Hello everyone, sorry to disappoint by not updating Tales of the Uzumaki Clan, chapter 3 is in the works.
This is a rewrite of my second story, Naruto Namikaze: Curse of the Sharingan. To be honest, I hate the fact that i wrote that fic, I was such an amateur writer then. And a couple of days ago while looking for fanfic recommendations throught the Reddit, i saw someone recommending that story. Saying it was underrated, even though i should have deleted it due to it being subpar for my standards.
So as to not disappoint whatever poor fellas clicked on that Link. I present Namikaze Redux, an atonement for that atrocity. A bridge between an Uchiha Naruto story, and an attempt to encapsulate the Shippuden goal of Naruto who iswiser, trying to find answers as to how to achieve peace.
Naruto Namikaze regretted a lot, he regretted the death of his mother, regretted the death of his father and his beloved stepmother. He regretted the many lives he took as he partook in the vicious cycle of vengeance and calamity that was war. He sorely regretted the death of his siblings, and having to turn his back on a very important promise, and regretted having to tear his family apart.
But he also had no regret that made him restless, as he stood over the quiet and peaceful village Hidden In The Stone. Though many here would consider him a murderer, a demon and a fiend, the devil incarnate. He himself felt no hatred or anger towards them, they were only victims in a system that allowed for calamities like the Third Ninja War to happen.
A serene smile was all he could give as he thought of what he had to do. He wasn't here for destruction, as he stretched his senses he pinpointed the chakra signature he loved so much. His beloved wife, Kurotsuchi. Princess of the Stone, next in line for Tsuchikage.
He softly brushed against her chakra and felt her stiffen and become alert. He reached out once again, this time encouraging her to seek him out.
It was a risky game but he knew his beloved well.
He felt her moved, and he remained still. Feeling the wind flow around him.
"You have a lot of nerve coming here, Namikaze," a stern voice called out behind him. Oh how could he forget Ohnoki, the old man seemed to have an Uncanny ability to know when he was up to something. As proven many times the old man would seek him out for retribution shortly after he kept meeting up with the man's granddaughter.
"Surely you're aware by now, of the connection between her and myself," Naruto spoke softly, as he continued to peer down onto the village below, "I'm not here for a fight. I'll be dead soon anyways."
The old man was quiet, oh surely the old man was shocked. Which was good in Naruto's opinion, usually their meeting involved a lot of Dust release and fire jutsu being thrown around, usually the old man gave first. Having back problems and all, with a cheeky tone he said, "How's the paperwork treating you? Are the piles getting any smaller?"
"Cheeky brat," Ohnoki mumbled as he flew to the side of his enemy, "No respect for their elders."
"On the contrary, I respect you alot. I know it must not be easy leading a village through two wars and retaining power," the blond man commented, "I know that you try to do what's best for your people, isn't it what we all do? The Will of Fire, the Will of Stone? The Dictate of the Sands… we try to outdo each other in hopes of prosperity and peace, but that very desire brings us to war."
"Kurotsuchi approaches," The short Tsuchikage stated observantly.
"There's things I have to warn her about, things that will come for her and our child. After that, it'll be the last you hear and see of me… I'll likely be dead then." Naruto promised, "You won't have to worry about me darkening your village again."
The old man snorted, "At this point, I've learned from my granddaughter. Smart woman she is, if she could love a bastard like you… what is it you have to warn her?"
"There's an individual looking to steal all of the bijuu away, he almost succeeded in Konoha… he could go toe to toe with my father. He has the means to do so," The blond nuke-nin stated, "Claims to be Madara Uchiha, he's not. I can't stop him, and he will likely plunge the villages into another great war soon… I've been able to delay his plans but it's a matter of when and not if."
The Tsuchikage was silent, only responding with a grunt as he crossed his arms. He wasn't a fool by any means, he had long suspected that the Kyuubi attack that killed the yellow flash had foul play in it, but to hear the attacker could match the yellow flash?
"One more thing, he has a Space Time ninjutsu and a sharingan. I've fought him only once and even with my Eternal eyes I was only able to injure him." Naruto admitted, "He's the reason I'm dying."
Now that surprised the Tsuchikage, as it showed visibly on his face.
There was a shift in the wind and the old fence sitter was gone. It allowed Naruto to breathe a sigh of relief as he didn't know how this encounter would go. Ohnoki of the Scales is a stubborn old man, set in his ways and unable to change.
It was an experience to hold a conversation with the old man after their every previous encounter ended in violence. But the son of Minato and Mikoto Uchiha was through with fighting and killing for the sake of it.
Instead he closed his eyes and felt for the chakra signature of his beloved. But it wasn't necessary, as he felt her race up the mountain and soon a blur jumped directly over him. He turned to face Kurotsuchi, the woman he loved most.
Her short black hair, beautiful pink eyes and long lashes, the red dress she had recently taken up to wearing. It had been months since he had seen her last.
Her face was as stern as ever, hiding the more immature and playful side he knew she kept away from everyone else. Her hard glare that could pin lesser men.
Directed at him, still. He couldn't help but look at her with fondness. This was the woman who risked it all for him, even if he didn't deserve it.
"Why are you here?" She spoke after a moment.
"There's things I must tell you, things you have to be ready for," Naruto replied, replacing his fondness with caution and urgency, "Things which even I can't and won't be able to stop."
"Why should I listen to you? Oath breaker!" She yelled back in anger, "Why did you just show up after breaking your promise?! Why did you show up after leaving me with the child we sired? Why betray everyone around you?! We were supposed to be a team!"
Her face was red, tears threatening to spill forward. It was something Naruto hoped would never be the reason, the reason why she cried. But it was another promise dashed, shattered under his foot.
"There's something going on Kuro, something that will eventually drown us and our children to war, and it's only a matter of time," the blond shinobi started, walking closer to the woman he loved most, "Kurotsuchi, I'm not here to fight… there's a certain man… he has a sharingan, a very strong sharingan. An unknown Uchiha with affiliations to my great grandfather, at least if he dares to use his name. And he's coming for the bijuu, all of them. It was him who released the Kyuubi all those years ago and he's going to keep coming for them. I've tried to chase him… that's why I left, I need to protect you and our child."
The kunoichi froze at his statement. Looking at him wide eyed, with a shuddering breath, she asked, "Why… Why should I believe you?"
Tenderly, Naruto cupped his wife's face and said, "Because despite everything, I love you. I love you and I love Sāra more than anyone, I love you more than I love anyone, more than myself. I would rather die than let anything happen to you two."
"Then why did you leave us?" It was barely a whisper but he heard it anyway.
The blond brought his wife into his arms and hugged her, replying, "I was trying to put a stop to this man and his madness… I paid for it dearly."
She pushed off and glared at him, trying to find any deceit. But what she found was love, just pure tender love gazing back at her, so she simply huffed, looking away and stated, "Tell me everything."
"First we grab little Sara, I want to meet her and go home."
Naruto settled into his favorite cushion seat, pulling his wife onto his lap, and rested his head on her shoulder, watching his daughter as she was being held by her mother.
It was a rare moment of peace in his life, it was the reason he felt no regret for what was coming. So long as Kurotsuchi and Sara could be protected, He would die happily.
"So," Kurotsuchi started, "Mind telling me what this is all about?"
In a plain white room. The nine tailed beasts manifested themselves, eight of them were Immediately on edge. Gyuki, the eight tails, said, "Why have you called us Kurama? You're not one to reach out to any of us. Much less have we spoken in at least a few centuries."
Kurama sighed, and sat up straight. The other tailed beasts immediately sensed his air of depression, and watched him hesitate as he spoke, "I don't have much time to speak, so I'll be short. Someone altered the tablet our father left for his descendants… Someone knows about and plans to capture us to unleash the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
"Impossible," Son Goku, the four tailed monkey, said in disbelief, "That knowledge should have been lost with father."
"I saw it myself," Kurama bit back, "My container has obtained those cursed eyes of his."
"Did he use them on you?" Chomei, the seven tailed beetle asked. Kurama looked at his sibling sadly and shook his head, "No, on the contrary, despite the fact I killed his parents, despite how difficult I made life for him. He treated me with kindness."
"So why ya depressed big brother?" Matatabi questioned approaching the nine tailed fox.
"My container and I, we tried to take down the man who is foolishly trying to release her. I'll be sealed away in a new container soon… My friend, the first human since our father to treat me with kindness and consideration, is dying. That bastard did something and only my chakra keeps him alive." The most prideful of the bijuu admitted, then turned to Kukou and Son Goku, "I promised I would look after my new container. She's the daughter of Kurotsuchi, Han's niece… promise me you'll get your jinchuuriki to look out for her and her mother. Naruto… my jinchuuriki, he wants to bring peace to the nations just like father did. And now he's entrusting his dream to his only child. And the rest of you, take care of yourselves, beware of the masked man with the sharingan."
Gyuki, knowing the prideful nature of Kurama, rested a hand on the fox and said, "We'll look out for each other, as we always have."
Even Shukaku was uncharacteristically silent despite his crazy and nutty persona. The bijuu stood around silently, when a Blond boy with black eyes, burnt orange pants and a black jacket with orange lining appeared on the plane of the bijuu. Looking at his partner, a Serene smile on his face, and said, "Kurama, it's time."
Kurotsuchi listened to everything her husband told her, about the stone tablet that the sage of sixth paths had apparently left for his descendants of the Uchiha clan. How it was seemingly altered and the horrifying realization that someone was trying to collect the bijuu and weaponize them against the five great nations.
She listened to Naruto as he spoke briefly of his battle with the masked Uchiha, and then he hesitated, before admitting, "I'm dying Kuro, not even Kurama can heal me… I'm tired, so very tired of living to fight and kill. I've done everything I could to make sure you're well protected- that he cannot make an attempt at his plans in the near future. But I'm dying, and even if it's a selfish request. I just want one more day to spend with my family at our home."
Kurotsuchi froze when she heard that, so she adjusted herself so she could look at him. What she saw was a shell of the man she loved, he was so sorrowful and exhausted, dreading the answer she asked, "How long do you have?"
"This will be the last day," Naruto admitted, with a small smile, "I'm going to transfer Kurama into Sara so he can protect her, along with a portion of my chakra so at least she can meet me one day, when she's ready to learn how to sync with him. But after that, I'll… expire."
"Then let's wait," the kunoichi stated softly, "If i'm going to mourn you, i want one last night of us."
The blond smiled and said, "That's all I asked for."
He closed his eyes and reached out with his chakra, connecting it with hers, bonding at the deepest level with his wife. He felt something shifting and felt the weight of his daughter settling into a free shoulder as Kurotsuchi embraced them both.
And they stayed like that for hours.
This was his family, the light of his life. The only reason he had remained sane through two decades of war.
It was moments like this that reminded him he was not just a shinobi or a butcher. With his family, he was a father, and a husband, just as he had been a brother, a son, a friend.
It was because of their forbidden love, he never questioned who would mourn for him and miss him. Though he would always regret leaving his angel and his little princess behind, because she was a princess, not just because of her mother, but her father as well.
Opening one eye, he saw his daughter shift. He knew by the steady rhythm of her breath that his wife was asleep. But his child looked at him with wide and curious eyes, so similar to that of his mother.
He smiled some more, tears pooling at his eyes, his sharingan came alive, and he spoke to her softly, "I hope you didn't inherit these cursed eyes of mine. With them comes suffering. I don't want that for you, I'm sorry we brought you into a broken world. I hope this peace lasts until you're old and wrinkly, and I'm sorry that daddy won't be here to see you grow up."
Sara lifted her arm and touched his face. He relished the touch, he turned his head into his daughter's innocent hands and kissed it.
She made a sound, and he hummed in agreement.
Then he spoke, "See princess, I was born into war. I had to see the insanity of man that caused so many to bleed. The Will of Fire, the Will of Stone. Everyone thought that they were right and their enemy was wrong. But nobody saw the obvious, when faced with death… we're all the same. It was a sick time, and many bad things happened. The war had already been going for four years when I was born. Your grandpa and grandma hoped it wouldn't last… but there were two more decades to come."
As if she understood what he was saying, the little princess rested her head on his shoulder and pressed closer against him.
He moved his arm so he could lay a hand on her head, "I hope you won't have to witness such madness… but if you do, Kurama will protect you."
After a while, once his child had fallen asleep. He shook Kurotsuchi awake and said, "It's time,"
Kurotsuchi nodded, her eyes were saddened as she asked, "Is there truly nothing else that we can do?"
"No," Naruto said, "I doubt if Lady Tsunade was alive, that she would be able to cure me. It just delays the inevitable."
She stood up numbly and they prepared a little altar of pillows.
As he set Sara down on it, his wife spoke up once more, "I heard what you said."
Naruto nodded in acknowledgment, as he went into his mindscape and told Kurama it was time. The Kyuubi had warned the bijuu, now only the transfer remained.
He listened to his wife as she continued, "I'll make sure that Sara remembers those words. Remembers how much her father loved her. Once im Tsuchikage… I'll sue for true peace with Konoha, even if I have to assassinate our daimyo."
Naruto smiled, "Jiraiya would be glad."
He blurred through a series of hand seals, orange chakra bubbled into his right arm, as he spoke his last jutsu, "Eight trigrams: Seal!"
It was painful, but Naruto bore the pain without complaint as he sealed the Kyuubi into his daughter. He could sense Kurama sending healing and calming chakra into the girl. Once the last if the Kyuubi left him, he picked up his daughter and gave her a kiss on the head.
Then he handed her to his wife, and as he stood up, he gave Kurotsuchi his last kiss and said, "Go, become Tsuchikage, make sure our daughter is at least grown up before war comes knocking again."
Kurotsuchi nodded, putting up a strong front and left.
He walked himself to his chair, resting his head on his fist. A smile gracing his lips. Sāra Namikaze, daughter of Naruto Namikaze and Kurotsuchi Kamizuru, granddaughter of the Yondaime Hokage, and great granddaughter of Onoki, and the last living descendant of Madara Uchiha and the first Hokage.
The symbol of hope for the future.
She would raise hell for him, and bring the peace he could never find. He knew, because he had absolute faith in his child.
His last breath left him, a smile still on his face even if he spent his final moments alone, his family was with him. A tear slipped from his face as his body went cold and his body combusted into an intense, momentary blue flame. Nothing was left of him, not even ash or bone, leaving only an intact chair behind him.
