Naruto appears in the sky
Village reacts with panic — flashbacks to Pain
Naruto confronts Kakashi
Full emotional and physical breakdown of their battle
Brutal psychological confrontation
Kakashi is spared — but left hollow
The morning sun rose calmly above Konoha.
But calm was an illusion.
Because the sky cracked.
Not from thunder.
Not from jutsu.
From presence.
From him.
From Naruto.
He hovered over the Hokage Monument, cloak flowing like liquid flame, chakra held perfectly still. No flare, no outburst — just a crushing, divine silence. His bandaged eye glowed faintly behind shadow. The other eye… burned crimson.
A mutated star of vengeance.
The village froze.
Children dropped their toys.
ANBU held their breath.
Elders stood from meetings. Shinobi dashed onto rooftops.
Even the civilians remembered that chakra.That shape.That storm.
Someone whispered, trembling,"Is it… is it Pain again?"
But no.
Worse.
Naruto descended slowly — silently — until his boots touched the cracked stone of the main square.
Dust flared.
Nothing else moved.
And then he walked.
Straight.
Toward the training field.
Toward the man who buried him.
Kakashi stood alone.
As if he'd known.
No mask.
Just his face.
Older. More tired. Scar more prominent.
And yet…
Still hiding behind one eye.
"...You came back," Kakashi said softly.
Naruto didn't answer.
He stopped ten paces away.
Kakashi continued, his voice quieter.
"I… I heard rumors. Tsunade wouldn't say anything. Jiraiya wouldn't meet my eyes."
Still silence.
Kakashi exhaled. "You're stronger than ever. But your eyes… they look like—"
Naruto vanished.
Appeared behind him.
Hand on shoulder.
Voice like ice.
"Pain?"
The fight was brief.
Kakashi went for a Chidori.
Naruto shattered it with a single backhand.
Kakashi tried a Genjutsu — Naruto didn't even blink.
He punched Kakashi so hard, the Copy Ninja collapsed against the trees, vision blurred, breath stolen.
Naruto didn't even draw a weapon.
"You buried me."
"I didn't—"
"You left me in the dirt. You told them I died to the curse mark. That Sasuke didn't mean to kill me."
Kakashi opened his mouth.
But Naruto kept going.
"You did it because of Minato. Because of Obito. Because you saw your ghosts in him. Not me."
His voice lowered.
"Because you were afraid I was what they said I was."
Kakashi said nothing.
Naruto knelt.
Tore the headband from his face.
The Sharingan stared up at him — still functional.
Naruto looked down at it.
Cold.
Empty.
Then he reached forward.
Kakashi didn't resist.
The transplant was silent.
Quick.
Clean.
Konan stood nearby. Fū guarded the perimeter. Neither spoke.
Naruto sealed the eye in a chakra urn — a temporary containment.
And then…
He stared into Kakashi's remaining eye.
"Do you know what it feels like to be thrown away by the person you trusted most?"
Kakashi whispered, "I thought… I thought it was for peace…"
Naruto leaned closer.
"And did you find peace?"
Tears welled in Kakashi's eye.
Naruto stood.
And whispered:
"A betrayer's child is always a betrayer."
Then he vanished.
Leaving Kakashi on his knees.
Crying.
For the first time in years.
Alone.
And hollow.