Chapter 1: Rina
Pain's Heavenly Path slowly rose into the sky.
"One bag of rice—how many floors to carry?"
"One bag of rice—second floor."
"Shinra Tensei!"
A colossal repulsive force erupted from Pain's body. At that instant, a figure rushed to his side, trying to stop him.
The immense repulsion flung the figure away, whipping up everything around it. Buildings crumbled into rubble; the entire village turned to ruins.
"Where… am I? Who am I? What happened to me?"
"Did I just get blasted by Shinra Tensei?"
Chen Tian groggily uttered the classic three soul-searching questions before passing out again.
In the darkness, he dreamed of Pain's "Feel the pain" scene—so vivid it felt real, as if he were truly there.
When he next opened his eyes in a haze, he saw a simple wooden house. He was lying on a crude wooden bed.
"My… my body!"
Chen Tian looked in horror at his tiny, frail frame. Clearly, he had either transmigrated or been reborn—and this place was utterly unfamiliar.
"Hey, little guy, you're awake."
A plainly dressed girl walked in, cutting off Chen Tian's thoughts.
"Where… where is this?"
Chen Tian snapped back and asked.
"This is a small village near the border of the Land of Fire. I'm a villager here. Don't be scared, little one."
The girl gave Chen Tian a gentle smile.
"Land of Fire? Naruto?" Chen Tian stared at her in shock, muttering to himself—had he really crossed into the Naruto world?
"Land of Fire—does that mean there's Konoha Hidden Village?" he pressed.
"Yep! Our little village has lived peacefully all these years thanks to the protection of Konoha's ninja."
Her answer confirmed it. Chen Tian's heart pounded—he was indeed in the Naruto world.
"Little guy, how old are you? What's your name?"
Ignoring his stunned expression, the girl sat on the edge of the bed and gently ruffled his hair.
"I-I'm Yue. I'm… 4 years old!" Chen Tian guessed from his scrawny body. The name just popped into his head. Since he'd really crossed over, he hoped to channel Light Yagami's smarts and survive cleverly.
"You just woke up—you must be hungry. I'll get you something to eat. Rest easy. Big sis isn't a bad person, okay, little Yue-Yue?"
She smiled warmly and left the room.
Yue, powerless to retort, muttered, "Little Yue-Yue, my ass."
"Come out, System-kun!" After she left, Chen Tian jokingly called in his mind. If he'd transmigrated, there had to be a golden finger to help him thrive in this world.
That dream had been too real—the despair, the helplessness—it all lingered.
But no matter how he shouted inwardly, nothing answered. He waved his tiny arm—no surge of power, nothing special. Just an ordinary kid.
"Damn it. Everyone else who crosses into Naruto gets a system, a Zanpakutō, a tailed beast, or a cultivation method. And I'm just… normal?"
The blow left him reeling.
Moments later, the girl returned with a steaming bowl of noodle soup. She called him to sit and eat, then asked about his past.
"My… my parents were merchants. We were traveling when bandits attacked. They died protecting me. I barely escaped and collapsed here." Chen Tian forced a bitter expression as he spun the lie.
The girl's eyes softened with pity. "Poor child. My parents died in the last ninja war, too."
"I'm Rina. Call me big sis from now on!"
"I found you unconscious in the woods not far from the village. I carried you back."
"We're fated, I guess. From now on, big sis will take care of you!"
Looking into the gentle, kind eyes of this girl named Rina, Chen Tian—now Yue—said gratefully, "Thank you, Rina… sis?"
It felt awkward for a 20-something soul to call a 14- or 15-year-old "sis."
"Rina-nee, what year is it in Konoha? Do you know?"
He needed the timeline. The Second Great Ninja War was over; the Third was two years away. If this village got caught in the crossfire, he'd die without knowing why.
"It's Konoha Year 45. You sure know a lot about Konoha—are you hoping to become a ninja someday?"
Rina teased.
"Yes! I want to be a ninja and protect Rina-nee!"
Yue's face flushed, but he meant it. In this world, how else could he survive?
Konoha 45—two years until the Third War. Who knew if this village would be affected?
"Want to be a ninja, huh? Then you've gotta work hard, Yue."
"Promise kept—big sis will be counting on you to protect her."
Rina's playful tone turned serious.
Yue nodded firmly. It felt childish, but at least he had someone now—a home.
And so, Yue and Rina lived peacefully in the village for half a year.
Rina earned money doing odd jobs, mostly at a local noodle shop. Yue helped with light chores at home—his body was too weak for more.
One day, Yue lay on a hillside, a foxtail grass in his mouth, staring blankly at the sky.
Six months in the Naruto world, and he'd tried every day to find some hidden talent.
Nothing. Ordinary. Bitterly ordinary.
His only path: get to Konoha, enroll in the Ninja Academy, and study hard.
If he had no talent, he'd be cannon fodder.
Rely on his mouth alone? Rina's household barely scraped by. Yue hadn't tasted meat in months—just noodles. His malnourished, sickly look didn't help, no matter how handsome he thought his soul was. And the Academy's tuition? A pipe dream.
BOOM!
A massive explosion. Thick smoke rose from the village.
"No! The village!"
Yue's first instinct kicked in. He bolted toward it. He was weak, useless—but Rina was there, the gentle sister who'd cared for him these past six months.
"Here, caught a little brat."
A tall man casually tossed Yue to the ground. Their forehead protectors marked them as Takigakure renegades.
Takigakure had the highest defection rate—squeezed between the Five Great Nations, survival was brutal. Many fled to make their own way.
Yue scrambled up in pain, heart racing. Fuck. Just when things were calm—renegades raid the village? Did I jinx myself into cannon-fodder mode?
The villagers were herded together, trembling on the ground. Yue spotted Rina in the crowd and breathed a silent sigh of relief. She's okay. He quietly crawled to her side.
"Yue! Weren't you playing outside? Why did you come back? You should've run far away!"
Rina whispered in alarm and reproach.
"I… I saw the village in trouble. I was worried about you. No matter what, I want to protect you—at least be by your side."
His words warmed Rina's heart. These six months had made Yue family to her. No matter the outcome, she resolved to protect this boy she saw as a little brother.