Chapter 68

"Sorry, he just looked so dreamy—wait, what am I saying?!" Kara blurted out, her face flushing with embarrassment as she caught herself.

Naruto chuckled, his voice carrying a knowing amusement.

"You're speaking the truth," he said simply. "You can't lie here. This is my domain—my private grounds when I just want to rest."

His voice carried a weight, an underlying sense of nostalgia as he gazed at them, his mind seemingly lost in memories. Regrets.

Kara, still shaken by her own words, pushed past her embarrassment and looked at him closely. He was different. Older, yes, but there was a depth to him now, something immeasurable, something far beyond what she had ever known.

"How have you been?" she asked softly, searching his expression.

"I'm doing great," Naruto replied, his smile warm but his eyes piercing. "But you… you definitely aren't."

Kara bit her lip, knowing he was right.

"Yeah," she admitted. "We need to know about the past… so we can go back and change it."

Naruto's gaze remained unreadable for a moment, and then he simply turned away.

"Follow me," he said. "We'll talk over a meal."

Without another word, he and his wife walked towards the house, their traditional clothing flowing gently in the breeze.

As they entered the beautiful old-style home, Kara hesitated before speaking.

"Who was singing before we arrived?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

Naruto didn't stop walking, but his reply was calm and hauntingly direct.

"I was."

Kara blinked.

"It's a song that defined your last moments… the last moments I have saved in my memory."

Silence.

The words hit like a hammer, and the group stopped in their tracks.

"What… do you mean?" Kara asked, suddenly uneasy.

Naruto closed his eyes for a brief moment, exhaling slowly. When he spoke again, his voice remained calm. There was no pain, no anger, no sorrow. Just… acceptance.

"In your last moments," he said, "you died in my arms."

Kara felt her heart clench.

"You kept talking, but… you never confessed your love."

Her breath caught.

"I already loved you by that point," Naruto continued, his words steady. "And I knew you loved me, too. But… I didn't think it was the right time to deal with those emotions. And you… you were afraid of the pain it would cause me."

His eyes slowly opened, and for the first time since they arrived, a flicker of regret passed through his expression.

"You didn't want to increase my suffering by saying those words," he said. "So the fear kept your lips sealed."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Naruto gave a small chuckle, shaking his head.

"My advice?" he said, looking at her. "Smash my old self with a direct attack—more aggressive than Veritas."

Kara's mind raced, the scene playing vividly in her imagination.

Her… dying in his arms?

The regret, the unspoken words, the lost chances?

For the first time since arriving, Kara felt truly shaken.

She swallowed, trying to push the lump in her throat away.

Then, from the side, Impulse spoke up.

"So… you won't mind us changing this future?" he asked cautiously, studying this older Naruto.

He was a king now, a ruler of two universes. It was possible he had become like so many before him—a man unwilling to let go of his power.

"You can't change anything here," Naruto replied easily, leaning back. "This future is here to stay. You'll only create another future."

Impulse frowned.

"Why?"

Naruto smiled, but there was steel behind it.

"Because I don't want it to happen."

His words were absolute.

Kara felt her heart sink a little.

"So you don't… care about us anymore?" she asked, feeling the question sting as it left her lips.

Naruto suddenly laughed. A warm, genuine laugh.

"Why would you think that?" he asked, shaking his head. "I think you're confused, so let me explain."

He leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on the table.

"I am still the same Naruto. Just older, wiser, and finally… free."

His blue eyes shone with conviction as he spoke.

"I have everything I want. The world is at peace. The universe is becoming a happier place with fewer problems because of my army and people working to combat negativity."

He gestured outward, as if encompassing everything around them.

"This universe—and my original universe—are in my hands now. My dream… is no longer a dream." His eyes softened. "It's a reality. So why should I want it to disappear?"

The words sank in.

It wasn't arrogance. It wasn't delusion.

He was content.

He had achieved everything.

The pain, the loss, the battles—they had led him here.

And he had no desire to erase it.

Kara was speechless.

Naruto continued, his voice quieter.

"I promised you I'd bring back Krypton," he said, looking at her. "And I've always kept my promises. I'm still looking for a way."

Kara's eyes widened slightly.

He hadn't forgotten.

"But," Naruto added, his expression darkening for the first time, "my relationship with Death… is complicated."

He exhaled sharply.

"It broke when I snapped at her… for not bringing you guys back."

There was something dangerous in his tone now.

"I had thoughts about killing her," he admitted. "And I would have, if I could."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

"She could feel it," he continued. "So she left. And from that moment, I haven't seen her."

His voice lowered.

"I broke her heart that day," he murmured. "And she still hasn't forgiven me."

Silence.

Then, Naruto suddenly grinned.

"So," he said lightly, clapping his hands, "you see? I have no reason to want this world to change. It's perfect as it is."

The group exchanged glances, feeling off-balance.

They had expected a hardened king, a ruler with absolute control, someone who had lost sight of who he used to be.

But instead…

This Naruto was at peace.

He was still him.

Just older. Wiser. Stronger.

And perfectly content with his world.

"I guess… congratulations on your dream coming true," Kara said, but for some reason, she felt sad.

Naruto smiled warmly.

"Smile, Kara," he said gently. "I still love you and will welcome you with a smile, like always. My heart will always have a place for you."

His words struck deep, and Kara felt her breath catch.

"You carved a place in my heart with your beautiful smile and personality," he continued, his blue eyes shining with warmth. "I know my Kara will be sad for a time… but I will cheer her up. So don't be sad. Enjoy the journey with your Naruto."

Kara's cheeks turned red, a mix of embarrassment and overwhelming emotion flooding her.

She had never expected Naruto to be so direct—especially in front of everyone, even his wife.

Kara struggled to contain her bashful smile, her lips quirking up against her will.

Impulse, however, wasn't focused on that. He glanced at his older Kara, then back at Naruto.

"You mean… it's inevitable?" Impulse asked. "That our Naruto will end up like you?"

Naruto smirked.

"Why?" he asked. "You don't like me?"

Impulse crossed his arms, clearly uncomfortable.

"I just don't like the idea of an emperor," he admitted bluntly. "It just… doesn't feel right. Especially for such a vast empire."

Naruto listened patiently, his face unreadable.

Impulse took a deep breath and continued.

"It's asking for trouble. Even if I ignore the fact that you could get mind-controlled… what happens when you're gone?" Impulse's voice hardened. "This empire will fall like all the rest. And the death toll would be enormous."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Naruto's calm smile didn't waver.

"I don't think you truly understand where I have arrived," he said, tilting his head slightly. "So obviously, you'd have these doubts. But that question… will be answered in your own world. I'll leave it as a mystery."

His tone was teasing, but firm.

Impulse frowned, not satisfied.

"And as for the empire falling?" Naruto continued, his voice filled with absolute certainty.

"You see… that can never happen."

Impulse stiffened.

"Every fall has a reason," Naruto said. "And those reasons no longer exist in my empire."

He leaned forward slightly, his presence suddenly immense.

"I am their immortal emperor. They would die for me if I asked."

Impulse's stomach twisted.

"That's how much they revere me."

His words weren't boastful. They were a fact.

"You haven't seen a leader like me, Impulse."

Naruto's gaze locked onto his, his eyes burning with something immeasurable.

"Tell me… would you fight Naruto if someone told you he was evil?"

Impulse clenched his jaw. "Of course not," he admitted.

"Because you trust him to always act right," Naruto said with a smirk. "So you can relax. This world is headed towards a beautiful ending."

He leaned back, his posture casual.

"I have people handling things on all levels to ensure people are happy. It's rare to find anyone resisting this lifestyle because… what I have given them is a system of happiness."

Kara narrowed her eyes slightly. "A system…?"

"A system where everyone supports each other," Naruto explained. "Where no one is left behind."

His voice darkened slightly.

"The only real threats are the insane immortal beings that just want to mess with me," he admitted. "And we end up fighting because of it."

Jaime suddenly spoke up.

"But… what about corruption?" he asked, thinking of the common failures of leadership. "What if people in your empire are abusing their positions?"

Naruto's smile disappeared.

And for the first time since they arrived… his presence became terrifying.

His blue eyes turned ice-cold.

"If my own children dared to break a rule," he said, his voice chillingly calm, "I would throw them in jail."

A heavy, suffocating pressure filled the air.

Jaime felt his blood turn cold.

"So," Naruto continued, his voice as sharp as a blade, "what do you think happens to my subordinates?"

Jaime swallowed hard, suddenly unable to meet his gaze.

The weight of Naruto's words pressed down on him, and for the first time, he understood.

Naruto wasn't just a king.

He was something far beyond that.

A man who would never allow weakness, never tolerate corruption.

Jaime looked down, his heart pounding.

'My immortal…' he thought, his body shivering slightly. 'That was scary.'

"You… killed."

Impulse's voice was barely above a whisper, yet it struck like a thunderclap in the tense silence.

Kara and Jaime froze, their eyes wide in shock.

Naruto didn't flinch.

"It's something you'll learn with time," he said simply. His tone wasn't apologetic, nor was it cold. It was just… factual.

"Some people just need to die and have no place in this world," he continued. "Truly, their existence disgusted me, and I'm glad I can just erase them with a thought instead of standing in their presence."

Impulse's hand tightened around Kara's, a silent plea.

Don't ask more.

This was not the Naruto they knew. Their Naruto would never call someone disgusting, would never say someone was unworthy of existence.

The same person, yet… completely different.

A soft sigh broke the silence.

"Darling," a voice chided, smooth and affectionate.

Naruto's wife.

"You're scaring the children."

Naruto blinked and turned toward her, grinning.

"Aw, you can be so cruel," he teased. "I was just about to tell them some good stories, you know? Maybe wake them up to the realities of freedom."

"Let them explore that on their own," she said, her voice firm.

Naruto pouted. "Fine, fine. I'll keep it short."

He crossed his arms and leaned forward slightly, his eyes serious.

"First," he said, "the one killing the heroes is Eradicator—a Kryptonian killing machine."

Kara inhaled sharply.

"Cyborg Superman is still alive," Naruto continued, "hiding on a planet in the nearby solar system."

Jaime's fists clenched.

"Crucifier is in China with Enchantress," Naruto added, "and Dr. Fate is currently fighting Klarion along with other monsters in the Dark Dimension."

Impulse felt a cold pit form in his stomach.

"And the heroes and villains?" Naruto said. "They've been turned into vampires."

A heavy silence fell.

Impulse felt his breath hitch.

"There is no cure."

Kara's eyes widened.

Jaime looked horrified.

Impulse shook his head. "No… There's always a cure."

Naruto's gaze was unforgiving.

"You would need someone who can rewrite reality to undo the effect," he stated. "And you don't have that person."

The reality hit like a truck.

Kara felt a lump in her throat.

They had always believed in a way to save people. That no matter how bad things got, there was always a way back.

But this Naruto…

He was telling them the truth they didn't want to hear.

"You can find the vampires easily," Naruto said. "Have your Naruto share his chakra with everyone in Beijing. The ones without chakra will stand out—they'll be Crucifier's subordinates."

Impulse clenched his fists.

"Don't stop training," Naruto warned, his voice hard.

"Because if you change your future now… you'll wish you hadn't."

Impulse swallowed.

"This small crisis is nothing compared to what comes next."

Naruto leaned back, his eyes far away, as if remembering something horrific.

"I trained like insanity had taken over," he admitted. "I broke limits like they were made of paper. I did anything to gain power."

His voice lowered.

"But I doubt your Naruto would want to follow my path. His experience will be different now. That's good enough."

Impulse felt his body tremble.

"There's no cure?" he whispered.

Naruto shook his head.

"Do we really have to… kill our friends?" Impulse's voice cracked.

Robin.

Tim.

His friend.

And now, he was one of them.