The beginning

"Do you want to become light?"

"Who are you? Where am I?" the hazy consciousness asked in mild confusion.

"Then go and become light! Become the one and only light across all worlds!"

"Wait, who am I? Why can't I remember anything?"

"Go. You don't need to know who you are! You only need to know that from now on, you are the one and only light. Let your radiance fill all worlds, bringing light to countless hopeless, bewildered worlds and driving away every shadow, every demon and monster!"

The ethereal, otherworldly voice echoed through the silent, empty void, filled with anticipation and sanctity.

The empty void was pitch-black, save for a single point of starlight flickering faintly. No matter how far away it was, it remained visible, unhindered by time or space. Even across countless dimensions, it could still be seen, as though it were the only light in that endless darkness!

The endless darkness turned into thick fog and surged, swallowing the lone star! An unknown amount of time passed. It seemed brief, yet also seemed like countless years. The churning black fog gradually dispersed, and the void returned to its original state. The sacred voice was gone, as was that solitary light!

"Where am I?" A ball of light, suspended somewhere between illusion and reality, floated above a desert, alternately brightening and dimming.

"Why am I here? What is this place?" Amid confusion and helplessness, as time passed, wave after wave of memories slowly awakened within the ball of light's soul.

He seemed to remember something, yet also seemed to know nothing. Gradually, the ball of light remembered his name.

Li Ming, a volunteer from China who had tragically been buried in a mudslide during disaster relief, had died an honorable death. I must have died, right? Otherwise, I wouldn't be here. I remember holding a little girl in my arms. Did she survive? I hope she's all right! Li Ming silently prayed for the girl.

If asked whether he regretted it, apart from some lingering reluctance and uncertainty over whether the girl had survived, Li Ming felt little turmoil. He had taken part in so many rescue and disaster relief operations, and comrades around him had sometimes lost their lives. Compared with the survivors who endured the loss of loved ones or the pain and difficulties of missing limbs, Li Ming actually felt a little grateful for a sacrifice like his.

He had once been the one rescued; now, he had been the rescuer. His sacrifice, his life, had not been meaningless! At least he had died for a worthy cause.

Once he collected himself, Li Ming gradually understood what he had become. If he had to draw a comparison, he was now somewhat like the Holy Light worshipped by the Church of the Holy Light in World of Warcraft-something akin to a god, yet not quite one.

Although he had no idea why he had become like this, Li Ming was not frightened at all. He had few attachments left on Earth. His parents had also died in a disaster, and volunteers had dug him out of the rubble. Later, financial support from the state and some kindhearted people had allowed him to attend university. After graduating, he had thrown himself into volunteering without hesitation.

Once, I yearned for the light. Now, I have become the light. That is all!

According to the information within his soul, Li Ming's current state was extraordinary. He existed between nonexistence and existence. Although he did not yet know what sort of world this was, to interact with it, he needed a person-someone whose very being was perfectly attuned to his own.

And he was the embodiment of hope and light.

From the moment he arrived in this world, he was its hope, and its hope could only be him! Through hope, he could bestow blessings upon his followers and grant them strength. It would not be an exaggeration to call him invincible, because no force in reality could harm him unless the world sank into utter despair, without even a shred of hope remaining.

Now, what Li Ming needed to do was find such a person, someone who had never abandoned hope even amid despair.

Such a person would also become his first bishop. Only someone steadfast at heart, someone who remained full of hope even in darkness, could spread light throughout the world. Only when that first person embraced the light could it shine through them to illuminate others, linking every faint glimmer of hope together.

A breeze swept across the wilderness as Li Ming surveyed his surroundings. The boundless desert seemed to have no end. Although he had no eyes, wherever his light reached, so did his sight!

Li Ming headed north. Some mysterious instinct told him that the person he sought was there. Since he did not know which direction to take anyway, he might as well trust his feelings.

After roughly two sunrises and sunsets, a green plain appeared ahead. Not far beyond it stood a vast forest stretching farther than he could see. The soft murmuring of insects and clear birdsong drifted over from time to time, gradually soothing the tedium Li Ming had felt over the past few days.

Before Li Ming could enjoy even a moment of peace, savage cries of battle rang out!

"Captain, the Sand shinobi have set an ambush!"

"Ah! My leg..."

"Everyone, prepare for battle! Watch your surroundings!"

Metal clanged in a flurry of ringing blows.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Technique!"

"Wind Shield: Weasel Technique!"

"Everyone, use Explosive Tags together! We have to stop the Wind shinobi from breaking through the border and ambushing the supply lines behind us!"

Whoosh, whoosh... whoosh!

"Watch out! Wind Release: Great Sickle Weasel!"

Amid a gale and a series of explosions, several bodies were flung haphazardly across the area, blood spraying everywhere!

"You damned Konoha Ninja! Do you think your handful of squads can stop us from completing our mission?"

"Kill them!"

"Ah... ah..."

"Fall... fall back! We have to get the intelligence on the Wind shinobi to Lord Orochimaru."

"Trying to escape? Wind Release: Wind Killing Technique!" A Wind shinobi holding a giant fan gave it a light sweep, sending a hurricane roaring toward the fleeing Konoha Ninja. Trees flew wildly along its path, and dirt billowed into the air.

"Damn it! Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" An earthen wall rose from the ground, blocking the blade-like gale sweeping toward them.

"Cunxia, you're the best at the Body Flicker Technique. Get out of here! We'll cover your retreat!"

"Captain Quanshui!"

"Go! The Earth-Style Wall won't hold much longer! You have to bring word of the Sand shinobi's attack to Lord Orochimaru. You idiot, go! Don't let us die for nothing!"

"Yes, Captain!" Cunxia shouted, tears streaming down his face.

Bang!

A puff of white smoke drifted past, and Cunxia vanished from the battlefield.

"Hahaha! You're ants trying to stop a cart! Wind Release: Tornado Hurricane! Die! Kill them all..."

"Ah..."

A hurricane swept both the earthen wall and the Konoha Ninja into the sky.

"Captain Quicksand, it looks like one got away."

"Damn it! Forget him. Our mission is to attack Konoha's supply lines. Finish this quickly!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Looking at the ravaged battlefield and listening to the familiar yet partly incomprehensible language, Li Ming immediately realized where he was.

Isn't this Naruto? Those strange outfits, those symbols on their foreheads-any anime fan would recognize them.

They mentioned Orochimaru, so this should be the Second Shinobi World War! As for which stage of the war, I'm not too sure. Looks like I need to find my bishop as soon as possible. Why is that mysterious sense growing weaker and weaker?

In such a dangerous world, please don't let anything happen to him! Without that first light, how can I illuminate the people of this world? They can't see me or sense me! After the long solitude of the void, Li Ming never wanted to return to a state of nonexistence.

Someone still full of hope in a world of despair? Whoever that person was, man or woman, they were vitally important to Li Ming now!