In Naruto's mind scape a man who looked to be asleep was lying there slowly his body was transforming into Naruto….
In my mind I relived a life not in the Shinbi world. One where this very world was fiction one where with the power of friendship all evil was vanquished. Everyone loved the story but not me. I hated the injustice of this world. It never made sense it seemed that all the pain and suffering everyone went through was forgotten or demed less important and the moment you went against that you were the bad guy.
Take Sasori or Orochimaru for example. They were villain, they did messed up stuff. But wasn't the world already messed up. The lost people and they reacted how any sane person in an insane world would. A world filled with endless possibilities. They tried to get back what they lost. They simply lost them selves trying.
Well that's enough introspection I say as I get up. I look around the vast white expanse. Not what I expected my mind to look like but better than nothing I guess. I walk around for a bit or ages I can't tell the time here. I think about everything that has happened so far. I remember my own life perfectly including all of Naruto so I have that going for me.
As I begin to recall some more hidden plot points and fanfics I've read a massive scroll of film unravels itself infront of me. I'm shocked and take a few steps back. I focus on what it's showing me and then I remember. This is the first time I saw Naruto. Then it clicks. I can literally view my memory in here. Well this is going to be easier than I thought I smile to my self.
Another film reveals itself it's much smaller and as I scroll through it I see Naruto's life before he was killed. I move to a point on the timeline for no apparent reason. But this memory seems to attract me to it
"Why don't I have a Mom and Dad?" Naruto asks the third Hokage only to once again be told "There is no use asking about that. It won't bring back the dead".
I freeze. The smile on my face drops and I grimace. I begin to watch the film at random points but it's all the same. Neglect and abuse. Time and time again I focus the worse it get at this point I'm numb to it. For 4 whole years this kids been through it all and with the Uzumaki body and Yang Kurama healing him he just keeps getting back up and some how keeps smiling through it all. This isn't right this isn't natural I grimaced even further. My brows furrowed even further ask I keep searching. Looking for why he does it. Then it I notice it. Anytime Naruto develops any form of resentment. It is immediately dispersed by some unknown chakra in his body.
Then it clicks. Ashura Ōtustuski. His chakra is here. Buried deep within and as I come to this conclusion a third even bigger film comes into my vision.
I frown then immediately smile. I didn't think I would be this lucky. The film looks ancient and I know who's memory it belongs to. No who's memory it belonged to. Ashura and all his reincarnations. I now have a full 1,000 year head start ancient knowledge, seal less ninjitsu, sage mode all at my fingertips. The joy on my face could not be suppressed and I wasn't trying. I begun to laugh. Wildly. This world. I'll take it by storm. Screw being the child of prophesy or what ever. I'll rule it like a God from the sky and just as I was fantasising about the future I heard a rip. I stop immediately and look towards the films.
Nothing happens again and I think I must have just been hearing things but it happens again. Louder this time. I begin to frown now. This is serious I focus on the films properly this time. Then I see it Ashura films has begun to rip and tear. I panic. This is the second most important film. I can't lose it it. The ancient secrets. The power boost I could get from them. The rips become fast. More frequent. I'm fully panicking now. I begin looking through the memories it begins from the end with his last reincarnation. The God of Shinobi himself. Senju Hashirama.
I grin as this is exactly what I need. I felt Ashura chakra from Naruto's memories. I can use it. Wood release. Sage mode. I have them but I don't know how to use it. Who better to learn from than the myth and legend himself. So that's what I do. All this training experience I spend what felt like hours or even days shifting through it all and would you look at that. The flying raijin as an added bonus. Not that I'll need it but it never.... This arrogant bastard he never actually learnt it since he never lost with wood release. FUCKKKK. I glance at the rest of the film and fuck it's almost all gone. I already have what I need for wood release and sage mode. Time for ancient history.
I begin to go through the tattered film and Ashura you are one usless bastard. Reincarnation after reincarnation of waste nothing to learn. Nothing to gain. I simply give up and stop going through any other reincarnation memories. Time to look for the main man himself.
I finally reach the first memory. Too afraid to move too suddenly so the whole thing doesn't all apart as at this point it's down to a string holding it all together. The first thing I see when he opens his eyes are the rinnegan. I almost panicked from the sheer intensity of the gaze but I realise he can't see me through a memory. Damn ocular powers are something else. I'll need to get me a nice set of eyes sometime soon but that's for later. I continue with the memories I watch time grow up. Watch him train. Finally seal less ninjutsu is at my fingertips. I get giddy as I get the most important thing. I keep looking through. The standard kind second generation life with a lot of followers and SNAP. It finally couldn't hold on any longer. The memory film snaps and turns to ash.
I sigh as I wasn't done with it yet but I got what I needed. Suddenly my mind feels clearer. More refreshed. Shaper even. Those memories didn't just disappear I absorbed the spiritual essence. My Yin chakra should be way stronger now. No where closer to my Yang but althogh it wasn't the full thousand years it still gotta add something right.
With that though I turn to the original Naruto's thoughts. Should I burn it for the little gain? I ponder for a while but before I can make a decision the film moves to a point about a year ago. It shows me heroically(getting beat up) saving Hinata. Ah. I guess that has already happened guess I have no choice but to accept her now. I frown although I haven't made a plan I guess total world destruction is now off the table and I guess I gotta figure out a way to save the Hyuga clan from their stupid caged bird seal. I smile. A bone chilling smile as I come up with a devious plan. Oh that could work. I begin to laugh again but this time the whole world cracks but I don't panic. I guess it time to wake up as the one and only. Naruto Uzumaki.