A five-year-old girl wandered along the border between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water. The air was thick with the scent of blood and scorched earth. Corpses of shinobi from both nations lay scattered across the battlefield, motionless and cold.
Her small steps slowed as she looked around, her young heart aching. She didn't understand why people had to fight. She didn't understand war. But she understood sadness. She let out a quiet sigh, her eyes reflecting the tragedy before her.
She was about to turn back and return home when something tugged at her senses—a faint life force.
Her eyes widened, 'Someone is still alive.'
Without hesitation, the girl sprinted toward it, her sandals splashing through puddles of blood. When she reached the source, she found a large, muscular middle-aged man lying on the ground. His skin was deeply tanned, and his long, light-gray hair and beard were matted with dirt and blood. His breathing was shallow—each breath a struggle.
The girl knelt beside him and tried to lift him. She wrapped her small arms under his shoulders and pulled with all her strength—but his weight was far too much for her tiny body.
Her legs trembled. No matter how hard she tried the man's body barely moved.
The girl bit her lip, refusing to give up and kept trying to move the man's body until some how she moved his body and laid him on his back.
The girl knelt beside the wounded man, her small hands trembling for just a moment before she steadied herself. She remembered her mother's lessons 'breath first, then diagnosis.'
Her expression hardened with determination as she began to weave hand seals. A soft, green glow formed over her palms, illuminating the grisly wounds that covered the man's body. The injuries were deep—far worse than anything she had treated before. If she failed, the man would die.
But she didn't stop. She couldn't.
Bit by bit, chakra flowed into the damaged tissue. She cleaned the blood, sealed ruptured vessels, and slowed internal bleeding, pouring every ounce of focus into keeping him alive.
After a long, tense moment, the man's eyelids twitched. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
The girl quickly leaned closer, her voice gentle yet firm.
"Please don't move," she said, her tone soft like a whisper carried by the wind. "You're badly hurt… but it's okay. I'll save you. I promise."
Her sincerity froze him in place far more effectively than any technique.He stared at her—this little child surrounded by corpses—yet treating him with such care.
Something in his eyes shifted. The tension eased. He let his body relax.
He don't know why but trusted this little girl.
When the man finally got a clear look at the girl, he was taken aback. The girl appeared to be no older than five, with long blond hair that cascaded down her back like a golden waterfall and eyes as blue as a clear summer sky. She wore a simple white dress that swayed softly with each movement, her fair complexion giving her an almost ethereal presence—fragile, yet radiant.
Once the girl finished stabilizing the man's condition, she let out a relieved sigh. A wave of dizziness washed over her.
"I used too much chakra… I'm exhausted." she murmured, swaying slightly.
The girl suddenly froze when an unfamiliar, robotic voice echoed inside her mind.
Training and Talent Evolution System is now being fused with the host's soul.
She felt a faint warmth spread through her body as an invisible force intertwined with her very essence.
Fusion Progress: 10%... 20%... 30%... 40%... 50%... 60%... 70%... 80%... 90%...100%.
A soft chime rang in her consciousness.
Fusion complete.
'What…? Why am I hearing a strange voice in my head?'
The girl's heart pounded as panic surged through her. 'Am I… am I losing my mind? What is happening to me?'
As if responding to her very thoughts, the mechanical voice spoke again—calm, steady, and without emotion.
No, Host. You are not losing your mind.
Her breath hitched when she heard the mechanical response.
Allow me to explain, host, the voice continued. In your previous life, you died. However, due to the virtuous karma you accumulated, you were granted two wishes by the God of Life.
The wishes you made were to obtain two different Systems. The God of Life complied, and merged those two Systems into one—me. I am the Training and Talent Evolution System.
There was a short pause before the system added:
However, nothing from the Divine comes without a price. In exchange, you agreed to relinquish all memories of your past life. That was the cost set by the God of Life—and you accepted it.
The girl was speechless at what she just heard she took a deep breath to calm down.
After a few moments, the girl finally calmed her breathing. The system continued speaking with his mechanical voice.
Due to your successful rescue of the Third Raikage, your Medical-Ninjutsu talent has evolved from Good to very good. Your Chakra Control has also evolved from Good to very good.
There was a brief pause before it spoke again,
Additionally, you have awakened a Photographic Memory, and your total Chakra reserves have increased by one hundred percent.
The girl was stunned, feeling her chakra reserve double and a hidden part of her mind suddenly awaken. Then, the system's voice echoed in her head.
You also gain the chance to spin the Golden Roulette of Talents. Use the lottery ticket whenever you wish to start spinning the Roulette.
The girl suddenly shouted in her mind, "Wait a second! I need to take care of this big guy first we will talk later."
The system immediately responded after hearing what the girl said.
As you wish, host.
The girl sighed in relief and looked at the Third Raikage. "You're alright," she said gently. "Now you just need to rest and regain your strength, Uncle."
The Third Raikage gave the girl a kind smile. "You truly have a talented in medical jutsu,' he said. "I owe you my thanks for saving my life. I never thought I would survive."
The girl's cheeks flushed a faint pink at his words.
"It was nothing, uncle," she said softly. "My mother taught me a little about medical arts when she was still alive. After she passed away, I… I kept studying the books she left behind." She lowered her gaze, fingers curling slightly. "This was my first time treating someone. I couldn't just stand there and let you die. If I didn't try to help you, Mother would be disappointed in me."
Upon hearing her words, the Third Raikage closed his eyes for a brief moment, silently offering respect to the girl's mother. After a pause, he spoke gently, "And… what of your father, child?"
The girl's expression faltered. She lowered her head, her small fists trembling as tears gathered in her eyes. Her voice quivered as she replied, "They… they killed him. The Shinobi who wore the same uniforms as these ones…" She pointed toward the lifeless Mist-nin scattered across the ground. "They killed both my mother and father."
When he heard her words, the Third Raikage's eyes narrowed with anger. After taking a moment to steady himself, he asked in a calmer tone, "Girl, who are you living with now? And what is your name?"
The girl brushed away her tears with the back of her hand. "My name is Yoko Ichimaru, uncle," she whispered. "I've been living alone ever since… ever since my parents died."
The Third Raikage closed his eyes, reaching out with his senses to gauge Yoko's chakra. A faint but notable Chunin-level reserve met him, and his eyes widened slightly at the revelation. Even more surprising, he realized she had the potential to learn Black Lightning from him. A smirk tugged at his lips as he considered the possibilities, and without hesitation, he resolved to ask her to join the Hidden Cloud Village.
"Little Yoko, why don't you join the Hidden Cloud Village? It isn't safe for you to stay here—you'll be much safer there," the Third Raikage said, and Yoko was taken aback by his suggestion.
When Yoko heard what the Third Raikage had just said, she was at a loss for words. Noticing her hesitation, he continued, explaining his reasoning.
"The reason I suggested this is because tensions among the great hidden villages are extremely high right now. You saw how the Hidden Mist Shinobi just invaded our borders—and that won't be the last. I have no doubt that a Third Ninja War is approaching. You'll be in danger if you stay here."
"You also had exceptional talent in medical Jutsu," the Third Raikage said with a warm smile. "You could grow and learn so much in my village—you might even surpass your mother one day."
"On top of that, you have a Chunin's chakra reserve."
Yoko frowned, tilting her head in confusion. "What is a Chunin?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
The Third Raikage smiled gently. "A Chunin is a mid rank shinobi."
"They are skilled, disciplined, and strong enough to lead small groups on missions. Your chakra reserve… it's already at that level, even though you're still so young which prove that you have a potential to be a strong Konoichi one day."
Yoko's eyes widened. "Really? Me?"
The Raikage nodded seriously to Yoko. "Yes, you have great potential, Yoko. That is why I want you to come with me to the Hidden-Cloud Village."
"Should I join the Hidden-Cloud Village and become shinobi… or refuse?" Yoko's thoughts swirled.
"If I stay here and war really breaks out, I'll be caught in the middle. I could die… Mother and Father didn't raise me just so I could throw my life away. They wanted me to live—to keep moving forward."
'In order to survive, I must become a Shinobi and gain strength. Joining the Hidden Cloud Village is the only way to achieve that right now. My parents' lack of strength… that's what led to their deaths.'
She took a steadying breath, finally making her decision. Looking up at the Third Raikage, she said, "I accept your proposal, uncle. But I don't want to leave behind the things my father and mother left me."
The Third Raikage stood up with some effort and smiled at her. "Don't worry, little Yoko. We can bring everything your parents left behind to the Hidden Cloud Village."
Yoko smiled and nodded in delight. The Raikage bent down on one knee. "Now, hop onto my back and tell me where you're living. We'll go and collect everything your parents left behind."
Yoko quickly hopped onto the Third Raikage's back, and he swiftly rushed in the direction she pointed.
_____
It took them only two minutes to arrive in front of a wooden house. Yoko's eyes widened in amazement at the Third Raikage's speed—she couldn't wait for the day she could move that fast herself..
When they entered the wooden house, the Third Raikage was taken aback by the sheer number of weapons lining the walls. Swords, spears, hammers, sabres, shurikens, kunais—every kind of weapon imaginable was there. The craftsmanship was exceptional, each piece clearly made with great skill and care. Impressed, he turned to Yoko and asked, "Little Yoko, was your father a blacksmith?"
Yoko hesitated for a moment but decided to speak honestly. "Yes, our clan is a samurai clan, and we've always specialized in blacksmithing. Our ancestors were expelled from our homeland before arriving in this elemental nation. My father never told me the reason—he said that when I'm old enough and strong enough to protect myself, he will explain it."
The Third Raikage nodded in understanding and smiled warmly at Yoko. "Alright, let's gather everything in this house so we can head to the Hidden Cloud Village as soon as possible."
Yoko smiled and nodded. Together they moved quickly through the house, gathering weapons, books, scrolls and clothing — stacking, folding, and bundling with the practiced efficiency of people who had seen too little time.
The Third Raikage paused, drew a slim scroll from his sash and unfurled it with a single decisive motion.
He then executed a single hand seal and all Yoko's belonging disappeared in a white puff of smoke.
"PUFF."
Yoko was shocked and yelled, "Where did all my stuff go?!"
The Third Raikage chuckled at her reaction. "Relax," he said. "I sealed all your belongings inside this scroll. We call it a storage scroll. You can seal inanimate objects inside and release them whenever you want. This is one of many Shinobi arts available to a shinobi, but it's a very advanced technique called Fuinjutsu, or Sealing Art."
Yoko was astonished and thought to herself, 'I wonder how many Shinobi arts there are.' The Third Raikage then bent down on one knee and said to her, "Come, let's go. We need to return to the Cloud Village as quickly as possible."
Yoko smiled at the Third Raikage and gave a nod of agreement before hopping onto his back. With a determined look, the Third Raikage surged forward, racing swiftly toward the Hidden Cloud Village, intent on reaching it as quickly as possible.