John, a dedicated Naruto fan, has a passion for collecting all things related to the series. His home is filled with a huge collection of anime posters, and his computer houses countless Naruto games, songs, and fan comics. Yet, despite all of this, he still feels something is missing. Recently, he decided to dive into collecting mobile games as well.
After downloading several games recommended on various websites, John came across one small mobile game that was said to be incredibly popular in Japan. The game had just been released, had a modest popularity rating, and was 1 GB in size. Believing the size indicated a lot of content, he eagerly downloaded it.
Once the game was installed, he began the registration process. When asked to enter his name, John typed in "Uzumaki Naruto," but the system didn't allow him to proceed. Strangely, it wasn't because the name was already in use—it was rejected outright because the system stated that the character wasn't an option.
Without giving it much thought, John typed "John" into the name field, but the system quickly rejected it, asking for a Japanese name instead. Slightly frustrated, John paused and then typed the most familiar Japanese name he could think of—"Haruto Itsuki." With that, the character creation was finally successful.
Just as he was about to begin playing, a sudden flash of white light blinded him, and he couldn't open his eyes. When he was finally able to see again, he was stunned to find himself looking at the enormous Nine-Tails and the iconic Hokage heads in the distance. His mouth dropped open as he muttered, "What the hell, time travel?"
Before he could fully process what had happened, a shadowy figure wearing a bird-shaped mask appeared in front of him and swiftly pulled him away from the arms of a woman. It was then that John realized he had shrunk down and turned into a small child.
As he tried to move, he found it extremely difficult. He couldn't even speak—his body was still too underdeveloped. It seemed like he must only be a few months old.
The masked figure moved at lightning speed, and John felt the cold air rushing past him. As they sped away, John caught a glimpse of the woman who had been holding him. Her limbs were twisted and blood poured from her mouth, yet she was smiling. Was she smiling because her child had survived?
In that moment, John felt the harsh reality of this world. The bird-faced man was moving so fast that John could feel the wind blowing under him. Mentally cursing the ANBU he thought, "Could you slow down? You're freezing my little body!" Who decided to dress me in crotch pants?
If the Anbu knew what John was thinking, they'd probably strangle him on the spot. "You're in front of the Nine-Tails; if you don't move quickly, you might not survive." they'd say.
It didn't take long before John was swiftly taken to an emergency shelter in Konoha by the bird-masked Anbu. The Anbu handed him over to a plump woman, explaining quickly, "This is likely the last child, the one connected to Itsuki's Family. His mother died protecting him, so you'll have to look after him. I need to return and support her."
John didn't pause to wonder why he understood Japanese, nor did he dwell on what might've happened if he hadn't. His mind was preoccupied with watching the Anbu figure leave. Despite his earlier frustration, a part of him still hoped the Anbu would survive. After all, this was his first time in this world, and it was the Anbu who had saved him.
Soon, John found himself in a baby room, carried by the plump woman. The room was filled with the relentless cries of other babies, and the noise was unbearable. John wanted to shout out in annoyance, but all that came from him were soft, babyish sounds. Feeling suddenly disheartened, he lay there silently, tears welling up. I swear, I hate being a baby, he thought to himself.
At that moment, a stunning blonde woman entered and immediately came over to him. She placed a dog tag-like item around his neck, and John saw the inscription: "Haruto Itsuki."
It seemed that Konoha already had a thorough household registration system, with every newborn entered into the official registry. Upon learning his surname, the woman quickly found his name and attached the tag, preparing for someone to claim him in the future.
John couldn't help but sigh inwardly. I really became Haruto Itsuki, he thought, a sense of resignation washing over him.
The blonde woman gazed down at him with sympathy, gently brushing his face. "Is this Jiro and Nana's child? How tragic, losing both parents so soon after birth."
Upon hearing this, John immediately pieced things together—his "cheap" father had likely perished as well, which made him uneasy. Of course, his concern wasn't out of any attachment to the parents of this body, but because he understood just how dangerous it was to be an orphan in this world.
In addition to the potential experiments he might be subjected to, John thought of the grim fates of others like him. Unless he hid his talents, someone like Danzo would undoubtedly target him.
While it was only a possibility, John knew the chances were high. Orphans in Konoha were essentially breeding grounds for the village's darker operations. Even if there was no immediate threat, John didn't want to live a life of constant deception, hiding his true nature just to survive.
With this in mind, John began crafting a plan.
The blonde woman, still looking at him with pity, wiped away his tears with her hand. "You're still crying? Do you understand that your parents are gone?"
John thought to himself, If I don't want to stay an orphan, I need someone to claim me. This woman seems to know my family, and judging by the respect she commands from the others, she must be of high standing. This might just be the best option for my 'cheap' mom.
John, shamelessly leveraging his infantile cuteness, clung to the beautiful woman's neck and cried out, "Mommy, mommy."
As expected, the blonde woman's eyes filled with tears—not just out of sympathy for the child, but also from concern for her husband.
Gently, she picked up John and turned to the attendants nearby, saying, "Take care of this child for now."
One of the attendants quickly replied, "Yes, Lady Asaka."
So the beautiful woman's name was Asaka, though John didn't yet know her family name. Was she from a prominent family?
Soon, John got his answer. Asaka carried him to a much more comfortable room, far better than the one he had been in. The room was sparsely populated with babies, most of whom were tended to by a dedicated staff. Of course, John thought, there are always the privileged few.
After settling John into a crib, Asaka pointed to the little girl across from him. "This is Ino. She's half a month younger than you. Don't bully her."
She then gave instructions to the staff to care for the babies and left, presumably to take care of other matters.
It seemed that Ino's mother, Asaka, was from the Yamanaka clan. While not one of the most powerful families, it still held significant influence within the village. Because of its balanced power, no one sought to suppress them, and they were respected enough to form alliances and own property. John immediately thought, This is a solid, reliable connection. I need to get close to them.
"As the underground shelter trembled, John could easily imagine the intensity of the battle raging above. This world was far more dangerous than he had anticipated. I need to find a strong ally, someone powerful to rely on", he thought.