Naruto: The Medical Shinobi

A voice spoke up from Mr. End, breaking the quiet. "Done already? I figured this would take some time and that you would try every combination imaginable."

With a hint of annoyance in his voice, Ken shot back, "I would rather not waste other people's time."

"I must say, you were quite thorough with the choices you made," Mr. Beginning said, his voice full of genuine curiosity.

"Yeah!" Mr. End exclaimed, his enthusiasm palpable. "I've never met someone who completed something with such speed and thoughtfulness as you did."

Ken could feel their amazement at his skill selections. It was an unusual combination, one they had never seen in all their years of supervising the reincarnation process, but it was simple yet effective.

A more serious tone entered Mr. Beginning's voice as he asked, "So, are you ready for your new life?"

"Yes, I am ready," Ken said with a nod and a voice full of resolve.

Ken had a thought that had not occurred to him before all of a sudden. His brow furrowed with curiosity, he turned to face Mr. Beginning. "Will I be a boy, or am I going to be a girl in this new life?" The question hung in the air, laden with the weight of identity and uncertainty.

The two ultimate beings exchanged knowing glances before responding in unison, "Let this be a surprise for you."

Ken's brow furrowed slightly at their cryptic response. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease at the thought of such a fundamental aspect of his identity being left to chance. But then again, wasn't that the essence of rebirth? A leap into the unknown, a fresh start unencumbered by past expectations?

After a moment of contemplation, Ken nodded. "That's fair enough," he conceded, his voice a mix of resignation and excitement. "Alright, let's get started."

Mr. Beginning inhaled deeply, a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he released another bubble in front of Ken. Just as the bubble was about to make contact, Mr. Beginning uttered the words, "Let there be light."

In the next instant, Mr. End's voice followed, tinged with an ominous undertone. "Enjoy yourself. See you shortly."

A chill ran down Ken's spine at Mr. End's words. The finality in his tone was unsettling, a stark reminder of the mortality he was about to re-enter. It was as if Mr. End was saying, "Hey, try not to die too quickly this time around, eh?"

Before Ken could dwell on the implications, the bubble touched him, and he was drawn in. The world around him dissolved into darkness, and he found himself falling into a deep abyss. His heart pounded with a mixture of fear and curiosity, emotions mingling in his mind like a whirlwind. The void enveloped him, a never-ending descent into the unknown.

Suddenly a glimmer of light pierced through the oppressive darkness, drawing closer by the second. The fall seemed to last an eternity, each moment stretching into infinity. Ken's mind raced, trying to process the sensations of his formless existence. Was this what it felt like to be reborn? Or was he simply ceasing to exist?

As the light approached, the surrounding area began to brighten. The intensity became almost blinding, causing Ken to shut his eyes tight, allowing the radiance to envelop him completely. It felt warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the cold void he had just experienced.

Ken couldn't help but think, "If this is what being born feels like, no wonder babies cry. It's like the world's most disorienting light show."

When Ken finally dared to open his eyes, the transition was gradual, as if his consciousness was reassembling piece by piece. His vision cleared, and to his surprise, he found himself lying facedown in gritty soil, feeling disoriented and vulnerable. The eerie silence was broken abruptly by a coarse, commanding voice.

It growled cruelly, showing no mercy at all. "Get up, you worthless scum."

"Get him, Kaito," said a second, angrier voice.

A girl's voice cut through the hostility. "Don't do it," she pleaded. "You're going to get us into trouble. Mother Yuki won't like it."

The angry voice responded, frustration evident in every word, "Shut up! I'm tired of him getting all the attention all the time. What's so special about him?"

Ken's mind reeled, trying to process the sudden onslaught of information. Names, voices, relationships—all of it foreign yet somehow familiar. He felt like an actor thrust onto a stage mid-performance, expected to know his lines in a play he'd never read.

"Talk about a warm welcome," Ken thought sardonically.

Before he could gather his wits, someone grabbed him roughly, hauling him to his feet. A fist connected with his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Pain blossomed across his abdomen, sharp and real—a stark reminder that this was no dream or simulation. This was his new reality, and it was already proving to be harsh and unforgiving.

The boy who had punched him, presumably Kaito, yelled, "Stand up again, bitch. I'm not done with you."

Kaito's lackeys picked Ken up again, forcing him to face his tormentor. As Ken struggled to catch his breath, he couldn't help but note the irony of his situation. Those two enigmatic beings who had orchestrated his rebirth were probably laughing at his expense. "Some fresh start," Ken thought bitterly. "From scientist to punching bag. Is this what they meant by 'enjoying myself'?"

Despite the pain, Ken's analytical mind kicked into gear. He looked around, noticing his hands were covered in dirt. When Kaito grabbed him by the neck, Ken caught a glimpse of his reflection in the bully's eyes. It was then that he realised one of his chosen abilities was working—[Improved vision].

Lost in contemplation, Ken couldn't help but take stock of his new appearance. "A boy, huh? White hair and total heterochromia—that's unique—one golden and one green eye. Very sickly but not bad-looking." He almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of admiring his new looks while in the grip of a bully.

As Kaito advanced menacingly, his face twisted with hostility, Ken's expression remained one of wonder rather than fear. This seemed to infuriate Kaito even more.

"Don't worry, I'll be done with this next punch," Kaito declared angrily, with his fist aimed squarely at his face.

Ken braced himself for the impact, but something unexpected happened. Time seemed to slow down around him. With heightened awareness, he could discern minute details of each spectator's face, their expressions a mix of morbid fascination and moral conflict.

"[Fast thinking]," Ken realised, his mind racing at an incredible speed. "It's like I've got my own personal slow-mo button. Now, if only I had a fast-moving button to go with it."

He could see the anger contorting Kaito's features, the sadistic smiles on his lackeys' faces, and a kaleidoscope of emotions on the onlookers' counts. As Ken processed this information, another thought struck him. "I could dodge it. I can guess the trajectory of the punch."

The moment he thought of the word 'trajectory,' something strange happened. Detailed visions flooded his mind, outlining the path of the impending blow in a mesmerising display. Mental acuity unveiled a cascade of curved lines, each mapping the arc of the punch's impact.

"[Hyperphantasia]!" Ken marvelled inwardly. "Combined with [Parallel thinking], this is like having a supercomputer and a Hollywood special effects team in my brain."

Time seemed to be moving slowly as the punch drew near, and Ken was faced with a moral conundrum. "Even if he is a bully, he's just a kid. But so am I now. Should I hit him back or just dodge it? What should I do?"

Suddenly, more imagery appeared in his mind—a countdown, ticking away the milliseconds before impact. "I don't have much time," Ken thought frantically. "I need to dodge this first."

His mind raced through possibilities. "I could dodge, but that might provoke him further. I could block, but in this body, I'm not sure I have the strength. Or I could..."

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a sharp pain in his abdomen. In that single moment of pain-induced distraction, Kaito's punch connected with devastating force. BOOM. The world exploded into a cacophony of pain and disorientation.

The last thing Ken saw was Kaito's face, still contorted with anger, and a voice shouting a name with concern. "Ryu," it said, the word echoing with both alarm and familiarity. "Ryu!"

And so, Ken—now Ryu—found himself unconscious, his new life beginning not with a bang but with a whimper. As far as fresh starts go, this one seemed to be more 'bitter' than 'sweet'. But then again, who said rebirth was going to be a walk in the park? At least he had some fancy new abilities to look forward to... once he woke up, that is.