I died.
Or at least, I thought I did.
One moment, I was lying in a hospital bed, the steady beep of machines fading into silence as my body gave up the fight. The next, I was gasping for air, my lungs burning as if I'd never taken a breath before. My vision blurred, shapes and colors swirling together in a disorienting mess. I tried to move, to sit up, but my limbs felt foreign, weak, and uncoordinated.
*What the hell is happening?*
Panic surged through me. I forced my eyes to focus, to make sense of the chaos around me. The first thing I noticed was the ceiling—wooden beams, old-fashioned, nothing like the sterile white of the hospital. Then, the sounds: distant screams, the roar of something monstrous, and closer, the hurried voices of people speaking in a language I somehow understood.
Japanese.
Wait, no. Not just Japanese, but I naturally understood it. I could hear it clearly, as if I'd been born speaking it.
Born.
The word hit me like a freight train. I wasn't in a hospital. I wasn't even in my own body. I was… a baby?
I looked down at my hands—tiny, chubby fingers waving uselessly in the air. My heart raced, a strange mix of disbelief and dawning realization. This couldn't be real. But the weight of my new body, the sensation of being swaddled in cloth, the overwhelming scent of smoke and blood—it was all too vivid to be a dream.
*I've been reincarnated.*
I looked to my side to see a blond haired kid with whiskers.
The thought was absurd, yet undeniable. I'd read enough isekai stories to recognize the signs, but this wasn't some generic fantasy world. The screams, the monstrous roar—I knew exactly where I was.
Konoha. The night of the Nine-Tails' attack.
My breath caught in my throat. If that was true, then I was…
"Menma," a voice whispered, soft and strained, yet filled with love. I turned my head—or tried to, my neck muscles barely cooperating—and saw her. Kushina Uzumaki, her red hair matted with sweat, her face pale but smiling weakly as she looked down at me.
My mother.
No, not my mother. Not really. I wasn't her son, not in the way she thought. I was a stranger, a soul from another world thrust into this tiny, helpless body. But as I gazed into her eyes, saw the tenderness there, something inside me cracked.
*I can't let her die.*
The thought was immediate, fierce, and irrational. I knew the story. I knew what was coming. Minato and Kushina would sacrifice themselves to seal the Nine-Tails into Naruto, saving the village but leaving their children orphaned. I couldn't change that. I was a baby, for God's sake. What could I do?
But even as I thought it, another part of me rebelled. I wasn't just any baby. I was Menma, Naruto's twin brother in this alternate universe. And unlike Naruto, I had knowledge of the future. I knew the dangers that lay ahead—Danzo, the Akatsuki, Madara, all of it. If I could survive this night, if I could grow strong enough, maybe I could change things.
First, I had to survive.
The ground shook, a deep rumble that vibrated through the wooden floor. Kushina's smile faltered, her eyes darting to the door. "Minato…" she murmured, fear creeping into her voice.
Minato. My father. The Fourth Hokage. Even now, he was out there, fighting to protect the village, to protect us. But I knew how this would end. He would use the Reaper Death Seal, sacrificing his life to split the Nine-Tails' chakra, sealing half into Naruto and the other half into himself, dooming both him and Kushina.
Wait. No. In this universe, there was me. Menma. Did that change anything? Would he seal the Nine-Tails into both of us? Or would I be spared?
I didn't have time to ponder. The door burst open, and a masked ANBU stumbled in, blood staining his uniform. "Lady Kushina, we need to move you and the children to safety. The Nine-Tails is—"
"I know," Kushina interrupted, her voice steady despite the pain etched on her face. She glanced down at me, then at the bundle beside her—Naruto, my twin brother, sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the danger. "Help me up."
The ANBU hesitated, but Kushina's glare brooked no argument. With his assistance, she rose unsteadily to her feet, cradling Naruto in one arm and reaching for me with the other. I felt her hands, warm and calloused, lifting me gently. For a moment, our eyes met, and I saw the fierce determination in her gaze.
*I won't let you die,* I wanted to say. But all that came out was a soft, gurgling sound. Frustration welled up inside me. I was trapped in this infant body, unable to speak, unable to act.
As we were ushered out of the room, I caught glimpses of the chaos outside. Smoke filled the air, buildings crumbled, and in the distance, the massive form of the Nine-Tails loomed, its tails thrashing wildly, destroying everything in its path. The sight was terrifying, even more so because I knew what it meant.
We were taken to a hidden bunker, deep underground, where other civilians and injured shinobi had gathered. The ANBU left us there, rushing back to the battle. Kushina sat down heavily, her strength waning. She looked at me and Naruto, her expression a mix of love and sorrow.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears glistening in her eyes. "I wish… I wish you could have a better life. But this world… it's cruel."
Her words pierced me. She was apologizing for something she couldn't control, for a fate that wasn't her fault. I wanted to comfort her, to tell her it was okay, that I understood. But I couldn't. All I could do was stare back at her, my tiny hand reaching out instinctively.
She took my hand, her fingers enveloping mine. "Menma," she said softly. "You have your father's eyes, you know? But there's something different about them. They're… yellow, like the sun. And those slits… it's like you're marked by the fox, too."
I blinked. Yellow eyes with slits? That wasn't in the canon. Wait, no—in this universe, I was exposed to the Nine-Tails' chakra in the womb, just like Naruto. But instead of whisker marks, I had these eyes. A physical reminder of the beast that would soon tear my family apart.
A sudden explosion rocked the bunker, dust raining down from the ceiling. Kushina clutched us tighter, her body shielding us from the debris. "Minato, please be safe," she murmured.
But I knew he wasn't. Even now, he was preparing to make the ultimate sacrifice. I could almost see it in my mind's eye: Minato standing before the Nine-Tails, his face set in determination as he summoned the Reaper.
I had to do something. Anything. But what? I was powerless, a mere infant. Yet, the knowledge I possessed—could it be used somehow? If I could communicate, if I could warn them…
An idea struck me. It was desperate, probably impossible, but I had to try. I focused on my chakra, or whatever rudimentary energy I had as a newborn. In the Naruto world, even infants had chakra, right? Maybe I could use it to send a message, to alert Minato or someone else.
I closed my eyes, concentrating. I imagined my chakra flowing, forming words, projecting my thoughts. *Don't use the Reaper Death Seal. Find another way. Please.*
But nothing happened. No surge of energy, no telepathic connection. Just the muffled sounds of battle above and the rapid beating of my own heart.
Of course. It was foolish to think I could do anything. I wasn't a prodigy yet; I was just a baby with the mind of an adult. My body hadn't caught up to my consciousness.
Time passed in a blur. The sounds of fighting grew louder, then suddenly stopped. An eerie silence settled over the bunker. Kushina tensed, her eyes fixed on the entrance.
Then, the door opened, and Minato staggered in, his body battered and bloodied. Kushina gasped, rising to her feet. "Minato!"
He smiled weakly, his eyes filled with pain and resolve. "Kushina… I'm sorry. I have to do this."
"No," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "There has to be another way."
He shook his head. "There isn't. The Nine-Tails… it's too powerful. I have to seal it."
Kushina's shoulders slumped in defeat. She knew, just as I did, that this was the only option. Minato approached us, his gaze softening as he looked at me and Naruto.
"My sons," he said, his voice breaking. "I wish I could see you grow up. But know that I love you, both of you, more than anything."
He reached out, touching our foreheads gently. I felt a warmth spread through me, a connection that transcended words. In that moment, I realized that despite everything, despite being a reincarnated soul, I was still his son. And he was my father.
Minato turned to Kushina, embracing her tightly. "I'll see you on the other side," he whispered.
She nodded, her tears soaking his shirt. "I'll be right behind you."
They shared a final kiss, a moment of tenderness amidst the devastation. Then, Minato stepped back, his expression hardening. He began to form hand seals, his chakra flaring around him.
I watched in horror, knowing what was coming. The Reaper Death Seal—a forbidden jutsu that would cost him his life. I wanted to scream, to stop him, but I was mute, helpless.
As the seals completed, a chilling presence filled the room. The Reaper appeared, its ghastly form hovering behind Minato. Kushina gasped, clutching us closer.
Minato looked at us one last time. "Naruto, Menma… live well. Protect each other. And… forgive me."
With that, he unleashed the jutsu. The Reaper's hand plunged through him, and in an instant, the Nine-Tails' chakra was split. Half was sealed into Naruto, who began to cry loudly, sensing the intrusion. The other half… I braced myself, but nothing happened. Instead, Minato's body convulsed as the remaining chakra was sealed within him.
Wait, that wasn't right. In the canon, he sealed half into Naruto and half into himself, but in this universe…
Realization dawned. Since there were two children, perhaps he intended to seal the other half into me. But something was different. Maybe because I wasn't supposed to be here, or perhaps because of my unique circumstances, the sealing didn't take.
Minato collapsed to the ground, his life force drained. Kushina, weakened from childbirth and the extraction of the Nine-Tails, staggered towards him. "Minato…"
He reached out, his hand trembling. "Kushina… take care of them…"
"I will," she promised, her voice choked with sobs. But even as she said it, I saw the light fading from her eyes. The toll of the extraction was too much; she wouldn't survive much longer.
In the distance, I heard the sounds of shinobi arriving, the village beginning to recover from the attack. But for us, it was too late. Our parents were dying.
Kushina lay down beside Minato, holding his hand. She looked at me and Naruto, her smile faint but filled with love. "My precious boys… I'm sorry. I wish I could stay with you. But remember, you're not alone. You have each other. And… you have the village. They'll protect you."
Her words were meant to comfort, but I knew the truth. The village wouldn't protect Naruto; they would shun him, fear him for the beast inside. And me? What would they think of me, with my strange eyes and lack of whisker marks? Would I be treated differently, or would I share his fate?
As Kushina's breathing slowed, I felt a surge of emotions—grief, anger, determination. I couldn't change what had happened, but I could change what was to come. I had knowledge of the future, and I would use it to protect my brother, to protect the village, and to thwart the threats that loomed ahead.
Danzo. The Third Hokage. The Akatsuki. Madara. I would be ready for them.
But for now, I was just a baby, orphaned and vulnerable. As the last of Kushina's strength ebbed away, she whispered, "I love you… both of you…"
And then, she was gone.
I lay there, silent, as the reality of my new life settled in. The sounds of the village grew louder, people rushing to the bunker, discovering the bodies of the Fourth Hokage and his wife. Among them, I recognized the voice of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Minato… Kushina…" he murmured, his voice heavy with sorrow. "What a tragedy."
He approached us, his eyes kind but weary. "These children… they're the sons of the Fourth. We must protect them."
*Protect us?* I thought bitterly. *You'll try, but you'll fail. Naruto will suffer, and I… I'll have to navigate this world alone.*
But as he lifted me and Naruto into his arms, I saw something in his expression—genuine care, a desire to do right by us. Maybe, just maybe, things could be different.
I looked at Naruto, still crying, his tiny face scrunched up in distress. He didn't know what had happened, didn't understand the weight of the burden placed upon him. But I did. And I would be there for him, to guide him, to ensure that he didn't walk the same lonely path as in the original story.
As the Third Hokage carried us out of the bunker, into the dawning light of a village in ruins, I made a silent vow.
*I will change this world. For my brother, for my parents, and for myself.*
The road ahead would be long and perilous, but I was ready. After all, I wasn't just Menma, the twin brother of Naruto. I was a reincarnated soul, armed with knowledge and a burning desire to survive.
And in this world of shinobi, survival was everything.