Heavy rain poured down in torrents, drenching the vast, lush forest.
"Hmm?"
Beneath a massive tree, a silent boy suddenly opened his eyes.
"Where... is this?"
Slowly sitting up, he looked around in confusion.
He was just an ordinary modern-day person—an otaku, to be exact. Between grueling work and the occasional necessary social interaction, his true passion lay in novels, anime, and games.
Today, on a rare day off, he had been playing Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm at home. He had been completely immersed in the excitement of the game when, without warning, everything went black. The next thing he knew, he had woken up in this unfamiliar place.
"Could it be..."
His expression darkened as countless terrifying possibilities flashed through his mind.
"No, I... ah!!!"
Before he could react further, a flood of information and foreign memories violently surged into his mind.
The world he was in had a brutal history.
Due to disparities in resources, the power gap between nations had widened over time. Militants in various countries seized the opportunity to cause unrest. In response, Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure dispatched their shinobi to the borders.
Then came the inevitable—war erupted.
The Second Great Ninja War had begun, and its fiercest battles were raging in the Land of Rain.
Hanzō of the Salamander, the undisputed ruler of Amegakure, had demonstrated his overwhelming might, earning the title of "Demi-God." Even the three great ninja villages hesitated to act rashly against him.
War. Death. Destruction.
Scenes of unimaginable tragedy—real, raw, and far more horrifying than anything he had ever read—assaulted his consciousness.
"Hah... hah..."
Gasping for breath, his face pale and drenched in cold sweat, he clenched his fists.
"Did I... transmigrate?"
The overwhelming rush of memories left no room for doubt.
He had been transported into the world of Naruto—his favorite anime from his past life. But it wasn't the peaceful Konoha of Naruto's era. No, he had arrived in one of the most dangerous periods in history—the blood-soaked battleground of the Second Great Ninja War.
"Interesting."
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he forced a small smile.
Excitement. Anticipation. Confusion. Fear.
A whirlwind of emotions churned inside him.
To be honest, he had long grown tired of the monotonous, colorless life he had led before. He had often fantasized about being like the protagonists in those transmigration
novels—crossing into his favorite anime, gaining a powerful system, attracting beautiful women, and ultimately rising to the pinnacle of the world.
But he never imagined that it would actually happen.
"Normally, transmigrators get some kind of cheat ability, right?"
He muttered to himself, trying to suppress the nervousness bubbling within.
"A transmigrator should be blessed by fate… I should have something, right?"
Holding onto that hope, he called out tentatively in his mind:
"System?"
Ding!
A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his consciousness.
"System activated. Initializing... 1%... 2%..."
"Phew... I knew it."
Relief flooded his chest.
If he had been thrown into Naruto's brutal world without a system, survival would be nearly impossible. This wasn't just a world of dreams and heroism—it was a world where conspiracies lurked in the shadows, where betrayal and sacrifice were daily occurrences.
Especially during the Ninja Wars, death was the norm.
Without external help, a modern person like him wouldn't last long.
"99%... 100%."
"Ding! Seven Swords System activated."
"Seven Swords System?"
His lips twitched.
What kind of name was that? It didn't exactly scream overpowered.
"This system originates from the legendary Seven Swords of the Neon Kingdom in the Host's original world."
As if anticipating his skepticism, the system explained itself.
"Alright, then... What exactly do you do?"
At the end of the day, he didn't care about the name. What mattered was what the system could offer him.
"The function of the Seven Swords System is exactly as its name suggests."
As the system spoke, a strange image formed in his mind.
Amidst a swirling black mist, seven swords of varying lengths flickered in and out of sight.
"To ensure the Host's survival and growth in this dangerous world."
"As an initial benefit, the Seven Swords System will grant the Host a gift."
The black mist surged, and from the row of seven swords, the leftmost one slowly emerged.