Chapter 2:
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"I am Sephiroth…the One-Winged Angel."
Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He looked like a fish out of water.
The man now identified as Sephiroth let out a dark chuckle. To Naruto, it was a sound that promised extreme pain and misfortune.
"Naruto, come with me…I will make you a legend."
Reaching out his hand, Sephiroth placed it on the stunned Naruto's shoulder. Then, in a flurry of black feathers, they were gone.
-------- O_o --------
It had been three years since Naruto had gone to train with Sephiroth, and in that time, Naruto had grown significantly.
"You call that a strike, boy?" said Sephiroth as he lazily lifted his seven-foot long Masamune to block an incoming horizontal strike.
"I can't hit him!" thought Naruto as he jumped back to avoid a diagonal slash that would have decapitated him.
Breathing hard, Naruto analyzed the situation. A frontal attack wouldn't work, and neither would any of the jutsu that he knew. He already knew all three of the academy's required techniques, plus a few D , C , B and A rank jutsu. But he knew that none of them would be enough to land a blow on his mentor.
His sword was nothing special, it was just a standard issue katana. Sephiroth hadn't allowed Naruto to buy a Masamune. When Naruto had asked why, Sephiroth had calmly explained that until he mastered the fundamentals of the kenjutsu style, he wouldn't be allowed to have one.
"You have no time to think, boy. Only time to survive." said a voice from behind Naruto.
Naruto's eyes widened. "fast!" he thought, before throwing himself forward in an attempt to create some distance between him and his psychotic mentor. Unfortunately, it became evident that leaping forward hadn't been enough, as he wasn't able to avoid the slash that left a two inch deep gash that ran from his shoulder to his hip.
Naruto let out a strangled cry of pain and dropped to the ground, grabbing fistfuls of grass in an attempt to distract himself from the horrible feeling that emanated from his wound. Struggling to turn his head, Naruto saw Sephiroth turn his back and walk away.
"Embrace the pain…only then will you truly be unstoppable." said Sephiroth as he continued to walk toward the trees.
Stopping in mid walk, Sephiroth turned his head slightly toward Naruto, silver hair flowing in the breeze.
"When your back heals, I want you to come back to camp…there is something I wish to tell you."
Naruto, who was still in pain from the enormous wound on his back, pondered the odd order. Sephiroth never spoke to him besides during training. For him to tell Naruto that they needed to talk…it must be serious.
Twisting his neck to look at the wound, Naruto saw that it was almost done healing. For as long as Naruto could remember, his wounds would always heal at an unnaturally quick pace.
He suspected it was some kind of bloodline, but since he didn't know who his parents were, he couldn't be sure.
After a quick check to make sure he was fully healed, Naruto picked himself up, dusted off his pants, and returned to camp.
-------- O_o --------
Naruto entered the campsite nervously, memories of the previous times that Sephiroth had become angry flashed through his mind. He gave an involuntary shudder and prayed to Kami that he would make it through the day.
Looking around, he saw Sephiroth standing by the fire, staring at Naruto with unfeeling eyes. Naruto shuddered again, he would never get used to that.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Naruto sat down by the fire, grabbed a stick and began poking at the burning matter. After a few minutes of tense silence, Sephiroth spoke.
"Naruto, what you are about to hear is an S class secret of the village."
Naruto looked up at this. S class? Looking at Sephiroth with questioning eyes, Naruto waited for what was about to be said.
"You are the container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune."
Naruto's heart dropped to his stomach, and the stick he was holding snapped in half because of how tight he was holding it.
"I'm the container…of Kyuubi? Is everything all those villagers back home said….is it true? Am I a monster? A murderer? A demon?" Naruto's voice was beginning to crack, and tears began to fall from his eyes.
"No, Naruto. You are not a demon, murderer, or monster. After all that you have been through, do you really think that you are a monster? A monster would have wiped out the whole village by now. But no, you endured, and held on to your innocence and humility. You are Uzumaki Naruto, shin obi of the hidden leaf."
Sephiroth turned around swiftly, his cloak flaring a bit. "You would do well to remember that."
Walking away, Sephiroth burst into a flurry of black feathers, leaving Naruto alone to contemplate this new information.
Naruto was distraught. He couldn't believe that a beast that he thought was dead was actually sealed away in his body. Now that he thought about it, he remembered seeing an odd seal on his stomach when he was training his chakra control.
Looking down, Naruto lifted his shirt and molded some chakra. Sure enough, an intricate spiral seal appeared on his belly.
Naruto sighed. Maybe training would get him to calm down a bit. Standing up, he made his way to a large tree, and began beating it into submission. Naruto continued to beat the tree until his hands were bleeding, and even then, he wouldn't stop.
"Naruto…that is enough." said a voice from behind him.
Jumping slightly, Naruto spun around to see Sephiroth standing there, watching him.
"Sephiroth-sensei, d-did you need something?" asked Naruto.
"I have come to inform you that I expect you to keep up with your training. From now on, the real training will begin." said Sephiroth.
Then, chuckling darkly, he added. "We begin at dawn."
Sephiroth then disappeared without a trace, just like he always did.
Sighing, Naruto slumped against the beaten tree. In reality, he wasn't as okay as he seemed. He couldn't help but remember all the hateful glares, and the hurtful comments that the villagers would throw him. He wished that there was some way he could prove himself to them. Thinking hard, he remembered the old man, Sandaime. Everywhere he went, the people respected him. But he had earned that respect. The man was a battle hardened ninja, in his prime, he was so powerful that his nickname was The Professor, because of his vast knowledge of jutsu.
Maybe if he learned all the jutsu in the world, then he would be respected.
-------- O_o --------
Achoo! A pale, snake-like man blinked twice. "someone must be talking about me."
"Is everything alright, Orochimaru-sama?" asked a nameless sound ninja.
His response was a kunai in his forehead.
"Fool…as if anything can harm the great Orochimaru…" Thought the snake like man as he sat on his throne.
"Kabuto! Clean up this mess, it disgusts me." He called into the darkness.
" Hai, Orochimaru-sama." Said a shape that was emerging from the shadows.
-------- O_o --------
Naruto quickly dismissed his last idea, that would take forever, and he didn't have forever. Sighing once again, Naruto picked himself up, and went to his tent.
"I guess I'm destined to be a failure…no matter what, I will never be respected."
Climbing into his sleeping bag, Naruto drifted off into a disturbed slumber, hoping that tomorrow would be a little better.
-------- O_o --------
A dark figure obscured by shadow moved silently across the campground. It made its way toward the tent that was on the other side of the clearing. The sun was beginning to rise, and its light caused the trees to cast long shadows that swallowed most of the clearing up in there embrace.
Upon reaching the tent, the shadowy figure entered silently, careful not to make any noise.
Looking to the side, the man could see a blonde haired boy sleeping in a sleeping bag. Green eyes narrowed as the man they belonged to said one word.
"Fire."
Then, as if by magic, the sleeping bag the boy slept in burst into flames, and an intense heat filled the tent.
"Gah! Fire!" yelled the boy, as he awoke to the smell of smoke and burning flesh.
Scrambling out of his sleeping bag, Naruto flew to a nearby stream, throwing himself in to quench the flames that licked at his clothing.
After a few minutes of lying in the stream, Naruto climbed out. Examining himself, he noticed that all his burns were already healed. Hearing a slight ruffle of cloth, Naruto looked to his right. There, standing as if he were the death god himself, was Sephiroth. He had on that same annoying glare that held no warmth, Only cold contempt.
"It is time to begin your training." said Sephiroth, as he produced Naruto's sword from nowhere and tossed it to him.
Catching the sword, Naruto yelled.
"Are you insane! You could have killed me!"
"Pain is a weakness…and I intend to take it from you." replied Sephiroth.
Then, faster than Naruto could blink, Sephiroth was right in front of him, his sword slicing down diagonally. Naruto, caught off guard by the sudden attack, was barely able to raise his own sword in a feeble attempt to block.
The two blades met, and a shower of sparks accompanied the sound of metal against metal. The two combatants entered a deadlock, and after a few seconds, it was apparent to Naruto that he was going to lose.
Thinking quickly, Naruto jumped back, weaving through a few hand seals as he went.
"Katon: Goukakyu no jutsu!" A huge fireball shot out of Naruto's mouth and went speeding toward Sephiroth.
Sephiroth, seeing the incoming fireball, dodged to the right, and landed right in the path of three kunai. Holding up his sword to block, Sephiroth heard the telltale hissing of an explosive note.
"hn."
Boom! The explosion shook the ground, causing dust and smoke to fill the air.
Naruto gazed apprehensively toward the cloud of smoke. He knew that Sephiroth wouldn't go down so easily…
"Nice try, boy. But you were to slow."
Naruto knew that Sephiroth was behind him, so instead of jumping forward, like the day before, he fell down to his hands and threw a mule kick straight behind him.
Sephiroth, seeing the kick grabbed Naruto's two feet, and swung him with deadly force into a tree a few yards away.
The force with which Naruto hit caused the tree to fall. Yet another cloud of dust covered the area, obscuring the battleground.
When the dust cleared, Sephiroth walked over to Naruto's limp form.
"That can't be all, boy. We are barely getting started." he said, as he kicked Naruto softly in the side.
Naruto opened his eyes and stared at the offending foot. "I was right…I am weak."
Sephiroth frowned slightly at the look in Naruto's eyes. It was a look of acceptance…but acceptance of what? This was the worst Naruto had done since leaving Konoha. Naruto would never stay down for long, unless he had received a particularly devastating blow.
Sighing, Sephiroth turned and headed to camp, leaving Naruto to fend for himself. "Maybe he is still processing the news…but he had better pull it together in the next few days."
-------- O_o --------
The next few days passed by in a blur for Naruto, and each day was worse than the last. He had stopped trying in his training, and he could tell that Sephiroth-sensei was becoming aggravated. His mentor had taken to beating him within an inch of his life in an attempt to get Naruto to fight back. But nothing was working.
After the second day of no response from Naruto, Sephiroth made Naruto meditate, as it didn't involve physical activity. Sephiroth hoped that meditation would help calm Naruto's inner turmoil.
It is during one of these training sessions that we find our favorite blonde ninja.
-------- O_o --------
Naruto was sitting at the base of a tree, his legs crossed under him. A look of intense concentration on his face.
"Concentrate, Concentrate…ignore the world around you…"
Naruto's body slowly began to relax, and his heart rate slowed.
Then, unexpectedly, Naruto found himself standing in a dark sewer. The water reached his knees, and a greenish ooze seeped from the cracks in the walls.
"eww…" Naruto said, as he gazed at his surroundings. "Where am I?"
Taking a look around, Naruto noticed a faint red glow farther down the hallway. He didn't know why, but it made him shiver. Steeling himself, Naruto began walking toward the red light, ignoring the ominous feeling that was beginning to nag at him.
Naruto walked for what seemed like hours, always following the red light.
"Why is it taking so long…" Naruto muttered as he waded through the dark water. "I have better things to- whoa…"
The hallway Naruto had been walking in had opened up in to a large cavern. Intricate marking were carved into the walls, but that wasn't what had caught Naruto's attention.
A few hundred feet away from where he stood, was a towering cage.
Its bars reached the sealing, which was also a few hundred feet high. There was a paper seal stuck to the bars on the center of the cage. But that wasn't what had caught Naruto's attention either; it was what was inside the cage that had interested him.
Walking toward the gigantic cage, Naruto stopped about a foot from the huge bars.
Then, without warning, a giant red paw smashed into the cage in front of Naruto, causing him to stumble back and land on his butt. A large furry shape appeared on the other side of the cage, and a large, glowing red eye glared at the boy who was still sitting in the water in front of the gigantic bars.
"It took you long enough, mortal. I have been waiting for you."
Naruto stared up at the giant form of the beast within the cage.
"Kyuubi no Kitsune…" muttered Naruto as he stared unflinchingly at the huge eyeball a few feet in front of him. "
"You're the reason I am hated and despised…the reason of my despair."
The Giant fox chuckled darkly.
"That's right, brat…but I have not called you here to exchange pleasantries."
"Than why did you call me here? Responded Naruto, slightly uneasy about being in the presence of such a legendary creature.
"The reason I have called you here…is because you are weak."
"Stupid furball, that's not a new piece of information…" said Naruto, annoyed at being reminded of his current strength.
"Foolish brat! Allow me to finish!" growled the fox, angry at the rude interruption.
" As I was saying…yes, you are weak. But I have something that may help you become the most powerful being on this planet."
Naruto perked up at this. "The most powerful being…on the planet?" leaping to his feet, Naruto dashed up to the cage.
"Tell me how! Tell me how!"
"Silence, mortal!" roared the fox, releasing a bit of killing intent.
"What I am about to give you is very special. The only reason it will work for a mortal such as yourself is because I reside within you."
Naruto was practically jumping up and down with excitement, his imagination running wild.
"I will give you a summoning contract…with the Aeons.
-------- O_o --------
End Chapter! Wow! I'm sorry it took me so long to update! I have no excuse!
Anyway, let me know what you think! I'm glad to receive as many ideas as you guys have, so go ahead and click the review button!
Glossary:
Katon: Goukakyu no jutsu- Creates a large fireball which is blown from the mouth at an opponent. The more chakra is added, the larger the fireball. -- D-class