Darkness.
For the longest time, there was nothing else. A silence so absolute it felt like he floated in a void without end. No body, no breath, no voice—only the sensation that he had ceased to exist.
Then, slowly, warmth pressed against his eyelids. Light. The faint glow of morning slipping past paper screens, soft and fragile like the flutter of a candle flame. His lungs dragged in a ragged breath. The pain of it was so sharp it grounded him immediately.
"…Hospital?" His voice was hoarse. Younger.
Each inhale scraped against ribs wrapped in tight bandages. Every shift of his arms sent jolts through his bones, as if his body had been broken apart and then forced clumsily back together. He grimaced, forcing his eyes open wider.
The ceiling above was plain. White walls, faint antiseptic smell—the sterile, suffocating familiarity of a hospital room.
And then, movement.
A figure sat slumped in a chair beside his bed. Dark hair spilled forward, pale arms folded against the mattress. She looked exhausted, as though she'd kept vigil far too long.
Her hand lay close to his own, small and trembling faintly.
"…Hinata."
Even before her eyes opened, he knew her.
The girl stirred with a soft sound, her pale eyes fluttering open. When they landed on him, recognition struck like a bolt. She gasped, sitting upright so quickly the chair scraped against the floor.
"N-Naruto-kun! Y-you're awake…!"
Her hands twisted nervously together, cheeks already aflame. "I—I stayed to… to make sure you were okay. I-I'm sorry, maybe I should—"
Naruto blinked at her. Not just at the stutter, not just at the crimson rising in her face—but at the raw warmth in her gaze. This wasn't a scene from a story. This was real. A girl who had refused to leave, who had sat here trembling with worry, waiting for him to open his eyes.
A grin tugged weakly at his lips. "Heh… guess I made you worry. Sorry about that."
Hinata shook her head, dropping her gaze to the floor. Her voice softened, nearly a whisper. "Y-you always push yourself too hard. I… I couldn't just leave you here alone."
The silence that followed was delicate, fragile, but not unwelcome. Naruto let it linger, a strange comfort in the stillness.
But his thoughts spun, tangled and heavy. He wasn't only himself anymore.
Because he remembered.
The void.
A voice, formless yet vast. An offer—three wishes.
He remembered asking for strength, comprehension, and… the chance to meet Naruto Uzumaki, to merge with him rather than replace him.
And he remembered the Valley of the End.
Rain lashing down. Sasuke's eyes burning with pain and fury. Naruto's body broken, bleeding into the river.
And then—himself, kneeling beside Naruto. Words exchanged. A hand reaching out. Fingers clasped.
Light.
They had merged. His will and memories, Naruto's bonds and heart. Not one replacing the other, but one becoming whole.
Now, lying in this hospital bed, he felt both lives flowing through his veins.
Naruto Uzumaki.
And himself.
Two voices braided together.
A rustle at the door cut through the haze. The sliding panel creaked open, and two figures stepped into the room.
"Yo."
Kakashi Hatake stood casually in the doorway, one hand buried in his pocket, the other holding a small orange book angled just enough to show his laziness. Behind him came a presence that filled the space before she even spoke.
Tsunade Senju. The Godaime Hokage.
Her amber eyes locked on him, sharp but tempered with something deeper. "Well, well. Look who decided to wake up."
Naruto forced another grin, though fatigue still clung to him. "Heh. Took me long enough, huh?"
Hinata rose quickly, bowing her head. "L-Lady Hokage… Kakashi-sensei…"
Kakashi's visible eye curved with amusement. "Glad to see you awake, Naruto. You had us worried there for a while."
Naruto chuckled softly. "Guess I do that a lot."
Hinata shifted nervously, her voice barely audible. "I-I should… um… I should let you rest."
But Naruto spoke before she could retreat. "Hinata."
She froze, eyes wide.
"When I get out of here…" He rubbed at the back of his neck, suddenly sheepish. "Want to grab a bowl of ramen? My treat."
Her face turned crimson from hairline to chin. "I-I… y-yes! I-I mean… I'd like that, N-Naruto-kun!"
She bowed so quickly her hair spilled forward, then practically fled from the room, sandals squeaking down the hallway.
Naruto blinked after her before laughter slipped out. "Heh… she's really something."
Tsunade smirked knowingly. "Didn't waste any time, did you?"
Naruto flailed, cheeks burning. "I-It's not like that! She's just—she's nice, okay?"
"Mm-hm." Tsunade's smirk lingered before fading into something heavier. She stepped closer, folding her arms. "Now. Enough distractions. Tell me everything, Naruto. What happened between you and Sasuke?"
The air tightened.
Naruto's grin vanished. He stared at his bandaged hands, the memory of rain and lightning weighing him down.
"…We fought," he whispered.
He told them everything.
Of chasing Sasuke.
Of their words.
Of the clash—Rasengan against Chidori, the cursed seal twisting Sasuke's chakra, the Kyūbi's rage boiling in his veins.
"I couldn't stop him," Naruto said, voice cracking. "He beat me. But he didn't kill me. He said he wouldn't follow the same path as his brother."
Silence followed. Kakashi set his book aside, for once unread. Tsunade's eyes softened, though concern lingered.
Kakashi broke the quiet. "…Naruto. Do you realize how close you were?"
Naruto blinked, confusion clear.
"When we found you," Kakashi continued, "you were gone. No pulse. No breath. For a full minute… you were dead."
The words landed like a kunai to the chest.
Naruto's throat went dry. He remembered it—the fading light, the hand reaching out, the merging of two souls.
He forced a shaky grin. "…Guess I owe the fox for that one, huh?"
Tsunade's tone cut sharp. "Don't joke. The Kyūbi's chakra kept you alive, yes. But it could have consumed you completely. One step further, and you wouldn't be sitting here now."
Naruto clenched the sheets in his fists. He could feel Kurama's presence deep inside—a restless, rumbling growl. But also… a faint warmth. Not just malice anymore.
"I know," Naruto said firmly. "But I'll take that risk. If it means keeping my promises, I'll walk that line."
Kakashi's eye softened, though worry never left it. "Then just don't make a habit of dying, alright?"
Naruto laughed, rough but genuine. "Heh. No promises."
Tsunade sighed, her hand resting on his shoulder, warm and steady. "Rest now, Naruto. That's an order."
He smiled faintly, exhaustion dragging at him. "Yeah, yeah… Granny, I hear you."
⸻
Hokage's Office
Evening light spilled across scrolls and medical charts. Tsunade stood by the window, sake untouched in her hand.
The latch clicked.
"You know," she muttered, "doors still exist."
Jiraiya swung one leg through the window with less drama than usual. His grin wavered, never landing fully. "Habit."
They spoke of Naruto. Of his brush with death. Of the Kyūbi's grip.
And finally, of what must come next.
"He can't stay here," Jiraiya said quietly. "Not while Akatsuki moves."
Tsunade's scowl deepened. "He's twelve."
"He's also their biggest target. The longer we wait, the worse it gets. He needs training—discipline, control, strength enough to survive what's coming."
Tsunade stared at her sake, jaw tight. "Every day outside this village, he's a target."
Jiraiya's voice softened. "He's a target inside it too."
Silence stretched, heavy as stone. Then finally, Tsunade exhaled. "…Conditions."
They bargained—weekly reports by toad, medical kits carried, dangerous regions avoided. And one last condition, softer, sharper than all the rest.
"Bring the boy back," Tsunade said. "Not just the power. Naruto."
Jiraiya met her eyes. "I will."
They agreed. Three days. Naruto would leave.
Jiraiya paused at the window, cloak stirring in the breeze. "He's different," he said quietly. "Same brat, same sun. But steadier. Like he's carrying something more."
Tsunade thought of Naruto's smile in that hospital bed, the light that hadn't dimmed even after everything.
"Maybe dying once will do that to you," she muttered.
"Then let's make sure he doesn't need the lesson again."
And with that, Jiraiya slipped into the amber light.
Tsunade stood alone. Below, the village bustled, unaware of the storm creeping closer. She raised her cup toward the Fourth's face on the mountain.
"For his sake," she whispered.
And drank.