Chapter 1: CrossingA poor family, a plain and unimpressive appearance, mediocre academic performance, and a father obsessed with test scores made Cao Jian's high school life a miserable ordeal. At home, his father's scolding was relentless; at school, teachers and classmates ridiculed him without mercy. The so-called "beautiful high school days" that others spoke of were, in Cao Jian's eyes, nothing but a cruel joke.
High school—a place others described as full of genuine friendships, first loves, and boundless dreams—held none of that charm for him. He once longed for grades that would earn parental praise, but subjects like English were an unending nightmare. He sometimes dreamed of talking to girls, but when faced with their disdainful looks, he knew better than to humiliate himself.
Perhaps the only real solace lay in what adults derided as "poison"—online games. His addiction wasn't just about the games themselves, but the escape they offered from his bleak reality. Alongside gaming, he was deeply drawn to Japanese anime, especially Naruto, which he had loved since elementary school. Naruto Uzumaki—a despised nobody who fought to become Hokage, respected and loved—was the embodiment of every underdog fantasy.
Cao Jian wasn't drawn to Naruto just for entertainment. It resonated with his soul. After each gaming session, he would watch the anime, not missing a single episode. He often imagined himself in Naruto's shoes: rejected at first, but changing his fate through sheer will. Though the path would be painful, at least there was hope.
Perhaps that wish was too intense. One night, he had a strange dream. He saw an ancient-looking man with spiky silver hair, a moon-like pattern on his forehead, rippled purple eyes—the Rinnegan. Cao Jian gasped: "Are you… the Sage of Six Paths?" The old man chuckled, "Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki? No, I exist beyond time and space. But since you desire it so deeply, I will let you live as Naruto—just this once."
When he awoke, his surroundings were completely different. His body was small. In the mirror: blue eyes, whisker-like markings. He was Naruto Uzumaki—a child.
Stunned at first, he slowly calmed down as unfamiliar memories poured into his mind. The language, the customs—everything made sense now. He had crossed over. He was Naruto. And Cao Jian, dissatisfied with his old life, decided: If he was here, he would become the best. From now on, he was Naruto.
He gazed at his shabby apartment in Konoha's slums, then at the bustling Hidden Leaf Village. The truth was universal: power determines everything. With power, you gain respect. Without it, you are nothing. In the Shinobi world, power meant individual combat strength.
Knowing the manga well, Naruto immediately focused on how to grow stronger. In this world, strength hinged on three key elements: chakra, ninjutsu, and taijutsu.
Naruto possessed vast chakra reserves thanks to the Nine-Tails sealed within him. Taijutsu could be honed through physical training, but the most critical path lay in ninjutsu. He couldn't help but envy the Uchiha clan's Sharingan—the ability to mimic jutsu, cast powerful illusions like Tsukuyomi, or wield legendary techniques like Amaterasu and Susanoo. And beyond that lay the ultimate: the Rinnegan, capable of manipulating life and death.
But he wasn't Uchiha. Without that bloodline, he couldn't awaken the Sharingan or Rinnegan—yet. Someday, perhaps. For now, he would start with the basics: chakra control, taijutsu, and ninjutsu fundamentals.
Resolute, Naruto began with daily physical training: running, push-ups, flexibility drills. He even incorporated Chinese martial arts for reflex improvement—something foreign to this world. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, watching through his crystal ball, chuckled: "Looks like he's serious about ninja school."
Days passed swiftly. The Ninja Academy enrollment day arrived. As he stepped inside, he immediately recognized his classmates: chubby Choji Akimichi, sharp-eyed Shikamaru Nara, brash Kiba Inuzuka, shy Hinata Hyuga, and of course, Sasuke Uchiha—the dark, brooding loner.
Soon, Iruka Umino entered with his warm smile. Yet when his eyes fell on Naruto, there was the faintest flicker of discomfort. This mirrored canon—though Iruka was kind, the fear of the Nine-Tails sealed inside Naruto lingered. Still, bound by the Third Hokage's orders, Iruka forced a smile: "Welcome, everyone. I'm Iruka-sensei. Let's begin with introductions."
When Naruto's turn came, he didn't blurt out idiotic slogans. Instead, with a confident smile, he calmly stated his goal: "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I'll become a powerful shinobi."
Though this Naruto was different from the manga's early fool, some things remained unchanged—his fondness for beautiful girls, for example. Glancing around, he spotted Sakura Haruno—pink-haired, bright-eyed, undeniably pretty. Beside her sat Ino Yamanaka, another beauty. Further away, the timid but lovely Hinata Hyuga. Unfortunately, Sakura's eyes were fixed on Sasuke—handsome, cool, a top student.
Naruto realized: if he wanted admiration, he needed to improve not just strength, but intelligence, charm, and social standing—just like Sasuke. That was the path to change.
As time passed, Naruto absorbed every lesson in the Academy. Shuriken techniques, chakra theory, taijutsu katas. Surprisingly, it all felt less difficult than he remembered from the anime. Was it because his soul was different? Had his latent talent shifted?
In truth, it had. The original Naruto had raw potential but lacked discipline and mental sharpness. This new soul brought with it better focus, resilience, and critical thinking. His journey to become the strongest—and to finally be acknowledged—had already begun.