The Hidden Leaf Village stirred to life beneath the morning sun. Vendors arranged crates of fruit, smiths hammered gently on cooling blades, and shinobi—young and old—moved across rooftops like clockwork shadows. Everything appeared normal, but beneath that calm routine, a subtle disturbance hummed in the air.
Raizen walked silently through the village's eastern path, his hands tucked calmly into the sleeves of a black and grey gi. His violet eyes moved with clinical sharpness, taking in every detail—from chakra-infused birds trained to deliver messages, to the whisper of silent patrols above. He had only arrived hours ago, escorted personally by Kakashi Hatake under the utmost secrecy.
To most villagers, Raizen was introduced as a recently returned, highly-trained shinobi who had been on a decade-long solo mission deep beyond the Land of Fire's borders—assigned by the Third Hokage himself. A simple, believable story. No one questioned the details. Few dared to.
Only two people in the entire village knew the truth: that Raizen wasn't from anywhere in this world.
Not even from this reality.
He had emerged through a spatial rift that nearly collapsed the chakra barrier around the village—safely stabilized only thanks to the Third Hokage's rapid intervention and Kakashi's innate caution. Raizen had said little at first. But in the privacy of the Hokage's office, he had spoken enough for Hiruzen to understand that this warrior came from a world of warriors unlike any ninja had ever known.
Now, Raizen followed Kakashi through the village center, drawing subtle attention. He didn't wear a forehead protector. He carried no visible weapons. Yet his bearing spoke of untouchable strength—calm and centered, like a blade balanced on the edge of stillness.
As they approached the training grounds, Kakashi gave him a sidelong glance.
"You'll be working with a team today. Keep things low profile."
Raizen nodded. "I understand."
On the field, three genin were already in the midst of light drills. One of them, a blonde boy in an orange jumpsuit, was loudly challenging the other two. Raizen recognized him instantly from Kakashi's earlier descriptions—Naruto Uzumaki, the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
Beside him stood a dark-haired boy with a sharp gaze—Sasuke Uchiha, last of his clan. And a girl with short indigo hair and soft eyes—Hinata Hyuga, of the prestigious Hyuga clan.
Kakashi raised a hand. "Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata—pause for a minute. I want you to meet someone."
The trio turned as one. Naruto's eyes widened.
"Whoa! You're huge! Are you a new jonin?"
Sasuke eyed Raizen's stance. "He doesn't carry a weapon. But there's something weird about his chakra…"
Hinata stepped forward, bowing politely. "G-Good morning…"
Raizen gave a slight bow in return, his expression composed. "I am Raizen. I'll be joining your training today."
Naruto bounded forward, oblivious to subtle tension. "Cool! Are you strong? Like Kakashi-sensei strong?"
Kakashi raised a brow. "He might be stronger."
That quiet statement made both Sasuke and Naruto pause.
Raizen gave a small smile. "I've trained… in solitude. Strength is not always loud."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. He couldn't read Raizen's chakra fully. It didn't move like his or Naruto's. It was too still, too contained—like a sleeping volcano. Dangerous only when provoked.
Kakashi gave a clap. "Warm-up drills. Basic taijutsu forms. Raizen, would you like to demonstrate?"
Raizen stepped forward without a word. He took a simple stance—legs shoulder-width apart, hands open. His aura didn't flare. He didn't need it to.
With one fluid motion, he began moving through a series of strikes—spinning backhands, low sweeping kicks, forward pressure movements. It was elegant and impossibly fast. Each strike was measured but infused with such kinetic force that the air shimmered behind his fists.
Dust lifted gently off the field around him. Grass flattened in perfect circles from where his feet pressed the ground. When he finished, he stood upright, having never once broken rhythm.
Naruto blinked. "That was… awesome!"
Sasuke's fists clenched. "He didn't even use chakra."
Hinata's eyes were wide, her Byakugan activating subconsciously for a split second. What she saw shocked her—Raizen's chakra coils were unlike any she'd ever witnessed. His energy was dense, compressed, but… alive. Not wild, but deep and rich, like golden sunlight trapped inside skin.
Kakashi smirked under his mask. "Your turn."
The team broke into drills. Naruto tried to mimic Raizen's spins, falling flat on his back. Hinata moved with surprising agility—taking Raizen's earlier balance to heart. Sasuke struck harder than usual, trying to reach the same speed.
Raizen offered occasional corrections, but never intruded. When Hinata stumbled mid-form, he reached out gently, steadying her wrist.
"Don't fight the flow. Bend it to your will."
Her face lit up. "Y-Yes!"
By the end of training, Naruto was drenched in sweat, Sasuke was quietly analyzing Raizen with deepening focus, and Hinata kept glancing at Raizen with a strange sense of admiration in her chest.
Kakashi approached him at the edge of the field. "You made an impression."
"I didn't show too much."
"Good," Kakashi murmured. "Danzo already sent someone to sniff around."
Raizen's expression darkened slightly. "I could feel them. They watch like carrion birds."
"They always do," Kakashi said. "But so far, the Hokage's word is enough to keep them back."
Raizen looked up toward the Hokage Monument, the faces of legends carved into stone.
"This world feels... like it's waiting for something."
Kakashi folded his arms. "It usually is."
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the day moved on, and Raizen vanished from sight with silent grace. To the rest of the village, he was a quiet mystery—a prodigy shinobi who returned from the beyond. But to Kakashi and the Third Hokage, he was something more:
A warrior from a world of gods and power, now walking among men.