Dusk was falling.
With countless questions on his mind, Itachi returned home.
"I'm back!"
"Itachi, why are you home so late today?"
"Go play with Sasuke for a bit. He's been missing you all day, and dinner will be ready soon."
Uchiha Mikoto said gently.
As Itachi took off his shoes, little Sasuke—just learning to crawl—scurried over to him, babbling for a hug.
Itachi patted his little brother's head dotingly and picked him up. His spirits instantly lifted.
However, he was still puzzled about what happened earlier today.
That girl who suddenly turned and ran off…
She couldn't have been swearing at him, right?
She probably wasn't.
Her attire, that sword—clearly a child from a well-to-do family.
And above all, she wore the Uchiha crest, so there was no way she'd speak so crudely…
…
"Ugh!"
"Man, this is really bad luck!"
In an unremarkable little house within the Uchiha district, the "girl" yanked off the long dress she was wearing. Her unrestrained stride made it obvious she wasn't a refined young lady at all.
He was a boy.
Although he had delicate features and a voice unlike the slightly deeper tone of an ordinary boy, he was indeed male.
His name was Qingchuan—Uchiha Qingchuan.
This Uchiha boy had transmigrated only 48 hours ago.
Truth be told, few among the Uchiha clan were born unattractive. Qingchuan's cute features carried a natural elegance, plus his voice was naturally light—so it was completely normal that going out in a dress made people think he was a girl.
But that wasn't the reason he chose to wear women's clothing.
Running a bath and settling into the warm water, Qingchuan closed his eyes in contentment.
At that moment, a transparent interface appeared in his mind:
[Host: Uchiha Qingchuan. Current World: The Naruto World.]
[Current Objective: Survive the Night of the Clan's Massacre. (In progress)]
[Side Objective: Master Senbonzakura, Shikai form. (3.9% completed)]
[Innate Buff: Training efficiency increases by 30% while in women's clothing.]
Like any transmigrator, Qingchuan had his own "goldfinger" special ability—something that treated this transmigration like a game, with him as the only player.
Completing system tasks earned him rewards. Senbonzakura and an accelerated training buff came from the newbie gift pack after he cleared his first mission. That's also why he was willing to head out dressed as a girl.
After all, this point in time wasn't exactly friendly for the Uchiha clan.
They were subjected to round-the-clock surveillance by Konoha, mounting coldness and distance from the villagers, and intense suspicion from the leadership.
Most critically, the Uchiha's extinction was drawing closer by the day.
Itachi was already six.
He'd start school this year, graduate next year, three years to become a Chūnin, then three years in the Anbu.
Time was running out for the Uchiha… and for Qingchuan.
The biggest problem was that this same person—who would personally kill his parents and wipe out the entire tribe—was incredibly powerful! That complicated matters even more.
Though he found it unpleasant, Qingchuan, who knew the story all too well, had to admit…
This era belonged to Uchiha Itachi.
Seven years: from awakening his Sharingan to achieving the Mangekyō; from graduating ninja school to becoming an Anbu squad leader. It was extraordinary—something that put a lot of pressure on Qingchuan.
Therefore, the 30% training boost was crucial.
For now, his main path to power lay in the sword, Senbonzakura, which rested beside the bathtub. Achieving Shikai, then Bankai—once he fully mastered this blade's power, perhaps he would truly stand on his own.
But to accomplish that, he had to start with the most fundamental Soul Reaper abilities:
Zan (Swordplay), Ken (Fistwork), Soku (Flash Steps), and Kido (Demon Arts).
When he received the newbie pack, he got Senbonzakura along with these four basic Shinigami skills stuffed into his mind. Given his current bodily strength, he'd have to begin with the most elementary sword swings.
Which brought about that scene earlier today when Itachi spotted him in the grove.
Once Qingchuan recalled Itachi seeing him in that moment, his face darkened.
"Dang it, I'll have to find a new place to train tomorrow."
Scowling inwardly once more, Qingchuan changed into fresh clothes and returned to his room.
Although crossdressing gave him a decent bonus to training, it was still a bit humiliating…
The comfortable hot bath had eased much of his fatigue, but as a child, his body couldn't handle overly intense training. Sleepiness overtook him, and Qingchuan gradually drifted off, clutching his Senbonzakura.
Unless something unexpected happened, he and that double-crossing Itachi would fight someday.
The next morning, Qingchuan set out early.
Although basic practice swings could be done at home, his plan wasn't limited to sword training alone.
Zan, Ken, Soku, and Kido—representing swordsmanship, taijutsu, flash steps, and demon arts—he needed to work on them all.
Kido was the trickiest, not because it was especially hard but because there was no good place to practice it at home.
He roamed around the most secluded parts of the Uchiha district until finally stopping in a more remote area of the forest.
Drawing his blade, he set his sights on a large tree. He'd start by hacking away a few hundred times!
He planned to train secretly in women's clothing… and when the day came for him to take off that dress, he would trounce everyone in sight!