Chapter 2: Peace

Tyler found himself trapped in a small, dimly-lit cell, staring at the immense, nine-tailed fox in front of him. He realized that he was no longer himself but had been transported into the body of Naruto. The beast in front of him was Kurama, a powerful demon that he had only ever read about in the manga.

"Kurama!" Naruto exclaimed, feeling a sense of panic creep up inside him.

Kurama snorted, his eyes glowing in the darkness. "Why are you panicking?" he asked.

Kurama could sense emotions, and his frustration didn't go unnoticed. Kurama couldn't see any reason for Naruto's panic, so he called him out.

Tyler swallowed hard, his heart racing. "I know it seems weird, but I feel like something happened. It feels kind of frustrating for some reason. Hahahaha."

Kurama growled, his teeth bared. "Be careful," he said. "You're overworking yourself. Take a break."

Tyler hesitated for a moment, but Kurama's conclusion provided a perfect excuse. "I think so too," he said finally. "I will just walk around for now."

Despite having faced countless life-threatening battles, seeing a massive nine-tailed fox still stirred up Tyler's emotions. Nevertheless, he didn't fear, having become numb to fear over time.

Kurama's eyes narrowed, and heaved a sigh. "Whatever!"

Tyler's heart lifted at the small sign of progress. "See you later."

Kurama was silent for a moment, his eyes flickering over Tyler's face.

Tyler stood on the rooftop of a tall building, feeling the wind whip through his hair. Although it was odd, he was now a famous ninja named Naruto, celebrated for his bravery and role in saving the world from certain destruction.

He looked out over the city and heard a sudden burst of screams and excited chatter. Turning, he saw a group of girls running towards him, their eyes bright with adoration.

"Naruto! Naruto!" they called out, waving their arms in excitement.

Naruto looked unsure of how to handle the sudden attention. He had been the center of attention before, but not in this way, and he wasn't sure if he liked it.

"Um, hi there," he said, trying to be friendly. "What can I do for you?"

The girls giggled and batted their eyelashes, their faces flushed with excitement. "Oh, Naruto, we just wanted to say hi and tell you how much we love you," one of them said. "You're so strong, brave, and handsome!"

Naruto jumped from the building and swiftly landed on the ground easily. He leaned towards the girl before him as he looked at her.

Her cheeks grew even hotter, still feeling more than a little uncomfortable with the attention. But she also felt a strange thrill of excitement.

"Uh, thanks," he said, not sure what else to say.

"Naruto! An autograph and selfie," one of them said.

The girls chatted with him for a few more minutes, taking selfies and asking for autographs. Tyler did his best to be polite and friendly, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. He knew that he was living someone else's life, but he didn't know how to reconcile that with his own identity.

"Maybe this won't be bad. I am popular and it's peaceful. Love is in the air, and I can fulfill my dream here," he thought, letting out a light giggle.

As Naruto turned around, he was met with the stern expression of Rock Lee. The spandex-clad ninja had his arms crossed and his eyes fixed on Naruto.

"Naruto! What are you doing up here?" Lee demanded.

Naruto tried to play it cool, waving his hands towards the girls he had been talking to. "Just chatting with some girls. You should have joined me, Lee."

Lee's face contorted with anger, and Naruto felt a creeping sense of unease. He had no idea what was going on or how to handle this situation.

"I understand. This is the time to enjoy our youth," Lee said, his voice low and menacing.

Naruto was confused. He had never met Lee in person before, only knowing him from the anime. Was he supposed to play along with this part of the story?

"It's not like that," Naruto stammered. "I was just being friendly."

But Lee wasn't buying it. "Your outfit tells otherwise. Maybe we should enjoy our youth together," he said, showing his teeth and a mischievous sparkle in his eye.

Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine. He didn't want to imagine what kind of trouble Lee had in mind.

"Sorry, Lee," Naruto said quickly. "I feel sick and I need to train."

Lee's expression softened slightly. "What kind of training?"

"Endurance training," Naruto replied. "I need to be able to survive harsh climates and keep getting stronger."

Lee nodded, his tone still stern but less angry. "Very well. But remember, I will train ten times harder than you."

Naruto shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm really not in the mood for training right now. Maybe some other time."

Lee nodded, understanding. "If you ever need a training partner, you know where to find me."

As Lee ran off, Naruto felt a sense of relief wash over him. He couldn't believe how close he had come to getting into a fight with his friend.

"That was weird," he thought to himself. "Still, I wonder what he's up to now."

Naruto pressed himself against the wall, feeling too many eyes on him. "I should get dressed," he murmured. "I don't like feeling so exposed." And with that, he jumped back inside through the window.

As Naruto lay by the riverside, enjoying a popsicle, he couldn't help but reminisce about his own childhood. He had grown up in the depths of society, constantly running from danger. As a result, he had become an underground fighter and ultimately met his death. But now, as he lay there, he finally experienced the peace and relaxation he had longed for.

Suddenly, a scream pierced through the tranquil atmosphere, jolting Naruto from his reverie. He opened one of his eyes and looked in the direction of the commotion. A young girl was crying out for help, as one of their toys had been swept away by the current. Naruto slowly stood up, brushing off the dust from his clothes, and leaped towards the girl.

"Did a kill get drowned or what?" Naruto quipped casually, looking at the slow and steady flowing river.

Tears streaming down her face, the young girl pointed to the river and said, "Our ball… We lost it."

Upon closer inspection, a ball was slowly drifting away in the gentle current of the river.

Without a second thought, Naruto set foot on the river water, and to his surprise, he found that he could walk on water. Even he was shocked as he thought he had no chakra control, but it seemed he had inherited some of Naruto's skills. He slowly walked across the water towards the flowing ball, using his ninja skills to maintain his balance on the slippery surface.

Once he reached the ball, he carefully removed it and threw it back to the children who were eagerly anticipating its return. "Enjoy!" Naruto exclaimed, feeling a sense of satisfaction at being able to help.

As the children ran off to resume their games, Naruto got back to his spot on the grassy field, relaxing in the sun. Before he knew it, he had drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

But his rest was short-lived, as the sound of heavy rain woke him up. He jolted awake, looking around in confusion as he realized he had been asleep for quite some time. The rain was coming down hard, soaking him to the bone within seconds. Naruto quickly stood up and looked around for shelter, but none was in sight.

Grrr…. Buzzz…. Crackle!! A bright flash of lightning flashed, with heavy sounds of rain.

"Who cares?" he murmured, looking up at the dark, rainy sky.