Ken's consciousness stirred amidst a haze. In the distance, he seemed to hear faint voices calling out.
"Nawaki! Nawaki, wake up!"
"He's losing too much blood—where's the medical-nin? Stop the bleeding, now!"
"Damn it! Who set an Explosive Tag trap in a place like this?!"
"..."
"Lady Tsunade is here—Tsunade-sama!"
"Nawaki, hang in there. You've got to hold on…"
"...Wake up…"
"Nawaki…"
The chaotic noise buzzed incessantly in Ken's ears, making it impossible to rest. He wanted to shout back in protest, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't open his eyes.
He didn't know how long he endured this for.
Finally, his eyes snapped open, and he roared instinctively.
"Shut the hell up already! Can't a guy get some sleep?! Who the hell is Nawaki anyway? My name is Ken!"
But the moment the words left his mouth, something felt off. Why did his voice sound so... soft? So high-pitched and weak, like a mosquito's buzz? He sounded like he hadn't eaten in days.
Just as he was reeling from this realization, a cheer erupted in the room.
"He's awake! Nawaki's awake!"
"Quick, go get Lady Tsunade!"
The clamor of footsteps and rustling movements followed, leaving Ken dazed and confused.
Then, like a tidal wave, a flood of unfamiliar memories surged into his mind. It was like a once-empty school bag suddenly stuffed with textbooks—cramped and chaotic.
After sifting through and coming to terms with the flood of memories, Ken finally grasped what had happened to him.
He had transmigrated. The stuff of fiction—this impossible, overused trope—had actually happened to him.
And not just anywhere. According to these inherited memories, he now lived in a world of ninjas, one where five great nations reigned over the continent. The Five Great Hidden Villages stood as military centers for their respective nations, while countless smaller countries and minor ninja villages dotted the rest of the land.
As for himself, he was now a member of the Hidden Leaf Village in the Land of Fire.
His grandfather? None other than Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage and founder of the village.
His older sister? Tsunade—a top-tier medical-nin famed for her monstrous strength.
His name? Nawaki.
His dream? To become Hokage... like hell!
As if I've never watched Naruto! Like I don't know who Hashirama and Tsunade are?!
With that sudden realization, the emotional resonance brought by Nawaki's memories was immediately dispelled. Ken had never felt more certain: He was Ken—not Nawaki.
But the aching pain coursing through his whole body made it equally clear: this was no dream. It was reality.
"Not only did I transmigrate into the Naruto world," he muttered, rubbing his temples, "but I became Nawaki—the kid who was supposed to die on the battlefield. Doesn't that change history? Will Tsunade still develop hemophobia and leave Konoha? In a world full of broken power scaling and overpowered freaks, the only thing I have going for me is knowing the original plot..."
As he thought about it, he winced and gritted his teeth—rubbing his temples had tugged at his wounds.
Originally, Nawaki had died from falling into an Explosive Tag trap, his internal organs completely obliterated. While Ken's intervention had altered that fate, the injuries this body had sustained were still severe. The fact that he survived at all was a miracle.
Suddenly, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[System rebooting... 0%, 10%... 100%. Reboot complete. Welcome to the Lord God System.]
The so-called reboot took only a few seconds.
Ken's eyes widened. His mouth dropped open in disbelief.
A system? Did the trauma from transmigrating make me start hallucinating?
[This is no hallucination, Master. I exist within your consciousness and can communicate directly with your mind.]
Wait, what? A real system? Could this be… That famous op trope of transmigrators?
Overjoyed, Ken quickly focused. He wanted to know what this system could actually do.
The voice responded, as if anticipating his thoughts.
[Master, this system is called the "Lord God System." Based on your memories, you can think of it as akin to the systems from other worlds—where the Lord God issues missions and governs adventurers.]
"Lord God?" Ken shivered. Cold sweat broke out across his forehead.
Those things that could wipe people out with a thought… and it's in me?!
That might not be such a good thing. What if the system gave him morally bankrupt tasks, completely against his principles? Would he force himself to do them just to survive, or resist and face destruction?
The former meant slowly changing into someone he didn't even recognize—a walking corpse.
He'd rather die than become that.
Sensing his turmoil, the system interjected quickly:
[This system is merely a Lord God Auxiliary Program. It grants you the ability to trade, exchange, and manifest items—but only through your own choices. In other words, you are the true Lord God.]
"I'm… the Lord God?" Ken blinked in confusion.
[Correct. You can select your own "Reincarnators," assign them missions, and earn points based on their completion. These points can be exchanged for anything you desire…]
The system droned on, but Ken's mind was already spinning. He didn't fully grasp everything yet.
Still, he was too embarrassed to admit it. He chalked it up to his brain still adjusting to Nawaki's memories. And besides—this system was just too weird.
The system let out a mental sigh.
[Very well, Master. Why don't you try it for yourself? That way, you'll understand how it works. Currently, you have one available Reincarnator slot. You can assign this to anyone within your field of vision. Note: stronger Reincarnators can complete higher-reward missions, but if they're too strong, they may break free of your control... unless—]
The system's words faded into the background.
At that moment, the door to the hospital room swung open—and in walked a stunning, curvy young woman. Her golden hair was tied into a lively ponytail that accentuated her elegant yet spirited features.
But right now, her eyes were brimming with tears.
In a blur of motion, she rushed to Ken's bedside, wrapped her arms around his head, and hugged him tightly—her tears dripping onto his face.
"Thank goodness… Nawaki, you're okay! I was so scared…"
"Mm-mmph!"
"What's wrong, Nawaki? Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Mm-mmph! Mm-mmm!"
Ken flailed, trying desperately to escape from the suffocating embrace. When he finally broke free from Tsunade's… assets, he gasped for breath like a drowning man.
If the Explosive Tag didn't kill him, being smothered by his sister's weapons of mass destruction certainly would have. A ridiculous way to go.
Yes—this young woman was none other than Tsunade. Just 22 years old, yet already equipped with… an overwhelming presence. When she hugged him, all that could be seen was the back of his head. Terrifying.
Seeing him gasping for air, Tsunade finally realized what she'd done. Blushing, she flicked him on the forehead.
"You're just a kid. What were you thinking? Don't go picking up bad habits from that pervert Jiraiya!"
"Ow—!"
It wasn't a light flick. His injuries flared in protest, and Ken winced in pain.
Seriously—give the guy a break. He was still a patient, after all!