The bridge in the Land of Waves lay shrouded in thick mist, visibility barely stretching ten meters ahead. The air was cold and heavy with moisture, dense enough to squeeze from the lungs.
On the unfinished bridge, two opposing groups faced each other, their killing intent clashing silently in the fog.
Kakashi Hatake stood at the front, lightning gathering in his left hand, chirping sharply like a thousand birds. Behind him, three nervous genin waited with tense breath and pounding hearts.
Opposite them, a towering man rested a massive cleaver-like sword on his shoulder. His bandaged face revealed only a pair of emotionless eyes.
Zabuza Momochi, the rogue of the Hidden Mist.
"Kakashi. Looks like today is the day you die."
Zabuza's voice was raspy, scraping the air like metal against stone.
"I could say the same to you," Kakashi replied calmly, though the Sharingan beneath his forehead protector had already begun to whirl.
The battle was moments from erupting.
Then, at the brink of violence, something impossible happened.
The sky went dark.
Not the gloom of simple clouds, but a pure, absolute darkness, as if someone had flipped a switch and turned midday into midnight.
Everyone on the bridge, even the laborers working nearby, instinctively looked up.
A moment later, a colossal screen appeared across the heavens. It stretched endlessly from horizon to horizon, glowing faintly and bathing the world in soft light.
"What... what is that?"
Naruto Uzumaki shouted, eyes wide as he pointed upward.
Sasuke Uchiha's Sharingan activated on reflex, but it failed to analyze the phenomenon. This thing belonged to no known category of ninjutsu.
"Is it a genjutsu?"
Kakashi's heart tightened. He immediately disturbed his chakra flow to dispel the illusion.
Nothing happened.
Zabuza tried the same, also to no effect.
Beside him, Haku's usually calm and doll-like face showed something never seen before: genuine confusion.
This was beyond the reach of ninjutsu, beyond their understanding.
At the same time, in the Hidden Leaf Village...
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi's pipe slipped from his fingers, scattering smoldering ash across the desk. He abruptly stood and moved to the window, staring at the screen covering the skies above Konoha. His aged face had turned solemn.
"Someone!"
Masked ANBU members appeared immediately.
"Lord Hokage!"
"Seal the village and enter maximum alert! Inform the intelligence and analysis units. Find out what that thing is."
"Yes, sir!"
In the underground root facility, Danzo Shimura stared unblinking at the sky displayed through a special projection device. His breathing had become uneven.
"This power... this impossible method..." he muttered, eyes burning with obsession. "It must belong to the Leaf. No, it must belong to me."
Far beyond the Leaf, other nations also halted in shock.
In the Sand Village, the Fourth Kazekage looked up with furrowed brows.
In the Stone Village, the elderly Third Tsuchikage floated in the air, face grave.
In the Cloud Village, the Fourth Raikage smashed his desk in fury.
In the Mist Village, the Fourth Mizukage stood at his window, hesitation flickering across his eyes.
In the Hidden Rain, high atop a tower, the Rinnegan of the Deva Path stared silently at the sky.
"Zetsu, can you locate the source?" he asked in an icy tone.
A half-white, half-black figure rose from the ground. White Zetsu answered lightly, "Nope. This thing just popped out of nowhere. It covers the entire world, and it doesn't give off a hint of chakra. Pretty interesting!"
Black Zetsu added coldly, "This is not ninjutsu. It feels more like… a revelation from a higher plane."
Across the entire shinobi world, from great villages to far-flung wilderness, civilian and ninja alike were forced to witness the miracle above them.
Fear spread. Questions echoed. Suspicion grew.
No one imagined that the mastermind behind all of this was an unknown, seemingly ordinary resident of the Leaf Village.
In a modest single-room apartment in Konoha, Evan Chen sat on his bed. He didn't need to look out the window. The scene in the sky was reflected just as clearly on the shimmering blue panel hovering before him.
[Ninja World Legendary Moments Archive System Activated]
[Beginner Mission: Deploy your first global broadcast and attract the attention of the entire shinobi world]
[Mission Description: This system assists the Host in compiling and broadcasting major events from the past and future of the shinobi world. Emotional reactions such as shock, grief, anger, and joy will generate points for the Host.]
[Points may be exchanged for bloodline limits, ninjutsu, taijutsu, or even lifespan, applicable to all living beings.]
Evan exhaled slowly, his heartbeat still racing.
A month ago, he had crossed into this world and become an orphan of war in the Hidden Leaf. He had no clan, no natural talent. He barely scraped by with D-rank missions after graduating from the academy near the bottom of his class.
In a world where destruction lurked around every corner and a single wrong step could end a life, he lived in constant fear.
Until today, when the system finally activated.
This was his chance to survive, and maybe even rise to the top.
"So this is the first video release..."
His gaze settled on the floating panel. Several curated compilation series awaited his selection.
Top Ten Most Epic Battles
Top Ten Conspiracies of the Ninja World
Top Ten Most Beautiful Female Ninja
His eyes paused on another option.
If he wanted maximum attention quickly, emotional impact was the strongest trigger.
Decision made.
Evan took a deep breath and confirmed his choice.
[Selected Series: Top Ten Most Heartbreaking Moments in the Ninja World]
[Release teaser trailer now?]
"Yes."
The heavens shifted once more.
Light gathered in the center of the massive sky screen and formed a line of golden text that everyone could understand.
[Coming Soon: The Top Ten Most Heartbreaking Moments in the Ninja World]
The world fell silent.
Then chaos erupted.
"Inventory? Heartbreaking scenes? What does that mean?"
"This must be a trick!"
"Are they going to expose our most painful memories to everyone?"
High-ranking officials across every village stiffened. If this was real, the implications were world-altering.
Before anyone could fully process it, the teaser began.
A flurry of images flashed by.
Snow drifting through a silent sky...
A white Anbu mask marked with a red spiral...
A single tear sliding down a cheek...
The screen faded to black.
A deep, resonant voice echoed inside every mind.
"Your dream is my dream as well."
When the final word faded, the sky returned to stillness. Only a small line of text remained.
[Top Ten List Reveals in Ten Minutes]
On the bridge in the Land of Waves, silence fell.
Zabuza's grip tightened on the hilt of his massive blade. "Cheap tricks," he muttered.
But his eyes betrayed uncertainty.
Beside him, Haku trembled almost imperceptibly at the voice.
That line had pierced directly into his heart.
Your dream is my dream.
Those were words he had spoken only to Zabuza.
Why were they being projected here?