The morning sun cast long shadows across the hospital room as I sat on the edge of the bed, waiting. Today was the day.
A knock on the door signaled the arrival of the nurse from yesterday, followed by a masked figure standing behind her. The moment I laid eyes on them, I knew—ANBU. Their posture, their silence, the way they carried themselves—it was unmistakable.
The nurse gave me a kind smile. "Good morning, Oliver Queen. You're free to go."
I nodded, standing up slowly. My body still felt strange—weak, unfamiliar—but I ignored the discomfort. I had more important things to focus on.
"This is Tenzo," the nurse continued, gesturing to the masked figure. "He's here to escort you to your new residence."
Tenzo. So, Yamato. That was interesting. Did that mean the Hokage himself had taken an interest in me? Or was this just standard procedure for an orphan with no known background?
"Follow me," Tenzo said simply, his voice calm but firm.
I gave the nurse a polite nod of thanks before following the ANBU operative out of the hospital. The streets of Konoha stretched out before me—bustling with people, vendors calling out their wares, shinobi moving between missions. It was surreal seeing it in person, so different from watching it through a screen.
We walked in silence, weaving through the village with ease. I used the time to observe—mapping out the streets, noting the locations of important buildings, and more importantly, analyzing how people reacted to me. Some gave me curious glances, but no one seemed to recognize me. Good. That meant I wasn't secretly a missing heir to some clan or the reincarnation of a famous shinobi.
Eventually, we stopped in front of a small apartment building near the outskirts of the village. It wasn't anything special—just a basic, single-room living space. Not much, but it was mine.
Tenzo handed me a key. "This will be your residence from now on. The Third Hokage has provided you with a basic stipend to cover food and necessities. You'll need to enroll in the Academy if you wish to become a shinobi. If not, the village will still ensure you have shelter."
I looked at the key in my hand, then back at him. "And if I don't want to be a shinobi?"
He regarded me for a moment. "Then you will need to find another path. But in a village like this, being a civilian comes with limitations."
I nodded slowly. He wasn't wrong. Konoha was a military village at its core. Power was everything. If I wanted a future here, I needed to become part of that system—or find a way to work around it.
Tenzo studied me for a moment longer. "Do you have any questions?"
I hesitated before asking the one thing that had been on my mind since I woke up. "Do you know where I came from?"
There was a pause. Then he shook his head. "No records exist of you in the village archives. You were found unconscious near the western gate, alone."
So that was it. No past. No connections. A blank slate.
A chance to build my own destiny.
I clenched the key in my fist and took a slow breath. "Alright," I said finally. "I'll figure it out."
Tenzo nodded. "Then welcome to Konoha, Oliver Queen."
With that, he vanished in a blur of movement, leaving me standing alone in front of my new home.
I turned the key in the lock and stepped inside. The apartment was small—bare walls, a simple bed, a tiny kitchen. Nothing special. But to me, it was more than enough.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring out the small window at the village beyond.
I had four years before Naruto graduated. Four years before everything began.
What would I do next?
I already knew the answer.
I would train. I would learn. I would prepare.
Because if I wanted to survive in this world—if I wanted to thrive—I had to be ready for whatever came next.