Hello everyone. This is a story I had in my mind for several years now and I wanted to post it and seeing as the original canon is going to an end I decided now is as good as ever to post this.
This story was created because of the many Gary and Mary Stu OC's storys I seen on this side way to often and thought to show you a different set of OC's. Whit that said that means that this story is heavy OC based and when you have problems whit that than you are free to leave.
Also English is not my native Language so expect some grammar mistakes, but that shouldn't be a problem whit the help of my beta Brown Phantom. Thanks Pal I really appreciate it.
And for those who still think that when I shouldn't write in English when this isn't my native language than I have following to say: I am sorry that this offend you but I want to write in a Language which most people understand, so please shut it and enjoy the story.
The story was planned before Kaguya Ootsutsuki appeared and was during the battle of Madara in the manga where he resurrected himself with his Rinnengan.
Last I don't own Naruto in any form, that will be the first and last disclaim in this story which should be more than enough.
(Date of post 5th Nov.2014)
Prologue: Another Realm
"Urg…Where am I? " Naruto asked as he tried to open his eyes, blinded by some dampened light. As he finally managed to open his eyes, he was greeted with a rather desolating sight.
Our Hero found himself in an unknown clearing. Rising his body up, so that he was sitting on the yellow grass with spread legs, Naruto let his eye wander, taking the surrounding in.
The clearing was in the midst of a forest. The forest itself was strange, everything in it, the leafs, the grass and even the tree itself were all colored some kind of dark yellow shades. The grayish light from the sky also gave the surroundings a depressive gloomy shine.
Inside the bald landscape was a gigantic, orange hairy thing with pointy ears. Its rhythmical up and down movements indicated that whatever it was, was alive and very familiar to our hero.
"Kurama!"
The ears of the mountain twitched as they heard the scream and the giant fur ball began to slowly rise to its feet's. Once fully raised, a gigantic nine-tailed fox could be seen, which shook it's head to get rid of the last bit of fatigue it felt. Now fully awake the fox fixated his sight to his small friend.
"Naruto? What are you doing inside the seal? "Kurama asked, confused.
"Look around you, we're are not inside the seal."
"What?" Kurama asked, surprised. He looked around him and realized quickly that Naruto was right. "Where are we? Where is the battle field? Where is Madara and where is everyone?" After a break he added "And why I am outside?"
"Are we inside the infinite tsukuyomi?" Naruto asked as he stand up and dusted his pants off.
"I highly doubt that anyone we know would have such a depressing idea of a dream world." Kurama deadpanned. "Anyone who does is desperately in need of a doctor."
"Where are we then?"
"How should I know? I was the one asking you that!" Kurama snapped before he calmed down. "Regardless, we should find a way out of this forest and find a town where we can find out where we are. Did you think you can locate a village or some woodsmen out there?"
"That shouldn't be a problem. Wait a moment." Naruto said as he then closed his eyes and began to concentrate. Red rings formed around his eyes and as he opened them again they were more froglike then human.
"Did you find someone?"
"Yes, a person on the border of the clearing. It feels like he is sleeping, but..." Naruto said but stopped, unsure how to explain it.
"But what?" Kurama pressed.
"I don't know how to describe it, but he feels kind of familiar but at the same time... not?"
Kurama raised an eyebrow at this. "Is this the kind of safe familiar or the type of familiar where you get cautious?" He asked.
"The first one." The blond answered.
Kurama looked like he would be thinking and then spoke. "Very well, I suggest you speak with this person and ask him where we are and where we can find the next town. At the same time I will wait here and keep an eye on him without him seeing me. The moment I notice some negative emotions I will interfere and attack."
Naruto nodded in agreement since it was a decent plan. Naruto jumped in shinobi fashion to the place where he felt the person while Kurama laid down, pretending to be sleeping.
Arriving at the place Naruto saw a person that appeared to be male in brown and black clothes, sleeping on a branch with a staff leaning against the tree. One end of the staff has a hook like a shepherd's staff, but this looks like it was also designed for battle. The man also seemed to wear a hoody and a cloak.
"Excuse me!" Naruto screamed, which let the stranger stir in his sleep.
"Excuse me!" Naruto called again, this time however the man awoke and sat up. Stretching his arms and scratching some body parts, he looked at the source of the noise which woke him up.
"Sorry that I disturbed you up but can you tell me where I am?" Naruto asked.
The now awakened man looked at Naruto and Naruto could see that the man was covering his face with some clothes and a hood covering all of his hair. In addition he is wearing some round circular goggles which are reflecting. All in all the face of the man was completely hidden from prying eyes. Before Naruto could made any thoughts as to why the man would cover his face he was brought from his thoughts by the stranger.
"Your friend should chance his size when you want to travel through the woods."
"What?" Naruto asked, baffled. The stranger picked his staff and jumped down in front of Naruto. Close up Naruto could see that the clothes were worn out and that he was wearing leather gloves and boots and the inside of his cape had red fur. Also the word 'P-Zan' could be seen on his chest.
"This giant fur ball over there." Zan began as he pointed with his staff at Kurama "He belongs to you right?" Naruto nodded dumbfounded that the man apparently has no problem or be in anyway concerned that a giant fox was sleeping in the middle of the clearing
"It would only give you two too much unwanted attention when a fox this size would travel through the woods."
Naruto was getting suspicious of this guy. "You are taking this rather well, that a fox the size of a mountain is in front of you."
To his surprise the man began to chuckle at this. "Believe it or not but the appearance of huge animals like your pet over there is a rather common sight here."
"…Seriously?"
"Yep and to your question, you and your friend are in the Gray Rainbow`Forest."
"Gray Rainbow?" Naruto repeated confused, trying to remember if he had ever heard of a forest with this name.
"Yes. I know strange name but you will find out soon enough on your own why it is called that."
"Okay." Naruto said slowly. "And do you also know how we can get out of here?"
"Sure, some miles away from here is a tavern for travelers. You just have to go East-Southeast from here, till the red bridge above the green river. You should find a path on your way to it. You know the right bridge by the blue trees on the other side." Zan explained as he showed Naruto the way.
"Blue Trees?" 'What a strange place.'
"Yeah, blue trees. After you two cross the red bridge you just have to followed the way another couple of miles and then you should arrive at the tavern 'The Laughing Fortress'. There you can find out more as to where, and especially how you two got here on the first place."
"Why can't you just tell me that also while you're at it?"
Zan only shrugged his shoulders. "I probably could, but it would take too much time if I would try to explain it. They could do it faster and better, so I see no reason to do so what someone else can do better and faster."
Naruto nodded since the claim did kind of make sense but he still had some questions. "But wouldn't it be faster if I could ride on the fox instead of having him chance his size? And how can he do that?"
Naruto could hear the grin on the man's face as he replied. "Perhaps, but as I said earlier it would just give you two unwanted attention, and which in case would just get them faster on your heels, and trust me that's something you REALLY don't want right now."
"Who is 'them'?" Naruto ask curiously.
"You'll find out soon enough and second…"
"And second what?" Naruto asked impatiently as Zan stopped talking. His response was just to chuckle.
"The forest bites big animals."
Naruto raised an eyebrow at this, how can a forest bite? Probably a metaphor.
"And how he can change size, that's a Kitsune for crying out loud."
"Alright but I have one last question." Naruto began, already having enough of this man but still wanting to know one thing before he left. "Have we ever met before?"
"Why do you ask that?" Zan asked titling his head to the side.
"Because you seem familiar." Naruto answered.
P-Zan than began to full-throatedly laugh, so hard that he had to hold his staff for support. After a minute he calmed down enough to reply. "Of course I am familiar to you."
"So we have met before."
"No."
"What?!"
"We actually never meet each other."
"But how can you say that you are familiar to me?"
"Because I am."
Naruto was getting annoyed at him and started to yell. "How can that be, are you some long lost relative of mine?"
"Somewhat, you could say." Zan laughed at Naruto and his ire.
"That's not funny!"
"Strange, I find it quite funny."
"Grr! Are you my uncle?"
"No."
"Some long lost brother?"
"No."
"Cousin?"
"No."
"Childhood friend?"
"No."
"Some ancient spirit who tried to help me?"
"No."
"THEN WHO ARE YOU?!"
"That's for me to know and for you to find out." P-Zan said amused and then slammed his staff to the ground, summoning a strong wind which raised dust, grass, and leafs, blocking the sight of him. The wind was so strong that Naruto needed to put his arms before his face for protection. As the wind calmed down the man was gone.
"What the?"
"Naruto!" Came a booming voice from behind. "Where did he go?"
"Haven't you seen him?"
"No the dust cloud was too thick to see anything. What did he tell you?"
(After a quick explanation of what the two told later)
"I see."
"What do you think of this?"
"It's really suspicious."
"Did you notice something while we were there talking?"
"No, his chakra never changed, neither could I sense any hostile or other negative emotions in him."
"Does this means he spoke the truth?"
"Most likely." Kurama said as he raised to his feet and walked in the direction Naruto has shown him.
"Wait, that Zan guy said that the forest bites." Naruto exclaimed which in response get a snort from Kurama.
"Pff, yeah sure. This guy was just pulling you-AAARRRGHH!" Kurama screamed as roots, thorned vines and other plants attacked Kurama's hand as soon as he put it into the forest. Using his other hand to cut the plants apart, he quickly steeped back and landed some distance away from the forest.
"I guess that is it what he meant with 'The forest bites back'."
"I see." Kurama said as he looked at his wounded hand, blood pouring out of the wounds the plants gave him.
Naruto and Kurama arrived at the tavern 'The Laughing Fortress', a rural-looking three story house, without any incidents. Kurama managed to change his size and could go into the forest without getting attacked by the plants and trees. Also on their way to the tavern they figured out why the forest was called Gray Rainbow. Every plant, every tree, every leaf and even the stones and rivers are all in different dark colors of the rainbow and with the grayish light from the sky the name was more than fitting.
"At least the tavern is real." Naruto said as they stood in front of the house.
"Are you sure it's wise to go in there?" Kurama asked at Naruto's side, towering over him a good head size.
"Do you have any other idea?" Naruto replied and marched to the front door.
'Not really.' Kurama told himself and followed Naruto.
Entering the bar the two were greeted with a surreal sight. Various kind of people in different attire were sitting at several tables. Some are wearing samurai armor while others are wearing armor and helmets made of steel and iron in for him unknown styles. Others wore some civilian clothes or garment of silk that some nobles would wear, even though they wouldn't be found in a place like this. And Naruto could have sworn he saw a man with a panda head in one of the corners.
No one seemed to notice the two newcomers and they preferred that way.
"This seems like a strange assortment of people here." Kurama whispered to Naruto.
"Yeah, who are those guys? Some of them look suspicious and some are total out of place." Naruto agreed as he made his way to the bartender in the front.
"Some are for sure. A crowded place like this is a goldmine for a thief. We should be-WATCH OUT!" Kurama began to warn before he sensed some killing intent from the side
"DIE YOU FUCKING CHEATER!" A man screamed as he jumped to another man seated on the opposite side of his table and rammed his axe into his head. Not getting enough, he pulled his axe out and stomped his heavy boots on his head, smashing it.
Naruto watched, shocked as the man's head practically exploded and his blood and brains stained the floor. More shocked was that besides occasional glances at the scene, no one present seemed to really care that a man was just murdered in front of them.
"And so it's clear, you are also paying for the cleaning of my boots." The man grunted to the corpse and was about to turn back to his place.
"What the hell?!" Naruto shouted and pointed a finger to the man who just killed another man. Said man just stopped and turned around to look at the unknown voice.
"What's your problem, kid?" He asked.
"Why did you kill this man?!" Naruto screamed. He didn't noticed that he was getting the attention of the whole bar on him.
"Because he cheated." The killer answered in a matter of fact, like it was more than obvious.
"But you didn't have to smash his head in!"
"I have to agree with our young friend here." A calm voice said from the place where the man wanted to turn back. "While his act was indeed dishonorable, smashing his head inside out for it was more than a bit unnecessary."
Looking at the source Naruto and Kurama saw a man with a bird head and arms like wings sitting there with his wing-arms crossed sternly.
"A Tengu." Kurama exclaimed.
"Oh, a Kitsune. It's been some time since we saw one here." The bird hybrid said in his ever so calm voice "And I am a Rito, if you mind."
"A Rito?" Naruto asked.
"Ah, my kin do not exist from where you come."
Before this could go any further the man Naruto spoken to interfere. "Enough with this chit-chat. You are too soft." He said while he pointed with his axe to the Rito. "And as for you..." pointing his axe now to Naruto. "I killed him cause he cheated. Where I come from, cheaters get hanged, but that takes too long for my taste. And then he has the guts to get my boots dirty, he also had to pay for that."
"You got your own boots dirty when you stomped on his head! How do you expect someone to pay for your shoes when you kill them first?!" Naruto screamed outraged and for a moment the whole bar seems silence.
Before a hell broke out and everyone but the Rito erupted in laugh.
"What's so funny?" Naruto asked annoyed.
The murderer answered between laughs. "You! It's you that is so funny"
"Why?!"
Just before Naruto could get an answer a hand clapped on his shoulder. Following the arm to look at the face of the hand Naruto get another shock.
It was the face of the man who just got his head smashed on the ground, completely healed and completely fine, without any scars or other wounds indicating that some parts where just removed from his head.
"The boy is right." He said. "You didn't have to kill me, for first, it's unnecessary brutal, and second I DIDN'T cheat!"
"Of course you cheated! How else could I have lost to you?!"
"Because you suck at this game!"
With a scream the Murderer charged at his victim again, intending to kill him again. But Kurama got in between those two and stopping any fight that could had broken out.
"KNOCK IT OFF YOU TWO!" He screamed and looked at the man which's head just had regrown. "And how can you be alive? Your head practically exploded!"
"It seems that our friends here doesn't know where he is" The Rito commented.
"And where are we?"
"You two, my friends, are in Death." He answered in a calm voice
"What?" Naruto asked aghast.
"AH NEWBIE!" The large man cried in delight and wrapped his arms around Naruto like they were friends and punched him lightly on his chest "Welcome to the club."
"Wait!" Naruto screamed as he broke free of the man's grip "What do you mean in the Land of the Dead? Does this mean that we are…?" Naruto found himself unable to finish his sentence.
"Dead? Yeah pretty much." He answered, amused.
Naruto stood there, shocked to his core, as he let the meaning of this words sink in.
"Hehehe, that can't be true" He whispered in a low voice.
"Naruto." Kurama said concerned. 'Denial, always the first stage.'
"This has to be a dream, yeah that's it. It's all just a bad dream. I can't die just yet, not before I have saved everyone" Naruto continued, ignoring Kurama's concern.
"Sorry to say it kid but you are pretty much dead." The tall man said.
Turning his head to the tall murderous man Naruto packed him at his armor and began to shake him violently.
"SHUT UP!" Naruto screamed at the top of his lung. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS!"
'Anger, right on cue.' Kurama thought, horrified as he saw his friend freaking out and tried to get him apart of the warrior, before he too would get his head smashed.
"Naruto! Calm down!" Kurama tried to reason with him as he struggled with Naruto and the man. "Starting a fight will not get us back."
"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE DON'T DEFEaT MADARA!" Naruto screamed as he pushed Kurama away and continued to struggle with the murderer, who got pissed off at the twerp.
"EVERYONE WILL THEN GET TRAPPED IN HIS INFINITE TSUKUYOMI, DIE, AND MADARA WILL RULE THE WORD! I CANT JUST DIE NOW!"
"AND HOW THE FUCK IS THIS MY CONCERN?" The man screamed as he backhanded Naruto to the ground. "I do not care which fucking world you are from or what role you had in it, but I won't let myself used like a bunching bag!" He screamed as he pulled his axe out and raised it over his head.
Two things happened at the same time.
Kurama tried to get in between Naruto and the attack.
A bang could be heard, followed with a sound of metal meeting metal.
The axe flew from the man's hand. His surprised turned promptly into fury as he turned around just to get hit with a fireball in the face. The man screamed as he clutched his face and fell down.
"Shut up." Another voice said in a neutral tone. "You're noisy."
Kurama and Naruto looked at the source of the voice and saw a tall man in red and black walking to them. His overcoat was crimson red, darker on the inside. His old fedora, worn out and old, had the same darker color pattern, with the strap being black. His hair and shirt underneath, together with his pant, shoes and gloves, were pitch black like the endless abyss of the night. He has a lower face mask which covered most of his face and nose, similar to Kakashi. His eyes, a strong contrast, had golden iris's and were looking at the screaming man in a dismissive way.
Walking past him standing before Naruto, his eyes changed from dismissive to piercing. Naruto couldn't help but feel like he was being measured by his savior, as if he was worth to be dealt with it.
Blinking he turned around and walked back towards the bar counter, where the barman was cleaning some glasses and said on his way back. "Next time you start to make so much noise, a burned face will be the least of your concerns."
Realizing that he spoke to the man on the ground Naruto rose up and followed the man. "Thank you mister for your help"
The man ignored him and keep moving onwards. Naruto was getting a little bit annoyed at being ignored when he was just being nice, but decided to let it go this time.
"Not that I am ungrateful but why did you help me?"
The red man sat at the bar counter and ordered a strong drink and said in a flat tone. "Cause he annoyed me with all this noises he made." He poured some of the strong liquor in a glass and takes a sip, while Naruto and Kurama took a seat beside him. "But I wasn't helping you, I was helping myself. I didn't really care who was under him."
Naruto was a little bit down hearing that this man hadn't done it to help. "Eh… about what he said earlier. That we are dead. Is-Is it true?"
"Yes." Was the simple answer without averting his eyes from his drink. "Both of you."
Naruto let his head sink in defeat and Kurama thought. 'Skip bargaining and depression, go right to acceptance. Weird.'
"So this is the land of the dead. I have to say it's nothing like I expected it."
"What did you expect? A grassland with flowers and pink bunnies?" Was the sarcastic answer from the man in red as he took another sip.
Kurama chuckled. "No, but we definitively didn't expect a bar. Never thought that my first visit here would end like this."
The man looked at Kurama. "What do you mean first visit?"
"Well, I am a bijuu and we have the ability to resurrect. In other words when we die we will be recreated after some time again so we don't stay death for long."
"Good for you Kurama, you at least can go back" Naruto groaned from the table.
"Sorry to say this Kitty-" The red man began
"Kitty!" Kurama bristled but the red man continued
"-but once you get here there's NO going back, for anyone or anything. Even those who claim they will be reincarnated or resurrected. Your ability is void here."
"Wait?! Does that mean that I am also dead, like in forever dead and not like I'll be back dead?"
"Yes." He answered. 'I'll be back dead?'
Kurama stood there open-mouthed before he let out a scream of despair.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"SHUT UP! THIS IS A BAR NOT A DAYCARE!" The man in red screamed as he punched Kurama in his face, knocking him down to the ground.
"Now, now, Red-san, show some sympathy with him. He clearly thought of himself as a immortal, anyone like that would be shocked when they found out that they are now dead for real." The bartender chided in as he continued to clean his glasses. He appear to be an ordinary man, forty-something, and has a grandfather-like charisma which helps to let people open up to him easier.
"I have seen too much to show sympathy." The now identified Red grunted and continued to empty his glass.
"Now young lad why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself and the life you had?" The barman asked the depressed Naruto to help cheer him up as Kurama retook his seat while holding his nose, Red has a pretty strong fist.
It seems to work as Naruto's mood seems to rise as he raised his head and smiled brightly.
"OF course. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and my dream is…" Naruto stopped with a depressed face on.
"Ah ah, son not the long face" The bar man said as he saw Naruto get glum. "It's no shame to fail to reach his dream, it's a shame to never have never tried it. Now what was your dream?"
Naruto gave a small smile and continued. "My dream was to become the Hokage, that's the leader of our village. He has…"
And so Naruto began to tell his life to the nice Barman who listened intensify at Naruto's tale and laughed at some of the pranks he had done and be amazed of what he have all gone through and even teased him about all the Queens, Daiymos, and leaders he managed to woo. Kurama added some info in here and there but mostly let Naruto do all the telling. His mode rose with every hour he told the nice man about his life and what he have accomplished. However all good things have to end and he became depressed again after he was finished, even though not so strong as before.
"It's sad" Naruto said with a heavy sigh. "That I had to die so early, I wish I was stronger that time, then maybe everything could have ended alright. With Sasuke back and me as Hokage. Sasuke, Sakura-chan and I would have celebrated at Ichirakus my position as their leader." Naruto then began to cry. " Ichiraku Ramen! This is the thing I will miss the most!"
"Your word is going to face the apocalypse and the absence of Ramen is the only thing that made you cry?" Kurama deadpanned.
"I am a simple man with simple needs."
Kurama sighed in response. 'What else should I had expected of him?' "I have to say that I am proud of you. You take it really well for being dead."
"Well crying about it wouldn't bring us back." was Naruto's response, even thought he was still not hundred percent convinced about it.
Kurama nodded in agreement. "You're right, we both are dead and neither you nor I can chance that, the best thing we can do to accept that and go on with our life... well, afterlife."
"You're wrong." The barman quipped in.
"What do you mean by that?" Kurama asked, curious and confused.
"What I mean that you two can do something about the end of your word."
"How?" Both asked at the same time.
"Now think closely at it."
"About what?" Naruto asked confused.
"About your story! Didn't you miss something?"
Seeing the blank looks he got from the two he decided to give the two a hint. "What happened in your last battle before you two died?"
"We fought against Madara." Naruto answered, not seeing what the bartender was going.
"And?" He pressed patiently.
"And what? We fougth, we lost."
"I see you still need more hints." The barman said. "What was Madara?"
Kurama's eyes widen as he finally understand what he was trying to say them. "He was a dead man, who resurrected himself."
"That's right, you got it." The man cried in delight.
"Wait a minute. Does that mean we can go back? But Red said that that was not possible." Kurama began, looking at the mentioned man on the side. Seeing him snoring contently on the table beside them, empty bottles of alcohol beside him, still with his mask on, fallen asleep during the early part of Naruto's story, missing most of it.
"Well Red was technically telling the truth but he may have misphrased it. You cannot go back on your own power, but with help from the living word it's quite possible."
"Wait does this means we can go back?" Naruto asked excited, which the old man nodded to in confirmation. "And does this mean you know how?"
The barman shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not. Just because I know that it's possible doesn't mean I know how it's done. But I know someone who knows the way to do it." He said and pointed with his head to the side.
Following the direction their gaze landed on the still sleeping Red.
"You can't be serious." Kurama deadpanned.
"I am."
"But he doesn't look like he wanted to help us"
"Oh Red can be quite grumpy and stubborn, but he is not a bad person at all. He may need a little persuasion to help you."
"Are you sure?" Naruto asked skeptically.
"Yes, let me wake him up for you. He reacts rather violently when awoken." The barman said and went to Red to wake him up. Taking another bottle out under the corner he opened it and held it over Red's head. Without looking Red's hand grabbed the bottle and wordlessly began to drink it directly from the bottle. Only to split the content out again.
"What the fuck did you just give me?! It tastes like water mixed with rubbing alcohol!" Red asked, disgusted.
"That's just beer."
"What did I just say?" Red said flatly. "Again why you did give me this cheap excuse of liquor?"
"I didn't, you just took it. Besides, Naruto and his friend here need your help". The barman said and pointed at Naruto and Kurama.
"Oh you're already finished with your sob story? That was fast" He said, surprised,
"You slept through most of it." Kurama commented, annoyed.
"Whatever, it's always the same anyway." He dismissed them before turning his attention back to the barman. "Why should I help them?"
"Because beer would be the only thing you will get here anymore if you don't help them." He said darkly.
In an instant Red was at Naruto's face causing him to take a step back and said with a scary face and matching voice. "How can I help you?" As he asked he looked like he had glass stuck in his throat with each word.
"This guy has some serious drinking problems." Kurama whispered to Naruto, who agreed with him.
"And?!" Red asked impatiently, his voice taking a more dangerous tune, while inching his face closer to Naruto's.
'Scary.' "We need your help to get back."
"There is the door." Red said pointing his thump to the entrance.
"Funny smartass, we need a way back home to the world of the living."
"That's impossible." Red stated in a matter of fact tone.
"No it's not. Madara resurrected himself with Edo Tensei so we know it's possible to come back to the living." Kurama countered.
"Who's Madara and what is Edo Tensei?" Red asked confused.
Kurama's eye twitched, annoyed because he has to repeat what Naruto just explained a moment ago to Red, just because he couldn't hold his liquor. Rubbing his temples he said. "He is the guy who killed us, and the one who will put the world under a big genjutsu"
"What's a genjutsu?" Red asked again, tilting his head to the side whit his arms crossed.
Naruto sighted and answered before Kurama could explode "That's a illusion that traps people."
Red hummed and took a seat. "I see, and Edo Tentai?"
"Tensei, and it's a summoning technique to summon dead people."
"Like Necromancy?"
Now it was Naruto's turn to get confused. "What's that?"
"A form of magic, usually associated with death, demons, and curses, also called magic of the dead or cursed magic. Summoning ghosts or zombies together or cursing your opponent are some of the standard necromancy spells."
"Eh yes, something like that." Naruto said, while mentally making a note to avoid those who use necromancy.
"How does it work?"
This time Kurama answered. "You need something from the people you want to summon and a human sacrifice."
"I see. It's still impossible to go back." Red said and turned back to the counter.
"WHAT?! WHY!?"
"It's easy. You need someone from the other side to summon you."
"We know that already."
"Yes and who will that be?"
"What?" Naruto asked, baffled.
"Yes, who will summon you? You two first need to get into contact with someone from the other side who knows this Edo tata technique, and this just goes when you two become ghosts, which is not as easy as it sounds. Second you need a sacrifice. So tell me how will you manage the first or find the second when the whole world is trapped inside an illusion? And for your information, ghost cannot break illusions."
Red laughed lightly to himself at the expression on both Naruto's and Kurama's face. He signaled the barman that he wanted another bottle.
"You know you can be really cruel Red." The Barman said as he gave Red his desired liquid. "Look at this boy, devastated that he cannot save his friends and home." He said while looking at the now crying Naruto.
"It's really a shame." Red said with false concern as he opened the bottle. "But there is really no way he can go back when his whole world would be under a illusion." He then raised the flask to drink directly of it.
"Though it gives another way."
Red stopped the bottle midway and look sharply at him. "You are not talking about that way, are you?!"
Unaware of the argument the two had Naruto and Kurama were consoled by the warrior who nearly rammed his axe into Naruto.
"C'mon little man, there is nothing to be upset, here take a seat and drink with us."
"Easy for you to say." Naruto said as he did as he was told. He now got a better look at this man and saw that he wore some sort of metal armor with red underclothes and a leather skirt. He also noticed that this man was rather huge and muscular, even a head taller than Red. His hair was short and blond.
"You get used to it after a while." The other man said at Naruto's side in an accent. He was of medium high and has long slick black hair which went down on both side of his face to his chin. "Say why did you and this gigante zorro talk about the grumpy man in red?" He asked as Kurama also took a seat beside Naruto.
"How can you be so calm about sitting beside a man who just crushed you head with his boots?" Kurama asked confused.
"Ah, that's not so bad, no reason to hold a grudge when you're dead. After a while you get over it." He answered dismissively with a laugh.
"Get over it!" Both asked, astonished and not believing you could get over getting killed all the time.
"Yeah I mean this big bald guy over here is searching for a god who has an army where the soldiers does nothing but crack each others heads open."
"Hey, we do more than crack heads, we rip arms apart and cut your guts out to suffocate you with them."
Naruto looked perplexed at the bickering of the two man and glancing at Kurama who wasn't fairing any better. The Ruto just laugh lightly and said to them.
"Here's some good advice for you two to head my dear friends. When you want to go through the world of the dead without loosing you sanity, it would be wise to just ignore the insanity of others here. Not everyone can handle immortality as well as others."
Naruto and Kurama nodded again, seeing the truth of that rather plainly in front of them.
"You can't be serious!" Red shouted slamming his hands on the table which got the attention of Naruto and Kurama.
"What's going on?" Kurama demanded.
"Nothing!" Red answered, too quickly to really mean it.
"It's not nothing! This asshole here knows another way to get you two back!"
"I thought we need the help from the world of the living to get there back?"
"It also gives another way."
"What!?"
"ENOUGH!" Red screamed as he stood up. "There is no way those two can go back and there is absolutely no other way for them to use!" With that he made his way out of the bar.
"You're lying!" Naruto accused. Standing in the hall just some meters away from Red he held his finger at him and shouted angrily. "You know a way for us to save our friends and decided to keep it for yourself, how heartless can you be!"
"Inside voice please." He calmly replied "And tell me Naratu.."
"IT'S NARUTO!"
"Whatever. Tell me what makes you think that you are so special that you alone deserve to go back?" He asked but he didn't let Naruto answer as he continued. "The answer is nothing. You are no different like the other over five-hundred-thousand wannabe hero's I have seen coming here in and out like flies."
"What do you know? You overslept most of my story."
"You story isn't one I haven't already heard." He said before his voice took a mocking tune. "Oh you was all alone and nobody liked you and wanted you away, do tell me how is this any different from any other orphan that I have meet?" He narrowed his eye at Naruto and even Kurama, who have joined Naruto's side during Red's rant "And you, you're angry that you were sealed for I don't know how many years. Boohoo, I know beings who are born, lived, and died in prisons. If you two are searching for pity go and talk to a rock on the road, that will give more of a fuck than I will."
He finished his rant and turned his back to them, ignoring their outraged expressions. He grabbed a half-empty bottle of alcohol and opened it, ignoring the cry from the previous owner. "Who knows, maybe you are lucky and can find someone who will help you, even if they just do it to stop hearing you whine again." Then he took a big sip at it, with his head tilted back and the bottle bottom to the ceiling.
THAT'S IT, DATTEBAYO, GET HIM!"
"SHINNE!"
At once both Naruto and Kurama jumped at the stranger, with a rasengan in one hand and fletched claws on the other, to deliver him the beating of a lifetime. Or maybe deathtime.
*Scene change outside the bar, 37.2 seconds later*
"H-H-How?" Naruto asked meekly to no one as he lied in the bin looking to the sky
'What an embarrassment, beaten like you were a mere child.' Kurama thought as he lied facefirst in a pile of rotten fruits, too bruised to move.
Red began to laugh out loud at the two. "You two are cute, you should have seen the looks on your faces when you landed in the bin. HAHA!" He laughed and held a wallet in the air. "And thank you for the free drink Naruto. I really appreciate it."
"You just provoked us so you could have an excuse to steal my wallet." Naruto groaned from the bin.
"Oh the blond is not so dumb after all. Well Sayonara you two and don't worry you two are already dead so the wound won't kill you it just takes some time to heal. Get used to being dead kid, it's not going to change no matter how much you want it to." And with that the strange man left the two alone in the trash and went back to the bar to grant himself another drink.
Well this was the first chapter Remember to review