A New Life

Naruto: Starting with the Rinnegan. Land of Fire, Konoha Hidden Village. A secluded courtyard within the Uchiha Clan compound.

"A-Cheng! How are you feeling now?"

A woman with long black hair pushed open the door, her words laced with concern and worry.

"I'm fine, Mom. You don't need to worry."

A weak voice replied.

Inside the room, a three- or four-year-old child lay in bed, covered by a quilt. His face was pale, and beads of sweat dripped from his forehead from time to time. His chest heaved with labored, rapid, and intense gasps, sounding like a bellows, as if his breath might cut off at any moment.

The woman walked over and touched the child's forehead, her expression revealing helplessness and anxiety.

Three months had already passed. She had taken him to the hospital several times, yet they could never diagnose the cause of his illness. There was nothing physically wrong with him, yet he remained severely weak. Even though she was a medical ninja herself, she could only watch helplessly as her child suffered.

She felt utterly powerless.

The sensation from her hand confirmed it: as always, he had no fever.

"You must tell Mom if you feel uncomfortable anywhere."

The woman said softly.

"I know, but I really don't feel any discomfort; I just feel like I have no strength."

The boy felt somewhat helpless. He had never encountered such a situation before. Even having lived two lifetimes, he had never seen anyone so weak—wasted away to skin and bones, unable to even move a finger. He was like a vegetable; his body from the neck down felt as if it had nothing to do with him anymore.

The woman nodded, helped the boy sit up, and fed him a little milk and juice bit by bit. She then wiped his body clean and tucked him back in before picking up the basin of dirty water and turning to leave the room.

The boy lay in bed. The room was quiet, every passing second reeking of monotony.

The boy's name was Uchiha Cheng, and he had just turned three. Yet, for some reason, a month ago, he had suddenly fallen victim to a strange illness. His body was weak and powerless, unable to move. The hospital could find no cause, so he could only lie in bed for rest and observation.

How unfortunate!

The boy sighed mournfully.

He had originally been an ordinary office worker on Earth, until one day he was unfortunately struck by a billboard and died on the spot.

When he opened his eyes again, he had become a newborn infant, raised by his current mother.

Having been reborn, he had been full of ambition, intending to start a brand-new life. But fate had dealt him another heavy blow.

Although he had been reborn, he was not far from death.

In this new life, he was a member of the Uchiha Clan, and he was the same age as Uchiha Sasuke.

Uchiha Cheng deeply felt the malice of this world. In other words, when he was seven or eight years old, he would have to face the Night of the Massacre head-on, struggling to survive under the siege of Uchiha Obito, Uchiha Itachi, and Shimura Danzō.

What kind of death-trap start was this?

Defeating three major bosses as a seven-year-old child—how could that possibly be achieved? Did they think he was the Sage of Six Paths? Even the Sage of Six Paths only challenged Kaguya after he was an adult!

What's more, he didn't even have a system.

For the past three years, he had been searching for a way to escape the Night of the Massacre in order to survive.

But now, he was relieved of that burden; he didn't need to worry about seven years from now, because he wouldn't live that long. At three years old, he was suffering from a strange, incurable disease. If things continued this way, his life would likely end soon, so there was no need to consider the events of his seventh year—that was far too distant for him.

Time ticked away, second by second. The boy lay there quietly, his heart filled with hesitation and helplessness.

The door opened again, and the woman pushed a wheelchair inside.

It was time for their walk outside.

"Mom, there's no need," the boy said, feeling somewhat helpless. "I know my own body best; there's no saving it."

He understood his physical condition very well; every moment, his life force was fading away. It made no sense—he shouldn't have been able to perceive something as abstract as "life force," but ever since he fell ill three months ago, he had mastered this ability without being taught.

"You don't need to worry about these things," the woman said, her gaze firm. "All you need to do is be a good boy, take care of your health, and leave the rest to me."

Although Uchiha Cheng himself was almost ready to give up, his mother in this life always held onto hope. She never gave up for a single moment. Every day, she would take him out for a walk to relax his mind and let him experience the sunlight and the fresh air.

His mother placed him into the wheelchair and strapped him in with cotton cloth. He lay there limply, like a Stephen Hawking.

The sound of the wheels grinding against the floor echoed as the mother and son left the room.