The fourth ninja war ended in a single sentence. The fourth Hokage unleashed a torrent of jutsu and his signature technique to such effect that all opponents fled, bowed in submission, or died in manners more horrifying than even ninja imagine.

Afterward Namikaze Minato sat at the top of the Hokage faces and looked out over the waste that was the land of fire and the village hidden in the leaves. He had ended it all, the battle, the war, his enemy village, his own village, the ninja world. Now he sat, blood crusting brown over his entire body, thinking of the moment that ended the world.

Early that morning Namikaze Minato was summoned to the battle field where his son was serving. He rushed to the spot the ANBU had reported to him. He lifted his injured boy into his arms. He knew it wouldn't be long before his only son, his child, his pride and greatest achievement, his reason for going on would pass from life to the realm of the dead.

"I tried dad." Naruto still managed to grin through the pain. "I slipped; I wasn't as good as I should have been."

"Don't talk like that. You are perfect son." Minato couldn't hold back his tears, as one dropped on the face of his boy. The tear rolled away from his cheek taking with it the battle-grime and dropping to the soil.

"I'm gonna be Hokage." Naruto said feebly. "'Cause you are my hero dad." The resolve showed in the young ninja's face even as it slumped to the peaceful stillness of death.

Minato stood. He hung his head for a long time before raising hands into the first of his hand signs.

"You killed my son!"

The ninja world ended and its death knell rung is the words of a broken father.

I don't own Naruto or any related characters.