The next day, Travis was sat on the bed as he finally decided to move forward with the story. He had fun with tormenting Minato enough.
' Yeah, I'm kinda bored now that I think about it. Let's go meet Tsunade in the future. ' he thought.
Time passed in the blink of an eye, though for Travis, the years meant little. He had changed the course of history, bending the timeline to his liking. Minato had married another woman, and somewhere along the way, the Leaf lost their second Jinchūriki. That was all part of his plan. Now, as he leaned back in his chair, gazing at the world below from the peak of his mountain retreat, he felt nothing but indifference.
The village's struggles weren't his concern. He had what he wanted.
Travis and Kushina had built a life away from it all, far removed from civilization. High in the mountains, they lived in complete solitude, basking in their own little paradise. With his influence, she had reached her peak—her beauty now immortal, her body untouched by time. They spent their days in bliss and their nights tangled in each other's arms, lost in endless passion.
Yet, despite this perfect existence, a new thought began creeping into his mind.
'Should I go down there? Sure why not' he thought.
With a smirk, Travis made his decision.
In the next instant, he vanished.
Hokage's Office
Before the ninjas even sensed his arrival, Travis materialized in the middle of the Hokage's office. Immediately, Root and Anbu operatives moved in, their hands already forming seals, but the moment Hiruzen lifted his head and recognized the intruder, he raised a hand to stop them.
"Stand down," the old Hokage ordered, his voice calm yet laced with shock.
The masked shinobi hesitated before reluctantly retreating into the shadows.
Hiruzen stepped forward, studying the man before him. "Travis? You're alive? I thought you died…"
Travis smirked, stretching his arms. "Yeah, I guess I kinda was. But damn, old man, time hasn't been kind to you."
Hiruzen let out a dry chuckle. "And yet, you haven't aged a day… You'll have to tell me your secret."
Travis shrugged. "Might be too late for you, though." He glanced around the room, his sharp gaze flickering to the hidden Root operatives still lingering in the shadows. "By the way, half of the squad that surrounded me just now weren't even Anbu."
Hiruzen sighed. "Yes… They're Root. A more… secretive branch of our forces."
Travis narrowed his eyes, then casually pointed in a seemingly random direction. "I hope they don't have any plans of taking the Leaf for themselves. Otherwise, I'll crush them—and their little base right there."
Hiruzen's blood ran cold. He followed Travis's finger, which was aimed directly at Root's underground headquarters. The pinpoint accuracy was terrifying.
'He hasn't lost his touch one bit… If he wanted to, he could destroy this village in an instant,' Hiruzen thought.
Maintaining his composure, he asked, "So, what brings you back?"
Travis hopped onto the Hokage's desk, making himself comfortable. "Nothing much. Just passing through. Oh, by the way, where's the Fourth Hokage?"
Hiruzen's face darkened. "Minato… perished, sacrificing himself to save the village from the Nine-Tails."
Travis hummed in mild interest. "That so? What about the Three-Tails?"
"We lost it," Hiruzen admitted.
Travis chuckled, shaking his head. "Wow… The village has really gone to shit without me around, huh?" He stood up, stretching lazily. "But then again, I don't plan to stay either way. I'll be back in fourteen years. You'll probably be dead by then, so leave a message for the Fifth Hokage… Tell her Travis will be back. Also I want my existence to be erased from most peoples memories Alright, just write me off as dead to the villagers and stuff."
Before Hiruzen could respond, Travis vanished once more.
The old man let out a tired sigh, rubbing his temples. 'And he's gone again…'
.....
14 years passed.
Travis walked down the path towards the Leaf. It was a breath of fresh air as he straverrsed.
He arrived by the gates and smiled.
' Man this is nostalgic, been a while since I came here ' he thought.
His eyes landed on the two guards stationed at the entrance. He barely acknowledged them. Their names eluded him, but that wasn't surprising—these two were practically useless. They were merely a formality, a pair of nobodies standing between him and entry into the village.
Just as he prepared to move forward, a sudden pulse of energy pricked at his senses.
' Hm?'
Turning sharply, his gaze locked onto an unexpected sight.
There, walking casually along the road, was a figure he hadn't anticipated encountering so soon. Spiky blond hair, a vibrant orange jacket, and those unmistakable blue eyes brimming with determination—Uzumaki Naruto.
And beside him, an older man with wild white hair, clad in red robes, his presence exuding wisdom and experience—Jiraiya, the legendary Sannin.
Travis smirked. ' Well, isn't this a nice coincidence?'
He had entered this world during the second season, which meant Naruto was already sixteen, stronger than his younger self, but still far from his peak.
His eyes flicked back toward the village gates.
' Now… how about we see how the leafs been holding up' he thought.
Travis walked steadily toward the gates of Konohagakure, his eyes locked ahead, ignoring the familiar pair of gate guards—Izumo and Kotetsu—who stood on duty just like in the anime.
"Hey! State your name and business in the Hidden Leaf," Izumo called out, stepping in front of him and placing a hand firmly on his shoulder.
Travis stopped, slowly turning his head to the side. His eyes narrowed, his voice low and cold.
"Do yourself a favor and remove your hand—unless you're ready to learn how it feels to live with only your right arm."
The threat wasn't loud, but it landed like thunder. The air shifted. Suddenly, it felt like a blade was pressed to Izumo's throat, though Travis hadn't moved an inch.
Kotetsu's eyes widened. "Izumo...?"
Izumo's hand dropped instantly, sweat forming on his brow. His instincts screamed at him—this man was dangerous.
Kotetsu stepped forward, confused. "Hey, what's going on?"
But Izumo held his arm out, stopping him. He shook his head slowly, voice low with dread.
"Don't. You'll get yourself killed."
Travis didn't even glance back. He continued walking into the village as if no one had ever tried to stop him.
Moments later, Naruto Uzumaki strolled up with his usual bright grin, alongside Jiraiya.
"Yo! What's up, guys? You miss me or something?" Naruto said cheerfully—then noticed Izumo looking pale and rattled. Kotetsu was already on a communicator, contacting village security.
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Looks like something's stirred up the Leaf."
He grinned, not taking things too seriously. "Eh, whatever. Let's go see Tsunade. I'm curious to see how... much she's grown."
Naruto groaned and rubbed his temples. "Ero-sennin, seriously...?"
They walked past the shaken guards, completely unaware that something dark and powerful had just entered their village.
TO BE CONTINUED