Naruto: The Sound Shinobi
By: Jd-sea
Chapter One: Kigiri's Offer
-Konohagakure: Unknown Area-
As the 28 year-old, sliver-haired shinobi known as Kigiri Kemuri continued to observe his A-ranked mission's target he laughed quietly to himself. The six year-old boy with spiky-blonde hair and sapphire-colored eyes hardly even looked like anyone that the Infamous nukenin, Orochimaru the "White Snake", sought after. But inside of that petite, frail-looking child was a chakra reserve superior to an experienced chunin's chakra reserves.
A small, sad smile appeared on Kigiri's face as he continued to watch the blonde-haired boy's treatment. The majority of Konohagakure's populace was practically pushing the child into his master's grasp. For four years Kigiri had watched as the child's anger, hatred, misery, and despair continued to grow with too few people trying to hinder its development. Soon all of the child's emotions would reach their peak and at that time Kigiri would approach the boy and hopefully he would be able to complete his mission.
An agent of the ANBU Black Ops landed silently on the rooftop behind Kigiri. The black-haired ANBU saw the child that Kigiri was observing before his masked eyes narrowed.
"Is there anything that I can help you with sir?" The black-haired ANBU questioned.
"It is simply so amazing to see how strong a six year-old child's will is," Kigiri answered, "That child has had to deal with outright resentment, anger, and hatred from a majority of this village… For a burden he isn't even aware of… Hated because people cannot see past the demon that resides inside of him… Knowing nothing about his parent's or their fates… Do you believe that is fair Ox-san? He holds the Kyūbi no Yōko prisoner with every single breath he takes… every day he lives… It is truly sad how a village can treat their hero."
"You are in violation of the Third Hokage's decree. I am afraid that you will now have to accompany me for questioning." The black-haired ANBU responded.
"I would love the ANBU Black Ops' branch of Torture and Interrogation but I am afraid that I am on a tight schedule… Goodbye Raitachi Koga." Kigiri replied.
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-Konohagakure: Unknown Area-
"I'm truly disappointed that Raitachi wasn't as skilled as his files made him appear… And with him now missing the Hokage will be alerted and Hunter-nin will be sent out after me," The sliver-haired shinobi sighed, "I guess my mission will end sooner than I expected..."
Kigiri was brought out of his thoughts when he heard shouting from the park that his target had traveled to. The sliver-haired shinobi turned his head in time to see the blonde-haired boy running away from the park with whispered insults and thrown rocks behind him.
'I am truly sorry for all of the suffering you have been through Naruto-kun… In a short amount of time you won't have to deal with their ignorance or this accursed hellhole any longer. That is my promise to you Naruto-kun.' Kigiri thought.
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-Konohagakure: Naruto Uzumaki's Apartment-
Inside of the blonde-haired boy's bedroom a person would find Naruto lying on his bed as he tried to wipe away his tears with the backs of his hands. In this apartment there were no people to comfort the distraught boy. There was no one there to watch over him. There was no one to care for him.
When the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had found Naruto living on the streets he had bought the blonde-haired boy an apartment near the outskirts of the village. The Third had hired many caretakers for Naruto but none of them had ever shown up. And what kind of person would want to? He was Konohagakure's Demon-brat, a 'monster in human's clothing'.
The blonde-haired boy himself loathed his fellow villagers, both shinobi and civilians alike, with a burning passion. While no one was able to actually harm Naruto the treatment he received from them was far worse than any physical wound. Most of the civilians would 'whisper' harsh comments behind his back, swindle him for common goods, and turn their children away from him claiming that he was a 'bad influence'. And while the shinobi protected him from harm they always had a hard, cold gleam in their eyes when they were near him. There were only three people that Naruto knew that actually treated him like any other child but even their kindness could not make up for a village full of resentment. It wasn't even for Naruto to care for their precious Konohagakure.
While Naruto did want to become a shinobi, and a strong one at that, he did realize something. If he was to become a shinobi he would have to swear on his blood that he would protect this village with his life. The blonde-haired boy would rather die before he made that kind of oath for the ones who treated him like dirt.
The six year-old boy had tried to run away from Konohagakure… to find a place where he could be accepted but each of his attempts had failed. Each time he attempted to leave the village he was thwarted by shinobi who wore animal-like masks. The ANBU Black Ops as the Third Hokage had told him.
"My poor, little Naruto-kun… you have been through a lot haven't you?" A soft, almost soothing voice questioned.
At the sound of the stranger's soft voice, Naruto's head snapped up while his body tensed at the sight of a man with silver-colored hair and dark-brown eyes. Naruto had learned what had happened to him when he was alone with strangers; it was very painful lesson that he had to learn.
"W-wh-ho ar-re y-you-u?!" The blonde-haired boy yelled.
"Its okay Naruto-kun… calm down… My name is Kigiri Kemuri and if I had wanted to harm you I would have attacked you before you became aware of my presence… Besides I have a proposition for you," The sliver-haired man responded calmly, "And I think it is an offer you will appreciate."
"Riiiiight…" Naruto responded, "Like I haven't heard that one before!!"
"I saw what happened at the playground Naruto-kun. You're fellow villagers treat you poorly for a reason that you don't even know of… I can give you the information… the reason why the villager's hatred if you listen to my offer Naruto-kun." Kigiri offered.
"I will… I will listen to you're offer but you have to tell me the reason for their behavior first!" The blonde-haired boy countered.
'I think I am beginning to like this kid.' The sliver-haired shinobi thought. 'He has the tact to ask for information concerning himself before he will listen to my offer… He knows that if I tell him of my offer that I could hold the information over him… Naruto-kun you are a smart brat.'
"Naruto-kun if you would please lift up your T-shirt I can channel my chakra into your stomach. When my chakra touches your stomach you will know the reason that this village treats you so poorly." Kigiri said.
While the blonde-haired boy didn't trust Kigiri the chance to know why his fellow villager's hated him was an offer to tempting to refuse. After mere seconds of hesitation Naruto lifted up his white shirt up to his chin. He watched as Kigiri's fingertips were covered in blue energy before the sliver-haired shinobi placed his hand on Naruto's stomach.
Before long the blonde felt a cold, almost abnormal sensation run through his body and watched in part awe, part fear, as a complex looking seal slowly appeared on his navel.
"W-what-t is-s t-that-t?!?" Naruto questioned.
"That my dear Naruto-kun is the Dead Demon Consuming Seal… The Fourth Hokage used this seal to seal away a great power that far surpasses any of the Kage. The shinobi and civilians alike fear this enormous power within you but my master, Lord Orochimaru, does not. Lord Orochimaru sent me here to escort you to his Hidden Ninja Village; Otogakure no Sato. In Otogakure Lord Orochimaru could train you to use your power… All you have to do is forsake Konohagakure and come with me to a place where you could become one of the most powerful and respected shinobi in the world." Kigiri said.
"One of the… one of the most powerful shinobi??" Naruto whispered.
"Yes Naruto-kun. If you come with me Lord Orochimaru can train you so you could become anything that you wish to be," The sliver-haired shinobi responded, "So Naruto-kun… What do you say?"
Hundreds of memories flashed before Naruto's eyes as his right hand slowly drifted closer to Kigiri's outstretched palm. The blonde-haired boy remembered all of the good times with the Third Hokage and the ramen vendors, Teuchi and Ayame Ichiraku, but he shook his head to clear those memories from his mind.
"I say that we have a deal Kigiri-san." Naruto answered.
Naruto's small hand had clasped with Kigiri's hand.
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-Konohagakure: Hokage Residence-
The 62 year-old, white-haired shinobi known as Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk with his head lowered and his hands folded ontop of his desk.
"How could this have happened?" Hiruzen questioned.
"Ox was an inexperience agent," A purple-haired ANBU officer responded, "In truth Ox probably received his invitation into the ANBU Black Ops because of his friends within the ANBU. It wouldn't be hard for an elite jounin to defeat him."
"Cat… do you have any leads on this shinobi?" The white-haired man questioned.
"While my team did find evidence of forced entry into Naruto Uzumaki's apartment… There were no signs of a struggle. Lord Hokage Naruto…" The Cat-masked shinobi paused here as she did not want to believe the cold, hard truth of the situation.
"… It means that Naruto-kun left of his own free will." Hiruzen finished.
"Yes it does Lord Hokage… If you add this to the fact that this shinobi murdered an agent of the ANBU Black Ops leads me to believe that an outside force was responsible… It is clear that someone had managed to infiltrate us and went after Naruto-kun because of the Nine-tailed Fox sealed inside of him. Judging by the skill required to kill an ANBU in three moves and bypass the sealing array around Naruto's apartment… I would assume that Naruto is nearing our borders if he and this mysterious shinobi have not crossed them already. The odds of catching them at this time are nearly nonexistent." The purple-haired ANBU responded.
"It doesn't matter if the odds are against us in this case… If Naruto is inside of our borders I want him to be found and returned home at once!! Organize a team of our finest Tracker and Sensor type shinobi and pursue their trail! This has become an S-ranked priority!" The Third Hokage ordered.
"I will see to it at once Lord Hokage." The cat-masked shinobi replied.
But even as the Cat-masked shinobi left to follow her orders the Third Hokage knew in his heart that he was already too late. At that point Hiruzen began to think. He wondered that if he had done things differently, if he had suppressed the knowledge of Naruto's role in the Kyūbi's defeat, could things have turned out differently. Could the blonde-haired boy have experience the childhood that was ripped from him the day he was born?
The elderly man sighed heavily as at this point there wasn't much that he could actually do. Hiruzen knew that he could berate himself for the rest of his life but nothing would really change. The son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki was gone and all that Hiruzen could do about it was pray. He would pray to every god and goddess that Naruto would remain safe and happy.
A/N: Author's Note: I am very dissapoint in myself for not updating but I am currently updating the chapters that I already have.
... and I have had to deal with a mountain of Homework... I now know what like the Hokage feels like when presented with paperwork...
Vocabulary:
Konohagakure (木ノ葉隠れの里, Konohagakure no Sato; Literally meaning "Village Hidden Among Tree Leaves"; also known as "Village Hidden in the Leaves" or "Hidden Leaf Village"), or Konoha for short, is one of the five great ninja villages, and said to be the mightiest of the five. As such, it is one of five villages with a Kage as its leader, known as the Hokage. On a mountain overlooking the villages from the north exists the Hokage Monument. The village resides in the Land of Fire. Although Konoha, much like the country in which it resides, has been peaceful for the past sixteen years, and has grown accustomed to that peace, it remains one of the most powerful villages in existence, and has great military power and influence.
Shinobi (忍) otherwise referred to as ninja (忍者) in the English translations of Naruto, are the primary focus and the main military power in the series. A female ninja is a kunoichi (くノ一). Most come from a hidden village, of which some come from specialized Ninja clans, and will perform missions for a fee. These missions can include: doing manual labor, acting as escorts, gathering secret information, retrieving stolen items, carrying out assassinations, etc. In times of war, ninja will come together to defend their villages and land. The clearest characteristic of a shinobi is their ability to manipulate chakra to create and use jutsu.
Missing-nin (抜け忍, nukenin; English TV "Rogue Ninja") are ninja who left their village, often because they have committed criminal acts. The ninja village that they are from will often try to track them down and eliminate them. Kirigakure has a special hunter-nin task-force whose only objective is killing traitorous ninja. The ninja organization Akatsuki is composed of ten S-class missing-nin, except for Nagato and Konan, who are the leaders of Amegakure.
Chūnin (中忍; Literally meaning "Middle Ninja", Meaning (Viz) "Journeyman Ninja") are ninja who are qualified to watch over and guide other ninja. Chūnin have reached a level of maturity that primarily consists of leadership skills and tactical prowess. This is because the genin who don't have the skills to become chūnin are weeded out in testing. Some of them, like Iruka Umino and Mizuki, function as Academy teachers and others, like Shikamaru Nara, serve as team leaders in charge of small teams who need to make decisions and utilize the skills of the shinobi under their command to the maximum effect. Chūnin are typically sent on C-rank or B-rank missions.
To become a chūnin, a genin participates in a large examination, known as the chūnin exams. The only exam seen in the series is a three-stage exam held in Konohagakure. Those who pass the test and become chūnin can wear an identifying flak jacket that holds ninjutsu scrolls. This vest is not mandatory; instead, some opt for more elaborate clothing like capes and robes.
The ANBU (暗部, Dark Side), short for Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai (暗殺戦術特殊部隊, Special Assassination and Tactical Squad; English Version: ANBU Black Ops), take orders directly from the Kage, performing special high-level missions, such as assassinations and torture. The ANBU usually work in teams formed to the requirements of the mission, ensuring maximum success. The shinobi in the ANBU are hand-picked by the Kage; chosen for their individual capabilities and special skills. Age, gender, background, or previous rank bear no weight in this decision.
There are apparently no true ranks within the ANBU, as is the case with the regular forces. Team leadership and hierarchy seem to be based on merit and experience. The leaders of the teams are called squad leaders (分隊長, Buntaichō), a position held in high regards.
The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox (九尾の妖狐, Kyūbi no Yōko) is the most powerful out of all nine of the tailed beasts; a single swipe from just one of its nine tails can create tsunamis and flatten mountains. After the Nine-Tails attacked Konohagakure, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, sacrificed his own life by sealing it within his newborn son, Naruto Uzumaki.
Dead Demon Consuming Seal: This seal invokes the powers of the death god (shinigami). Once called upon, the death god hovers behind the user and inserts its arm into their soul. At this stage only the user can see the death god. To perform the seal the user need only grasp the target. The death god's arm extends from their chest and grabs the soul of the target, immobilizing them and allowing them to see the death god as well. Soon after the sealing is completed the death god consumes the soul of the user as well, sentencing them to an eternity of battle with their target in its stomach. A swirl-pattern is left on the stomachs of those that have had something sealed within them using this jutsu.
A Kage (影; Literally meaning "Shadow") is the leader of one of the five most powerful Hidden Villages and generally are also the most powerful ninja in their respective villages. They are collectively known as the Five Kage (五影, Gokage). If a Kage has held their position for several decades, as was the case with the Third Hokage, younger ninja are likely to have become stronger than they are. In such cases, the Kage may retire and give the title to someone else; the title, once granted, is held permanently. This creates a case where there are two Kage at the same time, with only one of them actually active, as it was with the Third and Fourth Hokage. After the Fourth died, the Third came out of retirement.
The Kage stand equally with the rulers of their countries, oversee the activities of their villages, and are the leaders of ninja society. They typically are the ones who send the ninja teams out on their missions and make the decisions regarding the safety of the village. The five Kage are:
The Hokage (火影; Literally meaning "Fire Shadow") of Konohagakure. The Kazekage (風影; Literally meaning "Wind Shadow") of Sunagakure. The Mizukage (水影; Literally meaning "Water Shadow") of Kirigakure. The Raikage (雷影; Literally meaning "Lightning Shadow") of Kumogakure. The Tsuchikage (土影; Literally meaning "Earth Shadow") of Iwagakure.
Although the village leaders of other hidden villages may be as strong or even stronger than any of the Kage, their villages have not earned enough recognition for them to bear this title. In the anime only Hoshigakure, it has unofficially dubbed each of its leaders the Hoshikage (星影; Literally meaning "Star Shadow"), signifying their ambition to be recognized as an equal to the five great villages. However, this title is a name only, and the five Kage do not recognize it as their equal as of yet.
Otogakure (音隠れの里, Otogakure no Sato; Literally meaning "Village Hidden in Sound"), called Oto for short, was Orochimaru's personal village, founded for the express purpose of collecting ninja for his experiments and his quest to learn all jutsu. Sound ninja use a diverse amount of jutsu, which are mostly centered around modifications and mutations Orochimaru gave them.