AN: A quick warning, if you have yet to see the final episodes of Volume 3, then go see it. If you have not, then I hold no blame when I say "SPOILER ALERT(S)!"
For the sake of those who have not seen that episode yet, I will contain my fandom side and simply say this: the story you're about to read was inspired by those final episodes...
You've been warned. Enjoy!
Victory in the Simpler Things
Naruto Uzumaki, the Child of the Prophecy, Hero of the Hidden Leaf, Konoha's Seventh Hokage...
And the last living practitioner of ninjutsu, ninshuu, and more importantly the Last Living Shinobi.
He wasn't quite fond of that last title, for obvious reasons.
What began as a noble sacrifice, had eventually become his biggest regret.
"Damn right it did!"
"Oh would you shut up, Indra!"
"Why don't you make me, Asura?!"
How long has it been? Twenty? Thirty? Sixty centuries since he decided Hagoromo convinced him to host the warring spirits of his ancestors, Indra and Asura Ootsutsuki, thus ending the vicious feud that had spanned centuries upon centuries.
He passed the title of Hokage to Konohamaru after fifteen years, finding that the worst years were ahead of him...
His brother-in-all-but-blood Sasuke, his old teammate Sakura, his wife Hinata, his son and daughter Boruto and Himawari... He watched them all grow old and die. And after his grandson, Itachi Uzumaki, the son of Boruto and Sarada, had passed on due to old age, he decided to close off his heart, to ease the pain he felt from watching all his loved ones die while he lived.
That was in his second century of life.
Hell, even Orochimaru had kicked the bucket after living for seven centuries, finding the pursuit of knowledge that had once driven him to be the man (or woman?) he was had become irritable, mundane, and mentally exhausting.
The Shinobi system had become nothing more than another historic fact by the tenth century, a myth and legend by the twentieth, and by the thirty-fifth century it faded into obscurity, another page of history lost to time.
Kurama and the others had offered him to join them as they went into a deep slumber, only to be awoken in a time when their powers would be needed once more, but he had declined, insisting on watching humanity for that moment...
He tried to keep his faith in humanity, but that began to wane after a few centuries, his eventual loss of faith bringing him to this point in time now...
'Would you two shut up?!' Naruto mentally exclaimed, gripping his head, the sensation of his hair on the tips of his fingers numbed by the mental anguish he was experiencing.
His hair... his once golden blond hair was now a light iron gray, nearly silver in color and waist-length, his skin was pale due to being in the shade for so long, even his eyes, which had once been a cerulean blue, had faded to the point that they were mere black orbs with a slightly blue tint. And as a testament to his supposedly infinite lifespan, Naruto did not "shrink" as he aged, in fact the opposite occurred. As the Seventh Hokage, he stood at 6'0", but after a few centuries he gained a few inches in height, standing at a toppling 6'6".
But most importantly, his birthmarks, the three whisker-like marks that were once on either side of his face, had faded. Becoming nothing more than invisible outlines on his cheeks.
He quite literally felt and looked like a shell of the man he once was, his attire only rubbed salt in the wounds. A physical manifestation of chakra in the form of black pants and boots, on top of which he wore a flowing white robe with six black magatama markings across his chest and the familiar pattern of a black Rinnegan and nine black magatama markings in rows of three on his back. A gray horn-like protrusions grew out of his left temple and overlapped his forehead akin to a protector with an upward-curve on the right temple, giving him an overall appearance very similar to that of Hagoromo Ootsutsuki.
...
"You know..." A familiar voice called out. "If you keep frowning like that, you'll get wrinkles like my son, Naruto-kun."
Speaking of Hagoromo, though Kaguya's physical body was still imprisoned in the moon - twenty failed escape attempts having mellowed her out somewhat, as well as destroyed part of her prison - she had finally managed to manifest a new body, taking a page from the first two Rinnegan-users Naruto had met and used the Rikudou no Jutsu (Six Paths Technique).
"Kaguya... you're early." Naruto mumbled, though the woman heard him quite clearly.
He couldn't quite remember which unlucky soul it had been that she used for the technique, but what he did know was that the Path had eventually been remade into her likeness, save for a few details.
Still a woman in possession of very delicate facial features, her eyebrows cut very short, pale skin that was only matched in tone by Naruto's own, a red shade of lipstick on her lips, a dark shade of nail polish on her long fingernails, and the very same attire that she wore when he first met her. She no longer possessed her horn-like protrusions, and in place of where her third eye - her Rinnesharingan - had been, was a black diamond-shaped polished "gem" which was one of several chakra rods that were hidden inside her body, as well as her lack of the Byakugan, and instead two vibrant glowing red orbs with dark rings accentuating the pupil which could expand and envelop her sclera dependent on her mood. Lastly, her hair, which had once been sweeping and extremely long, though still white in color was now kept in a bun with six offshoots from which ornaments were suspended.
And though he could not see it, he could feel the bemused grin on her face. Taunting, sly, seductive...
"How many times must I tell you, Naruto-kun. That is no longer my name, not in this day and age." Kaguya said, sauntering over to the chair Naruto was sitting in and wrapping her arms around him from above, leaning down and planting a chaste kiss on his cheek. "A fresh start, remember?"
"Time's quill is always quick to spill its ink onto a new page, but I refuse to let the first pages burn in the process." Naruto retorted, forming a table, a second chair, and a Chess game with Banbutsu Sozo no Jutsu (Creation of All Things Technique).
"Quite so, Naruto-kun~" Kaguya replied, sitting down in the chair and gazing down at the Chess pieces.
"Now... shall we begin, Kaguya?" Naruto questioned, gesturing to her to make the first move.
"Tut. I've told you, Naruto-kun, it's not Kaguya..." she stated. "It's Salem."
"Let me tell you a story, child..."
"Deep in the forests of Remnant, beside a great and mighty river, stood the small, fragile home of a cold, frail man - a lone wizard..."
Having a theoretically limitless lifespan, coupled with a hermit lifestyle, made days, weeks, even months blend together for Naruto.
A fresh blanket of snow covered the lands, and even though he could survive the frigid temperatures wearing nothing but his underpants, the former blond still preferred the warm and comforting feeling of not being a frozen human popsicle.
As the flames of his fireplace cackled and danced around in the still air of the room, Naruto closed his eyes, lavishing in the sun's warm rays of light for what felt like an eternity.
That is, until...
"Hello, good sir."
His eyes shot open, slightly startled by the unfamiliar voice that beckoned his attention, and came across a rare sight that he had not seen in quite some time...
A new visitor.
"Hidden from the dangers and distractions of the world, the wizard seldom had visitors. But on this day, as he peered out his window, his gaze fell upon a young maiden..."
She stood at 5'11" with delicate features. Her hair, which was held up in a bun by a pair of hair sticks and had bangs framing either side of her face, was white as snow in color. Her eyes, though icy blue, held a certain kindness that was contrary to the stereotype that came with the color. And her porcelain skin was hidden from the neck down by her outfit: a light-blue-and-white kimono with a white sash.
"I am sorry to intrude, sir. If you do not mind..." the woman said, making her way over to the barren tree that was in Naruto's yard.
"Yes, I do mind." Naruto retorted, a frown marring his face. "Who... are you?" he asked, causing the woman to smile.
"Calmly, she sat beneath his tree in a state of absolute tranquility. When the wizard demanded an explanation, the maiden simply replied..."
"My name is Winter." she replied. "I am on a journey, and I am waiting for my sisters."
...
"Why in the nine circles of hell does that mean you can just... trespass on my property?" Naruto questioned angrily, though he received no reply.
"With that, she closed her eyes and sat in silence."
"Answer me dammit!" Naruto yelled for the twelfth time after two hours, but to no avail as Winter sat in meditation. "Tch... Baka." he grunted, finally deciding to give up on eliciting an answer from the woman.
...
Soon, two hours had turned into several, and eventually the was descending past the horizon, miring the skies with a plethora of vibrant warm colors that contrasted the frozen tundra. Yet the woman was still, an aura of calmness surrounding her that he had nearly forgotten himself...
And finally, the calmness reached out and grasped him, his faded eyes drooping downward until they closed.
"The wizard told himself the girl was a fool, but the longer she sat, the more he wished to share in the serenity the young maiden enjoyed. In time, he grew tired and decided to close his eyes as well, thinking on this strange predicament..."
Naruto's eyes fluttered open once more, surprised when his hearing picked up the sound of giggling.
The sheets of snow that once covered the land were now gone, and in its place life had sprung forth, the white lands now covered in vegetation.
Winter still sat beneath the same tree, but she was no longer meditating. Instead, she was speaking with a new person, one he himself did not know of.
"-Is that so~?" she questioned, a jovial smile gracing her face as she spoke to Winter.
"Umm... hello?" Naruto called out hesitantly.
"Upon opening his eyes, the wizard was befuddled to find that a second maiden appeared beneath his tree, cheerful and spry, with a basket of fruits and flowers..."
"Hi there!" the woman exclaimed. She stood shorter than Winter did, standing at 5'9" with vibrant green eyes and hair that went halfway down her back and was held in a ponytail, as well as two bangs framing either side of her face similar to Winter. She wore a floral headband, as well as matching floral wristbands and a yellow-green halter strap dress.
"What brings you here?" Naruto asked, though in the back of his mind, he knew the likely answer...
"When he asked for an explanation, the girl simply replied..."
"My name is Spring." the second maiden replied. "I am on a journey, and I am waiting for my sisters."
"Tut. That makes two of you now..." Naruto grumbled.
"I'm sorry. If we're disturbing you-" Spring began.
"It's fine, it's fine." Naruto interrupted, waving his hand dismissively.
"Then thank you, good sir!" Spring exclaimed, her eyes darting to the side of the house as something caught her eye. "Say... is that a garden?"
"At one point it was, I suppose..." Naruto responded, gazing down at his prosthetic right forearm, the pale construct having gained enough color over the centuries to blend in with the rest of his complexion now.
When he first constructed his garden, it was brimming with life thanks to a combination of his former hobby and his training with the Mokuton (Wood Release). But as he fell deeper and deeper into his despair, he began to tend to his garden less and less until it finally became little more than a barren patch of fenced-off land.
"Hmm..." Spring hummed, a sly grin appearing on her face as she grabbed a handful of seeds from her basket.
"To show her gratitude for his reluctant hospitality, the girl retrieved a handful of seeds from her basked and planted them in the wizard's garden..."
Despite the last time Naruto had used Sage Mode being nearly eighteen centuries ago, a sage was always connected to nature, even if only in a small amount.
He could feel Spring's effort and hard work in bringing his garden back to its former glory.
"The old hermit could hardly believe his eyes as the maiden turned what was once a mere pile of dirt and manure into a beautiful garden, from which life would surely blossom..."
"Well hello there~" a third voice called out, causing Naruto to turn back to the tree in his yard, the seasons having shifted during his stupor.
"It's likely he would have gazed for hours, were it not for the unfamiliar laughter he heard from beneath his tree."
This third maiden stood slightly taller than the two before her, standing at 6'0" with warm violet eyes and straight hair of the same coloration that went down to her waist. She wore a white sleeveless shirt with a collar, auburn short shorts and matching suspenders, as well as auburn shoes.
"A young woman with a warm smile now stood beside the two maidens."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." the woman said, bowing in an almost mocking manner to Naruto, though he only found it humorous.
"Please, I beseech thee... tell me your name." Naruto asked.
"The wizard begged her to introduce herself, to which she happily responded..."
"My name is Summer." she replied. "I am on a journey, and I am waiting for my sister."
"Heh..." Naruto smiled, something that had not graced his face in over a thousand years...
Only for his smile to turn into a look of confusion when Summer laughed.
""Of course," thought the wizard. But another chirp of laughter left the old man perplexed..."
"What the... for what reason are you laughing?" Naruto questioned.
"What in the world was so funny?"
"You are, silly~!" Summer responded.
"As it turned out, it was him. The new arrival found the wizard's insistence on staying indoors so very amusing...
Why choose to view the world through a small window when the door leading out to it was right at his side?"
"..." Naruto's mouth opened and closed, raking his brain for a witty or logical retort to Summer's question, but he found none.
...
"Well~?" Summer asked.
"Hmm... I guess you're right." Naruto said, standing up from his chair and making his way to the door.
As his hand grasped the doorknob, he realized that he was in need of a change in his appearance. Were it not for the fact that his clothes were made out of chakra, he was certain they would be a health hazard. And his hair...
Retracting his hand from the doorknob, Naruto quickly summoned a Gudodama (Truth-Seeking Ball), manipulating the black chakra orb to take the shape of a dagger.
With the dagger in one hand and his hair gripped in the other, he swiftly slashed off his long, flowing mane, hacking and chopping until it could be considered tousled, short hair.
Satisfied that his hair was now acceptable, he dismissed the Gudodama and willed his cloak to take a new shape, becoming a faded brown vest, brown pants, brown shoes, a light brown belt, a light long-sleeved shirt with a collar, and a brown panama hat.
'That's better.' Naruto thought as he reached for the doorknob once more.
"It was a compelling argument. And after only a moment of brief hesitation, the wizard left his home...
And stepped outside."
"Ah my kami! What the hell is that blinding light?!" Naruto comically yelled, completely caught of guard by the sensation of stepping outside.
"You mean the sun?" Spring questioned, causing all three sisters to giggle.
"Oh yeah..." Naruto mumbled, his eyes having finally adjusted to the brightness of the outside world.
"The warmth of the sun brought with it a surge of energy and life, and soon the wizard wasn't feeling much like himself anymore..."
"Heh..." Naruto tried to stifle his laughter, but to no avail...
"Tag! You're it!" Summer exclaimed, lightly shoving Naruto before running off, beckoning the immortal man to chase after her as Spring did to Winter.
"He was feeling much better."
"Oh it is on!" Naruto grinned, chasing after Summer, all the while laughing like he had not in centuries...
"As the day drew to a close, the maidens and the wizards all settled down and prepared a feast. Winter set the table, Spring supplied the crops, Summer prepped the meal, and the wizard was the happiest he'd been in ages."
Naruto sat in a chair at the head of the table as he and the girls stared down at the banquet that was begging to be devoured, their stomachs grumbling and each licking their lips in anticipation.
"Alright! Let's dig in-" Summer began.
"Wait." Naruto jutted in, feeling a new presence swiftly approaching. "There is one more guest approaching..."
"I guess you really are a wizard, noticing my presence before even my sisters did." a new voice called out.
"But in all the excitement, he nearly failed to notice the delicate woman that now stood beneath his tree."
The fourth maiden stood at 5'10" with short light brown hair, warm brown eyes that held nothing but kindness and a hint of wisdom. Her outfit consisted of a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, a brown skirt that went to her knees, brown knee-high socks, dark brown shoes, and a light brown shoulder cape.
The creases of Naruto's lips curved upward until a genuine smile was on his face, beckoning the woman to join them in their feast wordlessly.
"Thank you, good sir." the woman said, joining the other maidens and Naruto.
"What is your name?" Naruto asked.
"He smiled, and beckoned her to join them, asking only for her name..."
"My name is Fall. I am on a journey, and am here to meet my sisters." she replied softly, though Naruto heard her as clear as day. "Who are you?"
"M-Me?" Naruto faltered, pondering the question for a good minute before sighing. "Well, I am but an old hermit - I have lived in these woods alone for centuries and... I'm afraid my story has no place in this day and age, not to mention it is not very interesting in the first place, as I have no one to love and nothing to my name..."
His smile had already turned bittersweet, as he nearly delved into the depths of his mind, on the verge of despairing over his early memories...
"The elder sister looked up at all that surrounded them..."
Before he could drown in memory lane, however, he was pulled out back to reality by the very perpetrator of the question that brought him there in the first place...
"But sir, do you not see?" Fall questioned, motioning to the surrounding area of his land. "You have so much."
Naruto's eyes scanned over his surroundings, silently gasping as the realization came upon him...
"It was true. With their help, it was now clear to see that the wizard had everything he could ever need. He was grateful, but a question lingered in his mind..."
"Why... Why me?" Naruto queried.
"What do you mean?" Spring retorted.
"Why did the four of you choose to open my eyes? To share with me your gifts?! WHY AM I SO SPECIAL?!" Naruto questioned, yelling at the end of his inquiry, gripping the tablecloth tightly in his fists and tears welling up in the corners of his eyes
"The four sisters looked to one another, perplexed. Finally, the eldest spoke..."
"I beg your pardon sir, but we did not do these things for you because you were special." Fall replied, fanning her arms out slightly. "We do what we can for everyone, because we are able."
"..." Naruto was shocked into silence, his hands slackening before falling limply to his side.
Because we are able. Those words rang through his head more clamorous than the booming of lightning and thunder.
"B... Because you are able..." he mumbled, a familiar blond haired, blue eyed shinobi coming to mind.
A fire was rekindled in his eyes, one that he himself had thought had long since burned out long ago. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Naruto stood up, tears of joy overflowing from his eyes and a smile on his face.
"The old wizard was at a loss. Never in his years had he come across such kindness. It was in that moment that he knew what should be done.."
"Sir...?" Summer hesitantly called out, concerned at Naruto's sudden actions.
"Heh... I have not heard of such genuine, pure kindness in nearly a millennia." Naruto stated, clasping his hands together as his chakra surged forward, a cloak of golden flames and black markings enveloping him.
"W-What's going on?!" Winter exclaimed, all four sisters nearly overwhelmed by the sensation brought upon them by such raw power.
"Chakura Tenso no Jutsu (Chakra Transfer Technique)." Naruto whispered. Before they knew it, the golden flamed cloak vanished just as swiftly as it appeared, taking the form of four fist-sized orbs that were blue, purple, green, and yellow respectively.
"The wizard summoned his magic, every ounce he could muster, and bestowed it upon the sisters..."
He smiled as the orbs went to each of the four sisters, enveloping their bodies in a blinding light before dying down.
The girls had clearly been surprised at his course of actions, but that had been amplified when immense power began to flow through them.
"I... You... What...?" Fall stammered.
"Take this gift, and know now that you are able to do so much more." Naruto said, leaning against the table from minor exhaustion.
"Now armed with the elements, the very powers of nature, and the unimaginable magic of the wizard, the four maidens, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall, promised to carry on with their journey, using their gifts to aid others, just as they aided him..."
"Are you sure you have to stay here?" Spring questioned, the four sisters staring at the 'wizard' Naruto.
"Perhaps one day, I will have the courage to venture out into the world once more." Naruto replied. "But for now, the wounds that have scarred me for so long have begun to heal, something that I will forever be grateful for... thank you."
"One by one, the sisters left. Before they did, they made one final promise...
They promised to return each and every year, to visit their dear friend."
"... The end." Naruto finished, smiling as the group of children and even a few adults listened to his story.
...
"Wow! Is that story true?" one of the children asked, staring star-eyed at the storyteller.
"Well, it is only an old legend. But..." he began, leaning down and waggling his index finger. "You never know."
"Attention all incoming Beacon students." a voice boomed over the loudspeaker. "The first shuttle to Beacon Academy will depart in ten minutes."
"I guess that is my queue to leave." he stated, eliciting a cry of disappointment from the crowd that had gathered around him.
...
Naruto sighed, holding the pair of shaded glass spectacles in his hands before placing the item in question over the bridge of his nose and making his way over to his intended mode of transportation: a large aircraft in which other students were boarding.
He was so caught up by the sight of the massive machine, that he didn't notice the incoming person he was about to bump into.
"Oof!" both parties exclaimed, falling to the ground unceremoniously and with an audible 'thud!'.
"Oh my Oum! I'm so sorry!" a feminine voice cried out as they both regained their composure on the ground.
"No, no, it's my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going." Naruto responded, gazing at the blond haired woman that was on the ground with him.
"Oh! My name's Glynda. Glynda Goodwitch!" she exclaimed cheerfully, extending her hand to the man. "What's your name?"
"A fresh start, remember?" Kaguya's words echoed through his mind before he smiled.
"Ozpin."
Post AN: And done! I say that this story is a oneshot, but let me know in a review if you guys want to see more. It will remain a oneshot for now, but that might change later on.
Well! I'll maybe see you guys next time for this story! Ja mata!
-CrimsonKyuubiSage out!