On the outskirts of Konoha, near the western gate, lay a modest civilian district known as Guoding.
This area sat far from the bustling center of the village and bordered the infamous Forest of Death. From time to time, wild beasts would wander out of the forest, damaging farmland and even causing casualties. As a result, the people living here led cautious, hardworking lives.
From above, the district looked plain and tightly packed—rows of low houses, most built from earth and wood. There were no grand mansions here, only simple homes belonging to farmers, craftsmen, and laborers.
This was where Aoki Yoru had grown up.
As he walked down the familiar street, the soft evening light casting long shadows, several neighbors noticed the forehead protector tied around his head.
"Yoru is back!"
"Congratulations on graduating from the Ninja Academy!"
"You'll definitely become a great ninja one day!"
Their voices were warm, filled with genuine happiness.
Aoki smiled and waved in response.
"Thank you."
Old Granny Chidao even stuffed a few freshly steamed buns into his hands before he could refuse.
"Eat well! You'll need your strength now that you're a ninja!"
"Thank you, Granny."
Holding the warm buns, Aoki felt a quiet sense of gratitude.
These people weren't bound to him by blood, yet they had cared for him more than many families would.
When he was only two years old, his parents had died on the battlefield.
At that time, the village had arranged for him to enter the orphanage.
But Aoki knew something others didn't.
The orphanage… was under Danzo's influence.
Children with talent could be taken into Root—or worse, used as experimental subjects.
So, even as a child, he refused.
He insisted on living alone.
It was an absurd decision for a two-year-old, yet the neighbors couldn't bear to see him struggle.
One family would send him porridge. Another would leave bread at his doorstep. Sometimes, someone would quietly repair his roof or leave clothes outside.
No one made a big deal out of it.
They simply helped, in the most ordinary and sincere ways.
And that quiet kindness had allowed him to survive.
"I'm home."
Aoki pushed open the creaking wooden door.
The room was empty and silent.
He stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
As always, there was no response.
Lighting three sticks of incense, he walked over to a small wooden table where two faded portraits rested.
He bowed deeply.
"Father… Mother… I've become a ninja."
His voice was soft, yet steady.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of myself."
For a moment, he stared at the old photograph.
The faces were slightly blurred with time, but the warmth in their expressions remained.
"I hope… you can rest in peace."
He bowed once more.
Aoki Yoru was a transmigrator, but he had been born into this world—not dropped into it midway.
He had felt their love.
He remembered the way they looked at him before leaving for the battlefield.
Reluctant. Worried. Yet resolute.
They never came back.
After finishing his prayers, Aoki took a simple bath and lay down to rest.
Today's training had drained both his body and mind.
That night, the room was pitch black.
Aoki sat cross-legged on the floor, his breathing steady.
Slowly, he focused his mind.
His consciousness expanded outward, reaching into the surrounding space.
Natural energy.
It existed everywhere—in the soil beneath him, in the air, in the plants, in the very fabric of the world.
Because of his knowledge from his previous life, Aoki understood what this energy meant.
Sage Mode.
A power beyond ordinary chakra.
But he also knew something else—
Without the proper guidance, attempting to control it was no different from courting death.
Still, he tried.
Every single day.
For ten years.
At first, he could barely sense it.
But gradually, through constant practice, he began to perceive it more clearly.
It was gentle… yet vast.
Calm… yet immeasurable.
However—
The moment he tried to draw it into his body, everything changed.
The energy became violent.
Uncontrollable.
It surged through him like a storm, as if trying to tear him apart from the inside.
His body screamed in rejection.
His instincts warned him—
You will die.
The first time he attempted it, he nearly lost control.
Only by relying on his immense mental strength was he able to force the energy out.
That experience had brought him to the brink of death.
It was then he truly understood why so few people could master Sage Mode.
Even with proper training methods, the risk was enormous.
Without them?
It was nearly impossible.
Since then, Aoki had become far more cautious.
He no longer recklessly absorbed natural energy.
Instead, he studied it.
Observed it.
Analyzed it.
Bit by bit, he began to find a safer approach.
Now, he could barely mix a trace amount of natural energy with his own chakra.
Just a trace—
But it was progress.
A few days later…
Inside the Forest of Death.
"Meow—!"
A dark brown cat suddenly burst out of the bushes.
Before it could escape, a hand shot out from behind a tree and grabbed it by the scruff of its neck.
No matter how it struggled, it couldn't break free.
"Got you."
Aoki Yoru lifted the cat calmly.
Kenta and Yui emerged from nearby bushes.
"Your sensory ability is seriously amazing," Kenta said, shaking his head. "Otherwise, we'd still be searching."
"Yeah," Yui added, her tone carrying a hint of envy. "Thanks to you, we've completed twenty-one pet-finding missions already."
Aoki smiled faintly.
Since becoming Genin, Kakashi had quickly noticed his sensory capabilities.
As a result, their team had been assigned a large number of tracking missions.
Most of them…
Were for lost pets.
Cats. Dogs. Even the occasional runaway chicken.
It was tedious work.
But it paid.
Their mission completion rate far exceeded other Genin teams.
Even the Third Hokage had begun to take notice.
And their wallets…
Were finally getting heavier.
"This one's Tora again, right?" Kenta said, looking at the cat with a complicated expression.
"Yeah," Aoki replied.
Back in the village, they handed the cat over to its owner—a plump woman who immediately hugged it tightly.
Too tightly.
The cat's eyes bulged slightly, its limbs stiff.
Aoki couldn't help but think—
No wonder it keeps running away…
If this continued, the cat might not survive its owner.
"Kakashi-sensei," Aoki said on their way back, "what's our next mission? Please don't tell me it's another pet search."
Kakashi flipped a page in his book.
"The next one is bandit suppression."
The three froze.
"It's time," he added calmly, "for you to see blood."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Excitement.
Tension.
Nervous anticipation.
This would be their first real combat mission.
Even Aoki felt a slight thrill.
Watching battles in a story…
And experiencing them firsthand—
Were completely different things.
"Meet at the village gate tomorrow at six," Kakashi said.
Then he disappeared.
The next morning, just as dawn broke, the three gathered at the gate.
Without delay, they set off.
"This mission involves suppressing a bandit group on Mount Katsuragi," Kakashi explained as they moved. "It's about fifty miles northwest. They've been disrupting trade routes between the Fire Capital and Konoha."
"The mission rank is C."
The three listened carefully.
Kill.
That word hung heavily in their minds.
This wasn't training.
This was real.
None of them had taken a life before.
Their expressions gradually became serious.
Kakashi noticed—but said nothing.
This was something every ninja had to face.
They moved swiftly through the forest.
Kakashi led the way with ease.
Aoki followed closely, his movements light and controlled.
Kakashi glanced back, slightly surprised.
Even at this pace, Aoki showed no signs of strain.
Behind him, Yui was breathing heavily but maintaining her speed.
At the rear, Kenta struggled the most.
His face was pale, his body heavy.
But he didn't stop.
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself forward.
As they approached Mount Katsuragi, Kakashi halted on a hillside.
Aoki stopped beside him.
Yui arrived moments later, gasping.
Kenta stumbled in last—
And collapsed onto the ground, completely exhausted.
"This is the area," Kakashi said, scanning the surroundings. "From here on, we proceed with stealth."
He turned to them.
"You will handle this mission yourselves."
The three stiffened.
"Consider it a test."
Kenta sat up slowly.
Yui steadied her breathing.
Aoki remained calm.
"These bandits are ordinary people," Kakashi added. "With your abilities, it's enough."
Then—
He looked directly at Aoki.
"For this mission… Aoki Yoru is the team leader."
The decision was sudden.
But not surprising.
Among the three, Aoki had consistently shown the best judgment and composure.
Before they could respond—
Kakashi vanished.
Leaving them alone.
The wind rustled through the trees.
In the distance—
Their first real battle awaited.
Aoki took a slow breath.
Then turned to his teammates.
"Let's begin."