The night sky over New York was a bruised violet, the kind of color you only see when a storm is about to break or when the universe decides to rewrite its own rules. Israel "Izzy" Voss lay on the cold concrete of an abandoned warehouse, his breath ragged, his heart pounding like a drum in a club that never closed. The last thing he remembered from his old life was the screech of tires, the flash of headlights, and the sickening thud of metal against bone. Then—nothing.
When his eyes fluttered open, the world had changed.
A soft, pulsing glow hovered just above his left palm, a translucent interface that seemed to be — a heads‑up display, but not the kind you see on a fighter jet. It was a **system UI**, sleek and minimalist, with neon‑blue accents that traced the edges of his vision.
> **Divine System Initialized**
> **Level 1 – Naruto System**
> **Quest: Learn Chakra Control**
> **Reward: +150 XP, Unlock Rasengan**
Israel sat up, the HUD flickering as if it were breathing. He stared at his own hand, half‑expecting it to be a prop in a prank video. Instead, the air around his fingers crackled with a faint, electric hum. He flexed his fingers, and a sphere of swirling chakra coalesced in his palm, glowing a brilliant azure. It was a **Rasengan**, the iconic spiraling ball of pure chakra that he'd only ever seen in anime.
"Yo, what the—?" he muttered, his voice a mix of awe and street‑wise sarcasm. He'd always been the kid who dropped memes in the hallway, the one who could turn a boring lecture into a TikTok trend. Now, reality itself had turned into a meme, and he was the punchline.
The HUD pinged‑ed again.
> **Quest Accepted** – *Learn Chakra Control*
> **Objective:** *Channel chakra into a stable form for 10 seconds.*
> **Progress:** 0 % → 0 %
He closed his eyes, inhaled the damp, metallic scent of the warehouse, and tried to remember the breathing techniques his mother had taught him when he was a kid—deep, slow, filling the lungs, then releasing. The chakra responded, flowing like a river that had found a new channel. The Rasengan steadied, its rotation smooth, its light steady.
Ten seconds later, the HUD flashed green.
> **Quest Complete** – *Learn Chakra Control*
> **XP Gained:** +150
> **Skill Unlocked:** *Rasengan* (Damage + 30, Cooldown 5 s)
A grin spread across Israel's face. "Bet you didn't see that coming, universe," he whispered, feeling the surge of **Divine Favor** tick up a notch.
---
### The First Encounter
The warehouse door burst open with a deafening clang. A squad of heavily armed men in black tactical gear stormed in, weapons raised. Their leader—a broad‑shouldered, scar‑lined **Obadiah Stane**—glared at Israel, his eyes narrowing.
"Who the hell are you?" Stane barked, his voice echoing off the concrete.
Israel didn't have time for introductions. The HUD flashed a new notification.
> **New Quest:** *Defend yourself from hostile forces*
> **Reward:** +200 XP, Unlock Chakra‑Infused Combat
Instinct and training collided. He raised his hand, the Rasengan humming louder, and hurled it at the nearest gunman. The sphere struck the barrel of the rifle, the impact sending a shockwave that ripped the weapon from the soldier's grip and sent him sprawling. The other men hesitated, eyes wide, as the Rasengan's after‑glow faded.
"Yo, you guys really need to upgrade your security," Israel quipped, his tone dripping with the same sarcasm that had gotten him through high school. "Because that was… lit."
Stane snarled, pulling a pistol and firing. Israel's HUD warned him—**Incoming Projectile**—and a thin line of chakra surged along his forearm, forming a **chakra shield** that deflected the bullet with a soft *whoosh*. The shield cracked, dissipating the **Divine Favor** meter a few more points.
The fight turned chaotic. Israel moved with a fluidity that felt like a dance, his chakra-infused punches landing with the weight of a freight train. He felt the system's **XP** ticking upward with each successful hit, each enemy neutralized. By the time the last thug fell, the warehouse was a mess of overturned crates and smoking gunmetal.
Stane, bruised and breathing heavily, stared at Israel with a mixture of fear and grudging respect.
"You… you're not human," he whispered, voice hoarse.
Israel shrugged, the HUD flashing a final line.
> **Quest Complete:** *Defend yourself from hostile forces*
> **XP Gained:** +200
> **Skill Unlocked:** *Chakra‑Infused Combat* (Damage + 45, Cooldown 3 s)
"Just a kid with a fancy UI," Israel replied, tapping his chest where the HUD hovered. "And a lot of confidence."
Stane lowered his weapon, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "You're… you're a mystery. Who sent you?"
Israel's grin widened. "Nobody sent me. I'm the one who showed up. And I'm about to make a name for myself in this crazy world."
---
### A New World, A New Mission
The warehouse's back wall collapsed, revealing a hidden entrance that led to a dimly lit tunnel. Israel's HUD pulsed, indicating a **new objective**.
> **New Quest:** *Locate the source of the Divine System*
> **Reward:** +300 XP, Unlock Six‑Paths: Deva Mode
He slipped into the tunnel, the air growing cooler, the walls lined with old, rusted pipes. The HUD's map projected a faint outline of the city above, highlighting a **red dot** near the **Stark Industries** complex.
"Yo, Stark's got a thing for tech," Israel muttered, his mind already racing through the endless Marvel movies he'd binge‑watched back in his old life. "If anyone can explain a divine Naruto system, it's him."
The tunnel opened onto a rooftop overlooking the glittering skyline of New York. The **Stark Tower** loomed like a beacon, its glass façade reflecting the violet sky. Below, traffic roared, and the city pulsed with life.
A sleek, black **S.H.I.E.L.D.** van pulled up, doors, and a woman in a sharp, navy‑blue suit stepped out. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and a badge on her chest read **"Director: Natasha Romanoff."** She scanned the rooftop, eyes narrowing as they landed on Israel.
"Who are you?" she asked, voice low, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
Israel raised his hands, the HUD flashing a **friendly greeting**.
> **Greeting:** *"Hey, I'm Israel. I just… woke up with a system. I think I'm supposed to help."*
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "A system? Like a… video game?"
"Exactly," Israel replied, the words slipping out with his usual Gen‑Z flair. "I've got quests, XP, and a Rasengan. It's kinda wild."
Natasha chuckled, the sound surprisingly warm. "Welcome to the real world, kid. Follow me. We've got a lot to talk about."
---
### The S.H.I.E.L.D. Briefing
Inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. command center, a massive wall of screens displayed live feeds from around the globe. Agents moved with purpose, their faces illuminated by the glow of monitors and the occasional flicker of a news ticker.
Natasha led Israel to a glass‑walled conference room where **Director Maria Hill** sat, flanked by **Phil Coulson** and a young analyst named **Mira Parker**—the S.H.I.E.L.D. operative Israel would later call "Mira."
"Director," Natasha began, "this is Israel Voss. He just appeared out of nowhere with… a system that seems to grant him chakra‑based abilities."
Maria Hill leaned forward, eyes sharp. "Chakra? Like the mystical energy from… anime?"
Israel nodded. "Yeah, Naruto. I've got a Rasengan, a chakra shield, and a quest log that keeps updating. It's… divine. It can't be hacked or hidden."
Coulson tapped his tablet, pulling up a profile. "Name: Israel Voss. Age: 19. Background: Black teen from New York, reborn with unknown powers. Current status: Unregistered operative."
Mira glanced at the HUD projected on the table. "Your system is… unique. It's pulling data from the multiverse, syncing with Marvel canon in real time. That means you already know the Avengers, the Infinity Stones, the whole she‑bang."
Israel smirked. "I've binge‑watched the movies. I know the back‑stories, the Easter eggs, the whole thing. I'm basically a walking spoiler."
Hill's expression softened just a fraction. "We could use someone with that kind of knowledge. The world's getting… chaotic. Threats are emerging that blend technology, magic, and… whatever this is."
The HUD