Sage of seven paths

Chapter 1: A Fateful Encounter

In the aftermath of his intense battle against Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, Naruto's spirit was shattered. The loss of Kurama, his trusted companion and source of strength, weighed heavily on his heart. The village celebrated their victory, but Naruto couldn't shake off the emptiness gnawing at him. The sacrifice had been immense, and the toll it took on him was overwhelming.

As years passed, Naruto fought desperately against the relentless onslaught of the Ōtsutsuki clan. He never wavered in his determination to protect his beloved village, family and the world he cherished. But despite his unwavering resilience, powerful members of the Ōtsutsuki clan eventually caught up with him.

Four members of the main branch of the Ōtsutsuki clan, led by the youngest son of the current clan head Kenji Ōtsutsuki, arrived on Naruto's planet, determined to bring an end to his pathetic rebellion and harvest the planet to obtain a Chakra Fruit.

In this fierce battle with the new Ōtsutsuki threat, Naruto found himself outmatched, facing strength that surpassed anything he had encountered before. The conflict was long and brutal, and Naruto knew his end was drawing near.

Countless lives were lost, and the resistance was gradually crumbling. Naruto had to bear witness as his cherished family and friends perished, one by one. Consumed by desperation, he tapped into the immense power of the Ten-Tails, which he had acquired with the help of his son, Boruto, after his decisive victory against Code. Entering the formidable Baryon Mode he learned from practicing with the ten tails and from memory when Kurama sacrificed himself, Naruto managed to eliminate three of the four Ōtsutsuki invaders. However, his triumph was short-lived when Kenji Ōtsutsuki, the final adversary, ate a chakra fruit he had saved and powered up overwhelming Naruto, their battle led to the annihilation of an entire continent. In his broken state, impaled by numerous black receivers, Naruto lay defeated. Taking advantage of Naruto's vulnerable state, Kenji ruthlessly extracted the Ten-Tails from him, causing Naruto to slowly lose his life force.

However, in his final moments, something extraordinary happened. Fueled by a powerful reluctance, grief and desire for power Naruto's /Ashura's soul resonated with a fragment of Shibai Ōtsutsuki's soul, the legendary Ōtsutsuki that was betrayed by his own clan long ago. The resonance between their souls grew with each passing moment and increasing intensity, enveloping Naruto in a surge of Archaic chakra.

In an instant, Naruto's perception shattered, replaced by a void teeming with innumerable stars. As he surveyed his surroundings, his attention became fixated on a rapidly enlarging dot of light, gradually transforming into a majestic planet. Confusion and curiosity filled his mind as he pondered, "What is happening?" This was the last coherent thought he could gather before finding himself standing amidst a primeval forest. The ambiance exuded a profound sense of antiquity, with the presence of ethereal lights meandering in the air and vegetation unlike anything he had ever encountered before. The fluorescent plants emanated a myriad of captivating hues, casting a mesmerizing glow. The air he breathed felt rejuvenating, indescribably fresh, imbuing him with a serene satisfaction that simply being present and inhaling brought him happiness. Seemingly transported to a bygone era, a realm long forgotten by time itself. He wandered aimlessly through this enchanting forest, devoid of any sense of direction. After an indeterminate amount of time, a soft whisper carried on the gentle breeze caught his attention, calling out to him from somewhere within the depths of the woodland. Following the ethereal voice, he eventually stumbled upon a sunlit clearing, where an awe-inspiring sight awaited him. Before his eyes stood an ancient city consumed by the relentless embrace of nature's roots. Majestic buildings adorned every corner, evoking a sense of long forgotten magnificence. And at its heart, amidst the towering edifices, stood a familiar yet distinct visage - a shinju. However, this particular shinju possessed peculiar patterns snaking through its trunk and branches, adorned with leaves and exotic blooms, shrouding it in a veil of otherworldly beauty.

As he strolled through the city, faint echoes and gentle whispers of a civilization lost to time filled the air. The voices, though incomprehensible, grew progressively louder, compelling him to venture towards the heart of the city, where the grandeur of the shinju awaited. Upon reaching the towering base of the tree, he discovered a spectral figure, its translucence lending an ethereal quality. The individual stood with hands clasped behind their back, quietly observing the majestic tree. Their murmurings, barely audible to Naruto, carried a tinge of melancholy, "If only he had not betrayed me, if only time had not been so cruelly fleeting" Naruto stood transfixed in the presence of the majestic figure, a palpable archaic aura emanating from every fiber of its being. Time seemed to stretch as the figure finally turned, its movement deliberate and measured, and locked eyes with Naruto. Those luminous, light-blue orbs, encompassed by a black sclera, penetrated his very soul, as if capable of peering through the depths of his existence. They reminded Naruto of his son Boruto's Jogan, yet this gaze held a uniqueness the iris contained a Rinne-Sharingan of radiant blue, while the pupil held a minuscule white flower-shaped pattern at its center. Naruto had never beheld such a sight before.

In this moment, the enigmatic man spoke, his voice carrying the weight of epochs. "The fact that you have ventured here signifies a destined connection between us," he said. "Whether it shall bring fortune or calamity, we stand at a point of no return. Even now, I sense your fervent yearning for a second chance, for power. Your unwavering determination to reshape your fate and confront my accursed clan, Naruto. Therefore, I wager this final fragment of my being on you. Seek out my corporeal form and carry forth my divine will. Should you survive the impending catastrophe, nothing shall obstruct your path, and perchance, one day, you shall realize your dream of peace. But for now, lend this old man an ear and heed my tale."

As the tale unfolded, Naruto came to grasp the true nature of this mysterious figure. It was Shibai Ōtsutsuki, the last surviving member of a lineage that had once wreaked havoc upon numerous realms. Shibai's pursuit of divinity, his ascent to the pinnacle of power, had been abruptly halted. It was the culmination of his actions, his relentless destruction, that eventually led to the dissipation of his soul at the hands of his own clan, leaving his physical form behind.

Guided by his own ambitions , the leader of the Ōtsutsuki clan and a band of his most powerful warriors turned against Shibai. At the critical moment when he was on the precipice of attaining divinity, they launched an assault, shattering his soul and scattering it. Despite his efforts, Shibai's ascent was thwarted,leaving only fragments of his will lingering in the aether.

And centuries later, a twist of fate intertwined the last remnants of Shibai's existence with Naruto's soul, through a profound link of emotions. Their convergence unfolded within the memory of the final realm devastated by Shibai's destructive power. Though Shibai could no longer manifest in this universe, his unwavering determination and refusal to accept the end of his journey compelled him to place all his hope in Naruto. At the end of his tale without waiting for Naruto's response, Shibai gently pressed his translucent hand against Naruto's chest, unleashing a pillar of chakra of many colors with various archaic patterns diffused and dancing through, that soared into the heavens. Parting the clouds and tearing through the fabric of space, the ghostly figure of Shibai merged with Naruto at the point of contact, transforming into a shimmering blue diamond-shaped mark in the center of his chest.

As this extraordinary event unfolded, Naruto found himself being pulled upward by the chakra pillar, ascending into the vast expanse of space. Gaining speed he quickly approached the end of his journey and it led him to what appeared to be a black hole, drawing him into its enigmatic depths. With a part of Shibai's essence residing within him and bearing his Kāma, Naruto would now embark upon a shared path, where their ambitions became intricately entwined in unpredictable ways.

Suddenly, thrust backward in time, Naruto's consciousness hurtled through the ages, leaving him disoriented and bewildered. As his mind settled, he found himself in a familiar place, embraced by someone he thought he would never see again, his mother, Uzumaki Kushina.