"Once upon a time…"
Standing at a crosswalk, waiting for the traffic light to change, He Yan pulled out his phone, hoping a few short videos would ease the exhaustion of working overtime.
He had just clocked out at eleven.
He was tired enough already.
The moment he opened the app, some overdramatic short drama blasted into his ears like a jump scare with zero buildup. No warning. No defense.
He stared at the screen in disbelief.
How was it possible that even relaxing for a minute could feel this unlucky?
He sighed.
Then—
A sharp, piercing screech tore through the night.
A heavy truck at the intersection let out a horrifying grind of brakes as it barreled straight toward him.
He Yan looked up.
A blinding light swallowed his vision.
Then everything went dark.
In his fading consciousness, he vaguely heard several unfamiliar male voices muttering near him.
"Comrade, I thought it was a speed bump…"
"Hey, don't talk to me about it. Tell that to my insurance…"
"You don't understand… we're all just trying our best to live…"
That final sentence struck him strangely hard.
He felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Even in the darkness, despair wrapped tightly around him.
There was no need to analyze what had happened.
He had been hit.
"Help!!"
"I'm not dead yet!!"
He screamed inside his mind, but no one responded.
…Forget it.
There wasn't much worth staying for in that world anyway.
Wait.
My phone hasn't been factory reset yet!!!
The thought jolted him with one last wave of unwillingness.
The "study materials" in his phone absolutely could not fall into other people's hands.
After what felt like an eternity, light returned.
He Yan slowly opened his eyes—
And immediately noticed something was wrong.
His nearsightedness seemed worse.
The world was blurry.
Above him was a stark white ceiling, harsh fluorescent lights, and the sharp scent of disinfectant.
A hospital?
Relief washed over him.
But something felt… off.
Several figures stood in front of him. Though their faces were unclear, the white clothing made it obvious they were doctors or nurses.
Then came the truly disturbing realization.
He was being… held.
Held?
Why am I being carried?!
He tried to shout something extremely impolite.
Instead—
All that came out was a baby's cry.
"Congratulations, Clan Head Fugaku."
"Mikoto has given you two more sons."
A nurse cradled him while speaking respectfully to the man beside her.
Fugaku Uchiha stood there, expression stern as ever, his face unreadable. Only his eldest son seemed to notice the faint satisfaction hidden behind that rigid exterior.
"Father, Mother gave birth to twin little brothers."
Itachi Uchiha's voice carried a rare trace of warmth. He looked at the two wailing infants in the nurses' arms and smiled gently.
"My children…"
"Let me see them…"
Mikoto Uchiha extended her arms weakly from the bed, her voice tired yet full of spirit.
Meanwhile, He Yan—now a baby—could barely see, barely understand, and was being passed around like a fragile package.
What are they saying?
What is going on?
Rebirth? Reincarnation? Transmigration?!
"Father, we haven't named the two little brothers yet."
Fugaku paused briefly.
"Sasuke Uchiha… and Yan Uchiha."
—
Spring turned to autumn.
Autumn turned to winter.
Six years passed in the blink of an eye.
Hidden Leaf Village — Uchiha Clan Compound.
Yan Uchiha stood with a small, serious face that oddly resembled Fugaku's. He leaned toward Itachi Uchiha, speaking in a solemn tone.
"Itachi. Tell me honestly."
"If one day Sasuke and I could only let one survive…"
"Who would you choose?"
Sitting in the courtyard, Itachi heard this all-too-familiar question and pressed his fingers lightly to his temple.
Again.
He pretended to think carefully before replying with equal seriousness.
"That will never happen."
Ever since Yan gained awareness, he had been asking strange questions like this.
If Sasuke and I fall into a river, who would you save?
If only one of us could eat dinner, who would you choose?
At first, Itachi had answered sincerely.
Now, he had mastered the art of responding seriously without actually engaging.
They were Uchiha.
Drowning in a river was beyond ridiculous.
Yan nodded solemnly after receiving the answer.
"I understand."
Then he lowered his head, his eyes dimming with disappointment.
The sight struck straight into Itachi's softest spot.
For a moment, Itachi nearly reached out to ruffle his little brother's hair.
Then—
Yan suddenly raised his head and shouted toward the house at the top of his lungs.
"Father! Itachi said you're not a good Clan Head!"
Silence.
Then—
"Itachi. Come here."
Fugaku's stern voice echoed from inside.
Itachi: …
He let out a helpless laugh.
Reaching out, he tried to tap Yan's forehead, but the boy slipped away with nimble reflexes.
"I have something to do. This afternoon I'll teach you and Sasuke shuriken practice."
"Don't forget."
As he stood up, Itachi discreetly slipped a few bills from his pocket and handed them to Yan.
"Don't tell Sasuke."
Yan hesitated for precisely 0.01 seconds before accepting the bribe.
"My lips are sealed."
Itachi smiled faintly and walked away.
Yan remained standing there, staring at his brother's back for a long time.
From the moment he became conscious in this world, he understood something.
He hadn't survived the truck accident.
He had transmigrated.
Into the world of Naruto.
He could accept the new name.
He could accept a new life.
But why—
Why did he have to be born into the Uchiha Clan?
And not just any Uchiha—
Sasuke Uchiha's twin brother.
He couldn't remember every detail of the original story anymore.
But he remembered one thing clearly.
Shortly after Sasuke entered the Academy…
The Uchiha Clan would be annihilated.
And one of the perpetrators—
Was the very brother who just handed him pocket money.
That was why Yan kept asking those ridiculous "choose one" questions.
He was seeking a glimpse of fate in advance.
The night of the massacre was about a year away.
Survival became his highest priority.
Yan took a deep breath and slapped his cheeks lightly.
"It's fine… it's fine…"
"The Uchiha are all geniuses…"
"Maybe if I train hard for a year, I can awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan…"
He paused.
Then fell flat onto the ground.
"One year to awaken it? Who am I kidding?!"
Just then—
A mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Congratulations, Host. You have bound the Immortal Emperor System. This system will escort your growth and help you ascend to the peak of the Cultivation Realm, filled with endless danger.]
Yan froze.
His cheat ability had awakened.
Wait.
No.
Hold on.
What did it just say?
Cultivation Realm?
…What?