He stood in an empty abyss that was far beyond a regular plane of existence. His clothes were as white as snow, his face as beautiful as a field of swaying flowers.
He was an entity that simply existed with power that could annihilate all of existence. A simple being that could not be contained through simples means.
Things like the multiverse was simply trivial and abstract to humans.
But to him, no matter how many layers it had - 1 or 2 or maybe even an infinite amount - it does not matter.
He was like an aleph number, an uncountable set of numbers - but in this case, an uncountable set of power, and intelligence.
An omniscient... and omnipotent being.
He had appeared all so suddenly, in front of those who had existed even before the creation of everything.
As a fragment.
He stood on the top of everything, a boundless ruler that stood without purpose, without reason.
His devoiding purpose was to destroy... to collapse.
To humans, he was a mystical being.
But to the people who reached the heavens, they knew him as an entity.
The Collapser of Reality.
~~~
Madara's eyes opened, his Sharingan flaring to life. He held his arm up, pushing against the clear coffin.
"How long has it been?" Madara asked, getting out of the coffin. He adorned a suit of armor that was the color red. Naruto stoodin, waried of the person who stood in front of him.
He could feel the untamed power that he had.
"12 years since you have died," Buddha said, looking down on Madara as he looked around the area.
Madara caught of Naruto standing many meters away from him. A small smirk appearing on his as their eyes locked.
An amused smirk appeared on his face.
"You've certainly grown." Naruto was a prideful person, but he could tell what kind of trouble that he had gotten into just right after Obito had died.
"And you've killed Obito - as expected. I expected no less from someone who bears my blood." As he spoke, Naruto couldn't help but question the way he was talking.
It was as if he had known this would happen.
Did he plan Obito's death? Naruto thought, narrowing his eyes as the atmosphere held an unbearable silence.
"He was arrogant, and that caused him to make mistakes." Naruto could almost laugh - him? Talking about arrogance.
Wasn't that a bit funny.
Madara looked down, seeing the eyes that Obito bore in his sockets.
"It's rather fortunate that you didn't destroy that Rinnegan - it was mine. And"-- Madara looked around, assessing the situation-- "it seems he made terrible use of it." Madara disappeared, reappearing at the same spot with the Rinnegan that Obito stole.
"Do you know where the other one is?" Madara asked Buddha.
"It seems as though the boy had hid it in a jar that resides in the pocket dimension that he has with his Sharingan." And just like that, Madara reappeared with the Sharingan of Obito.
Replacing his eyes, Madara had one eye with a Rinnegan and another with Obito's Sharingan. A portal appeared, a jar that an eye resided in thrusting out of it.
"He's clever, but it wasn't enough." Naruto saw Madara replace Obito's eye with his own eye, placing it in the jar instead of the former.
Just as he finished replacing the eye, Naruto quickly disappeared, appearing in front of Madara. With swiftness, he swung his hand, curling them into a fist.
*CRASH!*
Naruto widened his eyes, gasping in pain as his Aphrodite armor receded back to the ring that he had on his finger.
Madara had caught his fist with such ease.
And in turn, pummeled Naruto's body into the Moon's surface.
"It seems as though you aren't in it," Madara spoke, his voice telling a cryptic message. Naruto felt a foot crash into his stomach, blood gushing out of his mouth.
He was thrown away, crashing on the ground.
"It would've made everything difficult if you were in such a state." Naruto got up from the ground, regaining his balance.
He huffed in tiredness.
Naruto was without a doubt not in a condition to fight right now due to him just getting out a recent battle that took a toll on him.
But he could feel the difference in strength between them.
It was unbelievably high.
Even if he was fully recovered - Naruto still would've stood absolutely no chance in defeating such a man.
That was how much stronger he was.
"Sorry, but I'm a bit rusty as of right now." Naruto felt his abdomen ache in pain. He was in disbelief that the level of power before him.
Madara looked back at Buddha.
"Commence with the plan," Madara told, getting a nod from Buddha. Naruto widened his eyes at a sudden burst in power.
The Universe shook.
Buddha outstretched his arms out, power releasing from his palm with such majestic smoothness. Naruto felt his breath get taken away.
This was only a slither of his power.
The left hand was aimed towards the Earth, and the right hand was aimed towards the empty space right next to it.
With a single thought, another celestial body that was identical to Earth had appeared right next to it. Naruto widened his eyes.
A new Earth had been formed.
It was just as big, and there were various patches all over it. But there was a clear difference in the Earth that Buddha had formed.
It did not contain the Elemental Nations.
But even now, things were far from over
Within minutes of coming back to life, Uchiha Madara was already so close to creating a world that he perceived as:
Perfect.
"Whatever you did up until now - it was completely childsplay. You were always - despite being incomprehensibly intelligent - the most childish person at heart." Madara stood still, letting his words instill in Naruto's mind.
"You are nothing in front of me," Madara appeared in front of Naruto with blinding speeds that Naruto could barely keep up with.
"A mere speck of dust that is in front of the man who will stand above all of creation." Narito widened his eyes, a shockwave forming all around his body.
He was completely outclassed in every way possible.
Excluding intelligence of course.
"I've already have things set up, and it won't take long before only those who are worthy and hold strength survive the things that is thrown at them." Madara pointing towards the second Earth.
"And their new home will be there."
"That's why... I'll let you live. Maybe a few broken bones, a fractured rib, and a river of blood - but you will live."
"And then you will do everything that you'll have to do to reach me. To kill, to sacrifice, to even start a war that will shake everything... even existence itself." His finger continued to point towards the second Earth.
"And as you do this, I'll be waiting for you - on the throne that will stand above all of heaven and earth. I'll be waiting..." His voice trailed.
"At my empire..."
"At my Eden."
Madara's hand curled, forming a fist that struck Naruto's core, batting himself away from his sight, and was sent back to Earth.
Madara turned back towards Buddha.
"How much can I exert right now?" Madara asked, walking back to Buddha with confidence oozing from his stature.
"8% of it. But it will take you some time before you can even use 10%." Madara nodded, knowing that it'll take time to retain his full strength.
"How much percent before I can start using your abilities?"
"80%."
This was rather problematic.
"I see... well it seems I'll have to resort to my second method since it'll take too long for me to get your abilities." Buddha nodded, understanding his way of planning.
The second favor had been completed.
Madara looked at his hand.
"It seems Naruto managed to take the jar."
~~~
Unmei looked at the skies above, seeing a new Earth glaring right beside them. She had a look of indifference as something shot down from the sky.
"It seems you are finally back alive," she muttered, her voice low and quiet.
~~~
Naruto landed back on Earth, his body completely aching from within. Blood flowed from his face and body.
His body was completely shattered.
It was difficult to breathe and he was barely managing to stay conscious. Kurama was trying hard to heal Naruto at an exponent rate.
It hurts... everything... hurts. Naruto thought, his thinking completely numb to his surroundings. He gasped and gasped, his breathing hitching due to even everything hurting .
He couldn't tell what was around him, but all he could experience was unmistakable pain that would not end.
Stop... stop... stop... stop... stop... stop. Naruto repeatedly thought, his mind blanking as the torment completely override his way of thinking.
Blood spurted.
It did not take long before he lost his consciousness, passing out due to the unbearable pain coursing through his shattered body
~~~
"Wake up, dumbass," a voice said, calling out to him. He wanted to respond, but only an aching pain was known to him.
"Hey..." The voice called out to him once again. "I told you to wake up." He felt a sting on his face as his eyes remained closed as he felt the slap linger.
His eyes forced himself awake.
"Where... am I?"Naruto asked, his body needy for air. He tried moving again, but only an unmistakable wave of pain remained him clamped down.
Shackled.
"In my hideout." Naruto's eyes were blurry for a second before he finally regained his vision, assessing the things around him.
He saw the person in front of him.
Naga.
He was helping him recover.
Why? - That is the question that Naruto wanted answered; but he stopped before he could ask it, the words lingering in his tongue.
"How... long?" Naruto felt his body hurt with every inch of movement. Naga turned around, his face covered in his signature mask.
"About an hour or two. I'm surprised that you woke up rather early; and your body is healing at a tremendous rate." He got a bottle of wine.
He offered a glass.
"Want some?" Naruto shook his head, grimacing as he did such a gesture.
"I don't drink. And you shouldn't either." Naga suddenly froze before the glass of wine could enter his mouth. He looked down towards the injured Naruto.
"When?"
"The moment I saw you at the Kage Summit - it was rather obvious. I've always sensed an exaggeration with you. What was your name again?" Naruto asked, a small smile on his face. He was healing rather quickly.
What a terrible person. Naga thought, wine entering his mouth.
"Oh, that's right... you name was..." His voice trailed, a look of "trouble" plastering on his face. Naruto wanted to point at him, but his current condition said otherwise.
Naga moved to take off his mask.
"Yoni Yu..."
He removed his mask, revealing a rather handsome face of a young man. His features were soft, but it held a serious look behind it.
"Miss me?" A smirk appeared on his face.
"Not even a slightest," Naruto responded. Yu pulled a chair from the side, sitting on it as he sipped on the wine without care.
"Did you know that these Hashirama cells granted me a very high tolerance to intoxication. You don't have to worry about me saying weird things." Naruto looked at Yu.
"How long have you suspected me?" Yu asked, his eyes trailing around Naruto's injured. It was rather gruesome.
"Since the beginning. You were always weird; and you immediately disappeared out of nowhere in Konoha - no one suspected a thing. But it's not that simple when it comes to this world." He leaned back, pain bursting to life.
"People forgot about your existence - I didn't. You, a person who was supposedly in love with Satsuki. Although unbelievably fake, you made it very believable." Yu smiled into his glass.
"If I couldn't do something so simple, then I wouldn't have been able to be a spy for Orochimaru." Naruto nodded, finally being able to move his legs.
Shit! Naruto grimaced, sitting on the edge of the bed that was inside of the cavern that Yu resided in.
"If I may, I'll be posing a question: what do you desire?" Yu questioned, wondering Naruto wanted. He raised an eyebrow, his body tensing.
"Peace. Something as fleeting as that is something breathtaking."
"Hmm... let me rephrase my question: what is your method in achieving such a thing?" Naruto did not answer, opting to stay silent.
"That... remains a secret." Naruto did not say his method, wanting to keep it to himself until the very end; or at least only between Satsuki and him.
"So it seems." Naruto got up, staggering as Yu moved to the side. He noticed Naruto trying to get out of the cavern.
"Already trying to go?" Naruto nodded, a pained expression on his face as he limped forward. Yu couldn't help but chuckle at Naruto's current state.
"I have to - there are things I have to do."
"Say... can I ask you another question?" Yu asked, looking at Naruto back that was covered in bandages. Naruto took his button and wrapped it around his shoulders.
Naruto nodded, keeping a passive look on his face.
"Would you hate me if I revived the 4 previous Hokage?" Naruto looked at Yu, a small smirk on his face as he shook his head to the side.
"No... go for it. I'll take on anything this world throws at me." Naruto did not move. He looked at Yu with a pained expression.
"I think it's time for me to ask a question now." Yu got a look of curiosity on his face as he looked at the young Uchiha in front of him.
"Did you enjoy your stay at Konoha?" Naruto asked.
Yu stopped moving, thinking back to the times he was at Konoha. It was rather embarrassing - his persona he means.
But he was spy, and his duty was to be fake, to create something more artificial than something real.
"Heh... It's funny... but... I did enjoy my stay there." Even behind all of his complexions, Yu was most indeed a simple person with the needs of a simple human.
He was born in a nameless family in the dangerous Fire Country. But he found himself in the grasp of a madman - Orochimaru.
He wasn't an experiment, but he was a spy that Orochimaru took in, seeing his ability to be able to blend in with the the common people.
He hated it there.
But he found a way to cope with himself in Konoha. He saw the many people who were constantly bettering themselves - especially Naruto.
He, like many others, was envious of Naruto's talent... the same talent that he was reluctant to use until he had grown into his mid-teenage phase.
He thought: I wanted something like that.
Naruto raised an eyebrow, nodding his head as a small smile appeared on his face. He found Yu as an interesting person... an interesting human.
"Oh, and that jar that had that one Sharingan eye - I let fate decide its destiny." Even though the message was rather cryptic and did not tell the full truth, Naruto understood it perfectly.
"I enjoyed my stay."
"I guess your 5 minutes awake here was rather pleasing." Yu took the sip on his glass of wine, pouring himself another glass as he looked at Naruto's back, his long-sleeved button-up fluttering from behind.
I'm interested... in this future that you desire. Yu gained a soft smile, looking away as he indulged himself further with the wine that he had.
~~~
Satsuki looked out in the window, seeing the large celestial object floating overhead their own planet. Her body was pain as Naruto's clone placed the bandages on the table beside the couch.
They had only arrived just a mere dozen minutes ago, many difficulties being made due to Satsuki's injuries.
Hm? Satsuki thought, a plume of smoke appearing due to the clone dispersing itself. She wanted to swat the smoke away but her injuries were far to unbearing.
The door to the house flew open.
"You... look like shit," Naruto voiced his thoughts, an expression of pain making itself known due to the injuries he had suffered just a few hours ago.
"Stop slacking off," Naruto said to Kurama, getting a growl in return.
"I can say the same thing to you," responded Satsuki, grunting in pain as she positioned herself for a more comfortable manner. Naruto did not respond, walking towards her.
Naruto sat on the table beside the couch that she had to lay on.
"Take off your upper garments " Satsuki's face distorted.
"You're rather blunt." Naruto shook his head as Satsuki obediently obliged. He yawned tiredly as Satsuki took off her bra, her breasts gravitating downward.
"Turn around and lift your hair up." Listening to his orders, she did what she was told, turning around and lifted her hair up.
There was no awkward feeling involved. They were there for each other since their early childhood... even if Naruto was rather harsh to her for the first year or two.
If they were awkward in intimate situations like these even though they had been close for many years, it would mean they weren't comfortable seeing each other in... vulnerable states.
"Didn't know you were provocative." Naruto gained an amused smile, wrapping the bandages around her body.
"I can say the same thing for you," Naruto shot back, quieting Satsuki's trap. He had used the same line as her to stop her right dead in her tracks.
There was a sudden quietness.
Naruto studied Satsuki's eyes.
"You seem to have something troubling you - talk to me, Satsuki." She stayed quiet for a moment, but she relented and decided to talk to him about her troubles.
Satsuki had once again been charmed by him.
"I... feel like a damn failure." Naruto's face distorted, a frown appearing on his face.
"How so?"
"I could've beaten them so easily... but I didn't. I not only undermined their abilities as individuals, but I undermined their abilities as a whole group..." Naruto felt her voice linger for a moment before continuing.
"I grew powerful - unbelievably so - and I got too... arrogant."
"And you feel as though you are a failure because of it, yes?" Satsuki nodded, not denying the fact that he almost died because she intentionally held back due to her undeniable arrogance.
But there was something missing.
"And because of it... I had to be saved by you once again. It hurts... Naruto. The fact that I have to keep being saved like a pathetic princess from a fairy tale." She clenched her hands, forming a tight fist.
"I don't want to be such a person. I want to be someone like you, you know... with unshakeable resolve and the ability to do anything I want. I want to be that kind of person."
"I don't want to be one being saved all the time - it's just so frustrating." Naruto mulled over it for a few seconds before nodding.
I've influenced her far too much. Naruto thought, looking into Satsuki's eyes. He outstretched his arms, latching it around Satsuki.
He pulled her into a gentle hug.
"Why would you want to be someone as pathetic as me?" Naruto asked, making Satsuki freeze into place. Naruto tightened his grip around her.
"Don't me like me. Don't be the same as someone who you love or admire - be your own person. Don't try to make yourself seem something you truly aren't." Naruto let out a gentle smile.
Naruto could feel droplets of tears streaming on his shoulder, staining his shirt with dampness. But Naruto did not care the slightest.
"Let it all out, Satsuki." He lessened his hold, hugging her in a more kind manner. Satsuki eased into his shoulder, sniffling as tears swayed.
"Because the one thing I hate more than losing is..." His voice trailed, their bodies coalescing as he hugged her under the stars.
"Seeing the one person I love be sad."
A single tear trickled down his left eye.
~~~
Done. This shall be it for. This chapter was rather short, but it's fine by me. I did say I wanted to end Grace before June, but it seems that will not be the case.
I'm taking too long writing each chapter due to procrastination.
But things are going smoothly and Naruto had finally met the obstacle that views him as a simple bug.
Oh, and I like writing Satsuki.
But until next time.
CYA!