Everything was dark.
The battlefield was silent now, save for the distant echoes of bolter fire and the howls of the dying. The scent of blood, oil, and burning ceramite choked the air.
And then—her.
She lay on the ground, her dark purple armor shattered and cracked, its blood-red engravings barely visible beneath the grime of war. Her once-radiant platinum hair was stained with dirt and blood, her pale skin almost ghostly under the flickering light of dying flames.
Her golden eyes, once filled with fierce determination, now held only exhaustion.
Regret.
Shame
"...D-Daddy..."
Her voice was weak, trembling, as if whatever strength had fueled her until now had finally left her. Yet, even as the corruption crawled beneath her skin, even as the darkness twisted the very essence of her soul, she looked at him.
And she smiled.
A small, weak smile—one that held no hatred. No anger.
Only love.
Naruto gasped as his eyes shot open.
His breathing was uneven, his body slick with cold sweat. His heart pounded in his chest, and his instincts screamed at him to move—to do something—but there was nothing.
There was no battlefield.
No war.
No dying daughter reaching for him.
Just his dimly lit chamber, the scent of incense lingering in the air.
Beside him, Ethena lay undisturbed, the golden-haired Custodes warrior curled beneath the silk sheets, her face peaceful in slumber. The blanket barely concealed her flawless form, the golden hue of her skin catching the faint glow of the lumen-strips.
For a moment, Naruto simply sat there, running a shaking hand through his hair. The weight of millennia bore down on him, heavier than any armor.
Then, with a heavy sigh, he slipped from the bed, careful not to disturb Ethena. Stepping onto the balcony, he let the cold night air wash over him, a futile attempt to clear his mind.
Terra stretched before him—hive spires piercing the heavens, the endless glow of industry illuminating the eternal darkness. The Throne World. The heart of the Imperium.
But no matter how much had been rebuilt, no matter how much time had passed, he still saw it.
The Siege.
The day Horus led half of the Legions against the Emperor.
The day the dream died.
He could still see Sanguinius, his alabaster wings darkened with blood, standing against the tide of Chaos. He could hear Fu's cries of fury and anguish as she fought alongside him, their blades clashing against the monstrous form of Angron, who had long since surrendered to his rage.
He could still see Fulgrim, twisted beyond recognition, his form no longer that of a Primarch, but of something... else.
He could still hear Fu's broken screams when Sanguinius fell.
The dream of unity. The dream of peace.
Gone.
His hands clenched the railing of the balcony, metal groaning under the pressure. His body was eternal, but his soul bore the weight of ages.
And yet, through all the centuries, all the wars, it was her face that haunted him most.
Artoria.
His daughter.
His pride.
His greatest failure.
He had trained her, protected her, raised her to be strong. But he had not been strong enough to save her. He had watched as the darkness took her, as her light faded, as her voice—once filled with warmth—became something twisted.
And then, on that battlefield, as she lay dying, the corruption barely holding her body together...
She had reached for him.
Not as a warrior.
Not as a servant of Chaos.
But as his little girl.
And he had been too late.
"...I failed you."
His whisper was lost to the wind.
For all his power, for all his victories, for all the blood he had spilled in the name of his family, of the Imperium, of the Emperor—this was a battle he had lost.
And no amount of time would ever change that.
Imperial palace lab
Varro inclined his head slightly, his expression softening. "I appreciate your words, Lady Fu."
Fu shook her head with a gentle smile, waving her hand dismissively. "Stop with the formality, Varro. Just call me Fu—it makes me feel old."
Varro, ever the pragmatic, merely stated, "You are the oldest living being on Terra, along with your husband and children."
Fu chuckled at that, knowing he was simply stating facts. She had existed long before most civilizations in the Imperium had even formed. Yet, despite the centuries, she never truly felt old. Time for her was something else entirely.
Deciding to shift the conversation, she leaned slightly against the table, her golden eyes gleaming with thought. "I've been thinking about the Warp," she said, her tone shifting to one of contemplation. "Ever since our return, I've been trying to find a way to seal the Chaos Gods. To create a device using a combination of fuinjutsu, psyker power, and a bit of alien technology."
Varro nodded, clearly intrigued but skeptical. "I've reviewed your theories. It would be... difficult, if not impossible."
Fu tilted her head slightly, prompting him to continue.
He elaborated, "The Warp is ever-changing. It does not adhere to static laws of reality. To seal something that constantly shifts, alters space, and bends time itself—it would require immense resources, an army of psykers, and a deep understanding of both sealing arts and the nature of the Immaterium."
Fu nodded in agreement. "That's true. But..." She gestured with her hands, her mind working through an idea. "Why not create a seal that doesn't just close off the Warp—but redirects it somewhere else?"
Varro raised an eyebrow at that, interest flickering across his usually reserved expression. "Explain."
Fu smirked. "Imagine creating a pocket universe—not just a simple containment field, but something more intricate. Instead of sealing the Warp away into an inescapable void, we create something that acts as both a prison and a self-sustaining loop. The Warp would be drawn into it, shifting as it naturally does, but the very act of its movement would fuel the structure of its own containment. A paradoxical storage system—an infinite box where the Warp leaks into itself rather than back into reality."
Varro rubbed his chin, considering the concept. It was bold, unlike anything ever attempted before. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized... it wasn't entirely impossible.
"This is... highly intriguing," he admitted. "It would require incredibly precise manipulation of dimensional physics. A seal that breathes with the Warp rather than opposes it. It's dangerous—but also, possibly, the only viable method to truly contain Chaos rather than merely hold it at bay."
Fu smiled knowingly. "Now you're getting it."
Uzu Prime – Orbit
A lone ship emerged from the Warp above Uzu Prime, its sleek black hull cutting through the void like a predator in the dark. Its design bore a striking resemblance to the Sith Infiltrator from 21st-century pop culture—an homage to a time long past.
Inside the ship, standing near the cockpit, was a man with fiery red hair, tanned skin, and piercing orange eyes. Kazuki Uzumaki, the fourth child of Naruto and Fu, stared at the holographic display as he guided the ship into orbit.
Kazuki had been born in the 21st century alongside his half-sister Pucca, and like her, he had been a total pop culture nerd. His love for Star Wars was unmatched, though the passage of time had turned his admiration bittersweet. Centuries had passed, and the legacy of George Lucas had been buried under the sands of history—lost to the grimdark future where the Imperium of Man held dominion. Disney had long since turned to dust, but its sins remained, a fact that irritated him every time he thought about it.
He opened a communication channel with the observation tower and spaceport, transmitting his personal clearance codes.
A security officer's voice crackled over the comms. "Clearance accepted. Welcome back, Prince Kazuki."
Kazuki sighed internally. He never liked being called prince. It was an unnecessary formality that came with being the son of Naruto and Fu, but he had long since given up trying to correct people.
The ship smoothly descended through the planet's atmosphere, heading toward the citadel where he would finally get some time away from the relentless war against Chaos. His clothing reflected his unique mix of interests—he wore a long, high-collared warlock robe inspired by his favorite video game from the old world, combined with the rugged utility of an adventurer like Indiana Jones. His gear bore fresh scratches and burn marks, souvenirs from an encounter with Chaos Space Marines just a few days ago.
More importantly, he had just come from a meeting with his spies stationed within Slaanesh's realm, carrying intel that would be crucial for his uncle Guilliman. But that could wait. Right now, he just wanted a moment to relax.
The ship touched down at the designated landing pad, the boarding ramp hissing as it lowered. Stepping out, Kazuki stretched his arms and took a deep breath. The city skyline of Uzu Prime greeted him—not the cold, oppressive architecture of the Imperium, but something more alive, more home. It wasn't covered in the gothic grimdark nonsense that filled his everyday life.
A squad of sentinels approached him. One of the guards saluted.
"Prince Kazuki, welcome back."
Kazuki waved off the formality. "Yeah, yeah. Casual, please." He rubbed the back of his neck. "So, any of my siblings on-planet right now?"
The guard nodded. "Your sister Pucca has been here for the last five months. She's been in the labs, still trying to uncover the identity of the man who saved your parents."
Kazuki sighed, muttering under his breath, "She's been locked up in that lab for months? God, she must've missed a lot of showers..."
He shook his head and thanked the guard before disappearing in a blur, body-flickering straight to the citadel.
It was time to see his older sister.
Terra – Imperial Palace Gardens
Akane stood in the lush palace garden, her fox ears twitching slightly, and her tail waving slowly behind her. The scent of flowers, rare in the grim darkness of the far future, filled the air, yet she barely registered it. Her golden eyes were locked onto the vast architecture of the Imperial Palace.
A place once unshakable, once the symbol of the Emperor's absolute rule.
Her mind drifted back to the Siege of Terra. The echoes of bolter fire, the clash of blades, the horrific roars of Chaos warlords and daemons still haunted her even after millennia. She could still see the burning sky, the corpses of the once-mighty Legions, and the betrayal that had nearly shattered everything.
She closed her eyes, pushing those memories back.
When she opened them, she looked down at the old, slightly faded picture in her hands. It was fragile, an artifact from a time long past—centuries ago, back in the late 2000s. It was a photo taken in New York City.
In the picture stood three figures at the center: herself, Fu, and Naruto. But surrounding them were their mortal friends—Ted Mosby, Marshall Eriksen, Lily Aldrin, Robin Scherbatsky (she thought that's how it was pronounced, but it didn't matter—she was Canadian), and lastly, Barney Stinson.
A small chuckle escaped her lips as she thought about the old running joke about making fun of Canada. Robin never liked it, but the jokes never stopped.
Her amusement deepened when she thought about Barney. That perverted, suit-obsessed idiot. He was a legend in his own right. She could still hear his ridiculous catchphrases, the way he always found some over-the-top, insane scheme to get laid. It was stupid. It was ridiculous.
But damn, it was funny.
Legend—wait for it—dary.
Akane sighed, her expression softening. She missed those days. The laughter, the stupidity, the absurdity of their mortal lives.
A voice broke her out of her thoughts.
"What's wrong, Akane?"
She turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting the towering figure of Fulgrim. His elegant, inhumanly perfect face studied her with curiosity. The Phoenician, the Primarch of the Emperor's Children, stood behind her with his usual grace, his arms crossed as he observed her with keen interest.
Akane let out a small breath and turned her gaze back to the picture.
"I was reminiscing about the past."
Fulgrith, the female clone of Fulgrim, stepped closer, her elegant yet inhumanly precise movements betraying her Primarch heritage. Her violet eyes, sharp and full of curiosity, flicked to the old photograph in Akane's hands.
"What is that?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Akane glanced at the picture again before holding it up for Fulgrith to see. "It's a piece of the past. A relic from a time when things were… simpler."
Fulgrith arched a delicate brow. "You speak as if that time mattered more than the present."
Akane chuckled, her golden eyes shimmering with nostalgia. "Because it does, in a way. Back then, Naruto, Fu, and I weren't gods of war. We weren't symbols of an empire. We were just people. Mortals living life, making friends, being stupid, and enjoying the little things."
Fulgrith crossed her arms, intrigued. "Tell me about them."
Akane smiled. It wasn't often she got to talk about the past with someone who actually wanted to listen. She motioned for Fulgrith to sit with her on the stone bench nearby. The Primarch clone hesitated for a moment before complying, her curiosity outweighing her usual aloofness.
Akane took a breath and tapped the faces in the photo.
"This one here is Ted Mosby," she said, pointing to the man with messy brown hair. "The guy was an architect—bit of a hopeless romantic. Always chasing 'The One' and telling long-ass stories to his kids about how he met their mother." She smirked. "Seriously, I swear he turned it into a whole damn saga."
Fulgrith gave a small hum. "A storyteller? A dreamer?"
Akane nodded. "Yeah, but also a bit of a dumbass. He had a bad habit of overanalyzing everything. But he was a good guy."
She tapped the next person. "Marshall Eriksen. A giant teddy bear of a man. He was a lawyer, but all he wanted to do was save the environment. Big, goofy, soft-hearted, but don't ever mess with his loved ones—he'd throw down if needed."
Fulgrith tilted her head. "A warrior bound by love and justice."
Akane laughed. "Something like that."
She moved her finger. "Lily Aldrin. Marshall's wife. Tiny but terrifying. She was the schemer of the group—always plotting, always meddling. Sweet when she wanted to be, but also had a scary side."
Fulgrith smirked. "A tactician, then?"
Akane chuckled. "Yeah, but more of a social manipulator than a battlefield commander."
She pointed next to Robin. "Robin Scherbatsky. Canadian." She grinned. "Which means we made fun of her a lot."
Fulgrith raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Akane waved it off. "It's just what you do. But she was a news anchor, tough as nails, independent, didn't like getting tied down. She had a thing for guns, whiskey, and hockey."
"A warrior at heart," Fulgrith observed.
Akane nodded. "Pretty much."
Finally, she tapped the last person in the picture. "And this idiot… Barney Stinson."
Fulgrith narrowed her eyes slightly. "And what was his role?"
Akane smirked. "Legendary."
"…Excuse me?"
She laughed. "That was his thing. Everything had to be 'legend—wait for it—dary.' He was a womanizer, a schemer, and a total lunatic, but he was also one of the most loyal friends anyone could ask for."
Fulgrith leaned back slightly, taking it all in. "A rogue, then. A manipulator, but bound by loyalty."
Akane nodded. "Yeah. And he was hilarious. He came up with the most ridiculous plans just to get laid, but he also had moments where he showed he actually cared." She sighed, her smile softening. "He was an idiot… but he was our idiot."
Fulgrith studied her expression for a moment before speaking again. "You miss them."
Akane nodded. "More than I can put into words." She ran her fingers over the picture, her voice growing quieter. "It's been millennia. I don't even know where their souls went. Maybe they got reincarnated. Maybe they're lost in the Warp. Maybe they're just… gone."
Fulgrith was silent for a moment before speaking. "It is rare to hear of Terra's past in such a personal way. You, Naruto, and Fu—despite all your power—you were once a part of that world. It is… fascinating."
Akane chuckled. "You're the first person in a long time to actually care about that history." She looked at Fulgrith and smirked. "Maybe you're not as cold as you pretend to be."
Fulgrith scoffed but said nothing.
The two sat in silence for a moment, the weight of time pressing upon them. For Akane, it was a rare moment of peace.
Even in the grim darkness of the future… some things were worth remembering.
Flashback – MacLaren's Pub, 2006
The familiar hum of conversation, the clinking of glasses, and the distant sound of music filled MacLaren's Pub as Naruto and Akane strolled inside. The warm glow of the bar's lighting cast a nostalgic haze over the place.
In their usual booth sat the gang—Marshall, Ted, Robin, Lily, Barney, and Fu. As soon as Naruto and Akane arrived, Marshall grinned widely and threw his arms out dramatically.
"Ah! The ancient and powerful beings have arrived!" he declared in a mock Shakespearean tone.
Ted joined in, smirking. "Tell us, O wise immortals, what wisdom have thee gained in the countless centuries of thy existence?"
Naruto chuckled, shaking his head. "That you guys are still just as weird as the day we met."
Akane rolled her eyes, sliding into the booth. "And that Marshall's jokes haven't gotten any better."
Fu giggled, taking a sip of her drink.
As always, Barney was in full "Barney Mode," his eyes scanning the bar until they landed on a woman who had just walked in. His gaze sharpened, and his analytical skills kicked in.
"Hmm... Mid-to-late twenties, confident stride, fake wedding ring—probably uses it to avoid unwanted advances but secretly wants to be chased. Bust size: C-cup, give or take. Based on her outfit, works in a corporate office, most likely HR, meaning she deals with people all day and just wants to let loose tonight."
Akane scoffed. "You can't seriously think you're going to get her just by looking at her."
Barney turned to her with a devilish grin. "Challenge accepted."
Akane blinked. "I was kidding! You don't have to—"
Too late. Barney was already strutting toward the woman with absolute confidence. Akane sighed, rubbing her temples.
Meanwhile, Marshall turned to Naruto, his expression filled with hope. "Okay, but for real—Bigfoot. Is he real?"
Naruto sighed, shaking his head. "No, Marshall. Bigfoot isn't real."
Marshall visibly deflated, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. Lily patted his back sympathetically.
"But," Naruto added, smirking slightly, "the Loch Ness Monster is real."
Marshall's head shot up, eyes wide. "Seriously?!"
Naruto nodded. "Not a monster, though. Just a surviving plesiosaur that adapted to deep, cold waters."
Marshall's face lit up with pure joy. He pumped his fist in the air. "YES! Vindication!"
The group chuckled at his excitement before shifting their attention back to Barney.
Robin leaned forward, arms crossed. "There is no way whatever ridiculous move Barney pulls is actually going to work."
Ted nodded in agreement. "Yeah, what woman in her right mind would just—"
Before he could finish, they all watched in stunned silence as the woman actually smiled, engaged in conversation with Barney, and, within moments, started laughing. Then, to everyone's shock, she grabbed his arm, and the two of them headed for the door.
Barney turned back just before leaving, flashing the group a cocky smirk and a peace sign.
Akane's jaw dropped. "That son of a bitch did it."
She turned to the others. "Okay, seriously. Does he have a power, or is everyone just stupid?"
Ted considered it for a moment. "Honestly? Probably both."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
to be continued...
Hope enjoy this chapter and adding how I met your character in it.