Chapter 1: Reincarnation
The pale glow of the hospital TV bathed the room in a faint, flickering light. Shin, a 21-year-old college student, lay on the stiff hospital bed, his frail frame barely making an indent in the thin mattress. Tubes and wires connected to machines beeped softly, a monotonous soundtrack to his existence for the past two years. Diagnosed with leukemia, his life had been reduced to this sterile room and the endless drone of medical equipment.
Tonight was different. Tonight was bittersweet. The screen before him played the final episode of Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, one of his all-time favorite anime series. Shin had watched the adventures of Aladdin, Alibaba, and Morgiana countless times, captivated by the allure of the Djinns, the dungeons, and the vibrant magic that filled the world.
As the credits rolled and the familiar theme song swelled to its crescendo, a lump formed in Shin's throat. This was it. The end of a story he cherished so deeply. There would be no more episodes, no sequel to quench his thirst for adventure. "If only I could live in a world like that," he whispered, his voice weak and cracking with emotion. "If only I had that kind of power... if only I had more time."
His gaze shifted to the window, where the city lights sparkled like distant stars. It was a beautiful night, but Shin's heart ached. For two years, he had battled his illness with dwindling hope. Treatments were expensive, and his family's limited means had forced them to choose between survival and dreams. In the end, the disease had won.
Closing his eyes, Shin let out a soft sigh. His body felt heavier than ever, his breath shallow. He was so tired—so unbearably tired. As he drifted into sleep, his thoughts lingered on the dazzling flames of Amon's Djinn Equip, the swirling rukh that seemed to carry the promise of limitless possibilities.
"If only I could start over..."
Shin never woke up in that hospital bed.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself floating in an endless expanse of light. The world around him shimmered, the air vibrating with an otherworldly hum. Confusion and fear washed over him. His hands—no, these weren't his hands—looked smaller, unblemished, and free of the IV scars that had marred his arms for years.
"What… what is this place?" Shin muttered, his voice echoing strangely in the emptiness.
A deep, resonant voice answered him, filling the space. "You wished for another chance. A world of magic, adventure, and power. Your soul has been chosen."
Before Shin could fully process the words, a flood of memories and sensations overwhelmed him. Faces he didn't recognize, landscapes he'd never seen, and powers beyond his wildest imagination surged through his mind. One name stood out in the chaos—Naruto.
Shin's heart raced as the light faded, replaced by a familiar yet foreign world. The blue skies of the ninja world stretched above him, the bustling streets of Konoha unfolding before his eyes. But something was different.
In his hands, a strange artifact shimmered, inscribed with runes he recognized instantly. It was a metal vessel. His heart pounded as realization dawned on him.
This wasn't just the world of Naruto.
He had brought the magic of Magi with him.