138A/N: Hello, this is a fic that has been revised from my original posting. For you that are new to it, this is a fanfic that I wrote years ago and I want to give it a shot at finishing it. It's a op Naruto fic, that was inspired by Ancestral Power by FirstStory. I feel like I have gotten better as a writer. Until chapter 10, this is what I originally wrote, just some grammatical fixes. Enjoy!
As Naruto and Sasuke watched Kaguya get sealed away into the Planetary Devastation, they took a moment to relax. It was finally over. After all these years, the threat that the shinobi world would end was finally gone.
"I am proud of you three. You've each grown into strong shinobi," Kakashi said as he watched Kaguya continue to be sealed away.
"It wasn't easy, but I'm glad you were able to help us, Sasuke," Naruto said with his signature smile, looking at his longtime friend and teammate.
"Whatever," Sasuke responded in his usual nonchalant tone as he watched the seal complete. Just as it seemed everything would be fine, the world Kaguya had created began to crumble.
"What is that?" Sakura asked, struggling to keep her balance.
"It seems Mother's chakra world is on the path to destruction. I'm opening the portal for you all to return," came the voice of an elderly man.
As if on cue, a portal appeared out of nowhere, leading back to the battlefield. Team 7 hurried to the exit, but they were stopped when Naruto suddenly screamed in pain.
Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi all looked on in shock as they saw that Naruto's legs were impaled by a bone-like weapon, causing his leg to crumble away.
"Don't tell me that—" Sasuke was abruptly cut off as another bone-like dagger pierced his chest, hitting his heart. Time seemed to slow down as the horror unfolded.
Sakura couldn't even muster words. Her two teammates and closest friends were attacked out of nowhere.
Kakashi looked up to see Kaguya with her head and arm outstretched, pointing at the two who had caused her defeat. "She shouldn't have been able to return to her human form unless…" he trailed off, watching Sakura attempt to help her team.
"T-to think… she… was still a-alive," Naruto stuttered as he felt his body starting to fail and crumble away. They were so close to finishing the war, but it seemed like Kaguya had other plans, determined to take them with her.
Naruto looked over to see Sasuke on the ground, near death. He gazed up at the sky as he slowly crumbled away.
"D-dammit… I guess this is the end," Sasuke said, feeling his body grow more and more lifeless.
"G-get out of here, you two!" Naruto shouted at Kakashi and Sakura, breaking them out of their stupor and back to reality.
"MR. SIX PATHS! NARUTO AND SASUKE ARE HURT AND CRUMBLING AWAY!" Sakura yelled into the portal. Her vision blurred as she watched Naruto and Sasuke fall to a fate they didn't deserve.
Kakashi watched the world begin to cave in and knew they had no choice but to leave. There was no saving them, just as there had been no saving Obito earlier.
He bit his lip, grabbed Sakura, and dragged her through the portal just before it closed, leaving Naruto and Sasuke behind.
Naruto watched as the portal closed and gave a small smile. At least he knew he had saved the world. He looked over to see that Sasuke had already perished.
He closed his eyes for the final time, succumbing to darkness. His last memory was of his parents' faces before he drifted into sleep.
From the Planetary Devastation, Kaguya watched as she was finally sealed. "Ashura and Indra, you belong to me. You're my precious grandchildren," she said, tears falling from her eyes as she was sealed away permanently. Moments later, the world fell into its own destruction, and there was no more.
Naruto gasped as he sat up suddenly. He felt as though he had just experienced a nightmare. Looking around, he saw nothing but an empty white space.
"What a crazy dream. I almost thought I died there," he said to himself.
"You did die, you idiot. We both did," came a familiar voice he knew all too well.
Naruto turned to his left and saw Sasuke sitting there, arms crossed as if he had nothing better to do.
"You're kidding, right? So that was real?!" Naruto screamed in panic.
"As much as I hate to admit it, it was real. I can't even reincarnate your body back into your world because Mother's chakra world was destroyed after she was sealed," the voice of the Sage said as he appeared in front of the two war heroes.
"So, I guess this really is it. I didn't even get to become Hokage," Naruto said as he began to tear up.
"I am sorry this has happened to you two. I wish I could reverse it, but that is beyond my power. However, I can offer you two another option if you'd like," the Sage said solemnly.
"What is it that you can offer us, Great Sage?" Sasuke demanded immediately, his gaze fixed on the Old Sage.
"Hey, bastard, have some respect, will ya? This is the Six Paths we're talking to!" Naruto retorted, pushing Sasuke. It was surprising to both of them for Naruto to act like that, but perhaps it was because of how everything had turned out.
The two were cut off by a chuckle from Hagoromo. It had been a while since he'd had a good laugh. "You two definitely remind me of Indra and Ashura. Anyway, what I offer is a chance at a new life in another world. You'll have the same appearance and everything, but you'll start over in a new world. Or, you can move on into the afterlife and rest peacefully with your loved ones."
Both Naruto and Sasuke became intrigued when he mentioned living peacefully with loved ones. Naruto could be with his parents again, and Sasuke could be reunited with his family and clan.
After a few moments of silence, Sasuke was the first to respond. "I'll take your second offer. I have no reason to start over in a new world without family or friends, especially if I retain everything I have now."
He paused before continuing. "I've lived my life and found the answers I sought. It's best for me to relax in peace and catch up with my family," Sasuke said, a small, rare smile crossing his face.
"Are you sure this is the decision you want? Once this happens, there's no going back," Hagoromo asked, awaiting a response.
"I'm positive," Sasuke quickly replied, turning to Naruto with a look of regret in his eyes that Naruto immediately noticed.
"H-hey—" Naruto began, but Sasuke cut him off by holding out his hand. "I know I was never known for this, but I want to apologize for all the pain I caused you and Sakura. I was driven by hate and sorrow, which fueled the life I led. Had I just listened to Kakashi-sensei, things might have turned out differently." Sasuke paused, his voice thick with emotion. He felt tears, for the first time in ages, threatening to fall. He couldn't believe he was being this vulnerable in the face of death.
"After fighting as a team again, I realized how much I missed out, and I truly regret that. I hope you can forgive me, old friend," he finished, offering his hand to Naruto.
Naruto was at a loss for words at Sasuke's out-of-character apology. It took him a moment, but he regained his senses and knew Sasuke was waiting for a response.
Naruto firmly grasped Sasuke's hand, shaking it, and gave him a thumbs-up with a smile.
"It's all forgiven, 'old friend.' As long as you're at peace, I can say I completed my promise and brought you home… kind of." He said this with tears in his eyes, knowing he didn't fully keep the promise of bringing Sasuke home.
'If only you could see this now, Sakura. I believe I fulfilled my promise to you—just in a different way,' Naruto thought to himself. He released the handshake, and Sasuke turned back to the Six Paths.
"I'm ready to go home," Sasuke said with a small smile. Hagoromo nodded and held out his staff, touching Sasuke's heart. Sasuke was enveloped in a blue light as his spirit was lifted into the air.
"It's been fun, Naruto," Sasuke said, closing his eyes. Naruto watched with a grin as his friend moved on to the afterlife. Now, it was his turn.
"So, Old Man Sage, if I take your offer, can you tell me more about this world?" Naruto asked, his tone serious.
"Of course, Naruto. I am offering you a new life in a world called Earthland. It's a world of wizards and magic, truly magnificent, though a darkness clouds it. I offered this to you and Sasuke because you finally brought peace to this world, something that took generations to accomplish," Hagoromo said, his voice tinged with sadness.
"You really were the child of prophecy needed to unite this world once and for all. Even though the ending was unexpected, not even I foresaw Mother's last move. You still accomplished the task. I will be sure to pass along this victory to your friends as they are released from the Infinite Tsukuyomi," the Sage added.
"I see. Well, before I make my decision, will I have to learn magic and everything, or can I go with everything I've learned?" Naruto asked, seeking clarification.
He remembered Sasuke mentioning something like that earlier but needed to be sure he heard correctly.
"To be honest, if you accept my offer, I will make you a deal you can't pass up. I will offer you my entire arsenal of powers, combined with what you've earned and the nine bijuu. You will essentially live as the Sage of Six Paths in that timeline. Is that something you think you could handle?" Hagoromo asked with a hopeful look, eager to hear Naruto's response.
"That's an insane amount of power. Can I even handle all that?" Naruto asked, his mouth agape. He thought he had a large arsenal of jutsu, but in reality, it was mostly variations of the Rasenshuriken and Rasengan, along with his clones and Kurama's chakra mode.
"With enough practice, you can. You will have immense power, but it's easy to be corrupted by it. However, I've watched you your entire life, and I know you won't succumb to that. That's why I'm willing to do this," the Sage reassured, watching Naruto think it over.
Hagoromo knew of one more thing that might sway Naruto's decision. "I will also offer you the chance to see your parents before you go to this new world," he said clearly.
When Naruto froze, Hagoromo knew he had sealed the deal.
"If I can see them one more time, I'm willing to do it," Naruto said, his voice shaking.
Hagoromo smiled as he closed his eyes and summoned Kushina and Minato's spirits into their realm for a brief moment.
Naruto watched as two blue lights formed in front of him, and before he knew it, his parents were there—the two people who loved him more than anything, the ones who had given their lives for him.
"Oh… my… god…" Kushina whispered, her voice trembling as she began to tear up. Seeing Naruto here meant he had passed on. Minato, too, was in shock, having just learned of Naruto's death.
"Hey, Mom—" Naruto didn't get to finish as Kushina engulfed him in a bear-crushing hug, sobbing uncontrollably. Naruto tried not to cry as he returned the embrace.
"I know you weren't expecting to see me so soon, hahaha. But it's okay. I'm fine, and I'm happy. I requested to see you guys through the Old Man Sage," Naruto said as he finally freed himself from Kushina's embrace, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"What do you mean by 'Old Man Sage,' Naruto?" Kushina asked, her question answered when Minato pointed toward the Sage of Six Paths, who floated not far from them.
"It is an honor, Great Sage," Minato said with a respectful bow. Even though he had just been in the physical world, hearing about Naruto and Sasuke's deaths and sacrifices, it was still shocking to be brought here almost instantly.
"No need to be formal with me. Naruto wanted to spend some time with you before accepting my offer," the Sage said with a kind smile.
"Offer?" both parents asked simultaneously, turning to Naruto, who was smiling brightly.
"A big reason I wanted to see you two was to let you know that I was sad I didn't get to become Hokage or finish my dream. But after talking to the Sage, he made me a new offer—a chance to bring peace to another world," Naruto explained with a bit of enthusiasm.
"I mean, I had a rough life, but I worked hard to gain the strength to protect others. If I can do this in another world and maybe even pass on my knowledge and hardships to someone else, maybe that can change the future of that world too," he said, grinning widely.
"That's great, my dear. I support you in whatever you choose to do or become. It's my role as a mother to love and support you. All I ask is that you stay safe, live your life to the fullest, and find a partner to start a family with, giving me grandkids!" Kushina said, her last words a mix of excitement and sadness.
"I promise, Mom. And as for your other rules, I followed the money one really well! Watching Pervy Sage blow his money on booze and women left a negative impression on me, so I just saved up and didn't care to drink. As for women… well, I haven't found anyone yet, but I'll find someone beautiful and kind, just like you. I promise!" Naruto said with a bittersweet expression, not wanting to mention how many years he had missed out on that chance due to his denseness.
Naruto was pulled from his thoughts when he heard a sniffle. He looked up to see Kushina, smiling widely with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I'm so glad my love and words reached you, both when you were born and after our first meeting, y'know," she said, still crying as Naruto walked up and embraced her again, which she gladly returned.
Minato simply smiled as he watched the exchange unfold. Though he wasn't much of a talker, he knew he had to say something to pass on to his son.
"Naruto, I know I didn't explain everything you needed to know when we first met, and I regret that. But I want to say I'm proud of everything you've accomplished. I know it's not much, but since you're heading to a new world, I want to pass on my jutsu and fuinjutsu knowledge to you," Minato said with a smile. He looked toward the Sage to see if this was possible, and when Hagoromo nodded, he sighed in relief.
Kushina perked up at Minato's words and decided to pass on her own Uzumaki knowledge as well.
"If that's your final request, then I'll allow you to share this knowledge during these last moments. I have to return soon to release everyone else from the Infinite Tsukuyomi and clean up the Divine Tree," the Sage said, looking kindly at the family.
They all nodded, and Minato was the first to present a scroll with a small seal on it.
"This contains everything I learned about fuinjutsu from Jiraiya-sensei and from Kushina's clan, along with my Flying Thunder God Technique. It'll take time to master, but I wouldn't be surprised if you learn it quicker than you did the Rasengan," Minato said with a smile as he handed Naruto the scroll.
Kushina was next, placing a kiss on Naruto's forehead. Unbeknownst to him, she transferred her chakra chains to him.
"I transferred the chains I used to restrain Kurama. I know you won't need them, since I hear you two are friends now, but I want you to have them for protection. I wasn't the best at ninjutsu like your dad, but the seals in those scrolls are from our clan, and a few are my own originals," she said proudly.
"Thank you so much. I love you both so much, and I wish I could join you in the afterlife. But I don't think it's my time yet. Not when I know I have another chance to help others," Naruto said with a sad smile.
So much was happening, and Naruto was tempted to say "screw it" and go with them to the afterlife, but he knew it wasn't his time yet. He knew they would always be with him as he lived his new life.
Kushina and Minato stepped back, giving one final wave to Naruto. They smiled and mouthed an "I love you" before their spirits returned to the afterlife. Naruto was truly content after that, knowing nothing could take this moment from him.
He turned toward the Six Paths with a serious expression and smiled. "I'm ready whenever you are, Old Man Sage."
Hagoromo smiled and nodded, holding out his staff toward Naruto's chest. "From this day forward, you will live as Naruto Uzumaki, the Sage of Six Paths. You'll have access to my powers, including both the Rinnegan and Sharingan, which you can activate at will. The nine bijuu will travel with you, as they are safer with you in this world than in ours. You will retain all the abilities you've learned, including your Sage Mode from Mt. Myoboku, although you won't be able to summon the toads, as there's no portal to Mt. Myoboku in this new world. You'll also have whatever your parents passed on to you," Hagoromo explained, running through everything he was offering.
"Is there anything else you'd like to pass on to your friends back on Earth?" the Sage asked, looking at Naruto.
Naruto thought for a second before smiling. "Just let them know that Naruto Uzumaki will always be with them, in their hearts. Believe it!" he said with a thumbs-up.
Hagoromo smiled and nodded at the boy's final request. "I will tell them. Farewell, Naruto, and take care of this world, just as you did ours. I'm counting on you," he said, pressing his staff into Naruto's chest. Naruto was enveloped in a white light before disappearing.
Hagoromo stood there for a moment, looking at the spot where Naruto had been. "It's the end of an era," he said with a smile as he prepared to take care of what was left in the shinobi world.
Naruto awoke with a headache as he returned to the land of the living. He stood up and stretched, realizing that everything was as the old man had said. He looked down at his outfit and saw that he was still in his ninja gear, except it was all black, and his jacket resembled his Sage of Six Paths jacket, only it was orange with black flames.
He rubbed his forehead, wondering if he had horns like the Old Man Sage did, and smiled when he didn't. He felt his forehead protector and smiled at that too. As he patted himself down, he noticed a couple of things in his pocket.
He pulled out the scroll his dad had given him and smiled, grateful it had traveled with him. He placed it in his back ninja pouch. Then, he pulled out the other item and nearly cried. It was a picture of him and his parents, taken back in the spirit realm, with a sunset in the background. It showed Minato and him grinning while Kushina gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Naruto smiled up at the sky and thanked the Old Sage for this gift. He carefully placed the picture in his back pocket for safekeeping.
He closed his eyes and shouted as loud as he could in his subconscious, "YO, KURAMA!"
"SHUT THE HELL UP, KID! WE'RE TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THAT TRAVEL!" yelled a voice, startling Naruto. It wasn't Kurama—it sounded like…
"Don't mind Shukaku, Naruto. We all hear you. We need to recover our energy, so don't rely on us just yet. You should be fine, though, since
"Don't mind Shukaku, Naruto. We all hear you. We need to recover our energy, so don't rely on us just yet. You should be fine, though, since you have Pops' power and chakra," came the voice of Gyuki, the Eight-Tails.
"Ah, okay. I just wanted to make sure everything was fine. You guys rest up. We'll talk later. Right now, I need to figure out where I am in this Earthland and where to go from here," Naruto said as he reopened his eyes, noticing they had been replaced with the famed Sharingan.
"Now I see why the Uchiha were so envied. This is awesome—I can practically see everything!" Naruto said, his eyes widening in awe. He then let them evolve into the next stage—the Mangekyo Sharingan. His eyes took on a black iris with a red five-point star. After a moment, he blinked, and his eyes returned to their normal blue.
After calming down from the excitement of his new abilities, Naruto looked out into the distance. He saw a large town, but what really caught his attention was the giant building near the center, which looked like a castle and had a huge emblem on it—a crest of some kind.
"Maybe I can get my answers there," Naruto thought as he took off in the direction of the building. Part of him wished he had just retired peacefully with his parents, but the excitement of being given another chance to save a world without dying overwhelmed him.
"I won't let you guys down. I promise," Naruto thought with a grin as he made his way toward the unknown.
Thanks for reading!