Don't Fear The Reaper

by Intimidator1323

Murdered by vengeful villagers, Naruto discovers startling facts about life and afterlife. Trained by the best the dead have to offer, Naruto returns to life as an agent of Death himself, sent to preserve the uneasy truce between Heaven, Hell, and Earth at any cost. Will he be up to the task? Or will mankind be destroyed by the forces of darkness?

3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Dante's Inferno, or anything else I use in this story.

Hello everyone!

I know you can't see me so I'll just come out and say it: I've got the biggest, brightest, grin on my face right now. Why, you ask? Because I've seen the Epilogue to Naruto Shippuden and, well...Naruto and Hinata are married! With two kids! Holy shit, do I feel immensely happy right now! I never realized how big of a fan I was of this pairing until now. It's always been my favorite. But this revelation has made me realize just how much of a fan I really am. So I say to you my fellow NaruHina fans: WE WON! CANON PAIRING MOTHERFUCKERS!

Sorry, just needed say that.

Also, I apologize for those who rooted for a NaruSaku pairing or any other pairing.

On top of that I watched The Last: Naruto the Movie and…I cried. Seriously, I wept at the end like a divorced housewife watching a soap opera. This is the second time in my life I've cried tears of happiness. The first was when my mom brought home a puppy when I was a kid and said he was our dog. And now this. I remember what I said as the credits rolled, I felt my eyes water and said, "What the…Motherfucker, am I crying?!" And I was. I'll admit it; I'm a grown man who cried at the end of an action and romance oriented anime movie.

God I'm such a sucker for love stories.

Someone please review and tell me that I'm not the only one who had this reaction!

Now then, let's answer some reviews:

biofan09: Your review is the most detailed I've received in any of my stories. I'm glad the spacing is good. I hate reading a story with too many lines. I have to keep checking to make sure I haven't skipped any lines. Sorry about the Hephaestus Codex entry, I'll try to use more spacing in the future. Yes, the Naruto we all know is still in there, beneath the discipline and stoicism. Your questions will be answered in this chapter and in the coming chapters. The answer to your last question; cool, definitely, cool. Also, I think I might add Shizuka, I like her. She's got strength, beauty, and determination.

XandricTheBeater: As far as I'm concerned, there is no animated movie.

eniox27: You're right, there aren't enough of these crossover stories.

Wolfone10: Don't worry, that won't happen in my stories. Naruto will be able to overpower most foes and those he can't, he'll be able to hold his own and get a few good hits in.

: I assume pm means Private Message? Apologies, but I don't know how to do that. Also, considering the death-chain letters on your profile, you should know that I'm extremely hesitant to talk to you. I need more info on what exactly it is you want.

Alright, new chapter!

Let's get to it!

"Regular speech"

'Thoughts'

"Death/Demon/Angel/Summon/Other speech"

Special Weapon/Armor/Artifact

Jutsu/Spell/Other

Chapter 2: Questions & Revelations

The office of the Hokage was silent.

Naruto Uzumaki had just finished telling the Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, all there was about where he had been, what he had been doing, and what he was now a part of.

The aged Hokage could only stare in disbelief.

He had seen many incredible things in his many decades of life...but what the resurrected blonde had just told him defied reason and possibility.

Demons, Angels, Monsters, Spirits, and the Undead?

Heaven, Hell, and other realms?

A group of warriors, scientists, and others working to keep all of this, and more, a secret and keeping the human race safe from these things?

It defied everything humanity knew about the universe!

Naruto smiled at the shock on the old man's face.

"You're trying to wrap your head around this" he guessed, "I know how you feel. I didn't believe it at first, either. But I've seen these things, and more, with my own eyes. I can tell you, It's all real. Everything we were told as children was myth and legend...is all true."

The Sandaime finally managed to find his voice.

"So...you say you're part of an organization that keeps the world safe from...supernatural beings?" he asked.

Naruto nodded, "Yes. The Reaper Corps is almost as old as the human race. For countless millennia, we have kept the world, and all who live on it, safe from the dark forces that would see them destroyed or enslaved" he explained.

"Like demons?" the old man asked.

"Among other things" the blonde Reaper answered, "But demons are the most common threat we face. They constantly seek to escape from Hell and find it entertaining to cause as much chaos and death as they can."

The old kage was stunned, "Demons walk the Earth?"

Naruto nodded.

"How many?"

Naruto shrugged, "Dozens. Maybe hundreds" he answered.

"And no one notices?" Hiruzen asked, "How?"

"Possession. Demons claim the souls of humans and use them to enter a person's body" Naruto explained, "They walk around in human skin...and no one suspects a thing."

The Sandaime looked troubled.

"Don't worry old man. Demons can't take any soul by force."

The old man was confused, "Then how...?"

Naruto interrupted, "A person's soul is the one possession we can truly say is our own" he explained, "It cannot be taken away from us. It must be given willingly."

"People...give their souls away?" the Sandaime asked, sickened but what he was hearing.

Naruto shook his head, "Not for free, no. Humans always ask for something in return. Demons entice mortals with deals, promising wealth, power, or whatever in exchange for their souls. Humanity, as a whole, only places value on things they can see, touch, taste, and feel. People go about their lives every day without thinking of their souls. In their minds, a soul has no meaning in life and life is all that matters, so why keep it? Why not trade it for something that is more...material?" Naruto then looked sad, "Of course, it's only after the deal is finalized does the person realize their mistake. Demons use the victims soul to amplify their own magical power and use it to collect on their end of the bargain. But everything they give always has a catch. The person may get what they want at first...but the deal always goes bad for the human and, soon, they find themselves with less than what they had before. Before they realize it, their soul is in Hell...and something else is wearing their skin. Some don't even realize that they aren't in control of their actions anymore."

Hiruzen was shocked that something so...evil could happen without notice.

"But why?" he asked, "Why do demons do this?"

"It's all they know" Naruto told him simply, "Lucifer, the Lord of Hell, despises us as much as he does the Creator and ensures that all demons are taught to hate us as well."

"Wait, you said that Heaven and Hell have a truce, that they aren't allowed to intervene in our affairs. How do the demons get away with this?" the Sandaime asked.

"Lucifer claims that the demons that escape to Earth are acting against his wishes and that his subjects are acting on their own behalf" Naruto told him before continuing, "That's mostly true, he doesn't actively encourage them, but he doesn't stop them either. Thus, the Balance is, technically, unbroken."

"But if the demons rule Hell, why do they wish to escape it?"

"It's a prison" Naruto answered simply, "They may be the wardens, but they also serve life sentences, just like the souls of the damned, and they don't age like we do. They can live a long time. Some demons have enough power and influence to the point that they have no desire to leave. But most are unsatisfied with their place in the Inferno and constantly seek to escape it."

"Is possessing humans the only way they can escape?" the Sandaime asked, growing more and more concerned with this new, hidden threat.

Naruto shook his head, "No, there are other ways, but they seldom work. Sometimes demons attempt a 'blind jump' into some random being on Earth. They get stuck in inanimate objects, or things like trees or wild animals."

"What happens to them then?"

"Well, inanimate objects tend to harness the demons power, turning it into an item of power. I, personally, wouldn't use the item, as the trapped demon's hatred of humans tend to cause the wielder to be cursed. Trees and animals, well..." he paused for a moment before continuing, "They mutate into horrific monsters. The process rips away all sanity from them and causes them to mindlessly attack anything and anyone around them in a blind rage."

Naruto continued, "Other than that, the only other way I know of is if they are summoned by an outside force; another demon or some human who seeks to control them. The latter case never works out. The summoned demon just kills the summoner and is free to rampage across the world."

The Sandaime was even more troubled after hearing this, "Humans can summon demons?" he asked.

Naruto nodded.

"How?"

"Magic" Naruto answered like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Magic?" the Sandaime asked, bewildered, "Magic exists? And humans can use it?"

Naruto chuckled, "Of course" he said, "Shinobi use it all the time" he saw the confused look on the old kage's face, he elaborated, "When you breath fire or summon a wall of stone, what do you think it is you're doing?" he asked.

"Using Chakra" the Sandaime answered.

"And what do you think Chakra is?"

"A natural energy that exists in all of us."

Naruto nodded, "A natural magical energy that exists in all of us" he corrected before continuing, "The Sage of Six Paths was the first to unlock this energy, and soon taught others how to do the same. As the generations passed, humanity inherited this power from their ancestors and, now, all of us possess the ability to use it."

The Sandaime was shocked.

"Wait" he started, "You're saying that magic, something we were told was pure fiction, is not only real...but we've been using it for well over a thousand years?!"

Naruto laughed, "Yep. The Sage knew that people would panic if they learned that they were using magic, so he told them only half of the truth; that we were using a natural energy that exists inside us all. He left out the part that that energy was magical in nature" he explained.

A few moments passed in silence, as Naruto let Hiruzen contemplate all of this.

After a few more moments, Naruto decided break the silence.

"So" he began, "Now that I've answered some of your questions, what say you answer some of mine."

The Sandaime was brought out of his daze, "What? Oh, yes! Of course. Ask away" he said gesturing for the blonde to continue.

"Good" Naruto said, "Firstly, when, exactly, were you going to tell me about the Kyuubi being sealed inside me?" he asked calmly.

The old kage began to panic, "I-"

"Or were you never going to tell me at all?" Naruto interrupted, "And don't insult me by telling me you don't know what I'm talking about."

The Sandaime sighed, "How did you find out?" he asked.

"Death told me the day I died" Naruto answered, "And you still haven't answered my question."

"I was planning to tell you the day you became a shinobi" he answered, "Along with..."

The old man stopped himself, almost revealing the villages greatest secret.

"Along with who my parents were?" Naruto asked, finishing the Sandaime's sentence.

The Hokage's eyes widened, "You...you know?" he asked.

"About what? That my mother was Kushina Uzumaki and my father was Minato Namikaze? No, I haven't the slightest god damn clue" Naruto said in a bitter and sarcastic tone before glaring, "Of course I know! What I don't know, is why you never told me. Was I to be condemned to living in that rat infested apartment complex instead of my parents mansion? Was I supposed to spend every moment of my life wondering who my parents were and whether they loved me or not? Was that what you wanted?"

The Sandaime noticed the menacing tone Naruto was beginning to take.

"No!" the old man argued, "Of course not! I would have told you! It's just..." he paused before continuing, "Naruto you have to understand, your parents made many enemies in the last war. Enemies who would have stopped at nothing to take their revenge on them through you. Iwa would have tried to kill you the second they knew!"

"You could have told me at least, I could've kept it a secret" Naruto argued, still calm, but with the menacing tone.

"I wanted to, Naruto, I truly did, but you were young and impulsive" the Sandaime told him, "I was worried you would tell everyone to get back at the villagers. I couldn't afford to take that risk. I was going to tell you the day you graduated from the academy...but that never happened."

He looked Naruto in the eyes. The blonde saw the sadness in them.

"Naruto" the old man continued, "When you...died, I regretted so many things. But not telling you about the Kyuubi and your parents...those were the regrets that weighed most heavily upon my mind."

Naruto stared at the old Hokage for a moment.

"I know" he finally said, "I was angry when I was first told what you kept from me...but I got over it. I forgave you a long time ago" he smiled slightly, "I just needed know..to see it in your eyes, that you regretted it."

The Sandaime sighed in relief, "Thank God" he said, "I was so worried you would hate me for not telling you the truth. For keeping you in the dark for all these years" he confessed.

Naruto smiled wider, "Not my style. You, of all people, should know that" he told his grandfather figure.

Hiruzen chuckled, "Yes, I suppose I should have" he admitted.

The two laughed for a moment before Naruto remembered something.

"Speaking of the Kyuubi" he started, "You should know that the attack on the village was no accident. Someone unleashed the fox upon the village" he told the old kage.

The Hokage's eyes widened, "Someone-! But who? And how?"

"I don't know who he is...but I know what he is."

"What do you mean?"

"The man that unleashed the Kyuubi upon the village wore a mask with a single eye-hole. But within that hole...was a Sharingan Eye" he finished.

The Sandaime's eyes widened even more, "An Uchiha?" he asked.

"Yes" Naruto told him, "One who is still alive."

"What?!" the old man asked, shocked even more than before, "But the entire clan was slaughtered by Itachi!" he claimed, "Only he and Sasuke survived and I know Itachi's eyes wouldn't have been strong enough to use on the fox!"

Naruto nodded, "I know, but Death showed me the memories of what happened that night. I've seen the man in question and his eye. It was an Uchiha, one that either escaped the massacre...or one who was a rouge ninja."

The Sandaime pondered this for a moment before continuing, "I know for a fact that none but Itachi and Sasuke survived the massacre, all the other members were accounted for. I also know there aren't any known Uchiha missing-nin besides Itachi" he thought for a moment before asking, "You say you don't know who he is?"

Naruto shook his head, "No, I don't. Death knows...but he won't tell me. He probably thinks I'll try to hunt him down" he said, "…I probably would" he admitted.

"Hmm..." the Sandaime pondered, "I'll have to have our spies try to find out more. Won't be easy though, it's been fifteen years. The trail will have gone cold by now" he said, mostly to himself

"I should also let you know, the Kyuubi was forced to attack the village and is a pretty nice guy when you get to know him."

Hiruzen looked up in shock, "You can communicate with it?" he asked.

"Him" Naruto corrected, "And, yes, I can. We've become partners and friends over the years. You have nothing to worry about in that department" he assured the Sandaime.

The aged Hokage stared at the boy for a moment, skeptically, before responding.

"Alright" he said, "I'll...trust your judgment. But you should keep the fact that you can to speak to it-him" he corrected, "From everyone else for now. People will be nervous enough that you've returned from the dead, they don't need any more reason to fear and hate you."

Naruto nodded, "Fair enough" he said before remembering something else, "Also, Death wants you to turn over my inheritance to me. All of it" he told the old man seriously.

The Sandaime was about to argue when Naruto interrupted again.

"If you're going to say something about me not being ready or that I'll be in danger, save it. Death is confident that I can take care of myself and so am I" he told him.

Hriuzen was about to argue again but decided not to. If the Shinigami believed that he was ready, then who was he to argue?

"Alright Naruto" he sighed before standing up.

He walked over to a portrait of the Yondaime on the wall and pressed a hidden button on its frame. The portrait swung open, revealing a safe behind it. After using the combination, the old kage opened the safe and retrieved the contents and closed it.

He then walked back to his desk, sat down, and handed Naruto a pair of scrolls.

"These scrolls contain all you need to prove you are indeed the heir to the Yondaime and the Uzumaki clan. The first is the deed to your parents manor and the second contains your birth certificate and your parents last will and testament, in which they left everything to you" he told the blonde, "When we're done here, I'll take you to your parents home."

Naruto nodded, taking the scrolls, "Thanks old man."

The Sandaime nodded.

"Does the rest of the village know who I am?" he asked.

"They do" he answered, "After your death, I gathered the entire village and told them who they had hated and tortured all these years. They were quite shocked to say the least" he then frowned, "Most refused to believe me, though, crying out that it was impossible. Some believed me...though very few of them feel guilty about what they did to you. They believe you stopped being human after the fox was sealed into you" he shook his head, "The fools."

Naruto thought on this. So the whole village knew but they still refused to take responsibility for their actions.

He mentally sighed. He should have known it wouldn't be easy.

"I suppose it was too much to ask that they get over their hatred" he sighed, then became serious, "I want you to understand something old man; I will not let the villagers push me around anymore. If they attack me, I will use lethal force if necessary " he warned, darkly.

The Sandaime sighed, "I know and you have every right to do so...very well, if you are attacked, I give you permission to defend yourself and use lethal force, if necessary" he conceded.

Naruto nodded, "Good."

After a moment, he spoke again, "I still have more questions for you, old man" he pointed out.

"Of course" the Sandaime said, "Ask away."

"How are my friends?" he asked before hesitating, "Do they know that I was going to return? Was my...death, hard on them?" he asked nervously.

"They were, understandably, upset when I told them" he answered, "But they cheered up somewhat when I told them you'd be returning. I told them you'd come back but I left Death out of it, they would've thought I was crazy otherwise. I'm not entirely sure they believed what I told them...but you'll be able to remove any doubts they may still have, I'm sure" he said, smiling.

He then continued, "As for the first part of your question, they are all quite fine" he assured the blonde Reaper, "Iruka still teaches at the academy and the Ichiraku's still have their stand, though, they don't see as much business since the disappearance of their number one customer."

Naruto smiled, "What about Hinata-chan?" he asked.

"She is well" the Sandaime answered, "She…took your death the hardest. She wouldn't eat or talk to anyone, she just stayed in her room and slept all day, even after I told her you would be returning. I don't think she believed me in the slightest."

Naruto felt horrible. He didn't mean to cause his closest friend so much pain. He would have to make it up to her.

Maybe with a whole bunch of cinnamon rolls, those were always her favorite!

The Sandaime continued, "After a week of this, she emerged and promised to become stronger for you. She vowed to honor your memory by becoming the best kunoichi she could be" he explained, "Most of her shyness is gone, but she still stutters a bit when she's nervous."

Naruto smiled, happy his friend was becoming stronger and more confident.

"Her strength and confidence aren't the only part of her that's changed, though" the Sandaime said cryptically.

Now it was Naruto's turn to be confused, "What do you mean?" he asked.

Hiruzen chuckled, "Let's just say that she draws a great deal of attention from the male population of the village. She, Ino Yamanaka, and Sakura Haruno are tied in being the most attractive girls in their age group" he explained.

Naruto was surprised. He always thought Hinata was cute...but beautiful?

Had she really changed that much?

Hiruzen noticed Naruto deep in thought and chuckled, "You'll see what I mean when you see her" he said.

Naruto shrugged, "If you say so."

He then decided to ask one more question.

"One last question. Death told me the man who murdered me never passed through the Void. What happened to him?" he asked.

The Sandaime frowned, remembering the foolish former ANBU that caused all of this, "His name is Tomatsu Higurashi and he is...still alive. We had him severely tortured and locked away" he clenched his fists, "He took it all with a smile on his face. He was happy to that he had 'avenged' his late wife and didn't care what we did to him. He doesn't even care that his daughter has been forced to live on her own for all these years" he said, angrily.

"He has a daughter?" Naruto asked.

The Sandaime nodded, "Yes. She's a year older than you. After her mother's death, her father became distant and started drinking. He abused her, telling her she had no right to look like her mother, like she was rubbing in the fact that she was dead" he became even angrier, "When I told him he would never see her again, he had the nerve to say, 'who cares?' Every day, I wake up with the desire to kill him...maybe I should."

"What happened to the daughter?" Naruto asked.

"She became a kunoichi a little less than a year ago" he then smiled, "She has friends now and is very strong. She has left her past behind her."

Naruto smiled.

'Good' he thought, 'She deserves to be happy and free of that piece of shit. Maybe I'll meet her someday.'

"I still can't stand the fact that he won't stop smiling after he killed you" the old kage growled out.

Naruto stared at him for a moment...and then smiled wickedly.

"Maybe I can do something about that" he told the old man.

The Sandaime was confused, "What do you mean?"

Naruto's smile widened even more, "If he's so happy about me being gone...imagine what he'll do when he realizes that his efforts were all in vain?"

The Sandaime started to grin, understanding what the blonde Reaper was implying.

"It would shatter his entire world!" he said, "He would be left to rot in prison with no hope of ever escaping and finishing what he started!" he realized.

"Exactly" Naruto answered, smirking.

"Well then" the Sandaime grinned darkly, "I suppose we'll have to schedule an appointment as soon as possible."

"How about after we're done?" Naruto suggested.

The old man nodded, "Sounds good to me" he conceded before asking, "Did you have any other questions? Or can I ask a few more?"

Naruto gestured for him to continue.

"You told me before that you had received a bloodline from Death. May I ask what it is?"

Naruto nodded, "It's called Dark Release" Naruto began, "Death created it and gave a small shinobi clan the ability to use it. It mostly focuses on absorbing a foe's chakra and turning it against them."

"I've heard of this bloodline before" the Sandaime said, "I thought it died out years ago, after the last war."

"It did" Naruto told him, "The clan's numbers had been dwindling over the past few years. Most were killed during the war. The last user was murdered a few years ago, though we still don't know who did it."

"Why did Death give you the power to use it?" the old man asked.

Naruto shrugged, "I don't know" he answered honestly, "Maybe he thought the Uzumaki Clan would be able to use it justly. Maybe he wants to see if I can master it. Who knows?"

"How well can you use it?" the Sandaime asked, intrigued.

"I can absorb and redirect simple attacks, that's about it" he answered, "The more complicated and powerful the jutsu the more difficulty I have in absorbing and redirecting it. Death gave me a scroll to learn more powerful techniques before I arrived here, but it'll probably take awhile to learn all of them."

The Sandaime was quiet for a moment contemplating this.

"You know what will happen when the council finds out about this don't you?" he asked.

Naruto nodded, "They'll try to make me agree to the Clan Restoration Act. I'll have to marry multiple women and have many children to restore the Uzumaki Clan for the betterment of Konoha, blah, blah, blah, patriotic bullshit nonsense" he said in a tone like he had repeated this explanation countless times before.

The Sandaime chuckled a bit at this, "What will you tell them?" he asked.

"'Fuck off?'" Naruto suggested.

Hiruzen laughed, "Somehow I doubt that will work. They hear that answer regularly."

They both laughed for a moment.

"Seriously, though, if I do got through with it, I choose who I'll marry, not them, understood?"

The old kage nodded, "I expected as much, but I'll bet some members will have their daughters try to win your heart."

"Naturally" Naruto said, simply, "But I'm pretty good at detecting bullshit. They won't succeed" he vowed.

"I believe you" the Sandaime said, "But enough about that, I have further questions."

"By all means" Naruto said gesturing for him to go on.

"What exactly were you trained in over the last few years?"

"A wide variety of things" Naruto answered, "Weapon handling, marksmanship, tracking, stealth, occult knowledge, a few jutsu, and a bit of magic among other things. A lot of the time, though, I spent learning how to use this..."

He held out his scepter and, in a swirl of dark energy, it transformed into the largest, most brutal looking scythe the Sandaime had ever seen.

Hiruzen jumped pack a bit in surprise, "What is that?!" he demanded.

Naruto smirked, "Scary isn't it? This is Harvest, the weapon I took from the Reaper that arranged my premature death" he told the old man, "It is a sentient weapon, one that responds only to my touch. Only I can use it. It has four forms, the scepter, which you saw, the scythe" the blade then swung upward, "the spear" in another swirl of dark energy, it transformed into an armblade, "and the armblade" he stated, before the weapon transformed into a scythe again, "It's also quite flexible and it's reach is longer than it looks. It can also function as a grapple when it needs to."

Before the Sandaime could say anything, Naruto continued, "And, just today, I was given this" he said pulling something out of his coat and placed it on the desk.

It was a cross, the most beautiful cross he had ever seen.

"The Crucifix" he said, "one of Heavens most holy artifacts, the blood of the Creator himself powers it. It has the power to burn the wicked and absolve any soul of their sins."

The old kage stared in awe at the cross on his desk, words unable to leave his lips.

"I'm not sure who sent it to me, but it blew my mind when I found out what it was. I don't know how to use it yet, but I hope to find out soon" he then placed the Crucifix back into his coat.

Shaking himself out of his shock after a few minutes of silence, the Sandaime spoke.

"What..." he cleared his throat and continued, "What would you say your current skill level is?" he asked.

Naruto thought for a moment before answering, "I can defeat nearly any genin and chunin and can hold my own against most jonin." he explained.

The Sandaime was surprised, "After only four years?" he asked, amazed at the blonde's progress.

"Time passes differently in the Void" Naruto told him, "Four years passed on Earth, but twice that many passed in the Void."

The Sandaime quickly did the math, "Eight years? You spent eight years training?"

Naruto nodded.

"...Okay then" Hiruzen said.

Naruto cocked an eyebrow, "You accepted that pretty quickly" he pointed out.

"After everything you've told me, that was easy to digest."

Naruto couldn't help but agree, now that he thought about it.

"Despite my progress" he began, "I've yet to unlock the full power all Reapers are given; the Reaper Form."

"'Reaper Form'?" the Sandaime asked, "What is that?"

Naruto was silent for a moment, trying to find a way to explain it, "It's like...a transformation jutsu that you can shift in and out of at will without hand signs and it's a real transformation, not an illusion" he explained, "The users body changes dramatically, increasing their powers immensely while also granting them new ones. Every Reaper has a different form and we don't find out what it is until we unlock it."

"Have you ever seen someone use it before?" the Sandaime asked.

"A few times, it's both amazing and terrifying" Naruto told him.

"How close are you to unlocking yours?"

Naruto shrugged, "No clue. I've been told that it happens when the person is ready or are under dire circumstances" he said, honestly, before continuing "Could take years, maybe even decades to unlock."

"So it could happen at any time?" the Sandaime asked, worried that the villagers would use this to prove he was some sort of monster or demon.

"Pretty much. But, like I said, it usually happens when a Reaper is in extreme danger."

"I see..." the Sandaime said pondering on this new development before speaking again, "If you do unlock it, I suggest you show it only to those you trust or when the situation demands it. We don't need more flak for the villagers to use against you."

Naruto nodded, "Agreed."

"Next question" the Sandaime continued, "What is that tattoo on your wrist?"

Naruto looked at the mark under his left wrist, "Saw that did you?" he asked before continuing, "It's not really a tattoo, it's a summoning seal" he explained.

"For what?" the aged Hokage asked.

Naruto grinned and held out his arm.

Suddenly, the seal started to glow and...something emerged from it!

It was small, barely larger than a person's hand. It had only a handful of features, the most predominate of which was the large eye that took up most of its form. A long, spine-like tail protruded from its "body" with a few tendrils around it.

The strange creature snaked around Naruto's arm and floated off of the ground, flying around the room before stopping next to its masters head, staring at the old kage through its eye.

"This is an Oculus" Naruto explained patting the creature on the "head", "Think of it as a third eye, I can see everything it sees and it can travel anywhere undetected. All Reapers have one. We use them for reconnaissance and information gathering, mostly."

Hiruzen stared at the Oculus and it stared back. Cautiously, he reached out to touch it.

The Oculus floated away from his hand.

"Sorry, it generally doesn't like being touched" Naruto explained.

The Sandaime stared at it for a moment before speaking, "You can see everything it does?" he asked, still staring at the bizarre floating eye.

Naruto nodded.

The old man placed his hands under his desk and out of Naruto's sight.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" he asked.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Really?" he asked.

"Just do it, please."

Naruto sighed. The Oculus floated around the desk and looked underneath it.

The blonde looked the kage right in the eyes and said, "Nine."

"How about now?"

"Three."

"And now?"

"Five, eight, six, two, four, one" he said saying each number as the old man changed the number of fingers he was holding up, all while looking directly into his eyes.

"Amazing" the Sandaime said as he watched the Oculus float back to its master, "You said it was used for reconnaissance?" he asked.

Naruto nodded.

"I know it's small, but how can a floating eye not gain people's attention?"

Naruto smirked, "Like this" he said.

Suddenly, the eye disappeared.

"What the-? How?" the old kage asked.

"Invisibility" Naruto explained, "But that's just the fist ability it possesses. It can also move through walls and merge with another person, which allows me to see through that person's eyes" He then began to straighten his hair, "Damn, I really do look like my dad, don't I?" he asked looking at the Sandaime like he was a mirror.

The Sandaime shut his eyes tightly, cutting off the Oculus's vision.

"Aw, come on old man" Naruto whined, "Take a joke for once!"

'Little bastard' Hiruzen grumbled to himself, mentally.

"I take exception to that" Naruto said, "I'm not little."

The Sandaime's eyes shot open, "How did you-?"

"Know what you were thinking?" Naruto finished, smirking, "When the Oculus merges with another, not only can I see through their eyes, I can also hear and see into their mind, though only a small amount. It's not as powerful as, say, the Yamanaka Clan techniques, but it's useful enough" he explained, "In addition, I can give the person the Oculus is 'attached' to a small…push to make them remember something I need to know or to perform simple actions."

"Like what?"

"Looking at certain objects, reading certain documents, that sort of thing. Nothing too complicated, though" Naruto explained.

"Does it have any drawbacks?" the Sandaime asked.

"Well, it can only see into another's mind if that person is caught unaware" Naruto explained, "If the person knows it's there, like you do, they mentally brace themselves unconsciously and I can't hear what they're thinking or influence their actions. Also, the stronger the person's will is, the more difficult it is to influence their actions and thoughts. Other than that, no. Even if the Oculus is discovered and destroyed, it will reform after a few minutes back inside the seal" he said before the floating eye flew back into the seal.

Hiruzen contemplated this, before continuing.

"One last question" he began, "You said that the Reaper Corps keeps all of what you've told me hidden?"

Naruto nodded.

"Why all the secrecy? Surely people are intelligent enough to handle it."

Naruto snorted, "A person might be able to handle it" he explained, "People, as a whole, are dumb, paranoid, violent animals who are easily panicked. If humanity had even the slightest idea, any definitive proof, that we aren't alone in Creation, the panic would be catastrophic!"

The Sandaime was confused, "I don't understand..."

"Don't under-!?" Naruto quickly stopped himself from getting upset. He took a deep breath and continued.

"People are fragile" he began, "Like glass, not physically, but mentally. Too much pressure and they shatter. We don't handle change well; We fear it. Things that are different terrify us. For so long, we thought we were alone on this world. When they first discovered the Summons, our ancestors believed them to be monsters. It took centuries before we finally grew used to the idea of other intelligent creatures sharing our world with us! When the Tailed-Beasts first appeared, humanity was terrified of them. We thought they were demons sent to destroy our world. We still fear them! We keep them locked away in human containers, not only to harness their strength, but to keep us 'safe' as well. And yet, despite the fact that neither Summons nor Tailed-Beasts mean us harm, we still fear them."

"Now" he continued, "Imagine what would happen if humanity, as a whole, discovered that there were a race of beings bred for the sole purpose of destroying everything around them, starting with us. Imagine what they would do if they knew that these creatures could walk among us, completely undetected, ready to strike when we least suspect it."

"They would panic" The Sandaime answered.

"Panic?" Naruto asked, "They would lose their collective shit! People would constantly be looking over their shoulders, constantly worried about being attacked by things out of their worst nightmares. To make things worse, since most humans have no way of detecting possession, people would view any odd behavior, even the slightest abnormality, as a symptom of possession. Manhunts, massacres, and executions all around! Countless centuries ago, people were burned as witches for odd appearances or behavior. Imagine that, times a thousand, then you have some general idea of what people would do if they knew about what we keep from them."

Hiruzen thought on this and realized that the blonde was right, people would panic. Even Jinchuriki were treated as monsters even though anyone with a brain stem could see that they were human. If the world found out about demons and monsters, the chaos that would be caused was unthinkable.

There was just one thing he didn't understand.

"What about angels?" the Sandaime asked, "They do not seek to destroy us, why keep them a secret?"

Naruto scoffed, "You think that matters? Humanity sees things that are different and difficult to comprehend as monsters or threats. Angels are more powerful than we are. How long do you think it would take for the human race to decide they're a threat to us? Months? Years? It doesn't matter, conflict would be inevitable. Not to mention the religious panic that would follow should the angels and demons reveal themselves."

"Religious panic?" The old Hokage asked.

Naruto nodded, "There are countless faiths and beliefs in the world. They are all different and unique, but they each have one thing in common: there is no definitive proof of who is right and who is wrong."

"But all of the followers of those beliefs follow them and believe in them without question" the Sandaime interjected.

Naruto shook his head "I said there was no definitive proof" he corrected, "People can look at relics and texts that have no purpose and see them as 'proof' but none of them can be proven or disproven."

"What do angels and demons have to do with this?" the old man asked.

"Think about it, if the beings we knew from legends and myths turned out to be real, people would believe their faith to be the 'right' one. Humans hate when others do not follow their customs and beliefs. This would be all they needed to conduct a crusade against 'non-believers'. Oh, it would start out simple at first, a few attempts at conversion here or there, but as time goes on, the fanatical believers would lose their patience and lead attacks against 'heretics'. Do you see where I'm going with this? Or do I have to elaborate further?"

"No, no that's quite alright. I see your point" the Sandaime answered, holding up his hands in a placating gesture.

Naruto nodded, "Good. Now you see why everything we know is kept a secret from the rest of humanity: It's for their own good. We keep them safe without their knowledge. Ignorance may not be bliss but it's better than the alternative."

Everything was silent after that, Naruto giving the old man time to think on all of this.

After a while, the Sandaime finally spoke.

"Well" he said, "That was..overwhelming."

Naruto laughed, "Imagine having to see all of it."

"I'm trying not to" Hiruzan said, smiling, "Now I do believe it's time to ruin a certain prisoners day."

Naruto smirked wickedly, "Indeed, I've waited a long time for this."

As the two prepared to set out, Naruto remembered something.

"Oh, one last thing" he said, "My job as a Reaper will require me to leave the village to complete different missions. Assuming I become a shinobi, I'll need your approval to leave the village in order to fulfill my commitment to the Corps" he explained.

The Sandaime thought for a moment before nodding, "Very well, though I dislike the thought of you fighting monsters and God knows what else, I will grant you leave from the village as you need it."

Naruto smiled, "Thanks old man."

"But the Kyuubi Jinchuriki leaving the village under mysterious circumstances will raise many questions among the council. What should I tell them?" he asked.

Naruto shrugged after he pulled his hood up again, "You're 'The Professor', I'm sure you'll think of something."

"Oh, thanks" the old man said sarcastically as they departed.

Konohagakure Maximum Security Prison, Isolation Wing:

The prison in Konoha was reserved for the most dangerous criminals in Fire Country that could be kept alive.

People who had committed heinous enough crimes to need a more secure prison to place them, but not enough to warrant immediate execution.

The prisoners in the Isolation Wing were the worst of the lot, those who were dangerous enough to need to be isolated from the other prisoners.

Or simply to be punished for whatever reason.

In one of these cells was one Tomatsu Higurashi and he was one of these few, chained to the wall in his cell.

The years had not been kind to the former ANBU Captain. He was covered in scars, burn marks, etc.

Still, he couldn't be happier; the Kyuubi was dead and his wife's soul was finally at rest.

I mean, sure, freedom would have been nice (considering he hadn't seen the sun in over four years) but, all things considered, things weren't too bad.

The senile idiot that was the Hokage had tried to break him, but he failed. He had survived the war, the Kyuubi attack, and his wife's death, a bit of torture wouldn't change that.

Little did he realize that his incarceration was about to finally become intolerable.

Normally things were quiet, so he jumped slightly when a voice spoke up.

"Tomatsu Higurashi."

He looked up and saw a hooded figure standing just outside his cell.

His unexpected visitor continued to speak.

"What a sad hand life has dealt you. You survive the Third Shinobi World War and the Kyuubi's attack, yet wind up here, doomed to spend the rest of your life rotting in this cell...assuming the Hokage doesn't decide to up and have you executed" the visitor said, walking closer to his cell.

Tomatsu looked at the hooded stranger...and scoffed.

"And who are you supposed to be? Another 'expert' the old fool sent to break me?" he asked mockingly.

"I'm here of my own volition, I was not sent by anyone" the stranger answered before continuing, "But I'm not here to talk about me. No, I'm here to talk about you and what you've done."

Tomatsu scoffed again, "What's there to talk about? I killed the Kyuubi. That's it. End of story.

"Oh, but there is so much more to the story than that" the hooded man said as he began to pace back and forth in front of the prisoner, hands behind his back, "Such a tale of heartbreak yours is: a man who meets the love of his life, marries her, and has a child with her. It seemed that you would live happily ever after together. But, then, tragedy struck, when the Kyuubi, the great Nine-Tailed Fox, appeared in the village and started to tear everything apart. Of course, as a shinobi of Konohagakure, you were summoned to fight. But you were defeated...and discovered that your beloved was dead, killed in action against the fox. With your greatest reason for living gone, you wasted away in bars, attempting to drink away your pain" he then stopped and looked at the former ANBU captain, "But that didn't work, did it? No amount of alcohol could drown your sorrow."

Tomatsu glared at the hooded man, "Is there a point to this?" he asked, beginning to become angry at his visitor reciting his life's story.

"We'll get to that. Now, where was I?" he asked, rhetorically, before continuing "Oh yes! So, eleven years of this pass. Eleven years of drinking, moping, and abusing your daughter, your anger boiling up inside you over being unable to avenge your late wife. So, one day, you decide to take action. You drug your fellow ANBU and, with the ANBU who supported you and a mob of simple minded villagers, you go after Naruto Uzumaki, the boy who held the Kyuubi within him."

"He didn't hold the Kyuubi, he was the Kyuubi!" Tomatsu snarled.

The hooded man chuckled, "Of course, of course, whatever it takes to rationalize your actions. Anyway, you catch the boy and, after a moment of gloating, slit his throat. As he lays dying, another ANBU shows up and renders you unconscious. Then the Hokage shows up and slaughters the entire mob...except for you. He decides to lock you away and now, four years later, here we are" the hooded man said as he stopped pacing.

"What's your point?" Tomatsu asked.

"I'm wondering why a man who will be spending the rest of his life, alone in this dark and dreary place, is so chipper."

The former ANBU captain grinned, "Because I won" he explained, "I avenged my wife and nothing that senile fool who calls himself Hokage does will change that."

"What of your daughter?" the hooded stranger asked, "Would you condemn her to live a life without both of her parents?"

"I never wanted a kid, my wife did" he explained, "I could care less about her or what she thinks about me."

"Interesting..." the stranger said as he thought for a moment. He then looked at the prisoner again "And your wife?" he asked.

"What about her?"

"Do you think she would condone your actions? Would she have wanted you to kill an innocent child in her name?"

"He was a demon, not a child" Tomatsu corrected angrily, "And yes, I think she would have. She would be proud that I killed the monster that nearly destroyed the village!" he proclaimed.

"Are you so certain?" the man asked.

"Absolutely" Tomatsu answered, "But I don't see how any of this matters. My wife is dead, it's not like I can ask her."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that..."

The hooded man had spoken again, but instead of coming from directly in front of him, outside of his cell, it came from right next to him, inside the cell.

He turned to his left and saw the hooded man sitting right next to him. He looked back at where the man was standing before and then back at where he was now.

'What? How the hell did he-?!'

"Let's hear her opinion on the matter, shall we?" the hooded man continued.

He then raised one of his hands and snapped his fingers.

Suddenly a swirl of energy appeared outside of the cell and began to take shape.

It took the form of a beautiful young woman with long, brown hair and eyes.

A woman Tomatsu knew all too well, seeing as it had haunted his dreams and nightmares for the past fifteen years.

A woman he never thought he would see alive again.

'It...It can't be...'

For a few moments all he could do was stare.

"...Masami-hime?" he finally asked, weakly.

"Tomatsu-kun" the woman answered, her voice having an echo to it.

She seemed happy to see him...at first.

She then became saddened, "Why?" she asked, "Why did you have to do it? Why did you have to murder that poor boy?"

"I don't...but I thought..." the prisoner tried to answer the apparition of his deceased wife.

"I never wanted revenge" she told him, "All I ever wanted was to have nice, quiet life with you and our daughter. When I couldn't have that, I wanted you and our little girl to live a happy and full life" she then looked to be on the verge of tears, "But I watched as you drank yourself to sleep every night and as you…you hit our child…"

"Indeed" the hooded man spoke again, who was, somehow, now outside of the cell again, standing next to Masami's ghost, "Tell her why you did it Tomatsu. Tell her how you abused your own flesh-and-blood because…what was it you said? Oh yes, 'she had no right to look like her mother'" the hooded man said, with the prisoner trying to kill him with his glare alone.

Masami looked heartbroken, "Please tell me that isn't true!" she pleaded.

"You don't understand" Tomatsu said, his voice breaking, "You were my whole world Masami. You were my life" he explained, "When you…died, I didn't know what to do, my reason for living was gone. Every time I looked at our child…It was like the universe was mocking me…I…I couldn't-"

"And that justifies beating your daughter?" the hooded man asked, interrupting the former ANBU Captain, before scoffing, "A weak excuse from a weak man. She is the offspring of you and your wife, of course she looks like her mother."

"Shut up!" Tomatsu growled.

The hooded stranger ignored him, "Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you say, not even five minutes ago, that you never wanted a child? That you only impregnated your poor wife because she wanted to have a family?"

"I said shut up!" Tomatsu ordered.

Any further conversation was stopped by the sound of sobbing.

Both looked to see Masami weeping into her hands.

"Masami…" Tomatsu said, trying to console his deceased wife, "I…I didn't-!"

"'Mean it?'" the hooded stranger asked/finished, before continuing, "But you did. You meant every word. Clearly, it was you who should have died that day. This poor woman deserved life far more than you do."

Masami then spoke up, looking up at the hooded man, eyes red and puffy, tears staining her cheeks.

"I…I don't want to be here anymore" she said, her voice broken.

The hooded man looked at her and nodded, "Very well then, return to rest Masami Higurashi."

And, with a wave of his hand, the woman vanished.

"NO!" Tomatsu shouted, "COME BACK! PLEASE! I'M SORRY!" he pleaded.

"It's too late" the hooded man said, "Her spirit has returned to Paradise…and, unless I summon her again, which I won't, you are unlikely to ever see her again."

"What?!"

"You murdered an innocent boy in cold blood and regularly abused your own daughter" he reminded the imprisoned man, "People like you never see Heaven."

Tomatsu looked down, tears running down his face.

After several moments of silence, Tomatsu looked up at his tormenter.

"Who are you?" he asked, "Why are you torturing me with this? Wasn't her death enough? Why are you doing this to me?!"

"I am simply showing you the consequences of your actions" the hooded man said, "You brought this upon yourself" he told the tortured man, "As for who I am…"

The man raised his hands up to his hood and pulled it back, revealing his face at last.

A face that shocked Tomatsu greatly.

"The Yondaime?" he asked.

"Oh, so close" the man said, before grinning, "I'm his son."

'His son?' Tomatsu thought. He knew the Sandaime had said that the Kyuubi brat was the Fourth's son, but he was dead.

"Still don't recognize me?" the man asked, "Look at my face. Look at the marks there. You know me. The last time we met, you had a knife at my throat and your sword through my torso."

Tomatsu looked at the man's face…and saw the three whisker marks on either side of side of his face.

Adding to what he had said…

"No" he whispered, unbelieving, "That's not possible. Your dead, I slit your throat myself" he said, his voice growing louder, "The old fool said you were dead!"

The man grinned, "I was…but no longer. Yes, Tomatsu, I am the boy you murdered four years ago, I am Naruto Uzumaki!" the now revealed Naruto declared.

Tomatsu simply stared in bewilderment, "No…no…you…you can't be…"

Naruto smirked and lifted up his head, showing his neck.

On his neck was a large and ugly scar.

The scar from Tomatsu's kunai.

"Remember this?" he asked, "Remember when you pinned me to the ground with your katana and droned on and on about your darling wife? Do you remember what you said right before you killed me? 'This is for my wife may she finally rest in peace'" he said, parroting his words from that night so many years ago.

Several moments of pure silence passed as the imprisoned man stared blankly at the blonde Jinchuriki.

Suddenly, his blank face became a snarl. He growled and lunged at the blonde, only to be stopped by the shackles that were chaining him to the wall.

"YOU!" he shouted, "How dare you show your face here! You murdered my wife and then used a genjutsu to further torment me?!"

Naruto smirked, "It was no genjutsu and, judging from the way you reacted, you know that."

"LIAR!"

"Really?" Naruto asked, "Consider this; I was in your cell with you when I conjured what you dismiss as a mere genjutsu. Your cell is covered in Chakra Suppression Seals. How could I have used a genjutsu with all those seals in there?"

Tomatsu continued to glare as Naruto took apart his argument.

"I don't know how you did it, but I know it was a trick!"

"And as I told you before, your reaction proves you know otherwise" Naruto said, "I thought bringing your wife back to talk to you had a chance of changing your mind. Clearly I was mistaken."

"How the fuck are you still alive?! How did you survive?!" Tomatsu demanded.

"I didn't" Naruto answered, simply, "You succeeded in your goal, you killed me."

"Then how-?!"

Naruto interrupted him, "You killed me before my time. I wasn't supposed to die that day" he explained, "So I was given a second chance."

After another moment of silence, Naruto spoke again, "You know…I really should thank you" he said, confusing the hell out of Tomatsu, "My 'death' opened up new possibilities. I was angry at you, but, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be as strong as I am now. So…yeah, thanks for that!" Naruto said, happily.

Tomatsu could only yell out in rage while struggling against his bindings.

Naruto ignored him, "I still have it, you know."

Tomatsu stopped struggling, "What?" he asked.

"The katana you stabbed me with, I still have it" Naruto elaborated, "It came with me when I died and I used it to fight off someone who was eager to see me damned" he then laughed, "Ironic, isn't it? You, the man who sought my death more than anyone, gave me the weapon that saved me? Isn't that funny?" he asked.

Tomatsu struggled even more.

Naruto chuckled, "Well, it's been fun, but I really do have better things to do today" he said as he turned to leave, before stopping, "Oh, one last thing" he said, "There is still a chance to see your wife again, a way to be with her when you die. All you have to do is repent. Ask forgiveness for all you've done, to your daughter…and to me."

Tomatsu snarled, "You dare? You want me to forgive you for taking away my reason for living?! NEVER!" he shouted.

Naruto shrugged, "It's your choice. But I would, at least, consider it if I were you. It will mean the difference between eternal peace and eternal damnation" he told the man before crouching down to his level.

"You see yourself as an avenger. A righteous man who went beyond his duty to do what was right no matter the consequences. But the fact is, you're just a sad, pathetic little man who is going to die in jail" Naruto told him before standing up and walking away.

Tomatsu began to shout, "This isn't over! When I get out of here, your dead! You hear me? DEAD! I'll slaughter you like veal! I'll rip your heart and spine out! I'll wear your eyes and balls around my neck!"

"Somehow, I doubt that" Naruto said without even turning to look at the enraged prisoner.

As Tomatsu continued to shout death threats Naruto left the Isolation Wing and found the Sandaime waiting for him.

"I think you'll find him much more…disagreeable with being locked away" he said while smirking.

The Sandaime smiled back, "So it would seem. Now, shall we head over to your new home?"

Naruto nodded while pulling up his hood.

"Lead the way."

A few minutes later, the Former home of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki Namikaze:

Naruto gaped behind his hood at the sight of his new home.

It was huge! Filled with enough rooms to house a hundred people, a fully stocked library and armory, several training grounds, a pool, and it's very own hot springs!

"This is where my parents lived?" he asked, astonished.

The Sandaime chuckled at the voice of wonderment from Naruto, "Yes. It used to be the Uzumaki Clan home, but after they died out, your mother was the only one who lived there. After she and your father got together, he moved in as well" he explained.

"And all of this is mine?" he asked, sincerely hoping this wasn't some kind of joke.

"It is" the old kage assured him, "It needs a bit of dusting and the fridge needs to be restocked, but it is your home now."

"Thanks old man!" Naruto said, forcing down the urge to jump up and down while cheering and doing a victory dance.

Death taught him better than that, damn it!

Naruto approached the front gate and saw no lock on it, yet it was clearly sealed off.

"Um…how do I get in?" he asked.

Hiruzen chuckled, "It's a Blood Seal, Naruto" he explained, "Only someone of Uzumaki blood or the people they allow can open the gate."

Nodding, Naruto bit his thumb and pressed it against the gate.

With a quiet hum, the gate opened.

Naruto walked inside and noticed the Hokage wasn't following him.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked.

The Sandaime shook his head, "No, I've put off working long enough, I need to get back to the tower, sadly. But you go on ahead, enjoy the accommodations" he said as he started to leave, before stopping, "Oh, I almost forgot, I sent messages to all of your friends, telling them to meet up at Ichiraku's in a couple of hours."

Naruto was confused, "Why?"

"So you can reveal yourself to them, of course!"

Naruto was worried now, he was hoping for a bit more time.

"What the hell old man?! Why did you do that?! I'm not ready yet!" Naruto shouted.

Hiruzen grinned, "Stop whining, you'll be fine. Consider it payback for everything you dumped on me today" he said as he left.

Naruto watched him leave, grumbling under his breath about the "old bastard".

The blonde Reaper opened the door to the manor, walked inside, and began to look around. As he looked through each room, he discovered what appeared to be a living room, considering all the chairs, the large couch, and the fireplace. As he walked in, he noticed a framed photograph on the coffee table. He picked it up and smiled.

It was a picture of his parents, his mother still pregnant with him. Both were smiling at the camera.

He sadly realized that this was probably the only picture of the three of them together.

"They loved you" Kurama said to him,"more than anything. You know that right?"

Naruto nodded, 'I know' he thought to the fox, 'I just hope I can make them proud one day.'

"You already have. I know you have because, well, I'm proud of you" Kurama told him (while secretly blushing).

Naruto's smile grew, 'Thank you.'

After gazing at the photo for a few more moments, he gently set it down.

Sighing, Naruto spoke, "Well, let's get this place cleaned up!"

Naruto formed a familiar, cross-shaped handsign and summoned a few dozen Shadow Clones.

"Alright you guys" he said, addressing his clones, "Get this place cleaned up" he ordered as he walked off.

"Where are you going?" one clone asked, wondering why he wasn't helping.

"To psych myself up for meeting my friends."

Ichiraku's Ramen Bar, two hours later:

Naruto was standing outside the entrance to his favorite hangout as a child. His hood was up and he was nervous. He could hear them inside, chatting with one another.

'Creator-dammit Uzumaki, pull yourself together!' he mentally ordered himself, 'Come on! You can stand up to Hell's most depraved and monstrous, fight a pack of werewolves, stop a zombie horde, and handle Reaper training. Why is this so damn difficult?!'

It was then that Kurama spoke up, "Well, you've been dead for four years and you've grown up quite a lot. You're practically a whole different person now, you really hurt them when you died, and you-"

'You're not helping!' Naruto mentally yelled at his partner, earning a laugh from said partner.

"I'm kidding! You don't have to be so nervous" the fox told him, "These people have stuck with you for your entire life. They aren't going to abandon you now because your different! So relax, take a deep breath, and get your ass in there!"

'Thanks mom' Naruto thought, sarcastically, before taking a deep breath, 'Fuck it. Roll the dice!' he said as he walked in.

Inside the bar itself, Ayame, Teuchi, and Iruka were talking amongst themselves.

"You got the message to?" Ayame asked, seeing as how they were supposed to be closed today.

Iruka nodded, "Yeah. Hokage-sama said for me to meet him here, that he had something important to tell us."

"I'm willing to bet Hinata's been invited too" Teuchi said, "I wonder where she is."

"She'll be here" Ayame told her father, "She always shows up when the Hokage asks her to."

"Probably hoping it's about Naruto" Iruka said, getting sad looks from the father/daughter pair, "You believe him, right?" he asked, "You believe what Hokage-sama said about Naruto coming back…don't you?"

"I…I don't know" Teuchi said honestly, "Don't get me wrong, the Hokage is a good and honest man, but…it sounds too good to be true…"

Ayame nodded in agreement.

Iruka sighed, "I know what you mean…" he said, trailing off.

After a few moments of silence, Ayame spoke.

"It's…it's just not the same without him, is it?" she asked.

"No, no it isn't sweetheart" Teuchi said.

"I'd give anything for him to be here right now…" Ayame said, with the others nodding in agreement.

"I had no idea…" a new voice said.

The three looked up and saw a hooded, trench coat wearing, stranger walk in.

"I'm sorry sir, we're closed" Teuchi said to the newcomer.

The stranger seemed to ignore him.

He just stared at them for a moment, before continuing.

"I had no idea I was so important to you all…" he said as he pulled his hood back.

The trio gasped when they saw his face.

At first, they (like many others) thought it was the Yondaime Hokage, back from the dead…until they saw the whisker marks.

But…it couldn't be.

"N-n-naruto?" Iruka asked.

The blonde smiled, "Yeah, it's really me" he told them.

The three of them were stunned. They knew it was impossible and, yet, here he was.

Suddenly, Ayame leapt over the counter and wrapped her arms around him tightly, crying tears of joy.

"Naruto" she said, "I…I can't believe it! You're alive!"

Naruto returned her embrace, "It's alright nee-chan. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere" he told her in a comforting voice.

After a few long moments, Ayame pulled away and smiled at the blonde Reaper.

"Wow! You've gotten taller!" She said, 'and more handsome too' she thought to herself, having felt his muscles beneath his shirt. She blushed at this thought and attempted to empty her mind of such thoughts.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Yeah, I've hit a bit of a growth spurt."

"More than a bit, you look almost nothing like the little shrimp that used to come in here almost every day and eat all of our ramen!" Teuchi said as he approached Naruto and gave him another hug.

After a few seconds, they separated.

"Damn, it's good to see you, kid!" Teuchi said.

Naruto grinned, "You as well, old man."

Iruka approached Naruto next and gave him a brotherly hug.

"I…I don't even know what to say" he said, honestly, after they separated.

Naruto nodded, "Yes, I've always wondered what would happen when we met again. It seems words aren't enough."

Iruka nodded in agreement.

"You gave us all a heart attack when we thought you were dead!" Ayame said, "Don't ever do that again!"

Naruto grinned, "Cross my heart" he vowed.

"So, where were you all this time?" Iruka asked.

Naruto's grin became even wider, "Oh, it's quite the tale, sensei!" he said before looking around, "Where's Hinata-chan?" he asked, eager to see his closest friend again.

"She'll be here soon" Iruka told him, "I'm sure the Hokage sent a message to her as well so-"

The scared Chunin was interrupted by a light gasp.

They all turned and saw Hinata Hyuuga staring at Naruto with widened eyes.

A few minutes earlier:

Hinata had been training when a message from the Hokage was delivered to her, telling her to head to Ichiraku's Ramen Bar in a couple of hours.

She was unsure as to why, but she would be there regardless. She liked going to the ramen bar. It reminded her of all the good times she and Naruto shared together.

Hinata felt a twinge of pain in her heart at remembering Naruto. She was stronger and more confident now, but she never really got over her crush's death. Naruto had been her light, her guide that had saved her from the darkness of loneliness. She was certain that, if it weren't for him, she would have broken a long time ago.

His death had nearly broken her completely.

Her light had been snuffed out.

The past few years had been the most difficult of her life. Her family, as usual, were unsupportive. Luckily, she had her older sister-figure and mentor, Kurenai Yuhi, and her closest friend, Kiba Inuzuka.

The friendship between the Hyuuga heiress and Inuzuka heir was an odd one, to be sure. He the obnoxious, hot-headed, dog lover and she the shy, soft-spoken, cinnamon roll aficionado. But, somehow, it worked.

As it turned out, Kiba had had a crush on Hinata and, when he saw how depressed she was after Naruto's death, decided to try and cheer her up. It took awhile, but he finally got through to her and the two were as thick as thieves ever since.

Kiba admitted his feelings to Hinata several months after that but, sadly, she did not return them. He had been upset after that but, after a short time, he got over it and focused on being her friend more than a potential boyfriend.

"Can't blame me for trying" he had said.

Since then, Kiba had not only been her friend, but also her protector from the various unwanted advances from much of villages male population.

Oh yes, she had acquired many admirers ever since she became the stunning young woman she was now. Sakura and Ino also had admirers but they were frightening when they were angry and most men gave them a wide birth after they said "no". Hinata, on the other hand, was far too polite to yell at, much less attack, anyone, unless forced, and so her admirers had an easier time with her.

Although more than capable of defending herself, it was still nice to have someone she could rely on at her side.

Back to the topic at hand, Hinata had vowed to become stronger and become the Hyuuga Clan Head in order to reform and change it from within, starting with the removal and ban of the Caged Bird Seal that had divided her clan. She was well on her way, already being far stronger than her younger sister Hanabi, but she still had a ways to go. Naturally, the Hyuuga Clan Elders were opposed to her being clan head, but she could care less about what they think.

She would succeed for Naruto.

It was at this time that she had arrived at Ichiraku's and heard talking inside.

'I hope I'm not late' she thought to herself before stepping inside...

…And receiving the shock of her life.

She saw everyone else was there already…along with someone with familiar spiky blonde hair.

She gasped, gaining the attention of everyone.

The two teens just stared at each other for several moments, with the others watching quietly, waiting to see how this would turn out.

Naruto couldn't help but stare at his longtime friend.

Hinata's wardrobe had changed in the last four years. Though she still wore a jacket like she used to, this one was a lavender and cream zip-up jacket with lavender cuffs. Underneath that she wore mesh armor. She also wore navy blue pants and black, low-heeled sandals.

Her outfit barely registered in his mind. It was everything else that held his attention.

Her dark blue hair had grown a great deal since he last saw her, it now flowed down to her waist like a silky waterfall. Her beautiful face with pale eyes that seemed to draw him in, that made him never want to look away. The small amount of her skin that was exposed flawless and smooth. Her jacket hid much of her figure, but Naruto could tell that it was to die for.

Naruto's next thought summarized her completely.

'The old man was right. She's gorgeous!'

Was this goddess really his oldest friend?

It took all of his willpower not to ask the others if he had died again, because of the angel before him.

Hinata was too much in shock to take in Naruto's appearance.

After another few moments, which seemed like an eternity to the two teens, Hinata took a few hesitant steps forward, until she was standing right in front of him.

"N-naruto-kun?" she asked in a quiet voice, but one that sounded like an angel to Naruto, unable to believe what she was seeing.

Naruto smiled nervously, "Uh, hi Hinata-chan! It's, uh, it's been awhile, huh?"

Hinata continued to stare, wanting to believe that the love of her life was standing right in front of her but not wanting to get her hopes up.

Naruto saw the hesitation in her eyes and knew she wasn't quite believing what she saw.

"I know you don't want to get your hopes up" he told her softly, "But I can prove it's me."

He took a deep breath and spoke again, "We first met when we were five years old. We were both at the playground at the park. I was sitting on the swing-set alone and watching the other kids because they wouldn't let me play with them. I was just about to get up and leave when I heard some cry out. I looked up and saw a bunch of kids standing around you. They were taunting and laughing at you and called you a freak and I saw you struggling not to cry. I was angry, angrier than I had ever been at the villagers who tormented me.

"When their leader shoved you and knocked you over, something in me snapped and, next thing I know, I'm on top of the kid, beating his face in with my bare fists. Suddenly, a group of ANBU are pulling me off of him. I couldn't believe what I had just done, so I ran. I ran until I tripped and landed on my face. I didn't get up, I just laid there, crying.

"Then, I hear a soft voice asking me if I'm alright. I looked up and saw you, kneeling next to me, with concern in your eyes. You were worried about me, after I had nearly killed someone. I thought I was a monster, but you were worried about me" he smiled and then continued, "Without thinking I got up and hugged you as tightly as I could while crying into your shoulder. I thought you were going to push me away…but you didn't. You hugged me back.

"After awhile, I stopped crying and thanked you. I told you my name and you told me yours. You thanked me for helping you. We talked until it was dark and you had to leave, but you promised that we would meet again the next day, and we did, as well as every day after."

Hinata's eyes were widened even more. She had never told anyone that story before!

Naruto then placed one of his hands on her shoulder.

"Three days after we first met we made a promise" he told her, "We promised we would always be there for each and that we would-"

"Always be friends, so that neither of us would ever be alone again" Hinata finished.

It wasn't a trick! Naruto was alive! Her love had returned!

"Naruto-kun…" she whispered, her eyes staring to water.

Naruto smiled and nodded, "Yes, Hinata-chan, it's really me."

She continued to stare until…

SMACK!

Naruto recoiled as Hinata slapped him hard across the face leaving a red mark.

Before he could respond, Hinata them herself at him and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"N-naruto-kun!" she said, now crying, "Y-you're alive! It's r-really y-you!" she said as she wept into his chest.

Naruto wrapped his arms around her and returned her embrace.

"It's ok Hinata-chan, I'm here. I'm here and I'll never leave you again" he vowed.

The two continued to embrace as the others looked on, smiling, while Ayame had happy tears rolling down her cheeks at the reunion.

After several minutes, Hinata finally stopped crying and looked up at the boy, no, man she had missed and loved so deeply.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" she whispered in an angry tone.

Naruto smiled, "Never" he promised as the two parted.

Hinata finally registered his new appearance and blushed brightly at how even more handsome he had become.

'He…he looks so grown up!' she thought in surprise.

'She's so beautiful' he thought, while also blushing.

The two continued to stare for a few minutes until they heard someone's throat clear.

They turned and saw the others smiling at them, with Ayame being the one who interrupted them.

"Do you two need a room somewhere? Or can we ask where you've been Naruto?" she quipped with a mischievous smirk on her face.

The two teens blushed brightly before sitting down at the bar.

"Well, it's quite the tale…" Naruto said, "Best told over a good meal…"

"Coming right up!" Teuchi said, knowing what Naruto wanted, with Ayame following his lead.

When the first bowl of ramen arrived, Naruto began his story.

A few hours later:

Needless to say Naruto's friends had been quite shocked at what he had told them.

They were skeptical to say the least, but, nonetheless, they came to believe him and accept him despite what he had done. They also knew that he held Kurama and didn't care in the slightest.

After a few hours talking, it was getting close to midnight and they were getting tired. They each bid Naruto goodnight (with Iruka saying he'll be expecting both he and Hinata in his classroom tomorrow for the graduation exam) and went their separate ways.

Well, except for one.

Hinata was all alone with Naruto now, trying to work up the courage to ask him something.

'I want to spend more time with him, but what if he says no? Or what if he says yes? Oh, I don't know what to do!' she fretted in her mind.

Naruto noticed that Hinata looked like she wanted to say something to him.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

Hinata nodded, took a deep breath, and spoke.

"N-naruto-kun, would y-you like to take a…a walk with m-me?" she asked in her trademarked stutter.

Naruto had never realized how adorable that stutter was until now.

'Wait' he thought, 'Is she…?'

For a moment he thought that she was asking him out. Unlikely, she only saw him as a friend, he was certain of that. She probably wants to spend more time with him, making up for the four years they lost.

He smiled and nodded, "Sure Hinata-chan, I would love to go for a walk with you!"

Hinata blushed at his dazzling smile and smiled back as the two began to walk down the street while talking about what had happened in the village since he left.

As they spoke, they couldn't help but glance at each other when one wasn't looking.

'He's sooo handsome!' Hinata thought. She had dreamed of him returning several times since he "died" and, when she woke up, she cried, wanting the dreams to be real so badly. But this wasn't a dream (she had covertly pinched herself a couple of times to make sure), this was real. She had missed her chance to be with him before, but she wouldn't miss that chance again. Someday soon, she would tell him how she felt, consequences be damned!

Naruto, meanwhile, was eyeing her just as much as she was eyeing him.

'I can't believe that this is Hinata!' he thought.

She was an absolute goddess, and that was with her heavy jacket on! He was willing to bet she was even more stunning without her jacket…and shirt…and pants…and-

'Whoa, where the hell did that come from?!' he thought, wondering on what station did he board this train of thought while ignoring Kurama's laughter in his mind.

'I mean, sure she's beautiful. The most beautiful woman I've ever…No! Stop! Get these ideas out of your head Uzumaki! It's never going to happen!'

Why was he even thinking this? The two of them had been friends for years and now he suddenly wanted to ask her out only a few hours after having been reunited? Why would he want to risk her friendship like that?

He knew it wasn't going to happen.

Why would an angel like her ever want to be with a guy like him?

"She wants to be with you too" he heard Kurama say in his mind.

'What? Bullshit' he told the fox.

"But she does, she's felt this way about you for a long time, I can tell" he told his vessel.

'Right' Naruto said, unbelieving.

"Don't believe me? I'll bet you all nine of my tails that if you were to ask her out right here and right now, she would practically scream "yes!" and then faint" the fox challenged, knowing the girl well enough from Naruto's memories.

'We're not talking about this' Naruto growled. He didn't want to risk losing Hinata's friendship by asking her out on the highly unlikely chance she would say yes.

"Fine" Kurama told him, "But if you don't ask her out someday soon, you might lose her. If that happens, you'll regret it for the rest of your life" the fox said before being silent.

'As long as he's happy, I'm happy' the fox mentally told herself, trying not to feel heartbroken.

"Naruto-kun? Are you alright?"

Said blonde was brought out of his mental argument by Hinata's voice. She had noticed that he was staring ahead, not really focusing on what was in front of him. Nor was he wandering blindly. It was like he was in a trance.

Naruto looked at her and smiled.

"I'm fine Hinata-chan, just…thinking about tomorrow" he lied. Truthfully, he hadn't thought about the exam since after arriving at his parent's estate.

Hinata smiled, "Don't worry Naruto-kun, I'm sure we'll both pass" she assured him.

"I don't doubt it" he told her, "Still it never hurts to be cautious."

Hinata said nothing for a moment and then began to giggle.

Naruto stared at her, "What?" he asked.

"Nothing" she answered, "It's just…funny how different you are."

"Different?"

Hinata nodded, "You're so serious now, so different from the boy a met so long ago."

"Hey I'm not serious all the time!" he argued, "I can still be funny! A woman and a duck walk into a bar, the bartender says 'hey where'd you get that pig?' the woman says 'it's not a pig it's a duck' the bartender says 'I was talking to the duck!'"

Hinata started laughing despite the joke being bad, "Oh, that's horrible" she says.

Naruto grinned, "Hey it made you laugh didn't it?"

The two friends start laughing again, when Naruto notices something.

"You have a beautiful laugh" he complimented her before realizing what he just said and froze.

Hinata stops laughing and stares at her friend and crush with wide eyes.

'Did he just say…?' Hinata wondered.

'Shit! Why did I say that?!' Naruto thought, panicking.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Hinata finally spoke.

"Do you…d-do you r-really mean that?" she asked.

Naruto nodded nervously, deciding to be honest, "Y-yeah, yeah I do."

Hinata blushed and smiled "T-thank you Naruto-kun" she told him while doing a victory dance in her mind.

He though her laugh was beautiful! It was a victory. A small victory, but a victory nonetheless!

Naruto smiled back, noticing how her blush somehow enhanced her already considerable beauty.

"You're welcome Hinata-chan."

The two kept walking and talking until Hinata noticed the time.

"It's getting late" she told him, "My father will start to worry."

She didn't want to leave his side but knew her father would be upset if she didn't come home.

Naruto scoffed when she mentioned her father, "Worry? Since when has he ever worried about you?" he asked bitterly.

Hinata shook her head "Naruto-kun, please don't-" she tried to say before he interrupted her.

"Why not? Since when does he have a right to care? Why should he-?"

"Naruto, please!" Hinata begged him.

This used to happen a lot between the two of them. Naruto grew up without the love of a parent or parents and hated and couldn't comprehend the fact that his best friend had not only lost her mother but had an uncaring father as well. He found it intolerable that Hiashi spoke of his eldest daughter like she was a burden and not a blessing. He hated the man but Hinata didn't like it when he spoke badly of him. Despite all he had done Hinata still loved her father. Naruto found that commendable but still hated the way Hiashi treated his friend.

"…Ok Hinata-chan. I'm sorry for upsetting you" he relented, not wanting to hurt her.

"It's ok" she told him.

The two of them stood there for a moment before Hinata once again broke to silence.

"I should get home" the Hyuuga heiress said.

Naruto nodded "I understand I-"

Before he could finish, Hinata threw her arms around him. Surprised but joyful, Naruto returned her embrace.

"Promise you won't leave again?" she asked him.

Naruto smirked, "Promise."

The two continued to embrace for several moments before they reluctantly parted.

"Sooo…" Naruto began, "see you tomorrow?" he asked.

Hinata smiled, "Of course" she replied.

Hinata then turned and began to walk home, a large smile covering her face.

Naruto watched her leave. Once she rounded a corner and left his sight, he turned and began to walk home, also smiling. He couldn't wait until tomorrow.

Suddenly, he felt something lightly hit him in the head before falling to the ground. It was a paper airplane. He unfolded it and saw the seal of the Reaper Corps and a message in the form of five words.

Get. Her. Out. Of. Here!

Naruto laughed when he realized what was happening.

"Beatrice" he said to himself, "Such a troublemaker" he said as if referring to a child.

He then used a low level fire technique to incinerate the message (as was required after reading and memorizing the contents of all Reaper Corps messages, no matter how unimportant) and began walking home.

"Good thing the backyard is so big" he said to himself as he walked, "Creator knows what kind of panic she would cause if people saw her."

And so, he headed home, ready to summon his pet and welcome her to her new home.

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And so ends another chapter.

The beginning of the scene between Naruto and Tomatsu was inspired by the Dishonored cinematic trailer, when the Outsider visits Corvo in his cell.

Codex:

Possession: Demons constantly seek to escape from Hell and there are a number of ways for them to do so. Most almost never work, but one method has proven effective time and time again: the possession of a human host. Possessing a human is no simple matter, it takes a great deal of planning and care. It takes the human's very soul to work. No matter how strong a demon is; from the lowest servants to the mightiest Demon Lords, none have the power to take a human soul by force. Humanity's bond to their souls is so strong that only by surrendering them willingly can our souls be separated from us through persuasion and guile, and, unfortunately for humanity, many demons are master manipulators.

Humans are greedy and focus on material wants and needs. To them, a soul has no value and is less desirable than money, power, etc. Demons use this and offer to give humans their hearts desires in exchange for something many humans deem worthless. And thus, a deal is made. The deal starts as the demon in question contacts a particular human they sense as ambitious yet vulnerable to corruption. The human begins hearing voices in their heads, promising them whatever they want in exchange for their soul. The human may resist at first but, over time, the temptation becomes overwhelming and, more often than not, they give in and accept the deal. The demon takes a portion of the victims soul and uses it to amplify their power and give the victim what was promised. At first, everything seems to be a dream come true. But demons are vile, cruel, and deceitful and these traits ensure that the deal goes horribly wrong. Those who ask for money gain it, only for it to be lost and leaving them with less than what they had before. Those who seek power are unable to control it and it ends up consuming them. The demon then takes the victims entire soul, leaving the victim trapped in hell while the demon walks the Earth in the victim's body.

Victims of demonic possession are often difficult to spot. Many demons are capable of convincing those around them that they are who they claim to be. But demons are also driven to commit evil wherever they are and cannot resist this instinct for long. These destructive habits allow the Reaper Corps to track down the offending demon. To another human, it will seem as though the victim has undergone a severe personality change, becoming more violent and cruel. On the other hand, those who are already violent and cruel allow the demon to blend right in. Demons can reveal their true forms whenever they wish, literally bursting out of the victims skin.

Possession can, however, be broken. Certain rituals can cut a demon off from its host and send it back to hell, with the demon unable to use the body to return to Earth. Unfortunately the victims soul cannot be retrieved and the demon retains control of it. Rituals like this are rarely used and only on demons who are too powerful to kill or contain. More often than not, the members of the Corps simply kill the host body, which also kills the demon in possession of it. The Reaper Corps has long sought a way to protect the living from possession but have failed thus far. It seems that a true solution will always be out of reach, leading to the endless conflict between the Corps and demonkind.

The Oculus: Reapers are elite warriors who are trained to fight nightmarish creatures in order to protect mankind. But this work does not always require a hands-on approach, sometimes it requires espionage and intelligence gathering. For this task, the men and women of the Reaper Corps use the Oculus. An Oculus is a small, living organism that resembles a floating eye with a tail. When a Reaper joins the Corps, they are branded with a tattoo that is, in fact, a summoning seal for the Oculus. When they wish to summon it, they channel their power into it and the Oculus emerges from the tattoo. It acts as a third eye and shares it's sight with its user. It moves by floating through the air and has many different abilities, including invisibility and phasing through solid surfaces. Its most impressive ability, however, is that it is able to merge with someone and enter their mind. When this happens, the user can see through the victims eyes, hear their thoughts, and can even slightly influence the host's actions. This ability is rendered useless if the host is aware of the Oculus's intrusion, in which case the host unconsciously protect themselves from its presence. The Oculus itself has no way of defending itself and, if discovered, it can easily be destroyed. However, even if it is destroyed, it will be restored after a few minutes and can be summoned again from the seal.

Codex End

A couple more things before I go, I have ideas for several Dark Release techniques, but I want to hear your ideas as well. Just post your ideas in a review and I'll consider them. Also, if you guys have any ideas for other techniques involving a death/supernatural-related theme for Naruto, post those as well. Also, this chapter mentioned the Reaper Form, an incredibly powerful transformation that amplifies a Reapers power considerably. Naruto will, of course, unlock this ability later on. I have already decided on the Form's appearance, but I need ideas for its abilities. So, if you guys can help with that, that would be great.

Until next time, this is Intimidator1323 signing off!