A warm, golden light bathes the land with the late afternoon glow that paints the village in serene tones. The sound of rustling leaves fills the air as the towering trees outside the Hidden Leaf Village sway gently in the breeze, only to be disrupted by a small ripple of energy that surges through the atmosphere.

The once-still air vibrates with an eerie light of energy, forming a vortex that pulsates through the atmosphere only to stop and disappear, leaving a small figure lying unconscious on the forest floor.

After some time passes, the small figure starts moving, his hand twitching as life begins to return to his body. Slowly, the boy's fingers curl, and his eyes flutter open. He gasps for breath, disoriented, as if he had just awoken from a dream he couldn't remember. The earth beneath him feels strange, foreign, though familiar in an odd way.

He rises to his knees, his silver hair falling over his eyes. His body aches, muscles sluggish and stiff. He glances around, confusion clouding his pale white eyes, devoid of pupils. The forest around him is silent now, the rustling of leaves having stilled as if nature itself waits for him to understand where he is.

Who am I? The thought comes to him unbidden, but no clear answer follows. Memories dance just beyond his reach, fragmented and blurred. He knows his name, though it seems lost in the fog of his mind, and he knows his bloodline—Ōtsutsuki. He inhales deeply, feeling the chakra inside him, a power vast and ancient, flowing through his veins like a rushing river. But beyond that, everything else is shadowed in mystery.

His gaze turns toward the distant village visible through the trees. The concentration of energy coming from that place is undeniable—familiar, yet not. The instinct to move toward it is strong. Without further hesitation, the boy rises to his feet. He stumbles at first, his legs unsteady, but quickly regains his balance.

As he takes his first steps, the forest begins to stir again, as if acknowledging his presence. He moves with a grace that feels natural, despite his disorientation. His journey toward the village has begun, though he does not know what awaits him or why he was brought here. All he knows is that something—perhaps destiny itself—pulls him forward.

As the boy made his way through the dense forest, memories began to slowly trickle back into his mind, like water seeping through cracks in a dam. Flashes of his old life as an 18-year-old boy named Kai stirred inside him. He remembered his small apartment, sparsely furnished but comfortable. He spent most of his time alone, finding solace in watching anime—his favorite escape from the monotony of everyday life. He was an ordinary guy, quiet and introverted, content with his routine. He would come home after long days, heat up whatever leftovers he had, and lose himself in the fantastical worlds on his TV screen.

The memory of his death, however, was more vivid than the others. It played in his mind like a terrible movie, one he couldn't pause. He had been walking home late at night after picking up groceries. The streetlights flickered, and the wind had picked up, signaling an incoming storm. It happened so fast—a screeching of tires, blinding headlights, and then nothing. Just blackness.

Kai shuddered, recalling the sensation of floating in an endless void, feeling no pain, no warmth, nothing but an overwhelming stillness. That's when he saw it—the panel. It had appeared before him in the dark, glowing faintly, almost as if it were waiting for him. It was like something out of a video game, asking him to select his race, age and appearance. The choices had been endless, but one option stood out above the others: Ōtsutsuki.

He had clicked it without hesitation, drawn to the idea of such power and mystery. The next set of options allowed him to choose his looks, age, and—finally—where to spawn. He had hesitated, scrolling through the various locations that flashed before his eyes. Then he saw it: Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village.

The memory of the decision faded, and Kai, or whatever he was now, found himself once again moving through the forest, his steps more deliberate now. His mind buzzed with the impossibility of it all. He had been reborn—literally reincarnated—into the world of Naruto, a world he had only ever seen on his TV screen. But this was real. The chakra pulsing through his veins, the ground beneath his feet, the very air he breathed—it was all real.

As he neared the outskirts of the Hidden Leaf Village, he felt a presence. His new senses, sharper and more refined, picked up on it immediately. It was fast, and before he could react, a figure appeared in a blur before him, blocking his path. The figure was tall and masked, a single, visible eye studying him intently. The man wore the standard jonin vest and had the signature headband of the Hidden Leaf Village. It took only a moment for Kai to recognize him—Kakashi Hatake, the famous copy ninja.

Kai stared at the masked figure before him, his heart racing, but his face remained calm. He instinctively sized up Kakashi Hatake, the legendary copy ninja. The stories he'd seen about him flashed through his mind—one of the most skilled shinobi in the village, a man who had mastered countless jutsu with his Sharingan. Despite this, Kakashi seemed relaxed, almost bored, yet his single eye was sharp, watching Kai carefully.

("This is Kakashi... Hatake. The famous copy ninja. So, it's really happening. This world... I'm actually here.")

Kai could feel Kakashi's chakra pressing against him, not threateningly, but as if gauging him. In response, Kai's own chakra subtly flared—something he hadn't even realized he could control so naturally. It wasn't as overwhelming as he thought an Ōtsutsuki's chakra should be, but it was enough to surprise Kakashi. The jonin's eye widened just a fraction, though his face stayed neutral.

("Chūnin level. Hm, not exactly what I expected, but it makes sense. If I came in too strong, I'd attract too much attention. Better to start like this. Still... I'm not just some kid. I need to be cautious, especially with him.")

Kakashi took a step forward, his voice calm but firm. "Who are you, and why are you here?"

Kai knew the situation was delicate. He couldn't come off too suspicious, nor too knowledgeable about the village. He needed to play it smart. His thoughts moved quickly, formulating a plan in the brief silence between Kakashi's words and his response.

"I don't know," Kai said truthfully, but with a practiced ease. "I... woke up here. I can't remember much. Just my name. Kai."

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed, still assessing him. "Your chakra feels like that of a chūnin," he said, his voice probing. "But there's something... different about you."

("He's sharp. I need to stay vague, give him enough to trust me but not enough to make him dig deeper.")

Kai exhaled slowly, feigning a bit of confusion. "I don't know why my chakra feels this way. I don't remember anything before waking up here. No memories of training or why I can control it."

Kakashi was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "I'll take you to someone who can help."