Summary: Living with one of the strongest being in the world as his companion is not an easy task. Especially when a part of this being has merged with you. Oh, poor Naruto... A Berserk and Naruto crossover.
Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor Berserk. They belong to their authors, and It's fine as it is. The few OC that I create to help the plot however belong to me.
Warning: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Child abuse, Slang, Cussing, Maiming, Possible prostitution and rape in later chapters. Maybe others if I feel inspired. Don't say you haven't been warned... The world Naruto evolves in is nothing pretty, as I try to paint the Berserk world's atmosphere.
Chapter 1: As Fate would have it...
The heat in the air was suffocating but Kajiya Kenji continued to hammer at the piece of heated steel. Kenji was a muscle-bound, tall guy. His blond mustache rose slightly in the air and moved every time his hammer hit the sword below. His balding hair was concealed by a black bandana with the kanji for Blacksmith embroidered in the front with some red fabric.
He had not decided to be blacksmith; his father had. As far as he knew, men in the family had always been doing this job, while the girls served the nobility. He had taken a liking to the job and finally became one of the – if not the- most skilled smith of Midland.
As such, he received commands from the minor lords, a few knights and even some kings. He owned a shop in Sarcania, the biggest town of the region. He was currently working on a sword brought to him by the man currently standing in his doorway.
At first, he had refused to work for him, even if he had threatened to kill him. However, when he showed him his sword, Kenji's behaviour changed radically. The sword was not elegantly designed, but it exuded some sort of 'aura' that made it terribly attractive.
Huge dents marred the blade's edge; a sign that he should better throw it away for it might break at the slightest impact with a sturdier sword. For a reason he couldn't fathom he couldn't resolutely refuse to try repairing it, so he accepted the man's offer.
« Hey! Is it ready yet? »
Wiping some sweat from his brow, he turned to look at the man who had brought the item. The man
was tall too, although slightly less than Kenji, and was well-built. His black hair was long and slicked back. His features were young for a man in his forties. He walked towards the anvil, looking at the man working on his sword.
« No, not yet, it will be done soon thought, »
« Well, you better hurry the fuck up. I didn't give you all this gold for you to slack off! »
Kenji was about to retort when he heard a yelp. It was the cry of a young boy who could be no older than eight. Kenji knew him, he had seen him casting curious glances inside his workplace. He seemed strangely afraid of the black-haired man.
« Look at what I've found here... What is a little rat like ya doing, spying on us, huh? »
The 'rat' glanced at him fearfully at first, then tried to escape from the man's grip, kicking at the outstretched arm hauling him in the air by the neck. The grip tightened making him gasp for air. He reached feebly toward the adult's fingers with his small hands but he was much too weak to take them off him.
The black-haired sneered and threw him against the workshop's brick wall with great force then kicked the kid's stomach, drawing blood from the boy's mouth.
« Is that what you wanted to see? » He pointed at the anvil Kenji worked on, looking above his shoulder.
The blacksmith wanted to intervene, however it was useless; the black-haired man was much stronger than him.
« Then, you're gonna see it. Up close and personal..., »
He grabbed the boy by the hair and proceeded to drag him the twenty foot separating the entrance of the workshop from Kenji's workplace. The blond-haired kid struggled weakly.
Still holding the youngling by the hair, the boy's words of defiance were quickly replaced by supplications as he felt the heat drawing closer and closer to his face. His tear-filled eyes looked upon the black-haired man cruel ones.
He looked at the boy with a gentle and nostalgic expression on his face, just like a father would set his gaze upon his child.
« You know... Once... I lived a peaceful life with my family in a small village a good distance from here... I was holding my newborn daughter in my arms... It truly was a happy existence..., »
His features became sombre as he continued his story.
« Then, it happened. All of a sudden cries filled the air, people pleaded to be spared. The cries of the wounded and dying mingling with the growls of the hungry monsters. I came out to check what this commotion was about, then came back to check on my wife who stayed in our bed, »
« When I was back... They had already broken in the windows. They killed my wife! You hear me, you little piece of shit! They devoured her, the ate her flesh, tore chunks of muscle out! They were feasting on her! »
He had to close his eyes as the painful memory hit him.
« My daughter wailed, her chest rattled. Her eyes became red! Red I tell you, like the nightmarish color of these monsters! She grew claws and fangs and she tried to kill me! See this scar? »
His hand reached toward his shirt and he lifted it. Three long red scars adorned his abdomen.
« I had to – god forbid – kill her! I smashed her skull against the wall, and all of that, »
His features morphed into ones of pure hatred.
« Because of you filthy pieces of trash! Because of you my wife and daughter died, you hell-spawned monster! If you son of bitches were not on this earth, we would still be living a peaceful life! »
« Hey, that's quite enough! »
Kenji could not continue to watch what was happening without reacting. The boy was innocent for all he knew, the man's hatred made him sink into madness. He tried to reach toward the boy to put him out of harm's way, not to avail however, as the black-haired decked him in the jaw with his free hand, and kicked him in the gut with bone-breaking force. He hit the wall with a big thud.
« Stay out of this! » his gaze returned to the frightened boy.
« Now, I'm the one in power, you monster! And it's payback time! »
The only thing Kenji could do was watch in horror as the boy's face was being held against the insanely hot piece of metal.
The blonde kid's scream echoed in the huge workshop, each one of its octave twisting Kenji's insides. The pungent smell of charred flesh reached his nostrils making him throw all of his stomach's content on the marbled floor.
The man released his hold of the blond, who fell listlessly on his side. Blissful unconsciousness claimed him.
« Heh! Serves you right! »
Even as he said that, the man couldn't shake off the feeling that he had done something terrible. Seeing the blond's face made guilt boil on the surface. Oh, he knew that the flesh would be mended and grow again thanks to the thing inside him, but still...
Shaking his head and repressing this feeling, the man stormed through the shop, toward his house.
When he arrived, ten minutes later, the full weight of what he did truly hit him. Collapsing against the door, he slid down its lenght, finding himself in a foetal position. Raging, conflicting emotions rose to the surface. Anger, sorrow, fear, guilt, sadness. Hot tears streaked down his face. And he mumbled, while he hit his head repeatedly on the door.
« Why me... why do all these things happen to me... »
It was several hours later that the blond kid regained consciousness. A horrible pain tore through his being. His hand instinctively went to the left side of his face, but it was stopped by a mustached man. His facial hair wiggled as he shook his head, an indication that he shouldn't touch the source of the pain with his bare hand.
The lad didn't recognize him at first, the debilitating injury making him loose focus more than a few time. Now that he thought about it, he was only looking at him with one eye. Something was covering the ocular globe. Gently bringing his hand to his left eye, his fingers laid upon a soft fabric.
« W-wha- »
Kenji took a small flask from his belt, offering some water to the boy, which he greedily drank. The infant coughed and wheezed as the liquid entered his dry throat.
« You want to know what happened? »
Seeing the boy's nod confirmed his suspicion. The stress from what happened erased the memory of why it happened in the first place. Now he had two choices; either he told the boy the truth, either he lied to him.
The second solution was much more acceptable to him.
« You mean you don't remember? I was retrieving some coal from the back shop when I heard you shout. Seems like you tripped or something. Thankfully, the anvil was not that hot, but it was enough to make you loose consciousness. Your face was a little burnt so I bandaged it, »
The boy seemingly accepted the explanation making the blacksmith sigh in relief.
« Now rest, laddie, you need some time to recover. Tomorrow, you'll be able to go home. Ah, before I forget, what is your name, young one? »
« N-Naruto » the boy answered before falling in a deep slumber.
« You pathetic excuse for a monster, do you plan to hide in this boy outfit or will your true self reveal itself? » He felt a hand tug hardly on his cheeks.
It hurts...
« I thought I told you how to wield this sword correctly, don't you understand human language, you freak? » A vicious kick connected with his ribs, breaking them.
It hurts.
« To think that my late wife's wish was for me to raise you like our son... You don't deserve any love , you and your kind should all die! » A foot shoved him in the dirt.
It hurts!
« Why were you ever born? »
Naruto's eye snapped open as the bad memories hit him. Sitting upright, the blanket covering his upper torso fell, revealing well-toned muscles, for his age anyway. Cold sweat marred his face and he had to take deep breaths. Once his pulse was under check he fell back on the bed.
« Why does father always..., »
The boy knew that the black-haired man wasn't his father. The man made certain Naruto knew that. Still, he thought that by calling him 'father', he would change his view on the boy and maybe love him. He had realized by now that whatever he did, his 'father' would never view him as a human being, much less his son.
Thinking about that man made his bandaged eye ache. He tried to untie the fabric but a voice told him otherwise.
« Not yet, young one... It hasn't matured yet..., »
Naruto didn't recognize the voice. Looking around the dark room and seeing nobody was here, he thought he may be hallucinating things.
« I am no illusion, boy..., »
Okay, now he was freaked out.
« If you're not an illusion, who are you? »
A chuckle met his query. Unease swept through him, as the laugh was not human by any mean.
« Oh, you will find out soon enough. Go to the basement of this shop and you shall find the answer..., »
For an unfathomable reason, he felt compelled to comply. He didn't want to wake the snoring blacksmith, so he slithered soundlessly out of bed, and with slow steps left the bedroom.
After several minutes of groping in the dark, he finally found the stairs leading to the basement. Slow, unsteady steps lead the way and more than once he nearly tripped, but he finally reached the room.
« Good, now you should be able to locate me, »
Indeed. There, lying on the cold anvil, was the plain sword from earlier. The voice was coming from there.
Seeing the sword made Naruto remember the events which took place in this very room. His left eye felt like molten lava as the memories flashed in his mind.
« Now is not the time to reminisce. Come closer, child, »
Despite the great pain, he pushed forward. Now that he was near the sword, he could hear a feeble humming sound.
« Take a hold of the sword, boy, claim it! »
And claim it he did. Grabbing the handle, he lifted the piece of metal. Surprisingly, it was quite light for its size. Something unexpected happened next. Within moments, the blade morphed from the typical broadsword to an elegant longsword.
« A longsword, heh? Guess that reflects your personality..., »
Naruto didn't have any time to reflect on what was being said as someone bust through the front door.
« Kenji-san! You have to flee, fast! »
Footsteps echoed in the stairs and a powerful yawn escaped the Kenji mouth.
« I'm already up, what's all this ruckus 'bout? »
« Kenji-san! Something terrible happened! T-There's a monster rampaging through town! »
The blacksmith stifled a yawn and walked toward the trembling young man. He put a hand on his shoulder and watched him in the eyes.
« A monster? You're sure you weren't dreaming? »
« No, I'm serious! You have to get out of here before it eats you! »
The young man tried to pull Kenji but he wasn't strong enough, so the blacksmith didn't bulge.
« Fine, fine, I'll follow ya, but it better not be some sort of joke..., » Kenji grumbled.
Naruto followed the big man out of curiosity. Did such monster really exist? The answer became clear as he stepped out of the workshop. A ten feet tall creature was standing, smashing some houses. Its skin was a deep purple, and it had no definite shape; it resembled a cross between a snail and a bear. Ugly indeed.
« Blanko..., »
The blond-haired boy looked at his sword with a perplexed expression. The fact that he was talking to a sword didn't seem to bother the honest citizens as they were much more worried about getting the hell out of here.
« What? »
« This creature, it's called a Blanko. It's an entity which has possessed a human mind. It shouldn't be happening normally, unless the human gives into despair. Even then..., »
Naruto didn't care about the explanation, he just wanted to run away from this thing. He tried to turn around, but he felt a strong weight on his legs.
« Where do you think you're going? »
An anguished cry tore the air as a soldier was torn in two then eaten alive by the creature.
« You saw what happened to this soldier! I don't want to be eaten alive! »
The weight doubled and he couldn't move an inch.
« Wrong answer, you're going to face this Blanko, and you will kill it..., »
His legs moved on his own towards his unavoidable doom.
« Damn you, stupid legs! »
A horse barred his path. Mounting the animal was no other than Sir Gladius, the Sarcania Cavalry captain.
« Get outta here, kid! It's much too dangerous for someone like you to hang around! »
« If I could I would, ossan! » Naruto shouted.
He rolled forward, passing under the horse's body, then ran towards the creature. Archers were readying their arrows but a signal from Gladius made them stop. The army waited with a baited breath as the child faced the purple monster.
To the crowd's great surprise, the blond-haired boy unsheathed his sword and plunged it in the creature's knee. It roared in pain before looking at the nuisance. It intended to smear the kid on the paved street but to its great shock, it fell forward. It was growing weaker and weaker. The sword! The sword was draining all of its strength!
« Hurry up, kid! There's a limit to the life force I can absorb! You have to deal with it now! »
Naruto understood what his sword meant. He pulled the blade out of the fallen creature's knee and ran toward its head. With a surprising grace, he jumped over the monster's wide swipe and embedded his sword in its neck. Shifting his grip on the handle, he proceeded to behead the behemoth. His blade cut the massive neck like a hot knife through butter.
A green goe splashed his face making he want to puke. A light of horror shone on his face as the massive creature shrunk back to its human form. It was his father... He had killed his father!
He held his father's head in his arm and cradled it as he cried.
A hand laid on his shoulder.
« Hey, are you okay kid? »
Gladius was looking at him uncertainly. Sure, the kid had probably saved their lives. However the fact that a mere kid had slain such a beast was worrying in itself. The blond boy let go of his father's head, wiped his tears and looked at the man resolutely.
« I-I'm alright, I think..., »
The cavalry captain heaved the boy to his legs and sighed.
« You had us worried, there! We thought you were gonna die! »
Naruto's eyes were downcast.
« I'm sorry, » he mumbled.
He was rewarded by a big slap on the back.
« Watcha saying? You should be glad you defeated such a strong foe! Ah, the name's Henrick by the way; I'm the infantry captain, »
This Henrick was a tall man, standing at about 6'2. He had broad shoulder and a big broadsword strapped on his back. His brown hair was held short. He was dressed in the standard soldier uniform, but black in color instead of green.
« C'mon, where are your parents? I want to congratulate them for raising such a courageous son! »
Naruto briefly glanced toward his father's unmoving body, a move that was lost on everybody but Gladius, whose eye narrowed, before looking down.
« I... Have no parents..., »
Henrick rubbed the back of his head as he gazed at the boy awkwardly. He coughed in his hand a few times.
« Sorry 'bout the blunder kid... Well, then, tell ya what... How 'bout you joining our army? »
« Henrick! You can't suggest that to a kid! We're not mercenaries! »
« B-but, Sir Gladius! You saw what happened! He slew this monster! I'm sure that with some training, he would do wonders in this war..., »
« You're right, but... It's not my choice anyway, it's this kid's. So, do you want to join the Sarcania Army, boy? »
Naruto looked at the cavalry captain. He should really refuse. It was thanks to his sword's help that he won, on a battlefield he would surely...
« Accept it, »
The blonde cast a glance toward his sword before nodding.
«I accept your offer. My name's Naruto by the way, »
Henrick put his helmet on the boy's head then put the blonde on his shoulders.
« Hey guys! You'd better welcome our new recruit Naruto warmly otherwise I'll kick your asses! »
The men thought saddened by the loss of several brothers-in-arms cheered and celebrated the boy's victory all night long,
Eight years later. Naruto, age sixteen.
It's been eight years since Naruto joined the Sarcania Army, during which the young man has been through more wars than what was healthy for his age. He had grown quite a lot during this time, now standing at 6'1. He had well developed muscles and a consequent strength.
On behalf of Perseus -The entity which inhabited his sword- he had learned to wield a lot of different weapons; ranging from a dagger to a flail or a broadsword.
« Eight years already... Time flows fast..., »
Naruto said nothing as he continued to sharpen his sword. It had become an habit of his, and it helped him relax.
The cool night's wind caressed his face tenderly, and he relished its touch. The night's silence was only broken by the occasional crickets singing and the sound of the burning torches.
The young man loved camping outside, thought he regretted not having brought a warm blanket. Pushing this thoughts aside, he finished sharpening his sword before looking at it with his right eye -the left one he always kept bandaged-.
« Perseus, you never told me who you really were..., »
The entity within the sword hummed. It didn't know if it should reveal the truth to the boy. The blonde surely wouldn't understand anyway before he saw them. He could at least give him a part of it.
« You and me were one since the day we made contact. Your left eye... Is a part of me. And, as in every trade, I kept a part of your soul. Normally that would kill you... However, there was a surprise when I tried to take your soul... Some sort of spirit interrupted it and tried to fend me off, »
Naruto's eyebrow rose at that piece of information.
« Of course, it wasn't strong enough to harm me and I succeeded in taking its soul. I think it said its name was Kubik, Kyuri or something like that, not that it matters. It was surprisingly powerful however, »
The blonde nodded at what was being said. He remembered his father saying that when he was born, a demon whose name was Kyuubi was put inside him.
« When you kill your enemies... Don't you feel stronger? »
A strange query. Now that he thought about it, he indeed felt stronger. He always thought it was thanks to the adrenaline, but now...
« I see you're not a slow brainer, that's good. As you guessed, each time you kill an enemy, I absorb its life force, making me and by extension you more powerful. The power aggregates in your left eye, then slowly drips to the rest of your body; that includes your muscles, bones and brain, »
Naruto touched his left eye gently through the white fabric. He could feel it pulsate with power.
« I have a last question, Perseus... How were you sealed into a sword? »
« That is..., »
A shout of 'intruder!' interrupted the answer. The blond-haired man sprung to his feet, grabbing his sword and donning his armor. Two minutes later a small army barged in the clearing carrying torches. A head flew in the air and all hell broke loose.
'We've caught them completely off guard... Griffith truly is a genius' was the one thought crossing Guts' mind as the attack was going well, according to the plan.
He saw the Band of the Hawk's soldiers tearing the enemy defensive line and burning their supplies. The Sarcania Army was decimated in a jiffy. His horse came to an abrupt halt however and he heard a few cries of pain ahead. A body flew overhead crashing with a wet thud against a tree. One of their soldiers. It was followed by another, then another.
« Fall back! Fall back! »
Guts pulled on his horse's reins, urging it to push forward.
« Hey! What do you think you're doing? We've already weakened them, we're falling back! »
The young warrior paid no heed to Caska's order. He soon saw the source of the commotion. A young blond man who could be no older than him was expertly cutting throats with his longsword.
« What are you guys doing? He's alone! »
Guts' horse rushed and he readied his sword intent on cleaving the blonde in two. When he neared him, the young man evaded the strike fluently and with a lightening fast strike pierced the horse in the eye. The animal fell dead seconds later.
« Yo. Prepare to die! »
The Hawk soldier had next to no time to react as the blond slashed at his midsection from the left. Holding his sword in a reverse grip in his right hand, he parried the attack. Guts attempted to deliver a punch but the blonde ducked under the blow. Spinning, the blonde tried to slash the man's left side with his sword.
Guts gritted his teeth as he put his left hand as a last defense against the slash. Fortunately he wore a gauntlet. What he did not expect was for his adversary's sword to dig slightly in his forearm. Raising his left leg, he caught the blonde square in the jaw, making him take two small steps back. Guts delivered a kick in the face followed by a slash. A deep cut appeared on the blonde's torso as Guts' broadsword effectively cleaved tissue and muscle.
Griffith hopped off his horse and proceeded to put up a barricade to properly 'welcome' the enemy soldiers. Not seeing his read guard, Guts, made him pace uneasily. He needed Guts for his dream.. No, his ambition to come true. He would found his kingdom, and Guts was the pillar needed to sustain it. Without him, it would crumble...
« Griffith, why are you so worried? We've already captured the enemy's castle, there is nothing to fear, »
It was Caska. Seeing her brought him relief.
« Caska, good to see you. I can't see Guts, however, did you see him by any chance? »
Caska shook her head.
« This reckless idiot... He stayed behind to fight someone who stopped our advance... Hey, Griffith, where are you going? »
Too late, he was already gone.
Guts had to dodge thrust after thrust as the blonde continued his rampage. Just when he thought he got him, the motherfucker's injury is nearly instantly healed and he just stands up, fresh as a daisy. He wondered if he would be able to kill him even if he cleaved his head. However, to contemplate this thought, he had to actually touch the fucker.
The longsword narrowly missed his head. He grabbed the outstretched arm and headbutted the blonde. Naruto fell backward doing a back bridge. Then he lifted his legs, catching him in the jaw with both foots, with the strength of a freight train. His jaw was gonna be sore tomorrow. Rubbing it gently, Guts maintained some distance between him and his nemesis.
« Well, that was a good workout. Now, how about we get on with the real fight? »
'A workout? What in the heavens above is this guy? A monster? '
Naruto slowly removed the bandage on the left side of his face. His motion was stopped when a hand grabbed his arm. Looking to the side, he saw Gladius who shook his head.
« That won't be necessary, Naruto. We already lost the war... They took the Sarcania, »
The blond-haired young man's eye widened but he soon nodded and fastened the bandage again. Seems like he wouldn't need it for today. The sound of horses hoofs clapping against the soil echoed in the clearing, signifying the arrival of the bulk of the Band of the Hawk forces.
The Band's general, Griffith, walked forward.
« I am the Hawk's leader, Griffith. Your castle has been taken. It is useless to fight. Surrender! »
Gladius stepped down from his horse, holding his right hand in the air to prevent his soldiers from doing anything rash. At this point, their lives were between this Griffith person's hands.
« So it seems. The king to which we pledged allegiance fell, so now, our lives are between your hands, Lord Griffith, »
He did something which surprised everyone least Naruto, he kneeled and bowed his head. Naruto followed suit. In no time, no less than a thousand Sarcania soldiers were kneeling before Griffith.
This development was surprising, but not unexpected. He would have done the same if he were in this situation. A thousand soldier would be a nice addition to their troops.
« Very well, from now on, you will refer to me, and only to me. You will fight the battles I fight. You will be considered like any Hawk. Do you agree with these terms? »
They seemed fair so Gladius nodded.
Henrick came out one of the tents, yawning, « What, did I miss something? »
Naruto sweatdropped.
During the night, the dead were buried. No tears were shed; it would dishonor brave soldiers like them. Resentment bloomed in the ranks before quickly dying with Gladius' little speech about how they were now brother-in-arms with the Band of the Hawk.
People who once fought the other to death were now drinking buddies. It could be considered strange from an outsider's look, but to soldiers, it was normal. They were killing devices if someone was responsible for them killing each other, it was their owners; the commanders. So until something happened, they would play along. After all, if they had to fight alongside the Hawk's soldiers, the Sarcanian's soldiers might as well be friends with them.
Griffith sat on a trunk of wood around a campfire. He wanted to be alone for the moment. He was one step closer to his dream.
« Mind if I take a seat? »
The commander looked over his shoulder. It was a blonde man. He remembered him. It was the young man Guts was fighting a few hours ago. He immediately caught his eye. He radiated a strange feeling, a malovelent aura which made even seasoned generals cringe in his presence. An impressive feat for a sixteen years old. At Griffith's nod, he took place beside the Hawk's chief. He outstretched his arms to feel the warmth of the fire.
« Do you like fire? »
Taken aback by this question, Griffith thought for some moments before answering
« I guess you could say that. Fire is like people's dreams. An isolated spark will not last long. However, if you take hundred of sparks you can make a giant bonfire which illuminates the night, »
Naruto chuckled at the answer.
« Did I say something strange? »
The blonde shook his head.
« No... It's just that, to me, it's the opposite. Fire is a reminder. The reminder of the weakness that I once had. It is a curse, but also a blessing, as without it, I wouldn't have met my most trustworthy friend, »
Perplexed by the cryptic answer, Griffith turned his head to look fully at the blonde.
« And who would that friend be? »
« If I tell you, will you promise me that you won't tell anybody? »
At the commander's nod, he slowly unwrapped his bandaged eye.
Guts had a bad feeling about the blond-haired boy he fought. Something about him felt wrong. When you looked at his face, it was like a snake was coiling around your heart, ready to engulf it whole.
His heart skipped a beat as he saw the blonde trekking through the woods.
'Griffith!'
Running toward the place he knew his commander to be, time slowed down for him as he saw his leader downed on the thick grass. A whisper escaped his lips.
« This Naruto... Beware... Friend »
His vision dimmed at the edges, and with a sigh he lost consciousness.
« So, that's where you went! We were worried- Griffith! »
Caska rushed to her commander's side. She growled fiercely at Guts, thinking he was the cause of her leader's predicament.
« I'll explain what happened to him later! First we have to bring him to his tent! »
Reluctant to leave her captain in a stranger's hand -after all, Guts had only joined them a week ago-, she decided that he was the only one strong enough to carry him all the way back to the camp. Guts carried him bridal style all the while thinking what he meant by 'Friend'.
Guts then explained to the worried soldiers that the stress of the battle had taken its toll on his body. They accepted his explanation -not Caska thought- and went back to getting pissed drunk.
Griffith woke up two day afterwards, still weakened but overall alright.
Two years later.
« The immortal Nosferatu Zodd? » A gasp from the assembled soldiers.
« Who is that? »
« Pippin, you don't know him? He's a legendary swordsman. Walking from battlefield to battlefield, he leaves a bloody track behind him. Mountains of corpses accumulate at his feet, » Judeau chidded Pippin for his ignorance.
« So, he is just some superstrong fucker, right? » Carcus put in.
« There is more to his legend... What really makes him legendary is that... His name had been heard for more than a hundred years, thus the 'immortal' nickname, »
« For more than a century? Cut the bullshit, Judeau, no man can possibly- »
« Then maybe this Zodd person is not a man, »
Carcus was interrupted by the arrival of none other than Naruto. He was a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. He was believed to be the strongest warrior, with Griffith the second man and Guts falling shortly behind, thought he may have been stronger than the Hawk leader.
He accordingly rose through ranks at breakneck speed. While Griffith led the army and Guts was the captain of the assault division, Naruto was the leader of the ambush and assassination squad. Thanks to his squad, lots of difficult battles were won and a lot of the Hawk soldier's lives had been saved.
At first distrustful of the man who had killed a lot of their own, they opened up to him and Carcus was often seen drinking with Naruto and Henrick, while Gladius had to drag their carcasses back to their tents.
« Captain Naruto! » Carcus stood at attention.
« I already told you these formalities were unnecessary, Carcus. Human or not, if what you said is true, Guts won't last long against him if he is fighting alone, »
« Zodd... Ah! I remember now! It's this bastard of a cow! »
'You know him, Perseus?'
Naruto had finally managed to communicate by thoughts with the spirit in his sword, Perseus, after quite some years of training.
« Yeah, this dumb steer tried to oppose me when I was still a king. I thought that cutting open his throat was enough to kill him, but seems like I was wrong... »
'Hum... Interesting...'
« Be careful, boy, he is unlike any others you fought before, »
'When will you stop calling me 'boy'? I am eighteen already...' Naruto sighed
« I will stop whenever I want. Now stop complaining boy and get going. Your little friend might be dead already, »
Over the years, Naruto collected bits and pieces of data about Perseus' past. So far, he knew
that he was the king of a kingdom which was destroyed. Apparently four person teamed up to bring him down and sealed him into the sword he was currently wielding. There was seemingly no way to
free him.
Pulling on his horse's rein, he sped down the hill.
A roar of rage tore itself out of Guts' throat as he beheld his soldiers impaled on Zodd's huge machete. He skidded on the ground as he was pushed back by Zodd's strike. His sword groaned at the immense strain.
« You resisted this strike... Not bad, little one..., »
Guts was by no mean small, standing at a good 6'3, but compared to Zodd who towered over him, he was a mosquito.
He barely managed to avoid a strike which cut a thick pillar in two. He parried three more strikes before he was pushed back by a kick in the abdomen. When he hit the wall, he was sure he heard two ribs crack.
Holding his sword on the side parallel to the ground with two hands, he waited for the colossus' strike. He grunted at the strength behind the machete but managed to cut it in two. He used the momentum to strike at the giant's shoulder. His sword dug deep into it but it was stopped when Zodd grabbed the blade with his bare hands.
« Incredible... You are the first human... To cut me this deep... In the centuries I have spent killing humans! »
Before his very eyes, Zodd changed into a giant furred beast, with two black horns growing from the forehead. Zodd's slitted eyes bore into Guts' terrified ones.
« I am quite pleased... I've almost forgotten the feeling of bloodlust I feel whenever I face opponents like you... Don't disappoint me! »
That being said, he swung his clawed hand at the little one. The tragic outcome was avoided however, as a longsword embedded deep in the appendage, stopping the motion, least it cut the entire arm.
« Sorry to disappoint you, mister big and horny, but I cannot let you harm our army's assault division leader. Nothing personal, really, it's just business, »
Guts heaved a sigh of relief as he saw the blond-haired man's arrival. He wasn't sure his broken ribs could have held against Zodd's monstrous strike.
Zodd looked at the blonde pest. He wore a white version of the standard Hawk outfit. Atop his head sat a most peculiar helmet. In the front a metallic 'feather' protected the nose and the top of the head. A grey calamus protected the nose while white afterfeathers spread to his temples and the forehead. The barb extended and reached about eight inches above the head. On the other side, a similar feather stood but with a large calamus, to protect the name of the neck. A white piece of metal protected the jaws and the side of the neck.
The immortal nosferatu growled before he broke his hand free of the sword, by letting it cut the top half of his palm. Naruto winced as he saw Zodd's hand cut in half, before frowning. Tissue and muscles mended before his eyes.
« You... Your sword absorbs my power, how? » the beast grunted.
« Perseus said you fat piece of cow shit don't need to know how, » Naruto retorted.
It wasn't a smart move as the behemoth roared, went in the air thanks to its bat like wings and charged, intent on crushing him against the wall.
Naruto rolled on his side, avoiding the horns that would have impaled him, and plunged his sword in the side of the beast's right pectoral muscle. He was surprised when the beast took off, the blade still embedded in the muscle. Gripping the handle tightly, Naruto managed to hop on Zodd's head, receiving a nasty gash on the abdomen and his right side as the beast ripped chunks of muscle with its serrated claws. It hurt like hell.
Pushing the pain aside somewhat, he hit the back of Zodd's head as hard as he could, making the bull and man hybrid's eyes glaze over. The monster fell, careening toward the unforgiving ground.
'The landing's gonna hurt...,'
« You've survived worse, »
'Always full of consideration, aren't we?'
« Always, »
Naruto bent slightly on the side as a huge broadsword came out of Zodd's neck, missing his head by a few inches. Hopping off the creature's back, he retrieved his longsword. Dusting himself off he wiped the blood off his blade.
« Hey, get him offa me! »
The blonde sweatdropped. He had forgotten about Guts. Using his great strenght, he pushed Zodd's massive body on the side, wincing at the noise he made when he hit the ground on the other side.
« Bastard! Couldn't you have that done faster? » Guts complained.
« I love you too, » Naruto retorted.
Guts found his broadsword lying on the floor near Zodd's still body. It had cut the side of the nosferatu's neck when Naruto moved him aside. It was drenched in thick red blood. Walking with some difficulty, he gasped when he saw the blond's state.
« N-Naruto, what happened? »
The ambush squad's captain grunted.
« Shit happens, »
Guts sat on the marble floor wincing as his broken ribs moved in the process.
« You look like shit.., » The blonde commented, deadpanned.
« I return the compliment to you, »
They both laughed, Naruto holding his wounded side, Guts wincing when he felt his ribs poke at his muscles. When the laugher died down, Guts looked at the blond-haired man seriously.
« Thanks for saving me? »
« Watcha saying? If you hadn't cut this bastard's neck, I would have been cowfood, » the blonde grinned.
« Hey! Are you two alright? » Judeau shouted.
« Hey, you're late guys! » Naruto shouted.
A large part of the Hawk army arrived, giving the fallen Zodd a wide berth as they weren't sure if the monster was really dead.
Griffith stepped down from his horse, running to attend to his two most trusted soldiers. He distrusted the blonde man at first, but seeing his loyalty and great strenght, he decided he could be one of his greatest assets. Thus he had appointed him captain of the ambush division, the third greatest rank besides his and Guts'.
« Naruto... Guts... Are you alright? » he asked worriedly.
« This is nothing, it will be gone by tomorrow... You should be worried about the bum over there..., »
He pointed to the lying swordsman, who gave him the finger.
A particularly brave -or stupid- soldier decided to make sure that Zodd was down once and for all. Sneaking closer and closer, he tried to do the coup de grace by beheading the monster. The immortal's eyes snapped open and his hand shot out and caught the foolish soldier, crushing him whole.
Everyone was instantly on edge as they saw the perfectly intact figure of Zodd. The winged buffalo used his wings to take off and left just saying one sentence.
« Naruto and Guts... I will remember your names, for you are the only humans who managed to bring me down... I hope you will survive 'that thing'..., »
Guts lost consciousness shortly after that. It seemed like the only thing keeping him awake was his strong will. Naruto too fell asleep, the battle had been tiring after all.
One of the most spoken upon topic amongst the Hawk soldiers was what 'That thing' Zodd refered to was.
Little did they know that it was closer than they thought.
The unyielding grasp of Death.
Aaaaand, the End. Of the chapter. Hope you liked that little piece of writing. So, as you guessed, it's a Naruto and Berserk crossover taking place in the Berserk world, Midland. Do not worry, folk, you will hear news from the Elemental Countries, thought I cannot guarantee you the state it might be in.
Still, that is unimportant, as it won't play a major part in this story. I know exactly how I will have things happen. Also, it won't be a major Berserk rip-off, certain events will happen, sure, as it is necessary for the storyline, but they will happen differently... You'll see...
Some of you may find that I don't describe characters enough... Describing it is useless as it would only lengthen the tale. If you really want to know about the physical appearance of the characters, then, a search engine with two O is your best friend...
Don't hesitate to point out what I did wrong, and I'm sure I did plenty of wrong shit, and of shit wrong.
A last warning, in the next chapter there will be mentions of rape, actual rape and rape attempt(s). Thought not sure about the actual rape. I will throw in some incest. Thought none of that will apply to Naruto, if you were worried about that...
Oh, and if you could be kind enough to leave a review, I would reward you with mountains of chocolate. Or not.