Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 174: Another Visitor
At first, Setsuna didn't realize that the people standing before him had come from a parallel universe. But then, something clicked in his mind.
'Wait a second,' he thought. 'Wasn't Naruto supposed to be the one who traveled to the past using the Ryumyaku?'. In the original timeline, it was Naruto who had been dragged back to the era of Roran. Yet, here it was Sasuke who appeared instead. That alone told him something was off. This wasn't the same universe he knew from the series.
In their story, they used a special device called Karasuki to pursue Urashiki Otsutsuki through time. However, these two had arrived through the Ryumyaku, also known as the Dragon Vein. That was already a major divergence. This was a different universe.
If that were the case, then the multiverse theory was real, and there were likely many alternate timelines. Some might follow the same path as the original series, while others diverged dramatically. And if that was true, then perhaps there were other transmigrators like him in those universes as well. It was hard to say. Ryumyaku was unstable and couldn't be used freely like his own dimensional gates.
As he pondered this, Kirito stepped forward and threw his arms around Boruto in a tight hug, grinning ear to ear.
"Haha, as expected, my descendant is good-looking!" Kirito said with a proud chuckle.
Boruto blinked in surprise before replying, "Grandpa?"
"Don't call me that!" Kirito flinched at the word. "I'm still young, you know. Calling me grandpa makes me feel ancient."
Boruto tilted his head. "Then what should I call you?"
Before Kirito could answer, Kagami, who had been observing with amusement, cut in with a playful grin. "How about Big Bro?"
Kirito gave a big thumbs-up, striking a pose eerily similar to Might Guy's signature gesture. "Yeah, Big Bro sounds way better!"
Sasuke and Boruto exchanged glances. There was something oddly familiar about Kirito's mannerisms, especially that exaggerated gesture. It was like seeing a mix of Might Guy's energy and Minato's charisma rolled into one.
Once the initial introductions were complete, the conversation shifted to something more serious. Setsuna stepped forward and asked the most important question on his mind.
"So, why did you come here? Why this timeline specifically?"
Sasuke answered calmly, his eyes sharp and focused. "We're tracking a member of the Otsutsuki clan."
"The Otsutsuki?" Uzukage asked with raised brows. "You mean our ancestors?"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes in surprise. "Wait, you know about the Otsutsuki?"
He glanced around at the group, clearly not expecting this level of awareness. They shouldn't have known about the Otsutsuki yet, not in this era.
"Yes, we're aware," Setsuna replied. "In fact, we've been preparing for their arrival."
Sasuke's surprise deepened. "So that's why you mentioned this being a parallel universe."
Setsuna nodded. "Exactly. The Ryumyaku you used is not a time-travel conduit but it is a bridge between worlds or bridge between universe. The moment I saw that boy's whisker marks and your arrival, I knew this wasn't the same universe."
Before Sasuke or Boruto could respond, a powerful flare of chakra erupted again. This time, it hit several people near the Ryumyaku. However, instead of harming them, it passed over them harmlessly, causing no injury or burns.
From the center of the flare, another figure emerged — a familiar one. A young man with spiky blonde hair and a Konoha forehead protector stepped out. It was Uzumaki Naruto, the protagonist of this world.
As more chakra threatened to surge and possibly pull in others, Queen Julia moved quickly. She activated the sealing formation and stabilized the flow. Meanwhile, Yakushi Kabuto, who had been trying to follow Naruto into this world, was caught in a swirling vortex and dragged away.
The chakra storm finally died down, and the once-glowing Ryumyaku disappeared, its power exhausted.
Setsuna, watching it all unfold, let out a deep sigh.
"What a mess he's made," he muttered under his breath.
---Ryumyaku Exhausted---
Uzumaki Naruto stood there, completely dumbfounded. One group of people stared at him with wide eyes filled with excitement, while another group seemed tense and concerned, their gazes fixed on the strange symbol glowing faintly on the floor.
"How?" asked Uzukage, his voice laced with confusion.
"It's gone now," Setsuna replied calmly, though his tone betrayed his unease.
Queen Julia stepped forward, her expression tense. "Uzukage, Lord Setsuna, I must remind you of your promise."
She hadn't been able to stop them from entering the room where the Ryumyaku had been sealed, and now her hesitation had resulted in something she had feared — the Ryumyaku was gone.
"The temperature here has risen and it feels more hotter than before," Kagami commented as he inspected the surrounding air, still thick with lingering chakra.
Setsuna slowly rose to his feet, already understanding the source of the problem. He let out a deep sigh. The Ryumyaku had been completely drained of its chakra, and he suspected that the cause was something caught in the vortex and that person is most probably Yakushi Kabuto. Unfortunately, Setsuna didn't have a solution to restore it. All he could do now was try to take responsibility and make amends.
"Queen Julia," he began solemnly, "this outcome is our fault, and we intend to make it right. We have two proposals. First, we can open a stable portal directly to this location for you to use. Or second, if you wish, the entire population of your country can migrate to Uzushiogakure, where we can provide shelter and support."
Queen Julia didn't answer immediately. She looked thoughtful and deeply troubled. "I will consult with my ministers before making a final decision," she said. The idea of migration was not something to be taken lightly. And with the Ryumyaku now depleted, this place might eventually collapse — they would need to act quickly.
Just then, Naruto, who had been listening quietly all this time, finally spoke up.
"Um... I don't mean to interrupt, but... what exactly is going on here?"
Everyone turned to look at him.
"What is your name?" Setsuna asked.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto — the man who's going to be Hokage someday!" Naruto said with his usual grin, tilting his forehead protector in his trademark style.
"Excellent," said Setsuna with a faint smile. "Kagami, explain everything to him."
"Yes, sensei," Kagami nodded and began to explain.
After ten long minutes of explanation, Naruto stood in stunned silence before asking, "So... you're saying I'm trapped in this timeline?"
"Yes," Kagami confirmed.
"Then... who's the Hokage right now?"
"Sarutobi Hiruzen," Kagami answered.
Naruto frowned. "Wait... doesn't that mean I just traveled to the past?"
"No, not exactly," Kagami said, glancing at the others. "That man over there is Uchiha Sasuke, and the younger blonde guy beside him... he's your son."
Naruto blinked. "Son? Wait, what do you mean 'son'?"
"His name is Uzumaki Boruto," Kagami explained. "He's got your whiskers too."
Naruto turned and stared at Boruto, eyes wide. "Hey kid... who's your mom? Is it Sakura?"
Boruto's face darkened instantly. "What kind of stupid question is that?!"
"Idiot," Boruto muttered, clearly annoyed.
"Sakura is my wife," Sasuke added flatly.
Naruto looked completely bewildered. "Wait... what? Sasuke? What are you saying?"
Sasuke gave him a look of mild exasperation. "Your wife is the princess of the Hyuga Clan. Her name is Hyuga Hinata."
Naruto's mouth opened and closed a few times before he managed to utter a word. "Hinata...?"
Author Notes: There are 30 advanced chapter, feel free to visit my patreon.
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...Chapter 204: Side Story Uzumaki Naruto...