This whole time travel thing is something I've seen a lot, but rarely executed well. I really want to be able to make a good time travel fic, so I'm trying my hand at this. Let me know your thoughts! And if you don't, hey, that's fine too!

Chapter 1 - Once-in-a-Lifetime-Chance

Naruto Uzumaki. Orange-haired kid, orange jacket, you know him well. Unfortunately, he had just had his half of Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, extracted from him, and he was on the verge of death. That is, until Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths stepped in. After being told of what to do and given power by the Sage, Naruto was ready to go back out into the battlefield, but was stopped shortly by Hagoromo.

"Naruto Uzumaki, there is one last thing I would ask you to do."

"Hm? Yeah, what is it?" He turned around, slightly confused.

"I truly wish I could leave this jutsu to Sasuke as well, but... I fear he may use it for the wrong purposes. I entrust you, Naruto, and only you, with this jutsu. It is something I developed long ago, shortly after I absorbed the Ten-Tails into my body in case it escaped. It will allow you to reverse time to a certain point, however much you wish, yet it can only be done once. Naruto, should you and Sasuke fail to defeat Madara I implore you; do not hesitate to use this jutsu." Naruto stared at the Sage for what seemed like a minute before sighing, yet he had a smile.

"Sure, but trust me, Sasuke and I are the best team this world has ever seen! We won't need a jutsu like that! But, I guess it couldn't hurt..." Hagoromo nodded.

"Of course. Now, step forward Naruto..."

This is bad.

Real bad.

Sasuke dismissed his Susanoo, as he put it up to shield Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi. From what you may ask?

The casting of the Infinite Tsukyomi.

"Well now," Madara Uchiha, the legend himself, stood above Naruto and the others, smirking at him cockily. "I would say I am the victory of this battle, would you not?"

"Tch, it isn't over yet! We're still around to kick your ass, Madara!" Naruto exclaimed and stepped forward, though Sasuke held a hand out to stop him.

"Oh? And prey tell how? You two were struggling to beat me earlier, and I wasn't even completely serious then." A series of gasps were heard the moment he finished his sentence.

"What? Impossible..." Kakashi went wide-eyed at the realization; he had been toying with them all along.

"Not really. I am Madara Uchiha. As if brats from the new generation could make this - what did you call me, Sasuke - oh, 'relic' even flinch. Now, Zetsu," Madara jumped down from the cliff he stood and crouched in front of his enemies. "do try to help me squash these remaining bugs." Zetsu smirked and stepped towards Madara.

"Of course..." Quietly, he readied his black receiver, and thrust it towards Madara's back to impale him.

But it never came.

In one swift motion, Madara side-stepped Zetsu and grabbed him by the throat.

"Did you forget, Zetsu? I learned Sage Mode not too long ago thanks to Hashirama, and my sensing capabilities allow me to sense attacks even without seeing them. Someone as slow and weak as you, impaling me? What a farce."

"W-Wait, Lord Madara-"

"I don't care the reason. Animals aren't given any last words before the slaughter. Therefore..." Madara threw Zetsu on the ground and stood over him.

"Wait," Kakashi called out, "Madara, don't-" Kakashi was cut off by a sickening crush sound; Madara had crouched down and completely smashed Zetsu's face in with a single punch. Kakashi shuddered for a moment as he thought of Obito, still under the control of Zetsu. Or, at least he used to be.

"Now that that's settled," Madara turned to Team 7, "entertain me one last time."

"G-gack-" Kakashi coughed up blood as he was forced to lay on the ground, a black receiver embedded in his chest. Madara engaged the four immediately, and had sought out Kakashi first by throwing the receiver as fast he could. Given Kakashi didn't even have a Sharingan, it was impossible for him to react.

"K-Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto and Sakura both screamed and ran to him. Sasuke only turned his head, and although he would have liked to remain stone-faced...even he couldn't hide the pain he felt.

"J-Just wait Kakashi-sensei," Naruto moved his palm over to him, "I'll heal you!" Madara smacked his lips; that ability of his would be trouble.

"No you don't, Uzumaki Naruto!" He jumped towards Naruto who only barely turned around in time to block Madara's fist with his own. However, he couldn't block the Limbo clone to his left who sucker punched him so hard he flew a few feet. Sakura immediately lunged and started to lay down a barrage of attacks on Madara, though the latter dodged with ease.

"You remind me a lot of Hashirama's granddaughter, little one. Though, you're much stronger than her; I saw what you did to those clones of the Ten-Tails. Sadly," He caught one of her fists and squeezed tightly, breaking the bone underneath. Sakura gasped and fell to her knees from the pain. "that strength is nothing to Madara Uchiha."

Sasuke had enough. He threw three shuriken towards Madara, and while Madara dodged them with ease Sasuke activated his Amaterasu; Madara saw it coming though, and dodged while the black flames hit the ground near Sakura. Sasuke grabbed Sakura and jumped back from Madara. He glanced towards Kakashi, who seemed to be on his death bed.

"Damn it... Sakura, can you still fight?" Sakura slowly stood up, and placed her left hand on her broken right. She grasped it and fixed it back into place though she winced from the pain.

"Yeah, but..." Sakura balled her fists. "S-Sasuke...can we...win this?" Sasuke got quiet and turned his attention to Madara.

"...Stay back for now. I'll use my Susanoo; get Kakashi away from Madara and heal him the best you can." Sasuke stepped forward, but stopped when Sakura placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Sasuke... Don't die on us. Team 7 just...well, we need all our members! The whole teamwork thing isn't really working without everyone, you know." She smiled at him, but Sasuke saw how forced it was.

"...Same goes to you and the other two. Besides, I've been gone a while; Team 7 can manage just fine without me." Strange. Normally he'd just return to his stoic-faced self and confront Madara immediately. But...something changed.

Perhaps he was entertaining such jokes with Sakura...

Because this was the end.

"...By the way," he said while stepping towards Madara, a purple shroud beginning to appear around him. "...between you and me..." His Perfect Susanoo formed, and held its sword out. It's head turned to Sakura only to reveal a slightly smiling Sasuke. "...you're not as annoying as you used to be." The Susanoo rushed towards Madara who flew towards it in anticipation. However, the would-be clash was deterred when Madara was forced to dodge a Rasenshuriken.

"Stop trying to act all cool, Sasuke!" Naruto flew towards Sasuke and activated his Kurama Mode, the avatar of Kurama appearing besides Sasuke. "Always trying to leave me in the dust... I won't have it this time!" Sasuke glanced towards him, then turned back to Madara with a slight smirk,

"Fine. How about we share the glory then?" Naruto smirked and turned towards Madara.

"Wouldn't have it any other way!" The two bodies flew towards Madara, who had just manifested his own Perfect Susanoo.

"Hmph... As if you two have a chance of defeating me!" As the three clashed and shockwaves spread through the land, Sakura rushed towards Kakashi.

"Hang on Kakashi-sensei, I've got you." She mumbled a 'sorry' before taking out the receiver, getting a few groans of pain from Kakashi. She placed her hands over his wound and began healing him to stop the bleeding. He looked at her with a sympathetic look.

"Sakura... Forgive your teacher for not being able to protect you all." Sakura shook her head.

"It's fine, Kakashi-sensei! We're...we're gonna beat Madara, undo the Infinite Tsukyomi, and then...then we'll all be happy again!"

"Sakura..."

"N-Naruto..." She choked up a bit. "Naruto's...gonna become Hokage, Sasuke is gonna come back to the village, a-and we'll..." She looked down slightly, and though her words meant to be happy she couldn't hide her depressed tone. "...we'll all be together again." Kakashi understood her thoughts from her tone alone.

She knew they couldn't win.

They were all going to die.

"Ah!" Naruto and Sasuke both cried out in pain as their avatars slammed into the ground, both Kurama Mode and Susanoo dissipated. The two sat up and glared at Madara.

"Hmph. Say your prayers. It's about time I end this." Madara stepped forward, and although Naruto and Sasuke were ready to fight-

"Naruto, Sasuke!" Kakashi called out to the two. "...Come over here." The two looked at Kakashi as if he was crazy.

"What, Kakashi-sensei?! Kinda busy he-"

"Naruto!" His tone was stern. "Just...just do it." Naruto's fierce look slowly turned into one of confusion. He walked over to Kakashi, and Sasuke reluctantly did the same. They got low so they could listen to what he had to say. "Sakura, you too." She bent down too, tears threatening to come out. Madara smirked.

"I'll allow you a moment of respite. I've already won, so there's no harm in it I suppose."

"Sakura...you've grown a lot. When we first me, I knew you had potential, but I honestly wrote you off because I thought you'd be too focused on Sasuke to properly grow as a Shinobi. Yet, you've proven me wrong time and time again. This war has shown me just how strong you are. You've grown into a fine young woman worthy of being taught by none other than one of the Legendary Sannin. I love you." Sakura nodded and held her head low. He turned to Sasuke.

"Whoo boy, Sasuke... When we first me, you were clearly the prodigy. Even if you were a bore to teach, I always respected your strength, even if you didn't exactly follow the path of Shinobi. I thought you were lost forever, and...it hurt, knowing that I couldn't save one of my precious students. I understand you've gone through things in this life that no one should have to go through, and even if the world may reject you... You've been a member of Team 7 all this time. I love you." Sasuke stayed silent, grit his teeth and turned away. Seemed even he was about to cry, given he knew the fate that awaited them.

And finally...

"Naruto... Heh. The most idiotic knuckle-headed person I've ever met. When I first met you, I thought you were just a brat who happened to have a Tailed Beast inside of him. But, through these past years I've watched you grow from a weak little fledgling to a proud Shinobi worthy of the title of Hokage. Minato and Kushina would be - they are proud of you and what you've done, Naruto. It was through you that the Five Nations joined together and, if only briefly, the world joined together in peace. You've surpassed me, Lord Jiraiya, and even Lord Fourth. I love you." Naruto stared into Kakashi's eyes and, even if he didn't want to, choked back a sob.

"Are... Are you done?!" He shouted and stood up. "Why the hell are you talking like this is the last time we'll see each other?!" Naruto forced a grin. "Don't you know?! I'm the Number One Unpredictable, Noisy Ninja of the Village Hidden in the Leaves! I..." He gulped. "I've still got one last technique in me." The three looked at Naruto in surprise. "I hate to ask this, but the three of you need to distract him for at least half a minute. Grandpa Sage gave me a new technique, but it takes a while to launch. I'll go back in time to the Academy, and work my way up here, knowing what to do differently so we don't lose to Madara. I'll have the know-how to do all my techniques, but this," he gestured to his Chakra Mode, "and my more advanced moves I won't exactly be able to do for...kinda obvious reasons." The three nodded.

"Like the rasenshuriken... If you tried doing that in our bell test I'm pretty sure you'd kill yourself before hitting me." Kakashi noted. Naruto nodded. He gave the three of them a look.

"Don't worry, I'll-"

"Why'd he give it to just you?" Sasuke interrupted. Naruto got quiet. "Let me guess, he didn't trust me? Hmph, smart. I'd use it to warp the world to my own designs, after all."

"Wait, wha-"

"Naruto." Sasuke stood up and faced Naruto. "Look for a way to defeat him, but don't change the past too much. And..." He stepped towards Madara. "Do not stop me from leaving." Naruto stared at Sasuke's back.

"...I'll think about it." Sasuke 'hmph'd' as Kakashi and Sakura stood next to him.

"Well," Kakashi smirked under his mask, "Team 7, let this be the calm before the storm! Our mission: Protect Naruto! Go!" The three lunged towards Madara, and Naruto prepared the jutsu.

"Oh, Kurama?"

"Hm?"

"I'm guessing you won't remember anything either, but... I'm gonna try to help you earlier than I did. Thanks for everything, Kurama!"

"Hmph... Your welcome..."

"Naruto Uzumaki..."