Swish, swish, swish
Figures moved rapidly through the forest—it was Shisui and his group.
Soon, Shisui, the Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and the others arrived at the site of the incident. By then, however, the giant sphere that had sealed the Five-Tails Jinchuriki had already shattered, scattering fragments across the ground. The Jinchuriki inside, Han, was nowhere to be seen.
"It seems… we're a step too late."
The Sandaime shook his head and sighed. If they had captured Han to leverage against Iwagakure, the village might have surrendered immediately, potentially ending the war early.
What they didn't know was that Ryūjin's Chibaku Tensei had been incomplete. Shortly after the group left, Han had forced his way out using his own strength. Still, the attempt had given him quite a scare—being sealed even in his semi-Tailed Beast state was unimaginable.
"Hokage-sama, Han attacked me here when the ground suddenly split apart," Shisui explained.
Hiruzen, Minato, and the others were stunned. Without even showing his face, without scrolls or sealing tools, someone had sealed a semi-Tailed Beast from a distance. Each of them couldn't help but gasp. The technique was terrifying, and the person who had used it must be an exceptionally powerful existence.
Everyone at the scene exchanged bewildered glances, trying to deduce the identity of the mysterious savior. But despite their best efforts, no one came to mind. There were no clues.
The only silver lining: the intervening expert had saved Shisui, which suggested a likely connection to Konoha.
Meanwhile, a teenage boy with curious, excited eyes strolled leisurely through the streets of Konoha. It was Ryūjin.
With the Sandaime and his party gone, Ryūjin had no pressing duties. He, Kakashi, and Rin naturally left the Hokage Office. Logically, Ryūjin should have reported to the Konoha Military Police Force after returning from Kannabi Bridge, since Shisui and his team had gone on the official mission to search for Obito's body.
But Ryūjin was a reincarnated Naruto fan, truly standing in Konoha for the first time. He couldn't suppress the thrill in his chest and wanted to experience the village properly. After all, he was a newly graduated Genin; no one would notice a slight delay in reporting.
"So this is Konoha… it's like a dream."
The familiar-yet-strange buildings and the "exotic" figures moving through the streets made the world feel surreal. Ryūjin felt himself fully immersed.
"Oh well, in my previous life, I was a corporate slave. It was nothing but work, work, work—life had no meaning!"
"Since the heavens gave me a second chance, I must live a wonderful and meaningful life!"
"Only then will this transmigration not be wasted!"
As Ryūjin's thoughts swirled, his gaze hardened. In the Naruto world, one could either be a civilian, avoiding the conflicts of the Ninja World, or a Ninja, navigating its turbulent currents.
As a civilian, life might seem peaceful, but without power, one was a lamb to the slaughter. Life and death were not in one's own hands—a notion Ryūjin could not accept.
Ryūjin was already a Genin of the Uchiha Clan, a part of the Ninja World. Considering the Uchiha's precarious position, only one path lay before him: become stronger. Only then could he avoid being swept away by the Clan, Konoha, or the Ninja World itself.
"I want to become the strongest," Ryūjin resolved inwardly. With his Sign-in System, achieving this would not be impossible.
Suddenly, a commotion from the crowd drew his attention. Ryūjin turned to see a sunny young man with striking yellow hair approaching from the intersection ahead. It was Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash who had shaken the entire Ninja World.
To prevent village defenses from being stretched too thin, Minato had used Flying Thunder God to return after inspecting the giant Chibaku Tensei sphere. As he appeared, villagers flocked to him in excitement, their admiration obvious.
"Minato's prestige is incredible," Ryūjin thought, impressed. No wonder he had defeated Orochimaru to become the Fourth Hokage.
Thinking of Minato's tragic end, Ryūjin couldn't help but sigh. Minato and Kushina were upright, powerful, cheat-level shinobi, yet they still lost their lives. This strengthened Ryūjin's resolve: the Ninja World was too dangerous. Strength was everything.
Lost in thought, Ryūjin noticed Ichiraku Ramen.
"Ichiraku Ramen? I'll go in and try it. Let's see if it's really that good."
After a moment, Ryūjin entered and sat at an empty seat.
"Cook, give me a bowl of ramen!" he called to Teuchi. At this time, Teuchi wasn't yet an uncle figure—more like a friendly elder brother.
"Ryūjin?"
A clear, melodious voice rang from beside him. Startled, Ryūjin turned and recognized her immediately.
"Kurenai Yuhi?"
Even in her youth, Kurenai was strikingly beautiful, exuding the charm she would later be known for.