Naruto: This Uchiha is too innocent.

As he stepped out of Orochimaru's laboratory, Uchiha Sora was surprised to find that night had quietly fallen. Looking up, he saw a bright half-moon hanging high in the dark sky, like a cool lamp casting its silvery light. The night breeze was slightly cool, bringing a refreshing feeling.

"Remember what you promised me." Orochimaru's deep voice sounded from behind. On his shoulder, a small snake poked its head out slightly, flicking its long, thin tongue and making eerie "pfft pfft" sounds that made people feel very uncomfortable.

"Mm." Uchiha Sora nodded slightly in response, supported by Mitarashi Anko.

Orochimaru's request wasn't complicated; he simply wanted some of Orochimaru's blood drawn each month for research purposes. For Uchiha Sora, this didn't seem unacceptable. Exchanging some blood for his life, in a sense, he felt he was getting a bargain.

"It's getting late. Are you sure you want to go back now?" Orochimaru's deep gaze swept over Uchiha Sora, a meaningful smile appearing on his face. "I'd be happy to let you stay."

"No need, it's really uncomfortable to lie down in your lab," Uchiha Sora replied, then gestured for Mitarashi Anko to help him as they slowly walked towards the Uchiha clan's territory.

"Alright, I look forward to our next meeting." Orochimaru's slightly mocking voice drifted from behind.

Being around Orochimaru always gave Uchiha Sora a chilling feeling down his spine, an inexplicable unease. He thought to himself that he'd better never see this sinister guy again. As for the monthly blood sample, Mitarashi Anko would come to collect it.

The two walked under the dim streetlights, the faint light flickering in the night, as if it might be swallowed by darkness at any moment. A swarm of moths tirelessly gathered at the light source, and even with the glass cover blocking their view, they continued to flutter and rub against each other.

How foolish! Uchiha Sora gazed at the moths, a sense of utter disbelief washing over him. The desire to pursue light was noble, but if the methods were flawed, how could one expect to achieve the desired result?

Night, like a vast black silk ribbon, heavily enveloped the world, utterly silent. Only a few lights emitted a faint glow. Among them, the lights of the Hokage Building stood out brightly, and through the curtains, the figures moving inside could be vaguely seen.

Although Uchiha Sora had no affection for Hiruzen Sarutobi, he had to admit that the Hokage was indeed very dedicated to Konoha.

"Red Bean, how's the war going?" Uchiha Sora slowly withdrew his gaze from the Hokage Building, turned his head slightly, and asked softly.

Mitarashi Anko frowned slightly in thought. "Yes, the current situation is very tense. Sunagakure has repeatedly provoked incidents on the border of the Land of Fire. Although they are all small-scale skirmishes, they have still caused quite a few minor conflicts. Iwagakure has also amassed a large number of troops and stationed them in the Land of Grass, watching with predatory eyes. I heard from my teacher that Kirigakure is also secretly plotting. In short, the current situation is just one spark away from triggering a large-scale war."

"Is that so?" Uchiha Sora lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a shadow under the light, obscuring the complex expression in his eyes.

He silently calculated in his mind that it had taken him two months to travel to Kusagakure, and then he had been unconscious there for six months. Now, it was already the end of August in the 50th year of Konoha. In the original storyline that he remembered, the Third Shinobi World War officially ended at the end of the 50th year of Konoha.

In other words, there were at most three months left before this war, which had lasted for several years, came to an end. Time was running out, and he felt extremely anxious. He had been in a coma for far too long, and he was completely unprepared for the upcoming Battle of Kannabi Bridge.

After all these events, he now has no confidence whatsoever in preventing Rin Nohara's death. Hanzo's death alone nearly cost him his life. Rin's death is a crucial part of the plot, and the ethereal will of the world will certainly not allow him to intervene easily; in that case, the system will definitely interfere with his actions.

The solution the Sage of Six Paths had once mentioned came to mind, and he fell silent for a moment. Now, the only possibility for him to break free from the system's constraints seemed to lie with the Mangekyou Sharingan.

However, he has only awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan. How can he skip the three-tomoe Sharingan and directly awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan?

Clenching his fists, Uchiha Sora felt a wave of powerlessness wash over him.

He is like a moth drawn to a flame; the light is right in front of him, but a glass dome blocks it, and he can't break through it no matter what he tries.

"Sora? Sora? Sora!"

Several shouts finally brought Uchiha Sora back to his senses. He looked at Mitarashi Anko, who glared at him with displeasure.

"Sorry, I was daydreaming." He said sincerely.

"Oh, you rascal, never mind, what can I do, I'm just so understanding." Mitarashi Anko waved her hand. "And you, ever since you woke up, there's been a layer of worry on your brow. I wonder what you're afraid of."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Of course, if you frown, you'll look like an eighty-year-old grandmother with wrinkles on her forehead. If you go back like that, your family will definitely worry."

Uchiha Sora was speechless for a moment and remained silent.

"Hey, listen to me and have a laugh. Life isn't all that troublesome. What you think is a huge problem now will turn out to be just a trivial matter after a while."

"If only it were really like you said."

"Tch, you're not that much older than me." Mitarashi Anko pouted. "Come on, smile."

Uchiha Sora revealed an ugly smile.

"Ugh, it looks awful. Never mind, I won't make things difficult for you. Listen to me, your health is so poor right now. Whatever your worries are, we can talk about them after you've recovered, okay?"

"..."

"Okay?!"

"……OK."

"That's more like it. Come on, I'll take you home."

……

That night, the brilliance of a mansion in the Uchiha clan's territory could not be concealed; the mansion was brightly lit.

Inside the mansion, Uchiha Ria held Uchiha Sora tightly, as if he would disappear again if she let go. Tears streamed down her face like a burst dam, she wept with joy, repeatedly murmuring, "Thank goodness, thank goodness, my Sora is finally back..."

Uchiha Shisui stood to the side, tears welling in his eyes. He clung tightly to Uchiha Sora's leg, his small body trembling slightly, as if afraid that if he let go, his brother, who had finally returned, would collapse again.

Momonosuke Uchiha stood quietly to the side, watching the heartwarming scene of mother and son embracing, a hint of tears glistening in his eyes. After a long while, he slowly took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it with slightly awkward movements, and the rising smoke blurred his face, adding to his weathered appearance.

Feeling the deep affection of his mother, Uchiha Sora felt a surge of warmth in his heart. His eyes gradually welled up with tears, which streamed down his face uncontrollably. He buried his head in his mother's arms, like a wronged child. In his mother's embrace, all his weariness, fear, and pain vanished. It was as if, as long as he was in his mother's arms, even if the sky were to fall, it wouldn't matter.

"Mother, I'm tired," he said softly.

"It's alright, it's alright, I'm here for you, I'm here for you." Uchiha Ria gently stroked his head. "Mommy's here, even the King of Heaven can't take you away. My house is empty, just be a good boy and listen to Mommy, get a good night's sleep, and when you wake up, all your worries will be gone..."

"Um……"

That night, the lights in the mansion never went out, and one could vaguely see a mother gently comforting her child.

……

Uchiha Ku was dreaming.

In his dream, time rewound, and he returned to his third birthday. On that day, he recalled all the memories before his transmigration, and at the same time, the system appeared.

This system is dedicated to helping its host reach the pinnacle of the ninja world.

【Is it bound to the system?】

[yes or no]

Two choices, just like two different destinies.

Ten years ago, on that night, Uchiha Sora chose "yes," but in this dream, he chose "no."

This seemingly simple choice led him down a different path in life.

Without the aid of a system, Uchiha Sora unexpectedly discovered that he could successfully condense chakra. At such a young age, he already showed his talent, and the Great Fireball Technique he used was no longer a small flame, but a terrifying ninjutsu capable of evaporating a lake.

Even without the powerful abilities directly bestowed upon him by the system, he was still the undisputed genius of the Uchiha clan, and the eyes of the clan members were full of recognition and admiration when they looked at him.

In his dream, he and Kakashi Hatake were known as the "Two Unparalleled Prodigies of Konoha." Like two dazzling stars, they became the focus of everyone's attention. Kurenai Yuhi still loved him, Rin Nohara still idolized him, and Kushina still considered him her adopted younger brother.

He remained the center of attention among his friends, and he once again achieved first place in the Chunin Exams, earning cheers from his teammates.

However, dreams are not all beautiful. Just like in reality, Uzuki Kazunari died. His will to die stemmed from the gloom that had accumulated in his heart over the years, and Uchiha Sora could not change his fate of death.

In the dream, however, Uchiha Sora prevented Rin Nohara's death and stopped the Uchiha clan's annihilation. Although he didn't lead the Uchiha to unify the entire ninja world, he did lead them to become the rulers of the Land of Fire. The Uchiha clan crest flew high over the Land of Fire—a symbol of glory.

He had no system, no secret scrolls, and his summoning abilities weren't top-notch. His strength hadn't reached the pinnacle of the ninja world, yet he lived an incredibly free life.

……

early morning,

Uchiha Sora woke up and stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling. He was taken aback and then remembered what had happened the night before.

Recalling the dream he had yesterday, he chuckled to himself and shook his head. Perhaps if he hadn't chosen the system back then, he would now be able to do many things, just like in the dream.

But reality is not a dream, and time cannot be reversed; the system becoming his shackles is now a reality.

"Kong, time for your porridge." Her mother's voice came from the doorway, and then Liya came in carrying a bowl of porridge.

"You haven't eaten for a long time, and your stomach is in bad shape. You can only drink porridge or something like that," Lia said softly, sitting on the edge of Uchiha Sora's bed. Her complexion was terrible; she hadn't slept all night, and her eyes were bloodshot.

Uchiha Sora looked at his mother's face. Even though it had only been eight months since he last saw her, she looked much older than he remembered, with many strands of white hair.

He remembered Zhishui saying that his mother suffered from insomnia every night because she was worried about his safety. Now it seemed that her insomnia hadn't improved; in fact, it had gotten worse. If he hadn't been injured, his mother would still be that wealthy woman that everyone in the clan envied; she could have been much younger.

A sense of shame welled up inside me; as a son, I could only bring negative emotions to my mother.

"Mother, how did you know I wanted to drink the porridge you made?" he said softly, letting his mother feed him the porridge.

"Because I'm your mother..."

In the days that followed, Uchiha Sora stayed at home to recuperate. Now his muscles are weak and he will need a period of training to recover.

During this time, Uchiha Sora put all his worries aside and just wanted to spend time with his family.

The news of his awakening spread quickly, and the clan was overjoyed, lining up to visit him. However, Lia refused to see him, giving the same reason: Uchiha Sora needed to recuperate and refused to see anyone.

However, there were some people that Lia agreed to let in. Without exception, these were the people who cared most about Uchiha Sora when he was unconscious.

"You jerk! You scared me to death, waaaaaah!" Kurenai buried her head in Uchiha Sora's arms and cried, "Do you know how scared I was that you wouldn't wake up! Every night I prayed that you would wake up."

Feeling the dampness in his arms, Uchiha Sora gently stroked Kurenai Yuhi's head, quietly listening to the girl's sobs. During this time, his mother had told him that Kurenai Yuhi spent most of her time in the hospital with him, and even skipped training.

He wasn't oblivious; he could sense the girl's feelings. If he were a normal person, he might already be with Kurenai.

Unfortunately, he wasn't. He carried the burden of the Uchiha clan, and he had too many things he wanted to do. As long as these things were not accomplished, he couldn't let his mind be consumed by love.

"I'm fine now, aren't I?" he comforted her.

"This time it's fine, but what about next time? Anbu missions are so dangerous, can you quit the Anbu?" Kurenai Yuhi sniffled and stared at Sora Uchiha with pleading eyes.

Compared to his own mission, the Anbu was far too dangerous. In less than two years, Uchiha Sora had been hospitalized three times in a coma, each time more serious than the last.

Kurenai Yuhi did not answer his request. Should he leave the Anbu? No, although the Anbu was dangerous, it was the best place to grow. He craved power.

"Hmph, I knew you wouldn't listen to me. You've always been like this, immersed in your own world and indifferent to those around you."

"You know perfectly well that I like you, yet you never reciprocate my feelings!"

Uchiha Sora remained silent, gazing at the angry girl before him. After a long while, he spoke softly:

"I'm sorry, Hong, I can't give you a reply."

He could die at any moment, and Kurenai couldn't entrust her life to him. If he was still alive after everything was resolved, and Kurenai still loved him, then he would face his feelings squarely.

With red eyes, Yuhi stared intently at Uchiha Sora. After a long while, she burst out of the door in tears.

Lia, standing at the door, watched the girl run out, sighed softly, composed herself, and walked into the room with a smile, as if she hadn't heard anything.