'Come on Kurama. Just a little bit more.' Naruto pushed his friend, feeling a rush of the Kyuubi's chakra travel from his belly, where the seal was, down to his leg augmenting his already high speed.

'That's all you're going to get for a while. That last just you used drained most of my chakra.'

Nodding in understanding and thanks to the fox, he picked up his pace as much as he could while carrying an unconscious person, becoming a blur against the barren land.

He knew he was going to be in trouble as soon as he got back to the hide out. Naruto had ignored the agreement he and the few shinobi that managed to escape made— not go confront Madara until they had an actual plan that wouldn't get them killed in the process, but no-o, Naruto had taken it upon himself to scout what exactly they would be up against besides Madara himself and the god tree where all of his friends were sleeping, trapped in the genjutsu. Even knowing he would be punched until close to death by Sakura-chan, he took it upon himself to be the first one to go in case of traps. Truth be told though, he didn't want to see another comrade die; he wouldn't lose anyone else. They had buried enough friends as it was.

Five years had passed already since the beginning of the war and their numbers were diminishing one by one, as if they were fruits and the Uchiha was waiting for the exact second they became ripe to pluck them off of the tree and eat them hole, not leaving anything.

Naruto had even had to train a group of genin and prepare them to fight. It hadn't mattered to anyone else what he thought bout the case; he had ended up saddled with the kids. That had been the last order Tsunade-baachan gave him before she too suffered the same fate as the majority of them and became food for that demonic thing.

He took the order to heart and taught the kids everything he knew as best as he could under the circumstances, protecting them as best as he could at the same time. In the end, all of his efforts hadn't mattered. His team had been butchered by the Juubi's jinchuuriki, who found it extremely amusing to deliver the genie's bodies personally and watch as Naruto lost himself in rage and sorrow, and hurl himself at Madara only to be restrained by Sasuke, Sakura, and Shikamaru, who reminded him if he went outside of the cave there would be no seals to prevent the Uchiha from killing him, killing the Nara in the process because he would follow and do his damnedest to protect his Hokage.

Naruto had directed all his killing intent at his long-time friend, almost choking him in the process. How dare Shikamaru talk to him like that? Didn't he understand just how precious those kids had been to him? How much they had meant?

Exhaling, taking back control over himself, he knew that that wasn't it. Shikamaru understood him better than anyone for he too had had to take a genin team. The kids had met their deaths by the hand of Kabuto.

Kabuto. Just thinking about that name made a growl erupt from Naruto's chest. He couldn't wait to get his hands on the snake. Even if it was the last thing he did, he would make the spy pay for all his crimes.

Snapping himself back to the task at hand, Naruto focused on getting back to the cave that had become their Headquarters almost three years ago. Less than a minute left of running and he would be inside it, protected. Already he could feel the humming and pulsing of chakra calling to him from within the seals he had carved at each side of the mouth of the cave.

Those two seals were his pride and joy, they only thing able to repel Madara and the power of the Bijuu. It had taken him the longest time to finally find a way for the Shinobi Allegiance (those who still remained) to survive, but done it he had. Now everyone could sleep without fear of been attacked and killed when they least expect it.

Feeling the immediate shift in the air as he crossed the barrier, it became easier to breathe; the air was clean, unlike outside which was foul with the scent of blood and death.

"Hi everyone! I'm back!" He called into the darkness. The echo of his greeting was the only answer he got for a split-second.

"NARUTO!" Was all the warning he had before the pink haired kunoichi came barreling towards him from a side room with the unmistakable intent to kill.

Only years of fighting and honing his reflexes allowed the blond to expertly dodge a chakra enhanced punch that had been aimed at his middle.

"Shikamaru! Stop her!" Squealed Naruto, dodging a well-placed kick to his family jewels.

He only heard a muttered "Troublesome" before Sakura stopped going after him, frozen in place by the black haired genius' shadow mimic jutsu.

"Let me go, Shikamaru. I'm going to kill him" The venom coating each word made the two males flinch — making Sakura flinch as well.

"Ne, ne, Sakura-chan you wouldn't really kill me"

"How would you know, you idiot!" Countered the pinkette, shooting fire from her eyes. "You were gone for almost three hours. We were ready to go after you—" A sob escaped her, braking off the rant. Closing her emerald eyes, she took deep calming breaths before opening them again, pinning her teammate with their intensity. "Do you have any idea how worried we were?"

Hanging his head low, ashamed of himself and what he put his friends through, Naruto opened his mouth but no words came out. Clearing his throat, he tried again; only to have a lame "Sorry" escape his parted lips, making him wince.

Awkward silence descended in the dimply-lit cave as the longtime friends refused to say anything else.

An almost inaudible sigh escaped from Shikamaru's lips, followed by a mumbled "Troublesome" when it became obvious after a few seconds that neither teammate was going to talk.

Deciding to turn their attention to something else, the Nara asked curious, "Who do you have there, Naruto?" He had immediately taken notice of the bundle cradled protectively in his friend's arms, surprised that Sakura hadn't noticed it at all but she had focused all of her attention on the blond not on what he was carrying.

Round eyes met his own and, if Shikamaru didn't know any better, he would've bet Naruto had completely—

"Eh!" Cerulean eyes snapped down, widening before letting out a dry chuckle, "Oh, forgot about that", before returning to his dark ones.

—Forgotten about it.

The echo of two palms meeting two foreheads echoed through the cave.

"Na-ru-to," Sakura groaned out.

Embarrassed, said guy's face went up in flames.

"Shikamaru, you can let go of me" Came the order, "I'm calm now"

As he watched his dark haired Jonin Commander shrug before releasing his jutsu, Naruto prepared to start dodging blows again if Sakura decided she wasn't ready to forgive him just yet.

When she made no movement other than cross her arms over her chest and raise an eyebrow that said 'are you going to explain or what?', he took a deep breath and told them what happened: how he left a Kage Bunshin in his place and sneaked out of the cave hiding his chakra; running all the way to the god tree; cutting out a person from one of the roots of the tree before racing back to the cave. He left out the part about the fight with Madara. Technically, he wasn't lying to his friends he just wanted to work out the details of the confrontation by himself before sharing. After all the man had let him go before doing any major damage to Naruto. Was Madara that confident that one more person in the Allegiance's ranks wouldn't affect him one way or another?

He didn't realize he started frowning until Sakura smacked him across the head. Thank Kami she had refrained from using chakra otherwise he doubted he would still be standing.

Unwrapping the cape — his cape — he had thrown over the body to protect it from the harsh elements, Naruto gazed between his two companions bubbling with the thrill he was sure they would express once they took a good look at who the blond ninja had brought back.

But the shouts of joy never came.

Puzzled at Shikamaru and Sakura's reaction, he slowly moved his eyes down at the body, blue gaze resting on the face that should have been his comrade's.

Yelling at the top of his lungs, he let go, throwing himself back colliding with the wall, eyes glued to the white body of the Zetsu clone on the ground.

A sigh, "You failed again, Naruto" Pain spread through his chest, his breathing hitched. Cerulean snapped to the green, empty eyes of Sakura.

Naruto opened his mouth to say something — anything — but he couldn't. Even after everything, he had failed. Now he understood why Madara had let him go; the Uchiha was probably laughing at him.

"Good for nothing" Whipping around, this time he faced his dark haired friend.

"S- Shikamaru?"Never had the Nara said anything like that to him. The sick feeling rolling in the pit of his stomach doubled.

"You promised to bring Sasuke back to the village. Alive. But look at us now, you couldn't protect him." The pinkette took a step, bringing herself closer to her teammate, a sneer distorting her face.

"It wasn't like that Sakura-chan!" Please don't look at me with those eyes! The blond pleaded internally. He couldn't stare that dead stare that gazed through him, never acknowledging him.

"You couldn't save anyone. You promised you would save us, but you let us all die."

Naruto's vision blurred with used tears, "No. No, no, no, no" His breathing escalating until all that kept him standing was the wall behind him.

The world started spinning in an out of focus, like waves at the beach, making it unable for him to make out the shape of Sakura and Shikamaru coming closer to stand right in front of him.

Breath in. Breathe out.

With that chant in his head, Naruto made the effort to steady his erratic heart. No matter the words that were thrown at him, he would ignore them. These were two of the people he had grown up with and had been fighting alongside of for five long years. The real them wouldn't do that to him.

Naruto didn't see them move, but suddenly both of his 'friends' were on top of him, restraining him. He didn't know where they got them from but objects that appeared to be kunais were been pulled from the blond's stomach; blood dripping down onto his body.

They stabbed him.

"W- Why?" Wide-eyed with his blood feeling like ice, Naruto couldn't stare away from the two holes in his stomach, determined to hear an explanation.

None came. Instead, he felt agony like nothing he had ever experienced previously.

Blood curling screams were the last thing he heard before everything faded.

It was cold.

Really, really cold.

Frowning at the lack of warmth, Naruto tried to wrap his arms around his exposed chest to shoo the chill away, but to his great aggravation, his limbs wouldn't comply.

… That was weird.

'You're finally awake'

Naruto was pulled into his mindspace, where a heavily panting and clearly exhausted overgrown fox waited for him.

'Kurama?' He had never seen his partner look as thoroughly worked out as he did now.

'That Madara caught us in his genjutsu'

Well that explained why Sakura and Shikamaru had attacked him.

'Did he catch us in the Infinite Tsukoyomi?'

'No' Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding at the fox's answer. However, any hope he had left was crushed by Kurama's next words, 'He's waiting for you to get up to extract me'

His heart sank to his stomach. This hadn't gone how he had wanted to at all.

The plan had been to just gather information. That was it, but then he had sensed a very feint but familiar chakra making him unable to turn back and leave before first checking it out. He had taken precautions — by Kami he had — he was the last hope the Shinobi Allegiance had of defeating Madara. Especially after Bee…

No, he wouldn't think about it right now. Shaking his head to dispel the images of Bee's mangled, bloody body. Naruto focused back on the task at hand. Even though he had been careful, he had still been captured. It was the worst-case scenario.

With narrowed red eyes, Kurama read his partner's every emotion. As the years passed the gaki had gotten relatively good at hiding what he was feeling, but the fox could still tell what was going through in the kid's mind. In fact, there was no other being who knew Naruto as well as he did and that bond had only gotten stronger with the war. So it didn't come as a surprise when the blond finally met his gaze to find regret, sorrow, and hopelessness.

'You're bleeding out as we speak' It came out more angry than anything, mostly due to the fact that the Kyuubi could not accept he had been trapped in a genjutsu without realizing it.

Naruto's shoulders dropped. There was no getting out of this one. He couldn't see a way out of it. Even if Kurama healed him, most of his chakra was gone from the fight, so was the fox's. Try as he may, he couldn't see a way out of this one; at least, not one where they survived.

A low growl echoed through the mindspace making Naruto jump, blue eyes snapping to red ones.

'Don't you dare give up now, Naruto. Not after everything we've been through. I'll eat you if you do and take over your body.' The Kyuubi snarled menacingly at his host.

Even though the situation was grim, the blond let out a snicker. It had been a long time since his companion had last threatened to take over and — as ridiculous as it sounded — brought forth memories of a happier, better time.

Kurama smirked, congratulating himself. Now he only needed to get them out of this mess.

'There is a way we can get out of this' He said slowly, not wanting to freak out his host. But of course, it was Naruto. He should have known better.

'WHAT?! Why didn't you say anything sooner you stupid fox?!'

Eyes narrowed dangerously at he outburst, 'Naruto'

'Eck' Rubbing the back of his head, he threw the Kyuubi an apologetic glance, 'Sorry, Kurama. I got really excited.'

The fox suppressed a snort. He could feel the anticipation and hope roll off like waves out of the boy (the kid was shaking from it); see the light that came to his eyes making them look more alive than they had since the Hyuuga sacrificed his life for Naruto's. It made the old bijuu feel lighter waiting what was to come.

'So…? What do we have to do?' The blond asked, exasperated when his furry companion didn't say anything.

Giving his partner one last, long look, Kurama grumbled, 'Draw the seal you've been working on your skin. We don't want the Uchiha following us where we are going.'

Confusion crossed Naruto's eyes, 'The seal—? Oh! You mean the Time-Space seal?' The puzzlement disappeared, giving way to a small smile. 'Where exactly are we going?' He couldn't resist asking.

'The past, Kit' Kurama gave his own answering smirk, showing pointed canines, but turning serious again after a second. 'You better hurry. The longer you take, the more blood you'll lose and I can't heal you if we're going to do the jutsu.'

Without wasting more time, Naruto set out to do exactly what the fox told hi. Biting his index finger, he used the blood to write the seal on his left hand — one of the places in his body he could reach without difficulty. Good thing he had practiced drawing the intricate lines on more than one occasion.

After a few minutes more, the seal that would change the present, as they knew it was almost done. The blond was just drawing the finishing touches when Kurama straightened, growling low.

'He's out there'

Naruto froze for a split-second before resuming his work, looking over the seal with a critical eye, trying to find any mistakes or imperfections, but finding none.

'The seal is ready' He informed a stone still fox.

'I'll infuse it with my chakra. You concentrate on sending everything you have here too' No sooner were the words said than Naruto doubled over, clutching his stomach as all breath left him in a whoosh.

He barely heard what Kurama said before he was violently taken from his mindspace into reality (or rather hell, as he was prone to call it nowadays).

"You finally woke up, Kyuubi." The sinister calm voice that Naruto had come to hate more than anything was the first thing the blond heard as the mental fog receded.

Blinking the pain away, he kept a steady gaze on the ground. The last thing he needed — or wanted — was to fall pray to another genjutsu and not even realize it.

He was standing. Both arms and legs pulled apart forming an 'X' secured by wood; no doubt Madara used the power gained from the Shodai Hokage's cells.

It was the hardest thing, but Naruto held his tongue, straining against the restrains, but to no avail. The branches were tightly secured around his limbs, digging into the skin. Rage and hatred so deep and strong cursed through his vein consuming him, leaving no pore or cell in his body able to do anything other than wish for revenge; to clamor the death of this man who had taken everything from him everything he held dear. Hinata, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, Tsunade-baachan, Gaara, Lee, Guy, Tenten, Kiba, Shino, Sai, Oonoki-jiji, Raikage-jiji, Yamato-taicho, Genma, Raido, Izumo and Kotetsu, and many others. No matter how many times he wounded the man or even killed him, Naruto would never be satisfied.

"Do you want to kill me, Kyuubi?" Amusement coated every word the former Edo Tensei zombie spoke.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't," Sneered the blond jinchuuriki at his captor.

Sandal clad feet entered his field of vision, but he kept a tight leash over his emotions (or at least as tight as he could manage), refusing to let his enemy get the best of him even when the devil himself was tempting him.

"Why don't you join me?" The Uchiha's tone had changed, taking on a hypnotic quality, "I could give you everything you want. Everything you wish for." Against his will and better judgment, Narrator found himself listening, leaning into the unspoken promise in the voice to take the pain away, to make everything better. "If you only give yourself over to the Jubii."

… Now that was just a deal breaker.

'I'm ready whenever you are, Kit'

With the last of his willpower, Naruto breathed, "Sorry, but nothing beats real bonds." In his mindspace the last thing he heard himself say was, 'Do it, Kurama!' Before everything went black.

It was another boring, uneventful day of doing paperwork, giving out mission and reading reports for Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato. Even though he had already finished going through a stack, it seemed as if the white mountains on his desk didn't diminish at all. With a heavy sigh, he resigned himself to his fate and grabbed another paper to read, which he promptly let go of once he heard the thundering footsteps approaching his office.

Seconds later, a knock sounded from his door, to which he answered with an "Enter"

A slightly out of breath, agitated Kotetsu barged into the office. Hiruzen straightened in his chair. He had never seen the chunin look anything but relaxed. And he had come to the Hokage without Izumo! Something bad must had definitely happened for the man to come here without his partner.

"Hokage-sama" The chunin bowed before rushing into the report. "A black haired, black eyed male roughly between eighteen and twenty-three years old approached the gate five minutes ago. We didn't let him through since he had no paper, but then he demanded an audience with you, Hokage-same. And I'd say he's in critical condition, he is bleeding from several wounds"

A frown appeared on Hiruzen's face, deepening the wrinkles in his face. Something wasn't right. A young man with dark hair and eyes with heavy injuries; it seemed like the rest of the day wasn't going to be so boring. Without wasting anymore time, the Hokage stood and shunshin'd to the Konoha gate, leaving Kotetsu and his ANBU to follow behind him.

The first thing Hiruzen saw was their new captive tied to a tree, his head hanging low over his chest. The clothes he was wearing were tattered and burnt, barely held together by a few treads in some places. Blood pooled under the man; the ragged breathing he heard as well as the exposed wounds were testament enough that he needed medical attention. Fast.

Narrowed eyes spotted Izumo a few feet away from the prisoner, who bowed low to his Hokage.

Addressing his ANBU's team leader, Hiruzen snapped orders. For some reason his gut was telling him he couldn't let this young man die.

"Taka, bring a medic-nin as fast as possible and have the hospital prepare one of the most secure rooms. And send for Yamanaka Inoichi. Have him meet us at the hospital."

Without waiting to see if his orders were being followed, he shunshin'd to the hospital, the rest of his guards milliseconds behind him.

The silence in the room was broken by a low groan from the young man tightly bound to the bed.

Hiruzen's eyes snapped to the face of the boy who had miraculously recovered in less time than any normal shinobi; a face he knew very well, but belonged to a kid. As soon as the chakra sealing seals were put on the prisoner, the henge had dropped, revealing brilliant blond hair and three whisker marks on each cheek; Hiruzen would even bet the man's eyes were blue. But that was just not possible. He had sent an ANBU to confirm the location of Uzumaki Naruto within the village and had the medic compare their blood, treating all this as an SS-rank secret. If his suspicions were correct, then everything would change. For better or worse, he didn't know, but he was sure the blond would need help.

The ANBU had returned claiming the kid was at the Academy; no later did the medic return with the results. They matched. Somehow, Uzumaki Naruto had come back in time and Hiruzen would bet it would cause a lot of trouble.

Naruto was in pain His head was killing him and he could barely feel the rest of his body. He tried opening his eyes, but the light above was blinding, so he hastily closed them again. Maybe Kurama would help him get rid of the pain, but said fox didn't answer when the blond called him. Naruto knew better by now than to panic; this always happened whenever the fuzzball was suffering from severe chakra exhaustion.

Everything had gone according to what Kurama had told him. They had popped up right outside of Konoha and had quickly used a henge to change his appearance (he wasn't sure about what year it was, but if he knew one thing it was that it wouldn't do to freak everyone out by looking like a grown Naruto, even though that was exactly who he was) before demanding from a startled Izumo and Kotetsu to see the Hokage before passing out.

It had been quite the shock to see those two alive and kicking, but he had recovered quickly. After all, they already suspected him it wouldn't do him any good to have them realize he had been gaping at them.

"I see you're awake already"

Cerulean eyes snapped open in shock, recognizing the voice he hadn't heard in almost ten years.

"Jiji" Naruto chocked out, wanting to see the man to whom that voice belonged to, but as he tried to move, he found his extremities didn't want to cooperate with him.

"Don't move, Naruto, your body still hasn't recovered completely"

With a stiff nod, the blond stopped struggling, settling back on the bed. The peace, however, didn't last long as Naruto started spluttering, just realizing what the Sandaime said.

"You— You know" Naruto whispered, a mix of horror and wonder palpable in his voice.

The Hokage moved into his field of vision, allowing the blond to gaze onto the familiar face, maybe a year or two younger than he remembered but still old.

A small, fond smile pulled on Hiruzen's lips, deepening the wrinkles around his eyes as he gazed down at the (almost) copy of Minato. He had been right; the kid shunned by the villagers had managed to travel back in time. This was a story the Sandaime desperately wanted to hear.