Ryo opened his eyes but couldn't see a thing. He tried to move his body, but… nothing. He was completely stuck.
What the hell? Am I getting sleep paralysis or something?
『Ding~』
『Achievement Selection System successfully bound』
『Host detected. You have traveled to the Naruto world, achieving the "Otherworld Arrival" accomplishment.』
Please select your clan:
A: Sarutobi ClanB: Hatake ClanC: Kurama Clan
He had fantasized about this kind of thing a lot, but that didn't mean he actually wanted to be isekai'd.
So he asked in his head, "System, can I go back?"
『Sorry, Host. There is currently no option for returning.』
"No option? What do you mean, no option?! You didn't even ask me if I wanted to come here! I had a good life, man! Big house, hot wife, smart kid—
You could've at least asked! Who the hell wants to come to the Naruto world where ninjas drop dead like flies? And if you don't become a ninja, you might not even know how you died! I'm not tryna be background character #57, dead in a ditch!"
After a good half hour of ranting, Ryo finally ran out of steam. He took a deep breath and looked at the three options floating in front of him.
Alright, let's think this through...
The Sarutobi Clan—That's Third Hokage's family. Safe bet. Play it cool, don't do anything stupid, and he might actually survive.
The Hatake Clan—Ugh, tragedy central. They had Konoha's White Fang, a total beast, but the poor guy got pressured into suicide. And then there's Kakashi. Man, dead dad, dead teacher, dead friends, dead love interest… How is that guy still functioning?! He was basically Konoha's emotional punching bag.
And the third option? Pfft. Nah, not even considering it.
This world might look cool on screen, but now that it's real? He had no plans to make it any harder for himself. Survival first! Find a way back later!
"System, I choose A!"
Suddenly, everything got blurry, and he felt like he was being squeezed from all directions.
"Waaah~!"
"Congratulations! It's a boy!"
"Congratulations, Minako! He's got big eyes, and he really looks like you!"
Amidst all the noise, Ryo opened his eyes and looked around. People were talking non-stop, but he couldn't understand a single word. Instinctively, he turned to the person who felt the most familiar to him.
He stared curiously—it was a woman who looked super tired but also ridiculously happy.
Wait... is this my mom in this life? He couldn't help but think of his old life. His parents had still been around when he left. Were they doing okay?
He sighed internally. Today was his birthday, but it was also apparently the day he said goodbye to his old life.
Time flew by, and just like that, three years passed.
In those three years, that damn system just disappeared.
No matter how much Ryo yelled for it, nothing. No quests, no options, not even a "Hey, you still alive?"
He even tried saying sign in on his hundredth day, drank milk like a champ a hundred times, and yelled "Achievement Unlocked!" with enthusiasm.
When he spoke for the first time, he eagerly looked around. When he learned to walk, he shut his eyes and waited for something cool to happen.
Nothing. Not a damn thing.
This system was the worst. Like, did it just ditch him? Was it on vacation?
But in those three years, he did at least figure out where he was and what his family was like.
Currently, the leader of the Sarutobi Clan, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had just become the Third Hokage.
The whole clan was living the good life—money, power, you name it. Resources were flowing like crazy.
His dad, Sarutobi Ishiwu, was technically a cousin of the Third Hokage, but not close enough to borrow money or anything.
But his mom's side? Loaded. Even if he didn't become a ninja, he could live the high life as Konoha's most spoiled rich kid.
Today was his third birthday. His parents asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He thought about it and said, "Ninja."
Even though he wanted to just chill and be a lazy bum, he figured that since he was here, he might as well experience the life of a ninja.
Plus, being a ninja wasn't like signing up for a lifelong contract. You could actually retire.
His dad, Sarutobi Ishiwu, handed him a scroll, and with his mom Minako cheering him on, he successfully learned how to extract chakra.
And just like that, everything changed!
『Ding~!』
『System detected energy and reactivated.』
"Oh my god! It just needed energy?! How did I not figure that out?! Of course it needs power! Everything needs power!"
He barely even cared how dumb he'd been—he was just excited the system was back online.
『Host successfully extracted chakra for the first time, achievement unlocked.』
『Issuing Golden Finger (Special Ability).』
Please select one:
A: Rumble-Rumble FruitB: Zanpakutō – ShinsoC: Saiyan Bloodline (Weakened Version)
The first one? Hell yeah. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit would make him an absolute beast. At the very least, Elite Jonin level. Easy self-defense, no problem.
The second one? Way too much sword training. Pass.
The third one? Super tempting. Saiyans are battle maniacs. Almost die, and you come back stronger.
But there was a catch—almost die. Plus, it was the weakened version. What did they cut out? If it was important, it'd be totally useless!
"System, I choose A!"
He didn't even hesitate. He was lazy and hated pain. With this system, life was gonna be smooth. Who wants to sit around charging up chakra for hours? Not him.
Suddenly, electricity burst through his body, turning him into a living lightning rod.
His parents started freaking out while Ryo got zapped to the point where he lost all feeling, lost all... control, and finally blacked out.
When he came to, the pain was everywhere. His whole body hurt, and his pride? Shattered. If every power-up felt like this, he was never choosing one again.
And the worst part? He definitely lost control back there. If anyone found out, he'd die of embarrassment. How was he supposed to face anyone after that?
Just as he was spiraling into self-pity, a voice cut in.
"Oh? Already awake?"
A soft, delicate hand rested on his head, and warmth spread through his body.
It felt so good he almost… ahem. Yeah, let's not talk about that.
"Looks like you're fine. Your body's healing well. I'll go get your family."
Before Ryo could even react, she left the room.
He only saw her hand the whole time, didn't even catch her name.
"Teacher, you can go in now. The kid's fine, aside from some burns. His injuries are like he got struck by lightning—or maybe electrocuted."
Hearing that voice, he didn't even need to see her face to know who it was.
Tsunade of the Senju Clan. It had to be her. Medical genius, strong as hell, and… well, blessed in more ways than one.