[Alright! Let's get you prepped for a new life!]
The scenery suddenly changed and before he realized it, Ray was standing in a hospital hallway outside of closed doors with a lit up sign that displayed "Operating theater" over it. Looking around, he came to discover there was no one else around except a small boy sleeping on a bench.
"Hey, where is this? What are we doing he-?!"
Searching for answers, Ray reached out towards the child attempting to wake the him up. But when he did, his hand passed through the child as if he were a ghost.
[Hold you horses, were still not done yet]
"I was wondering when you were gonna talk again. You said new life, but what are we doing here, and who is this kid?"
[Right, intro. 'Ray', allow me happily introduce 'Rei'!]
"Wait...what? Why does this kid have the same name as...huh...w-wait a sec!"
[Hm?]
"I entering a new world. You said you're "prepping me for a new life". There's a kid standing in front of me with the same...or a similar name to mine. Oh...does this mean I'm gonna have to-"
[Aaaaah, isn't it refreshing to have a Protagonist in an "Isekai" world with brains? That's right, you're starting over in a new, younger body]
"Oh that's just great. And here I was hoping for decent start"
[What's the problem now?]
"For starters, you're having me take over the body of a CHILD! I'm not like some typical Isekai character who just glosses over the fact that they have just taken over someone else's body!"
[Huh...I thought you'd be the type that wouldn't read things like manga?]
"I only remember things I take an interest in. But that doesn't mean I haven't read them. You can't judge something you've never tried yourself"
[Wise words]
"Back to the matter at hand, I think anyone would prefer to stay as they are instead of turning into a...how old is this kid?"
[He's 3 years old]
"3 years old...taking over a child! Dumbass!"
[Ya know, I was expecting more gratitude for this and less wit. You ungrateful, soon-to-be little, shit]
"Gratitude for making me go through puberty again?"
[Like you said, you need power so survive in this world ruled by Ninja right?]
"Yeah...so what?"
[Well spoiler alert, most people can't become strong Shinobi when they start training in their 50's]
"I'm in my early 30's thank you very much"
[Meh...close enough]
"Asshole"
[Aaaaand, you get to enter the story about 14 years before "Part 1" even starts. That gives you plenty of leeway to prepare for the final climatic arc in "Part 2". Which alone vastly increases your chances of survival.]
"I guess that's true, but taking over a kid is-"
[Fictional kid. Bonus, you're getting a body with, almost, the same name as you to help avoid confusion. And you already know a little Japanese right? Assimilation shouldn't be too difficult for someone as smart as you]
"Hmmm. Maybe..."
[Right! So feel free to apologize whenever you like]
"Okay. I'm sorry for the mean, yet accurate things I said"
[Hah...Baby steps I guess]
"..."
[Anyway, we're pretty much out of time so we need get moving now]
"Sigh! Besides the moral implications of taking over a child's body...is there anything else I should know about him to avoid suspicion when I assume his life?"
[Avoid suspicion? Come on Ray, he's a three year old 'extra'. It's not like he's some super spy]
"Minor details then?"
[Ugh...His name is "Rei Sano". His mother hails from unknown, unremarkable lands far to the West...and she died during her pregnancy]
"Okay, his father?"
[His father is a Jonin named "Keido Sano" who, fun fact, is about to die on the table behind those closed doors within the next minute. Which just so happens to signal the start of this "Project" you're undergoing. So now, our little Q & A session if officially over]
"Wait, what?"
[Sorry, but time has run out. Don't worry, I'll be in touch. I'm your "Guide" after all]
"Wha...but I'm still not?!"
[Ok! Ready? LET'S GO!]
"I WASN'T READY YEETTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!"
Before he could say anything else, Ray's corporeal form suddenly disassembled and entered "Rei's" body.
[You know what to do]
[...............'PROJECT ILLUMINATION' IS INITIATED................]
Well, mc is kind of annoying so far, but you get major points for not starting in konoha so onwards we go.
Actually the Guide was the real Annoying one.. Mc is that how would a normal person act/think like being transported to some isekai shinobi world type of mindset".. Unlike some other isekai protagonist who been far too stoic, 😁
@SamRen Gotta agree with you. He was put through a nonsensical situation and then the guide puts him further off balance by intentionally treating him like a child. I can imagine someone lauded as a genius would just sit there and take someone belittling their understandable concerns for their future.
@Serkist and we know that Geniuses are a prideful as f*ck
@SamRen I disagree, most people in the world (hence normal) go without a purpose in life, with no reason to live other than mere survival, being Isekaied does not give you a reason to live or an objective in life, but if it is in a world where there is something that has infinite mysteries to discover, like magic, at least we would all be curious if we could access it, for example, I am fascinated by the concept of the Star Wars Force , it's a means to everything, you can achieve everything with it, it's just that there are few known ways to use it, I'm pretty sure the combined knowledge of all the force users that have ever existed is not one iota of the Force.