The fluorescent lights of the hospital room buzzed like a swarm of indifferent insects, casting a sterile pallor over Hiroshi Tanaka's world. At twenty-eight, he was the archetype of the dutiful salaryman—endless hours hunched over spreadsheets in a gray cubicle, the Yamanote Line his daily pilgrimage to exhaustion, and dreams deferred like overdue reports. But lately, fatigue had deepened into something insidious, a shadow that no amount of black coffee could dispel. Persistent coughs, unexplained weight loss, nights soaked in sweat—the signs had piled up until his boss, in a rare moment of concern, insisted on a check-up.
The diagnosis came like a guillotine: stage IV lung cancer. Inoperable. Terminal. Months, maybe less. Hiroshi sat in the oncology ward, the doctor's words echoing hollowly. 'Chemotherapy might buy time, but...' No family to lean on—his parents gone, siblings scattered—and friends who offered platitudes over lukewarm tea. Life's grind had isolated him, turning potential connections into echoes.
That evening, alone in his cramped apartment, Hiroshi stared at the skyline through rain-streaked windows. Tokyo pulsed below, oblivious. Why fight? The pain meds dulled the edges, but the void loomed larger. He swallowed the last of his pills, chasing them with sake, and stepped onto the balcony. One final breath of city air, then surrender to the fall.
As he fell, his body remained suspended in the air. Hiroshi who accepted his fate, his face which was sad with tears suddenly changed into shock"What's hapened? Is this a joke? i can't even die" then sudently, a voice—resonated in his mind, crisp and mechanical.
[System Initialization. System Initialization. Hiroshi Tanaka, you qualify for the Transworld Odyssey. You want to die or change your pitiful fate?]
Hiroshi gripped the railing, the rain mingling with his tears. Delirium from the meds? A cosmic joke? 'What... what is this?'
[Protocol: Traverse anime universes. Mission per world: Select a heroine. Pursue her with fervent, unrequited affection. Ignite her hatred through unyielding pursuit. Culminate in sacrificial death for her sake. Reward per world: Acquire one ability from the realm's protagonist. Upon completion of all missions: Your real-world body will be fully healed of all ailments, and you will receive one billion yen to start anew. Refuse, and your end is final. Decision: Accept or fade.]
The promise pierced the haze—a second chance, not just survival, but power and fortune. Hiroshi's grip tightened. 'I accept.'
A light engulfed him, pain twisting into rebirth. Foreign memories surged: ramen slurps, a big fox, a village's scorn. The world solidified in a steamy inn room, tatami underfoot. Hiroshi blinked at his reflection—spiky blond hair, whisker marks, orange jacket. He was Naruto Uzumaki, returning from his three years with Jiraiya.
'This can't be real,' he thought, but chakra coursed through him like fire.
[World: Naruto Shippuden. Possession: Naruto Uzumaki, post-timeskip training. Select heroine.]
Hiroshi—no, Naruto—paced, the floorboards groaning. He'd binged the series in hospital downtime; Naruto's crush on Sakura was pure one-sided torment, her heart chained to Sasuke. Perfect for the mission.
'Sakura Haruno,' he said aloud, voice carrying Naruto's brash timbre.
[Target acquired. Objectives: Shower affection relentlessly. Foster loathing via persistence. Die protecting her. Reward: Choose one of Naruto Uzumaki ability.
After completing 3 worlds: reward Healing and one billion yen.]
A booming knock rattled the door. 'Naruto, Time to move—Konoha's callin'!' Jiraiya's voice, gravelly with amusement.
Naruto swung it open, grinning instinctively. 'Yeah, yeah, Pervy-Sage! I'm ready, dattebayo!'
Jiraiya loomed, white mane wild, robes askew, a scroll tucked underarm. 'Three years under the greatest Sannin, and that's how you greet me? Shape up, Brat. But first—last pit stop.'
The inn nestled in misty hills, hot springs steaming below. As they exited, the women's bathhouse beckoned, screens veiling giggles and splashes. Jiraiya's eyes gleamed.
'Oi, Naruto—cover for your sensei. Research calls.' He slunk toward the fence, toad-like stealth belying his size.
Naruto rolled his eyes, following at a distance. 'Pervy-Sage, c'mon! I you are a sanin, not a bathhouse creep. Tsunade-baa-chan'll kill ya if she hears.'
Jiraiya perched on a branch, notebook out, scribbling furiously. 'Inspiration knows no bounds, kid! This is for the ages—my next masterpiece!'
Naruto leaned against a trunk, suppressing a laugh. Hiroshi found the irony rich—the Toad Sage, lech supreme. But a twig snapped underfoot. Silence fell in the baths, then outrage.
'Pervert alert!'
Kunai whistled; one nicked Jiraiya's sleeve. He flailed, crashing down. 'Run, brat!'
They dashed through underbrush, Jiraiya's laughter booming over the women's furious yells. Naruto panted, clones popping to scout. 'I warned ya! Pervy-Sage's gonna get us banned from every onsen in Fire Country!'
Safely away, Jiraiya dusted off, unfazed. 'A small price for genius. Now, to the Hidden Leaf—your big return.'
Naruto looked at Jiraiya's back and thought to himself, "If I can, before I complete my mission, I will save Jiraiya. Even if I'm not the original Naruto, his memories are mine now. I can't let him die at Pain's hands."
The forest path wound toward home, birdsong lightening the air. Naruto tested his growth—Rasengan whirring in his palm, shadow clones multiplying with ease. Hiroshi marveled at the power, a far cry from his frail body.
Konoha's gates towered, symbols of the Will of Fire. Guards brightened. 'Jiraiya-sama! And Naruto—welcome home!'
'Nice to see you again guys!'
naruto greted Izumo and Kotetsu with a big smile
Jiraiya veered to the Hokage Tower for debriefs, waving Naruto off. 'Go play, kid. I'll catch up.'
Naruto bounded into the streets, energy bubbling. Near the academy, bushes rustled—a ambush of mini-ninjas erupted.
'Boss Naruto!' Konohamaru tackled his waist, Udon and Moegi piling on.
Naruto laughed, scooping Konohamaru up. 'Konohamaru! You guys grew like weeds! What've you been trainin' on? Any new jutsu while I was gone?'
Konohamaru beamed, seals flashing: Tiger → Boar → Ox → Dog → Ram. 'Sexy Jutsu—no, wait, the upgraded one!'
Smoke billowed; a busty, scantily clad version of himself posed seductively. 'Hey there, handsome~'
Naruto howled with laughter, spinning him. 'Hah! Still your go-to,? Still Ero-Sennin would approve!'
Moegi bonked Konohamaru on the head with her fist. 'Baka! Pervert! That's so lame!'
'Ow! Moegi, why'd ya hit me?' Konohamaru whined, rubbing his crown as the jutsu dispersed. Udon snickered behind his scarf.
The kids dragged Naruto into a mock battle—clones vs. their fumbling attacks, comedy in every slip and exaggerated yell. 'Take this, Shadow Clone Smash!' Naruto boomed, 'gently' tossing one into a bush. Konohamaru countered with a sloppy Kage Bunshin, only for his clone to trip over Udon.
Laughter echoed, but nostalgia tugged—Naruto's old isolation mirroring Hiroshi's solitude. This camaraderie? A balm.
Then, footsteps. Sakura Haruno emerged from a side path, alone, pink hair catching sunlight, medical satchel at her hip. Years had honed her forms: lithe muscle under her outfit, green eyes sharp from Tsunade's drills.
'Naruto you back!' She approached, arms crossed, a mix of joy with curiosity and old annoyance.
'Sakura-chan!' Naruto's face split in a grin, mission kicking in subtly. The kids greeted her—'Sakura-nee!'—but she waved them off lightly, focusing on him.
Sakura hung back, then stepped forward as the kids stepped back a little.
'Hey, Naruto. Long time no see. So... how do I look after three years?'
Naruto tilted his head, blurting canon-true. 'Eh? You look exactly the same as always, Sakura-chan!'
Her face contorted—shock, then fury. 'You idiot!' Chakra flared; her fist connected with his jaw in a classic uppercut, sending him cratering into the ground.
Stars exploded in his vision, but he popped up, rubbing his chin with a dopey smile. 'Ow! Sakura-chan, that all you got? I was just bein' honest, dattebayo!'
She huffed, turning on her heel. 'Dense as ever. See you around—or not.' The kids giggled; Konohamaru: 'Boss, you never learn!'
Naruto watched her go, waving. 'Yeah! Later, Sakura-chan!' Inside, Hiroshi noted the normalcy—no anomalies yet. Mission: start the pursuit.
As evening fell, Sakura trudged home, the punch's adrenaline fading into irritation. Naruto—is still the same loudmouth hmp, idiot. She unlocked her door, Her parents weren't home. The quiet house a stark contrast to the day's bustle. Dropping her satchel, she prepared tea, mind wandering to Sasuke's absence, her team's fractures.
The teacup slipped, shattering—a sharp, stinging echo that bloomed into a pounding headache. It wasn't a memory, but a haunting echo of a life once lived.
The world shattered into war. Ethereal, terrifying, Kaguya descended. Naruto was there, his brilliant blue eyes clouded with blood, yet his gaze solely locked onto her—Sakura.
"Sakura-chan, move!"
His voice wasn't just a command; it was a desperate plea. He didn't just shove her away; he caught her face for one, fleeting second, his warm, scarred hand trailing against her cheek, leaving a smear of red that felt like a brand. "I told you... I'd never let her touch you."
His body, battered and broken, became an impenetrable wall of blazing Bijuu chakra, a shield against the abyss. As Kaguya's final, killing light erupted, he didn't look at the enemy—he looked only at her, his expression turning into a tender smile.
The light consumed him. The world went silent, save for the whisper of his final words, echoing in the depth of her soul: 'Always... believed in you, Sakura-chan. My Sakura-chan.'
She sank onto the cold floor, her small, trembling hands clutching at the fabric over her chest, trying to crush the physical pain of a breaking heart. Sobs, raw and agonizing, wracked her frame, echoing in the empty, moonlit room. "Naruto..." she whispered into the darkness, the name tasting like salt and longing. "I was so blind, chasing shadows while the sun was right in front of me."
She squeezed her eyes shut, a tear trailing through the dust on her cheek. As the memory of his dismissive smile faded, a new emotion roared to life in the vacuum of her despair—a searing, possessive fire that licked at the edges of her resolve. It wasn't just heartache anymore; it was an awakening. The foolish, gentle girl was gone, replaced by a devotion that would swallow them both whole.
She raised her head, her tear-stained face lit by a serene, terrifying smile as her eyes hardened with a singular purpose. He would be hers—protected from the world, possessed by her, safe within the velvet cage she would build for him.
"Since I have a new chance," she whispered, tracing the air as if caressing his cheek. "I, start building our perfect world, Naruto wait for me i will never let you go again."
Meanwhile, Naruto regrouped with Jiraiya at Ichiraku's, slurping ramen amid the old man's tales. 'Pervy-Sage, Konoha's changed—feels good, though.'
Jiraiya slurped noodles. 'You've changed too, kid, You are strong now.'
Naruto chuckled, but in his mind he plotted plans for his mision : tomorrow, affection barrage. Flowers? Bad poetry?'
Konoha's markets buzzing. Naruto, post-breakfast with the kids—Konohamaru demoing a failed Oiroke no Jutsu variant that turned him into a strange frog— Naruto spotted Sakura at the training grounds. She sparred alone, fists cracking posts.
'Sakura-chan!' He bounded over, a bouquet of wildflowers pilfered from the path. 'These are for you! To say sorry—er, I mean, thanks for the greeting yesterday!'
She paused, sweat-glistened, eyes widening at the flowers. The memories surged fresh; her heart twisted. But she masked it, snatching them with a smirk. 'Flowers? From you? Don't think this makes up for being a dobe.'
Internally , possession stirred. 'Mine now. No escaping.'
Naruto beamed, oblivious. 'Hey, wanna train? I learned some cool stuff—watch this!' Rasengan formed, whirling blue.
Her eyes lit; drama simmered. 'Show me, then, lets fight but don'thold back.'
Sparks flew—his clones dodging her chakra-enhanced strikes, comedy in a clone's exaggerated flop. 'Whoa, Sakura-chan's stronger! Tsunade-baachan tranned you well Sakura-chan?'
She nodded, landing a controlled hit that winded him. 'Damn right. Now, your turn.' As they traded blows, her gaze lingered—protective and intense.
In the afternoon, Kakashi and Tsunade arrived at the training grounds and greeted Naruto.
"Hey brat, why didn't you come to visit me?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Sorry, Tsunade-baachan! I totally forgot, hehehe."
"Hmp brat ," she huffed.
Nearby, Kakashi's eye curved into a familiar, lazy crescent. "Yo, Naruto. Long time no see."
"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei! It's good to see you, dattebayo!"
"It's good to have the team back together," Kakashi said, pulling two silver bells from his pouch and hooking them to his belt. "Now, Naruto, Sakura... I want to see how much you've grown over these last three years."
Sakura smiled as a flash of memory from her previous life flickered through her mind. "Naruto, let's do it. Let's show him what we're capable of."
"That's my Sakura-chan! Ah, my heart... I'm falling for you all over again!"
"Stop joking, you idiot," Sakura teased, giving him a light playful jab to the stomach.
Naruto blinked, a bit stunned. That's it? Normally her punches send me flying into the dirt. He looked at her closely. She's acting strange. Why is she smiling like that? She looks... genuinely happy.
"Naruto, Sakura... let's begin," Kakashi said, his voice calm as he checked his watch. "You have time until sunrise tomorrow to take these bells from me. Come at me with everything you've got, including the intent to kill. If you don't, you won't stand a chance."
Sakura took a deep breath, her eyes sharp. "Ready, Naruto?"
"Yes Sakura-chan! I'm not the same kid who fell for that 'Thousand Years of Death' move!" Naruto shouted, already reaching for his kunai.
As the timer started, Naruto didn't hesitate. He wove his fingers into a cross sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" In a burst of smoke, dozens of Narutos appeared, charging from all sides. But Kakashi was a blur of motion. He didn't even put away his [Make-Out Tactics] book at first, weaving through the clones with effortless grace.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Kakashi exploded. Sakura had channeled her chakra into a single, devastating punch, shattering the earth and forcing Kakashi to leap back.
"Her strength..." Kakashi thought, his eye widening as he landed. "Tsunade really didn't hold back on her training."
The Sharingan Revealed
Realizing he couldn't just play around, Kakashi finally pocketed his book and lifted his headband, revealing the [Sharingan]
"It seems I have to be serious right from the start," he admitted.
The battle intensified. Naruto used his clones to create distractions, while Sakura timed her strikes to catch Kakashi during his narrow windows of escape. Despite their growth, Kakashi's experience kept him one step ahead. He used the [Body Replacement to dodge a point-blank Rasengan, leaving Naruto to hit a log instead.
As the night wore on, Naruto realized they couldn't win by force alone. He looked at Sakura and whispered, "I've got a plan. It's a bit... dirty, but it'll work."
"Ok i believe in you Naruto" Sakura knows already what Naruto wants to do 'hehe
As they cornered Kakashi near a cliffside, Naruto took a deep breath and began shouting spoilers for the newest Make-Out Tactics.
"And then, the main character finds out that—"
"No! Stop!" Kakashi yelled, reflexively covering his ears. But with his hands on his ears, he couldn't see with the Sharingan, and with his eyes closed to avoid reading Naruto's lips, he was completely open.
The sound of bells ringing echoed through the clearing. Naruto and Sakura stood there, each holding a silver bell.
Kakashi sighed, dropping his hands. "Well... I didn't see that coming. You've definitely grown up." He looked at them with a genuine, closed-eye smile. "Pass. Team 7 is officially back in action".
Tsunade thought for a moment, then nodded. "Naruto and Sakura are strong enough; I'll send them on that mission. I can't wait to see how Sakura will react when she finds out I'm sending her on a mission related to Sasuke."
After Tsunade departed via Body Flicker, she left behind an order for Team 7 to report to her office the following afternoon for their next mission. Kakashi took his leave as well, leaving Sakura and Naruto alone.
"Hey Naruto, if you're free, could you come with me tomorrow morning?" Sakura's eyes flickered as she gave him a sweet smile. "A new clothing shop just opened and I don't want to go alone."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish. "Okay, Sakura-chan. Anything for you!"
He turned to head home, but Sakura suddenly grabbed his hand. "Naruto, why so fast? Why don't you stay with me a little longer?"
Naruto shivered. What happened to the Sasuke simp? he thought frantically. How can I complete my mission if she's acting like this? Hey System, She's acting crazy...
[I'm sorry, Host. I Cant found any error.]
Naruto cursed his luck. "Ano... sorry, Sakura-chan, I really need to go home. After three years away, my apartment is really dirty. I need to clean... haha," he laughed, though the sound was forced and hollow.
Sakura looked at him mischievously. "That's fine! I'll come with you and help."
"Sorry Sakura-chan, but anything but that!" Naruto replied quickly. "You know my feelings for you..." Suddenly, an idea struck him. What if I scare her off? He fixed her with a serious gaze. "Sakura-chan, aren't you worried I might try something? We aren't children anymore, you know."
Sakura lowered her head so Naruto couldn't see the strange, yandere-like smile spreading across her face.
"I'll just have to beat you up if you try anything," she said, looking up with a flicker of feigned fury. To an outsider, she looked annoyed, but inside she was glowing. Hehe, Naruto... you're too young to play these games with me. I'm never letting you go.
Naruto sighed and shook his head. "Okay, Sakura-chan. Let's go." As they walked down the street, he thought bitterly, This System mission is definitely Triple S-Rank.
When they reached the small apartment and pushed open the door, a thick cloud of dust billowed out, making them both cough. The air was stale, and every surface was coated in a fine grey layer from years of neglect.
"Wow, you weren't kidding," Sakura said, waving the dust away from her face. She looked around at the stacks of old boxes and the cluttered living area. "This is going to take all night if we don't get started right now."
Naruto grabbed a couple of old rags and a bucket. "I told you it was a mess, Sakura-chan. You really don't have to stay."
"Nonsense," she replied, already heading toward the windows to let in some fresh air. "Team 7 sticks together, even for chores like this."
They began to scrub the floors and clear out the old boxes.
Sakura moved with a surprising amount of energy, tossing out old scrolls and organizing his bookshelf with focused precision. Every time he caught her looking at him, she gave him a intense that sent shivers down Naruto's spine.