MC POV
Two years. It can be a long time, a short time, or something in between—just a nap for some. It all comes down to perspective. For me, two years is the entirety of my conscious existence, a span spent living in the Wet Bone Forest. You could almost call it the entirety of my life.
In these two years, a lot has happened, or maybe not. Time flows differently when your world is a patchwork of leaves, damp earth, and the quiet murmurs of the forest. Still, I've managed to learn a few things. First, the language. It turns out the strange sounds I hear are Japanese, the native language of this world. It took time, but I've come to understand its nuances, its grammar, and its cadence.
Beyond language, I've discovered a great deal about my own existence. I was a premature baby, born far too early, with my development incomplete. Half-baked, you could say. But I had a mother who loved me fiercely, a brilliant ninja who, through some miraculous technique, kept me from dying.
According to Lady Katsuyu, the giant slug who serves as my guardian, my body is fundamentally flawed. I'm underdeveloped, a prototype of a baby, born before my biological systems were fully formed. I lack some of the essential aspects a living being needs to survive in this world. In simpler terms, I'm a walking medical anomaly, a biological impossibility, yet here I am.
In the world of Naruto, when one hears of such deficiencies, the mind immediately goes to chakra. And while that thought is accurate, my mother's final jutsu was a masterful workaround. Her technique somehow bypassed my lack of a complete chakra system. The only reason I am alive is that my body uses the abundant natural energy of the forest, a constant flow I take in with every breath.
Do you know what that means? It means I can't leave. Stepping out of a place with a high concentration of natural energy would be a death sentence. The resonance created by her jutsu, the very thing that keeps me alive, is tied to the umbilical cord that has not been severed. The cord is covered in intricate black symbols—a sealing jutsu. It was a specialty of the Uzumaki clan, that red-headed clan that was annihilated.
Was there any clan that wasn't, though?
The thought is a morbid one, but it is a question that crosses my mind often.
And how is the umbilical cord still attached, you ask? My mother, in her final act, made her casket my crib. I am literally living on my mother's casket, using her final moments as my life support. I try to maintain a cheerful persona, but I won't lie. I cried myself to sleep for months when I first learned the full truth of her sacrifice.
Lady Katsuyu told me that from the severity of her wounds, my mother should have been dead the moment she arrived in the forest. But through sheer, unyielding will, she performed a miracle for my survival. I never had any parental affection in my previous life, but now I feel I have more than enough for two lifetimes. I am so proud to be my mother's son.
I made a solemn promise to myself: no matter how long it takes, I will find a way to bring my mother back to the world of the living. I know it's possible. I've seen the dead come back to life multiple times in this world. It might take a special eye power or a powerful jutsu, but I will figure it out. It's the only path forward.
In these past two years, I've made some changes. The casket has been redesigned; my mother now lies in a fetal position inside, and the casket itself has been fitted with wheels. My shed has been improved, and the ground around it leveled. I didn't do it alone, of course. I asked for help from the animals of the forest, and they completed the task in a few hours. It's amazing what a little teamwork can accomplish.
My physical development has progressed. At two months, I was already turning over. I started crawling at four months, walking at eight. Now, at around twenty-one months, I can pull the casket with a harness made of vines around my tummy and shoulders, much like a hiking bag strap. It's a heavy load, but I'm getting stronger every day.
After two months of hard work, I finally pulled my carriage and moved my shed to the lakeside. When I reached the shore, a wave of bittersweet realization washed over me. I could have just asked one of the larger forest inhabitants to pick me up along with my 'throne crib.' Yes, I've already modified my crib to have a "Throne Mode."
But let's not dwell on that. The important thing is that I finally got the chance to see my face. For those curious about my hygiene, don't worry. My nannies, a tribe of sage monkeys, have taken good care of me. I've been washed and fed properly, groomed and cared for.
Now, about my looks. I'm a handsome baby. My hair is black, and my face is still round with baby fat, but even so, I can see the handsome features waiting to emerge. I have no doubt I'll be a stunner in a few years.
Most of my time has been spent learning the language and training my body, but since I learned about my fragile survival, my focus has shifted. I asked Katsuyu about Sage Mode, but she discouraged me. I have no control over my chakra, so practicing it would be dangerous.
We decided on meditation instead. It clears my mind, enhances my attunement to natural energy, and helps me understand the resonance created by my mother's technique. According to Katsuyu, her jutsu can only sustain me for four more years. My life will end when I turn six. I won't have a chance to attend a ninja academy, let alone graduate. I need to find a way to survive on my own, or at least extend my limited lifespan.
And so, another four months passed. I've been practicing meditation and sensing natural energy for a total of eleven months. My mind has become sharper, my emotions have calmed, and I can now maintain a more peaceful state. My memory has improved, and I can sense my physical state, which helps with my training. I now know when to stop and when to push forward for the best results.
Just as I thought this routine would continue, it was disrupted. The animals informed me of a human's arrival. An unexpected visitor had come to the Wet Bone Forest, and it certainly wasn't someone I ever expected to see.
(A.N.- and so the plot begins)