Chapter 1: A New Naruto
That was the first thing he felt.
Not the physical kind—but a deep, aching emptiness. Loneliness. Sadness. Rage. A swirl of dark emotions flooded his heart before he even opened his eyes.
Where... am I?
His name was Ren Takahashi. Or at least, it used to be. A 23-year-old gamer and part-time programmer who had died pushing a child out of the way of a speeding truck. It had happened too fast—lights, horns, then darkness.
But this... wasn't death.
He opened his eyes to a wooden ceiling, worn and cracked. The soft creaking of floorboards and the scent of old tatami mats filled the air. Outside the window, early morning sunlight streamed in, casting a golden hue across a room filled with sparsely placed beds.
He tried to sit up, but his body felt strange. Small.
Too small.
His hands—tiny. His voice—young. He scrambled out of the bed and stumbled toward a cracked mirror propped against the wall.
Blond hair. Blue eyes. Whisker marks.
"No way," he whispered.
[Welcome, Ren Takahashi.]
[Reincarnation Complete.]
[Host Body: Naruto Uzumaki (Age: 4)]
[Special Ability Acquired: Shinobi System]
[Would you like to activate the tutorial?] [Yes] / [No]
Ren blinked.
This was real.
He wasn't just in the world of Naruto—he was Naruto. But not quite. His memories were intact. He remembered his old life clearly, and now he had Naruto's fragmented childhood memories as well.
He looked back into the mirror, face pale.
"Holy crap…"
[Tutorial Activated.]
[The Shinobi System is a personalized support interface designed to assist the Host in navigating, surviving, and thriving in the Shinobi World.]
[Main Features: Status | Skills | Inventory | Quests | Shop]
[Daily Quest Unlocked: Survive the Orphanage – Beginner Tier]
Eat Breakfast: 0/1
Avoid Bullies: 0/1
Practice Chakra Control: 0/1
Reward: +1 Stat Point | +100 EXP
He inhaled sharply, grounding himself. Okay. Okay. I've read enough fanfics to know what this is.
A system. A real one. In the world of Naruto.
His mind raced. He was four years old now—meaning the Nine-Tails attack had happened just a few years ago. Hiruzen was still Hokage. The Academy was still a couple years off. No friends, no family. The villagers would hate him, fear him.
But this time...
This time he had knowledge. And a system.
I can change everything.
The day began as expected—with cold glares and silent resentment.
The caretakers barely acknowledged him, sliding a bowl of plain rice toward him during breakfast. The other kids snickered from a distance, whispering and pointing.
Ren—Naruto—gritted his teeth but said nothing. He didn't lash out. He didn't yell.
[Objective Complete: Eat Breakfast - 1/1]
[Progress: Daily Quest - 1/3]
One down.
As he stepped outside, two older boys cornered him near the back courtyard. Their smirks were all too familiar.
"Hey, Demon," one sneered. "Where do you think you're going?"
Ren felt anger rise in his chest—but he didn't lash out like the old Naruto. No... this time, he ducked.
The punch sailed over his head. He moved quickly, instinctively—memories of his old life and Naruto's raw reflexes guiding him.
He jabbed the kid's stomach, just enough to stun, then spun and slipped past the other.
[Objective Complete: Avoid Bullies - 1/1]
[+20 EXP]
Breathing heavily, he ran until he found an old tree stump behind the orphanage. Alone at last, he sat cross-legged and focused.
Chakra control… Leaf Exercise, right?
He pulled a dried leaf from the ground, placed it on his forehead, and focused on channeling his chakra to keep it there.
It slipped off.
"Damn. Again."
Over and over he tried. It wasn't easy. His chakra was too wild—Kurama's influence was already clear.
But he didn't stop.
Minutes turned into hours. The sun rose high above the rooftops.
And finally…
The leaf stuck.
[Objective Complete: Chakra Control Practice - 1/1]
[Daily Quest Complete!]
[Reward: +1 Stat Point | +100 EXP | +Skill: Leaf Concentration Lv. 1]
[Level Up! You are now Level 2]
Ren gasped as a warm energy flooded his body. It wasn't dramatic—but it was noticeable. He felt... stronger. More aware.
[Status Updated]
Name: Naruto Uzumaki (Ren Takahashi - Soulbound)
Level: 2
HP: 105/105 | CP (Chakra): 120/120
STR: 3 | DEX: 4 | INT: 6 | VIT: 5 | CHA: 2 | LUCK: ???
Available Stat Points: 1
This… this is just the beginning.
He stood, leaf falling from his forehead, and looked up at the sky.
"I'm not just going to survive this world," he whispered. "I'm going to conquer it."
And somewhere deep inside, the great beast stirred.
Kurama's voice growled low in the void.
So… you're not the same brat after all…
End