Naruto: Reborn in His Younger Self

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"The prophecy of the Great Toad Sage was actually correct."

These words from the Sage of Six Paths were like a flickering flame, igniting the hope that had nearly faded from Naruto's heart.

Tears welled in his eyes as he stood up once more, his voice trembling but calm.

"What do you mean?"

The Sage of Six Paths smiled knowingly. "Aren't you curious why you met me here?"

Naruto frowned.

It didn't make sense. Didn't the Sage of Six Paths completely disappear after the Fourth Great Ninja War? Why was he appearing now?

Then, a thought struck him.

Naruto's eyes widened in realization as he turned toward the Sage with renewed hope.

The old sage nodded. "Although Boruto did not defeat the Ōtsutsuki clan, the Great Toad Sage's prophecy was still accurate—because Boruto did something extraordinary. He sent you to me."

Naruto was stunned. "You mean, I'm here because Boruto made it happen?"

The Sage nodded. "Yes. You did die in battle, Naruto, but your soul was preserved—by Boruto's Pure Eye."

The revelation sent a chill down Naruto's spine.

Boruto's Pure Eye…

The Sage continued, "Boruto carved the Ōtsutsuki clan's forbidden technique into his own eyes in advance. When he was defeated and turned into a vessel, he gained an enormous amount of chakra. That allowed the forbidden technique to activate instantly.

Through an ancient Ōtsutsuki artifact, he sacrificed himself to send your soul to me."

Naruto's legs felt weak. His heart clenched at the realization.

His son—his precious Boruto—had given up his own life to bring him here.

Tears streamed down Naruto's face as he choked out, "Boruto… My son… Oooo..."

The Sage of Six Paths watched him mourn in silence before extending his right hand.

In his palm lay a cracked artifact, pulsing faintly with residual chakra.

Naruto's breath hitched. "That's… the Ōtsutsuki's magic weapon—the Plough!"

The Sage nodded. "Yes. Using this Plow, Boruto invoked the Ōtsutsuki's forbidden technique to bring you here. But now, Naruto, you must make a choice—one that will determine the fate of the ninja world once again."

Naruto's hands curled into fists as he stared at the broken artifact.

The realization hit him like a storm. This… this was how Boruto would change the ninja world.

But then—

How did Boruto know all this?

How did he know that sending Naruto to the Sage of Six Paths would change the future?

And more importantly—how did Boruto learn the forbidden techniques of the Ōtsutsuki clan?

The Sage of Six Paths saw the confusion in Naruto's eyes and sighed. "Before I answer your questions, Naruto, let me ask you one first. After everything you've seen… do you still believe in the path you once followed?"

Naruto fell silent.

Then, he slowly shook his head.

"To be honest… no." His voice was firm, devoid of hesitation. "The Ōtsutsuki clan is far too powerful. If we want to survive, we have to be willing to gain power at any cost."

The Sage of Six Paths sighed deeply.

The last time he had met Naruto—during the Fourth Great Ninja War—he had asked him a similar question.

"What if Sasuke tries to unify the ninja world at all costs?"

Back then, Naruto's answer had been unwavering. He had chosen hope, fraternity, and understanding over power.

But now—

That Naruto no longer existed.

The Sage lowered his gaze. "What my mother feared has finally come to pass. I was too short-sighted… and I was wrong after all."

Naruto remained silent.

Because he too had once believed in the Sage's ideals. But after witnessing the tragedy of the ninja world… seeing his friends and family fall… he could never go back.

The Naruto who had dreamed of peace was dead.

After a moment of silence, the Sage of Six Paths gave a small, weary smile. "But perhaps… there is still time to make things right. In that sense, Hamura's backup plan was correct."

Naruto's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Hamura?"

The Sage nodded. "I know you're wondering why Boruto seemed to know all this in advance. How he was so certain that sending you to me would change the future."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. How did he know?"

The Sage of Six Paths took a deep breath.

"Long ago, I did not agree with my mother Kaguya's actions, so I sealed her on the moon. My younger brother, Hamura, stayed behind with his people to guard her. But in doing so, he spent countless years investigating something far more terrifying."

Naruto's breath hitched.

"And that's when Hamura awakened… the Pure Eye."

Naruto's heart pounded.

The Sage's eyes gleamed. "Yes, the very same eye that Boruto awakened."

The Sage continued, "Through his Pure Eye, Hamura discovered something truly frightening. The Pure Eye allowed him to occasionally glimpse fragments of time and space—visions of the past and future. However, these glimpses were uncontrollable.

It wasn't until he saw one particular vision that everything became clear.

For the first time, Hamura understood why Kaguya had always looked up at the stars with fear.

Why she had been so terrified.

Because the Ōtsutsuki clan beyond their world was real. And they were far more powerful than anyone had ever imagined.

Naruto felt a chill run down his spine.

The Sage continued, "Hamura immediately came to me and warned me. But at the time, I was not convinced. I believed in the world we had built. I thought… maybe there was a chance for peace."

Naruto clenched his fists. "So you decided to take a gamble."

The Sage nodded. "Yes. I gambled that the ninja world could survive without pursuing greater power. But now, it's clear—I was wrong."

His expression darkened. "Fortunately, Hamura prepared for this possibility. He left behind a backup plan… one that allowed Boruto to awaken the true potential of his eye."

Naruto's breath caught in his throat.

The Sage raised his hand, forming an intricate seal in the air.

"Hamura's research revealed something incredible—within the Ōtsutsuki clan, the Pure Eye has another name."

Naruto watched in awe as the seal glowed, revealing ancient symbols in the air.

The Sage's voice was solemn.

"It is called… the Jōgan."

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