Konoha, Year 51 of the Hidden Leaf Calendar.
The Land of Fire. Hidden Leaf Village.
In recent days, the village's security had tightened significantly. Patrol squads now lined every street, a show of strength and vigilance.
The reason was simple.
In five days, a delegation from the Hidden Cloud would arrive in Konoha to finalize a peace treaty. After years of conflict, the Third Great Ninja War was drawing to a close.
Peace—true peace—was finally on the horizon.
The villagers were preparing for a grand celebration, spirits high, and expectations even higher.
But amidst the joy, one figure walked alone with a distant expression.
A tall, striking young man with white hair and a blindfold strolled through the busy streets, the hem of his long black coat brushing against the ground.
Tatsuya Hoshino.
"Shame I couldn't buy a life policy on Hyuga Hizashi," Tatsuya muttered with a sardonic grin. "And list myself as the beneficiary…"
Unfortunately, the insurance office had turned him down. "Only family members," they said.
"Oh well," he sighed. "This world's fair enough. If I got rich every time someone important died, I'd probably break the economy."
Tatsuya quickly shook off the thought.
Yes, he was a traveler.
Three years ago, on the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, the body he now inhabited—once a low-ranked Anbu member—had been fatally wounded in the line of duty.
That's when he arrived.
Thrown into this world, his soul fused with a dying body—limbs broken, chakra shattered. If not for the strange phenomenon that occurred that night, he would've joined the First Hokage in the afterlife.
And yet, something awoke within him.
A strange sense. A unique power.
A gift.
It had no name, but it allowed him to sense—and absorb—something unseen to others.
He called them "light clusters." Glimmers of raw essence that would fall off shinobi as they trained, fought, or even walked by.
And now, as he casually strolled through the village, those shimmering gold motes drifted into his vision again.
One floated off a nearby Genin. Another dropped from a passing Chuunin mid-conversation.
As he neared, the golden lights glided toward him.
[+10 Chakra]
[+30 Chakra]
[+50 Combat Experience]
Each orb melted into his body like sunlight into skin, fueling him—strengthening him.
This was Tatsuya's secret edge.
His "cheat," if there ever was one. An ability to absorb growth from the world itself. Chakra, experience, even jutsu or rare bloodline traits—if the conditions were right.
When he'd been confined to the hospital for over two years, he had nothing else to do but collect. From medics, injured ninja, and visiting ANBU captains—anything and everything they unknowingly dropped, he silently gathered.
The result?
An explosion in strength.
---
[Profile: Tatsuya Hoshino]
Age: 21
Rank: Jōnin
Chakra: Lv3 (4,580 / 5,000)
Ninjutsu: Great Fireball Lv4, Dragon Flame Lv3, Phoenix Fire Lv4, Wind Blade Lv3, Vacuum Bullet Lv3
Taijutsu: Konoha Flow Style Lv4, Leaf Hurricane Lv4
Genjutsu: Hell's Mirage Lv3, Mind Shatter Lv2
Special Techniques: Body Flicker Lv3, Clone/Transformation/Replacement Techniques Lv4
Bloodline Limit: None (yet)
---
He wasn't the same man who'd inherited this body. The original had been a no-name ANBU grunt.
Now?
Now, Tatsuya had risen to the level of an elite Jōnin. On paper, he was close to breaching into Kage-level chakra reserves.
He could manipulate all five elemental chakra natures—something even Kakashi Hatake hadn't mastered at his age.
And today, he was finally done with his recovery leave.
Three days of freedom left before reporting back to ANBU duty.
And that meant more fighting.
More danger.
And most importantly…
Better drops.
Just as Tatsuya was about to turn toward the ANBU base, a masked shinobi in standard ANBU gear appeared before him in a flicker of movement.
"Captain Hoshino," the masked ninja said solemnly. "The Hokage has summoned you."
Tatsuya raised a brow beneath his blindfold.
Sarutobi?
"Got it."
---
Minutes later, Tatsuya stood at the door of the Hokage's office.
"Come in," said the familiar voice of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The ANBU escort nodded and stepped aside.
Tatsuya entered.
Behind the desk stood the Third Hokage—aged, wise, and ever watchful. A faint smile crossed his weathered face.
"Tatsuya… you're looking well," Sarutobi said, his tone kind. "I'm glad to see you've recovered."
"Thank you for your concern, Lord Hokage," Tatsuya replied with a respectful bow.
As he lifted his head, his vision flared. Two clusters of brilliant light floated around the Hokage.
He blinked—only once.
[+100 Chakra]
[+100 Chakra]
[Chakra: Lv3 (4,780 / 5,000)]
Almost there. One final push.
Nice, he thought. The old man's chakra is worth ten Genin on its own.
He smiled—innocent and calm.
But beneath that smile, his mind was already racing.
If the Hokage himself had summoned him…
Something serious was about to begin.
---