The morning sun, bright and insistent, streamed through the window, pulling Minato Namikaze from sleep. He was just a four-year-old boy, living a normal life. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the familiar shapes of his bedroom.
Then, a strange feeling washed over him, like a forgotten dream trying to surface. Pictures flashed in his mind: a man with spiky blond hair, a green vest, and a sharp glint of metal. A feeling of great speed, then a sudden, sharp pain. It was all so vivid, so real, yet it made no sense.
Minato sat up quickly, his small heart thumping. He looked at his hands, then around the room, a shiver running down his spine.
His eyes landed on the wall. A huge poster showed a grinning, muscled man in a red, white, and blue suit. All Might. On a shelf below it, little figurines of All Might, and other colorful characters, stood in heroic poses.
All Might. That name, those images, made his head spin. Powers. Heroes. Villains. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. The strange pictures in his mind, the feeling of a past life, merged with the vivid world on his walls. He was in the MHA world.
But then, the memories of his past life truly hit him. He remembered being an orphan, always alone, fighting for every scrap. The cold nights, the hunger, the constant struggle to survive. He remembered getting sick, a terrible illness that wasted him away. He was only 20 when he died of cancer, so young, with so much left undone.
A wave of sadness, deep and heavy, washed over his small frame. But then, another thought pushed through. In this life, he had parents. He remembered their warm hugs, their gentle smiles, the way they tucked him in at night. They loved him.
A fierce, protective feeling swelled in Minato's tiny chest. He wouldn't let anything happen to them. Not like how he died alone before. He would do everything he could to protect them. This new world, with its heroes and villains, felt dangerous, but he had a new reason to be strong. He wouldn't just survive; he would make sure his family thrived.
Just as this thought formed, a shimmering, translucent blue screen flickered into existence right before his eyes. It was like looking through a window made of pure light.
The words on the screen glowed brightly:
SYSTEM INITIALIZING...
Minato stared, his breath hitched. He blinked, but it was still there. After a moment, the text changed.
WELCOME HOST!
YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN MINATO NAMIKAZE TEMPLATE AFTER REINCARNATION.
AS THE PERCENTAGE OF SYNCHRONIZATION INCREASES, THE MEMORIES AND POWERS OF MINATO NAMIKAZE WILL BE UNLOCKED GRADUALLY.
The screen then shifted, displaying a single, stark line:
MINATO NAMIKAZE TEMPLATE - 1%
The shimmering blue screen remained, displaying MINATO NAMIKAZE TEMPLATE - 1%. Minato stared at it, a strange mix of wonder and confusion bubbling in his chest.
Suddenly, new words appeared on the screen, a stream of information filling his mind with. It was basic knowledge on how to unlock chakra, presented in a way his four-year-old mind could grasp.
"Who are you?" Minato mumbled, a question forming on his lips even as he wondered if the screen could hear him. "And who created you?"
The text on the screen changed.
HOST DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH LEVEL OF CLEARANCE FOR ANSWERING THE FIRST QUESTION.
"Do you have a name?" Minato asked, his brow furrowing.
NO, I DO NOT HAVE A NAME.
"How do I get more clearance?" Minato tried, hoping to push for more answers.
HOST DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH LEVEL OF CLEARANCE.
Minato let out a small sigh, a sound surprisingly mature for a four-year-old. This "system" was a bit frustrating. "Should I give you a name then?" he offered, a tiny spark of mischievousness in his eyes.
IT IS NOT REQUIRED.
The shimmering blue screen remained, displaying MINATO NAMIKAZE TEMPLATE - 1%. Minato stared at it, a strange mix of wonder and confusion bubbling in his chest.
Suddenly, new words appeared on the screen, a stream of information filling his mind without him having to read it: how to sense the natural energy around him, how to draw it in, how to mix it with his own spiritual and physical energy. It was basic knowledge on how to unlock chakra, presented in a way his four-year-old mind could grasp.
Just as Minato was pondering the mysterious system, a familiar shout echoed from downstairs. "Minato! Breakfast is ready, sweetie!"
"I'll be there in 15 minutes!" Minato called back happily, his voice bright and full of cheer.
After a quick trip to the bathroom to splash water on his face and brush his teeth, Minato scampered downstairs. His parents were already at the kitchen table, the scent of pancakes and coffee filling the air.
"Good morning, sleepyhead!" his mother chuckled, ruffling his hair as he climbed onto his chair. His father smiled, pushing a plate of pancakes towards him.
As Minato poured syrup onto his breakfast, his mother began, "So, Minato, your father and I were talking. Since you're four now, it's about time we took you to the Central Hospital for your Quirk check-up."
Minato paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. A Quirk check-up. The very first step into the world of heroes and powers. He glanced at the system screen, still visible only to him, that now read: MINATO NAMIKAZE TEMPLATE - 1%. This was it. The real start.
"Okay!" Minato said, his eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and a new, secret determination.
After finishing their breakfast, the family got ready. His father checked his watch, and his mother grabbed her purse. Minato, feeling a strange mix of anticipation and a familiar sense of readiness, walked between his parents as they headed out the door and towards the Central Hospital.
At the Hospital
The Central Hospital was a busy place, filled with the hushed sounds of footsteps and distant voices. Minato held his mother's hand tightly, looking at the different people around them. After a short wait, they were called into an examination room.
A kind-faced doctor, with a stethoscope around his neck, greeted them. He performed a series of simple tests, checking Minato's reflexes and asking him to try and use any "strange powers" he might feel. Minato, of course, felt the faint hum of his newly acknowledged chakra, but he kept that secret.
After the examination, the doctor turned to Minato's parents, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Well, everything looks perfectly normal for Minato's age, physically," he began. "However," he paused, tapping his chin, "we did detect something quite unusual in his body. A very strange energy. We're not entirely sure what its uses are, or even what it fully is. It's unlike any Quirk we've ever seen."
Minato's parents exchanged worried glances. "Strange energy?" his mother asked.
"Yes," the doctor confirmed. "It's present, but inert. It seems dormant, for now. Only time will tell what that energy is, or what it will develop into." He then smiled reassuringly. "For now, we just need a name for this… unique manifestation. What would you like to call his Quirk?"
Minato, who had been listening intently, brightened instantly. "Chakra!" he announced happily, his voice clear and confident.
His parents looked at each other, then back at their son. "Chakra?" his father repeated, a little puzzled.
Minato just nodded, a wide, innocent smile on his face, secretly thrilled that he could name it something so fitting. The doctor, though unfamiliar with the term, simply wrote it down.
As they were driving home from the hospital, the afternoon sun warm on their faces, Minato's mother turned to him. "Minato, your father and I have something to tell you about school," she said gently.
"Your mother is starting a new job soon," his father added. "So, she won't be able to stay home with you every day for homeschooling anymore."
"That means you'll be going to Mustafu Private Middle School," his mother finished, smiling down at him. "It's a great school, and you'll make lots of new friends there."
Minato's mind raced. A new school. Other kids with Quirks. This was a whole new chapter. He tightened his grip on his parents' hands, a small but significant shift happening within him.