The Nine-Tails' roar isn't the worst part—because Ayato's "starter pack" activates at the exact moment he's about to die.
Konoha Year 48.
The morning after the Night of the Nine-Tails.
A thin winter sun crept over the rooftops of the Hidden Leaf Village, casting pale light across streets still scarred by chaos. Cracked tiles, shattered signboards, collapsed fences—every corner carried the lingering evidence of a disaster that had shaken the entire village only hours ago.
Yet amid the uneasy silence, one small storefront looked strangely peaceful.
The wooden sign above the door had been freshly replaced. Where an ordinary grocery shop name once hung, new characters now read:
Odd Jobs Shop.
Inside the shop, a young man calmly refilled a birdcage with fresh feed. The clear chirping of a thrush cut through the stillness like silver bells.
"Ayato, why did you suddenly change your shop sign?"
Outside the doorway, the owner of the neighboring dango stall leaned against the counter, scratching his head in confusion as he stared at the new plaque.
Ayato didn't look up immediately. He poured the feed evenly into the cage, checked the water dish, and only then turned around.
"Good morning, Boss Mujima," he replied evenly.
His black hair was slightly tousled, falling loosely over sharp, calm eyes. A long dark coat draped casually over his shoulders, giving him an almost lazy elegance. His expression barely shifted, as if the outside world rarely had any effect on him.
Boss Mujima couldn't help squinting at him.
"You look like you didn't sleep at all after that mess last night. Did you see it? That giant shadow blotting out the sky—scared half the village senseless!"
Ayato pulled a chair behind the counter and sat down slowly, resting one arm against the tabletop.
"I went to bed early," he said calmly. "Today's weather doesn't favor business. Might as well go listen to a performance."
Boss Mujima blinked twice.
"…What?"
He stared at Ayato like he'd just heard someone say they planned to picnic during a thunderstorm.
"You always talk like some wandering scholar," Boss Mujima muttered. "I can never understand what you're saying."
Ayato simply smiled faintly.
At that moment—
[Ding!]
[Zhongli signature line spoken. Proficiency increased by 0.1%.]
[Current role progress: 5.2%.]
The system notification chimed softly in his consciousness.
Ayato's eyes flickered with quiet thought.
It had been only two days since he arrived in this world.
Two days ago, he had awakened inside a cold underground holding cell, locked behind iron bars and faintly glowing sealing marks. According to the memories he inherited from this body, the reason he had been imprisoned was absurd to the point of comedy.
"You stared at me too long."
That was the official accusation.
Apparently, he had unknowingly offended a member of the Uchiha clan's police force and had been thrown into detention as a result.
After sorting through the fragmented memories, Ayato realized exactly where he was.
The Naruto world.
Konoha Year 48.
Which meant only one thing.
The Night of the Nine-Tails.
He had barely finished processing that terrifying realization when the dungeon trembled violently.
A deafening roar tore through the earth like thunder, shaking dust from the ceiling and rattling the iron bars. Through the narrow window high above, Ayato saw a blood-red moon hanging ominously in the sky.
"That… was the Nine-Tails' roar, wasn't it?"
His instincts screamed danger.
As if responding to his thought, reality delivered its answer.
An enormous orange paw smashed straight through the dungeon ceiling above him. The stone shattered like paper, debris raining down in a violent cascade. Although the paw withdrew almost instantly, several clumps of fiery orange fur scattered across the cracked floor.
Ayato stared at the destruction in silence.
"…Already shedding fur this early?"
He stepped toward the shattered cell door. The lock had been crushed cleanly.
Technically speaking, if the door was already broken, walking out wouldn't count as escaping, right?
Following the opening created by the impact, Ayato climbed through the wreckage and emerged into the open forest beyond the prison compound.
The village outskirts were already devastated—trees uprooted, buildings collapsed, shockwaves rippling through the ground.
At least he was alive.
That sense of relief lasted less than a second.
"Reaper Death Seal!"
The shout echoed through the air.
Ayato turned toward the voice.
Not far away stood a blond man with resolute eyes and a red-haired woman radiating fierce determination. Golden chains erupted from her body, binding the colossal Nine-Tails in place.
Minato Namikaze.
Uzumaki Kushina.
Outside the sealing barrier, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, hammered desperately against the invisible wall, unable to break through.
The Shinigami manifested behind Minato as he completed the forbidden technique. A spectral hand plunged into the Nine-Tails, ripping part of its soul free.
Nearby, a newborn infant lay upon a makeshift altar.
Naruto.
"Watch out!" Ayato shouted instinctively.
Too late.
The Nine-Tails' claws surged forward in a final burst of rage, impaling both Minato and Kushina straight through the torso.
Their blood sprayed across the battlefield.
Minato gritted his teeth, barely maintaining consciousness. Kushina refused to take her eyes off her son.
Then—
The Nine-Tails noticed Ayato.
"There's still someone here?" it snarled. "Then die with me!"
A Tailed Beast Ball rapidly condensed inside its mouth, aimed directly at him.
"Run!" Minato yelled desperately.
Ayato stared calmly at the swelling sphere of annihilation.
At this distance…
No chance to dodge.
"…So this is how it ends?" he muttered.
Just as the Tailed Beast Ball finished forming—
[Ding! Host detected in a near-certain-death scenario. Multiverse Role-Playing System activating.]
Ayato froze.
Finally… the transmigrator perk package arrived.
A glowing interface unfolded before his eyes.
[Multiverse Role-Playing System initialized. Capable of drawing characters across countless worlds.]
[Host: Ayato]
[Role List: None]
[Draw Attempts: 1]
[First activation bonus granted. Begin draw?]
There was no time to hesitate.
"YES."
The system whirred violently as countless silhouettes flashed across his vision—heroes, monsters, gods, legends.
Then three golden cards stabilized before him.
[Option 1: Geo Archon — Zhongli]
[Option 2: Buggy the Star Clown]
[Option 3: Wobbuffet]
Ayato's eyes locked onto the first card.
Zhongli.
Elegant. Powerful. Composed.
No contest.
His finger slammed down.
And the world erupted in golden light.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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