Naruto: Reborn with the Template System

"This is what you wanted to show me?"

In a building adjacent to the ninja academy, Guts stood by the window, suppressing his growing urge to punch Might Guy beside him. His mouth twitched slightly as he watched the school playground.

On the field, a group of six-year-olds were training in basic running drills. Among them, one boy in a white training gi stood out with his thick eyebrows and a hairstyle that strongly resembled Bruce Lee's.

"That kid," Might Guy said, eyes sparkling with tears, "he doesn't know any ninjutsu or genjutsu, but he still believes in becoming a ninja! That—that is youth!"

His voice cracked with emotion, and snot mingled with the tears streaming down his face.

"He reminds me of us, Guts!!" Guy declared, flashing a blinding white smile through his emotional breakdown.

Guts sighed but couldn't help smiling. The memory of how he first met Guy surfaced unbidden.

Originally, Guy had rarely invited him to anything, so when he did say he wanted to show something "worthwhile," Guts didn't expect this.

He was ready to punch the man.

But instead, he found himself in a flashback.

He patted Guy's shoulder and said with a chuckle, "Why not take him on as your student?"

"Guts! You spoke the very words from my heart! As expected of my sworn brother!" Guy lunged in for a hug.

Guts sidestepped him, grimacing. "Damn it, Guy, wipe your face first."

Caw!

Suddenly, a crow's sharp cry caught Guts's attention. On a telephone pole nearby, a few seemingly ordinary crows were screeching.

"Ah, hearing a crow's cry in the morning might be unlucky… but it's also part of youth!" Guy said, full of enthusiasm again.

"Guy, just remember what I said."

With that, Guts vanished before Guy could even react.

Soon, he appeared atop a hill behind the Uchiha compound.

"Mr. Guts." "Guts-sensei."

Waiting for him were two Uchiha boys, kneeling respectfully on one knee.

Guts sat casually on a rock opposite them. "Didn't I already say I'm not getting involved in Uchiha politics?"

The two were Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi. It had been months since they'd last met. With Shisui joining the Uchiha Police Force, and Itachi preparing for a different path, their meetings had grown sparse.

"Sensei," Shisui began, "Itachi has officially joined the Konoha ANBU. I serve with the Uchiha Guard, and Itachi will be within ANBU. The elders want him to act as a spy on the Hokage's faction."

Guts raised an eyebrow. "So what do the spies want with me?"

Itachi answered firmly, "We want to preserve peace between Konoha and the Uchiha. I will report our clan's movements to the Hokage. And we hope, Sensei, that your presence can serve as a deterrent to the clan."

Guts scoffed. "You're only treating the symptoms, not the cause. How long do you think this balancing act can last?"

He recalled a saying from his previous life:

People can ignore all laws for 100% profit. For 300%, they'll risk their lives.

Konoha had been suppressing the Uchiha for over fifty years. That was far beyond 300%.

Not even Hashirama himself could've stopped that kind of desire.

Shisui lowered his head. "It's the only path we can see. Please allow us to try, Sensei."

Guts was silent for a few moments. Then he said, "If it ever comes to a point of no return, I'll deal with it from Konoha's side."

He didn't care much for the village itself but with Tsunade in charge, his stance was clear.

"Thank you, Sensei."

They both bowed again.

They had never expected Guts to side with the Uchiha to begin with.

That afternoon, young Sasuke returned home to hear his father, Uchiha Fugaku, laughing heartily:

"Haha! That's my boy! The first Uchiha to join ANBU since Kagami! Don't disappoint me. Do well."

"Yes, Father."

Itachi's voice was calm...almost too calm.

Sasuke, however, didn't notice. All he saw was a father praising a son.

And he couldn't help but wonder...

When will Father ever look at me like that?

At sunset, in the courtyard of Guts's home...

Hinata, dressed in the traditional Hyūga training garb, charged toward Guts with her small fists.

"Your footwork's too clumsy, Hinata. And stop relying on Byakugan to track. Try to feel it with your chakra."

Though her punches didn't even qualify as a massage, Guts dodged anyway, to encourage her.

She was sweating profusely, her training clothes soaked, but she grit her teeth and kept going.

"Yes!"

After nearly forty minutes, Hinata collapsed on the floor, breathing hard.

"Really now, training yourself like this again? Come on, let me help you change and take a bath," Kurenai said, stepping out of the kitchen with a fruit plate.

She moved to pick up Hinata, adding, "You'll catch a cold if you don't clean off all that sweat."

"You sound like an old lady even though you're only twenty," Guts muttered, lying flat on the floor.

Kurenai shot him a glare. "Ignore that idiot, Hinata. Come on."

She carried the tired girl inside.

Current Rankings: First Year, Ninja Academy

Hyūga Hinata

Uchiha Sasuke

Uzumaki Naruto

Guts knew this ranking wouldn't last.

Naruto, the main character, with his absurd plot armor, would catch up and surpass everyone before long.

Unless Hinata awakened some new Byakugan evolution, she wouldn't be able to keep up.

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