Ugh…
Naruto Uzumaki's goofy behavior was infectious, even pulling the Uchiha into the mood.
'What about us?!'
'Aren't we going to be trapped in here forever?!'
Child Sasuke's small brain worked furiously. That idiot Naruto was hopeless when it came to thinking things through, so this kind of problem had to fall to him.
But on one hand, he couldn't come up with a solution either. On the other, even if he did think of something, how was he supposed to explain it to that idiot? Just how long would it take before they could return to reality?
Completely unaware that in another parallel world, his future self would one day fight Naruto in a battle that cost him an arm, Child Sasuke and the other Uchiha clan members learned everything.
From Naruto's life, they came to understand a different way of living, one that was positive and always pushing forward. It felt as though they had finally stepped out of an illusion.
And just like Naruto Uzumaki, they decided to fight for their chance and try.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Using the summoning techniques of the past Kage and the Rikudō Sennin, everyone was called out of Kaguya's Dimension.
'Unbelievable!'
Staring at all the Kage throughout shinobi history, the Uchiha were completely stunned.
Just how many outrageous twists were there in this Fourth Shinobi World War?!
They even received a round of praise from the underworld.
...
Obito Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake finally reached the moment for their last farewell.
"That I can say goodbye to you as a friend, not an enemy. And that you're still the same guy who used to be late every day because you were helping people in need… for me, that's already enough."
"Thank you, Kakashi."
Just like how Obito had never managed to confess everything he felt, Kakashi, even at the very end, couldn't say all the words buried in his heart.
Listening to their brief parting words, the three Obitos from other parallel worlds, those who still had a chance to stay with their own Kakashi, felt a dull ache in their chests.
They had almost ended up like this too.
Whether it was a tragedy or a happy ending, there would always be some imperfect regret.
That guy must have kept everything in his heart all this time, unable to forgive himself.
Through Naruto Uzumaki's perspective, they looked toward the Fourth Hokage, his Edo Tensei body missing both arms.
Then, following the First Hokage's gaze, they saw Madara Uchiha, who had also been summoned back.
After the war ended, the Uchiha within Naruto's mind realized something. Once everything was over, Naruto actually didn't know how to face his own father.
Instead, he hopped over, all bouncy and energetic, just to tease Kurama.
Teasing Konoha's number one war beast until it had no dignity left at all…
'Pfft, that kid Naruto.'
'The Fourth Hokage is about to leave, right? I can't help feeling a bit sad for him.'
'The kid in our world probably still doesn't know who his father is. We should treat him better from now on.'
'Konoha's higher-ups might try to stop the Uchiha from interacting with the Jinchūriki, but who cares about them!'
They no longer cared about the opinions of the higher-ups either. Even so, the Uchiha hadn't given up on Konoha.
Instead, they wanted to earn true recognition through their actions, just like Naruto Uzumaki.
They remembered it clearly. Even after Naruto became a hero of the ninja world, those two stubborn old conservatives, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, still clung to their outdated beliefs.
The First Hokage walked over to Madara Uchiha's side.
Madara had failed. Even the last remaining member of his clan, Sasuke Uchiha, who was also a reincarnation of Indra, would never forgive him.
The Uchiha fell silent.
The man lying on the ground was their former Clan Head, a legendary ninja said to be powerful beyond imagination.
Now he was battered and falling apart, and in all truth, there wasn't a single person left who could forgive him.
No—perhaps only the First Hokage still remembered the bond they once shared, just like the way Naruto Uzumaki clung to Sasuke Uchiha, no matter what, determined to drag him back onto the right path.
"You're still as naive as ever, Hashirama."
"You're the one who's too pessimistic. The world, the village—they're not as bad as you think. You saw it in battle. Even if none of us has overwhelming power, when everyone's hearts are aligned and we work together, we can always find a way to solve the problem."
"...Yeah. My dream is shattered... but... yours is still here... keep going..."
"Madara, when we were kids, you said only when our hearts truly connect—only after we share a cup of brotherhood sake—can we set aside hatred and forgive each other. When we reach the Pure Land, would you still be willing to drink with me?"
"Comrades... huh..."
"If that's the case..."
"We... already..."
A titan fell. Even though Madara Uchiha had hurt them deeply, in this moment, both Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha couldn't bring themselves to say anything.
Inside Naruto's consciousness, Fourth Shinobi World War Sasuke stayed silent. After fighting the Naruto Uzumaki of his own world, watching the First Hokage and Madara's farewell left him with feelings he couldn't quite put into words.
What Madara had wanted to say at the very end—before, he hadn't cared. Now, he felt like he understood.
…
The First, the Second, and all the other Kage were returning to the Pure Land.
Urged on by the Nine-Tails, Naruto shuffled over, awkward and reluctant, to say goodbye to the Fourth Hokage.
"Happy seventeenth birthday, Naruto."
Only then did the Uchiha in his consciousness realize it was already dawn. A brand-new day had arrived—October 10th, Naruto Uzumaki's birthday.
What came next hit every Uchiha present right in the heart.
After seeing Naruto's entire life, they understood it clearly: because Madara Uchiha and Obito Uchiha of their clan had been deceived and led astray, this child—who had every reason to fall into darkness—had instead saved the entire ninja world.
"I've always eaten properly! I'm never picky! I like chashu ramen, shoyu ramen, tonkotsu ramen...!"
Even Shisui felt a sting of sympathy. Later on, he'd have to send this kid some vegetables.
Itachi found himself wondering whether the food he cooked would suit this child's tastes.
"I bathe every day too, and I even go to the hot springs sometimes, even though my friends say I'm just doing a quick dip."
Mikoto, as a mother of two, was shaking so hard she could barely breathe.
Even Fugaku Uchiha, Inabi Uchiha, and Yashiro Uchiha clenched their molars tight.
"I've made lots of friends too! They're all really great people!!"
As he said it, it was like Naruto's mind was trying to cram in everyone he'd ever met—except for the most obvious one, the one standing right beside him...
Child Sasuke and Teenage Sasuke saw it at once: from start to finish, it had always been his face.
That made it hurt even more.
Especially Fourth Shinobi World War Sasuke. Thinking about what was coming next, he couldn't describe the bitterness swelling in his chest.
"Even though I'm at the bottom of the class, I won't give up on my dreams."
In Child Sasuke's mind, he was that idiot dead last in the rankings, pulling pranks every day just to make people notice he existed.
He decided he'd be a little nicer to that idiot from now on.
Yeah. A whole lot nicer.
"Anyway..."
"Even if I haven't done everything you asked yet, I'll keep working at it! I've got dreams too! I'm going to become a Hokage even greater than you, Dad!!"
"When you get there, tell Mom! I'm going to live my life properly!"
"Don't worry about me at all!"
"Mm. I know. I'll tell her everything."
The Uchiha, all soft-hearted and crying like a storm, believed with absolute certainty that Naruto Uzumaki would achieve his dream.
Not only that—he might, no, he surely would lead the entire ninja world toward peace.
The one crying the hardest was, without question, the one who already cried easily, to the point he needed goggles just to hide it...
The three Obito Uchiha from the parallel worlds.
Especially the Rebellious Obito and Adult Obito. They were the ones responsible for Naruto having to go through all of this. As the great heroes of the Fourth Shinobi World War, they were the ones who, after saving the entire ninja world, still had to watch a father and son forced into a living goodbye.
And yet, why did the mission scroll still assign Naruto Uzumaki the task of saving the masked man?!
There was one more person who wasn't bawling as hard as those three.
But his entire mind had gone blank.
That was the Naruto Uzumaki of the mission scroll world—the one who, after the Chūnin Exams, used the Nine-Tails' chakra to enter the illusion.
...
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