Title – Another life. Another chance.
By - Wolyafa
Summary – Naruto isn't an idiot. In fact, he isn't what most people think he is. Is there a reason for this? Vague Tales of Phantasia/Naruto crossover.
Disclaimer - I own neither Naruto nor Tales of Phantasia.
Dhaos, King of Demons, savior of his people, fought his last battle this day.
Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage, loving husband and father, also savior of his people, likewise fought his last.
"You can't be serious!", the man called out to the wizard before him. Growling to himself, he threw back the Albane swordsman and rushed towards this latest threat.
The chance to interrupt the casting never came however, as by the time he reached the man, the spell had completed. "Indignation!" 'The name of this devastating power?' Dhaos thought to himself even as the ethereal lightning crashed down upon him... 'The name was something so ridiculous?' he screamed in pain even as he laughed in his mind at the stupidity of it all. He had been unable to time travel amidst the 'abounding light of heaven', as the wizard had called it.
Dhaos frowned as he fell to his knees, mere feet from his prey. "If I die..." he whispered, just loud enough for the half-elf to hear him, "If I die, my people will--"
Edward D. Morrison, the half-elf wizard who had given the final blow to the Dark King, smiled softly as he interrupted. "Your people will adapt," a hand was offered. "As all people do, Mana or no." Dhaos took the hand and stood shakily, being lead to the throne room's balcony. The act between the two had shocked the three humans present. They were ignored.
Below the balcony one could see the plains of Valhalla clearly. The very plains his adopted people, the Demons were being slaughtered upon. Dhaos knew he had lost the battle, and so too had the creatures he had adopted to rule. He sighed softly, looking down at his hands which even now had started to fade. He body was dying.
"You know why I did this.", muttered the King, not even looking at the man next to him. "Humans are killing this world, as my people had my own." He glanced sideways to the wizard. Under other circumstances, they could have been friends. He was sure of it.
"The king of Midgard doesn't seem to care." was the reply, "He knows he's damning us, but he doesn't stop. Even if you had twice the army, nothing could have kept this from happening so long as he lives."
Dhaos laughed as his body faded from existence. 'Maybe so,' he thought, 'But I've always believed things could change for the better.'
With a sound not unlike the chime of bells, the Demon King had died, and his allies were drawn back into their own world. Edward sighed, he was making a habit of doing so as of late; and walked back to his three companions, who were waiting for an explanation of his actions. He motioned for them to sit down, sighing yet again as he heard the cheers of the humans. Slowly, he told the tale of Dhaos the savior, not the evil King of Demons, who had been killed before he could complete his mission.
Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage and strongest shinobi in the elemental country of fire, wept softly from atop the toad boss Gamabunta. His wife had just died giving birth to his son, one Uzumaki Naruto. He knew he shouldn't cry in front of the child, but he couldn't help it. He was leaving the boy with no one, and if his assumptions about the villagers were correct, he was leaving the boy to die as well.
He jumped slightly as he heard Gamabunta talk, unconsciously tightening his grip on the bundle of cloth in his arms. "You ready?"
"Yes.", he looked at the nine-tailed fox a mere stone's throw ahead of him. The fox had stopped his assault and turned to look at him a moment ago. His shinobi taking this time to abandon the fight and station themselves behind the giant toad to rest. The Yondaime looked grimly at the fox, and began to form one-handed seals, chanting as he did so.
"Pitiful." spoke the fox, "A human and a frog is all this place has left?", It chuckled darkly and thrust forward, jaws wide-open.
Minato lowered himself to one knee even as the beast was halted in mid-air. He set his son on the head of his boss, careful not to let it's body touch the moist skin of the giant. Toads were bad about secreting toxins, even if they didn't want to.
He looked at his son, mind racing with the images of what could have been. Using the hand he had held the boy with, he forced chakra into his fingertips and slowly began to 'carve' the seal into the child.
Through the new-born's cries of pain, he was somewhat glad it's eyes hadn't opened yet. 'Seeing death incarnate probably wouldn't be good for his health.' thought Minato with a gentle smile.
"Son," he said, "I know you'll hate me for this; and I don't blame you. But if you can understand what I say to you now, understand that I will always love you... even in death." he choked back a sob as he continued, smile firmly in place, "Find something worth protecting son, as I know you will. Protect this precious thing, be it person or not, and grow strong for the both of us... please."
It was with that said that the God of Death, Shinigami, thrust his ethereal arms both into the Kyuubi, and the Yondaime. It was but an instant later that both fell dead, the sealing complete.
Or so Minato had thought. He had forgotten something important when he designed this technique, something crucial that could have cost the village had he called upon anyone else to aid him. As it were, the Death God was not one to take the wish of a dying man lightly, and finished the seal himself.
What the man had missed... was the allowance of reincarnation. With the soul of his former life unbound, the blond-haired child opened it's eyes. His soft, golden eyes.
Dhaos knew not why he was once again given flesh, but he knew at least somewhat that his incarnation's father had sacrificed himself to save his village. He sighed softly, the act coming out as more of a gurgle, as both toad, man, and beast disappeared. He really had to figure out why that happened.
He was only vaguely aware of a white-haired man catching him as he fell from his place atop the disappearing toad, his body having given out on him.
Later, the Sandaime would pass the law that kept others from speaking of the demon, it was even later that he would realize it hadn't done any good at all. For now however, the old man allowed the child to rest until he could determine where to place it. The news of what was within the child had spread surprisingly fast, and it was all he could do to prevent his premature death.
A/N: Let me know what you think, Naruto won't be too overpowered in this one, just stronger than normal. Other than that, I hope you enjoy it!