Naruto and the rest of Taka stood by Koyuki's side as she gave her inauguration speech.
It was dreadfully tedious, having to glance around the central square to head off potential assassins, all while maintaining a transformation to make them look older. He'd already had to refill his teammates a few times throughout the speech.
Oh, there were some gems, and he certainly wasn't about to completely tune her out, but his patience was stretched thin as the hours ticked by.
Two hours and thirty-two minutes later, she concluded the speech with a deep, respectful bow and an oath to protect the people first and the nation second.
Koyuki exited the balcony, followed by her bodyguards, to thunderous applause.
Once inside, the newly-appointed Daimyo sighed in relief. "Well... that was something. I'm sure it'll get easier, but that was nerve-wracking. I'm glad I didn't mess up any of my lines."
"I am never doing that again," Sasuke said. "I got so close to complete chakra exhaustion that I nearly collapsed."
"That's fine. I'll get new bodyguards. As for your ride back home..."
---
Naruto Uzumaki dreamed.
This was a common occurrence, and one that he let happen to him quite often.
His mind had drifted from concept to concept without much effort, filling his mind with pleasant 'what ifs' and future stories.
Worlds where he was loved, worlds where his parents survived, worlds where people would talk, and they would understand.
All of them, worlds where he was happy.
Except not really.
They were all figments of his imagination, constructs made of nothing but his willpower.
They were not real.
Naruto banished another imaginary scenario from his mind before turning to the mansion.
The lights had been dampened, and a resting, dormant shroud fitted over the whole plane.
The wind rustled, the fountains spouted water in that endless, cyclical nature that Tobirama loved so much.
The cries of owls, mice, and other such animals raced across the sky.
The bright stars mixed with inky blackness just to resemble a particularly fascinating cookie dough, entire galaxies and all that they told appeared in front of Naruto, daring him to explore.
It was all so relaxing, and he laid down on the soft grass.
Except it wasn't really real either.
It was a pocket dimension, one constructed entirely of Yin chakra.
"...in another one of these moods again? Naruto?" Mito prodded, before sitting next to him.
"...yeah."
"Well, that's fine. There's no shame in introspection, especially not someone as busy as a ninja."
"That's true... but recently, I've been thinking: 'who am I'?"
"Oh? What brought this on?"
"Well, I guess... I guess it started with Zabuza and Haku. Or... all the way back with Itachi, Sasuke, and Sayuri."
"Continue?"
"Right. Well, I don't know why, but the whole... thing around all of them has always just been weird, to me. He never would've gone through with it unless he was ordered to... but I'm still not sure.
YOU ARE READING
Sage's Resurrection
Fanfiction"I have found you to be worthy of being my successor." Naruto Uzumaki was a boy who was snubbed and looked down upon for his entire life. For him to be acknowledged by someone like the Sage... "You will be strong enough to achieve world peace..." ...
