The Village Hidden in the Leaves was embraced in a warm peace it has not seen in a long time. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping freely, the smell of the cooking stalls and vendors stained the air with sweetness, allowing its citizens to smile easily as they bustled through the streets.
It has been six months since this peace has been gifted. The war was over, the tensions between the Leaf and the Stone along with the Cloud were still high, but there was not even a mention of war. Not even a thought.
There were those who were guessed as to why that was. Some thought that perhaps the Cloud and Stone had only shown a hard front, but cared about the cause. Others thought that maybe both of the powerful Hidden villages have come to the terms with the fact that Naruto Uzumaki was no longer a Leaf shinobi, and thus any conflict with the Leaf over the source of the conflict, would be pointless.
And a few who took part in the war, knew better. They knew the true reason. Neither the Cloud nor the Stone were foolish enough to attempt anything on the Hidden Leaf while Naruto Uzumaki still walked the Earth.
Many had witnessed his colossal battle with the unnamed Uchiha known only as Sasuke to the rogue blond, and with those witnesses, came tales that spread throughout the nations like a wild fire through a hay barn. The battle had reformed an entire landscape, with any type of habitation not to be seen in years.
Alone, standing in front of a memorial, was none other than Obito Uchiha, looking at the names of those he lost. His eyes crawled up and down the list as his scarred face was covered in sorrow. He had narrowly survived his almost fatal wound from Sasuke Uchiha, Sayuri's alternative dimension variant. The thought of that existing still messed with his head. What would happen when he died? Would he have to go through it all again like Naruto did?
He dismissed the thoughts with a shake of a head and a small chuckle. "I don't think you'd like me going back in time would you, Rin?" He closed his eyes. "I sure hope I don't. Tsunade-sama told me she's thinking of finally handing me the hat. The war was probably the final straw to break the camel's back."
He sighed and bowed to the memorial. "Please, continue watching over me, Rin," He smiled softly, his eyes hanging over a specific name. "And you too. . ."
Kakashi Hatake
"Kakashi."
"Do you think this makes my butt look fat?" Ino asked, standing in front of a mirror in some new clothes she just bought, asking Sakura who was laying on the bed behind her, who was reading a book.
"Why would I care?" The pinkette responded, not bothering to look up from the book. After the war, she had considered retiring as a shinobi, but her love as a medic had stopped her. Naruto's actions, while seemingly justified, were still inhumane. When she saw him on the battlefield after the battle itself ended, she was afraid.
Afraid that the boy she grew to care for like a brother, her stupid, goofy, lovable teammate, was dead.
Sakura watched as Naruto hovered over the older Uchiha's body, still holding onto the blade that pierced his heart. She saw from a distance as Naruto slowly retracted his hand, shaking violently as he curled over and let out a bloodcurdling scream that shook the air.
She couldn't hear the gasps of shock, but she could see it on the faces of the small united shinobi as their eyes widened and their mouths hung open. She could see them in her peripheral vision taking steps back. She turned her head back towards her teammate and she saw him stand up.
Blood covered his body as he stood over Sasuke's body, his eyes staring lifelessly down at the corpse in front of him as his arms hung loosely at his side. He turned towards the group and Sakura bit back a gasp as she saw just how empty his eyes were.
Just how dead he truly looked.
"Naruto," She heard Tsunade call out as the Hokage began rushing towards the blond, but was stopped as a barrier of sand halted her in her tracks. Tsunade glared furiously at Gaara. "What are you doing?"
Gaara closed his eyes, his arm still outstretched as he thought of his next words and actions carefully. "I. . ." He paused. "I'm saving your village, Hokage-dono. Naruto Uzumaki is a triple S-Class missing ninja. The power he holds is incredible." He lowered his tone and opened his eyes. A small hole opened in the sand in front of Tsunade, and she could hear Gaara's voice whisper from it. "And I, nor him, can allow you to throw your village's safety away. Not after everything he's sacrificed."
Tsunade looked at Gaara with pleading eyes, but his solid teal eyes were steel as he met her gaze unwaveringly. "Even if he was right about the threat of that man, he's still killed thousands of civilians and innocents. We, as Kage, have a duty to bring him down!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, making sure all of the shinobi in the vicinity heard his cry.
With this act, nobody here could be considered an accomplice of Naruto Uzumaki. There could be no war if every village hunted him, what many would consider to be the root for much of the strife between the Hidden Villages.
"Wait!" Sakura cried out, running forward. "He's still our friend!"
"No I'm not," A sinister voice whispered behind Sakura's back. Sakura felt a chill run up her spine as she slowly turned around to see the hollow eyes of Naruto Uzumaki, his mismatched eyes staring straight into her soul. "The boy you hold all those memories with, the boy who chased you after school when you were a kid, that boy. . ." Naruto's eyes showed nothing. No hatred, no love, no annoyance, and no pleasure. Nothing. "Is dead."
"Naruto. . ." She whispered. This isn't how it was supposed to go. This isn't how it was supposed to go at all. They were supposed to come back to the village, him, Sayuri, her , and Obito! They were all supposed to come back and be a family again! Tears welled at the corner of her eyes as she looked into Naruto's Rinnegan and dull blue ones. "Please. . ."
A soft, almost inaudible whisper came from Naruto's throat. "You have to let me go, Sakura-chan." It was soft, sincere, and most of all, it was Naruto. Speaking for what was perhaps the last time.
"Oh Naruto," She sobbed as she sanked to her knees, clutching her chest as she began to sob uncontrollably. She heard his footsteps go away from her and she only cried harder, her throat tightening as she heard him speak from behind her, addressing the rest of the shinobi on the battlefield.
"Tell others of what you saw here today. Tell others of what I can do, of what I'm willing to do, and how far I'm willing to go. If you try and find me. . ." The words hung in the air like wet clothes, staying there as Sakura could only hear silence. She rubbed the tears out of her eyes and looked up, but saw Naruto was gone.
She looked around, but there was no sight of the bloodied blond anywhere. Sakura then heard a familiar, angry voice shout. "If that bastard thinks he's just going to run away after everything, he has another thing coming." Sayuri shouted to no one in particular as she darted away from the battlefield. "NAARRRRUUUUTTTOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Sakura could hear in the distance as she watched her other teammate disappear in the distance.
Leaving her all alone.
It was traumatic, to see one of your bestfriends lose themselves the way Naruto seemed to lose himself. And it was even more traumatic when Sayuri ran right after him. It had been almost a year since then, and Sakura had yet to hear from either one of them.
She hoped Naruto was doing okay, that he was healing from what had happened. She also hoped he was making amends for what he had done. She had no doubt that he was still acting in the shadows as his own shinobi, but she still wanted him to take it easy.
Flipping the page and ignoring Ino's boy talk, her mind traveled to Sayuri. She hoped that the second to last Uchiha was also doing well, and that she had found success in her quest in tracking down Naruto. She never understood why, the Sayuri always had this obsession with the blond ever since they were kids. The obsession only seemed to grow after they were placed on the same team.
And here they were now, all adults, and she was still chasing him. It'd be a little funny if it wasn't a tiny bit sad. Not that Sakura would ever say anything about it, her own 'love' life was uneventful. She looked up from her book and out the window.
"Do you think Naruto and Sayuri are doing okay?" She asked randomly. Ino raised an eyebrow as she was trying on a new top.
"Uhhh, I guess? Do you think Sayuri found Naruto yet?" Sakura shrugged.
"If Naruto doesn't want to be found, I doubt he'd be found." Ino nodded in agreeance.
"You'd know better than me."
Sakura sighed and continued looking out the window. "I hope so. . . . . "
In the middle of a thick forest, was a small clearing. In that clearing, was a cabin surrounded by long grass with a path cut through the middle that led to the door and into the woods. In the cabin, was none other than Naruto Uzumaki, who was busy meditating as he sat with his eyes closed in front of a roaring fireplace.
It was nightime, the moonlight poured through the homemade windows and hit the wooden floor Naruto sat on, illimunating his skin, the pale moonlight clashing with the bright yellow the flames casted off.
Naruto had spent most of the year secluded in this cabin, meditating, living off the land, doing whatever his mind desired. Once a month, he would travel across the land and try and get as much done as he possibly could in the world of shinobi, disguised of course.
If he acted as Naruto Uzumaki, he'd be hunted on sight. Nobody would be able to lay a finger on him, but he still didn't want to deal with any unnecessary fights, especially with shinobi. But, if he were to deliver supplies, kill bandits, and help Hidden Villages randomly in their mission as a masked nina that goes by, 'Heaven', then he'd be free to be among shinobi.
He only did those deeds as 'Heaven' as repentence for not only what he did to the Hidden Rain, but also for what he did to Sasuke. The man had been right. He had truly lost himself and killed his old self. It was frightening to look in a mirror and not even be able to recognize himself. He thought that maybe if he were to do random, unthanked good, it would soon balance all the harm he had done.
All the pain he had caused.
He was interrupted from his mediation as a three knocks hit his wooden door. Standing up slowly, Naruto walked over to the door and opened it slowly. "It's been awhile. . . Sayuri. It's a bit late in the night to be paying house calls."
Sayuri stood in the doorway, the moon shining on her raven hair as her black eyes looked up at Naruto's mismatched ones. "I've been looking everywhere for you, ever since you left. . ." She whispered. "You. . ." She trailed off as she crashed into him, wrapping her arms around her neck as she hugged him closely, tears staining his shirt as she dug her face into the crook of his neck.
"You dobe. . ." She whispered, tears silently leaving her eyes as she gripped onto him tightly. Naruto's eyes were wide, but he slowly returned the hug. "There's so much I have to say, so much we have to talk about. . ." She whispered as she continued hugging him. "But after hearing you cry out like that on the battlefield," Her voice was choked up and her grip on him tightened.
". . .I was so worried." She whispered, trying her best not to break down in sobs. "I wanted to be there for you again, the true you, like I was back then"
"You don't have to talk, but here's my request for beating you, Naruto-kun." He stiffened. "Please, let it out. All the pent up anger and sadness, let it all out until you can't let anymore out. It's okay, I won't let another soul know."
Naruto began shaking, his entire body trembling as he turned, his face burying into her lap. She let a sad smile cross her face as she felt her thighs begin getting wet by his tears. He hiccuped and began crying freely, shaking as she sat there for him, stroking his hair as his crying turned into wails of sorrow and sadness.
He cried and cried.
At that moment there was nothing else except for Sayuri and Naruto.
"I looked everywhere for you!" Sayuri cried out into Naruto's shoulder as he could do nothing but hold the crying Uchiha and listen to her as she poured her heart out. "I looked and looked, because I knew the pain you were feeling was unbearable, and I wanted to help ease your burden!" She was openly weeping now. "But I couldn't find you, I just kept walking, because I wanted to save you! And I'm so glad I finally found you. . ."
". . ." Naruto was almost at a loss for words. What could he say? "I'm sorry. . ." He whispered. "I'm so sorry, Sayuri-chan." He rested his chin on top of her head as he held her close to him, not daring to let her go a second too soon. "You found me. . ." He whispered soothingly in her ear. "You found me."
Sayuri felt warm in his embrace, safe. She knew what he had done, and he knew what she had done. Both had made their mistakes, both were probably bad people once all of their sins were tallied. But. . . she didn't care.
Sayuri looked up and leaned forward, and this time Naruto leaned forward too and captured her lips in a loving embrace.
And in that moment, there was nothing else in that forest but two broken souls that have seemingly found each other once again.
.
.
. .
. . .
. . . .
. . . . .
"It's time to set you free."
Those were the last words he heard before he saw a bright light. Before he died.
Sasuke blinked. And then he blinked again. And then he blinked a couple more times before he sat up. He was shorter. . . again.
"God damn it all," He whispered to himself. He was back as a child again, stuck once more, thrust into the cruel comedic timing of fate. He slowly sat up, struggling to find his new balance for the second time in what he considered to be a very long time.
He looked up and saw a bunch of trees surrounding him. It looked. . . familiar for some reason. He walked forward, his feet touching the grass as he activated his one-tomoe Sharingan. "No Mangekyou, what a surprise." He was almost bitter. He had activated his Mangekyou twice, and now he would have to do it for a third time in order to get nearly as strong as he previously would.
"I wonder what hell I've been put in this time. . . " He wondered aloud to himself, surveying the area around him before he heard a voice shout from behind him.
"Jeez teme, did I really knock ya that far? I told you Pervy Sage was training me to get really strong!" A mocking voice called out. Sasuke froze and he turned around to see Naruto, a young Genin Naruto at that, walking up to him with a cheeky grin spread across his face.
"What?" Was all Sasuke could get out, bewildered at seeing his old friend in the flesh, this time it seemed to be the true him.
Naruto blinked twice, his smile fading slightly but still lingering. "I didn't know I caused brain damage too!" He spun around and began running back. "KAKA-SENSEI I MADE SASUKE STUPID!" He heard the blond shout before a gaggle of laughter.
"What?" Sasuke repeated as he found his feet moving on their own, chasing after the blond as he ran through the forest laughing like a madman. Sasuke broke through a clearing and his breath hitched as he saw Naruto bragging to Kakashi about his attack hitting Sasuke, Kakashi looking a little annoyed at Naruto's bragging, and Sakura berating Naruto for being to rough with him.
"Look at him! He's just staring at us with those big eyes! He's totally dumb now!" Naruto shouted, laughing gleefully before Sakura hit him on the head.
"Would you SHUT UP?! Sasuke-kun is not stupid from some new jutsu some pervert taught you!" Sakura ran up to Sasuke, latching onto his arm and looking at him with hearts in her eyes. "You're not dumb are you, Sasuke-kun?"
"Errr," The sound came from his throat, confused, bewildered, and yet. . . hopeful? "No?" Sakura glared at Naruto, still holding onto Sasuke's arm.
"I told you Naruto! Now quit acting like an idiot!" Naruto deflated at Sasuke's lack of idiocy.
"You seem a little shaken Sasuke," Kakashi called out with his signature eye smile. "Did Naruto's new technique really throw you for a loop that much?" A loop? Sasuke felt a smile crawl on his lips.
"Kind of, Naruto may be an idiot but his jutsu was strong, it actually made me think for a second." He said with a smirk.
"Why you!" Naruto growled as he tried attacking Sasuke, but was held back as Kakashi laughed.
"Well then, next time try using that second to actually dodge or counter the attack, not getting hit." Sasuke's smirk turned into a genuine smile, unnerving the three of them slightly.
"I'll try, Kakashi-sensei." His eyes met Naruto's bright blue and a determined look crossed his face. "We'll both keep trying, isn't that right, Naruto?" Naruto growled for a second, but quickly smiled and nodded.
"You betcha!"
Sasuke smiled again.
This time, it would be different. He was given another chance after he failed his second one. A third chance to set everything right. He would do it one more time.
Again.
And that will conclude this story. This story kinda got iffy near the ends, especially the final battle, so sorry if the ending seems rushed. However, I hope you liked this chapter in and itself. I think it's probably my best and most detailed epilogue. I really tried to get the Sayuri and Naruto emotion down, so if you felt anything stir inside your hearts lmk.
Anyway, this is probably the last fanfiction I'm writing to completion. I'm planning on discontinuing Unshackled and just do a summary chapter that explains what I was going to do.
If I write another book on Wattpad, it will be my own. But until then. . .
I want each and every one of you to know how much you all mean to me. I wouldn't be writing without the support of those who read my works, and honestly, it means more than you can ever imagine.
I began writing on Wattpad when I was 14. My first fanfiction was a Fiona x Marshall Lee fanfiction. Obviously, cringe, so I deleted it after I never bothered to write a first chapter. Then I started reading Naruto fanfictions on Wattpad and they were just so. . . shitty.
Like genuinely, 90% of all of the Naruto fanfictions on this website are hot garbage. They'll have good concepts, but poor design. Good design, but poor grammar. Good grammar, but no punctuation. Spelling mistakes are always forgivable. Grammar here and there is forgivable.
MAKING YOUR OCS THE CENTER OF YOUR STORY IS NOT. I still remember WHY I started writing fanfics. There was one that had over 1M views and it was about this girl OC who had the ELEVEN TAILS (cmon now), was a mary sue, and was just horrible through and through.
At that point, I was like, "Fine, I'll do it myself." And created Watch Me, a typical power fantasy. Poor written with no story design or plot points. I only dont delete it so others can compare where I started. In the middle of Watch Me, I created 'The Abandoned Child', my most viewed book.
Neglected Naruto tropes are so fucking funny because everyone LOVES them, myself included. Thats why I wanted to write a traditional neglect story once upon a time, but my viewers liked my Abandoned perspective more or they wanted new stories, so I made new stories.
I've done so many things with Naruto Uzumaki as a character, and in that quest I've grown myself as a writer. I'm not sure where my writing will lead me, I hope to have an anime of my own someday, but thats a pipe dream and a half. Maybe if I win the lottery.
Anyway, I digress.
I hope you all really liked the chapter, as well as the book. I hope you continue reading my stories from time and time, and please feel free to message me if you have any questions about them or if you need help with your own stories.
So yeah. That's about it for now. I have no intention of deleting Wattpad. This is where it all started.
Till we meet again.
Goodbye, my lil demons! : )