The ancient ruins stood silent beneath the waning sun, their secrets buried under centuries of dust. Grant Alexander Hunter — Hunter to everyone who knew him — walked slowly among the crumbling stones, sketchbook in hand. The fading light washed the Harappan site in hues of gold and crimson, perfect for someone who found calm in drawing the world around him.
At twenty-two, Hunter was a disciplined student on the verge of graduation, the sort who weighed every choice carefully… except for the occasional impulse he immediately regretted. He excelled at sports like badminton and table tennis, but his real passion had always been reading — stories, myths, worlds he could never visit.
He didn't expect one of those worlds to come to him.
During his semester break, curiosity had drawn him to the recently uncovered Harappan ruins. As he wandered, his foot pressed down on what looked like an innocuous stone switch.
Everything changed.
The world blinked out for a heartbeat and snapped back in a completely different place. One moment, Hunter was surrounded by ancient artifacts; the next, he stood in a dark, damp alley between towering buildings. The air smelled different. The sounds were sharper. Disoriented, he scanned the area until a torn newspaper on the ground caught his eye:
Stark Industries — 2007.
His stomach dropped. It couldn't be… could it?
Marvel. The MCU. Or something close enough to it that the distinction didn't matter.
Before he could process the implications, a holographic screen materialized in front of him, symbols drifting like soft luminescent dust.
[Welcome, Grant A. Hunter]
The interface felt impossibly advanced — part alien tech, part mystic artifact. Guided more by instinct than understanding, Hunter experimented with the floating options. He clicked on summon. The air hummed with vibration.
Then a figure formed from swirling light.
Jiraiya.
Jiraiya's Avatar
Name: JiraiyaAffiliation: Hidden Leaf VillageTitle: Toad SageAbilities: Ninjutsu Master, Toad Summons, Sage ModePersonality: Witty, wise, irreverentBackground: Veteran of the Great Ninja War; mentor of legendsPerspective on Hunter: Curious. Alert.More information unlocks with trust.
Jiraiya studied him with a measured, appraising look. He took quick glance around his surrounding to gauge the situation. The alley suddenly felt heavier, the air taut with expectation.
But behind that steady gaze, something more stirred — a private monologue Hunter couldn't hear.
Jiraiya's Inner Thoughts
The moment he was summoned he was hit with a set of memories. Memories of the boy related to his world, related to this world and some other worlds which existed as mearly stories in the boy's world
So this is how my tale twists again.
One moment I'm dying beneath the ocean, leaving my last words on the back of the toad… and now here I am, standing in a world of iron suits, hammer-wielding gods, and spider-kids who never stop talking.
The memories… both sets of them…. Konoha, Naruto, the wars we fought — and also Stark building an arc reactor in a cave, Thanos snapping half the universe away, and sorcerers who bend reality like origami. Two lives stuffed into one tired old sage.
And the boy. Hunter.Summoner, reincarnated soul, a spark of something I can't name. He's got that look — the stubborn fire I saw in Naruto, the kind that drags a person toward destiny whether they like it or not.
This world is messy. Beautiful. Dangerous. A place where heroes rise but rarely look inward, where power is abundant but wisdom is starved. Maybe that's why I'm here — to offer a little of the latter.
Well… if the universe wants Jiraiya the Gallant back onstage, I'd better make the performance worth watching.
"Young man, I know who you are, where we are and what I am, no point is elaborating. So" Jiraiya said aloud, his voice carrying a faint echo as if from another world, "your journey starts with a simple question. How far would you go to protect someone you care about?"
Hunter swallowed but answered without hesitation. "As far as I have to."
A glint flashed in Jiraiya's eye. "Good. Skill can be learned. Personality can be shaped. But character… that's forged from what you believe."
Before Hunter could respond, the world dissolved into a dreamscape.
He found himself in a garden from his childhood — sunlight, laughter, familiar faces. Then, as quickly as it appeared, the warmth began to rot away. Flowers wilted into ash. Laughter twisted into screams. A demon rose from the fiery ruin.
And Jiraiya's voice echoed: "Your choices have consequences."
Hunter fought to think through the panic, calculating every move, searching for any outcome that could save the people he loved. But the illusion tightened until only one choice remained — get in the demons way. Sacrifice himself for them, even if its in vain.
He took it.
The dream shattered.
Back in the alley, sweat clinging to his skin, Hunter met Jiraiya's steady gaze. There was responsibility there — quiet, genuine.
"Character is forged in sacrifice," Jiraiya said. "You have the heart of a leader, even if you don't see it yet."
Hunter exhaled shakily. "Are you really… the same Jiraiya?"
Jiraiya chuckled. "I'm still me — a shinobi from the Leaf, one of the Sannin, Toad Sage extraordinaire. This place? Just another world worlds. And you're caught right in the middle of it."
As the system slipped into cooldown, the tension eased. Jiraiya's demeanor softened, curiosity nudging his questions.
"So, kid. What do you want out of all this?"
Hunter hesitated but answered honestly. "To enjoy life, I guess. Even if I'm not sure what that means here."
Jiraiya laughed warmly. "Then buckle up. This world is full of danger and opportunity — often at the same time."
Their conversation deepened — alternate dimensions, destinies, the weird corners of reality Jiraiya had visited. Slowly, a mentor-student bond began to take shape.
Finally, Jiraiya asked, "Want to learn how to survive out here?"
Hunter nodded. "Yeah. I think I do."
Jiraiya didn't wait. One moment they were in the alley, the next his hand was on Hunter's shoulder and the world blurred. They reappeared in a dense, dark forest northeast of the city, trees packed so tightly the sun barely filtered in.
"Where… are we?" Hunter asked, taking in the surroundings.
"Far enough from trouble," Jiraiya said, "but close enough to reality."
Their banter eased the tension, until Jiraiya suddenly smirked with familiar mischief.
"You know, kid, legends always have quirks. Naruto had ramen. I had my… research. What about you?"
Hunter frowned. "I don't really have an obsession."
"Perfect!" Jiraiya said with a grin. "How about this — you sketch before every battle. A visual diary of your journey. People see you drawing before disaster hits… they'll talk. You'll become a mystery."
Hunter considered it. "A calm before the storm?"
Jiraiya winked. "Exactly."
They traded stories — samurai with cherry blossoms, sorcerers who painted runes before a fight. The forest felt less threatening with each passing moment.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Hunter felt the weight of everything — the Marvel world, the anomaly, the future — but also something steadier. Purpose. Direction. A teacher at his side.
Together, they stepped deeper into the unknown.
Jiraiya — Status Update
Affiliation: Hidden Leaf, Mount MyobokuTitles: Toad Sage, SanninTraits: Loyal, perceptive, natural mentorAbilities: Ninjutsu, Sage Mode, Toad SummonsPerspective on Hunter:
Friendly: Sees potential and enjoys the camaraderie
Curious: Wants to unravel the mystery of Hunter's arrivalMore unlocks with trust.