A dull and nascent buzzing rings through my body, and everything slowly comes into focus as I open my eyes. I find myself inside a large white room with a mirror in front of me. I look myself up and down, and the first thought that crosses my mind is that this is a dream.
[Congratulations! You’ve been selected as a Player from a random lottery!]
Player? I look at the floating text bubble in front of me, and the more time that passes the more I think this is a dream.
[Due to a high karmic value, you’ve unlocked the ability to select your clan! This is a rare opportunity, so don’t waste it!]
Clans of Konoha
The Senju Clan
The Uchiha Clan
The Hyuga Clan
The Aburame Clan
The Inuzuka Clan
The Akimichi Clan
The Nara Clan
The Yamanaka Clan
[Please select a clan, and then prepare for your new life!]
Well, if I’m having a dream like this, it’s probably from all those gamer fanfictions I love to read. Some of them are pretty damn good, and I can’t put them down. It’d explain why I’m thinking about them in my sleep. I’m obsessed right now.
Since this is a dream, I might as well have some fun with it. I look at the choices carefully, and I’m immediately drawn to the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga clans. It’s hard thinking about choosing one over the other, considering they’re all so cool in my eyes.
“In the end, the power of the Sharingan can’t be beaten… To hell with it; it’s just a dream anyway. I’ll wake up from this and won’t even remember in a couple of days.”
My hand hovers over the Uchiha clan, and I click on it. Immediately, the screen disappears, and I see only the mirror in the white room. Then, all of a sudden, images flash through the mirror. Everything is something that I recognize.
Moments from my birthday parties, the day I had my first kiss, the night I lost my virginity, and when I earned my first paycheck from day trading—these images started when I was young and lead up to my most recent memories.
It’s like…
My life is flashing before my eyes…
[Player has finished memory recall of past life. Transmitting in 3, 2, 1.]
All of a sudden, the room disappears in a blink of light. Then, I find myself in darkness. My breaths are heavy and deep, a raspiness to them. The next second, I open my eyes and lean up in a small bed. Sweat drips from my brow, and salty bitterness hits my taste buds.
My head is flooded with memories that aren’t mine. Knowing the life of someone I never lived. It takes me a moment to get my bearings, but I do.
I look around the room, and there are children in beds. The best way I can describe it is as a bunk house for young children. I move my body for the first time, and that’s when I notice I’ve shrunken.
I’m a little kid.
I squeeze my small hands and turn them. Inspecting the look of someone’s flesh that isn’t my own. This isn’t a dream… I can feel this is real… The cold air and the fabric of the blanket aren’t what I’ve ever felt in a dream before. But I don’t understand… Why am I not… Freaking out…
[You’ve unlocked 4 powers exclusive to the Player!]
[Opening Skills Menu.]
[To open the Skills menu yourself, say or think ‘Skills.’]
* Player’s Mind - Passive (Lvl. Max): Player's Mind is one skill granted to the user by the system. It allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows a peaceful state of mind. This skill provides Immunity to mental disorders. Player's Mind is a skill that's already obtained and maxed.
* Player’s Body - Passive (Lvl. Max): Player’s Body is one skill granted to the player by the system. With this skill, you’re granted a body that allows the user to live the real world like a game; it has certain limitations. Cuts and bruises will be healed based on physical stats. Receive minimal physical damage from blunt force attacks, pain for a few seconds, and a loss of HP. Piercing and stabbing attacks will have a limited effect on the Player's body. Sleeping in a bed restores HP, CP, and SP. Player's Body is a passive skill that is already obtained and maxed.
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* Gaia’s Blessing - Passive (Lvl. Max): The God Gaia has blessed you and bestowed on you a special ability. Gaia’s Blessing will ensure you’ll always be strong and healthy.
Permanent Effect: All diseases, poisons, and negative status effects are healed. Sleeping increases regeneration. Sleeping in a bed increases regeneration severalfold.
* Prodigy Boost - Passive (Lvl. Max): Your talent for the Shinobi arts is amplified exponentially.
Permanent Effect: All Jutsu’s gain 300% more EXP. All Chakra and Elemental Affinity exercises gain 600% more EXP. All EXP gains from all sources are amplified by 500%.
My focus on figuring out what’s going on disappeared as I read the skills that appeared on the system screen. This is actually happening. I’m in the world of Naruto. I’m handling all this so well, thanks to Player’s Mind.
The first thing that comes to mind isn’t anything about the world of Naruto but of my family. The ones I’ve left behind all of a sudden. I didn’t spend a lot of time with my parents at this point in my life. Not after I moved out. I wonder if they even know I’m gone…
[If you wish to look at your Stats, say or think ‘Stats.’]
A small internal chuckle goes through my body as I take in everything that’s happening. In the fanfictions, people with bad lives or down on their luck would be the ones sucked into this. I loved my life, and now I’m here. In the brutal world of Naruto.
I don’t even know what era I’m in, and it’s not like I know a lot about Naruto. Not like a fan that’s in my situation should know. A part of me wonders if these thoughts have gone through others. Earlier, the system said I won the lottery.
There have been other winners before me. A small sigh escapes my lips, and the part of me still doubting all this accepts this new world I’m in.
Due to a reasonable and sound deduction, you’ve obtained +1 WIS.
The message from the system appears after I end my thoughts. It’s nice to gain stat points this way.
‘Stats. Time to see if anything can be gleaned from this.’’
Name: Fuyuki Uchiha
Social Class: Orphan
Age: 5
Title: The Player
Level: 1 (0/500)
HP: 150
CP: 100
SP: 125
Primary Stats
Strength - 4
Vitality - 4
Dexterity - 6
Agility - 5
Intelligence - 15
Chakra - 4
Wisdom - 10
Special Stats - Locked (To see Special Stats, one must be unlocked. Certain actions or conditions must be fulfilled to unlock.)
Stat Points - 0
Ryo - 0
‘Just like the system said, all I need to do is think of the word, and this appears. I don’t know how strong I am compared to others, but I’d think I’m weak.’
It’s amazing and concerning at the same time. I’m pulled from my thoughts as some groaning and grunts come from the bed next to mine. One of the kids is starting to wake up. I look him over, trying to see if anything can help me find out more about what era I’m in.
[A new skill has been created with a specific action.]
[A skill to find target information, ‘Observe’ has been created.]
The system message quickly disappears as I try to use my new skill on the waking boy. I don’t know anything right now, so here’s to hoping I can get something.
‘Observe.’
[Lvl. 1][Yuuto Kato]
Age: 5
HP: 110 CP: 95
[He’s an orphaned civilian who was brought here after the attack of the nine-tails five years ago. He lost his parents like a lot of other kids. He doesn’t belong to any clans. Yuuto doesn’t show much potential for the Shinobi Arts. He’s under the care of Miss Aiko, like all the Orphans here.]
My eyes narrow slightly in contemplation as I take the information in.
‘This means I also lost my parents in the nine-tails attack. Given I’m a Uchiha, it’s strange another member of the clan hasn’t taken me in. Perhaps no one from the Uchiha clan knows I’m here.’
There are a lot of answers I’ve just gleaned from using Observe on Yuuto. The first is that I’m the same age as the Rookie 9 from canon events. Second, I’m an abandoned member of the Uchiha clan. Third, my direct family is likely dead.
Meaning, a dark road is ahead of me once I have my Mangekyo Sharingan. Another small sigh escapes my lips as I lean in my bed. Thinking about everything that I’ve learned. Organizing it inside my head.
The door to the room suddenly opens, and since I’m the only one awake right now, I’m the only one who looks over. As I do, a woman with dark hair and dark eyes sees me and smiles softly.
She silently made her way over to me and took a seat on the bed. She raised her hand and gently placed it on my shoulder. A soft look in her eyes appeared, and a brief moment of grief followed. Since she hasn’t spoken yet, I use Observe on her.
[Lvl. 45][Aiko Hikara]
Age: 36
HP: 4977 CP: 4203
[She’s a Chunin who’s served the village for 11 years and served as a medic in the hospital for 7 more years. After retiring, she used her funds to open this orphanage. She loves kids and cares for all of them. She knew your mother and is under strict instructions from her.]
‘I don’t remember an Aiko from the anime, but I didn’t watch every episode. There are bound to be people I don’t recognize, just like Yuuto. What I find interesting is that she knew my mother in this world.’
I have the memories of Fuyuki’s life until now, and from everything I can remember, Aiko hasn’t talked to me about my mother. In fact, before now, I didn’t even know I was a Uchiha. That explains why I’m hiding out in the Orphanage.
It has to be the strict instructions from my mother. Whatever those are, it’s connected to why I’m here and not with the Uchiha. Given that, it’s safer I remain here. At least until I find out more. Right now, I’ve got nothing.
“Hey, Fuyu, I see that you’re awake now. You were napping pretty hard and had a small fever.”
She moves her hand to my forehead with a gentle touch.
“But it seems that’s broken now. Want to come downstairs and get something to eat?”
This is my new life now. Once again, a little boy and in a world of monsters and nightmares. This isn’t winning the lottery; it’s a punishment for doing so well in my last life. Aiko gently grabs my hand as I nod my head, and we head for the door to the room.
Looks like I’m here for the long haul.