Chapter 2: Deal of Destiny

A/N: The harem from the poll in the unedited version will be carried over with some modifications. It will posted in either the next chapter or chapter 4. Enjoy the story.

I do not own Naruto or the themes evident in this story.

Today is October 10.

Location? A village surrounded by miles of forests in any direction. This village is called the Village Hidden in the Leaves. It was considered to the strongest over the other four major villages through their prowess in strength in military and politics through the production of strong shinobi. This included The Professor, Copy Ninja Kakashi, the Sannin, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and most of all, the Yellow Flash. The Yellow Flash, also known as Minato Namikaze, was remembered by all through the Third Shinobi War when he defeated several squads of Iwa and even more so when he defeated the Demon Lord of the Ninth Circle, the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

It has been eight years have passed since that battle and since then, the village has thrived. Many of the citizens currently celebrate as the day marked the death of the Kyuubi but they also mourned the death of the Fourth Hokage for his sacrifice. It was also eight years since the reinstated Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, passed the S-ranked law that punished those that told others about the Kyuubi being sealed into a boy, the son of the late Fourth Hokage, named Naruto. It was his belief that this law would prevent those in the council from passing the information to others, but all it did was harden the task. They were successful in spreading the information to the citizens and this transformed into a strong hate aimed towards the newborn Jinchuuriki.

It all started when he was kicked out of the orphanage at the age of three and had to suffer the assault from a massive mob of citizens. They chased him and attacked him when they finally caught him. It would have continued until the Third Hokage came and saved him before he had his ANBU execute the attackers. Then, he gave the boy an apartment to live in and it resided in between the merchant's and shinobi area of the village. Along with the apartment, the Hokage gave him a weekly allowance to purchase from stores. Whenever he went anywhere, everyone would send glares at him. The stores he went to held a strong hatred towards him and either overpriced their goods, refused to give him any service, or threw him out into the streets. This continued until it reached October 10.

During this day, many of the civilians and shinobi would get drunk because of the celebrations before creating a mob. This mob would try to find the boy and attack him. Because of the frequency of these events, it finally became a form of entertainment that many called 'Fox Hunt'. The mobs that formed were mostly civilians but sometimes, shinobi would join in. No matter how long it took, they would always catch the boy and beat him within an inch of death before being rescued by his protectors. His protectors would kill some people of the mob before they dispersed. They would then get him to a hospital and get him treated before staying with him to make sure he was safe.

This dark night of October was no different than the rest as shouts of "Kill the Demon!" and "Let's finish what the Fourth started!" filled the alleyways of the village. A young boy with a mop of blonde hair ran through the alleyways and streets as he tried to escape. Behind him, a large mob that contained shinobi and civilians alike followed him. Their expressions held one of glee and malicious intent as they followed their prey. Whenever they spotted him, they started to throw anything they could to slow him down or even stop him. These projectiles included glass bottles, knives, and shurikens. They flew at high speeds and smashed into random walls or buildings as the blonde weaved his way through the incoming attacks. It wasn't long before a stray kunai impales itself into the running blonde and caused him to fall onto the ground. This allowed his pursuers to gain ground and it wasn't long before they were a few meters away from the boy. He tried to scramble away but several more projectiles hit his back and caused him to fall back down in pain. Naruto just curled into a ball as he accepted his fate.

"Look here boys, the demon is trying to huddle up to keep itself from being killed! We can't have that now can we?" said a crazy looking man. "It's time for you to pay your dues! You've lived in our village for the past seven years and take our food along with the madness you ensure with your so called pranks!"

"You killed my wife!"

"My family died all because of you!"

"You destroyed my clan's house!"

"This is for my sister!"

"He even controls the Hokage himself! He lets him roam our village and cause mayhem! I say it's time for him to end!"

"It's time to finish what the Fourth started and kill this beast to protect Konoha from his terror!"

"Kill him!"

"Yeah!" cried the members of the mob as they rushed in to beat the helpless child, pushing him to the brink of death.

They started to pull out several items like long wooden sticks and sharpened blades before they used them against the boy. The pieces of wood made impact against his body and left large black bruises everywhere. It wasn't long before the crowd heard a crack along with a cry. They knew that a bone was broken and instead of stopping, they just continued with more ferocity. The kunais and knives were stabbed into his skin and were slowly dragged in random directions. They formed long cuts that allowed a large amount of blood to pour out. It wasn't long before the boy started to lose consciousness from the massive loss of blood. He didn't see the two large pieces of wood that his aggressors brought with them or feel the pain as they stabbed a kunai through his hands and feet. It felt like hours of torture for the blonde boy until he finally fell to the darkness of unconsciousness. When the mob saw him lose his consciousness, they continued to abuse his body before they stepped back to examine their 'work'. Their victim was stabbed to a wooden cross while streams of blood continued to pour out of the cuts. The cuts and bruises littered his whole body. They knew that no one would be able to identify the boy because of the large amounts of damage done.

"It's time to end this! You will now die!"

"Yeah! Burn his body!"

"Say goodbye demon! Fire Release: Great Fireball!"

A large orange ball of fire launched from the mouth of the ninja before it flew towards the deformed body of the blonde. All around the ninja, the large mob of people cheered loudly as they were about to witness the death of the demon. Naruto, on the other hand, knew what was about to happen and accepted the fate of death as he felt the intensity of the heat increase. However, fate smiled upon him.

"Water Release: Water Fang Bullet!"

Out of nowhere, a large bullet of water slammed into the speeding ball of fire before it extinguished the flames from the plane of existence. However, the impact of water and fire created a shroud of mist that covered the area. The people of the mob could only narrow their eyes as they tried to make out anything within the field. It wasn't long before the veil of mist disappeared and revealed five beings that proudly stood in between them and the blonde boy. Upon further examination of the group of individuals, they quickly saw that four of them wore full black pants and full black shirts with light grey chest armor. Their faces shifted to one of terror when they saw that the faces of these people were covered with an animal mask. They were ANBU. The fifth person was different from the other four and stood in between them. The individual was an old man who wore white robes along with a triangular hat. The most prominent detail of the hat was the kanji for fire. This was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, and he was not pleased.

"What the hell do you people think you're doing?!" he asked sharply while his killing intent rolled off him in massive amounts.

"Hokage-sama!" one of the ANBU called. "Y-You might want to see this…"

The Hokage turned and paled at the sight in front of him. He saw the blonde hair and automatically knew who it was. Around him, the four shinobi grasped their blades as they slowly leaked out killing intent. The old man quickly turned back around to face the crowd of people with a glare etched on his face.

"W-we were just finishing w-what the F-Fourth started H-Hokage-sama," a frightened shinobi said from amidst the mass of people before they felt another wave of KI.

"What your doing is hurt an innocent child!" roared the Hokage as he added more KI with each word.

"He is not innocent!" a random citizen cried out. "He is a demon! He controls you and make you see him as a child!"

Silence reigned for a few moments before the citizen let fear overcome his senses. He tried to turn and run away but it was too late for him. He slammed into something and fell down to the ground. His eyes dilated as he saw what stopped him. In front of him was one of the ANBU that stood by the Hokage.

"You broke an S-ranked law," the shinobi whispered before he drew his blade. "You will now accept the punishment of death."

As soon as the word 'death' was said, the ninja stabbed the blade into the man's heart before being pulled out. No else moved or spoke a word.

"ANBU!" Sarutobi yelled as more of the masked shinobi appear out of nowhere. "Take them into custody. All shinobi are now dishonorably discharged from your services. Take them all to Ibiki and tell him not to hold back."

"Hai Hokage-sama!" responded the masked shinobi before they surrounded the people and led them down the alleyway to another portion of the village.

"Cat, Dog, Snake, and Bear, you're with me. We're taking Naruto to the hospital."

The four ANBU nod before they moved towards the blonde. Carefully, the kunais from his hands and feet before placing bandages at the holes to try to prevent more blood loss. Then, Cat and Dog took the boy before they quickly moved towards the nearest hospital.

Konoha Hospital

It would be a matter of minutes before the group made it to the hospital. The blonde boy was then taken to a special room for him. The head doctor made it when they found out that several of the staff flat out refused to care for the boy because he was a demon. Those doctors and nurses were promptly fired several minutes later. Only those loyal to the Hokage and held no hatred towards him were allowed to apply in the hospital. Two of the doctors that treated him were Megumi and Miho Megumi. They knew Naruto was the son of Minato and Kushina through the friendship the four had. A group of doctors stopped working before dispersing while one of them headed towards a worried old man.

"Sarutobi-sama, it seems he is fine thanks to the Kyuubi. It healed most of the wounds but I know nothing of the boy's mental state. I would probably hypothesize it's on the verge of breaking down," Miho stated.

"Damn those deranged villagers," cursed Hiruzen but right now, he was too worried of Naruto's welfare to care about the villagers right now. Dog and the other three ANBU could only tighten their fists in anger and grief for the blonde boy.

"It's best to let him rest for now and wait for the result in the morning," said Akiko in a sad tone.

"Thank you both for doing all that you can for him," the Third said before he bowed towards them in respect.

"It's our duty as medics to heal and treat ALL who enter this hospital. There is no need to be so thankful Sarutobi-sama when we are doing what we had to do. We swore that when we took the Hippocratic Oath," Miho said with a small smile before he and Akiko bowed and exited the room.

"Kami-sama, please help Naruto," prayed the Third Hokage with closed eyes as he walked towards the exit of the room. "I can only do so much when faced with these unbearable odds. Help me to protect him…"

"I'm sorry we couldn't protect you," Dog whispered softly as he looked at the blonde boy wrapped in the gauze, bandages, and tape. "I promised to protect you and I will."

"Don't worry about it Dog," Cat whispered to him. "You did what you could. Your sensei knows that you always tried to be with him and protect him."

"Thanks Cat."

With that, the two ANBU exit the room followed by their colleagues. The Third Hokage looked back at the boy before he exited the room. They didn't know of what would happen when the blonde woke up, he would be a new person in everything but personality.

Naruto's Mindscape

Naruto felt himself regaining consciousness and much to his surprise, he also felt something cool and wet on his back. His eyes soon opened to reveal a dark corridor while the walkway was covered in water. The only sound that can be heard were water drops that made impact to the body of water on the ground. It reminded him of a sewer.

"What happened…?" he questioned himself before he got up. "Where am I…? It looks like a sewer…"

He started to walk in a random direction with no ideas of how to get out until he heard a sound. It was soft but was similar to a growl of an animal. Curiosity overpowered him as he started to move towards the origin of the noise before he heard it again but only louder. This continued on until he found a passageway. At the back of the passage way was a massive prison door with a slip of paper stuck to the middle as if it was the lock to the gate. Unknown to him, the paper had the kanji for 'Seal' on it. He approached the gate slowly as the growl continued to grow louder and louder. Suddenly, two large and ferocious eyes opened from within the gates while a deep voice resonated all around.

"Who dares to enter my domain?"

"N-Naruto U-Uzumaki…"

"Ah, my beloved jailor has decided to visit his prisoner. Do you know who I am child?"

"N-No…"

"So the warden doesn't even know the name of his prisoner. How… inconvenient."

"So w-who are y-you?"

"Who am I? Who am I?" growled the voice. "I am the destroyer of mountains and creator of tsunamis. I am the gatekeeper of Makai and the defender of the Keep. I am the Demon Lord of the Ninth Circle. I am Kyuubi! Hear my roar and tremble at my power mortal!"

The water shook with every word the demon spoke before it blew away at his roar. Naruto just shook in fear as he looked at the pair of red eyes. It took him a few minutes before he was able to speak again.

"I-I've been hurt many times and they keep on calling me a demon… I hear the whispers behind my back as people talk about me as the demon… Am I a human or a demon? Did I kill those people like they say or not? Who am I?" he asked aloud as his tears start to fall from his eyes before he looked at the Demon Lord. "Am I a demon like they said?"

"No, you are no demon," growled the fox. "I am a demon and you are a human."

"Then why do they beat me?" he cried. "Why do they constantly call me demon as they hurt me?"

"One being I once knew said that humanity's stupidity is beyond infinite*. They do not try and hurt you but rather try and hurt me."

"What?"

"What those worthless humans belief is that you are me and I am you. They believe that you are me but in the form of a human."

"W-wait… Are you saying that you are in me?"

"Yes but that does not make you a demon."

"Then what does that make me? I hold you inside my body!" the blonde cried. "I am a demon!"

"Silence yourself child!" growled the Kyuubi. "Just because you contain me does not make you a demon. No, that makes you a Jinchuuriki."

"A-a what?"

"Jinchuuriki is a human prison for an entity. You are one as are a few others but that does not make you a demon."

"I-I guess y-you're right…"

"Those villagers are the demons. They hurt a child who has no control over events. My kind treat their young with care, no matter the circumstances… They are the worse kind of human and I hope to see them in Makai after their deaths."

"W-What happens n-now?"

"First of all, stop stuttering like an idiot. I will do nothing to you as long as you comply with my… requests."

"W-what are they?"

"You are weak and that reflects on my strength. I will not be weak. You will become strong and then we will see what will happen from there…"

"I-I don't understand…"

"You are my container and thus represent me in a certain sense. By being weak, it shows that I am weak. You will become strong with my help."

"How?"

"If you would stop talking then I would be able to explain," snarled the demon and earned a fearful look from the blonde. "Because I am a tailed demon, I am able to control the elements and that allows me to call upon certain spirits that can assist you."

"Why do you want me to be strong?"

"Meet my requirements and only then will I tell you my story."

"I guess I have no choice then-"

"No, you always have a choice. No one is ever forced to make a decision but rather they decided to make the decision."

"I-I guess I'll accept your offer."

"Very well then. You need to rip a small part of the seal off the cage so I can do what is needed to be done. You will gain the ability to harness the elements with the help of the spirits. Along with that, you will gained increased senses, stamina, reflexes, and chakra. I also get some things as well through this agreement."

"Like what?"

"I can hear what you hear, see what you see, taste what you taste, all that jazz."

"I guess… Thank you… No one has done so much for me other than the old man and a few others…"

"We will talk again soon but you need to rip part of the seal so I can begin."

With that said, the large red eyes soon disappear from the boys view. Naruto moved towards the seal before he pulled on it a little bit. It wasn't long before he felt something warm start to surround him. Instantly, wave after wave of power rush out from the cage and slammed into him. All around him, the corridor started to shift into a circular room with the Kyuubi's cage. Five pillars surrounded him and it wasn't long before the blonde's curiosity got the better of him. He lightly grazed the stone tower with his finger before it suddenly started to crack. The pillar he touched started to rupture while the other four started to fracture.

Soon, lights started to erupt from the broken pillars and caused the young child to shield his eyes. It wasn't long before the light diminished and revealed five figures. He didn't know it at the time, but these five were going to become his teachers. Intrigued, Naruto took the time to examine them as soon as he uncovered his eyes.

First was Ares, the Spirit of the Wind. She stood proudly at 5' 10" with dirty blonde hair. Her body was covered with a pearl white kimono that hugged her womanly figure while only showing moderate amounts of cleavage. She had a heart shaped face while her blonde hair reached down to her back. In Naruto's opinion, the most interesting feature of the woman was her emerald green eyes. They were unique and held warmth and kindness when they looked at him

Next was Velena, the Spirit of Water. She was shorter than Ares, as she was 5' 8", and wore a deep blue kimono. Her hair reached her upper back while they were fanned out in contrast to Ares' ponytail. Her face was almost the same heart shape as the Wind Spirit but with sky blue eyes that held serenity. What caught the blonde's interests was the woman's blue hair because it felt like it matched the color of his eyes.

Then there was Odin, the Spirit of Lightning. The child was a little scared when he first examined him as the fact that he looked like a demon of some sorts with two curved horns attached to his head. He was covered with a black armor trimmed with a golden yellow while his skin was like bronze. On his left forearm was something that looked like a shield while his amethyst colored eyes evoked fear as they looked into the child's light blue ones.

Afterwards was Bahamut, the Spirit of Fire. Practically, he looked like a dragon-human hybrid with a pair of wings on his back. His skin was a dull gray while he wore a helmet the shape of a dragon's head. His armor was akin to a dark paladin but only with wings (Think Siegried's armor from the Soul Calibur series but only black and gray in color). His eyes were slits with golden background and gave the hybrid look feral.

Finally, there was Exodus, the Spirit of Earth. He looked like a large stone golem. Enough said.

While Naruto examined the five spirits, they also looked at him before they spotted the fear etched on his face. Velena quickly sensed his fear before she stepped forward and wrapped the boy with her aura. It acted as a blanket and the boy almost immediately calmed down. She saw this before she moved towards him and lowered herself to look him in the eyes.

"Hello young one, My name is Velena and these are my friends. That's Ares, Bahamut, Odin, and Exodus," she said softly before she looked behind him. "It is an honor to see you again Lord Kyuubi."

"I see that you are well Velena," grumbled the beast. "Odin, Bahamut, Ares, Exodus. "

When the Kyuubi called out their names, they responded with a nod except for Ares and Velena, who bowed.

"If I may ask, Lord Kyuubi, why have you called the five of us here?" asked Odin.

"I summoned the five of you here because I have been sealed once again. The kit is weak and thus currently gives me the image of a weakling. You are to train him in your respected arts. We will talk again soon but I must rest. Summoning you took much out of me."

"By your will, Lord Kyuubi," responded the five elementals before they turned to face the young blonde boy.

"Hello young on. Lord Kyuubi has told you the requirements to begin our training, correct?," said Bahamut, only to receive a confused look from Naruto. "Very well, in order for us to accept you into our training, you must pass our tests. Odin will test your strength. Exodus will look at your resolve. Ares will examine your control. Velena will assess your patience. I will question your heart. Are you ready to face us?".

Naruto responded with a nod of his and Bahamut turned his head to face the other four elementals before he gave them a nod. The giant stone golem lumbered forward and faced the boy.

"I am Exodus, Spirit of the Earth and I will give you the Trial of the Mind," he stated. "Why do you wish to become a shinobi? What purpose will our training do to your future? "Do you wish to feel the victory through the death of your opponents or to bask in the glory of your accomplishments? Do you seek the thrill of a fight against your foes or form a name in which all will fear? Why is it your dream to become strong?"

The blonde started to think deeply about the golem's question.

'I wanted to become a shinobi because I eventually wanted to become the Hokage so people would respect me,' he thought. 'But why do I want to become strong? Is there any reason…'

Flashback

Naruto sat on a stool with a bowl of steaming hot ramen in front of him. He was at his favorite place, Ichiraku Ramen, and started to dig into his meal before he heard a chuckle behind him. It wasn't long before the boy turned and found the Third Hokage right beside him with a bowl in front of him.

"So, how was the ramen?" Sarutobi asked him with a smile plastered on his face.

"It was good, like normal," responded Naruto. "Thanks for taking me out today old man."

"No problem. I don't like being stuck in the office all day doing work and it's pleasant to actually walk around the village once in a while."

"Don't you worry old man. Soon I will be the one who will take that hat from you!"

"Of course you will Naruto," he chuckled before he faced the young boy. "Naruto, do you know why you want to be Hokage?"

"Yeah! So that everyone would notice and respect me!"

"Of course," chuckled the Third before he started to eat his bowl of ramen. "But did you know is more to being a Kage then respect?"

"Really? What is it then old man?"

"In Konoha, shinobi of all genders and rank are what they are today because they want to do one thing. They want to protect those they care about from harm. Whenever they fight, they fight with the desire to protect, and thus allowing them to wield a strength that those with the desire to destroy or kill do not have."

"So being a Kage isn't about respect?"

"Respect comes with the position my boy, but respect is earned and not freely given. If you want to the Hokage, what will you fight for?"

End of Flashback

'Jiji said that strength comes from the desire to protect those they care about,' thought the blonde before he looked the golem in front of him. 'Then that's why I want to become a shinobi. I want to protect.'

"You have an answer?" Exodus asked before he received a nod.

"I want to become a shinobi because I want to be able to protect my family, friends, and my loved ones from harm. I will protect Konoha."

"So you will still protect them even after the suffering they have caused you. Why?"

"The village is like one big family. There is always going to be arguments and disagreements between people but in the end, they are still family."

"You chose…Wisely. Most would say power or fame that comes with the name but you did not. You remembered the reason why some of people became shinobi. With your resolve, you will grow strong to do your best to protect and to never give in when the tide goes against you. I, Exodus, give Naruto Uzumaki the blessing of the Earth. May it assist his resolve to defend those he loves."

"Thank you," said the young Uzumaki before he remembered his manners and gave a small bow towards the stone giant, who was replaced with Ares.

"I'm next. I am Ares, the Spirit of the Wind and I will test your control," she said. "For me to do so, I must make you relived parts of your memory. I understand that you suffered greatly and I am sorry that I must do this."

With that said, she touched Naruto's forehead with her finger and resulted in the blonde's eyes to slowly drift close. All he heard were whispers before his eyes opened once again. Everything around him was gone and replaced with a crowd of people. The whispers soon became clear as they reached his ears and brought forth memories of his past.

"There it is…"

"I can't believe it is here."

"Demon."

"You killed my family!"

"Murdered my wife!"

"Lost my children!"

"Abandoned by the parents."

"Let's kill the demon!"

"Time to rid this village of your foul presence!"

"Children, don't go near him. He is a very bad child."

Soon, the white colored sky starts to darken into night while people started to appear with blunt objects before they moved towards him. The beating started as the several objects made impact with his skin, leaving large bruises or large cuts that leaked blood. The beating continued and blood maintained its tempo as it flowed from his wounds. Naruto felt turmoil but he knew that it wouldn't matter what he did, they would just keep on going. He closed his eyes and waited for more to come, but it never did. Instead, he felt something touch his body.

His eyes opened to see the long dirty blonde hair of Ares. Her tears rolled down her face as she continued to hug the boy close to her. The warmth engulfed Naruto and he felt something he has never felt before. His short arms wrapped around the waist of the woman as he laid his head on her chest. The feeling left him vulnerable but this feeling he longed for. Ares laid her head on top the blonde's head as she continued to hold him. No words were spoken for several minutes as the feeling of despair quickly evolved into one of comfort and longing. Slowly, the two blondes let go of each other as they wiped away their tears.

"Thank you," whispered Naruto. "I've never felt that way before… It felt different yet it's feels like something I've been longing for…"

"It was nothing Naruto," Ares said as she looked at the boy with a smile on her face. "I will be here for you. You won't have to be alone anymore like before. Your memories brought me to tears and your emotions were in turmoil but you controlled them. Emotions are important for all living life along with control. An example is that of anger. When anger is not controlled, it will cause mayhem in its wake. You were able to suppress your emotions to a certain extent. I, Ares, give Naruto Uzumaki the blessing of Air. May it help you in your path towards the future."

"I believe I will give you the next test. I am Bahamut, the Spirit of Spirit of Fire and I will test your strength," Bahamut says as he moves closer to the boy. "What is it that you believe? Is there good or evil? Right against wrong?"

Flashback

"Hey old man," Naruto said as he walked into the Hokage's office to find the Third Hokage sitting on his chair. "Thanks for teaching me how to read! It's helped me with the book I got."

"It's no problem my boy," Sarutobi replied with a small chuckle. "So tell me, what was the book about? I forgot about it."

"Well, it's about a good buy that beats up a bad guy and then brings peace to the land."

"Interesting… Remember that talk we had a few weeks ago?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Here's another thing for you to think about. Is there good and evil in this world?"

"Of course there is old man! Everyone knows that there is good and evil!"

"True but what happens when you have to commit a deed of evil for the events to bring good?"

"I-I don't know…"

"Naruto, in the world of shinobi, we must learn to kill others-"

"But why must shinobi kill? It's murder!"

"True but the act is necessary as killing your opponent maybe your only hope of you and those you protect to survive. You were right when you said that there is good and evil in this world. Greed, lust, thirst for blood, and many others are prime example of that. However, there is a point where the decision between good and evil is simple like black and white. A shinobi killing is an example of that.

"How?"

"Sometimes, we as shinobi must kill to protect those who are innocent. We feel sadness, guilt, and remorse for doing so but we find it necessary to protect those whom we love from harm. There comes a point when killing is a bad thing. When you start to enjoy the feeling of blood on your hands, the blood of innocents and many others, then it is an act of evil. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I-I think so. You are saying that while there is good and evil, there are some instances where an act of evil is for good. It's all about intent…"

"Yes, remember these little things Naruto, and you will become a great shinobi one day. Follow what I have told you and someday, you'll be the one with his hat."

End of Flashback

"There is good and evil in this world," Naruto replied. "Some acts are evil while others are good. However, sometimes an evil act is necessary for good. It is about the intent of the act."

"Is that what your heart says, is that what you belief?" Bahamut questioned before receiving a nod. "In existence, there is always been good and evil. You truly belief that the existence good and evil as black and white but there is also shades of gray. The act committed is always about intent. Make wise decisions and listen to your heart, for your future is all about it. I, Bahamut, give Naruto Uzumaki the blessing of Fire. May it guide him to his future, wherever it may take him."

"I believe that it is my test next, Bahamut. I am Velena, Spirit of Water," Velena said as she moved forward. "For my test, you must catch this bunny and bring him back to me."

With that said, the bunny appeared several meters away before it ran down a new corridor. Naruto burst out in a sprint to catch the animal that now currently roams his mind. Every few meters of running, he would find himself at an intersection with the corridors going to different directions and he would choose one of the pathways to go down. After the eleventh intersection, he stopped.

"Where is that thing?" he asked himself before he decided to wait and examine his location for clues.

Suddenly, he heard of splashing all around him and it soon started to get louder, as if the source was getting closer to him. It wasn't long before he saw a ball of white at the end of the hallway and it wasn't long for him to recognize the bunny in all its glory. It ran towards him before it suddenly stopped a few feet away from him. Naruto just stood there with a confused look before he shrugged and held out his hands. The bunny tilted its head in confusion before it stared into the eyes of the blonde boy. Silence soon reigned as the two beings stared into each other's eyes. After several minutes, the bunny suddenly moved forwards before it jumped into the hands of the blonde boy. The boy was surprised at the action but decided against doing anything rash. Instead, he started to pet the animal as he walked towards his starting location. It took him several minutes to find the chambers and once he entered, the spirits all looked at him.

"Here you go," he said as he handed the white animal to Velena. "One bunny as requested."

"An hour and nineteen minutes," Velena stated to him. "That was faster than the others I have tested. Most of them fail to catch my bunny but those that do take around 2 to 3 hours. I assumed to figured out a way to trap him quickly."

"Actually, he ran towards me and I just waited before he jumped into my hands.:

"What you didn't know was that this was a test of patience," Velena informed him. "Having the patience to wait will bring results that no one would be able to predict. With patience, one will be able to think clearly and come up with a better solution. I, Velena, give Naruto Uzumaki the blessing of Water. May it protect him from rashness and impatience.

"Now comes the true test," Odin said as he moved forward with a smirk that made the blonde shiver. "You will fight me. Give me your best, boy."

"Bring it on" Naruto said as he assumed a fighting stance.

"With pleasure!"

With that said, Odin charged towards Naruto at blinding speeds before he punched into his gut. It launched him back several feet. As the blonde attempted to get up, the spirit appeared and slammed him back into the ground before he kicked him. The boy slams into the ground and created a small trench. He slowly rose from the ground before he wiped away the blood on his face.

"Ugh…" he groaned before he stood up. "Is that all you got?"

"You wish, brat!"

An elbow slammed into the young Uzumaki's face and caused him to fly into the arm before Odin's other arm slammed him into the ground. The child's body hits the ground.

"Don't tell me you're giving up so easily. You are a weakling and this is a waste of time," growled Odin as he started to walk away. "You are weak and you will fail to protect what you find precious. They will be dead and you will not be able to do anything about it!"

Behind him, the boy struggled to get up while blood continued to leak from his mouth. It took him a few moments to stand up but his head was angled so that his hair covered his eyes from view. Odin turned at that moment and saw him standing.

"So you can still stand?" What is your next move? I would personally suggest that you give up," taunted Odin. "Just run away and go back to your hole. Run like the coward you are!"

"What… did you just call me?"

"A coward."

Suddenly, a wave of energy engulfed the boy as he charged the Lightning Spirit with a raised fist. Odin quickly blocked the punch before he dodged another. The blonde boy continued to throw punch after punch, never stopping until Odin disappeared from his view. Suddenly, he felt himself flying through the air before making impact with the ground. He knew that he had no energy left before he tried to push himself up.

"Stop it Naruto, this test has come to its end," Odin said as he walked towards the blonde boy. Naruto just ignored the statement as he struggled to push himself up and continued to fall back down. He knew that he failed, he wasn't strong enough. The tears soon started to fall from his eyes.

"WHY? Why am I so weak? I'm worthless and weak," Naruto mumbled as he lets the tears fall. "I can't protect my precious people. I'm so weak, so worthless…."

Odin did not move but Ares and Velena rushed towards him before they kneeled beside his body. They helped him to a sitting position before engulfing him in a hug. They spoke words of comfort to him as the sounds of his sniffles echoed throughout the area. It took the two female spirits a few minutes before the boy was finally able to look at Odin. The Lightning Spirit looked down at the blonde as his hardened eyes softened.

"Naruto, you have passed my test," he said, resulting in much surprise to the young Uzumaki. "You have proven your strength to me in many ways. You fought me head on. That was courageous but stupid move. And every time I put you down, you always found a way to get back up."

"I wasn't able to get up," Naruto interrupted as his eyes start to leak tears. "I-I wasn't strong enough…"

"Don't be discouraged," Odin said. "Your strength will come over time. You found strength when I mentioned your resolve and when time comes, that will be your focus. It will be what makes you shinobi. I, Odin, give Naruto Uzumaki the blessing of Lightning. May it give him the strength to protect his precious people and hold his resolve true."

Suddenly, the five elemental spirits glowed with bright colors before it started to grow even brighter. Naruto covered his eyes to prevent himself from being blinded by the light. Unknown to him, the light moved towards the blonde boy before it entered his body. It only lasted a few more minutes before the light finally died down. As Naruto blinked his eyes, he found his vision slowly returning.

"It is done," said Bahamut.

"Um… What's done?" asked the young Uzumaki.

"We have given you the energy to begin our training," answered Velena.

"Around this chamber, there are five kanji representing our respected elements," added Odin as she motioned towards the glowing symbols to the boy. "It is dull and dim to represent the control you have over our elements: mediocre at best. But as you proceed in our training, it will start to glow brighter until you finish."

"What happens then?"

"That is for you to find out," Ares said before she saw Naruto's pout.

"Train hard, young one," rumbled Exodus. "And you will grow strong to protect. You will become the shield for your loved ones."

"Makes us proud," Ares said as she moved to give the boy a hug. "We will help guide you down the right path but you must be able to make decisions on your own."

"We will always be here for you," Velena said as she hugged the young Uzumaki after Ares. "We will always be here for you, don't forget that."

"Thank you for everything," Naruto said with a smile.

"It's no problem," answered Bahamut before he sensed something. "I sense someone near your body outside, an old man I believe…"

"That's jiji! He must be so worried" the young Uzumaki said before he started to look around frantically. " Do you know how I can get out of here?"

"This is your mind. I guess just will yourself to wake up."

"I'll try that. I guess I'll see you next time…"

"We'll be here for you, so don't you worry."

With that said, the blonde faded from the mindscape, leaving the five spirits.

"He will become strong, there is no doubt about it," said Odin.

"I agree," rumbled Exodus. "He is a diamond in the rough but with enough time, he can be refined to become something truly magnificent."

"Is that why you summoned us here, Lord Kyuubi?" asked Velena, only to get no response.

"We will ask later on, it must have taken a large amount of energy to call us here," said Bahamut. "Let us retire and plan a schedule for his training."

The five spectral beings walked out of the circular chambers. They didn't see the pair of slitted eyes that watched everything had occurred.

'If only you all knew…'

Reality

It had been several days since Naruto had been admitted to the hospital for injuries that he had received from the severe beatings that almost left him mutilated and maimed. The Third Hokage sat right beside the boy that laid on the bed. He visited regularly with hope to see the boy awaken once more but this day was different from the rest. It began several minutes ago as the boy started to sweat and pant before a bright light encompassed his body. It only lasted a few minutes before being absorbed into his body. The old man started to think about what had just occurred before he heard a soft yawn. His eyes averted to the origin of the sound and found himself to be looking at the sitting boy with outstretched arms. Naruto smacked his lips as if he had woken from a deep slumber.

"Hello Naruto," greeted the Third Hokage.

"Jiji!" Naruto cried as he gave the Kage a hug.

"I'm glad to see you are well. I've been worried about you."

"Thank you jiji… Thank you for saving me…"

"It's no problem."

"Umm… Can ask you a serious question?"

"Sure. I'll answer it the best I can."

"What really happened to the Kyuubi that night?"

"What brought this question forth?" asked a surprised Hokage before he looked at the boy. "The Fourth killed it during that night. Why do you ask?"

"I… met something when I was asleep," answered Naruto.

Unknown to the boy, the elder Sarutobi's eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"It… It said its name was Kyuubi and that we were inside me."

"It was a dream Naruto-kun. Nothing more."

"Please Jiji. Please don't lie to me anymore…"

"Very well," the Hokage said with a sigh before he turned around. "Leave us."

Three ANBUs emerged from the shadow before bowing and exiting the room. The Third pulled a piece of paper with several kanji on it and slammed it on the wall. It caused a layer of blue to cover the whole room.

"Now what has the Kyuubi told you?" asked the old man nervously.

"It's a long story Jiji and I'm not sure you're going to believe me when I tell you…"

"Try me."

A/N: Edited and Completed.

R&R. No Flames. If there are any mistakes, review or PM me so I can fix them.

Thank you very much, Shadow