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Chapter 1: The Prelude to the End of all Things

Age of Technology - Year 452 Elemental Nations

Uzumaki Boruto, 10th Hokage of Konohagakure – the Village Hidden in the Leaves, was casually typing away on his laptop. He was perched on the rooftop of the Hokage Tower, the building from which the Hokage – the leader of the village – operated. Occasionally, he glanced away from his screen, laughing as he witnessed something on the streets below. Regardless, he was typing away on the laptop, communicating between villages as they were planning on a joint operation across the waters surrounding the Elemental Nations. This would be one of the largest joint operations ever conducted between all the Nations, as it would be conducted by several hundred shinobi and several thousand scientists. Together, they would be the first of explorers ever to leave the Elemental Nations and explore the world beyond – Shinobi guards protecting the vessels would be stationed on the water – ensuring nothing goes wrong.

It was frankly amazing, that in the past thousand years, no nation had ever bothered to explore the outer reaches of the world, never deigning to go beyond the confines of the Elemental Nations. But because it was such a large-scale operation, the funding required was also no small matter. Boruto scratched his head in confusion as he read over the budget report his finance division sent him, while he was a very smart individual, this itself was somewhat beyond his capacity. Mindlessly, he began to type an email out to a consultant when someone latched onto the back of his head. Boruto let out a small sigh as a voice squealed in delight.

"Did I getcha daddy?" a small voice asked. Looking back, Boruto gave an eye-smile at the small black-haired boy – it was his son, Uzumaki Hitoro. Hitoro was not only the son of one Hokage, but two. His mother was Uzumaki Sarada, the late 9th Hokage.

"Yeah, you sure got me buddy." He said to his son, grinning. He lifted his laptop up with one hand, and with the other hand, settled his son on his lap. "Now why don't you help daddy with his work?" Boruto asked.

Hitoro let out a squeal, "Yeah! Wait no! Daddy, you hafta play with me!" Hitoro said, looking back at his father. His chubby face scrunched up into a small frown, his light blue eyes sparkling in the light.

Boruto covered his mouth with his hand, 'So cute.' He thought to himself smiling. "Sorry buddy." Boruto said, smiling sadly. "Why don't you play with Jeej?" He asked, looking back. Behind him, floating in midair was his father – the 7th Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto was the 7th Hokage for a total of 17 years, reigning as one of the longest serving Hokage before giving the position to Sarutobi Konohamaru.

Hitoro scrunched his eyebrows even more, giving a whimpering pout. "It's not the same when I play with you daddy!" He said while frowning. Boruto scratched the back of his head, looking back at his father pleadingly. Naruto understood the message, his son was the Hokage and his work, unfortunately, had to come first in times like these.

Naruto quickly lifted Hitoro onto his shoulders, "Ah come on Hitoro-chan, why don't you give your old Jeej a chance!" He asked, smiling. He loved the nickname Hitoro had given him, he was unable to say Jiji, and with his cute lisp came up with Jeej. Naruto paused, thinking quickly. "Do you want to go to the amusement park that was recently built? I heard they even give three scoops of chocolate ice cream to extra good boys – like you!" HE said smiling. Hitoro perked up, a grin plastered on his face, as he grabbed a fistful of hair from Naruto's head, tugging at it. Naruto winced, he already didn't have much hair left, he was getting on in his years, but he didn't complain.

"Ice cream!" Hitoro squealed in delight. "Come on Jeej!" He said, tugging at his hair again. "Whatcha wain' for?" Using his small right leg, he kicked at Naruto's arm, as if riding a horse. He patted his head twice, bursting out into giggles. "Ice cream, ice cream!" He chanted happily. "Do the ninha thingy Jeej! Let's get there super fast!"

Naruto gave an eye smile while wincing, "Ninja, but yeah! We'll do the Ninja thingy." He said grinning at his grandson. Boruto turned around, smiling at his father and son. Hitoro looked expectantly at his father, bursting in giggles.

Boruto gave a small chuckle, "So what's this Ninja thingy Hitoro?" Boruto asked, already knowing what he was referring to. His son giggled furiously, pressing his face against his grandpa's hair.

"It's a secret!" Naruto and Hitoro said in unison, as Hitoro burst out into chuckles. Naruto smiled at his son, giving him a two-finger salute.

"Hold on tight Hitoro-chan." Naruto said to his grandson, as Hitoro clenched onto his hair tightly. "Ja-ne!" Naruto said, as Boruto gave a wave to his dad.

"Have fun you two!" Boruto said smiling at his father and son, watching them teleport away using Naruto's hirashin formula. Boruto looked back at his screen, sighing. "Now what am I supposed to do about this?" He asked himself, frowning at the numbers, dreading the number crunch. He jumped down from his perched position, heading back inside the tower through his open window. "I hate math." He mumbled to himself, settling his laptop on his desk.

. . .

Reappearing a few blocks down, Hitoro was laughing loudly. "We got your daddy good, didn't we Hitoro-chan?" Naruto asked, smiling at his grandson.

Hitoro gave a big nod, patting his grandfather's head. "Yeah! We did! Daddy musta been suhpised!" He said with his lisp, giving a large, toothed grin. "Comeon Jeej, the amusement park is calling us!" he said pointing to a random direction. "You're not ge'in any olda! Hurry up!"

Naruto barked out a laugh as his grandson pulled on his hair. "Easy on the hair Hitoro-chan, Jeej doesn't have much left." Naruto lifted Hitoro from his shoulders, settling him in his arms.

"Aw, Jeej!" Hitoro whined. "I'm not a baby, you don't hafta carry me like this!" He said, sticking out four fingers in front of Naruto's face. "I'm 4 years old! I'm a grownup!"

Naruto smiled at Hitoro, "You'll always be Jeej's little baby Hitoro-chan." Naruto said, rubbing his cheek against Hitoro's, his beard scruff scratching against Hitoro's smooth skin.

"That's poke-y." Hitoro said, giggling at his grandfather. Naruto smiled as he jumped onto the rooftop of a nearby building and started to run across them with moderately high speeds. Hitoro's squeal of delight echoed throughout the village as Naruto picked up his pace. Midjump, Naruto felt a pang in his chest, coming to a halt. He heaved as he coughed in his free hand, feeling a sudden tiredness shoot through him. "You okay Jeej?" Hitoro asked with concern looking at his grandfather. "We don't hafta go if you're sick."

Naruto gave him a smile, his eyes betraying his feeling of the excruciating pain in his chest. "Of course, I'm fine Hitoro-chan." He said nonchalantly. "Your Jeej is a ninja, the most powerful one!" Hitoro smiled, pressing his cheek against Naruto's. Naruto resumed his run across the building, his hand glowing green, pressed against his chest. His speed had started to dwindle, thankfully going unnoticed by his grandson. His healing chakra attempting to fix whatever was going on with his strangely declining health.

'Naruto, don't lie to yourself, you're not fine.' Naruto tensed up as he heard his tenant, the Eight Tailed Octopus bull, Gyuki, speak to him in his mind. 'You're getting old Naruto, and you're getting near your deathbed, I can feel your life and chakra begin to dwindle away.'

Naruto frowned as he leaped across the rooftop. 'This shouldn't be possible.' He replied. 'I should still have a couple of decades in me – because of you. But it does make sense, I'm 86 years old, and I'm not getting any younger, am I.' Naruto replied, holding Hitoro tighter to his chest.

'We both know you wouldn't look your age if you hadn't–'

Naruto quickly interrupted his friend before he could continue. 'Like I said before, I gave my lifeline to Hitoro-chan so he could live. And I would continue to do that in a heartbeat if I had to relieve that moment again.'

Naruto could hear Gyuki sigh. 'Otherwise he would've died alongside his mother that night.' There it was, that painful reminder.

Flashback

Recalling that night was painful for Naruto, it was that day where his daughter-in-law, the 8th Hokage was giving birth to Hitoro. At that point in time, Boruto was the Anbu Commander of the Hidden Leaf Village, and he was away on a long-term mission, leaving his old mother, Hinata, to watch after his wife. Sarada had gone into labour, but she was having complications during the birth of her child. She was losing blood at an exceedingly rapid rate – and the situation in the village did not help.

Everyone knew the Hokage was pregnant, and because of that, there was a Coup D'état, where a large squad of Jounin decided to rebel against the Village. They were a group called the Separationists, who wanted the Village to go back to its origins as a Ninja Village, as it was around this time that the population suddenly bloomed, with more individuals going into the normal working force, the population of Shinobi on the decline. The separationists had killed Shikidai Nara, the Jounin Commander, as he tried to stop them from approaching the hospital ward where the Hokage was. Shikadai was not only the Jounin Commander, but also the brother-in-law to the Hokage, as he was married to Uzumaki Himawari, the daughter of the 7th Hokage. The separationists mutilated his corpse, smearing his blood on the seals, entering the room. The entire scenario was a repeat of Naruto's birth, with how Obito had killed the guards, the nurse, and Lady Biwako – the wife of the third Hokage. Except this time, they killed Uzumaki Hinata, Naruto's wife, and they severely harmed Uchiha Sakura, the mother of the Hokage who was also attempting to save the life of her daughter. After they dealt with the two, they drew their blade against their unconscious Hokage, ending her life.

At the same time this was happening, across the village Naruto was training. He was 81 years old, but he still had the body of a 50-year-old. He was battling against multiple Sage Mode enhanced Shadow Clone when the referee clone sensed the chakras of his loved one's fade. The match was interrupted, and Naruto and all his clones rushed to the scene, finding Hinata and Sarada dead, with Sakura nearly dead herself. The others alive were a couple of the perpetrators and his recently born grandson – who was slowly dying himself, as he had a kunai stabbed in his chest. One of Naruto's clones quickly killed the perpetrators, while another healed Sakura. Naruto himself had rushed to his grandson's side – the newborn had stopped breathing, so in a hurry using some of his medical chakra, he removed the kunai from his grandson's chest, and forced his own chakra through the newborn's body, attempting to resuscitate the newborn. The only thing showing a sign of life was the newborn's broken chakra pathways, which was collapsing in on itself in a failed attempt to keep himself alive – but a newborn's chakra pathway was still immature, it was incapable of performing feats like this. Naruto did his best to first fix the pathway, but it was not enough to heal him. He knew if he didn't go for drastic measures, the child would die. He would increase the child's lifespan by forcibly healing the newborn, but it required a trade. If he wanted to increase the lifespan of another, he would need to give up a portion of his own, that was the law, that was the rule, and he couldn't work around it this time.

Just as Kurama once had the power to generate Nuclear Fission, Gyuki's powers were the transferal of life – and that's what Naruto did. Due to being a Jinchuuriki and an Uzumaki, Naruto had an increased lifespan that was incomparable to most individuals alive in the world. He himself would be capable of living for hundreds of years with his remaining lifespan, but the child would not. Using Gyuki's special tailed beast chakra mode, Naruto siphoned off his own life, transferring it to the newborn – prolonging the child's life by several decades – maybe even a hundred years. This kind of power did not come without repercussions, even with the shortening of his own life, Naruto aged, very fast. His shadow clones, due to being reinforced with Sage Chakra did not dispel, but they watched in horror as Naruto started to shrink. His back collapsed in on itself, his body shrinking, shrivelling. His arms grew heavy, his eyes started to blur, his back ached, and his breathing got heavy. His body was constricted, and everything hurt. To him, his body going through such intense and immediate changes hurt, the pain itself was unbearable – to change from the inside out. His insides, his mindscape, everything was collapsing in on itself. In a state of panic, a few of his clones managed to transfer their remaining sage chakra into him, to quickly heal his body, working in sync with the Rikudou's chakra to save himself. They focused on healing him, the newborn, and Sakura – while the remaining clones dealt with every single traitor.

Naruto was already unconscious when the medic ninjas entered the room, taking control of the situation from the clones. Even the medic ninjas were shocked when the clones informed them that the old man was Naruto – but they made sure everyone was safe. They had confirmed the deaths of Sarada and Hinata – but that was unnecessary, Naruto had already known they passed away. The next time Naruto gained consciousness, his daughter, Himawari was sitting in the chair next to his bed. Her eyes were swollen, and distant, only crying when he woke up, hugging him immediately. He himself was unable to shed any tears, his eyes dry. He was unable to protect his family, those he truly cared about. He should have been there; he should've known something could go wrong. He had gone complacent about the safety and security the village had in the past few decades that he didn't see any reason he should attend the birth of his grandchild. And that caused the one thing he dreaded more than anything – the death of his beloved wife, Hinata. His daughter hugged him, and slowly lulled him back to sleep, even though she was going through grief equivalent to her own – but it broke her heart seeing her father look so… old.

The next time he woke up, his unnamed grandson was sleeping quietly in the arms of his aunt, Himawari, as she herself had fell asleep watching over him. Naruto had woken up his daughter, and the three made their way out. Along the way to his house, Naruto spotted someone, it was Boruto. Boruto had just returned to the village, no news of the situation had reached him. His smile was wide, and he happily greeted his father, bidding him a good day – stopping when he realized that the old man was his father, as he was accompanied by his sister. His eyes were wide, and he was confused – the father he had left a few days ago was young, healthy, and now he looked like an old man. Dread had settled in his heart, as he asked the fateful question about what happened.

Himawari answered her brother, watching in sadness as the normally composed Anbu Commander completely lost his composure, collapsing to his knees. He was terror struck, his face, arms, every muscle in his body was shaking, and then he broke, tears pouring out – at the loss of his mother, at the loss of his wife, at the fact his son would grow up without a mother. At the loss of his best friend – his brother-in-law, at the loss of his family who were always there for him. Naruto leant down, hugging his son tightly, as Himawari joined the hug, one arm still wrapped tightly around her nephew. Boruto wiped his tears clean with his free hand, taking his son from his sister's arms, and he named him Hitoro – a happy child born from sadness. That's what he would be. Eyes peeking open, even as a newborn, Hitoro looked at the face of his father, and smiled. Returning the child to his sister, Boruto went to the hospital, to check up on his mother-in-law, and the bodies of his deceased mother and wife.

Flashback end

'Depressing thoughts don't suit you Naruto.' Gyuki said, causing Naruto to sadly smile. 'You still have a few years to live your life, to see your grandson grow up, maybe even to see him get married and have a child. Think about the days that are yet to come, not the days that have passed.' His friend told him sternly – even though internally he wished that day had gone differently. Naruto smiled at the response of his friend.

'The past is what makes us who we are Gyuki. It shapes us and it shapes the future, no one can change that.' Naruto said, wisely, thinking about how his own past had affected him, how it molded him into who and what he is today.

'That is correct Naruto. It is also true that one should not solely live in the past, it never leaves a bright future. Besides, don't you have a day of fun to spend with your grandson?' Gyuki asked.

Naruto gave a light chuckle which elicited a look of confusion from his grandson – who at this point was enjoying the jumping – cheering with joy. Naruto smiled at him and replied to Gyuki, 'Never knew you were one to give heart-felt lectures my friend.'

He could hear Gyuki let out of huff, 'Tch, you clearly don't know me enough brat. I used to give lectures to Bee all the time.' Gyuki said, glad Naruto was coming out of the depressive state he got in. 'And it seems like Hitoro-kun is trying to say something.'

True enough, after being brought out of his conversation, reality hit him again. His grandson was continuously beckoning him, asking him whether he was going to start moving again. "Jeej, why'dya stop! Come on!" He said, tapping Naruto's face.

"Ohoho! Sorry Hitoro-chan, old jeej was thinking about something." Naruto said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head in slight embarrassment, mentally frowning as Gyuki let out a laugh. He ruffled Hitoro's hair, as he resumed the trip.

"Good! I thought you were dead or somefin'." Hitoro stated, to which Naruto started laughing. "You were like that for like, a hun'red million minutes!"

Naruto grinned at his grandson's lisp. "Mah, mah, Hitoro-chan, I was just thinking about something." Naruto said, reminiscing of the old days – and his conversation with Gyuki, not that he would tell his grandson he had a giant bull Octopus living in his stomach.

Hitoro looked up at his grandpa confused, "Thinking? Whatcha thinking about Jeej?" Naruto gave him a happy smile.

"Oho! I was thinking about all the rides we're going to go on and the ice cream we'll eat!" He replied to which Hitoro broke out in a beaming grin. He bounced in his arms with joy, ecstatic about going to the Amusement Park.

"We're gonna be late!" Naruto smiled at his grandson as he bounded forward. As they continued to soar over the rooftops, Naruto felt a sharp pain in his lower abdomen, instinctively coating his hand in the medical chakra again, putting his hand on it. That's when he felt it – an unknown chakra, a fragment, but it was there – working its way into and across his chakra network.

'Gyuki!' Naruto mentally screamed, alerting his resident bijuu to the foreign chakra.

'I don't even know how that got there. I'm not sure how it slipped past my radar.' Gyuki said immediately. 'If you didn't point it out, I wouldn't have known it was there.' The bijuu replied nervously.

'Can you get rid of it?' Naruto asked him, unsure if he could expel it from his body without inadvertently harming his grandson and his surroundings.

'Who do you think you're talking to Naruto? I may not be Kurama – but I'm still the 8 tails. Such tasks are trivial before me.' Naruto inwardly smiled at Gyuki's self-boasting. After the death of Kurama, the other eight bijuu were hit hardly, but their personalities evolved, taking on some of Kurama's characteristics. 'I'll let you know in a bit when I'm done. Until then, don't bother me – and have fun with your grandkid.' Gyuki said, as he cut off the connection.

Trying to get rid of the uneasy feeling that was spreading through his body, Naruto flashed his grandson a smile. "So Hitoro-chan, which ride should we go on first?"

Hitoro looked at Naruto with a toothy smile, "Oh, oh, oh! The big one that goes around fast – where ya get stuck standing! I wanna go on that scary ride!" He said, recalling the ride from the television advertisement.

Naruto chuckled, "Do you think you can handle it Hitoro-chan?" He asked, unsure if Hitoro would react on something that could potentially scare him.

Hitoro puffed his chest out, "Don't worry Jeejs! I'm a big boy, I don't get scared easily! And I'm the son of two Hokages!" the boy said, giving his grandfather a thumbs up. "People will tink' I'm a kid if I get scared, I hafta do this Jeej!"

Naruto smiled at his grandson, "Hitoro-chan, people won't see you any differently. Besides, do I have to remind you what happened when we went to the last amusement park?" Hitoro blanched at the memory. It wasn't his best moments. "You got scared of the Merry-go-round. After that you didn't want to ride on anything."

Hitoro shuddered as he looked at Naruto, "That was ages ago! Sides', those dead horses are creepy! And I'm older now!"

Naruto looked down at Hitoro, a smile on his face as he held in his laugh, "Hitoro-chan, that was a week ago."

"Exactly Jeej! A week ago! How long is a week, like a million years?" Hitoro stated, flailing his arms to prove his point. Naruto pinched his nose as he snickered.

"No Hitoro-chan – a week is 7-days." He said laughing. "Besides, we're here!" True enough, the amusement park was a few metres ahead. He could hear people screaming and laughing in delight and looked inside. The eerie looking doors were completely open, and besides the door was a logo, 'Delight, fun, the park you'd never leave!' Naruto smirked, this was meant to be a thrilling park. Hitoro tugged at his collar, cheering in delight.

That's when Naruto felt something strange, the same feeling he had the day Pain attacked the village, the day Sasuke was killed by an unknown assailant, and finally, the feeling he had the day Hitoro was born. Something felt off, he wasn't sure what – but he knew one thing, don't let Hitoro out of his sight.

A scream. A loud, scream.

Naruto hadn't even realized he was on his knees, cradling Hitoro in his arms. He felt blood trickle down his ears as the scream tore through everything. At that point, he felt like he was the only person in the world, with forces beyond his comprehension pressing down on him from all sides, unable to move, unable to act, unable to do anything. Naruto could feel warm liquid on his fingers, right where Hitoro's ears were, and through sheer pain, opened his right eye, only to see blood oozing out from his nose, eyes, and ears. "Hitoro!" Naruto shouted in fright, acutely aware of the boy bawling against his chest.

The sundering had begun.

.

.

.

It took Naruto a good minute to realize that he was on his knees, Hitoro cradled tightly in his arms. He felt blood slowly trickle down his ears as the scream tore through everything – destroying his eardrums in the process. At this precise moment, he felt as if he was the only person in the world, with forces beyond his comprehension pressing down on him from all sides. He was unable to move, unable to act, unable to doanything. He clenched Hitoro tighter, doing everything in his power to protect his grandson. Naruto could feel warm liquid on his fingertips, right where Hitoro's ears were, and through sheer pain, he opened his right eye, only to see blood oozing out from Hitoro's nose, eyes, and ears. "Hitoro!" Naruto shouted in fright, acutely aware of his grandson bawling against his chest. The moment he got back up on his feet, he immediately fell once again as his Bijuu screeched in agony and pain, causing his body to momentarily shut down. 'Gyuki!' He cried out internally, but no response. The bijuu remained unresponsive to his calls, continuing to scream in agony – along with whatever else was happening right now to cause the scream. No – he had to forget about Gyuki for a second, that was an issue he could deal with at a later point, his main priority is getting his grandson healed. And then, hopefully being able to get to the bottom of this. Gripping Hitoro tighter, green light covered his hand, as he placed it on Hitoro's face. His chakra cloak flared around him, shielding his grandson too. Hopefully this would be enough to protect him for now.

Rising to his feet again, he attempted to focus on the hirashin seal that he had placed previously in his son's office, but it was as if they never existed – which should be practically impossible, as they were reinforced seals. With a calm sway, he let his powers loose, but his step waned, the faster he attempted to run the more erratic his chakra behaved. It was as if his years worth of chakra control suddenly went down the drain. Passing overhead, he was acutely aware of the villagers dropping dead, and each one that fell caused a pang in his heart - some going to the afterlife gruesomely as their very being was torn to shreds by the piercing scream. Ultimately, he knew that he had no time to worry about the villagers, while he may have once sworn to protect them, at an unknown time like this – where all hell was breaking loose, he had to ensure the safety of his own family. He would not fail them, not again. Moreover, he needed to hurry, time was of the essence, and it felt as if Nature itself was acting against them. Looking down at his grandson, he felt tears slipping as the boy's eyes had glossed over, the blood loss causing him to lose consciousness. He cusped the back of Hitoro's head, drawing as much healing chakra he could muster, but to no avail. The chakra covering his hand fizzed out, accomplishing nothing. 'Fuck.' He whispered to himself, having to mute out Gyuki through a suppression seal, whose screams were quickly fading away, allowing some degree of comfort.

Spotting the Hokage office slightly ahead, with a burst of speed, he quickly covered the gap – shattering through his son's window, coming to a halt in the office. He let out a deep breath, it felt like he just ran to Suna and back without rest. He felt his eyes fog up and shook his head to refocus his vision. "Boruto!" He cried out, looking at his son and the anbu guards on their knees, blood visibly coming out of their bodies. One of the Anbu members was laying on the ground, lifeless. Behind Boruto, he could hear the laptop pinging with notifications, probably other village heads trying to contact him, likely experiencing the same phenomenon.

Boruto looked up at his father, excruciating pain visible on his face, as he bled from everywhere. "Hitoro!" He got to his feet, rushing towards his father and son. Almost as quickly as he got up, he was back on his knees, hand clutching his head in agony. Naruto grabbed his son's arm, hoisting him up. "Tou-san, what's going on? What's that noise?" Boruto asked panicking, his breath getting heavy. "The sound – whatever it is, it's disrupting my chakra flow!" Behind him, the Anbu struggled, barely registering what their Hokage was doing, this was a perfect example of a 'to each their own' scenario.

"I don't know." Naruto admitted with a grimace. "The Bijuu are also screaming in pain, I honestly don't know what's going on. Even my own chakra is barely responding to me. All my chakra control is gone to wack, I can barely use it properly." He said, still clutching Hitoro tightly, his chakra cloak attempting to halt the progression of his injuries. Boruto let out a scream, clutching his head as a sizeable amount of blood came out of his ears. Naruto hurriedly extended his chakra cloak to Boruto.

"Tou-san." Boruto said, looking at his father with abject horror. He was crying tears of blood, rapidly blinking in attempts to clear his vision. "My chakra is gone." Naruto's eyes widened as he looked at his son. Shutting his eyes, he let out a pulse of his chakra, and opened his eyes as he didn't register any feedback. Boruto wasn't lying, it was as if his chakra had disappeared. He let out another pulse – attempting to control whatever bits of chakra he had left, only a handful of individuals chakra pinged back – mostly the medical ninjas, the ones with the most chakra control. And then he noticed something terrifying.

Naruto called out his son's name, "Boruto," he started, his face full of dread. "Your chakra. Everyone's chakra, it's being pulled to the ground. No, not everyone's, only mine is staying back… but even the Bijuu are being affected." He closed his eyes and shook his head, "No, their chakra is disappearing." He pulled his son closer to him. "I'll take you both to Sakura's place. I don't think either of you will make it otherwise." Naruto said grimly. Boruto shook his head, getting out of his grasp.

"No, I'll just slow you down. Take Hitoro, I'll meet you there." His son said, tears in the corners of his eyes, as he met his father's eyes. Naruto hesitated briefly but nodded. "Godspeed tou-san", Boruto whispered as he watched his dad's fleeting back. He truly wished to hold his son, to come along, but he knew that his own time was nearing its end, and he couldn't slow down his father, not now, not when his son was closer to death than he was. The safest place for his son at this point was to be with his own father and his mother-in-law, who would have the best chance of healing them. The best chance of saving them,if there was any left.

Naruto hopped out, jumping from roof to roof towards his old friends' house. He could clearly sense it, everyone's chakra, bar his own, was being pulled into the ground – and from there – simply ceasing to exist. The villagers and shinobi alike were dying like flies around him. He needed to be quick, time was of the essence, and Hitoro didn't have much of that left either. As he looked around, it wasn't just them, but even the animals, the birds, they were all being affected. Even those that were flying were dropping down dead as their very life essence was pulled out of their body. This was no jutsu, nor any technique that he knew of – this was something else entirely. As he attempted to peer into his own chakra system he couldn't sense or feel the mysterious chakra, as he peered into his inner mind, he could see Gyuki was unconscious, his breathing slow and steady, his chakra dissipating. He called out loudly in the Bijuu's personal mindscape – but nothing, no response, all Bijuu appeared to be unconscious.

From the corner of his eye, Naruto recognized a Jounin who once served on his personal guard, Amaru, collapse in tears, as his son – whose wedding Naruto attended last week – died on the ground. Even Amaru's breathing appeared to be getting shallow. Tears pricked Naruto's eyes, he wanted to help his old friend, but there simply wasn't enough time. This level of merciless brutality was something he hadn't seen in a while.

Naruto's chakra cloak temporarily waned as his heart panged, he shook his head, focussing on keeping it up for Hitoro. Directly up ahead was Sakura's house, its pristine walls painted with an ivory silver, lawn kept in pristine condition, her prized hydrangeas gleaming in the sunlight – a stark contrast of the current scenario. "Sorry Sakura." Naruto whispered. "But there's no time for formality." With a leap and a twirl, he tore through the outer wall of the house, easily creating his own impromptu entry point. "Sakura!" He yelled out, desperately.

"Here!" A weak voice called out. Holding Hitoro, Naruto rushed to the kitchen where his old friend was lying on the ground, her body glowing with green light. Sakura's eyes widened as she briefly glanced at her grandson who was bleeding profusely. "Give me Hitoro-chan!" She cried out, grabbing him from Naruto's arms. Her green aura dissipated from her body – as she refocused it almost entirely on her hands. Her eyes closed, as she focused her chakra – manipulating it to her will. She could feel the chakra dwindling, but she wasn't known as the Master of Control for no reason – even on the verge of it disappearing, she maximized the output – keeping a consistent flow.

Naruto tensed up as he observed, unsure how to help – his chakra cloak was more designed to prolong one's life than heal. It would only delay the inevitable. He noted Sakura's depleting chakra reserves, "Sakura…" he warned her, and she grunted in response. Her fingers formed a seal as she closed her eyes, and suddenly her strength of a hundred seal spread throughout her body – nearly 45 years of chakra unsealed within an instant. He could see the colour return to her face briefly, her body de-aging rapidly, as she appeared to be a woman in her early thirties, hair once again its old bright pink colour. She flexed her hand as the intensity of the healing chakra increased. At this precise point – he knew for a fact that as of right now, Sakura's chakra reserves were temporarily greater than even his own, for now Hitoro was in good hands.

He closed his eyes, feeling his Rikuodo Chakra encapsulate his body. It… felt different? The Rikuodo mode feltdifferent– it shouldn't feel different. It didn't feel like what he was used to, it felt as if something else was affecting it, altering it. "Naruto." Sakura called out, breaking him out of his stupor. She looked at him – her eyes full terror, she was terrified, and rightfully so. "What's going to happen to us?" When they were younger, they had experienced a lot of things – war, famine, and even a similar event with the Shinju tree, but this? This was the first time that they were fighting an enemy they couldn't see. An enemy whose existence they couldn't perceive.

"I'm not sure." He whispered quietly. "But we need to stay calm and focus on what we can do right now." This was more to reassure himself than anyone else. He turned his head to Sakura, focusing his attention on her. Her hands were still glowing with the brilliant green hue, but he bit his lip, noticing strands of white beginning to show in her hair. It shouldn't be possible, but her chakra was decreasing at a drastic rate – whereas his was still active. But the sight of her determination managed to ignite a small spark of hope in him. "Try to stabilize Hitoro-chan, I'll try to figure out what's happening." Naruto's voice was firm, masking the turmoil brewing inside him. He took a deep breath, taking a seat on the ground, hands firmly placed against it. The screaming that had become a distant noise became a deafening roar; his body shivered as he attempted to tune it out. As he concentrated more carefully, he could see natural energy around him being decimated – and like before, the chakra of people – including Sakura – vanishing into thin air. "Further." He whispered to himself. "Even further." He could see the clouds, once a brilliant blue, was now dark, ominous shade, as if celebrating the loss of so many souls.

"Naruto?" Sakura questioned, voice laced with desperation and fear. He didn't respond, her voice tuning out.

He spread his senses even further – a trick he learned after being married to Hinata for so long, mimicking the abilities of the Byakugan using his Rikuodo Chakra as a substitute. He could see everyone in a thousand-kilometer radius, no matter where he looked, it was the same, people were dying the same way. Like flies. It strained his mind, he wasn't as young as he once was, and unlike the Hyuuga, he wasn't meant to be able to handle seeing everything. He felt himself catch his breath, his daughter was lying on the floor of her house, lying in a pool of her own blood. She had virtually no chakra left to home in on, but he found himself appearing next to her regardless. "Hima!" he cried out, hurriedly grabbing her in his arms.

For him, it was heart-wrenching seeing his own flesh and blood, his child laying in her own blood, tears flowing alongside blood. Seeing her so defeated, her hair spread around like a dark halo. His chakra instinctively raced to cover her, and he could feel it stabilizing her. She looked up at him weakly, and despite the agony she was in, a weak smile graced her lips as she greeted him. "Hello papa." She whispered weakly, a smile that spoke volumes – acknowledging her father's unwavering love for her. But her eyes were yet filled with pain and a haunting sense of resignation, resignation that betrayed just how severe her current condition was. She could tell that she wouldn't make it. They were the eyes of someone who had glimpsed the precipice of death and was teetering at its edge.

"It's going to be okay sweetheart." He said to her, trying to sound reassuring.

Himawari's fragile form trembled as she mustered the strength to open her mouth. Her voice was barely a whisper, yet it carried the weight of the situation. She shook her head weakly, "This… is different, dad." She said, each word punctuated with a laboured breath. She had accepted the inevitable, and her words sent a shiver coursing through his spine. It wasn't what she said itself, but the way she said it – with resignation and a certain finality that shook him. But she was right, the gravity of her statement left the unspoken truth. This was not some mere illness or problem that could be solved with medical ninjutsu or even his Rikuodo chakra. It was something far more sinister that could defy the very laws of nature that they had come to understand. They were not fighting for their survival, but for their right to exist.

He hoisted her closer to his chest and teleported back to Sakura's house. The moment they materialized, he only stumbled upon a scene of devastation. Sakura was no longer covering Hitoro in her chakra, but she was crying quietly. He felt himself tear up at the lifeless look his grandson had. "Hitoro?" He whispered, his voice barely audible, as if afraid to disturb the fragile silence. Even Himawari's head shifted slowly to her nephew. Her own breath hitching, tears in her eyes. Sakura was holding onto his body, her own hair once again white, chakra having dissipated into nothingness.

As if the universe hadn't inflicted enough pain, the door suddenly flew open, and Boruto burst through. The sight of his son, usually so full of energy and determination, now uncharacteristically out of breath and struggling to maintain focus, was a blow to Naruto's heart. Boruto's eyes, clouded with tears and blood, barely held onto their focus as the blood loss caused. "Tou-san, S- Hitoro?" Boruto's voice broke, the name of his son catching in his throat. The despair in his voice was palpable, a father's plea for a miracle. "No, no, no!" he rushed forward to his mother-in-law and son, collapsing to the ground in a mix of grief and sorrow. Naruto couldn't do anything but watch, his own heart was racing with a mixture of fear and sorry as he simply clenched onto Himawari tighter. The pain of seeing his son in such agony was indescribable, and he couldn't imagine how he must be feeling, something no parent would ever want to see – their own child, dead before them. "Please, Hitoro." Boruto begged, his voice choked with tears and blood, a desperate father clinging onto strands of hope.

Naruto felt himself have an out-of-body experience as time itself seemed to stand still, the world outside their shattered haven ceasing to exist. The only sounds were the sobs of a father mourning his dead son, a grandmother unable to do anything, and the ragged breaths of a family teetering on the brink of despair. His own mind raced, attempting to search for any solution, any way to turn back the clock and undo the horror that had befallen them. But deep down, he knew the bitter truth – there was no jutsu, no power that could reverse the damage done. The enemy they faced was unlike any other, an unseen force that had literally torn through the very fabric of their lives, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake.

As the reality of the situation settled in, Naruto's resolve hardened, he may not be able to change what had happened, but he would do everything in his power to protect what was left of his family. There had to be a flicker of hope somewhere, there needed to be. Even that, was grasping on non-existent straws. For without warning, the earth beneath their feet began to tremble, as if signaling as a precursor to their doom. Boruto and Sakura momentarily looked up, and outside, himself included. His senses were heightened in his Six Paths Mode, every fiber of his being attuned to the world around him. It was then that he felt it – a subtle shift in the air, a change in the natural energy that surrounded them. His eyes widened as he sensed a force of annihilation approaching at an unimaginable speed. It was a power unlike anything that he had ever encountered, a force so overwhelming, that it momentarily shut off his body for a second – it was consuming everything in his path.

Naruto's heart raced as he realized the gravity of the situation. There was no time to react, no time to formulate a plan. In that moment, his instincts took over. He hoisted Himawari ever closer to his chest, her frail body easily being coated in his Rikuodo mode. With a desperate urgency, he outstretched his hand, chakra cloak extending outwards, towards Sakura and Boruto.

As the blast tore through the house, Naruto's world narrowed drastically to the space he occupied with Himawari. The sounds of destruction were pressing all around him, it was deafening beyond belief. The air was thick and dreary, he had no time to think – his arm was still outstretched, he had no idea if Boruto and Sakura were safe, as he couldn't even feel Himawari who he knew was still safely cradled in his arms, her heartbeat proving it. Even the presence of the Bijuu had completely vanished, only his Rikuodo Chakra remaining. The force of the blast was relentless, a raging torrent that sought to obliterate everything in its wake. He could feel the strain on his chakra cloak, the constant barrage threatening to break through his defenses, but he held on. In his mind, he replayed every moment he had spent with his family, every smile shared, every laugh, every tear. These memories fueled his determination – it fueled his chakra cloak.

The minutes stretched on, each one feeling like an eternity. Naruto's chakra cloak flickered, the energy reserves depleting under the constant assault. He gritted his teeth, pushing his limits, drawing on every ounce of strength he had. Himawari's presence in his arms was enough to keep him driving forward. Finally, as suddenly as it had begun, the blast subsided. The silence that followed was eerie, a stark contrast to the chaos that had just ensued. Naruto's cloak dissipated into nothingness, as he slowly opened his eyes. Dreading every second, bracing himself for the devastation he was sure to find. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight that met his gaze. Around him, the world was unrecognizable. It was flattened. Nothing was there. There was nothing remaining of them. Boruto, Sakura, and even Hitoro were utterly gone. Their bodies were shredded into nothingness. He had managed to protect Himawari, but no one else.

As he surveyed the aftermath of the devastating blast, tears swelled in his eyes at the sheer magnitude of the chaos. The world he had known, the village he had sword to protect was nothing but ashes. The familiar sights of the bustling streets, the laugher of children playing, and the warmth of the community were all erased in an instant, leaving only a haunting silence that weighed heavily on his heart.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his trembling hands as he held Himawari, unwilling to let her go. His heart ached as he looked down at his daughter, whose breathing was shallow, but steady. The realization that he might lose her too was unbearable. With a sense of urgency, he sent out a pulse of chakra – a beacon. For him, it was a beacon of hope, desperately searching for any signs of life. But his only response was the deafening silence, no chakra signatures bounced back, no familiar presences to be found. It was as if the blast had wiped out everything, the very essence of the Land of Fire, leaving behind a void where life once thrived. He closed his eyes, and screamed, chakra extending beyond the land of fire, it stretched to the entirety of the Elemental Nations. And he saw it.

The only ping was the sound of destruction that lingered in the air. His heart sank as he realized there were only a few precious minutes before the blast would return. His mind raced with thoughts of despair; how could he protect Himawari when her life was already hanging by a thread? The burden of his own powerlessness weighed heavily on him, a stark contrast to his days of youth, where he felt invincible.

Time seemed to stand still as Naruto held his daughter, each passing moment was precious, yet filled with the signs of impending doom. He looked down at her, tears dripping onto her, she managed a weak smile – a grimace of sorts. The sound of the approaching blast grew louder, a harbinger of destruction. With a resolve born out of sheer desperation, he summoned out every ounce of Rikuodo Chakra from his body, even the strange new energy source. Himawari was safely held to his chest – as if his embrace alone could shield her from the cruel fate that befell everyone else. The cloak was their barrier between life and death. The sound of the blast reached a deafening crescendo, and Naruto felt the force of the annihilation bearing down on them.

As Naruto braced himself against the onslaught, he felt a distinct change in the nature of the blast. This wasn't just a mere repetition of the previous devastation; it was something far more sinister. The blast's force was more powerful and different in a way that sent chills down his spine. It was as if the blast had developed a malevolent consciousness, realizing that the two of them were still defiantly clinging to life. The blast seemed to linger, a persistent force of that refused to move on. It attacked from all sides, relentless in its pursuit to obliterate everything. Smaller tendrils of the destructive energy targeted his Rikuodo cloak, probing for weaknesses. It was a terrifying realization for him – the blast was not just a random force of nature; it was a targeted, calculated assault aimed directly at them.

Amidst the chaos, Himawari's cries pierced through the din of destruction. Weak and croaky, her voice was filled with dread – dread found in the voice of one who knows their end was near. "Dad, it's targeting me." She gasped out, each word more of a struggle than the last. "It's telling me to die… I can hear it." The raw fear in her voice was enough for him; like hell he would let it harm her. His grip on her reflexively tightened as a response to her words. The fact that it was specifically targeting her was able to threaten his resolve.

He leaned down, his lips close to her ear, and whispered with conviction, "Himawari, love, listen to me." He said, his voice a steady anchor. "Even if I must stay like this for all of time, I will never, ever let you go. I will protect you, even if it's the last thing I can do." It was a vow. It was his malediction. His determination was unyielding, even in the face of death. He poured every ounce of his being into maintaining the cloak, into keeping Himawari safe within the protective embrace of his chakra. Himawari, sensing the gravity of their situation, clung to her father.

The battle between Naruto's Six Paths cloak and the malevolent blast was a clash of titanic forces. The air crackled with energy, the ground beneath them trembled, and the fabric of reality seemed to warp under the pressure. As time passed, the blast's intensity showed no signs of waning. It was a relentless entity, fueled by a sinister will to destroy. Naruto could feel the toll it was taking on him, the fatigue creeping into his bones, the strain on his chakra becoming more pronounced. The Rikuodo chakra was working overtime, it was caught in a deadlock. He was only able to stabilize his daughter – who was still near death, while also preventing the blast from completely erasing them. It seemed to be aware of his efforts, almost mocking him with its relentless assault.

He had no idea how long had passed – days maybe – but he had no time to recuperate. Every second that passed, the blast continued to linger. His every moment was consumed by the need to protect his daughter while maintaining the chakra cloak that was their only shield against death. His exhaustion was palpable, a physical weight that threatened to drag him down. Once a brilliant display of his power, the chakra cloak was now flickering, its energy nearly depleted. Even he knew that it was almost time. Even then, couldn't he still hold onto hope?

Amid the chaos, Himawari weakly spoke out, sensing the end was near. He was thankful that he could not see her in the darkness of the blast. Her voice was weak, but there was a clarity in her it that pierced through Naruto's heart. "Dad, please forgive me for anything I've done wrong," she whispered, her words heavy with emotion. "I'm glad... I was born as your and Mom's daughter." He held back his tears at her words.

"Himawari, you have nothing to be sorry for." His voice choked with emotion. "I love you, and I always will." He told her, biting his lip. As the seconds passed, Himawari's condition worsened. Naruto could feel her life force ebbing away, each breath weaker than the last.

Finally, the inevitable happened. Himawari's breaths became shallower, her grip on Naruto's hand loosening. "Dad... I love you," she murmured, her voice barely audible. And then, with a final, gentle exhale, she was gone. Her heartbeat was still. His heart caught in his chest, even the raging blast was mute in his ears. Naruto's world came crashing down. The pain of losing his daughter was indescribable, a gaping wound in his heart that nothing could ever heal. He held her lifeless body close, unwilling to let her go, unwilling to accept that she was gone.

In a desperate act of preservation, Naruto sealed Himawari inside himself, a way to keep her with him forever. He would be erased, but at least her body wouldn't be subject to the same thing as him. As he gave up, so did the chakra cloak give – its energy completely depleted. Naruto was left exposed, vulnerable to the full brunt of the raging force outside. The force hit him with unmatched ferocity, tearing at him from all sides. But strangely, it could not harm him. The mysterious chakra that had protected him before was still active, shielding his body from destruction. His clothes were erased into nothingness, but his physical form remained unscathed.

In that moment, Naruto realized the bitter truth. He was completely alone. The blast had taken everything from him - his daughter, his family, his friends, his village. All that was left was the desolation that surrounded him and the memories of the life he once had. As the reality of his solitude sank in, Naruto fell to the ground, overcome by bone-deep exhaustion and a grief that knew no bounds. The world around him was a blur, a distant echo of what it once was. As he lay there, the last of his strength fading away, Naruto drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep, the silence of a destroyed world his only companion.

Combined 1 and 2 together.

Mainly to make it more seamless.

Anyways, thanks for the love and interest in this little project!
Again, story will update every Wednesdays and Thursdays assuming my schedule doesn't change! The reason I'm not updating daily is so by the time I end up posting the 54 completed chapters, I will be ready for the next 20-30!

For those tuning in for the first time, welcome! This fic has been greatly inspired by both LOTR, Korean Manhwa, and obviously Naruto and Percy Jackson.