THE FOREST PATH NEAR UCHIHA POLICE HEADQUARTERS
The dark canopy of the ancient forest rustled softly as a lone shadow leaped swiftly through the high branches.
Young Sasuke's sandals slapped against the rough bark of a massive cedar, pushing off with practiced, silent precision. The chilly night air whipped through his hair and bit against his pale face, but he didn't care. He didn't even slow down to catch his breath.
His dark eyes were fixed straight ahead, burning through the moonlight toward the heavy stone perimeter of the Uchiha Headquarters.
His heart was pounding heavily against his ribs, not from physical exertion, but from a suffocating, unbearable weight that had been building inside his chest for days.
'It's been so long...' Sasuke thought bitterly, his jaw clenching tight as he leaped toward the next branch. 'Too many days...'
Ever since that stupid, heated argument back in Tetsu no Kuni, everything had gone wrong.
He remembered the look on his little self's face during their fight. Mini Sasuke hadn't agreed with him.
When Sasuke was angry toward Naruto and decided to leave him, the younger version of himself hadn't taken his side. He had stood up for Naruto instead, looking at Sasuke with those innocent, disappointed and disgustment eyes before walking away.
Sasuke had put on a cold, indifferent face. He had let his anger hide the stabbing pain in his chest, pretending he didn't care if the kid left with his older self or stayed behind.
But the truth had been quietly destroying him from the inside out ever since.
'He stood up for Naruto...' Sasuke's mind wept silently as he soared through the quiet night air. 'He looked at me... and he didn't see someone to follow. He saw someone who was hurting his friend. And I... I was so bitter that I didn't even try to stand for him.'
He remembered how he had let the kid wander off alone, leaving him behind in the cold while he pushed forward with his own burden.
That regret had stayed buried deep within him, a silent ache he refused to speak out loud. He swore he would never go for his younger self.
But all his promises made to him were shattered this afternoon when the local whispers reached his ears—rumors of a strange Uchiha child being held inside the locked cells of the Uchiha Police
Headquarters.
The second he heard it, Sasuke hadn't hesitated. He hadn't stopped to weigh the risks or consider the danger of sneaking near the Headquarters.
He had simply run.
'I don't care...' Sasuke declared fiercely in his mind, his eyes stinging as the wind brushed against his face.
'I don't care if we fought! I don't care if we had that stupid argument, or if you were angry with me, or if you left me behind in the cold! I don't care about any of it! I am not going to leave you there!'
Another leap carried him over a wide clearing, the moon casting his shadow long and dark across the forest floor below.
While moving a painful memory suddenly resurfaced in his mind—the memory of his mother, Mikoto.
His chest violently tightened, making it hard to breathe.
'Kaa-san...' Sasuke thought, a bitter, agonizing pain suffocating his throat as he remembered the way she had looked at him—with doubt, distance, and disbelief.
'When I met her... she didn't even want to believe I was her son. She looked right at me and pushed it away...'
He squeezed his eyes shut for a second, forcing back the burning tears.
'I won't let you meet her the same way I did—' Sasuke swore in his head, his fists trembling violently at his sides.
'I won't let you stand in front of her only to be rejected like that. If you go through what I went through... it will completely break you. You'll lose all your trust in her... in this whole world... in me... and even in yourself.'
Sasuke took a deep, steadying breath, suppressing the choke in his throat as his resolve turned into pure iron.
'You're too small to carry that kind of heartbreak...' he thought, staring directly at the guarded perimeter ahead.
'I'm getting you back tonight.'
SWOOSH—!
The dark shadows of the tall forest trees blurred past him as he pushed his body to move even faster through the chilly night air.
He didn't slow down for a single second.
Every jump, every stride was fueled by the desperate urge to reach the small kid, to make up for the foolish fight they had, and to pull him out of that cold cell before the harsh reality of this world could break his heart.
He kept his dark eyes fixed straight ahead, completely focused on the distant, shadowy stretch of the forest path that led toward the Uchiha Headquarters.
He was moving fast toward the location where both of them were, completely unaware that his older self even existed—or that right at that very place, his older self was lying motionless, his breath fading fast, standing on the very brink of death.
He didn't feel the sudden chill that settled over the wind. He didn't know the terrible, tragic secret waiting for him at the end of his path.
His heart was only beating for one single thought as he leaped into the deep darkness of the trees.
'Just hold on... I'm coming.'
Outside the quiet, shady trees of the forest, the evening air was peaceful. But the closer one walked toward the tall stone walls of the Hyuga compound, the heavy thuds of combat echoed through the trees.
HYUGA COMPOUND
Inside the wooden hallway of the main house, the walls were shaking from the explosive impacts outside in the backyard!
SLIDE!
Hyuga Kozuki angrily pulled open the large paper doors leading to the garden.
WHOOOOOOSH!
A massive cloud of dust, broken rocks, and bamboo leaves blew right into his face!
"Cough! Cough! A-Ack!" Kozuki shouted, waving his hands to push the dirt away. "CURSE WHOEVER IS MAKING SUCH A HUGE MESS IN OUR SACRED BACKYARD!"
As the dust started to clear, Kozuki's mouth stayed wide open in total shock.
Hizashi—one of the absolute strongest fighters in the clan—was locked in a intense 1-v-1 taijutsu battle against a tall stranger!
SWISH! SWISH! BANG!
Hizashi moved like lightning, unleashing a super fast combination of Gentle Fist palm strikes! His hands targeted the stranger's chest and arms, trying to shut down his chakra points!
The tall stranger didn't use any shadow clones. He used pure speed and raw reaction time. He dipped his head low, stepped to the side, and casually blocked Hizashi's heavy wrist strikes with his own arms!
BLOCK! BLOCK! BANG!
Hizashi leaped back, gathering blue chakra into both palms, and pushed his hands forward to shoot a heavy blast of air straight from his hands!
BOOM!
The stranger crossed his arms, taking the blast head-on! The heavy air pressure pushed him back, his sandals digging two long lines into the dirt. When the dust settled, the tall man caught Hizashi's incoming wrist, spun backward, and showed a big, hyperactive smile!
"Aah, c'mon! Can't we just stop fighting for two seconds and talk this out, Dattebayo?!" the stranger shouted with his loud, voice.
Right as he spoke, the tall man casually tilted his head back toward the open paper doors.
Through the lingering dust, blue eyes met white, wide eyes.
The loud noise of the fight stopped for a second as Naruto turned his head back toward the open paper doors.
Through the dust, blue eyes met white, wide eyes.
Eye contact.
Adult Naruto froze completely. His hand was still holding Hizashi's wrist. His blue eyes went wide as he locked eyes with the bruised, tied-up boy sitting in the dark room—a young Neji staring back at him in total shock.
Beside Neji were tiny Hinata and Rock Lee, both tied up with ropes.
'Shit...' Naruto thought, his mind going completely blank. 'What the fuck... how the...'
He could not believe what he was seeing. Neji, Hinata and Lee were just small kids.
Before Naruto could understand what was happening, Hizashi thought Naruto was wide open. Hizashi jumped forward with an angry laugh, trying to hit Naruto from the side!
"What's wrong?!" Hizashi shouted mockingly. "Did you finally realize you can't match me?!"
BANG!
Without even looking back, a clone appeared and easily blocked Hizashi's attack with one arm. The wind pushed Hizashi backward, making him stumble.
Slowly, a small smile appeared on Adult Naruto's face.
He looked at the three tied-up kids, staring right at Neji's shocked face, as the truth finally hit him.
"I see..." Naruto said softly, laughing a little under his breath. "Old memories really are gold, dattebayo."
He finally understood everything.
He was back in the past—during the time of the Fourth Hokage's reign. And standing right in front of him were the three kids from his own past, watching him fight in their backyard.
Hizashi glared at Naruto, his white eyes glowing with sharp chakra.
"DON'T LOOK AWAY FROM YOUR ENEMY!" Hizashi shouted!
He rushed forward like a flash of lightning, thrusting two fingers straight toward Naruto's shoulder to strike his chakra point!
TAP!
Naruto dodged just in time! The attack missed his shoulder by an inch, hitting the wooden fence behind him and blasting a hole straight through it!
"Whoa! Too close! Dattebayo!" Naruto laughed, sliding backward across the grass.
Hizashi didn't give him a second to breathe. He pushed off the ground, unleashing a super fast combination of Gentle Fist palm strikes!
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
His hands moved like striking snakes, targeting Naruto's chest, ribs, and arms all at once!
Naruto didn't use any shadow clones. He used pure speed and raw reaction time. He dipped his head low, stepped to the side, and blocked Hizashi's heavy wrist strikes with his own arms!
BLOCK! BLOCK! BANG!
The force of their hitting arms sent small shockwaves of wind blowing across the garden!
Inside the dark room, Rock Lee leaned forward as far as his ropes allowed, his mouth wide open. "Unbelievable! He is reading every single Gentle Fist angle with pure physical instinct!"
Hizashi leaped high into the air, gathering blue chakra into both of his open palms. He pushed both hands down toward Naruto with full power, shooting a heavy blast of air straight from his hands!
BOOM!
Naruto crossed his arms in front of his face, taking the blast head-on! The heavy air pressure pushed him back, making his sandals dig two long lines into the dirt.
But when the dust settled, Naruto was standing completely fine, just wiping a little dirt off his shoulder with a confident grin.
"Not bad, dattebayo!" Naruto chuckled, dropping into his famous fighting stance.
"My turn now!"
SWISH—!
Mid-fight, Naruto suddenly stopped his feet and slightly tilted his head.
"You guys..." Naruto muttered under his breath, looking up at the sky like he was talking to someone invisibly standing above him.
Hizashi saw an opening and charged straight in with a heavy palm strike!
BOOM!
Without even breaking his focus, Naruto casually sidestepped, grabbed Hizashi's wrist, and delivered a powerful kick straight to Hizashi's stomach!
"Sorry! I'm a little busy talking!" Naruto called out as Hizashi went flying across the garden, crashing hard into the wooden fence!
Naruto brushed his hands together and chuckled quietly to himself, muttering into the air again.
"Yeah, yeah... it's a long story—" Naruto whispered with a warm smile.
"What do you expect? Of course with the brains of my beautiful wife and the effort of my hyperactive kid, anything can happen!"
He paused for a second, listening to the voice in his head, then turned his eyes toward the porch.
"Yeah, I see him," Naruto muttered softly. "But the problem is that old man is staring right at me..."
On the courtyard, Kozuki glared at Naruto with narrowed eyes, his heart beating fast with suspicion.
'Is he talking to himself?!' Kozuki thought, his forehead sweating. 'No... is this a mind-transmission jutsu from the Yamanaka clan?! Who is he communicating with?!'
Naruto ignored Kozuki's glaring eyes and kept muttering back to the voice in his head.
"Yeah, I have to get them out, right?" Naruto asked softly.
Then, right in the middle of the battle, Naruto casually walked over to a big tree root, crossed both of his legs, and sat down comfortably like he was having a afternoon tea break!
The surrounding Hyuga clan members blinked in total shock. They looked at each other, their mouths wide open.
"What... What is he doing?!" one member shouted in total confusion.
"Why are you sitting down?!" another yelled angrily. "We are in the middle of a battle! Is this guy serious?!"
Naruto just chuckled and rested his elbows on his knees, talking out loud to the mind-link.
"But tell me, Ino..." Naruto said with a small smile. "If I rescue our younger selves, isn't that going to cause a total timeline chaos?"
He listened for a second, then his eyes went wide with surprise.
"Wait, what?! Seriously?!" Naruto gasped. "You already rescued your younger self... and Tenten's younger self too?!"
Naruto shook his head, laughing lightly.
"Okay, okay, wait, I'll do it..." Naruto paused, his smile growing softer. "Wait... what —?!"
"...Neji is coming?!"
His blue eyes softened as a tiny, nostalgic shadow passed over his face.
"Are you sure he won't get too nostalgic seeing Hizashi right now?" Naruto asked quietly into the mind-link. "Okay... I'm waiting."
Suddenly—
"AHHHHHHH—!"
A loud, terrified shout echoed from one of the room's of the Main Compound!
"Let go of me! Let me go!"
Hyuga Kozuki dragged young Hinata out onto the courtyard by her arm!
"Hinata-sama!" Neji roared, his eyes burning with rage as he pulled against his heavy ropes. "You coward! Put her down!"
"Leave her alone!" Lee shouted angrily, thrashing on the wooden floor. "Take us instead! Fight us like a real man!"
Kozuki ignored their shouting completely. He narrowed his eyes at the tall blonde man standing near the garden, assuming this intruder was here to save the three tied-up kids.
"You think you can cause a mess in our compound and just leave with these brats?!" Kozuki shouted. He raised his open palm, gathering sharp chakra to strike young Hinata straight in the back to force the intruder to step back!
Before Kozuki's hand could even drop, Naruto moved with incredible speed, blurring straight across the porch.
BOOM!
Naruto appeared right in front of Kozuki, catching the man's wrist in a grip of iron! The sheer force of Naruto's movement sent a heavy gust of wind blowing across the courtyard, throwing Kozuki off balance!
Without missing a beat, Naruto wrapped one strong arm protectively around young Hinata's waist, lifting her securely off the floor into a safe, close hold right beside him.
"Hey..." Naruto's voice dropped into a dangerous, icy tone that made Kozuki shudder. "Keep your dirty hands off her."
With a simple flick of his wrist, Naruto shoved Kozuki backward.
BANG!
"UGH—DAMN YOU! YOU DIRTY BASTARD!" Kozuki shouted, crashing hard onto his backside on the courtyard. He cursed angrily, rubbing his bruised shoulder and glaring with total rage.
"How dare you lay your hands on a senior clan member! You'll pay for this!"
Naruto completely ignored Kozuki's angry cursing, turning all his attention to the girl held safely in his arm.
Young Hinata gasped, her hands resting against his dark jacket as she looked up.
Her face turned bright red as she found herself holding onto him so closely. But as her eyes moved up to his face, her breath caught in her throat.
She saw three cute whisker marks on his cheeks. And then, she looked straight into his eyes. They were the most beautiful, bright, ocean-blue eyes she had ever seen—glowing with absolute warmth, strength, and gentle care.
Her heart started pounding like crazy against her chest.
'Those whiskers... those eyes...' young Hinata thought, her mind spinning as her cheeks burned red. 'N-No... No way... Could you be...?'
"N-N... Naruto-kun...?" she whispered trembling, her voice full of total wonder.
Naruto gave her a handsome, cheeky smirk, leaning his head down just a little closer so his soft blue eyes locked onto hers.
"Bingo—!!" Naruto chuckled softly, his voice smooth and comforting right next to her ear.
"You recognized me right away, huh? Even when I'm all grown up and extra handsome?"
Young Hinata felt like her heart was about to burst right out of her chest. "I... I...!"
"Don't worry for even one second—" Naruto whispered tenderly, holding her securely to keep her safe. "No matter what timeline, no matter where we are... I'm always gonna protect you. You don't have to be scared anymore, okay?"
Young Hinata stared up at him, totally lost in his deep blue eyes, her whole face blushing bright crimson. "Y-Yes...
"WHAT A DISGRACE!"
BOOM!
The sweet moment was broken as Hizashi came charging back onto the porch, his clothes torn and his white eyes blazing with fury!
"Is... Is my eyesight tricking me?!" Lee whispered frantically, his forehead dripping with sweat as he stared out the open door. "Did Hinata-san just call him Naruto-kun?!"
"Quiet down, Lee—" Neji whispered sharply, his white eyes wide as he inspected every single inch of the tall stranger's chakra pathway. "It really is him. His chakra flow... it feels just like Naruto's, but it's far too massive! It's like looking at an ocean!"
"But look at him!" Lee hissed back, wriggling closer to the doorway. "The spiky blonde hair! The three whisker marks! That man IS Naruto-kun! But... how is he so tall?! Why does he look like a full-grown shinobi?!"
Neji's breath caught in his throat as his brain rapidly put the pieces together.
"It's a timeline mix—" Neji whispered, his eyes narrowing as the crazy truth hit him.
Lee blinked in total confusion, turning his head. "What...? A timeline mix?!"
"I am telling you the truth!" Neji continued, his voice dead serious. "Think about it, Lee. Just like we came here from our own future... that means the us from an even further future have also come to this time!"
GASP!
Lee's eyes popped wide open, his jaw practically hitting the wooden floorboards.
"NO WAY! You mean... that is the future Naruto-kun from way ahead of our time?!"
Before Neji could answer, Lee's eyes suddenly shifted away from Naruto and landed straight on Hyuga Kozuki, who was sitting on his butt on the porch, still cursing and yelling.
Lee's face instantly twisted in pure anger.
Even though his hands were tied tightly behind his back with heavy ropes, Lee didn't care at all.
He used his insane leg strength to hop straight onto his feet, wiggling toward the porch like a angry tornado!
"YOU MEAN OLD COWARD!" Lee shouted!
WHAM!
Without even using his hands, Lee spun in mid-air and delivered a heavy, brutal kick straight to Kozuki's face!
"OWWW! AHHH!" Kozuki screamed, his head snapping back as he rolled across the wooden floor!
BOOM! KICK! BAM!
"Take this! And this! How dare you pull Hinata-san by her hair and try to strike her!" Lee yelled passionately, jumping into the air and launching a rapid barrage of flying kicks directly onto Kozuki's head and back!
"AHHH! MY FACE! STOP HIM! SOMEONE HELP ME!" Kozuki shrieked in pain, trying to cover his head while getting ruthlessly stomped on by a tied-up genin!
The surrounding Hyuga clan members just stood there in absolute shock, frozen in place. They were so terrified of the giant, overwhelming chakra radiating from Adult Naruto in the courtyard that they dared not move a single muscle to help Kozuki!
They could only watch with wide, terrified eyes
"LEE, STOP IT!" Neji yelled frantically from the doorway, his face turning pale with sheer panic!
Lee paused mid-air, one leg raised high above Kozuki's bruised face. "Why, Neji?! He deserves the full punishment of YOUTH!"
"IF HE DIES, ME AND HINATA-SAMA WILL BE THE FIRST ONES TO DISAPPEAR FROM THE TIMELINE!" Neji screamed at the top of his lungs!
Lee froze instantly, his foot hovering an inch away from Kozuki's forehead, his eyes going huge with panic. "WHAT?!"
Hizashi roared with rage, charging straight toward Naruto with his fingers aimed at every vital chakra point!
SWISH—!
Naruto didn't even sweat. Still holding young Hinata safely and securely against his side with one arm, he casually stepped inside Hizashi's attack guard with ridiculous speed.
BANG!
With just his free hand, Naruto struck Hizashi's chest with a quick, heavy palm thrust! The raw force sent Hizashi flying backward across the entire courtyard, crashing hard into a stone wall and sinking down onto his knees, completely out of breath!
"One hand..." young Neji whispered from the doorway, his jaw dropping in total shock. "He took down Chichioya... while holding Hinata-sama with his other arm?!"
"Unbelievable strength!" Lee gasped, his eyes wide.
Naruto lowered his stance, gathering blue chakra into his free palm to finish the fight and knock Hizashi out for good. But before he could step forward—
"Hold your hand, stranger."
A heavy, commanding voice echoed through the courtyard.
Hyuga Hiashi stepped out from the main compound, his long dark hair flowing in the wind and his white eyes cold as ice. The surrounding clan members instantly bowed their heads in respect.
Hiashi looked at the fallen Hizashi, then at the bruised Kozuki on the floor, before locking his sharp gaze onto Naruto.
"You possess extraordinary chakra—" Hiashi said calmly, stepping down into the garden. "But this is the Hyuga Clan. We do not yield to force. I propose an agreement."
Naruto paused, keeping young Hinata safe in his arm as he smirked. "Oh? An agreement? I'm listening, so called Hyuga Clan Head, dattebayo."
"A head-on duel between you and me!" Hiashi stated firmly, dropping into a perfect Gentle Fist stance.
"If you win, you take these brats and leave without further trouble. But if I win... you surrender yourself to our clan."
Naruto chuckled, raising an eyebrow.
"Sounds fair enough, but—"
SWOOOSH!
Before Naruto could even finish his sentence, a sudden, powerful gust of wind blew across the courtyard! Leaves swirled around the garden as a tall figure silently appeared right on top of one of the compound's house's roof, landing without making a single sound.
A tall man stood there, wearing a long dark travel cloak that fluttered softly in the night breeze. Long, silky brown hair framed his face, and his pale, flawless white eyes looked down at the courtyard with absolute, quiet confidence
.
Inside the dark room, genin Neji's eyes went wide. His breath caught in his throat, and his whole body started trembling.
"No... way..." genin Neji whispered, his voice shaking. "Is that...?!"
The tall man on the roof lowered his gaze, his eyes softening slightly as he looked at Naruto holding young Hinata, before glancing down at Hiashi.
ADULT HYUGA NEJI HAD ARRIVED.
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