Chapter 1: Chapter 1

The silence was deafening. One moment, he was walking along the crowded city streets, and in the next, he was standing in an empty, sterile white room. He looked around, feeling the emptiness press in around him. There were no walls, no ceiling, just an infinite whiteness stretching out in all directions. The only object in this space was a lone, sleek computer sitting on a desk, screen flashing with a faint glow.

Stepping closer, he felt an odd sense of curiosity. As he reached the desk, he could make out the words on the screen:

"New Player Detected."

A prompt blinked in the center, seeming to beckon him. He hesitated, realizing he had no idea where he was or how he got here. The last thing he remembered was… an accident. Tires screeching, the blare of horns, and a flash of light. But none of that mattered now. He was here, alive—well, existing. And whatever this place was, it was giving him a choice.

Tentatively, he pressed "Enter," and the screen flickered to reveal a new page, like the character creation screens from the games he used to play. His eyes widened as he took in the details:

"Attributes"

There were two distinct categories on the screen:

Primary Attributes: Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution. These had no upper limit, implying he could develop them over time.

Hidden Attributes: Bloodline, Vitality, Mental Energy, Will, Affinity. Each of these had a cap of 100, making each point added a more permanent, strategic investment.

Next to each attribute was a box showing "0." Below that, his total point pool was displayed as 500 Points Available.

A surge of understanding struck him; this wasn't a game. This was something more. These 500 points were everything he had right now, and each one spent on the Hidden Attributes would be permanent. The Primary Attributes, he guessed, could be developed with effort, training, and patience. So why waste points there?

He grinned. If he was going to live a second life, it would be on his terms.

He began with Bloodline. An idea sparked in his mind, a powerful bloodline could unlock unimaginable strength. He poured 100 points into Bloodline without hesitation. Next was Vitality; he'd need resilience to survive. Another 100 points flowed into it, filling it to the max. Then, for Mental Energy, he used 100 points, knowing how critical it would be to have control and maintain concentration. Will was next, given that sheer determination was a powerful force; he added another 100 points there. Finally, Affinity would determine his connection with nature making it easier to train in the future. He maxed it out, using the remaining points to cap the hidden stats.

He reviewed his choices, feeling a slight thrill. The computer flashed to the next screen, which read:

Select Universe.

Lists upon lists of anime worlds scrolled past, but he already knew his choice: Naruto. This was the world he was familiar with, where he knew the rules and the possibilities.

Select Faction: He scrolled through, noticing familiar and lesser-known villages alike. But he chose Konohagakure, the Leaf Village. There was no place better to start, and with any luck, it would be as familiar as it seemed in the series.

Select Clan and Time Period: He'd already used all of his points, so he chose to leave this to random chance, letting the universe—or whatever was behind this strange system—decide.

Confirm Choices?

He paused, his hand hovering over the Enter key. This was the final step. Once he confirmed, his path would be set, the journey begun. He took a deep breath and pressed it.

The screen went black, and then, a message appeared:

"Welcome to Naruto Verse. Initializing..."

A flash of light enveloped him, pulling him from the white room into something new, something vast and untold. As he felt himself slipping away, the thought of what lay ahead filled him with excitement and dread. He was ready.