Eight-year-old Naruto stared at the katana in his shaking hands. The old owner, Arai Seikuu – son of the infamous swordsmith Arai Shakkuu, had entrusted his father's last work to Naruto, hoping Naruto could use it to rescue his son which was captured by Naruto's opponent, a swordsman who loved collecting swords and using them to kill people. He came here with to take Shakkuu's last work which had already been dedicated to Hakusan Shrine as a holy katana. Naruto's old sakabato had been destroyed while he was sparring with his sensei, Gekko Hayate. Shakkuu made it for him after he witnessed Naruto being beaten by a mob when he was six. Shakkuu rescued Naruto and asked him the reason why the mob did this. Naruto didn't want to answer at first, but after receiving Shakkuu's word that he would never harm a defenseless child no matter what, he told Shakkuu the reason: he was the container of Kyuubi no Yoko, the demon fox attacked Konoha six years ago and killed many of its said he understood people's reason, and he would never harm them despite what they did to him, and one day he would show them he's himself, not the Kyuubi. He vowed to never kill anyone. Shakkuu was touched by the boy's words, and being a famous swordsmith, he promised to Naruto that he would made for him a sakabato (reverse-edged sword) to help him fulfill his dream. And from that day, the Hokage assigned Hayate – Konoha's finest sworsmaster – teach Naruto kenjutsu (swords technique) and help him learn his father's legendary style, the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu (Naruto hadn't know the style was his father's, and he still didn't know that at this time) and an ANBU team including Dog – Hatake Kakashi, Tiger – Tenzou, Snake – Mitarashi Anko and Weasel - Uchiha Itachi to guard and teach him the way of Shinobi. For two years Naruto trained until he was exhausted but while he made huge progress in learning chakra control and the basic knowledge of a ninja he still couldn't master the style. Naruto broke his sakabato while trying to learn the rest of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryuu. Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, ordered Hayate to escort Naruto to Shakkuu's hometown – Bassai no Sato – to had him made for Naruto a new sakabato, only to find out Shakkuu was dead six months ago and Seikuu refused to make for Naruto a katana.
-----FLASHBACK-----
Hayate and Naruto walked into Seikuu's forge and was greeted by a three-year-old boy sitting behind the stall which was full of knives. The boy leaned towards Naruto and rose up his hands. Naruto smiled at the boy and shaked them. A moment later a young woman showed and scolded. "Don't play with them, Iori." She picked up her son and asked Hayate. "Welcome sir. Were you looking for something?"
"Actually, I wanted a kitchen knife." Naruto replied.
"Naruto?" Hayate looked at Naruto curiously.
"Sorry sensei, but I want to try it out. Uhm… do you mind if I test it, lady…?"
"My name's Azusa. And yes, you can try. I don't mind at all." Azusa answered honestly with a smile.
Naruto pulled out a carrot he bought along the way. Using the knife he cut the carrot in two parts, then glued them up. To everyone's amazement, two parts of the carrot stuck together without any tracks to show that it had been cut before.
Seeing the look in Azusa's eyes, Hayate decided to explain. "This is the "return cut". Nothing had been crushed along the line of the cut, so it can be put back together exactly as it was." He gave Naruto a look of approval and continued. "When a fine blade and the arm of a master come together for the first time, a test cut could be of this quality. But the fact that it could be done with a mere kitchen knife shows the skills of the maker."
Naruto nodded and said to Azusa. "Ma'am, could I speak with Seikuu-sama?"
"Yes?"
"I want him to make a katana for me!"
"Well, I…" answered Azusa hesitantly.
"Excuse me…" came a voice from the corner of the house. Naruto and Hayate turned to the said direction and saw a young man who looked like a student than a blacksmith. The man continued his sentence.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Arai Seikuu. I've overheard your conversation. You need a katana?" Naruto nooded.
"I'm sorry, but I no longer make katana's. I can't fulfill your request." Seikuu's answer made Hayate's and Naruto's eyes widen.
"Why don't you make katana any longer?" Hayate asked calmly.
"People who come to me with request for katana's know about my father's quest for the 'katana that kills'. He used to tell me ' The katana's I make will bring in peace for the world.' But I didn't accept my father's beliefs. The katana's he shaped with those beliefs stole many lives. What does killing have to do with bringing in peace? Therefore I wasn't convinced. After my father's death, I decided to earn my living by making the tools of everyday life." Came Seikuu's answer.
"I see. So you're a pacifist in principle, in complete opposition to your father." Hayate muttered.
"Well, I don't know about principles, but I love peace as would anyone." Seikuu answered with a smile.
Naruto, who kept silence in the whole conversation, upon hearing this couldn't help but smile.
"I understand, Seikuu-sama. I'm sorry to have brought you a futile request. Thank you for your time."
Naruto turned and walked out the store Hayate couldn't help but asked. "Why didn't you say with him you just want him to make a sakabato?"
"Seikuu-sama desires peace with his whole heart. Even a sakabato that can't kill is still an instrument of war. I couldn't bear for him to make such a thing." Naruto replied his sensei with a bit of regret.
"Don't worry. Tomorrow, when we return to Konoha, I will have Higurashi Akira, the owner of the most famous Konoha weapon shop, made a sakabato for you. Now let's go to the inn and rest." Hayate assured Naruto and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you very much, Hayate-sensei."
Unknown to them, the young blacksmith and his wife listened to their conversation.
"That boy… do you notice the look in his eyes?"
"Yeah. His eyes were full of sadness. I can tell that he's a good person. But I wonder why he had those painful eyes."
"You didn't think that perhaps you could give him your father's last katana?"
Seikuu thought for a while and answered. "No. That's allright. I don't want a young and kind-hearted boy like him to involve with a killing tool like a katana."
Later that night
Naruto wandered around the village. He looked at his broken sword and remembered his feeling when he received it, the time he possessed and practiced wih it. However, the sound of footsteps and a child's crying alerted him. He quickly hid in a bush and saw a swordsman holding a boy by the tip of one of his swords. Naruto froze when he realized it was Iori, Seikuu's son. He then heard the man chuckled "heheheh… Shakkuu's last work. I wondered what kind of katana it will be…"
Upon hearing this, Naruto decided to follow the man to Hakusan Shrine. The man walked into the shrine's yard and stopped.
"You can come out now."
Naruto leapt and landed in front of the man. Iori stopped crying and called him "Nii-chan!" happily. The man gave Naruto a calculating look before asking him. "You've followed me for awhile. Who are you and what do you want?"
"Release the child." Naruto said coldly.
The man smirked and revolved his sword which was being used to hold Iori making him cry again.
"You are just a boy who can't be older than ten years old, and here you carry around a sword and dare to say to me with a demanding tone. Interesting. Oh well, you're here for the katana too?"
"Unfortunately I did seek a different katana. If you're here for Shakkuu's last work, go and take it. Only give back the child first."
"Heh… it wouldn't be much fun to do like you said. And after all this trouble to get the katana, it'd only be half much fun without something to test it on." The man said and tossed the bundle holding Iori to the air. The bundle hanged up a tree branch. The man unsheathed two swords on his hands and continued with a predatory look "I've always wanted to try killing a baby. So I rejected your proposal. We'll have a honorable fight." The man finished and pointed one of his two swords to Naruto.
Seeing there's no way to rescue Iori without a fight, Naruto ready his sword and prepared for the battle.
He didn't knew the man's skills, so he had to be careful and try to buy for Hayate-sensei some time.
"Is it fair and honor to fight with a hostage and your opponent is just a boy with a broken sword? You mock me."
"I'm not mocking you in particular…" the man charged towards "just your serious face." he finished with a slash with his right hand while his left hand pulled back. Naruto quickly blocked his opponent's slash by the scabbard, only to meet with a head-on stab.
"Got you!" shouted the man.
Naruto calmly jumped aside and avoid the stab. The man was surprised, he didn't think that boy could avoid his strike that easy. He had to pay a high price for underestimating Naruto.
"If you want to stab me to death, you must do better than that." Naruto said and countered the man with a Ryuukansen move in the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu style. He hit him on the back, breaking two swords on his back in the progress.
"Ugh…" The man crashed down to the floor. Naruto was about to rescue Iori when he heard his opponent.
"Impressive. Guess you're not quite as weak as you look. If it wasn't for those lovely swords on my back, I'd be on the floor right now." The man said and cracked his knuckles. "But now you'll pay a high price for humiliating me."
As the man was saying, he unfastened the strings on the hilts of his swords and half of the hilt of each of his sword detached from the rest. The man fastened two swords together, forming a single sword with two blades.
"One of Shakkuu's ealier works, the Renbatou." Introduced the man. "You'll get two equal wounds at the same time, and you won't be able to stitch them up. In other words, Even if I miss a vital point and don't kill you right away, you'll die of wounds you won't be able to treat."
The man charged towards Naruto with a battle cry. "I'll give you your death!" The man charged, slashing down Naruto's head. However, his strike was stopped when Naruto raised his sword and brought it between his opponent's sword's two blades.
"Is this the best you can do?" Naruto taunted. He grasped his sword's scabbard and twisted it, breaking the man's two thin blades. Naruto lowered his sword before hitting the man's abdomen "Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu – Ryuushousen!" The man flew before crashing to the floor again. Naruto turned to Iori and was greeted with a smile and a soft cry "Nii-chan!"
"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. Now let's get you down." However his action was again cut short by the man.
"I see… Guess you're right. I made fun of you a little too much." The man said and stood up, his eyes blazing with fury and hatred. The brat went too far, and he would have to pay a very, very high price.
'I hit him in the suigetsu (a vital point of the body) and it didn't hurt him as much as it should have. What's going on?' Naruto masked his worried thought with a calm look.
"Nii-chan." Iori called him softly.
"I'm sorry, Iori. It looks like you will have to wait a little longer."
The man had enough. Not only did this brat humiliate him buthe also didn't even pay attention to him. He shouted "YOU'RE TALKING TO THAT BRAT AND YOU CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT ME?MAKE FUN OF ME ONE MORE TIME AND I'LL KILL THAT KID."
Naruto turned and looked straight into the man's eyes, his face betrayed no emotion. Unfortunately, this look only anger his opponent further.
"Oh! So you can look like a true swordsman?" he said with a smirk "It's bad to be unwilling to give people things, and you were unwilling to give me that look from the start." The man took off his shirt, revealing a piece of steel wrapping around his waist.
"Silver armor… so that's why you could withstand my Ryuushousen." Naruto stated, staring at the man.
That's the scene Hayate, Seikuu and Azusa saw when they arrived. Hayate was resting in his hotel's room when Seikuu and his wife came, asking him help them rescue their son. Hayate panicked when he noticed Naruto had disappeared as well, but there's no time to loss. He quickly ran to the shrine and saw Naruto was battling with the man, Iori was hanging up on a tree branch. Looking around the yard, Hayate noticed there were four broken swords on the ground, and Naruto's broken sakabato still in his hand. That meaned the outcome of the fight was tilted in Naruto's favor. To say Hayate was shocked and proud of Naruto at the same time was an understatement. However, his pride quickly turned worry when he heard Seikuu shouted.
"LOOK OUT NARUTO! THAT THING AROUND HIS WAIST… MY FATHER MADE IT AFTER MAKING REFINEMENT AFTER REFINEMENT. IT'S ONE OF THE LATER KILLING SWORDS!"
"What!"
"I'm Hozuki Mangetsu, sword-hunter and future member of Kiri no Shinobigatana Nana Nin Shu. (Seven Shinobi Swordsmen of the Mist) From now on, this's true madness. Just wait… and watch." Mangetsu said with a arrogant smirk, his arms moved to his rear, ready to strike.
In a blink, the tip of the blade shot towards Naruto. He barely moved his head to the right to avoid the strike. However, Seikuu shouted "That won't work. Just dodging by a hair won't---" Mangetsu flicked his wrist, and Naruto and Hayate were shocked when the blade curled, stabbing Naruto at his right thigh.
"What do you think? This's my most favorite sword – the Hakujin no Tachi." Mangetsu smirked arrogantly, catching the tip of the blade. "Now let's see if you can still move around."
"The blade… it's long and flexible." Hayate muttered. He couldn't believe in his eyes.
"The Hakujin no Tachi… It was forged to be as thin as possible while maintaining the strength of the blade. The tip is weighed so the slightest flick of the wrist can direct it." Explained Seikuu. "If Naruto's wounded like that and trying to fight the Hakujin no Tachi, I'm afraid…"
Mangetsu glanced at three people watching the match and smirked. "Looks like we attracted an small audience before I knew it. I guess it's time we got this show on the road." He tossed the tip into the air "I'll show you my own Orochi style."
Mangetsu flicked his wrists again, and the blade shot towards Naruto like a snake. Hayate quickly threw some kunai's at him, only for Suigetsu evaded. His blade continued shooting towards Naruto, who was trying to block it with his sword's scabbard. However the blade cut the scabbard like nothing.
"YOU BLOCKED WELL! BUT YOU'RE STILL GONNA DIE!" Mangetsu screamed, the tip of his blade shot down, intending to cleave Naruto's head. Naruto quickly move aside, but his wound on his right thigh prevented him and he fell to the ground, barely avoiding the hit of Mangetsu's blade. Blood started rolling down from the wound on his head.
'It's not good. He had no chance of winning. If this goes on Iori will be…' thought Seikuu, moving towards the tree his son was being suspended.
"Dear?" Azusa, catching her husband's move, asked worriedly.
"Hayate-san, can I ask you a favor?"
"Yes?"
"I've decided. Please keep that man busy while I am trying to take the katana in the shrine for Naruto. Right now Naruto had no chance of winning, and I'm not sure even you have a chance while that man's holding that sword. But if you attack from two sides then I'm sure you'll win." Murmured Seikuu.
"OK. Let's do this."
Meanwhile, Naruto started rose up shakily, glaring intently at Mangetsu. The man returned Naruto with one of his glares, recalling his sword.
"Why don't you just give up and die? At least your death will be less painful." Naruto didn't say anything.
"Your eyes are really getting on my nerves. Don't you understand what's going on? You're going to die just to protect a little brat."
Naruto continued glaring at Mangetsu before answered slowly "In my village, I was considered a demon. I am an orphan. I have no idea who my parents were and lived my life alone all these years. I got kicked out of the orphanage at the age of four. I got spat upon, kicked, beaten up, anything. I had fifty-four assassination attempts by the time I was seven. I was charged triple the price for everything I bought. I barely lived off with the allowance I got. I had no one, nothing. I lived off the garbage bin. Everything I was allowed to buy was either expired or poisoned. If I was to so much as step into a hostile shop, I would get flung out immediately. I nearly died twice in my life. Once was at the age of five, where I saved Hyuga Hinata from a Kumo nin, the second was at the age of six, when I was beaten within an inch of my life by the villagers and some other shinobis……on my birthday. Two day later, Shakkuu-dono gave me this sakabato. " Azusa was holding her hand, covering her mouth in shock. Seikuu was staring at him in disbelief. Hayate closed his eyes, till now, he could still remember that night. The night where small seven-year old Naruto was bleeding profusely on the ground, just lying there, and the way he screamed for forgiveness on the hospital bed was etched deeply into his memories.
"Oh now you're bragging? Do you think that by recounting stories of your pathetic life that I'm going to let you go?" Mangetsu asked amusedly.
"It's been two years since that day I vowed to never kill anyone and protect everyone that's precious to me. I've trained everyday to the verge of exhaustion to keep my vow. To you he's nothing but a brat, but to me he's the grandson of my benefactor. Even if it costs me my life, I'll return Iori to his parents safe from harm." Naruto said coldly, his eyes staring intently on his opponent. Mangetsu and Hayate were shocked to the core: Naruto's eyes were no longer blue but crimson red, two tomoe's swirled around the iris in each eyes.
"Sha… Sharingan." Both Mangetsu and Hayate stuttered. Naruto quickly made an eye contact with Seikuu and Hayate and nodded, clearly saying 'I'll distracted him. Hurry up and rescue Iori.'
They both acted at the same time. Hayate attacked Suigetsu with his move "Dance of the Crescent Moon" while Seikuu was running quickly towards the shrine. "Hang on, Iori. You'll be safe soon." He shouted.
Mangetsu roared "What're two spectators doing on the stage?" He swung his blade, creating a shield protecting him from Hayate's attack while the tip of his blade shot straight towards Seikuu.
'Shit.' Hayate thought, knowing he would not make it in time.
"Seikuu-kun!" Azusa panicked, fearing for her husband's life.
When the tip of Mangetsu's blade was about to stab Seikuu's back, it was dislodged by a broken sword. Everyone except Seikuu, who continued running towards the shrine, turned to see naruto stood there holding what was left of his sword's scabbard.
"NOW YOU'RE REALLY GETTING ON MY NERVES!" roared Mangetsu, his hair stood straight on his head. "I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE. I'M PISSED OFF NOW. SEE THIS HEAD? THIS'S WHAT THEY CALLED ANGRY HAIR THAT STRIKES FROM HEAVEN!"
"You'll have to try harder with that worn-out broom head then." Naruto said sarcastically. Hayate and Azusa sweat-dropped and nodded dumbly while iori was saying "broo…m" repeatedly.
Mangetsu charged towards Naruto, blinding by rage. "I'LL CRAM THIS IN YOUR STUPID SERIOUS FACE, YOU FOOL. YOU GODDAMN LITTLE…!"
Naruto blocked Mangetsu's hit by what's left of the sheath an charged at Suigetsu with a blinding speed.
'Shit he got in too close.' Mangetsu thought and he was hit right at the forehead a second later. He crashed to the floor the third time in this fight.
Naruto knelt on his left knee, panting heavily. Hayate and Azusa were going to run towards him, but they stopped on their track, their eyes widened when Mangetsu said with an oily tone.
"Ohh careful, careful. It's not good to make too much fun of you. That attack made me angry, but I'll calm again. You won't fool me a second time. I'll chop you into five pieces and put them on display on your village's gate."
"NARUTO!" a shout startled everyone. Seikuu stood at the shrine's gate, holding a katana in his hands. "This's my father's last katana. Please use it." He tossed the sword into the air, which was caught by Naruto's shaking hand.
-----FLASHBACK ENDS-----
"Heh… the stage-hand's a little late throwing in the props." Mangetsu's voice brought Naruto back to the present. "Well, whatever. I'll kill you and take this sword… two birds with one arrow. Draw it, and settle this quickly."
Naruto's hands were shaking badly. He didn't want to break his vow, but he had to save Iori. His exhaustion was starting showing plainly, and he dind't even have enough chakra to maintain his Sharingan.
"We're two equal swordsmen. It'll be easy to tell who'll kill and who'll be killed. You're a swordsman, and yet you hesitate to use your sword." There was a pregnant pause, and Naruto and Suigetsu just stared at each other. Suigetsu was the one who lost his patience first.
"Alright, if you don't draw your sword, you'll have to watch me kill this child, this brat that you called your benefactor's grandson, the one who you sworn to protect." Suigetsu said, preparing his sword to kill Iori. Hayate prepared to prevent Mangetsu from harming Iori when he heard Naruto's war cry.
Naruto charged towards Suigetsu, who roared excitedly. "COME ON. I'LL PAY YOU BACK FOR MAKING A FOOL OF ME." His blade curled like a snake and shot straight at Naruto, who in turn leapt towards Suigetsu, his katana ready for a battoujutsu stance.
"I'VE GOT YOU NOW" Shouted Suigetsu. 'the tip of the Hakujin no Tachi's ever-changing blade will stab him from behind.' Suigetsu flicked his wrist, directing his blade to stab Naruto. However, Naruto turned his body to the left side, barely avoiding being hit by Suigetsu's sword.
He charged towards Suigetsu, drawing his katana with a blinding speed, his Sharingan blazing with three tomoe's in each eye.
"HAAAAAHH! HITEN MITSURUGI-RYU – RYUUKANSEN TSUMUGI!" Naruto cried out.
"Whe…Where'd that come from…" Mangetsu was stunned and shocked to the core. He was sure that damn brat was exhausted, so where did this power come from? Looking at Naruto's eyes, instead of hesitation, he saw them full of anger and determination. "It's like he's an entirely different person than before!" was the last sentence Mangetsu said before Naruto struck him down. Mangetsu fell to the ground and completely lost his consciousness.
"NARUTO!" Hayate shouted. Seikuu's eyes widened, Azusa's hands covered her mouth. Naruto stood there, staring at Mangetsu's emotionless body, his eyes were full of hate, anger and killing intent. Everyone stared at the scene in front of them until Iori's babble brought them back to the reality.
Naruto dropped to his knees. He had broken his vow, he had killed this man. Naruto stared at his hands, then his sword. His eyes widened, as did everyone's. Hayate was the first to break the silence.
"That sword… is a sakabato."
"My father's last work… a sakabato…" Seikuu stammered, he couldn't believe at what he saw. His father, a person who spent his whole life to make those swords which took lots of lives away, made two sakabato's, and both of them ended up being in a boy's hands… ironically.
"This sword… it feels better in my hand than my old sakabato…" Naruto stared at the katana in his hand.
"But if this's a sakabato, then…" Azusa said while pointing at Mangetsu's body. Hayate quickly check Mangetsu's vital before yelling "He's still alive. You disn't break your vow, Naruto."
A smile cracked slowly on his face upon hearing Hayate. His grip on the sakabato started getting loose as he gave up to his exhaustion. The last thing he saw was his sensei's panicked face, then darkness.