"Kushina!"
"Mikoto!"
"I've told you like ten times already. Kushina is the better waifu. Mikoto's too quiet."
"That's called being gentle. And I can say the same thing. Kushina's too loud."
"Take that back, Garry. You do not get to slander Kushina like that. She has… a lively personality."
While the two friends, Andrew and Garry, continued their utterly pointless debate about waifus, a discussion with no correct answer and no winner, they reached the edge of the cliff.
Yes, they were on a hiking trip.
Yes, they were arguing about Kushina Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha while doing it.
And yes, that was how Andrew managed to miss the loose rock underfoot.
The moment his balance gave out, instinct took over. Andrew twisted around, arms flailing, grabbing the first solid thing he could.
Unfortunately, that solid thing was Garry.
Garry, who at that exact moment was busy adjusting his backpack and still mid-argument, had no time to react. He stumbled forward, failed to regain balance, and in the next second, both boys were falling.
High school students.
Gravity.
Cliff.
Bad combination.
----- The End -----
Or at least, that's how it was supposed to end.
"Uh… Mr God?" Andrew asked hesitantly. "Why are you showing my life like it's a documentary on a screen?"
The culprit responsible for killing both himself and his best friend stared at the floating projection of his final moments.
The being beside him laughed. Not mockingly. Just amused.
"Young ones these days," the so-called God said. "So impatient."
Then his expression shifted, humour fading. "You were meant to die alone this time, Andrew. For reasons unknown, you dragged your friend along while falling."
The words hit harder than the fall.
Andrew swallowed. "I didn't mean to. I just reacted out of instinct."
"I know." God's tone softened.
"I'm not blaming you. Watching children die always pains me. But your intentions don't change the consequence of your friend's death."
Andrew looked up. "So, what happens now?"
"Your friend has already reincarnated. You will also follow." The God paused. "But you must also take responsibility."
"That sounds ominous."
"It's a small task," the God said lightly. "In the next world where you reincarnate."
Andrew frowned. "Why me? Aren't you, you know… a god? You can do anything"
"We do not interfere with human affairs." The God smiled, then turned serious again. "But one of our kind has already interfered in that world. Dangerous things are happening in that world. You and your friend will fix them and save the world."
Andrew stared.
"This is a standard isekai plot. You know that, right?"
"Yes."
"…Can I refuse?"
"You may," the God replied calmly. "But your friend will face that world alone. Are you going to leave your friend alone?"
Andrew clenched his jaw.
'That's blackmail,' he thought.
"I'm not blackmailing you," the God said, immediately catching on to his thoughts. "And don't worry. You'll receive a cheat, as you humans like to call it."
That got Andrew's attention.
"A cheat?" His eyes lit up. "Then Garry gets one too, right?"
"Of course. But since there are two of you, the power will be divided."
"No problem." Andrew nodded without hesitation. "So what do I get?"
"Dumbledore's template."
"…."
Andrew stared.
"You're joking."
"I am not."
"You expect me to fix a god-level disaster in a magical world with that?" Andrew rubbed his face. "I know Dumbledore's strong, but—wait. What about Garry?"
"He will receive a complementary template. Grindelwald's template."
"Nope." Andrew immediately shook his head. "Absolutely not. We are not that kind of duo. I like normal, beautiful girls."
The God blinked.
Then laughed.
"I meant your bond, not your preferences," he said, still amused. "Though they did become enemies later. Try not to repeat that part."
Andrew sighed. "Great. So we get to reenact wizarding history."
"Yes."
"Can you tell me about this world?"
"Oh, you were just discussing it before your death. Maybe you can settle your debate through action later on."
"We were debating…This is the Shinobi world, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"And you think we'll survive Madara, Kaguya, and some god-made apocalypse with wizard templates?"
"You will have Shinobi bodies," the God replied. "The powers will stack. Wizardry and chakra. And without physical limitations, Dumbledore and Grindelwald's talent is terrifying. I'll give you a hint: Dumbledore and Grindelwald never fully utilised their talent due to certain events in their life. But this time, the mixture of Chakra and Magic, maybe you can surpass even the famed Merlin from your lore."
Andrew paused.
"…So I'm a ninja wizard."
"Yes."
"…That's stupid."
"And effective."
Andrew thought for a moment. Then grinned. "So… Kushina?"
The God only smiled and waved his hand. "Time's up. Enjoy your life, my child."
"Wait! I still have—"
Darkness swallowed him.
It was another ordinary day at the Konoha orphanage.
And an extraordinary one.
A newborn boy was brought in. Minato Namikaze.
His father had died in a bandit ambush on a caravan. His mother followed shortly after childbirth. A tragedy far too common in those times, even with the Senju princess leading medical reforms.
What no one knew was that inside the infant's body rested the soul of a fifteen-year-old boy.
'This is hell,' Andrew thought bitterly.
'I'm being cheered on… for pooping.'
The humiliation was real.
'I get it. Child's body. But do you really need encouragement? Let a man suffer in silence.'
Still, despite everything, a grin formed in his mind.
'Minato Namikaze. The Yellow Flash. Add Dumbledore's power to this, and—Madara, Kaguya, gods… all of you can queue up.'
'I wonder if I can spit out killing curses like fireball, Flying Thunder God with this combination .... scary"
His thoughts were cut off.
[System Initialising…]