The dark, deafening silence of the forest seemed so inviting, drawing him in with an isolated atmosphere promising peace and respite from the harsh words and cold glares of the villagers. He glanced over his shoulder, the lights of Konoha looked so far away that it was as if his problems disappeared into the distance. He set himself down against one of the trees looming over, comfortable in the hollow of the roots. How long this moment of joyous, self-imposed solitude would last he could not say.
As he pondered his fleeting freedom Naruto heard the snap of a branch breaking, He froze believing it to be one of the Hokage's shinobi sent to retrieve him. He watched as a haggard man staggered into the clearing, his clothes torn and blood seeping from numerous open wounds. The man glanced back over his shoulder and, seeing nothing, relaxed.
His relief was momentary as another figure suddenly appeared next to him, a hand striking out and piercing his chest. Naruto stared at the second figure, a dark haired man of overwhelming presence. He wore a dark suit with the sleeves rolled up. As Naruto watched, enthralled by the scene taking place before him, a pigeon fluttered out of the treetop to land nearby.
Suddenly the first man coughed up blood, his body sagging and dropping to the ground. His body lay still as the second man searched his pockets and, not finding his objective, sighed. Then he disappeared. Naruto gasped before covering his mouth. Even a twelve year old like him knew not to attract the attention of men like the one who had just vanished.
He lay still for a moment. Satisfied that enough time had passed he slowly dragged himself over to the prone form. As he passed he noticed the various small indents near the body as if someone had rapidly stepped numerous times in place. He neared the body and was suddenly grasped before the previously immobile body was face to face with him.
"Water Seven." he gasped out, his words punctuated by bloody spittle. "It's in Water Seven, don't let him find it. You can't let him-"
His words suddenly cut of and Naruto scrambled back, the stature of the man's killer looming over him like a shade of death.
Robb Lucci grinned. Water Seven was his next destination in the search for Pluton so. He was pleased that his guess to hide himself paid off. Now, however, he just had to deal with the boy. No witnesses was the rule, he knew that. He lifted up his hand, the body of the thief he had chased for over a week falling off his outstretched finger. Shigan was definitely his favourite technique.
Naruto looked up at the advancing figure, terror evident in his eyes. He knew what came next. Not from previous experience but from instinct. The aura of the man screamed murderer. He needed to get out of there and now. But how? The man was obviously faster than him, especially with that ability to disappear. If only he could do that.
Naruto paused. His eyes slowly drifted to the footprints near the slowly cooling corpse. There was only two the two of them in the clearing, plus the body. This meant that the number of footprints didn't add up, especially due to the fact he never saw his would-be killer take a single step. Unless that was the trick. Naruto slowly put together the pieces before realising, rather than disappearing, the man in front of him was merely moving faster than he could see by rapidly kicking the ground. Now he just needed to replicate it.
Lucci hesitated a moment. Normally his opponents attacked or ran, either out of desperation or a foolish belief that they could defeat him. The blond haired boy in front of him was, strangely enough, attempting to figure something out. Rather than being scared of Lucci he was calmly analyzing the situation and, seemingly, planning an escape. How interesting. He grinned. This kid was probably what would have been sought after when CP9 was being established.
Naruto slowly stepped towards Lucci. His plan was reckless, horribly unsuitable for the situation and relied heavily on his ability to recreate a technique he hadn't even seen. Perfect for someone like him so. He drew closer and closer to the assassin, waiting for the opportune moment. He waited until he was just within arms reach. Now!
Lucci started as the kid dashed past him, almost losing track of him for a moment. That almost looked like Soru. But this whole continent is separate from the rest of Grand Line, there was no way for the brat to have learned Soru from anyone. Unless the kid recreated it from seeing it performed just once. Lucci's face split into a giant grin. This could be good.
Naruto sprinted through the trees, his leg muscles screaming in pain at him. He had never expected the technique to be so painful but he forced himself onwards. The village wasn't too far away. His thoughts of safety were immediately crushed however, by the sudden arrival of Lucci in front of him, his face now sporting an unnerving grin, as he bounced from foot to foot in midair.
"You're too interesting kid. No-ones ever recreated my Soru before." Shave, thought Naruto. An apt name for the technique.
"But" continued Lucci, "It's the most basic of all Rokushiki techniques. Rankyaku!" He suddenly lashed out with one of his legs, the force creating a blade of air that streaked forwards. The Storm Leg hit Naruto in the chest, blowing him backwards where he lay in pain. Suddenly Lucci was looming over his prone form.
"Shigan!" Naruto rolled to the side as Lucci's finger thrust forwards, albeit much slower than normal. Not that Naruto knew that. Naruto gaped at the hole Lucci had pierced through the ground, aware that that had almost been him.
Defense was definitely not working for him. Let's try offense. He swung a kick at Lucci from his position on the ground. He momentarily cheered internally at Lucci's supposed failure to react only to gape as Lucci's entire body seemed to twist out of the way.
"Kami-e" intoned Lucci as Naruto stood up. "There's no art to being hit you see." Naruto dived forwards once more.
"Not that it matters either way. Tekkai!" Naruto screamed internally as he clutched his hand, Lucci's body momentarily seeming as hard as iron.
Lucci strode forwards as Naruto collapsed to his knees, Hattori settling into his usual place on his head. His eyes were caught by the glint of a pendant hanging around Naruto's neck. He grabbed, watching fear fill Naruto's eyes.
"Don't!" He was silenced as Lucci's finger pierced his chest. He collapsed as blood spurted from the hole in his chest. "The technique I used earlier where I seemed to be bouncing on air is called Geppou. Blueno likes to describe as being able to kick off the air itself."
He grinned at the loathing in Naruto's eyes, directed at him. Perfect.
"You managed to recreate Soru so I want to see if you can learn the rest. Master Rokushiki and search me out. If you beat me," he paused, waving the pendant in Naruto's face, "You get this back. If not you die."
He leaned down, placing clenched fists at Naruto's chest. "I'll be waiting. Rokuogan!"
XXXXXX
Lucii grinned as he stepped up to the heavily guarded Marine checkpoint. It was created to ensure the violent species known as shinobi didn't mix with the rest of Grand Line. Perpetually manned by people of Admiral level strength, it was one of the Marine's most heavily guarded locations, even beating out Impel Down.
"Did you get the information you needed?" Lucci looked up at Issho, the man currently in charge.
"That and more." he chuckled.
XXXXXX
The Sandaime looked up at the form of Naruto, his chest still bandaged from the wound inflicted by his unknown assailant.
"I want to become a shinobi."