Chapter 1: A New Beginning Beneath the Rain
In the depths of Amegakure, at the base of a jagged cliff, a small boy opened his eyes.
His entire body ached. Blood and mud clung to his skin, and the chilling rain poured over him without mercy. The pain was unbearable—but not as shocking as what came next.
Memories.
They hit him like a crashing wave.
"I'm alive…?" he muttered in disbelief.
He clearly remembered dying—his heartbeat stopping, the cold embrace of death, the silence. And yet, here he was. Alive, but… different.
His mind was a chaotic blend of two lives. One was his own—Arthur, a broken soul from another world. The other belonged to this body. Strangely, the boy's name had also been Arthur, a child from the Uzumaki clan. His family had been slaughtered by rogue shinobi, and only he escaped—barely—thanks to the sacrifice of his parents. But fatigue had claimed him, causing him to fall from the cliff… and die.
Now, someone else wore his face.
"I've reincarnated into the Naruto world…"
He had watched the anime years ago—he knew enough to realize this world was dangerous, brutal, and filled with death.
Suddenly, a mechanical sound rang through his mind:
DING!
Infinite Template System activated.
A rush of information surged into his brain. It was overwhelming… but exhilarating.
"A system? This must be my cheat!"
He called out, but there was no voice, no guide. Only silence.
After focusing for a while, a blue translucent screen appeared before him.
[Template Roll Interface]
He saw hundreds of character names scroll by—some familiar, others foreign. With a deep breath, he pressed the "Roll" button.
The names spun wildly, glowing with different colors, until finally one stopped:
[Kamado Tanjiro]
Arthur sighed, disappointed. It wasn't the strongest template he could've hoped for—but it was still something.
Warmth spread through his limbs. Memories and sensations that weren't his began to merge with his own: the smell of charcoal, the sorrow of loss, the breath techniques…
Water Breathing. Sun Breathing. Determination.
His body, still weak and injured, rumbled with hunger.
"If I don't eat something soon, I'll die… again."
Staggering through the rain, he eventually found a wild berry bush. He ate whatever he could and stumbled upon a nearby spring, drinking his fill.
Then, with a clearer mind, he sat down to analyze his situation.
From the memories of this body, he realized the truth: it was the era of the Third Great Ninja War. Hanzo the Salamander was battling Konoha, and the entire region was drenched in chaos and bloodshed.
"So... I'm in the middle of a war zone."
There was no room for weakness here.
"In this world, there's no freedom without power."
He clenched his fists.
"I'll stay here. This place… will be my sanctuary. I'll train. I'll grow stronger. And when the time comes…"
"I'll never be helpless again."
Nightfall crept in silently. He found a small cave—one he had passed earlier—and collapsed inside.
The first day of his new life had ended.
Tomorrow, his true journey would begin.