Morning sunlight streamed through the wooden window, accompanied by bird songs outside. Kenji woke slowly, blinking at the ceiling. Out of habit, he raised his left arm and stared at the faint wooden grain. His fingertips registered the cool smoothness of the puppet joints. Sometimes the whole situation still felt surreal. Transmigrating into the Naruto world. Twenty-five years of mundane existence in his previous life, gone in an instant like waking from a dream.
But the moment of disorientation passed quickly. He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside.
Dwelling on the weirdness of it all wouldn't change anything. Besides, he had things to do today.
After washing up, he changed into a clean blue outfit and opened the door. Konoha's streets were already bustling with activity. Early-rising villagers carried baskets toward the market district. Kids chased each other between buildings, laughing and shouting. In the distance, he heard the creak of a shop door opening.
He looked up at the Hokage Rock. Three stern faces gazed out over the village. This was real Konoha. Not an anime on a screen, but a living, breathing place he could walk through and touch.
Over the past few days, he'd stayed home obsessively studying puppet techniques. This was his first time venturing out to see the village properly. His original plan had been simple. Grab breakfast, then visit Masa to report his recovery. If his previous disability discharge request hadn't been processed yet, he could cancel it.
But now, seeing the familiar yet strange streets stretching out before him, he changed his mind.
This was a rare opportunity. Why not explore the village properly? Even though the main story wouldn't start for another decade plus, just being here was exciting enough.
And he already knew where he wanted to go for breakfast.
Ramen Ichiraku.
The shop existed in the original Kenji's memories, so he didn't need to search for it. He just followed the streets, turning twice, until the red "Ramen Ichiraku" sign came into view.
He pushed through the door curtain. The interior looked almost exactly like he remembered from the anime. Wooden counter, simple decor, a few paintings on the walls. And there, behind the counter, was Teuchi himself. Younger than in the main timeline, kneading dough with a friendly, honest expression.
Kenji sat at the counter and used a subtle pulse of chakra to sense the man's energy. Barely a flicker. Ordinary civilian levels.
So much for the "Ōtsutsuki Teuchi" fan theories.
"What can I get you?" Teuchi asked with a smile.
"Tonkotsu miso with extra chashu."
This was Naruto's favorite. He wanted to try it for himself, see what the protagonist had been so obsessed with.
"Coming right up!"
Teuchi moved efficiently, boiling water and preparing noodles. The rich smell of pork bone broth filled the small shop. Since it was early, there weren't many other customers. Within minutes, a steaming bowl appeared in front of him.
Golden noodles swimming in thick, creamy broth. Thick slices of chashu pork laid across the top. Green onions and half a soft-boiled egg as garnish.
Kenji picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.
The broth was rich and savory, coating the noodles as they slid into his mouth. The chashu was tender, practically melting on his tongue. It was genuinely good ramen.
But he knew Naruto's love for this place wasn't really about the food quality. In Naruto's lonely childhood, Teuchi's kindness had been the real seasoning. He was one of the few people who'd treated him like a normal kid instead of a monster.
That was what made Ichiraku special. And that was what made ramen special for Naruto.
"Great ramen," Kenji said when he finished, paying and offering a nod of thanks.
"Come back anytime!" Teuchi called after him.
Kenji stepped back onto the street and considered his options. He still had time before visiting Masa. Might as well see more of the village.
He wandered toward the Hokage Monument and found a narrow path leading up the cliff face. The climb wasn't difficult, just steep. When he reached the top, the view took his breath away.
The entire village spread out below him. Houses arranged in neat clusters. Streets crisscrossing like veins. The forest beyond, lush and green, stretching to the horizon.
This spot had seen so much history. The Fourth Hokage had teleported a Tailed Beast Ball away from this exact location, saving the village at the cost of his own life. Years later, Naruto had stood here, pouring his heart out to the carved faces.
Kenji felt something stir in his chest.
In his previous life, he'd been ordinary. Completely mundane. No special talents, or grand ambitions. Just another guy grinding through a dead-end existence.
But here? In this world?
There was chakra. He had knowledge of future events. He had the potential to become something more than he'd ever been.
When he was a kid, he'd dreamed about having powers. What kid didn't? He'd watched action movies and imagined being able to do impossible things. The dream had faded as he got older, buried under adult responsibilities and the weight of reality.
Now that dream was suddenly possible again.
He raised his right hand and channeled chakra into his palm. The pale blue energy gathered and flickered.
This time, he wouldn't let the dream die.
After a few more minutes of taking in the view, he headed back down. Time to handle business.
Masa's house wasn't hard to find. It sat near the central commercial district, a two-story wooden structure that looked well-maintained. Unlike the Uchiha or Hyuga clans with their dedicated compounds, the Yamanaka lived scattered throughout the village. More like a tight-knit neighborhood than a separate enclave.
He knocked on the door. "It's Yamanaka Kenji. Is the clan leader home?"
Footsteps approached, and the door opened to reveal a woman in her forties with kind eyes and a warm smile. Keiko, Masa's wife.
"Kenji! Come in, come in. Masa's here."
"Thanks."
He followed her into the living room, which was comfortable and lived-in. Family photos on the walls, well-worn furniture, the smell of tea brewing somewhere in the back.
Masa emerged from an inner room a moment later. When he saw Kenji standing there, his eyes widened slightly. Then his gaze dropped to Kenji's limbs.
"Your arms and legs. What... are those puppet prosthetics?"
As an experienced jonin, he had immediately spotted the wooden grain, the mechanical joints, and the faint chakra fluctuations.
"Yeah." Kenji nodded. "I found a puppet technique scroll among my parents' things, and used it to build replacements for my missing limbs."
Masa slowly lowered himself into a chair, studying Kenji with an appraising look. "Using puppet techniques to solve the problem of lost limbs. That's clever thinking."
"It was the only option I could come up with," Kenji said. "I didn't want to spend the rest of my life stuck in a wheelchair."
The idea might have come from his knowledge of the original story, but the will to stand again had been real.
Masa was quiet for a moment. Then Keiko appeared carrying a cup of jasmine tea, which she set down in front of Kenji.
"Here, drink something. Ever since Shinji and Shizue passed away, you've been all alone. When Masa told me you'd been badly injured and left disabled, I was so worried. But now that you can move around again, that's already wonderful. Even if you just live as a regular person from here on out, there's nothing wrong with a peaceful life."
"She's right," Masa added. "The ninja world isn't exactly safe right now. Being able to live peacefully is its own kind of blessing. Your parents would be happy to see you like this."
But Kenji shook his head.
"I appreciate the concern. Really. But I don't want to retire." He met both their gazes steadily. "I want to keep my status as a ninja. Once I've fully adapted to these puppet limbs, I'm going back to active duty."
"Kenji..."
Masa started to argue, then stopped himself. He knew how brutal the shinobi world could be. A ninja moving on puppet limbs would face even greater danger on the battlefield. But when he looked at Kenji's eyes, the words died in his throat.
He sighed quietly.
"Have you really thought this through? Even if your ninja status is reinstated, finding a team willing to take you will be difficult. Your situation is unusual. During missions, teammates might worry about you, and that distraction could get people killed. And you know as well as I do, the Yamanaka clan's techniques are support-oriented. We're not frontline fighters. Without Nara and Akimichi partners to coordinate with, you'll struggle with high-level missions."
Kenji knew Masa was right. The puppet limbs let him move normally, but they weren't as responsive as real flesh and blood. His combat effectiveness would be limited. Mind Body Switch and Mind Body Disturbance required teamwork to be useful.
His previous teammates had all been civilian-born ninjas. All dead now. The next generation of Ino-Shika-Chō hadn't formed yet. If he waited for the village to assign him to a team, most jonin leaders would refuse, citing the risk of having a crippled teammate.
Fortunately, as a chunin, he could take solo rear-line missions. He wasn't stuck needing a team like genin were. It was similar to Might Duy's situation in the original timeline. That guy had to beg countless people just to find a squad willing to accept him.
"I understand," Kenji said calmly. "I'll start with non-combat missions. Intelligence sorting, supply escort, things like that."
Seeing his resolve, Masa nodded. "Alright. If you run into trouble, come to the clan. Your retirement paperwork is still being processed, so I'll take you to see the Hokage. We'll explain the situation and get it canceled."
He turned toward the inner room. "Keiko, I'm taking Kenji to the Hokage's office. We'll be back later."
Then he stood and motioned for Kenji to follow.
---
The walk to the Hokage Building didn't take long. It stood at the heart of Konoha. Ninja guards flanked the entrance, watching every approach.
Masa stepped forward and stated their business. As the head of one of the Ino-Shika-Chō clans and a known supporter of the Third Hokage, they were granted entry almost immediately. A messenger informed them that the Hokage was waiting in his office.
They climbed the stairs and walked down a hallway lined with mission request boards and administrative offices. Kenji had never been inside the Hokage Building before. The original Kenji had been a low-level genin, then chunin, with no reason to visit the village's nerve center.
Now he was here to ask the Hokage himself to reinstate his ninja status.
Masa knocked on the office door.
"Come in."
They entered. The office was spacious but not ostentatious. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with scrolls and reports. A large desk dominated the center of the room, covered in paperwork. And behind that desk sat Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage.
He looked nothing like the elderly man from the main timeline. This Hiruzen was in his prime. Sharp eyes, strong posture, the red and white Hokage robes draped across his shoulders. The pipe in his hand sent a thin trail of smoke curling toward the ceiling.
This was the man they called the Professor. The ninja who'd mastered over a thousand jutsu, and one of the strongest ninjas alive.
"Hokage-sama." Both Masa and Kenji bowed.
"Masa. What brings you here?" Hiruzen's voice was calm, carrying an authority that didn't need to be loud.
Masa stepped forward. "This is Kenji of my clan. He was gravely injured during a recent mission. Both legs and his left arm were severed. We began processing his medical retirement as per standard procedure."
He gestured to Kenji. "However, he's since used puppet techniques to create prosthetic limbs. He can now move normally and wishes to retain his ninja status. After a brief recovery period, he wants to resume active duty."
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. "Puppet prosthetics? Come here, Kenji. Let me see."
Kenji stepped forward, keeping his expression calm. He wasn't nervous, exactly. More... aware. This was the Hokage. The man ran the entire village, commanded all its military forces, and could probably kill him without breaking a sweat.
But he also knew his position was solid. He was a Yamanaka, part of the Ino-Shika-Chō alliance, with no reason to be suspected of anything. And puppet techniques from Suna weren't exactly classified secrets. The Yamanaka clan specialized in intelligence gathering and interrogation. It made perfect sense that one of them might have learned basic puppet jutsu from captured enemy ninjas.
Hiruzen examined the prosthetics carefully. He touched the joints, testing their flexibility. Ran his fingers along the wooden surface, checking the craftsmanship.
"How much chakra does it take to control these?"
"Not too much," Kenji answered. "The chakra threads connecting to my body are thin, and since they're directly attached, the energy loss is minimal."
"And the range of motion?"
"Almost as good as real limbs. The joints are mechanical, so there's some limitation in fine motor control. But for basic movement and combat, they're good."
Hiruzen nodded, seemingly satisfied. He picked up his pipe and took a slow draw, exhaling smoke.
"Impressive work. To face crippling injury and not only adapt but create a solution yourself, that kind of determination will serve you well."
His expression turned serious. "Chunin Yamanaka Kenji, I'm officially reinstating your status as a ninja of Konoha. However, I have a request."
Kenji waited.
"Document everything," Hiruzen said. "I want a complete written record of the process used to create these prosthetic limbs, so the village can keep it on file."
He leaned back in his chair. "You understand why, I'm sure. This war has maimed too many of our people. Your method could help dozens, maybe hundreds of injured ninjas return to service. It's a contribution to the village's strength."
Kenji didn't hesitate. "Of course, Hokage-sama. I'll have the documentation ready within a few days."
There was no downside to agreeing. The technique would help other ninjas, earn him recognition from the village, and potentially save lives. All positives.
Hiruzen smiled slightly. "Excellent. To compensate you for this contribution, I'm awarding you credit for a B-rank mission. The payment will be processed through normal channels."
B-rank missions typically paid between 80,000 and 200,000 ryō, depending on difficulty and risk. That was a significant reward for what amounted to writing a technical manual.
But Hiruzen wasn't finished.
He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a small wooden box. He set it on the desk and slid it toward Kenji.
"I believe you mentioned that advanced puppet prosthetics require chakra-conductive metal to simulate human chakra pathways?"
"Yes. The basic wooden limbs work, but they can't perform hand seals or channel complex jutsu. Chakra metal would solve that problem."
"Then take this." Hiruzen gestured to the box. "Ten grams of chakra-conductive metal, consider it your mission reward."
Kenji's eyes widened.
Chakra metal was incredibly rare and expensive. A single gram cost around 15,000 ryō on the black market, if you could even find it. Ten grams was worth 150,000 ryō. More importantly, that much metal in one place was almost impossible to acquire through normal channels. Most ninja shops only carried tiny amounts, if any at all.
This was an extremely generous gift.
For a moment, he reassessed his understanding of Hiruzen. The man was a politician, sure. He'd make hard decisions that sacrificed individuals for the village's benefit. But he also cared about his people.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama." He bowed deeply.
Hiruzen waved a hand dismissively. "You're dismissed. Take a few days to recover and write that documentation. When you're ready to resume missions, report to the assignment desk."
Masa and Kenji bowed again and left the office.
As they walked back down the hallway and out of the Hokage Building, the sunlight hit them.
"That went well," Masa said. "The Hokage's always been fair with our clan, but I wasn't sure how he'd react to your situation."
"He was more than fair," Kenji agreed. "I honestly wasn't expecting the chakra metal."
Masa chuckled. "That's the Third Hokage for you. He knows how to invest in his people. You help the village, the village helps you."
They walked in silence for a while, heading back toward the Yamanaka district.