Disclaimer : I own NOTHING. Everything belongs to Masashi Kishimoto... Brilliant manga artist that he is.
One year after the Kyuubi's attack, in an unknown hideout in the depths of one of the five great Ninja villages, an experiment that would determine the future was underway...
"Experiment 9B is in progress. Systems green. All vital signs clear. Specimen condition stable. Transfusion of adrenaline active. Commencing the importing of experimental substance Spiral..."
A shadowy figure watched the scientists conducting the surgical procedure with immense satisfaction.
So far so good. It went much better than he had expected.
With mild disappointment, he had found the security surrounding the specimen to be lax to the point of absurdity. Only one jounin, two chuunin and a civilian to guard one of the most pivotal pieces on the checkerboard of the future? Fools. Then again, perhaps they were not to blame.
After all, nearly a half of their forces had been sent to their deaths against one of the nine demons of the land. Such was the reach of his organisation. Hundreds of able ninja dead at no cost to themselves because of their subterfuge. That was the way they operated, afterall.
He had infiltrated the building, retrieved the specimen, and made a getaway easily. Except for a small altercation involving his previous student, the retrieval had been smooth. Fluid. In and out.
However, he knew that he would have to relocate soon. His foolish student would probably sound the alarm. Reinforcements were likely to swoop in within the next twenty-four hours.
Thankfully, he was prepared.
"Experimental procedure was a success. Implantation of organic chip met no issues. It was a good thing, however, that you found a way to suppress the tenant in a more conducive manner for the procedure. It might have had unknown side-effects otherwise," reported the head scientist. However, his employer was lost in his own thoughts.
The scientist, while mildly irritated, could not help but marvel at his employer's immense potential. Learning a delicate technique in only three tries? Impressive, although his talent was far outstripped by another.
That one would bring peace to the world, regardless of whether it wanted it or not. If need be, that one was prepared to slay the world with the sword of peace. Such was the world they lived in, that experimentation of a specimen so young was justified for such a worthy cause.
The shadowy figure had not noticed the head scientist. He was reflecting on the specimen, whom he had not expected to possess such potent bloodlines, including one to rival even the highly-coveted Sharingan. That had been quite the surprise. Already, he had begun showing some signs of the bloodlines' manifestation, unlike his father who had only achieved competency in his bloodline during his jounin years.
Only time would tell if the specimen would be able to master the bloodlines when they began to war against each other, or be consumed by the vast power within. Could life get any sweeter than this?
Experimentation, and observation, whilst the host within raged and fought an impossible battle for the home he had loved in his own way. It served him right for daring to try the unknown.
The humans had a saying that went, 'Danger is curiosity'. How apt.
Startlingly, the specimen stirred. He was still unconscious, however.
Yellow met blue as the specimen's empty gaze met his maniacal glower. Cackling ensued in the otherwise silent lab.
The room was illuminated by a dim lightbulb overhead that cast ominous shadows onto the crevices of the room. Four squads of masked ANBU, for a total of twelve ANBU were gathered around a rectangular table where an aged man wearing formal Hokage garb complete with ceremonial hat stood. The wisened man gave all present a cursory look. He had wished for more, to assure success.
Nonetheless, the operation must continue.
"Dear comrades, we've been gathered here for an important assignment," spoke a dog-masked ninja clad in the standard ANBU issue vestments. Reaching into his pouch, he took out, and unsealed a scroll, before unfurling the map it contained.
"Sarutobi-sama, if you please."
"Orochimaru, my wayward student, who many believed would be my successor for the position of Fourth Hokage was recently proven to be experimenting on humans. Civilians, numerous genin, chuunin and some jounin were all victims of his blatant disregard for life. While we do not know how he managed to abduct these ninjas without any alarm being sounded, it is clear that we must not allow this to continue."
The Sandaime Hokage paused for breath, before gesturing at the dog-masked ANBU.
"His hideout, according to intel, has been found to be directly underneath the Hokage Tower. Today, we must infiltrate his lair and capture him ALIVE. He must be alive so that our torture and interrogation specialists have something to work with. Don't underestimate him. He also has captured the jinchuuriki of the nine-tailed fox, who was previously presumed dead after he vanished for a month. Proceed with extreme caution. We want both Orochimaru, and the jinchuuriki alive-"
"Hokage-sama, will you be accompanying us?" burst in a rabbit-masked ANBU, to disapproving looks from his superiors.
With some resignation, the dog-masked ANBU shook his head slightly. Rookies.
However, Sarutobi merely waved a hand dismissively.
"Yes."
In the lair of the snakes, the four teams dissembled.
"Teams four and seven. Are you in place?"
"Yes. Are your teams, five and eight in place, Commander?"
"Affirmative. Remember, this seal is special. Remove the sub-seals on my signal. I will fry the circuits with a controlled Raiton jutsu. On my mark.."
"When?"
"Wait for it... Wait... Wait..."
"When...?"
"Now!"
A loud explosion greeted the exclamation as the entrance to the lair swung open. Within minutes, the four ANBU teams reassembled in front of the Third, who looked into the lair of his student. He never had any idea that such a lair existed below the Hokage Tower. What else had he missed about his student? What darker secrets might he be concealing? Time, and liberal application of interrogation devices would tell.
"Remember, extreme caution. Don't touch anything." cautioned the leader of squad four, a cat-masked kunoichi. "Squad seven, you may proceed."
Squad seven proceeded in cautiously, mindful of any traps that may have been waiting to be sprung. Minutes later, they who specialised in reconnaisance and scouting operations gave the all-clear. All the traps had been disarmed, although some had been particularly difficult.
As the remaining squads entered the lair, a large snake greeted them. Several ANBU started flashing through handseals before realising that the extremely life-like statue was just that, a statue.
Sheepishly lowering their appendages, the ninjas assembled in front of the statue. The dog-masked ANBU snorted in amusement. Rookies getting jumpy.
Only then did the dog-masked ANBU take stock of his surroundings. He was in a large chamber, with no visible exits other than that which they had entered from. Evidently, it was some sort of sparring facility, though it was spartan.
"How do we proceed, Hokage-sama?"
"Knowing Orochimaru... He would probably have an entrance in the snake's maw. Clear the area in front of its jaws and force it to open."
The ninja converged on the sides of the gigantic serpent statue. As one, they forced their weapons into the gap between upper and lower jaw, channeled chakra to their limbs, and heaved.
As the jaws opened, the ninjas scattered in the nick of time. A highly corrosive acid squirted from the outstretched fangs of the snake. One shinobi who failed to move in time was consumed by the deadly acid.
Writhing in pain, the shinobi from squad four squealed in anguish as the acid ate through his skull. Ignoring the brain matter seeping through the new orifices of the fallen shinobi, the Hokage ordered his subordinates to leave their comrade behind. Nothing could be done for him.
One field-signal later, the squads carefully proceeded through the gaping maw of the snake, slid down its throat and found themselves in a labyrinth of dim corridors.
"Figures..." muttered a dog-masked ANBU. "Squad seven, proceed north. Squad five, proceed south. My squad, squad eight, follow me east. Hokage-sama, please go west, together with the remnants of squad four."
"Scatter!"
Upon the Sandaime's order, the elite ninjas moved. What would they find?
(Squad Seven)
After a long corridor that seemed as if it would never end, the boar, goat and tiger-masked shinobis found themselves peering at what appeared to be a lounge. What got their attention however, was not the lavish furniture, nor the outlandish decorations.
It was the six hostile ninjas who had spotted them. They readied themselves for battle.
A pity they did not notice the figure who had been following them for a while.
Three masked decapitated heads dropped with a ominous thud.
(Squad five)
Whatever squad five had expected, it was not this. Barring their way were two individuals wearing cloaks emblazoned with white suns.
"What luck. We came to evaluate Orochimaru's progress and we get such a treat. Hello, little ninjas... We won't let you live..."
A hellish scream echoed throughout the labyrinth.
(Squad eight)
A dull whirr heralded the shift from normal eyes to the sharingan as squad five, the combat specialists, faced... themselves?
A distant scream cut through the tangible tension, broke the silence and sparked the battle.
Countless fire jutsus clashed against counterparts of themselves as the enemy mirrored squad eight's movements completely.
Kunai hit kunai, shurikens whizzed towards each other, punch was met for punch. Swords clashed, scythes locked and movements were mirrored perfectly.
Punch for punch, kick for kick, squad eight, combat specialists of the sharingan, fought what would prove to be their toughest battle for a long time to come. Afterall, how do you defeat someone who looked like you, thought like you, fought like you, and for all intents and purposes, could match you blow for blow?
Squad eight was fully intent on finishing their individual opponents. Their opponents however, had synergy.
A pity that only Inu would survive to remember this battle forever, as it cemented the importance of teamwork for him. Afterall, only a last-ditch effort by his teammates to impale themselves on the weapons of their dopplegangers bought him the opportunity to finish an increasingly desperate fight.
(Remnants of squad four and the Sandaime)
Capsules and tubes of many different shapes and sizes lined the ominous lab they found themselves in after a lifetime of tension in the labyrinth.
"What are these, Hokage-sama?" remarked the cat-masked kunoichi in disgust, peering closer at the liquid-filled capsules, before recoiling as SOMETHING inside snapped at her.
"Abominations, civilians unlucky enough to be noticed by Orochimaru. I never knew..." remarked the Sandaime grimly with a tinge of sorrow at the depths his former student had fallen to.
Abruptly, the Sandaime noticed the presence of another. Wheeling around, he spiked his chakra in warning.
"Speak of the devil," remarked the stoic rooster-masked shinobi as a shadowy figure loomed in front of the trio..
"Orochimaru," spat the cat-masked kunoichi with much vitriole. "You should have ran when you had the chance. Now you will come quietly with us."
She began the seals for a potent paralysis jutsu.
She charged forward, only to be tugged back by the impassive Hokage.
"No. Can't you see?"
Slightly disorientated, the kunoichi examined the shadowy figure of the sannin once more. "See what, Hokage-sama?"
"He hasn't moved, nor spoken. The Orochimaru I knew was an extremely talkative brat from the get-go. He doesn't miss a chance to gloat. In that respect, he was similar to my other students. In addition, he doesn't possess a shadow."
In wonder, the kunoichi muttered, "An advanced bunshin?"
"Affirmative," her stoic teammate confirmed.
"We're too late. He's gone," sighed the Sandaime. However, before the trio turned to leave, the Sandaime suddenly remembered.
"Naruto." he breathed.
"Scatter and search for him. Comb the area with a comb so fine that it traps dirt." commanded the man who had been the strongest ninja of the village in his prime.
After a back-breaking search that turned up more horrors than not, finally, the rooster-masked shinobi found the blond jinchuuriki in one of the capsules. Unsheathing his katana with a slight cough, he spun it clockwise, slowly gaining momentum before striking the capsule with such violence that the glass shattered and freed the blond.
"Mission accomplished. Orochimaru escaped, but the jinchuuriki was retrieved."
The Sandaime was very displeased. After delegating the task of safeguarding the blond to some jounins who had just returned from an infiltration mission, he and squad eight had returned to check on the other squads. What he found was nauseating.
What remained of squad seven were three neatly decapitated bodies.
Squad five were mere bloody smears in the ground.
Only one person, the dog-masked ANBU commander, of squad eight survived, but he might not be fit for combat duty anytime soon due to lasting psychological scars.
Feeling the beginnings of a headache, the Sandaime dismissed the newly reformed squad four, who were reassigned under the ANBU commander, and began the return to his beloved office.
His troubles were only beginning, however. Recently, Jiraiya, his only remaining loyal student, had brought him dubious intelligence. Unusual. His intel was rarely unreliable. The fact that the information was so sketchy was worrying.
Apparently, there were several S-class missing nins banding together under two rival banners. In addition, Jiraiya had brought news of a disturbing prophecy from the Toads of Mountain Myoboku.
'That could pose a problem.' thought the Sandaime. However, it was nothing Konoha could not handle. However, more worrying rumours had reached Jiraiya's ears from within the organisation itself.
The rumours were unfounded, but very persistent. The moles within the S-class organisation whispered of an even greater organisation consisting of hundreds of missing nins ranging from A-class to SS-class under the banner of one SSS-class missing nin. Some were worried that their S-class organisation had been compromised.
"That's impossible," snorted the Sandaime when Jiraiya had conveyed the report. "There has only been two SSS-class missing nins in the history of the Elemental Countries.. The first lived over a thousand years ago. The second was barely slayed by a combined campaign by all the people of the land, while he was recuperating from a debilitating illness a hundred years prior."
However, he wasn't so sure now. Even a rumour of an SSS-class missing nin was worrying, and must be kept under wraps. Though the memory of the common people had faded, the leaders of the ninja villages were given standing orders from their predecessors to destroy any and all SSS-class ninjas.
The only problem was that such ninjas could only be defeated by a collective effort by armies from multiple hidden villages, in certain circumstances, and with heavy losses.
Not only did they have powerful underlings, they themselves shattered the land in their time.
The armies sent against them would be slaughtered, and their villages would be the weaker for it. None of the hidden villages wanted to do it, for a weakened village was easy prey for the other hidden villages.
It would start a whole new Shinobi War.
Dire times were on the horizon. And the prophecy...
"He comes..
Wearing a mask of weakness,
Forged in insanity,
Baptised by blood,
Tested by fire,
Hated by Dawn and Dusk,
Dawn will fall,
Dusk will fail,
and herald the coming of midnight."
The Sandaime did not know what to make of it. Did the mask of weakness mean that he was a shinobi? Did the blood and fire mean the hidden villages would burn? Did midnight mean the end of all hope? Who did the prophecy refer to? Would he be salvation, or damnation?
Twelve years later, in the ninja academy of Konoha, an annual ritual was commencing. The Ninja Graduation Examination.
The blond "jinchuuriki" had grown up. Once a lively infant, he is now a lively kid... Although not as lively as he was normally, because the circumstances he found himself in.
Naruto ignored the jeers as he walked down the aisle to take the graduation test. Absently scratching the back of his neck where an intricate seal was located, he promptly prepared to perform the jutsu that would determine his future.
'Form the seals...'
He began the handseals. To his horror, his sweaty palms meant his handseals was sloppy at best.
'Gather the chakra...' he mused to himself. Blueish wisps of chakra began to circle around the blond, whose brow was wrinkled in concentration.
The chakra began spinning faster, around and in his body.
Like a calm river, it flowed faster and faster. A fast-flowing river. Faster and Faster. A torrent, faster and faster.
'Oh no... Not that fast.. That's how I failed last time...' he mentally groaned. Trying and failing to slow it down, he decided to cut his losses. He took the plunge.
"Bunshin no jutsu! (Clone Technique)"
When the smoke cleared, only one Naruto was standing. His replication slumped at his feet, motionless, malformed and all-in-all, useless.
"You fail!" bellowed his frustrated instructor, the tanned brunette Iruka.
As everyone else left the academy with smiling faces, a lone figure sat alone at the swings. He had been the only one to fail. Dejected, he moped. He had had such high hopes. The academy registration officers had decided to let him into the academy two years earlier than anyone else, for he had showed such promise.
Then, he had failed twice, and was with his batch once more. Still, he had ?
From afar, his instructor watched him with a predatory gaze. Surely this child would be open to any suggestion that might allow him to pass.
As Mizuki approached Naruto, the sound of his footsteps merely caused the child to briefly glance at him despondently before returning to boring holes in his shoes with his eyes.
"You know, Naruto, there IS an alternative way to become a Genin," whispered Mizuki conspiratorially. He allowed himself a smirk at the hope he saw in the boy's eyes before he continued.
"Here's what you have to do..."
Naruto had never realised that breaking into the tower was so easy. All he had to do was to carry a bento box and waltz into it under the excuse of delivering it.
It was easy. Almost too easy. However, he was not complaining.
After finding the scroll left haphazardly on the Hokage's chair, it was plain that the Sandaime had been adding more jutsus to it. The man must have been extremely exhausted.
With a shrug and a twinge of guilt, Naruto grabbed the scroll and was flying out the window in a matter of seconds.
Hours later, the Sandaime had called an emergency assembly of all ready shinobis and kunoichis. Once they had been briefed, the cries for Naruto's blood went up.
"Kill the demon! Demon scum should never have been spared.."
"Blasted demonspawn should have never been allowed to reside in our village and taint our young ones."
"Slay the traitor!"
"How dare he betray our trust by stealing our Forbidden Scroll! We'll make him pay!"
"Calm down. I want the boy alive," frowned the Sandaime. He had been furious with himself for allowing Naruto the opportunity to steal the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. Clearly, he had been too lax. However, he liked the blond prankster. He was amusing, friendly and very optimistic. He certainly did not deserve such death threats.
"Have I made myself clear? I want him ALIVE."
"But-"
"Yes, sir."
"Understood, Hokage-sama."
" Scatter!"
After giving the order for the ninjas to move, the Sandaime retrieved his all-seeing orb. Although he could not discern where Naruto was, he would be able to see what he was up to.
"Let's see... What do you want the scroll for, Naruto...?"
Date : After Academy Graduation Test, Night
Venue : Forest Of Death - Training Ground 44
After several long hours after searching for Naruto at all his usual haunts, Iruka, Naruto's chuunin instructor had finally found the blond prankster in a clearing in the forest of death, with a large scroll open in front of him.
"Naruto! What are you doing here? Don't you know this place and the scroll are forbidden?" bellowed the chuunin instructor, with good reason.
The average lifespan of a human in the forest of death was three hours, two in warm weather, one at night. The aptly named forest was full of predators, human or beast. The annual chuunin exams raised the average lifespan, but the amount of idiots who decided to explore and got killed in a minute vastly decreased it.
However...
"Hi!" exclaimed the blond, earning himself a painful smack on the head.
Scowling the blond prankster rubbed his head before beaming a triumphant grin at him. He said, "Iruka-sensei... I've learnt TWO jutsus from this scroll! Now you HAVE to let me become a Genin!"
"Who told you that, Naruto?" inquired Iruka. He found it rather suspicious.
It almost seemed as if Naruto had been put up to it by a third party, instead of doing it as a prank as he had initially thought.
"Mizuki-sensei..." murmured Naruto in confusion. Was Mizuki going to be trouble?
"I see..."
Suddenly, a soft whirring sounded to their left.
"Run Naruto!" shouted Iruka before shoving Naruto out of the way. Throwing five kunais rapidly, he barely managed to knock the fuuma shuriken off its course, and avoid being sheared into two.
Immediately, several kunai were sent at Naruto from a branch above them. They painfully embedded themselves into Iruka, who shielded Naruto with his body.
Looking up, Iruka saw Mizuki on the branch, gloating.
"Mizuki , you traitor..." said Iruka, snarling at the smirking Mizuki.
"Hello, Iruka. Glad to see you have finally shown your true colours, demon-lover. Has it enslaved your mind? We were once both avengers of the people it slayed. Now look at you."
"Stop, Mizuki! Don't do this... Think about your life!"
"Silence! My life? My life is to slay the demon! It has tainted our village long enough! The people will love me for killing the both of you so much, they won't even remember the forbidden scroll of seals! All I have to do is to pry it from your corpses, and its mine! As for you, Iruka... I'm disappointed in you for siding for the demon."
Mizuki pulled out another Fuuma shuriken which he casually twirled before tossing the shuriken at Naruto who had frozen. The sound of metal entering flesh echoed throughout the clearing. Naruto looked up into the anguished face of Iruka as Iruka's blood dripped onto his face.
"Sorry, Naruto... I wasn't able to protect you..." whispered the brunette.
Thought began racing in Naruto's mind, as he watched Iruka's life seep onto the forest floor.
What..
What was...
What was he doing...?
Did he not graduate from the academy...?
Why was he so weak?
Why.. Why...? Why?
Was the techniques from the scroll useless? Was he going to watch the one of the only people to care about him die?
He would not. He could not.
Naruto gathered his resolve to protect his chuunin instructor before trying out a cool new jutsu he had seen in the scroll. He hoped it would do something.
"? no jutsu!"
Suddenly, Naruto felt an enormous spurt of tainted, purplish chakra rise up from within as his features grew more angular, his cornea blackened and his iris became a sickly yellow. His hair whitened and his stance changed. Once a brawler, 'Naruto' now carried himself like a trained assassin, his movements swift and precise, and most of all... deadly.
A blur of orange framed by purple rushed forward, leaving afterimages behind as Mizuki was brutally shredded into strips.
"That was too easy . . ."
"You looking for me?" smirked Mizuki from an opposite branch.
Oh gods... Haven't touched this in quite a while. I also noticed a number of mistakes I made.
Notes:
1. hint: "9B" - Yes, the shadowy figure was REAL creative...
2. Naruto could not read the jutsu so he fumbled it.
the Hidden leaf village or Konohagakure no Sato, is in a period of recovery and peace. After the second Shinobi War which made heroes like the legendary Sannin and marked the rise of Konoha's Yellow Flash who is the Yondame Hokage, one of the legendary Sannin defected from Konoha due to illegal human experimentation. The Sannin ,who had an obsession with snakes and jutsus, was personally chased out by his disappointed teacher, the Sandaime Hokage, also known as Sarutobi.
After the nine-tailed demon fox's attack of twelve years ago in which more than half of Konoha's ninjas perished including the Yondaime, the village harboured a deep-seated and irrational hatred of the jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Naruto. Despite him being the only thing preventing the second coming of Kyuubi, the Sandaime had to impose a law preventing the villagers and ninjas from assassinating or harming Naruto in any way. Sadly, the villagers frequently infringe on this law.
People: Iruka
The most-popular chuunin instructor at the Ninja academy, he often mantains a close bond with his students. His fighting style is closely linked with his firm foundation of the basics. He lost his parents to Kyuubi, hence his initial wariness towards the jinchuuriki. However, he soon realised the prisoner was not the warden and made a genuine effort to help Naruto.
People: Mizuki
A sleeper agent of Orochimaru, the snake sannin, Mizuki was also a teammate of Anko under Orochimaru. He also has a firm grasp of the basics, although he barely made chuunin.
Jutsu:? no jutsu
A high-end S-ranked jutsu. It awakens the subconscious mind which often takes form of a single entity. Once a Haruno family jutsu, it was deemed forbidden by the Hokage after the new ANBU commander tested it out. Entities of ninjas who hold themselves back greatly are considerably stronger than those who do not. This is because the held-back reflexes, jutsus, and other related skills are stored in the subconscious, where it cannot be accessed by the conscious mind, and is 'soaked' up by the entity. A thing to note about this jutsu is that suppressed feelings also affect the entity greatly, with negative feelings having more power than positive feelings. Extremely powerful entities are able to take over their hosts entirely while extremely skilled hosts are able to assimilate their entities into themselves, with the new being of a cross between the two. The assimilation process is unknown, but rumours of a new organisation consisting of powerful entities who have taken over their hosts abound...