Konoha was a village of many secrets. Some good, some bad. The worst secret however wasn't a story, or an item, or an event. The worst kept of all of Kohona's secret's was a person. The son of the fourth Hokage and human demon container, Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto stood alone, a dozen of Kohona's supposed peace loving citizens throwing rocks at him as he tried to practice his skills in the ninja arts. They sneered at him, yelled insults, hurled rocks and other debris. Naruto calmly stared back, dodging the occasional projectile that could have hit him.
"Come on, you mean to tell me none of you people can hit me?" Naruto called back, gesturing for them to continue to attack. "You imperfect cretins really think you could hurt me?"
Like the suckers they were they did, abandoning the thrown materials in favor of attacking with fists and held weapons. Naruto grinned, loving how often this trick worked.
They swarmed him, each landing blows that Broke skin and should have caused bruises, but otherwise did very little. Even Stomping on the boy did little more than scape his skin enough to bleed.
What they should have taken note of was what came from the young boy's skin. An oil-like black liquid streamed across Naruto's skin but never touched the ground.
In an instant the tide turned, Naruto shoved his assailants aside and stood up, vigorously shaking his body and launching droplets and streams of his black blood over the ground. The people stared at the oddity, disbelieving that the boy was seemingly shrugging off their vicious attack. As Naruto began to giggle to himself, they began to feel and unease in the air, an aura of fear. "My blood is black you know..."Naruto stated, and giggle to himself. After a few seconds of bleeding Naruto finally spoke again, "Ragnarok, Bloody Needles."
Instantly the stains, puddles, and pools of Naruto Uzumaki's black blood erupted into dozens of needles each piercing the aspiring ninja's assailants. The attackers turned victims had only a moment before Naruto spoke again, and ended their lives in a massacre filled with pain.
"Feed, Ragnarok."
The last thing Naruto's attackers could see was the mouth filled with fangs erupting from the eleven year old's back.
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Not an hour went by before Naruto was requested to see the village leader, and as always the conversation started as it always did. "Naruto, are you okay?"
"Yes Hokage-Sama." Naruto replied in a monotone.
"We found a lot of blood at your training ground, an impossible amount."
"I am fine, Hokage-Sama", The monotone somehow sounded bored now.
"You know you can talk to be about anything right?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Naruto spent nearly a half hour with the village leader offering him meaningless support. Naruto had heard it all before and would continue to do so. The old man just didn't understand that he wasn't needed.
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The academy class was as useless as ever. A few dozen children playing at being killers. Fools.
Naruto sat in the back of the class, reading, doodling, and generally wasting time. He did as much as he could to avoid attention. It worked. Out of the forty-ish children who were learning how to be ninja, Naruto was dead center. He put only the basic effort into learning and perfecting the academy skills, and generally stopped when he figured he was at a passing level.
Ever since he was forced to live in his own apartment Naruto had spent all of his free time performing three tasks: First, gathering wealth, second was training his body for combat, and third and deadliest of all, Training with Ragnarok the black blood inside him.
Naruto had no idea where Ragnarok came from, or just what the hell it was supposed to be. All he knew was the blood-born creature had been with him all of his life. The monster took various forms when it emerged, sometimes as a lumpy humanoid with white stripes and spikes, others it took on a serpentine dragon form, its usual form was a little fox with tiny eyes, and smaller paws.
Naruto an Ragnarok were inseparable. Literally and metaphorically. The creature was always there to talk to Naruto, to help him, or even defend and fight alongside him. The little monster was unending useful, using its body to aid its host in whatever ways it could.
"Naruto pay attention!" The instructor, Umino Iruka, called out.
Naruto snapped to attention, apparently he had been spacing out and lost in thought. "Yes, Iruka-Sensei?"
"The class is going outside for the weekly taijutsu practice, hurry up."
The practice arena was a fifteen foot in diameter dirt arena bordered by a stone ring. The dirt was constantly softened by both fuinjutsu and earth style techniques to prevent any students from coming to permanent harm. A set of benches were set up nearby to allow students and faculty to watch the matches with a minor comfort.
Naruto watched his classmates spar with barely any interest, not caring about them in the slightest. Not one of them fought on his level after all. Because the students were chosen at random, and took minutes at a time, it was nearly an hour later before Naruto was called up.
"Naruto and Choji, please step forward." Iruka called out.
Naruto casually walked into the arena, as Choji cheered that it was his turn. Naruto barely acknowledged the rules, as Iruka spoke. Naruto planned on ending the match quick, Ragnarok was still feeling bloated from over eating the previous night.
"Begin!"
Choji charged at Naruto with a fist extending for a shot at the face. Naruto grab the arm as it reached, and flowed with it, slamming a fist into the pudgy boy's body. Choji gasped for air and dropped to his knees, obviously feeling the urge to puke. Naruto finished him quick with a spinning backhand to the neck, knocking him out.
The black blood host walked back to his seat, and continued to read for the remainder of the lesson.
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The remainder of the day was spent preparing for the end of the year exams. Tomorrow the next crop of ninja would be picked out of the students who passed the written and practical exam. Naruto grimaced, the bias most people had for him in Kohona would almost assuredly prevent him from being chosen as a ninja.
The black blood wielder began his after school job almost immediately. Hiding in an ally near the academy Naruto bit into his wrists, allowing the black blood to flow out for a moment before the would mended immediately. "Lets rock, Ragnarok." Naruto commanded the black blood affectionately.
The blood reformed in Naruto's hands, steadily shaping into the form of a guitar. The instrument was black with silver wave like markings and pearl white strings.
The tool formed Naruto took to the roofs, mimicking the village's ninja and hoping from roof to roof as a form of transport. After traveling a random number of blocks Naruto landed in another ally, walking out of it already playing. The melody flowed over the passers by, getting their attention. That was when Naruto struck, channeling his chakra over the guitar and transmitting an illusion with the sound waves.
"Ragnarok, Scream Hypnosis."
The technique was simple by sinister. As long as Naruto played anyone who noticed him would stop to watch, and would be utterly enraptured by the music, completely incapable of breaking away or paying attention to anything else. The illusion overloaded the pleasure centers of the brain, but at the same time shut off sections of higher thinking. The best part was that if anyone detected him and saw what was happening, they too would be caught in the illusion field. Even looking at Naruto would be enough to catch them.
Once the blood bearing musician had drawn in a decent crowd of civilians, about twenty or so, he changed the rhythm of the music from soft guitar strumming to a medium speed rock. The increase in tempo allowed for a stronger, and more detailed illusion. The people began walking forward dropping any money and valuables into a box made of black blood.
Naruto's song lasted for a little over five minutes but it was plenty of time to make enough to pay for two months of food and rent. Not bad for a super powered street rat.
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Naruto's journey to his humble one room home was uneventful, with only a minor stop to by several bags of milk chocolate truffles..
The moment Naruto closed his front door the black blood emerged from his back reforming into its lumpy humanoid form. "We got a load of cash today, gupi!" The black blood exclaimed greedily.
"The guitar technique is sounding better." Naruto commented.
"You still need to play better!" The black blood replied, "I wouldn't have to fake the music if you could actually play. Gupi!"
"I don't have enough time to perfect the technique for something like that."
The black blood gremlin leaned over Naruto's shoulders and looked him in the eyes, "I want my candy!"
Naruto sighed and pulled a bag of wrapped chocolate truffles from his freezer. The icy candies were the best way to keep Ragnarok from being a pest. Frozen bag in hand the little gremlin formed a mouth and started eating. Naruto tossed the several fresh bags for later bribery.
The remainder of the night was spent with Naruto and Ragnarok reading or goofing around. While Naruto preferred instructional books or long worked fiction novels, Ragnarok was a fan of only two types of literature perverted manga or a set of orange covered books that he refused to let Naruto touch. The one time Naruto mistakenly started to read the first book Ragnarok found himself being propelled from Naruto's body via near-deadly nosebleed.
"Hey Ragnarok?" Naruto was laying on his stomach in bed, staring blankly at the book on elemental chakra in his hands.
Ragnarok paused, taking a moment to mark his spot in his perverted comics. "What is it Blondie?"
"Think we can pass the test tomorrow?"
"I think if we don't pass tomorrow I'm gonna force you to cut some jackasses' wedding tackle off. Gupi."
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes, Naruto. You're gonna pass tomorrow. Now get me some more candy!"
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The next day at the academy was the genin exam day. The students would be quizzed on what they had learned in class, then given a basic technique exam. As long as they could get a passing grade on all parts, they would be eleigable to be assigned a Jounin-Sensei.
The written exam was easy. Basic history with a few assorted questions on tactics. In Naruto's opinion a civilian could pass the written exam with some basic knowledge and some gods be damned common sense.
The technique portion of the exam tested students on three techniques. The clone, substitution, and transformation techniques. Extra credit was given for original techniques with practical application for a ninja. Once again, Naruto thought the whole exam was a waste. Those techniques required very little chakra and only rudimentary control over a person's chakra.
Naruto passed the written exam was passed with flying colors if not an outright perfect score. While the test was going on, droplets of Naruto's blood were rolling around the room forming into miniscule copies of Ragnarok's eyes when they could observe a student's answers. Ragnarok was feeding Naruto any discovered answers as needed.
The technique exam was impossible to fail, with both Ragnarok and himself controlling the sea of chakra Naruto possessed, the basic three were impossible to fail. The Transformation was a perfect copy of Iruka-sensei, down to a stain of chalk on the teacher's pants. The Substitution was flawless, Naruto choosing to substitute with a chalkboard eraser behind the examiners.
Naruto noticed someone trying to place an illusion over him as he cast the clone technique, but Ragnarok blasted it away and summoned an additional twenty seven clones to the required three. There were thirty copies of Naruto, each wore the same blank expression in contrast to the examiners stunned looks.
"Naruto-Uzumaki, Pass." Iruka stated, handing Naruto a forehead protector, marked with Kohona's symbol.
Naruto tied the forehead protector onto his neck instead of the forehead, "Thank you, Iruka-sensei."
Unnoticed by either of them, the teaching assistant Mizuki looked annoyed. His attempt to sabotage the test was met with failure.
After the test, Naruto was free to leave the academy grounds and did so with haste. He never felt comfortable watching kids interact with each other or their families. Nobody cared about him anyways, it was pointless to gain their attention. Inside his body he felt Ragnarok start to stir with annoyance. Naruto's black blood hated when its host was feeling sad or morose.
Naruto continued his walk, heading for the village markets, perhaps he would find something good for dinner...
"Naruto, wait!"
Naruto paused and turned to see the assistant teacher Mizuki running to catch up to him. "Mizuki-sensei?"
"You almost got away! I needed to tell you about the genin selection exam!" Mizuki explained.
"Yes, what about it?"
"This is your assignment for tonight." Mizuki stated, handing Naruto a mission scroll before running back to the academy.
Naruto returned home, reading the scroll as he walked, Ragnarok taking a glance as well once they were safe at home. The orders were simple, steal a very large scroll from the Hokage office. The scroll would be labeled as the forbidden scroll of seals and be guarded lightly. Naruto's secondary objective was to take the scroll to a labeled meeting point and wait till an instructor arrived.
Naruto almost bought the ruse, until he got to the mission authorization signatures. The scroll lacked the Hokage's signature and wax seal. The scroll would never be given out without those markers unless it was a forgery.
Naruto pondered what he should do.
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Mizuki arrived at the meeting point, a small cabin just outside Konoha's protective walls. Sitting in front calmly reading a giant scroll was Naruto Uzumaki.
"Naruto! Glad you made it. Hand over the scroll and I can return it for the next tester." Mizuki commanded.
Naruto calmly rolled up the scroll, placing it softly against the wall of the cabin. "Sorry to disappoint you Mizuki. This scroll is not for you, Ragnarok would be upset if I gave it to you."
"What? Who is Ragnarok?"Mizuki questioned.
Naruto bit into both of his wrists, drawing streams of blood. "Wake up, Ragnarok."
The black blood poured from Naruto's arms reforming into a longsword. The blade was obsidian black, with white stripes decorating the edges, the cross guard being nothing more than a spiky bangle held in place by thick leather stripes. The sword was easily four feet long and screamed dangerous on its own, never mind the fact that Naruto had just conjured it from his blood.
On Naruto's back Ragnarok's lumpy humanoid form emerged, and glared at Mizuki in an unsettling manner. "I'm Ragnarok, an you gonna die you silver haired piece of snake shit!"
Mizuki-stumbled back into a tree, gripping two kunai in his hands. "I knew you were a monster! You won't beat me with your tricks Kyuubi!"
Naruto looked at Mizuki confused, "You really think I am a nine tailed demon fox of myth? You're a fool. I'm not a Biju or a weak little demon. I'm a Kishin, and I am going to eat your soul."
Mizuki unsealed a giant shuriken and launched it at Naruto. "Die you bastard fox!"
Naruto held Ragnarok's blade in a ready stance as the humanoid returned to his body. "Ragnarok, Scream Resonance."
Instantly the sword grew a mouth just above the guard, and screamed. Ragnarok's scream disrupted the air, the ambiance of the forest, and even Mizuki's chakra control. As Ragnarok screamed, Naruto swung the blade, slicing the shuriken down the middle and knocking it aside.
Mizuki had a moment of shock before Naruto launched another attack, "Ragnarok, Bloody slicer." The black blood host swung his blade in a heavy arc. The tip of the sword ripping away from the rest at the apex of the arc and flew across the gap at Mizuki, reforming into a curving blade.
The chunin traitor tried to block the blade with a kunai only for the incoming blade to melt into the black blood and splatter against his vest. "Is that all you have fox?" Mizuki taunted.
Naruto did even bother with a rebuttal."Ragnarok, Bloody Needles."
The blood splattered on Mizuki's clothes shined with a unsettling violet light, then exploded into hundreds if not thousands of spikes. Each spike tore into the traitor, ending him instantly. Naruto stared at the corpse with utter loathing, "Fool. Do you really believe that I would leave this village standing if I was the strongest of the beasts?" Mizuki's corpse had no response.
Naruto turned to the cabin, kneeling, "Mission Complete, Hokage-sama."
The third hokage emerged from the cabin with a dozen ANBU guards. "Indeed Naruto-kun. Congratulations on your first B-rank."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I am glad to serve." Naruto grabbed Ragnarok's 'secret' scroll and left the clearing.
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Konoha's nightlife was rather wild. The red light district was filled with pleasure seekers and perverts alike. It was Naruto's favorite place to relax, He would play music for the local bars and Ragnarok would ogle the women to it's demented hearts content.
Resting on Naruto's back was Ragnarok's guitar form. Naruto had a gig, and he would be damned if dealing with a traitorous chunin made him late for one of his favorite jobs. Also, singing to a crowd with illusion infused sound waves was somewhat therapeutic. Also, he took some pride in the fact that whenever he did a show the bar would be packed.
The Toad's Den was Konoha's premiere house of sin, having been opened by a psudo-retired ninja twenty-five years previously. The halls of the den offered prostitutes, gambling, almost every type of alcohol mankind had ever produced, and a dozen other ways to make sure a patron had a place reserved in hell. The advertising slogan for the place was a bit over the top: 'The Toad's Den, Where the seven sins go to play.' Naruto had to admit whomever opened the place had to be loaded beyond belief. Naruto only gave a damn about the place because they offered him cash to play there and free food whenever he stopped by.
As usual the entrance floor was crowed, with about two dozen civilian patrons wanting their evening drinks. Ninja patrons had to go to the basement bar to drink, mostly because of the incredibly high risk that there would be damage done to the bar if they were sauced.
Naruto bypassed both set of bars instead heading up to the second floor, the restaurant and stage section. Using the black blood as a medium Naruto summoned four clones, each with their face covered with a cloth face mask. The group went backstage and gathered a few instruments: a set of drums, two more guitars, and an electronic piano.
It took only a few minutes for the group to set up, and yet a crowd had already started to gather in obvious excitement. The team performed their stage check, and set up in perfect unison. A gift of all the musicians being the same person. As soon as they were finished Naruto signaled a stage hand who quickly proclaimed to the crowd, "Ladies and Gentlemen! I present for your listening pleasure, the local band: Ragnarok!"
Naruto felt the black blood gremlin smile as he started strumming the guitar, letting the rhythm start its soothing magic.
"It's been such a long time since I met you back in Suna..."
The soundwaves drew in everyone's attention, and that was when Naruto struck with his favorite genjutsu. 'Scream Hyponosis!' instantly the guitar's melody was laced with both the usual chakra infused illusion of pleasure and Naruto's own emotions. "And I'm pretty sure that you know...That not much has changed since then..."
The croud was entranced by Naruto's song and as was before, utterly enthralled. Unlike before they weren't brain dead, only overloaded with rhythm based emotion, "It doesn't matter how hard you try to remove me...I think you will agree...That if one of us dies, then the other will too, I am locked in war with you."
The song continued on for five more minutes, the entire crowd was enslaved by the rhythm and locked in an illusion of musical bliss. When the song finally ended Naruto was sweating a bit from the sheer amount of chakra he had to burn up just to use his illusion. After gulping down nearly a dozen bottles of water and calming himself for the next song the blond musician began to play again.
"I'm coming out of my cage and I've been doing just fine. Gotta gotta be down, Because I want it all. It started out with a kiss. How did it end up like this? It was only a kiss. It was only a kiss!"
The rhythm was fast, loud, and in Naruto's opinion, beautiful. The clone's guitars were being played in individual rhythms, the drummer clone was hammering on his instrument, and Naruto was once again flooding the crowd with emotions from the Scream Hypnosis technique. The song was flooded with Naruto's memories of being betrayed and deceived by the people of the village, fitting for a song about a cheating girlfriend.
Another five minutes of playing and the song was finished, the night repeated with various different songs being played, some with the illusion, others were left out. The bar closed and Naruto was paid handsomely for his services. Naruto dispelled his clones after putting away the borrowed instruments and returned to his apartment. The money was deposited in its usual spot, and Naruto was off again. This time the black blood user returned to the place where the traitorous teacher Mizuki was slain.
The clearing looked the same as before, minus Mizuki's body. One detail that Naruto could see, yet no-one else was the floating red globe with hexagonal markings on it. Mizuki's tainted soul. Naruto grasped the soul in his hand, whispering to it, "I told you I would eat your soul."