World Selection & Loot Boxes

Not that I'd want to be reborn in Marvel, anyway. I've only watched a couple of the movies—mainly to see what the fuss was about—and, if I'm being honest, I've probably read more Marvel fanfiction between my surgeries than actual comics. Which, yeah, is a little embarrassing for a grown man, but whatever. 

Moving along. 

I still had plenty of other worlds to explore. "Search for Hunter x Hunter," I said.

The screen blinked, and one result popped up. 

[1. Hunter x Hunter]

Only one? That was odd. Marvel had an entire multiverse of options, but Hunter x Hunter? Just the one. 

"Search for Bleach," I tried. 

[1. Bleach]

Same thing. Just one world. 

I scratched my chin, thinking it over. Was Earth the only world with multiple versions? Maybe it was because of Marvel and its endless alternate realities. That, or maybe it was that the concept of "Earth" had been done to death. Literally, but at least this way, I wouldn't accidentally end up in some weird offshoot version of an anime where everyone wore top hats and spoke in riddles. 

Still, this was all a figment of my imagination, right? The result of some final, cancer-riddled brain spasm. No matter how excited I got, no matter how real it felt, I knew the truth: at any moment, I'd wake up in that cold hospital room, under those thin, scratchy sheets, with Delores standing over me, trying to steal a kiss. 

A sigh escaped me. That little spark of excitement I'd felt, the butterflies in my stomach—they were long gone, replaced by the weight of reality. I wasted my life. 

It might not seem like it, but I did. Regardless of my title, and profession, and amount of lives saved, here I was, an old man with nothing left to show for all my years. My kids? Gone. My ex-wives? Even further gone. And me? Brain cancer. Alone. Waiting to die in a dingy hospital bed. 

Oh well. What could I do now? I had two choices: stand here and wait for the dream to end, or keep playing along with it. 

I rubbed my temples. Screw it. I'm going to keep dreaming. 

"Search for Earth. The world where I lived." 

An error message popped up. 

[Unfortunately, the host planet is no longer available. Please select another world.] 

I frowned. Well, that's one way to close a door. It seemed I was officially cut off from returning to Earth. Not that I necessarily wanted to return to that crumbling reality anyway, but seeing the option flat-out denied was still weird. 

Okay, so what are my options now? I could choose any world I wanted, but only a few even remotely interested me. Let's be real: I wasn't about to live in some boring slice-of-life world where my biggest concern would be whether I got a seat on the train. I needed action. I craved it. 

I mentally filtered my options. 

Top picks? Naruto, My Hero Academia, One Punch Man, Bleach, and Hunter x Hunter. That was the lineup. 

Then there were the worlds I didn't care about as much—One Piece, Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer, Death Note. 

It wasn't that I disliked those worlds. I mean, I liked them. I'd dabbled in One Piece, but I didn't exactly have the time to catch up on 1,000 episodes of pirate shenanigans. That anime was long. And don't even get me started on Attack on Titan. The last thing I needed was to spend my afterlife getting eaten by a giant naked humanoid. And as much as I loved Death Note and Demon Slayer, they just didn't seem like great places to be reincarnated. Too much drama. I could practically feel my stress levels rising just thinking about it. 

So that left me with my top five: 

My Hero Academia was probably the most PG of the lot. A world where 80% of the population had quirks, and superheroes were part of the daily grind. I always liked the concept—the idea of waking up one day and realizing you could shoot lasers out of your eyes, or fly, or turn your fingers into chainsaws. And compared to the other worlds on my list, My Hero Academia had the lowest death toll. 

One Punch Man was a feel-good choice. Sure, there were monsters and cities getting destroyed, but at the end of the day, you always knew Saitama would show up and bring things back to normal. You couldn't beat that. It was like the anime version of comfort food. 

Then there was Bleach. Ah, Bleach. Who wouldn't want to wield a Zanpakuto with a cool name and even cooler powers? Plus, the Shinigami, Kido (magic arts), Hakuda (martial arts)—the whole system was incredibly cool. And Aizen was a peak anime villain. One of my favorite characters of all time. 

Now, Hunter x Hunter was also up there. The power system alone made it a contender. Nen was so versatile. You could basically shape your abilities to fit your personality. And the characters—Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio—had the perfect balance of lightheartedness and depth. I could picture myself fitting in there, maybe chilling in Whale Island or learning how to use Nen in some remote training ground. It'd be a nice change of pace. 

Finally, Naruto was the first anime I ever watched. It was a world of ninjas, full of tragedy and hope, filled with insane jutsu and unexplored Kekei Genkai. The sheer potential of chakra and what could be done with it always fascinated me. The characters were layered, and the world itself—both vibrant and dangerous—was a place I could lose myself in. 

Yeah, it was obvious from the start, wasn't it? I thought with a sigh. My mind was already made up. 

"Search for Naruto world." 

[1. Naruto] 

I didn't hesitate. "I would like to be reborn in this world." 

[Are you sure? Once selected, this decision cannot be changed.]

The familiar weight of my old life tugged at me, but I brushed it aside. "I'm sure."

[Naruto World selected! Congratulations on your first-world choice. You have been awarded three random loot boxes tailored to the level of the Naruto World. Preparing distribution…]

Before I could even process that, the universe around me jolted. The stars shot past in a blur of colors, and it felt like I was hurtling through space at supersonic speed. I couldn't tell if I was the one moving or if everything else was moving past me, but either way, the view was incredible. Vast and endless, the universe stretched out before me in every direction. It made me feel small, but in a good way, like I was part of something bigger. 

And then—there it was. A green and blue orb appeared in the distance, growing larger with every passing second. A smaller, grey orb floated beside it. 

That's… that's the Naruto world. And that… My breath caught in my throat. That's the moon. The moon where Kaguya is sealed!

Excitement bubbled up inside me. Even if this was all in my head, even if I'd gone completely mad from cancer, this moment—this view—was worth it. I felt alive again as if I were living for the first time in decades. 

[Loot boxes prepared. Now distributing...] 

Suddenly, three shimmering motes of light appeared so bright that I had to shut my eyes. When I opened them again, the lights faded, leaving three floating boxes behind.

The loot boxes hovered in front of me, about the size of a suitcase. Now that I really looked at them, they reminded me of the lootboxes from Overwatch, only fancier. Sleek, metallic, with reinforced corners that gave them a high-tech, industrial feel. They had the same design that screamed, 'I'm filled with something awesome, and you'll never guess what until you open me!' 

I couldn't help but rub my hands together in anticipation. This is it, I thought, my golden finger moment. I'd read so many fanfics where someone got reincarnated with some kind of system or cheat ability, and now it was my turn. I had to admit, even though I still half-expected to wake up in the hospital at any second, the excitement was real. 

Pointing at the boxes, I asked, "Are these… Overwatch loot boxes?" 

A message popped up in front of me, answering: 

[Yes and no. These crates resemble the aesthetics and functionality of the loot boxes found in the Overwatch video game you referenced. However, the loot within can be anything from abilities, skills, talents, or items found in the media you consumed during your first life.]

Well… That's even better. 

I grinned like a kid about to open presents on Christmas morning. If these boxes could contain anything, then I was in for a real treat. "Alright, then," I said, rubbing my palms together. "Let's get to it. Open the first loot box!" 

The box whirred to life with a faint hum, and a radiant yellow light shot from its center, escaping through the cracks on its sides. It clicked and clanked as the metallic panels shifted, unfolding like some intricate mechanical puzzle. I watched, wide-eyed, as the top opened—and in its place floated... a paintbrush, a book, and a violin. 

Huh? 

The items hovered before me, spinning slowly as the message appeared. 

[Legendary item Acquired: You've unlocked Apollo's Talent in Art, Music, and Poetry! With Apollo's legendary skills, you'll create works that rival the gods themselves. Whether you're composing a symphony, painting a landscape, or writing an epic poem, your artistry will inspire awe in anyone lucky enough to witness it. Every stroke, every note, every word will be a masterpiece.]

I blinked, completely caught off guard. "Apollo? As in the Apollo? God of the sun, art, music, archery, poetry, disease and healing?" I muttered to myself. "That Apollo?"

I reached out, and the items gently floated into my hand. They were miniaturized, so they felt light—too light for something with this much power behind it. Legendary talent from a Greek god. It was… amazing. Bizarre but amazing. I wasn't exactly sure how art would help me survive in the Naruto world, where people throw fireballs at each other and summon giant toads, but still, I had to admit, this was pretty cool. 

Would this help me fend off an ambush from ninjas? Probably not. Could it make me filthy rich and famous? Most definitely. 

"Alright," I said, "Open the second loot box."

This time, the second box glowed a bright pink as the mechanisms whirred and clicked into place. The panels folded down like before, and as the light faded, I saw the item inside—a kitchen knife.

"A kitchen knife?" 

[Epic Item Acquired: Congratulations, Chef! You've unlocked Jōichirō Yukihira's Culinary Package. We're not talking about your average cooking skills here. You've just been given the culinary expertise of one of the greatest chefs in the world. With this, you can whip up dishes so divine, they'll make people weep—or scream, depending on the seasoning. You know your way around every ingredient and tool like you were born with a spatula in your hand. Bon appétit!] 

Yukihira? From Food Wars? I knew I recognized that name. That anime was a bit too... fanservice-y for my taste, but I couldn't deny that the food looked incredible. With this skill, I could turn ramen into a gourmet experience and probably cause people to pass out from how good it tasted. 

Did this help in battle? Nope. Was it going to be useful if I wanted to live like a king? You bet ya. 

"Alright, I guess I'm set to become the world's richest ninja chef-artist. I'll cook your meals and paint your portraits, all while composing a sonnet about it." I said but quickly sobered as I eyed the last loot box. This was it—the last one. My palms were starting to sweat from nervousness.

"Open the last loot box."

The universe around me trembled. What the—? I staggered slightly as the very space around me seemed to ripple and shake. A golden-orange light, almost too bright to look at, shot out from the box, streaming into the space around me like a supernova. The familiar clicking sound followed, and when the box finally opened, I saw it—a syringe. 

A frown creased my brow. 

Then the message appeared:

[⍉⍉⍉ Item Acquired: Limit Breaker Injection] 

[Congratulations! You've unlocked the ⍉⍉⍉ Limit Breaker Injection. This upgrade ensures that every part of you—whether it's your mind, body, or skills—will continue improving. However, the journey isn't instant. You'll need to train hard, push yourself to the edge, and only when you reach your limits will you be able to shatter them. Intelligence, strength, learning—whatever you focus on will keep growing, no matter how high you climb. No plateaus, no ceilings, just endless potential waiting to be unlocked. Get ready to redefine what's possible—because with effort and persistence, there are no limits for you.] 

My jaw dropped.

"What... the actual... fuck."

===

[A/N] What's scarier than a shinobi with no limits? Trick question—nothing is scarier.