The Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, looked at Naruto standing before him and spoke in a calm, measured tone.
"The reincarnation of Asura in this era seems… a little different."
Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, giving the old man a lopsided grin.
"Of course I'm different. Don't you remember? You were the one who brought me back to life."
Hagoromo's brows furrowed.
"Brought you back… to life?"
Seeing the confusion in the Sage's eyes, Naruto took a step forward, his own expression now tinged with doubt.
"What's wrong? Grandpa Six Paths, don't you remember resurrecting me?"
The Sage's frown deepened.
"I'm not sure what you mean. I don't even truly understand what you're talking about."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. Something felt wrong. This man looked and felt exactly like the Sage of Six Paths, but… could it be that the one in front of him wasn't the same Sage who had revived him?
His gaze shifted around. The surroundings matched perfectly — this was the same void-like dimension where he had first met Hagoromo.
So why didn't he remember bringing Naruto back?
Hagoromo studied Naruto closely, sensing the faint trace of a very familiar chakra deep within the boy's soul.
"Naruto, come here."
Naruto obeyed, stepping closer. The Sage extended his fist toward him with a faint smile. Naruto recognized the gesture instantly and mirrored it, their fists meeting in a silent connection.
The moment their knuckles touched, a strange chakra within Naruto resonated with Hagoromo's own. In an instant, the Sage received every memory Naruto had experienced up until now.
"I see…"
Retracting his hand, Hagoromo now understood everything.
Naruto smirked.
"So? You remember now?"
The Sage gave a small nod.
"I didn't lie to you before. My future self truly is dead."
Naruto frowned.
"Then… what's your situation right now?"
Hagoromo chuckled softly.
"It's simple. I am the Hagoromo of this time and space. The reason you can see me despite my death in the future is because my chakra still exists between the reincarnations of Asura and Indra — that is, within you and Sasuke."
He continued, his voice gaining weight.
"My future self did indeed burn away his soul and use a special tool to send you back to the past."
"So you see, I wasn't lying — I truly do not exist in the future timeline. I can only manifest in this one."
Naruto's expression softened.
"So… if I manage to change the future this time, will you still be around?"
Hagoromo smiled faintly.
"That depends on you."
Naruto's confident grin returned.
"Then you don't have to worry. I came here for one reason — to get stronger!"
Relief shone in Hagoromo's ancient eyes.
"If that's the case, there's no need to hesitate."
With a wave of his shakujo staff, space warped beside them. Sasuke appeared at Naruto's right side in a ripple of chakra.
"Sasuke!"
"Naruto."
Sasuke walked over, his sharp gaze landing on Hagoromo.
"This old man — when I asked him for power and your whereabouts, he acted like he didn't know anything and spouted some incomprehensible nonsense."
"Oh, and he said I'm the reincarnation of Indra, and you're his younger brother — the reincarnation of Asura."
Naruto nodded.
"He's right. We both carry the chakra of our past reincarnations. You've probably felt it too."
Sasuke grunted in acknowledgement. He had already witnessed glimpses of their shared history. His words now were more for confirmation than curiosity.
As Naruto continued speaking with Hagoromo, Sasuke's mind replayed those memories — the final battle with the Ōtsutsuki clan, Naruto's death in that war.
That ending… was something Sasuke would never allow.
The Uchiha clan had always been brothers to the core — whether it was Madara and Izuna, Shisui and Itachi, or Itachi and himself. Protecting one's younger brother was an unshakable truth.
Sasuke was no different.
If Naruto was the younger brother in this bond, then it was his duty to protect him — no matter the cost.
He even smirked to himself. This idiot really does fit the role… back in the Academy he was such a crybaby.
Naruto caught the smirk and tilted his head.
"What are you laughing at?"
Sasuke coughed lightly.
"Just remembered something amusing."
Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Now's not the time to be spacing out. C'mon — stretch out your hand."
Sasuke glanced at Hagoromo, realizing what this was about. The old man raised his palm.
"I will grant you both the powers of Yin and Yang once more. Protect the shinobi world again… and most importantly, Naruto — this time, help me change the future."
Naruto's voice was firm.
"Don't worry, Grandpa Six Paths. I won't let those tragedies repeat themselves. Even if the whole world misunderstands me, I'll protect it."
Sasuke tilted his head slightly, catching Naruto's determined smile. His own resolve solidified. This time… I won't let you die.
"Come — give me your hands," Hagoromo instructed.
The two stepped forward, raising their right palms.
With a resonant hum, the powers of Yin and Yang ignited, searing their marks into Naruto's and Sasuke's hands.
"It's done. The Yin–Yang powers are yours."
Naruto gazed at the Yang Seal in his palm, feeling its overwhelming energy surge through him. Relief washed over him — now, Madara's chaos outside would be under his control again.
Sasuke examined the Yin Seal on his own palm. A sudden flash of pain shot through his right eye as it evolved into the Rinnegan.
Hagoromo nodded.
"I've given you the power to fully awaken the Rinnegan. But be warned — your left eye has a forbidden technique etched into it. Overuse may cause blindness."
Turning to Naruto, he added,
"And you — I sense a similar forbidden eye embedded in your arm. It seems you took great risks to reach me again."
Naruto raised his arm. One of the embedded Sharingan eyes was already beginning its countdown.
"Well, you didn't give me the Yin–Yang Seals when you revived me, so I had no choice."
The Sage smiled knowingly.
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"You had a backup plan all along, didn't you? You withheld the Seals to see if I could make my way back to this place and meet you again."
Hagoromo studied him carefully. This Naruto carried not only Asura's chakra — but also the Rinnegan.
"It seems you truly possess the Sage's Eyes, Naruto."
Naruto grinned.
"Alright, old man — time to head back."
It was time for Izanagi.
Outside, Sasuke's left eye and one of the Sharingan embedded in Naruto's arm snapped open in unison. The seal activated, releasing a blinding light that enveloped them both. In an instant, their souls were drawn back into their bodies.
Their eyes opened simultaneously. Without a word, they exchanged a nod and rose to their feet.
"My left eye's useless now. Give me one of yours." Sasuke said bluntly.
Naruto extended his arm, revealing six still-active Sharingan set into it. One of them had already closed. Sasuke plucked a functioning one without hesitation.
Naruto winced.
"Tch… you could've been a little gentler."
Ignoring him, Sasuke removed his own damaged Mangekyō Sharingan — the eye turned milky white from activating Izanagi — and tossed it aside. He then transplanted the Sharingan from Naruto's arm into his own eye socket.
Under the Yin Seal's regenerative power, Sasuke's new eye adapted almost instantly.
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