Chapter 1
A shift in the power scale, that’s what it was. A single person shifted the power of the Shinobi Alliance or whatever it was called. A massacre and the entire Alliance was gone. But it wasn’t that. Well, there’s no doubt that he was powerful enough to face a horde of enemies alone, that he was an enemy like no one had ever seen before, let alone fought. But that wasn’t the entirety of what it was. No, there are always more factors than what can be seen.
It was the malnourishment, dehydration, unhealthy living conditions, weather, and the stress and nerves piling up that ultimately brought their downfall.
But Naruto only noticed it, only knew what was going on, once Kurama and he had fully bonded. No matter how strong or advanced his sensing was, he couldn't sense a single thing outside of the cave. When he had first come, Iruka-sensei had put some seals up, saying it was 'for protection'
Naruto had asked ‘from what’, but he never got an answer. He spent six months in the cave meditating, laughing, doing normal shit while people fought in a war. He was busy solidifying his bond with Kurama for six months when he could have been helping.
(He didn’t even need to. He’d already been bonded with Kurama for years. It was just the damned seal. But they didn’t even tell him a fucking war was happening.)
When he noticed, he demanded Iruka to tell him what was happening, why Killer Bee hadn’t come back yet, (he couldn’t sense Bee’s chakra, or gyuki’s why couldn’t he? They had such a distinct chakra) and why the hell there were so many chakra networks disappearing?
Iruka had adamantly refused to say, tears beading in his eyes with his hands out. He blocked Naruto’s way out, although futile, saying he needed to stay. “Please, I can’t lose you too, Naruto. Just stay here.”
Naruto didn’t listen.
Instead he pushed Iruka out of the way, jumping out of the cave he had been confined to. He ignored his calls behind him. The early morning sun reflected off the rain droplets on the trees, lighting the way in the dim light to a…battle field. Why was there a battlefield? Why was there so much blood? Why wasn’t he told anything?
It wasn’t so bad the first few meters away from the caves, only the occasional bodies in the trees and on the ground. There were blood puddles here and there. Broken chunks of rock decorated the land outside the cave. (Was that why there was so much shaking? Someone tried to get in? Who?)
But when he got to the field where the main forces were…it really was what made him think that the few bodies in the trees were not that bad.
Naruto gagged, hand flying up to his mouth as the sight before him burned itself into his memory. Corpses littered the ground, some burning, some bleeding out, some with eyes picked out of their sockets and some just there, blood running down their mouths. Pools of blood laid under the several hundreds of corpses, fires still dancing over top of them and in the trees. The scene looked months old, flys dancing over corpses and the wind whistling weakly like it didn’t have the will to go on.
Naruto let out a sob, tears running down his face as he looked over the valley. Whatever happened here, whatever effort that was put together, it had gone down in flames, quite literally, by the looks of it.
“Madara,” Kurama growled. “This stinks of Uchiha Madara.”
The scary guy that Kurama mentioned. The guy that made Kurama distrust Sasuke. Madara had killed all of them. Blood soaked the Earth and decapitated heads rolled around with the wind. Bodies littered the ground, the trees, even the smallest water sources. Though, even those looked like pools of blood. Maybe they were, with all the other puddles of blood around him. The sun reflected the red hue, almost as if it were a lake.
He couldn’t breathe, not with the iron stench filling the air and with the smell of burning skin invading his lungs, as if trying to suffocate him then and there. If it was…well, it was working. He hadn’t had a full meal since he was ushered away to connect with Kurama, but whatever he did have in his stomach made itself seen, spilled behind a tree and onto a-
A corpse.
Naruto let out a scream and stumbled backwards into another pile of bodies, fresh tears – and isn’t it funny how he cried more here than in his entire life? – running down his face. He nearly tripped over the bodies littering the ground before he righted himself, trying to swallow back the bile rising in his throat for the second time. He walked past the many corpses and into the field, seeing many familiar faces of his village’s shinobi and some from Suna. None were his friends though. He tried to make out his friends' faces, looking for anyone that may be alive. A part of him didn’t want to recognize them, to locate their ruined bodies. He probably wouldn’t recognize them anyway, as almost every single shinobi was injured beyond recognition. He rushed over to one shinobi who was dying, his chakra rapidly fading as Naruto saw his eyes open for the final time. Naruto choked on a strangled noise as he felt the shinobi’s chakra die out, followed by a few more signatures a few feet away. He stood up and continued to stumble over the bodies, feeling as one life after another ended.
Chakra was a weird thing for him. From the small time he came into contact with Karin, he’d gotten a sense that it was weird for her, too. In a different way then him, but similar in a way only sensors would know. He didn’t know how she sensed chakra, but it had to be similar. He felt the strength, the type, the amount of control the person had. He could tell what their roots were, where they came from, and the negative emotions they had. He could tell if they were running out of chakra, if it was a need for concern. If they would survive or not.
He didn’t care about that though. Anyone who was alive he would go to, maybe to help them because Kurama’s chakra had a healing factor to it. He sprinted over to a faint chakra network, though the strongest he felt so far. Kneeling beside the Konoha ANBU, his hands hovered over her, not knowing what to do. Why the hell was he so useless?
She sneered at him, her eyes glazing over as if she only saw a monster. “You were supposed to save us,” she whispered. “You were our savior. Where were you?”
“I-I-”
“You really are just a monster. We never should have trusted you. You should’ve just-” She coughed a few times before saying, “-died,” in a barely audible voice. Her head lolled to the side and she let out a final breath, eyes staring at the blue sky.
Naruto stood up, feeling like he had been punched as he stumbled back and away from the ANBU girl. He turned around and tried to find anyone that could be saved, his eyes scanned the field frantically, hoping for someone to be alive.
That was when purple hair came into view, Hinata, he thought, eyes going wide as he ran over to the girl. Her eyes were missing from their sockets and a hand had gone through her chest, blood still pouring from the wound. Flies danced over her corpse and dirt caked the insides of her eye sockets. Naruto collapsed, ignoring how the blood immediately soaked into his clothing. He looked around, despair and hopelessness seeping into his body, which continued to sag as he took in the familiar faces around him.
Kiba, Akamaru. Naruto choked on a sob as his friends laid in front of him, crawling around and his hands shaking as he reached out towards them. Lee, Neji, Ino, Choji, Gaara - he let out a scream as a rat crawled out of Gaara’s stomach, scrambling away from the body even as blood soaked through his fingers. No, no, this couldn’t be possible. They were so strong and I-I failed them, he thought, staring right into Garra’s unseeing eyes.
“You should just die.”
They were dead, dull, once filled with life but now dead. Hollow, holding nothing but death. Dead and never coming back. He failed them and oh kami, they're dead. He failed them. They died because of him. No, no no nonononononono-
“Naruto,” someone rasped behind him. Dying-dead? Why wasn’t I here? Naruto didn’t want to turn around to see who was dying, someone he wouldn’t be able to save, but his body betrayed him and he turned around to meet Shikamaru’s eyes.
His eyes – eyes once filled with love and adoration – were dull, as if accepting that he was going to die, accepting his fate. But he could do nothing, could he? A fatal wound sat on his stomach, leaking blood. He already lost too much, Naruto wouldn’t be able to do anything. No matter how much he tried. “Shika,” Naruto whimpered, crawling over to the Nara, his boyfriend. Three years, they were together and now? Now he was dying and Naruto couldn’t do anything. “Fuck, Shikamaru.”
“Hey.” Shikamaru coughed, blood splattering on the ground next to him. He groaned, wincing as he rolled on his back, “This is such a drag,” he muttered, closing his eyes.
“Shikamaru-” Naruto let out a sob. He hesitantly let his hand land on Shikamaru’s cheek, rubbing away a fleck of blood. Shikamaru closed his eyes, letting himself sink into Naruto’s gentle caresses. His chakra was so low. It was already flickering and Naruto wouldn’t be able to do anything. “I’m sorry, I’m so-”
“This isn’t your fault,” Shikamaru muttered, “It was the kage’s fault. They wanted to protect you. Only-” he coughed again. Naruto sniffled, grabbing his boyfriend's hand and gripping it in his own, ignoring the blood squelching between them. “Only Gaara and I opposed the idea of keeping you in the dark.” Shikamaru peeled his eyes open, tears beading in his eyes, “I’m sorry,” he rasped, “I’m so sorry, Naruto.”
“No, no, please. Shikamaru,” Naruto sobbed, pulling their joined hands to his head. “Please don’t leave me. I’m sorry. I failed you all, I’m sorry. Don’t leave me, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Shikamaru tried to say something, his hand tightening on Naruto’s hand. Though it seemed death had caught him before he could. His eyes dulled and his grip relaxed. Shikamaru let out a final breath, head thumping on the ground.
“Shikamaru,” Naruto sobbed, hands shaking, “No, please. Wake up, wake up! Shika!” he screamed, sobs racking his body, “Don’t leave me, please. Shika!”
“He’s dead, kit…” Kurama paused, flooding his chakra through Naruto’s system in a futile attempt at comfort. I’m sorry.
Naruto let out a few more sobs, his head bowed and touching Shikamaru’s blood splattered vest. He muttered a few unintelligible words before it died out, “Fuck, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. I’m sorry.” He lifted his hand and closed Shikamaru’s eyes, his tears dripping down his boyfriend's face. He lightly kissed Shikamaru’s forehead before he shakily stood up, sniffling. He focused chakra on the bottom of his feet, ignoring how it was tinted red. Like his chakra was tainted by blood.
Kurama, unknowingly probably, was trying to comfort him, but nothing could comfort him when this had happened. A massacre, and he wasn’t there to help his friends.
They were all dead.
Naruto ignored how he had to use chakra to prevent him from slipping on the blood. He ignored Kurama’s attempts at comfort. He couldn’t ignore the deafening silence that surrounded him.
There weren’t any chakra signatures around him. And even if he did feel any, they soon flickered into nothing.
Naruto’s eyes widened a fraction when he saw Kakashi, Sakura and…Sasuke. They were all bloody, leaning forward as their legs visibly shook from exhaustion. Madara stood in front of them, looking unimpressed by their efforts. Kakashi must’ve sensed him as he turned around, eyes widening as he met Naruto’s reddened eyes. “Naruto! Stay back!” Kakashi yelled, looking back to Madara Uchiha. Naruto froze, stiffening as fear — either his or Kurama’s, he didn’t know. It could have been both — overtook his brain. Danger warning sparked through him and a series of ‘run, get away, retreat’ circled around his head.
Madara seemed interested, glancing at Naruto before a sick smile spread across his features. “Well, the hunt is over.”
Naruto couldn’t even let out a scream to tell him to stop as Kakashi shot forward, only to have his heart ripped out and his sharingan plucked out a second later. Sasuke suffered the same fate, brutally murdered without a second thought. Madara let out a scoff as he plucked out Sasuke’s eyes and tossed him away, sealing them away in a scroll. Naruto couldn’t respond, trying to rush forward, be a little faster to get to Sakura. He couldn’t lose her too.
Sakura let out a scream, scrambling after her boy crush with sparking green hands. No. Naruto ran after her, only to have her head fly over to him, rolling so that it was looking at him. Just like that, Naruto thought, tears pricking his eyes once again as he made eye contact with Sakura, he killed them. Just. Like. That. Was he just playing with them? Was he just playing with us? Why did it have to be so brutal?
“Uzumaki Naruto,” Madara said, breaking Naruto’s chain of thought, “You finally made an appearance.”
“Madara,” Naruto whispered, staring at him. He already knew he didn’t have any fight left him, Naruto knew he couldn’t win. Not with his comrades littered around him. Not alone. But he wouldn’t go down without a fight. He couldn’t. Not when everyone fought so hard to save him.
“I’ll help you.”
“They’re dead,” Naruto whispered, feeling anger course through him, “They’re dead. Because of you.” He flew at the Uchiha, kunai out as if to try and kill him. He knew it wouldn’t work. But he had to try. Try to avenge his comrades, his friends, his team, his boyfriend.
“Only Gaara and I opposed the idea of keeping you in the dark.”
“You were hidden away as these shinobi kept you in the dark?” Madara laughed, jumping away from Naruto’s sloppy attacks, “They didn’t believe in you! Yet you still fight?”
“Shut up!” Naruto yelled, tears welling up in his eyes. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!”
“It’s true. And you know-”
“No! Shut up! It’s not true! It’s not…” Naruto trailed off, slowing his steps, “It’s not, it can’t be. I had to bond with Kurama, I-” He scrambled for any evidence that they did believe in him. That they sent him away to get the upper hand. He glanced at Kakashi-sensei, then Sakura, then Sasuke. They had all abandoned him at some point. They all left him.
“Only Gaara and I opposed the idea of keeping you in the dark.”
“Kit! Don’t you fucking dare give up!” Kurama yelled, banging against the unintentional wall Naruto built in his mind.
“It’s not-”
“Let him die in peace, Madara,” Obito said, “He’s just a boy.”
When did he get here? Naruto thought. Obito watched his friend, Kakashi, die. And he didn’t do anything about it. Naruto couldn’t bring himself to care. He was going to die anyway.
Naruto met Obito once. As Obito, not as his other selves he acted as. He was alone, going through some katas when Obito had shown up. They didn’t fight physically. Obito tried his case, Naruto refused. Naruto tried to convince him he was in the wrong, Obito ignored him. Nothing was accomplished, but Naruto still saw the boy Kakashi had once talked about, buried deep.
He failed in trying to rouse that boy. Now this had happened.
“Get your savior complex ass up! You have civilians still!”
Madara sighed, watching as Naruto dropped the kunai. Naruto stared at him, everything muddled and empty. “Fine. He put up a better fight than those three,” he said, nodding at the corpses of his team, “Even in this…state.” He wiped a drop of blood from his cheek where Naruto had grazed him. Madara walked up to him, as if he were an old friend or someone simply trying to start a conversation.
Naruto dropped to his knees, refocusing on Kakashi. Kakashi always chose Sasuke over him. Even after Sasuke abandoned them. Even if he only chose their side for survival. Not for them. No one believed in him. Only Gaara and Shikamaru. After everything he did, they still didn’t trust him.
Naruto felt hands tilt his head up and before he could close his eyes, the red of the sharingan met his own baby blues. Naruto screamed, clawing at the ground that was cracking under him, engulfing him in fear and hatred as hands grasped at him, pulling him down with words spat and hurling at him like he was the enemy. Shikamaru’s voice was mixed in, just a little louder than the rest. And that…
That hurt him more than the hand going through his chest.
“If I was here,” Naruto whispered, coughing weakly as he gripped Madara’s wrist with what little strength he still had, “you would have lost.”
“I have no doubt about it,” Madara said, “But you’re done now.”
“Rest in peace, Uzumaki Naruto,” Obito called, “You deserve it.”
“Fuck you,” Naruto spat.
Madara ripped his hand out of his chest. Blood dripped in front of him before his eyes went blurry. He collapsed on the ground, closing his eyes as his breaths slowed. Why couldn’t I have been here?
.
..
…
They both thought that was the end.
It was only the beginning.