Figuring things out.

With no inkling of what the baby was thinking, two young adults gazed at the baby with love in their eyes.

"Look, Saki, he has your eyes!" exclaimed a burly man, pointing at the baby's eyes with his finger.

"For everything else, he resembles you more than me..." Saki continued, with a slight air of sadness and fatigue. Even in her weariness, she maintained her natural beauty with her purple hair and big green eyes.

"Don't be sad, I'm sure he'll inherit your character," said Jun, Saki's husband and now a father, in a sarcastic tone, letting out a light chuckle.

"Hmph. Well, then I get to choose his name... Our child will now be called Ronin!" declared a spirited Saki, delighted to have the opportunity to name her son on her own.

"Ronin, as in 'Wanderer'? Are... are you serious, Saki?!" Jun said, startled by Saki's statement. The imposing man, standing at 1.85 meters, took a step back in fright. "You want our son to be a fugitive?!" he continued.

Half irritated and amused by his reaction, Saki declared, "I want our son to be free. I want him to live his life as he wishes." Then she looked at her son, who had stopped crying and fallen asleep. Her emerald eyes sparkled after her words, accompanied by a tender smile, like a mother ready to do anything for her son.

"I... I see. It's a beautiful name, Saki," Jun, aware of the misunderstanding, concluded the discussion and approached Saki, finally relaxed for the first time since she arrived at the hospital.

His oceanic gaze coupled with a proud smile was a testament to his love for his family. He now had new responsibilities and a duty as a father. He would do everything to love and protect his son from the pains of this world.

- [Several months later] -

'I can finally see better. It's been about 7 months since I came to life... well, it's hard to count in a baby's body,' Ronin thought, now accustomed to his baby routine.

He had finally found a stable sleep rhythm. He had recently realized that he was in the village of Iwa. As his vision became more stable, he could see the village and his father's headband with the village's symbol. He also learned that only his father was a ninja.

Being a huge fan of Naruto, it didn't take him long to recognize the Iwa symbol.

It was a great surprise to learn that he was reincarnated into the world of Naruto. He was incredibly happy to be in the world of his favorite work, but he quickly realized the challenges of this world.

This world was perpetually at war! And he was born in a ninja village. He could bid farewell to a peaceful and stable life.

Having plenty of free time during the first months of his life, Ronin pondered deeply on what he wanted to accomplish and reflected on his previous life.

It took him a few months just to accept his death. Despite not having much left in his previous life, he was content with his journey and achievements.

'The Fighter Who Rose Again,' a name that made him proud. Even after being abandoned multiple times, he managed to rise. He felt that his previous life was a series of events that defined who he was.

His past life had its ups and downs. He thought back to the moments when he was happiest, and he could only come to one conclusion: fighting.

Fighting was the only time he truly felt free. This freedom that he had long forgotten after his injury, this freedom that had been taken from him, he wanted to regain it at all costs.

However, he was afraid. He was afraid of this idea and of returning to combat. Deep down, he was still Hugo Alcis, disabled and empty inside. He no longer possessed that flame in his eyes that he displayed during his fights.

He was nothing more than a shadow of his former self.

He knew it, but he couldn't do anything concrete about it. It was natural for someone who had spent ten years of his life in a wheelchair to be afraid of the idea of engaging in the same activity that had caused his injury.

Ronin could only berate himself for being cowardly and fearful of the idea, but the reality was there: he never wanted to be reduced to that state again.

When he learned that he was in the world of Naruto, many questions came to his mind, the main one being 'Why?' Was it because he was a big fan of this work? He couldn't understand and decided to leave that question unanswered for the future.

Another question that often came to his mind was when was he born. Ronin, after listening to a few conversations between his parents, discovered that he was born a few years after the Second Ninja World War.

His parents very rarely spoke of that period, and with a sad and somber tone. It was clear that they didn't want to think back to such a difficult time in their lives.

This news quickly alerted Ronin. After thinking about it, if he had previously been completely resistant to the idea of fighting again, he now believed that he would only fight to defend himself and would have to reach a sufficient level of power to live properly.

But he didn't like that idea either. Not because he feared combat this time, but because he feared being sent to the frontlines at a very young age. With the Third Ninja War looming, what would indicate that he wouldn't be of age when it arrived?

Ronin felt oppressed by all these sources of fear, and on the other hand, he could only blame himself for becoming so weak. 'I'm given another chance in life, and I develop these kinds of thoughts... Where has the fighter who rose up gone? I'm pathetic... pathetic.' he thought.

After months of back and forth about whether to fight or not, he decided.

"Life is a gift. An experience that has been offered to us. In my previous life, we perceived life as something precious, something that should only end as late as possible by any means necessary.

That view is not mine. I want freedom, I want to be able to do what pleases me. I don't intend to live a restrictive life trying to hold on to it as long as possible.

I choose... to fight. I will fight again and again until death comes to take me once more. I want to make the most of this life. I have already lived a life deprived of freedom and purpose, and I never want to experience it again. This time, I will fight or die!'

Ronin had finally made his choice after six long months of inner struggle. He chose the path that pleased him the most—a tumultuous, violent, and bloody life awaited him on his journey.

For the past month, Ronin had been trying to sense his chakra. He guessed that if he were to become strong, he might as well start as early as possible. However, even with his exceptional instincts and analytical experience, in a fundamentally different world, he had not been able to sense his chakra.

'It's alright. I didn't expect to achieve it so quickly anyway. Let's continue.'

Every evening when his parents would put him to bed, he pretended to fall asleep quickly until he was left alone. Once his parents were gone, he meditated for two to three hours. Although it might not seem like much, his baby body required a lot of sleep.

During the eighth month of his existence, when Ronin had just woken up, he was surprised to see his father dressed very formally. He then started listening to their conversation.

"Is Ronin awake, Saki?" Jun asked. His muscles were more visible in his black suit than in his ninja attire. He had also styled his light brown hair for the occasion, which confused Ronin even more.

"Yes, he's awake. Are you planning to take him with you this year?" Saki asked, sounding worried.

"Yes, I would like him to be there to see the commemoration of the heroes who fought so that we could live. The Tsuchikage will also be present," Jun declared, with a proud yet sad tone.

'The Tsuchikage... Onoki? I mean, it's normal for him to be there for the annual commemoration, but I didn't expect Jun to take me there. Well, it doesn't matter,' Ronin thought.

After some preparations, Jun took Ronin in his hands, and they set off towards the cemetery where the commemoration was taking place.