin, there was still a considerable gap between them. Kurenai had inherited her clan's unique genjutsu techniques — her father, Yuhi Shinku, was one of Konoha's few elite jonin specializing in illusion arts.
If Kurenai stood at the very peak of the Chunin level — half a step from jonin — then Kitazawa was, at best, a beginner Chunin.
"I recently started working as a private tutor," Kurenai said, sounding troubled. "But my student's… a bit difficult to handle. I was hoping to get some teaching advice from you."
Kitazawa's expression turned thoughtful.
In the original timeline, Kurenai would later become the jonin instructor for Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburame, and Kiba Inuzuka.But she also had another student — Yakumo Kurama, the girl born with a special genjutsu kekkei genkai capable of turning illusions into reality.
Because genjutsu stems from the Yin Release, Yakumo's excessive spiritual power caused her body to weaken over time. For her safety, her parents forbade her from attending the Academy, hiring Kurenai to teach her at home instead.
Unfortunately, Yakumo's obsession with becoming a ninja grew stronger with each rejection.
Eventually, that obsession gave birth to a Yin Release monster within her — Ido — which took control and killed her parents.
Sensing the danger, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, secretly ordered Kurenai to eliminate the monster dwelling inside her.
"You've been voted the Ninja Academy's Best Instructor three years in a row," Kurenai said brightly, clapping her hands together as she leaned in slightly. "So please, I'm begging you, old classmate!"
Kitazawa was about to reply when a familiar blue system screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Current Mission: Help your classmate Yakumo Kurama return to the Ninja Academy.][Reward: Genjutsu — Tree Binding Death.][Accept Mission?]
Kitazawa arched an eyebrow. "It triggered a mission?"
Still, there was no harm in accepting. The more missions, the better.
"Alright, no problem," he said with a small smile. "I'm fairly confident in my teaching skills."
"Thank you! With your help, I feel so much better already," Kurenai said, patting her chest in relief.
"Come find me after classes tomorrow," Kitazawa added after thinking for a moment. "I'll share some of my teaching methods with you then."
"Got it." Kurenai nodded and gave a playful grin. "Tomorrow night, drinks are on me."
"Deal," Kitazawa replied without hesitation. "We don't stop till we're drunk."
Kurenai smirked. "You've never beaten me at drinking since we were kids. I'll probably have to carry you home again."
"Past is past," Kitazawa shot back, refusing to admit defeat. "This time will be different."
"I'll hold you to that."
Kurenai playfully punched him on the shoulder. "See you tomorrow."
Kitazawa watched her leave, shaking his head with a faint smile.
He and Kurenai were childhood friends, classmates since they were six years old. They'd known each other for fifteen years now.
Back in those days, their classmates had included Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, Obito Uchiha, and Rin Nohara.
Most of them had died during the Third Great Ninja War — their graves overgrown with grass now higher than a man's waist.
Without a doubt, Kitazawa was a transmigrator.
He'd once left a sarcastic comment on a Naruto fanfic titled "Undercover in Konoha: The Substitute Hokage":"Have you ever actually been a ninja? Some of this writing is ridiculous."
The next moment, he woke up in Konoha.
Both of his parents were ordinary Chunin. When he turned six, they'd enrolled him in the Ninja Academy.
Unfortunately, he had no special talent.
He barely graduated as a Genin at thirteen — only to receive news that his parents had been killed in action.
That was when Kitazawa finally understood how cruel this world truly was.
Charging into battle screaming about "bonds" and "friendship" was something only protagonists could do.
He, on the other hand, was just another faceless casualty waiting to happen.
So he made his choice — he became a teacher.
At the Academy, Kitazawa taught classes on The Will of Fire and Konoha History, and occasionally led basic combat training, like the Three Basic Techniques.
He even developed his own teaching philosophy — that "The Hokage is the sun, and the Will of Fire is a debt that can never be repaid."
Because of this, he'd been honored as the Academy's Best Instructor three years in a row.
Of course, it helped that he was actually good at teaching.
After thinking it over, Kitazawa decided not to return to school. With Iruka handling the enrollment paperwork, there was nothing to worry about.
"System," he thought, "open my character panel."
[Name: Kitazawa][Age: 6][Ninjutsu: Clone Technique, Substitution Technique, Transformation Technique, Body Flicker, Wind Release: Gale Palm, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.][Evaluation: A so-called genius is merely a person whose talent sets the standard. You are a born ninja — destined to become the strongest.]
Kitazawa rolled his eyes.
The system's tone was always so sarcastic.
A twenty-one-year-old "genius ninja"? Yeah right. Even the Uchiha would laugh themselves to death hearing that.
Still, when he saw his listed age, he understood — the system wasn't wrong, just… running on a massive bug.
Then again, as the saying goes: if a bug works, don't fix it.
He made his way to a training field on the northern edge of Konoha.
Stopping in the clearing, he formed a series of hand signs. Chakra surged to his throat, and when he exhaled—
A massive five-meter-wide fireball erupted from his mouth, roaring through the air.
The heat warped the air itself.
BOOM!
The fireball slammed into the ground, leaving a blackened crater in its wake.
"Not bad, not bad at all." Kitazawa blinked in surprise before grinning with satisfaction.
A ninjutsu's power depended on chakra control and mastery — and this fireball was far beyond ordinary.
He'd seen plenty of ninja perform the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, but none had unleashed one of this scale.
If his chakra reserves were any larger, even Madara Uchiha might take notice.
That was the advantage of a system that instantly maxed out your proficiency.
Hokage's Office.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, unfurled a report scroll.
It detailed Naruto Uzumaki's activities for the day.
When he read about Kitazawa's contact with the boy, his expression turned thoughtful.
He quickly recalled Kitazawa's file — an unremarkable Chunin with unconventional yet profound views on the Will of Fire.
"He probably doesn't know Naruto's true identity," Hiruzen murmured, nodding slightly.
While others treated the boy like a monster, Kitazawa had chosen to treat him fairly — a rare thing indeed.
"It'll be interesting to see what Naruto learns from him."
A faint smile crept across Hiruzen's face as he exhaled a puff of smoke from his pipe.
Somehow, deep down, he had a feeling that this teacher — this ordinary man named Kitazawa —might just change Konoha's future.