The silence of the night wrapped around Konoha, broken only by the soft whisper of wind weaving through the rooftops. In a small room, bathed in the bluish glow of the moon, a young boy stared at the ceiling, eyes wide open.
Minato hadn't shut his eyes since jolting awake. The dream—no, the vision—kept replaying in his mind. What he had seen: his own death, the Kyūbi's rampage, his son's rejection, the schemes of Hiruzen and Danzō—it was all too vivid, too real.
He gripped the window ledge with trembling fingers.
"Was it... a Genjutsu? An illusion?" he whispered.
But no, no Genjutsu could convey so much information, so many sensations. He had lived through those events. The weight of the Hokage cloak, the warmth of Kushina in his arms, the dread of ninja war, the overwhelming chakra of the Kyūbi, the cold helplessness of watching Naruto humiliated—a child he didn't even know.
Have I lost my mind? he wondered.
It had only been a month since he received his forehead protector. At just eleven, he was already a Genin. Tomorrow, he was finally set to go on his first real C-rank mission. He should have been excited. Instead, a sharp anxiety gnawed at him, refusing to fade.
And then there was that name… Kushina.
A girl he had barely crossed paths with at the Academy. Transferred from the Land of Whirlpools, she had arrived late into the program and was in a class below his. He vaguely remembered her long red hair and strange accent. Back then, there was nothing remarkable about her aside from those rare crimson locks.
But now…
His heart beat faster every time he thought about her. He could almost hear her voice, feel her warmth, see her smile blushing in the moonlight. It was absurd.
"Am I… in love?" he murmured to himself.
No… that's impossible. I don't even know her.
"No… I was. She was my wife. In another future? Or this future… ahhh, I don't know. My head hurts."
He turned over, grabbed a glass of water, hoping to calm his thoughts. But just as he raised it to his lips, a voice echoed suddenly in his mind:
> [Shinobi Harem System – Initialization in progress…]
Host connection: Minato Namikaze — Successful.
[Emotional link detected: No notable kunoichi yet.]
Primary Function: The stronger emotional bonds kunoichis form with the Host, the more the Host can copy their current and future abilities.
Future memory access: Partial recovery [1/4]
Minato jumped, spilling the glass. The water splashed across the floor, but he didn't even glance at it.
"What the hell was that? Who's talking?!" he shouted into the empty room.
> [System: A cognitive interface linked to your soul.]
"An... interface? What kind of nonsense is this? Some high-level Genjutsu? A mind-manipulation jutsu?"
He backed toward his bed, wary. His chakra flowed normally. He tried detecting outside interference—nothing. He was alone.
And yet the voice remained… internal, synthetic, calm. Steady.
"What I saw in my dream… was it real? Or am I still dreaming?"
> [Answer: Affirmative. You witnessed your own future before death. Your soul has been reset into your younger body to offer you a second chance.]
Minato froze. The room tilted around him.
"What the—? None of this makes sense..."
"Why me? Why give me a second chance? Who sent you?"
> [Classified. Parameter locked.]
Minato clenched his fists.
> [However, you can verify my claims right now. Tonight, Uzumaki Kushina will be kidnapped by Kumo ninjas. She's currently alone, en route to the supply center, outside the residential district. If you do not intervene, she will be taken in less than ten minutes.]
"…Is that true?" he murmured.
Now that it was mentioned, the memory stirred—distant, hazy. In some half-forgotten version of reality, Kushina had been kidnapped. And he'd saved her… according to a future that hadn't happened yet.
But in his dream, he'd seen more: the fear in her eyes, the scratches on her skin, the terror.
He didn't have time to waste.
Now that I think about it… it's strange. Someone living under Mito-sama's protection should never be kidnapped that easily, right?
Minato grabbed his kunai, strapped on his Genin gear, tied his forehead protector, and threw open the window.
He inhaled deeply.
"If what I saw is real… then I can't sit here. I have to find out."
And he jumped down.