Konoha: Deep in the Forest

"Jiraiya, Kushina!" A voice called out as it dropped from the trees, flanked by half a dozen other shinobi.

"Hiruzen-sensei, get your shinobi to Kushina, quick!" Jiraiya yelled, panic in his voice.

Hiruzen didn't hesitate. "Go to Lady Kushina now," he ordered, his voice a sharp command.

"Yes, Sarutobi-sama!" a medic ninja responded, rushing to Kushina's side.

"What happened to her, and where's Minato—?" Hiruzen's voice trailed off as he saw a passed out Kushina holding a lifeless Minato in her arms, her face streaked with tears. The sight of the once-proud Hokage, now lost, brought an ache deep into Hiruzen's chest.

The medic ninja pulled Kushina away from her beloved husband onto a stretcher, answering Hiruzen's second question. "Lady Kushina is suffering from extreme chakra exhaustion," the medic said urgently. "We need to get her to the hospital immediately."

"Where's the baby?" Hiruzen asked, his gaze flicking toward the small bundle in Jiraiya's arms.

Jiraiya looked down at the tiny child, swaddled tightly, and his voice cracked. "Minato couldn't stop the Nine-Tails. So, he did what he had to do—sealed it inside his daughter. He sacrificed himself to save the village."

Hiruzen's breath caught in his throat as he watched the child, now one of the last pieces of Minato's legacy, clutched tightly in Jiraiya's arms. He felt the weight of the loss, the magnitude of what had just occurred.

Jiraiya's eyes were hollow, his face a mask of grief. "I should've been here. If I had been here earlier, I could've done something. I should've done more. Minato's death... it's my fault," he muttered bitterly, his voice filled with self-reproach.

Hiruzen stepped forward, placing a hand on Jiraiya's shoulder, but before he could speak, Jiraiya cut him off.

"Hiruzen-sama," Jiraiya continued, his voice hardening. "His death will not be in vain. I swear to you—I'll protect Kushina, this child, and I'll carry on his will. I'll be the Hokage, just as Minato wanted. It's the only way I can honor him." His tone grew more resolute, a new fire igniting in his chest.

Hiruzen, still stunned by his pupil's determination, could only stare in awe. Jiraiya, the carefree toad sage, the student who had always rejected the idea of Hokage, had now sworn to take on the mantle himself. It was a bittersweet moment for Hiruzen, filled with both pride and sorrow.

With a deep breath, Hiruzen turned to one of his shinobi guards. "Alert the village. Let them know that the Nine-Tails is defeated. Gather the Shinobi to help move the villagers back into the village. Then give me a casualty report so we can have the funerals."

"Yes, Sarutobi-sama," the shinobi responded before vanishing in a blur of motion.

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The Void

An entity sat in a chair, a box of tissues in hand. It wiped away a tear, its expression oddly human.

"That was so heartwarming," the entity mused, its tone tinged with amusement. "Minato's last moments—saving Kushina, passing on the will of fire to Jiraiya, making him the next Hokage… truly a beautiful, heroic act. He was, without a doubt, the best Hokage we could've ever asked for." The entity smiled warmly, as if the scene it had just witnessed had deeply moved it.

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But then, a sharp realization struck. The smile faded.

"Wait a DAMN MINUTE!" it shouted, flinging the box of tissues aside. "None of this was supposed to happen. First off, Kushina should be dead. Damn it! And when the hell did Minato get extra chakra? In the original timeline, Minato couldn't have sealed the Nine-Tails in one go. So how the hell did he do it now? Did Kakashi give him chakra, or what? And don't even get me started on Jiraiya! He's not even supposed to be here! What the hell is going on?"

The entity stood up, clearly agitated. "I'm so over this day. Screw it. I'm going to go look at Jackie's perspective. I'm sure he is even worse off than me, he said , peering back into the timeline."

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Konoha: Safezone Outside the Village

"Why?" Jackie could only ask himself that one question, over and over again

Why did this have to happen to his family? Why had his father been taken away from him in the most brutal way possible? The Nine-Tails attack had stolen his father, his protector, and the man who had always been his rock. His father, the epitome of strength and resolve, was gone.

Jackie's hands shook as he looked down at them. So small, so fragile. They were the hands of a child in this child-like body he could do nothing. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that if he was still in his college body, he still wouldn't be able to do anything a complete 180 of his father. His father was strong, always filled with determination and positivity, with love for his family. He was everything Jackie aspired to be. And now he is gone.

The weight of that loss settled on his chest like a boulder. He could still hear the sounds of battle, the screams of the villagers, the roar of the Nine-Tails as it tore through Konoha. But none of that mattered. His father, his hero, had died protecting him, and all Jackie could do was stand there, helpless. His father had been his anchor, his guiding light in the darkness. Now what was he supposed to do without him?

His mother's voice cut through his thoughts. "Jackie." She was kneeling next to him, holding him close in her right with the baby in her left, her voice soothing but filled with the rawness of grief. "Are you okay?"

Jackie felt his throat close up, a lump forming as he tried to respond. He just nodded. His mother was there, her comforting presence, but it felt hollow. How could I be okay? he thought, but didn't voice it.

"I'm so sorry, Jackie," his mother whispered. "I should've—maybe if I had taken those chakra lessons with your father… maybe I could've been of more help. I'm sorry you had to see this." Tears stained her cheeks, but she held him tighter, as if afraid he might slip away from her too.

Jackie buried his face in his mother's shoulder, guilt washing over him." It's my fault. If I hadn't been so damn confident that I'd be the best ninja in this world, we would have never been brought to this world. I wish I had moved out the way he thought." But the truth was, he was shocked from getting transported to this world, and seeing all the carnage around him made him freeze. And now he had to face the reality that because of his hesitation his father was gone.

But then, his mother's words broke through his spiral of guilt. "But your dad's sacrifice was able to keep you and little Rocky here alright." She smiled, trying to stay positive but the smile was a sad smile, the kind of smile that only came when a person was trying to hold it together for someone else.

Jackie's head snapped up, his mind racing. "Brother? I have a brother?"

"Yes, you do. Your new little brother was released from the hospital with me earlier today. It was supposed to be a surprise that your brother was finally allowed to come home today. But now you and him are the only things I have left from your father's legacy, Jackie. You and your brother, I can already tell y'all have your father's will." Her voice broke slightly as she mentioned his father, but she kept her composure for Jackie's sake.

Jackie looked down at the baby in her arms. Rocky? His little brother. "Like Rock Lee", he wondered. The weight of the situation was settling in—he couldn't protect his father. But maybe, just maybe, he could protect his mother and new little brother. He could protect his family, and his father's legacy.

He looked up at his mother, determination creeping into his voice. "I'll protect him, Mom. I'll protect both of you. I promise." His hands clenched into fists, his gaze firm as he stared at the horizon.

For the first time since he got here, Jackie felt something other than sorrow. It was a small spark, but it was enough.