37Fixing it at the source
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Chapter 1 Prologue
Lying among debris and dust one Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto was breathing laboured breaths while being deep in thought. He won. In the end it was a fact that he really beat Madara, Sasuke and Obito. But was the price that was paid for it really worth it? In the end basically all the Shinobi died fighting. But seeing them all die, running at the enemy without fear of dying and then getting slaughtered by Madara, Sasuke or Obito was something that was hard to deal with. Someone that you foolishly thought of as a friend, a brother even, killing friends and comrades made him understand the simple truth that Sasuke never really was his friend. And in the end nothing could have saved him because he didn't want to be saved.
After he cut down Sakura and started laughing like a maniac the naive idea of saving Sasuke from being one more maniacal Uchiha literally vaporised in his mind. In the end the curse of hatred seemed to really be a part of every Uchiha. Seeing Tsunade, a person that he thought of as some kind of maternal figure in his life, killed by a Mokuton Jutsu created by her grandfather and used by his rival made it all the more clear that declaring he could protect everyone was one more part of the wishful thinking of his naive, immature and childish self.
Kakashi, a person that became a good friend over the years of fighting in the 4th war had helped him greatly in becoming a real Shinobi instead of a chakra-throwing, brash idiot. In the end only being as strong as people like Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara himself would make it possible to bring an end to this war. Not having the potential to reach such a level was certainly not the problem but to reach those levels of strength you had to have a sensei to guide you there. Kakashi was certainly a strong shinobi but even he was 'only' an A borderline S-class Shinobi. Seeing that reaching those levels was certainly not possible in such a short amount of time trying to get rid of Madara and co. another way was the only option. So while simultaneously improving on his different skills, even mastering his secondy affinity for water and attaining a third affinity for lighting through training with Kakashi, he aslo had to get more cunning and work out a plan that had to work against someone with the experience of Uchiha Madara.
It obviously wasn't an easy feat but in the end he did it. Kakashi killed his old teammate Obito in battle before being turned to ash because of Madara. Sasuke died because he received a wind blade that shredded his heart from Naruto. And Madara, Madara was only defeat through a stroke of luck on Naruto's side. The madman was even stronger then anticipated beforehand and even the Hiraishin didn't help much. It certainly made surviving easier but killing him using only the Hiraishin was as impossible as thought. After a long and arduous fight the arrogance of the old Uchiha was his downfall. Even though Sasuke took that Uchiha arrogance to the peek Madara wasn't far behind him.
And now after all this trouble he was about to die anyway. Being the only one still with him Naruto turned his attention to his companion and friend. He owed the fox so much he probably forgot more then half of the times that the fox saved his life in some way. Closing his eyes to enter his mindscape Naruto thought about the insignificance of it all one last time.
Entering his mindscape Naruto now stood in a giant forest with a clearing that housed the fox. Naruto had changed the place from it's former sewer to look like this after realising how much he really owed to the fox. In the middle of the clearing lay a fox with nine tails a bit bigger in size then a horse.
Feeling his container and friend enter the mindscape Kurama opened his slitted red eyes to look in the slightly slitted dark blue ones of the very same container. The whisker marks on his face had long since vanished because he learned how to purify the normally toxic chakra of the bijuu and because Kurama held his influence back after they became partners and friends, though he would never admit it to him out loud.
„In the end it was all in vain anyways it seems huh?" asked Naruto after walking closer to the fox. „Before this is all over I want to thank you for everything once again Kurama. So before I really die I will free you from the seal so that you may live and not die with my in my mindscape." after saying his part Naruto stepped up to Kurama and scratched him behind the ear one final time before taking a step back to release him from the seal.
Seeing what his container was about to do Kurama spoke up before he could do something stupid once again „Before you do something like that I want to remind you that like I said many times before I do not really mind being sealed in you. Also I hope you haven't forgotten the last thing that you stumbled upon in the things left behind from your father? Because I know you haven't forgotten that seal just yet. You even finished it before starting this last battle. I do not see why you do not take this chance to possibly change it all for the better."
Hearing Kurama talk about that particular seal made Naruto stop his course of action. Thinking back to it made Naruto consider. It was a finished seal that was usable but was it worth tempering with time, could he really shoulder a burden like that once again? „What would happen to you if I would use the seal?" asked Naruto seemingly already having made his decision.
Hearing his jailers response Kurama flashed him a grin „I would stay with you but the other me would feel me in you and probably react aggresively. He would force his chakra through the seal if the issue isn't fixed accordingly and as soon as possible. It will most likely be like a tug'o'war again just like when you took my chakra." said the fox while hiding the fact that he was quite happy with, despite his container's change in attitude, still being on of his top priorities.
Hearing this got Naruto to make his decision. He would use the seal, travel back in time and change it all for the better. After those thoughts the worry that came with his logical and fuinjutsu side got to the forefront if his mind again. Even though the seal was perfectly finished and complete, time-travel was never attempted before and because of this he couldn't be sure that it would work the way it was supposed to.
Crushing those doubts with the fact that he would either die trying, not die because it worked or die because his body just couldn't handle the stress anymore Naruto looked at his companion once again with a new resolve shining in his eyes. „It will take a substantial amount of chakra for the seal to bring us far enough back in time to have a real impact on the situation. I was thinking about the start of the 3rd Great Ninja War because the whole Obito thing started in that time.". Hearing his partners reasoning Kurama nodded his head once to agree with him. Seeing the nod Naruto stretched once in his ANBU outift before starting to draw the seal with his chakra in his mindscape. After drawing for about thirty minutes despite having the speed of a fuinjutsu master Naruto finally finished it. Looking up he could see Kurama looking at him and the seal. Looking around the mindscape Naruto could see it starting to disintegrate because his body was slowly giving into the grasp of the Shinigami.
Before activating the seal with all of the chakra that he could Naruto once again addressed his tenant „If because of whatever reason the seal doesn't work and I die I just want to say that you have been a great companion, partner and friend. Thank you, Kurama.".
After saying this the seal glowed blue and both of them aswell as Narutos body in the real world were enveloped in a blinding flash of light.
END
That marks the end of this little introduction and prologue to this story.