Naruto Multiverse

Six months ago, on a seemingly ordinary day, the world appeared calm, the sky as blue as ever, and the air fresh. Yet, for Naruto, it was anything but peaceful. His heart burned with anger, an emotion that had become all too familiar in recent months. His daughter, Hima, had been the cause of many sleepless nights and nightmares, but this incident pushed him to the brink.

As he walked down a quiet alley in New York, his sharp eyes caught the gaze of a man lingering in the shadows. The man's eyes, filled with ill intent, were locked onto Hima, his thoughts dark and twisted. Naruto's blood boiled. This man had dared to lust after his daughter, and there would be no forgiveness.

Without a moment's hesitation, Naruto closed the distance between them. The man barely had time to react before Naruto pressed his thumbs into his eyes, crushing his skull with brutal efficiency. As the man's life faded away, Naruto muttered softly, his voice cold, "No need to continue. Your fate was already sealed the moment you allowed yourself to lust after my child."

Kurama, ever the voice of reason, observed from within Naruto's mind, his usual playful tone now tinged with concern. "Naruto, you could have changed him. Why take a life when you could have rehabilitated him?"

But Naruto was far beyond the point of hearing reason. The look in his eyes was one that Kurama hadn't seen in years—a look of pure, unrelenting fury. He wasn't the same Naruto from before. The man who had once believed in second chances had been replaced by someone far darker, someone who viewed any threat to his family as a death sentence.

The once-merciful Naruto, the one who would extend a hand to those in need, had been consumed by his need to protect. Kurama, understanding the transformation, sighed heavily, retreating to his domain within Naruto's soul. There, in the vast and empty space, he wandered alone. A place once full of life and energy now lay dormant, bereft of hope.

Naruto, still gripped by his rage, wandered through the streets of New York, trying to calm himself. His powers, having grown exponentially, leaked out uncontrollably, attracting the curious gazes of those around him. He paid them no mind, his thoughts consumed with the anger still coursing through his veins.

But amidst the chaos of his emotions, something unexpected caught his attention—a chakra user.

Turning sharply, Naruto's vision was clouded with red, his anger flaring once again. In front of him stood an imposter, a man with the body and chakra signature of Gaara. His mind screamed in outrage—How dare he?

Before the man could react, Naruto vanished from his position, his speed faster than the eye could follow. The two appeared in a dimension of Naruto's own creation—a space designed for such encounters. Naruto held the imposter by the throat, his grip tightening with every second that passed.

"Who are you?" Naruto growled, his voice barely suppressed. The fury that boiled within him was evident, but it was masked with controlled malice. The imposter struggled, gasping for air, but his voice failed him. He could only stare at Naruto, confusion and fear flashing in his eyes.

Kurama, recognizing the situation for what it was, spoke up urgently. "Naruto, stop! That's Gaara—the real Gaara. Don't let your anger cloud your judgment."

Naruto's mind raced as Kurama's words sank in. Slowly, his grip loosened, and he let Gaara drop to the ground. The moment Naruto released him, a sense of relief washed over Gaara, though the confusion remained.

"Sorry, my friend, for the pain I caused you," Naruto apologized, his voice now soft and regretful. A rare, genuine smile spread across his face—a smile filled with hope and warmth, something that had been missing for far too long. His eyes, once consumed with rage, now shone with the sincerity that only a true friend could inspire.

Gaara, though disoriented, managed to get to his feet, brushing himself off nonchalantly. "You're from an alternate world, aren't you? Your world was destroyed, but you were given another chance. If you return, it will be like nothing ever happened." He stared at Naruto, clearly intrigued.

Naruto nodded, confirming Gaara's suspicions. "Yes, I am from another world. In my world, I am the Seventh Hokage. It's been over a decade since we fought that war, and unlike your world, we won. But that was six years ago, and everything went wrong after that. Now, I'm here."

Gaara, taking everything in stride as he always did, nodded in understanding. He had spent enough time with Zatanna and dealt with enough magical disturbances to know when things were out of the ordinary. But something about this encounter, about meeting a version of Naruto from another world, intrigued him. Still, his thoughts returned to the mundane, and he quickly decided to put the matter aside for now. "I'll need to reschedule the magic show. No, I'll just send a clone," he thought, not wanting to upset his fiancée, Zatanna, who would surely worry if he didn't return on time.

Naruto, having calmed down, made no attempt to go into more detail about the past. He was glad to see Gaara, but this Gaara wasn't his brother—his Gaara. The man who had fought alongside him in many battles was different, distant, but Naruto knew there was still something that connected them.

As the two stood in the quiet dimension, Naruto's mind wandered to the energy that had brought him to this world—the source of his arrival. It was a power beyond anything he had encountered before, a force he'd rather not oppose unless absolutely necessary.

"I'll help you," Naruto said, his voice now firm with a sense of responsibility. "But I'll need to be careful. There's something bigger at play here, and I need to understand it more before acting rashly."

Gaara, still processing everything, nodded. He trusted Naruto. After all, this was a man who had fought for peace, for his world, and for his family. No matter which world he came from, Naruto was still the man Gaara had always known.

Naruto stood in the void of his personal dimension, the words of the Emperor still ringing in his ears. The voice had always carried a sense of authority, but today it felt like a hammer striking his very soul.

"I didn't think you would intervene, Naruto," the Emperor's voice echoed, laced with boredom.

Naruto clenched his fists, but his voice remained calm. "I wouldn't have, but I need your help."

A weary sigh followed, one that sent ripples of irritation through Naruto.

"Why are you sighing?" he asked, his annoyance barely held in check.

"Why do you even delude yourself so much? You should understand why you never truly tried to recreate your world," the Emperor replied, its tone softer now, almost condescending. "There is nothing left, Naruto. Your world no longer exists—not space, not time, not even the souls of those you loved. You're powerful, and I am even more so, but there are limits, even to our abilities. We cannot create something out of absolute nothingness."

Naruto's smile faltered, and a shadow fell over his face. Deep within his soul, a darkness stirred, the same darkness he had tried to suppress for years. His eyes turned pitch black, reflecting the abyss in his heart. "You're lying," he whispered, his voice trembling with suppressed emotion. He forced a smile, but tears betrayed his anguish. "You're lying to me, aren't you?"

The Emperor's response was calm, yet unwavering. "There is no way back, Naruto. But if you wish, you could go to an alternate world. One similar to your own."

"No… no, no, no, NO!" Naruto's voice rose to a scream, his grief manifesting as dark energy that rippled across the dimension, breaking its structure. The sheer force of his pain would have erased Gaara from existence if Naruto's subconscious hadn't shielded him.

Gaara, watching the scene unfold, felt helpless. His heart ached for his old friend, but the sheer madness in Naruto's eyes made him hesitate.

'Don't worry, he will come around,' Kurama's voice reassured him within the shared space of Naruto's mind.

Then, like a whisper cutting through the chaos, the Emperor's voice echoed again, calm yet commanding: "Did you not promise Hima your life?"

Naruto froze. The mention of his daughter shattered the torrent of dark energy, and the memories of her innocent smile and unwavering love flooded his mind. His breathing slowed, and the black void of his eyes receded, replaced by guilt and shame. He stood in silence, trembling as he processed his actions.

"I…" His voice cracked as he lowered his head. "I apologize for my childish outburst. Thank you for your patience." He turned to Gaara, who stood cautiously nearby. "I'm sorry for putting you through that. It was good to see you, my friend. I hope you can guide your world to a happier future."

With a wave of his hand, Naruto sent Gaara back to his world, allowing him to take Zatanna with him. "She can return whenever she wishes," Naruto murmured before Gaara disappeared.

The Emperor sighed theatrically. "I was watching that show, you know."

Naruto ignored the remark, his mind still reeling from the storm of emotions. He began to walk away, but the Emperor's voice stopped him once more.

"If you ever need company, you can come up here. I don't mind your presence now. You seem… better."

Naruto hesitated for a moment before replying, "I'll see." Then, with a gesture, he dissolved the dimension, ensuring no trace of his dark energy remained.

The encounter had left him drained but also stronger in some ways. He had no hope left for the past—it was gone, as the Emperor had said. But for the first time in years, Naruto began to see a path forward. It wasn't easy, and it certainly wasn't perfect, but it was a start.

His love for Hima, his promise to her, was the anchor that held him steady. Though his obsession with her safety grew, so too did his resolve to build a future where he could finally move on, free from the shadows of the past.