An imaginary ancient background world.
Under the hazy moonlight of a bright full moon, the forest was cloaked in an eerie stillness. Somewhere deep within this dense woodland, a sudden rustling broke the silence.
Swoosh—
A figure dressed in a tight black robe appeared out of thin air. This mysterious person stood tall, his presence radiating both danger and calm.
"This world... what is this place?" he muttered to himself.
This was Leo. His scarlet eyes, glowing faintly in the dark, revealed the [Three Tomoe Sharingan]—a sight that alone was enough to send chills down anyone's spine. He scanned the moonlit forest, his sharp gaze analyzing everything in silence.
Leo had just left the world of "Hokage: Eternal Kingdom," a place where he had lived for over thirty years. Though his soul had experienced two full lifetimes, making him over fifty years old, Leo's appearance was forever locked in youth. Thanks to the divine powers of the Ten Tails Tree within him, he had long surpassed the boundaries of life and death. He looked no older than when he had first appeared in Konoha.
Now, Leo had grown tired of the endless conflicts of the Hokage world. Using the unique functions of his mysterious 'system,' he transported himself to this new, unknown realm.
Only a minute had passed since his arrival.
Leo had no idea what kind of world he was in. Was it one from his memory? One he'd read about in another life?
"Hm?"
Suddenly, a subtle change caught his attention. He narrowed his glowing eyes.
"This world's natural energy... it's different!"
He took a slow breath. The air, the soil, the trees—everything around him brimmed with a mystical essence. It wasn't the familiar natural energy of his previous world, but something deeper, more ancient. More dangerous.
"This is on a completely different level," he muttered. "If I absorb this energy... what will happen?"
A smirk slowly tugged at his lips. Leo, curious and slightly greedy, wanted to test it. He hadn't even gauged the limits of his current power.
Just as he prepared to activate [Sage Mode] to absorb this mysterious energy—
Woooo~
Wooo... Woooooo~
A chilling sound echoed through the forest. It sounded like the mournful cry of a woman.
The haunting, melodic sobs floated in from every direction, reverberating through the trees like ghostly whispers. In a place like this, even the bravest might turn pale.
But Leo?
The red light in his eyes flared slightly. He scoffed.
"Trying to scare me with tricks?" he muttered with amusement.
Just then, several white-clad figures darted across his path and vanished behind trees.
Their pale robes fluttered in the wind like spirits. To a normal person, it would've been terrifying.
But with Leo's Sharingan, he could see everything clearly.
Thin ropes.
The 'ghosts' were dangling from ropes, swinging between the trees.
"Boring," Leo muttered with a smirk.
Suddenly, a length of white silk shot out toward him. It tried to bind him.
Leo didn't even blink. With one hand, he caught it mid-air.
The silk pulled, resisting.
"Oh? Trying to pull me in?" His smile widened. "Want to test strength with me? That's interesting."
With the smallest effort, Leo yanked the silk. The force was overwhelming.
Thud!
A shriek rang out as a figure was pulled from the tree and crashed to the ground.
A woman.
Leo stood motionless, his arms folded, watching her struggle to get up.
"Well, well... a ghost that falls out of trees. That's a first."
The girl winced in pain as she stood. She looked up and locked eyes with Leo.
Her breath caught in her throat.
His eyes... they weren't human.
The scarlet glow, the rotating tomoe—it felt like she was staring into the eyes of a demon.
Before she could recover—
"Yuechi, are you okay?!" another voice called out from the trees.
"I'm fine, sister," the girl replied, rubbing her sore side.
More white-robed figures began to descend from the treetops. Each wore a devilish mask, and each one had a bow or crossbow aimed directly at Leo.
They were clearly all part of this same act, trying to scare passersby like forest spirits.
But they hadn't expected to run into someone like Leo.
"You really want to aim those at me?" Leo's voice was calm but cold.
"Try it. If I don't die—none of you will live."
The group hesitated. That voice—it wasn't loud, but it held such weight. Such murderous intent.
The girl named Yuechi clutched her sister's sleeve.
"Sister… look at his eyes…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
One of the masked figures took a cautious step forward, lowering her weapon slightly.
"Who are you? You're not from this region."
"I just arrived," Leo replied, his arms still crossed. "And I already find this place laughable."
A tense silence hung in the air.
The forest, once filled with their playful mischief, now felt heavy with fear.
One wrong move, and blood would spill.
Suddenly, another masked figure whispered, "He's not an ordinary traveler... those eyes... I've only heard of them in legends."
"Legends?" the leader of the group asked, her tone shifting.
"Yes. Eyes like burning rubies... the power to see through all illusion... to twist fate itself."
Leo smiled faintly, his presence radiating dominance.
"You're right to be afraid," he said softly.
The tension thickened. Even the wind seemed to stop.
But before anything could escalate further—
A rustle came from the trees behind.
A cloaked figure, unlike the masked group, appeared. His voice rang out:
"Enough. Lower your weapons. You've found someone far beyond your playacting."
Everyone turned.
The newcomer was an elder with a long beard and eyes filled with wisdom. His aura was calm, but it rippled with hidden power.
Leo's eyes narrowed. He didn't know this man, but he wasn't ordinary.
"Forgive my disciples," the old man said with a bow. "They are trained to protect the village and play tricks on wandering bandits. They mistook you for one."
Leo said nothing.
"Would you honor our village with your presence?" the old man continued. "I sense you are not from this world."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"So you noticed."
"Yes. And you carry the scent of another realm—a realm of violence and power. Come. There is much we must discuss."
Leo hesitated for a moment, then slowly uncrossed his arms.
"Lead the way," he said finally.
As they walked through the moonlit forest toward an unknown village, Yuechi whispered to her sister, "He's not human… but he's not a ghost either."
Her sister nodded. "He might be something far more dangerous."
And so began Leo's journey in this mysterious, ancient world—one filled with spirits, secrets, and power unlike any he had ever known.
—To be continued—