"Crack!!"
"Boom~"
Thunder roared from afar, growing closer with each rumble. In the dense forest, a group of figures leaped between towering bushes, their movements swift and purposeful. The rolling thunder echoed through the woods, the occasional flashes of lightning illuminating the shadows and revealing faces previously obscured in darkness.
"Captain! The thundercloud is approaching fast. It's too dangerous to travel at night. Let's find a place to camp," one of the figures called out.
"We're still far from the village. Safety first," he added.
A long scar ran across the speaker's face, beginning at the corner of his eye and trailing down to his chin. The scar gave the middle-aged man an even fiercer appearance when he spoke.
"Hmm! Alright, set up the traps. We'll rest for the night," the leader replied, leaping onto a massive branch and signaling the team to stop.
Turning to survey the surroundings, the Konoha forehead protector on his head glinted faintly in the dim light. He scanned the area with pale eyes, the clarity of his Byakugan ensuring there were no immediate threats. Only after confirming their safety did he exhale quietly.
"Understood."
"Whoosh!"
The scarred man responded and vanished into the forest to set traps. Shortly after, several figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding the white-eyed man.
This was a specialized ninja team, all of them from Konoha. The team leader was Hyuga Daiki, a ninja of the Hyuga Clan. This mission was vital for Konoha, and the Third Hokage had dispatched two four-man Jonin squads for it.
"Wow~"
A child's cry shattered the stillness of the night, instantly tensing the ninjas, who shifted into defensive stances.
"Sorry, sorry. It's my little brother," apologized a seven- or eight-year-old girl, holding a crying baby in her arms. Her tattered, long-sleeved shirt had several holes, exposing patches of her snow-white skin. Her long red hair framed part of her delicate face, and the swirl emblem on her back revealed her Uzumaki lineage.
"Raiden, be good, don't cry~" she cooed, rocking the baby in her arms. Her bitter smile betrayed her exhaustion, and her efforts only seemed to make the baby wail louder.
"So, being struck by lightning doesn't hurt at all..."
"It's kind of numb... and comfortable..."
When Uzumaki Raiden opened his eyes, he expected to be on a hospital bed. Logic dictated that someone struck by lightning would immediately be taken to the hospital. Yet here he was, experiencing something out of a third-rate web novel.
Opening his eyes, he was surprised to find himself not in a hospital but cradled in someone's arms. His instinctive yell came out strangely—it wasn't his usual voice.
"Raiden, be good, don't cry~"
A soft, childlike face came into view. A young girl was gently comforting him while swaying him back and forth. His "bed" was shifting, rocking him gently.
"Who am I?"
"Where am I?"
"Who are you?"
Raiden's internal questions manifested as loud cries. Another bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a resounding crash of thunder.
As he continued to cry, his eyelids grew heavier, a strange lethargy overtaking him. Despite his clear mind, his body refused to cooperate. Unable to resist, he fell silent and his eyes closed again.
"Sleep paralysis?"
"That face didn't look like a nurse..."
Darkness enveloped him, but before long, a bright light pierced through. A baby's outline formed in his mind, glowing blue lines tracing along the tiny frame. As the lines appeared, Raiden began to regain control over his new body.
"This feels... just like being struck by lightning... strangely satisfying."
Although his eyes remained shut, his senses of touch, smell, and hearing returned. He could clearly make out voices nearby.
"Captain! The traps are set."
The scarred man returned to the camp, finding Hyuga Daiki and Uzumaki Kushina there with the baby Raiden in her arms.
"Good. Keep watch," Daiki ordered, nodding toward him.
Their mission was to travel to Uzumaki Village in the Land of Whirlpools to retrieve any Uzumaki clan members suitable to host the Nine Tails. Daiki had already scouted their target, Kushina, with his Byakugan and confirmed her compatibility.
"Kushina, may I call you that?" Daiki asked, his tone soft in an attempt to put her at ease.
"Mm." Kushina tightened her grip on the baby, her posture wary as if afraid someone might snatch him away.
"This baby's name is Raiden, right? I heard you call him that," Daiki remarked casually, leaning against a tree.
"Yes. His name is Uzumaki Raiden. He's my little brother," Kushina replied, her tone defensive.
The rain began to fall, a gentle pattering against the leaves and earth. Their shelter, a half-dome of compacted earth, protected them from the downpour.
"Uzumaki Raiden... that must be me."
"Thank goodness for all those movies I watched, or I wouldn't even understand the language here."
As Raiden pieced together his situation, a faint white glow emanated from the veins on his body. The strange sensation of energy flowing through him confirmed his suspicions.
"This... is the world of Naruto! But why? I had a stable job, a house, and a car! I was even about to get my house rebuilt... Why am I here?"
Kushina cradled Raiden protectively, shielding him from the cold, damp wind blowing through the forest. The pitch-black woods, devoid of moonlight, were eerily oppressive.
"Uncle Daiki, how long until we reach Konoha?" Kushina asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"With our speed, we'll arrive by tomorrow afternoon. If you let me carry the baby, we can make it by morning," Daiki offered.
"Afternoon is fine," Kushina replied hurriedly, clutching Raiden tighter.
Silence fell once again, the sound of rain the only companion to the three figures in the dark night.
End of Chapter 1.
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