AN: I have updated this first chapter in accordance to some issues I had with it, and due to my understanding of some issues presented to me. Thank you to those that gave me feedback! Also, I had to reupload this chapter due to an error that occurred online. I apologize for the inconvenience.
Hello there everyone! My name is Shin Aedra and this is chapter 1 of Fate/Shadows! Its refreshing to work on a new story after such a long hiatus. I do apologize for the delay in content, but for those that follow me I want to say that my recovery has been successful! Those new to my work allow me to officially greet you. I am a college student who has an interest in writing fan fiction. I focus in many works, but I focus on crossovers. I am currently working on a crossover between Naruto and a bunch of others in the X-overs section. That story is called the "The Vessel of the Golden Dragon", which focuses on Naruto being a container of a different entity rather than Kurama. It was my first official story on this site, and this will be my second.
This story has AU elements imbedded in it. Elements from the Fate/Stay Night universe. The concept of the Holy Grail War, Servants, and masters all appear in this story. If none of this makes any sense, then I apologize. A Holy Grail War is a contest between seven masters who summon seven heroic spirits of the past, myth, or even from the future to get the ultimate prize, a wish from the holy grail. The wish can be anything, but there are certain limits of course or even a catch. Those familiar to this concept I should point out that I have my own twist to this process. It will be a little more grandiose than usual. It's not an Apocrypha story, though I considered doing this at one point, but instead I decided against it. This concept came about as a discussion amongst friends. A discussion of the "what if" scenario. This concept was born from this and developed further.
Those that can follow what I'm about to ask I'd like to ask for support on an idea. I have been considering do a Zero prequel to this story. I can't say that it is fully fledged out, but I have the list of masters and servants made out already. I have also been considering an alternate route such as "Unlimited Blade Works" and "Heaven's Feel". If you think I should go about this then let me know. Those unable to follow then let me ask you in another way. I am considering doing a prequel to this story and an alternative path that delves into the darker aspects of this concept. I also want to ask if you believe that this story should remain in the Naruto section only or if I should move it into the Naruto/Fate Stay Night crossover section. I only plan on using the concept of the Holy Grail War and none of the characters from Fate/Stay Night. All servants will be from Naruto's universe. I will reveal servant information as they are revealed. I will not reveal their Noble Phantasms though, until they are shown off. Considering that most of us are familiar with the characters of Naruto you should have an idea of how the servants will fight, and what their Noble Phantasms would be like.
With that out of the way allow me to shift this discussion. My primary focus will be "Vessel of the Golden Dragon", but I will work on this when the opportunity allows it. Considering VGD, I have an acronym for it lol, is entering a new arc I wish to finish that soon. Once that is done, I'll take a break from it to work on this for a little bit. Though I should reiterate that I am a college student. I also have a part-time job, so please don't a expect weekly updates. I will work towards semi-regular updates, but my plate is a little full. Alright, now that I've covered that necessary tidbit lets transition onwards!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It is the property of Masashi Kishimoto, Viz media, Shonen Jump, and Studio Pierrot! Please support the official release!
Chapter 1: Are you my master?
A vibrant and cool morning saw the emergence of the residence of Konoha. The soft breeze nestled against the mountain giving the morning its slight chill. Young leaves swirled within its rhythms. Dancing across the sky towards their fate. A young shinobi passing by was unaware of the leaves that fluttered past him. To busy with their mind in thought.
Naruto viewed his right hand with curiosity. A mark had appeared on his hand seemingly overnight, and he hadn't an idea how. Raising his hand up to the sky to look at it he noted that there were any other marks or residual drippings if it was paint. He sighed before resting his hand back to his side. "How the hell did I get this on my hand anyway?" He wondered. "Everyone knows not to prank me back, so how did it get there?" Making his way across a street into another alleyway Naruto continued his path. "I wonder how they'll react to this? I just hope they don't get the wrong idea."
Currently, Naruto was making his way to Team Seven's meeting point. They were supposed to meet up to discuss their next assignment. Naruto was just hoping that it would be something more beneficial for him in his training. The last few missions were completely uneventful. A couple escort missions that barely saw any action minus a handful of bandits here and there. He longed for something challenging. Afterall, he was going to be the next Hokage, so he needed to get stronger quickly otherwise he'd fall to the wayside.
'There's no way I'm falling behind ever again.' He thought to himself. 'From this point on it'll be nonstop progress. That way I can become the strongest!' He chuckled anxiously as he thought about becoming Hokage. He knew that he wasn't close to getting it, but he still couldn't stop fascinating over it.
Crossing over a bridge to the meeting point Naruto noticed that only Sakura was there. It was strange considering he noticed her looking around. Usually Sasuke was here before either of them, but not even he was there. Walking up to his teammate he greeted her. "Hey Sakura, where's everyone else at?" Naruto asked. This got her attention.
Turning towards her approaching teammate Sakura seemed relieved. "There you are Naruto." She started. "Kakashi-sensei wanted me to inform you that we don't have anything today, so we have the day off."
Stopping a few feet away from his teammate Naruto was puzzled. "I thought we had a mission today?" He inquired.
"Apparently something came up, so our mission is canceled." Sakura explained. "All I know is that Lady Hokage had to pull sensei back to take care of something. Aside from that I guess this just means we should focus on individual practice." Curious as for the reason Naruto wondered what was so important. Bring his right hand to his chin he began to ponder. In that moment Sakura noted the marking on Naruto's hand. "What's that Naruto? Did you get a tattoo?!"
Pulled from his thoughts, Naruto looked at his hand before quickly placing it in his pocket away from view. "No!" He nearly exclaimed hurriedly.
"Come on Naruto I saw the mark. There's no use in hiding it." She stated with a smirk on her face.
Defeated, Naruto removed his hand from his pocket. Raising it for her to get a better look at. "I didn't get a tattoo." He explained. "To be honest I don't even know how I got this mark."
"How do you not know how you got it?" She questioned. "Certainly, you'd know if a mark was placed on your body." Naruto blushed a little from embarrassment. Sakura, seeing this, sighed before slightly facepalming. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Look I went to bed last night perfectly fine, but when I woke up this morning, I had this mark on my hand! I have no idea how though!" He reiterated.
"Marks don't just magically appear on people's hands Naruto. Someone had to have snuck into your home and put it on your hand. Probably as revenge for a prank you did." Sakura suggested.
"That's what I thought at first, but there were no signs of anyone breaking in. Nothing was disturbed!" He stated, but Sakura was still skeptical. "Look, there was still dust on my windowsills that I haven't gotten around to clean, and my door was bolted shut."
"Still doesn't mean that there wasn't another way in." Sakura pointed out.
Thinking on its Naruto thought of other possibilities. 'Perhaps the air vents? No, they're too small for anyone, even me when I was little to sneak through.' He pondered. 'Maybe they carved a hole in my floor and got in through there, and then once they left, they fixed it! No that's stupid it would require too much glue!'
Noticing his struggle, Sakura decided it would be best to leave him to his thoughts. "Whatever, just make sure you don't get into trouble on our day off Naruto." Sakura stated as she left him to his devices.
Naruto watched as Sakura left. He considered asking her out, but he was to concerned with how he got the mark on his hand. Besides he didn't have the money to take her on a date. Sighing at his fortune Naruto decided that he'd go for a walk. Considering everything that transpired since he woke up, he couldn't think of anything better to do. "It might help me clear my head anyway." He noted as he left the meeting point. Grumbling to himself, he was unaware of the eyes that lay upon him from a distance.
Having walked for a couple of hours Naruto found himself wondering into a part of the village he normally didn't go, the former Uchiha district. He loathed coming all the way out here. It was the furthest point of the village from the center, and to him it gave off a bad vibe. 'I don't understand how Sasuke could live all the way out here.' Naruto thought to himself. 'Perhaps I should stop by and see what Sasuke's doing.'
Walking over towards Sasuke's house Naruto noticed something strange. Having walked for a little over ten minutes once walking into the district he once again found himself at the entrance of the district. Confused Naruto began to look around. "Did I go in a circle without realizing it?" He wondered while scratching his head. "Maybe I took a wrong turn or something." Walking back into the district Naruto once again attempted to make his way over to Sasuke's home, but this time more attentive.
Another ten minutes go by and he once again found himself walking towards the entrance of the Uchiha district. "Okay what the hell is going on?" Naruto thought aloud. This time Naruto was annoyed. He knew he was going the right way, yet this time around he still ended up at the front of the district. "Something is going on and this is getting on my nerves!" This time turning back around Naruto decided to jump up onto the buildings. Hoping to get there this time by taking the roofs Naruto wanted to make sure that he got there. However, just like the previous time he ended up once again at the front of the Uchiha district. Angry he roared out in annoyance. "What the hell!" Annoyed he sat in front of the gate to think this over.
"Okay, for some reason I can't reach that idiots stupid house without coming back here!" Naruto exclaimed in annoyance. "Why the hell is that?!" He wasn't originally planning on visiting his teammate, but this bothered him beyond belief. Being unable to go somewhere in his own village didn't sit well with Naruto. He was to become Hokage, so he needed a clear understanding of the village in its entirety. Delving deep into thought Naruto nearly missed the sounds of hurried footsteps.
Opening an eye, Naruto noticed a figure quickly approaching. Focusing his view Naruto noticed it was his teammate, Sasuke. Sasuke was quickly making his way towards the Uchiha district. There was something in his arms, a box of an ornate design. It wasn't off-putting, but it was strange to Naruto. Standing up Naruto readied to confront his teammate. Leaping forward Naruto exclaimed, "There you are!" This startled Sasuke causing him to lose his footing. Tripping, Sasuke nearly fell to the ground. The box that was so carefully being held in his arms flew forwards. Its collision with the ground caused a terrible sound. It ricocheted off the ground before finally slamming to a halt with a thud. The contents of the box were released as the lock fell apart.
Coming to a halt before the box, Naruto examined that the contents were miscellaneous. Some of the items appeared to be everyday items, but Naruto was more confused as to why a small chicken was inside. "What the hell?" Naruto commented as he watched the Chicken scramble for freedom.
"Damn it Naruto!" Sasuke roared with spite. "What the hell are you doing?!" Meanwhile, he quickly attempted to catch the chicken that had escaped its small prison.
"I could ask you the same thing." Naruto replied. "What's with all this stuff and why was there a chicken inside that box?!" Naruto didn't get an immediate reply instead he watched as Sasuke struggled to catch the chicken. After a few moments Sasuke caught the small bird and moved over to the box.
"That's none of your business Naruto, and you still didn't answer my question!" Sasuke pointed out. He then began to place the items back into the damaged box. Naruto watched as Sasuke tied up the chicken before placing it back into its prison. A hint of sympathy was directed towards the poor bird by Naruto, although he could only guess what it was Sasuke was planning.
"After finding out our mission was cancelled, I decided to go for a walk to think things over. After a while I found myself here, so I decided to see what you were up to." Naruto finally answered with a hint of annoyance.
"Well get lost, I have to finish preparing for something I'm working on!" Sasuke demanded. Taking some shinobi wire he tied the box up to prevent the "prisoner" from escaping again.
"Might as well considering I've tried getting to your house several times already!" Naruto stated aloud.
A slight look of confusion graced the normally stoic face of the lone Uchiha. "What do you mean you're unable to reach my house?" He asked.
"It's what I mean, I tried getting to your house, but for some reason no matter what I do I end up at this stupid gateway!" Naruto expressed with annoyance. A look of surprise emerged onto Sasuke's face as he quickly marched over towards the blond. Naruto took a step back as Sasuke grabbed onto his right arm. "What's your deal Sasuke?!"
The Uchiha investigated his teammates arm extensively but came to a halt upon noticing the marking on his hand. "Impossible!" He muttered. Naruto's confusion only intensified. "Damn it all!" Sasuke was experiencing a mix of emotions. He was frustrated, confused, and slightly nervous. This was not something he was expecting. "I see it makes sense now." He commented. "That's why the barrier didn't let you in."
"Barrier?" Naruto questioned.
"Naruto, we're going to my house." Sasuke stated. Lifting the box up into his arms again Sasuke began moving forward.
Naruto, though, was perplexed. "How?! I can't get to your house!" Naruto pointed out. Sasuke merely scoffed it off before signaling a hand sign. The result was a sudden release of energy. Covering his face from the wind Naruto looked and noticed hardly a difference. "Uh, nothing changed."
"I deactivated the barrier, so you are able to follow me to my house." Sasuke replied as he led the way. Noticing that Sasuke was going on a head of him Naruto decided to catch up to his teammate.
"So, why do you have a barrier around your house?" Naruto asked.
"I'll explain when we get there." Sasuke stated while seemingly looking around. "And keep your eyes open for anything strange."
"Why?" Naruto asked with a hint of concern.
"I had that barrier setup for a reason." Sasuke mentioned.
They traveled only a few minutes before arriving at Sasuke's home. Looking around Naruto noticed that it was still as large as ever. It was more of an estate than a house but considering Sasuke's father was the clan head it made sense. Naruto had only been here a handful of times. Many of them recent. It was ornate and had a small fish pond with a thicket of bamboo growing on one side. There were multiple buildings. The main residence, a shed and a training room. All of which seemed unused prior to today. There were assortments of items placed across the estate. And in the center there looked to be a fancy circular seal of some kind.
Walking into the main residence, Naruto followed the Sasuke into the main room, where he watched as his teammate placed down the box next to others of similarity. Turning towards him, Sasuke started, "Alright dobe listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you. Listen fully and clearly." Situating himself Sasuke raised his left hand and revealed a mark not like Naruto's, but one that gave off a similar feeling. "You and I have been chosen to receive these marks. They are proof of us being chosen to participate in the greatest war in shinobi history."
Looking down at his hand Naruto began to process the information. "What kind of war chooses people?" He asked.
"A Holy Grail War." Sasuke answered.
"A Holy Grail War?" Naruto repeated with confusion.
"A war in which participants from every major faction compete to obtain the Holy Grail." Sasuke explained. He could tell that Naruto wasn't entirely following, so he pressed on. "The Holy Grail is an object of legends that can grant whoever claims it a single wish. A wish that can be literally anything."
"Wait, so I can become Hokage if I manage to get it?!" Naruto questioned aloud.
"Theoretically yes, although that would be a waste of a wish." Sasuke answered bluntly. His response caused Naruto to frown.
"Okay then what would you wish for Sasuke?" Naruto inquired.
"None of your business." Sasuke replied. This made Naruto seethe in response.
"I still don't understand what it is we're going to be doing!" Naruto retorted.
"Basically, in a nutshell we are two of seven masters chosen to fight against each other in the Holy Grail War." Sasuke explained. "However, considering that you have been chosen just as I have perhaps this could work to our advantage."
"I take it you have an idea." Naruto commented.
"Yes, normally only one master can appear in a major faction, such as the five primary elemental nations. However, in our case two have appeared." Sasuke pointed out. "I have no idea what is to happen if more than one appears though." Moving across the room Sasuke approached a scroll on the counter. "Despite the strange circumstances we should move quickly."
"Where are we going?" Naruto asked.
"To get our weapons." Sasuke answered. "And we should hurry before trouble finds us." Still confused about the alluded threat Naruto followed Sasuke out of his home and into the streets of Konoha. The two then made their way into the heart of the village as the afternoon began to sink into the evening.
The two journeyed into the heart of the village. They crossed streets and took alleyways. Occasionally they would scale buildings to jump from roof to roof. Naruto was able to determine that they were currently heading towards the Konoha's primary library. It was a place that Naruto had never cared for and often avoided it. Not because he wasn't allowed in, but because he didn't care to read that many books. Curious as to what weapons a library could hold Naruto's mind began to wonder.
The two made it to the library. Looking up at the sky Sasuke noticed that the sun was still high, though evening was still approaching. "Alright we've got to hurry. They wont strike in daylight." Sasuke mentioned.
"What do you mean by they?!" Naruto demanded. "You've been alluding to something and I want to know what!"
"Now isn't the time dobe! We need to hurry before the sun goes down!" Sasuke hissed as he lead them to the side of the building. "I'll explain everything once we're done with this part." With a slight grumble Naruto went along with it. The two made it to a back door which Sasuke managed to open rather quickly. Motioning for Naruto to follow they entered the library.
Walking forward they entered the back part of the library which connected to the main part through a couple pairs of doors. Carefully the two moved into a hallway that took them a flight of stairs that descended into what Naruto guessed was the basement. There was a gate though blocking it. A sign saying employees only displayed clearly. The gate was also had a lock on it preventing it from being opened easily.
Annoyed, Sasuke got to dealing with the lock. Within a few moments just like the door Sasuke managed to deal with the lock and opened the gate. The two descended into the basement, yet Naruto was starting to question how Sasuke knew how to deal with those locks, let alone how to navigate around the building. "Hey Sasuke," Naruto whispered. "how do you know your way around here?" He only got a grumble in response. "I mean you seem to know your way around here a little to well for it to be your first time is all."
"You're not wrong. I've been preparing for this day for a few years now." Sasuke mentioned. This caused Naruto to raise a noticeable brow.
"I don't understand how you could prepare for something that you may not be chosen for?" Naruto replied.
"There are ways to ensure participation." That was the only response Naruto got before they arrived at the restricted section of the Konoha archives. He looked around and noticed all the shelves filled with assorted scrolls and books that weren't for the public. However, one thing stood apart, and that was a sealed entrance. The entrance, which was a solid metal door, had chains forming an X across its surface, and at the center was a paper seal. It was strange looking and radiated with chakra.
Once in front of the sealed entrance Sasuke took the scroll from earlier and unfurled it. Naruto watched as Sasuke activated a basic scroll storage seal. Emerging from it was a strange item. It was a key, though jagged and with a sharp edge. Approaching the door Sasuke took the key and placed it before the seal. Naruto watched as the seal changed into a lock before his eyes. Sasuke proceeded to insert the key and unlock the door resulting in the door's mechanism to activate. Naruto watched as the chains began to move into the lock and for the door to split into two. The now two doors opened to reveal a massive vault containing various items.
Entering the room Naruto noticed some items he came across in a history book in the academy. One of the few he recognized was the headband of the Second Hokage. It was displayed in a glass case, but from what Naruto noticed there was a mark on the glass. It was a number. The number, one, was placed on the glass on what seemed to be a sticker. He noticed that only two other items had a sticker with a number on them. One was pure white naginata, and the other was an ornate mask.
"Ignore those." Sasuke stated as he moved passed Naruto. "We're here for something more important."
"And what would that be pray tell? You still haven't explained why it is we're even here." Naruto expressed.
"Well considering we're this far I guess I can mention the final piece of information." Sasuke mentioned. "We're here to obtain an artifact to act as a medium to summon our servants."
"I take it these servants are like summonings?" Naruto asked.
"You're not entirely wrong. We do form a contract with our servants, however, they can be far more powerful than any generic summons." Sasuke explained. "A servant is a deceased individual that is summoned using a catalyst, such as an item associated with them during their life."
"Wait, we're going to bring people back to life?!" Naruto exclaimed in shock.
"Partially. They will be brought back as a high-ranking familiar that will be bound to us individually. Therefore, we are called masters." Sasuke continued. "Their bodies are made of chakra and they have to rely on their master to supply it to them."
"So, they can't exist without our chakra?" Naruto wondered aloud. Receiving a nod in return from Sasuke. "Basically, they're going to weapons in this Holy Grail War."
"Exactly, a servant is part of the ritual necessary for the Holy Grail to activate." Sasuke explained further. "Without them we cannot obtain a wish from the grail."
"You said that there are seven masters, so I take it there are that many servants as well?" Naruto asked for clarification.
"Correct. Each servant is under a different class however. The classes are Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Assassin, Caster, and Berserker." Sasuke clarified. "Each class is different from each other and they offer their own benefits and downsides for each servant. Although I should mention that there will be an eighth servant."
"But if there are only seven masters why is there an eighth servant?" Naruto questioned.
"Though there are seven pairs of masters and servants an eighth servant will appear but will not participate in the conflict." Sasuke informed. "That servant will be a referee of sorts for the war and will be known as Ruler. From what I've gathered though is that servant didn't exist prior to the Second Holy Grail War."
"There have been multiple wars?!" Naruto blurted out in surprise.
"Yes, to be exact there have been three. Each war corresponding with a Great Shinobi War." Sasuke added. "There have only been three because there have only been three great wars." Naruto's mind was blown. He hadn't expected so much information being shoved down his throat that it gave him a headache.
Sighing, Naruto began to wonder something. "Do you have a personal preference on what class you want?" Naruto asked.
"Caster." Sasuke answered without hesitation.
"Is it a powerful class?" Naruto inquired.
"To put it plainly it is a class that would give many benefits to the servant that I plan on summoning." Sasuke mentioned. Moving further into the room Sasuke approached another sealed door, however, unlike the previous one this one had no key. It was covered in multiple seals across its surface. Each one linked to a separate chain that kept the door locked. They each illuminated a red glow, as though warning those foolish enough to attempt to open it to back off. It was unsettling.
"Woah, they really don't want anyone opening that door." Naruto commented with a whistle.
Sasuke merely growled in annoyance at the sight. Grabbing his left arm, he began to gather chakra in his hand. Sparks flew as Sasuke formed a Chidori in his hand. Readying himself he lunged at the door with great haste. Flinging his Chidori hand forward he assaulted the door with as much strength he could muster. The result was the door dispelling the jutsu on impact.
"Damn it looks like there's a chakra nullifier for one of these seals." Sasuke cursed as he ran up to strike at the door. His frustration swelled as the door refused to even budge. "If we can't get through this door, we can't get the servants we need!"
Naruto noticed what Sasuke said and stood back to look at the seals. He noticed that on the surface they laced the door entirely, however, he noticed something odd. It was strange. One moment he saw the same door, the next he could see the seals and chakra threads emanating from them across the door. It was strange. Walking up to the door he began to examine the door more closely. Sasuke watched curiously as Naruto placed his hand on the door.
The many lines that made up the seals chakra network were quite visible to him. It almost reminded him of an image from an anatomy book with chakra points. Moving his right hand across the door Naruto noticed that the chakra from the brand on his hand seemed to be resonating to a seal. Moving over towards the seal he noticed extensions of chakra attempting to ceases the chakra flowing from his brands. Lowering his right hand, Naruto removed the seal with his left hand and, as he saw it, the network became destabilized.
"Naruto, what did you do?" Sasuke asked. Moving to look at the front of his teammate he noticed that Naruto's eyes held a glow about them. It was quick to disappear however, as Naruto turned to face him.
"Did you say something Sasuke?" Naruto wondered. Brushing it off as weird Sasuke noticed that the seals were not as luminescent as before.
Sasuke was flabbergasted to say the least, but a smirk soon formed. "I guess we can chalk this up as another point for Konoha's knuckleheaded genin." Sasuke smirked as he prepared another Chidori. "Naruto, I'll need your assistance." Nodding, Naruto conjured up a shadow clone, and began to form a rasengan in his right hand. Both waited for the other. With a silent exchange the two rushed at the door and rammed their jutsus at it. A sound began to reverberate as the door weakened and with a final thrust the two broke the seal. The following result was their jutsu destroying the door and them being pushed back by inertia.
Coughing from the dust pushed up into the air the two genin looked to see that the door had been destroyed. Moving into the newly accessible room the two looked around. "Well we're inside now, so what is so important?" Naruto wondered as him and Sasuke noticed something. It was a medium sized display case. It wasn't large, yet it held something of great significance. Walking up to it Naruto noticed two small chunks of metal residing in the case. Both were the same color, yet one had a partial black line on it, while the other had some white on it. "These are what we came here for!?" Naruto exclaimed in annoyance. "Why the hell are these things sealed off from the others?!"
"Because Naruto these are catalysts for summoning two powerful servants." Sasuke stated. Naruto looked over and saw that Sasuke was practically elated at seeing the two pieces of metal. "Naruto, you can take the piece with the black line on it, I'll take the one with the white on it." Slowly processing what Sasuke said Naruto watched as his teammate pulled out a kunai and broke the glass of the display case.
Quickly grabbing the one with the white paint on it Sasuke turned to run leaving Naruto behind. Shocked by this suddenness from his teammate Naruto grabbed the other piece and ran with haste. An alarm had gone off silently alarming Anbu of the break in. The masked shinobi were quick to intercept the intruders. At the same time warning bells were going off in Naruto's head. Naruto ran as quickly as his legs could move. Seeing Sasuke ahead of him Naruto called out to him. "Sasuke, wait up!" Sasuke ignored him though, instead focusing on his escape. The two ran through the basement of the archives and towards a shelf in one of the corners of the room. Noticing Sasuke quickly move a single book, Naruto watched as the shelf opened.
Hurrying over towards Sasuke, Naruto sprinted into the small corridor open to him. Sasuke immediately closed the shelf behind Naruto before leading the way. "What the hell is this Sasuke?!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Quiet dobe! It's an old tunnel that was made back during the Second Shinobi War." Sasuke explained. "There are dozens of these all around Konoha. They're interconnected and lead to many places."
"How did you know about this one?" Naruto asked. He watched as Sasuke's expression hardened.
"I found it by chance." Sasuke countered with spite. Naruto backed off not wanting to anger his friend further. Noticing this Sasuke sighed in annoyance. "Okay look, I was informed about these from my brother back when he was in the Anbu."
"Your brother was an Anbu?" Naruto asked with surprise.
"Hardly relevant Naruto." Sasuke mentioned before deciding to continue. "He told me that the Anbu used to use them while on patrols during war time, though most are kept closed off and secret."
"Is that how you got in before, because if so, then why didn't we use this earlier?!" Naruto questioned.
"I've never been through this exact one before. All the other times I just snuck in like we did earlier, so I have no idea where this will take us." Sasuke stated. Hearing the Anbu enter the archives the two decided to proceed down the tunnel.
Moving quickly through the tunnel they came to T-section. "Which way Sasuke?" Naruto asked as they looked both ways before they heard a noise behind them.
"Great it looks like they're using the tunnel just like us." Sasuke groaned before deciding to run left with Naruto behind him. They ran through the tunnel and before long they found themselves in the sewer. Jumping quickly into a large cylinder room filled with numerous other pipes and filth. They jumped to another pipe and continued to run as quickly as they could.
"We need to find a way out." Naruto pointed out. Sasuke was seething at this situation. Turning at another cross section they found a manhole.
"Naruto help me move this!" Sasuke asked as the two moved quickly.
The Anbu that were tailing them turned at the cross section. Continuing down the path they stopped at the manhole above them. Jumping up into an alley the Anbu informed the rest of their party. Soon more leaped out before leaving to survey the area. Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke began to emerge from the trash the littered the alley. Naruto emerging from a garbage can, while Sasuke a cardboard box.
"How the hell did they not notice you in that box?!" Naruto whispered over to Sasuke.
"Why were they stupid enough not to check the trash in the first place." Sasuke countered.
"Touché." Naruto accepted before climbing out of the can. As he struggled to get out of the can Sasuke stood up and tossed away the box. Naruto, though, fell out of the can unceremoniously before standing back up. Both cleaned themselves off the best they could before checking the area.
"Alright Naruto, this is where we separate." Sasuke mentioned before Naruto interjected.
"Hold on a minute Sasuke, you never mentioned how we're supposed to summon a servant!" Naruto pointed out. Sasuke blinking in realization before facepalming himself.
'That's right he doesn't know a thing about the process.' Sasuke remembered. Placing the piece of armor into his pouch Sasuke took the scroll from earlier out. He also took out a brush and began to make a diagram of the summoning circle. "Here." He presented. "This is the design of the summoning circle you'll need to make to summon your servant."
"Oh, this looks like the symbol that was in your yard." Naruto noticed causing Sasuke to nod.
"That is just an outline. The real one has to be made with blood." Sasuke explained. He noticed Naruto cringe at the mention of that detail and was quick to address it. "Don't worry it can be from anything. I'm using the blood of chickens to make my circle."
"Is that why you have so many similar boxes?!" Naruto questioned.
"Yes, although they weren't cheap, but then again I got them along with some other items." Sasuke mentioned.
"Where'd you get the chickens at?" Naruto asked.
"From the market of course. I actually got a decent deal on them." Sasuke stated.
"The market! I don't have money to but chickens from the market!" Naruto anguished.
"You're a shinobi Naruto. There are other ways of obtaining chickens besides purchasing them." Sasuke pointed out.
"Fair enough, but is there anything else that I should know about before we go?" Naruto asked.
"There is a chant that needs to be said if you want summon your servant." Sasuke explained. "Now its different per each class, and you don't even have to do this chant, but its highly unrecommended to skip it. I suggest you aim for either rider or assassin. Both are still available, although I will not let you claim caster." Turning the scroll over Sasuke began to write the chant out for Naruto. Once done Sasuke handed it over to Naruto for him to look over.
"So, I take it that this will allow me to summon either?" Naruto wondered before getting a nod of confirmation.
"Alright Naruto, I have to get going. Make sure to summon your servant soon, otherwise you'll be an open target." Sasuke mentioned. "And, one more thing Naruto. When you summon your servant be careful not to disrespect them. Some servants are known to kill their masters over the smallest of issues." With that Sasuke departed the alley to head back home.
Seeing Sasuke leave Naruto reviewed everything that happened today. Rolling up the scroll he placed it in his pouch. Looking over the artifact in his hand he noticed something odd. Rubbing his thumb, he noticed the black line was rubbing off. Investigating it he noticed that it was soot. "Weird, I guess they never decided to wash these things off." Naruto commented before pocketing the item. "I guess I should grab some chickens, Kami help me, because I'll need it!" Leaving the alley, Naruto made his way to the market to get some chickens, one way or another.
Sighing in relief, Naruto slumped down the center post on training ground seven. He was exhausted now but he managed to obtain some chickens. They were far more of a hassle than he bargained for, but he got them. "Man, this sucks." He whined. "I got chased all the way out of the gates by that old man. I didn't think he could keep up with me, but those damn birds made it hard to travel." Looking up at the evening sky Naruto noted the rise of the full moon. "Huh, didn't think that there would be a full moon or not tonight." Naruto muttered to himself. Naruto read the inscriptions on the scroll.
Removing the piece of armor from his pocket Naruto placed it on the ground in the middle of the bloody circle. "Is that how I do it?" He wondered. Sasuke hadn't clarified any specific instructions aside from the chant and the summoning circle. Thinking back to what Sasuke stated earlier Naruto removed the piece of armor and cleaned it off. Walking over to the middle stump Naruto placed it on top of it. Walking back to the front of the circle and the stumps Naruto reviewed the chant one last time.
Taking the blood of the chickens into his hands he began the chant. "Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill! Repeat five times. But destroy each when filled." Noting that the blood had been dripped according to the phrase Naruto saw the seal begin to glow. "I will be the disposer of evil in the eternal world. A wall to block the falling wind. The gates of all four directions close. From the crown, come forth and follow the forked road to the kingdom."
Taking a slight pause to catch his breath Naruto viewed the next stanza that he needed to read. "I hereby declare. Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail. If you will submit to this will and this reason… Then Answer!" Naruto declared as the light from the circle began to intensify. 'Alright time to bring it home!' He thought as he was about to finish the chant.
"Naruto, what are you doing?" Came a sudden voice that scared him senseless. Turning around Naruto noticed Kakashi walking towards him before stopping a few feet away from him. "Also, is there a reason you stole a few chickens from the market?"
"Kakashi-sensei?!" Naruto exclaimed in shock. "I thought you were pulled back by Granny Tsunade?!"
"I was, but then I come to find out that two of my students have been chosen to become masters in the upcoming Holy Grail War, so naturally I would come and find you." Kakashi explained.
"I take it you already found Sasuke." Naruto guessed.
"Yes, I caught him while he was setting up his summoning. He didn't say which servant he was summoning other than he was using a piece of armor." Kakashi explained. "So, what did you pick?"
"I don't even know. It's a piece of armor like the one Sasuke has, except with soot on it." Naruto answered.
"Sounds like no one is cleaning artifacts anymore." Kakashi commented.
"That's what I said." Naruto agreed.
"Did you happen to see the Second Hokage's head band?" Kakashi asked.
"Yeah, but Sasuke said that it wasn't worth the effort." Naruto explained. This surprised Kakashi, which didn't go unnoticed by Naruto. "Why do you seem surprised by that?"
"What classes did Sasuke state were available?" Kakashi questioned.
"Rider, Assassin, and Caster. Although Caster is what Sasuke wanted so I guess that leaves Rider or Assassin for me." Naruto answered.
"I see. Well considering that the moon is up your chakra should be at its maximum, so go ahead and finish the summoning." Kakashi urged on. With his sensei watching Naruto began to concentrate on finishing the task before him. Thinking back to where he left off, he thought carefully and was about to continue when a shadow emerged.
Quick to respond, Kakashi intercepted the assailant, startling Naruto. Naruto landed on the ground with a thud as an unknown shinobi leapt away a few feet. The assailant wore a white mask that concealed their face. There was no identification to determine their association, however, that just led Kakashi to presume the most likely possibility. "I see, so you were waiting for Naruto summon his servant before killing him." Kakashi stated. "That's one way of removing a master from the Holy Grail War."
"Sharingan Kakashi, I wanted to avoid fighting you, but it seems that we have no choice." The unknown shinobi stated. Kakashi noticed the sudden change and noticed ten more assailants emerge. They surround Kakashi and Naruto. "Now then, since you're here that means we'll have to kill you alongside the boy Kakashi." Reaching up for his head band Kakashi readied his Sharingan eye. In response all the assailants pulled out tantos.
Looking around Kakashi was ready to fight until he heard it. "Dynamic Entry!" Came a sudden bombastic voice. A mask assailant looked up towards a source before being sent flying into a tree. The culprit of the attack landed with a slight thud. Standing up was none other than the green beast of Konoha, Might Guy. "Yosh! I won't allow such underhanded techniques!"
"You decided to show up after all Guy." Kakashi mentioned.
"Of course, this is to protect young Naruto from those that wish to kill him while his youth is still strong." Guy proclaimed. "And besides, you're not taking the credit for this one Kakashi." The assailants seemed to be considering the situation. They weren't expecting two of the top jonin to appear in defense of Naruto, but it seemed that this left them no choice.
The conflict erupted in an onslaught. The two jonin joined together to take on the ten remaining assailants. Metal clashed against metal, and fist with fist. Kakashi and Guy worked in tandem to counter and defend against the masked shinobi. At one point taking two out simultaneously. This of course left Naruto to finish the incantation. Taking the opportunity, he did just that.
'Alright time to summon my servant!' Naruto thought. He took up the scroll and reviewed the last part. After dodging a couple shuriken and a defeated assailant. Tossing the scroll to the side he was determined to finish it. "Thou clad with the Great Trinity, com forth from the circle of constraint." A sudden surge of power enveloped Naruto. Noticing this the initial assailant pushed through Kakashi and Guy with assistance. Charging forward at Naruto with his tanto ready. "Guardian of the Heavenly Scales!" Naruto yelled. With the incantation completed the seal roared to life as a beam of light shot forth up towards the sky.
The beam of light soared through the sky. It signaled the coming of a new servant. A servant whose power should be feared. Across the lands many could feel the unwelcoming dread. To others it was a welcoming signal for the times to come. It was the signal that ignited a new start. A violent one.
The power emanating from the summoning circle was immense. It far surpassed that of even the Kyuubi. Naruto could feel his chakra being pulled from his body. His guess would be through the connection of his brand. It was creating something from his own being. It was strange, but Naruto looked on. The assailant charging at Naruto soon found his head being grabbed as the entity slowly began to emerge, and with it a sense of dread. The fighting soon came to a halt.
Kakashi's face visibly paled upon recognition of the servant summoned. Guy looked over at Kakashi, concern was starting to set in. "Kakashi, didn't Sasuke say something about breaking into a vault." Guy asked hesitantly. All he got was a silent nod as he began to sweat nervously himself. "I thought he was telling a joke...Then that would mean that servant over there is…"
"Guy be prepared to grab Naruto and run." Kakashi stated. "And expect collateral damage." Guy merely gulped in response as the remaining shinobi were placed on edge.
As the light dimmed around the circle the figure was fully revealed. Standing before Naruto was a figure cladded in armor. Looking up at his servant Naruto didn't realize how intimidating they were. Standing tall with waist length spiky black hair and radiant red eyes. Looking down at Naruto the servant acknowledged him immediately. "Boy," The servant began, "are you my master?"
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END
There we go the first chapter of Fate/Shadows is finished. Now allow me to alleviate some information for you to gain an understanding of the setting. I stated previously that this is set in Naruto's universe, but it is an AU. This picks up following Tsunade became Hokage. The Sasuke retrieval arc won't occur due to the curse mark never being placed on him. There are other differences to the canon that will be revealed later. Also, I'm sure everyone can guess who Naruto's servant is, but do you know the class I wonder?
Now I don't have plans on doing a romance in this story. This is because the story will focus on the Holy Grail War and the conflict it brings. I apologize to anyone hoping to see one emerge, but I felt that this story could work without it. Moving on I'd like to emphasize that I can't fully explain the entirety of Fate/Stay Night concepts in one chapter, nor note. I will explain over the course of the story, but if you want to learn more, I suggest looking up information on the Type-Moon Wiki (Official wiki of works by the guy that made the series and others that share the same universe) or some YouTube videos. There are a couple of YouTubers who explain the concepts rather well.
Lastly, thank you very much for giving my story a chance! Please leave a constructive review explaining your thoughts. Flames will be ignored. If you didn't enjoy it then please explain why. Regardless, thank you for giving my story a read! Well that's it for me. If you have any questions you can leave them in a review or you can PM me. If you PM do keep in mind I might not respond immediately, but I will do my best to. That's it everyone take it easy, and PEACE!