A blonde young man was standing over a grave, his hand laid on it, a picture of a lavender-eyed girl was on it. "I'm sorry Hinata, I'm still so sorry, even though a couple of years has gone by. With you gone it seems like the world lost a little bit of it's light, and my dumb ass couldn't see it…"
"You loved me," he says with a saddened voice, "and I couldn't even figure that out."
He took a seat on the grave, looking at the picture, pursing his lips. "You know, when Sasuke told me that the world owed us a debt, I didn't believe him. But, country after country, lord after lord, all offering their daughters to me."
"It sickens me really because I don't want some stupid political thing, I just want happiness…but, with you gone…I don't know…" Naruto saw the cloudy sky, sighing, "it just feels like I lost my one shot at it."
Wind rustling some leafs made them fall from a nearby tree, pedals from flowers flew off, the cold wind of autumn had come. Leaning back a little bit, Naruto felt the cold wind, the all familiar cold wind. "You know, Hinata if I could spend one day before the world ended with someone…I would've wanted to spend it with you."
Taking a deep breath, some tears rolling down his eyes, "it should've been me…I always took you for granted."
"The kindness, the selflessness, the idiotic shyness you had. You never should've been shy Hinata, not around me, you were stronger than a lot of us on the inside. I…I…just wished I could've saved you, and the reason why I'm here today is that I think we made headway." Naruto looked at her picture, "we've been dimension hopping."
"Hell, we've done more than that, those scientist guys reversed engineered a lot of that Otsutsuki technology we give them. I think, what was it, on your birthday they launched the first rocket into orbit. They called it Taiyo-One, a combined effort of The United Shinobi Alliance and The Kingdom of Gele." Naruto chuckled a little bit, and looked at her, "it was awesome to see the first chakra generators fire it up."
"Temujin got married, he had a kid, looks just like him. Still a bit of edgy brash guy, but not so much, he's king now. I think I have a funny trend, a lowly shinobi sought and friended by kings, lords, and ladies." Naruto couldn't help but give a lighthearted laugh at it, "what kind of luck do I have eh?"
"Anyway, I've been tending to your garden, and it's growing healthy. Guess it kind of helps with a literal nine beast army made of chakra in my gut, but who am I to knock my own green thumb, Kurama says hello by the way." Naruto rubbed his gut, smiling now, reaching over to stroke Hinata's picture.
"But, if there is one thing that I can tell you, peace is coming. A world united, not just Shinobi, but everyone." Naruto gets up, dusting himself off as he laid a white rose he had in his hand on Hinata's grave, "something you've always wanted."
Looking around, Naruto bent forward and kissed the top of the grave, "I love you too…"
Kakashi Hatake, avid porn reader, the man of a mysterious face, teacher to The Legendary Team Seven! Was currently the man that was being held back by two of his guards, the reason you may ask? Simple, he was going to use The Fireball Jutsu to simply burn the stacks of alliance papers, treaties, and demands, even his clones were disappearing upon summoning.
"Let me…go!" Kakashi orders them, "must…kill…paperwork!"
"Lord Sixth, please, calm down!" The guard holding his left arm begged, barely holding him, "I can't hold him, Gan!"
"Damn it Kotsu, you have one job asshole, don't let him form the last seal!"
"He's going to break my arm, Gan!"
"Then let him break the damn thing, we are not running a week straight getting all these papers back."
"Says you, I need my arm damn it!"
"Fuck, my grip slipped!"
Time to seem to move in slow motions as Kakashi formed the last seal, the guards had comical white eyes and tears flowing from their eyes as they reached out toward their honorable and levelheaded leader.
"No-o-o-oo!" Kotsu and Gan scream in slow motion just as the first flames leave Kakashi's mouth.
As the fireball launches forward, a flash of yellow appeared, catching it. The fireball dissipates as a young man stood there covered in golden flames, "oi sensei. Can we not burn Konoha's office down, how many marriage proposals?"
Kakashi took a deep breath, "fifty Naruto."
"Sweet holy buddha they never quit," Naruto smacked his face, "hang on a second are they organized?"
"Yes."
"Neat."
Naruto grabbed the marriage proposals, his eyes bugged out, "I thought you said fifty, I see seventy-five!"
Sasuke entered the room, crossing his arms, "again?"
"Yes, again, hey Sasuke look at this crap." Naruto holds the stack marriage agreements in his hands, "wanna give old Kakashi a hand here?"
"How so, we are burning them like usual?" Sasuke questioned, eyeing Naruto a little bit, "anything interesting?"
"Naruto," Kakashi interjects, "Twenty-five for Sasuke, fifty for you."
"Ha!" Naruto laughs out, unable to help it, "I've got more fangirls than you!"
"Oh, trust me, when they become ravenous around Rinne, you'll be cursing that luck. Besides, I have my eye on someone already, homeward bound…" Sasuke states as he goes to walk out of the room, "I was coming to collect you for some dinner, after all, we share an apartment."
"True, true, Ichiraku?"
"Sakura is coming with us."
"Ichiraku it is then."
"Naruto, that's not what I meant, I'm buying anyway."
"Alright fine, sheesh, now, where was I?"
Naruto snapped his fingers, burning the pile of marriage proposals in his hands, watching them quickly become embers. It was almost illation for him, watching it burn, "and just like that I broke at least another few hundred people hearts in the pursuit of mine."
"You know one of those letters was from a prince," Kakashi points out as Naruto's eyes bugged out a little bit, "saying it would be nice to bed The Hero of Konoha."
"Gah?!" Naruto looked shocked, and he heard Sasuke laughing from outside of the room, "oh shove it Uchiha Bastard!"
"Go make Konoha proud cocksucker!" Sasuke hollers in response, though from the footsteps Naruto was hearing Sasuke was fast going away, leaving Naruto there to sully in his humiliation.
Kakashi pats Naruto's shoulder, chuckling a little bit, "you see you're so popular even men want you."
"Oh, shut it!" Naruto roars out, crossing his arms, "so is it ready yet?"
"You mean The Shokunin Tentai: Mark One?" Naruto nodded, eyeing Kakashi for an answer to his question.
Kakashi chuckled under his mask, pulling out the file from his desk, it was large. "Shokunin Tentai Project, The Journeymen of Space, the first actual dimensional exploration craft. Why are you so interested in it Naruto, is it because you planned on naming it in her honor?"
"I was," Naruto admits with a small sad smile, "I think Hinata would be a lovely name for this project."
"Indeed, it would be, but, do you plan on going up there?" Kakashi nudged his head toward the window, "explore new worlds?"
"I was wanting to see if I could put on guard detail, I qualify, it's an S-Rank detail anyway. Not even The Kage Summit would be as well protected." Naruto told Kakashi, the blonde rubbed the back of his head, "besides if anything goes wrong I got like nine super chakra generators in me."
"Plus, you can breathe without the need of oxygen thanks to The Bijuu providing for you. But, tell me something, do you still want Sasuke to become Hokage over you?" Kakashi watched as Naruto nods, giving the blonde a sad sigh, "you can't just give up on your…"
"I'm not giving up on my dream sensei, trust me, it changed after the war. I don't want to just sit in some office, I want to be of use, let Sasuke have the chair and I'll take the land. Besides, he's more qualified a leader than I ever will be, as much as I hate to admit it. But, that's not the important thing, I just want to…" Naruto bit his lip a little bit, looking at the ground, "take a breather from this."
"Constant daily reminders, Naruto, I understand." Kakashi patted the blonde's shoulder, "and Hinata would never want you to suffer for this, Gan…Kotsu, leave us please."
The two guards nodded, saluting Naruto as they left, which irked Kakashi a little bit since they never really saluted him. Naruto was the hero of not only of the village but after his story was told on the first ever news broadcast along with Sakura's and Sasuke's they became probably the world's first superstars. Darlings, heroes, you can name it and they've probably been described it.
"Tell me something Naruto, why is it that you seem different?"
"Hmm?"
"Your blue eyes don't hold the warmth they once had, it disconcerts me."
"You think I'm close to snapping?"
"You've never had these feelings before, it'll be hard, but not impossible to get over."
"How can I get over it sensei, she trusted me, and she died because of me."
"She died protecting you, long enough to get some strength back."
"I should've have been stronger!"
Naruto's yell shook the building, surprising Kakashi as his eyes turned red, and then he looked at Naruto. "You've been doing extra training without my knowledge involving The Bijuu…how far along are you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're attempting to mix their chakra back into a tenth beast, but keep them separate from each other, I'm merely asking are you trying to recreate Kaguya?"
"No, I'm never going to recreate that witch…she's not what I'm after."
"Then, what are you after Naruto, to block the pain?"
Naruto remained silent, looking away from Kakashi, "why don't you just tell Sasuke and Sakura, Ino is your psychiatrist, Tenten is a close friend of yours…why not tell them?"
"They don't get it, they couldn't, and plus I don't want to seem like I am losing it like Sasuke." Naruto told Kakashi as he takes a deep breath, looking at all the fallen objects around them, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be, you need to express it out somehow."
"I fear that I've become too powerful…to express it."
"That may be true, but you're not the first, Tsunade couldn't just go and punch something."
"Yeah, grandma would've probably leveled a building if she just flew off handle, but I can break mountains."
"Then you measure your power out, work on control, meditate like you did when learning Senjutsu."
Naruto scuffs a little bit, taking a deep sigh as he pinched his nose in frustration and looked around the office. "I've tried, it just feels like it's mixing too perfectly, too fast for me to properly control. So, I'm constantly breaking the mix to make sure I can control it if it ever forms."
Both paused for a moment, Naruto takes a seat in a chair, the yawning indication of his tiredness. "Sensei, I always wondered, what if we find other life…don't we have protocols?"
"You mean life that The Otsutsuki intervened in, probably make sure they're not super hostile, and then maybe open up channels for communication. If they're manipulated by The Otsutsuki in any form they'll probably even speak the same language as us, because remember our craft is meant to get a glance over any world we warp it to from the dimensional scroll." Kakashi answers Naruto as he takes out a bottle of Sake, removing his mask, smiling as he poured him and Naruto a cup. "Despite The P.T.S.D you suffer, which is understandable, you're aiming to just run away from the pain more so than confront it dead on."
"I know she's gone Kakashi, nothing is bringing her back, and the others…Neji…Lee…"
"All of them gave their lives to protect you like you would've if anything occurred differently."
"I would've in a heartbeat, change everything, and maybe they'd had had kids by now."
"Don't be too harsh on yourself, c'mon Naruto, have a drink with me."
Kakashi holds the saucer up, Naruto reached over and grabbed him, both looking at each other with a small smile. "To a new age?"
"The Age of Peace?"
"The Age of Science?"
"Hmm, The Age of Exploration?"
"An Age Without War?"
"I can agree to The Age Without War."
Both threw their arms back, slamming the drink down their throats, and giving a relieved sigh as they finished it off in one go. Placing the saucer on the on the desk, Naruto looked at the paperwork, noting trade documents. "Is the Northern Lands finally willing to trade?"
"Yes, they're providing the steel for The Shokunin Tentai, The Kingdom of Gele recently developed solid chakra, by mixing their Gele stones with it and supercharging them. So they'll be the fuel, recent tests found that the size we need is about the size of a laundry basket to power a few dozen jumps with the ship." Naruto pursed his lips, impressed, "so we won't need you as a battery."
"Ha, that's hilarious, I doubt any machine can come up with could hold all nine beasts."
"No, and we never will, that is our solemn agreement to them."
"You know, after I'm gone, until it is needed they'll roam free."
"Don't say such things as if it is about happen."
"True, very true, so when is the first launch?"
"Next month, we'll be exploring a handful of worlds to see if the generator works properly, and The Seal Matrix we've implanted into the ship as part of a navigation array. Not all the worlds on the scroll are on there, but I'd say a good twenty five percent of them are." Kakashi chuckled, "prior to becoming demonic gods, it would seem The Otsutsuki were very explorative creatures."
"Well not all of them are demonic, there's Toneri." Naruto points out, and smiles, "he's still on the moon by the way."
"We've offered multiple times for him to get help, but just like you, he refuses it."
"Ha, can't say I blame him, we sometimes got to find our own path in life…he'll come here eventually."
"What makes you say that?"
"Because he realizes that now he'll be accepted somewhere and like with Gaara he'll slowly come to be around other people, even if it's a bit slower than usual."
Kakashi chuckled, patting Naruto's hand, "you'll make a fine man yet there Naruto."
"I know, I've been practicing medical ninjutsu by the way, and with help of Saikon and Kurama I've perfected something like grandma's regeneration." Naruto tells Kakashi as he makes his hand glow a mixed color of red and green, "I call it The Dragon Hand Technique."
"Is it damaging?"
"No, it's a healing technique, it lets me rebuild muscle tissue and even nerve damage."
"So, basically, Gai?"
"Yeah, basically, I planned on seeing if it would work on older damage like him."
"So, you've used on other people?"
"Remember Tenten's torn tendon in her left shoulder, I healed that in five minutes flat. It's even healthier than what it was, so yeah, it's basically a regeneration technique."
"More like rejuvenation."
"What's the difference between regeneration?"
"Rejuvenation is the reversal of damage, you are making Tenten's tendon healthier than ever indicated that you reversed the damaged to a point where she was younger."
"So…I can make her back into little Tenten?"
"Not exactly, but you can heal someone's body to where they were as healthy as a teen or young adult it seems."
"But, that's probably not a permanent thing?"
"Not really, it'll probably wear off with the additive effect, but the wound should have regenerated by then…it's an amazing Jutsu regardless."
Naruto smiled, "looks like that's the hundredth Jutsu I've created."
"Now get going, I've got work to do, and Sasuke must've gotten Sakura by now." Kakashi waves Naruto off, "go on now, get out."
Naruto nods, getting up and smiles. "Thanks, sensei, you know how to cheer me up, and Iruka as well…I need to pay him a visit today."
He walks toward the window, taking a deep breath, and smiling as golden flames come around him. Kakashi smiled as Naruto leaped up and out of the window, flying away into skyline above Konoha. He takes another sip of sake and smiles.
"You'll find happiness one day Naruto, one day, now let's see who else I can fill in the spots of Operation: First Flight?" Kakashi looks at the massive files, slamming his head against the table, "holy buddha kill me now…"
Naruto was flying in the air, using his six paths chakra mode to do so, he loved doing this. All the people looked up at him, seeing him like a golden shooting star in the sky, even if he didn't become Hokage he'll still be a protector of people.
Not just his anymore, Konoha was a small place in a big world, and this world needed a new Sage of Six Paths to protect it. Sasuke would be Hokage like Naruto said he could have the seat, but he'd have the land.
The Hawk can watch the skies, The Celestial can watch the heavens, and The Fox can watch the farms.
Flying around a large tower-like building that was being built, a skyscraper as it was to be called. Naruto smiles as he flies up, landing on it, observing the ever-expanding village. It no longer had large walls, they weren't needed, bandits didn't dare attack a village with two godlike beings watching it.
Sasuke and Naruto never slowed down, Naruto especially, both continued their training. Occasionally both would get visions from The Sage of Six Paths, and they'd meditate on it. It was one of the secrets Naruto kept from everyone, The Sage warned that there was still evil Otsutsuki out there in the vastness of the universe.
On worlds different from theirs, with beings different from Ningen, and beings that looked human or weren't exactly normal looking. He didn't know if they still lived, odds are that The Otsutsuki on these worlds were hostile and were just using it to gain power.
An immortal race, at least the main branch was, and in an endless sea. Two very dangerous ingredients in one combination.
Naruto lands on the ground, deactivating his power, and looking at Sasuke who smirks. "So, you've been mastering more our shared power?"
"Of course, can't help it if you're slowing down a little bit."
"I'm not too far behind you, never am, always remember that Naruto."
"Well, I'm good to go on the first mission into other dimensions next month when The Shokunin activates."
"So, you really are going away for a few?"
"Yeah, can you protect Konoha?"
"I never needed you, you're just the help."
Naruto and Sasuke laugh, both giving each other a brotherly hug before watching Sakura walk out. She had let her hair grow back out, surprisingly, and bore a diamond mark on her head like her master's.
"Naruto, Sasuke, am I to believe that you are the ones dating?" Sakura teasingly questions as she walks toward Sasuke, wrapping her arm in his once Naruto and he broke the hug, "are you trying to steal my man, Naruto?"
Naruto jumps back comically, pointing an accusing finger at Sakura, "I'm not gay!"
Sakura laughs boisterously, making light of Naruto's sudden reaction, and smiling all the same afterward. "I know that silly, now c'mon, Sasuke is treating us."
"Yes, and that means no Ichiraku, finally…"
"Hey, what's the hate on ramen?!"
"You eat it all the time Naruto."
"Hey, I ate it all the time sure, but I still kicked that scrawny ass in training!"
"Wanna go now?"
"Do you?!"
Naruto and Sasuke face each other, sparks flying from their eyes as both had sudden flames burst from them. Naruto's body glowed a bright golden color as flames bounced around him, nine black balls of energy forming behind him swirling around him as he roars out.
Sasuke Rinne-Sharingan activates, his body had purple aura slowly build around him. He reached down, grabbing his sword that he always carried with him, growling with a smirk on his face as his Crescent Moon Mark glowed with Naruto's Sun Mark.
Only for two hands to reach out, grabbing their ears, and yank really hard. Sasuke and Naruto's forms immediately drop, with both falling to their knees as Sakura held an ear in each hand as she pulled punishingly.
"Te-t-e-te-te!"
"Ow-ow-ow-ow!"
Sakura looked at them, "now boys if you can't play nicely, I'm going to rip an ear off. Besides, tonight is a special night anyway, and we're supposed to be celebrating the restoration of The Uchiha District tonight in a ceremony."
"Oh, yeah, that's good." Naruto felt her grip loosen, along with Sasuke, who sighs with him. "So, Sasuke what do you plan on doing with the old section of the village?"
"Well with Konoha fast becoming a city, I believe I'll keep part of it to build a large compound for me and Sakura. The rest of it I'm donating toward The Peace Foundation, the very same Foundation that you helped create Temujin." Sasuke crossed his arms a little, "I figure if cultures are going to mix, it's better if they get optimal housing just like any other villager."
"As long as you don't wear a robe with red clouds on it that's fine because I seriously don't feel like going through another Akatsuki spiel again. "We are the masters of a new world, know our pain," blah-blah-freaking-blah." Naruto watched as Sasuke rubbed the back of his head, chuckling a little bit. "That means you too Sakura."
"Hey," Sakura crosses her arms, "if anyone is going to be that next person it'll be you."
Naruto laughs as he rubs the back of his head, "maybe so, maybe so…meh."
"So, when are you going to cut that hair, you've grown it since the war, it's almost like Jiraiya the second coming. Wait, are you writing any more of those books?" Sasuke asks as he looks around, making sure no one was overhearing.
If Naruto had fangirls now, for being a two-time world saver, then he could only imagine the army of married women, single teens, elderly women that were like cougars (save nastier.) and the women of their age group charging them.
"Oh yeah, I got the new Ero-Ichi-Ichi coming, I've been trying to find a good cover for it though. The last book I sold was enough to pay our rent for the entirety of our lives in our apartment, but if anything, I'm just going to save it up to buy some land. I actually aim to restore Uzugakure one day…a promise to my mother." Naruto tells them as he smiles, "and I think I'll put it on an island somewhere."
"Maybe on another world, you know, since you're going to other dimensions. You know, food for thought and Sasuke here says that the sealing matrix was made using the same principle as his Teleportation Jutsu." Sakura points out, and then scratches her chin, "say…why didn't you ever learn to teleport."
"Because Sasuke always gets the cool eye powers."
"Oh…well, that's true."
"Heeeey!"
"You said it, not me."
"This primetime live, presented by The United News Network, based in Konoha of The Country of Fire. This day, this night, and tomorrow. Always tune into The United News Network for all your information. From The Kingdom of Gele to The United Shinobi Alliance, this is The United News Network."
"Good evening everyone, my name is Mikoto Ichigo, this is the Konoha News Network. Part of The United News Network, and today we've got some great news and your weather update for the week. Starting off, your week is going to look sunny with a chance of rain going into the weekend, highs are expected to be mild at the upper sixties. So, if you want to go for a cool dip in the river, you can, but just be aware of hypothermia." Mikoto says as she stacks some papers on her desk, shifting them around with a smile.
She had long black hair tied into a ponytail, a very proud smile on her face as she wore a nice buttoned up shirt. An obvious import from The Kingdom of Gele, she smiles as she shifts the papers once more quickly.
"Anyway, the good news for the day is that today is Naruto Uzumaki's birthday. Konoha is raving at the festivities that once used to be The Kyuubi festival, intent on honoring a hero instead of a demon, and for those that do not know Naruto Uzumaki let us give you a quick rundown." The camera pans to pictures of Naruto as a child and such.
"Uzumaki Naruto, a proud child and often a troublemaker graduated at the bottom of his shinobi class nearly a decade ago. He trained himself to the literal bine and has come to be recognized as a hero individually all around the countries of our continent Taiyo. A hero that now gets ready to celebrate his twentieth birthday party and made the announcement to his colleagues that he'll be going on an important for the world soon, he'll be one of the guards on The Shokunin Tentai: Mark One. The first ever Dimensional-Space craft is set to house around one hundred volunteers and selected personally." Mikoto adjusted herself a little bit, "from there they'll make the first ever jump using a new chakra generator and an engine designed in collaboration with The Kingdom of Gele."
"It's believed that the worlds they'll visiting will both provide more technology from the long living Otsutsuki People and give further insight into what lays within the heavens. The possibilities are endless, and as Mr. Uzumaki said himself last night, "An age of peace presents an endless amount of time for understanding." Wise words are spoken from a hero, once considered a dunce, is one of the leading seal masters on the matrix guard team." Mikoto chuckled a little bit, and looked at the camera, "and ladies…he's single."
Naruto was watching the news, smacking his face, and looking at the T.V. Sasuke was asleep with Sakura in their room, they had been up all night doing the deed. He didn't mind it, really, he didn't, it was just as much as his place as it was Sasuke's.
Though, due to Kurama, his hearing senses were taken up to eleven after the first link. It only got a stronger sense, and it kind of pained his ears a little to hear Sakura shriek Sasuke's name, over and over. He even threw random kunai he had in his room at a target for each time she screamed it.
He had to find something keep his mind in focus because it was damn near close to making him flash out of the building, involuntarily.
Getting up from the couch, he heard his phone go off, a new type of device that Konoha got equipped with over the last couple of years. He looked at it, smiling, it was from Shikamaru. Shikamaru was the lead researcher and was supposed to go on the first voyage as well.
"the First Voyage is scheduled for 2ndof November, 7:00 p.m."
Naruto smiles, ready to face all new challenges that would come with this new age.
