Naruto Multiverse

The air around Naruto shimmered with an eerie light as he stood poised on the precipice of battle. His golden eyes burned with determination, and his chakra flared like an inferno, making the surrounding space ripple as though reality itself struggled to contain his power. It had been years since he had approached a battle with this level of seriousness.

"Are you ready, partner?" Naruto asked, his voice calm yet filled with anticipation. He adjusted his armor, the intricate design glowing faintly, amplifying the energy coursing through him.

Kurama, his ever-loyal companion, materialized in his majestic form beside him, towering over him with a grin that exuded feral glee. His crimson eyes gleamed with excitement, his tails swaying in rhythm with his uncontainable enthusiasm.

"No need to ask," Kurama replied, his voice a thunderous growl that echoed across dimensions. "I was born ready. Let's shred her to pieces!"

Naruto glanced at him, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'm sure you were born in total confusion."

Kurama let out a rumbling laugh, his fanged maw curling into a smirk. "Nothing's going to dampen my mood today, Naruto. Let's show her what happens when she messes with the wrong people."

Naruto chuckled softly, shaking his head at Kurama's unrelenting bravado. He closed his eyes for a moment, centering himself as he performed a final check of his body and armor. His gear was unlike anything seen in the mortal realm—an amalgamation of chakra-infused technology and ancient craftsmanship, forged to withstand the cataclysmic forces he was about to face.

The air crackled as Naruto extended his hands and summoned his power. With a focused pull, he tore apart the seams of reality itself, unraveling the barrier that separated the dimensions. A swirling vortex of dark energy opened before them, pulsating with raw, chaotic power. It was the domain of Nyx, a realm forbidden to all but its mistress and those foolish—or bold—enough to enter.

"Hehe, then let's go," Naruto said, his voice laced with both excitement and resolve. Without hesitation, he stepped through the rift, Kurama following close behind, his massive form radiating an aura of unrestrained power.

As the vortex closed behind them, they were swallowed by an oppressive darkness. The air was heavy, vibrating with an ancient energy that felt alive, as if the very fabric of the realm was observing their every move. Shadows writhed and coalesced, whispering incomprehensible words of warning and malice.

Kurama growled low, his sharp claws clicking against the shadowy ground as he surveyed the alien terrain. "Feels like home, doesn't it?" he quipped, his voice tinged with humor despite the ominous surroundings.

Naruto smirked, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade, a weapon glowing faintly with the combined essence of chakra and natural energy. "Yeah, if your home was a nightmare. Stay sharp. We're in her territory now."

The two advanced deeper into the abyss, their steps unwavering as the darkness around them seemed to close in. They were heading straight for the heart of the domain, where Nyx herself awaited—the Primordial immortaldess of the Night, an embodiment of eternal shadow and unfathomable power.

The battle was inevitable, and as they ventured further, the atmosphere grew heavier, the stakes higher. But Naruto and Kurama moved forward with unrelenting determination, their bond unshakable, their resolve unbreakable.

"Let's end this," Naruto muttered, his voice steady as he prepared to face one of the greatest challenges of his life.

The air was electric with tension as Nyx's form undulated like living shadows, her voice echoing through her realm with an almost mocking tone. "I am surprised by your actions, boy. Don't you think you're being too arrogant and sensitive? Why meddle in my pleasure when this world means nothing to you?"

Naruto stood firm, his golden aura illuminating the oppressive darkness of her domain. The black sword in his hand pulsed with a deadly energy, a physical manifestation of his resolve. His expression was cold, his eyes gleaming with a blend of fury and focus.

"You helped Trigon and made this my business," Naruto replied, his voice steady and resolute.

Nyx laughed, a chilling sound that reverberated through the void. "You interfered first."

"And you made this personal," Naruto shot back, his grip tightening on the sword. "What I do is my choice, not yours, and every action has its consequence."

With those words, he drove the sword into the ground, sending waves of his energy surging through Nyx's domain. The darkened expanse around them groaned and warped under the invasion of his power. His energy, a blend of chakra, nature energy, demonic energy, mana, and cosmic forces, spread like a virus, threatening to overwrite Nyx's control.

"You dare!" Nyx's voice rose in fury, her form quivering as she felt her domain being usurped.

"Oh, I dare this and more," Naruto said with a savage grin, his suppressed emotions bubbling to the surface. With a deep breath, he activated his full power, layers of reality bending as his three domains materialized:

Domain of the Nature Monarch.

Domain of Death and Life.

Domain of Space and Time.

Golden energy swirled around him, interwoven with threads of shadow and cosmic light. The sheer pressure of his presence forced cracks to appear in the fabric of Nyx's domain. Naruto, once tempered by his family's love and his painful journey through the dark dimensions, had risen to become a force that could rival the primordial.

Nyx's form darkened further as her anger peaked. "Then hope that death is merciful because I won't be." She unleashed a devastating beam of darkness, a manifestation of destruction and absorption. The blast tore through the space between them, aiming to erase Naruto entirely.

Naruto's sword moved like a flash of light, deflecting the beam with a slash that created a ripple of golden energy. His domain, anchored firmly within Nyx's realm, nullified her home-field advantage. Every strike he delivered destabilized her hold, while his barriers and counters rendered her offensive attempts ineffective.

Yet, Nyx was no ordinary opponent. She was a primordial, the eternal embodiment of darkness itself. Her attacks became more ferocious, and her resolve to crush this "arrogant child" only deepened.

"You foolish child," Nyx hissed, retreating slightly as the realm itself began to shift. "Messing with me will be the last mistake you ever make. You should never have let your power blind you. Haven't you heard? Never travel in the dark with your demons... and I am the eternal darkness. So wallow in despair."

Nyx unleashed her ultimate technique: Eternal Darkness. The realm trembled as her energy surged, saturating the atmosphere with an oppressive, otherworldly force. The move reached into the depths of Naruto's soul, dragging forth every buried regret, fear, and doubt. It was a power designed to break even the most resolute minds, forcing them to face their inner demons until they succumbed.

Naruto instinctively created a golden barrier around himself, but the dark energy pierced through, infiltrating his soul and mind. His body faltered for a moment, his golden aura dimming as his consciousness battled the onslaught. The demons of his past—loss, guilt, unfulfilled desires—rose within him like specters, threatening to unravel his will.

Nyx smirked, sensing his struggle. "Now you see, child. Even immortals fall to the eternal night."

But even as Naruto's mind faltered, his body moved. Fueled by years of preparation and honed instincts, his form fought back against Nyx's encroaching darkness. Though his power was diminished without his soul fully engaged, his body operated like a well-oiled machine, executing precise strikes and defensive maneuvers.

Nyx frowned as she observed this. "A puppet without strings," she muttered. "But how long can you last without your soul fighting alongside you?"

The weight of despair pressed down on Naruto's soul as he sat atop the barren mountain, the desolate world stretching endlessly in every direction. Every breath felt like a labor, a cruel reminder of the burden he carried. The absence of life around him mirrored the void within his heart. His people, his family, his home—everything had been obliterated in an instant. The price of survival, a decision made in desperation, now bore down on him with unrelenting force.

Naruto's gaze fell to the unconscious form of Himawari cradled in his arms, her small chest rising and falling with fragile breaths. She was his lifeline, the single thread holding him tethered to existence. Yet even her presence brought pain, for she was the reason he had chosen to flee, to abandon a fight he could not win.

His voice trembled as he whispered, "Forgive me, Hinata. Please forgive me." The words were choked with sorrow, his throat tightening as tears streamed freely down his face. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the devastating reality, but the memories surged forward like a tidal wave.

He could see Hinata's warm smile, the laughter of his friends, the bustling streets of Konoha—all now erased. The image of his final moments in that world haunted him: the explosion of his enemy, a cataclysm that unraveled existence itself. It was a battle he had fought valiantly but could not win. In his final act of desperation, he had chosen to protect his daughter, saving her while condemning everything else.

A guttural scream tore from his throat, but it felt hollow in the emptiness. His body shook as he clung to Himawari, the only warmth left in a universe gone cold.

"Father," a soft voice broke through the haze of his torment.

Naruto looked down, startled. Himawari's blue eyes stared up at him, brimming with tears. Her face reflected a mix of confusion and sorrow, an innocent child grappling with the weight of a tragedy she could barely comprehend. Her presence, though small, was like a beacon in the suffocating darkness.

"Yes, everything will be fine," Naruto lied, forcing the words past his despair. His voice cracked, betraying the truth he desperately wanted to hide. He tried to smile, but it was a grim, twisted expression that revealed more pain than comfort.

Himawari's tiny arms wrapped around him, her sobs muffled against his chest. Her pain mirrored his own, but in that moment, Naruto realized she needed him. No matter how broken he felt, he had to be her anchor. Gently, he held her close, his grip firm yet tender.

The hours passed in a haze as the two found solace in each other's embrace. When Himawari finally fell asleep, Naruto carried her to a sheltered nook in the mountain. With his chakra, he hollowed out a small cavern, shaping a crude living space. There was no softness, no warmth, only the cold, unyielding stone. He laid her down beside him on the solid ground, cradling her small body as he drifted into a restless sleep.

That night, the nightmares began. In his dreams, the faces of his loved ones stared back at him—accusatory, haunting. Hinata, Boruto, Kakashi, Sakura all gone. Their voices echoed in his mind, a cacophony of guilt and regret. He saw the destruction he could not prevent, felt the weight of the lives he could not save. And in the center of it all, he saw himself, standing alone, drenched in the blood of his failure.

When he awoke, the heaviness in his chest remained. The demons within him had begun to take root, growing stronger with each passing day. Yet every time he looked at Himawari, her peaceful face as she slept, he found the will to endure. She was his reason to keep going, even as his own soul teetered on the edge of collapse.

Naruto knew that the road ahead would be long and filled with pain, but for her sake, he would walk it. He would find a way to rebuild, even if it meant confronting the demons within himself.

The morning light filtered through the cracks of the cave as Naruto sat motionless, his gaze unfocused, lost in the swirling darkness of his own thoughts. He hadn't slept, not truly. The faces, the voices, they lingered in his mind, a haunting presence he couldn't escape. He tried to ignore them, tried to push them away, but each time he closed his eyes, they resurfaced, more vivid and accusing than ever. The guilt gnawed at him like a festering wound, too deep to heal, too consuming to ignore.

Hima stirred beside him, the quiet of the morning broken only by the soft rustling of her movements. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes, and then froze, her gaze landing on her father. Naruto wasn't looking at her. His eyes were unfocused, distant, and though his body was present, his soul seemed to be elsewhere. It wasn't the father she knew—the bright, unstoppable figure who always had a reassuring word, a comforting smile. Now, he was a hollow shell, his charm and warmth replaced by a cold emptiness that seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction.

The weight of the silence between them was suffocating, and Hima felt the familiar pang of loneliness rise within her chest. She had lost so much—her friends, her family—but even as a child, her bonds to them hadn't been as strong as those she held for her father. He had always been her pillar, her reason for hope. To see him like this, weak and broken, was a wound she couldn't even begin to understand.

She quietly ate the simple breakfast Naruto had prepared, watching him closely, trying to understand what had happened to the man who had once been invincible. The world around them felt like a shadow, everything muted and lifeless. He had once been the beacon of hope for so many, and now... now he was nothing more than a ghost, haunted by his own mistakes.

"Hima, finish up. We'll be going outside," Naruto's voice broke through her thoughts, and Hima blinked, startled. His eyes met hers for the first time in what felt like ages, but they were distant, devoid of the usual warmth that had once filled them.

She nodded, though her heart ached at the sight of him. His gaze was empty, yet she could feel the weight of his inner turmoil, like a dark cloud that hovered over them both.

Naruto had already prepared for the day. He had checked the area, scouted their surroundings, and learned that they were in a small village in Japan, in the city of Osaka. The world outside was as dark and unforgiving as his heart felt. There were powerful beings in this world, and Naruto could sense their presence lurking nearby, hidden beneath the surface of the mundane. He was cautious, wary of what might come.

But despite the danger, he felt no drive to act, no burning desire to protect. His body trembled, the fear of forming any new bonds flooding his mind. The guilt he carried was paralyzing, and it made it impossible for him to take any step forward without the crushing weight of it all threatening to break him.

Hima finished her meal, and without a word, she reached for Naruto's hand. He didn't hesitate to take it, but the touch felt hollow. He could feel her fear, the tremor in her small fingers, and it hurt him more than he wanted to admit. He wished he could be the father she deserved, the one who could make everything better. But right now, he was just a broken man, unable to give her the security she needed.

They left the mountain, walking together in silence. Hima stayed close to him, her hand tightly clasped in his, as if afraid that if she let go, he would slip away from her, lost forever. Naruto knew that the weight of the world was on her small shoulders, just as it was on his, and it tore him apart to see her so vulnerable, so afraid. He had failed her, and he could never take back the damage he had caused.

The village they walked through was quiet, peaceful. People went about their daily routines, unaware of the tragedy that had befallen the world. Naruto watched them, studying their lives, trying to find something that would anchor him to this place, something to pull him from the abyss. But he found nothing. He felt nothing.

"I will make us a new life here," Naruto said, his voice barely above a whisper as he glanced at a nearby old couple. They were simple folk, content with their small existence, unaware of the darkness that threatened to consume everything. His powers stirred, and he began to manipulate the memories of the villagers, altering their perceptions so they would believe that he and Hima were from this place, that they had always been here.

He left a clone behind, covering their appearances with simple disguises to prevent drawing attention. It wasn't much, but it would give them some peace for now.

After finishing their preparations, Naruto and Hima took to the sky. They were invisible to all senses, moving swiftly and silently, leaving the village behind. The air was thick with tension, but Hima could feel the warmth of her father's hand in hers, a small comfort in the coldness that surrounded them.

As they flew, Naruto's mind remained heavy, torn between the desire to rebuild and the overwhelming fear of making another mistake. He registered everything around him—the bustling streets, the strange people, the occasional signs of crime and chaos—but he did nothing. He didn't react, didn't intervene. His grip on Hima's hand tightened as they passed by scenes of injustice, but he didn't act. He couldn't.

Hima, sensing the change in her father, looked up at him. "Father... will we be alright?" she asked softly, her voice trembling. She had been taught to never think of death, to never consider such things, but her young heart couldn't help but be afraid. Her father was different now. He wasn't the invincible hero she had once known. He was fractured, lost, and she didn't know how to help him find his way back.

Naruto's heart twisted in his chest. He didn't have an answer. But as he held her close, flying through the sky, he made a silent vow to himself. For her, I will survive. For her, I will find a way back. But first, I must heal.

The months that followed were a slow unraveling, a spiral of madness that consumed Naruto piece by piece, leaving only fragments of the man he had once been. In the small, isolated home they had carved out for themselves, the world outside seemed distant, untouched. Yet inside, the walls were closing in on Naruto, and Hima was forced to watch as the man who had once been her hero faded further into darkness.

Hima tried everything to help him—soft words, gentle touches, every kind of comfort she could offer. She clung to the hope that her father would return to her, that one day, his love for her would be enough to break the chains of madness that bound him. But no matter how hard she tried, no matter how deep her love for him ran, it was never enough.

Naruto's eyes had become increasingly erratic, his once vibrant and determined gaze now hollow and unfocused. Dark circles crept under his eyes, and his movements became sharp, frantic, like a man trying to outrun his own demons. The whispers had grown louder, and sometimes, Hima wondered if they were the ones controlling him. He no longer slept, his mind racing in endless loops, and he began speaking to the air as though conversing with people who weren't there.

The change in him was terrifying. Where there had once been warmth, there was now only cold detachment. And when he spoke, his words were sharp, cruel.

"You are weak and a burden. It is time we fix this problem, so don't disappoint me," he told her one day, his voice laced with venom.

Hima froze, her heart breaking at the words. She had always known her father to be kind and gentle, a man who would never hurt her. But now, those words—so harsh and unfeeling—felt like daggers. Still, she understood. It wasn't him. It was the madness. The part of him that had broken when the world had collapsed. She knew it wasn't his will to harm her, but the force that had overtaken him.

So, she accepted his words. She didn't fight them. Instead, she listened and followed his instructions. He started her training, pushing her to the limit every single day. He made her train as if she were his soldier, his weapon. And she obeyed, even when the pain became unbearable, even when her body screamed for mercy. She had to endure. For him. She had to do this, had to stay by his side.

The training sessions were grueling. Her body was broken time and time again—bones cracked and shattered under his relentless pressure. She could feel the chakra coursing through her body, too much for her to handle, and she came close to death more than once. Every day, she thought she might not survive, but she kept going, for him. She saw glimpses of the father she had lost when he smiled during their training, when he praised her improvement. It was the only time he seemed to come back to her. Those fleeting moments of joy, however brief, were worth the torment.

But as time passed, the moments of clarity for Naruto grew fewer, and the voices in his mind took hold more completely. He began talking to them, speaking as if Hinata—his late wife—was still alive. The way he called her name, the tenderness in his voice, made Hima's heart shatter. It was clear to her now. He wasn't seeing her anymore. He saw only a ghost, a figment of the past that no longer existed. And that ghost was more real to him than she ever could be.

"Hinata, I missed you so much. Please soothe my soul with your love," Naruto murmured one night, his voice soft and filled with longing.

Hima stood in the doorway, watching him, her eyes wet with unshed tears. It was as if he had never known her, never seen her standing there. He wasn't speaking to her. He was speaking to a memory, a shadow that only he could see.

She wanted to scream, to shake him, to make him remember her. But she couldn't. She didn't have the strength to make him see the truth. And deep down, she feared that even if she did, it wouldn't matter. Her father was gone. The man she had once looked up to was slipping further away with each passing day, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

As the days blurred together, Hima became more than just a daughter. She became his anchor, the only thing tethering him to reality. But even that connection was fraying, stretched thin by his madness. She could see it in his eyes, the way he didn't really see her anymore, and it tore at her. It hurt to be so close to him yet feel so far away.

Still, she couldn't leave. She couldn't abandon him. She had no one else. And so, she endured—through the training, through the pain, through the endless nights when her father's mind slipped further into chaos. She endured because she loved him, because she needed him to come back. Even though, deep inside, she feared that the man she had once known might never return.

She held onto him, even as he faded. For him, she would never give up. Even when it felt like she was losing herself in the process, she would hold on, hoping that one day, the person who had loved her so deeply would find his way back through the darkness.

The days that followed were a confusing blur for Hima. She had accepted the torment, the overwhelming pain of watching her father slip further away into madness, hoping that her sacrifice would be enough. She had no choice but to endure, to believe that Naruto would come back to her—would love her again and recognize the bond they once shared.

Her only purpose now was to stand by him, to stay by his side through this nightmare. Despite her growing guilt and anguish, she pushed forward, repeating the mantra in her mind. Endure, endure. Daddy will definitely see Hima soon. He will love Hima and attain happiness.

But as much as she tried to hold on to that hope, the distance between them was undeniable. Naruto's delusions and fractured mind made it impossible for him to see her as she was, his precious daughter. Instead, he saw the clones—his loyal replicas who filled the spaces left by his fractured reality. Hima had learned to ignore them, to pretend they were her father's companions, not the shadows of the people he once knew. It was too painful to acknowledge them for what they were.

Their ventures outside became routine, their trips marked by Naruto's relentless quest for power. They wandered through the world as if it were just another destination to conquer. To Naruto, it was all just part of the mission, and Hima was the one accompanying him in this twisted version of normality. Yet, the people they encountered, like the Justice League, were no match for Naruto's growing strength, and he defeated them with terrifying ease. Despite this, he was unrecognizable to them—his appearance changed beyond recognition, his powers unlike anything they had seen before. It was a clear sign that Naruto was evolving, but not in the way Hima had hoped.

She couldn't escape the guilt that gnawed at her heart, especially when she saw the clones of Sai, Choji, and Sakura. They acted like old companions, but they weren't real. She wanted to run to them, to feel the familiar warmth of her real family, but she knew better than to reach out. They weren't her family—they were just facsimiles of her father's broken mind.

It was during one of those long days, while they were walking through yet another unfamiliar world, that Hima felt her heart crack. Naruto had become so lost in his delusions, so consumed by the need to gain more power, that he seemed to forget her entirely. But then, standing before him, Hima found the strength to speak the words that had been building in her heart for so long.

"Daddy," she said, her voice trembling but firm, "if you don't wake up, I will kill you and then kill myself."

Those words shattered something within Naruto. His eyes—blank and distant just moments before—snapped into focus as he turned to look at her. His expression was no longer cold, and in that instant, it was as if a spark of recognition returned to him.

"Never utter those words, never," he said, his voice cracking as he took a step toward her. "I was in the wrong, and it was never your mistake."

For the first time in months, Hima saw a flicker of the father she had known, and for a moment, she believed that he was coming back to her. His voice was stable again, and for a fleeting moment, it was as if the madness had lifted. She felt a surge of relief and joy, but deep down, she knew the battle was far from over.

Even though Naruto's voice and demeanor seemed to stabilize, there was always a distance between them. He still spoke to his clones as if they were real people, and their conversations—often filled with torture and pain—echoed through the house. Hima couldn't bear to enter his room anymore; the words he spoke to them were too much. He seemed unreachable, lost in a world that wasn't hers to enter.

The only training he gave her now was within the confines of her dreams, where his presence remained a distant, unattainable memory. His mind had locked away their bond, and though he acted as if he was doing everything for her, Hima couldn't shake the feeling that he no longer saw her. He had moved on—forgotten her—and was instead focused on acquiring more power, more knowledge, more destruction. He had become a shadow of himself, and she was left to pick up the pieces.

One night, Kurama appeared to Hima, a rare moment of solace. The great beast, awakened from his long slumber, understood her pain. He shared her grief and sympathized with her struggle, but he also saw an opportunity. He whispered words of encouragement, telling her that this was her chance to break through the haze surrounding her father's mind. This was the moment she could fight back—not just for herself, but for him. Kurama was offering her the strength to fight for what she had lost.

It was then that they moved to Gotham—a place Hima didn't understand the reason for. But she accepted it, as she had accepted everything else. It was during their time there that Hima began to notice something unsettling. Despite everything, Naruto seemed to ignore her more than ever.

When she watched him in his sleep, she saw how far he had gone. It was as if she no longer existed in his world. The connection they once shared—stronger than anything Hima had ever known—was gone.

She felt the betrayal deep within her heart. She had sacrificed so much, endured so much pain, and for what? It was as if her father had locked away their bond, and no matter how hard she tried, no matter how much love she poured into him, he was slipping further away.

Hima knew she couldn't stand by forever, not like this. She couldn't keep hoping, praying, and suffering while her father remained lost to her. The pain of watching him slowly fade was suffocating her, and she was running out of strength.

But she also knew one thing: she couldn't give up. Not yet. Not while there was even the smallest chance that the man she loved, the father she had once known, could return to her.

And so, Hima stood at the precipice of her own despair, a young girl caught between the wreckage of her father's mind and the reality of the world around her. She would keep fighting, even if it meant taking on the darkness herself.

The battle had raged on for what felt like an eternity, but in that moment, as Naruto faced Nyx, everything came to a head. His body, battered and broken, was on the brink of collapse. Yet, there was something inside him that refused to yield. The weight of his sin, the crushing guilt that had tormented him for so long, was now the fuel for his ultimate power. In that moment, his will became indomitable.

"I am the biggest sinner of my world," Naruto proclaimed, his voice resonating with an intense finality. "But this sinner shall never die by the hand of another scum. I am death. I am the devourer, the sinner who shall endure for eternity if needed."

With each word, the very fabric of the world seemed to tremble. Souls, billions of them, manifested in the air, swirling like a storm above his head. They were drawn to him—pulled by the sheer force of his essence. Their presence was overwhelming, and Naruto, for the first time in ages, felt free. He had acknowledged the weight of his past—the destruction he had caused—and had accepted that it was now his burden to bear forever.

The souls converged in his hand, filling it with a power unlike anything he had ever experienced. "Taste the weight of my sin," Naruto muttered as he unleashed the devastating energy in a single, catastrophic strike.

Nyx, the ruler of night, could do nothing but watch in horror. Her body was frozen, unable to move, paralyzed by the raw power emanating from Naruto. The attack, suffused with death and darkness, enveloped her entirely. For the first time, Nyx felt fear—a fear that washed over her as the power of death erased her very existence. Her mind, her soul, everything she was, was consumed by the force of Naruto's will. A silent scream of despair echoed in the void as her existence was utterly obliterated.

Naruto stood in silence, watching as the ruler of night crumbled under the weight of his sins. The souls that had gathered around him began to rise, floating toward the heavens in a final, haunting display of power. The vast majority of them were not real; they were mere projections of his imagination, representing the people he had lost. His world, his people, no longer existed. Yet, in this moment, he had shaped their essence into something powerful, something that would fuel him as he moved forward.

The overwhelming desire to die, to give up on everything, had vanished. In its place was a new sense of purpose. He had seen the truth, and it was clearer than ever: he was born anew. His power, once constrained by guilt and despair, had found its true form. He was no longer just the sinner; he was something else—something that could never be broken again.

But just as he was about to leave this new domain, a presence stopped him in his tracks. A woman, elegant and filled with an aura of loneliness, stepped into the space he had created. She exuded a sense of inevitability, a quiet strength that was almost overwhelming.

"Death," Naruto muttered, recognizing her immediately. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he saw her. She was unlike anyone he had encountered—yet, in many ways, she reminded him of himself.

"Be careful now, or I will have to erase you," she warned in a calm, measured tone, her voice carrying the weight of a thousand lifetimes.

Naruto, however, was unfazed. For the first time in ages, he felt a vulnerability—a recognition of something within her that mirrored his own darkness. The thought of facing her terrified him, but there was something else: a longing. He wanted to connect, to understand her, and perhaps, in a strange way, find solace in her presence.

"Wait," Naruto called out, surprising even himself. "Can we talk? I think we can keep each other company."

It was an impulse, an instinctual desire to reach out to someone who, in a strange way, felt like a kindred spirit. He had long since abandoned his need for companionship, but in this moment, he couldn't help but feel that this meeting—this encounter with Death herself—might be the one thing he had been searching for all along.

Death, startled by his response, looked at him with an expression of curiosity. He showed no fear, only an understanding that seemed to transcend the chaos of the situation. She saw something in him, something that intrigued her. And for the first time, she nodded, allowing the world around them to shift.

In that moment, Naruto was no longer the broken man he had been. With Death at his side, he was unwilling to give in to his negative thoughts, unwilling to succumb to the darkness. Together, they stood in this new realm—a place where time had no meaning, and where Naruto could finally begin to piece together the fragments of his shattered soul.

Meanwhile, back in Gotham, Naruto's clone had returned. His mind was clear, and his heart was set on a single purpose: to see his family again. He had to return to them, to the people who still mattered. As he looked down upon the city, he saw a small child, no older than three, running joyfully through the streets. This child, his son, possessed an incredible power, one that had manifested in an entirely new way after being sealed away. The child was special—he was the son of the strongest chakra users, a living testament to the legacy Naruto had created. But it was not yet time for them to meet.

Naruto's clone appeared at the door to his house, and as expected, his daughter, Hima, rushed to greet him. She jumped into his arms, and he held her tightly, feeling the warmth of her embrace.

"I'm back," Naruto said, his voice steady and full of conviction.

Hima, looking up at him, saw something in his eyes—a change, a transformation. It was as if he had finally come back to himself. For the first time in what felt like forever, she believed in him again.

"I have waited for so long, Daddy. Stay with me today."

And Naruto, looking at her with a tenderness he thought he had lost forever, replied with a soft smile, "I love Emilia."

In that moment, something inside him shifted. The darkness that had once consumed him was no longer a part of him. He was ready to face the world again—not as a sinner, but as a father, a protector, and a man reborn.