The transition from consciousness to infancy was disorienting for Zhang Chan. The hazy memories of his past life lingered, yet the newfound innocence of infancy enveloped him like a fragile cocoon.
As his awareness grew in this unfamiliar world, a figure loomed over him, their features softened by an ethereal familiarity. It was Kushina Uzumaki, the woman whose embrace had offered him solace moments ago. Her visage bore a striking resemblance to his own mother, a tender expression tinged with the weariness of childbirth.
Zhang Chan attempted to speak, to express gratitude for the warmth and care surrounding him. But all that emerged were the innocent cries of a newborn, his voice failing to articulate the depth of his emotions.
Just as he reached out, yearning to embrace the comfort she offered, an abrupt interruption shattered the tranquility. A figure draped in a dark robe, their face concealed by an ominous orange mask, materialized beside them.
Before Zhang could comprehend the unfolding events, strong arms snatched him away from the safety of his mother's embrace. Panic surged within him, his cries now filled with confusion and fear.
"NO! NO! Please, don't take him!" Kushina's voice cracked, the anguish in her tone painting a haunting picture of despair. She staggered backward, the agony etched on her face, as she collapsed onto the bed, her heartrending sobs filling the room.
Zhang struggled against the unknown figure's grasp, his heart pounding with the instinctual urge to return to the warmth and security he had briefly tasted.
The figure, inscrutable behind the mask, showed no signs of empathy or remorse. With swift and decisive movements, they vanished into the shadows, leaving behind a trail of uncertainty and unanswered questions.
As Zhang's cries echoed in the night, a sense of foreboding settled upon him, a portentous prelude to the enigmatic fate that awaited him in the clutches of this mysterious abductor, while the anguished cries of a distraught mother lingered in the air, a haunting echo of loss and desperation.