After sending the trio outside, I leaned against the wooden wall, exhaling slowly. My mind was already shifting, mapping out the path I need to take.
I couldn't afford to be weak. Not in this world.
Power, real power is the only way to survive. And if I want to reach Kage-level before the real chaos started, before Orochimaru attacks Konoha, I need a plan.
Step one: Get out of this orphanage.
As long as I'm here, I will be under watch. whether it was by caretakers, nosy ninjas, or Danzo's vultures sniffing around for talent.—someone always will have their eyes on me. Once I join the Academy, I'd have freedom. Room to breathe, to grow.
Step two: Find a way to reach Kage-level.
The easiest path? Overpowered jutsus
Flying Thunder God- Minato's signature technique. If I could master it, I'd be untouchable. Speed beyond comprehension, the ability to appear anywhere in an instant—this was a technique that made even the strongest shinobi fear the Fourth Hokage. But getting my hands on it? That was the problem. Hiruzen wouldn't just hand it to me. I'd either have to prove myself as Konoha's ultimate weapon or… steal it.
Edo Tensei- A jutsu that literally brought the dead back to life. A personal army of S-rank shinobi at my command. If I had this, even the Akatsuki would hesitate before messing with me. But unless I became a Hokage candidate—or had Orochimaru's level of insanity—there was no way Hiruzen would let me near it. And stealing something that dangerous? If I got caught, I'd be executed on the spot.
Spirit Transformation Technique- Dan's ghostly possession jutsu. A technique that let the user leave their body and attack as a literal spirit. No physical form, no real weaknesses—only pure destruction. I liked it the moment I saw it in the anime. It had potential. But getting my hands on it was another story.
Lightning Chakra Mode- The Raikage's signature technique. Speed, durability, and raw power—all enhanced to insane levels. If I have it, I'd be Kage-level in no time. The problem? I'd need to either break into Kumo's archives or develop my own version through trial and error. And if that was really possible, Konoha would've done it already.
Sage Mode- Harnessing nature's energy to surpass human limits. With it, even a skilled Jōnin could rival a Kage. But Sage Mode wasn't something you learned. It was something you survived. I need a summoning contract with an animal clan that knew how to use it, like the toads or snakes.
Eight Inner Gates- Pure, raw physical power. No tricks, no chakra-based techniques just unlocking the body's natural limits. But the cost? Pain. Training that bordered on self-torture. And the final gate meant death. Guy made it look legendary, but even he had to sacrifice his own body to use it. Could I handle that?..I also have to be in best terms with Guy if I want him to teach me.
One way also can be if I create my own S-Rank jutsu.
But for using a S-Rank jutsu I will also need have high amount of chakra that means I also have to find a way to increase my chakra or I can use Fuinjutsu to store my chakra like Tsunade.
And then… there was the Jinchūriki path.
The only realistic opportunity? Gaara. The moment Naruto will knock him out after the Chunin Exams, that will be my one chance to steal Shukaku. But if I became a Jinchūriki, the Akatsuki would be on my tail. They wouldn't just kill me, they'd hunt me down like an animal. But I think I will definitely find a way to escape or fight them till that time.
If I want to walk that path, I need Fuinjutsu. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became. Fuinjutsu wasn't just a support skill—it was the foundation of nearly everything powerful in this world.
Flying Thunder God? A sealing formula
Jinchūriki control? Seals
Chakra storage? Seals
Creating new techniques? Seals
To seal Kaguya? Seals
And the best part? It relied on mental energy. I was a 20-year-old in a kid's body. My past life, my reincarnation—hell, even the sheer fact that I died and came here, it all pointed to my soul being stronger than it should be. That meant higher spiritual power. And higher spiritual power meant an easier time learning Fuinjutsu.
He was right for this part as his soul really got strengthen due to either his luck or his fate (refer chapter 2). So his soul power and spiritual power were very much stronger than anyone .
If I could master it, I wouldn't need to rely on others. I could carve my own path.
My fists clenched.
"I'm not dying again," I muttered. 'The memory of that helplessness, of my body failing me, of my own life slipping away without a fight, it made my stomach churn.' "Never again."
I exhaled, letting the tension drain from my body. One step at a time. Power wouldn't come overnight. I'd build it. Slowly, steadily, until no one could take my life from me again.
A chuckle slipped past my lips.
'Yeah. Not dying again is pretty damn good motivation.'
'And I have to start training my body and chakra to do any of these.'
Just as I was about to dive deeper into my thoughts, a loud *BANG*echoed from outside.
My body reacted before my brain did. Heart pounding, I pushed open the door, stepping into the dimly lit hallway. My hands clenched at my sides, muscles tensed.
Something was happening.
My body reacted before my brain did. Heart pounding, I pushed open the door, stepping into the dimly lit hallway. My hands clenched at my sides, muscles tensed.
I barely had time to process the noise before the whispers and excited gasps of the other children reached my ears.
"Ninjas!"
I followed the murmuring crowd to the entrance hall. The dim lantern light flickered against the walls, casting long shadows as three figures whose vests bore the insignia of the Hidden Leaf, their headbands glinting under the lantern light stood before them.
They looked like normal people. Tired, even.
A closer look revealed small details—the subtle shift of their stances, the way their eyes moved, scanning their surroundings constantly. Even at rest, they were prepared for anything.
Kazeo's pulse quickened.
Real shinobi.
Not actors, not illustrations on a page—real, living, breathing ninja.
My three roommates were among the gathered kids, their faces alight with awe.
I approached cautiously, my eyes scanning the scene. Our caretaker, Miss Kaori, stood to the side, a warm smile on her lips as she watched the children.
"Um… Good evening, Miss Kaori," I murmured.
She turned to me, concern flickering in her eyes. "Oh, Kazeo! Are you feeling better now? Do you need me to call the doctor again?"
I shook my head. "No, Miss Kaori, I feel much better now. But… who are they?"
Kaori glanced at the ninjas before turning back to me. "They used to live here, just like you all. They're your seniors, and they've come to show you some jutsus. Would you like to see?"
I blinked, my mind processing the information. "Oh… How did they become ninjas, Miss?"
She chuckled. "They trained hard and joined the academy. If you want to be like them, you'll have to strengthen your body and get admitted too."
I nodded, absorbing her words. But inwardly, I sighed. 'Damn it. She keeps adding extra sentences to every question I ask. She must really want us to become shinobi.'
'It's also hard to act like kid and ask questions I already know'
Still, I turned my attention back to the scene. The ninjas were preparing to demonstrate their jutsus, and I wasn't about to miss this..
Jutsus.
Kazeo swallowed, his hands clenching involuntarily.
This was it. His first real glimpse into the power system of this world.
The demonstration was simple—basic fire release, a few clones, a simple genjutsu. But to Kazeo, it was like witnessing gods bend reality with their fingertips. The warmth of the flames, the flicker of movement as the clones formed, the subtle shift in the air when the genjutsu activated…
It was all real.
'One day… will I be like that?'
He barely noticed himself moving closer. His focus locked onto the nearest ninja, his sharp eyes catching a small slip of paper stuck to the back of the man's vest. Almost instinctively, he reached out—
And the moment his fingers brushed the paper, the ninja tensed.
The man whirled around, eyes narrowing. "What the—"
Kazeo froze.
The shinobi stared at him, then at the paper in his hands. His brows furrowed, his expression unreadable.
"…When did you get behind me?"
His voice wasn't angry. Just… surprised.
Kazeo blinked, struggling for an answer.
"I— I just walked up to you. There was something on your back."
The man took the paper slowly, his gaze still locked onto Kazeo.
The man exchanged a glance with his teammate before stepping away, murmuring something under his breath.
Kazeo barely heard.
His mind was reeling. 'I snuck up on a ninja. A trained shinobi. And he didn't even notice until I touched him.'
He staggered back toward the crowd of orphans, his breathing shallow.
'What did I just do?'
----------
(First Ninja's POV)
"That kid…" I muttered, approaching my chunin comrade. "The one with the black hair. His chakra isn't even unlocked, but I swear he snuck up behind me without me noticing."
The other ninja's eyes sharpened. "Oh? You lost track of a child?"
"Shut up. I was just careless."
"Uh-huh. Let me test something."
He walked over, trying the same thing. But this time, the boy was caught before he could get behind him.
I sighed in relief. 'So it was my carelessness. Still… I need to sharpen my senses. If a kid can slip behind me, any half-decent genin could kill me in my sleep.'.
'I also have to increase my rank from genin by doing more missions and increase my pay grade, Sigh ... Life is very hard . I was happy when I was little just like them. '
The unease in my gut didn't fade.
I knew what I felt.
And I knew someone who would want to hear about this.
---------
(Kazeo's POV)
I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, my heartbeat slow and steady.
My mind raced.
Was it luck? No… I was too deliberate.
Was it skill? No… I barely knew what I was doing.
Then—'Why didn't he sense me?'
My stomach twisted.
It wasn't normal.
A cold chill ran down my spine.
'It can mean I may have a power.
Not a flashy bloodline. Not a god-tier cheat. But something.'
His lips parted. His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths.
'This… this could be my golden finger.'
The weight of it settled on his chest, pressing down like a boulder.
But then, the realization hit.
'This can be a ROOT territory.'
The children in this orphanage—future shinobi. Some of them, potential recruits for them.
Root didn't allow anomalies. Root erased risks.
His hands trembled as he clenched his blanket.
'They're going to find out.'
His breath quickened, his vision blurred at the edges. 'No, no, no. I messed up. I—'
He curled into himself, trying to suppress the panic clawing at his throat.
He knew what this world was. He knew the horrors lurking beneath the surface.
Kazeo wasn't stupid. He didn't have the plot armor of a main character. If someone like Danzo got wind of this and decided he was a threat—
I'm dead.
His breath hitched.
He forced himself to focus. 'Think. Think! '
There was only one way to survive.
He had to make them forget about him.
What he didn't know was that outside, those three ninjas were reporting to a figure cloaked in darkness.
---------
"So? Did you find anyone worth recruiting?"
The cloaked man didn't moved, yet the weight of his gaze bore down on them like an unspoken command.
The first shinobi hesitated. A lump formed in his throat as he chose his next words carefully.
And then—
His lips parted, and his voice came out softer than he intended.
"… I think ...There was one boy"
And just like that, Kazeo's fate was set in motion without his knowledge.
(To be Continued....)