To explain the current situation:
Put simply, during the Chūnin Exams, both Konoha and Sunagakure were being forced to watch a live broadcast of the Fourth Hokage's death. Then Naruto from another parallel timeline—the Fourth Shinobi World War timeline—crossed over to this point in time and allowed Kushina to fulfill her final wish.
...
At this very moment, the number one hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War—
Naruto Uzumaki 's mind was filled with small… no, huge question marks!!
Even when he had just fought a nonstop gauntlet against Six Paths Obito, Six Paths Madara, and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, he hadn't been this panicked!!!!
Just a moment ago, he had been standing on the shattered battlefield of the Fourth Shinobi World War, watching the First Hokage say his farewell to Madara Uchiha.
Then he had said goodbye to his father, whose soul was about to depart for the Pure Land. After all that, he had been ready to sit down and have a proper "talk" with that idiot Sasuke and free everyone trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi…
And yet, in the very next instant, how did he end up here?!
At first, he thought he'd been dragged into the Infinite Tsukuyomi himself, or maybe caught in some kind of limited Tsukuyomi like the one Obito once used on him and Sakura.
The hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War, Naruto Uzumaki, desperately wished he could drag Shikamaru or Kakashi-sensei over with him. His brain really couldn't keep up with this!!
"Naruto…"
The woman's faint voice made Naruto's heart tremble. He had been convinced this was all just an illusion.
He recognized this scene. It was the story of the night he was born, something his mom had told him when he met her deep within his own subconscious.
But back then, he had only heard it.
What was unfolding before him now was so desperate, so brutal, that it couldn't possibly be reduced to something he had merely "heard."
Naruto stood there stiffly, completely at a loss.
Kushina clearly wanted to embrace her grown-up child. She didn't know whether heaven had truly answered her wish to see Naruto grown up, or whether some other force had created this miracle.
But the sharp claw piercing her body made it impossible for her to move.
Tears streamed down her face as she told him again and again how much she loved him, how deeply she cherished him, how she wished the three of them could live together as a happy family.
Even Naruto, who had already met his parents' chakra once and had fought side by side with his father during the Fourth Shinobi World War, was on the verge of breaking down.
He had no idea what was going on. Part of him believed this had to be genjutsu, yet everything felt far too real. Real enough that he could only ask the Nine-Tails inside him whether he had fallen into the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
And the Nine-Tails answered him—
["This isn't genjutsu, brat. You probably traveled back to today… seventeen years ago. Don't forget what day it is."]
Having just said goodbye to his dad, and having received his very first "happy birthday" from his family in his entire life, how could Naruto not know what day it was?
Today was—
October 10th.
His birthday.
["Tch. The old man of Six Paths' Yang Release isn't strong enough to restore the life force of two people who are already at death's door."]
And that bastard Minato had used the Reaper Death Seal, a forbidden jutsu. Naruto couldn't think of anyone who could save them now other than the Sage of Six Paths himself.
Inside Naruto's subconscious, the Nine-Tails grew restless, scratching at the ground while its massive tail slapped against the floor.
Then, in an instant, it noticed Karin standing there, completely at a loss.
["No matter what, pull those claws out of their bodies first. Then…"]
A massive fox head formed from chakra and emerged from Naruto's body, turning toward Karin.
["Little girl, I'll lend you my chakra. Go stabilize those two for now. As long as you've got enough chakra, you should be able to do it."]
Fourth Hokage: "!!!"
He had already been shocked beyond belief when he saw the Nine-Tails' chakra freely entering and leaving Naruto's body. Now, hearing the Nine-Tails speak like this completely overturned his worldview.
The Nine-Tails Demon Fox… was thinking about how to save them?!
This left all the Konoha villagers standing there—unperceived by that parallel world—completely dumbfounded.
The legendary Nine-Tails, the monster that had nearly destroyed Konoha again and again…
Was actually trying to save their Fourth Hokage-sama?!
And most importantly—
That boy…
He was interacting with the Nine-Tails like a close companion?!
He should be the future Naruto Uzumaki, right? No… was he really the future Naruto?
That skinny kid they had always excluded, the one they called a monster, the "Nine-Tails brat"—could he really grow into such a powerful, outstanding ninja?
And most unbelievable of all, why did it look like even the Nine-Tails itself couldn't help but want to support him?!
As if sensing what the Fourth Hokage was thinking, Kurama explained awkwardly,
"Well… a lot happened. Anyway, I'm on your side now."
The Konoha ninja, who had already been utterly confused, were now even more lost than before.
"That Nine-Tails?!!"
"On our side?!!"
"That person has to be Naruto Uzumaki too, right? What happened in the future to make the Nine-Tails side with humans?!!"
"This is unbelievable! And what's with that golden chakra?!"
After hearing Kurama's words, Fourth Shinobi World War Naruto also bent down and pleaded with Karin. Karin had wanted to save them from the start. Even though she wasn't particularly sharp, she understood that the ANBU who had once saved her in Kusagakure looked strikingly similar to the Fourth Hokage-sama standing before her now.
She absorbed the chakra the Nine-Tails lent her and let the red-haired Kushina Uzumaki bite down on her arm.
With the Nine-Tails already gone from her body, Kushina knew that no matter how strong her vitality was, she wouldn't escape death. She was reluctant to add yet another bite mark to the arm of a fellow Uzumaki.
Just seeing how young Karin was, her body barely bearing a clean patch of skin, made their hearts ache.
But neither she nor Minato could refuse the earnest, desperate hope in the eyes of the seventeen-year-old Naruto Uzumaki.
This feeling was shared by Minato Namikaze as well.
When the Fourth Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki began to recover chakra, the Nine-Tails, still bound by the Adamantine Sealing Chains, bristled in shock.
He had once hated humanity's greed, hypocrisy, ignorance, and betrayal. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that one day he would be betrayed by himself. The feeling was strangely intense and bitter all at once.
["What's going on here?!! Why would my future self help humans?! That's impossible! Absolutely impossible!!"]
The gigantic fox roared in fury.
But an aged voice cut him off.
"That's enough. Calm down, Kurama."
"!!!!"
Floating in the air was an old man dressed in white, his presence carrying an otherworldly, sage-like aura.
Nine-Tails: "!!!!"
Fourth Shinobi World War Naruto lit up with joy.
"Grandpa Rikudou! You're here too!!"
The Sage of the Six Paths smiled at him, then turned his gaze toward the young couple. Though their chakra had been restored, they still could not escape their destined end.
"The young Hokage who offered his life to the Shinigami… and the sacrificial power that lost its Tailed Beast…"
The old man's voice was heavy with authority.
It made the Konoha and Sunagakure ninja—unable to move, unnoticed like stones within this parallel world—stare in stunned disbelief.
The Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, exclaimed in awe,
"So this is the Sage of the Six Paths!"
During the Fourth Shinobi World War, they had been trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi and never had the chance to see the Sage of the Six Paths with their own eyes.
They never expected that crossing time and space would grant them this opportunity instead.
Beside Gaara, the Fourth Kazekage and Minato from the Kannabi Bridge Timeline were equally stunned when they heard the title.
"The Sage of the Six Paths?! Does such a person really exist?!!"
"His eyes!" Minato from the Kannabi Bridge Timeline stared at the faint purple eyes patterned with concentric rings. "Could that be the legendary Rinnegan?!"
Gaara nodded.
"That's right. Those are the Rinnegan. The same eyes Pain had… or rather, the Rinnegan Madara Uchiha transplanted into him."
He had learned about Nagato and the others from Naruto, along with their connection to Jiraiya. In a sense, they could be considered Naruto's senior brothers.
The other ninja also noticed the Sage's unusual eyes.
"What kind of eyes are those?! I've never seen anything like them!!"
"How is he floating in the air?! Is that Iwagakure's Light-Weight Rock Technique?"
While they whispered among themselves, the Sage of the Six Paths continued speaking.
["The young Hokage who sacrificed himself to the Shinigami… and the Jinchuuriki that lost its Tailed Beast…"]
["You have an exceptionally outstanding son…"]
"!!!!"
That old man, who seemed even more formidable than the legendary ninja god Hashirama Senju, was praising that so-called Nine-Tails brat?!
["He led the Allied Shinobi Forces, together with the tailed beasts I left behind for humanity, and defeated my mother, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki."]
The Allied Shinobi Forces?! The tailed beasts?!!
At that moment, the Konoha and Sunagakure ninja all felt as if their eyes and ears were deceiving them.
"The tailed beasts I left for humanity?! Who does this old man think he is?! Does he think he's really the Sage of the Six Paths, or the father of the tailed beasts?! That's way too arrogant!"
That thought flashed through the minds of many Konoha and Suna ninja at once.
Meanwhile, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki followed the Sage's gaze toward the future Naruto Uzumaki, their faces filled with disbelief.
They had always believed their son would grow into someone remarkable, but being praised like this by the Sage of the Six Paths was far beyond what they had ever imagined.
Watching his parents' bodies weaken again so quickly, Fourth Shinobi World War Naruto grew frantic and asked Grandpa Rikudou if there was any way at all to save them.
"I have a feeling," said Hagoromo Otsutsuki, "that being summoned to this world was meant to help you erase this regret. But…"
He paused briefly before continuing, his tone calm and measured.
"Even if you save them, they are not people from your world. You understand that, don't you, Naruto?"
"Even so, I still have to save them!" Fourth Shinobi World War Naruto answered without hesitation. "This is a miracle they'll never get to experience again in their entire lives!"
The Sage of the Six Paths wore the same unfathomable smile as ever, carrying a hint of mischief and a trace of sly humor.
He reached into the Shinigami and retrieved Minato Namikaze's soul, returning it to his body. At the same time, he reclaimed the Yin Nine-Tails sealed by the Shinigami and sealed it back into Kushina Uzumaki.
Pinned to the ground by the Adamantine Sealing Chains, the Nine-Tails lashed out in fury. Though his words were full of curses, it sounded more like a child throwing a tantrum.
"Humans are all rotten! You old geezer! Where's the person you made us wait for?! Don't tell me he died before even meeting us?!"
...
The Sage of the Six Paths remained unbothered and turned his gaze toward the infant Naruto Uzumaki wrapped in swaddling clothes.
"The one I told you to wait for is him. In a moment, I'll seal you inside his body. Behave yourself."
Nine-Tails: "No! I refuse to be sealed inside some stinking brat!"
"Look at that Kurama," the Sage of the Six Paths said, pointing to the Kurama formed from chakra that had split off from Fourth Shinobi World War Naruto. "Isn't he doing just fine inside Naruto? He's even acting as the administrator of the tailed beast gathering."
The chakra-formed Kurama immediately snapped back.
"Don't talk nonsense! If you hadn't asked me, I'd never have agreed to stay inside a human in the first place! Seriously!!"
"..."
It was… honestly a little funny.
Still, just like in the world where Karura had nearly died earlier, the once-grief-stricken atmosphere was overturned once again by their presence.
It all felt like a genjutsu.
As everything concluded, everyone present—including the Konoha and Sunagakure ninja—began to glow with a milky white light, their bodies gradually turning transparent.
It seemed it was finally time to leave.
Fourth Shinobi World War Naruto, Kawaki, and the Fifth Kazekage Gaara all appeared to be returning to their respective eras.
Fourth Shinobi World War Naruto completely broke down. He said goodbye to his mother, whom he had only just reunited with, repeating to her the very words he had spoken to his father not long ago.
Kawaki watched the Seventh Hokage like this, his heart aching.
Everything was happening far too fast. Most people hadn't even had time to process it.
Obito reacted quickly. Turning to the Fifth Kazekage, who was on the verge of disappearing, he asked,
"Do you know the true identity of the masked man?!"
The Fifth Kazekage Gaara stared at him blankly.
"Who are you? And why are you looking for the masked man?"
"I'm Obito Uchiha. You probably don't know me. In your parallel world, I died on a mission back when I was still a Chūnin. But don't worry—in my world, I'll become the first Uchiha to become Hokage!"
Amid Gaara's complicated expression, Obito finally got to the point.
"If you're from the future, then you should know who the masked man is, right? He's the enemy of the entire ninja world. So let me, the future Hokage, be the one to kill him!"
Obito Uchiha…
You've basically answered your own question already, haven't you?
"..."
The Fifth Kazekage Gaara fell silent.
Not because the kid was overly familiar or annoyingly enthusiastic.
But because if the person standing in front of him really was Obito Uchiha as a teenager… then telling him to kill himself might actually be the most efficient solution.