1 New Life - Chapter # 1

The wind stirred the trees, causing the yellowed foliage to break away from the branches and dance in a bizarre dance.

- Autumn… And why didn't i like this season before?

The two-story mansion had been silent for many hours. A sufficiently high stone fence hid it from the eyes of people passing by, if there were any. Although a year and a half ago it was crowded here.

- Oh yes, my birthday. Kyuubi attack, almost half destroyed Leaf. The gazes of the people that, like these trees, took off their masks, not hiding their hatred.

A young guy sat on a wooden threshold, leaning on one of the beams that supported the canopy. The once blue iris of the eyes darkened, now giving more and more blue. Naruto watched with interest as several birds tried to find their food among the discolored grass. He reached into the pocket of his black pants and pulled out a paper bag with a drawing of a plant on it. With a slight movement, tearing off the top, the young man poured the contents into his palm. After looking at the seeds for a few seconds, the guy threw them towards the birds.

- I'm sorry Hinata, but farming doesn't appeal to me.

He remembered how this girl, blushing and looking away, confusedly tried to explain to him about the need to ennoble her land. He remembered and smiled weakly. How much time has passed, but Hyuga still remained that indecisive girl.

She was beautiful, certainly smart, because she had already entered into the rights of the heiress and was now fully involved in the affairs of the clan along with her father, but the guy was even afraid to imagine family life with her, he would reciprocate her. Too one-sided relationship, where he would make all the decisions himself, regardless of his woman. Boring, grey, after all, Naruto wasn't a tyrant and a despot who always wanted to have the last word. Uninteresting and problematic...

The Uzumaki smiled as he thought of Shikamaru, who was now in Suna in the form of a trusted man of the Hokage. But everyone knew very well about the relationship with Temari. Even more were aware of the addition to the Nara family. Or is it Sandy? Usually the girl went to her husband's family, but in this situation one could argue.

- Everything seems to be getting better, but I feel like the world has stopped around me, - Naruto looked at his palm, where a second later the chakra spun, turning into a Rasengan. - Now everything is so simple, but before I was tearing my veins, trying to become stronger, to achieve recognition and respect.

- Have you grown up, boy? - Hearing the voice of the Fox, the guy weakened the energy flows and squeezed his fingers, dispelling the technique. - I realized how stupid it was to strive for the fact that, in fact, now you don't really need something?

- I didn't think that in the end everything would be so straightforward. Mission, home, mission, home. War hero, heir to the Hokage, ha! I achieved everything I dreamed of, but I never even thought that it would be so boring later.

- So what is the problem? Declare yourself the navel of the earth and take over a couple of countries, and then you will say that there was simply nothing to do.

- Very funny, Kurama, - the blond grimaced, but for a second he still thought about the words of his old friend. - Naruto the Conqueror? Well, that sounds good. - Shaking his head, Uzumaki drove away the foolish thoughts. - For some reason, more and more often now I understand Madara ...

- What..?

- His desire to move forward, the thirst for change, something new. First, make your clan the strongest, then form an alliance with a sworn enemy, and again the race for strength and the desire to change something. First of all, for himself, - the guy's attention was attracted by a small dog, which, without much effort, was able to climb over the fence.

- Don't be stupid, Naruto. This Uchiha imagined himself a god, along with Rikudo, wanting to make all people slaves of his power.

- You only look at the situation from one side, - the jinchuuriki whispered, drawing the dog's attention with a light wave of his hand. - And if I say that Madara was just trying to escape from the past? From suffering at the loss of loved ones, from endless wars and struggle for power. Now I see more clearly that it was an escape from the fear of pain, and not a desire for enslavement.

- And you mean that if you had the opportunity to go back, you would let him realize his plan?

- I love life too much, whatever it is. After all, understanding Madara's aspirations and accepting them are two different things, don't you think?

- Hello, Naruto, - the pug carefully examined the Uzumaki through half-closed eyelids. - Kakashi wants to see you.

- Hello to you too, Pakkun, - the shinobi smiled affably. - Something urgent?

- Yeah, - the dog replied languidly, - as urgent as ripping a poor animal out of bed instead of sending one of his subordinates.

- Well, well, at your age it's useful to stretch the bones a little, - the guy said, getting up and throwing his jacket over his shoulders.

- I'm at the peak of my powers! Pakkun suddenly perked up. - Just feel those soft pads on my paws! - Same as puppies and...

- Willingly believe - Uzumaki assured him, disappearing from his veranda, clearly not wanting to continue the conversation.

- You could at least pretend that you really care about me, - the dog muttered listlessly. Her attention was attracted by the birds that flocked from all over the area to feed. - Insolent creatures, do you also think that I am not capable of anything?

Lightning jump dispersed all the birds.

Konoha has changed. Became more, more beautiful and every day more and more alien. Glancing over his shoulder, Naruto scanned the Hokage's immortalized faces. But once he dreamed of being there, but with age he realized: Not a single ruler of this village wanted to strive further, creating greenhouse conditions for himself and his people. None of them, having put on the Kage outfit, tried to expand their horizons. As if doomed that they were surrounded, they dug in the pit, proclaiming it as a standard and a home. This is not how the jinchuuriki wanted to end his life, and more and more often he had the idea to leave this place and go on wanderings around the world. But that luxury would come at a cost, from being a hero to becoming a criminal, even though any hidden village would gladly accept him into their fold.

- To get this for that, - Uzumaki grunted, envying his best friend for just a second.

- What are we talking about? – the voice behind could come as a surprise if the blond didn't feel the chakra of every person in the village. Resting his forearms on the railing that encloses the roof of the residence, Naruto responded with a hesitant glance as he looked around at Leaf.

Yes, just thinking out loud.

- Pakkun had to convey about the urgency, - Kakashi still remained behind, slowly approaching the former student to look into his face. - So why didn't you come to me right away, but decided to admire the landscapes?

- If this is a mission, then wherever it is, cover this distance for me in a matter of hours, - the guy answered without turning around. And if you just wanted to chat, then ...

Blue eyes with undisguised mockery looked into the dark ones. - ... all the more there was no point in hurrying.

- This concerns Sasuke," the Hokage decided to start from afar, wanting to rekindle interest in Naruto, but came across only a yawn.

- Is the strongest man in the world in trouble? The Uzumaki asked, feigning surprise. - Well, then our business is bad.

- He's not the strongest, - Six objected.

- Are you hinting at me? - An ironic smirk crossed the jinchuuriki's face. - Then you're fundamentally wrong, Kakashi-sensei. At the moment of our fight, I was at the peak of my abilities, while Sasuke was not fully mastered with his. Over the years, he has corrected it.

The blond turned around, leaning back against the metal structure. His gaze was fixed on the sky.

- It was he who should have been planted here, and I should have been sent to wander the world. Surely no one would follow me headlong. - Uzumaki smiled, remembering how almost a year ago Sakura packed her things and mumbled under her breath about the danger to Sasuke-kun, left Konoha. She was put on a long-term mission as a support for the exclusive representative of her clan, and many then asked why Naruto himself did not stop her and enlighten her on how dangerous this could be. Nobody wanted to understand that if a girl is not taught by life and years of neglect, then this is already a diagnosis. So the last Uchiha would always be in sight, and a medic of the level of Tsunade-hime.

- You've changed a lot, Naruto. Apparently, the war is even from such a guy ... - Hatake was interrupted with a wave of his hand, letting him know that his interlocutor did not intend to listen to such a thing.

- The war has nothing to do with it, Hokage-sama, - the jinchuuriki suddenly spoke formally, - people die every day. I didn't shut up, didn't throw up my hands in impotence. I just accepted reality as it is. Life doesn't end when some drop dead while others keep going. However, in my case, I stay where I am.

- So what do you want, Naruto? - Kakashi himself didn't know why he asked that question when he had just been given an explicit answer to it. Apparently, he still couldn't accept that the boy who wanted to save and protect everyone, to become Hokage, just… matured? No, the guy in front of him obviously would not have left his comrades to die, would not have stabbed him in the back, but he would not rush to help when the situation no longer required it. After all, if you didn't become Naruto for whatever reason, life went on.

Passing a hand over his face, Hatake dismissed the gloomy thoughts.

- Well, where did this moron manage to get into this time? - Uzumaki asked when he realized that they were not waiting for an answer from him.

- He came across a temple in the Land of Snow that is connected to Kaguya.

- AND? Am I supposed to retrain from shinobi to archaeologist now? And then Sasuke, apparently, is not good at holding a fossil with one hand, and brushing dust off it with a brush with the other, - a slight smile did not leave the jinchuriki's lips when he clenched his fingers into a fist on a prosthesis from Hashirama cells, which the Uchiha had once refused , denoting this payment for past sins. Silly, thoughtlessly, but it was his choice.

- At least your manner of interrupting remains the same. Here! - Sixth tossed a small scroll into Naruto's hands. - This is a message from Sasuke. In a nutshell, there they came across two who called themselves members of the Ōtsutsuki clan.

- Interesting.

- You wanted freedom, so you will unwind.

- Freedom, not its illusions, Kakashi-sensei.

The skin, which had become so accustomed to the sun, was now exhausted under the icy currents of the wind. Snowflakes turned from ordinary frozen water into sharp needles. The storm subsided a few hours ago, and now it was already possible to see for many tens of meters ahead.

- I can already see the village, there is not much left.

The brunet, having thrown off his fur-insulated cloak, wrapped the person walking next to him more tightly, not even leaving him the opportunity to look under his feet, completely entrusting the hike through the snowdrifts to his own hands.

Stupid. That was the only word that was now spinning in the head of a guy who warmed himself by dispersing internal energy through his body. If someone saw him now, he could also say about the translucent halo that surrounded two people.

Sasuke spent a minimum of chakra maintaining Susanoo, not wanting to waste it. After all, that couple could make themselves felt at any moment and ...

- Why did you just follow me? - Uchiha pulled his partner behind him so that she would not fall into a hole covered with snow. - Still in his condition.

- I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun, - a girl's voice came from under her clothes. - I didn't want to be a burden...

- But you became her, - the brunette threw in a gloomy answer, - a fool.

- I'm sorry... If it wasn't for the chakra control issues, you wouldn't have had to drag me.

- Who knew ... Hey, there, quickly open the gate! Otherwise, I swear, I will sweep them away in an instant, - already quieter, through gritted teeth, the guy added.

The crackle of the fire and the hot coffee brought Sasuke's thoughts back to order.

He looked up from examining the scroll he had obtained from the temple, looking at Sakura sleeping in bed.

- And how did I just buy into this?

This question had haunted the Uchiha for many months, but at the same time he understood that next to this girl he felt some kind of warmth in his chest. It was as if he was just for a moment in the past when his mother and father were nearby. When his brother trained him. When he had a family...

- You know, it's quite difficult to search for you in the wake of the chakra, - a displeased voice brought the brunette out of his stupor, - Sasuke!

- Why so long, idiot? - the Uchiha said coldly, meeting his friend's gaze, who not only unceremoniously broke into his dwelling, but also sprawled imposingly in an armchair, scattering snowballs around him.

- For a long time? It's you with your little eye that can get anywhere in the world in a matter of moments, and some need to run with their legs, - the jinchuriki answered rather rudely, not wanting to remain in debt. Then his attention was attracted by pink hair scattered on the pillow. - What about Sakura? - Her chakra is extremely unstable, as if Nagato had pierced her with his peg.

- Something I do not see on your face and a shadow of experience - Sasuke grinned, returning his attention to the scroll.

- She is not sick, not injured, not dying. So why should I be worried? - Scratching his finger under his nose, Uzumaki muttered. - In addition, only a beautiful wrapper remained from our past relationship. I would help, I would help, but there is no desire to fall at hir feet and torture myself with thoughts.

- She's pregnant, giving birth soon, - Sasuke answered curtly, not even turning around.

- What? - Naruto almost jumped out of his chair in surprise, but after a few seconds he regained his composure and added more quietly - Still, the rock gave a crack, finally your true nature appeared.

- What? - only after a while the Uchiha was indignant, knocking over an empty cup that stood next to him on the floor with his only hand.

- Tell me honestly, - the blond spoke seriously, which again surprised his friend, - did you sleep with her out of pity or do you really have feelings?

- More like the first than the second, - Sasuke said after a long minute. - At least for now.

- In any case, I'm happy for you, = Naruto smiled slyly, - because now you have to settle in Konoha. At least for a while.

- Why would ... - Uchiha faltered, looking somewhere to the side. - Do you feel it?

- Yeah, two. They're approaching pretty fast, - the jinchuuriki replied with his eyes closed.

- You are our Ōtsutsuki expert. What do you say, Kurama?

- At the moment I find it difficult to answer this question, - the Fox purred in the subconscious. - Do you understand what that means?

- To expose your ass again, while saving strangers. As old as the world.

- Act, oh Great Hero!

Bijuu laughed, folding his paws in a sign of concentration, so that, as usual, he would give free rein to his strength at the very last moment.

- Grab Sakura and move away from here, but rather immediately to the Leaf. All the same, both from her and from you now there is little use, - Uzumaki's changed eyes and the red pigmentation around them did not hide from Sasuke.

- Sure?

- Someone needs to sort out other people's problems, - the blond grimaced, - and for some reason it's me again.

Cold, very cold. The wind burns the skin with its touch, and the lungs burn like after a good run. The last time this happened was among the white ocean and snow-capped peaks in the icy world of Kaguya.

The body aches from the wounds received, even though they heal before our eyes. The Bijuu fell into unconsciousness as his chakra began to be drawn out in huge streams, but its remnants still warmed inside Naruto, supporting an already resistant body. Who could have known that absorption techniques could be of such a high level? Even Payne looked mediocre against this background.

The Uzumaki glanced at the big man in white robes, who was under three meters tall and lay on his stomach with his back torn apart. And why so many unique ones in this damned clan, - the blond thought then. But the two gaping holes in the giant's body set their priorities. The second hastily fled when he lost his partner. More specifically, guards.

- He's a master at absorbing techniques, - Naruto spat blood to the side, sinking onto the cold floor of the temple where their battle had led them, - and waving his fists… I'm better off.

After sitting for a few minutes and feeling a surge of strength from the natural chakra, the jinchuuriki was able to get up and went to the body on cottony legs. In any case, he had to be taken with him.

He stopped next to the corpse and bent down to turn it over as he noticed the movement of his lips.

Momoshiki-sama...

- Yes, why are you so tenacious! - a lightning-fast kick to the head was supposed to break the man's neck and crush the skull.

- ... I let you down ...

The Rasengan was already raging in the blonde's hand, with which he wanted to finally put an end to it, when a familiar sound reached his ears.

"Death!" A terrible thought ran through Naruto's head before the explosion went off.

Consciousness returned reluctantly. Such a familiar taste of metal in his mouth did not surprise Uzumaki at all, but something else frightened him - the lower part of the body was not felt at all.

Looking down, the Konoha shinobi saw a sharp piece of wall sticking out of his stomach, and a huge pool of dark blood.

Intuitively defending myself, I concentrated all the natural chakra in the torso, face and arms, completely forgetting about my butt," blue lips curled into a smirk. - Most likely, the spine was crushed and the liver was pierced, judging by the color of the blood. "I'm still an idiot."

Kurama was silent. Chakra, if there was one, was not felt. Heavy breathing became like desperate attempts of a drowning man to take a sip of air.

- Cheap ... melodrama ...

Sasuke shuddered and looked over to where the Land of Snow was.

- Naruto...

Kakashi, hearing the name of the student, put the scroll brought by the Uchiha aside.

- What about him?

- His chakra... I can't feel it anymore...