He woke up in a place that seemed straight out of a dream. He found himself in a familiar yet strange environment. The trees of Konoha stood tall around him, and the scent of flowers filled the air.
As he got up, he realized he had been reborn as a Uchiha, a clan famous for its strength and abilities. He knew that, as Arata, he had the opportunity to change his fate.
Looking around, he decided that he needed to assess his situation and connect with his new surroundings. With renewed determination, he set off.
As he walked, he reflected on how he had ended up here. He remembered that, in his past life, he had been a soldier during World War III.
His last battle had been in Berlin, on April 10, 2038. As a sergeant in the Spanish army, he led an infantry unit in the battle for the city center.
As they advanced, enemy fire intensified. He and his men took cover behind a wall, but soon realized they were surrounded.
With a gesture of determination, he ordered his men to prepare for close combat. They charged forward, facing a rain of bullets and grenades.
In the heat of battle, he was hit by a grenade. Despite the pain and confusion, he kept fighting, encouraging his men to press on.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he fell to the ground, exhausted and mortally wounded. His men surrounded him, desperate to save his life.
But it was too late. He died on the battlefield, surrounded by his comrades. His sacrifice and bravery would be remembered forever.
Then, reflecting on how he died, he told himself: "What a way to die." And he started laughing.
Well, it's time to walk. As he walked through the complex, he couldn't help but be impressed to be inside the anime he had watched as a young boy. Although his body was that of a 12-year-old boy, his mind retained the experience of being 36. As he continued, he observed the faces of the people around him, trying to connect with this new reality. The only thing he remembered about this body was its name and the fact that he lived alone. He left the Uchiha complex to take in the sight of Konoha, letting the view of the village fill him with awe and nostalgia.
He noticed people walking around as usual. He kept exploring Konoha and came across several places like Akimichi's restaurant, Yamanaka's flower shop, and the Hokage's carved faces. It all seemed so familiar yet still left him in awe.
Then he realized exactly where he was in the Naruto timeline. He looked at the faces of the three Hokages and realized he was long before the Uchiha massacre and well before Naruto's birth. He was still in the height of the Third Great Ninja War.
He kept walking and spotted a food stand he instantly recognized: Ichiraku Ramen. There, he saw two important characters from Naruto, Kushina and Minato. He approached the stand and sat down. He couldn't help but watch them, knowing their future deaths. He snapped out of his trance when Minato spoke to him.
Minato: "Aren't you going to order ramen?"
Arata: "Yes, sorry. I'll have a pork ramen, please, sir." He said to Teuchi, who was preparing it.
Minato: (smiling) "Excellent choice!"
Minato: "By the way, what's your name?"
Kushina, who was sitting next to Minato, also waited for his answer.
Arata: "Arata, Arata Uchiha."
Minato: "You're really an Uchiha?"
Kushina: "Why aren't you wearing the clan symbol on your shirt? Most of you wear something with the Uchiha crest."
Minato: "Exactly."
Arata: "It's because it's dirty," he said while scratching his head.
Teuchi served them the ramen, and they all started eating.
As they sat at the table, Minato, with his usual friendly attitude, asked:
Minato: "Hey, Arata, do you study at the ninja academy?"
Arata: "No, I'm just a civilian Uchiha, hehehe."
Kushina, smiling, looked at him and said:
Kushina: "With your face, I thought you'd be an academy student. After all, you look like a ninja."
Arata couldn't help but smile at her comment, though he didn't say anything in response.
Minato, always eager to encourage others, added:
Minato: "You should train to be a ninja. I see a little potential in you."
Minato smiled at him, offering encouragement, but Arata's response was more thoughtful.
Arata: "I don't think so, I'm already 12 years old," he said, recalling his memories.
Kushina, with a slight smile, intervened to defend his decision:
Kushina: "Hey, Minato, if he wants to stay a civilian, let him."
Minato nodded, understanding what Kushina meant, and with a more relaxed expression, he replied:
Minato: "Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't interfere with other people's decisions."
Arata: "Don't worry, it doesn't bother me, but I'll keep it in mind."
Minato, to close the topic, commented with a smile:
Minato: "Though, you know, in Konoha, there's a genin named Might Guy, and he's quite old. You shouldn't worry about age."
Arata nodded, and after a few minutes of silence as they ate, he finished his meal. He paid Teuchi with the money he had brought, this boy Arata. He said goodbye to Minato and Kushina, smiling.
Arata: "Goodbye, Minato, Kushina."
Minato: "Goodbye, Arata."
Kushina: "See you, Arata."
He left the shop and headed toward the Hokage Monument. The walk felt long, but each step brought him closer to something important. When he arrived, he sat in front of the giant faces carved into the rock, looking out over all of Konoha. Despite the calm around him, he couldn't stop processing what was happening. He still couldn't believe it. Everything seemed so surreal, and he kept wondering if it was real or just a dream.
His thoughts inevitably turned to how he would survive in this world. But, in the end, he decided to think about it tomorrow. Especially thinking about that absurd Uchiha massacre, which he knew would eventually happen. Tomorrow, he would see it, tomorrow he would think about it.
He returned home, with the memories of this body fresh in his mind. As he walked down the street, he saw Obito at his grandmother's house. He didn't pay much attention and continued on his way. When he got home, it looked just as he remembered, both inside and out. He went up to his room, discarded his clothes, and lay down to sleep.
With his eyes closed, his mind began to review tomorrow's training. I hope to get something out of it, he thought. He hadn't noticed any changes in his body, nor had he experienced anything like those systems people enjoy so much in fanfics. Nor had some god granted him a wish or anything like that.
Well, I'll see tomorrow. For now, there's nothing more to do, and with that final thought, he fell asleep.
End of prologue.