It was quiet when Naruto finally chose to contemplate what he had learned the previous day. It was also very late. But it was the quiet that the young boy truly needed. Never had Naruto been faced with such an ironic fact. He could summon the Death God at no risk to his life. The same God who had apparently taken the life of the Yondiame to seal the Kyuubi within a child. It was ironic, it was comedic. It was something that shouldn't have even been possible.
You are my servant, boy. Never forget that. But I will help you. Oh yes, I shall help you. You, who have lived in fear and anger and pain. You are a fitting summoner. Together, together, the world is ours.
What did the Death God mean by that? The world was no one's. There was no one person in the world who could ever hope to achieve a perfect rule. The blonde ten year old crept off his small pallet on the ground to the window that overlooked it. Yuka was home. She would be listening for him. Naruto frowned. He disliked his caretaker. Yuka was cruel and withheld the funds that were meant to further a small boy's education. She bought herself shoes and accessories when she should have been buying him food and books. How else could he ever be a shinobi? The Academy did not supplement their students with workbooks. They did not try to further the students down the path they excelled at. That was where a family came in. But Naruto had no family and for that reason, he needed the damn workbooks.
Naruto frowned at the full moon as he stared out into the night sky. Yuka would be visiting his room shortly. Sighing, the blonde boy turned to the Book. It lay innocently next to his bed. The black binding seemed to absorb the meager light around it. Naruto smiled wryly. The Hokage had told him that the book would remain in his possession. After all, he believed that no one else would be able to hold the thing.
Naruto crept back to his bed and pulled the Book onto his lap. He opened it slowly, skipping over the first page. He knew what it said by heart already.
You are my servant, boy. Never forget that.
The gods' servant indeed. Who did the god think he was? He had no say in his life. Only in his death. Then he'd be condemned to whatever fate the death god handed him. Naruto frowned at the Book's pages. They were blank. He flipped through the book faster. Still blank.
What the hell? How does this help me?
He stopped at a page in the Book and stared at it blankly.
The lying bastard. It had given him something useless. What could he do with a book filled to the brim with blank pages? Naruto sighed softly and looked away from the book. It was useless. He had avoided looking into a blank book for the better part of his night. The blonde turned to look at his beaten alarm clock.
"One o'clock in the morning." He glanced back down at the book, an annoyed frown twisting his lips. "How are you useful if you can't even show me shinobi facts?" Naruto sighed and moved to shut the Book. He was stopped when winding words began to appear on the page.
"How are you useful if you cannot deduce the rules of my use?"
"What? What rules?"
"A smart question." Naruto watched in awe as words appeared on the page. Each of them squirmed into place and then gleamed wetly up at him. "There are rules to my existence. After all, the power I wield is nothing to be laughed at. I am the Book of Knowledge. I can grant you all the knowledge you desire. All you must do is ask."
"Those aren't even rules."
"You don't need the rules boy. I know you won't break them. To do so would be a great folly. This is The Death God's way of testing your usefulness. As it is, he likes you. You have not questioned why a mere book can converse with you. You have not screamed in horror and tried to burn me. None of these things you have tried to do."
Naruto stared down at the page. He thought about what the Book had told him and slowly pieced together one of his rules.
"You can only give me things that have been written, can't you? Spoken word isn't something you should have access to."
"So smart for such a young age. You are correct. I can only give you work that has been written, even if it has been later destroyed. It is mine to grant you."
"And I can ask you anything?"
"Indeed."
"Who were my parents? Why did they abandon me?"
"The Death God doesn't wish for you to know who they are. He would have told you himself. You are not worthy of such information. You are weak, pathetic. You do not deserve to be granted your parent's identities."
Naruto smiled, not even angered by the response he was given.
"That's another rule isn't it? I can only get what the Death God believes I should receive."
"Correct. But that information in itself is enough for the likes of you." Naruto's smile turned mocking.
"How so? I am the summoner of the Death God. I can do so without risking my life. I think I can get whatever I want from you. While you think you can rule me, get it straight, I own you." Naruto sat up when the room got colder. He looked around slowly, taking in the frost that now lined his room. "You go away. Don't dare to show your face to me. I control you, don't I? Something went wrong. You seek to twist whatever it is that may be gained by me controlling you into something for yourself. Get this straight. Naruto Uzumaki serves no one. I who have lived through so much refuse to bend to anyone." The temperature in the room dropped more in answer to the boy's cool words. He smiled when t he cold air condensed around him, unafraid.
Do you believe a weak brat like you can command me? Do you presume such? I can take your soul little one. I can take it through the levels of hell that few have ever seen. Do you wish to anger me?
Naruto listened to the words that whispered through the air. He slowly closed the Book. The underfed blond stood slowly, turning to face the person who had spoken.
"Yes, I do." There was a roaring sound as mist engulfed the blond, eagerly claiming his body. Through it all, the boy held onto the book he had been granted and kept himself still.
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Iruka stood in front of his class as he replayed the events of the week before in his mind. Naruto had somehow come into possession of a summoning contract that shouldn't even exist. What was worse was that the summon had gone to him and not the other way around. It was not uncommon for ninja to find a way to summon a beast that no other held, but usually, they were weak summons. Like dogs or birds. A higher summon needed the summon to want the summoner and even then, there were still rules that applied. The summon would send a message through a lower summon. It was up to a ninja to accept. And then there were the contracts. But Naruto had a summon come to him, and him alone, without even attempting such a feat.
Iruka's brown eyes skimmed the class, looking for his favorite blonde. He had given the students a long weekend when he had dismissed class early on that Friday. He hoped to see the boy he cared for soon. The door opened as more students entered the class. He noted that Sakura walked in haughtily, until she saw that the blonde was not in his normal spot. Then her green eyes turned to him.
"Iruka-sensei?"
"Yes Sakura?"
"Where's Naruto? He's okay right?" Her green eyes held no trace of pity for the blond. Iruka frowned as he tried to figure out why she was even attempting to sound guilty. It clicked when he realized that some of the quietest of the class were staring at him expectantly. She wanted to know so that they couldn't blame her.
"The Hokage took him home late last Friday. We don't know what happened to him. I haven't seen him since then, but that isn't unusual. I don't know where he lives."
"Oh." The pinkl haired girl turned around and left him at his desk. She was going to sit next to Sasuke, until a heavy glare from that corner had her running the other way. Iruka chuckled. She did have some survival instinct after all. Iruka sighed when he realized that it was time to start the class. It seemed his golden haired friend would not be attending. He picked up his roster and moved to stand in front of his desk.
"Shino Aburame?"
"Here."
"Mishka Amon."
"Present Sensei!" Iruka smiled at the red head absently as he slipped into autopilot. It wasn't until he reached a dear name that he actually sincerely paid attention.
"Naruto Uzumaki?" Iruka sighed softly when there was no reply. "Naruto?" Hearing no reply, though he knew he wouldn't get one, he skipped to the next name on his roster. "Ino Yamanaka?"
"I'm here!" Irula nodded and put his roster down.
"Alright class. Today, you will all be learning something very important." The class was silent as they leaned towards him. "It is a skill that you will all need to survive in this world." They leaned closer. Iruka smothered a smirk when he realized that even Shino was leaning in to hear what he had to say. "Today, you will be learning all about your…" Iruka grinned mentally at all their faces. "Stamina." He chuckled when several students began yelling at him, insulted that they weren't really learning anything interesting. It was then the door opened, and had Iruka not been listening hopefully, he would have missed it.
"You're late."
"Sorry sensei." Iruka turned when he heard the voice of one of his most favorite people in the world…and gasped.
"Naruto?"
"Yes Sensei?" Blue eyes focused on the older man. Iruka fidgeted uncomfortably under the weight of those eyes. They hadn't changed and yet it seemed as if they'd seen things that they shouldn't.
"What happened to your hair?" Naruto's hand reached up automatically. And then the small boy smiled.
"Look!! The idiot bleached his already blonde hair! What an idiot!!" In the third row, Kiba Inuzuka found it his duty to tell everyone what they were already seeing. The class laughed idiotically at the statement. "What happened? You weren't girly enough already?"
"You will be silent or I will rip out your tongue and feed it to you." Iruka paled at the velvet coated steel in Naruto's voice. He faintly registered that the class had went deathly silent. "My name as you all know is Naruto Uzumaki. I fell ill this previous Friday for unknown reasons. Hokage-sama figured it out." Cold blue eyes found the figure of Sakura. She bit her lip at the blame that she felt in those eyes. "My hair will remain this color, naturally. Unlike what the idiot thinks, not everyone pampers themselves for him. I don't, because unlike what he hopes, I don't swing that way." Strands of pale blonde hair floated in front of the boy's eyes until he shoved it behind his ear. "If I hear one comment about my hair and the curious horror it was subjected to from my illness, I will ensure that the speaker will never be idiotic and cruel ever again. Is that understood?" The class nodded dumbly. A faintly angelic smile appeared on Naruto's face, making him seem softer. Iruka withheld a snicker. The boy was going to have to run from whatever fan clubs would risk forming for him. Naruto smiled at his class once more before turning back to Iruka. It was then the teacher noticed the black book held under his arm carelessly.
"What is it Naruto?"
"I need to talk with Hokage-sama. Could you arrange it?"
"Would I be allowed to hear this conversation?" Blue eyes misted over in confusion.
"Why wouldn't you?" Naruto patted Iruka's hand gently. "I won't mind you being there, and I doubt the Hokage will mind because you already know." Iruka nodded and the young boy walked to his normal seat in the class. Iruka noted that he now sat angling more towards the window where the book that sat in front of him would be harder to reach.
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There once was a boy who had been granted the power of a god. What he would do with it was own business. After all, no one could sway him and he seemed so apart from the rest of the world. He had never been pampered or treated with respect, so it would seem that that would be what he wanted. It wasn't. There was no love lost between the boy and the villagers if he set out to destroy it. He didn't. He could've had anything he so desired, so long as he took the time to think about it. Think he did, and yet, all the things that people craved seemed stupid to him after what he had seen in the world. Who wanted to be rich? Famous? Who wished to rule the world? Who wanted everything that they couldn't have? Everyone did. No matter haw much they sought to hide it, you could always find some selfish wish like that hidden in someone's heart. So the boy had one too. Except his wasn't exactly normal. How many boys with the power of gods prayed that a stray jutsu would send their caretaker to their graves? Wasn't it something they could do themselves? Why would they need divine intervention?
Who knows what Naruto Uzumaki thinks? Or the way his mind works?
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Naruto eyed his caretakers back blandly. Behind him, he could hear Kiba whispering snide remarks to the person sitting next to him. He knew it had something to do with his newly lightened hair. But what did he care? After all, he was just being blue eyed blonde haired to the extreme. Naruto resisted the urge to flinch when Yuka's voice rose in pitch.
So why was Yuka in his class today? This bright, beautiful, supposedly peaceful Monday where his caretaker wasn't supposed to exist to him anymore? That was simple She had forgotten to pack him a lunch. Usually, she remembered to half ass it and stick together something edible and call it a day. This morning however, the woman hadn't felt up to it. So she had been called in by Iruka-sensei. Naruto sighed. At least he hadn't told Iruka that he never ate her lunches anyway. For some reason, they screamed danger to him. Naruto leaned forward in his desk and turned look across the classroom. The ever stoic Shino had stood up and was walking across the room with a small bag in his hand. When he reached Naruto's table, he flicked his wrist and sent the small bag sliding down the table. Naruto grinned when it slid to a stop in front of him. He had some friends in high places, but it wasn't common information. Naruto nodded a quiet thanks to the boy. Nothing changed in the boy's demeanor, but he knew the bug wielder was pleased.
"Aww, isn't it sweet? Bug boy and baby blond have something going on." Naruto frowned when his friend stiffened noticeably. He tipped his head to Shino and the boy went quietly back to his seat. Naruto turned to face the boy who thought he was outrageously cool.
"Kiba?"
"What is it baby blond?"
"Despite the fact that I warned the class about mentioning my hair, you persist."
"Yeah, so?" The Inuzuka didn't know what hit him. One minute he was smirking down at the impassive but decidedly scary blonde and the next moment he was on the ground with a hand around his neck. The girls that sat behind him were screaming.
"I told you not to." Kiba grunted under the boy's calm assault. "Another thing, just because you believe you are the alpha male in this class, doesn't mean you are." The blond was stating every word as if it was a fact. "Remember this, you may think you are the boss around here, but you will always, always be my little bitch. Understand?" Kiba tried to growl at the blond before realizing that the boy wasn't as weak as he appeared. Slowly his movements came to a halt. He was staring up at Naruto in awe when he was pulled away from him. He noticed that Naruto didn't even try to continue to fight, choosing instead to pick up the black book he had been carting around all day.
"Naruto! You don't do that!"
"The idiot was insinuating that me and Shino are in love or something. Me and Shino? Ick. Besides, I don't even like boys! Or girls for the matter! I mean take a look at my future selection of brides. Only Hyuga is someone I'd consider and her clan would kill me before I could even repeat what I just said. The rest of them are wimps!" Wide blue eyes met brown went Iruka pulled the upside down boy up to eye level.
"Very interesting. I'll be taking you down to the Hokage's office now. I'm sure he'll be interested to know your sexual orientation."
"He needs to know Kiba's more!!" Ignoring Yuka who was glaring at him like he was the spawn of the devil, Naruto smiled innocently at his teacher. "Can you put me down now Sensei?"
"Hokage's tower. March." The blonde boy sighed as he fought with his nearly white blond hair.
"Whatever Sensei." He yelped when he was flipped abruptly and set on the ground. Naruto frowned at his hair as he attempted to settle it into some type of order. It didn't work. His chin length hair seemed to delight in forming unruly spikes where they were unwanted. Naruto shrugged as he moved to leave the class, only to run back to his seat and grab the small paper bag Shino had given him and leaving through the window.
"Naruto!" Iruka ran after the blonde who was well known for skipping meetings with the Hokage. The class decided that it was time for lunch, and left for their normal two hour break.
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"Old Man!!" Naruto kicked open the door for the Hokage's office. He chuckled when the man dropped his ink brush, splattering the white paper.
"Na..ru..to!!!"
"Yes Old Man?" Naruto smiled at him innocently.
"Naruto!" Sarutobi sighed when Iruka ran into the room after his wayward student. "Don't be so rude."
"You were rude on Friday Iruka."
"I thought something was wrong with him!" The brown haired man defended. He blanched when he realized who he had just spoken to. "I apologize Hokage-sama!"
"Uh-huh." The Sandiame, rubbed ink off his arm idly with a napkin. "What is it that you want?"
"Why, haven't you seen my beautiful hair yet?" The Sandiame blinked as he found his eyes drawn to the boy's head.
"What did you do to it?"
"Me, nothing." Naruto walked forward and placed his Book on the floor in front of the Hokage and yet out of reach to the older man. "The Book and its other owner got angry at me."
"How so?" Naruto gave the man a lopsided smile.
"Well, with my amazing deductive abilities I found out something that it would have never told me otherwise."
"Which is?" Naruto's eyes shuttered and his smile vanished.
"The Death God is mine to summon. The Yondiame did something when he sealed The Kyuubi into me. It tried to twist it and make it seem that I was being granted its powers as a gift." Naruto motioned to the Book. "The Book is aptly named. It gives me access to all written work, even if it was destroyed." Naruto smiled cruelly at the horror stricken look the older men's face took on. "Oh yes, I know it all. It was the first thing I did. I looked into your thought about me. But I know they've changed. I've read it all. You don't see me as a weapon anymore Hokage-sama. You don't want to turn me into a ruthless killer."
"Naruto, I-."
"Doesn't matter. The Death God was angered when I figured out that it was going to be mine to summon anyway. He decided to take me through levels of hell that are suited for demons and not humans. Places where I should never have had to see." Naruto's cruel smile vanished as an icy sheen covered his already blank eyes. "I proved myself more than able to control it. I have been through more pain and suffering than those seconds of hell could ever hope to achieve. I have been unwanted since birth. In those levels of hell, I was still unwanted, still hated and still feared. The taint of the Death God clings to me. Apparently, I am not someone to be toyed with down there." Naruto smiled softly. "It changes someone Hokage-sama, when you are dragged through hell when you are still alive. My hair is one of those changes. My temper is another. I'm not as patient as before. Iruka-sensei has evidence to that. I do not know what else has changed within me. I can only hope that the seal of the Yondiame was not tampered with and that my mind is still my own."
"Naruto?"
"Hmmm?"
"Why don't you throw it away?" Naruto frowned at the Hokage.
"Only a fool would throw it away. I can learn who my parents are Hokage-sama. Not now, but when the Death God deems me ready. I can learn jutsus from times long gone. I can do these things at no other risk to my life."
"And if he drags you through hell again?" Naruto smiled; a cold smile that didn't belong on his angelic face.
"If he attempts to do so again, it will not be me who faces hells inmates. I am not a pawn to be toyed with. A few seconds of hell was more than enough to show me that I don't want to be Death's toy. He will be mine, he has to be. Whatever binds him to me ensures it."
"Don't you fear it?" Naruto smiled and kneeled in front of the Book. He opened it to a blank page and pushed it within reading distance of the Hokage.
"What isn't there to fear old man? If people find out that I wield this power they will order my death. That is the only thing I fear right now."
"Why?" Naruto motioned to the Books as spidery words began to appear.
"Because then, my soul is forfeit. Not to the Death God. I wouldn't mind hell so much I think. I wouldn't mind heaven either. My soul is forfeit to the one thing I do fear." The third Hokage gasped as he read the wet words that blatantly told him where the boy the boy's soul would go if he died prematurely.
"The Kyuubi…" Iruka whispered in horror as the words seemed to mock him.
"Oh yes. The Kyuubi. I think he'd be only too happy to have his jailer's soul for eternity." Naruto stated grimly as he stared down at the Book.