Chapter Sixteen : Prologue End, Part 1

'Naruto' soared through the air, his red hair whipping like a blazing inferno as he shot forward like a comet. But there was something different about him, something... wrong. His expression, once serene in his previous awakening, now has a twisted smirk of simmering madness. Notably his right blue eye was closed, as if in slumber, while his left—an eye bearing multiple red irises— gleamed with an eerie, unrelenting hunger.

The memories, the voices, the overwhelming flood of past lives-it consumed him, fragmented him. He was no longer just Naruto Uzumaki. At that moment he was something more.

CRASH

The ground trembled under his descent, the sheer force of impact sending violent shockwaves through the forest. Dust billowed into the air, swallowing the battlefield in a thick, suffocating haze. The shinobi instinctively took their battle stances, gripping their weapons as the unsettling presence in the mist loomed.

Sensing the familiar chakra, Bee stared into the cloud of dust with unrecognizable serious visage on his face. For what it seem like forever time froze, nobody spoke a word.

Through the veil of dust, he walked forward, unhurried, unaffected. His red hair caught the fragmented light piercing through the trees, his face still shadowed... but his left eye burned like molten embers, twisting hypnotically.

Then finally breaking the silence, he spoke.

"How long has it been..." His voice was eerily calm, and yet, it sent a shiver down every spine present.

As the dust finally settled, revealing the man fully, the multiple irises within his left eye spun in a silent vortex of unreadable emotion. His gaze was locked onto one person alone, the man responsible for the deaths of many voices/souls that lay dormant within him - Killer Вее.

Bee entire body trembled, not from fear but from a memory long buried.

A memory of him.

"N-No way. I-It's you..." Bee muttered under his breath, stepping back instinctively. "Bee this guy is bad news, do not underestimate him." Gyuki muttered, trying to piece together where he remembered that chakra from.

Yuugito also instinctively stepped back, her heartbeat accelerating. 'Matatabi... do you know who this is? Matatabi are you there?' She asked desperately but Matatabi had gone silent, an unprecedented phenomenon that left her reeling. The immense weight of his chakra made her limbs sluggish, as though her own body resisted standing against him.

"Bee..." she whispered, her voice tinged with rare uncertainty. "Who the hell is this guy?"

Bee did not respond immediately.

Then, suddenly to the shock of many around him, Bee roared as he surged with Gyūki's chakra. Nobody said a word, everyone now on guard. He finally broke the tense moment with his words, but this time it wasn't in rhyme, not in rap, nor in bravado, but in something raw.

Something desperate.

"Yuugito, you need to get out of here." He relented, staring at the man before him.

Yuugito stiffened. "What?" She turned between Bee and the red-haired man. "B-Bee, what's going on? You're scaring me-"

"NOW!" Bee barked, cutting her off. Her eyes widened, she felt it. His voice carried the weight of terror.

Bee turned around angrily, frustrated at her lack of movement. "You need to leave! This mission is a failure! Warn the Raikage that he's back from the dead! Don't question it-just GO! DO NOT HESITATE!!"

But before anyone could react—before she could even process the urgency in his words-Bee coughed up blood when something slammed him in the gut. He looked down.

A hand was on his exposed stomach. A glowing palm pressed against his seal. Bee's eyes bulged, he remembered why the Uzumaki were so dangerous, one touch could mean death.

"Did you really think I didn't foresee this, Kumo Jinchuriki?" 'Naruto' spoke out, a hint of amusement evident.

Everyone froze.

Not even the most elite of shinobi had seen him move. Jiraiya's expression hardened, it wasn't the speed that impressed him but the Jutsu itself.

Shikaku's normally calm demeanor cracked as he tensed. "Those markings..." Shikaku murmured.

Jiraiya's eyes widened, finally recognizing the mark that had begun to spread from that man's palm onto Bee's abdomen. "It's the Five-Pronged Seal... but with no hand signs? That level of fuinjutsu mastery.." He clenched his fists. "T-This is beyond anything I've seen since..."

Both Shikaku and Jiraiya stared at each other intensely, conveying a message both now can attest to. That this man, is an Uzumaki. "Let's go we need to stop him he's bad news!" He roared, the Konoha nin began running towards them and before they where able to intervene suddenly they stopped in their tracks.

While 'Naruto' hand was placed on Bee's abdomen, one of the many Irises in his left eye picked up movement. Casually, with ease he raised his other hand, five separate red flames appeared on each finger. Then he slammed his hand on the ground and with a shout, "Uzumaki Fuin: Five Flame Formation!" From the Earth a solid barrier formed around them.

Seeing this Jiraiya signaled everyone to stop in their tracks. Kakashi looked at the barrier curiously and looked towards Jiraiya, "What is this?"

Tsume snarled, "Who cares me and my Ninkin and burst through anything!" But before they did anything rash Jiraiya raised his hand to stop them, "Wait, I know this Fuinjutsu, this barrier is seemingly made of red flames, which will instantly engulf those who come into contact with it, thus preventing anyone from entering or leaving the area."

Shibi nodded in confirmation as some of his bugs was burned due to the barrier.

The Toad Sage looked inside the barrier 'Naruto...' Jiraiya thought, his eyes focused intently now on the man before him. He looked to familiar, 'This couldn't be you... Dammit where are you?'

Inside the barrier, Bee coughed violently as his Bijuu cloak evaporated. His connection to Gyuki is gone. He stumbled backward, gasping. "I can't hear him... w-what did yo-"

BAM!

A swift side-kick slammed across Bee's face, sending him tumbling like a ragdoll across the battlefield.

"How pathetic," 'Naruto' muttered, walking towards Bee slowly, then suddenly he extended his arm upward, palm open.

The barrier erupting around them distracted her but seeing her mentor Bee getting kick back snapped Yuugito back to reality. While the red haired man back was turned, she saw an opportunity to him to catch him by surprise. With a snarl, she vanished in a blue flame shunshin.

Matatabi seeing this finally spoke out frantically, "W-Wait kitten! Don't let that man touch yo-" But before Yuugito could even reach him her throat was snatched mid attack. His hand forcibly seized her neck mid-air.

Her eyes widened in horror as she was lifted effortlessly, suspended like a helpless prey before the predator.

The ANBU of Kumo immediately surged forward-only to halt as one of the men touched the barrier and caught on fire. He smiled hearing the man scream as the inextinguishable fire spread across his body. He knew he had the upper hand they couldn't reach their precious weapons.

Yuugito gasped, her fingers clawing at the iron grip, her vision darkening.

He didn't even turn his head, but merely spoke tightening his grip further, "You really thought I didn't also foresee you coming, Jinchuriki? The talent within your village must've really dulled." He finished, one his multiple irises shifting towards a direction where a felt a weird presence. For him, even with all his power it felt... out of place.

When she began summoning her Bijuu chakra, desperately trying pry out his grip, he scoffs at the pitiful attempt and slammed her into the ground with terrifying ease.

A sickening crack echoed as dust exploded from the impact. Still gripping her, his palm glowed ominously once more.

"Five-Pronged Seal."

The markings spread rapidly, etching agony into her very being. The moment the black kanji seared into her flesh, Yuugito screamed as her Bijuu chakra receded.

Then, just as carelessly, he threw her aside. Her body slammed against the barrier to the ground. Her comrades watched in horror as she began convulsing on the ground.

Just across from him, Bee struggled to his feet, panting, blood trailing from his lips. He knew it now—there was no denying it. A curse had once again plagued this world.

Azashiro Uzumaki had returned.

His hands curled into fists before slowly reaching behind him, gripping two of the many tantos strapped to his back. The battlefield fell into a chilling silence as the two warriors stared at one another.

Seeing that look of reconciliation 'Naruto' snorted in amusement, a dry chuckle escaping his lips.

"So, you think you've figured it all out?"

Bee's grip tightened, his knuckles turned white against his blades. Lightning crackled around his body, his rage boiling over as his muscles tensed. With a deafening roar, he lunged forward.

"AZASHIRO, I'M GOING TO SEND YOU BACK TO HELL WHERE YOU BELONG!!!"

The twin tantos seared with voltage as he swung for the kill, his face marred with fury. The stark contrast between his anger and 'Naruto's' eerie calm was unsettling.

Bee moved with all his speed, cutting downward in a lethal vertical slash, but 'Naruto' merely side-stepped, effortlessly avoiding the strike. Bee's eyes narrowed, and he twisted mid-motion, redirecting his momentum for a horizontal slash—only for 'Naruto' to lean back just enough to let the blade pass by harmlessly.

Frustration flared in Bee's mind. Enough.

He flicked his wrists, tossing all of his tantos into the air. The blades spun in a deadly arc before he caught them with practiced ease, revealing his signature unorthodox Kenjutsu style. Like a living tempest, he whirled into a storm of flashing steel, the deadly glint of his weapons forming a dazzling, unpredictable pattern.

But to his surprise, 'Naruto' dodged every single strike as if he had rehearsed this dance a thousand times before.

Bee felt like he was trapped in a lucid nightmare.

Every movement, every feint, every feeble attempt to outmaneuver him—it was futile. That eye. That cursed eye. It saw everything.

Every twitch of his fingers.

Every subtle shift in his stance.

Every bead of sweat trickling down his face.

It saw his past.

It saw his future.

It saw his very soul.

Nothing escaped that eye.

Then—suddenly—Bee felt something seize his wrist, stopping his momentum instantly. His breath hitched as his gaze snapped down to his arm.

This man had caught him. With a single hand.

Bee's heart pounded in disbelief. No one—no one—had ever stopped his spinning assault mid-motion, let alone with such ease.

"Isn't this nostalgic, Jinchūriki?" 'Naruto' mused, his grip tightening. The irises in his left eye spun like a vortex of malevolence. "Makes me wonder how many of my kin did you slaughter with this technique of yours?"

Bee remained silent. What could he say? His entire body stiffened under that gaze. With with his free arm he tried cutting off his head.

'Naruto' saw this and frowned, "You're a fool."

That was all the warning he got before his entire world spun.

'Naruto' twisted his body, accelerating at twice the speed Bee had achieved just moments ago. The sheer force hurled Bee like a ragdoll, his body slamming through trees, shattering them like mere twigs. The impact left a trench in the earth where he finally landed, his body slammed against the barrier. He fell onto the ground, aching, fleshed burned and blood dribbling down his temple.

Struggling, he lifted his head, vision blurred.

"Y-You should be dead... H-How a-are you here?"

Standing over him, red hair billowing in the wind, 'Naruto' gazed down with an expression devoid of pity. "Don't you get it? I am Whirlpool's wrath…" His lips curled slightly but before he continued.

BOOM!

The barrier went down and the ground beneath him exploded.

"Man-Beast Ultimate Taijutsu: Fang Over Fang!"

Two whirling figures carved through the air, spinning violently towards him. He recognized them. They much younger during the Third Great Shinobi War. He jumped out the way, covering his face from the explosion.

"Tsume and Kuromaru from Konoha. So my barrier was bypassed, this must be Jiraiya's doing..." He muttered to himself

Debris and dust blinded the battlefield as the monstrous tornadoes zeroed in on him. 'Naruto' scoffed, leaping effortlessly into the sky, avoiding the full brunt of their attack.

A deadly mistake.

"Lightning Blade!"

Kakashi was waiting.

A crackling blade of pure electricity shot towards 'Naruto's' exposed back, but at the last second, a thick, golden chain shot from his sleeve, coiling around Kakashi's wrist mid-air.

Kakashi's Sharingan caught the movement too late.

The chain constricted, draining his chakra with terrifying efficiency. Kakashi's eyes widened in shock. His attack fizzled out—disappearing.

Kakashi cursed. "Those chains… Those aren't just any Fuinjutsu… That's—!"

"Adamantine Sealing Chains…" Shikaku finished grimly from below. "And he's using them without strain."

Back in the air, 'Naruto' twisted mid-spin, dragging Kakashi toward him with brutal force.

CRACK!

A devastating uppercut crashed into Kakashi's face, stunning him as they were both propelled even higher into the sky. Seeing the woman and dog coming towards him again he began grinning devilishly—'Naruto' adjusted his grip on the chain and hurled Kakashi downward with monstrous strength.

Straight toward Tsume and Kuromaru's spiraling onslaught.

The three bodies collided violently, their combined momentum detonating the earth in a monstrous explosion of rock and dust.

BOOM!

The battlefield trembled.

From the impact crater, dust and debris shot into the sky, obscuring everything in sight.

And in the distance—watching it all unfold—Killer Bee, battered and bruised, felt a chilling dread seep into his bones. He knew deep down that, this wasn't no run away Uzumaki. It was the devil himself.

This was Azashiro Uzumaki.

XXX

From the concealment of the dense foliage, Zetsu observed the chaos unfolding below with uneasy eyes. The battlefield was littered with destruction—deep trenches carved into the earth, uprooted trees, and a crater where 'Naruto' now stood ominously, his left eye with multiple red irises glowing like a beacon of doom.

The white half of Zetsu gulped audibly, his usual carefree nature cracking under the suffocating pressure of the chakra radiating from the red-haired figure. "Bro… Who is that? Why does he feel so familiar?" His voice wavered, an unnatural uncertainty creeping in.

The black half of Zetsu, typically composed and calculating, had his mouth covered, his breaths slow and controlled, trying not to make a sound—because for the first time in centuries, fear had taken root in him. His piercing yellow eye darted toward the figure standing in the crater, his mind racing.

Then, in a hushed, almost reverent whisper, he spoke. "Because he's obtained that power… The power from back then. The power that once belonged to our mother's first son."

White Zetsu frowned, confused. "Wait, Who? I thought Hagoromo's descendants were the biggest threat to our plans."

Black Zetsu turned sharply, voice low and urgent. "Don't be stupid. Look at that eye. The eye that can alter the very fabric of reality. If he manages to complete it… If he fully awakens what lies dormant within him… then there will be no stopping him. Not even Kaguya would be able to contend with him."

White Zetsu, despite his usual aloofness, could feel the gravity in his counterpart's words. "Then… what do we do?" he hesitated before asking, "Is there a way to stop him?"

"No, he sees everything." Black Zetsu's mind worked rapidly, piecing together fragments of ancient history, of the war that nearly shattered the world before Kaguya's imprisonment. His voice was grim. "Unless…"

White Zetsu leaned in anxiously. "Unless what?! Speak up!"

Black Zetsu clenched his jaw, reluctant to even voice the idea. "Unless we do what Hagoromo and Hamura did all those years ago to seal him away. Not defeat him—because they never truly did—but contain him. We need the tools of the Sage. If we can gather the remnants of—"

He stopped abruptly.

A feeling. A presence.

Not just a presence—a gaze.

It fell upon them like an anchor dropped into the ocean, freezing them in place.

Down below, 'Naruto' stood unmoving in the crater, but one of the many irises in his eye twitched slightly, locking onto something in the distance.

Zetsu's body stiffened as the air around him warped unnaturally.

The earth beneath them trembled, the ground shifting unnaturally as if it were alive. Then, suddenly, the terrain beneath Zetsu's feet collapsed into a swirling vortex, a churning whirlpool of raw energy.

White Zetsu let out a panicked cry as he felt himself sinking, being dragged into the abyss. "W-What's happening?!"

Black Zetsu's composure shattered completely. This was impossible.

In their entire existence, no one—no one—had ever noticed them unless they had willed it. They had spent centuries moving through the shadows, unseen, undetected. Not even Madara, not even Kaguya herself, had ever sensed them unless they revealed themselves.

But now, in this moment, in this nightmare—

He was looking right at them.

From the churning vortex, a massive green specter emerged, its form otherworldly, its very existence suffocating. Its glowing eyes—each one bearing the same multi-irised pattern as 'Naruto's'—bored into Zetsu's soul.

The creature reached out, massive clawed hands wrapping around Zetsu's body like a vice, lifting him effortlessly from the abyss.

Zetsu struggled, for the first time in his long life, helpless.

"G-Genjutsu?!" White Zetsu stammered, writhing in terror.

The spectral entity laughed, a deep, reverberating sound that sent tremors through the air.

"You dare attempt to interrupt my fun?" the monster's voice rumbled like an earthquake, its grip tightening. "Since you have yet to make a move against me, I will grant you this mercy… once. But make no mistake—there will be no second chances."

Zetsu let out a strangled gasp as his vision blurred, his mind crushed under the weight of the Genjutsu.

The specter pulled him in closer, so near that he could feel its breath against his form, though it had no physical lungs.

"Know your place, foolish puppet."

Then, in an instant, the illusion ended.

Zetsu snapped back to reality, still in the trees, his body drenched in cold sweat. His limbs trembled uncontrollably, his breathing ragged. It took him a moment to register that he had been freed—no, allowed to leave.

The moment realization hit, fear overtook him.

"…We need to leave, Obito must be inform of this before we get ourselves killed." Black Zetsu muttered hoarsely.

White Zetsu, for once, did not argue.

Without a second thought, they vanished, fleeing as far as possible from the monster that now roamed the world.

And for the first time in his existence…

Black Zetsu feared for the fate of his mother.

XXX

The battlefield lay in eerie silence. The dust from his previous attack still swirled in the air, yet all eyes remained fixed on the crater where he stood.

'Naruto'—Azashiro—or… something else. Even he wasn't sure anymore.

The weight of countless memories bore down on him, flooding his mind like an unstoppable tide. Faces, voices, emotions—lives he had lived, deaths he had endured. The past clawed at him, desperate to reclaim him, but the sheer exhilaration of being alive overpowered it.

Yet, like all things, the high was fleeting.

His right eye, the closed eyelid twitched.

A cold realization settled in his gut. Naruto—the real Naruto—was beginning to stir. Soon, he'd be dragged back into the abyss, and this fleeting moment of freedom would be nothing more than a cruel mirage.

He exhaled sharply.

Suddenly, his body locked in place. Then his chakra began draining.

His left eye flickered downward, scanning the ground beneath him. His lower body covered by chakra sucking beetles and under him a thin, inky shadow slithered up from his feet, its tendrils binding him in place. His gaze sharpened.

"Shibi Aburame and Shikaku Nara…" His mind clicked into place. One of Konoha's greatest trackers and the greatest mind that village can produce. "Cunning enough to trap me, but foolish enough to think it will hold."

His thoughts were interrupted. A large shadow loomed over him.

"Big Ball Rasengan!"

A massive sphere of swirling blue chakra spiraled toward him, roaring like a storm unleashed. Jiraiya was fast—faster than he expected. He couldn't block attack like that—or rather, he—didn't intend to block the attack. There was no point. He could tell the force behind it would render any head on attempt of blocking or escaping meaningless.

!BOOOOM!

The ground ruptured from the sheer impact, sending shockwaves tearing through the air. Jiraiya flipped backward, landing beside Shibi and Shikaku as the battlefield trembled.

The dust cloud that followed veiled their vision.

Shikaku's eyes flicked to Jiraiya. "Did you get him?"

Jiraiya didn't answer immediately. His sharp gaze remained locked on the settling dust. "Did you here what that Kumo nin said, Azashiro, the man that died in the invasion of Uzu. This man couldn't be him, he's too young but to old to be Naruto, all of this must be a coincidence, right?"

Shikaku eyed the Toad Sage, "The Uzumaki was known to tamper with the tethers between the living and the dead. I wouldn't be surprised if it was him resurrected. But why now? Revenge maybe?"

Jiraiya head couldn't care about a dead man, "Damn it, screw him I need know what happened to Naruto! Where's my God son!? he yelled into the dust.

A faint buzzing sound reached their ears.

"My hive confirms that man is still alive," Shibi reported as he materialized beside them, an unconscious Tsume and Kuromaru draped over his shoulders. His insects swarmed anxiously around him. "But I must warn you—this man is beyond our ability to contain."

Kakashi appeared next, landing smoothly beside them a bit beat up, his Sharingan still exposed. "Isn't that the truth," he muttered, assessing the scene. His visible eye flickered toward Jiraiya. "So… what's the plan?"

Jiraiya's expression was grim. His gut told him something is off.

He clenched his fists.

"We need to subdue him," he ordered. "I think Naruto and this man are connected somehow. Whatever's happening… we need him alive."

Shikaku, however, frowned deeply at those. His hands instinctively reached for the pouch on his back, preparing shadow binding jutsu just in case. Then, almost to himself, he muttered the name the Kumo Ninja said in earnest.

"Azashiro Uzumaki…"

Kakashi's head snapped toward him, confusion written across his face. "Who?"

Shikaku didn't answer immediately. His eyes flicked toward Jiraiya, whose expression was grim. The Toad Sage's lips were pressed into a thin line.

Kakashi caught that.

"You know who that is," Kakashi pressed, his voice lowering slightly.

Jiraiya exhaled. "He was the brother of Ashina, the leader of Whirlpool, during the Third Great War he was… trouble," he finally admitted. His voice, though calm, carried the weight of history behind it. "Back then, the war really pressured them and caused a rift between the Uzumaki, two sides of the same coin. One followed a peaceful path, aiding allies, becoming Konoha's greatest supporters in the War effort"

He paused.

"The other… was Azashiro personal militia."

Shikaku, watching the dust begin to settle, added gravely, "He believed that survival meant strength. That his clan's kindness made them weak. He wasn't just feared by the shinobi world—he was hated by his adversaries. But the invasion of Whirlpool commenced…"

"What happened?" Kakashi questioned

Shikaku exhaled, remembering the devastation that man had left in his wake. "Let's just say he made sure the world would never forget his name."

Kakashi, now understanding the severity of their situation, grimaced. "If that's true, if this really is Azashiro, then this isn't necessarily a battle we can win easily." He said towards the Toad Sage

Jiraiya nodded but remained focused, he knew how much power he had put into that strike—it should have been enough to at least cripple him.

Yet… something felt wrong. His instincts screamed at him, warning him of a threat still looming.

The dust began to settle.

He narrowed his eyes, he saw something looming but he couldn't figure it out, a flicker of green light is all he can make out.

Soon, Jiraiya's and Kakashi eyes widened as the smoke finally began to clear, revealing a spectral green skeletal form surrounding the man. The entity stood tall, its hollow eyes burning with an ominous glow, its structure jagged yet powerful, flickering like a half-formed Susanoo.

But Jiraiya's attention was not on the chakra construct.

It was on Naruto's lone eye.

The eye with multiple red irises was now gone—replaced by a blazing Mangekyō Sharingan. He knew then that was Shisui eye.

Jiraiya staggered back, his face paling. "No..."

"S-So it is you…" the Sannin muttered, his voice laced with disbelief and dread.

'Naruto' stepped forward, his expression one of pure amusement, his crimson eye whirling with power. The eerie skeletal form moved with him, its faint flickering light illuminating the battlefield.

Jiraiya's nightmare had become reality.

As the dust fully settled, 'Naruto' smiled—his Mangekyō Sharingan shining brilliantly in the dimming light.

Kakashi's throat went dry as he finally whispered the name that now carried an entirely different meaning.

"…Naruto."

XXX

Unknown

"Hey Naruto wake up" the voice rung out, the red haired boy began shifting around.

"... wake up sleepy head!"

Suddenly, Naruto's eyes shot open as he gasped for air. His body jerked upright, drenched in sweat, his heartbeat thundering in his chest.

He blinked rapidly, disoriented. His hands gripped the soft fabric beneath him, grounding himself as his breath came in sharp, uneven bursts.

He wasn't on a battlefield. He wasn't surrounded by flames or destruction. There was no overwhelming pressure of chakra suffocating the air.

This was… a room?

His room.

His head swam with confusion. The battle, the power, the chaos—it all felt so distant now. Like a fleeting nightmare slipping through his fingers.

But was it really a nightmare?

His hands trembled as he looked down at himself. His breath caught in his throat.

He was wearing them.

The black shirt with the Uchiha emblem. The grey shorts.

The same clothes Shisui had given him when he first entered the academy.

Naruto's chest tightened.

"Was it a dream? Or… was everything else the dream?"

He clenched his fingers around the fabric of his shirt, his pulse roaring in his ears as he turned toward the dimly lit mirror across the room.

Slowly. Hesitantly.

His reflection stared back at him.

Blue.

His eyes were the same striking blue they had always been. No Sharingan. No scar.

Just… him.

His breathing grew uneven as he placed a hand over his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was real. This was real.

But then why did it feel so wrong?

He swallowed thickly, forcing his legs to move. Stumbling forward, he made his way to his dresser, yanking open the top drawer with shaky hands.

His fingers brushed against the worn edges of an old photograph, and he hesitated before pulling it out.

It was the same one.

A picture of him and Shisui, taken long before everything had gone so horribly wrong.

A lump formed in his throat. His vision blurred.

"Brother…" He whispered the name, barely able to get it out.

For a brief, fleeting moment, he could almost hear that voice again.

"Hey there, Tomato head. Looks like you're finally awake…"

His blood ran cold.

The air in the room stilled, heavy with something unseen but familiar.

And then—

A shadow flickered in the reflection of the mirror behind him.

Naruto's eyes widened.

XXX

Battlefield

A heavy silence hung over the battlefield. Smoke curled around the shattered earth, embers flickering in the air like dying stars. The once chaotic battleground had reached a tense standstill.

Across the ruined field, shinobi from both Konoha and Kumo stood frozen, weapons drawn, yet hesitant. Not because they didn't wish to fight, but because an oppressive force bound them in place.

And at the center of it all, he stood.

The emerald glow of the giant Susanoo loomed around him, its skeletal frame towering into the sky. The ethereal warrior's many-eyed gaze glowed ominously as it rested a colossal hand upon its master's shoulder. A flickering, monstrous guardian forged from raw chakra and hatred.

Jiraiya's heart pounded in his chest. "Shisui's legendary Susanoo..." he muttered.

"Naruto?" Kakashi said disbelievingly

But just as swiftly as it appeared, the Susanoo vanished. The towering green specter faded into nothingness, dissolving as if it had never been there. But its presence still lingered, imprinted in the minds of those who had witnessed it.

Then, the tension snapped.

"That's not who you think it is—he's a demon!" Bee staggered forward, blood running from his temple, his body trembling with exhaustion. The irony wasn't lost on anyone, considering he himself was a Jinchūriki.

Jiraiya's gaze remained sharp as he stepped forward, his presence steady. "Explain," he commanded.

Bee never tore his eyes away from 'Naruto.' His teeth clenched, his fists trembling with barely contained fury. "Jiraiya despite our villages problems, we both remember how much of a problem the Uzumaki were. Especially that man... How can I not remember that eye? That power he showed? I recognize that eye… You don't understand. He killed almost all of our men! Everyone was gone!"

Kakashi's single eye widened in realization, and Jiraiya let out a slow breath, absorbing the weight of Bee's words.

"Azashiro Uzumaki..."

Shikaku, ever the strategist, frowned deeply. "But that still doesn't make sense. If he is back… why is he here now? And in Naruto's body of all things?"

Bee's frustration boiled over. His voice cracked with rage.

"BECAUSE HE'S A MONSTER!"

A laugh.

Soft, mocking, laced with amusement.

'Naruto' rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck slightly. His body bore injuries from the Rasengan, but his posture was eerily composed—casual, almost lazy. His torn clothes swayed, his red hair shifting slightly over his face, shadowing his expression.

But when he spoke, his words cut deeper than any blade.

"Of course, you think a man who go to any lengths to protects his family is a monster," he mused, his tone light but cold. "But I forgot—only the Great Nations are allowed to defend themselves, isn't that right?"

A suffocating weight pressed upon them.

The killer intent swept across the battlefield like a tidal wave, thick and absolute. Even hardened shinobi—seasoned warriors who had faced war and death countless times—felt their bodies stiffen. Their instincts screamed at them to run.

For the first time in decades, Jiraiya felt something he hadn't since his youth.

Fear.

His eyes met 'Naruto's'—or rather, his—and what he saw within them made his stomach churn.

This wasn't anger. This wasn't even hatred.

This was judgment.

A cold, detached scrutiny, like one would give a parasite before crushing it beneath their heel.

And then, he smiled. It wasn't kind. It wasn't warm. It was the kind of smile that came just before something irreversible happened.

"You shinobi always find a way to disappoint me…"

The air itself seemed to crack under the weight of his words. The suffocating pressure increased tenfold.

Bee staggered slightly, breathing hard as 'Naruto's' Sharingan spun hypnotically then broke into multiple irises.

"Despite my people's best efforts… despite our need for peace… the only thing you shinobi have ever given us is death. So I did something to prepare for such a situation."

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?"

A chuckle. The kind that made the hairs on the back of one's neck stand on end.

"No matter the entity, person, or place in time… the consequences of existence in this world remain the same."

His voice was neither loud nor enraged—it was worse. Detached.

"As a shinobi, one must always be prepared for death. Yet even the most naive, idealistic fools—like that pitiful brother of mine—are not immune to its grasp."

His left eye red irises spun faster—a vortex of memories, of time long past.

Jiraiya's heart pounded in his chest.

Then came the final nail in the coffin.

"So I had a little conversation with the Shinigami. We came to a deal that benefits us both..."

Everything stopped.

Jiraiya's jaw clenched as every muscle in his body tensed. Kakashi, Shikaku, even Bee—all of them froze at the implication.

Shikaku's voice was barely above a whisper. "T-That's a forbidden technique."

'Naruto's' smirk didn't fade.

Jiraiya's fists tightened. "If what you're saying is true… then what happened to Naruto?"

Silence.

The air stood still.

Then, with a slow, deliberate shrug, 'Naruto' responded.

"He's resting," he said lazily. "How about dealing with me right now?"

Jiraiya and 'Naruto' stood locked in a stare-down, unmoving. The world around them seemed to shrink, leaving only the two of them in a silent war of wills.

The Sanin's jaw was tight, his hands poised, ready to react at a moment's notice. His usual carefree demeanor had evaporated, replaced by something far more dangerous—absolute focus.

Meanwhile, 'Naruto' stood at ease, his crimson eye shifting hypnotically, multiple irises whirling like a vortex of time and judgment. His body language was relaxed, almost bored, but his presence alone was enough to make even the strongest shinobi's instincts scream in warning.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Until Kakashi, unable to take the suffocating silence any longer, exhaled through his mask. "What should we do?" he asked.

Without taking his eyes off 'Naruto,' Jiraiya moved.

In a blur, his hand slammed against Bee's stomach.

"Five pronged Seal Release!"

A pulse of chakra erupted outward. The moment the seal was lifted, Bee's entire body jerked back as his Bijuu's chakra rushed into his system.

"GAAAH!" Bee gasped, his muscles flexing as his energy roared back into him. Sparks of lightning danced across his skin. The oppressive feeling of Naruto's chakra had made him feel powerless before—but now, now he felt like himself again.

He looked down at his hands, clenching them into fists, his breath steadying. The weight that had been suffocating him moments ago was lifted.

Jiraiya turned away from Bee and looked toward the others. His voice carried authority.

"Shikaku, take the squad and return to Konoha immediately. This is above you all."

The Nara Clan Head's brow furrowed, his keen mind calculating the risks, but he didn't argue. He knew that hesitation here would only cost them lives. He gave a small nod.

"And what about them?" Shikaku gestured toward the Kumo-nin.

Jiraiya's gaze flickered to the remaining Kumo shinobi. His tone was flat but firm. "I suggest you do the same."

Yuugito's squad was about to protest, until Bee glared at them.

"Leave." His voice was final. No rap, no jokes. Just a cold, absolute command.

Reluctantly, the Kumo-nin gave a begrudging nod, helping Yuugito to her feet as they prepared to retreat.

In a blur of motion, they disappeared.

Now, only three shinobi stood before 'Naruto.'

Kakashi, still feeling the weight of everything that had just transpired, turned toward Jiraiya. His Sharingan flickered.

"…So what now?"

Jiraiya exhaled sharply. "You two will have to keep him busy until I'm ready."

Bee blinked. "Ready for what?"

Kakashi's eye widened in realization, putting the pieces together.

"Senjutsu?" His voice was laced with disbelief. "Isn't that a bit much?"

Jiraiya didn't respond. He just slammed his hand onto the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A massive plume of smoke erupted, and from the clearing mist emerged two elderly toads.

"Gah! You brute! How many times have I told you not to summon us without warning!?" Shima, the female of the two, smacked Jiraiya on the head.

"Ow! Ow! Calm down, Ma! This is urgent!" Jiraiya winced, rubbing his head.

Fukasaku, the male toad, narrowed his eyes, sensing the oppressive chakra surrounding them. "Jiraiya-boy… who in the world is that?"

The Sanin's lips pressed into a thin line. "It's Naruto."

Both elder toads turned toward 'Naruto,' their eyes widening in horror.

"No… that's not just Naruto…" Fukasaku muttered, his throat dry. "T-The Great Sage was right."

While Jiraiya prepared, Bee and Kakashi stood side by side, staring at their opponent.

Killer Bee rolled his shoulders, his Bijuu chakra flaring back to life. "Well, well… guess that means we ain't enemies no more, Copy-Nin."

Kakashi's single eye remained trained on 'Naruto,' his Sharingan slowly morphing into the Mangekyō.

"We don't have a choice."

Across from them, 'Naruto' smiled.

It was a menacing, knowing smile.

A challenging smile.

His fractured eye glowed ominously, and his chakra swirled around him like a storm.

The air itself seemed to crackle with tension.

The final battle was about to begin.

XXX

Unknown

Naruto stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat. That voice. That nickname. A rush of emotions surged through him, memories long buried bubbling to the surface. He clenched his fists, afraid to turn around, afraid that if he did, this fleeting moment would shatter like fragile glass.

The room was eerily silent, save for the slow rhythm of his own breathing. It was his room—his old room. The one he had known before everything changed. Before he had been taken. Before he had awakened to the truth.

He squeezed his eyes shut. Is this a dream… or did I wake up from one?

"Come on, Tomatohead," the voice called out again, warm and full of the same familiar teasing tone. "You're not seriously gonna ignore me, are you?"

Naruto inhaled sharply. It's him…

Slowly, hesitantly, he turned around.

And there he was.

Shisui Uchiha stood just a few feet away, his usual carefree grin plastered on his face. His short, spiky black hair swayed slightly in the unseen breeze, and his deep onyx eyes held the same warmth they always had. He looked just as Naruto remembered him—just as he had been before he…

"Shisui…" Naruto whispered, his voice cracking, barely able to say the name.

The older Uchiha chuckled. "Man, it's good to see you again, kid."

Naruto took a hesitant step forward, his body trembling. "Is this real?"

Shisui smiled, his gaze softening. "As real as it needs to be."

Naruto's breathing grew unsteady as he struggled to find the right words. "I-I'm so h-happy you're here..." He began crying, the weight of everything crashing down on him all at once

He had so much to say, so much to ask—but nothing felt enough. "I—" His voice broke, and before he knew it, he had rushed forward, his arms wrapping tightly around Shisui. "I've missed you so much…" he admitted, his voice muffled against Shisui's shoulder.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, a warm chuckle. "I've missed you too, little brother."

Naruto held on tighter, as if afraid that letting go would make him disappear again. "Please don't leave me big brother, let's stay here forever."

Shisui's voice was gentle. "I'm sorry Naruto but you can't stay here."

Naruto flinched but didn't move. "I don't care. I just… I don't want to go back. I don't even know who I am anymore." His voice was filled with frustration, with anguish. "Everything's changed so quick. I don't know what's real. I don't know if I'm me… or something else."

Shisui pulled back slightly, resting a reassuring hand on Naruto's head like he used to when they trained together. "Listen to me, Naruto." His tone was serious now.

"You will be forced to walk down a long dark path, one that's filled with pain and suffering. I have to apologize, because I can't be with you through it all. Still I hope you don't falter from your path and keep moving forward as a Leaf ninja." He finished in earnest.

Naruto swallowed hard, looking up at him. "I can't go back to the Leaf, not after everything they done... Everything they taken from me, no from us!"

Shisui chuckled at his brother anger, "Hard headed as usual" He muttered but to Naruto's horror he began to light up, "Listen. No matter what path you take—even if it's a dark one—I want you to remember something.."

The young boy began crying as Shisui hugged him for the last time.

"I'll always love you," Shisui said softly. "I'll always be proud of you."

Naruto's breath hitched. "But what if I—"

"No what-ifs." Shisui cut him off with a firm shake of his head. "You're still you, Naruto. No power, no curse, no eye will ever change that. I believe in you. And even if the world turns its back on you, even if you stumble, even if you fall…" He smiled warmly, his eyes filled with an unshakable faith. "I'll always be with you."

Naruto bit his lip, his vision blurring. His hands trembled at his sides, clenching and unclenching. "Please brother… I don't want you to go."

Shisui's smile softened. "I know. I'm sorry but I have to rest now." He exhaled slowly, a look of pure peace crossing his face, he began fading. "I held on for so long, hoping to see you one last time. And now that I have… I know you'll be alright."

Naruto extended his arms in desperation as his brother faded away. When he was gone, he sat there in the dark.

"I'm alone. Again.." He muttered

"But you don't have to be, son..." A deep voice rung out