Konohagakure, Ninja Academy.
Under the dim, flickering light of the office, a single teacher remained at his desk. The ink on his parchment was still wet as he stared at the words he had scribbled.
"Villain..." "A good villain..."
Yagyu Masahiko wrote for a long time before finally slumping onto the desk with a heavy sigh. "Damn it! Why does it have to be a villain!"
The next moment, he stood up abruptly, crumpled the paper into a tight ball, and summoned his status panel. He checked it again, his eyes filled with disbelief.
[Life is a play. Welcome to the grand stage of 'Naruto'.]
[You must fit a character archetype to take the stage and become a character in 'Naruto: Prequel'.]
[When your performance is edited into a scene, you will receive a salary reward.]
[Note: The higher the character's popularity and the more screen time they have, the better the rewards.]
[Your character archetype is 'Villain'.]
Below that sat his attribute panel, a glaring reminder of his status.
[Yagyu Masahiko]
[Age: 17 years old]
[Skills: Body Flicker Technique (Mastery), Clone Jutsu (Mastery), Transformation Jutsu (Mastery), Substitution Jutsu (Mastery), Kunai Throwing (Mastery)]
This was the result of seven years of tireless effort since transmigrating. His predecessor had lost his life during the Night of the Nine-Tails, leaving Masahiko to claw his way up from nothing.
In this world, the word 'talent' was a curse. After seven years of grueling training, his techniques had only reached Mastery. Among Chunin, he was decent, but in the grand scheme of the Shinobi world, he was merely upper-middle.
He had no Bloodline Limit, no Secret Techniques, and no high-level Ninjutsu. He was a civilian ninja who had fought for every scrap of progress. Even the swordsmanship he practiced so painstakingly wasn't recognized by the panel.
My efforts have been misplaced, Masahiko thought bitterly.
Initially, he had been hopeful. He had recently become a Chunin and managed to secure a position as a Taijutsu teacher at the Ninja Academy. He wanted to be like Iruka-sensei—someone who stayed close to the protagonist, said heartfelt words, and survived until the very end through sheer screen time.
But the system had handed him the 'Villain' script.
"Screw you! Villains are people too! Why can't I have Iruka's script!" Masahiko slammed his fist onto the table, the wood groaning under the impact.
After a few seconds, he forced himself to calm down. His mind began to race, finding a loophole in the chaos. Wait... being opposed to the protagonist doesn't mean being opposed to everyone else. As long as I go against Naruto, I fit the archetype.
To steal the scene, one had to be unforgettable. Since he wasn't monstrously ugly, he would have to be impeccably handsome. He stared at the lamp, a new light in his eyes.
"An excellent grand villain should first have an excellent image." He shredded the paper and threw it away. It was time for a transformation.
The next morning, Yagyu Masahiko walked out of a barbershop and headed toward the Academy. His hair and face were fully groomed, radiating a sharp, cold charm.
Just as he reached the school gate, a blonde kid acting suspiciously caught his eye. Naruto was carrying a bucket of ink, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Target spotted. Opportunity.
"Hehe—I, Uzumaki Naruto, am the man who will become Hokage, how dare—" Naruto chuckled to himself.
Clap.
A hand rested firmly on Naruto's shoulder. A cold, chilling voice drifted from behind him. "Hey, kid!"
"Ah!!!" Naruto shivered violently, spinning around and reflexively throwing the bucket of ink at the intruder.
Masahiko flicked his wrist. With a metallic shink, a Kunai appeared in his grasp. In a blur of motion, he caught the handle of the bucket with the blade and swung it in a stylish half-circle. Not a single drop of ink was spilled.
He did it this way for one reason: it looked cool. This was how you earned screen time.
He held the bucket aloft with the Kunai, his gaze icy as he looked down at the boy who was backing away in terror. "So you're... that rumored brat!"
Naruto gnashed his teeth, a look of intense anger flashing across his face. He lowered his head gloomily, turned, and fled. After a few meters, he turned back and stuck out his tongue. "Bleh! Come and catch me, you idiot!"
Masahiko didn't give chase. He watched coldly, the perfect image of a heartless antagonist. Only when Naruto was gone did he exhale.
Whew. Being a bad guy really doesn't feel great. I hope he won't be too sad.
He carried the ink bucket to the gate. "Good morning, Mr. Nagano."
"Good morning, Mr. Masahiko," The guard replied, noticing the bucket. "This was confiscated from a blonde brat. Can you help dispose of it?"
The guard's face twisted in annoyance. "That guy again! By the way, the class you teach... that monster is in it."
"It's nothing," Masahiko gave a gentle, deceptive smile. "No matter who he is, he's my student. But thank you for the warning."
The guard laughed, but Masahiko simply walked away. He was refining the first rule of his 'Villain's Code'. The image wasn't just his face; it was the duality of his soul. In front of Naruto, he would play the villain perfectly. In front of the village, he would be the model teacher.
Today was an excellent first step.