NA: This is part of my Assassin's Creed Project alongside The Fox and his Black Flag, so I hope you guys enjoy this as well.

Chapter 1: May the Father of Understanding guide us

When I was but a child, a mere twelve year old boy who was nothing but a speck of dust in this large world, I once thought to myself that the Elemental Nations was the entire world, that Konoha was the embodiment of power. I was naïve, and innocent to the world around us, ignorant to the true conflict that had waged for centuries in this earth. I once thought that a man whom I idolized was a great a man, till I found out what he had did to me the day I was conceived, till I found out that this village I once lived in was not so kind to me as I thought. I was twelve, innocent, ignorant, naïve, and nearly dead were it not for him, my savior, my teacher… the only man I would call father, the man who raised me, fed me, taught me the ways of how to fight and defend myself, clothed me, and most of all… loved me like a father would.

My name is Mael Strom Cormac, formerly Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha, former citizen of Fire Country of the Elemental Nations, the son of the man who cursed my childhood to a life of suffering, the pariah of Konoha, the demon, the monster… trash.

And this is my story.

XXXXXXXX

A blonde boy no older than twelve, maybe thirteen lay on a watery floor with a whole on his chest, "This is it for me isn't it, Suki?"

"Yeah…" a raven haired girl choked, "I'm sorry, I had no choice."

"No… don't be." He said as he coughed out some blood from his mouth, "I've been waiting for this, for a long time now… I'm tired, I'm sick of being mistreated, being overlooked. I'm sick of being alone, I'm sick of seeing children with their parents, seeing them praise them, hug them, kiss them. I was nothing but a pariah, I was just too naïve to see that."

"Then why didn't you say anything!?"

The blonde chuckled painfully as he coughed out some more blood, "What good would have that done for me, Suki? You know as well as I do, I'm nothing but the dead last, the dobe. My education was sabotaged from the beginning so I wouldn't pass the exam. Then I found out, the very man who ruined my childhood, the very man who sealed the fox in me, was my own father…" tears fell down his face, "can you believe that man, the Fourth Hokage, my own father… cursed me."

Suki could not believe what she was hearing, this wasn't the boy she knew from his childhood, this wasn't the overly cheerful boy she knew, this was a boy who was alone, unwanted, scorned… this wasn't the Naruto Uzumaki she knew, and now she had just found out that his very own father was Konoha's beloved hero, the Fourth Hokage.

"Dying isn't so bad…" his voice became hoarse, "maybe… I can finally see my mom, and perhaps… meet your mom; I would have loved to meet her."

"Yeah…" Suki laughed, albeit a bit sadly, "she was great… she was the best mom I ever had. I wish you met her before she died."

"Can you do one last thing for me, Suki?"

"Anything man… anything."

"Put me in the river, let me float into the ocean leading to Whirlpool, to the home of the once proud Uzumaki Clan, take me home."

Suki didn't have time to react about this new information, she just did what hse was asked of and carried him to the river, gently placing down onto the water.

"Thank you, Suki. You really are my only friend."

"Best friends." Suki said with tears freely flowing down her cheeks, "We were the best of friends. I loved you, you were the only who really cared about me, even after everything that happened I still love you!"

"I'm glad…" he slowly smiled at him as the water carried him away, "I'm glad that you feel that way." He slowly lifted up his hand to which she gladly took and placed it on her cheek, "I love you so much Suki-chan, I loved you since the day I met you all those years ago."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She repeated those words as she now cried on his bloody chest, not even caring that blood was on her face.

"It's okay…" his voice became even more hoarse but still had the strength to stroke her beautiful black hair, "we'll see each other again, in this life or the next. I have to go now."

"No, please don't!" she pleaded, "I'll take you with me! I'll have Orochimaru heal you! I don't want you to go!"

"You know that's not possible, you have your own path to follow Suki-chan. I'm not mad at you, I understand why you chose this path. You need to let me go, they'll be here soon."

"I love you, Naruto Uzumaki."

"I love you too, Sukihana Uchiha." With that, she let him go, letting the water take him away down the river into the open sea.

Suki just turned and ran away, as fast as possible. She could not go back to Konoha, not for what she did, but also because she had no future in that wretched village, she had lost her family, hse felt like she was held back, but most of all… she was now truly alone knowing her friend and only love was dead by her own hands. She silently wept as she ran to the snake that would make him stronger, vowing that once she got stronger, he would kill the man responsible for the death of her family, and make Konoha pay for making her do this to her love. Eyes filled with rage as her red eyes changed form to that of a red and black six pointed star.

XXXXXXXX

A 40-gunned ship sailed into unknown lands the same day, uncharted lands located south of the Atlantic, its flag bore a white flag with a red cross. At the back it read the ship's name, the Morrigan. A young looking man was at the helm, issuing orders to his crew as the ship sailed deeper into the unknown territories.

"I see something from the distance!" a lookout from the crow's nest of the ship shouted as he pointed to the port side of the ship.

"Jaysus, it's a boy!" the captain at the helm gasped as he used his spyglass, "Reel him in lads, he could still be alive!"

With a minute or two the ship's crew grabbed hold of the child, many of them gasped as they saw the gaping hole in his chest. "By God, he's alive, even with that wound!" the ship's first mate said as he grabbed a stretcher, "Quickly, get him to the doctor, we can still save him if we don't tarry!"

XXXXXXXX

"How is he doctor?" a man with a strange English accent asked a man wearing white robes with a few stains of blood on his apron.

The blonde boy began to hear voices as his vision was extremely blurred and his hearing muffled.

"He'll live, but I advise that he not move around too much for the next few days, we were lucky to have found when we did."

The blonde tried to move but was then clamped down by the younger man, "Easy lad, can't have you reopen that gaping hole in your chest, just rest."

Seeing as he had no other choice, he did as he was told and immediately closed his eyes, letting unconsciousness take him once more.

XXXXXXXX

Few days later

The blonde once again woke up the sound of water and the motion as if he was in a ship, he slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to see a brown haired man with his short hair tied into a small ponytail, he wore a black and red outfit with the symbol of a red cross strapped to the harness on his chest like a buckle. "Easy there lad, you gave us quite the scare when we found ya."

"W-Where…" the blonde boy's voice was hoarse as he tried to speak, "am I?"

"You're in my ship, the Morrigan." The brunette answered, "We found floating near a bunch of land, we were planning to explore the place but we had to take priority in your wellbeing, maybe you can tell us where you're from later, for now I've brought some food."

"Who are you…?"

"Name's Shay, Shay Patrick Cormac… and you?"

"Naruto… U-Uzumaki."

"Well it's nice to meet you…" the man smiled, "Not common to see such a fair skinned boy with a Japanese name, I believe it means maelstrom, am I right?"

Naruto simply nodded as Shay slowly helped him to sit upright with the tray of food placed beside him.

"Well, you can tell me your story later if you want, for now let's get your strength back."

XXXXXXXX

Naruto surprisingly recovered fast, the doctor was dumbfounded to see his wounds seal up so quickly, Naruto was a bit hesitant at first as to why he could heal so quickly but Shay reassured him that he is among friends… and so with a bit of reluctance he told them his story, of his not so happy childhood, how he lived as a street urchin for the first few years after getting kicked out of the orphanage when he was five, how he scrounged for food and shelter in garbage bins. How his education was sabotaged.

It was a bit troubling that people would train children at such a young age, far too young for their standards. It saddened them that a demon was sealed within him to save their village only to be scorned, Shay especially, he completely understood what it was like to be scorned, after all the people he once called friends tried to kill him.

"So what do we do captain?" Shay's first mate Christopher Gist asked.

"I'll take him in." Shay said, surprising the former, "I believe that it was no coincident that we found him, the Father of Understanding led him to us, Mister Gist."

The man nodded and smiled a bit, "Are you sure you are up to the task?"

"I believe parenthood is what the boy needs; he's been an orphan for far too long." They then approached the boy once more, "Naruto, we have an offer that you most certainly won't refuse. You've been an orphan for far too long, and when I look at the fire in your eyes, I see myself. How would like to be my son?"

And thus, Mael Strom Cormac was born…

XXXXXXXX

Seven years later

Year 1765

A blonde teenager with whisker-like birth marks on each cheek sparred with an older man, duel-wielding unique looking swords, both blades had a single edge but had barrels attached to the swords, these were pistol swords, prototype weapons constructed for special use.

The boy had grown over the past seven years, now at the age of nineteen soon turning twenty, he had been cared for by his adopted father, Shay. Deciding to take on a new name for his new life, he had decided on using the English version of his name. Splitting the word into two it was now Mael which meant 'prince' in Celtic, and Strom, which means 'current' in Norse. It was fitting for him, as he was technically a prince of the Uzumaki clan, were it not for the fact that he was the last of the Uzumakis.

"Right foot forward lad!" Shay ordered as they practiced on the deck of the Morrigan

"Yes, father!" Naruto now named Mael lunged forward with the new swords he got, he wore the same outfit his father was wearing, a black and red coat with the red cross buckle on his chest harness, his hair now longer and tied to a short ponytail. The seven years since he had been adopted were the best years of his life, he was accepted immediately by the people around him, he finally had a proper home, but most of all… he had a family.

Metal clashed as the father and son sparred when they heard a voice coming from behind them. "You're son is good, Master Cormac."

The father and son immediately stopped what they were doing, they were greeted by an older man in a blue coat. "Grandmaster Kenway, you honor us with your presence." Shay said as they bowed.

"Please, you are among friends here. I am simply here to tell you that it is time for your son to join us."

XXXXXXXX

1 month later

Mael stood at the helm of his own ship the Crimson Fox, wearing his black and red outfit with a hood covering his head, pistol swords sheathed to both sides and a rifle on his back. The symbol of the red cross evident on his chest as he slowly approached the gates. On his right hand was a ring that bore the same symbol on his chest, his ship sailed to stranger lands, stranger than that of the Elemental Nations where his father was now building a permanent base on Whirlpool Country.

Seven years, I have waited for this day. Seven years I have trained. Now is the time to fulfill the mission my Order has given me.

Uphold the principles of our order and all that for which we stand.

Never share our secrets nor divulge the true nature of our work.

Do so until death – whatever the cost.

This is my creed – my new nindo.

I am Mael Strom Cormac, Templar of the Elemental Rite. With the skills bestowed upon me by my father and my family that is the Templar Order, a revolution will soon begin in this very land that I was born in. I am much wiser than I once was seven years ago, I am no longer that naïve and ignorant boy. Though I may still hold hatred towards the man that had damned my childhood to a life of suffering, I will accomplish more than that he has done in his lifetime.

Mother, I will honor your memory and change this violent land and bring peace and order. I hope that one day, I will make you proud.

Suki, my love, my life, I will find you, and then we can finally be together.

May the Father of Understanding guide us.

NA: So there you have it, a Templar version of Naruto! Hope you guys like this because I know I do… writing the first part of this actually made me cry, I mean that was just pure emotional right there.

Update: I cried once more editing this chapter, I mean a girl killing her love isn't exactly easy to write when tears flow down your face.

So can you all guess where Naruto is sailing?

I hope you guys enjoyed it and don't forget to leave reviews.