Art of Living

Author: sky75rk

Standard disclaimers apply.

---

Risk Two: Resurgence

"I've been waiting for this, son. The moment when your abilities are given the chance to flow as freely as a river would,"

Naruto's eyes continued staring at the apparition before him, mouth agape and hanging. He tried blinking and scratching his eyes, but the image still remained. "I need to start sleeping soon. I'm hallucinating," he told himself, shaking his head, his blonde hair following his movements.

"You're not hallucinating, Naruto," the image before him told him, but Naruto covered his ears and insisted, saying over and over again in a mantra: I'm not hearing anything. I'm not going crazy. I'm not hearing anything, I'm not going crazy. I'm not hearing anything; I'm not going crazy…

"Of course you're not going crazy. Uzumaki's make people crazy, not us become crazy," told his 'father'.

The blonde stopped his movements and in a split of a second, clasped his hands together in a seal. "KAI!" he shouted, his voice reverberating within the area. He opened his blue eyes and found himself still staring at the floating figure above him. "KAI!" he shouted again.

And yet…

"I'm not an illusion made by a genjutsu, Naruto. How many times do I have to tell you?" Naruto can hear the exasperation in his father's voice and he, himself, sighed in defeat.

"Ok," the blonde started, willing himself to calm down and not panic. "If you are my father, then you," he pointed to the ghost. "Should be dead. You should not be here, talking to me like you're still alive,"

"I am dead." He told his only son.

"T-the-n…b-but y-y-yo-u," he, then, shut his mouth, as no coherent sentence is sprouting out of it. "Impossible," he whispered.

"Hear me out, son. You've come of age now and it is time to tell you about our family's secrets. Tell me are you able to feel things out of the ordinary? Like there is something supernatural watching you… protecting you?"

Naruto nodded.

"This is no ordinary ability. It is not merely because of the demon inside you that you have a high survival rate, seemingly getting out of danger alive and well when all others are almost struggling to live,"

Blue eyes were clouded with confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, getting himself comfortable as he propped himself on the ground and crossed his legs. "My survival instinct is not because of the Kyuubi?" his voice also showed his confusion over the whole thing.

"No, not really. Only part of it is cause by your furry friend," Arashi said, lowering himself near Naruto's level, yet still hovered over the ground. At the mention of 'furry', Naruto felt Kyuubi growl. He smiled.

"Kyuubi doesn't like to be called 'furry'," he told his father.

Arashi laughed. The wind moved as he laughed, several leaves circling them and the flowers Naruto brought with him also flying. "I see. But I have to tell you this now. No one else could, since you are the last of our clan,"

At that, Naruto sat still, intent on listening and understanding every word that comes out of his father's mouth.

"Our clan has been involved in the art of necromancy since long before. Our forefathers studied and used this art to resurrect their loved ones at first. Then a few decades later, their sons and daughters used this power to resurrect other dead to wield more strength and they tried controlling the government and the people. This happened before The First founded Konoha," The Fourth started, pausing to let his son comprehend the things he just said.

"The people fought back and they eventually won, killing what they thought, all of our members. But two survived and started the clan again, trying to lock the dark secret of our family and live a normal lifestyle. But then, one day, Yuuya, the beloved wife of our forefather, Akei, died when someone murdered her when he was away,"

"But who could do something so cruel?" Naruto asked, becoming angry at the death of his family. "What is their motive for killing an innocent woman?"

"At that time, bandits are rampant over the country. The ways of a ninja was not taught to Yuuya, for Akei wanted to her hands to be pure. She was just at the wrong place in the wrong time, and then, the disaster happened," Arashi explained, closing his blue eyes as he was once again saddened at the memory. "Akei was so distraught at her death, and even though he promised not to tamper with necromancy again, he couldn't bear to live his life without Yuuya by his side. He summoned her spirit, and fused it with her corpse, and once again, she was alive,"

"Of course, everything has consequences. Raising the dead is serious business and it drains a lot of chakra out from a person. But she remained dead, despite of being alive. She remained soulless even if her spirit was in her body, but Akei loved her still. They traveled together, but the chakra Akei gives Yuuya is slowly straining him, so much that he could not retain Yuuya's physical form. So he traveled with a walking skeleton when he grew weary and gave her physical body when he has enough strength,"

"There was a night wherein Akei was cornered by bandits. He was without weapons for his foes got it from him. He had no choice then, but to use Yuuya's hands to fight," Naruto sat up, obviously surprised. Arashi answered the question in his son's mind. "Yes, we can use the dead to be our weapons, Naruto. And Akei did that. He fused his chakra together with Yuuya's spirit and commanded her to fight. Chakra can do a lot of things, son. It can strengthen you and make it a weapon. Akei broke his promise to forever keep her hands pure,"

"After that episode, he was barely left without breath, but a woman nursed him back to health. With her, Lazariya, he learnt to let go of the past and move on, finally putting Yuuya to rest. They bore a son, Natsu, for he became the summer that gave heat to Akei's winter life. They settled in a land and soon the clan was revived. Around the time Konoha was founded, our family became part of this village, serving the country. Our other family taught each generation that each of us have their own guardian spirits, sometimes it is given though most of the times, it is us who chooses who our spirits will be,"

"So I can have one as well, and how is this different from necromancy?" Naruto asked, his mind already becoming excited at the prospect of having a companion and becoming stronger.

"Yes, Naruto. There is a big difference between spirit wielding and necromancy. Your guardian spirit simply remains as they are—a spirit, though you will be able to fuse with them and share the power they have. However, necromancy tampers with the body of the dead. Necromancy is crossing the border between the living and the dead, a forbidden art, with numerous consequences."

"You will find your own spirit, and you can fuse with their spirits momentarily gaining their knowledge and being able to use their techniques. Listen very well, son. Now I will tell you how,"

Naruto nodded. Arashi smiled. "There are only two stages in our technique. The first is Spirit Fusion. This allows you to fuse with your guardian spirit and become one. The second is Spirit Fusion over a medium or oversoul. We usually use the spirits' weapon in his lifetime since as warriors our weapons are half of our lives. This, of course, is only temporary and once your spirit energy is consumed, you will not be able to maintain the fusion,"

"But…" Naruto trailed, formulating the question he had in his mind. "Can the medium still be the spirits' body? Just like what Akei did with Yuuya?"

Arashi smiled, it was a good question. "Of course, Naruto. But you will have to tamper with necromancy if you wish to use the bones because you have to fuse the spirit and body together and constantly supply chakra and spirit energy. However, once the soul and body is fused, you will not be able to talk to your guardian spirit like how we are talking right now. It is the consequence of wanting to have the spirits' physical presence by your side than their spiritual one. But you have to be strong so that you can match your spirits' power. If not, you and your spirit will not be able to give a hundred percent. Our clan has existed before the Uchihas and the Hyuugas and other renowned clans in the Fire country. No one knows about our past and our secrets, besides us. Do you understand?"

Naruto closed his eyes and asked. "But why did you only tell me now? Why not when I was twelve?"

"You were a late bloomer, son. Whereas most of the clan can see the spirits at birth, you were not able to do so until just now. I have been watching you always, following you on your missions, keeping you safe. But the only signs of your acknowledgment was when you turned when I was shouting at you," Arashi laughed. Naruto was once again taken aback.

"Y-you were always beside me? You were keeping me safe?" Arashi nodded once, smiling softly as a few teardrops made their way down Naruto's tanned and whiskered cheeks. "You were shouting at me?" he was incredulous. He was so happy.

Arashi was surprised when Naruto suddenly leapt at him, wrapping his arms around his non-existent body. "D-dad, you might be dead," Arashi laughed softly. "But you just feel warm right now,"

Arashi hugged his son back. Finally, they were reunited.

---

They talked for a few hours, each of them relishing the presence of the other in their stay together. For the first time in his life, Naruto was genuinely happy. His wish has been granted. He was able to meet his father, the Yondaime, and talk to him and be with him.

The day was ending and the sun was setting. Naruto was getting ready to leave the burial grounds. He stood up, and turned to his father. "You've been staying with me so you could tell me when the time was right, right?" Arashi nodded. "Since your task is finished, does that mean that you will cross over now?"

Arashi looked at his son sadly. "I wish that I could stay longer, but I finished my task and now, I have no reason to stay behind," Naruto thought for a moment, staying silent and Arashi waited for him to say something.

Naruto looked up, his blue eyes hopeful. "What if I asked you to be my guardian spirit? Will you stay with me?" In his son's eyes, he saw the reflection of loneliness of being alone in all his life. He saw the struggles he overcame, the friendship that almost distraught him so much. He ached to be with his father. And Arashi also ached to be with his son.

"I'd be honored to be your guardian spirit, Naruto,"

The hope bloomed and happiness emerged. They won't be separated again, Naruto told himself.

"Come on. I still have to show you our house! And teach you! Do you know how much I regret not being able to teach you the techniques you learnt from my pervert sensei? Come on!" Arashi floated ahead of Naruto. Naruto chuckled; his dad is acting more like a child than he is.

They walked towards the forest and they only stopped on a dead end. "Why did you bring me here? Are we lost?" blue eyes narrowed at his father. "Are we?" he pressed.

The Yondaime stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry at his son. "Don't compare me to you son. I have a good sense of direction unlike you," he taunted. "See that statue over there? Turn it halfway, counterclockwise,"

"You're such a child, I swear!" he muttered to himself and proceeded to turn the statue counterclockwise and then it dawned to him. "ARE YOU INSULTING ME?" he screeched.

Arashi whistled, looking away. The ground rumbled and shook and Naruto almost staggered to the ground. His father looked giddy as the ground split in half and opened before them. His blonde son almost got his eyes out with the way his eyes were widened. "Come on!" his father floated away and entered the dark cave. Naruto snapped out of his stupor and followed.

He ran down a couple of stairs and soon he found himself running along a straight path. "Dad! Where are you?" he shouted and his voice echoed around him. He winced as he realized the volume of his voice.

At the sight of light that indicated the end of the tunnel, Naruto dashed and he saw in front of him, an old abandoned mansion. His father smiling brought him back to his senses. "Welcome to the Uzumaki grounds, Naruto," he said, formally introducing the area. "As you just saw, no one can just barge in our area if they don't know about the statue. This house is located in the middle of two cliffs--"

"WHAT! Who in their right minds would put a house in the middle of nowhere!"

Yondaime sighed. "We're not in the middle of nowhere, son. If you look down you will see Konoha in its entirety. And besides, this is for our protection. The foliage makes people unable to notice this place even from above," he explained as Naruto understood.

Naruto scanned the area. "But the place is old and most probably the foundation is already weak. I will repair the house before I get your remains and get you back on your feet,"

Arashi frowned. "You would prefer to let me be beside you physically than be able to talk to you freely like this?" he didn't like his son's idea. He wanted to converse with his son and it only happen if he was to stay in his spirit form.

Naruto remained smiling, instead of his father's voice. "Don't worry, a few tampering with the art will change that,"

Realization dawned on Arashi's face. "But… maintaining humanity in my original body is… impossible,"

"Father," Naruto started, formally calling the Yondaime, a smirk present on his usually smiling face. "You should know by now… nothing is impossible for Uzumaki Naruto,"

Arashi led his son in one of the most sacred rooms in the entire house. It was the place where all the scrolls pertaining necromancy, the dead and the spirits are kept hidden. Inside the room, the center was empty, except for a single table placed in a middle of a summoning circle.

Naruto frowned. Something was different about the circle. "It's… different,"

"You noticed," Arashi said beside him. Naruto looked at him, waiting for an explanation. "It isn't for usual summons, of course," he told his son.

The entire circle was filled with other distinct markings. On the left side, was the symbol for fire, across from it is the symbol for water, above, earth and below, wind. Each symbol was connected to each other by two wavy lines, forming a deformed circle with it. The symbols for fire, water and earth are connected by three lines, drawing a triangle, while the symbols for fire, water and wind are also connected, drawing an inverted triangle.

In the middle, where everything met, were a crescent moon and the sun entwined. In the middle of it still, were the symbols for both male and female, still entwined at their circles.

"Everything is so… old," Naruto said, smiling as he looked at his father playfully. "And elaborate," he added, tracing each line with his fingers.

"It should be, our clan began using this knowledge since before you were born, or before I was born,"

"I know,"

At the corners of the room, several shelves were lined up, all filled with scrolls. "I can't wait to read all of this," he said to himself, yet still muttering loudly enough for the spirit to hear.

The blonde turned around and exited the room, knowing the spirit was behind him. He started inspecting every crook of the building, every area that may need repairing. He found out that the years have taken the toll on the clan's mansion, and almost all areas needed some mending. He realized that he had to return to the village to acquire the things that he would need.

Sighing, he relaxed and laid himself down on the front porch. Later. He thought. I'll return later and do it. He told himself, yawning, and then curled himself to sleep.

-Continued-

Review?