Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 1: No System
I couldn't believe it. Even after slapping my cheeks ten times, I still hadn't woken up from the sleep
'This slap feels so real… it's nothing like a dream,' thought John Roe.
"Clan Leader, are you alright?" a red-haired shinobi beside him asked.
Startled, John turned toward the voice. The concern in the man's eyes was sincere.
"Ah—sorry. I was just… making sure this isn't a dream," said John Roe, who now inhabited the body of Uzumaki Raiken, the elder brother of Kushina and a respected leader of the clan.
— Thirty minutes earlier —
"We've already sent a messenger to Konoha, but even with haste, it will take at least half a day before reinforcements arrive," said Uzumaki Araki, the current Uzukage. He had inherited leadership ten years ago after the passing of Uzumaki Ashina.
"Uzukage," an elder spoke with a grave tone, "do you truly believe Konoha will come to our aid?"
Araki frowned. "What are you implying?"
The elder lowered his voice. "I fear… Konoha has betrayed us."
A wave of silence swept over the meeting room.
"Impossible!" said another elder. "We've stood beside the Senju for nearly a century. Our alliance was forged with blood and trust!"
"You're wrong," a third elder said grimly. "The Senju may have built that alliance, but Konoha is now led by the Sarutobi Clan, not the Senju. Things have changed."
Araki narrowed his eyes. "What evidence do you have?"
The first elder replied, "Look at the situation logically. Our island lies close to the Land of Fire. If enemy forces could reach us without detection, it would mean Konoha either failed in their duty… or chose not to act. We are being ambushed, and they remain silent."
No one spoke. The air grew heavy.
Deep down, many of them had seen warning signs— especially their relationship with the Konoha regarding trade, the less frequent visits by their envoys. Yet their faith in the Senju blinded them. That trust, built over generations, was hard to shatter.
It was in the midst of this growing tension that John Roe, a man from the 22nd century, had suddenly found himself reborn as Raiken Uzumaki. He had arrived five minutes ago, confused and overwhelmed, but everything changed when he realized where—and when—he was.
It took a minutes for the memory to be transfered to his mind and he knows he is in a big trouble.
He knew the story. He'd read the book. This was the fall of Uzushiogakure, and history said the clan would be wiped out soon.
If only I had come earlier… I could've warned them. I could've saved them.
"Ano... I have an idea," he said suddenly, cutting through the heated debate.
Heads turned.
"Raiken?" Uzukage Araki looked surprised. "What is it?"
John—now Raiken—swallowed his fear. "Let's begin an evacuation. Get the women and children out first—send them to Konoha or any nearby safe zone. Let the remaining shinobi stay and defend the village. We may fall, but at least the Uzumaki bloodline will survive."
Everyone fell silent, watching him. For the first time, they finally seeing some hope.
"Konoha? Didn't I tell you they're suspected of betraying us?" questioned the first elder.
"I KNOW!" Raiken suddenly stood up, his voice echoing through the hall. His eyes burned with anger, demanding attention. "But what's the better choice? Stay here, and we'll watch our shinobi slaughtered one by one. And it won't stop there—your granddaughters could be violated, forced to bear children so they can steal our bloodline, our Kekkei Genkai!"
Silence fell like a hammer. No one dared speak.
Raiken continued, his voice become louder. "If we make it to Konoha, there's still a chance. Mito-sama, the wife of the First Hokage, is still there. She's an Uzumaki, and she's respected. If we can reach her, our mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters might be spared from that cruel action by the enemy ninjas."
He looked around, watching their expressions shift from hesitation to reluctant agreement.
"You're right," one elder finally murmured. "It's better to take our chances with Konoha than..." He couldn't finish the sentence.
"Gather all the jōnin," Raiken said firmly. "I'll head to the frontlines myself and buy us time. The women and children need to move now."
He knew it was a suicide mission. But as someone who had watch many spy movie in his past world, he understood the power of words and sacrifice.
And his words of sacrifice paid off.
"We'll follow Raiken's plan," Uzukage declared, rising to his feet. "And from this moment forward, Raiken is the next Uzukage."
"Uzukage-sama?" Raiken was stunned, as were the others.
The Uzukage turned toward him. "While everyone here debated, Raiken was the only one to think beyond the battlefield. He alone suggested we evacuate our vulnerable to Konoha. With your mind, Raiken, you may be the only one capable of guiding them to safety. You are now their leader."
Raiken stood frozen, overwhelmed, but the elders slowly nodded in agreement.
"Now," the Uzukage said, rallying the room, "gather the jōnin. We'll confront the enemy directly. Our mission is to buy as much time as possible for Raiken to get them out."
—Present Time—
Raiken had successfully gathered the women, children, and even some genin and low-ranked chūnin. He had also requested three masters of fūinjutsu to accompany them, to ensure the clan's sealing techniques would not be lost.
Thanks to fūinjutsu, they sealed essential supplies—food, scrolls, clothes—into storage scrolls for the journey.
As for his supposed advantage as a transmigrator...
He had tried everything: "Activate," "System, online," "Arise," even "Abracadabra." Nothing worked.
Was he one of those rare unlucky transmigrators? No cheat, no golden finger. Worse yet, he arrived at the very moment of the clan's destruction.
Just his body?
Still, he couldn't afford to mope. He might not have a system, but he had knowledge—and right now, that was more than enough to make a difference.
As the first wave of civilians began moving, Raiken stood at the edge of the cliff overlooking the distant sea. He clenched his fists. This might not be the start he had hoped for, but it was the start he had been given. And he swore he would try his best to do his best.
Author Notes:
Chapter 21: Engagement First
Chapter 22: Shop
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