"Where… am I? And why does it smell like a wet dog funeral here?"
A boy's eyes fluttered open to a scene straight out of a horror-themed picnic: bodies strewn about like discarded snacks, the ground soaked with something that wasn't water, and the air thick with the metallic scent of blood. Charming.
"Is this… a prank? Seriously, who signed me up for this?" he muttered, wobbling as dizziness slammed into him like a bad headache after eating sushi past its prime.
The world spun, his head tried to separate itself from his neck, and then—BAM!—memories crashed in. Fragments of another life. Another world.
Wait. What? He reincarnated? Not as Naruto? Not Sasuke? Heck, not even a background extra from Konoha's ninja academy?
Nope.
He was Nagato. Yep, the Nagato. The tragically short-lived big boss of the Akatsuki—basically the ultimate puppet who got puppeteered and then eaten alive by pain (and probably some bad luck).
And those eyes… No way.
He gingerly touched his face and confirmed the impossible. The legendary, terrifying, chakra-sucking, life-altering Rinnegan stared back at him.
"So, this is post-orphanage, huh? My poor parents are long gone, and somewhere out there, Madara's eyes are doing some creepy puppet master thing... And—oh great—White Zetsu's probably lurking nearby like an uninvited guest at a dinner party."
A chill crawled up his spine, because, honestly, who wouldn't feel creeped out with that combo?
"Rinnegan's powerful, sure," he grumbled, "but the upkeep's like having a second job you never asked for. And with the Uzumaki clan basically extinct? No way to seal these eyeballs without going bonkers."
Suddenly, like magic—or a very clumsy summoning jutsu—a book appeared, hovering in front of him like a caffeinated librarian.
He reached out. Darkness swallowed him whole.
[Uzumaki Bloodline Detected. Scanning... 1,872 Forbidden Seals Unlocked.]
Nagato blinked open his eyes again, but this time in a blinding white void, surrounded by floating, glowing books. It was like the Naruto universe had turned into a cosmic library, and he'd just snagged the VIP pass.
Is this my cheat? My golden finger? A cheat code disguised as a void tome?
He chuckled dryly. "Well, no way I'm going to be a puppet forever. If this is Uzumaki knowledge, maybe I can finally figure out how to put these eyes on 'silent mode.'"
He summoned a book. It obediently floated to him.
"Samsara Seal," he read aloud. Instantly, knowledge zipped into his brain like a lightning bolt.
Now for a sensory spell. Because honestly, White Zetsu isn't the kind of creepy crawlies you want catching you off guard.
Another spell memorized. Nagato blinked back into the real world, consciousness intact. Lucky—no one caught him passed out like some random anime extra.
He whispered:
"White Serpent's Revelation."
A sensory wave burst from him, stretching a whopping 10 kilometers. Thanks to the Uzumaki bloodline and cheat-enhanced training, this was no ordinary ninja radar.
No White Zetsu nearby. Sweet.
Now, for the real test.
He activated the seal.
"Samsara Seal."
Crimson ink erupted from his skin, snaking like a fire-breathing serpent around his Rinnegan. Six black rings formed, squeezing the eye's insane power into a chill "do not disturb" mode. Above it, a glowing kanji dripped phantom blood—because why not add a little flair?
Feeling better already. No chakra drain. Maybe it's the seal… or my Uzumaki stamina stash.
His stomach growled like a wild beast.
Right. Still human. Still hungry.
Food was as rare as a kind ninja in the Land of Rain—mostly looted or rationed by some grumpy shinobi.
A bird caught his eye.
"Time for a snack."
He raised his hand.
"Heavenly Attraction!"
A flock of birds swirled into his grasp. Not bad for a guy who just resurrected from the dead.
Madara would probably crawl out of his grave just to smack him for stealing his thunder.
Nagato returned to the orphanage, tossing the birds onto the floor like a generous boss.
After everyone had eaten (including the orphans who now saw him as the cool new guy with food magic), he climbed back to his tree hideout—basically a fancy hollow in a big trunk.
"Okay, timeline check... Second Ninja World War, fifteen years before Naruto's big debut. Third war's a decade away. Madara's still looking target. I can mess with this timeline big time."
He dove into training: chakra control, climbing trees like a ninja squirrel, substitution techniques, Rasengan, shadow clones, and even the Byakugō Seal.
Weird—no diamond mark like Tsunade's? Probably cheat magic messing with the visuals.
By morning, he nailed the basics.
"Time to find Yahiko and Konan."
He wandered through Amegakure's ruins until he spotted them beneath a broken tarp—two kids clinging to life. A scrappy blonde boy with bruises and a rusty kunai. A pale girl trembling while clutching paper birds.
Yahiko stepped forward, tough guy mode activated.
"Back off! I'll kill you if you touch her!"
Nagato sighed, mentally facepalming.
Naruto promised peace, but the city was still a mess. This place had bad luck on tap.
"I'm not your enemy," Nagato said, calm and collected. "Call me boss, and I'll feed you."
He tossed some rabbits at their feet.
Yahiko blinked. "What's your goal?"
Nagato locked eyes with him.
"Peace. First for Amegakure. Then, the whole world."
Konan's lips trembled. "Peace… for Amegakure?"
They followed him back to the tree base.
"This will be our headquarters—temporary, but trust me, it's comfy."
He clapped his hands.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
BOOM—fifty clones popped up, ready for ninja business.
Yahiko's jaw dropped. "You're a ninja? Teach me!"
"In time. For now, tell the clones to build us a proper base."
"Got it, boss!"
While Yahiko managed the clone workforce, Nagato planted sensory seals all over the city.
These weren't Pain's rain-based eye spies. These White Serpent's Eyes were low maintenance—like ninja security cameras that didn't suck chakra or get tired.
White Zetsu could mimic perfectly, but they still needed chakra. If the seals picked up any weird elemental changes? Nagato would know immediately.
Night turned to dawn. The city was mapped and sealed.
Back at base, Yahiko and Konan were asleep. Only ten clones tidied the place up. Nagato made another food run to the orphanage. Fifty hungry kids—future Akatsuki recruits, if he had his way.
Later, Nagato reviewed his new ninja spy network on a massive paper spread across the base.
Hovering above it, a glowing sci-fi style interface buzzed—because of course, his cheat turned old school ninja stuff into futuristic gear.
No enemies nearby. Hanzo's camp was stable. The war was stuck in a boring stalemate. The showdown with the legendary Sannin was coming.
He muttered to himself, scheming:
"I need a spy… Animal Path's too obvious, controlled by chakra and easily spotted. What if... an Uzumaki Echo Seal? Disguised with illusions? Let the animal move on its own, untraceable... Hmm, this could be interesting."