The pain was the last thing I felt.
One second I was crossing the street, distracted, looking at my phone—checking for the umpteenth time that damn episode of Boruto that had come out that morning—and the next, the screech of brakes and a blinding light.
Then… nothing.
Or so I thought.
When I opened my eyes, there was no darkness or light at the end of the tunnel like in the movies. Just an infinite white void stretching in all directions. There was no ground beneath my feet, but I wasn't falling either. I simply… existed.
—Well, well… another anime fan—a voice echoed around me, warm but with a hint of amusement—. It's been a long time since I last received one of you.
I spun around sharply and found myself facing… well, I'm not sure what it was exactly. The figure seemed to change constantly: sometimes humanoid, sometimes pure light, sometimes a silhouette of stars and galaxies. The only constant were its eyes—deep, ancient, holding countless stories.
—What… where am I? Am I dead?—I managed to say, though my voice sounded strange in this echo-less place.
—Dead is such a definitive word—the entity moved, or perhaps space itself moved around it—. Let's just say your time in that particular world has ended. But your story… well, that depends on you.
My heart—if I even still had one—skipped a beat.
—What do you mean?
The figure extended what looked like a hand, and suddenly three massive wheels materialized in the void, floating majestically. Each was the size of a house, glowing with an ethereal light. The first wheel displayed symbols of eyes—I immediately recognized the patterns of the Sharingan, Rinnegan, Byakugan, and other dōjutsu. The second showed silhouettes of characters that made my fanboy heart race. The third contained images of different scenarios and circumstances.
—Let's call it… compensation for a life cut short—said the entity—. Three spins, three wishes. The first will grant you a dōjutsu, the second will bestow upon you the traits and abilities of a character from the world of Naruto, and the third will determine the circumstances of your new life.
I blinked, processing the information.
—Wait… are you telling me I'm going to reincarnate in the world of Naruto?
—Exactly. Consider this a gift from someone who appreciates dreamers—the entity gestured, and the wheels began to spin slowly—. Though I must warn you: once you spin, there's no turning back. And destiny has a sense of humor.
I didn't think twice. What did I have to lose? I was already dead.
—I accept.
The entity nodded approvingly, and the first wheel began to spin violently. I watched the symbols blur into a rush of colors: the red of the Sharingan, the purple of the Rinnegan, the pearly white of the Byakugan, the blue of the Jōgan, the crimson of the Ketsuryūgan…
The wheel began to slow.
Please, please, something good…
Sharingan… Rinnegan… Rinne-Sharingan…
The wheel stopped.
TENSEIGAN
—Ohhh, interesting!—the entity's voice sounded genuinely surprised—. The eye that transcends, the final evolution of the Ōtsutsuki Byakugan. Only two beings in all of history have possessed it. You're lucky, child.
A warm energy flooded me, as if something fundamental in my essence were being rewritten. I could feel the latent power, dormant yet present, waiting to awaken.
—The Tenseigan will grant you control over gravitational and repulsive forces, access to Tenseigan Chakra Mode, and when you master it completely… well, you'll discover its secrets on your own—explained the entity—. But remember: power without control is destruction. You will have to train it.
The second wheel came to life, spinning even faster than the first. I saw silhouettes flash by: Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju, Indra Ōtsutsuki, Hamura Ōtsutsuki, Kaguya…
My breathing quickened as the wheel slowed.
Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki… Indra Ōtsutsuki…
ASHURA ŌTSUTSUKI
—Fascinating—murmured the entity—. The younger son of the Sage of Six Paths. The embodiment of life force and boundless chakra. This is… unusual.
I felt something ignite within me. It wasn't physical heat, but something deeper—a source of energy that seemed bottomless, like an ocean of chakra waiting to be used.
—With Ashura's heritage you will gain: extraordinary chakra reserves, a natural affinity for Senjutsu, a life force that will allow you to heal faster than others, and the potential to awaken abilities that even the original Ōtsutsuki never mastered—the entity paused—. But you will also inherit his nature: you value bonds and cooperation above all else. It's part of your essence now.
—Is that… bad?—I asked.
—Nothing is bad or good in itself. It's simply part of who you will be.
The final wheel began to spin, and my stomach churned with nervousness. This would determine where and how I would live this new life.
Images flashed by: being born into a civilian family, being born during a war, being born in different villages, different eras…
The wheel slowed agonizingly.
Son of Tsunade… Son of Kakashi… Son of…
SON OF NARUTO UZUMAKI
The silence that followed was absolute.
—Well, well, well—the entity began to laugh, a genuine, joyful laugh that made the entire void tremble—. Now this is cosmic irony at its finest.
—What… what does that mean?—I asked, though part of me already knew.
—It means, my young friend, that you will reincarnate as the son of Naruto Uzumaki, the Seventh Hokage. But there's an additional detail that makes this even more interesting—the entity leaned closer—. You will be born as the brother of Boruto Uzumaki.
—Brother?—I repeated, stunned.
—That's right. Destiny has decided to double Naruto's burden from the very beginning—the entity laughed again—. You will be born with the Tenseigan—a Ōtsutsuki dōjutsu—and the traits of Ashura Ōtsutsuki, as the son of an Uzumaki who is himself the reincarnation of Ashura. You will be the brother of the Hokage's heir.
The entity moved closer, and I could feel its smile.
—You are a living anomaly, child. Your very existence will break the rules of the world you are about to enter. The destinies of the Ōtsutsuki, the Uzumaki, and the Senju converge in you. The question is: what will you do with this power?
Before I could answer, the void began to collapse around me.
—One last thing—the voice said, now distant—. You will retain your memories of your previous life and your knowledge of the world of Naruto. Use it wisely. Or don't. Free will is what makes life interesting.
—Wait! When exactly will it be?—I shouted as darkness enveloped me.
—The day that changed Naruto's life forever… the day he became a father. Good luck, Ryūsei Uzumaki!
The Awakening
The first thing I felt was warmth.
A comforting warmth, like being wrapped in the safest embrace in the world. I tried to open my eyes, but everything was blurry, as if I were seeing through water. Muffled sounds reached my ears—excited voices, hurried footsteps, the cry of a baby.
Two cries.
One must be mine. The other… Boruto's.
—Hinata-sama, there's another baby!—I heard the surprised voice of what sounded like a nurse.
—What? Twins?—Naruto's voice sounded completely stunned—. But no one said anything about twins, dattebayo!
—Sometimes one baby hides behind the other during examinations—explained another voice, probably the doctor—. It's rare, but it happens. Congratulations, Hokage-sama, Hinata-sama. You have two beautiful baby boys.
The chaos that followed was a mix of emotions: shock, joy, panic, and unconditional love all blended together. I felt myself being lifted carefully, and though my vision was limited, I made out the face of a dark-haired woman with pearl-like eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.
—Two sons—Hinata Uzumaki whispered, her voice trembling with emotion—. Naruto-kun, we have two sons.
—This is… this is incredible—Naruto's voice was choked with emotion—. Hinata, you did amazing! They're perfect!
I was placed next to another baby—my twin brother, Boruto—in Hinata's arms. Through my blurry vision, I could see a blond baby crying beside me. Instinctively, I moved my tiny hand until it touched his. Immediately, we both stopped crying.
—Look at that—the doctor said in amazement—. They already recognize each other. The bond between twins is something special.
Naruto appeared in my field of vision, his face streaked with tears of happiness. His blue eyes shone with a joy so pure it almost hurt to see.
—Hello, champs—he whispered, gently touching our cheeks with his fingers—. I'm your dad. And I promise I'll protect you, I'll be there for you, and I'll be the best father in the world. You're both my treasure, dattebayo.
Something broke inside me at that moment. In my previous life, I had never known my father. It had just been my mother and me, struggling to make ends meet. Seeing the pure devotion in Naruto's eyes, feeling Hinata's unconditional love…
Maybe this world is an opportunity for something more than power and adventures.
—Have you thought about names yet?—the doctor asked while checking our vital signs.
Naruto and Hinata exchanged glances.
—This one—Naruto said, pointing at Boruto—will be called Boruto. Like my master, Neji, but also looking toward the future.
Then he pointed at me.
—And this one… Hinata, what do you think of Ryūsei? Shooting star. Because he appeared in our lives when we least expected it, like a shooting star lighting up the night.
—Ryūsei—Hinata repeated with a gentle smile—. It's perfect. Boruto and Ryūsei Uzumaki.
—My sons!—Naruto couldn't stop smiling—. I have two sons! Just wait until everyone finds out!
As if they had been waiting for that cue, the door burst open and several figures rushed in.
—Naruto! Is it true that…?—Sakura stopped short when she saw us—. Twins?
—Congratulations, Naruto!—Kakashi appeared behind her, his one visible eye crinkling in a smile—. You doubled your responsibility from day one. Very much like you.
—Let me see my grandchildren!—a female voice I recognized as Tsunade pushed her way through—. Well, well! Two little Uzumaki. Naruto, you're going to have your hands full.
—Two?—another male voice, which must have been Shikamaru's, sighed—. How troublesome. Well, at least Himawari will have two big brothers to look after her.
—Himawari?—Sakura asked.
—Hinata's pregnant again—Naruto explained with an embarrassed laugh—. Well, she will be in the future. Wait, no! That sounded weird…
Everyone laughed at his confusion.
As the chaos continued around us, I felt something strange in my eyes. A faint tingling, almost imperceptible. For a brief moment, my vision seemed to change—I could see patterns of energy flowing through the people in front of me, like rivers of light. Naruto's chakra was like a blazing sun, Hinata's like a calm but deep river.
The Tenseigan. It's already awakening.
I closed my eyes, letting the natural exhaustion of a newborn take over. There would be time to explore my new abilities. For now, I just wanted to absorb this moment.
As I drifted off to sleep in Hinata's arms, with Boruto by my side and Naruto and his friends chatting excitedly around us, a thought crossed my mind:
This time, I'm going to do it right. I'm going to protect this family, I'm going to change the tragic events I know, and together with Boruto, we'll forge our own path.
The destiny of the Ōtsutsuki may run in my blood, but the heart of an Uzumaki beats in my chest.
And now I have a twin brother… This is going to be interesting.
Three days later – Uzumaki Residence
Naruto held both babies in his arms, looking at them with a mix of love and exhaustion. The dark circles under his eyes were proof of three sleepless nights.
—Boruto, Ryūsei—he whispered—. Listen carefully. The ninja world can be harsh. There will be people who judge you, who try to hurt you, who question your worth. But I want you to know something…
He walked over to the window, showing them the view of Konoha under the moonlight.
—You don't have to carry my dreams or my legacy. You can forge your own path. You can make mistakes. You can be whoever you want to be. Because no matter what, your mother and I will love you. Always.
Boruto yawned in response. I, keeping up my role as a baby, simply watched Naruto with my eyes barely open.
Naruto Uzumaki. The hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War. The Seventh Hokage. And now, our father.
In the anime, Boruto grew resentful of your absence. Of your devotion to the village over your family. But maybe, just maybe, I can change that.
This time, the story will be different.
I promise you… Dad.