Chapter 2: Beginning
Nagato woke up slowly.
For a brief moment, his mind lingered in that fragile space between sleep and reality—a place where hope still existed.
"…It was just a dream," he muttered under his breath.
But as his eyes fully opened, that hope shattered instantly.
The same cracked ceiling stared back at him.
The same dim, rain-soaked room.
The same body.
"…Yeah. Not a dream."
He exhaled slowly and sat up, running a hand through his red hair. It still felt unfamiliar—too soft, too light. Everything about this body felt different, yet disturbingly natural at the same time.
"I'm really… Nagato Uzumaki."
The name alone carried weight.
A future destroyer. A man burdened by prophecy. A symbol of pain.
"…What a mess."
He stood up and stretched his body slightly. Surprisingly, he didn't feel weak. In fact, there was a strange vitality flowing through him—subtle, but undeniable.
"Uzumaki bloodline…"
That explained it.
Even at nine years old, this body possessed far greater stamina and life force than his previous one ever did. It was like comparing a candle to a blazing furnace.
Still, raw potential meant nothing without control.
"First rule… survive."
He walked toward the small kitchen area. The house was quiet—too quiet. The absence of life was suffocating.
But he forced himself to ignore it.
There were supplies neatly stored along the shelves. Dry food, preserved items, and basic essentials.
"They prepared for war…"
His chest tightened slightly.
Nagato's parents had known what kind of world they were living in. They had prepared for the worst.
And the worst had come.
He grabbed some food and ate slowly. It wasn't good, but it didn't matter.
"This should last a while," he thought.
"That gives me time."
Time to think.
Time to grow.
After eating, he stepped outside briefly.
The rain greeted him immediately.
Cold.
Relentless.
Unforgiving.
"…So this is the Rain Village."
Amegakure.
A battlefield disguised as a home.
The sky was always gray. The air always heavy. Even breathing felt different here—like the world itself was tired.
Nagato looked around silently, then turned back inside.
"Not ready yet."
He sat cross-legged on the floor and closed his eyes.
"Chakra…"
He recalled the knowledge from Nagato's memories.
Chakra was the fusion of physical energy and spiritual energy.
Body and mind.
Strength and will.
"…If that's the case…"
His brow furrowed slightly.
"My soul merged with Nagato's… so my spiritual energy should be higher."
That explained the emotional overflow he experienced earlier.
The grief.
The anger.
The overwhelming sense of loss.
"…I need control."
He raised his hand slightly and tried to focus.
At first—
Nothing.
Then—
A faint sensation.
Like warmth.
Flowing beneath the surface.
"…There it is."
Chakra.
It was subtle, but once he felt it, he couldn't ignore it anymore.
It moved through his body like a current—unstable, but powerful.
"Too rough…"
He frowned.
"If I can't control this, I'll burn through it in seconds."
He stood up and walked toward a nearby wall.
"Let's start simple."
From Nagato's memories, he understood the basics of chakra control training.
Tree climbing.
Wall walking.
Fundamental exercises that every shinobi used.
He placed one foot against the wall and focused chakra into it.
"Steady… don't overdo it…"
He stepped forward—
—and immediately slipped.
THUD.
"…Yeah. That's expected."
He stood up again.
Tried again.
Failed again.
And again.
And again.
Hours passed.
His body grew tired, but his determination didn't waver.
Each failure taught him something.
Too much chakra—he slipped.
Too little—he fell.
Unstable flow—he lost balance.
"Fine…"
He wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Then I'll brute-force understanding."
By the end of the day, he managed three steps.
Just three.
But that was enough.
A small smile formed on his face.
"…Progress."
Days passed.
Training became routine.
Morning—practice.
Afternoon—practice.
Night—meditation.
By the end of the week—
He walked up the wall without falling.
"…Finally."
He stood upside down on the ceiling, looking down at the room.
A strange feeling of accomplishment filled him.
"This body learns fast."
Or maybe—
He just had better awareness now.
But chakra control wasn't his only focus.
There was something else.
Something far more important.
"Sensory ability…"
Nagato sat down again and closed his eyes.
From memory, he knew that Nagato had exceptional sensing abilities in the future.
"…Let's see how early I can unlock it."
At first—
Nothing.
Just darkness.
Silence.
But he didn't stop.
Day after day, he meditated.
Listening.
Feeling.
Searching.
Then—
On the twelfth day—
Something changed.
A faint presence.
Distant.
Weak.
But real.
Nagato's eyes snapped open.
"…I felt that."
His heart started beating faster.
"Again…"
He closed his eyes.
Focused.
This time—
He felt more.
Multiple presences.
Scattered.
Different.
Each one unique.
"…Chakra signatures."
A slow grin spread across his face.
"I did it."
It wasn't perfect.
His range was limited.
Control was shaky.
But it was enough.
A foundation.
But there was one thing he hadn't touched yet.
The Rinnegan.
He raised his hand slightly.
"…Let's try."
He focused deeply.
Pulled chakra toward his eyes.
For a brief moment—
The world shifted.
A strange pressure filled his vision.
Power.
Immense.
Overwhelming.
Then—
It vanished.
Nagato gasped.
His body felt drained instantly.
"…Too soon."
He clenched his teeth.
"That thing… eats chakra like crazy."
He leaned back against the wall, breathing heavily.
"Yeah… definitely not ready."
Time passed quickly.
Supplies began running low.
Four days left.
Nagato stood in the center of the room, looking around.
"…Time to move."
He gathered everything he needed.
Scrolls.
Money.
Supplies.
Important items.
Using basic fuinjutsu knowledge, he sealed them carefully.
Not perfect—
But functional.
After packing everything, he stood near the door.
This house…
It wasn't his.
But it still held weight.
Memories.
Pain.
History.
"…Thank you."
He said it quietly.
Not sure who he was speaking to.
Then—
He opened the door.
Rain poured down endlessly.
The world outside was waiting.
Dangerous.
Unpredictable.
Alive.
Nagato stepped forward.
No hesitation.
No fear.
"My next goal…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Konan."
"Yahiko."
From memory, he knew:
They were orphans.
Survivors.
Thieves, out of necessity.
"They'll be near markets…"
"That's where I start."
He adjusted his cloak and walked into the rain.
Each step steady.
Purposeful.
"This world…"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"…Let's see what you've got."
Behind him—
The door closed.
And with it—
His old life ended completely.
Ahead—
A new story had begun.