Chapter 4: Beginning

The next morning, with the morning mist still lingering, a small figure stepped out of the gate.

"Dong Shilang, why are you leaving so early today?" On the road he met many early-rising clan members; some were forced by livelihood to start work early, others were like him, rising early to train, and whenever they recognized him they would greet him with a kind smile.

"Good morning, Uncle Shou Shao, I'm going to do a little workout." When he encountered the clan members' friendly greetings, Yuzhibo Dong Shilang also returned a big smile without hesitation.

At the entrance of the garrison, gazing at the tall torii gate and the conspicuous Uchiha clan emblem engraved upon it, he couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh.

"I don't really want to start this early either, just preparing to become a ninja." But the Uchiha surname and the tragic future awaiting them forced him to strive early to become a ninja.

After venting his frustrations inwardly, Yuzhibo Dong Shilang began to jog slowly around the clan grounds.

It is now spring of Leaf Village year 36. The Nine-Tails incident will still occur in twelve years. The Uchiha clan's grounds remain in the central area of Leaf Village, after all they are the village's founding family, so it is only natural that they occupy a plot in the village's center.

Although over these years the garrison has become somewhat cramped due to the clan's growth, and the clan members have often suggested expanding it, looking around at the tightly packed big and small families, as well as Leaf Village's administrative offices and the Hokage building,

"No matter which world, land in a city's center is always extremely valuable, and housing is hard to come by!"

Having dispelled the random thoughts in his mind, Yuzhibo Dong Shilang began to run in earnest. Although this body is unusually strong for a four‑year‑old, for a first workout it shouldn't be too intense.

First he set a goal of three kilometers, to see how his body responded, and then he would do some sit‑ups, push‑ups, frog jumps, and the like.

"Step by step. Whether it's the three wars or the night of the clan's annihilation after them, there's still plenty of time—don't rush, for haste makes waste."

After an hour, having jogged for nearly half an hour, rested, and then done sit‑ups, push‑ups, frog jumps, and other bodyweight exercises, the exhausted Yuzhibo Dong Shilang returned home with trembling legs.

At that moment, Yuzhibo Mei Xiang had already prepared breakfast and was waiting for his return.

"It must have been tough, Dong Shilang." After wiping the sweat from his face and neck with a hot towel that had been prepared beforehand, she handed him a small medicine bottle the size of a fist.

"Apply the oil inside to the knees, ankles, and other joints, then rub it with your hands until it warms up."

Following Yuzhibo Mei Xiang's instructions, after a flurry of activity he lifted his head and asked her.

"Is this medicine meant to relieve knee and ankle injuries?"

Unlike usual, she didn't help him. Yuzhibo Mei Xiang simply stood to the side and watched quietly. Observing the youngster's unfamiliar motions, she merely pointed out the correct way to apply it.

"Dong Shilang wants to become a ninja; these are still just the first steps. Later there will be even more difficulties and hardships awaiting you."

"Sister Mei Xiang, I will persevere until I become a strong person, achieve ultimate strength, and let no one defeat me!"

He failed to notice that the person beside him was speaking of the strongest person, not the strongest ninja.

"Your spirit is not bad. Then, future strongest ninja, let's start eating now!"

He gave the child beside him a noogie, then took the youngster's small hand and walked toward the dining hall.

"Today's breakfast seems a bit different?" Yuzhibo Dong Shilang asked, looking at the breakfast on the table with some surprise.

On the table's tray lay two servings of breakfast: bread, beef, carrots, greens, and tofu. Beside them were two cartons of milk. Each dish was placed in its own small plate; the portions were modest but exquisitely prepared.

"That's only natural if you want to become a ninja—but it's not simple. You need protein, vitamins, trace elements, and sufficient sleep and rest; the road you must walk is still long."

"Let's dig in!"

"Si Guoyi, today's breakfast tastes absolutely fantastic!"

Hearing Yuzhibo Dong Shilang's exaggerated praise, Yuzhibo Mei Xiang's beautiful eyes narrowed with a smile.

Although there was an element of flattery, the carefully prepared breakfast earned the diners' approval, so her effort was not wasted and she didn't mind the slight breach of etiquette.

"Hey hey, Dong Shilang, although you've already begun striving to become a ninja, at your age it's still more important to happily play."

"I know! I'll rest a bit and then go out for a stroll."

"Your sister's child is surprisingly sensible…" Sensing a hint of reluctance in the youngster's words, she ultimately decided to heed her advice and go out.

"Is it because you're worried she'll worry?" Looking at the memorial photo of her sister and brother‑in‑law on the wall, Yuzhibo Mei Xiang thought.

"I'm heading out!" After finishing breakfast and resting another half hour, Yuzhibo Dong Shilang stepped out once more on his short little legs.

Although today was his first workout, he exercised for nearly an hour and also did sit‑ups, push‑ups, frog jumps, and similar movements.

Now, after merely eating breakfast and resting half an hour, he unexpectedly recovered his energy—it seems this body's strength exceeds what I imagined.

I don't know whether it's due to the generational erosion of chakra, but in this world children's physical fitness has surged, with some becoming exaggeratedly strong.

Is it to make the body better adapt to this chakra energy, or is it some alternative bloodline limit? As far as I know, the longer the history of a ninja clan, the higher the proportion of ninjas born within it seems to be.

While strolling through the clan grounds and responding to the adults' warm greetings, he also pondered these questions in his mind.

The Uchiha clan members are not the cold and ruthless lot I had imagined.

In Dong Shilang's original imagination, the Uchiha clan members would stop at nothing to awaken their eyes, killing comrades and kin alike, a bloody and ruthless clan.

But after a few days of contact, whether it was Yuzhibo Mei Xiang's extra care for him or the enthusiastic greetings of the clan members he met along the way, all of it shattered his original conception.

"Hmm, let's not rush to a conclusion. These days the clan members I've encountered are mostly ordinary people, with hardly any ninjas; once I meet more later, I'll observe gradually."

While wandering, Yuzhibo Dong Shilang also saw a few ninjas wearing green vests with red‑and‑white patterned ping‑pong paddle family crests on their backs; though he didn't know them, they appeared hardly different from ordinary people at a glance.

The Uchiha garrison isn't very large, after all it's just a single clan; after a few minutes of wandering he had essentially reached the end and found himself once more beneath the iconic red torii gate.