Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
"On this journey I have chosen, there is no turning back. Each step leads me further from who I was, but closer to who I need to be. This is a path chosen not by fate, but by the decisions I have made, knowing that each one comes with a price. And even if this path ultimately leads to an end, I will walk it with my head held high, for true strength lies not in avoiding failure, but in the fight to make each day better than the last."
The Namikaze Household
One of Naruto's clones opened the door to the Namikaze house, the scent of home-cooked dinner hitting his nostrils. The pleasant aroma of cabbage rolls in tomato sauce and freshly baked bread mixed with a subtle citrus note from the nearby fruit bowl. The clone instinctively wanted to take off his shoes, but at that moment he heard his mother's voice coming from the dining room.
"Son, before you take off your shoes, can you do something for me?" Kushina asked, vigorously washing dishes after dinner. Her warm smile lit up the room, and a hint of mischief twinkled in her eyes.
"Of course, mom," the clone replied, feeling a mixture of relief and tension in his artificial body.
"Will you take this ramen to your father? As much as I love him, he better have a good excuse for being late, or I'll break his bones!" Kushina smiled broadly, her laughter filling the house with warmth.
The clone carefully picked up the bowl of ramen intended for Minato from the stool, feeling the pleasant warmth of the steaming broth. Without a word, he nodded and used Hiraishin, disappearing in an instant.
At the same time, the second Naruto clone waited for the agreed signal on a branch of an old oak tree near the Hokage Tower. Night had enveloped the city in a black cloth, and the stars twinkled in the dark sky, like thousands of diamonds scattered on velvet. The air was filled with silence, broken only by the sound of the wind in the leaves and the distant barking of a dog.
When the clone with the bowl of ramen appeared next to him, they both immediately started to carry out the plan. The second clone carefully added a specific drug to the broth, the recipe for which was known only to the Uzumaki clan. The substance dissolved without a trace, neither changing the taste nor the smell of the dish.
After completing the task, the second Naruto clone teleported back to the Hokage's office, and the first returned home, where Kushina and Misumi were waiting for him at the table. Minato's empty seat and the untouched bowl of ramen were striking.
Kushina, worried about her husband's absence and her son's strange behavior, stared into his face, seeing traces of painful experiences. Since his first mission in the ANBU corps, she had never seen him in such a state.
"Son, what happened?" she asked with fear in her eyes, when she noticed Naruto's bloodshot eyes, which now had a strange pattern. Questions swirled in her head. What could have happened for her son to get these cursed eyes? Fear and sadness gripped her heart, and her hands trembled with anxiety.
Kushina, seeing the changed Sharingan eyes in Naruto, understood immediately that something terrible must have happened. The change in these eyes was linked to intense emotions and traumatic experiences, which allowed her to quickly deduce that her son had experienced something incredibly difficult.
"Son, answer me!" she cried out, worried, raising her voice. Then, with full understanding and love, she made a gesture, inviting Naruto to hug her, wanting to comfort her child in this way. "Come to mama..."
Naruto stood still, looking at his mother. Pain and sadness were visible in his eyes, and yet he remained silent.
Kushina, although she didn't know exactly what had happened, intuitively understood that her son had experienced something terrible. The Naruto clone hugged her without hesitation, seeking comfort in the last embrace of his beloved mother.
Misumi Namikaze, Naruto's younger sister, sat at the table, watching the whole situation. Her eyes were full of concern and worry. She didn't understand what was going on, but she instinctively knew it was something serious. Her older brother had never looked so sad and depressed before.
Kushina, feeling Naruto hugging her, realized that her son wanted to take shelter in her arms from the hardships of the world. She hugged him even tighter, wanting to give him a sense of security and love.
"I love you, son," she said, hugging him. "I'll always be here for you."
Naruto hugged her even tighter, finding comfort in his mother's arms.
Misumi, looking at her brother and mother, felt depressed by what she saw. She wanted to help Naruto, but she wasn't sure how. So she decided to observe the situation and wait for the right moment to act. She went back to eating, but her thoughts were focused on her brother and mother, caring for their well-being.
Kushina, looking at her son who was nestled in her arms, felt his trembling and fear. She had never seen her son in such a state before - he had always been strong and confident. Now, however, he looked broken and helpless.
"Naruto? Shhh... it's okay, it's okay..." Kushina tried to calm her son down, when she suddenly realized one thing: whatever had happened, she had to calm Naruto down so that he could tell her what had really happened. However, her attempts to calm him down were met with the response of her son trembling.
Kushina gently stroked Naruto's back, trying to calm him down, speaking to him in a soft and soothing voice. But nothing seemed to help. Naruto continued to tremble and was unable to utter a word.
Five minutes later, Naruto calmed down slightly, though he rather gathered his determination.
Kushina felt her son's trembling stop. She pulled away from him and looked him straight in the eye. She saw determination in them, but also pain and sadness.
"Naruto? Can you tell me now what happened?" Kushina asked with the determination that only a mother can show. However, all she heard in response was a quiet word that she barely heard.
"I'm sorry," Naruto whispered so quietly that only he himself seemed to understand his words. After apologizing, he pulled out a kunai with frightening speed and plunged it into Kushina's stomach.
The tension in the house was almost palpable. Naruto, standing in front of his mother and sister, was like a shadow of the man he once was. His word, though spoken quietly, carried the weight of a thousand worlds. The moment the kunai pierced Kushina's body, the air around them froze and time seemed to slow down.
Kushina groaned in pain, unable to believe that her own son had just attacked her. Her eyes filled with tears.
"Fuin" - shortly after stabbing his mother, Naruto put his left hand on the place where the seal holding half of the Nine-Tailed Fox was located. Additional seals appeared on the seal, including paralyzing and chakra-blocking ones.
Kushina felt her body lose strength. She was unable to move or do anything.
"No…" she whispered, not believing her own eyes. She saw her own son attack her in their home, but she had no more time to react. She looked into Naruto's eyes, and the Sharingan's gaze stared back at her. The last thought in her head was Genjutsu before she fell asleep.
Naruto looked at his mother lying limp on the ground. He felt empty and lonely. He knew it was just a means to a greater end, but it didn't change the fact that he had hurt the person he loved most in the world.
Misumi looked at her brother with fear and disbelief. Her eyes were wide open and her mouth was twisted in a horrified grimace. She couldn't believe that her brother, whom she loved above all else, had just attacked their mother.
Flashback
In a quiet corner of Konoha village, where warm sunbeams intertwined with the shade of trees, Misumi Namikaze eagerly awaited the return of her older brother, Naruto. When she finally spotted his figure approaching on the path, her face lit up with a smile full of hope and admiration.
"Naruto-nii!" she called out, waving her hands to attract his attention. "Can we train today? You promised you'd show me a new technique!"
Naruto, despite being tired after another ANBU mission, smiled at the sight of his energetic sister. However, something more than just fatigue was reflected in his eyes - concern and love for his younger sister, to whom he wanted to devote more time.
"Misumi, darling, I'm really tired after the mission today," he replied warmly, approaching her. "Maybe another time?"
Misumi, although initially disappointed, did not give up hope. She knew that her brother did everything he could to be a good brother to her, even if ANBU duties consumed most of his time.
Before Misumi could answer, Naruto, smiling gently, reached out and flicked her forehead lightly with two fingers. It was their little gesture, a symbol of brotherly love and a promise that despite everything, they would always find time for each other.
"You always do that!" Misumi exclaimed, trying to pretend to be offended, but her smile betrayed that she actually cherished these moments more than anything else.
"It's our little secret," Naruto replied, his voice tender. "I promise we'll find time to train. You just have to be patient, Misumi."
Misumi nodded, though impatience burned in her heart. She knew that although her brother was busy, he never forgot the promises he made to her. These brief moments, when he flicked her forehead, were a reminder for her that despite the distance and duties that divided them, a deep, unwavering bond existed between them.
"Thank you, Naruto-nii," she said, looking at him with admiration and love. "I promise I'll be patient."
End of flashback
Naruto looked at his sister with a cold stare. His Sharingan was soaked in ice, and his face expressed hatred.
"You know what, you little fox brat?" Naruto asked, taking a step towards Misumi.
Misumi took a few steps back, trying to distance herself from him.
"I really hate you..." Naruto said.
Naruto's words pierced Misumi's heart like a kunai blade. She felt broken and confused. She didn't understand why her brother was talking to her like this.
"No... that's not true," she replied, trying to defend herself.
"I was born for one purpose..." Naruto said with sadness on his face. "To be a weapon, while you were born to be the princess of the whole village... Our 'parents', if you can call them that, love you more than anything."
Naruto's words hurt Misumi even more. She felt like someone had ripped her heart out of her chest.
Naruto took another step towards Misumi, who was now lying on the floor next to her unconscious mother. Her eyes were filled with tears, and her face expressed despair.
"Do you know what's the best part, little fox?" Naruto asked her in a steely voice, amused by his sister's attempts to wake their mother.
"Mom, mom, please wake up!" Misumi tried with all her might, shaking her mother's body, but to no avail. At this sight, Naruto smiled ominously, though inside his heart was bleeding because of the whole situation.
Misumi's fear was palpable, permeating every cell of her body as she tried to understand why the brother she loved more than life itself had become the source of her suffering. As Naruto expressed his hatred, her heart sank into a sea of pain and despair. Unable to comprehend this transformation, her eyes filled with tears, and each of her brother's words pierced her soul like a knife blade. Her trembling hands, trying to wake her mother, were a helpless gesture in the face of the terrifying new reality she found herself in.
"The best part is that you were born as a weapon for this village..." Naruto said.
Misumi felt broken and stunned. She couldn't believe that her brother, whom she loved more than anything, had just said that to her.
"What do you mean?" she whispered.
Naruto looked at her with contempt in his eyes.
"You are a Jinchuriki, in short, the product of human sacrifice... You possess within you part of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox that nearly destroyed Konoha village eight years ago, on the day of your birth. Because of you, the Third Hokage sacrificed his life in the name of serving this useless idea called the shinobi village."
These words shook Misumi even more. Her eyes were wide with fear and hatred. Her mouth was open, but she could not utter a word.
"I took that place... I was thrown into hellish training and suicide missions. In a way, I became the village's blade pointed at the enemy. That's why I hate this village, the Namikaze family, you in particular, and all the inhabitants who are unaware of the deeds that are happening behind the scenes of this joke called the Village Hidden in the Leaves, do you understand, brat?" Naruto continued, his voice becoming increasingly harsh.
Anger and frustration screamed from his eyes as he looked at his sister. Misumi felt her heart break into a million pieces. She didn't understand why her brother was talking to her like this.
"I don't understand..." she whispered, her voice broken.
"You don't have to understand," Naruto said. "You just have to accept it." He leaned down and looked her in the eye. "You are a Jinchuriki." His voice was cold and emotionless.
Naruto grabbed Misumi by the neck, lifting her up to his eye level. His fingers tightened so hard that the girl felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest.
"And now, let me show you the truth..." he said, forcing her to look him straight in the purple eyes. Those eyes were full of anger and hatred, they seemed to want to devour her.
Misumi screamed in terror as Naruto forced her to look into his eyes. Her body trembled and her eyes filled with tears of fear.
Three seconds later, Misumi screamed loudly and fainted.
Naruto, seeing his sister's unconscious gaze, gently caught her in his arms and laid her down next to their mother on the floor. His eyes were full of tears that he tried to hide.
"I'm sorry," he said, and then disappeared, leaving behind a white smoke.
Kushina, who had just freed herself from the illusion, watched everything in silence, paralyzed with pain and sadness. Hearing her son express hatred for his family, home, and Konoha village, her heart broke. All her life she thought he was happy, but he was hiding his emotions. Now, seeing his pain and anger, she felt terrible that she couldn't help him.
"I'm sorry..." Naruto's words spoken in pain made Kushina even more confused and desperate. She wondered if this was all part of a bigger game, or if her son really felt so much hatred.
Hokage's Office
The four ANBU agents in the Hokage's office immediately prepared to attack when Naruto appeared. However, they quickly recognized who it was.
Minato, the Hokage of Konoha village, was reviewing reports when he sensed someone approaching him. He turned around and saw Naruto, who had used Hirashin no Jutsu to teleport there.
"Naruto, could you please stop scaring my guards?" Minato asked with a smile.
Naruto smiled broadly when he saw his father.
"I see you realize your mistake, father," he said, placing a bowl of ramen in front of Minato.
The ANBU agents laughed at the memory of the previous situation, when Minato forgot about dinner with Kushina.
After eating the ramen, Minato felt something was wrong. He asked Naruto if something had happened, but received no answer. In a moment of inattention, Naruto used Hirashin to teleport behind him and struck him in the neck, knocking him unconscious.
The ANBU agents were shocked. Naruto, the Hokage's son, had attacked his father in his office. They didn't know how to react.
"Is this some kind of training, KAGE?" asked the agent in the cat mask.
Naruto, holding a tanto enhanced with the wind element to his father's neck, replied coldly:
"Does this look like training?" His words and tone of voice were clear: he was ready to kill his father if anyone made a move.
"Why are you doing this, Naruto?" asked Yugao, one of the ANBU agents.
"Because I have to," Naruto replied in a quiet but determined voice. "It's the only way to free myself from the restrictions imposed on me by this village."
The ANBU agents froze, speechless with fear.
"I have no intention of killing you," Naruto continued. "But if any of you try to stop me, I will be forced to act."
Suddenly, Naruto stretched out his hand towards Minato's desk. A stream of lightning erupted from his fingers, shattering the furniture in seconds.
"This is my warning," he announced. "Now disperse."
"Do you realize what you're doing, WOLF?!" CAT exclaimed in disbelief, but Naruto only smiled back.
Soon after, Naruto created a clone that headed towards the archive. Its task was to destroy all evidence and reports concerning ROOT and the Uchiha.
The ANBU tried to stop him, but the sight of the clone pointing at their Hokage made them doubt their actions.
"Naruto, it's not too late to say this is all a joke," Yugao spoke up again, but Naruto only glanced at her for a moment before turning his gaze to the window, where the Konoha village was visible.
"You know, Yugao, it's already too late," he replied, plunging the ANBU further into confusion.
Five to ten minutes later, the village was shaken by a loud explosion that surely woke up all of Konoha's inhabitants. The ANBU looked at Naruto, who was smiling sadly.
The clone returned, nodded, and disappeared in a white smoke.
"There's no turning back now," Naruto thought, shedding a tear, which further surprised the ANBU agents. The whole situation seemed more and more incomprehensible.
Some time later in the Hokage's office
"Enough," Naruto broke the silence and turned to Yugao. "Be so kind as to tell my 'father' that next time I will finish what I started," he said, and then disappeared in a white smoke.