"Hey, Yoichi! Wake up! Pull yourself together!"
"Yoichi-kun…"
"Genji, Hikari, isn't this over yet? The guard will be here any minute!"
In a cold, damp cave, worried voices echoed as a lot of eyes and buzzing sounds swarmed around the unconscious boy.
'Hiss... What's happening? Where the hell am I?'
Moments later, the unconscious person's eyes began to flutter open, revealing a look of complete confusion.
"Thank goodness you're awake!"
"Yoichi-kun, are you okay?"
'Wait, am I reincarnated?!'
As the relief washed over those around him, a rush of memories and information surged into his mind.
His name was Ling Lubbock, a regular guy from the Philippines.
In his previous life, he was driven by the desire to support his family, diligently searching for stable work until the COVID pandemic turned his reality upside down.
Even after the pandemic, finding a job became increasingly difficult, leading him to a NEET lifestyle. Like a flickering candle, his hopes gradually faded, and he ultimately succumbed to the allure of instant gratification, internet doom-scrolling, and reading novels.
When it comes to how he was reincarnated, he has no clue. In his past life, all he did was sleep, and he had no idea what was happening until this new situation unfolded.
At first, his heart trembled in excitement until Ling processed all the information available to him.
Presently, he was transmigrated into a 4-year-old boy named Yoichi.
Originally, the original owner was abandoned by his mother in an orphanage and lived for four years there without any problems until the Amegakure Shinobi kidnapped a bunch of children and burned the orphanage down to the ashes.
As a result, he was forced to mine alongside thousands of kids in the Land of Rain. Eventually, the original owner died due to major factors such as malnutrition, physical abuse, and environmental conditions.
'Mom, I am very sorry... But from now on, this is my world. Naruto huh...'
'If I can scheme, deceive, or even kill for my safety, I will do so. For survival!'
In a moment, Yoichi breathed deeply as his eyes gradually shone with determination and conviction. He wasn't good at adapting to a drastic change like his current situation, however, the circumstances left him no choice.
Adapt or die. Simple as that.
"Hiss...Genji... Hikari... Sabito... What's wrong?"
Looking around him, Yoichi's eyes fell on the familiar yet unfamiliar faces.
"Really? Shouldn't we be the ones asking you that question? Are you alright now?"
"Yoichi-kun, are you really okay?"
"Goodness heavens, don't scare us like that!"
The worried voices that echoed around Yoichi came from his friends, who had been struggling together in the brutal conditions of the mine for the past few months.
Genji and Sabito were both physically fit, especially considering what they were going through in this awful place. Genji had a courageous spirit and naturally took on the role of leader, while Sabito was quick-witted and resourceful.
In contrast, Hikari was a shy girl with a fragile build. Despite her timid nature, her innocence endeared her to Genji and Sabito, who made sure she got her share of food.
However, their young faces were marked with deep scars, a harsh reminder of the abuse they had suffered.
"... You guys... I'm fine now, sorry to worry you all."
Feeling the agony coursing through his body, Yoichi winced as he tried to assess his state. His eyelids fluttered uncontrollably, a direct response to the piercing pain he was experiencing.
'Ugh... This frail body... it's just like my old life. I can't believe the original owner managed to live like this for so long…'
Until now, Yoichi had been shuddering and grimacing, still grappling with the reality of his weakened form and the relentless discomfort.
His upper body was a patchwork of bruises, bandages poorly concealing fresh cuts, and his thin frame made him feel even more frustrated—he really wanted to curse his misfortune.
'Is there any ancient treasure his mother left behind? Maybe a ring with the spirit of a powerful figure from the cultivation world? Or some kind of system to help me out? Because if there's nothing, I'm in deep trouble.'
'System. System. System? Hmmmm... Maybe wrong keyword.'
'Status... Status... Wrong again...'
'Panel. Panel. Shit, I'm losing all hope here!'
"Is he really okay?"
"I-I'm not sure, maybe he's looking for something?"
"I've heard rumors among the shinobi about strange shadows in these mines at night. What if… What if he's possessed by a ghost!"
"Hey, don't make jokes! You're just scaring Hikari now."
Noticing their friend's odd behavior, the three of them began to speculate about Yoichi's state, even suggesting that he might be under the influence of a demon.
Meanwhile, Yoichi felt a wave of disappointment wash over him as he assessed his own situation.
There was no system, no magical artifact—just tattered clothes and a pair of yin-yang hanafuda earrings.
'Wait, earrings?!'
"Guys, did you know about these earrings?"
Excited by his discovery, Yoichi felt a surge of curiosity and quickly began sifting through the memories of their original owner while talking to the others.
"Isn't that your family's heirloom that you told us? It's pretty, I guess... However, are you really alright? If not, we can hide you to rest a little bit."
"It's beautiful... But are okay now, Yoichi-kun?"
"That's nothing new, no? Regardless of that, can we work now? The patrol will notice us in any minute now."
'Bullshit, there are no memories of me saying that! However, I've noticed that their replies earlier began on the earrings then shifted into my wellbeing... As if they can see the earring yet not even interested and can implant false memories...'
'Is it the power of subconscious mind? Memory manipulation seems to be in this category... Aha! It has the power to implant wrong information and ignore subconscious mind to be aware of the earring. That's it!'
Hearing their responses, Yoichi was elated yet the mysteries still lingered in his mind, analyzing and experimenting the earrings in front of his friends.
Yoichi tried to drop a blood on the earrings with his lacerated forearms, still doesn't have any kind of magical responses.
Un-equip the earrings? Still goes back magically in his earlobes yet there was not even a reaction from Genji, Hikari, and Sabito.
Smash the earrings? Yes, it is like a paper but against a rock, the earrings was proved to be unflinching and durable.
'However, what's the point of this thing? This is just aesthetically pretty with unique design! There's not a massive value on this thing and I can't seemed to put this on the trash!'
After a few moments, Yoichi felt frustrated, clutching his hairs from absolute uselessness of his seemingly magical earrings.
"Hey, Yoichi! If you're thinking about giving up, please don't drag others into it. There are still many of us here who want to keep living."
"Exactly, Masaru-sama! Don't put a strain on everyone around you. We can't let that happen and be punished along with your pathetic state!"
Upon hearing the disdainful remarks, Yoichi and his friends glanced at the incoming group. Seeing the tall boy made Yoichi's heart unconsciously felt burning in rage, like a fireplace being fed wood in the middle of winter.
_________________________
(A/N: Sorry for a lot of monologues HAHAHA. It's too much talking without any substance. Still, I am trying to make the foundation of the story and it seems to be shaky. Don't get baited by the chapter title, he has a cheat that I will introduce later. Thanks for reading this chapter and see ya! XDD!)