Chapter 1 - : Crossing

"Sure enough, Madara had laid some tricks with Obito's body, otherwise, he wouldn't have been so confident handing over his plan to him!"

After reading the latest episode of the *Naruto* manga, Hajime Saito sighed, feeling a trace of sorrow for Obito. But the sympathy faded quickly—Obito was no longer the naïve, innocent child he once was.

To describe the current Obito as ruthless and cruel would be no exaggeration. If he could betray his own mentor, what was he incapable of doing?

"A pitiful person often brings about their own misfortune. This is his karma."

"But Sasuke's change of heart came too fast!" Hajime thought. Recalling when Sasuke announced that he wanted to become Hokage, Hajime couldn't help but twitch, shocked at the sudden turn of events.

"I have no idea how Kishimoto plans to handle Sasuke and Naruto. It looks like they'll have to duel in the end. I just hope it'll be epic."

"And the Fourth Hokage... I really hope Naruto can finally be with his parents," Hajime murmured to himself wistfully.

Hajime was an orphan, just like Naruto. He grew up in an orphanage, though his academic achievements were always impressive. He ranked among the top students throughout school.

After graduating from university, Hajime applied for several jobs. But either the pay was too low, or he was let go for inexplicable reasons. Over time, he realized he had unintentionally offended a well-connected official's child. That person had been quietly sabotaging him behind the scenes.

While Hajime was frustrated at the injustice, he knew it was simply how the world worked. Those with power could do as they pleased. Those without had to keep their heads down.

Hajime admired *Naruto* because he saw himself in the protagonist. However, Naruto had it better in some ways—at least he knew who his parents were, and he had friends by his side.

Hajime, on the other hand, found himself alone. Once people realized he had crossed someone powerful, they cut ties with him. Now, he was completely isolated.

"Forget it, no use thinking about things I can't change. After all, these are just Kishimoto's creations!" Hajime said to himself, trying to shake off the negativity. "I just hope Naruto and Hinata get together in the end!"

He laughed bitterly and was about to shut down his computer when a new webpage popped up.

"Do you want to go to the world of *Naruto*? Click 'Yes' if you want to, or 'No' if you don't!"

A bold message flashed across the screen, with the background featuring all the strong characters from the series. Hajime blinked in disbelief.

"What the hell is this? Who's pulling this prank?" he muttered, annoyed. "Hackers are getting more ridiculous by the day, coming up with these absurd tricks!"

Despite his skepticism, Hajime clicked the "Yes" button.

*Boom!*

A loud sound echoed, and Hajime vanished from his room. At the same time, everything in the house disappeared, as if no one had ever lived there. The space felt eerie and abandoned.

"Hiss…"

Hajime awoke, his body aching all over as if his bones had been disassembled and reassembled poorly. Sweat dripped down his face from the pain.

"Where am I?"

He opened his eyes and looked around, but everything seemed gigantic, triggering a wave of panic.

"I... I've transmigrated!" Hajime realized in shock.

He raised his tiny arm and confirmed his suspicion. He had indeed transmigrated—and he had become a baby.

Recalling the events just before his journey, Hajime was almost certain he had crossed into the world of *Naruto*. But whose life had he entered?

*Squeak*

The door opened, and a gray-haired old man stepped into the room. Hajime's eyes widened in disbelief—it was none other than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen walked up to Hajime, gently cradled him, and said softly, "Naruto, from now on, your life may be difficult, but I hope you live strong and inherit your father's Will of Fire. Protect Konoha!"

Hajime was completely stunned. He hadn't just entered the world of *Naruto*—he had *become* Naruto Uzumaki!

Recalling Naruto's childhood, Hajime felt like crying. How unlucky could he be?

"Those ignorant villagers better not treat me like they did in the original. If they do, I won't let it slide!" Hajime swore to himself.

The Naruto from the manga might have been forgiving, but Hajime wasn't nearly as lenient. He believed in consequences for wrongdoing.

Though Hajime liked *Naruto*, it was mostly because he related to the character. If asked to protect Konoha, Hajime wasn't as eager. The current Konoha was corrupt, no longer the village worth safeguarding, unless it could be renewed.

"But out of respect for the Third Hokage, I won't betray Konoha—as long as Konoha doesn't betray me," Hajime silently vowed.

The Third Hokage placed a bottle in Hajime's mouth, and feeling hungry, he drank deeply before falling into a deep sleep.

In his dreams, Hajime heard mechanical sounds, which caused him to frown.

"Ding... Life form detected... Compatibility confirmed... Initiating fusion..."

"Ding... Fusion successful... Chuangshen System activated..."

"Ding... Please choose an image for the system assistant..."

"Caolu Yachiru!" Hajime mumbled, half-asleep. Though he loved *Naruto*, he was also a huge fan of *Bleach*, and Yachiru Kusajishi had always been one of his favorite characters—not just for her cuteness but also her hidden strength.

"Ding... Yachiru Kusajishi image selected successfully... The system assistant will now serve you!"

"Master, wake up!" Yachiru's cheerful voice rang out in Hajime's mind, waking him.

At first, Hajime thought he was still dreaming, but hearing Yachiru's voice made him ecstatic.

"Of course! I've got a system—it wouldn't be a proper isekai without one!" Hajime laughed internally.

Closing his eyes, Hajime entered the system space and saw Yachiru standing before him. She spotted him and rushed over happily.

"Master, welcome to the Creation Space! I'm your system assistant, here to help with anything you need!"

Though Hajime was still a baby in the real world, his soul remained that of an adult, and he couldn't resist patting Yachiru's head.

"It feels just like the real thing!" he thought, but Yachiru quickly protested, "Master, stop that! You'll stunt my growth!"

"Haha, my bad!" Hajime laughed awkwardly, retracting his hand, and then began asking her about the system's functions.

Yachiru patiently explained each feature, and after some time, Hajime understood it well.

The system was incredibly powerful—once he earned enough points, he could exchange them for bloodline abilities and ninjutsu. However, he still needed to train to increase his strength; there were no shortcuts.

But this didn't bother Hajime. He believed hard work paid off. He had always been diligent, even in his previous life.

"However, Master, the exchange system only activates once you reach the rank of Jōnin…" Yachiru said apologetically.

It wasn't her fault—the system was designed that way. But Hajime didn't mind. Gaining strength too early would be meaningless if he couldn't handle it. He would just have to wait until the right time.

"Alright, Yachiru, I'm going back for now. I need plenty of sleep to grow up strong!" Hajime said with a smile.

"Okay, Master! Don't forget to visit me often!" Yachiru replied cheerfully.

Hajime exited the Creation Space, murmuring to himself, "From now on, I will live as Naruto Uzumaki. The old Hajime Saito is gone—he no longer exists."

With that, Hajime—now Naruto—closed his eyes once again and drifted into a deep sleep.