An endless sea of stars stretched before Hao Asakura as countless souls drifted peacefully into eternity.
For the first time in centuries...
He had nothing left to do.
No hatred.
No ambition.
No desire to change humanity.
Only silence.
Then—
A crack appeared within the Great Spirit.
It wasn't a physical fracture.
It was as if reality itself had been torn apart.
An unfamiliar power seeped through the crack—vast, ancient, and unlike anything Hao had ever encountered.
He slowly opened his eyes.
"...Interesting."
The Great Spirit wasn't rejecting the foreign power.
It was responding to it.
Before Hao could investigate further, the crack expanded.
The world around him shattered like glass.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Cold wind brushed against his face.
The scent of blood filled the air.
When Hao opened his eyes once more, he found himself lying on a grassy hillside beneath a crimson sky.
The silence of the Great Spirit had vanished.
Replacing it were screams.
Explosions.
The clash of steel.
And...
Souls.
Thousands upon thousands of restless souls wandered across the battlefield, unable to pass on.
Hao slowly stood, calmly observing the world around him.
"...This isn't Earth."
A translucent child suddenly emerged from a nearby tree.
The spirit froze upon seeing him.
"...Y-You can see me?"
Hao smiled faintly.
"So spirits exist here as well."
Before the child could answer—
BOOM!
The forest erupted in flames.
Dozens of warriors burst through the trees.
Children.
Some looked no older than eight or nine.
Their armor was stained with blood, and killing intent radiated from every direction.
One boy shouted,
"Retreat! The Uchiha have broken through!"
Another screamed,
"The Senju are coming! Protect the wounded!"
Hao watched the scene in silence.
Children...
Fighting wars.
Killing each other.
"...So this world is no different."
At that moment, a calm voice echoed inside his mind.
Foreign Soul Confirmed.
Initializing Shaman Interface...
Hao remained expressionless.
"...A spiritual artifact?"
The voice continued.
Unknown energy detected.
Analyzing...
Energy identified: Chakra.
Compatibility with Furyoku: 98.7%.
Fusion possible.
For the first time since arriving in this strange world, Hao's eyes narrowed with genuine interest.
"Chakra..."
"So that's the power of this world."
Far away, atop opposite cliffs overlooking the battlefield, two young boys stood facing each other.
One wore a fearless smile despite the chaos surrounding him.
The other stared ahead with unwavering determination.
Neither knew their names would one day echo throughout history.
Hashirama Senju.
Madara Uchiha.
Neither realized...
Another legend had already entered the stage.