In the hidden world of ninjas, a mysterious twist of fate thrusts an ordinary man into the heart of Konoha's tale. As he navigates the unfamiliar landscape of ninja clans and hidden jutsu, he must use his wits and newfound abilities to forge a path in this perilous realm. Join the journey in 'Precarious : A Naruto Tale,' a classic SI story filled with ninja action, betrayal, family drama, and the enigmatic powers of the shinobi world.
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"Another mind-numbing day at work," the weary man thought, his eyes drooping. His thoughts wandered, "Maybe I should give college another shot. I didn't do well last time, but at least I wouldn't have to work six days a week from 6 am to 3 pm. I'm exhausted."
Desperate to stay awake, he raised the volume on the radio. " Late at night, I've been roaming, I ain't getting no sleep (Woah), " the lyrics blared. " It's hard to stay focused when that pain is running deep ."
As he mused over his life, connecting with the lyrics from experience. " Learning to love myself, I've been alone every weekend. They say he's out of breath 'cause he's been running from demons ."
"Man, I love this song," he muttered, "but I need something louder to stay awake."
Twenty minutes later, he found himself swerving off a bridge, unconscious at the wheel. Witnesses heard nothing but the tune of "Cha la head cha la."
He awoke with a yawn, feeling refreshed. "That was some good sleep. Haven't slept like that in months."
Suddenly, panic washed over him. "Crap! I fell asleep at the wheel!" He tried to move but realized he could barely budge. "Damn it, I'm probably in shock. Can't believe I messed up like that."
In the darkness, he waited, hoping the police would arrive soon. "They should've approved my paid time off."
After what felt like hours, he heard something approaching. "About time! Help! I'm stuck in here!" he screamed, unaware that his cries were nothing but baby gibberish to anyone nearby.
As the debris cleared, a faint figure appeared—a man in some kind of cosplay. "Hey! Where's the police? I thought—" He cut off as the cosplayer began lifting him by his waist.
The cosplayer not seeing the confusion, suddenly teleported to an elderly man with bandages covering his head. The man held the baby Inuzuka in his arms.
"We have found another in the wreckage, sir. Place him with the others?" the old man inquired.
"Put him wi—" another agent blurred into view, holding a bundle with a blond child.
"Danzo-sama, Lord Minato sealed the Nine-Tails into his child. Shall we bring him to the barracks?" the agent asked.
Danzo looked at the child thoughtfully. "Today, Konoha lost not only its 4th Hokage but its 3rd Hokage as well. The people will need a target to focus their anger on."
Danzo took the blond child into his hands. "But letting other nations know about our new jinchuriki could be disastrous. Take Minato's child to the barracks. I need a seal master to draw a copy of Minato's seal onto this Inuzuka child. He will be our scapegoat until our jinchuriki is ready."
The root agent nodded and sped off somewhere with the blond boy. Danzo looked at the Inuzuka child. "Rejoice, for you have been chosen to support the very foundation of this great tree."
The baby could only stare in confusion at the old man. "What is this moon speak? Did I get kidnapped by traffickers?!?!"
--
"It's been over a week now." the man-now-baby thought, "Welp, I can't deny it any longer. I've been reincarnated." Frustration welled up within him as he tried, yet again, to roll onto his stomach. His underdeveloped muscles proved to be an unyielding barrier. "Man, being a baby again sucks. There's only so much sleeping one can do before it gets counterproductive."
Gazing at the wall of his crib, he mused, "Barely anyone comes to visit me. In fact, I'm still wearing my crappy diaper from two days ago."
His thoughts drifted back to that old man who had held him up to that large crowd. "Their expressions looked downright terrifying once he finished talking."
Then, he was handed off to one of the now-familiar Root agents and unceremoniously deposited in the crib. The occasional visitor would arrive to clean and feed him, the touch of their hands gentle yet impersonal.
"At least I have this strange feeling inside me to figure out," he contemplated. "I don't know, maybe it'll be magic." Closing his eyes, he imagined a flame expanding as he exhaled and shrinking as he inhaled.
Using this technique, he slowly began to feel something inside him—a wellspring of power. Today felt different; he sensed a potential breakthrough.
With relentless mental effort, he pushed his limits until a tingling sensation enveloped his tiny hands. Opening his eyes, he marveled at the azure aura, a radiant shimmering curtain that danced around his fingertips like a sapphire flame.
"WOOHOO!!! About time I casted a spell!" he exclaimed joyfully, waving his arms around excitedly, the azure spectacle illuminating his small world. After a satisfying ten minutes, exhaustion washed over him.
"Well, that was a productive day. Goodnight, boring world," he said as he lay back, unaware of the perplexed ANBU agent assigned to watch over him.
This child is going to be a prodigy, she thought, her eyes never leaving the baby, her intrigue deepening with each passing moment.
--
3 years later
"I wonder what would happen if I did this." Kuin enveloped his hand in chakra and tapped the tree in front of himself. He waited a few seconds but nothing happened.
"Damn, so I guess shock wave magic is off the table. Next on the list is oh wait I did everything." Kuin threw his clip board at the tree before throwing is hands up in frustration. "Goddammit!! There's nothing to do In this god forsaken village.!!!"
He tried exploring but he was always cornered by a bunch of adults and beaten like he owes them money.
Next he tried to go into one of the forest to try and explore but was always stopped by one of those anbu agents and sent back towards the village.
He tried going to one of the stores to buy something but they all overcharge him like hell or straight up chase him out. The only reason he wasn't laying about in his room in the orphanage was the list he made to try and find out what type of magic he could do.
The list lasted for 2 years and now he ran out of things to do.
"Ugh my 21rst century brain can't handle this. I need a distraction." He spotted a kid on the swing "You there! Intertain me! Or say something interesting I don't care!"
The kid took one look at him and sprinted back towards his parents. Both parents looked at him in disgust andead their child away.
"Well screw you too assholes!!" He picked up a rock and cucked it at the fleeing couple. He breathed heavily before sighing at sating against the tree.
"At least you won't leave me right Gunther." The boy took out a penguin plushie. "Of course I won't leave you, your my best friend." He mimiked talking making it look like the plush was talking.
……………"Maybe I'm going crazy. They do say humans are social creatures and I've been isolated for as long as I lived here."
He sat there lamenting about his situation until the sun started to set bathing the sky in a purplish orange glow.
"I think it's about time to head back home now." The boy sat up and began his treak back home. Hopefully by the time he makes it everyone else would be asleep. He really doesn't want to deal with those bitches today.
When he arrived he was greeted with all his belongings thrown half hazardly on the ground. Seeing this the boys thoughts were in disarray.
He eventually concluded this was just another one of the matrons mistreading him.
He knew in his last life that orphans weren't treated very well so he expected something like this eventually. But today of all days? Come on man!
He gathered all his belongings and placed it onto the blanket before making a makeshift ramsack.
He tried to open the door but it was locked.
"Strange, they usually always leave it unlocked before. Guess they suddenly started caring about safety again, No matter." Kuin set his knapsack down before pulling out a ring of keys from his pocket. "That's why I stole this bad boy, now let's see."
"Nope not that one."
"Nope."
"Definitely not that one."
"30th times the charm? Nope? thats fine we have 15 more left not like I'm losing sleep or anything."
30 minutes later
"Down to the last key. I can finally hit the hay soon!" Kuin entered the last key and turned or at least tried to turn.
"...This has to be some kinda mistake. I must've took the wrong set of keys. Let's see if I left the window unlocked." Kuin thought denial still in full effect.
He walked around the building looking for his red marked window seeing it he climbed the tree next to it and began trying to open it to no avail. His arms began to grow tired so he quickly climbed down.
He just sat there dejected. Reality coming into full effect. Rather he wants to deny it or not he was kicked out and now has to live on the streets. In a toddlers body.
"This day just can't get any worse." As soon as he said this he felt droplets start to fall onto his head before he heard a distant thunder strike. "Spoke too soon I guess. Better find some shelter before the storm gets any worse." He lifted up his makeshift knapsack and began sprinting towards the heart of konoha.
30 minutes later
After spinting from the orphanage he stopped at multiple stores only getting a few minutes of rest before he was chased off the premise by angry owners or drunk civilians.
Leading him towards his current predicament standing outside of the establishment called ichirakus ramen.
Seeing the name sparked something in his memory but he didn't have time to ponder. He ran inside the establishment flopping into one of their chairs.
"Safe!" He huffed out. "Just give me a few seconds and I'll-" he was cut off by the man behind the counter. He has his back turned towards Kuin washing dishes.
"It's no problem kiddo, just give me a few seconds and I'll take your order." The man said
Don't have much money. But this might be my last warm meal for awhile Kuin thought counting out his life savings 1,000 ryo. Let's see what that can buy me.
After flipping through the menu he decided to just eat onomichi ramen. He was Muslim in his last life so while his belief has been throughly fractured he'd still rather not eat pork.
Little did he know virtually every ramen has some kinda pork in it.
"Umm I'll take a bowl of onomichi ramen please?"
"So you want a drink young man?"
"Some water would be nice."
"Great just let me dry my hands off that'll be 900 ryo kid."
Kuin counted out the money and Sat it on the counter. The old man dried his hands off and turned around with a smile before he saw who sat at the counter.
His smiled disappeared for a second before putting it back on. He took the money off the counter and began making the dish.
The rain continued falling outside. The wind blowing and the sounds of rain set a relaxing ambients.
Growing bored Kuin took out one of his few belongings. A children's book in how to read. And began trying to decipher the squiggly lines that was the Japanese language.
He was so In grossed in his studies that he didn't noticed that the ramen should've been done by now.
After a few minutes of reading the old man began making conversation.
"You know, I taught my daughter using that exact same book." He began pooring the finished noodles into a bowl.
"Is that so?"
"She was such a quick learner. Always wanting to impress her old man." The old man poured some type of liquid into the ramen before stirring it in and adding the fish.
"She must've been the perfect daughter sir." Kuin said. Not really caring much for the mans story. "How long ago has she been moved out?"
The man was silent for a second before setting down the bowl of ramen in front of Kuin.
"About 3 to 4 years now….."
"I hope she's doing fine on her own sir." Kuin said not caring about anything other than the food in front of him. He took his chopsticks and dug in. "Thanks for the meal."
"Hehehe the pleasures all mine kid." The thunderstorm continued outside. The rain pouring down even harder now.
After eating his ramen Kuin said thanks again before walking outside. "Weird wasn't it just raining?" The roads were still wet but it looked like the rain stopped awhile ago.
"Guess it's my lucky day I guess." Kuin walked down the streets of konoha in hopes of finding a decent shelter not knowing what just transpired in that shop.