Naruto: The new beginning

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(Here's a fun what-if: What if our Naruto and OG Naruto went through the wrong teleportation gate in Rōran?)

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Rōran Ruins – A Collision of Two Narutos

As the roaring chakra storm from the Dragon Vein subsided, Naruto slowly opened his eyes, finding himself surrounded by a vast, desolate desert with remnants of ancient structures scattered across the sands.

His mind felt… strange. The last thing he remembered was pursuing Mukade and then getting caught in a huge chakra vortex.

He clenched his fists.

"I feel like… I just woke up from a really warm dream."

Before he could make sense of it, a familiar voice called out from behind him.

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto turned around just in time to dodge a surprise hug from Hinata.

"Hinata?" Naruto blinked, stepping back. "Wait, why are you here? And… why are you acting so… affectionate all of a sudden?"

Hinata, momentarily startled, looked at him in confusion.

"Naruto-kun… why are you talking to me like a stranger?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

Before he could respond, another voice rang out—

"Sakura-chan!"

Naruto's face lit up as he waved excitedly at Sakura, completely ignoring Hinata.

Sakura shivered at the unnatural sound of her name.

"Did… did he just call me 'Sakura-chan' instead of 'Sakura?"

Naruto then turned to Sasuke, and his eyes sparkled with joy.

"Sasuke! You're here too?!"

Sasuke frowned. "Hn. Still getting yourself into trouble, huh, dobe?"

Naruto laughed sheepishly. "Hehe, what can I say—"

Then Kiba suddenly interrupted, crossing his arms.

"Oi, Naruto! What's up with that?! We from Team 8 went through hell to come find you, and you're just happy about Sasuke and Sakura?!"

Naruto finally noticed the rest of the group Kiba, Shino, Akamaru, and even Kakashi.

"Oh, right! You guys are here too! My bad, my bad." He scratched his head, then suddenly noticed someone he didn't recognize.

A red-haired woman stood among them, her sharp violet eyes narrowed.

Naruto squinted at her.

"…Who's the red-haired auntie?"

The desert fell dead silent.

Even the wind stopped blowing.

Kiba's face turned pale with fear. "Dude, what the hell did you just say?!"

Sakura slowly backed away.

Then—

BAM!

A fist wreathed in red chakra crashed down on Naruto's head.

Naruto slammed face-first into the sand, his skull nearly caving in.

As he groaned in pain, the furious voice of Uzumaki Kushina rang in his ears.

"Naruto! Watch your mouth, dattebane!!"

Naruto scrambled backwards in panic, clutching his head.

"Why the hell did you hit me, old lady?!"

Kushina's eyebrow twitched violently.

"Old… lady?"

Her fists clenched. Her rage grew palpable.

"This brat… I swear I'll—"

But before she could strike again—

"Wait!"

Sasuke stepped forward, activating his Sharingan.

"…Something's wrong," he muttered.

Kushina narrowed her eyes, activating Kagura's Mind Eye.

Then—

Her expression darkened.

"…His chakra isn't the same as before."

Hinata, already suspicious, quickly activated Byakugan.

What she saw shocked her.

"T-There's a seal on his stomach…! It's exactly like the one on Naruto-kun!"

Silence.

Then, a horrifying realization hit them all at once.

Kushina's voice dropped dangerously low.

"Kurama."

Inside her mind, the red-furred Nine-Tails growled.

"…I can't sense the other half of my chakra at all," he rumbled. "It's like it doesn't exist in this world."

Kushina's eyes narrowed.

"If my Naruto's half of you is missing… and this kid also has a Nine-Tails sealed inside him…"

Her blood ran cold.

She whispered the chilling truth—

"This isn't our Naruto."

"Where the hell is Naruto?!"

Sasuke drew his sword, electricity crackling along its edge. His Sharingan blazed with hostility.

"Who the hell are you, really?"

Naruto flinched, utterly confused.

"Wait—what?! I am Naruto, believe it, dattebayo!"

"Liar!" Sakura snapped, cracking her knuckles. "You're obviously fake! Naruto would never not know the 'Golden Axe, Silver Axe' test!"

Naruto blinked.

"…The what?"

Sakura's eyes turned sharp.

"You FAIL!" She put on her gloves. "You've got five seconds to come clean before I punch the truth out of you!"

Naruto panicked.

"Wait, wait, wait! Kakashi-sensei, back me up here!"

Kakashi lowered his book and sighed.

"Tell me… do you know the name 'Sakata Gintoki'?"

Naruto's expression was blank.

Kakashi's single eye sharpened.

"Hm. You hesitated." He pulled down his headband, revealing his Sharingan.

"…We're taking you to Konoha for questioning."

Naruto took a step back, sweating.

"What the hell is happening?! This is some kind of illusion, right?! Release! Release! Release!"

He frantically tried to dispel the "genjutsu"—

But nothing changed.

"…What the hell?" Naruto muttered, realizing it was all real.

The air grew heavier.

Naruto was completely surrounded.

Then—

A voice cut through the tension.

"Let's not be so hasty, everyone."

A golden-haired man in a white cloak entered the scene.

His blue eyes softened as he looked at Naruto.

"I think… there's been a misunderstanding."

Naruto froze.

He recognized that face.

"…Fourth Hokage?!"

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