ITACHI UCHIHA — AFTER THE AKATSUKI MEETING
Location: Isolated cave, inside the base. The shadows ripple as if the darkness itself were breathing. Itachi stands still, staring at the distorted reflection of his own face in the black water of an underground spring. Kisame has already left. He's alone now.
(Itachi's thoughts):
"A man who uses others' bodies like Pain…"
"Who defeated Deidara and Sasori without even revealing himself..."
"And now he's in the Leaf."
"If this man becomes a real threat… to them… to Sasuke..."
Itachi closes his eyes. The Mangekyō Sharingan pulses, but he deactivates it immediately. He takes a deep breath.
ITACHI (thinking):
— "Nagato has changed. His chakra now is... different."
— "And Tobi is hiding too many truths."
— "We can't keep fighting in the dark forever."
He stands up. Walks calmly to a stone wall. A seal dissipates with a simple chakra touch.
Inside: a special summoning. A small crow sealed in a hidden scroll.
ITACHI (summoning the crow):
— "Go to the Leaf. Don't deliver anything... yet."
— "Observe the stranger. Tell me what he wants."
— "If he's a real threat… then I'll know what to do."
The crow disappears in a gust of dark wind, flying to Konoha under the radar of any sensor.
Itachi doesn't play on impulse. He plays in silence. If this man is what he seems… then the Uchiha is already two steps ahead.
The full moon hovers over the rooftops of the Leaf, reflected in puddles left by a light rain earlier. The village lights glow warmly — a stark contrast to the dark world Jin-Woo had faced until now.
People laugh, walk peacefully. Children play, merchants close their stalls. It was a world where normalcy persisted.
LOCATION: Ichiraku Ramen
Jiraiya, Naruto, Kakashi, and Jin-Woo sit on the stools of the famous restaurant. Teuchi, the old owner, serves steaming bowls.
NARUTO (excited, gesturing with chopsticks):
— Man, you should've seen me when I ate twenty bowls in a row!
— And the Pervert— I mean, Jiraiya-sensei almost fell off his chair!
JIRAIYA (arms crossed, faking offense):
— Almost? I did fall! But I stood up with dignity.
KAKASHI (looking at Jin-Woo):
— And you, what do you think of our village?
— Different from the Rain, isn't it?
JIN-WOO (calm, watching the street from the corner of his eye):
— It's alive.
— The people here... don't carry death in their eyes.
NARUTO (swallowing a noodle):
— That's because we protect what matters. Always.
— And we'll protect you too, if needed. We're a team now, right?
Jin-Woo looks at Naruto for a moment, surprised by the naturalness of the phrase. He doesn't reply, but a faint smile breaks his usual coldness.
ATMOSPHERE: the warmth of the steam, the aroma of soy sauce and roasted pork, the sound of laughter and clinking utensils. For a moment, Jin-Woo is at peace. But then...
FOOTSTEPS.
Someone approaches. The sudden silence signals their presence. Everyone turns their heads.
GAARA.
Dressed in simple clothes but with a firm aura. Eyes marked, but alive. At his side, Temari watches from a distance.
GAARA (serene, looking at Jin-Woo):
— You saved me.
— But more than that… you faced death for me.
Jin-Woo stands up slowly. The two lock eyes. A tense moment, until Gaara… gives a slight bow.
GAARA:
— Thank you.
INSIDE – GAARA'S MIND (Shukaku, the One-Tail Beast, manifests.)
SHUKAKU (guttural voice, whispering in his mind):
— That one… isn't an ordinary human.
— His scent... isn't just of blood.
— He commands death… but death obeys him.
GAARA (thinking):
— He controls what no bijū would dare touch.
SHUKAKU:
— If he wants to… he could hunt us.
— But I don't feel hatred.
— I feel... purpose.
BACK TO SCENE
GAARA (staring at Jin-Woo):
— Welcome to the Leaf.
— If your path crosses ours again… let it be as an ally.
JIN-WOO:
— As long as it leads me to the masked man… yes.
Gaara says goodbye with a light nod. Jin-Woo watches him until he disappears into the streets of Konoha. Silence returns for a few seconds, until Naruto breaks it as always.
NARUTO (nudging Jin-Woo with his elbow):
— Did you see that? Gaara's okay!
— And he doesn't thank just anyone like that, believe me.
Jin-Woo doesn't answer immediately. He simply resumes his bowl and takes the last sip of the hot broth. Then he speaks, without looking at anyone:
JIN-WOO:
— He has weight in his eyes.
— Not the same as the Village of the Rain… but a silent weight.
— This world demands a lot from you.
NARUTO (pausing his chewing for a moment):
— Yeah… but it's our world.
— That's why we fight so hard for it.
Kakashi observes silently. Jiraiya, beside him, just listens. But Naruto leans forward on the counter, facing Jin-Woo sincerely:
NARUTO:
— I used to carry a monster inside me too.
— People hated me, called me a freak, nobody wanted to be near me.
— But… Iruka-sensei, then Kakashi-sensei, Sakura, Ero-Sennin... they stayed.
— And that started to change everything.
Jin-Woo glances sideways, attentive. He listens.
NARUTO:
— You also seem to carry a huge weight.
— I don't know what you went through, or where you're from.
— But if you want to stay here… we'll carry that weight with you.
Silence. Heavy. Honest. Naruto doesn't force empathy. He offers presence.
Jin-Woo looks back at his empty bowl, the steam still rising slowly.
JIN-WOO:
— …You remind me a lot of someone I know.
NARUTO (curious):
— Yeah? Who?
JIN-WOO (standing up):
— Someone who made me believe the world could be more than pain.
Kakashi stands up too, adjusting his forehead protector.
KAKASHI:
— Time to go. Tomorrow morning the Hokage will release the Akatsuki files.
— Rest is part of war.
Jiraiya stretches his arms, yawning with a grunt.
JIRAIYA:
— That's right… nothing like a good bath and a good night's sleep.
— And Naruto, try not to talk in your sleep, please.
NARUTO (faking offense):
— Hey! I don't do that!
Everyone laughs, even Jin-Woo. A discreet laugh, almost imperceptible, but real.
GUEST ROOM
The lights of Ichiraku are left behind. The village sleeps, silent. Only the leaves of the trees whisper in the wind. Jin-Woo stands alone, facing an open window. The simple room provided by Konoha's elders is almost Spartan — low bed, a table with scrolls, and a lit lamp.
He removes the black overcoat, revealing the dark armor beneath the fabric. Sits on the bed. Observes his hands. Closes his eyes.
JIN-WOO (thinking):
— "You remind me a lot of someone I knew."
— Naruto… why do those words keep echoing so much?
He takes a deep breath. The images return: Jin-Ah smiling, his mother preparing dinner, the destroyed streets of Korea in his world, the dead hunters, the dungeons… the silence of the System.
But this time, a new image appears: Naruto laughing. Gaara standing at the door. Jiraiya peeking at the menu with lecherous eyes. Kakashi with hands in his pockets, yet alert.
For the first time since he arrived, he feels a slight… warmth. Something not dependent on power.
He opens his palm. A purple glow begins to emanate from his skin. The translucent blue interface of the System appears before him.
[SYSTEM]
[→ Energy conversion completed.]
[→ Life energy of the world: Chakra.]
[→ 100% of mana has been converted for compatibility with the local chakra system.]
[→ Synchronization with natural laws established.]
[→ Special skill unlocked: Chakra/Mana Interface.]
Jin-Woo reads the words with sharp eyes. His entire body emits a light energetic pulse, as if his essence now vibrated in sync with the ninja world.
JIN-WOO (low):
— Finally…
He snaps his fingers. Shadows dance on the floor as if they had a will of their own. But now, something in them has changed — they're denser, faster… fueled not only by mana, but by chakra.
Suddenly, Jin-Woo's gaze sharpens. The newly unlocked information expands before his eyes: chakra isn't just energy, but a living connection between mind and body, emotion and memory. He feels it. Within himself.
Closing the system, Jin-Woo leans back against the wall, staring at the ceiling.
JIN-WOO (thinking):
— A new power… for a new enemy.
— But if this world is going to become my second home… then I'll protect it.
— No longer as a hunter.
— But as a shadow among the leaves.
[PLAYER STATUS — SUNG JIN-WOO]
[Level: 200+]
[Class: Shadow Monarch]
[Title Changed: Shadow Ruler of Two Worlds]
[HP: ∞]
[MP (converted): Chakra — ∞]
[Strength: MAX]
[Agility: MAX]
[Intelligence: MAX]
[Perception: MAX]
[Endurance: MAX]
[Charisma: MAX]
[Special Power: Mana/Chakra Interface — System Fusion]
[Active Skills:]
[• Shadow Exchange]
[• Shadow Extraction]
[• Shadow Domain Mastery]
[• Shadow Reincarnation]
[• Infinite Army Creation]
[Shadow Army:]
[• Current Units: 1,000,000+]
[• Special Units:]
[– Igris (General)]
[– Beru (Supremacy Commander)]
[– Six Paths (Pain)]
[– Iron, Tusk, Tank, Kaisel, Bellion...]
[Note:[All growth limits have been removed.]
[System operating with absolute freedom in this world.]]
Jin-Woo slowly closes the interface. His eyes gleam with resolve. The chakra in the environment vibrates as if now responding to him, without rejection, without interference.
JIN-WOO (low):
— The Akatsuki…
— An organization capable of capturing jinchuuriki, manipulating entire villages, using corpses as puppets, and traversing dimensions.
He walks to the window, observing the horizon. The night sky covers Konoha's forests. But his eyes see beyond.
— "The masked man is the key. He manipulates space-time. He can take me back… or try to erase me."
— "But for that… I need to first understand who they are. Everything. Names. Faces. Habits. Bases."
— "And after that… I'll hunt each of them. One by one."
Jin-Woo turns. The shadows stir as if anxious. He closes his eyes and summons his messengers.
JIN-WOO:
— Spread out.
Instantly, hundreds of small, fast shadows burst from the floor, like black serpents, slipping through the ground and walls, heading in different directions: North. South. Beyond the village's borders.
JIN-WOO (thinking):
— "This world already has its monsters."
— "Now… it has a hunter."