*EDIT: I'm currently going over this again, mostly to refine grammar and vocabulary because this is pretty outdated. I'm also retouching some fights and dialogue, currently (3rd April, 2025) I'm at chapter 8. Apart from these minor edits, everything will remain the same. So feel free to read.
Power levels in this story are different from canon, some characters have been buffed or nerfed for the sake of plot.
Also very important to note that in this *Alternate universe* every tailed beast is at the same level of power, they all have their equivalent of KCM1/KCM2 and similar amounts of chakra. What sets jinchuriki/tailed beasts apart is their individual skill (and some other stuff) but bottom line is don't expect Naruto to start steamrolling everyone from chapter 3 or something. It's going to be a hard but steady climb upwards, especially given his situation here, but it'll be worth it eventually (hopefully).
This is an AU, there are a *lot* of changes from the world itself, to characterization. But fortunately, Naruto isn't an edgelord lol.
This story had no beta, so I genuinely appreciate feedback and criticism, as long as it's in good taste. I'm almost certain there are some things I missed/could've executed better.
**(Art commission bot spammers do not interact I will block you on sight)**
The sky over Konoha's defensive trenches was a nightmarish tableau of smoke and fire. Konoha's forces were entrenched, desperately trying to hold the line against the relentless assault of Kumo's shinobi. The ground shook with each thunderous explosion from Kumo's newly invented artillery, tearing through the defensive fortifications and scattering debris and bodies alike. The relentless barrage of Kumo's artillery turned the battlefield into a hellscape, the ground trembling with each deafening explosion. The Leaf shinobi, seasoned and green alike, found themselves in a desperate struggle for survival against an unseen, overpowering force.
The artillery shells whistled through the air before detonating with bone-rattling force, sending shrapnel and earth flying in all directions. Every explosion was a symphony of destruction, drowning out the cries of the wounded and the shouted commands of the officers. The once orderly trench lines were now a chaotic mess of craters, rubble, and bodies.
Shinobi clung to whatever cover they could find3 April, , their faces streaked with dirt and fear. Some tried to create shields of earth, seeking refuge from the deadly rain of metal. Others, caught in the open, were torn apart by the blasts, their screams abruptly silenced. The air was thick with dust and the stinging smell of smoke, making it hard to breathe, let alone see.
A young genin huddled against the earthen wall, his hands pressed over his ears in a futile attempt to block out the noise. His eyes were wide with terror, tears cutting paths through the grime on his cheeks. Nearby, a jonin shouted orders, trying to organize a defense, but his voice was lost in the cacophony.
Sakura Haruno moved through this nightmare with single-minded determination. Her pink hair was matted with sweat and grime, and her eyes burned with determination. She barked orders to the other medics, her voice barely audible over the hellish noise of battle. Her chakra glowing hands were a rare beacon of calm amidst the chaos. She ignored the explosions, the flying debris, and the screams, focusing only on the task at hand: saving lives.
A massive explosion rocked the trench, and Sakura felt the ground shift beneath her feet. Feeling a spray of dirt and blood hit her face, she felt herself thrown sideways, landing hard against the trench wall. For a moment, her vision blurred, and her ears rang with the impact. She forced herself up, shaking off the disorientation, and rushed to the source of the explosion.
There, she found a squad of Konoha shinobi, their bodies broken and bleeding. The artillery shell had landed directly in their midst, leaving a gruesome scene of carnage. Sakura didn't hesitate. She dropped to her knees beside the nearest soldier, a Chunin whose leg was barely hanging on. Her hands glowed with healing chakra as she worked to stabilize him.
"You're going to be okay," she said, more to herself than to him. "You're going to be okay."
The soldier's eyes fluttered open, filled with pain and fear. "Am... am I...?"
"Don't talk," she ordered, her voice firm. "Just hold on."
As Sakura's chakra knit flesh and bone, the boy's face twisted in agony, but he managed a grateful nod.
All around her, the artillery continued its merciless barrage. The ground shook with each new explosion, sending fresh waves of debris into the air.
In the distance, Sakura could see other medics working frantically, their green chakra glowing in the haze. Some were carrying the wounded to makeshift shelters, while others performed triage right there in the trenches. It was a scene of controlled chaos, every medic doing their best to keep up with the endless stream of casualties.
"Kumo's breaking through!" someone yelled from down the line, and Sakura's heart skipped a beat. She knew what that meant. The front would collapse, and the enemy would pour into the village.
She stood up, her legs aching from hours of crouching and kneeling. Her eyes scanned the battlefield, taking in the advancing Kumo forces engaging whatever was left of the defending forces. Kumo's artillery had created breaches in Konoha's defenses, and their shinobi were exploiting them with ruthless efficiency.
Sakura felt a surge of anger and helplessness as she worked. The artillery was a cruel, impersonal enemy, striking without warning or mercy. It was a challenge unlike any they had faced before, and it was testing their limits in the most brutal way possible.
Then, out of the smoke and chaos, came a brilliant figure—Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, had arrived, and for the first time since the bombardment began, hope sparked in Sakura's heart.
His presence was like a beacon of hope, and for a moment, the battle paused as both sides took in the sight of the Yellow Flash. Minato moved with impossible speed, his kunai flashing as he cut through the Kumo ranks. Konoha's forces rallied around him, their spirits lifted by his arrival.
Sakura watched in awe as Minato decimated the enemy lines, his teleportation jutsu turning the tide of the battle. The Kumo shinobi, caught off guard by his sudden appearance, began to falter. Their artillery, so devastating moments before, became useless in the face of Minato's relentless assault. Calling in fire on him was only going to affect their own men.
"Retreat! Fall back!" came the panicked cries from the Kumo commanders, but it was too late. Minato's presence had already turned the tide. Konoha's remaining forces surged forward, pushing the invaders back with renewed vigor.
Sakura didn't allow herself to relax. There were still lives to save, still soldiers to heal. But as she moved to the next injured comrade, the explosions seemed a little less terrifying, the noise a little less overwhelming. Minato's arrival had brought more than just a tactical advantage; it had brought a renewed sense of hope and determination to the battered defenders of Konoha.
As the Kumo shinobi retreated, the artillery fell silent, and the sounds of battle began to fade. The Fourth Hokage's intervention had saved them, but the cost was high. The trench was filled with the dead and dying, the ground soaked with blood.
Sakura knelt beside another injured comrade, her hands steady despite the weariness that threatened to overwhelm her. She couldn't afford to stop, not now. Not ever.