Chapter 1 – Crossing
A poor family, a somewhat ugly appearance, not very outstanding academic performance, and a father who had rigid expectations for test scores made Cao Jian, a high school student, live a miserable life. At home, it was common for him to be blamed by his father, and at school, it was even more common for him to be ridiculed by teachers and classmates. The beautiful high school days that many people often described in novels or dramas were not worth reminiscing about in Cao Jian's eyes.
High school, supposedly a place full of sincere friendships, an age when love begins to sprout, a gathering ground for talents who believe knowledge can change their destiny. There should have been a kind of youthful innocence that belonged to this era. However, at least for today, in Cao Jian's opinion, everything felt so suffocating and unsatisfactory. He once tried to achieve exam results that could make his parents proud, yet subjects like English remained endlessly frustrating. He once imagined casually talking to girls like in youthful stories, but whenever he saw that disdainful expression from them, he instantly understood it was better to avoid humiliating himself.
Perhaps, his only genuine source of happiness came from the online games adults labeled as poison. The reason he was addicted to them, the reason he always had endless motivation to sneak into Internet cafés to play in secret, was not just because of the games themselves, but because they were an escape from the suffocating life he had no control over. In addition to games, what fascinated him most was several Japanese anime series especially Naruto, the one he had followed since elementary school. The protagonist, Uzumaki Naruto, was the perfect example of a nobody who rises from being scorned to becoming a hero respected by the entire village.
He liked Naruto not only because of the storyline, but because he resonated deeply with the character's loneliness. Most of the time, after playing games, Cao Jian would watch Naruto again and again, carefully absorbing every detail of the manga and anime. He often thought that if a world like that truly existed, perhaps he could be like Naruto—maybe not recognized at first, but through pure effort and endless potential, he might be able to change his life. Even if the road was full of hardship, at least in that world there was hope.
Perhaps this longing was too strong. That night, he had a strange dream. He dreamt of an old man with a long white beard, holding a black staff like a truth-seeking rod. The most distinctive part of him was his eyes yes, the legendary Rinnegan. Cao Jian was shocked and blurted out, "Are you the Sage of Six Paths? How can I see you?" The old man chuckled softly and said, "Six Paths Sage, hmm… Hagoromo only transcended space to a certain degree. I am an existence far beyond the limits of time and space. Enough talk since your heart desires change, I will let you experience what it means to live as Naruto."
When he woke up, the familiar ceiling of his shabby home was gone. His body felt smaller, his limbs lighter. He rushed to a mirror and froze. The whisker-like marks on his cheeks, the blond hair, the blue eyes, it was unmistakably Naruto Uzumaki, but specifically the young Naruto from before the Academy days, just as in the early chapters of the manga.
Shock and disbelief gripped him, and then a sharp pain surged through his mind. Memories not belonging to him flooded in: pranks around Konoha, lonely childhood moments, the cold gazes from villagers afraid of the Nine-Tails sealed within him every detail from Naruto's past, vividly as described in the manga. The language, the habits, the environment.everything became familiar through the inherited memories.
Breathing heavily, he looked around the cramped apartment that Naruto lived in, confirming the truth: he had really crossed into the Naruto world. Not only that he had become the protagonist himself, at the starting point of the story before Iruka's recognition and before entering the Ninja Academy.
Cao Jian, who had always been dissatisfied with his previous life, clenched his fists slowly. Since he had truly come to this world… since he now had Naruto's body, Naruto's chakra, Naruto's future… then he would live this second life properly. From this moment on, he would no longer be Cao Jian the miserable high schooler.
He would become Uzumaki Naruto.
And this time, he would change everything.
Naruto looked at his home—so small and sparsely furnished that it was almost barren and then looked out at the prosperous streets of Konoha, with its busy market district, Hokage Rock towering above, and shinobi moving swiftly along rooftops. He immediately understood the brutal truth of this world. Whether in his previous life or in the ninja world, strength determined everything. If you were strong, even villagers who whispered behind your back would show respect. If you were weak, you remained at the very bottom. In this world shaped by wars and missions, the measure of strength was personal combat ability, reinforced by chakra mastery and shinobi skill.
At this time, Naruto who now remembered the entire plot of the manga naturally thought first about increasing his own strength. In the world of Naruto, three major components determined power: chakra reserves, proficiency in ninjutsu, and hardened taijutsu skills.
Among these factors, Naruto possessed massive chakra reserves and, sealed within him, the overpowering chakra of Kurama, the Nine-Tails. Fighting skills could only be honed through actual combat, while what could be steadily cultivated at this stage was ninjutsu and chakra control.
Speaking of ninjutsu, Naruto couldn't help feeling envious of the Uchiha clan's Sharingan, a dōjutsu capable of copying techniques with frightening precision. With evolution, it allowed users to cast genjutsu, manipulate movement, and eventually wield abilities like Amaterasu or even form Susanoo. If it awakened into the Rinnegan, one could even manipulate life and death through the Six Paths.
But Naruto lacked Uchiha blood, and with his current level of strength, obtaining eyes like Nagato's Rinnegan was impossible. However, he believed that in the future, when he possessed overwhelming power, he might find a way. For now, he could only begin with foundational training: refining chakra control, building physical strength, and learning the basics taught before graduation.
Having made up his mind, Naruto started with simple physical conditioning—running laps around the village training ground, doing push-ups and sit-ups every morning, and exercising until sweat soaked his clothes. He even practiced basic footwork drills inspired by martial arts from memory to sharpen reflexes. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, still watched him occasionally through his crystal ball, and when he saw Naruto training earnestly, he couldn't help murmuring with relief, "He knows he'll be entering the Academy soon and has already started preparing."
A few days passed quickly, and the day of enrollment arrived. Walking into the Academy, Naruto immediately recognized his future classmates exactly as described in the manga. Though still children, their identities were unmistakable Ino's blonde hair, Shikamaru's pineapple-shaped ponytail, Kiba with Akamaru perched on his head, and Hinata timidly avoiding eye contact.
Once everyone was present, Iruka entered the classroom with a warm smile. But after scanning the room, a faint flicker of discomfort crossed his expression when his eyes landed on Naruto. This reaction was understandable; many villagers feared the Nine-Tails sealed inside him. Still, because of the Third Hokage's strict orders, Iruka restrained himself and continued with the lesson. "Hello everyone, I'm Iruka Umino. From today onward, I'll be your instructor. Before we begin, let's have each of you introduce yourselves."
When Naruto's turn came, he did not act as foolishly as the original manga version, but he still stood confidently and said that he wanted to become a powerful ninja his dream unwavering.
The present Naruto was different from the original, but one thing remained the same: he admired beauty. Scanning the class, he noticed Haruno Sakura, who was indeed pretty for her age; Yamanaka Ino, who already had the aura of a future beauty; and Hyūga Hinata, delicate and charming despite her shyness. But Sakura, as expected, did not like Naruto at all. Her eyes were firmly fixed on Sasuke Uchiha, who sat silently near the window the classic "cool genius" pose exactly as in the manga. Sasuke looked lonely, burdened by memories of his clan's massacre, but that was not something Naruto could change yet.
The reason why Sakura and many other girls admired Sasuke was simple: top grades, outstanding talent, and iconic good looks. If Naruto wanted their admiration, he would need to start with these same aspects.
As the days passed, Naruto absorbed everything taught at the Academy. Although much of it felt dull, he had to admit that the knowledge was extremely practical for a ninja's foundation basic chakra theory from the First Hokage's teachings, hand seal practice, transformation jutsu, and throwing shuriken accurately. Strangely, Naruto found these subjects easier than expected. He wondered whether his talent had changed after transmigrating; in truth, it was only natural. With a different soul guiding Naruto's body, his learning ability and perception were fundamentally different from before.
As the author of this story, I have always liked Naruto deeply, but it is a pity that the anime and manga have long since ended. Writing this fan fiction is my way of paying tribute to it. The narrative may not repeat every detail from the original storyline, but focus instead on what changes when the protagonist's soul has changed how Naruto's life, choices, and future battles will transform from here on.
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