After the Fourth Shinobi World War, the long-standing conflicts between ninjas were finally resolved, and the Five Great Ninja Villages jointly established a unified and prosperous shinobi world. Standing amid the ruins, Naruto Uzumaki quietly reflected in his heart: "After sealing Kaguya Ōtsutsuki together with Sasuke, and after our final battle with each other, I fulfilled the promise we made back then through the Seal of Reconciliation and successfully brought Sasuke back to Konohagakure. After that, I married Hinata and eventually became the Seventh Hokage, finally realizing the dream I had chased since childhood. Later, I had a son, Uzumaki Boruto, and a daughter, Himawari. But those peaceful days didn't last long. With the emergence of the Kara organization, everything was shattered. One powerful enemy after another descended upon this shinobi world. With the arrival of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, Momoshiki, Kinshiki, and other members of the Ōtsutsuki clan, we struggled desperately just to survive. It should have been fine… but when Ryūshiki appeared in the end, I felt an overwhelming gap for the first time. Am I not the Child of Prophecy? Why can't I even protect the people closest to me? Am I really at my limit? It seems… this is where my road ends."
After saying this, Naruto seemed to steel himself, prepared to face death without regret.
"It seems there's nothing more you can do, Naruto," the Sage of Six Paths said softly beside him.
"Yeah… there's nothing we can do. They're too strong," Naruto replied, lifting his head to stare at the shattered sky, as if quietly accepting his fate.
The Sage of Six Paths sighed deeply and said, "If even you have reached this point, then this shinobi world truly is in despair."
After a moment of silence, the Sage of Six Paths made a solemn decision and spoke again. "There is a way to change all of this."
Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "If there's any way at all, please tell me! I just want to change everything. I don't want the shinobi world I cherish to be destroyed!"
Seeing Naruto's unwavering resolve, the Sage of Six Paths smiled faintly. "It seems you truly wish to change fate itself. Then I will use the last remaining power of my soul to send you back to the past."
"Well then… are you ready, Naruto?" the Sage asked cautiously.
Naruto looked back at the ruined shinobi world, clenched his fists, and spoke firmly. "I'm ready."
"Then the future of the shinobi world rests in your hands," said the Sage of Six Paths.
"Now focus your mental strength. I'm about to begin." As he spoke, the Sage raised his Six Paths Staff and drew a vast circular seal in the air, resembling an enormous space–time teleportation array.
"Go ahead. Enter the array. I will initiate the transfer," said the Sage of Six Paths.
"Thank you, Grandpa Sage. Please take care of yourself," Naruto replied.
"Walk carefully on your path, Naruto. The future of this world is yours." With those words, the Sage mobilized all of his remaining power to send Naruto back through time.
At that moment, both of them felt a terrifying distortion within the space–time passage. A small, ominous crack suddenly opened.
"Dragon Style!" they exclaimed in shock.
"I told you—the Child of Prophecy of this dimension would not die so easily. It seems I was right," Long Shi said coldly as his draconic presence emerged from the void.
The instant the dragon appeared, the Sage of Six Paths made a decisive choice and burned the final remnants of his soul to accelerate the teleportation.
Seeing the transfer speed increase, Long Shi instantly teleported beside the Sage and unleashed Reincarnation Sword Canon: Slash. A terrifying blade of chakra condensed in his hand, and with a single swing, the Sage of Six Paths vanished completely.
"No…!" Naruto cried out in grief. "Ōtsutsuki clan… just wait."
With the Sage gone, the teleportation array became unstable and began collapsing. Watching this, Long Shi sneered inwardly. That damned old man… still leaving trouble even after death.
Turning to Naruto, Ryūshiki spoke coldly. "You won't escape. Once this array collapses, everything will be swallowed by the space–time vortex. Even I won't remain here." With that, he withdrew, allowing the array to crumble.
"Oh no—the array is collapsing!" Naruto thought as countless spatial rifts opened and violent explosions erupted all around him.
"It seems… this is the only path left." As the explosion engulfed him, Naruto's consciousness spun violently, and memories flooded his mind like a revolving lantern.
His parents died the day he was born, condemning him to a lonely childhood. He was ostracized by villagers and ridiculed by classmates.
Yet he never gave up. He met Iruka-sensei, received his forehead protector, and became a Genin.
After graduating from the Academy, he met Kakashi and formed Team Seven with Sasuke and Sakura. He defeated Neji in the Chūnin Exams, overcame Gaara's rampage, and earned recognition for Konohagakure.
He trained under Jiraiya, gained a true master, and later saved Gaara from death at the hands of the Akatsuki. He preserved peace between Konoha and Sunagakure and earned the trust of the village.
Jiraiya later died at the hands of Nagato while investigating Akatsuki. When Pain invaded Konoha, Naruto defeated him in Sage Mode and became the hero of the village, finally shedding the title of demon fox.
Then came the Fourth Shinobi World War. With the help of Killer Bee, he mastered the Nine-Tails' chakra and became a perfect jinchūriki. He fought Obito, Madara, and ultimately Kaguya, joining forces with Sasuke and receiving the power of the Six Paths, restoring peace to the world.
During Kakashi's tenure as Sixth Hokage, Naruto became a jōnin. He married Hinata, had two children, and eventually became the Seventh Hokage, achieving his lifelong dream.
For a time, the shinobi world was beautiful.
But fate was cruel.
The threat Kaguya once feared while gazing at the stars finally descended—the Ōtsutsuki clan.
In the battle against Isshiki Ōtsutsuki, Naruto lost Kurama, the partner who had been with him since birth, and Sasuke lost his Rinnegan at the hands of Boruto's possessed strike.
Soon after, the Fifth Shinobi World War erupted. Lost in these memories, Naruto felt unbearable pain. One by one, his comrades fell. Then even the Sage's legacy faded. Hinata, Himawari, and Sasuke fell in succession.
With a deafening crash, the teleportation array shattered completely.
Naruto closed his eyes.
And left everything to fate.