Disclaimer- I Don't own Naruto, It belongs to the creators. I just love it to death.
----------------------------------------------------------
February 20, 079 years AKE (After Konoha Establishment.
Naruto lay motionless in the hospital bed, his blonde hair matted with sweat and his bright blue eyes dimmed by the weight of his own thoughts. His slender body was swathed in bandages, a testament to the brutal beating he'd endured just hours before. As he gazed blankly at the ceiling, his mind replayed the events that had led him to this place. The memories stung, each one a fresh betrayal. He thought of his friend, his teammate, the one person he'd believed could understand him better than others. They'd grown close since the wave, and Naruto had considered him a brother. But now, he realized that Sasuke had been manipulating him all along, using their friendship to further his own twisted agenda. Following the words of his brother he wanted to kill no less, not making any sense whatsoever to the blonde.
The pain of that betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound, and Naruto felt his heart heavy with sorrow and anger. He wondered how he'd been so blind, so trusting, and how he could have let Sasuke deceive him for so long. He thought about all the times he was scorned by the villagers, all the times he'd covered himself in henge just to avoid that ,all the times he had to make sure the food isn't poisoned or he isn't overpriced for daily stuff much. The memories swirled in his mind like a toxic storm, each reminder that the wounds of betrayal came because he became careless, too trusting of his team, that he should have not let his gaurd down.
As the hospital machines beeped and whirred around him, Naruto's thoughts grew darker, consumed by a sense of hurt and anger. But he slowly started to control his emotions. He breathed slowly, in and out, focusing his mind to stop whirling back to his fight. Afterall, Nothing good comes from thoughts of betrayal and revenge. He has learnt that at least from his past life.
----------------------------------------------------------
The air was electric with tension as Naruto and Sasuke faced off at the Valley of the End. The sound of rushing water filled the background, a stark contrast to the intense emotions that fueled the two former teammates. Sasuke, driven by his thirst for power and revenge, sneered at Naruto, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination.
Naruto, determined to bring Sasuke back to Konoha, charged forward with a fierce cry, his fists clenched and his chakra flaring. Sasuke met him head-on, his Sharingan eye flashing as he unleashed a devastating kick. Naruto dodged the attack, but Sasuke was relentless, unleashing a flurry of strikes that Naruto barely managed to block.
The battle raged on, the two ninja exchanging blows and neither gaining the upper hand. Naruto's determination and strength were matched by Sasuke's speed and agility. The Valley of the End echoed with the sound of their clashes, the ground shaking beneath their feet.
As the fight intensified, Naruto and Sasuke began to tap into their deepest reserves of chakra. Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra flared to life, granting him a surge of power and speed. Sasuke, meanwhile, activated his Curse Mark, the dark energy coursing through his veins like liquid fire.
The two ninja clashed in a flurry of movement, their chakra exploding in a series of massive shocks that sent rocks tumbling down the valley walls. Naruto's Rasengan collided with Sasuke's Chidori, the two attacks canceling each other out in a blast of energy that sent both ninja flying.
As the dust settled, Naruto and Sasuke slowly got to their feet, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. The air was heavy with tension, the outcome of the battle hanging precariously in the balance. In a final, desperate bid to bring Sasuke back, Naruto launched himself forward, his fists flying in a wild flurry of punches. Sasuke met him with a cold, calculating gaze, his Sharingan eye flashing with a malevolent power. The outcome of the battle was all but certain, and Naruto's heart sank as he realized that he might lose his friend forever. With Naruto losing hope and will to fight by the second, Sasuke got the upper hand at last, and unlike the blonde, there was no hesitation in his movement. Just as Naruto went for another set of punches to throw at him, Sasuke powered once again his chidori, seal-less, without wasting any moment kicked the blonde straight in the gut and before Naruto settle his feet, Sasuke punched his chidori, Point-Blank with full force straight into his heart, and out of it from behind.
Silence reigned in the destroyed valley.
Two boys staring at each other, both in shock. Then the blonde collapsed as his body finally gives up and his eyes closed, for the last time.
Sasuke stood there for a moment long, not believing what he has done. His curse mark receding back. Knowing that letting him think on it will make controlling the Uchiha harder. Kabuto came out of hiding, shaking the uchiha out of his stupor.
"We need to move Sasuke-kun, Kakashi is approaching fast, we will not be able to fight him even together. Let Naruto go, He served his purpose, focus on yours. Itachi is still out there."
A subtle genjutsu through his touch and a little medically induced disorientation worked wonders with his words. Soon Sasuke got ready to depart, not looking back at the corpse of the only person who cared about him unconditionally, the person he came to consider his only friend.
-------------------------------------------------------
As the Uchiha went away, The dying body of his blonde teammate, covered in orange hue as the kyuubi's chakra worked overdrive to revive its jailer. But already using so much of it in the fight, Naruto's body was now rejecting it as much as it was accepting for its healing. For the first time in years Kyuubi felt the fear, of death, of years of torment inside the belly of the shinigami before it was revived, of losing to an uchiha again!! But with fear, there was also a feeling the beast thought he would never have for a human. Of Acceptance, that not all humans are violent greedy filth. That not all humans deserve to die. That once again, the cruelty of this world won again as it took another human who deserved to live in peace back to heaven.
But Unknowingly, by acknowledging his jailer as somebody worth protecting, Kyuubi accepted Naruto as his partner. Not knowing that in the blonde's mind Kyuubi was his partner all along. That made their chakras react together in a symbiotic fashion, creating a chance, creating another for the sage to help his children. So using the powers not entitled to the realm of mortals. The spirit of Hagoromo Otsutsuki pushed back the laws of death, giving the young savior another chance to fulfill his destiny. But he too cannot control what is not his to control. Thus Instead, of one, the spirit of sage also pushed the soul of another into the young Uzumaki.
------------------------------------------------------
Naruto Timeline -
October 10 065 years - Kyuubi Attack.
February 15 073 years - Uchiha Massacre
April 078 years - Konoha 9 Graduation.
July/August 078 years - Wave Mission. (A- Rank)
September/October 078 years - Chunin Exams
October 20 078 years - Konoha Invasion.
December 5 078 years - Tsunade becomes Hokage.
December 078 years - Takigakure Mission (A- Rank)
January 079 years - Land of Snow Mission (A- Rank)
February 17 079 years - Sasuke Escaped with Sound Four.
------------------------------------------------------
Note - This is my first ever Naruto Story, I don't hate Sasuke but primarily not a fan of how pretty much till half the show including shippuden, Naruto's life revolved around Sasuke. The canon shows a very narrow view of the protagonist which doesn't resonate with me at all. So this is my attempt at Naruto being more realistic.
Any Positive Criticism is highly appreciated. Please Review and Follow for giving me the much needed support.