Reincarnation into the dark world of Naruto

Consciousness cleared a little from the pain, and I heard muffled voices. An adult voice asked if Akira knew Orochimaru. A child's voice answered that he did. Some lively murmuring followed.

The next question: "How long ago did Akira see Orochimaru?"

The child replied in a hesitant voice, "The last time I saw Orochimaru was six months ago."

Another question: "Where exactly did Akira see Orochimaru?"

After the child's answer—"In a manga"—silence fell.

My temples felt like they were on fire, and I was once again engulfed by swirling darkness.

I'm tired of this. It's boring.

"Miory?" I tried reaching out to the owner of the disembodied voice.

"Yes?" I sensed a slight interest.

"Tell me, how did you end up in my head? Hizashi said that there are no Yamanaka in the Hyuga clan."

"I'm not a Yamanaka," the voice responded with a smile. "I'm a Hyuga. My mother was a Yamanaka. My father was allowed to marry her because the clan decided that gaining its own specialist was worth more than his participation in the genetic improvement program. A deal was made with the Yamanaka clan—that's how I was born."

"That's good," I replied thoughtfully. "Otherwise, I feel like there would have been needles under my fingernails."

"Oh, come on," she laughed. "No needles under your fingernails. We live in an enlightened age of acupuncture and bone-crushing."

And why do I have the feeling that she just winked at me?

"Akira-chan, are you still alive in there?" her worried whisper came after some time.

Oh, I don't know. I don't care anymore.

"Akira-chan, I'm going to wake you up now. It's going to hurt, little one. You need to endure it. And please, drink the medicine I give you right away, okay?" Miory's voice sounded concerned.

"Round two of interrogation, huh?" I asked weakly.

"No, little one, the interrogation is already over. I forced them to stop—you were about to fall into a coma."

Why does she sound so worried? I'm a stranger to her.

"Stop that!" her voice turned stern. "And get a grip, boy. I'm waking you up now."

Oh, why didn't I just die as a child... or back there, on the road?

What hit me wasn't just a hangover—it was the Daimyo of withdrawal syndromes for all of the Fire Country.

As dry heaves wracked my body, soft feminine hands held me up.

Then a small cup with bright red liquid was pressed to my lips. I drank it, my Adam's apple jerking convulsively.

My mouth felt like a desert where an entire herd of camels had relieved themselves.

Slowly, the effects faded, and I realized I was still pressed against Miory.

I adjusted my head more comfortably.

Ah, much better.

Through the remnants of the mental connection still linking us, I sensed her amusement.

"Miory-san, state your opinion," Hiashi commanded in an empty, expressionless voice.

"The boy was telling the truth, Hiashi-dono," Miory paused for a moment. "Or at least, what he believes to be the truth. I must confirm that there are no mental implants in his mind—he is exactly what he appears to be."

"Continue."

"I noticed sutures at the junction of his physical, energetic, and mental bodies. The work is masterful—his soul was literally fused into this body. And I cannot say with certainty whether a human being could have done something like this. The sutures have almost disappeared, but some traces remain."

"Regarding the child's condition: mentally, his age feels like that of a ten-year-old. His cognitive level is hard to assess, but his mind is fully formed. His analytical abilities are very high—he is used to processing enormous amounts of information. How exactly, I cannot say. What I saw has no equivalent in our world. The world where he lived his first life is too strange and incomprehensible, Hiashi-dono."

"Assess his possible loyalty to the clan, Miory-san," asked the graying elder.

"That is difficult for me to answer, Toraki-sama." Miory hesitated slightly. "Their society... is completely different, Toraki-sama. They are individualists, and they have no clans. Their families are very small, and they have no one to rely on. But the boy... Please understand, esteemed elder—despite being reincarnated with the memories of his past life, he is still a child. His psyche is flexible, and he will easily adopt and absorb the laws of our life."

Her hands tightened slightly on my shoulders.

"Miory-san, do I sense that you genuinely like the boy?" spoke the silver-haired elder woman.

"You are not mistaken, Okini-sama." Miory's voice was muffled but firm. "He was given a chance by the gods—who are we to take away the life granted to him?"

"This is nonsense..." the elderly man began, but Okini did not let him finish.

"Toraki, my old friend. You know as well as I do that during deep mental contact, specialists perceive their subject most fully. They sense the deepest thoughts and feelings. Tell me, girl—do you sense any threat in him? Betrayal? Death?"

A suffocating silence fell over the room.

"No," Miory answered quietly. "I think that..."

"I do not know the word 'think,' girl," the elder woman leaned forward, pressing with her authority. "Yes or no, Miory?"

"No, Elder Okini," Miory answered, quiet but firm. "I do not feel betrayal in him. Nor any desire to betray the clan."

Yeah, I probably owe her a chocolate bar. Or several.

"Good," the clan head clapped his hand on his knee. "I have heard Miory-san's opinion. Toraki-sama's stance..." Hiashi met the elder's gaze. "Is clear to me. Okini-sama, your word?"

"I am inclined to agree with Miory. Despite her youth, the girl has already proven her loyalty to the clan. And I do not believe she would endanger the clan for the sake of some boy. Furthermore, I have been listening to all of you for the past half hour. Have you all forgotten? We have only two children who have awakened the True Byakugan. And you want to discard one sent to us by the heavens? Have you seen his eyes?"

"Excuse me, Okini-sama," Miory spoke timidly, "but the boy understands more than we can imagine. He has a very basic understanding of genetics. In his world, this field of study is known, though not well-developed."

"Is that so?" the elder woman smirked. "So, they are not complete savages after all? What do you say, boy? What did you just understand?"

"I..." I cleared my throat. "I get the impression that due to inbreeding, you have problems that could be called degeneration. Eugenics programs, right? In a limited population..."

I wasn't allowed to finish.

"Ha-ha! What did I say? Even this barbarian sitting before us understands the problem. We've gone too far, gentlemen. The clan desperately needs fresh blood, or as the senior among the clan's medics, I cannot guarantee the birth of normal children instead of deformed ones in just two generations."

Okini smirked and crossed her arms.

"No, of course, you can discard the boy if you think the risk isn't worth the result and throw away a new genetic line with a complete Byakugan. I have spoken!"

"Well then, I have listened to everything. Now I will speak," Hiashi glared at me. "I will give you a chance, Akira! Come here."

"Elders, we will conduct the full ritual of kinship bonding. Only under these conditions will I allow this child into the clan. And Hizashi, since you

started this mess, you will be the one to deal with it. You will be the focal point for the boy's clan binding."