The alleyway reeked of desperation and stale blood. Hiro, battered and broken, leaned against the cold brick wall, his vision blurring.
The glint of steel caught his eye—his assailant, a cruel smirk twisting his lips, raised the blade.
"Any last words, boy?"
Hiro managed a weak, defiant grin. "Yeah. I'll see you in hell."
The blade descended.
A blinding flash of pain, then... nothing.
After what felt like an eternity, something began to change. A cool breeze brushed against his skin, and the scent of fresh grass filled the air.
Slowly, Hiro opened his eyes to a sky so blue it was almost surreal.
He blinked, trying to clear his head, and sat up to take in the unfamiliar landscape around him—a field, serene and untouched, far from the chaos of the city.
He stood, every movement feeling strange and new. As he gathered his bearings, a sudden jolt of awareness hit him.
A panel appeared before him, suspended in the air like something out of a game, displaying details in crisp text:
Name: Hiro Ishida
Age: 17
Clan: Uchiha
Affiliation: None
Abilities:
- 1-Tomoe Sharingan: Basic Sharingan abilities, including perception enhancement and the ability to copy techniques.
- Great Fireball Jutsu (Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu): A powerful fire technique that unleashes a massive fireball.
- Uchiha Clan Taijutsu: Advanced taijutsu techniques specific to the Uchiha clan, including the use of powerful strikes and high-speed movements.
- Shinigami's Grace: Allows the resurrection of a recently deceased person, but can only be used once a month.
- Shinigami's Favor: You have been blessed with the favor of the god of death. Do not fear those who kill the body, and after can do no more.
Hiro's breath caught in his throat. "Uchiha?" he whispered, the word barely making it past his lips as a flood of memories surged into his mind.
He touched his face, feeling the unfamiliar smoothness of youthful skin, and realized with a shock that this body wasn't his own.
He looked down at his hands, noticing a strength and grace that hadn't been there before.
"I'm in the Naruto world..." The realization hit him like a tidal wave. He wasn't just in a different place—he was in a different world altogether.
His thoughts raced as he pieced together the fragmented memories. There had been a blade, swift and merciless, cutting down the original owner of this body.
"Wait… is this massacre night?" Hiro's heart pounded as the truth dawned on him. If he was right, he was standing in the middle of one of the bloodiest nights in Naruto history.
There was no time for panic. If he wanted to survive, he needed to move—now.
Hiro's eyes widened as he scanned the skill panel, realizing the gravity of his situation.
His basic Uchiha abilities and skills and single-tomoe Sharingan were hardly enough to handle the imminent danger.
With a sense of urgency, he delved deeper into the other abilities listed.
Shinigami's Grace:
Description: Allows the resurrection of a recently deceased person, but can only be used once a month.
"Why do I have such a broken ability?" he whispered, shocked by the magnitude of power at his fingertips. It was a game-changing skill but after looking more into it he found out it can only be used on people who died in the period of threee days.
He moved on to the next ability.
Shinigami's Favor:
Description: You have been blessed with the favor of the god of death. Do not fear those who kill the body; fear the one who has the power to drag your soul from Hell.
Hiro's heart skipped a beat as the full meaning hit him. "This is… freaking immortality," he murmured, his face growing pale.
The ability suggested that even if his physical body was destroyed, his soul would endure, possibly allowing him to possess another body.
With the god of death's favor, he had a form of divine protection, but he also knew the consequences could be dire.
Despite his newfound "immortality," Hiro wasn't naive. He understood that there were fates worse than death. If Danzo's Root ninjas or Itachi Uchiha caught wind of him, he'd face horrors beyond mere physical harm.
His mind raced. What should he do? Run? He quickly dismissed the idea. Leaving the village now would surely trigger detection.
Suddenly, another message materialized before him:
[God of Death says: You have been granted Shinigami's Veil. Save Mikoto Uchiha in return.]
Hiro stared at the message, feeling a chill run down his spine.
The god of death was watching him? Did Shinigamis really have this kind of power? Hiro didn't have time to dwell on it—his thoughts were already a mess.
He read the message again, struggling to process everything.
Shinigami's Veil
Description: Allows the user to become temporarily invisible and intangible, evading physical attacks and detection. The effect lasts for up to 10 minutes and has a cooldown period of 30 minutes.
Why would the Shinigami want him to save Mikoto Uchiha? The request made no sense to him, but he knew one thing: with Danzo's Root ninjas and Itachi Uchiha lurking in the shadows, he couldn't afford to ignore this divine intervention.
The message was clear. He had to use Shinigami's Veil to navigate through the chaos, find Mikoto, and ensure her safety.
The reasons behind the Shinigami's request would have to wait. For now, survival and locating Mikoto were his top priorities.
Hiro's heart pounded in his chest as he crouched low, hidden in the shadows of the Uchiha compound. He knew the gravity of the situation—the massacre was unfolding, and Itachi Uchiha was ruthlessly eliminating his clan.
Confrontation with someone as dangerous as Itachi was out of the question, so Hiro decided to bide his time. From his vantage point, he watched the chaos, waiting for the right moment.
Itachi moved methodically, his Sharingan eyes cold and calculating as he cut down his clan members with precision. Hiro's only chance was to stay out of sight, waiting for Itachi to finish and move on.
He laid himself down among the dead as his Shinigami's Veil was about to end. Hiro lay motionless, blending in with the lifeless bodies around him, hoping not to be detected. He knew he had to remain in this position for 30 minutes to avoid further confrontation.
As Itachi finally moved away from the area and the cooldown period for Shinigami's Veil finished, Hiro felt a surge of relief. The opportunity he had been waiting for had arrived.
He activated Shinigami's Veil once more, becoming invisible and intangible. Moving quickly and quietly, Hiro navigated through the compound, searching for Mikoto Uchiha.
When he reached the clan chief's house, he found the aftermath of a brutal encounter. Mikoto lay lifeless on the floor, her body cold and still. Nearby, Fugaku's body was also lifeless, but Hiro had no time to grieve or reflect. His mission was clear.
With a sense of urgency, Hiro used Shinigami's Grace. The air around him seemed to hum with energy as the ritual took effect. Mikoto's body stirred, her chest rising with a faint breath, but she remained unconscious.
Hiro wasted no time, lifting her into his arms. The veil's invisibility cloaked them both, making their escape possible.
He looked around at the dead Uchiha bodies, contemplating taking their Sharingans, but he decided against it. There wasn't enough time.
Hiro navigated the violence-stricken village with Mikoto in his arms, carefully avoiding any remaining threats. The Root ninjas were still at work, extracting Sharingans from the dead bodies, but Hiro slipped past them, unseen and untouched.
As he neared the village's edge, the Shinigami's Veil time ended. He pushed forward, desperate to get out of the detection zone before the veil wore off completely. Once they were clear, Hiro found a hidden spot where he could safely set Mikoto down.
He knelt beside her, checking her pulse and breathing. Mikoto was unconscious but alive, safe for the moment. Hiro knew they couldn't stay there long, but for now, they were secure.