So, I've been playing Digimon Links(not very well), and started watching Digimon videos on Youtube and, well here we are. I've looked a few of the offerings and noticed something that I'll address in the post chapter note and wanted to try something new. On with the show.
I make no claims to own anything. Naruto and Digimon are owned by others.
Chapter 1: Ninja Uploaded
The great waterfall at the Valley of the End roared as a battle waged at its base. Two young men, bearers of a legacy neither knew, scions of bloodlines nearly extinguished, stood upon the feet of the great statues of their forebears. Under Madara Uchiha stood one of the man's last clan members; Sasuke Uchiha, his form twisted under the corruption of Orochimaru's Curse Seal of Heaven. His skin turned dark, hair grayed, sclera blacken and two hand-like wings grew from his back. He was crouched slightly, lightning issuing from his left hand, blinding white and crying out like a flock of birds.
On the opposite side of the river, upon the feet of Hashirama Senju stood Naruto Uzumaki, a cloak of bubbling red chakra wrapped around him, reminiscent of a fox. His hair stood as if charged with static, nails lengthened to claws, and the six scar-like marks on his cheeks appeared deeper and more ragged. In his extended hand, yellow chakra spun as the young Uzumaki's animal-like eyes regarded his wayward teammate.
What neither knew was how much their battle evoked the fight between the men whose visage watched the valley. Or how deep the scars of the battle ran. Unseen by the young Uchiha's fully matured Sharingan eyes or sensed by the age old Kyubii within the Uzumaki, the air in the valley shuttered as the clash began to tear open a wound in the very fabric of reality. Born of Biju and Senjutsu chakra, it held the doorway to untold realities. And as the two youths prepared to attack, the power of Senjutsu and Biju chakra fueling their techniques began to resonate with it.
The two young shinobi launched towards the other, attacks outstretched. Rasengan and Chidori clashed and a blinding light was born in the clash. The pair were consumed by the growing light, vanishing into the nothingness beyond.
The two warring comrades fell through the empty space beyond the world.
Amongst the highest planes of the Digital World lay the realms of the Digimon Sovereigns, the most powerful of the lifeforms known as Digimon. One such domain took the form of an expansive valley, lush grass and twisting trees grew as numerous waterfalls poured from the mountainsides, creating a perpetual mist that ebbed and flowed, hiding and revealing the vale's features.
Resting amongst the mists and greens was the master of this realm, Ebonwumon, Digimon Sovereign of the North. The great twin-headed tortoise was alone as he took his respite, not truly asleep, but in a deep meditative state. The recent events within the Sovereigns' purview weighed heavily on him. The human world that mirrored the Digital World had undergone a massive change in the last decade, their computer networks growing rapidly, flooding the Digital World with excess data.
This influx was the problem that the Sovereigns faced, as the digivolution it fueled could lead to the reawakening of their True Enemy, the D-Reaper. Azulongmon had devised a solution, one the rest had agreed on; lock away the power of digivolution. With the assistance of the DigiGnomes, he had rendered the light of digivolution into a living form, and hid the young Calumon away.
Still the enemy grew and Zhuqiaomon's impatience followed suit. His brash brother would act soon, he could feel it in his trunk and he wondered if his actions would bring salvation or hasten ruin.
Twin sets of eyes opened as Ebonwumon looked towards the sky, the data flow from the human world visible through the mist. He let out a paired sigh, the mist blown away from his noses. He wondered if the other realities had to deal with something as destructive as the D-Reaper. All the Sovereigns were aware that other worlds, both human and Digital, existed. On some level they knew they had counterparts in these worlds, but that gave them no comfort. They had found no means to contact or travel to these worlds, though data from them sometimes, somehow bled through.
Ebonwumon's musings on the nature of the muliverse was broken when he sensed movement in the mists. He turned as the mists parted ahead of a trio of DigiGnomes flying towards him, their laughter-like speech becoming more frenetic as the drew closer to the Sovereign.
Ebonwumon inclined his heads as they neared, "Greetings, honorable precursors. May I be of assistance?" Ebonwumon had learned a long time ago that when the DigiGnomes made themselves known, something was due to happen. And while there was no means to understanding their language, he had become somewhat adept to reading their intentions.
The DigiGnomes only continued their noisy chittering, now flying in a triangular pattern. The trio of DigiGnomes began to glow in a golden radiance as their moved faster in their flight, their path now lit by the trails of light flowing behind them.
Before long, a golden triangle shone in the misty air, its points occupied by the DigiGnomes after they traced their glyph. The DigiGnomes continued their chatter, though Ebonwumon had noticed their speech had a pattern to it, almost like a chant. The DigiGnomes' speech reached it's zenith as the trio cried out, the shrill sound echoing in the vale.
The cry was followed shortly by a pillar of light erupting from the ground below the triangle. Ebonwumon eyed the pillar, reaching his senses out to it. He could feel the space within the triangle pulse, as if something was trying to enter that space.
As suddenly as the light had appeared it vanished, along with the haunting cry of the DigiGnomes. Within the now faded triangle, a young human lay. Ebonwumon drew closer, his footfalls softer than his great frame would suggest. He studied this unexpected visitor as the DigiGnomes retreated to rest in his branches.
'Very orange,' the great Digimon thought as he took in his guest, careful eyes noting his features. Ebonwumon was, admittedly, not well versed in what young humans wore, but orange pants with an accompanying jacket did not seem to him a popular choice. Aside from the color, the hole near the right shoulder is what drew the Sovereign's attention.
'This boy has been in battle,' the Sovereign thought as he examined the boy. When he saw there were no visible injuries, and the boy seemed to be resting peacefully, Ebonwumon closed his eyes and focused his awareness on the boy. He did not know if he would be able to sense anything about his visitor, but he had nothing to lose.
At first, he could only hear the slow, steady beat of of the human's heart. Then a flicker of something grated across his perception, one that vanished as he tried to focus on it. Ebonwumon took a moment to further still his mind, and once more reached his mind outwards. Again that strange sensation brushed against his senses, but he did not chase after it; patiently allowing it to reach his senses on its own.
Ebonwumon traced the pattern of the strange energy he felt within the human, an airy current that his presents had disrupted when he turned his attention to it. If flowed through the boy and he idly wondered it he was sensing the blood that humans had within them. His musings were cut short when a trilling cry sounded from above his head; one of the DigiGnomes had floated down from his tree towards the sleeping youth. He began to stir, his limbs twitching as awareness began to return. Ebonwumon retreated a few steps, pondering how to interact with this human. Deciding that it would be best to not distress his guest, he drew upon his Mugen ability and the mists around grew heavier.
A groan resonated in Naruto's throat as consciousness returned to his battle weary body. Everything felt heavy, like he'd taken to wearing Rock Lee's weights. Like his body, Naruto's mind was sluggish as he returned to the waking world. First, he registered how worn his body felt, then he noticed that he was laying on grass covered ground. Finally, he recalled his last memories before darkness had taken him.
"Sasuke," Naruto exclaimed as he shot up from his resting position, only for the action to send shooting pain through his head and back. Hissing, Naruto pushed back his discomfort as he continued to his feet, head turning as he hoped to find his wayward teammate. The heavy mist cloying the air kept him from seeing more than a few feet a field.
"Hey," Naruto called out after a few moments of fruitless searching, "anyone out there?"
"Ah, you are awake," came an elderly sounding voice from the mist, "I was wondering when you would wake up."
Naruto turned to where the voice came from, trying to see the person who had greeted him. A light cough drew his attention downward, where a crab-like creature waved a large, blue-gray claw in greeting.
"Oh sorry," Naruto said as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head, "I wasn't expecting a summon animal. Is there a village or something around here?"
The creature spoke up, "I do not know anything about being a 'summon animal'. I am Crabmon, humble Digimon resident of this valley."
"Naruto Uzumaki," the boy responded, before he tilted his head at the unfamiliar word. "Digimon? What the hell is a Digimon?"
"I thought as much," Crabmon said, more to himself than at Naruto, "I do not wish to alarm you, but you are a long way from where ever you call home. An entirely separate reality, to be precise."
Naruto couldn't hold the laugh that ripped through his lips at that assertion, drawing a somewhat disapproving look from Crabmon. "Oh, you may think I am trying to deceive you, perhaps as some form of joke, but I assure you, what I tell you is true."
"I don't have time for this," Naruto said, walking away from Crabmon, "Unless you can help me find my friend, or my way back to Konoha, I've got to keep moving."
Crabmon let out a small huff, but Naruto ignored the crab-like creature. Adopting a thinking posture, Naruto began to hash out a plan. "OK, Naruto," he though aloud, "how are you gonna find Sasuke or the village?" He pondered his predicament for a short time, while Crabmon watched with critical eyes.
"I got it," Naruto exclaimed, smashing a closed fist into his open palm, "I'll summon a toad. Even if I get Gamakichi or Gamatatsu, they should be able to get a message to Pervy Sage."
Without any further delay, Naruto brought his right hand to his mouth and bit his thumb, drawing a bit of blood, before setting his hands to preform the signs while he molded his chakra. Only as he moved through the sequence, he found his chakra wasn't responding as it normally did. It felt like something was pressing down on it while he tried to pull it up. Still he finished the hand signs and thrust his hand upon the ground with a cry of "Summoning Jutsu!"
The result was… nothing. No plume of smoke, no toad, not even a tadpole. Naruto stared at the spot where his summon had failed and then at his hand. He stood stunned for a moment, before he fell back on his old training habit: repetition.
He repeated the jutsu three more times before he pulled at his hair in frustration. 'What the hell is going on,' he thought as he began to pace, 'I've got enough chakra to do the jutsu and my control's good enough to get 'Kichi or 'Tatsu. But every time I try to draw out my chakra, it's like something stops me from getting more than a little.'
While Naruto continued to wrestle with his dilemma, Crabmon made his way to the pacing blond, evidently done with waiting. Catching the crab out of the corner of his eye, Naruto turned an accusatory finger to him and shouted, "Oy crab guy, what'd you do to my chakra?"
"I have done nothing to you," Crabmon said "but I do have an idea as to what has happened to you. If you are more amenable to listen to my explanations?"
Not seeing any other way to proceed, Naruto flopped down in front of Crabmon. "OK crab guy, lay it on me."
"This is the Digital World," Crabmon began with a sweeping gesture of his claws, "a world built on the communication networks and computers of the human world. I will not bore you on the details on its origin, but in simplest terms, everything here is made of data. And….," Crabmon trailed of seeing the utterly perplexed look marring Naruto's face, "You have no idea what I am talking about, do you?"
Naruto shook his head, "You lost me at 'communication networks'."
Crabmon rested his larger claw against his head spike and a sigh of frustration left his mouth. "Alright, let us start at the beginning. A communication network is..."
Crabmon's monologue was interrupted by a trilling cry as a DigiGnome flew towards the pair. Naruto's eyes snapped towards it as if drew closer, a kunai drawn in reflex, before he relaxed when Crabmon made no sign of distress.
"Is this one of you Digimon," Naruto inquired as the DigiGnome floated above him.
"No," Crabmon said, a light smile on his face, "this is a DigiGnome. One of the first forms of digital life, far older than Digimon. And with far greater, if more mysterious, powers. They may be the ones responsible for how you came to be here."
The DigiGnome slowly floated down until it stopped right in front of Naruto's face, where it began to glow with a soft, golden light. Naruto was about to ask Crabmon what the DigiGnome was doing when the sensation of fingers pushing into his brain froze his actions. Images flashed before his eyes, unfamiliar technology, buildings that towered above the streets, metal carts zipping around under there own power.
The DigiGnome's glow faded and Naruto flinched back, his head feeling like he had a kunai jammed into it. "Are you alright," Crabmon asked, his voice adding to the pain in his head.
"Yeah, I'm good," Naruto groaned as he righted his posture. He rubbed his temples, trying to sort out what had happened. Those images continued to flash in his mind's eye, slower now and Naruto's eyes winded as he understood what they were.
"I know about computers," he said, "and cars, and skyscrapers and phones and everything! I mean, we had something like them back home but…." He leaped up and tried to grab the DigiGnome, who quickly floated away from the excitable ninja.
Aghast, Crabmon shouted at Naruto, "What do you think you are doing! The DigiGnomes are our honorable predecessors, not something to be grabbed at!"
"Well if they might be able to send me home," Naruto shouted back, now using what chakra he could draw out to leap after the retreating DigiGnome, "then I'm gonna try and grab 'em, ya know!"
"Crab Meat Bomber!"
Naruto had to leap back from the explosion of earth as Crabmon brought his larger claw down. He hadn't seen the small Digimon move to interrupt his chase and was glad Crabmon aimed for the ground instead of him.
Crabmon kept a steely eye on Naruto as he began to speak, "If the DigiGnomes could send you home, they would have done so. You appeared here in a flash of light the same gold as just now. Whatever caused you to fall into the abyss between worlds was not something the honorable precursors could reverse."
"So there really is no way home, huh," Naruto said despondently. Images of the friends he'd never see again flashed in his mind. He'd never eat at Ichiraku's, goof of with the guys, annoy Baa-chan and Ero-Sennin, keep his promise to Sakura-Chan….
"Sasuke," Naruto exclaimed, "He was fighting me when our attacks collided and everything when white. He could be around here somewhere, right?"
"Perhaps," Crabmon mused. "I cannot pretend to understand how you came to be here, but if this Sasuke was with you when you were pulled from your world, he could have come here, or to the human world."
Naruto nodded solemnly, his face set with a determined gleam in his eye. "Then I'll just have to go and find him."
A cooing noise drew the attention of the pair. The DigiGnome had returned, a kunai held between its small arms.
Naruto looked a bit sheepish as he scratched his cheek. "I, uh, must of dropped that. Thanks, and sorry about the chasing thing."
Naruto extended his hand to accept the kunai, only for the DigiGnome to pull back. A soft golden glow enveloped the kunai, reaching from the finger-ring the DigiGnome held to the sharpened tip. The glowing kunai began to change shape, the upper half of the blade stretched out into a somewhat rectangular shape while the bottom half took on a square-ish shape. The handle became a strap while the ring became a belt clip.
The transformation complete, the DigiGnome presented Naruto the device. He took it, looking at Crabmon for some explanation. "It is a Digivice," supplied the Digimon, "I am not certain of all of its functions, but I do know that a human with one can ally with a Digimon partner, which makes them stronger."
Naruto examined the digivice. It was gray in color with a vibrant yellow ring, the same color as his chakra, surrounding the screen. He pressed one of the matching yellow buttons below the screen, flinching back a tad as a holographic display turned on, an arrow spinning around the outer edge aimlessly.
"A partner, huh," Naruto said, casting a glace at Crabmon.
"Oh no," Crabmon said, shaking his head, "I am not one for an adventure. Besides, if I was to be your partner, I am sure your digivice would have reacted in some fashion."
Naruto nodded, pocketing his digivice. "Guess I'll just have to keep my eyes open for a partner then." He took a moment to look around before he turned to face Crabmon. "So how do I get out of this valley?"
Before Crabmon could answer, a crackling noise filled the air. The two turned towards the sound, finding a golden rift, the DigiGnome floating above it. The pair approached it and Naruto raised a wary finger towards the tear, poking the glowing rift. His finger passed through it, sending ripples across its surface.
"Guess this my exit," Naruto said as he withdrew his hand. He turned to Crabmon and smiled, "I'll try to stop by before I head back home. Thanks, Crabmon."
With that, Naruto took a breath and stepped through the rift. The rift flashed and collapsed, and with it, Crabmon faded away and Ebonwumon once more stepped from the mists. He stared at the empty space Naruto had passed through, before one head turned to the DigiGnome.
"I do hope you sent him somewhere relatively safe," he stated, before look up at the sky, "I wish you well, Naruto Uzumaki. I wonder what path will unfold before your feet."
So yeah, Naruto can't really make use of his chakra in this reality. I've only really looked at a few stories, and only two or so has a non-powered Naruto, and one of those is a 'Naruto is born in that world' type of story. I feel that an end-of-part-one Naruto could readily handle most Rookie and some Champion level Digimon between clone spam and Rasengan. And that's without factoring in Kurama's chakra. I may be overestimating Naruto or underestimating the Digimon, but a near baseline human Naruto will have to work closely with his partner(we'll meet him next chapter, don't worry) and the other Tamers, and I have some interesting ideas. So until then. Ta Ta.