1 Chapter One

"Huh?... dead just like that?"

…

"A bit anticlimactic, honestly, or at least that isn't what I imagined my death to be," Jiro Ryu mused, slowly trying to piece together his last moments.

…

[Flashback]

His name was Jiro Ryu. There wasn't much to recount from his uneventful, mundane life. He had been alone for the majority of it, having chosen not to engage with friends or people. To him, the prospect of feigning a personality to fit in was intolerable. According to others, he was quiet, uncaring, unsocial – not entirely inaccurate.

His attempts to assimilate with people and society proved tiresome; their overcomplicated, emotional nature escaped him. Emotions were an enigma he never fully grasped. Life, to him, was merely death with extra, unnecessary steps. No need for sorrow for a loss of life or anger when insulted; emotions should not hold a substantial sway in your day to day decision.

As for how he died, he finally remembered…

It was around midnight, and he was up - as always, around this time. He was on his way to the 24hr convenience store next to his apartment to grab a quick midnight snack. It was the perfect time with no one outside to bother his existence. No crowded sidewalk or streets.

As he entered the store and grabbed what he needed, an existence that he considered an eyesore entered the store with what looked like a mask and a gun, immediately demanding money from the employee.

The robber looked shocked as he saw Jiro from the corner of his eye - not expecting anyone else to be in the store this late into the night. Taken aback by his sudden appearance, his agitation soared, completely eroding his earlier calm demeanor. 

Trying to intimidate Jiro with shouts and a pointed gun and being met with Jiro's unyielding indifference, the robber, fueled by frustration, aimed the gun menacingly at him and fired!

Bang!

An object shattered behind Jiro, leading him to muse inwardly, "Why am I being bothered right now when I took precautions to come out this late?"

Undeterred by Jiro's lack of reaction, the robber fired once more, attempting to intensify the intimidation. However, being inexperienced with firearms, the bullet struck Jiro squarely in the chest.

In an instant, Jiro's vision descended toward the floor, the world fading into utter darkness.

[Flashback ends]

…

Calmness enveloped Jiro's thoughts as he sought to make sense of his current situation.

Void. That's all he could describe using whatever senses he had left. He couldn't "feel" his body or see it, just darkness all around.

"It's not much of an issue," he sighed. "Far better than dealing with unwarranted people and situations. But what I'll truly miss is the haven of my manga and novels—a world of unbridled fantasy, where characters thrive without the scrutiny of the magic of make-believe."

"Since I have read countless mangas, novels and fanfics -I don't mind reading it all again in my head to pass whatever this is that I'm in," he sighed. With photographic memory at his disposal, every intricate detail of his lifetime unfolded before him, ready to be replayed. The one thing he had that differentiated him from the masses. 

…

[Unknown amount of time later]

"The demise of Madara, betrayed in such a manner, is still beyond belief. Backstabbed, really? It feels like they rushed the series towards the end, an ironic twist given the amount of fillers in the series. And the Kaguya fight—let's not even delve into that," he thought, a tinge of disappointment clouding his mind as he concluded the series. This marked his 99th re-reading of Naruto within this void.

"If not for the senseless direction of the plot (most of the time) and the series being inundated with fillers, this could've been the greatest to ever exist. I've read countless fanfics that did this series justice - and I could end this on a much better note if I wanted in my head, but nothing beats reading the original material." He sighed inwardly.

"Still, given the chance - I know so many original paths this series could've taken.. If only there was a competent character in it.." 

Before he could move past this thought, something changed. Something felt different within the void, like someone was watching him, examining his existence.

Looking all over, Jiro spotted a huge silhouette of a face - smiling as if hearing the funniest joke.

{Would you like to get out of here or continue the rest of your cycle in this void, human?}, said a voice, coming from the direction of the face silhouette. 

Jiro slowly examined the situation in his head, 'Finally, a difference within this void of existence. But, why now? And all of a sudden I'm being given the choice to leave this place?… Interesting.'

{I'm surprised your mind is still active, it looks like time has had no effect on you. Usually, souls' minds become dormant after a millennia passes. But stop your useless thinking and make a choice}

"What does getting out of here entail?" Jiro was not able to speak but the entity heard his question either way. "Who and what are you?'

{Hmm, to put it in words you can comprehend, let's just say that I am a God of Entertainment and my sole goal is to always be entertained. I've been keeping an eye on you, and you seem interesting… and I heard what you were thinking earlier - about the world of Naruto. I have a proposal, which you can refuse if you'd like}

"What proposal?" Jiro asked. With all that he's read, he had an inkling of an idea where this was going to go… 

{Show me. Show me exactly what you would do differently. I've been lacking entertainment lately and I thought this might be interesting... I'll give you a chance to be a part of that world.. and it return, you must keep me entertained}

Jiro mulled over the proposition. It was an opportunity to immerse himself in a world he'd only experienced through pages and screens—a world where he could potentially rewrite the script, mold the narrative to his liking. It was an offer too tantalizing to refuse, especially for someone who found solace in the realm of fiction.

"Alright, I accept," Jiro finally replied, his voice reverberating through the darkness. "But know this, I won't simply follow the beaten path. If you seek entertainment, you'll witness a tale unlike any other—a tale where the rules are rewritten, where characters forge destinies unimagined."

{Excellent! Your enthusiasm pleases me, human. Now, brace yourself. Your journey into the Naruto world begins...}

With those words, the darkness seemed to shift and warp, tendrils of energy coalescing around Jiro. His senses tingled as he felt himself being pulled, stretched across dimensions. It was an exhilarating sensation, akin to hurtling through the cosmos at breakneck speed.

And then, just as abruptly as it began, the sensation ceased. Jiro found himself standing in a place that felt oddly familiar yet strikingly different. He glanced around, taking in his surroundings—a bustling village adorned with towering buildings and vibrant colors.

However, there was something off. Jiro noticed he was shorter than before, his limbs less coordinated, his thoughts muddled with confusion. It was then that he realized—he wasn't himself anymore. Instead, he had taken over the body of a young child, no older than five years old.

Panic threatened to engulf him, but Jiro fought to maintain composure. He closed his eyes, trying to make sense of the influx of memories flooding his mind. Memories that weren't his own, but belonged to the child whose body he now inhabited.

It was a disorienting experience, navigating through the labyrinth of another person's past. Yet, amidst the jumble of fragmented recollections, Jiro found clarity—a glimpse into the life of the child he now was.

His name was Hiro Uchiha, a member of the esteemed Uchiha clan, born into a world of turmoil and conflict. He had lost his parents at a young age, his innocence shattered by the harsh realities of the shinobi world.

As Jiro delved deeper into Hiro's memories, he felt a surge of understanding wash over him. Despite the hardships he had endured, there was a resilience, a determination that burned bright within the child's heart. It was a trait Jiro acknowledged, one he would utilize as he navigated through this new existence.

With a newfound understanding of his circumstances, Jiro took a deep breath, steeling himself for the challenges that lay ahead. He may have been thrust into this world unexpectedly, but he refused to be a mere bystander in his own story.

Armed with the memories of Hiro Uchiha and the knowledge of his own past life, Jiro set forth, his journey in the Naruto world unfolding before him like the pages of a thrilling epic. And though the path ahead was fraught with uncertainty, one thing remained certain—his resolve to carve out his own destiny, one step at a time.