"I was... what's happening... gah" A boy stumbled forward into the gravel mountain dirt, clutching his head.
Memories rushed into his head all at once as he realized where and who he was.
He was Yura Torogami, a well watched prodigy of the Torogami clan. He was almost 9 years old and spent his entire childhood in a daze, like most children of the Torogami clan. As he recalled these memories, he felt horrified at the reality.
"This... I-... How is this possible?!!!" He screamed in confusion and panic.
He was not a child of this world. He was a 25 year old college graduate software developer. He remembered clearing his game in the Naruto: Ninja Clan Strategy Game with a high score, and falling asleep. But he was clearly not in his bed anymore.
In his eyes, he had woken up as a 9 year old boy with resemblance to his past self in a fantasy world. And he was even born into the clan he perfected with a high score before sleeping.
The Torogami Clan.
It had been his lucky master piece, born from coincidental draws on bloodline genes and overall good strategy. It was a clan that endured the entire Waring States Era and thrived in the land of Fire, the riches nation in the world.
It was a genius clan. A clan he perfected with what he could get his hands on. It had a powerful bloodline limit which propelled each member a level above their original limits. But it had a cost. Of course it had a cost. Everything has its trade off, and for the Torogami... it was harsh.
Onitoro Genkai, the Demon Lantern.
A unique soul-division kekkei genkai:
Birth: A metaphysical lantern forms in the clan infant's mind, splitting their soul in two.
Ages 0–8: Children are mentally delayed ~3 years
Dazed, quiet, and slow learners
Ages 8–9: A year of nightmares
Nightmare Sleep: 30 days of internal spiritual combat
If they win → fuse souls → extraordinary mental strength and an increase in physical strength
If they lose → the child dies in its sleep
It was called the Nightmare Sleep, a time of 30 days of fighting in dreams. If he died in the dream, he would die in real life.
Yura greedily recalled the lore explained in the simulator. In some cases, clan geniuses with higher soul strength would face even greater challenges when entering the Nightmare Sleep.
There was no way to get an advantage here, no training to prevent it. It was like facing a replica of yourself in strength. The chances of winning were 50/50.
Yura paled the more he recalled.
He was originally an adults soul. When he was reborn in an infant's body that soul was divided. But now his soul must be... 10 times as strong as normal! The normal limit for the Onitoro Genkai can only strengthen an individual up to twice as strong... obviously his adult soul was causing problems with this!
"Perhaps, this can be considered my cheat as a protagonist." He forced a bitter smile on his face.
This means his Nightmare Sleep will be 10 times as strong as normal.
*Beastly howl*
A blood curdling howl rang out between the mountain trees, sending a chill down Yura's spine.
'That must be my devil of the lantern' He thought grimly.
Devil of the Lantern: The beastly soul nurtured at birth from the split soul. Containing unconscious fears and uniquely shaped based on the individual.
*Creaking* *Bark scraping noises*
The devil appeared in front of him. A hunched figure like an imp or goblin, but made of ash and smoke. Teal blue flames flicked in cracks along its body and its eyes were replaced by flicker flames. Its arms were abnormally long, while it retained claws sharper than swords.
*RAAAAA*
It roared, charging towards Yura, as its instinct told it too.