So…after reading hundreds or probably thousands of fanfiction (and seeing a lot of unfinished or dropped fanfics), I decided to write my own. It's just so frustrating to find a very interesting and well-written fanfiction and suddenly find out that it's either dropped or hasn't been updated for yeeeears! So taking the matters in my own hands, I want to try writing my own. Honestly, this plot has been weighing my mind for months and since I'm a very busy researcher (yes, I'm a scientist), I finally found the time to include writing this one. Hopefully I get to update at least once a week or every two weeks. This is my first fanfiction so please guide me well!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
PROLOGUE
He felt as if he's floating – no, drowning in this seemingly dark abyss. His body felt heavy as if it's not his own. He wanted to move, even just a finger will do but his body refused to listen. He can only feel the sensation of slowly descending yet floating at the same time.
It felt strange but at the same time, he felt as if here is safe. There's no threat here, he concluded yet at the back of his mind, he wants to know where this is.
Just as he was about to voice his question – that is, if his voice comes out – he felt someone pulling him in an upright position, his feet landing to what seems as if the surface of a water.
Slowly opening his eyes, he was greeted with a body of water, stretching on the horizon and the endless sky, with slowly drifting clouds, looked as if it's connected to the water. It was so, so familiar. This place…though he felt nostalgic, he just couldn't remember. Strangely, it calms him, soothing his mind and heart from whatever experience he had before this.
'…Where?' but his mouth betrayed him as it voiced out a different question, "Who's there?"
As if on cue, reddish orange flames burst into life in front of him, startling him and at the same time, enveloping his body with its familiar warmth.
"Nanadaime."
The title that once belonged to him, but only for a short time, was enough to break the mask he's been wearing since childhood, letting all the pain, the sorrows and the memories to flood his mind. Memories that he doesn't want to be reminded of.
Wide blue eyes scanned the area. Everywhere he looked is dyed with blood – redreddisgustingbloodyred. The fire burning the surrounding forest seemed to intensify the color, red, as it engulfed his beloved village. Broken kunai and weapons – even bodies – strewn in the field of battle, the telltale sign of the war. Fucking war claiming everyone he cared for and loved.
…the bodies of his precious people. Their previously warm bodies – now cold and mangled, some even beyond recognition, no no NO. They're… deaddeadDEAD – lifeless eyes turned towards him, their supposed hero. But he was too, TOO late.
Why?
Why was he the only one left? Left to see the carnage war inflicted to his precious, precious home – now nothing but rubbles of upturned earth.
Screaming in grief as he crouched on the bloody ground, he didn't register his own body breaking from multiple critical wounds nor the blood of life seeping out of him. All he know is that he's alone – alone but still alive, though barely, in this bloody field.
.
.
.
.
.
Just why?
"…I'm sorry. So sorry. I failed to protect you."
Kurama, also known as the feared nine-tails demon, watched his previous host, one of the only humans he ever respected, break down in front of him.
"I was supposed to save them. I…It's all my fault. I-I couldn't do anything."
"Kit."
The blonde, as if not hearing the other, continue to clutch his head in despair as tears full of sadness and pain trickled down his cheeks like a faucet.
"Naruto!"
The demon roared, effectively catching the attention of the crying blonde. Finally looking up, blue eyes locked with red, redredbloodyred, eyes. "I-It's my fault. They're all… all dead, Kurama!"
"Iruka-sensei, Sakura-chan, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, Tsunade-baachan, Ero-sennin, Gaara, Hinata, Neji, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Ino, Lee, Tenten, Ayame-neechan, Konohamaru, e-everyone…gone. They're all gone." Naruto's voice broke as he listed the names of his precious people, his hands shaking as he remembered their deaths. "All because I'm weak."
"…You did your best. You trained hard and-"
"My 'best' wasn't enough to save them!" Naruto shouted back in frustration. "My training was never enough. It wasn't enough to protect them."
Kurama closed his eyes. He was a demon, yes, but he still has feelings that he should have forgotten a very long time ago if it wasn't for Naruto who never failed to show him different emotions. Seeing the death of his people right in front of him and being powerless to save them, Kurama can't blame the blonde from breaking down. If Kurama was in his position, he'll probably burn everything down in anger and would resort to avenging everyone.
The demon knew that if were they alive, Naruto would probably not recover from the shock. No one can.
That's war. It messes everyone up to the point that one would never be able to live the way they did before.
"K-Kurama." Naruto's broken voice startled the demon. It was the first time he's heard the once hyperactive kid to be so, so broken and devastated. Though he was cruel, Kurama never wanted his jailor to suffer anymore. Over the past few years, the demon watched over the blonde. Naruto's life was just so heartbreaking that it never failed to amaze the demon how the blonde could still smile and laugh despite all his sufferings. "W-What will happen now? Where do we go from here?"
In a few moments, Kurama was speechless. Naruto, in his eyes, now looked like a child begging someone – or anyone – to make everything okay again.
Sighing, Kurama answered. "Honestly, I've got no idea. When we received that last fatal blow, I thought that we'd be separated after your death." His tail suddenly enveloped the blonde as if comforting him. "But…"
"But what?" Naruto asked, his voice full of hope as he looked directly into the other's eyes. The blonde, at the back of his mind, felt as if he'll puke when he sees the color of the demon's eyes – redbloodyred.
"But I can grant you something else. A miracle, you can say, but nothing's ever free, kit. There's a heavy price to pay."
Naruto's blue eyes widened as it relit with determination. No matter what it is, Kurama knew there and then that the blonde would accept despite the heavy burden it will cost him.
"It's not the same world, kit. Also, the price-"
"I don't care!" Naruto answered in a heartbeat. He looked so determined as Kurama sighed. That look. He will not back down so long as there's hope. "This time, I'll protect them. Believe it!"
Kurama smirked in fondness, this stupid naïve but amazing kit.
"Fine. This is as much as I can do. The rest," Kurama grunted as he is suddenly enveloped with orange chakra, "is up to you and your determination."
Naruto nodded, his eyes full of hope and gratitude. "Thank you, Kurama."
With a burst of chakra, Naruto and Kurama slowly vanished as the demon's last advice was heard.
"Don't die, kit."
Authors' Note:
For everyone's information, this Naruto came from a world where he became a hokage during the attack of Madara. The war between Akatsuki and Konoha was longer which resulted to two Hokage (Kakashi and Naruto, shortly after) replacing Tsunade. Meaning, there won't be any of the new characters from Boruto. More information will be disclosed in future chapters so please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions. Thank you!