The sharp scent of antiseptic stung his nose. Muffled voices drifted in and out of focus, like echoes through a tunnel. His eyelids felt heavy, as if weighed down by stone, but the murmur of conversation forced him to stir.
"His vitals are stable," one female voice said softly. Be careful. "But the damage to his spine… I've never seen anything like it."
Another voice, lower, male, grave: "Even if he survives, walking again will be…" A pause. "Unlikely."
John's mind jolted. Where… am I? He remembered only fragments, leaving the office late, exhausted, his briefcase swinging loosely in one hand. Then he felt a sudden emptiness beneath his feet. Darkness. Pain. And now this?
His eyes cracked open. White ceiling. The faint rustle of bandages. A body that wasn't his. He tried to move, but agony shot through his lower back like a lightning strike. His breath hitched, sweat beading at his temple.
The voices hushed. A woman leaned into view brown hair tied back, dressed in a nurse's uniform. "He's awake!"
The door slid open quickly. More footsteps. A man in a white coat appeared, followed by another nurse. They surrounded his bed, concern etched into their expressions.
"Lee…" the doctor said, as though testing the name. "Can you hear me?"
Lee? John blinked. Confusion swelled in his chest. My name's John. Who the hell is—
Before he could form words, the door burst open again.
"Lee!"
A girl rushed in, her dark brown hair pulled into two buns. Tears welled in her eyes as she gripped the edge of his bed. "Thank goodness… you're awake!"
Behind her came a tall boy with pale, almost featureless eyes. His expression was cool, but relief flickered across it for just an instant.
And then, the loudest presence of all—
"LEE! MY ETERNAL STUDENT!" A man in green spandex and an orange vest dove dramatically to his knees beside the bed, tears streaming down his face like twin waterfalls. "Your youthful spirit has not abandoned you!"
John's heart nearly stopped. He knew these faces. He knew this scene.
Tenten. Neji. Might Gai. Rock Lee.
His stomach twisted, realization crashing down on him like a ton of bricks.
I… I'm in Naruto. And I'm in Lee's body… after Gaara…
A wave of pain pulsed through his spine, nearly dragging him back into unconsciousness. His last coherent thought before the darkness swallowed him again was equal parts panic and disbelief:
What the hell kind of second chance is this?