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Chapter 1: Beginning

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Itachi cautiously opened his eyes, feeling a sense of disorientation wrapping around him. The faint light of the dark room barely allowed him to make out the outlines of the objects around him. His gaze settled on the television projecting the image of a muscular superhero, a scene as bewildering as it was intriguing.

With a gesture of confusion, he rose slowly from his seat, carrying with him a sense of strangeness he couldn't shake off. As he stood up, the strange truth hit him hard: his body was now that of a child. The fragility he experienced in that moment was overwhelming, as if he had been stripped of his usual power and prowess. That imposing figure he had been in the past was now reduced to the vulnerability of a young child.

He decided to turn off the television and moved forward with hesitant steps, looking around as he tried to make sense of the place he was in. Though he couldn't recognize it, he felt a strange familiarity that piqued his curiosity.

Amid his bewilderment, his eyes met those of a woman with green hair. Their gazes locked, and in a slow, cautious movement, the woman approached him and enveloped him in a warm embrace.

Surprise mingled with discomfort in Itachi as he found himself in this sudden hug. Years as a ninja had forged in him a strong emotional and physical reserve, and the abrupt closeness caught him off guard. However uneasy the situation made him feel, something within him prevented him from pulling away. The hug was a gesture as genuine as it was unexpected, and though his mind struggled to comprehend it, his heart seemed to understand it on some level.

"Itachi, I'm sorry," the woman's voice resonated softly in the air, laden with apologies and emotions. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her words faded into the space between them. Itachi didn't respond with words, but his gaze reflected a mixture of confusion and acceptance. He had learned to live in a world where displays of affection were rare and often dangerous. However, in that moment, he allowed himself to feel the vulnerability of the situation and let that embrace envelop him in a way he hadn't experienced in a long time.

Amidst that embrace, something began to resonate within him. Though his mind couldn't fully comprehend it, his instincts seemed to recognize a deeper connection. Gazing at the woman, a dormant feeling started to stir within him: she seemed to be his mother. The idea was as strange as it was heartwarming, and unknowingly, his own eyes welled up, allowing tears to flow freely. Tears were an expression of emotion he had suppressed for a long time, and in that moment, they seemed to be a necessary release.

Why was he crying? The answer wasn't clear in that moment, but in that embrace that shattered the barriers he had built around himself, it didn't matter. What mattered was the opportunity to experience a genuine connection, to feel vulnerable, and for a fleeting moment, to let emotions flow without restraint in a world that had always demanded control and distance.

Twelve years later, Itachi stood on the brink of facing the first trial to become a hero. During that time, he had learned much about this new world he was immersed in.

In this world, "quirks" were commonplace among the majority of the human population. Although it had surprised him at first, he soon realized he wasn't as unaffiliated with them as he had thought. These special abilities, granting individuals unique powers, had transformed society in ways he was still discovering.

With time, Itachi began to notice that he possessed the ability to absorb energy from his surroundings and then utilize it for both attacks and defense. However, he wasn't certain whether this ability was a result of his "Quirk" or if his body had adapted to his mental state and how he used to manipulate chakra in his body. The energy flowed automatically, following the same paths as his chakra pathways were located.

While his ninja training led him to trust his ability to manipulate energy in this manner, there was another factor at play. He distinctly remembered that, before appearing in this world, his mother had taken him to a doctor who assured him that he didn't have any "Quirk." Although the observation might have been incorrect, given the evidence and the explanations the doctor had provided at that time, there was a certain sense and plausibility to the idea that his current ability stemmed from how he used to channel chakra in his body, which in this new environment translated to his capacity to manipulate energy.

Furthermore, there was another significant change: Itachi realized that he no longer possessed the chakra pathways that allowed him to use techniques like ninjutsu or genjutsu. He couldn't even summon his Sharingan, which had been such an integral part of his ninja life. He immediately surmised that the Sharingan had completely faded away upon changing bodies.

Since his arrival in this world, Itachi had devoted himself to training both his physical body and his mind. He immersed himself in martial arts courses like Karate, Kung Fu, and others. Furthermore, he delved into researching history, money, wars, cultures, and all aspects of this new reality. Every facet of this world seemed fascinating and absorbing to him. The differences and similarities with his former ninja life kept him constantly intrigued.

Using all the resources at his disposal, Itachi invested his years' worth of savings from living in this body into various brands and companies across different sectors. The financial acumen he had acquired through online courses and his understanding of the shinobi world had enabled him to build a strong economic foundation. His mother reaped the benefits of these investments while he lived comfortably.

Although he initially had no intention of pursuing the path of being a hero, his mother's words of encouragement led him to reconsider. While it wasn't his personal dream, his mother urged him not to forsake the aspiration of becoming Japan's number one hero. Despite his inner yearning for a quieter life as an officer or engineer, he understood the importance of fulfilling the destiny entrusted to him. His mother had forged a deep connection with the person who once inhabited that body, and honoring that legacy became a commitment he didn't take lightly.

Now, this would be his new life: the life of Itachi Midoriya.

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End of the chapter

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