In the heart of the Forest of Death, the small group of Sakura Haruno, a young Sasuke Uchiha, and a teenage Naruto Uzumaki—with his spiky blond hair and pronounced whisker marks—was in dire straits. They had narrowly escaped a giant snake summoned by a Kusa-nin, who was in fact Orochimaru in disguise. The young Naruto, frustrated by his own weakness, tried to reassure Sakura, while Sasuke was visibly shaken by a strange mark beginning to appear on his neck.
Elsewhere, a dark, oppressive aura signaled the approach of another team. Gaara, his face twisted by hatred and lack of sleep, advanced, flanked by his siblings Kankuro and Temari. Kankuro, with his macabre puppets, and Temari, wielding her massive fan, kept a cautious distance from their unpredictable brother, though their loyalty was evident. The presence of the Shukaku's jinchuriki, poised to kill, made the forest even more dangerous.
At that precise moment, the Naruto from the Kingdom of Origin appeared before Team 7, his radiant form softened by the illusion concealing Hashirama and Tobirama. The Sasuke from the Origin stood a few steps behind, not fully hidden, his Rinnegan observing the scene closely, his dark cloak fluttering softly. The teenage Naruto, ever brash, was the first to react.
"Hey! Who are you?!" the younger Naruto shouted, pointing at the imposing figure. His brawler instinct was taking over any sense of caution. "You don't look like you belong here! This is the Forest of Death—we're not supposed to have outsiders!"
The young Sasuke, his Sharingan active, narrowed his eyes. He immediately noticed the other Sasuke—the immense chakra emanating from him was impossible to ignore.
"His chakra... it's massive. And familiar. But he shouldn't be here. And that one..." he gestured at the Origin Sasuke, "he doesn't have a slashed forehead protector... he's not a participating ninja."
Sakura, still focused on young Sasuke's well-being and the threat of Orochimaru, didn't immediately register the strangers, her attention divided.
The Naruto from the Origin, his Eyes of Origin—those translucent azure orbs laced with pure golden light like constellations—looked calmly at his younger self. His voice was serene, filled with a wisdom that sharply contrasted with the hotheaded boy before him.
"I'm you, Naruto. Or rather, a version of you. From another time, another reality."
Young Naruto burst out laughing, incredulous.
"Me?! Impossible! I'm gonna be Hokage! You're not me! I don't look that serious! And you're not Hokage!" He tapped his own forehead. "And where's your headband? Why don't you have a scar or something? And why don't I have a Sharingan like Sasuke? Are you messing with me?"
The Naruto from the Origin smiled, nostalgia softening his features.
"I truly am you. This body... it's not what I had at your age, because my path was different. Scars and headbands are part of your journey, not mine. As for the Sharingan—it's a Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha clan, not ours. Every reality is unique, Naruto. My path diverged from yours. But we share the same fire, the same will to protect, the same belief in peace."
Young Sasuke, analyzing everything with his Sharingan, was the first to grasp the implication.
"Parallel realities... That Kusa-nin spoke of the 'Truth of the World,' too." His eyes narrowed. "Who are you really? And what do you want? And him?" he pointed to the Origin Sasuke.
Naruto from the Origin didn't answer Sasuke directly, his gaze still on his younger self.
"I'm here on a mission. I came to find the Bijuu—to free them from their roles as weapons and offer them peace in my Realm. But seeing you... I realized I could give you a glimpse."
He extended his hand, a soft golden glow radiating from it. The younger Naruto instinctively stepped back.
"What are you trying to do? I won't let you hurt me—I'm gonna be Hokage!"
"Just a glimpse of the future," said the Origin Naruto. "Not your exact future—your path is your own—but of the future I represent. A future where peace is real, where clans are united, where the suffering ends. A future where the Nine-Tails is a friend, not a monster to be sealed. Where your parents are alive—and proud of you."
Without waiting, Naruto from the Origin projected a small part of his divine chakra into the younger Naruto's mind. It wasn't possession—it was a vision, a direct sharing of filtered memories and emotions, carefully tailored to not shatter his spirit. The younger Naruto closed his eyes, an expression of awe and deep shock crossing his face. He saw flashes: the Kingdom of Origin, his parents alive and joyful—Kushina embracing him, Minato smiling with pride. He saw the Bijuu—not as monsters, but as chakra siblings. He saw peace he had never imagined. He saw friends from every clan, enemies turned allies, a universal brotherhood.
When he opened his eyes again, he was trembling. Tears streamed down his face—an overwhelming mix of joy and pain in the face of his own harsh reality.
"Is it... is it real? Dad... Mom... The Kingdom... That's the peace I want!"
Meanwhile, the Origin Sasuke—who had never received Orochimaru's cursed seal and had followed a path of inner strength and strengthened bonds—approached his younger counterpart, his gaze fixed on the spreading mark on the young Uchiha's neck.
"That power... it's tempting, I know," he said, his voice rough with wisdom. "I've seen it corrupt others. It will give you the strength you crave, but it'll take far more in return if you don't master it. Your path isn't sealed. You can choose the light—the bonds with your comrades. This Naruto... he's proof that true strength comes from those connections, not from hatred or solitude. Don't forget that."
The young Sasuke, stunned by his own vision and now confronted with the wisdom of a "future self" who had avoided that trap, could only nod, eyes wide with the weight of those warnings.
As for Sakura, still worried about her Sasuke, she was surprised to hear the calm and soothing voice of the Origin Naruto speak directly to her.
"Sakura. You are strong—stronger than you think. Your role in this reality is crucial. Never doubt your worth, or your heart. You are the pillar of Team 7. Be their strength. Be their healing. The road ahead will be hard, but you can endure it."
His words, imbued with deep recognition, left her both puzzled and moved—a seed of confidence quietly planted.
"I'm not here to change you," said the Origin Naruto, his voice firm and gentle, addressing the three genin. "Your paths belong to you. But I came for the Bijuu—and to give you a spark of hope. Peace is possible. True friendship exists. Don't let hatred or loneliness consume you. Always seek the light."
He gestured toward the mark on the younger Sasuke's neck.
"That mark... it's a doorway to power—but also to darkness. Keep it in check, young Sasuke. The path of self-sacrifice is stronger than the path of power at any cost."
Before the genin could respond further, the Origin Naruto took a step back, his form beginning to fade as Sasuke of the Origin followed. Hashirama and Tobirama revealed themselves, emerging from full concealment. The young Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stared at them wide-eyed—stunned, confused, yet carrying a glimmer of unexpected hope.
"We have to go," said the Origin Naruto to his companions. "Time is short. And the Chunin Exam is about to descend into chaos. We've gathered what we needed."