17: Sounds of the Forgotten

Naruto barely had time to react before the erased version of himself lunged.

Dark chakra swirled around its body, unstable yet powerful. Its fist connected with Naruto's gut, sending him skidding backward.

"Tch." Naruto wiped his mouth, staring at the flickering figure before him. "This is so damn weird."

Sasuke unsheathed his sword, eyes locked on the shifting shadows around them. "Focus, idiot. This thing—" He narrowed his Rinnegan. "—it's not just a memory. It's you. The version of you that never existed."

The erased Naruto tilted its head, blank eyes unreadable.

"I was taken so you could stay." Its voice echoed unnaturally. "I paid the price. And now, you want to undo it?"

Naruto's fists clenched. "Damn right I do!"

The figure's expression darkened. "Then you are my enemy."

Without warning, it split—dozens of shadowed Narutos emerging from the darkness, each moving with inhuman speed.

Naruto and Sasuke barely had time to react.

Naruto clashed with his own past.

Shadow clones surged toward him, their attacks eerily familiar—his own fighting style turned against him. He dodged one strike, countered another, but they kept coming.

"You think you can take my place?" One of the shadows sneered, its voice layered with echoes.

"You abandoned this fate!" Another snarled.

A kunai nearly sliced Naruto's cheek, but he ducked just in time, landing a powerful punch that sent one of the shadows bursting into mist.

But as fast as one fell, two more took its place.

Sasuke flickered beside him, his Sharingan analyzing the battlefield. "These aren't normal clones. They're endless."

Naruto cursed under his breath. "Great. Any ideas?"

Sasuke's Rinnegan pulsed. "We don't fight the army." His gaze locked onto the original erased Naruto standing in the distance. "We take down the source."

Naruto smirked. "Now you're talking."

With a flicker of movement, the two of them charged.

The erased Naruto raised a hand. The air warped around him.

And suddenly—

Naruto's body froze.

A burning sensation ripped through his chest as an invisible force held him in place.

"What the—?!"

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Dammit—he's using the force of time itself!"

The erased Naruto stared at him, eyes dark and cold. "You cannot change fate."

Naruto struggled, pushing against the force. His body felt like it was being torn apart.

But then—

He grinned.

"Like hell I can't!"

A golden light erupted from his body—his chakra surging to life. Even without Kurama, he was still Naruto Uzumaki.

The force holding him shattered.

And with a single step—

He punched the erased Naruto straight in the face.

The impact sent shockwaves through the void.

The shadows screamed, unraveling like threads in the wind.

Naruto landed, breathing hard. The erased version of himself staggered, flickering like a dying flame.

"I'm not abandoning you," Naruto said, fists clenched. "You're a part of me. And I'm taking you back."

The figure's expression softened. Its body trembled.

"Then prove it."

The darkness collapsed inward.

Naruto reached forward—

And everything exploded into light.

Naruto's eyes snapped open.

He was standing on Hokage Rock.

The village stretched out before him—his village.

His heart pounded. Was it real?

Then—

"Naruto!"

He turned.

Hinata stood at the base of the mountain, her eyes wide with shock.

Boruto and Himawari ran toward him, their faces filled with relief.

Naruto felt something in his chest loosen.

Sasuke landed beside him, arms crossed. "Hmph. Took long enough."

Naruto grinned, staring at the village below.

His name was back on Hokage Rock.

He was home.

And this time—

Nothing would take it from him again.

Naruto barely had time to react before the erased version of himself lunged.

Dark chakra swirled around its body, unstable yet powerful. Its fist connected with Naruto's gut, sending him skidding backward.

"Tch." Naruto wiped his mouth, staring at the flickering figure before him. "This is so damn weird."

Sasuke unsheathed his sword, eyes locked on the shifting shadows around them. "Focus, idiot. This thing—" He narrowed his Rinnegan. "—it's not just a memory. It's you. The version of you that never existed."

The erased Naruto tilted its head, blank eyes unreadable.

"I was taken so you could stay." Its voice echoed unnaturally. "I paid the price. And now, you want to undo it?"

Naruto's fists clenched. "Damn right I do!"

The figure's expression darkened. "Then you are my enemy."

Without warning, it split—dozens of shadowed Narutos emerging from the darkness, each moving with inhuman speed.

Naruto and Sasuke barely had time to react.

Naruto clashed with his own past.

Shadow clones surged toward him, their attacks eerily familiar—his own fighting style turned against him. He dodged one strike, countered another, but they kept coming.

"You think you can take my place?" One of the shadows sneered, its voice layered with echoes.

"You abandoned this fate!" Another snarled.

A kunai nearly sliced Naruto's cheek, but he ducked just in time, landing a powerful punch that sent one of the shadows bursting into mist.

But as fast as one fell, two more took its place.

Sasuke flickered beside him, his Sharingan analyzing the battlefield. "These aren't normal clones. They're endless."

Naruto cursed under his breath. "Great. Any ideas?"

Sasuke's Rinnegan pulsed. "We don't fight the army." His gaze locked onto the original erased Naruto standing in the distance. "We take down the source."

Naruto smirked. "Now you're talking."

With a flicker of movement, the two of them charged.

The erased Naruto raised a hand. The air warped around him.

And suddenly—

Naruto's body froze.

A burning sensation ripped through his chest as an invisible force held him in place.

"What the—?!"

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Dammit—he's using the force of time itself!"

The erased Naruto stared at him, eyes dark and cold. "You cannot change fate."

Naruto struggled, pushing against the force. His body felt like it was being torn apart.

But then—

He grinned.

"Like hell I can't!"

A golden light erupted from his body—his chakra surging to life.

Expect nothing less from Naruto Uzumaki.

The force holding him shattered.

And with a single step—

He punched the erased Naruto straight in the face.

The impact sent shockwaves through the void.

The shadows screamed, unraveling like threads in the wind.

Naruto landed, breathing hard. The erased version of himself staggered, flickering like a dying flame.

"I'm not abandoning you," Naruto said, fists clenched. "You're a part of me. And I'm taking you back."

The figure's expression softened. Its body trembled.

"Then prove it."

The darkness collapsed inward.

Naruto reached forward—

And everything exploded into light.

Naruto's eyes snapped open.

He was standing on Hokage Rock.

The village stretched out before him—his village.

His heart pounded. Was it real?

Then—

"Naruto!"

He turned.

Sakura stood at the base of the mountain, her eyes wide with shock.

Lee, Kiba, and Hinata ran toward him, their faces filled with relief.

Naruto felt something in his chest loosen.

Sasuke landed beside him, arms crossed. "Hmph. Took long enough."

Naruto grinned, staring at the village below.

His name was back on Hokage Rock.

He was home.

And this time—

Nothing would take it from him again.