"?!"
Sarutobi Ryo's consciousness, which had been on the edge of fading into darkness, suddenly snapped back into clarity.
Lines of strange, shifting text lit up across the retina of his right eye, appearing like a flowing waterfall of data. Time seemed to stretch—whether it was a moment or longer, he couldn't tell—but then, his thoughts sharpened as the world around him started to come into focus.
[The current time point... confirmed... the end of the Second Ninja World War!]
He blinked, disoriented. But then, something extraordinary happened.
His right eye—the one he had lost in battle—began to regenerate.
Ryo's heart raced. This wasn't just any recovery; he realized what it was. The "system" was activating. As a time traveler, he wasn't unfamiliar with these kinds of phenomena, but even so, he couldn't hide his surprise.
Embedded in his eye socket was a strange, glowing eyeball. The light flickered a few times before the eye fully restored itself, matching the left one in every way. It was as if the injury had never happened.
"The right eye... regenerated..." he whispered to himself in disbelief.
His hand reached up instinctively, touching the healed eye socket. The damage from the battle was completely gone. It was like it had never been there.
[System's ultimate mainline mission: The road to Hokage! The will of fire spreads across the ninja world! Strive to grow stronger and ultimately defeat Kaguya Otsutsuki...]
An ultimate mission? Ryo blinked again, trying to process the words.
His thoughts raced. His goal had always been clear: to become Hokage, to embody the true "Will of Fire," unlike those who twisted it for their own gain. As for Kaguya... well, defeating her was practically a rite of passage for any time traveler. She was the catalyst for the Otsutsuki conflict that had shaken the entire ninja world.
But then came the next line of text, and it made him stop.
[... and inject the Will of Fire into Kaguya Otsutsuki, so that she may give birth to a new offspring. Let the light of the Will of Fire illuminate the entire planet!]
Ryo blinked.
What? That wasn't what he expected. He frowned, confusion settling in.
[Final mission countdown: Remaining years...]
Ryo's mind was reeling.
"Master! Master!"
A voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see the girl, Yamanaka Hui, rushing toward him with concern written all over her face. Despite the blood and exhaustion, she didn't hesitate to check on him. In her eyes, he could see the kind of worry only someone who'd been through countless battles together would have.
"I'm fine, Hui... go check on Liuli," Ryo said, his voice steady despite his inner turmoil.
Hui's anxious expression softened when she saw that Ryo was okay. But that didn't last long as she quickly moved to check on the girl who was lying motionless on the ground.
Yamanaka Hui, with her golden hair tied in a neat ponytail, was always there for him. Childhood friend, teammate, ally—she was everything. Her presence was a constant source of support in battle and in life. It was because of her that he could focus on his training without worry.
As Hui confirmed that the Byakugan girl, Hinata Ruri, was only suffering from a concussion, Ryo couldn't help but notice the irony of it all.
The three of them—Ryo, Hui, and Ruri—weren't just bystanders in this world. In fact, their names were extras in the grand story of the ninja world. Ryo, despite being the eldest son of the Third Hokage, was barely a footnote in the original timeline. Yamanaka Hui was destined to be the mother of Konohamaru, and Hinata Ruri was meant to be the mother of Neji Hyuga. Their destinies were all tied to the original story, but now, Ryo realized, things were starting to change.
"It's time to inject the true Will of Fire into this planet," he thought, standing up.
As the cool sensation from his regenerated eye spread through his brain, a wave of strength surged through his body, and Ryo felt... revitalized. His exhaustion from battle disappeared completely, leaving him feeling almost like a new person.
"I'll figure it out later..." he muttered, grabbing a kunai from the ground. All of his ninja tools had been used up during the fight, and now it was time to make sure no one else was a threat.
The battlefield had been cleared. The Hidden Village of Sky was no more. No survivors from that side. As for his own side... only three remained.
Ryo's gaze swept across the jungle around them. It seemed safe—for now. He quickly made his way over to Yamanaka Hui, who was still tending to Hinata Ruri.
The girl was fragile-looking, almost doll-like, her small frame and delicate features betraying her true age. The caged bird curse mark on her forehead, so cruelly placed by the Hyuga clan, was a stark reminder of her fate. The sorrow in her eyes was something Ryo couldn't ignore.
Hui, always so caring, embraced her tightly, trying to comfort her.
"Master, look!" Hui suddenly cried out.
Ryo turned to follow her gaze. In the distance, a massive aerial fortress was falling from the sky, its massive silhouette blocking out the sun. Thick smoke billowed as the fortress, the headquarters of the Hidden Village of Sky, disintegrated mid-air. The sound of its crash reverberated through the forest, shaking the ground beneath them.
"The end of the war..." Ryo thought, his expression grim. The Hidden Village of Sky had been crushed, and with it, the ambitions of a dangerous faction. The Second Ninja World War was finally over.
But just as he thought the battle was behind them, a rustling in the jungle snapped him to attention. Instinctively, he readied himself.
"Master, they're with us," Hui said, sensing the approaching presence.
A figure emerged from the shadows—silver-haired, with an aura of quiet confidence. It was none other than Hatake Sakumo, the legendary White Fang of Konoha. Ryo's teacher, mentor, and the one who had taught him everything he knew about the sword.
"Master Ryo, you're okay!" Sakumo said with a relieved smile, his tone warm and fatherly. "Thank goodness."
Ryo couldn't help but return the smile, his heart easing just a little. "Sakumo-sensei..."