A lone man stood within a boundless white space, glancing around the expanse in confusion. His life-filled eyes harshly opposed his withered exterior which was riddled with countless scars. Gunshot wounds, knife wounds, burn scars, the aged man’s body bared them all. His hair was greyed and cut closely to his head.

“Hello?”

The gravelly voice rang out inside the area but disclosed no reply. Scratching his head, the elder sighed. 

A while ago, he was peacefully laying in an uncomfortable hospital bed drifting in and out of sleep. He was admitted due to a heart attack. His daughter had visited his cramped apartment in another effort to usher him into a retirement home and found him collapsed in the kitchen. She would drop in every other week with a different organisation and they would drone on continuously about the benefits it would provide and how it would make her worry less.

She was becoming more and more like her mother.

In the end, he had ignored her recommendations and ended up in a hospital. She had only visited him once, however, and that was to say ‘I told you so’. Instead, his grandson, Hiro, would visit regularly. It was only ever to see how his grandfather was doing but he appreciated it nonetheless.

Recently, Hiro had been enlightening him about his favourite anime, ‘Naruto’.

“Masafumi-ji-chan,” the boy asked, “did you watch that anime I was telling you about?” 

The old man, Masafumi, replied with a nod. Recently, he had began losing his voice which resulted in him replying with nods and small gestures. 

“And, did you enjoy it?”

His grandfather, with a smile, nodded again. In truth, he did not mind the fact that they could not have a proper conversation, he just genuinely appreciated the fact that someone did visit him instead of being left to decay in an old hospital room.

“I knew would, with you being so hung up on your time in the army and all that!”

Hiro’s grin beamed blindingly, which, in turn, brought another smile to the old man’s wrinkled lips. These visits were what gave Masafumi the will to keep on living just for a little bit longer. That and he had an actual fascination with the world of shinobi. He seriously respected the message that the series portrayed in its’ narrative about growth and bonds. Even if it was optimistic.

However, he knew that his time would be over shortly. It eventually came and he had fortunately died peacefully during his sleep.

Subsequently, when he had realised he retained consciousness, he opened his eyes to be met with the blank space. However, after calling out to the void to no avail, he had decided to just continue walking hoping to find at least something.

Thus, after what felt like days of walking, he had found no one he was, needless to say, becoming extremely restless. Strangely, however, he did not become exhausted, let alone tired, even after endless walking. It gave him an unusual sense of empowerment due to his own inability to walk to the lounge without feeling as if he had ran a marathon in his previous life.

This newfound fascination for his inhuman stamina was cut short by an echoing voice.

“Greetings, Human! You have died! Due to your selfless exploits in your earlier life you have been given the chance to reincarnate! How great is that?!”

Momentarily shocked by this unprecedented turn of events, Masafumi regained his composure and peered around himself in order to find the detached voice. As he looked around he discovered that there was no one and that he was still alone in the white expanse.

For God’s sake! I thought I had gotten over the voices.

The wrinkled elder rolled his creased eyes and shrugged.

“I do not wish to be likened to a voice in your feeble mind! Nor do I like to be ignored! The next time you show me such disrespect I will be forced to destroy your soul!”

The bellowing voice that radiated animosity rang inside the man’s head as he held his ears and keeled over.

“Okay! Okay! I get it! I get it! You’re not just a voice in my head!” Masafumi pleaded in desperation.

“Good! Good... Now, returning to my offer.” The voice gave a muffled cough. “Congratulations! You have been given the once-in-a-lifetime offer to reincarnate in a world of your choosing!”

The voice now spoke in a jovial tone. The opposite of the thunderous and demanding one it had displayed seconds before. 

Raising an eyebrow at this questionable statement, Masafumi replied in a respectful manner, not wanting to experience that headache again.

“A world of my choosing? What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I said! You, err... Human, with the charity of the Great Me, can live once again in a new universe that you have the luxury of choosing!”

“Does that mean I can go back to Earth? You see, my grandson, Hiro, had recently recommended me something to watch and I’m quite the way through it. So if possible I’d like to finish.”

“Unfortunately for you, that is impossible as your mortal soul has already left that planet. However, the Great Me, has a solution for your troubles.”

Disheartened by the voice’s initial statement, Masafumi urged it to continue.

“Instead, you can simply reincarnate inside that universe and live through the story. See, I’m simply amazing aren’t I? Solving your simple mortal problem!”

After gritting his teeth at the condescending and arrogant attitude of the voice he eventually realised that the solution offered was actually perfect. Almost dream-like actually.

He’d be able to experience his favourite anime firsthand. Hiro would surely be jealous.

“Okay, mysterious voice from God-knows-where, I would like to reincarnate into the world of Naruto.” The man asked hopefully.

“God does indeed know where because I am God. And yes, you’re request is indeed possible. Fortunately for you.”

Masafumi, visibly bewildered by this statement, looked around with his eyes wide. He was certainly not a religious man but when being confronted by a disembodied voice who claims to be God he had no choice but to be shocked.

“Don’t be so surprised! I am a voice in an endless white space! What else could I be?”

Raising his eyebrows at the statement he attempted to return to the original conversation.

“So, I can be given a new life in the world of Naruto?”

“Indeed. Furthermore, I intend to grant you five wishes that are within the parameters of your chosen world.”

Nodding his head, he carefully sat down on the ground scratching his head.

I should definitely think about this. It will pretty much determine the path I can take as a shinobi.

“Indeed.” The voice sounded within Masafumi’s mind. “However, do not take to long I do not wish to waste my time!”

“Okay,” He breathed a sigh, “for my first wish... I would like to be born into a clan. The Hyūga clan to be exact.”

The Byakugan was something Masafumi viewed as being quite useful because of the ability of the expansive field of view it provides. Along with the gentle fist technique which is the clan’s signature taijutsu, he believed this to be a plausible option.

“Possible. Please continue.”

“Second, I would like one of those special elements. Kekkei Genkai I think they’re called.”

“Please specify which.”

“Boil Release, the one the five-tails uses.”

“Again, this is possible.”

He raised a hand to his chin and began to stroke it. He wanted something that could track his growth. A tangible way to motivate him to show him he was growing.

His mind flashed to a novel with a similar concept which displayed attributes and skills. He had peeked at his grandson’s phone, when he visited him in hospital, whilst in the middle of reading.

“I’d like something to display skills and attributes.”

“Like something akin to a video game?” 

“I believe so, yes.”

“Granted.”

The voice gave off an audible yawn. Masafumi lightly clicked his tongue in response.

“Then, next I’d like the opportunity to form a summoning contract.”

“And the specific animal?”

“I’m not too sure yet unfortunately.”

“Yeah, it is unfortunate.” The disembodied voice sighed. “Just go into your system, the skills displayer, and select summoning contract and think of the animal you’d like to form a contract with after you reincarnate. You’ll be transported to their hidden region to undergo a trial of worthiness.”

“Understood.”

He saluted. An old habit which showed itself when he received orders.

Old habits do die hard.

“Okay, last wish.” The voice seemed relieved. “What’s it going to be?”

A grin appeared on his cracked lips. His eyes became lively as he perked up.

“To be one of them handsome boys! You know the ones that get all the girls!”

“Seriously?”

The self-proclaimed God sounded almost disgusted by the statement.

“Yes! I was rather good-looking in my younger days if you weren’t able to tell. But I was already tied to my wife from an early age so i never really got to play around with other women.”

“Whatever, you old pervert!” The voice snapped. “Does this mean you want to be great in bed too? Because you said you wanna play around?”

“Yes! If possible.” Masafumi energetically replied.

“Done. You have given all five wishes and are now ready to reincarnate in the world of your choosing!”

Hurriedly, he jumped up with his heart beating with excitement as the voice uttered it’s final words.

“Good luck with your new life.” It remarked sounding somewhat relieved.

“Thank you!” Masufumi replied as a thought struck him. “Will I remember this as well as my past life?”

“Do you want to?” Answered the voice, the restlessness in their voice audible. almost urging for him to hurry up and move on.

“That would be ideal.”

“Then, yes. Now leave”

The words echoed within his mind as he closed his eyes and lost consciousness.

Hiro would be jealous.