Prologue

"It's a shame that a ninja descended from the Uzumaki and Yuki clans, who awakened the Kekkei Genkai: Ice Release, had to meet such an unfortunate end," remarked a half-black and half-white humanoid monster. Clad in a black robe adorned with red clouds, it observed me with pitying eyes.

"What other choice did he have? If he refused to join us, death was the only outcome," replied the man standing beside him. He wore a cracked and broken spiral-shaped mask, with torn clothes and ice markings, while his body bore numerous wounds, and one of his hands had been severed.

"Hey, hey, Obito, if it weren't for your Sharingan ability and our sneak attacks, you might have lost to him," taunted the white part of the humanoid monster, mocking the man called Obito.

Feeling my strength waning, I closed my eyes and quietly awaited my demise, contemplating a few things.

Throughout history, humanity has pondered the mysteries of life after death. Does heaven or hell exist? Is there a divine being who welcomes us into paradise? I couldn't deny the possibilities, for I had no knowledge of what lay beyond death. To establish the existence of something, proof is required, and to deny the existence of an afterlife, proof of non-existence is needed, which is both impossible and irrational. Yet, this does not imply blind belief in everything without evidence. In the organization known as Root, I was taught not to be gullible but also not to be overly skeptical. With infinite possibilities, our limited understanding holds little meaning in the vast ocean of uncertainty.

However, what I didn't anticipate was...

"They are two healthy children," a voice reached my numb ears.

With tremendous effort, I managed to open my eyes. Colors and lights sent painful spasms through my immature nerves as I was inundated with a cascade of sensations.

As my vision cleared, I noticed a figure who appeared to be the doctor who had assisted with the delivery, although he lacked the attire and tools one would expect. His aged and weary appearance, coupled with thick glasses, gave him the air of a seasoned old man. The room was dimly lit with flickering orange lights, casting dancing shadows around us.

"Candles?" I thought, trying to discern the source of the illumination.

Based on my observations, I deduced that we were in some kind of basement, as evidenced by the worn wooden ceiling. The cries of another baby nearby confirmed my suspicion. Were we in the midst of a cult ritual or a secluded birth? Both possibilities concerned me, especially now that my fate was inexorably tied to another person.

I rolled my eyes, attempting to survey my surroundings. Due to obvious constraints, I couldn't move my neck freely, relying instead on my peripheral vision. Though it wasn't as keen as before, I was confident in my ability to emulate some of the efficiency I possessed in my previous body. Peripheral vision is the brain's way of focusing attention on the center of sight, making it trainable and adaptable.

A woman with light brown hair and loving brown eyes entered my hazy and obscured vision. Her gaze alternated between me and another spot, and her long lashes curled slightly upward, giving her a gentle countenance. I presumed she was my mother in this life. It was intriguing to meet her since I had no memories of my previous mother, except for her sweet smile and silky red hair.

Ever since I joined Root, my memories were filled with training, murder, cover-ups, investigations, lies, and betrayal.

Well, there was also that fleeting taste of freedom after Danzo's demise, but apparently, I died because I refused to join Akatsuki.

In the end, I was more than just a tool of Root, a mere pawn in the hands of Danzo and that despicable Orochimaru.

After finally attaining my freedom, were there still those who sought to manipulate me? Even if my life would ultimately end, I took solace in the fact that I had severed those Obito hands, leaving him to live with the consequences.

Right?

Lost in my thoughts, a new voice grabbed my attention—a man making unfamiliar hand gestures. "Hello, little Ash, little Art, say hello to Daddy! Can you say 'Daddy'?"

I realized then that they were speaking a language I was unfamiliar with. I brushed it off as merely another language I had yet to encounter, but it did strike me as odd. After all, don't all villages use the same language? Though there may be dialectal variations, it was a fundamental lesson in Root that the underlying language remained consistent.

Could this be a village located so remotely that its language had little relevance to the outside world? Admittedly, I couldn't claim to be fluent in every language on Earth, but I prided myself on my grasp of the crucial ones, and then some. Yet, despite the unfamiliarity, I found myself understanding their words.

"They were just born, honey," the woman chuckled, her voice filled with warmth and affection.

The man scratched the back of his head awkwardly, chuckling in response. He possessed a striking handsomeness, with sharp jawlines, well-groomed beard, ash-colored hair, and eyes reminiscent of the ocean.

While I attempted to etch their features into my memory, the doctor—or at least the local healer—spoke again. "Mrs. Leywin, I recommend that you rest for at least a week. And if anything happens, please don't hesitate to contact me."

"Thank you very much," the couple expressed their gratitude, and I felt my eyelids growing heavier.

I continued to observe the scene, piecing together fragments of the puzzle. The flickering candlelight, the worn wooden ceiling, the peculiar language—it all painted a picture of a unique and isolated setting. But what puzzled me most was the fact that I understood their words. How was this possible?

As my consciousness swayed between confusion and curiosity, I couldn't help but wonder about the nature of this reality. Was it an alternate dimension, an unfamiliar realm beyond my comprehension? Or was it simply a part of the vast tapestry of existence that I had yet to explore?

The questions echoed within me, mingling with the residual memories of my previous life, my life in Root. Training, bloodshed, manipulation—it had been a cold and heartless existence. And now, in this new beginning, would I be condemned to repeat the same cycle?

The woman's loving gaze met mine once again, breaking through the swirling thoughts in my mind. She extended a tender smile, radiating warmth and kindness. Though I had experienced very little of such genuine affection in my previous life, it stirred a flicker of hope within me.

In this unfamiliar world, with its unknown language and strange circumstances, perhaps there was a chance for a different path. Maybe here, I could find something beyond the shadows of my past, a chance to forge my own destiny.

As I drifted in this sea of possibilities, I resolved to embrace the unknown, to seize the opportunities that lay ahead. My journey in this new life was just beginning, and while the challenges and mysteries loomed large, I was determined to navigate them with courage and conviction.

For now, I would embrace the warmth of my mother's love, cherishing the moments that would shape my future. And in doing so, I would unravel the enigma of this world, carving my own legacy, one step at a time.

In such a short span of consciousness, the energy of this infant body had already been depleted. Truly, being a baby was an unpleasant experience. Drifting off to sleep, I listened to the joyful chatter of the couple, enveloped by a sense of contentment.