War raged across the land. The borders of the Land of Rain had become a living hell.
In the 37th year of the Hidden Leaf Village calendar, the Second Great Ninja War had erupted due to the growing imbalance between the major nations and the rise of militant factions. Among the first to clash were two of the great powers—the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire—whose conflict escalated rapidly into a full-blown, white-hot war.
Caught between the two giants, the Land of Rain had no choice but to become their battlefield. Even though Hanzo stood alone with overwhelming power, holding back both sides' elite forces, the ninja of the Hidden Rain Village couldn't withstand the pressure from two great nations for long.
As Yukika Setsu's consciousness slowly returned, he struggled to open his eyes.
At that moment, he was being carried in the arms of a Rain ninja who was frantically fleeing through a thick marsh of reeds.
All around them, hundreds of shinobi, wearing forehead protectors from various villages, were locked in intense battle. Bright, colorful jutsu streaked through the sky like fireworks of destruction.
Still dazed, Yukika Setsu blinked in confusion.
Where am I? What's going on? Who is this person holding me?
Didn't I… die from a fall just now?
"Thank goodness… you're still alive… you're alive," the Rain ninja gasped, clearly relieved. But his feet never stopped—he ran as if something deadly was right behind them.
The jolting motion made Yukika feel like throwing up… Wait, throwing up?
Suddenly, it hit him—why is someone carrying me like a child?
—What?
He looked down at himself.
I'm in my twenties… so why do I look like… a small kid? A toddler?
No way… Did I transmigrate?
Reality came crashing down as Yukika's awareness finally caught up. A wave of pain pierced into his skull, making him instinctively clutch his face.
Something sticky and wet clung to his hand.
When he pulled it away—blood.
A full handful of blood.
His left eye… was gone.
He hadn't even realized it at first—in his past life, he only had one eye too, so losing part of his vision didn't register right away.
"What… what the hell is happening…" he muttered weakly.
"The Sand and the Leaf are at war. Your village got destroyed," the Rain ninja replied, panting. "I couldn't find your parents… and with your injuries, I doubt they made it. Don't worry, I'll get you to safety."
Yukika looked up at the ninja. The man noticed his gaze and tried to reassure him with a gentle smile.
"Don't worry, we'll get you patched up. Your eye—"
Sssshk—
The words never finished. Yukika's eyes widened in horror.
A thin flash of silver sliced across the ninja's neck—and in the next instant, his head shot clean off, spinning into the air.
The body, still moving from momentum, stumbled forward before collapsing. Yukika was thrown to the ground and landed hard.
He couldn't breathe. The shock froze him in place. For a long moment, he stared in horror at the decapitated corpse.
What just happened?
He… he died? He was killed?
Right in front of me?!
His mind throbbed with blinding pain. Yukika clutched his shoulder instinctively—then froze again.
His arm. One arm… was gone.
He looked down. At some point—he'd also lost a leg.
Both the severed stumps were fresh, blood spurting out in waves.
What?!
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Wind Style: Beast Wave Palm!"
"Water Style: Water Fang Blade!"
A barrage of jutsu erupted nearby. Bright flashes of elemental chakra blazed toward Yukika. He barely had time to react.
Forget the pain—he threw himself flat on the ground just in time.
The jutsu passed over him, crashing into enemy forces up ahead.
No one noticed him. Just a child, accidentally caught in the middle of a war zone.
And maybe, in the next moment, he'd be incinerated by some stray Fire Style jutsu.
Yukika lay beside the riverbank. Not far downstream was a massive lake. On its surface, four figures were engaged in an explosive battle. The surrounding ninja avoided that area completely.
"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Jiraiya and Orochimaru stood side by side, weaving hand seals in unison. A whirlwind fused with searing flames, forming a blazing dragon that surged forward.
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"
Hanzo, wielding a massive scythe, glided across the lake's surface as though walking on solid ground. Facing the oncoming firestorm, he performed a rapid series of seals with one hand. Towering waves erupted from the lake, crashing into the dragon of fire.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru retreated instantly—just in time for a new figure to appear behind Hanzo.
"RAAAHH!!"
Tsunade, channeling monstrous strength, launched a devastating punch straight at Hanzo's head. But he whipped his arms outward, a chain whip clashing against her blow and forcing them apart.
Boom!
The impact echoed across the water. Hanzo staggered back, barely regaining balance on the lake's surface.
The three legendary Sannin—Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade—stood united once again.
"Huff… huff…"
Hanzo's labored breathing came through his mask, sharp and grating even through the heavy downpour.
"…Heh."
Straightening his back, Hanzo casually twirled his scythe.
"So in the end, I still couldn't stop you… damn fools from the Hidden Villages."
He looked across the battlefield at the young Sannin and sighed.
Even the younger generation of Leaf Village ninjas had grown strong enough to stand against him.
With powerhouses like that, what could a small nation like the Land of Rain ever do to protect itself?
He stood alone.
Only him.
"I will save this country!" Hanzo growled, gripping his scythe tightly.
"The war in the Land of Rain… ends here!"
"…Fascinating," he added darkly.
"The Third Hokage's students… you're interesting, all right!"
A fierce glint returned to Hanzo's eyes. He swung his weapon—and from beneath the water, a monstrous giant salamander erupted.
"You think you can defeat me? Even Chiyo couldn't manage that. You're not even close. If the Hidden Leaf wants a piece of Rain, then let the Third Hokage come get it himself!"
The rain itself seemed to pause. A crushing pressure radiated from Hanzo's body, sending ripples across the entire lake.
The water surged upward, transforming into a tidal wave aimed straight at the three Leaf shinobi.
"Get ready—I'm coming!"
"Help… someone… help me…"
Yukika wasn't drawn to the raging battlefield. He did everything he could to crawl away from it. That deadly zone where even the other ninja refused to go near?
Yeah—he wasn't dumb enough to stay there.
He gasped for help, but his cries were swallowed by the roar of explosions, rushing wind, and pouring rain. Blood poured from his wounds, and he knew he didn't have long.
Where am I?
Who are these people fighting? That guy earlier said… ninja?
He remembered the shiny forehead protectors. Each one had a different symbol. That meant there were at least three different factions in this war.
But… which side am I on?
"Nnngh…"
His vision blurred.
He was turning pale—he could feel it. The blood loss was accelerating faster than he expected.
He didn't know where he was, didn't understand what was happening—not even who he truly was.
But one thing was crystal clear:
He had to survive.
Otherwise, he was going to die here. For real.
"What do I do… what do I do…"
Yukika always prided himself on staying calm under pressure. Especially in moments like this.
He forced himself to sit up—but collapsed again. All around him were corpses. Severed limbs. Entrails. The stench of blood soaked the entire marsh, making it hard to even breathe.
Was there anything on the bodies he could use to stop the bleeding? Bandages? Cloth? Anything…
"Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Technique!"
A blast of fire lit up Yukika's face. He turned his head in horror. An inferno rushed toward him, unstoppable and all-consuming.
There wasn't even time for his life to flash before his eyes.
In less than half a second, the firestorm was right in front of him.
"Run… get out of there…"
He thought he heard someone shouting nearby.
But Yukika couldn't hear it anymore.
Am I… dying again?