Chapter 1

Naruto was tired. He had seen so much death and destruction, his friends, his village, his fellow jinchuuriki. Now, sitting atop a hill, watching as the swarm of White Zetsu approached, the only thing he felt was the ache in his bones and the exhaustion that weighed on his body and mind alike.

He heard Kurama rumble something in his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Everyone was dead. Even if he did somehow manage to pull off a miracle, he was the only one left. Again.

Naruto let out a bitter laugh. Alone when he was born and alone when he died. He felt a nudge in his mind and he paused. No, that wasn't right, Kurama was here, he would be with him to the very end.

And even watching certain death approach, he was content. After all, all he had wanted from life was a friend. Someone who would be with him to the end.

Naruto knew his friends cared for him. They had sacrificed themselves so he could live. But deep down, he couldn't help but be bitter towards them. They hadn't sacrificed themselves for him. They did it for the rest of the shinobi world. They didn't care how he would feel, watching them die in front of him one by one. No, all that mattered was he would survive to beat down Uchiha Madara and his army of white zetsu clones.

He let out a breath. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing did. This was the end. He watched the zetsu approach with dull, lifeless eyes, Kurama's warmth surrounding him, engulfing him in a shroud of protectiveness, and for the first time in years, Naruto smiled.

The zetsu surrounded him.

Naruto closed his eyes.

And then they shot open.

A circle of light surrounded him, the zetsu screamed, grabbing at their faces as they collapsed on the ground, writhing as if they were being touched by flame.

Naruto watched in wonder as the light suddenly flared brighter and he slammed his eyes shut, covering them with his hands. And then he was falling. He let out a startled cry, reaching out with his chakra and his hands, grasping at anything in reach. But he couldn't feel anything, it was like he was in a void of nothing.

'Naruto!'

Naruto's head jerked up, his head whipping around, "Kurama!" he shouted, flailing blindly as he tried to find his friend.

'Kit, calm down!'

Naruto didn't stop flailing. His mind raced, engulfed in panic at the sheer nothingness surrounding him.

Suddenly he stilled. A warm, soothing presence had wrapped itself around him, much like a mother to their child.

'Do you trust me?' Kurama's voice came again, softer, soothing.

"Yes," Naruto breathed, and found that he wasn't lying. His whole body had relaxed and his eyes closed.

'Then sleep, we're almost there,' Kurama's gruff voice rumbled.

'Almost where...?' Naruto wanted to ask, but found his tongue wouldn't move. His eyes were drooping, a haze coming over his mind as his body relaxed into the cool embrace of sleep.