Naruto trudged through the streets of Konoha, enduring the same hateful whispers and disdainful glares from the villagers as always. His expression remained impassive; their words had long since lost the power to hurt him. Years of this treatment had hardened him. The boy who once cried himself to sleep now walked with an air of quiet resilience, though the scars on his heart remained.
When he finally reached his rundown apartment, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. The building was eerily quiet, as it always was. No one else lived there anymore. The moment he had moved in, the other tenants had fled, refusing to live near "the demon brat." Naruto sighed, the emptiness of the place a constant reminder of his isolation.
But this apartment wasn't truly home to him. His real sanctuary was elsewhere—Anko Mitarashi's apartment. It was located in a different part of the village, deep in the red-light district. The people there were rough around the edges, ostracized by the rest of Konoha, just like him. They didn't care about his status as a jinchūriki because they were used to being looked down upon themselves.
Anko had given him a key to her place long ago, telling him he could stay whenever he needed. She had found him on the streets as a child, cold, hungry, and alone. She had taken him in, fed him, and comforted him. He still remembered those nights when he would crawl into her bed, snuggling into her warmth as she wrapped her arms around him and teased him, calling him her "little fox plushie."
Naruto allowed a small smile to cross his face at the memory as he closed the door behind him. "Fu, I'm home!" he called out, his voice echoing in the quiet space.
He stopped short when he saw Fu sitting calmly on the couch, chatting with someone. That someone turned to him with a smirk, and his heart leaped.
"Hey there, my little whisker," Anko Mitarashi greeted him, lounging on the couch like she owned the place.
"Mom?" Naruto blinked in surprise, his face breaking into a genuine smile. To him, Anko was more than just a mentor or a friend—she was family. She wasn't his mother by blood or legal adoption (thanks to the civilian council interfering), but she had raised him, loved him, and been there when no one else was.
Anko's smirk widened as she gestured to Fu. "So, what's this I hear about you bringing girls over, huh? Should I be worried about you two screwing around in bed when I'm not here?"
Both Naruto and Fu turned bright red at her teasing. "W-We're not—" Naruto began, waving his hands in denial.
Fu stammered, her cheeks burning. "That's not—!"
Anko burst out laughing, holding her stomach. "Relax, you two! I'm just messing with you." She gave Naruto a sly wink. "Though, I wouldn't mind having a little daughter-in-law. But, you know... maybe not just yet."
Naruto groaned, his face still flushed, while Fu fidgeted awkwardly. Despite the embarrassment, Naruto felt his heart lighten. Anko had a way of making him feel at home, even when she was teasing him mercilessly.
"So," Anko said, leaning back on the couch and kicking her feet up. "What's for dinner, whiskers? Don't tell me you're planning to feed this poor girl cup ramen."
Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'll figure something out. Just... don't scare Fu off, okay?"
Fu managed a small smile, her earlier embarrassment fading. "It's fine. I kind of like her," she admitted, glancing shyly at Anko.
Anko grinned, ruffling Naruto's hair as he walked past her. "Smart girl. Stick around, and you'll see where this knucklehead got all his charm."
Naruto grumbled under his breath, but he couldn't hide the smile tugging at his lips. For all her teasing, Anko's presence always made him feel safe—like he had a place where he truly belonged.
Ponyville
Twilight Sparkle lay peacefully in her bed at the Golden Oak Library, a book resting on her face. The moonlight bathed the room in a soft glow, and Spike snored quietly in his basket nearby. But Twilight's sleep was anything but restful. Her body twitched, her expression contorted with fear as her dream morphed into a vivid nightmare.
Twilight was in Canterlot. But it wasn't the Canterlot she knew. The grand city was ablaze, its elegant spires reduced to rubble. The sky was a dark crimson, choked with smoke and ash. Screams echoed through the desolate streets, but no ponies appeared, only the carnage of the dead—guards, civilians, even foals.
"Hello? Anypony? Please, answer me!" Twilight's voice cracked as she ran, hooves clattering on the cobblestone streets.
No answer came, only the distant, ominous sound of explosions. Twilight turned a corner and gasped in horror. Before her lay the bodies of dozens of royal guards, their armor scorched and shattered. Her breath hitched as she stepped back, trembling.
A thunderous roar shook the ground, and Twilight looked up in terror. In the sky, a colossal ship hovered ominously, its grotesque purple hull pulsating with an otherworldly energy. Cannons along its sides unleashed bolts of destructive energy, reducing entire towns in the distance to ash.
Twilight's heart raced as she turned her gaze toward the castle. It was in ruins, flames consuming its once-majestic structure. Desperate, she galloped toward it, calling out, "Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! Where are you?"
As she approached the shattered gates, a flicker of hope ignited in her chest. Emerging from the flames was a tall, familiar figure.
"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried, relief washing over her.
But her joy turned to dread as the figure stepped into the light. Celestia's body was broken and lifeless, her radiant mane dulled to a faded, lifeless gray. Twilight screamed in horror as she saw Celestia's severed head, held high in the gauntleted hand of a towering figure clad in horrifying purple armor.
The armored behemoth stepped forward, his presence radiating despair and malice. His armor was adorned with pulsating runes of grief, his helmet crowned with curved horns. Twilight could feel her knees weaken under his overwhelming aura.
"No... No! You monster!" Twilight screamed, her horn blazing with violet magic. She unleashed a powerful blast at the creature, hitting him squarely in the chest.
The smoke cleared, and her heart sank. The figure stood unscathed, a shimmering force field dissipating around him. He tilted his head, as if amused by her futile attempt. Raising Celestia's head higher, he let out a deafening war cry:
"From the depths of despair, we rise! Your joy will burn, your hope will die!"
Twilight's rage burned hot. She fired another blast, but the creature didn't flinch. Instead, he raised his massive weapon, a blade drenched in dark energy, and strode toward her.
As the blade descended toward her, Twilight shut her eyes, bracing for the end.
But instead of the strike, she felt a force pull her backward. A door of shimmering starlight appeared behind her, and she was suddenly yanked through it.
"Enough!" a commanding voice bellowed.
Twilight opened her eyes to see Princess Luna standing before her, her horn glowing brilliantly. The monstrous figure roared in anger, attempting to follow, but Luna's magic surged, sealing the dream around him.
"Run, Twilight!" Luna commanded, opening another door behind her. "This is your dream, but his presence is far too real!"
Twilight hesitated, fear gripping her, but Luna pushed her through the door with her magic.
Twilight screamed as she fell through the starlit void, and when she opened her eyes, she was back in her room.
Twilight bolted upright, gasping for air, her body trembling. Her fur was soaked with sweat, and tears streamed down her face. She clutched her chest, her heart hammering as the nightmare replayed in her mind.
Spike stirred, sitting up groggily. "Twilight? What's wrong? You were screaming..."
She didn't answer, staring at the wall in terror, her breathing shallow.
"Twilight?" Spike said, worry creeping into his voice.
Twilight finally looked at him, her wide, tear-filled eyes filled with dread. "It wasn't just a dream, Spike. Something... something horrible is coming."
Konoha
Naruto apartment
Back in Konoha, Naruto's apartment was filled with the aroma of freshly cooked ramen as the three of them sat around the table. Naruto slurped his noodles contentedly, while Anko leaned back with a smirk, twirling a dango stick in her fingers.
"You really need to lay off the ramen, brat," Anko teased, a playful glint in her eye.
Naruto pointed his chopsticks at her with mock indignation. "Oh yeah? You don't hear me complaining about your dango addiction."
Anko laughed, admitting defeat with a shrug. "Well played, whiskers. Well played."
Fu giggled softly as she watched the banter between the two, feeling a warmth she hadn't experienced in years. Eating with people who didn't judge her or look at her like a monster made her heart swell.
As the meal went on, Anko casually asked, "So, anything new happen today?"
Naruto, mid-slurp, set his bowl down and replied casually, "Oh yeah, I found an Uzumaki shrine in the forest today. It had this cool pony summoning contract and some old journals about the past jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails."
Anko froze mid-bite, her eyes widening as she suddenly choked on her food. Fu immediately got up, patting her back as Anko coughed violently.
Naruto blinked, surprised by her reaction. "What the hell, Anko? What's with the choking?!"
Once Anko caught her breath, Naruto narrowed his eyes, studying her expression. A single thought came to his mind as he connected the dots. "Wait... did you know I had a clan?"
His voice was quiet but tinged with a mix of sadness and betrayal. Anko looked at him, her usual playful demeanor replaced with a serious one. She could have denied it, could have dodged the question, but she refused to follow the Third's example. Naruto had been lied to enough.
She sighed, meeting his gaze directly. "Yes, kid. I knew."
Naruto sat back in shock, the chopsticks slipping from his fingers. The woman he had come to see as a mother figure had kept this from him all this time.
"Why?" His voice was raw, trembling with emotion.
Anko ran a hand through her hair, frustration clear in her expression. "Because of that damn monkey—Hiruzen. He put a law in place to suppress anything related to the Uzumaki Clan. I told him it was a mistake, that it was wrong, but he insisted it was for your 'protection.'" She air-quoted the word sarcastically, anger seeping into her voice. "He even had it removed from the academy curriculum, for crying out loud!"
Naruto looked at her, his eyes filled with hurt. "Why tell me now?"
Anko sighed again, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her guilt. "Because I couldn't keep carrying this, kid. You deserved to know the truth. I couldn't keep lying to you, not when you've already been lied to your whole life."
Naruto was silent for a moment, processing her words. Then, a thought struck him, and he asked, "Did you know... Kushina Uzumaki?"
Anko's expression softened, a bittersweet smile crossing her lips. "Yeah, I knew her." She hesitated for a moment before continuing, her voice quieter. "She was my sensei. But more than that... she was your mother, Naruto."
Naruto froze. Her words echoed in his mind, over and over again.
"Kushina... my mother..."
The room was silent, save for the faint rustle of the wind outside. Naruto's hands trembled as he stared at Anko, his mind struggling to comprehend what she'd just said. His mother... is Kushina Uzumaki.
Fu's eyes widened in shock as she listened to the conversation unfold. she felt uncomfortable but decided to remain silent, not wanting to interrupt something so personal.
Anko sighed and gestured for Naruto to follow her to the couch. Once they were seated, she looked at him seriously and said, "Kid, there's a lot you don't know about me either. Before I was Orochimaru's apprentice, I was Kushina's student. I trained alongside Yugao and Kurenai under her."
Naruto blinked, stunned. "Wait, Kurenai? Is that why that bitch hates me so much? Because I remind her of my mom?" His voice was laced with bitterness, and his words spilled out before he could stop them.
Anko nodded, a grim expression on her face. "You're not wrong. Kurenai became... difficult after you were born. She hated the idea of you being the Nine-Tails' next host and losing her father during the attack didn't help. As for Yugao, well, she didn't lose anyone since she was already an orphan, but even she changed. It was like neither of them could separate you from the pain the Nine-Tails caused."
Naruto frowned, feeling the sting of betrayal from people he barely knew. "So you stopped being friends with them because of that?"
Anko's expression shifted to one of shame. "Yeah. I couldn't deal with who they became. But I'm not innocent here either..." She hesitated, her voice dropping as she confessed, "There was a time I hated you too. Worse than that... I even tried to kill you."
Naruto and Fu froze in shock. The air grew heavy with tension, and Fu finally broke the silence. "What changed your mind?"
Anko exhaled deeply, her gaze softening as she looked at Naruto. "When I was twelve, Kushina sensei I was her student. I learned so much from her—fūinjutsu, kenjutsu, things I could have never imagined. She was like a mother to me. And then... two years later, she died in the Nine-Tails' attack."
Naruto's voice was small and hesitant. "Was it... my fault?"
Anko's eyes widened at his question, and she shook her head vehemently. "No! Absolutely not. Don't even think that." She sighed, rubbing her temples as she explained. "When a female jinchūriki gets pregnant, the seal weakens. Kushina told me that herself. What happened wasn't your fault, Naruto."
She paused, her voice trembling as she continued. "After her death, I was angry. Angry at the village, at the world... and at you. I blamed you, and I thought if I killed you, it would make the pain stop. But when I saw you—really saw you—those empty, hollow eyes of yours... it broke me. You were just a child, and you already looked like the world had ripped your soul away. I realized I was no better than the villagers who tormented you, or Orochimaru, who tortured for pleasure. That wasn't what Kushina taught me. It wasn't who she wanted me to be."
Her voice grew firm as she looked directly at him. "So I made a decision. I would honor her memory by protecting you, no matter what. Even if it meant betraying the village, even if I had to skin and torture anyone who came after you, I'd do it. You were hers, and you were worth it."
Fu felt her heart ache at Anko's words, moved by the sheer depth of her loyalty, though the mention of torture left her slightly disturbed.
Naruto sat in silence, digesting everything. "Do you think... my mom loved me?" he asked quietly, his voice uncertain.
Anko's lips curled into a soft smile. "Kid, that's the stupidest question I've ever heard. Of course she did. She was overjoyed when she found out she was pregnant. She was squealing like a little girl, running around talking about what she'd name you, how she'd raise you. She loved you more than anything."
Hearing that made Naruto's chest feel warm, and he smiled for the first time since the conversation began. "And... what about my dad?"
Anko's smile faltered, turning sad. "I can't tell you that, Naruto. I'm sorry. I wish I could, but I can't."
Naruto frowned, tempted to argue, but the sincerity in her eyes stopped him. Learning about his mother was more than he could have ever hoped for, and he decided to let it go—for now. "It's okay," he said quietly. "Knowing about my mom is enough."
Anko reached out and ruffled his hair, a rare tenderness in her gesture. "She'd be so proud of you, kid. So damn proud."
Naruto smiled, holding onto that thought, letting it fill the void he'd carried for so long.
As night fell, Anko stood by the door, her usual teasing smirk plastered across her face. "Alright, brats, I'm heading out. And remember..." She paused dramatically, her grin widening. "Use protection!"
Naruto and Fu's faces turned bright red, their protests drowned out by Anko's maniacal laughter as she walked away, leaving the two in a flustered mess.
Once things settled down, Naruto offered Fu the bed again, but she waved him off with a smile, spinning threads of her silk to craft a makeshift hammock in the corner of the room. "I'll sleep here," she said firmly.
Naruto, however, wasn't fooled. He had noticed her sneaky habits before and had a gut feeling she'd end up in his bed before the night was over. Still, he didn't argue and instead let exhaustion claim him, slipping into a deep slumber.
Naruto's Dream
The silence of sleep gave way to the sounds of chaos: screams, cries, and the clash of steel. Naruto found himself standing amidst the ruins of Konoha, engulfed in flames. Explosions rocked the earth, sending debris from the Fourth Hokage's face on the mountain tumbling into the village below, crushing buildings and people alike.
Konoha's shinobi raced through the streets, their faces etched with desperation, only to be met with slaughter. Men clad in regal, purple armor advanced relentlessly, wielding chainswords and other deadly weapons. Each war cry they uttered reverberated with psychic force, a unified chant of despair:
"We are the grief that breaks worlds! Tremble before the Veil!"
The mournful roar echoed in Naruto's ears, an unbearable weight of sorrow pressing down on him. Even the bravest shinobi faltered, their spirits broken before a single blow landed.
From the carnage, Naruto's attention was drawn to two blurs—one orange and one purple—moving at impossible speeds. The two figures clashed in the middle of the battlefield, their impact shaking the ground. As the dust settled, the orange blur skidded to a halt, revealing a much older Naruto, his left arm severed and blood pouring from the wound.
The purple blur was a figure in armor—a woman, regal and fearsome. Her presence was overwhelming, her armor a masterpiece of sorrowful artistry. Runes pulsed faintly with purple and silver light across her chestplate, and her ornate pauldrons shimmered like cascading twilight. Her flowing, semi-translucent cloak emitted an eerie wail of despair, and her helmet concealed her face entirely, its smooth, obsidian-like surface shifting between an emotionless mask and a sorrowful visage.
Naruto felt his breath hitch as he stared at her, a growing sense of dread gnawing at him. "Who the hell are you? What did you do to my village?" he shouted, his voice cracking under the weight of the oppressive atmosphere.
The woman remained silent, her head tilting slightly as if examining him. Then, with a swift motion, she closed the distance between them. Naruto gasped in agony as he felt claws pierce his chest. He looked down to see a gauntleted hand emerging from his body, holding his still-beating heart.
She leaned close, her voice a haunting whisper in his ear. "I am Tenebris Divinitas. From the depths of despair, we rise! Your joy will burn, your hope will die!"
With a final, crushing motion, she destroyed his heart, and Naruto's vision faded to black as the battlefield erupted in the victorious cries of her soldiers. She looks at her soldier, her Space marine….her Veiled Legion her soldiers of sorrow and despair.
But then, she froze. Slowly, she turned her head, sensing a presence—familiar, yet unexpected. In a blur of motion, she reached out and grabbed something unseen. From her perspective, she lifted it, her eyes narrowing as she studied it.
It was another Naruto, younger and untouched by the horrors of her world. Her head tilted in curiosity. "Interesting..." she mused. "I never expected another Naruto to peer into the multiverse like this."
Her grip tightened around his neck, and Naruto struggled, gasping for air as her cold, merciless eyes bore into him.
Reality
Naruto jolted awake, gasping for breath, his body drenched in sweat. Fu was at his side, her eyes wide with worry as she shook him. "Naruto! Are you okay? What happened?"
He coughed, trying to steady himself. "Just... a nightmare." He climbed out of bed, his legs shaky as he made his way to the sink. Splashing cold water on his face, he stared into the mirror, hoping to ground himself.
But then he froze.
There, on his neck, was a strange mark, faintly glowing in the dim light. It resembled the fractal patterns on Tenebris Divinitas's armor, shifting subtly as though alive.
Fu approached, her concern growing as she noticed the mark. "Naruto... how did you get that?"
Naruto stared at his reflection, fear creeping into his voice. "I... I don't know."
To be continued...
Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and yes there's going to have a 40k crossover.