Chapter 62

The battlefield had long since ceased to resemble anything close to a livable world. The very fabric of reality trembled under the forces being unleashed. A chaotic inferno of energy raged in the sky, while the planet beneath them cracked, crumbled, and fell apart under the sheer magnitude of their clash.

Naruto had nearly been consumed, his golden aura barely flickering as Kurama prepared an even stronger assault. The colossal beast's eyes gleamed with feral intensity, his maw opening once more to unleash devastation. The sheer power behind it sent shockwaves across the void, and Naruto knew that if he didn't act now, he would be swallowed by it.

He took a deep breath, golden irises gleaming with unparalleled resolve. Then, he raised his hand to the heavens, his voice echoing through the crumbling world like the declaration of a immortal.

"The Time of Birth has Come—I am the Master of All!"

The very cosmos seemed to acknowledge his ambition as reality bent to his will. Light began to coalesce, forming a celestial ring around the planet. At first glance, it looked like a simple halo of light encircling the Earth. In truth, it was far more than that.

Anti-Life Judgment of Light.

A manifestation of his will, this technique was the culmination of his mastery over Senjutsu. One hundred thousand beams of divine light gathered in orbit, each as large as a city and carrying an apocalyptic level of energy. The sheer magnitude of heat and force within each beam was unmatched, exceeding anything on the surface of the Earth. It was an Anti-World technique, designed to erase entire civilizations in a single breath.

This move had once been far weaker, capable of wiping out only a single large city or perhaps a small country. But with his recent evolution in power, it had transcended its former limits. Now, it rivaled the forces that shaped planets and stars.

The sky itself burned as the beams descended like the wrath of a primordial deity, a storm of destruction that blanketed the heavens. Each beam sliced through the void with divine precision, converging upon Kurama's Bijuu Bomb before it could consume Naruto entirely.

The moment of impact was cataclysmic.

Half of the beams were nullified in the struggle, clashing against the apocalyptic sphere of tailed beast energy, but the remaining fifty thousand beams surged forward, unrelenting. Kurama, undeterred, unleashed a charged Bijuu laser, the sheer force of which rivaled the power of a dying star.

The two forces collided.

A chain reaction of explosions tore through the atmosphere, painting the sky in hues of red and black. Firestorms raged across the heavens, consuming what little remained of the stratosphere. The charged laser, fueled by Kurama's fury, annihilated the remnants of Naruto's attack and continued its trajectory—obliterating the moon in a single, devastating strike.

The celestial body, once whole, was split in half, the shockwave from its destruction sending fragments hurtling through space.

Kurama's attack did not stop there.

With monstrous precision, he swept his gaze across the battlefield, redirecting the destructive beam toward Naruto once again. But Naruto was already moving. Channeling his earth manipulation abilities, he willed the shattered remains of the moon into motion. The broken fragments, now enhanced with Senjutsu energy, became lethal projectiles, each the size of mountains, descending upon Kurama at light speed.

The moment they struck, the results were apocalyptic.

A planetary-scale bombardment ensued, tearing apart the surface below them. The world beneath their feet shattered into fragments, unable to withstand the scale of destruction.

The planet was destroyed.

Yet, Kurama remained unscathed.

His barrier held firm, shielding him from the celestial onslaught. He charged forward, leaping through the void of space as the shattered remnants of the planet crumbled around him. His movements were primal, untamed, but terrifyingly precise. As he ran toward Naruto, he released rapid-fire Bijuu beams, each one controlled and aimed with precision.

Naruto teleported, again and again, barely evading the barrage. But he knew this couldn't last forever. He had to change the flow of battle.

A new plan formed in his mind.

Unlike his previous techniques, this one was not designed for physical destruction, but for something far worse.

Closing his eyes, he drew upon his mastery of Yin Release, Genjutsu, and spiritual manipulation—a skill that had long surpassed its initial limitations. His experiences in the new world had enhanced his abilities. He had studied the minds of some of the greatest telepaths and illusionists—Zatanna, Martian Manhunter, and countless other entities. Their knowledge had been absorbed into his arsenal, pushing his abilities beyond the mortal plane.

He extended his hand toward Kurama.

"My friend... experience the entire world's evil."

The moment the words left his lips, the battlefield shifted.

The world around Kurama darkened, the edges of reality melting into a realm of nightmares.

A curse unlike any other seeped into existence—a domain of pure, inescapable evil.

Kurama found himself in the heart of darkness incarnate, a place where the horrors of existence became tangible. The unspeakable, the unseeable, the things that the mind refused to acknowledge—all were forced into his perception. He was buried beneath the weight of humanity's sins, drowning in an ocean of atrocities, trapped in a purgatory of hatred and despair.

A domain where the very concept of resistance was stripped away.

It was a place where those trapped within would consume themselves—devoured by their own guilt, pain, and suffering. A prison of absolute spiritual destruction.

And now, Kurama was trapped within it.

Naruto could feel it—the rage, the sorrow, the regrets. Every ounce of Kurama's buried pain was being dragged to the surface, forcing him to confront the unfiltered darkness within himself.

It was a cruel technique, but this was war. He had no choice.

A deafening, earth-shattering roar erupted from within the domain.

"NARUTO!!!"

Kurama's howl tore through the void, an eruption of pure, unfiltered wrath.

A monstrous explosion of energy followed.

The entire dark domain shattered.

Kurama emerged, his eyes burning with an unholy glow, his entire form shrouded in a storm of malevolence. The experience had broken something within him. His instincts, his intelligence—all of it had been consumed by rage.

There was no logic left.

No strategy.

No sanity.

Kurama had become a beast of pure, unrestrained destruction.

And he was coming for Naruto.

The wild beast crashed into the reformed moon, its colossal body colliding with a force that shattered the celestial body into fragments. The violent impact sent shards of lunar rock drifting through the emptiness of space, creating a chaotic debris field around them. Even in his fury, Kurama acted with a semblance of strategy, his instincts honed through countless battles. He began to conjure chakra bombs, but instead of launching them immediately, he let them float in space like suspended stars, waiting for the perfect moment to unleash their destruction.

Naruto, however, had already adapted to his partner's berserk state. Unlike before, when he had struggled to match the beast's sheer intensity, now he found it easier to evade the reckless attacks. Kurama's movements, while powerful, lacked the precision they once had. Seeing an opening, Naruto decided to rely on his true bloodline ability—the Adamantine Sealing Chains.

From golden portals that shimmered into existence around him, chains emerged—divine and unyielding. Like serpents striking their prey, the chains shot forward, wrapping around Kurama's limbs with inescapable strength. Each glowing link pulsed with power, infused with Naruto's chakra and reinforced with his immense will. But their greatest trait wasn't their durability—it was their suppression ability. The moment they latched onto Kurama, his chakra control faltered, the energy within him thrown into disarray.

The massive fox roared, shaking the very space around them. He pulled with all his might, straining against the bindings, his tails thrashing in fury. The chains groaned under the pressure, nearly snapping under his monstrous strength. But Naruto had no intention of allowing Kurama to break free. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

With a sharp exhale, Naruto focused his energy above his palm. The air trembled as an immense force began to take shape—an Elemental Lance, massive beyond measure. Unlike a normal attack, this lance wasn't composed of just one element. No, it was forged from all elements, bound together in perfect harmony. Fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, yin, and yang—it was a weapon of absolute destruction, its essence radiating pure devastation.

He pointed his hand forward. The lance moved.

Like a meteor, it spun through space, gaining momentum as it traveled, growing larger with every passing second. The spinning force tore through the floating debris, vaporizing anything in its path. Kurama, despite his struggles, could do little but brace himself. The attack struck him with a thunderous impact, the sheer force of it dragging him across the void.

Downward they plummeted, hurtling towards the planet below. The reformed Earth awaited them, and in moments, Kurama's enormous body crashed into the Land of Ice. The frozen peaks of its mountains shattered like brittle glass, and the massive frozen lake beneath him cracked open, sending waves of displaced water into the air. The once-pristine landscape was now a battlefield.

Pinned beneath the spinning lance, Kurama lay trapped in the icy abyss, his massive form sinking into the freezing waters. The attack had not ceased—it continued to pierce into him, its power constantly assaulting his body. His muscles healed only to be torn apart again, leaving him in an endless cycle of agony.

Above the turbulent water, Naruto stood with effortless grace, his chakra barrier shielding him from the biting cold and the falling snow. He gazed down at his long-time companion, his expression unreadable.

"Have you regained your mind, friend?" Naruto called out, his voice steady but filled with concern. "Or do you need more?"

The only response he received was the sound of Kurama's ragged breaths, the beast's body rising and falling in exhaustion.

Trapped beneath the attack, the great fox's anger had finally cooled. The pain, though excruciating, had brought clarity. He had lost.

'I let my emotions control me again,' Kurama thought bitterly. He should have fought like Naruto. He had let his rage consume him, just like in the past—just like when he had lost to Madara. He had sworn never to make the same mistake, yet here he was, chained and defeated.

His great red eyes slid shut. "...You've won, Naruto," he muttered, his voice carrying the weight of defeat. "Do whatever you want."

Naruto frowned. He didn't like the sound of those words—they were too weak, too final. In a flash, he vanished and reappeared standing on Kurama's massive nose, canceling the attack with a simple flick of his wrist.

"Why are you being so dramatic?" he asked, his voice carrying a hint of exasperation. He sighed before continuing, "And… sorry. I got caught up in the flow and used that move on you."

Kurama slowly opened his eyes, then shook his massive head. "I don't mind," he rumbled, his voice regaining some of its old strength. "I was the one who told you to make it, after all."

A small smile tugged at Naruto's lips. "Still… thank you for putting up with me. I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with."

Kurama snorted, the familiar sound making Naruto chuckle. "I wouldn't have it any other way," the fox said. His golden eyes gleamed with something softer now—something that had been there all along. "I like that you care for everyone, even when you're being reckless."

Naruto sat down on the tip of Kurama's snout, staring up at the falling snow. "Well, that's what friends do, right?"

Kurama let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "Yeah... friends."

Naruto sat cross-legged on the tip of Kurama's snout, his hands resting on his knees as he gazed up at the sky. Snowflakes drifted down, dissolving into nothingness the moment they touched his chakra barrier. The battlefield had gone eerily silent, the only sounds being the distant echoes of crashing waves against the ice and the slow, rhythmic breaths of the massive beast beneath him.

Kurama watched him in silence, his golden eyes filled with quiet understanding. The rage that had once clouded his mind had faded, replaced by something deeper—something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Naruto exhaled, his breath misting in the cold air. "You know, Kurama… I act like I'm strong, like I've got everything figured out." He chuckled bitterly. "But the truth is… sometimes, I feel like I'm still that lonely kid sitting on a swing, watching everyone else move forward."

Kurama's ears twitched at those words. He had been there—inside Naruto, trapped behind iron bars—watching the boy struggle. Watching him cry in the dark when no one else could see.

"I've come so far," Naruto continued, his voice softer now. "I have a family, people who love me, friends who would stand by me no matter what. And yet…" He clenched his fists, staring down at them as if they held the answers he sought. "There's still this part of me that feels... empty."

Kurama sighed, shifting slightly beneath him. "You carry too much on your shoulders, Naruto. You've always tried to bear the weight of the world alone. Even when you let people in, you still think it's your responsibility to protect them all—to never show weakness."

Naruto let out a dry laugh. "And what else am I supposed to do? Just let things happen? Stand by while the people I love suffer?" His eyes darkened. "I've lost too much, Kurama. Too many people. I refuse to lose anyone else."

Kurama's gaze softened. He understood that pain all too well. He had seen Naruto's losses, felt them through their bond—the sting of losing Jiraiya, the anguish of fighting Sasuke over and over again. And even beyond that… there was the loneliness Naruto had carried since the day he was born.

"You're an idiot," Kurama muttered, his deep voice rumbling beneath Naruto.

Naruto blinked, then let out a chuckle. "Gee, thanks. Real supportive."

Kurama huffed. "You think pain is something you can run from? That if you just get strong enough, you can keep it from ever touching you again?" His voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it. "Pain is part of life, Naruto. You can't stop people from dying. You can't stop people from suffering. No matter how powerful you get, you can't control everything."

Naruto lowered his gaze, his expression unreadable.

"But…" Kurama continued, his voice gentler now, "what you can do is be there. You can fight for them, protect them while they still breathe. And when they're gone… you carry them with you, like you always have."

Naruto swallowed hard. He knew Kurama was right. He always knew. But that didn't make it any easier.

The fox sighed, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again. "I've seen you at your lowest, Naruto. I've seen you break and pick yourself back up. But you don't have to carry this pain alone."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly.

"You have me," Kurama continued, his voice steady. "You always have."

For a moment, Naruto didn't speak. His heart clenched in his chest, and he felt a warmth spread through him—not from his chakra, but from something deeper. He smiled, a genuine, grateful smile.

"Yeah," he murmured. "I do."

He reached down, placing a hand on Kurama's massive snout, his fingers pressing into the warm fur. The fox leaned into the touch slightly, a silent acknowledgment passing between them.

A bond unbreakable. A friendship forged in pain, in battle, in time.

Naruto chuckled, his mood lighter now. "You know, for a giant fox made of chakra, you're pretty damn wise."

Kurama snorted. "And for a reckless brat, you're not entirely hopeless."

Naruto laughed, throwing his head back as the snow continued to fall around them.