With a quick movement, a three-year-old boy automatically pushed his upper body up from his cozy bed.
His name was Hikari Hyuga. He started slowly gasping for air, showing how suddenly he had woken up.
This wasn't a normal waking up for him; his Byakugan had turned on by itself without him even knowing. Veins bulged prominently around his eyes.
Hikari began examining his young body with keen interest, strangely noticing his tiny hands.
His gaze shifted to look around the room he was in, feeling very surprised.
Understanding that he was now a child in the 'fantastical' Naruto world, a place he only knew from stories, shocked him.
He finally accepted that this wasn't his old life; he had somehow moved to this universe from his previous life as an adult on Earth, and there was no going back.
'I finally gained full control of this body... Thank God...', Over the past three days, his soul from Earth had somehow found its way into this young body by an inexplicable process beyond his present scientific understanding, and, at first, had been fighting for control with the original soul of the three-year-old boy.
It was a battle with no clear victor; instead, the two souls merged, giving rise to a new consciousness now also referring to himself as 'Hikari', which was the name of that child.
Even in the most vulnerable state, the soul of a three-year-old child from this world matched in power with his adult soul from Earth, making a merger the 'best' possible outcome for the other, Earthly spirit.
Once merged, this newly fused soul, now also calling himself 'Hikari', began the complex process of adapting to the child's chakra and body and absorbing all relevant memories. This period of adjustment was far from easy, lasting three full days.
Throughout these days, Hikari existed in limbo, caught in a deeply uncomfortable, blurred state of semi-consciousness that could best be described as a bizarre coma.
It was a trying time, marked by confusion and a sense of disorientation as two distinct sets of memories and experiences intertwined. Now, as he finally emerged from this state, Hikari couldn't help but feel a profound sense of relief.
The ordeal had ended, and he was now a new being, with the memories of his past life on Earth and his current life as a Hyuga child joined into one.
'It seems that I acquired Byakugan during this whole ordeal, and it activated instinctively as soon as I woke up...', Hikari mused, his gaze wandering over the familiar yet newly intriguing confines of his room.
As he turned his attention inward, observing his inner organs working in real-time and the intricate web of his chakra pathway system components, a sense of wonder washed over him.
'Is this what it feels like to have superpowers?', He thought, a hint of joy threading through his amazement. The sensation was extraordinary; the potent energy and chakra amassing around his eyes granted him abilities far beyond his wildest imagination.
Hikari was experiencing a profound shift in perception. The world around him, once ordinary, now lay open and transparent, visible in ways he could never have anticipated. The clarity and depth of vision afforded by the Byakugan were astonishing.
It was as if he had been given the ultimate tools of observation and insight: clairvoyance that pierced through walls, a 360-degree vision that left no blind spots, and a telescopic range that could discern details from great distances.
This newfound perspective was both exhilarating and overwhelming. Transitioning from an ordinary existence on Earth to wielding powers that were utterly 'magical' in his previous life, and this many of them simultaneously, was a shock of the highest order.
Hikari felt a huge wave of elation as he contemplated the extent of his abilities. The world seemed different now, richer, and filled with endless possibilities.
And there was more to it than just the advanced capabilities of Byakugan. Hikari gradually noticed that everything he experienced felt 'much sharper.'
Colors around him were more vivid, more pronounced, as if the world had suddenly been painted in a richer palette.
His mind, too, seemed to process visual information at a speed unheard of in his previous life, making it feel like time had slowed down for him.
This wasn't just a new ability; it was a complete transformation of his sensory experience, akin to upgrading a computer's graphics card across a dozen generations in one fell swoop.
The enhancements extended to his perception of light and shadow as well. Areas of the room that would normally be hidden in shadow or dimly lit were as clear to him as everything else, revealing details that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Similarly, he could adapt to intense levels of light streaming in from the windows without being overwhelmed, his eyes adjusting effortlessly to maintain clarity regardless of the lighting conditions.
Hikari's gaze then swept across his room, taking in the surroundings that reflected the wealth and status of the Hyuga clan, especially of someone of his pedigree within the family - the real member of the 'Main Branch' family.
The space was adorned in the feudal style typical of the Hyuga household, yet it boasted a richness that spoke of ancient elegance. The furnishings were of high quality, with ornate designs that married functionality with aesthetic appeal.
It was also very far beyond what one small child would require in terms of just its size alone.
His attention then eventually drifted to an image placed near his bed: a portrait of a young couple dressed in Konoha's standard 'Jonin' shinobi uniforms. Their features were unmistakably Hyuga, with their pale eyes and traditional hairstyles.
These were his parents, as recalled from his integrated memories. However, instead of warmth or happiness, a surge of anger welled up within him at the mere sight of them.
The poor physical condition of the body he now inhabited—bruised and beaten—and the soul's profound emotional turmoil and fragmentation that had facilitated his successful transmigration were, in his 'awakened' eyes, directly attributable to these two individuals.
This realization threw a shadow over the room's elegance, tainting his perception of his new environment with a deep bitterness.
The physical scars and emotional wounds he bore were a stark contrast to the wealth and prestige his family's surroundings suggested.
'Thankfully, in this strange world, even children have really advanced physical stats, so the damage has been mostly healed by now during these three days I was in a coma...,' Hikari shook his head, diverting his gaze away from the picture as this thought crossed his mind.
The original soul in this body would never have thought badly of its parents. However, now, with the knowledge of an adult from a previous life, knowing the Naruto story, having a view on related matters at hand from the outside, and a really stronger cognitive ability, for some reason, even than his old form on Earth, not to mention that a three-year-old child, the 'new ' Hikari could only reach one conclusion at present.
This conclusion led him to feel no positive feelings or opinions towards the body's recently passed away biological parents. In fact, they were both negative, broadly speaking instead.
At that moment, Hikari also realized this was the first time he could think so clearly since he had been in that limbo state for the past few days. He was amazed at how wonderful it felt to be in control again.
'And not only that...', Hikari thought, 'I feel like my ability to think clearly, process information quickly and in a very large capacity, compared to before, remember things, and form new memories is way stronger than it ever was in my past life on Earth or in this body's memory.'
These thoughts came to him as he was previously reflecting on the past events and developments that started unfolding a few months ago, which had left the original body in such a poor state, and how it all determined his new feelings toward his parents.
'Why is this happening? Could it be because two souls have merged into one? Is that also why I was able to activate the Byakugan so early? Are dojutsu, souls, and minds really closely linked in this world?', Hikari pondered many things at once, fully using his new mental abilities to theorize and understand many aspects in just a few seconds.
'Yet, for this newfound edge to be utilized to its fullest potential, there's also a necessity for balance...', He contemplated further, 'It seems that I'll need to rigorously train my physical energy next to match with the increase in my spiritual energy. Only then can I also, in theory, expand my overall chakra potential pool and harness these abilities to their fullest potential.',
Hikari found that he could recall many details about the Naruto story and universe from his past life's memory, much more vividly and accurately than one might expect, given how little significance the Naruto manga held for him previously and how vaguely marked it was there.
It seemed to him that this enhanced memory was a bonus, or a 'buff,' he received as a time traveler.
He thought about how some third-rate novels he knew from his past life involved characters getting a 'system' after they transmigrated into new worlds—something he found utterly unappealing.
To him, the idea of being stuck with a 'system'—a contrived, artificial construct that could dictate his actions and monitor him constantly—was far from desirable.
It felt too much like being under someone else's control, trapped by a set of rules and guidelines laid out by an unknown creator with possibly suspicious intentions.
Hikari was relieved he didn't end up with such a 'system.' Instead, he preferred his natural abilities and knowledge, seeing them as far more valuable, freeing, and safer overall.
Hikari gradually turned his attention to the world beyond his room, noting that it was daylight outside, "It should be afternoon...", He guessed, his gaze drifting across the courtyard visible from his window.
But then, his sight began to extend even further, a testament to the incredible telescopic ability granted by the Byakugan. His vision pierced through the walls of other buildings, encountering only a handful of people.
Among them, Hikari spotted several Hyuga with surprised expressions, each bearing the distinctive Cursed Seals on their foreheads, 'They are from the branch family...', He realized, noting their startled looks directed towards him.
They whispered among themselves before one hurried off, possibly to inform someone else, eventually moving beyond the current reach of Hikari's Byakugan.
As he witnessed this, Hikari quickly pieced together a few explanations for their rushed behavior and possible next actions based on what he had just seen and this body's memory, even as his mind wandered back to thoughts of his past life on another planet/dimension.
In his previous life there, Hikari was just an average man in every sense—looks, intellect, status, and wealth. This averageness led to a life devoid of serious relationships, happiness, and pleasures that seemed reserved for those more 'fortunate' or talented.
Adding to his struggles, he could only watch helplessly as his parents, the only people who truly cared for him and whom he deeply cared about, succumbed to severe illnesses. His inability to afford better medical care meant he couldn't extend their lives.
Tragically, Hikari's own life mirrored theirs; he too passed away in his early 40s due to a sudden illness and a lack of resources to combat it before waking up here a few days ago in that strange manner.
Determined not to repeat the powerlessness and vulnerabilities of his past life, Hikari vowed to seize control of his destiny in this new world.
He resolved to amass as much power as possible, ensuring a life filled with pleasure and positivity, making the most of this extraordinary second chance.
This time, fortune seemed to favor him—he had been reborn into the Main Branch of the Hyuga clan, one of the wealthiest and, more crucially, most powerful shinobi families in the entire Ninja World, a place ruled by strength and might. He vowed to never squander it.
This twist of fate gave Hikari a unique advantage and a clear path to fulfill his vows. He recognized the significance of his new status, not just for the material wealth it brought but for the potential to gain the strength and power he had longed for in his previous life.
With the abilities of the Hyuga at his disposal and the lessons from his past life etched into his memory, Hikari was more determined than ever to carve out a successful, fulfilling life for himself—one where he would never again feel helpless or defeated by any circumstances.
As Hikari finished reflecting on his past life, organizing his thoughts, making promises to himself, and feeling a surge of excitement about his future life, he suddenly shifted to a state of calm.
His Byakugan detected an older, powerful male figure slowly approaching his room after entering his range of vision. Hikari, now composed and ready, thought, 'So you are here...'