Deep in the forest, sunlight streamed through gaps in the leaves, scattering across the ground in an ethereal glow. A man hiked steadily up the steep incline, shirtless, sweat glistening on his skin, with nothing but shorts, a backpack, and a sturdy staff in hand.
His name was Kael, twenty-eight years old, and right now he couldn't stop smiling. Life was good—no, life was perfect.
At the young age of twenty, Kael had struck gold with a single bold investment, flipping his fortune into millions. Since then, he'd lived the kind of life most people only dream about.
He'd traveled across the globe, sampled every kind of food, and yes—he'd slept with every type of woman he could find… more than once, just for good measure. And now? He was here, climbing some random hill he stumbled upon during a lazy drive.
"This is really the life," he thought, flexing his chest with a cocky grin.
Kael wasn't just rich—he was fit, too. He knew money couldn't buy him more years, so he invested in himself, building a strong, healthy body. It was one of the best decisions he'd ever made.
At last, he reached the summit. The view nearly brought him to tears—rolling hills stretched endlessly beneath a flawless sky. He pulled out his phone, snapped a photo, then dropped down to sit at the cliff's edge, soaking in the world.
"This is what life's supposed to be," he said aloud, sighing with contentment. "Not paying taxes. And I say that not because I'm a multi-millionaire—" he smirked, "—but because I just hate taxes."
The sky was clear. Not a cloud in sight. Peaceful. Perfect.
Then suddenly—
CRACK—BANG!
From somewhere in the distance, a stray bolt of lightning split the air and slammed straight into him. No storm. No warning. Just a cosmic joke.
Kael died instantly, evaporated into ash on the spot.
And yeah… that's how he died. This is the most original death i could think off. But hey—sometimes life ends with a bad punchline.
....
[In a bar]
Kael groaned as consciousness clawed its way back. His head throbbed, his throat burned, and his mouth tasted of cheap alcohol. Slowly, his eyes cracked open.
Not forest. Not sunlight.
' The fuck am I? ' he thought.
Instead—dim lantern light, smoke curling through the air, and the low murmur of drunken laughter all around him. Wooden beams overhead. The clink of bottles and cups. A bar.
He blinked, disoriented. The last thing he remembered was… hiking? Sunshine? The sting of sweat in his eyes—
And lightning.
"Ugh…" Kael rubbed his temples, but froze when he realized he wasn't alone.
Seated right next to him at the counter was a blonde woman in a sleeveless kimono, her chest bound low, a bottle of sake already half-empty in her hand. She didn't so much as glance at him, just poured herself another cup with practiced ease.
Kael's breath caught.
He knew that face. The flawless skin. The faint diamond mark on her forehead. The sharp, confident aura that could only belong to one person.
Tsunade Senju.
And somehow, he was sitting beside her.
"Why the hell am I in Naruto?" Kael thought, eyes darting around the smoky bar in disbelief.
Originally—before he'd ever hit it big—Kael had been a massive anime fan. The type who went all-in: conventions, cosplay, fan merch, and binge-watching entire seasons in one sitting. He even bought one of those ridiculous Ahegao shirts once, purely for the laughs. His mom hadn't found it nearly as funny. The moment she saw the pattern, she was convinced her son was possessed by demons and tried to sign him up for a church retreat. Only after months of painstakingly good behavior did she finally let it slide.
' Great,' Kael muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples. ' So I die from lightning and wake up in a fanfiction.'
He glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers. His skin was still dark, his build still his own. Same veins, same faint scar on his knuckle from when he punched a wall after reading Berserk.
'I'm in my body though… that's for sure.' He exhaled slowly, trying to calm the storm of thoughts in his head.
' Guess the Naruto world just had some random dude who happened to look exactly like me.'
He ran his hand through his hair, his heart hammering. This wasn't some dream—not with the ache in his muscles, the sting of alcohol on his tongue, and the weight of reality pressing down on him.
And sitting right beside him was living proof: Tsunade Senju, sipping her sake like the goddess of trouble she was.
Kael couldn't help but steal glances at Tsunade from time to time. She was impossible to ignore—blonde hair cascading down, curves that could make saints reconsider their vows, and an aura of power even through her casual drinking. Of course, she noticed.
"You know it's rude to stare," she said suddenly, voice carrying that sharp edge of authority.
Kael nearly jumped in his seat, sitting up straight like a soldier caught slacking. "Oh—sorry. I was just… struck, I guess," he replied with a sheepish smile.
One brow arched, amused. "Oh yeah? You a fan or something?" She turned toward him fully now, her breasts locking onto his—and his gaze immediately, traitorously, dipped south.
"No, not really," he said quickly, forcing his eyes back up. "Guess you're some kind of famous actor or something? Pretty sure I saw you in Princess Gale, now that I think about it."
He waved the bartender over and ordered a glass of cold water, trying to play it off.
'Damn headache. And why the hell do I feel like every time I move, I'm… faster? Must be the hangover,' he thought, shaking it off.
At his response, Tsunade laughed. Really laughed—head tilted back, lips curving into a radiant smile that lit up her whole face. "I think I like you," she said. "You're funny."
Kael grinned, encouraged. "Yeah? Then answer me this—I know you've probably heard it a million times, but… what's a hot woman like you doing in a place like this?"
Her smirk turned sly. "Oh, you assume I've been in a million situations like this?" She tapped her sake cup against the counter. "Well, you're not wrong. Though none of those men ever got an answer. My friend was… very protective of me."
Kael chuckled at the playful jab. Tsunade giggled too, realizing she'd dodged the question again. Then, with a sigh, she admitted, "Work is hard. I needed a break. And my friend hasn't found this spot yet—so I can drink in peace."
The bartender slid Kael's water over. He downed it in one long gulp, exhaling with relief. "Busy woman, huh? Still swear you weren't in Princess Gale?" he teased.
Tsunade laughed again, pouring herself another drink. She grabbed a second cup, filled it, and slid it across the counter to him with a practiced flick of her wrist.
"I think I'm gonna enjoy drinking with you, stranger," she said, her eyes glinting with mischief.
Kael raised his glass, smirking. "Me too."
The first glass went down smooth, and soon another followed. Kael wasn't much of a drinker, but with Tsunade across from him, laughing and tossing back sake like water, he found it hard to say no.
"So," Tsunade said, tilting her head slightly, golden eyes narrowing with amusement, "you really don't know who I am?"
Kael smirked, pretending to think. "Hmm… blonde, gorgeous, scary confidence, drinks like a warlord… Yeah, you've gotta be an actress. Princess Gale 2, maybe?"
That earned him another laugh, her cheeks just slightly flushed from the alcohol. She tapped her glass against his with a soft clink. "You're either terrible at lying or really good at it. Haven't decided which."
"Both," Kael admitted with a grin, sipping his drink. "Keeps people guessing. Makes me look mysterious."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Mysterious? You look more like… the kind of guy who'd sweet talk the waitress for an extra portion."
Kael barked a laugh. "You're not wrong. Hey, food's expensive."
Her smile lingered as she studied him over the rim of her cup. "You're bold. Most men either gawk in silence or try to impress me with stories."
"And here I thought my good looks would be enough," Kael teased, flexing his arm subtly.
Tsunade's eyes flicked there—just for a second—before she rolled them and refilled their cups. "You're cocky too. Figures."
"Not cocky," Kael corrected, raising his glass in a mock toast. "Confident. There's a difference. One gets you punched in the face. The other…" he let his smirk grow, "…might just earn you another drink with a woman like you."
That earned him a soft giggle, surprising even Tsunade. She usually hated small talk, but this stranger had a way of keeping her entertained.
"You know," she said, leaning in slightly, voice lower now, "you've got a dangerous tongue on you."
Kael leaned in too, meeting her gaze without flinching. "Only dangerous if you can't handle it."
For the first time, Tsunade was the one to blink, caught off guard. Then, with a slow grin, she raised her glass again. "Careful, stranger. I might just test that."
They both drank the—
The next morning.
Kael stirred awake to the soft weight pressing against his chest. His head pounded like a drum, his throat dry as desert sand, and every muscle in his body screamed in exhaustion. Slowly, he blinked against the sunlight peeking through the thin curtains.
He tilted his chin down—
—and froze.
Tsunade. The Tsunade Senju. Legendary Sannin, Slug Princess, woman strong enough to punch a crater into a mountain… was curled against him, her golden hair spilling over his chest, one bare arm draped possessively across his torso.
Kael's brain screeched to a halt.
'…Damn. I banged the Hokage!'
TO BE CONTINUED