Hello everyone! I have been inactive since 2017 and a lot of things have changed since then. I know it's seemingly out of nowhere that I have returned, but I have always held this hobby close to me. So I decided to return and post a new story I have an interest in. Don't worry, if you are a follower of my other story, I will also update that one as well. I had an entire chapter written out years ago, but it was corrupted during the upload process so I want to come back and fix that.

I was inspired to write this story simply because I enjoy the franchise and wanted to mix it up with our favorite blond-haired ninja once again. This story will begin at the beginning of the MKX storyline and progress from there. Thank you all for your time and I hope you enjoy what I have in store!

Disclaimer: I don't own "Naruto" or "Mortal Kombat." They belong to their respective owners.

Raiden's Plight

"Oi Naruto! Here's an apple, free of charge!" exclaimed a merchant as he threw one of his apples to the Fourth Shinobi War hero. Naruto effortlessly caught the apple as he walked past the merchant further down the road. After giving his thanks, Naruto recounted just how different his life turned out for the better.

About three years prior, Naruto had participated in the Fourth Shinobi War and was praised as the hero of the war. After defeating Obito, who later had a change of heart, he would go on to battle Madara. Surprisingly, Madara would be betrayed by Black Zetsu who was an agent of Kaguya all along.

With Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi, Naruto would put an end to Kaguya by sealing her off and putting an end to the war. Hagoromo would then wash away Sasuke and Naruto's respective sealing marks and soon disappear.

One of the biggest highlights for Naruto personally was finally being able to meet his father. While it was only during the war and conversations were brief, it meant the world to the orphaned ninja. He also received the other half of Kurama from his father before he passed on again, which symbolized his dad's final parting gift.

Soon after the war, Sasuke challenged him to a deadly fight which he narrowly won. Of course, he rationalized he could have won much quicker if he hadn't been exhausted from fighting in a war, but a win is a win. He nearly lost his arm as well, however, he had just enough time to coat his arm with Kurama's chakra while exchanging the final blow with Sasuke. He thanked himself as well for that because he knew he definitely would have lost his arm in the battle.

As for his friends, nothing much has changed except for everyone being in a relationship. After the war, Shikamaru formed a romantic relationship with Temari and they are still going strong. Choji began dating Karui from the hidden cloud village and they are doing wonderful. Ino also started a relationship with Sai and it was going amazing for them.

Sakura was finally able to date and marry the boy she had chased as a young girl. She and Sasuke were a good couple if you didn't count Sasuke occasionally leaving the village. Naruto was actually the best man during the wedding, and he couldn't have been more proud. While he did harbor feelings for Sakura when he was younger, it was more of a schoolboy crush and not romantic love. He had broken out of his infatuation with her many years ago.

As for Hinata, he was slightly disappointed with how their relationship changed over time. At first, after the war, they both went on a few dates. Hinata's confession while fighting Pain was what pushed Naruto to try his hardest. However, while the dates were fun, there was no genuine spark, at least on Naruto's end. Instead of entering a loveless relationship, they both decided to break it off as good friends. He's even heard rumors that Hinata is starting to see Kiba in a romantic light, which is great for them if it is true.

Overall, many of Naruto's friends were beginning to form serious romantic relationships. It sometimes bothered Naruto's mind if he thought about it too hard, but he tried to not let it bother him. He was also proud that his former sensei, Kakashi, became the sixth Hokage after Tsunade.

These great achievements for the people around him, made Naruto feel lost in life. His dream, goal, and life-long mission of becoming Hokage, didn't appeal to him anymore. It sounded crazy even to him, that the dream he'd strived for since a child didn't seem like the career he wanted anymore. He still remembers the shocked reactions of Tsunade and Kakashi when he told both of them respectively. He even told his friends when they all sat at a restaurant for a friendly gathering. Sakura began running a medical examination over him while Rock Lee began crying over losing his flames of youth. It was a funny experience that turned into a fond memory.

The path to Hokage seemed almost constrictive to Naruto. As he matured, he realized that being Hokage isn't always the most exciting position. Battling enemies, throwing around destructive jutsus, and saving others is what he enjoyed most. The feeling of being free and roaming when possible is what truly sparked Naruto's interest after the war. He didn't want to sit behind a desk filing paperwork all day when he could be out and doing something else.

Now, while he may not want to become Hokage, he didn't allow himself to slack off. These past three years have been filled with excitement for the young ninja. Once the war ended, he would bury his nose in the library because he wanted to better his battle strategies and tactics. His dumb luck of charging in headfirst without a plan would not cut it out in future encounters and the war proved that. There were many instances he was outsmarted simply because his battle intelligence was lacking in certain regards.

Having clones who could also read simultaneously helped tremendously. Naruto read all sorts of novels regarding war, politics, and strategy. It was thanks to his late teacher, Jiraiya, that Naruto had any interest in politics at all. He learned so much under the former sage that he wished he had more time to just speak with the man. Jiraiya always reminded Naruto that no information is useless if you know how to use it.

Besides catching up on years' worth of reading in months, Naruto also worked out his arsenal of jutsus. It was almost embarrassing how often he relied on the Shadow Clone and Rasengan technique in his opinion. His main affinity, wind, was worked on relentlessly in the Konoha training grounds. During the war, he had access to all affinities thanks to Six Paths Sage Mode which was later taken away by Hagoromo. Now while he may not have access to this mode anymore, the ability to use all the affinities was still there although to a lesser extent.

While he practiced using jutsus in all affinities, his main arsenal revolved around wind jutsus. He also improved his Kawarimi technique so it needed much less time to substitute with nearby objects or people. His sage mode also required less time to enter and he did not need any clones beforehand to access it.

Even basic training, such as water walking, tree climbing, and other exercises helped him control his chakra. Before, Naruto poured too much chakra into techniques simply because he lacked chakra control. Over the years, it has improved tremendously to the point he doesn't overly waste chakra on his techniques. Kunai, shuriken, and even senbon throwing were practiced to help with his projectile accuracy. He could now hit a target much more accurately, even while moving at high speeds.

Now of course all of this training and improvement wouldn't mean much if it wasn't put to use, so Naruto made sure to keep his skills sharp. Kakashi would regularly give him high A to S rank missions because he could handle them while also practicing new techniques in battle. A side effect of this was now, for the first time in his life, Naruto had more money than he knew what to do with. He didn't spend much on rent, didn't overly spend from his money-saving habits as a child, and didn't flaunt his newfound wealth either.

Perhaps one of the biggest achievements Naruto achieved, was learning how to use the Hiraishin. After getting approval from Kakashi, Naruto was allowed to look into the Hokage's scroll of seals that he stole momentarily as a kid. The reason for this was to look into Tobirama's version of the Hiraishin as well as his father's notes on the technique. This allowed him to gain a basic understanding of the technique which he would eventually learn. This was possible because part of his reading within the village library was learning fuinjutsu which came naturally to Naruto, probably thanks to his Uzumaki genes. While not a complete master in the field, he does have a great understanding of the subject and has worked on his own personal seals.

To help strengthen himself, Naruto has placed his own personal seals located around his body. These are simply seals that increase the gravity on his body to increase his speed as well as chakra suppression seals to allow himself more room to grow.

Having three years to simply practice and better yourself in battle had done wonders for Naruto. From improving his Kurama cloak duration to having sharper reaction times, he had improved by leaps and bounds. The addition of clones only sped up his progress as a warrior. Even Kakashi believed Naruto had surpassed him, even if he used his Sharingan.

These thoughts all coursed through Naruto as he came back to reality and realized he was in front of his apartment once more. Sighing from once again returning to an empty apartment, Naruto took a bite of his free apple and checked for his keys. Releasing another sigh, Naruto realized he left his keys at the training grounds he came from. Despite his improvements in the last three years, it seemed some things would never change.

In the Jinsei Chamber within Earthrealm

There was a soft hum and a faint blue glow within the Jinsei Chamber. This was Earthrealm's life force and the energy that Raiden guarded with his life. The magical warrior could not afford anybody to get their hands on the energy, especially after the battle with Shinnok two decades before.

After the battle against the fallen Elder God, Raiden vowed to take better care of the Jinsei. After all, what good is a protector if they cannot safeguard the one thing that matters most to the realm?

Raiden awoke with a gasp of surprise as he looked around his surroundings. He calmed himself and slowed his breath when he realized nothing was out of the ordinary. He was meditating in the Jinsei chamber when he suddenly felt this overwhelming feeling that something was wrong. This feeling of overwhelming trepidation was one not born out of fear, but instead born out of instinct.

"By the elder gods, something is amiss," exclaimed Raiden. He felt deep in his core, that something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. This was not something he could brush off, especially since he received this feeling while meditating in the Jinsei Chamber, the place he should theoretically feel most at peace.

Now normally, Raiden may ignore these feelings of negativity as simple coincidence. However, after the slaughter of both Kung Lao and Liu Kang due to his incorrect assumptions of his future visions, he takes these feelings much more seriously with careful examination. Raiden could not afford to cause the deaths of Earthrealm's mightiest warriors due to his mistakes any longer, a guilt he still harbors to this day. This guilt still eats away at Raiden's spirit, but he forces himself to move forward for Earthrealm's benefit.

Even as Raiden focused in on this feeling he was receiving, he still could not understand what was occurring. He didn't know what his soul was telling him, but he knew trouble when he felt it. However, Raiden did hate the uncertainty of what was going on. The bad premonition he was receiving could be a multitude of things, but he just couldn't narrow it down to what it was. He just knew that something horrible was happening that needed to be acted upon now before it would become too late.

"The last time I felt this way, I had visions of a future where Shao Kahn annihilated everyone. The next, Shinnok began his assault on our planet. These feelings are not paranoia, they are a warning of a dark future ahead," contemplated Raiden as he scrunched his eyebrows in frustration, "However, I have no idea what it is warning me about this time..."

After a few more moments passed, Raiden gathered his thoughts and made his decision.

"I must inform the others, that there is treachery of some kind afoot. I only hope it does not threaten Earthrealm," with his thoughts intact, Raiden teleported himself to his allies.

Within the Special Forces Base

"Okay troops, line up! This is a mandatory roll-call! When I say your name, respond accordingly. Make this difficult, and I will make you all run until someone throws up. Do I make myself clear?" shouted Sonya Blade, the legendary female warrior.

"Yes ma'am!" responded the platoon.

Just as the roll call was about to be underway, it was disrupted by a crackle of lighting. Looking over to her left, Sonya saw the trusted protector of Earthrealm begin walking towards her. "Welcome Raiden, it's nice to see you again," stated Sonya.

"Likewise Ms. Blade, however, I am afraid this is not a social visit. I bring news that is pivotal to your ears," said Raiden with a serious expression.

Noticing how this would require her full attention, Sonya handed off the clipboard she was holding to another ranked officer, whispered a few words into their ear, and walked off with Raiden toward a secure location.

"So, mind telling me what's going on to have you riled up?" asked Sonya.

"Of course, however, it is critical that we have everybody present before I begin my explanation," responded Raiden.

With a sigh and a nod, Sonya knew what that meant. Her ex-husband, Johnny Cage, would be joining the both of them soon. Now, Sonya didn't hate her ex-husband or anything, but she sure wished she didn't have to deal with him while on duty. He always seemed to have the energy to make sure her buttons were pushed.

As both Raiden and Sonya were walking, they managed to see the individual both were looking for. Johnny Cage, formerly a Hollywood actor, came into view from down the military base. He was walking towards both fighters with a large smile on his face and a spring in his step.

"Welcome Raiden to the best military operations on the planet! I love seeing you again but I'm not gonna lie, I am hurt you would choose Sonya over me," pouted Johnny Cage.

Raiden responded with a small smile. "Do not worry Johnny Cage, I meant no harm to your ego. Sonya and I were actually looking for you, but you saved us the trouble."

The small smile on Raiden's face eventually turned into a firm frown. "However, I would like to discuss with you and Sonya some concerns I have been afflicted with. Join us so we may begin discussing solutions."

Seeing how Raiden and Sonya were both serious, Johnny Cage got the hint and dropped his comedic act. While he loved to be the "class clown" so to speak, he was also a warrior who understood when to be serious. He didn't get this far in life by acting naive and childish, even though it did get him through a large majority of it.

Seeing how Sonya took the lead, both he and Raiden followed suit and walked into a nearby building. After clearing out those inside on Sonya's orders, each occupant stood around a large table in the middle of the room. With everything being settled, Raiden began to speak.

"I have come here today because I have a foreboding feeling that there is deceit being conducted. I would normally not raise concerns on vague premonitions, but after what happened to both of my former students, I do not take these lightly anymore."

Understanding who Raiden was referring to, both Sonya and Johnny took in what Raiden had said. Something was going on and it was serious enough that it had caused concern for the lighting kombatant.

Sonya was the first to respond, "Okay I understand where you're coming from, but I don't think we can disrupt the operations here on our base to simply investigate these premonitions. I don't mean to offend, but where would we even start looking to help settle this?"

"It is simple Sonya Blade, I will not ask you to do anything of the sort," said Raiden.

This statement earned a confused look from both Johnny and Sonya.

"Okay… so then nothing is going to happen?" asked a confused Johnny Cage.

"I did not say that either Johnny Cage. Instead, I have a plan to help counteract these feelings while not interrupting your personal lives," Raiden then paused his speech to wave his hands, and a diagram erupted. It showed many different portals and planets, however, there were only a few main highlighted ones.

"As you can see here, there are many realms in existence. Earthrealm-" Raiden then pointed at the planet in the middle of his diagram, "- is where we currently reside. However, there are many other realms that you are both familiar with. Outworld, the Netherrealm, and Edenia are just a few of the many realms out there. There are also realms such as Chaosrealm and Orderrealm that exist as well. There are even more realms than the ones I mentioned, but I have a reason for all of this."

Raiden then waves his arms once more and the entirety of the hologram disappears. Sonya and Johnny Cage did not expect a history lesson, but they weren't complaining either. They were more surprised by the amount of worlds out there that have probably never been explored before.

"I realized that we are not as well defended as I'd like. While I appreciate the efforts of your Special Forces and the allies we have now, I feel as though it is not enough. This unsettles me because as Earthrealm's protector, I cannot afford to ignore these premonitions that can endanger our world." Raiden stated with conviction in his voice.

"I think you are overthinking this entire situation Raiden," said Johnny Cage. "We have great defenses here on Earthrealm. Besides you, me, and Sonya, we have so many other defenders. We have Jax, Kenshi, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero, plus my daughter and her team. I think we have things locked down pretty well here in Earthrealm. Besides everyone I mentioned, we also have the Shaolin monks that are trained to kick ass when needed. I think we're fine, to be honest with you."

"You would be correct Johnny Cage, however, ponder my words. Can we rely on a handful of defenders to be Earthrealm's last line of defense should it need it?" Asked Raiden. "We also have to worry about the warriors turned evil such as Sindel, Jade, Kabal, Kitana, Liu Kang, and Kung Lao among others. This is not including Quan Chi in the mix and whatever diabolical plan he may form."

Seeing his point of view a little more, Johnny Cage kept his mouth shut and thought about how to respond.

"As for the Shaolin monks, I sense slight resentment from them. I do not blame them however, I was responsible for two of their prized students being murdered. I do not think they will fail us in our time of need, but I have witnessed betrayal occur for far less." Raiden then placed both of his hands on the table.

"I am not here to disrupt your daily operations, please do not misread my actions. Instead, I am here to explain myself and where I will be going."

"Wait hold on, where you'll be going? What exactly does that mean Raiden?" responded Sonya.

"As Earthrealm's protector, it is my duty to ensure we are safe from all threats. With that being said, I do not feel we currently fill those requirements. The reason I showed you both the near infinite amount of realms, is to express that I will be traveling to these realms in search of additional warriors to help our cause. I aim to bring back as many warriors as possible without delay. I do not plan to be gone for long as I still have my duty as our realm's protector."

"Are you sure you won't be lost on your way back? How do you know you won't stay trapped in another realm?" asked Sonya.

"Do not fret Sonya Blade, I have that covered. I was meditating in the Jinsei chamber before I came here. I made sure to attach my being with the energy coated within the chamber so I have my waypoint back home at all times." Expressed Raiden as he began to straighten himself out.

"So then, when do you plan to leave?" asked Johnny Cage as he closed his eyes.

"I will take my leave immediately, it is imperative I bring back formidable warriors as soon as possible instead of delaying. I hope when I return, we have the insurance needed should Earthrealm be threatened," said Raiden as his energy began to flow within himself in preparation to leave.

"Do you have an idea of where you'll go first? Possibly one of the main realms you mentioned?" pondered Johnny Cage.

"Negative Johnny Cage, instead of going to the nearby realms, I wish to explore father out scenarios. I do not believe there are any allies we can make in those realms due to previous experiences. Instead, we need fighters who are unbiased in their relation to the other realms. With that said, I must take my leave. Protect Earthrealm in my absence and I will return soon." In a flash of light, Raiden was gone and out of sight.

"So… I know this is kind of an awkward time to ask… but do you think you can send me the file of the upcoming mission you want me to send Cassie on again? I may have lost the paperwork regarding it." asked a sheepish Johnny Cage.

Sonya simply sighed and shook her head as she walked out of the building. She was thinking about going to the nearby pharmacy and getting some medication for the headache that was starting to form. She would definitely need it if she was planning on staying around Johnny for longer than ten minutes.

Within Konohagakure

Naruto was stretching as he finished warming up for his upcoming sparring session. He originally had an A-rank mission planned for the day, but Kakashi informed him the client lied about the threat level and it was accurately changed to a C-rank mission. Unfortunately, there was no A or S rank mission to give out instead, so Naruto took his time to the training grounds on the outskirts of the village. It didn't bother him to not have a mission for the day, it happened on rare occasions.

Just as he was about to charge up a wind jutsu to test its effectiveness, he paused when he sensed an incoming presence.

Now, while Raiden was optimistic about his search at first, he was slowly losing his patience. Realm after realm was different but hopeless for his journey. The first realm he appeared in had no life whatsoever, the second had prehistoric life, and the third inhabited a special species of flying birds that had no conscious thought. This would be the same pattern for so many realms that Raiden lost count. He had nearly given up hope when he appeared in front of a blonde-haired ninja. Surprised at the immediate encounter, Raiden was speechless. He had finally found life and it seemed he would have his first ally to Earthrealm. So imagine to his surprise he was only able to take one step before he could not move.

"Sorry to restrain you, but I don't know who you are or where you came from so I took a quick precaution. I have seals all over my training grounds to increase the gravity I train at and I decided to redirect a majority of them towards you so I could gauge your intentions" said Naruto.

Now normally this would be a rare idea for the knuckle-head ninja of the past. However, he was not that naive child or inexperienced teenager anymore, he was a grown adult who had seen war. The only reason he didn't take lethal force to begin with, was because the man in front of him was dressed in no typical clothing found across the Elemental Nations.

Furthermore, thanks to Kurama, Naruto was able to sense emotions on a small scale and could tell this individual meant him no harm. This emotion-sensing ability only worked within a small range, but it was effective in this instance.

"Interesting, he was able to detect me quick enough to respond, ensure my captivity, and restrain me all within a matter of a few seconds. His ability to formulate an effective plan in a moment and execute it flawlessly is phenomenal. He has a very impressive and sharp mind for one who looks as young as he does." pondered Raiden.

"Greetings, I am Raiden, god of thunder and I am traveling the realms in search of valiant warriors."

There was a few seconds of silence before a response was heard.

"Right... sorry if I'm skeptical, but can you prove this?" responded Naruto with a raised eyebrow.

Raiden simply made his eyes glow with electricity and formed a ball of lighting within his palms. While he could not move, it did not mean he couldn't form his own energy.

Now these actions alone made Naruto's brain do a quick reboot. It was not every day you heard somebody claim they're a god and actually back it up.

"Interesting, it's almost like they're not using chakra at all. In fact, I don't sense any chakra resonating from him at all, even after his display of power… Can his claims about being a god from another realm be true?" thought Naruto with bewilderment.

"I would advise you to be open-minded about this situation Naruto," spoke Kurama from within his mind-scape and with one eye open from his slumber. The presence of this stranger garnered his immediate attention. "Do not forget you battled Kaguya in different dimensions, who knows what else lay beyond the time and space we are familiar with."

"You're right Kurama, it's just so bizarre that it occurred now of all times. It's hard to think there is other life beyond what we know… but… it's also exciting to think of the adventures possible as well," spoke back Naruto. "It is also concerning that this man's presence alone threatened Kurama enough to wake up from his slumber."

After many moments of silence and digesting that appearance of one another, a question rang out.

"So then, how can I help you?" asked Naruto.

"I search for those experienced in Kombat to help protect the realm I cherish from harm. In return, I promise to grant anything that is reasonable and within my power," replied Raiden, still immobile.

This almost seemed like a moment that was too good to be true. While on the outside, Naruto was calm and collected, he was joyous on the inside. This felt like the opportunity of a lifetime, the possibility to help others when they needed it. Call him an idiot, but even war couldn't break the Uzumaki's want of helping others. He was even able to reform Gaara, the same person who crushed people to death in sand coffins.

"I see, are there any warriors from my 'realm' you have in mind to help you?" asked Naruto, using air quotations around the word realm as he still had a hard time digesting the vocabulary.

"I do, I see him before my eyes," said Raiden with a smile.

"And how do you know you can trust me?"

"I like to believe I can read people well, call it my intuition. I have seen many great warriors express themselves through kombat, appearance, and even words. But I can tell you have a leader's aura given your actions," exclaimed Raiden.

"My actions? I could have killed you, ya know?" responded Naruto, slightly annoyed that his childhood verbal tic came out at the worst time.

"Yes, you could have, but you didn't," said Raiden.

After a few more moments of silence, the seals faded away and Raiden could move once more. After stretching his limbs and rotating his wrists, Raiden seemed to be back to normal.

"What a guy, those gravity seals were 10x the normal gravity of my planet, and he just needed a quick stretch to work out the kinks. Even if he's not some deity, he's definitely strong," thought Naruto with careful eyes. "It's also making me wonder if he could have broken out of those seals at any time."

"Well, let's continue this conversation with the Hokage who is the leader of my village. Even if I accept your invitation to help, which I still haven't, I need to discuss this with him regardless," spoke Naruto.

"Of course, I would not wish to offend or uproot you from your home without explanation. Let us meet your leader and I will be happy to share what I have told you. Please, lead the way." Said Raiden with an arm wave.

After looking over the newcomer one final time, Naruto looked over his shoulder and gave a friendly smile. "Try to keep up, I don't want to leave you behind." With that said, he began dashing to the Hokage tower with Raiden in tow.

ANNDDD that's a wrap for now. This is the first chapter of a long list of many more to hopefully come in the future. I would love to advance on this story and also update my other story as well. I know there wasn't much action, fighting, or general combat in this chapter, but this is meant to set up more chapters for the future.

Wanted to also mention that yes, this takes place three years after the fourth shinobi war. Some changes are that Naruto does not love Hinata and the events with Toneri did not happen. Naruto also kept his arm after his battle with Sasuke and didn't wish to be Hokage anymore.

As for the MK cast, everything is relatively the same. Can't wait to break into more chapters and explore their verse in more detail. I hope I captured the feeling of helplessness that Raiden felt in the Jinsei Chamber and why it was such a big deal to him to not fail a second time. Or third depending on how you look at it.

No paring is decided as of yet, although I do have some ideas in mind.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I always look forward to feedback so please don't be afraid to give it. Constructive criticism is how I thrive and get better as a writer. Thank you all!

Below is a list of Naruto's current strength level if you want to see an overview of his abilities. Don't worry too much about him being overpowered in the MK verse since I have a way of working with that and it not being story-breaking.

Stat List: Naruto

- Rasengan (& Variations)

- Shadow Clones

- Hiraishin Technique

- Full Kurama Cloak

- Sage Mode (Advanced Activation)

- All Affinities but Only Proficient in Wind

- Small-Scale Emotion Sensing

- Fuinjutsu