The atmosphere in Konoha today was unusually tense.
Hiruzen stood at the village gates, flanked by a group of shinobi. They stood as still as statues, their eyes fixed on the horizon, waiting for a man of legend to arrive.
Not long after, a powerful gust of wind swept through the area, carrying with it a solitary figure. The wind subsided as the figure landed gracefully before the gates of Konoha.
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, waiting for the dust to settle before fully opening them again.
Standing before them was a young man with striking red hair, clad in a moon-white kimono that exuded an air of elegance and serenity. His presence, though calm, carried an undeniable weight that silenced the crowd.
Hiruzen stepped forward swiftly, bowing deeply in respect as he spoke with warmth. "Welcome, Lord Uzumaki Chito! It is an honor to see you emerge from your seclusion."
The gathered shinobi, particularly those who had recently achieved the rank of Jonin, couldn't help but sneak glances at the legendary figure. Most had only heard tales of Uzumaki Chito and expected a man bearing the signs of his rumored hundred years. Instead, they were met with a youthful visage that defied the passage of time.
Uzumaki Chito's piercing gaze fell upon Hiruzen. His voice was calm yet commanding. "Why is it only you? Where are Minato and Kushina?"
Hiruzen froze, his expression betraying the mental preparation he thought he had made. Despite expecting this question, hearing it spoken aloud left him momentarily speechless.
Danzo, standing slightly apart with his face partially obscured by bandages, broke the silence. His voice was as cold as ever. "The Fourth Hokage sacrificed his life to protect Konoha. Using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal of the Uzumaki Clan, he sealed the Nine-Tails."
Chito remained silent, though his expression shifted subtly. A flicker of sorrow crossed his face.
What no one in Konoha knew was that Uzumaki Chito was not originally of this world. In his previous life, he had been an ordinary otaku who had somehow found himself transported to the Ninja World. To his dismay, he had arrived during the Warring States period and was reborn into the Uzumaki Clan.
Though he wasn't fortunate enough to become the story's protagonist, he had managed to carve his place in history. Hashirama and Madara had even trained under him, though few knew of this hidden power.
His extraordinary journey was accompanied by a unique "golden finger" — the Reincarnation System. This ability allowed him to enter a state of deep sleep whenever his life was threatened or he succumbed to natural causes. Upon awakening, his strength would increase a hundredfold.
His first slumber occurred during a crisis within the Uzumaki Clan when he was gravely injured. Ten years later, he awoke to find that the Warring States period had ended and that his apprentice, Hashirama, had earned the title of "God of Shinobi" and founded the Hidden Leaf Village.
What surprised him most was his newfound strength, which rivaled even Hashirama's. However, his extended lifespan came with limitations. Twice more, he fell into a deep sleep — once after Hashirama's death due to natural aging and another time due to his own mortal limitations. Each time he awakened, the world had changed.
Before his second slumber, he entrusted the Second Hokage with protecting the Land of Whirlpools, but his faith was misplaced. The Land of Whirlpools fell, and Konoha failed to intervene. When Chito awoke to this tragedy, his fury was boundless. He exacted his revenge, sinking the islands of the neighboring country responsible for orchestrating the attack.
Despite his anger, Kushina's presence had calmed him. She reminded him of the brighter future he still wished to see for his clan.
Before entering his third seclusion, Chito warned Minato of the Akatsuki, urging him to remain vigilant against their potential threats. He had hoped that his intervention might change Kushina's fate.
But now... nothing seemed to have changed.
As Chito stood before Hiruzen, he sighed inwardly. This time, his awakening felt different. His strength had surpassed even the limits of mortality. He wasn't sure if he could call it immortality, but the constraints of a human lifespan no longer applied to him. Unless someone of greater power challenged him, he would no longer face the deep sleep that had defined his existence.
Hiruzen watched Chito's contemplative expression and felt his heart grow heavy. What could the legendary figure be thinking? His silence was unnerving, and the weight of his presence made the gathered shinobi restless.
After a long pause, Chito spoke again, his tone calm but firm. "What about Kushina's child? I remember they were already married before I entered my slumber."
Danzo's response was immediate and without hesitation. "Lady Kushina was indeed pregnant at the time. But both she and the child were killed by the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox."
Chito's eyes widened briefly, and an invisible pressure filled the air. Chakra, faint but palpable, radiated from him, sweeping across Konoha like a silent storm. His gaze grew distant as he processed the information.
Could it be that his presence, as a traverser, had disrupted the flow of this world? Had his existence erased the protagonist's very future?
Not really.
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