Naruto: The Chosen Undead-Omake Christmas Special!

Snow drifted down in lazy, quiet spirals as Naruto shimmered into existence at Firelink Shrine. He blinked once, then squinted up at the gray sky. "…It's snowing in lordran?"

Oscar, bundled tightly in a thick blanket with tiny earmuffs strapped around his head, wriggled free just long enough to stick out his tongue and catch a falling snowflake. He chirped in delight before immediately retreating back into the warmth.

Coming back to Konoha, Naruto equipped a large scroll and spread it across his table. He had a lot to handle if this party was going to work. Food, people, gifts, decorations, and most importantly, a tree.

Oscar chirped from his spot on the windowsill.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go ask everyone," Naruto said, grinning. He clapped his hands together, and a dozen shadow clones burst into existence. "You all know the plan. Go."

The first clone made a beeline for Ichiraku Ramen. The shop was crowded, steam rising from bowls as shinobi and merchants crowded inside to escape the cold.

"Ayame-neechan," Naruto called, leaning over the counter. "You free to come to a party?"

Ayame didn't even look up from her chopping board. "No, Naruto. Can't you see I'm busy?"

Winter had driven half the village into the shop, and every seat was full.

"But it's a Christmas party," Naruto loudly yelled anyway.

That caught attention. A few patrons paused mid-slurp. Someone frowned in confusion. Naruto launched straight into an explanation, not about Saint Nick, but about the holiday itself. About people gathering, sharing food, exchanging small gifts, and taking one night to forgot about their troubles.

Ayame finally stopped moving and glanced toward her father.

Teuchi hummed thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "We could close early. One night won't hurt."

"If you're promising food, I suppose we can come."

"Yes," Naruto said, pumping his fist. The clone vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind murmurs as shinobi and merchants began talking among themselves, intrigued.

The idea of Christmas began to spread amongst the shinobi.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The original arrived at the Uchiha compound where the duo was sparring in the open yard filled with snow.

Sasuke advanced first, bastard blade flashing in tight arcs aimed at joints and wrists. Sakura met him head-on, the axe haft turning in her hands as she redirected his strikes with the shaft before countering with heavy, sweeping blows that cracked the stone beneath their feet.

Steel rang against steel.

Sasuke slid inside her reach, thrusting toward her shoulder, but Sakura twisted her hips and brought the axe down in a brutal diagonal cut. Sasuke barely slipped aside, the blade shaving a lock of his hair as it struck the ground hard enough to send chips flying.

"Too slow," Sakura said, smirking.

"Too heavy," Sasuke shot back, his sword dance forcing Sakura to give ground. She let him press, then suddenly stepped in, shoulder-checking him and swinging the axe in a short, vicious arc that forced Sasuke to block instead of dodge.

The impact rattled his arms.

The clone clapped loudly. "Yo. Christmas party."

Both of them froze.

"A what?" Sakura asked, resting the axe on her shoulder.

The Hokage Tower was quiet in a way that only came before something important.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head of the chamber as rows of shinobi filled the room. Jonin stood along the walls while Chunin occupied the center rows, posture straight, eyes forward. Even they understood what this gathering meant.

"This is not a meeting I call lightly," Hiruzen said, his voice calm but carrying effortlessly across the chamber. "Thank you all for assembling on such short notice."

By the end of the hour, the Uchiha compound no longer felt abandoned or hollow.

A massive tent stood at its center, canvas walls thick and heavy to keep out the cold. Inside, warm lantern light spilled across long wooden tables and hanging ribbons of red and gold cloth. Evergreen branches were woven into the supports, their scent mixing with roasted meat, baked bread, and sweet spices. At the heart of it all stood a towering tree, decorated with paper charms, kunai-shaped ornaments, glowing crystal fragments made by Oscar, and strands of soft golden red and green lightd that pulsed gently like a living thing. Beneath it sat a growing pile of wrapped gifts in mismatched paper and cloth.

"Sorry if I'm late," Hiruzen said warmly as he stepped inside.

Konohamaru hurried ahead of him with Udon and Moegi, all three carefully placing their presents beneath the tree as if it were something sacred. The Hokage smiled at the sight. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Choji was already deep into the feast, sampling unfamiliar dishes Naruto had brought back from Lordran. He spoke animatedly between bites, describing flavors and textures to Shikamaru, who listened with half-lidded eyes while nursing a mug of eggnog.

At another table, Sakura, Tenten, Ino, and Hinata sat close together, hands wrapped around warm cups of hot chocolate. Plates of cookies were scattered between them as their laughter rose and fell in easy waves.

The first few seconds were awkward.

Two worlds stared at each other across the same space, shinobi instinctively assessing these unknowns while the warriors of Lordran regarded them with equal caution. The air felt tight, like the moment before a blade left its sheath.

"Princess Dusk," Naruto called out, raising his voice just enough to carry over the chatter, "why don't you light up the tree?"

Dusk turned, momentarily surprised, then smiled with a grace that felt almost nostalgic. She stepped forward, her ivory catalyst resting lightly in her hand.

"It would be my honor."

She lifted it toward the towering tree at the center of the tent. Light gathered, soft at first, then swelling into a warm, golden orb that floated gently upward. It settled at the very top of the tree and bloomed outward, strands of radiance cascading down the branches like falling stars. The decorations caught the glow, reflecting it in reds, golds, and greens, until the entire tent was bathed in a gentle, living light.

For a moment, everyone went quiet.

Author's Note:

Happy holidays, everyone!

I hope you're all doing well, staying warm, and getting at least a little time to relax with friends, family, or just a good story.

This chapter is very obviously an omake. For anyone unfamiliar with the term, an omake is a non-canon or side chapter meant purely for fun. Think of it as a bonus episode or holiday special that doesn't affect the main plot but lets the characters breathe, interact, and enjoy moments they normally wouldn't get in the actual story. In short: this chapter is not canon to the main timeline, and it exists because I wanted to have fun.

Last year, I think I uploaded one or two chapters around Christmas, but this time I really wanted to lean into the holiday spirit and write a full Christmas special. No looming threats, no fate-of-the-world stakes, just Naruto dragging two worlds together and forcing them to celebrate whether they're ready or not. Sometimes a story needs that kind of break, and honestly, so do I.

This chapter was written with the sole intention of being cozy, chaotic, and wholesome. Seeing characters from Konoha and Lordran interact in a low-stakes environment is something I don't get to do often, and the holidays felt like the perfect excuse.

Thank you to everyone who's stuck with this fic, commented, left feedback, or just silently read along. Your support genuinely means more than you probably realize, especially during a busy and exhausting time of year.

With that said, the next chapter will return us to the main storyline, and we'll continue the adventures of Dark Souls Naruto right where we left off.

Until then, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

Take care of yourselves, enjoy the little moments, and as always don't you dare go, hollow, my friend!

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and I'll see you in the next chapter.