Chapter 1 – The Shadow Behind the Hourglass
That night, Tokyo was as usual: the bustle of neon, the sound of vehicles, and a life that never stopped.
However, for Akira Renjiro, all that noise was nothing more than an empty shadow.
The 28-year-old man sat in his spacious office, alone. As the CEO of a multinational technology company, he was known as the perfect man—smart, handsome, rich. But behind it all, there was a wound that never healed.
A wedding photo on his desk showed the happy smile of a young woman, Arisa.
That smile ended forever on their wedding day, when an accident claimed her life.
Akira (whispering):
"Arisa… if only I could turn back time. If only we could be in another world… a world where this pain would never exist…"
...
Suddenly, golden light shimmered from his desk.
An hourglass appeared out of thin air, floating slowly with grains of sand spinning in reverse.
Akira (wide-eyed):
"What is this…? An illusion?"
A faint whisper was heard.
"Choose your path. Change your fate."
In an instant, the light swallowed his body.
...
When Akira opened his eyes, he was no longer in his office.
A gentle breeze, the smell of leaves, and dazzling sunlight greeted his eyes.
He turned around.
He was in a strange village—wooden houses in traditional style, people wearing metal headbands with leaf symbols.
Akira (confused):
"This place… it doesn't seem unfamiliar to me…"
"Don't tell me… Konoha?"
He recognized it. The Hidden Leaf Village, the fictional world from the anime he had watched since childhood.
But… something was off. Children were running, calling out names—
Child: "Oi, oi! There he is, Renjiro! The weird kid from that unknown clan!"
Another child: "Hahaha, he'll definitely fail again in the Academy exam!"
Akira froze. That name—Renjiro. It was his name.
But… why did these children know him?
An old woman passed by, whispering to her neighbor.
Old woman: "Poor child… his parents died during the Nine-Tails' attack. He's been alone since he was a baby."
Those words pierced Akira's heart.
He realized. He hadn't just entered the world of Naruto. He had replaced the role of Naruto himself.
Naruto Uzumaki… never existed. It was him who took that role.
...
In the days that followed, Akira began to realize his new life.
He was trapped in the body of a 12-year-old, but with the full awareness of a 28-year-old man. A strange mixture—the soul of a young father, the mind of a CEO, and the body of a child hated by the village.
At the Academy, he sat in the back row. The other kids were noisy, while he gazed out the window.
Iruka-sensei: "Renjiro! Are you listening or not?!"
Akira (smirking):
"Yes, yes, sensei. I hear you. It's just… this lesson is far too easy for me."
The other children burst out laughing.
Student A: "Hah, acting all cool! But he can't even do a proper bunshin!"
Student B: "He'll definitely fail again, haha!"
Akira stayed silent. He was used to those disdainful looks.
But in his heart, he said:
"You don't know… I'm far more than you can imagine."
...
That night, in his small lonely home, Akira sat deep in thought. Suddenly, the golden hourglass appeared again, floating before him.
Akira: "You again… You're the one who brought me here, aren't you? What is your purpose in bringing me into this world?"
The sand inside stopped, then spun rapidly. Light enveloped Akira's body.
In an instant, foreign memories stormed into his mind: harsh training, loneliness, the shouts of the villagers. All of Naruto Uzumaki's memories… replaced by his.
Akira staggered, panting.
Akira: "So… I really have to live this life? As… the Replacement Main Character… in Naruto's story?"
...
The next day, the Academy graduation exam began.
All the students gathered, waiting for their turn. Akira stood in the middle of the room, facing Iruka-sensei.
Iruka: "Alright, Renjiro. Your task is simple. Make three bunshin."
Whispers began to spread among his classmates.
Student A: "Hahaha, this is the best part! He'll fail again!"
Student B: "Loser!"
Akira closed his eyes. He knew his body was weak, his chakra messy. But… there was something inside him. A different power.
He raised his hand. Blue energy swirled, not an ordinary bunshin, but a hissing spiral of force.
Iruka (shocked):
"That… what are you doing, Renjiro?!"
The swirl exploded, creating shimmering clones of himself like holograms. The other students fell silent, awed yet afraid.
Student A: "What the heck is that…?!"
Student B: "That's not a normal Academy jutsu…"
Akira smiled faintly.
Akira: "If it's just an ordinary bunshin, that would be too boring."
...
But before Iruka could grade him, the classroom door slammed open.
A ninja with a scar across his nose, Mizuki, rushed in.
Mizuki: "Iruka! There's an emergency. The village needs you right away."
Iruka hurried out, leaving the class. Mizuki turned to Akira, his eyes narrowing.
Mizuki (whispering):
"Renjiro… tonight, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself. Don't waste it."
Akira stared back, feeling a bad premonition.
...
That night, just like in the story he knew, Mizuki tricked him with the forbidden scroll.
But unlike Naruto, Akira knew exactly where this story was headed.
Akira (to himself):
"If I truly replaced Naruto Uzumaki's role… then soon the truth about the Nine-Tails will be revealed.
Then… what will I do?"
The night wind blew, carrying a scent of mystery.
In his hand, the forbidden scroll glowed.
Behind him, Mizuki's footsteps drew closer.
Mizuki: "Hehehe… take that scroll, Renjiro. With it, you'll become the strongest ninja. You want to be acknowledged, don't you?"
Akira looked at the scroll, then lifted his gaze to the shining moon above.
Akira (whispering):
"If this really is the path I must walk… then I cannot turn back."
...
TO BE CONTINUED…