Naruto: Not a Ninja, the System

The moment the barrier was lifted, three adults immediately flashed out of the shadows, each gripping a kunai tightly. Their faces were tense, their expressions stern and resolute.

But when they saw Vortex Ashina, their tense stance eased.

After all, the Uzumaki Clan had been ambushed by the Four Great Ninja Villages—alongside several smaller ones. It was a campaign for total extermination.

Even hidden within a protective barrier, the surviving clan members remained on edge, ready to fight or flee at a moment's notice.

"Clan Leader!"

All three called out simultaneously.

"Let's go!" Ashina ordered without hesitation.

He turned to Jaxon, who followed quietly behind. As Ashina stepped deeper into the barrier, his upright posture seemed to falter slightly, as if the weight of reality had drained his spirit.

Pushing open the gate to a hidden courtyard, the scene inside took Jaxon by surprise.

Children. Hundreds of Uzumaki infants and toddlers were gathered—some still wrapped in swaddling clothes, others barely five or six years old.

It was clear that nearly every adult capable of fighting had been conscripted into the war. These were the ones left behind.

Ashina's voice was solemn as he spoke. "You clearly have a way to enter this place, so I assume you also have a way to leave. I don't know your exact intentions, but I entrust these children to you. Please... ensure the Uzumaki Clan continues to exist."

He glanced around at the terrified young faces, his own lined with sorrow and resolution. The course of the war was now inevitable. No one was coming to save them.

Jaxon was their last hope.

"This is a desperate move," Ashina continued. "But if we don't take it, these children will die with us."

Jaxon nodded, his tone steady and calm. "No problem. Since I dared to come, I naturally came prepared. I promise they'll grow up safely, with full bellies and warm beds."

He raised a hand and slowly removed the mask covering his face.

"And all they need to do in return," Jaxon said firmly, "is be loyal to me."

Ashina's eyes widened briefly, and then a slow, knowing smile formed on his face.

"I knew it."

Even though they had never met, Ashina had long suspected who this mysterious benefactor was. The identity of the young master of the Land of Fire's wealthiest family—Jaxon—had been investigated by nearly every major clan.

To undertake such a mission at the age of six? Few in the entire Ninja World had that kind of courage… or capability.

"You saved their lives," Ashina said, voice hoarse. "They will be loyal to you, no doubt. I'll also have the remaining guards go with you."

With a swift sequence of hand seals, Ashina summoned a massive scroll between them in a puff of smoke.

"This," he said, pointing to the scroll, "contains the collective knowledge and legacy of the Uzumaki Clan—sealing techniques, bloodline records, everything. I entrust it to you. For their safety… please, I beg you."

And then, the proud clan leader of the Uzumaki knelt down.

Ashina's homeland was surrounded. The older warriors, himself included, had resolved to fight to the end. They refused to abandon their soil.

But the children… they deserved a future.

Even if he didn't fully understand Jaxon's personality or motives, this was their only hope.

Jaxon didn't hesitate. He gave the order aloud, his voice slicing through the tension in the air.

"Take them. Leave through the Hidden Sand Village's border. Avoid detection at all costs. Protect them with everything you have."

To an outsider, it may have seemed like he was speaking to no one. But the moment his voice faded, the air itself shimmered.

More than a dozen figures emerged from the surroundings like shadows breaking free from the dark. They were dressed in sleek black ninja armor, perfectly molded to their athletic forms.

Each wore a black mask that revealed only their sharp eyes—cold, focused, deadly.

Long swords hung at their waists, the metal gleaming coldly under the moonlight.

None wore a village headband.

But everything about them—posture, equipment, aura—radiated power and discipline.

These were not your average ninjas. And they were no longer loyal to any Hidden Village.

---

What Are Ninja Really?

Not every ninja lives and dies for their village.

For many, being a ninja is simply a profession—a means of survival. They learn jutsu not for duty, but for income, safety, and self-betterment.

These people had made their choice. By joining Jaxon, they had stepped away from the conventional path.

This new road was riskier. But it offered them opportunity—freedom, rewards, and perhaps something greater than blind loyalty to a crumbling system.

---

"You're responsible for getting them out safely," Jaxon said. "Once this mission is complete, I'll pay each of you an additional 1 million ryo, on top of your current fees."

"Yes, sir!"

They answered in unison, low and firm.

There was no hesitation.

They were born and raised to carry out missions. This was just another task—except one that carried the lives of hundreds of innocent children.

---

The Whirlpool Country, though small, was still vast enough to require careful planning. It was an island—isolated by sea and surrounded by hostile forces.

Escape was no easy task.

---

"Byakugan!"

On the surface of the sea, a small wooden boat drifted quietly.

Near the bow stood a figure, silent, eyes closed—as though asleep.

Then, in a sudden motion, he opened his eyes wide. The veins near his temples bulged like coiled ropes.

His pupils turned white—Byakugan—the legendary dojutsu of the Hyuga Clan.

His gaze swept across the dark waters, sharp as a hawk's. Then he turned to the ninja beside him and whispered, "No chakra signatures within two kilometers."

Before he could finish, a clear voice called out from the cabin behind them.

"There's a small boat five kilometers ahead. Two people on board."

The voice belonged to a six-year-old girl.

She stood confidently, her bright eyes focused, her tone ringing out across the sea.

Every ninja on the boat immediately turned, their attention locking onto the small red-haired child.

Jaxon was among them.

At first, he hadn't paid much attention to the group. But now his eyes locked on the girl.

To detect chakra at such a distance, with that level of clarity—and at such a young age?

It was astonishing.

Another reminder that the Uzumaki bloodline held untold potential.

This girl—like the others—would have died if not for this intervention.

Now she would live.

Now she might grow to become a force capable of rewriting history.

Jaxon looked out over the vast ocean, expression unreadable.

He didn't just save them.

He had just claimed the future of the Uzumaki Clan.

And with it… the ninja world itself.

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

pàtreøn (Gk31)