Chapter 1: Into a New World
(Gin's POV)
The world felt different, yet familiar, as if reality had been draped over something he used to know. He was still getting used to it—the way his body moved, the way his fingers twitched instinctively to form hand seals. It was funny how life, or rather death, had led him here.
Gin Ichimaru—no, Gin Uchiha now, cousin to Obito, a fact that barely registered in his mind—looked up at the sky, eyes half-lidded as they always were. The wind whispered through the trees, brushing against the village walls of Konoha. The Hidden Leaf village, filled with ninja who wore bright emotions like badges. It was amusing, really. A place where people actually believed in bonds. They clung to hope, loyalty, and love as if those things could keep them from breaking.
What a joke.
He didn't hate it, though. No, far from it. He found it entertaining, like watching a slow-motion disaster, a game where every player was unaware of just how fragile they were. And Gin? Well, Gin liked games.
He leaned against the wall, his lips curved into that familiar smile—thin, mocking, but hiding more than it revealed. His Sharingan had awakened a few weeks ago, much to the delight of the elders in his clan. It wasn't a big surprise, though. They always had high expectations for the Uchiha with his unique silver tinged hair and odd demeanor.
No one trusted him. Not fully. Not even Obito, who clung to the idea that they were family. Family, as if that meant something. To Gin, it was just another label people used to chain themselves down.
He heard a voice approaching before he saw her. Light, quick steps. Ah, here comes trouble, he thought, the smile widening a fraction.
"Gin!" The voice was sharp, impatient, and belonged to one of the few people in this new world who intrigued him. Bambietta Uzumaki, the younger sister of Kushina, with fiery red hair that mirrored the temper beneath it.
Bambi-chan.
She stormed toward him, her expression a mix of irritation and excitement, a combination he found utterly fascinating. She had that same fire in her eyes as she did in her previous life, a hunger for battle, a thirst for destruction. But here, she was trying to temper it, to fit into the shinobi system. How long that would last, Gin couldn't say, but it amused him to watch her try.
"Doing nothing, I see," she remarked, her arms crossed over her chest as she stopped in front of him. "Don't you have missions or something?"
Gin's smile didn't falter. "Ain't no harm in takin' a break now and then, Bambi-chan. Besides, why're you in such a rush?"
She huffed, her eyes narrowing. "I'm not rushing. I'm just not lazy like you."
"Is that so?" He tilted his head slightly, his tone teasing. "Seems like ya came all the way here to see lil ol' me. How sweet."
Bambietta's eyes flashed with irritation, her chakra flaring slightly. The girl was always like this, quick to anger, quick to act. That fiery personality was so much like her older sister. In a world filled with rules and restrictions, she chafed under them, much like an impudent brat.
It was oddly endearing, he decided.
"You wish, Gin. I came to talk about the upcoming joint mission," she snapped, but her words lacked real venom.
"Hmm, a mission, huh?" Gin's interest piqued slightly. Missions were always interesting, a chance to stir things up a bit, to see how people reacted under pressure. "What's the mission?"
Bambietta's expression shifted, becoming more serious. "We're supposed to protect a convoy heading out of the village. Some important scroll or something. But I heard whispers—it might be a trap."
"A trap?" Gin echoed, though his tone was light. "And you're still excited to go?"
She smiled, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "You know me. A trap just means there's someone on the other side waiting to be crushed."
Gin chuckled softly. Same ol' Bambi-chan. Always eager for a fight, always ready to destroy something just to prove she could. He wondered how long she'd last before the chains of Konoha's rules became too tight for her. But for now, she was here, with him, and that was enough to keep things interesting.
"You do love your explosions, don't ya?" he mused.
"Shut up," she muttered, though there was no real heat in her words.
Gin pushed off the wall, stretching lazily. "Well, I suppose I'll tag along. Could be fun."
Bambietta gave him a sidelong glance, her arms still crossed but her stance slightly more relaxed. "You say that, but I know you. You're always lookin' for an angle."
"Am I that predictable?" Gin asked, his smile widening.
"Not predictable," she admitted. "Just… twisted."
Gin's smile never wavered, but something in his eyes darkened. "Twisted, huh? I guess ya could say that."
They stood there for a moment in silence, the breeze rustling the leaves around them. Gin's mind wandered back to his previous life, to the constant scheming and plotting. It was odd, being here, in a world that felt so… peaceful, by comparison. But even in peace, there were shadows. And Gin had always thrived in the shadows.
"Hey," Bambietta's voice broke through his thoughts. "You ready for this?"
Gin's gaze flickered to her, that smile still firmly in place. "Of course."
They made their way to the meeting point, where the others were waiting— Minato, Obito, and a few others. Gin barely acknowledged them, his focus more on the upcoming mission than the people around him. But he could feel the weight of Obito's gaze, the admiration evident in his eyes.
It was funny, really, how Obito clung to the idea of family. But Gin wasn't like that. He didn't care about blood ties, about loyalty. What he cared about was the game—the endless game of manipulation, of pushing people to their limits, to see how far they could fall before they broke.
And yet, despite all that, there was something about Bambietta that kept him grounded in this world. Maybe it was the familiarity, the fact that both of them were prodigies who defied the norms of the village. Or maybe it was just that, like him, she didn't fit into the mold of this world as she had been born in another dimension.
As they headed out, Gin couldn't help but glance at her from the corner of his eye. She was a ticking time bomb, just waiting to explode. And he? He was the one who would watch the fireworks.
With a soft chuckle, he turned his gaze forward, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of the kunai at his side.
"Let's see how this all plays out," he whispered, the wind carrying his words away.
For now, the shadows around him were calm, but Gin knew better than anyone that darkness was always lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike.
And when it did? Well, that's when the real fun would begin.