(Note: The storyline and timeline will differ slightly from the original Naruto work. Readers, please don't get too hung up on canon details.)
—Click Start on Plants vs. Zombies, and the zombies eat your brain!—
"Earlier, I explained the basics of the Three Basic Jutsu. Now, let's move on to Summoning Jutsu! The hand seals are as follows..."
Hirofumi Itō watched Iruka-sensei animatedly explaining summoning techniques to the class from the podium.
(And no, don't stress about whether the Academy teaches this! It's a six-year school, and the protagonist is about to graduate. Of course they cover the theory—even if there's no summoning scroll involved!)
After all these years, Hirofumi was very familiar with this world now.
The world of Naruto.
Years ago, he'd simply gone out to help a younger girl in need. One thing led to another, and boom—he reincarnated as a newborn in the Naruto universe.
Come on, he was just doing a good deed! Her father was a gambling addict, her mother was sick, her little brother was mature beyond his years, and she... well, she needed help. So he helped.
And that act of kindness got him reborn—literally.
He thought he'd be starting the classic hellish isekai life: parents dead, bullied, no cheats, betrayed by everyone... only to rise later as the overpowered underdog.
But nope. Plot twist.
His parents were alive and well. His family, the Itō clan, wasn't a major powerhouse in Konoha, but it also wasn't made up of nobodies.
Small in number, the Itō family had two actual jōnin: his father, Itō Aoyama—the clan head—and his grandfather, Itō Taiga. The old man had retired, enjoying his twilight years peacefully at home. All clan affairs were left to his father.
There were also a dozen chūnin within the clan. Not flashy, but respectable.
As the young heir, Hirofumi was born with a silver spoon. Being the sole child of both Aoyama and Taiga, he was doted on endlessly.
Sure, no tragic backstory or divine cheat system ever appeared, but Hirofumi lived a stable and peaceful life, growing steadily.
Unlike the Nara, Yamanaka, or Akimichi clans, the Itōs didn't have a secret technique to pass down—but chakra extraction, basic ninjutsu, and all the fundamentals? He learned them early.
Thanks to training from his father and grandfather, Hirofumi was already considered a genius among his peers.
He could mold chakra, master basic techniques like the Clone Jutsu and Substitution, and was pretty slick with ninja tools too.
In his class, he ranked just below Uchiha Sasuke.
Yes, that Sasuke—the lone Uchiha survivor. Sasuke viewed Hirofumi as "half a person," while the rest of the class didn't even register in his eyes.
As Iruka explained the Summoning Jutsu, Hirofumi listened with genuine interest.
His clan had no ancestral summoning beasts. He'd often thought about taming some powerful chakra-beast as his own. Strength was secondary—what mattered most was style. His summon had to be flashy, badass, and jaw-droppingly cool.
Besides, he already knew how the ninja world's story would unfold. He didn't need cheats. All he had to do was kick back and let Naruto save the world.
Over the years, he'd gotten along pretty well with Naruto, Sasuke, and the other "main characters." Being part of a minor clan helped him integrate into their circle.
More importantly, Hirofumi noticed something strange: Yamanaka Ino seemed to have a thing for him.
In the original series, Ino was obsessed with Sasuke. But not this time. Every time she looked at Hirofumi, her eyes sparkled.
He understood. After all, his face? Practically god-tier.
Not only was he fit, but he also carried that dangerous charm—like a rogue Uchiha with a golden heart.
Maybe that's why Sasuke acknowledged him.
He was the most handsome guy in their year. Even Sasuke couldn't outshine him.
Back in class, Iruka was still droning on. Hirofumi focused on the hand seals for Summoning Jutsu...
First this, then that, and finally—
BOOM!
A puff of smoke exploded in the classroom.
When the air cleared, Hirofumi's seat was empty.
The entire class froze.
Iruka was stunned.
Wait—where the hell did my student go?!
Gasps echoed. Shock swept the room.
Sasuke quietly readied a kunai, scanning the area with caution.
Chōji yelped, dropping his chips to the floor.
"Where's Hirofumi?!" Ino shouted, eyes wide. She'd just been sneaking glances at him! How did he disappear in a poof?!
Chaos erupted.
Shikamaru scratched his pineapple hair and frowned.
"This is gonna be troublesome..."
Meanwhile, Naruto—who'd been dozing off—woke up, confused. He looked around, drool still hanging from his mouth.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Iruka snapped out of it. He'd been explaining summoning, and then Hirofumi just vanished. Could he have accidentally performed an actual summoning technique?
There was precedent—Jiraiya of the Sannin once got himself summoned by mistake during practice.
Swallowing hard, Iruka panicked.
Could his student have that kind of insane luck?
"Haruno Sakura!"
"Here, Iruka-sensei!" Sakura stood up, flustered.
"Help keep the class calm! Everyone, don't panic. I'm going to inform the Hokage!"
Sakura was the most obedient and academically sharp student in class. In Iruka's eyes, she was the ideal temporary leader.
"Yes, sir! I understand!"
With that, Iruka bolted from the classroom toward the Hokage's office.
(Author's note: The protagonist's name was originally Itō Hirobumi, but it matched a certain real-world historical figure a bit too closely. It's now been changed to Itō Hirofumi. Thanks for understanding.)