Stuck?

Zeus tried to open his eyes, yet that proved to be impossible to do. He tried to move his legs or hands, but even that was difficult to do. He felt so hot and warm, as if he was being devoured by the sun, only that there was no light, only perpetual darkness.

Opening his mouth, Zeus tried to say something, or at least produce some kind of sound, but words just didn't come out. Continuing to move, Zeus finally understood that not all his sensations were blocked. Extending his hands, Zeus held onto something slimy and smooth.

'Yeah, this doesn't help at all.' Zeus concluded after some thinking. 'Did something go wrong with the reincarnation? It shouldn't have been unless Hades decided to do something funny.'

Yet, despite the current predicament, Zeus didn't panic at all, instead enjoying the current challenge. 'Alright, so I can't speak, can't move properly and only feel that I am in a strange sphere? Yeah, this seems quite difficult.'

For a moment, Zeus tried to use his powers, only to understand that he didn't have any anymore. After some thinking, Zeus decided to just wait for some time and listen to the surroundings. Perhaps he could at least hear something.

Thankfully, he did hear something. However, it was something completely different from what he anticipated. It was a woman's shout. Zeus frowned internally...there was no way, right?

As if to answer his thoughts, blinding light attacked his eyes, forcing him to close them. What came next was even more terrifying. Unprecedented coldness encircled his legs, forcing him to unconsciously open his mouth in unbearable pain. With his eyes closed and teeth gritted, Zeus tried to fight against the pain.

'What abominations are attacking me?!' Zeus cursed, cursing both light and coldness. Slowly, that coldness spread further and further, until touching upon his back. Yet, when this happened, something warm grabbed him by the legs and forced him out of the crater.

Before coldness attacked him again, Zeus got wrapped in something really warm. A blanket...a blanket? Opening his eyes, Zeus was once again blinded by the light, but this time was much better. Forcing himself to keep them open, he slowly got adjusted to the light, and all the blurriness disappeared.

'No fucking way.' Zeus thought, seeing a bleeding woman lying before him. She had long dark hair and an exhausted face, with dark circles hanging beneath her eyes. Despite that, she was still moderately attractive. However, what drew Zeus's attention was the unnerving amount of blood on the ground.

'Did I reincarnate into a newborn baby?' Zeus cursed his luck and the gods before realizing that he was, technically, a god himself. Then, Zeus decided to curse the universe.

Reincarnation worked in a really strange way, but it essentially enabled a soul to take over a recently dead body. So, Zeus reincarnating into a baby was completely unexpected, for babies dying in the womb was considered quite rare.

"Please, let me hold my baby." The woman said and Zeus felt coldness enveloping him again, as he left the former embrace. However, when the woman took him, a different kind of warmness welcomed him, and for an instant, he ceased thinking at all.

"Hello, I am your mother." The woman stared deeply into Zeus's blue eyes, love clear within them despite the exhaustion. "Some time ago, your father and I have thought of a few names and have settled on...Zeus. Yes, from now, you are Zeus, so grow up strong and eat healthily."

The woman then put her hand on Zeus's forehead, as Zeus continued to inspect her from below. She was dying. Slowly, but inevitably. Zeus's reincarnation had probably caused some internal injuries within her womb, and she was bleeding severely.

Judging from other people's movements, this world's healing power wasn't powerful enough to deal with an injury of this degree. Hence, Zeus could do nothing but listen to this woman's last words.

"Don't ever give up, even when others are telling you that it is impossible. I know you will be beautiful, but try to not play with too many girls." The woman continued, her voice growing weaker and weaker, as tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. "Don't force yourself to become a shinobi if it is something you don't want to pursue. Try to not steal or bully others...and...and..."

She clearly had much more to say, but death was looming over her. Eyes weak and half closed, she turned away from Zeus, instead lifting her head. With some difficulty, Zeus also bowed his head and another figure entered his view.

There stood an elderly man with a kind face and gentle demeanor around him. He had a fair complexion, short gray hair, and a long beard that extended down to his chest.

"Hiruzen. Please take care of this child and raise him, at least until he can make decisions for himself." The woman pleaded with a tear falling down her cheeks. "I know that you are busy, but I wish for Zeus to feel the warmth of home."

Hiruzen smiled in return. "Your wish will be my pleasure."

Smiling, the woman closed her eyes and entered her eternal slumber, holding in her hands both a kid and a god. Zeus stared at her for a long time, eventually deciding to discard the idea of entering the cycle of reincarnation again. This woman had struggled to give him birth and even tried to secure him a home. Hence, Zeus decided to accept his current predicament.

Hearing someone talking, Zeus once again turned his head.

"Third Hokage, are you sure you are going to take this kid in? The war is at its peak. I am sure there would be many people who would be willing to take this kid in."

"Don't worry. Minato is going to become the Fourth Hokage soon, and there are not so many battles that I have to personally participate in. Besides, Biwako will be the one going through the most trouble." Hiruzen answered, looking at the dead woman with grief. "She and her husband have been great shinobi - this is the least I can do for them."

'Damn. This body is really weak...' Zeus's head suddenly exploded with pain, as he was forced to shut his eyes. Exhaustion swathed him like a tsunami, and Zeus wasn't able to resist the temptation to fall asleep.