In the Land of Fire, within Konoha Village, dusk had already fallen. The streets were mostly empty as the last of the children were called home for dinner. Only a few people remained in the village clearing.
The sound of rocks clashing echoed through the area as a small boy carved something into a large stone with a tiny knife. His face was flushed red with exertion, but he kept going, refusing to give up. The words he carved, though meaningless to others, held immense significance to him. Even if the rock was destroyed, the determination behind it would remain forever.
Passersby who noticed the boy often dismissed his actions as childish quirks, unaware of the deeper meaning behind his persistence. Some even remarked that the Uchiha family was full of strange individuals.
The boy, Uchiha Hui, gasped for breath. "Just a little more," he muttered. Exhausted from working all day, he brushed his black hair out of his eyes and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Despite being only five years old, Hui had inherited the typical Uchiha features—slender, delicate, with pale skin and deep, inky black eyes.
On the surface of the giant rock, three lines were now engraved:
"Awaken the Sharingan before the age of eight.""Reach Jonin-level strength by twelve.""At sixteen, prevent the Uchiha clan's extinction."
Staring at the carved words, Hui's mind drifted. In his previous life, he had been an orphan, adopted by an old man who eventually died when a building they passed exploded. At sixteen, his previous life had ended abruptly.
Now, reborn into the Uchiha clan, Hui cherished this life much more. He had a loving father, and the clan was far warmer than he had ever imagined. Contrary to their cold, prideful reputation, the Uchihas were kind to their own. They protected each other fiercely, and Hui felt a sense of belonging he had never known before.
It was because of this warmth that Hui refused to accept the clan's inevitable fate. He knew this world was the world of Naruto, and he was painfully aware of the Uchiha clan's destined destruction. But now, he had something to fight for. The love and care he received from his clan pushed him to change the future. The goals he engraved on the stone represented his determination to save his family from the fate that awaited them.
Time was running out, and Hui knew that he had to grow stronger—strong enough to stand against the forces that would threaten the Uchiha. He had until the age of sixteen to prepare.
With a final slash, he finished carving the last word. Hui stood up, gazing at his handiwork, before silently turning away. The determination etched in his heart was now engraved on the stone, and it was a promise he would fulfill.
As he walked back to the Uchiha compound, his expression softened. When he reached his home, Hui smiled and called out, "I'm back."
Inside, a man with broad shoulders and black hair streaked with silver turned around. Despite his age, Uchiha Hikaru, Hui's father, exuded strength and warmth.
"You're home a bit late today," Hikaru said with a kind smile. "Let's have dinner."
Hui nodded obediently, "Yes, Father."
As they finished their meal, Hui put down his bowl and looked at his father with a serious expression. "Father, I want to learn how to refine chakra."
Hikaru paused, considering his son's request. After a moment, he smiled. "You're five years old now, aren't you?"
Hui nodded, unsure of what his father was getting at.
"Even civilians start learning chakra control when they enter the academy at six," Hikaru continued. "You're not too young to start."
Hikaru sighed, his eyes clouded with thought. "Yes, it's time."
He left the room briefly and returned with a scroll in hand. He placed it on the table in front of Hui and said, "Take it."
Hui stood and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Father."
Hikaru nodded approvingly. "Good luck."
Hui was physically weaker than most children his age, so he had been training his body since he was three, starting with simple jogging. Now, at five, he could do fifty push-ups and run around the village once a day. With the chakra refinement technique in hand, he knew he could not waste any more time.
Immediately after dinner, Hui retreated to his room. Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he opened the scroll and began practicing according to its instructions. The road ahead would be difficult, but he was determined to fulfill the goals he had set for himself—and save his clan from extinction.