1 Chapter 1

Have you ever had a dream you felt you would never wake from?

I felt as though... This was almost a dream. I felt weightless, drifting through waters that were thicker than soil, yet still flowed. I looked around me, and I saw nothing but the deepest darkness one can imagine. A dark void so deep you feel as though it was going to swallow you up. That at the corner of your eyes, you're almost certain you saw something... watching... waiting.

And yet, I knew. This was not a dream. I was dead, and this was the afterlife.

You wanna know what tipped me off? Occasionally, I would drift along, and pass a small light. Looking into those lights... God, you can't even begin to imagine what it feels like. Fuck, I don't even know if I could put it into words. Imagine if you can, peering into every single moment of a person's life, every single action they took, every thought they had, every emotion, every pain. Now imagine you experience that, years and decades of feeling, of life, in a mere moment. The pain, the euphoria, the creeping madness inside your head... It is all too real to ignore. And trust me when I say, I'm a bit too dull to imagine something like that for a dream.

Suffice to say, I didn't look into the lights all too often, in the beginning.

But... How long was I going to be floating along? I feel as though I've been here for so long... I don't remember when I last did something else. I don't even remember... What was my name? Who was I, before this stream? I don't know anymore. I feel vague, undefined. I occasionally get some vague recollections, some impression of memory. But I couldn't recall hard details. My name, my age, where I was from, when I was born, or even how I died.

It felt as though decades passed, so lazily, so painfully slow. I had gazed into a few lights, occasionally, just for the sake of breaking the mind-aching monotony. There were all kinds of lives on the other side of those lights.

A man who suffered, in pain and agony, with a body that could not die. He lived for centuries, through wars, lovers, loss, and every mortal pain imaginable. He lost his joy, his love, and even his memory of her. And when he thought he could love again, he lost her too. He outlived every good thing to ever happen to him, and only met more pain.

A woman raised to be strong, the strongest of her people, and a champion of her gods. A warrior among warriors, until she was alone. And in that lonely time, she found company in the presence of those who chose to live a life of justice, and to lay themselves bare for the sake of the weak.

But beyond those lights, too, were entire worlds.

A world of peace, having never known the pain and grief of war, and a planet that loved its people unquestionably, invaded by men from another, who sought to steal the treasures of their earthly domain.

A world that was full of heroes, and villains, and monsters, and knights. A world that knew every sin imagined, and put forth a bravery and justice to match. From drunken geniuses, to men haunted by anger. Warlocks unsurpassed, and men out of time.

These worlds, these people... They gave me such nostalgia, and yet I did not know why. Did I know these worlds? The stories they told? Did I know these people? Why... Why did their stories cause me such pain to hear?

I drifted for quite some time more, before I found a light that... I don't know, it felt different. Like I needed to see it. I didn't know why, but I took a peak.

A world of conflict, of ninja, and of struggle. A world that has suffered, known grief, and still keeps a sane mind. Chakra, Tailed-Beast, war, and power. And in the center of this vision... A lonely child, bearing a heavy destiny. A destiny he will struggle through, and transcend to become a prolific hero. Beside him, a child with a heart full of hate, and anger. His family murdered, his beloved brother the killer. And a fate that dances around, weaving beside and through the fate of the lonely boy.

My heart felt heavy as I watched. This story... I know this story. It was a story that held so much impact to my life, that even when I don't recall the name, I know the tale.

"I want to go there..."

It was the first time I spoke in, well... Actually, I don't know the last time I said anything out loud. I'm usually just talking to you. The guys in my head. Yeah... Maybe this place isn't all too good for the head.

[Oh? What have we here? A little lost soul, drifting in the Infinity?]

"What? Who's talking?" I spoke once more, kinda shocking myself with how weary my voice sounded. I could look around me, in every way, but could not find the speaker. Hell, even the movement at the periphery of my sight was gone. That was more concerning than anything else.

[Oh, don't fret. You won't be able to perceive me. Still... To have survived the Infinity and not lose yourself to insanity or the Yuron, you are quite unusual. I wonder... Which of my family cast you aside?]

Cast aside? Yuron? The Infinity? What was this thing even saying? And... I wasn't supposed to survive this? What?

[You... You wished to be reborn into my world? I have no issue allowing such a thing. Honestly, with a soul as unwavering as your own, I would gladly give you gifts to entice you. Hm... How about this: you will be reborn into my world, in a manner of my choosing, with three boons of your choosing. Are you willing?]

I did not feel a single shred of hesitation.

"I will do it. May I have a moment to consider my boons?"

I felt a sense of approval, and knew the entity was giving me my time. My surroundings changed, then. Black void turned to blue, and grass appeared beneath me. Though I felt myself resting against it, I felt nothing of the rest of my body. It didn't matter much to me, though. I have not felt anything in so long, it did not bother me. I spent my time wisely, reviewing the knowledge I had of the world. Surprisingly, knowledge entered my mind, about technology, techniques, power, and everything else. Was this the entity, helping me to make my choices? Regardless, I was thankful. My thoughts became slowly organized over the next few decades, thinking and planning, coming to a complete understanding.

"I am ready. For my first boon, I would like a Kekkei Tota. Mix Lightning, Earth, and Water. I would like to call it Nuclear Release."

[Oh, clever little soul, aren't you? Unfortunately, I am against introducing the advent of nuclear power at the point in the timeline you wish to enter. Would you kindly change it?]

"Alright. I figured something like that may appear as an issue. How about Yin, Yang, and Earth? I have information in my mind for how it should function. I would like to call it Gaia Release."

[Ah... Now that is an interesting choice. Very well. I permit this. Now, your second boon?] The voice sounded rather bemused, as it read my mind and figured out what my plans were.

"For my second boon, I would like my chakra reserves to be reinforced. Not in sheer size, however. The particular boon I want is a strengthening of my natural regeneration, control, quality, and... Disconnect my chakra from the Otsutsuki bloodline. I do not want Kaguya to have any control of my chakra."

[Ah, haha... HAHAHA! You, you are real smart, huh? I love it! You even think up a counter to such a powerful being! Very well, the boon is yours.]

"Finally... I would like you to create a new Chakra Beast, and to make me its Jinchuriki. I have an image, abilities, and information in my mind. I'm sure you're already reading it."

[Indeed I am. Honestly, you are asking for something quite... risky. Sure, as you point out in your memories, there are Chakra Beasts similar to the Tailed Beasts, a few even rival them in strength. However, just simply creating one is...]

The entity stopped, hesitant. But after a few moments, I felt a change in the environment.

[Fine. The Empress has now been born, five hundred and two years before your own birth. She will be sealed within you, securely, with a unique Sealing Technique, which I shall simply call the Gaian Seal. I will base it on your Kekkei Tota, for your convenience in the future.]

The entity sounded a little displeased, but still mostly alright. Hey, he agreed at least.

[Now... It is time for you to go. You will retain your personality, emotional maturity, and some small stuff. Unfortunately, you will lose almost all memory. This is for your own safety, dear child. I hope you will understand. As some help, I will be leaving you an urge to grow, and an intelligence and aptitude to do so quickly.]

I smiled, internally thanking the entity, before I felt my mind go dark.

...

A dark figure moved through the forest, carrying a bundle of fabrics close to the chest. Behind him, three men with kunai pursued.

"Fuck... Please, Yuuto... Please be safe." The man spoke, clutching the bundle in his arms even tighter. He was moving fast, clearly distressed. The men behind him, though... They wore cold expressions, almost expressionless as they kept pace and pursued.

Three hours passed, when the lead man was struck in the back. A long gash, cutting into the spine. Within a moment, he felt nothing in his legs. He fell from the air mid-jump. Only barely, he was able to twist his body and land on his back. The bundle in his arms shuffled, and a muffled cry rang out.

The three followers landed quickly, surrounding the man in a defensive circle. One turned to examine the man, when a shuriken struck him directly in the throat. His blood sprayed out, covering the body of the wounded man, along with soaking the wrapped baby. Another cry, and the wounded man shivered with anxiety.

"Hush... hush now Yuuto... You'll be okay."

Two men in dark clothes appeared in the trees, and a kunai flew toward another of the guards. It was blocked, and countered, and a fight broke out between the four men. Brutal combat ensued, with flames and water, even lightning. A dozen jutsu, flying off against one another. In the heart of the violence, the wounded man comforted the crying infant.

"Hush, hush... Papa won't let anyone hurt you, Yuuto..."

As the fight carried on, the forest grew dark. And as night settled in... A small, violet spider appeared. Only the size of a fingernail, it went unnoticed by the ninja as they continued to battle. She was curious, how these beings came to be in her territory. She crossed the grass silently, unnoticed, until she climbed atop the wounded man. She examined him, coldly. He was unlikely to survive. But this child... She felt a connection. A desire to protect it.

When her mind came to this conclusion, a thick violet mist of pure chakra emerged from the spider. It filled the air around the wounded man, swelling higher and bigger, and after a moment, the fight ceased.

"What the fuck is that?!" One of the assailants cried out, as the mist transformed into a colossal spider-like entity, towering to a mountainous size. It was completely covering the sky from their perspective.

A moment passed, and one of the protectors took the stunning moment to kill an assailant. With his partner down, the second did not last long either. But when he was dead, the two guards grew concerned.

But then... A massive seal appeared across the ground. At the center, the wounded man, and the infant. Before either guard could reach, a blinding light of chakra overwhelmed them, and when the light cleared, the spider was gone. On the baby's back, an intricate seal appeared. A Jinchuriki was born.

"This is a critical mission failure. Grab the baby. We're returning to report this to Lord Fourth."