"Creak—"
Accompanied by a light sound, the warehouse door was slowly opened.
A thin young man walked in slowly.
As he entered, the lights in the entire warehouse began to turn on one after another.
The spotless floor, gleaming white lights, and silver-gray metal racks gave the entire space a highly technological feel.
"Humming..."
The newcomer hummed casually, seemingly in a good mood.
His face was pale, with slightly long, sparse black hair covering his eyes. When his gaze swept over the numerous figures displayed in the warehouse, a satisfied smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The young man's name was Chen Rin, and he once had an enviable, warm family.
Unfortunately, his doting parents both died in an accident.
Leaving behind a young Chen Rin and a considerable inheritance.
With a substantial family fortune, Chen Rin naturally lacked for nothing growing up.
However, losing his dearly beloved parents left his life directionless.
Only after he stumbled upon anime did he find solace, no longer feeling alone.
Perhaps in the eyes of others, Chen Rin was what one might call an "otaku."
But to him, the world without his parents had long become dark and desolate.
He felt warmth only in the 2D world filled with miracles and happiness.
"Yo, Luffy-san, keep working hard today! I look forward to the day you become the Pirate King!"
"Sanji, I've been learning to cook lately. I've got the ingredients ready: a giant squid flown in from North America and three-year-aged Parma ham. I'll need your guidance for an 'air, land, and sea' feast!"
"Gin-san, can you take better care of your son? It's so irresponsible, even I can't stand it!!"
As Chen Rin walked forward, he greeted the meticulously placed, sparkling clean large figures around him.
With each greeting, his eyes gradually brightened.
It was as if a previously dull puppet had come to life, exuding an indescribable liveliness.
He glanced at a black and white ferocious creature over a meter tall when he reached a metal rack.
Chen Rin's expression froze, and he rubbed his head, looking somewhat uneasy as he glanced aside, saying helplessly.
"Aizen-kun...."
"What should I say about you..."
"Sigh... I still prefer your previous form..."
"Indeed, losing one's mind to power is the most terrifying thing..."
After speaking, he shook his head and continued walking.
He came to another metal rack and, upon seeing a warrior with long blonde hair and a giant sword, her eyes filled with determination, his pale cheeks flushed slightly.
After hesitating, he stepped forward, gently touching the warrior's lifelike cheek, and whispered.
"Saber... rest assured, the day you hope for will come, don't bear so much pressure..."
Before leaving, he secretly touched the strand of hair sticking up on top of her head, a hint of joy on his face.
This warehouse was located in the basement of his villa.
Built by a distant relative, it had multiple functions like dust removal and temperature control.
For Chen Rin, it was perfect for housing these expensive anime figures he collected.
The figures varied in size, but they were all characters Chen Rin adored from different anime.
He didn't need glass display cases to separate them; they were simply arranged in categories,
Displayed openly for easy access.
These anime figures had supported him through the shadow of his parents' death, accompanying him through his entire childhood.
To him, these figures were like family, spiritual support, and cherished childhood memories.
...
"Crackle..."
In a corner of the warehouse, a faint sound emerged.
Sparks flew!
In an instant, flames began to spread along the wiring.
"Buzz—"
Before Chen Rin could react, the lights in the warehouse suddenly went out.
In the darkness, a red glow emerged where the fire started!
The flames briefly died down upon reaching the metal rack but flared up dramatically upon touching the figures in the corner, quickly producing thick black smoke.
Seeing this, Chen Rin's face changed, and he hurriedly ran out in the dark.
After finding a fire extinguisher, he rushed back into the smoke-filled warehouse, spraying fire retardant on the flames.
Unfortunately, the figures were highly flammable, and the fire in the warehouse was already uncontrollable.
Chen Rin watched helplessly as the cherished figures were consumed by the dark flames.
This sudden disaster nearly broke him. He was just a newly adult child who had never encountered such a situation, and tears blurred his vision.
"No... no!!"
Summoning courage from somewhere, he stopped holding the fire extinguisher and dashed into the black smoke.
Ignoring the scorching heat, he grabbed the anime figures he could reach and ran out.
His face was covered in soot, and with tears streaming down, he repeatedly ran into the inferno to save the figures.
The thick black smoke filled the warehouse, nearly blinding him.
At that moment, in the periphery of the flames, a large, fair-skinned figure originally clad in white stood, now charred and gray.
Flames encroached her surroundings, and seeing this, Chen Rin's face turned deathly pale. He shouted anxiously.
"Kaguya!! No!!"
In Naruto, Kaguya Otsutsuki was the mother betrayed and sealed by her two children.
To Chen Rin, who had lost his parents, encountering this character for the first time was infuriating. He was angry at Hagoromo and Hamura for betraying her and almost lost affection for Naruto and the main characters.
Now, how could he watch flames consume her? He rushed towards her.
Just as Chen Rin, ignoring the heat, embraced Kaguya,
"Boom—"
The warehouse's interior exploded for unknown reasons.
Rolling waves of fire engulfed everything in the warehouse, including Chen Rin.
A day later.
"A City News Report: Yesterday, a severe fire occurred in the famous Nine Villa District. According to on-site interviews, it is estimated that one person in the villa unfortunately perished, with no other casualties."
"The cause of the fire seems to be an illegally constructed underground warehouse by the villa's owner. According to reports, the warehouse where the fire occurred was completely destroyed, and besides the body, no other items were found at the scene."
"Whether it was homicide or accidental death, we await further police investigation. Today's media report."
.....
On the border of the Land of Water, in a sparsely populated village.
"Shush shush....."
In the pitch-black night sky, faint sounds echoed under the silent night, and white snowflakes gradually fell, covering the ground in a silver coat.
In a dim, leaky hut, under a tattered quilt,
As a snowflake fell through the roof, landing on a gradually cooling little face.
"Gasp——"
A pair of terrified eyes suddenly opened.
The pupils were clear black and white, but the expression was bewilderment, contrasting the thin body!
When Chen Rin woke up, a flood of memories surged into his mind, gradually understanding his current situation.
In this world, his name was Haku Yuki.
Living in a poor, simple village.
His father and mother both died of illness due to lack of treatment.
Leaving behind him, a six-year-old who could barely survive alone.
In the stillness of the night, he would have frozen to death quietly, but at the moment of death, Chen Rin took over this body.
"Dead...."
Chen Rin sighed lightly, an indescribable sorrow in his eyes, his voice hinting of weak childishness.
He wasn't lamenting for himself but mourning the original owner of this body.
He was a kind person, but because of this, he hated reality, preferring to immerse himself in the 2D world.
Because reality was too ugly, with too many tragedies, while the 2D world showed him much pure beauty.
Chen Rin raised his cold little hand to pat his face, murmuring softly.
"Rest assured, I will live for you...."
"Even though... I'm not that brave to live.... but for you... I will strive to keep going...."