(I don't own Naruto)

Chapter 1: A New Path Begins

Pain.

A deep, throbbing ache pulsed through Raizen Kurogane’s body, dragging him out of unconsciousness. His senses stirred, first overwhelmed by the sterile scent of antiseptic, then by the faint beeping of medical monitors nearby. His body felt stiff, heavy, as though he had been crushed beneath a collapsing building.

His mind, however, was sharper than ever.

I survived.

He kept his breathing steady as his thoughts reorganized. The last thing he remembered was the rupture—a tear in space, swallowing him whole. Then, in that void between worlds, he had glimpsed a scene of chaos.

A crimson sky. Flames. Destruction.

A massive, demonic fox rampaging through a village.

The Nine-Tails’ attack…

The realization struck hard. His arrival had been during one of the most devastating nights in Konoha’s history. And judging by his condition, he hadn’t exactly been a passive observer.

Raizen slowly opened his eyes. White walls. Dim lighting. Medical equipment. He was in a hospital.

He tried to move, but his body protested sharply. His left arm was wrapped in thick bandages, and his ribs ached with every breath. A dull pain settled in his skull, the lingering effect of whatever had struck him amidst the chaos.

Debris, most likely. He had been an unfortunate casualty, caught in the crossfire of history.

His eyes turned to the window. The sky beyond was dark, hints of moonlight slipping through the thin curtains. He didn’t know how much time had passed, but it couldn’t have been long. The village would still be reeling.

And that meant…

Raizen exhaled quietly, calming his racing mind.

There was someone in this village who had just lost everything. A newborn child. A boy who, as of this very moment, was alone in the world.

But Raizen could not react.

He could not ask. He could not show any interest.

He was a stranger in this world, an outsider who should know nothing of Naruto Uzumaki.

Instead, he forced himself to focus on his immediate reality. His injuries, his surroundings, the unknowns. He would learn what he could and wait for the right moment.

Just as he was steadying his breath, the door to his room creaked open.

A man stepped inside.

Tall, lean, clad in dark shinobi gear. His silver hair stood at odd angles, his headband was slanted over one eye, and a mask covered the lower half of his face.

Raizen immediately recognized him.

Hatake Kakashi.

A legend. The Copy Ninja. A man weighed down by grief and loss.

Kakashi’s lone eye studied him with quiet calculation. "You’re awake."

Raizen pushed himself up slightly, careful not to wince. "Yeah…" His voice was hoarse, his throat dry. "How long?"

"Two days," Kakashi answered. His voice was even, unreadable. "You were found unconscious near the destruction zone. It’s a miracle you’re alive."

Two days.

Raizen kept his face impassive, but his mind was already moving. Two days meant the aftermath had settled. The decisions had already been made.

And that meant Naruto had already been taken to the orphanage.

He exhaled slowly, controlling his expression. He could not react. Could not give anything away.

Kakashi’s gaze lingered, unreadable. "You’re not a Konoha shinobi."

Not a question. A statement.

Raizen met his gaze. "No. Just someone who got unlucky."

Silence. A long one.

Kakashi was sharp. Observant. He was studying Raizen, analyzing his every word, every movement.

Finally, the shinobi seemed to accept the answer. "The Hokage will want to speak with you when you're stable."

Raizen gave a slow nod, keeping his expression neutral. He had no doubt Hiruzen Sarutobi would want to question him. A civilian with no records found in the middle of a battlefield? The Third Hokage wouldn’t overlook that.

"I understand."

Kakashi turned toward the door. "Rest for now."

With that, he was gone.

Raizen let out a quiet breath.

This world wasn’t a game. He had to move carefully. One wrong word, one wrong step, and he could lose everything before he even began.

But one thing was certain.

He would not stand by.

He would find a way.

And when the time was right—he would take Naruto away from this place.

No matter what it took.

Chapter 2: A Bond Forged in Sorrow

The village was quiet that morning.

Not the usual silence of a peaceful day, but something far heavier. The kind of quiet that settled after devastation—the weight of loss hanging thick in the air.

Raizen walked through the streets of Konoha, his pace slow, his expression neutral. His body had mostly recovered, though his ribs still ached when he moved too quickly. But he had no complaints. He had been given a fresh set of clothes, his injuries had been tended to, and—most importantly—he had been granted citizenship with little resistance.

The village had suffered too many losses. Too many civilians, too many shinobi. The Hokage had little reason to turn away an able-bodied newcomer.

And today was the memorial.

A ceremony to honor the fallen.

Raizen could see them now—hundreds of people gathering near the Hokage Monument, their faces solemn. Some held incense, others small offerings. Families, shinobi, civilians—all mourning those they had lost.

He exhaled quietly, keeping to the outskirts.

The names of the dead were being read aloud. The Third Hokage stood at the front, his aged face carved with sorrow. The losses were immense. Minato Namikaze. Kushina Uzumaki. Elite jonin. ANBU. Entire families.

The weight of the tragedy was etched into every face present.

And then, amidst the sea of grief-stricken villagers—Raizen saw him.

A small child, wrapped in a white blanket, carried by an older woman.

Naruto Uzumaki.

He was tiny. His blond hair barely visible under the fabric. His face was round, innocent, oblivious to the hatred brewing around him. His blue eyes—so much like Minato’s—blinked at the world, unaware that it had already turned against him.

Raizen felt something tighten in his chest.

This was the first time he was seeing Naruto in real life. Not through a screen. Not as a character in a story. But as a child. A child who had lost everything before he even had the chance to understand what ‘family’ meant.

And the way people looked at him—like he was a curse.

They didn’t whisper, not yet. Not here. But the unease was there. The distance. The hesitance.

Raizen closed his eyes briefly.

I have to take him away from this.

But how? He couldn’t just walk up and take him. The orphanage had already taken custody. The Hokage would be watching closely. Adopting Naruto wasn’t impossible, but it required careful planning.

He needed to act today.

Before the village’s hatred fully took root.

---

Later That Day – The Hokage’s Office

Raizen stood before Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, keeping his posture relaxed but respectful. The aged leader studied him with a piercing gaze, his presence heavy despite his old age.

“You’ve requested to adopt Naruto Uzumaki?” Hiruzen asked, his voice unreadable.

Raizen nodded. “Yes.”

Silence stretched between them.

The Hokage’s fingers steepled. “Many have refused to take him in. You are new to this village, Raizen Kurogane. Why would you take on such a responsibility?”

Raizen had expected this. He had thought of a dozen different answers.

In the end, he went with the simplest truth.

“The boy has no one.” His voice was steady. “I may not have much, but I can give him a home.”

Hiruzen’s expression didn’t change. “Raising a child is not easy.”

“I know.” He didn’t, not really. But he would learn.

The Hokage sighed, leaning back. “It won’t be easy. The village… they may not treat him kindly.”

Raizen’s jaw tightened. “That’s why he needs someone to stand by him.”

A long pause. Then—

“Very well.”

Raizen blinked, caught off guard by the quick decision.

Hiruzen met his gaze. “Naruto needs a guardian. If you are willing to take on that burden, I won’t stop you.”

He pulled out a document and began writing. “You will officially be Naruto Uzumaki’s adoptive elder brother.”

Raizen exhaled. It was done.

But as he stepped out of the office, a thought struck him.

What the hell do I do now?

---

That Evening – Home

Bringing Naruto home was… awkward.

The child was barely a year old. He didn’t understand what was happening, only that he was in a new place, in the arms of a stranger.

Raizen set him down carefully on the futon, staring at the infant like he was holding an explosive tag.

Naruto blinked up at him. Then giggled.

Raizen exhaled. “…This is going to be harder than I thought.”

And so, his new life began.

Chapter 3: Foundations of a New Life

Raizen sat on the wooden floor of his small home, watching Naruto sleep. The infant’s tiny chest rose and fell in soft, rhythmic motions, his thumb barely slipping from his mouth as he dozed.

Taking him in had been the easy part.

Now came the hard part—raising him.

He sighed, rubbing his temples. He had no experience with babies. His life before this had been filled with study, work, and personal freedom. Now, he had a child to care for—a child who couldn’t even walk yet.

But he wouldn’t let himself fail.

He thought back to the things he had observed in his previous life. Parents feeding their children, cradling them when they cried, establishing daily routines. He needed structure—for Naruto and for himself.

Building a Routine

Step one: Food. Naruto was still too young for solid food, which meant he needed milk or baby formula. The orphanage had provided a small supply, but it wouldn’t last long. He’d need to buy more soon.

Step two: Hygiene. Bathing Naruto, changing diapers, and keeping their living space clean. He grimaced at the thought—he had never imagined himself changing diapers—but it had to be done.

Step three: Sleep. He needed to adjust his sleeping patterns to match Naruto’s unpredictable ones. That meant waking up in the middle of the night, comforting him, and learning to function on interrupted rest.

Naruto shifted slightly in his sleep, a tiny sigh escaping his lips. Raizen exhaled as well.

“We’ll figure it out,” he muttered.

But there was another issue—money.

The Financial Reality

The Hokage had given him funds, enough to last two months. It was generous, but temporary. He needed a steady income if he wanted to provide Naruto with a stable home.

Luckily, he had a plan.

Konoha was still recovering from the Nine-Tails’ attack. Entire districts had been reduced to rubble—homes, shops, roads, infrastructure. The village needed to be rebuilt, and he had the skills to help.

Back in his original world, Raizen had completed degrees in architecture and business management. Here, those skills were priceless.

Starting a Business

The next morning, Raizen went straight to the construction district. Workers were already hauling debris, but there was little coordination—everything was being done in a rush, with no proper planning.

He approached one of the foremen, an older man with a thick beard and tired eyes.

“You’re looking for workers?” Raizen asked.

The man scoffed. “We’re always looking. But unless you’ve got strong arms, I don’t think you’re fit for manual labor.”

“I don’t plan to lift bricks,” Raizen replied smoothly. “I plan to organize the people who do.”

The foreman frowned, but Raizen continued.

“Konoha is rebuilding, but the effort is uncoordinated. I can design better building plans, optimize material use, and set up proper schedules so projects don’t overlap. Less waste, more efficiency. That means better pay for workers and faster results for the village.”

The foreman’s skeptical look faded slightly. “…You sound like you know what you’re talking about.”

“I do.”

A few hours later, he found himself speaking with several displaced workers—villagers whose homes had been destroyed, craftsmen who had lost their businesses, even former shinobi who needed new jobs.

He recruited fifteen men to start.

Carpenters, masons, and laborers. He used his remaining money to buy tools and materials, offering fair pay to those who agreed to work under him.

The First Project

His first job was simple—rebuild a destroyed market district. The Hokage’s office had put out contracts, and Raizen successfully negotiated for one.

It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

He drew up blueprints, divided tasks, and implemented a structured schedule for workers. His designs ensured that buildings were sturdy but efficient, using materials that could be easily sourced.

And just like that, his company was born.

As he stood amidst the construction site, watching the workers lay the foundation, Raizen exhaled.

His journey had begun.

Not as a shinobi.

But as a builder of the future.