Ryan felt the world shift beneath him like a stormy sea. Darkness swallowed him whole. Then light pierced through, sharp and clear, like the crack of a whip.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in his small room with posters and books. Instead, he lay on cold forest ground, surrounded by towering trees thick with mist.
A strange weight rested on his head — a band of cloth embroidered with a crimson fan: the symbol of the Uchiha clan.
He forced himself to sit up, feeling muscles unfamiliar yet strong. His hands were smaller, more agile — but his mind was sharper, alert. A faint pulse throbbed behind his eyes. The Sharingan.
"I am… Uchiha Kazuki's son," he thought, blinking in the dappled light. "The Second Great Ninja War... this is the world I'm in."
His breathing slowed as memories flooded his mind: the Dimensional Simulator, the plan to become stronger by mastering foreign powers.
"First step — awaken the Rinnegan. Then the Tailed Beasts. Then Kaguya…" His voice was silent but sure. "I will surpass all limits."
Ahead, the muffled sound of battle echoed: shouts, explosions of chakra, the clash of steel.
Rising, he touched the band on his forehead. The clan symbol burned bright. He could feel the weight of his bloodline — a legacy of power and pride.
But it was also a curse. The Uchiha were distrusted, hunted by their own village. The war had fractured everything.
"I must tread carefully," he thought, scanning the forest.
Ahead, a figure emerged: an older man with stern eyes and a long beard — likely his father or clan elder.
"Kazuki," the man said, voice grave. "You must prove yourself today. The clan needs strength more than ever."
Si Feng, as Kazuki, nodded. "I will not fail."