When Shigure awoke, he noticed that everything around him had changed. The people nearby were dressed in unusual clothes, and occasionally, he even saw ninjas walking casually down the streets. The surroundings looked both familiar and unfamiliar.
"Where am I?" Shigure muttered, rubbing his head, unable to recall what had happened before. Looking around, it didn't seem like the environment was some kind of illusion or prank. No, he realized that this was all very real.
"Did I... travel to another world? Or am I still dreaming?" Shigure pinched himself hard.
"Ouch! That hurt! So I'm not dreaming—I have traveled to another world!" Shigure turned his head and saw three familiar stone faces carved into a mountain.
"This... could this be Konoha Village? Did I travel to Konoha?!" Shigure exclaimed in disbelief.
Ding! A strange sound echoed in Shigure's ear, followed by a mechanical voice.
"Binding... Binding... Binding successful! Congratulations, Host! The Ultimate Bloodline System has been activated! Would you like to use the system's initial reward?"
Without thinking, Shigure answered, "Yes!"
Ding! "Greetings, Host! The system has gifted you your initial reward: Ōtsutsuki Bloodline! Would you like to fuse with the bloodline?"
Shigure responded immediately, "Choose to fuse!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Shigure felt a change throughout his body. A wave of indescribable comfort flooded his mind and spread through him instantly.
"To counter the coming pain, a surge of dopamine has been released into your system," the voice from the system announced. Suddenly, beams of light shot toward Shigure from all directions.
The euphoria quickly turned to agony. His entire body felt as though it was being torn apart like his blood vessels were on the verge of bursting. The intense pain started in his brain and radiated throughout his body.
Shigure endured the pain in silence as if he had become numb to it.
"Hold on, Host! The fusion is almost complete!"
"3!" Shigure felt like he was losing his mind from the pain.
"2!" His hearing began to fade.
"1!" The system's final words echoed, and Shigure's consciousness slipped away.
"Fusion complete! Congratulations, Host! You have successfully fused with the pure Ōtsutsuki bloodline!"
But by then, Shigure had fainted and didn't hear the system's final message.
In a hazy state, he heard someone calling his name.
"Uchiha Shigure! Uchiha Shigure!" He opened his eyes to see a delicate-looking girl with long black hair and clear, black eyes gazing down at him. It was clear that she was the one calling his name.
Shigure found himself lying on a white hospital bed, surrounded by the unmistakable smell of antiseptics. It seemed he was in a hospital.
"So… my name is Uchiha Shigure?" he muttered.
The girl's face showed sadness as she began to cry.
"Shigure-nii! It's all my fault! If I hadn't insisted on getting back that necklace, this wouldn't have happened, and you wouldn't have forgotten everything. Do you even remember who I am?" she asked between sobs.
Looking at her, Shigure shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, but I don't remember anything. You're calling me Uchiha Shigure? Am I part of the Uchiha clan?"
The girl's tears flowed again. "Oh no, Shigure-nii! You don't remember me! I'm Himari!"
Shigure scratched his head, embarrassed. "Himari, I think I have lost my memory. Can you tell me what happened before all this?"
Himari took out a mirror and placed it in front of Shigure.
He saw his reflection.
Jet-black hair that just covered his forehead, a high-bridged nose, sun-kissed skin, and eyes that shone like obsidian—intense like a hawk's when sharp, and gentle like a lamb's when soft. His face was handsome, almost flawless.
But there was a scar cutting across from his left eyebrow to his nose bridge, marring his otherwise perfect features and adding a menacing touch.
"Look at you, not only with amnesia but also scarred. It was those bullies from your Uchiha clan who stole my necklace, and you went to get it back. They attacked you, slashing your face with a blade. By the time I found you, you were unconscious… and now, you've lost your memory."
Himari's voice cracked as she held back her tears.
"Don't cry, Himari," Shigure comforted her gently. "Even though I lost my memory, I'm still here, right?" As he spoke, his mind worked furiously to piece things together.
"Traveling between worlds? A system? Bloodline? Himari? It's chaotic, but I think I'm beginning to understand. I must be in the world of Naruto!"
"It seems my soul has taken over the body of a young Uchiha," Shigure thought, and then continued to talk with Himari.
From their conversation, Shigure learned that although he belonged to the Uchiha clan, his parents had tragically fallen in battle when he was young, leaving him alone in Konoha Village.
With no one to care for him, Shigure had grown up under cold stares and harsh words. Himari, who had endured similar hardships, shared a close bond with him; Shigure had always seen her as a little sister.
Recently, Himari had been bullied by some of the Uchiha noble children. Shigure had stood up for her, leading to a scuffle where he hit his head. It was this incident that allowed Shigure's soul to cross over.
With everything pieced together, Shigure's next steps became clear.
"The Uchiha clan, huh?" Shigure thought, a cold smile on his lips as he looked at Himari, still teary-eyed.
"Alright, Himari, go home and rest. Didn't you say I have the graduation exam at the Ninja Academy tomorrow? I need to prepare." Shigure gently sent Himari home.
With her gone, he closed his eyes and focused inward.
"The system is active, and the Ōtsutsuki bloodline has been fused! I wonder what abilities I've gained?" Shigure concentrated, sensing his own body.
"I can feel it—my body has undergone a massive transformation!" Shigure's eyes began to itch, and he felt a surge of heat in his core.
He sensed a powerful energy flowing through every part of his body. His mind was like a key, unlocking this newfound power.
"Well then… let's open it up!" Shigure allowed his body's internal pathways to flow freely. A wave of pure energy filled every fiber of his being.
"So, this is chakra?" Shigure marveled at the energy surging through him—familiar yet strange. It was chakra, the essential energy of the ninja world.