"Where… am I?" the boy muttered, his voice echoing into the void.
He looked around, only to be greeted by an endless sea of white. A vast, empty nothingness stretched out in all directions — no sky, no ground, just pure silence and light. Confusion clawed at his chest. Was he dreaming? Was this some sort of limbo?
Then, something changed.
A colossal figure emerged from the white, its form both ethereal and divine — like a star given shape. Its presence wasn't oppressive, but impossibly vast. It radiated warmth and power, an entity that felt older than time itself.
"Hello," the being spoke, its voice calm and all-encompassing. "You have died. But the karma you accumulated in your past life is… immense."
The boy blinked, stunned. "I… died?" he whispered, breathless. "How…? Is this real?"
The being nodded, with what felt like a smile despite its faceless form. "Yes. And because of that karma, I have been authorized to offer you something very few receive — the chance to be reborn. You may choose where, and what, you wish to be. And I shall grant you three wishes."
The boy's mind reeled. It didn't feel real. The whiteness, the being, the weight of those words — but something deep within him knew this was no dream.
"But there are two conditions," the being continued, voice soft but firm. "First, you will give up your former identity — your name, your face, your family, your friends… your memories will vanish, save for one thing of your choosing. Second… you must trade your karma. You will begin anew — empty, as if you had never lived at all."
Silence fell.
The boy stood still, eyes wide, breathing uneven. Then, after a long pause, he clenched his fists and met the being's gaze.
"…Okay. I understand."
The being simply waited.
The boy took a deep breath, heart pounding as he spoke clearly. "I want to be reborn into the Naruto world."
"Granted."
"I want to be reborn as a member of the Uzumaki Clan — the son of the clan's patriarch. And I want to be born two years before Kushina Uzumaki."
"Granted."
His voice steadied as he gave his final wishes.
"First wish — the Light-Light Fruit, from the world of One Piece. With no weaknesses or debuffs."
"Second — Omniscient Learning. I want to be able to learn anything instantly, flawlessly."
"Third — A system. One that will guide me, give me resources, knowledge, and power. One that will help me restore the Uzumaki Clan — not just to what it once was… but beyond. Stronger than any clan before or after it."
The being glowed brighter, a resonance in its voice now. "All three wishes shall be granted. Go forth."
Suddenly, the white void collapsed.
He felt pressure — like his skull was being crushed, his entire body folding into itself. His senses shattered, then reformed. He gasped, vision flooded with blinding light. Cold air struck his skin. And then—
He screamed.
It wasn't his choice — it was instinct. The uncontrollable cry of a newborn baby.
Warm hands held him close, and through blurred eyes, he saw the woman who'd birthed him. Her voice trembled with joy and relief.
"His name…" she whispered, cradling him. "Kiyomi Uzumaki."