When Lucien opened his eyes, the world around him had completely changed. People dressed in strange clothes hurried through the streets, while ninjas passed by from time to time. The surroundings looked both familiar and foreign, leaving him utterly confused.
"Where… am I?" Lucien rubbed his head, but his memories were hazy. Nothing about this place seemed fake—it wasn't some elaborate prank.
"Did I… travel through time? Or am I just dreaming and can't wake up?" He pinched his arm hard.
"Ouch! That hurts! So this isn't a dream? Then… I really traveled through time!?"
He turned and froze. Three massive stone faces loomed over him.
"What the—!? Are these… the Hokage Rock statues!? Did I… end up in Konoha Village!?" he exclaimed in disbelief.
Just then, a mechanical chime rang in his ears.
"Ding! Binding... Binding… Binding complete! Congratulations, host. The Strongest Bloodline System has been activated! Would you like to claim your starter reward?"
Lucien didn't hesitate. "Use it!"
"Ding! Host, your first reward—Otsutsuki bloodline—has been delivered! Would you like to initiate fusion?"
"Of course. Fuse it now!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Lucien's body was consumed by a storm of changes. A strange surge of pleasure overwhelmed him, flooding his mind like lightning.
"Producing dopamine to counteract incoming pain," the system announced. But no comfort lasted long.
Agony struck a heartbeat later. His entire body felt as if it were tearing apart, his blood vessels threatening to explode. The pain was unbearable, and yet Lucien clenched his jaw without a sound.
"Host! Endure it! Fusion nearly complete! 3… 2… 1…"
The voice faded as his consciousness slipped away.
"Fusion successful! Congratulations, host. You now possess the purest Otsutsuki bloodline—"
But Lucien had already fainted, unable to hear the rest.
In the haze of blackness, voices drifted toward him.
"Uchiha Shigure… Uchiha Shigure!"
Lucien's eyes fluttered open. A girl with long black hair and dark eyes leaned over him, worry written across her face. He realized he was lying in a white hospital bed, the pungent scent of disinfectants filling the air.
"…Uchiha Shigure? Is that my name?" he asked quietly.
The girl's eyes brimmed with tears. "Brother Shigure! It's all my fault! If I hadn't tried to get my necklace back, none of this would've happened. Do you… do you remember me?"
Lucien shook his head. "I'm sorry… I don't. You said I'm Uchiha Shigure? That I belong to the Uchiha clan?"
Hearing this, the girl—Xiaoxing—broke down again. "You… you really forgot me! I'm Xiaoxing…"
Lucien rubbed his aching head, giving her a sheepish smile. "I really don't remember. Xiaoxing, can you tell me what happened?"
With trembling hands, she pulled out a mirror and held it before him.
The reflection staring back was striking: jet-black hair framing a sharp, handsome face, obsidian eyes that carried both piercing strength and quiet gentleness. But a scar slashed across his left eyebrow, cutting down over the bridge of his nose. It marred his looks somewhat, leaving him with a touch of fierceness.
"Look at you," Xiaoxing said through tears. "Not only have you lost your memory, but your face is scarred. It was those bullies from the Uchiha clan. They stole my necklace… and you got it back for me. But they ganged up on you, beat you half to death, and even cut your face with a blade. When I finally found you, you were unconscious. And now… you don't even remember me anymore."
Xiaoxing sobbed again.
Lucien managed a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Xiaoxing. Even if I can't remember, I'm still here, aren't I?" But deep inside, his thoughts raced.
"So this is real… transmigration, a system, bloodline fusion… and now this girl. No doubt about it—I've landed in the world of Naruto."
As Xiaoxing filled him in, Lucien pieced together the truth. This body's parents had died in battle years ago, leaving Shigure—his new identity—alone in Konoha. Isolated, ridiculed, and looked down upon, he grew up only with Xiaoxing, who had suffered a similar fate. They shared a bond forged in hardship—brother and sister in all but blood.
But when bullies from the Uchiha clan went after Xiaoxing, Shigure had stood up for her, and the incident led to Lucien's awakening here.
"Hmph. The Uchiha clan…" Lucien sneered inwardly, though outwardly he forced a gentle smile for Xiaoxing.
"Alright, Xiaoxing, you should head home and rest. Didn't you say the Ninja Academy graduation exam is tomorrow? I need to prepare, too."
After she left, Lucien closed his eyes, sinking into himself.
"The system… the Otsutsuki bloodline has fully integrated. What powers do I have now?"
At once, his body stirred with an incredible force. His eyes prickled, his limbs burned, and waves of energy surged inside him. It felt like he had grasped the key to something vast.
"Then… let it out!"
With a deep breath, he opened his chakra pathways. A steady stream of energy erupted, flooding through him.
"This… this is chakra."
The power humming within him was unmistakable—familiar yet foreign, the very foundation of the Naruto world itself.
P.S. In this chapter, we've portrayed Lucien's sudden arrival in Konoha Village and his shocking awakening to both the Otsutsuki bloodline and his new Uchiha identity. The scene highlights his confusion, the bond with Xiaoxing, and the first glimpse of his immense potential in this new world.