Rewind
After two months of procrastination, here it is!
Standing atop one the many peaks that dotted Ionia's landscape, a man looked across the vast expanse of the many valleys that laid before him. Getting a spectacular view of the northern half of Ionia, the traveler whistled as he took in the sight. "So… Where should we go next?" Speaking to no one in particular, Naruto waited for the response he knew would be coming.
"Well, we've been to all the landmarks that you wanted to visit. Why don't you go back to the Placidium? See if anything new has cropped up."
Looking in the general direction of where the city was, the sage-turned-monk adopted a thoughtful posture as he thought about his tenant's advice. In the last five months, he had seen most of what his new home had to offer. Except for the most remote villages, he was sure that all the most important locations had been hit.
"We don't really have anywhere need to be… so why not? It's been a couple of months since I've seen Irelia and Zelos anyways." As he started his descent down the mountain, Naruto remembered the first stop in his tour of Ionia.
"Man… I thought the capital was big, but that's one huge ass bridge!"
As he stood in awe of the large structure, the blonde started to wonder what else he would find in the centrally located city. Feeling it was time to begin his explorations, the blonde made his way toward the overpass that led into the city. As he strolled at the steady pace of the crowd, he couldn't help but wonder what had become of Soraka.
We had officially been accepted into Ionia, the celestial had given him a congratulatory hug. After they had finished with the elders, he had asked her what was next. He still remembered the look she had given him.
"I thought it would be obvious. How can you call a place home if you know nothing about it? Though it may look small on a map, Ionia can give you quite the adventure! Why don't you see what else our home has to offer, hmm?
He had picked up on how she had only mentioned him in her advice. When he asked her about it, the Starchild clasped his hands within her own and gave him a sorrowful smile. Apparently she had to return to the Astral Forest. She hadn't told him why it was so important. Only that she had to be there. After spending the rest of the day together, she had given him one last piece of guidance.
"I know that you want to stay with me, but I have my own path to follow. Now that Ionia has accepted you as one of her own, its time you find your own too. I look forward to the next time we meet. And please, try not to get into too much trouble!"
Giving him a kiss on the forehead before she left, Naruto tearfully watched as she disappeared into the darkness of the night. He didn't know long he had stood there, staring into the forest where she had went. He finally decided it was time to call it a day sometime later. But not before looking to the stars one last time.
The next morning, he was surprised to see Karma at the inn he had been set up with. After the meeting, she had stayed behind to talk to the elder of Navori. When questioned on why she was there, she just gave him a mysterious smirk. Leading him into the heart of the city, she finally took the time to address him.
"As you are now a fellow Ionian, I feel it my duty to help you be on your way. That being said, I will make sure you are properly prepared for whatever venture you wish to partake in."
As usual, Karma easily saw through his confused look. She told him to follow the elder's suggestion on seeing the rest Ionia. Asking how he could keep protect Ionia if he didn't even know how to navigate to places like the Placidium. One of Ionia's most important hubs.
For the rest of the day, the duo had visited multiple locations throughout the city. Most of those locations were the homes of local seamstress. Naruto had tried to explain to his guide multiple times the beauty of the color orange. It didn't seem to be a very popular color in Ionia it seemed. He wouldn't mention it to Karma, but he felt that the cream colored robes that she'd given him in Navori were a bit lame.
Every shop that they left just added to the frustration that he had felt. Finally, they had found a hole in the wall shop that had exactly what he wanted. The elderly woman that owned the shop seemed confused as to why he chose the mostly orange getup. That stopped however when Karma showed her the coin she was carrying. After getting fitted, the man had stepped out the shop with a satisfied look on his face.
He couldn't help but let out an excited squeal when he examined his new attire. He wore a loose fitting top that resembled what most Ionian males wore. Of course, most of it being orange. The only parts that weren't were the shoulders and the inside lining. Besides it being orange, the spirals that adorned said lining made it a must buy. It wasn't too difficult to find a matching pair of pants after that.
With a black sash to complete the look, Naruto felt ready to take on the world… or at least Ionia. The only thing that irritated him was the fact that the footwear that he was used to didn't exist in this world. Therefore, he had to settle on some plain white socks and some ordinary sandals to match.
After letting him stew in his excitement for a few moments, Karma had told him was time to move on. She had to get him a tote of some sort, but he had told her the scrolls she had given him were enough. Letting the matter drop, they proceeded to the entrance of the city. Giving him some of the local currency and a map, the monk had decided he was ready. Before she left, she gave him a few parting words as well.
"I know things haven't always been amicable between us Naruto… nonetheless, I still consider us allies, and friends. If you ever find yourself in the Navori region again, please do not hesitate to visit.
She had looked quite offended when he had laughed right in her face. That was until he pulled her into a hug for her declaration of them being friends. After returning the embrace, the woman gave him one last wave before she too disappeared into the forest. After spending a few more hours in the capital, he also decided to move on.
Thus, he presently found himself at the Placidium, home to the Ionian Guard. After walking around for what he felt had been an hour, the blonde figured that he no idea where he was going. Hearing his hunger make itself known, Naruto decided to ask one of the guards for directions.
"Oi! You wouldn't happen to know where I could get some noodles would you?" Since he had been in this land, he had discovered that no-one had ever heard of ramen. He nearly had a heart-attack after hearing that the first time. Luckily, the waiter had brought him something similar to ramen. It had the same holy trinity of noodles, meat, and broth. So it was just as good in his opinion.
After thinking for a moment, the sentry had pointed in a random direction. "If you head that way, there are many eating establishments. I'm sure one of them has what you desire…"
Giving the soldier a nod of gratitude, the hungry sage prepared to depart. That was until he felt a stiff hand on his shoulder. Turning back around, he saw the guard still had something to say.
"Sorry, but I had a question of my own. Have you ever thought about joining the guard? I can tell that you've seen some combat by the way you carry yourself. We could always use the experience." Unbeknownst to the man, Naruto was having thoughts of his own.
"Yeah… I have 'experience' all right. I know I said that I'd protect Ionia, but I was hoping not to do it so soon…" Giving the would-be recruiter a forced smile, he turned down the offer. "Heh… No thanks, I'm kind of new to this land and…"
Putting his hand up, the older man cut Naruto off. "Say no more sir. However if you change your mind, you can find our barracks just past the Shojin Monastery." Giving him once last nod, the guard returned back to his post.
Interested in what he had just heard, Naruto continued on towards his previous goal. "Shojin monastery huh? That sounds interesting… Imma go check that out after I load up on ramen!"
"NOOOO! You can't go! Monasteries are evil!" The jinchuriki came to a halt as he heard Chōmei's shrill cry ring through his head. Shaking away the impending headache, the blonde spoke to the bug.
"What are you talking about Chōmei? I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the monastery. Aren't they places where priests and stuff hang out?" He'd never been in one himself. The closest he came was on the mission to Oni no Kuni.
"Exactly! The priest draws you in with their deceitful words. Once they have you enraptured with their lies, they strike! The next thing you know, you're being sacrificed to whatever malevolent deity they worship! If we do go however, be sure to engage in some recreational homicide!"
"I'm sure we'll be fine…"
The beetle wasn't finished however, "That's what they WANT you to think! Don't come begging us for chakra when…!" As it continued its rambling, Naruto began wondering what kind of noddle dish he was going to have today.
"Hmm… should I get beef or shrimp this time? I haven't had pork in a while, I'm thinkin it's a pork day…"
"Go with pork this time, you've had beef about three times now."
"Really? Thanks Kokuō, I didn't even notice, I…"
"H-Hey don't ignore me! I'm trying to save your life here!" The Nanabi buzzed its massive wings in irritation at its containers behavior.
Entering the restaurant, the sage quickly ordered with barely a glance at the menu he was given. Looking around, he saw a few customers with the same patterned armor as the guard who had directed him here. The white and red design of the armor shined in the morning sun as its wearers continued their conversations'.
Smelling his food before it was placed before him, Naruto chose to focus on more important things. As the waitress set the bowl of steaming noodles down, the ramen fanatic grabbed her sleeve.
"Keep em' coming! I don't care which flavor it is." Which a nervous nod of her head, the young lady made her way back to the kitchen. Watching her leave, he refocused his energy on the meal before him. Right before he could break his sticks however, he heard a familiar voice.
"Ah-hah! I see we meet again newcomer. Do you mind if we sit here?" Not waiting for an answer, two people sat on both sides of the annoyed blonde. Looking to his left, he saw the same sentry who had directed him to his little slice of heaven. Shrugging his shoulders, the blonde proceeded to devour his ramen.
As they settled in their seats, the female of the pair talked to her companion. "Do you know this guy Zelos? I've never seen him before."
"Naw, he asked me for directions earlier. He's new to the Placidium." Nodding at her brother's explanation, Irelia tried to introduce herself to the man next to her. Unfortunately, he seemed to be lost in his own little world as he was blatantly ignoring her prodding.
"How rude! The least he could do is acknowledge my presence." Watching in disgust as the man practically inhaled the noodles, she scooted away from him. "I've never seen someone eat so fast… not even Zelos is that nasty."
Drinking the last of the broth, Naruto slammed the bowl down on the polished wood counter. With a content sigh, he stared into the distance as he calmed from his high. Remembering that he had guests, he wiped his mouth and turned to the female that had been poking him.
"You say something lady?" Finally taking in her appearance, he noticed that she looked similar to the guy on his opposite side. They both had the same jet black hair and dark green eyes. "Maybe their siblings or something?"
Biting the inside of her cheek, Irelia gave the blonde a forced smile. "Yes, I was trying to introduce myself. My name is Irelia, I don't remember my brother telling me yours."
"Huh? Your brother?" Filling a poke on his left side, he turned to see the man in question. "That would be me! The name is Zelos, nice to meet cha'!" Sticking his hand out, Naruto accepted the gesture and shook it. Grinning at the man's happy attitude, he also gave his name. "The name's Naruto, remember it! So… you guys are siblings? You act pretty different."
Laughing as he saw his younger sister roll her eyes, Zelos released the hand he was offered. "Yeah, Irie has always been a stick in the mud!" As they both shared a chuckle at her expense, Irelia gave them a huff and turned her back to them.
"Anyways, you think about what I said earlier? From the way you're dressed, you look like you're from one of the local sword schools. If that's the case, you'd fit right in." Though he wouldn't say it to the guys face, he didn't know what kind of warrior went around dressed in such a vibrant color. He either wore that because he was incredibly strong or incredibly stupid.
"Actually, I've never been really good at kenjutsu. I'm more of a hand-to-hand kinda guy, y'know?" Hearing another bowl placed in front of him, the blonde immediately went back to eating.
"Ken-jutsu? Is that some sort of sword style?" Knowing he wasn't going to get an answer while the man was eating, Zelos decided to order his own food. On the other end of the bar, his sister was having similar thoughts. "I've never heard of such a style, which is odd considering the number of schools in this city alone. Perhaps I'll ask father later…"
Besides the sound of him slurping, silence fell over the group. Finishing his rice, Zelos looked over to see the man in orange slam down his third bowl. "You must have been really hungry to eat all of that." Licking the left over broth, Naruto looked at the guard with a clueless look. "Uhh… Not really, I always eat this much."
The siblings both had a look of amazement on their faces at the statement. "How does he maintain such fit standards then?" Shaking out of his stupor, Zelos went back to their previous conversation. "So you said you were good at martial arts right? You must come from the local monastery then?"
"Naw, I had some… private teachers from another land. I actually wanted to visit the Shijin Monastery!" With an irritated huff, Irelia corrected his mistake. "It's Shojin. I know you lack manners, but you should at least try to gets names correct. Otherwise, people might think you're not only rude, but a fool as well." Turning to stare at her, the two locked in a silent battle of wills. Looking deeper into the blonde's eyes, Irelia saw something that unnerved her. Diverting them away, she noticed Naruto frown at her.
"Look, no offense or anything… but did I do something wrong? Or are you naturally this bitchy?" He was already pissed about her constant poking during his 'ramen time'. But her attitude was pushing it.
The other patrons quieted down as they saw some random guy get into an argument with a member of the guard. Zelos just dropped his head as he knew what was coming next. Irelia wasn't one to take disrespect so lightly, after all.
Standing from her seat, the woman took a deep breath before responding. "Excuse me? Do you want to repeat that?" "To insult me in such a way… He must be more of a fool than I initially thought."
Nodding his head, Naruto also stood from his seat and stood directly in front of her. "You heard what I said. If you have a problem with me, don't be shy about it." Hearing her brother slap his hand on his head, the sage stayed concentrated on the woman before him.
"Idiot! The goal is to get them into bed with you… not to fight them!"
Ignoring the tanuki, Naruto continued his stand-off. Some diners could be heard commenting on how stupid the blonde was. Others were placing bets on the inevitable fight. Standing up to diffuse the situation, Zelos stood in between the would-be combatants. "That's enough. Look Irie, why don't you… ".
Before he could finish however, he felt the blonde behind him place a firm hand on his shoulder. "No, your sister has a problem with me, I want to find out what it is." Hearing what he said, Irelia also spoke up, "About that, if you will… we should take this outside Naruto. I'm sure we can have a more productive conversation there." Turning towards the exit, Irelia started to make her way outside.
Nodding his head, the orange-garbed man followed her out of the establishment. As they left, multiple people slammed some money on the table and followed them. The crowd started to grow as they stood before a small platform that was used for public displays. Watching as the two made their way up the stairs, the crowd waited in anticipation.
Stopping on the other end of the stage, Irelia turned to her opponent. "I believe this is a suitable place to settle our argument, don't you agree?" Though she strove to always keep a level-head and use violence as a last resort. The man before got under her skin in a way no one ever done before. Ionians were known to be respectful and most had a mild-mannered temperament. Apparently this guy was one of the few who needed to be taught that.
Nodding his head in agreement, the sage watched as the crowd around them grew. Even some of the patrolling guards came to see what all the fuss was about. "Yeah, this is good a spot as any." It didn't show on his face, but he was getting kind of nervous by the number of guards that were showing up. "Hopefully I don't get arrested for this…"
"A little too late for that now. Just don't get your ass kicked too hard boy, hehehe…" Although he knew the chances of Naruto losing were non-existent, the situation still amused him.
"Typical bastard fox…" Taking the stance he was thought by the toads, the blonde waited for his opponent to attack. The reason he wanted to fight her was simple in his mind. It went back to something he remembered back when he was still in team 7.
"If you wish to know someone, then you talk with your hands. People can lie all they want with their words. But when comes to truly understanding someone, this is the only way!"
Unknown to either combatant, Lito was in the crowd. Having come to town to eat lunch with his children, he was slightly surprised to see his youngest in a fight with someone. "It is unlike Irelia to settle her matters with violence. I wonder what triggered this confrontation." Despite his advanced age, the blade-master gracefully made his way through the crowd.
Back on the stage, Irelia had finished taking off the outer portions of her armor. Now left in only a pair of grey pants and a matching tank-top, she slide into her own stance. Looking at her opponent, she took note of his strange stance. His feet were slightly wide of his shoulders, and his knees were bent at an odd angle. His arms remained in front of him, anticipating her attack.
"I better not disappoint him then!" Shooting forward at remarkable speeds, Irelia struck with a high kick toward the side of his head. Raising his forearm to block, Naruto was caught off-guard as she pulled her leg back in at the last at the last second. Completing her spinning motion, Irelia aimed a strike at Naruto's exposed chest.
Letting her score a hit, the sage snatched her wrist before she could pull away. In an attempt to get free, she shot her other hand towards his nose in an open-palm strike. Shifting his head to avoid the strike, the blonde advanced into her guard. With both arms preoccupied, she expected him to take advantage of her defenseless state. To her and the crowds surprise however, he merely seized her arm and threw her back the way she came.
Quickly rising back into her stance, she gave her opponent a more critical look. "I underestimated you… that won't happen again."
On the other end, Naruto just gave her a nonchalant shrug and slipped back into the Kawazu Kumite. "Don't worry about it, it actually happens a lot!"
Taking the time to study her apparently unharmed foe, she went over what just happened. "I know I got a solid hit in on him… but he just stood there and took it! Did he even register my strike?" Although her specialty was swords, Irelia thought her hand-to-hand to be above average. She knew she could hit hard enough to make her brother recoil, at least.
Slowing things down a bit, Irelia shot towards Naruto once more. This time however, she just struck with a flurry of well-placed punches. Taking note on how he either redirected or blocked every one of her blows. Deciding to incorporate Hiten into her style, she purposely overextended on her last strike. Watching him take the bait, she moved in motion with his attack. Gritting her teeth as a particular strong palm-thrust struck her shoulder. Irelia ignored the pain and used the momentum to shoot a devastating knee to her opponent's abdomen.
Feeling as some of the air left his lungs, Naruto cursed as he was now partially bent over Irelia's knee. In an effort to finish the fight, the woman smashed her elbow on the back of his head. Feeling her hit connect, she had to hold back a grunt as her elbow stung from the hardness. Jumping back, she saw her opponent hit the ground in a heap. Releasing the breath she had been holding, she relaxed her stance, thinking victory was hers.
In the crowd, Lito brushed his hand through his beard as he observed what his daughter actually did in the last exchange. "Using the principles of equilibriumin such a way… You continue to impress me Irelia. However, you've let your guard down far too soon. I'm afraid your opponent has been holding back, how much though, remains to be seen."
True to his word, Naruto stood back up without any problems. Rolling his neck, he looked up into Irelia's shocked visage. "Taking my hit just to try and knock me out. Even I have to admit that was pretty ballsy! But I think it's time I end this." Looking offended by what he was implying, Irelia retook her stance with a snarl on her face. "Don't look down on me just because you can take a beating!"
Confusion washing across his face, Naruto raised an eyebrow at her sudden anger. "I wasn't trying to call you weak or anything. I actually think you're really good… had things been different, you likely would have beaten me long ago!" Taken aback at his compliment, Irelia had to wonder at what he meant. "If what were different? Is he hiding something?"
Before she continued her thoughts, Naruto launched towards her. Taking the offensive this time, he attacked her with a multitude of palm strikes. "It doesn't really matter if she blocks. Sooner or later, her arms will be too hurt to do much of anything." As stated, Irelia moved on to trying to dodge instead of block. Unfortunately for her however, the sage was also far more agile.
With a burst of speed he jumped straight into her guard. Raising her arms on instinct, Irelia let out a cry of pain as another one of Naruto's blows struck her. Momentarily stunned, there was little she could do as he landed a strike right in her diaphragm. As she was sent flying to the other side, Irelia could feel the oxygen rush from her lungs. Landing at the other end of the stage, she heaved as she desperately tried to take in air.
The crowd remained silent as they watched a member of the Ionian guard get taken down in a matter of minutes. The only thing that could be heard was said guard coughing as she tried to breath. Looking at his downed opponent, Naruto felt that maybe he had went a little too far. "Shit! I didn't mean to hit her that hard! I tried to stop the flow of my chakra as much as possible. This match was already unfair from the beginning…"
Struggling to get to her feet, Irelia fell back to her knees as she attempted to stand. Stopping right in front of her, he gave her a concerned look, "Hey, maybe we should stop this? You don't look so good." Finally making her way to her feet, she gave him a defiant look. "T-this isn't *cough* over yet Naru…" Collapsing in a fit of raspy coughs, he caught her before she could hit the ground.
"She sure doesn't know when to give up…" he mused as the woman in his arms gradually recovered. Hearing the sound of his resident kitsune snort, he raised an eyebrow. "What? It's true… I downed her in one hit and she still wants to fight."
"It's not that. It's what you said before! Doesn't that remind you of someone else you know? That annoying quality that makes someone keep going, even though their hopelessly outmatched?" The fox rolled his eyes as he could almost hear his container think about who he was referring to.
"Fool! I was talking about you!" How this idiot got this far in life was still a mystery to the Kyūbi. He wasn't as oblivious as people made him out to be. However, he was still denser than the shell on Isobu's back.
"You just don't know when to quit, do you Irie?" Naruto glanced upward as he saw Zelos walking towards them. "You need help? Or do you wanna stayed cuddled up with Naruto here?" Instead of the flustered response he was hoping to get, his sister merely narrowed her eyes at him. Before she could speak however, another voice interrupted them.
"Zelos, Irelia… aren't you two supposed to be on duty right now?" The siblings both froze at the deep, wizened tone of their father. "I'm sure you both have more important matters to attend to than starting duels with strangers. I'm sure you agree?" Seeing both of his children nod, Lito watched as they returned to duty. Or in Irelia's case, hobbled over to her discarded armor.
After he was satisfied that they were both a fair distance away, the old master turned to Naruto. "You were holding back, were you not?" The man in front of him gave him a blank look. The two continued to stare into the others eye's as the crowd around them gradually dispersed. Finally, the younger of the duo turned his back and walked off the stage.
"I don't know what you're talking about, old man. Irelia left herself open, I just took advantage of that." Lito watched as the back of the young man disappeared into the crowd. Closing his eyes, he started to slowly stroke his beard as he always did.
"He may deny it, but I saw it as clear as the sun over the horizon. The way he battered her arms until she couldn't afford to block any longer. Each of those blows were well placed and without hesitation. He knew he had far greater strength than she and he used it to his advantage. There is also the distance he sent her with that last strike."
Opening his eyes, the elderly man glanced towards the Shojin Monastery. "Even the few monks that spectated were shocked at that display of power. Judging by the way they studied the boy's form, he is not one of their own. I feel as though that if he willed it… my daughter would be suffering from a lot more than just wounded pride."
"Man… That guy reminded me of Jii-san."
Making his way through the crowd, he noticed that some of the people were giving him unusual looks. Ignoring their badly hidden stares, he continued towards his destination. Looking down his current path, he took in the site of the monastery.
"Wow this is a lot bigger up close! They must have an army of fighters in here, maybe they can teach me some badass tiger kick."
"From what I saw we might not have much to teach you, young one…"
Turning to see who was talking to him, he took in the form of an older man. He was bald, but had a long grey beard that seem to be common with the older populace. He was also of a larger build, but it would be a mistake to doubt that his bulging stomach was anything but muscle.
Laughing nervously, he began to scratch the back of his head. "I don't know what you mean old man, those were just some moves that I picked up in my travels. It's like I told the other guy, she just has really bad defense."
Shaking his head in disagreement, the elder gave him an appraising look. "I can say with confidence that Lito has been a master of the blade and an adept martial artists since before you were conceived. I doubt he would have approached you if he thought you were lacking."
Scratching his chin, Naruto tried to think of an excuse that would appease the older man. "Maybe he was mad because I kicked his daughter's ass?"
"Such emotions are below a man of Lito's experience. I'm sure he was more interested in your fighting stance. Even I have never seen such movements, and I've must spend almost my entire life dedicated to learning all the martial arts Ionia has to offer."
The boy before him gave a contemplative look as he thought about what to say next.
"So you said you've been learning fighting styles all your life right, uhhh…?" It is at this point he remembered that he didn't even know the older man's name. Catching on, the man extended his hand and introduced himself.
"Apologies, you may call me Gouken. And your name is?"
"Uzu… I mean, Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki." Shaking the outstretched hand, the sage had to hold back a cringe at the strength of Gouken's grip.
"Yes, it is as I have said. I have seen and practiced every stance known in Ionia, or, at least I thought I did. Have you come to seek instruction from the monastery?"
Gouken hoped it was so, for he was interested in the boy's unique style. The movements were almost the same as some of the more defensive styles he knew. However, from what he had seen, the boy had been holding back immensely. He was curious as to what his true capabilities were.
"Well, to be honest I'm kind of on a trip around all of Ionia. Since this place is at the center of the island, I thought it might be a good place to start."
"Ahh, I see now... I had thought that you were a native here. That explains why I've never seen your style before. Very well then, let's make our way inside, we shall talk more there."
Back in the barracks, Irelia sighed as she examined where she had been hit. Even now she could feel the throbs of pain were Naruto had struck her. Examining her arms, there were multiple purple marks that had formed. Wincing as she pulled her shirt up, she blanched at the sizable bruise that greeted her.
"Where did I go wrong? We were even throughout most of the match. Then he started attacking with such force! How much was he holding back? I as if he was toying with me the whole match… How embarrassing."
Pulling her shirt back down, she grunted as she put the top piece of her armor back on. Carefully adjusting the straps so they didn't press to hard, she made her way out of the guard barracks. Preparing to return back to her post, she was surprised to see her father waiting for her.
"Guessing by your appearance, I take it you are well?" Seeing the stern look on her father's face, she knew he wasn't only there to check up on her.
"I'll have to see the medic later to make sure the bruising doesn't get too bad. Besides that the only thing truly hurting right now is my honor." Clenching her fist, she still couldn't understand how she was defeated so easily.
"As it should be. You entered into a fight with a man whose abilities were unknown to you. Such actions are not like you… What did he do to draw your ire?" Whatever it may have been, it must have been pretty significant to have pushed her to violence.
Averting her eyes, a look of embarrassment crossed her features. "A-Actually father, we kind of got into an argument while we were eating lunch. I had barely met him and he was being so rude and immature! I know it is unbecoming, but I couldn't let such disrespect go unchallenged. If he had merely apologized, then I'm sure we would not have come to blows."
Shaking his head in disappointment, Lito stare directly into his daughter's green eyes.
"Irelia… Pride is a great thing, however it is also been the downfall of many great men throughout history. While it may be true that that young man was being disrespectful to you, you shouldn't have dropped to his level. Otherwise, it matters not what the feud was over… he's already beaten you mentally. I don't know who he is, but that boy…"
Shaking his head as he corrected himself, he continued, "… No, man. He was far above your level, at least in hand-to-hand combat. Although his specific style was a mystery to me, I have no doubt that he could've ruptured your organs with that jab."
A horrified look overcame her face. Her hand absentmindedly made its way to her stomach.
"Was I truly that outclassed?! I had thought that he was just some street punk who was trying to pick a fight with the guard…" Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice that Lito had come up and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Remember, my child. Only a fool heads into the darkness without a light to guide the way. That being said, would you mind accompanying an old man? I have yet to eat, and has been some time since I've had a meal with my daughter."
Refocusing, she looked up to notice her father smiling face. Letting a small grin graced her lips, she nodded as they began their trek back into the city.
"So tell me what you mean by inner healing? Are we talking small cuts and stuff, or are you guys' immortal or something? Cause if you are, sign me up!"
Chuckling at the young man's enthusiasm, Gouken shook his head in amusement. They had been walking around the halls of the monastery for some time now. He had been explaining just what they did within these halls. Stepping into the interior garden, the older man pointed to some of the monks training there.
Some were slowly going through movements such as punches and intricate kicks. Others were merely sitting in meditation. What truly drew his attention however, were the men who were sitting on sharpened sticks of bamboo.
"There is no such thing as true immortality. All things must perish, whether it be the mind or the body. What we do here Naruto, is train our bodies to be as resilient as our minds. To make one's bones as strong as iron, to be able to withstand the assault of over 100 men! All of this is possible through rigorous training."
"Hmm… It seems that even without chakra the humans here are able to be as tough as your Sage mode. Perhaps you should stay here for a while and see what they have to offer. Then you can stop leeching off our chakra so much."
Rolling his eyes at what his tenant said, the whiskered blonde absentmindedly nodded his head as Gouken continued explaining their training methods.
"What you mean leech off your chakra? Don't I have an infinite supply? Added with the chakra Hagoromo Oji-san gave us, I don't think I'll ever have to really worry about chakra."
"That is true, with the amount of chakra you have, the possibility of you actually running out are minimal. However, you can only channel a finite amount at one time."
Raising his eyebrows confusion, he continued to follow Gouken as he showed them the different rooms of the monastery.
"What you talking about? I've never had problems using your chakra, besides the whole burning me from the inside out thing. That shit hurts…"
Deciding to reply before Kurama could get irritated, Gyuki decided to take the reins on this issue.
"What he means to say is, while you do indeed have an almost infinite amount of chakra. You waste tremendous amounts of it. Therefore, you're only able to use what you are not outright wasting."
"What do you mean I'm wasting it? Is there a better way to be kicking ass?"
Hearing Shukaku huff within his head, he braced himself for whatever smart remark was coming his way.
"No dumbass, that's not what he's talking about. You know when you go all bright and shit? Yeah, you're actually wasting shit tons of OUR chakra."
"I thought that the chakra was acting as sort of shield, or something like that…"
"Goddammit… I forgot how stupid you could be. No, that's what the natural energy is supposed to do! It drastically increases your body's durability. The only thing you're accomplishing is looking like a lightbulb at a cheap strip joint."
Halting in his tracks, Gouken turned his head over his shoulder and noticed that his guest had stopped. Turning to face him, he raised an eyebrow as he examined the blank look on his visitor's face. Walking back towards him, he laid a heavy hand on the boy's shoulder. Jumping at the sudden impact, he looked up to see his host giving him a worried look.
"Everything all right my boy? You just suddenly started staring blankly into nothingness. Is this too much for you to take in at once?" He hoped not, they had barely gone over a third of the entire monastery.
Giving a nervous chuckle, Naruto straightened himself out and gave his host a serious look.
"If I understand it right… to do which you guys do, you guys have to channel your physical energy to protect your bodies right?" It was still a strange concept to him, only being able to use one half of chakra.
Stroking his beard in contemplation, Gouken gave a slow nod at his guest's hypothesis. "Although very crude, what you said is indeed correct. By channeling our inner will, we are able to affect our physical state in amazing ways. However, it takes most years of dedicated training to reach that state. I feel we won't have a problem with you though, should you wish to study under us."
"So it's cool if I stay here and train which you guys for a while?"
"Indeed, the only thing I ask of you is your dedication and a spar every once in a while. The style you used against Lito's daughter intrigues me. I would like to see it in action firsthand."
Nodding his head, he agreed to the old man's terms. As they stood in the hallway, they turned to the sound of footsteps approaching them. The man that walked up to them gave a bow and stood before Gouken. His eyes flashing in recognition, the elder placed a hand on the man's shoulder.
"Naruto, I would like you to meet one of our most dedicated students, Lee Sin. He has only been here for a few years, and yet, he is already an adept in our art."
Looking at the man, he took note of his appearance. Lee Sin had strange tattoos running across his body, and his hair was braided into a single long ponytail. Looking into the man's dark eyes, they stared at each other for a moment. Before it could turn awkward, Naruto extended his hand.
"Yo, the name's Naruto! Guess will be training together for a while huh?"
Chuckling at his informal greeting, the monk accepted his handshake.
"Greetings, as Master Gouken said, my name is Lee Sin. I hope that you gather much knowledge while you are here. Forgive me, but I must be going." Having said his piece, the monk disappeared down one of the many hallways.
"Geez… somebodies in a rush."
"Do not fret, you can converse with him more another time. Lee is one of our more… interesting students. Now, let us continue were we left off."
Nodding his head, the pair continued their walk around the rest of the monastery.
"I learned a lot there, but damn was that a boring two months!"
Walking down a path that led away from the mountain he just climbed down, Naruto continued his trip towards the Placidium. The sun hung high, but he still had a long way to go at the pace he was going.
"Complain all you want. To deny the results of those two months would be even more foolish than you usually are." Indeed, the monks at Shojin had been astonished when he had shown them just how much 'Ki' he had within him. After explaining that he wasn't exactly from Ionia, the monks had grown to accept him as one of their own.
Even Lee Sin, who usually was quite aloof and preferred to be alone. Naruto had thought he was just being an asshole until Gouken had told him what led the man to the monastery in the first place. After what he had learned, he felt he could relate to the monk on a personal level.
Besides getting to know the inhabitants of the monastery, the first two months of his 'trip' were pretty mundane. He would wake up, run through numerous exercises throughout the day, and then venture around the Placidium until he felt tired enough.
He had ran into Irelia a couple dozen of times while on his walks around the town. She had been wary of him the first time they met after the fight. Feeling a little guilty for hitting her so hard, he apologized for the starting the whole conflict. Irelia had been surprised at the gesture, and even more when he asked if he could make it up to her by buying her lunch.
After that, he had started to look forward to seeing her every day. Most of their time spent together was her showing him the different sections of the city. If they weren't doing that, then they would have mock fights on her time off. A month after their initial meeting, it wasn't uncommon to see the two eating together. Though Irelia would still chastise Naruto for his eating habits.
Things had been going quite well until the rest of her family had shown up one day. Zelos had given him a knowing smirk and a thumbs up for whatever reason. Lito on the other hand, had given him a stern look and asked him what his intentions for Irelia were. He would have been intimidated if the older man wasn't leaning on his cane so much.
Deciding that it was better to let them have a little family time, he headed back to the monastery. On his way out however, he heard Zelos ask his little sister, "What Irie, No kiss goodbye?" After that comment, he heard what he guessed was the old man's cane hitting his son on the back of the head.
"I wonder how their doing."
"You will be able to see them soon, seeing as they reside at your final destination. Then you can tell them all about your trip through Ionia."
"Thank You Captain Obvious! Like none of us would'na figured that out if you didn't tell us! I liked you more a coupla months ago."
Kokuō gave the tanuki a confused look as he thought about his statement. "Shukaku, I rarely talked until recently, wha…" He was abruptly interrupted by the sand raccoon slamming his massive paws together.
"EXACTLY! When you didn't say shit, you were A LOT more tolerable!"
"I see… then perhaps I should show you your place, sand rat."
"DA FUCK DID YOU JUST CALL ME YOU DONKEY SONUVA BITCH?!"
"Need I remind you that we have the same creator?"
"Oi! Keep it down in there!"
"And You!"
"What about me? What did I do this time?" It seemed as though Shukaku always had something to complain about.
"As usual, it's what you DIDN'T do. With the way you hit if off which that chick, I'm honestly surprised you didn't give her a ticket!"
"A ticket to where? I haven't seen any type of transport in Ionia except for horses…"
"Idiot… I'm talking about a ticket to Pound Town! I mean, did you see her? I'm surprised your girl wasn't a baker, because she definitely had some cakes on her!"
"Please be quiet…"
Deciding to ignore his tenant before he got another headache. Naruto continued his steady pace down the dirt road he was traveling. Coming to a cross-roads, he walked on without even taking a glance at the sign. He did however, look down the other path.
'I wonder how those two are doing. I'll have to go see them after I visit the others.' Looking up at the setting sun, Naruto smiled as he felt a gust of wind blow past him.
"Let's see, according to the map… if you consider the pace I've been traveling… I think I passed that mountain? The Hirana Monastery should be just past this next valley, or at least it should be…" Scratching his head in frustration, the blonde squinted his eyes as if trying to discern some hidden pattern on the map.
'Fuck this… I'll just ask for directions in the next town." Rolling the map back up and stuffing it somewhere in his robes, he continued towards the town.
"Perhaps it would have been wise to ask for directions in the last village?" Grumbling at the Hachibi's words', Naruto stuffed his hands in the sleeves of the grey robes he was currently wearing.
"Damn things don't even have any pockets! They are pretty breezy though… I wish they came in orange."
"Tentacles is right kid! I'm sure that hot MILF would'na minded giving you 'directions'." Shivering at the memory of the women that Shukaku was referring to, Naruto could feel his face heat up. "It's bad enough she was being so forward about what see wanted… but it's even worse that she reminded me of Tsunami!"
Besides the fact that Shio's hair was brown and she had a daughter, the similarities between her and Tsunami were frightening. They both had a motherly feel about them and exuded an aura of kindness. They both took care of their child and parent at the same time. They even lived near a body of water!
"It was a river… hardly the same as an ocean." Snorting at Kurama's remark he continued comparing the 'Ionian version' of Tsunami to the real one. "Yeah?! Well that shit was pretty big to be 'just' a river! Her husband was even dead! You can't tell me that this isn't creeping you out in the least?"
Shaking his head rapidly, the blonde frowned as he thought about the only thing that really separated the two. While Tsunami was pleasant and seemed to be a woman of conservative values, the same couldn't be said of Shio. Sure she dressed like Tsunami, but that didn't stop her from pressing up against him every chance she got. There were also her many 'accidents' were she would fall on top of him and rub her breasts in his face.
"Look kid, I'll give ya the benefit of the doubt. Rabbit-Bitch, while likely packing a bangin body under that curtain she wore. Would 'a just fried your brain with her eye and milked you dry. Hell, I'll even give ya pass on the star babe, there is always next time… But come on! That lady was literally throwing herself at you!"
He just couldn't understand his current containers thought process. Wasn't he at the age where he supposed to be looking for an orgy at every corner? Wasn't his Sensei one of the most infamous perverts ever known? "Maybe things were better with Gaara after all… at least he was interested in that one chick."
"Look here motherfucker…"
"Heh… jokes on you! I never had a mother you jackass!" Cackling as he could feel the blondes anger over their mental connection, the sand raccoon decided to push it a little further.
"That's it! Cry more! Your rage feeds me! Hahahaha… GAH!" The other biju looked on in surprise as Shukaku was pinned down by large wooden beams.
"The fuck is this shit?!Oi, let me go you blonde flamer!" With his arms, legs, and even tail locked in place by the wooden arches. The only thing the tanuki could move was his mouth. "No wonder you chased after your precious Sasgay so much! You didn't wanna save him for that bubblegum princess! You wanted him for yourself, didn't you? I bet you wanted to tear that Uchiha ass up! You… mmmpppff!"
Although he couldn't form them in the physical world, creating his mother's signature chains in his mind was another matter entirely. The chains had shot out under Shukaku's mouth and proceeded to continuously wrap around it until they anchored themselves in the ground.
"Finally! We get a break from his incessant rambling! On behalf of us all, I thank you." Surprisingly, this came from Kokuō, who was usually quite passive. One of the more quite biju, the dolphin-headed horse had really began to open up. "I am curious though… as much as I loath to admit, Shukaku has a point. The female obviously desired to mate with you. Don't you humans usually seek out the opposite sex for such activities?" Yep, opening up indeed.
Sighing as he stopped to calm himself down, the blonde smacked his forehead as he heard the Gobi's question. "Look… Shio was hot and all, but when you have her mother glaring at you with a cleaver in hand, that shit is a real boner killer. Not to mention her daughter asking me if I was going to be her 'new daddy'. I kinda felt sorry for Shio, but c'mon!"
While he continued to explain himself, Naruto hadn't noticed that he had entered the town and was now weaving through the crowds. So deep in his thoughts, he didn't even notice when he slide right in between two sword wielding men.
The sage turned monk was pulled from his thoughts as he felt a tug on his shirt. Coming to an immediate stop, the blonde blinked as he finally took in his surroundings. Turning around, he saw who had returned him to reality. Before him stood two swordsmen.
"Hey buddy, I don't know where you're from… but around here we speak when we almost walk straight into someone." The man who spoke looked to be around his age if not younger. He wore blue robes with an orange rope tied around his waist. The other man who stood to his left wore the same uniform. Upon closer inspection, Naruto noticed that both men looked almost exactly like the other. The only thing that told them apart was their hair style.
The guy who still held onto his robe had his hair tied into a high ponytail. The other merely had his cut short. "They must be brothers, but why are they wearing the same thing?" The brother with the shorter hair reached out and removed the hand still gripping him. Giving him an apologetic smile, he gave him a small bow.
"Please forgive my brother, what he meant to say is, please watch where you going next time." Looking over the stranger's attire, the swordsman raised an eyebrow. "Those robes… is he from the monastery up north?" Refocusing, he looked back up to the blondes whiskers as he gave them a sheepish look.
"My bad, I was just thinking about how to get to the Hirana Monastery. I guess I wasn't looking where I going, sorry." Giving the duo one last smile, Naruto prepared to turn the other way before he felt another hand on his shoulder. Biting his lip, he slowly turned his head back to the brothers.
"Apologies, but did you say you were looking for the Hirana Monastery? I had assumed that you were from there, judging by your outfit." Looking down at his clothes, Naruto shrugged his shoulders' and looked back up into the man's eyes.
"No, these are from the Shojin monastery, I'm… a traveler of sorts and decided to pay Hirana a visit next. You wouldn't happen to know how to get there would you?" The brother's turned and looked at each other before staring back at him.
"Heh… you really must not be from around here. All you have to do is head north out the other side of town and keep to the roads. There're signs that will lead you straight there."
"Oh… well uhh... I was just making sure I was headed the right way! Yeah… anyway, the name is Naruto!" Thrusting his hand out, he gave the two a cheesy grin as he introduced himself.
Clearing his throat, the brother on the left shook his hand as he looked at his sibling to do the same. "My name is Yone, and this is my brother…"
"Yasuo… Don't we have a class to get back to?" Yone sighed as he shook his head at his brother's rudeness. "Yes… Yes we do. It was nice meeting you Naruto. I hope you find what you seek once you reach Hirana, farewell."
"Wait! You said something about a class. What do you guys learn? Is it some kind of sword style?" He had noticed that a considerable amount of people that had passed them on the road wore a blade of some sort.
"This guy… Is starting to become annoying."
Ignoring the irritated look on his brother's face, Yone turned to answer the traveler. "I would be surprised that you've never heard of our school if I didn't know that you weren't from around here. Our style is known for using our will to manipulate the wind. Yasuo here is actually the star pupil."
"How can they use Futon jutsu when they have no chakra? He said Ki… Gouken said that was their physical energy right?"
"You'd be better off forgetting the principles of chakra as it applies to these people. They may not be able to use it, but it seems they don't need to. Different world, different rules I guess."
"Hey, you wouldn't mind if watched one of your lessons would you?"
Looking somewhat surprised at the request, Yone shut his eyes as he contemplated his answer. "Hmm… I don't see why not. Many people come to see us practice our better hurry though, our master hates tardiness." With a nod, the group of three silently headed towards the school.
"Y'know, I don't even think the samurai from Tetsu no Kuni could use elements in their attacks. They were all about just firing chakra blades and stuff. I wonder what these people can do…" He had been thinking about what Kurama had said and it made him wonder. If the denizens of Runeterra could do things like shape the wind without chakra, what else were they capable of?
Finally reaching their destination, the group dispersed as the brothers went to rejoin the rest of their class. Now alone, Naruto began to look around the academy and noticed just how large it actually was. Though they were still outside, the main structure was still impressive.
"This place must be pretty badass if it takes up this much of the town."
Turning his attention back to the class, he saw the instructor making his way towards him. "It's a rare occasion to see a disciple from Shojin make his way here."
"Well to be honest, I got lost on my way Hirana and stopped here for directions." Seeing the beginnings of a frown on the master's face, he continued, "…B-But Yone told me of your school and the way you guys can use the wind! I thought I'd come by and see for myself."
Looking over his shoulder at his student, the master saw him nod his affirmation. "I see… It is surprising that you came here without knowing just where you are. I don't know if you were told, but this is the most revered academy for swordsmanship this side of Ionia! This isn't just a school boy! This is the school! Generations of renowned, nay… Legendary masters of the blade began here in these very halls!" Catching his breath as he ended his rant, the master cleared his throat.
"You say that you've come to see my disciples in action, however, that is impossible!" Seeing the confused look on his guest's face, he finished. "One cannot gaze uponthe wind… they can only feel as it flows around them! And by then, it is far too late for the adversary to retaliate… for how can one defend against a weapon they cannot see?" The dojo remained silent as everyone was focused solely on the master's speech. Turning his back to the blonde, he started to walk back towards his class.
"With that being said, I will not allow you to watch my students." Smirking as he imagined the frown that had no doubt formed on the younger man's face, he stopped his gait. Now surrounded by his students, the old man turned back to his guest. "However, that doesn't mean I won't allow to experience it for yourself! I find myself curious to see how a monk of Shojin fares against one of my own."
Looking among the many faces of his class, he stopped on one his more skilled charges. "Toppū! You will be our guest's opponent!" Hearing her name, the young woman in question bowed in her master's direction. "Thank you master! I will bring honor to our school!"
As the rest of students began to make a kind of ring around them, Naruto took this time to check out his opponent. She was fairly good looking in his opinion. With her straight shoulder length brown hair and smooth facial features. It was surprising to see someone like her at a place like this. Finally making her way to the center of the makeshift 'arena', Toppū drew her two short swords from their sheaths.
"A Tantō huh? I wonder if she'll use those like the samurai from the mountains." Seeing that both fighters were ready, the master laid down the ground rules. "The only real rules for this bout are the obvious ones. There will be no fatal blows or maiming. With Toppū's dulled blades and our guest using only his fist, I don't expect to see any blood anyway. The match ends when a combatant surrenders or is beaten. Fight with honor… Begin!"
As soon as the word left his mouth, the brunette shot towards Naruto at surprising speeds. "Wow! She's a lot faster than I thought! However…" As Toppū approached him, she began to let loose a string of quick slices towards his arms. "… She moves no faster than a chunin. Ten-Ten was much faster than this." The crowd watched amazed as the monk dodged or deflected their classmate's strikes. It seemed that no matter what she did, Toppū just couldn't land a solid hit.
If she tried to dash into his guard and deliver a flurry of well-placed slices, he would merely jump back or dance around them with ease. It was the same when she would try to weave in some kicks into her combo's. He would block it with no sign of ever being hit.
After a couple more rounds of this, Toppū finally seemed to take note that her method of attack was having little effect on her opponent. Unfortunately, it did tire her out some. "No matter what angle I try, he just keeps getting away! I will not be embarrassed in front of the whole academy!" Calming herself with a few deep breaths, the brunette re-took her stance and simply watched Naruto.
"It looks like sugar-tits finally figured out that she can't do shit against you. Why don't you just lay her out already so we can hit the road?"
"For a guy that's been sealed away for like… centuries, you sure know a lot of offensive shit to say."
"I'm surprised that your stupid ass even knows a word like century!"
"You know I don't have to think really hard to bring those chains back out…" Hearing silence within his head, the blonde smirked. "That's what I thought…"
Before he could pat himself on the back, he noticed that Toppū had finally began to make a move, or rather, her clothes did .Looking closer, he could see the standard blue uniform that all the students wore billow around her. "She must be channeling the wind somehow! Damn, it sucks that these people don't use chakra! I can't even really sense it like I could when Asuma-sensei was teaching me."
On the sidelines, Yasuo allowed himself a small smirk as he saw what Toppū was doing. "It finally gets interesting huh?"
Right next to him, his brother stood with opposing thoughts. "She better not take it too far! I don't want to be responsible for getting him hurt!"
As the crowd stood in suspense, a small breeze passed over the field. Taking one last breath as she prepared her next move, Toppū relaxed as she felt the wind circulate around her. "Now the tables turn…" Using the wind for momentum, she launched herself towards him yet again .Her blades drawn behind her back, she attempted a scissor motion towards his chest. Deciding to stay on the defensive, Naruto back stepped out of her range. He was surprised however, when he felt a tingling feeling on his skin.
Looking down, he saw the front of his robe now had a small horizontal incision in it. "What?! I didn't think they would actually be able to sharpen the wind to such a point!"
Trying to put more distance in between them, the blonde grunted in annoyance as Toppū followed everywhere he attempted to evade to. Every time he thought he was out of her range, a new slit would appear somewhere on his top. "She's a lot faster than before… I better hurry up and finish this before these get shredded! Just have to catch her off guard…" He didn't particular care for the gray robes, but they were the only article of clothing he had.
"Oi! If you wanted to see me naked, all you had to do was ask me after class!" Shaking her head at his statement, she merely settled back into her stance.
"If you think your obvious attempts at angering me are going to work, you're as stupid as your hair! Why would you dye it such a color?" She could tell she had hit a sore spot by the offended look on his face.
"I'll have you know that I was born with this color! Don't go picking on me just to distract everyone from your shitty attacks!" Crossing his arms, he turned his head away from her with a huff. "Really, with your sloppy movements, I'm shocked that you haven't hurt yourself yet!"
Giving a chuckle, she closed her eyes and shook her head. "You talk such big words, but your clothing tells a different story. The only thing you've done this 'fight' is run away. For such bravado, you sure are a coward!" Re-opening her eyes, she expected to see her opponent fuming at her. Instead, the blond was picking his ear with a disinterested look on his face.
"Huh? We're you saying something?" Flicking the material off his finger, he looked back up at her with a bored look on her face. "Are we done here, or were you going to keep flailing around? I got places to be after all, sugar-tits." He knew the last bit would hit a nerve.
Back on the sidelines, Yone slapped his hand on his forehead as he knew what the blond was trying to do. Yasuo on the other hand chuckled at his brother's reaction. "You know, at first I thought this guy was pretty irritating. But he's alright in my book!"
Meanwhile, Toppū had been oddly silent after the last exchange. Her expression was unreadable as her hair was masking her face. Everyone one around her could feel the murderous rage that was emanating off her form though. "Excuse me… could you please repeat that?"
Seeing Yone rapidly shake his head at him, Naruto smiled. "Well, I really didn't want to hurt you after getting a look at the goods y'know? I thought that if I'd let you win, we could hook up later." Seeing her shake, he knew she was close. "What? Did you think you actually stood a chance? Pffttt… With how slow you move, I had to try and let myself get hit!"
After hearing his explanation, Toppū nodded her head and gave him an eerily calm smile. "I see… I… just wanted to make sure that I heard you right." Taking a deep breath, she re-adjusted herself and prepared to retake the offensive. "Please die now."
Watching the match with a critical eye, the master could only sigh with heavy disappointment. He knew that out of all of the women in his academy, Toppū was the most skilled. Add to the fact that she was also the fastest, and you had one prideful lady. "Though you are right to take such pride in such achievements, it does nothing when an opponent can so easily use it as a weapon against you, Toppū." Refocusing back on the match, he could hear the monks continued prodding.
"Sooo… I never got an answer before? You wanna meet up after this? I'm sure I can show you a couple more ways to handle a sword." Though he said that, it left an awful taste in his mouth. "Damn… now I'm starting to sound like Shukaku-teme!"
"You know kid, back before I wanted to do nothing more than crush you under my foot. I always had a grudging respect for that one ability you had."
"Really? What ability was that?" Kurama had never given him a direct compliment.
"The ability to annoy the shit out of people! It should be considered its own style of attack! Look at the way that girl is looking at you. I'm pretty sure she forgot about the whole no maiming thing."
Hearing the last comment, Toppū disappeared as a huge cloud of dust was kicked up behind her. Re-appearing behind the monk, she wasn't surprised when he rolled away at the last second. Dashing up to him again, she was yet again disappointed when he jumped over her attack. "This bastard and his constant evading!"
The crowd watched in awe as the two combatants danced around each other. The most junior of the group were amazed at just the sheer speed the two were moving at. The elder students were more interested in the technique. From the untrained eye, it would look like Toppū was merely charging Naruto over and over again in an attempt to cut him. To them however, they could see the small slices that she was making. It was a wonder that the monk didn't even seem to notice them.
Backing off for a moment, the brunette created some distance between them. "I don't get it… I know at least a couple of my attacks have hit him? Surely he couldn't have dodged them all! I can see the cuts in his robes… how can he just stand there so nonchalant?" Pondering how the blond before her could just shrug off his injuries, she stared at him intently.
"I know he's a monk, but from where? He couldn't be from any of the small temples from around here… they're more pacifist than anything. He said he was headed to Hirana, so he's not from there. I think the master said something about Shojin, but I wasn't paying attention… he must be! To be able to brush my attacks off so easily!"
On the other side of the field, Naruto still kept the bored look on his face. On the inside however, he was anticipating Toppū's next assault.
"I feel kinda sorry for her, she's actually really good. No doubt she could give some of the others a challenge. With my skills however, I'm hardly feeling any of her cuts." Deciding to continue the match, he beckoned his opponent with a lazy wave of his hand. "Oi, c'mon already, I wanna reach Hirana by sunset…"
Hearing her growl, he braced himself as she was once again tried to make him bleed. Deciding to push things along, he started to actually defend himself. For every missed attack, he would give her a small jab. For every cut she managed to land, he would retaliate in kind.
He was mildly surprised however when she started using the wind to extend her blades reach, if only slightly. She would come in with a few easily dodges slashes then cut where she thought were his weak spots. He noticed however, that every time she came in, the attack got stronger.
"If I can land Steel Tempest on him, then maybe I can use that as an opening to finish him off from behind!" Feeling the wind surround her, she sheathed her blades as she readied one of the more advanced techniques of her school's style.
On the sidelines, the master felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking over it, he saw Yone with a worried look upon his face. "Master, we should stop this at once! If she uses that move, Naruto could be seriously wounded!"
"Unlikely, the monks of Shojin are known for their ability to withstand extreme amounts of pain. From having boulders rolled on top of them to setting their own flesh aflame… whatever wound Toppū could manage to inflict, I'm sure our guest has experienced much worse. Oh… It looks like she's ready!" Yone groaned at his master's lack of concern.
"Here I go…" Dashing forward, Toppū saw the blond brace himself for her next attack. He was surprised however, when she stopped a couple of meters away from him. Grasping her blades, she jerked them out of their sheaths, releasing a torrent of wind along the way. As dust was blown into the air, Naruto narrowed his eyes as he saw Toppū disappear into the haze.
Watching in suspense, the crowed watched as Toppū re-appeared where Naruto was previously. Unleashing a vicious cross-cut, she blew away the remaining dust into the wind. A look of apprehension adorned her face as she realized that her opponent had also vanished.
"Where did he…"
"Ha! Did you really think that would work?" Whipping her head around, she felt her body go cold as she saw the blond charging her from behind.
"How did he get behind me?!" Willing her body to move, she realized that no matter what she did, he was approaching far too fast for her to put up any kind of defense.
Time seemed to slow down for her. She could only watch as he closed in from behind, his hands clasped together in some strange hand gesture. She could hear her classmates yelling for her to move. She could see the apprehensive look on her master's face as he looked upon her encroaching defeat.
"Forgive me everyone…"
"HERE COMES THE FINISHER! Hiden Taijutsu Ōgi!"
Squish…
"D-Did he just?"
"In all my years… I've never seen such a technique!"
Silence reigned over the field as everyone stared at the spectacle at the center of it. The class gawked as they saw Naruto with his finger poked firmly in Toppū's backside. With his arms outstretched and his head facing towards the ground, they heard him break the silence with but a whisper that was carried by the winds.
"Sennen Goroshi!"
Toppū was suddenly launched from the tip of his finger with surprising force.
"AAAiiieeeee!"
Releasing a mixture between a moan and a scream, she flew across the field. Still holding the same stance as before, the monk stayed silent. Meanwhile, the academy openly gawked at what they had just witnessed. The males stared in amazement at what had just transpired. The females blushed as they still couldn't believe that the blond has actually knew a move like that.
Everyone's thoughts came to a halt though as they heard someone start laughing.
"He… Hahaha… He j-just… Heh… HAHAHAHA!" Whatever Yasuo was about to say was masked as he feel to the ground in hysterical laughter. Gripping his sides, he continued to roll on the ground as he replayed what just happened in his mind.
On the other end of the field, Toppū laid on the ground. She didn't know how to feel at the moment. On one hand, she could feel the crushing weight of the humiliation that now hung over her. The pure hate that she felt well up inside her. But, she also couldn't ignore the pleasant feeling in between her thighs.
She could hear Yasuo's laughter echo throughout the opening but, Toppū paid him no mind. She merely stared blankly at the sky, watching the clouds roll along. She made no visible objection when she felt her classmates help her to her feet. Feeling her legs trembling, she hung off the shoulder of one of her female classmates.
Looking into the clearing, she could see her opponent still in the same pose. She wanted to be angry with him, but found she was too tired to even bring forth the emotion. She did however, feel her cheeks flush as her eyes took in his still extended fingers. Finally gathering the strength to stand on her own, she excused herself as she disappeared behind the crowd.
Back with Naruto, he finally released his stance, a content look on his features.
"I've been waiting for a long time to use that move… it just felt so, satisfying to use. No wonder Kakashi-sensei used it back then…"
"But doesn't it make you wonder?"
"Does what make me wonder?"
"Didn't you ever notice that Hatake never used that 'technique' against Sakura, or any other female for that matter?"
"Well, it was never meant to be a serious move… I can count on one hand how many times he used it. And Sakura-Chan was a girl. Sennin Goroshi at its core is just a massive… butt… poke… shit."
"Yep, shit is right…"
"Excuse me my boy."
Turning around and plastering a smile on his face, Naruto decided the best plan of action now was to act as innocent as possible.
"Yes…"
"I wasn't aware that the monks of the Shojin monastery used such… unique moves."
Adopting a serious look upon his face, he crossed his arms across his chest as he prepared to explain himself. "Well to be honest, it's one of our more uh… secret techniques. Most people aren't expecting such an attack, which makes it's so… deadly. The umm… strike focuses a precise amount of force to… disable the opponent… yeah."
"I see…" Nodding to himself, the older man began to rub his chin in contemplation. "At first I thought you may be a member of the Kinkou Order. They're the only ones I've seen make those kind of hand gestures."
"So the ninja here use hand signs also…" Filing that bit of information away for later, the monk decided it was time to leave before the master somehow discovered the truth about his move.
"Well old man, thanks for allowing me to experience your sword style, but I better be going…" Turning around, he came face to face with Yasuo. The swordsman had an amused expression on his otherwise disinterested face.
"Wait up for a moment, what's the rush? I was thinking that after seeing such a weak example of our style that you'd want to see what it's truly capable of." Yone shook his head as he heard his brother put down Toppū's performance.
"What it's truly capable of huh…" If he went by what by what Yauo was saying, then what he'd seen from Toppū was just the tip of the blade. He was genuinely interested in what else the style had to offer. The fact that they use elemental attacks at all intrigued him already.
"On the other hand, the way he talks make me think of Sasuke… an arrogant bastard. Makes me wanna kick his ass even more, actually."
Looking up with a feral grin, he struck his fist out towards Yasuo. "Sure, I think I have enough time to kick your ass and make it to Hirana by night."
Giving a grin of his own, the swordsman walked by Naruto towards the center of the field. Once he reached the middle, he turned and placed his hand on the grip of his katana. "Well, let's not waste each other's time then."
Making his way back towards the center of the field, Naruto was stopped by a firm grip on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Yone with a serious look on his face.
"I don't mean to insult your abilities Naruto. However, I think you might be entering a battle where the only outcome is defeat. My brother, for all his posturing, is in a whole different league than Toppū."
"You say that, but that just makes me wanna fight him even more." Shaking his head at the reply, the swordsman's gave the monk a worried look.
"Remember when I told you my brother was the strongest in this academy? I wasn't exaggerating! He…"
"Good…" Confusion rushed across Yone's face as he processed what the blonde before had just said.
"G-Good? That's not good. The blades we use may be blunted, but there is no dulling the edge that the wind can produce." He was seriously beginning to think the monk was more than a little peculiar. Turning towards the master, he gave him a pleading look. "Master! Please talk him out of this foolishness!"
The master merely kept his gave on the center of the field were the ensuing battle was about to take place. Seeing his instructor was going to be of no help, he swerved back around to try and convince the monk to quit. He was surprised however, when he saw said monk was already halfway towards his destination. Sighing in exasperation, the older brother made his way back towards the excited crowd.
Seeing his opponent stop a couple of meters away from him, Yasuo uncrossed his arms. "Finally… thought you were going to run away. Go and meditate or something like that…"
"Naw, your brother was just begging me not to beat your ass too hard."
Giving the blonde one last smirk, the wind wielder drew his blade and settled into a stance. One that was a lot different than what he had seen from Toppū. He was leaning forward with his right foot being used as the lead. One hand held the sheath parallel to the ground, while the other held the blade in front of him.
"Well, come then. This blade isn't getting any lighter." Deciding to be the aggressor this time around, the blond rushed towards Yasuo's positon.
"Hopefully I can force him to use his wind based attacks. Then I'll finally be able to see if it's comparable to Futon jutsu."
Opening up with some basic strikes he learned from Shojin, Naruto watched as the swordsman used his sheath to either block or parry the incoming blows. This continued until the monk noticed a shift in his opponent's stance. With a speed that he wasn't expecting, he narrowly dodged the wide arc of the blade. Seeing an opening, Yasuo continued on with a series of precise cuts. He wasn't worried that the blonde kept moving just out the blades reach. Rather, he had expected it.
"Right… back… right… left… his pattern is rather predictable. That being the case…" Aiming where he knew the blonde would be next, he thrust his sword forward.
"Ton!"
Seeing the blade approaching his mid-section as he landed, Naruto gritted his teeth as he pushed chakra to his feet. Propelling himself backwards, he stood ready for Yasuo's next move.
"Hey buddy, you're leaking." Looking confused, the blonde looked to where the swordsman was pointing his blade. Indeed, there was a shallow puncture on navel. Ignoring the already healed wound, he re-focused back on Yasuo.
"Again… just like Toppū, he used the wind without me sensing any type of chakra. However he's doing it, could he be using something similar at least? It just doesn't make any sense…"
"Isn't that EXACTLY what that fox bastard said like ten minutes ago? Who cares how anybody does ANYTHING. Just hurry up and kick his ass! With me in your gut, there is NO WAY this jackass is betting us in a wind war! Why don't you use the ole' Renkūdan and end this guy already?"
"Tch… Yeah, and let everybody know that I can fire an attack destructive enough to wipe this town out? It's bad enough the elders know. I don't need that kind of attention…"
Hearing a chuckle he knew all too well, he addressed its owner. "And what's so funny Kurama-teme?"
"I find your statement to be ironic. Aren't you the same boy who at one time went around screaming about how 'I'm gonna be the greatest Hokage!'? All while wearing that horrible jumpsuit."
"Yeah… that was me. But that was before we fucked up and got everyone killed. Excuse me if I just happened to change a little!"
Ending the conversation, he refocused his gaze back on Yasuo. It seemed to be at the just the right moment too, as the swordsman had grown impatient. Almost as if gliding across the ground, Yasuo closed the gap between them.
Off on the sidelines, the rest of the students observed the match in obvious trepidation. They were awed at how well the monk was not only keeping up with Yasuo, but also seemingly giving him a decent challenge. Even from their distance, they could feel the breezes that were simultaneous with Yasuo's swings.
Observing the match with a critical eye, the master watched the deadly dance before him. Even though blood had been drawn (multiple times now in fact), he wouldn't end the match. He had known the monk was holding back tremendously when he faced Toppū. Though she was one of his more experienced pupils, even she could not stand before Yasuo. None of his other students could. Even the few that were his senior quickly fell to his technique.
"A couple more seasons, and that boy will surpass even me! He has already mastered the final technique. None have been able to accomplish such a feat since I did so over 30 years ago…"
Watching as the duo continued at the furious pace that had been set,he could see the ripples as the wind flowed around his student.
"Indeed, that boy is destined for great things!"
Unfortunately, the 'boy' in question wasn't faring so well. Breaking apart yet again from their clash, Yasuo took another back step away. Taking the time to catch his breath, he observed his opponent. Numerous shallow cuts adorned him, but he didn't even seem to even notice them. Even the ones that bled didn't seem to slow him down. Feeling a bead of sweat roll down his cheek, he rolled his shoulders.
"This guy just doesn't tire, does he? It's kinda of irritating really. However, this is the best fight I've had in a while! Pity that I have to end it now…" With a final intake of air, he made his move. Charging Naruto once again, he drew his blade. Unleashing the wind that he had built up around him.
"Face the wind!" A large gust blew in between them as the air made a barely visible wall. It also kicked up a fair amount of dust, which served as cover for Yasuo. Re-sheathing his sword, he prepared to use his final move. Closing his eyes, he began to concentrate.
"One blade… One purpose…"
On the other side of the pillar of dust, Naruto stood amazed at what he was seeing. "Wow… this is almost like Asuma-Sensei's Fūjin no Jutsu! Except this guy is using it as a distraction… he looked a bit winded last time. He's probably gonna try and end it with another wind based attack. Let's see how his compare's to mine…"
"Now!"
His eyes shooting open, Yasuo whipped his blade out his sheath. From this, a whirlwind blew straight towards his opponent. Watching as it dispersed the remaining dust that his wind wall had caused, he braced himself.
"Here it comes…"
Naruto was lifted off his feet and drawn into the air. Seeing this, Yasuo almost flew towards the blond. To him what happened next played out as if time had slowed just for that exact moment. As he rapidly approached the monk, he prepared to use Last Breath to finish the fight. However, as he went to strike down the blond, he saw the monk had his fist reared back. It was a strange thing, the way he was able to control himself while being propelled in the air. Most people were blown up in a state of helplessness. Regardless, it was too late for Naruto to retaliate in anyway.
Lifting his blade above his head, he saw his opponent shoot his fist at him. Preparing to bring the sword down, his world came to a halt as he felt tremendous pressure on his stomach. As the air was brutally pushed from his lungs, he began to fly backwards. Flying through the air, Yasuo could only wonder what had went wrong. What had the monk done?
"H-How?! I was far from his punching range… unless… No!"
Clenching his teeth as he tumbled on the ground, he continued to roll from the force of the blow.
"He extended his range using the wind! It's the only way he could have hit me! But how?!"
Finally coming to an abrupt stop at a tree, Yasuo cried out as he felt some of his ribs break from the impact. With an agonized grunt, he slowly lifted his head to the far side of the field. The blonde was standing there, staring straight at him. In his peripheral, he could barely make out his classes shocked expressions.
Making his way towards his downed opponent, he thought about what had just happened. "I see now… they can probably use the same moves I can, but mine will always come out stronger. "
"An astute observation. You are indeed correct, no matter what technique they preform, yours will always be stronger by default."
Hearing the quadruped dolphin speak, he pushed for more information. "Why is that? Are they using something different from chakra?"
"We may never truly know the origin of the internal energy the humans of this 'Runeterra' use. But… it is similar enough to chakra to enable nature manipulation. It is even plausible that they can also use this 'pseudo-chakra' to achieve things we've yet to see. That being said, with our collective chakra coursing through you, the density of your own chakra has increased significantly. Thus, our jutsu will always have more natural power.
Blinking his eyes at the long explanation, he gave Kokuō a silent thanks. Now standing before Yasuo, he could see the man glaring at him. He was clutching his sides with a look of pain stretched across his features.
"How did you do it?" Narrowing his eyes, he looked straight into the swordsman's own.
"What are you talking about? How did I do what, exactly?" Naruto could see the rage his own question had caused. It looked like the man wanted to jump into his face, but was stopped by his broken ribs. Settling for giving him a withering look, he continued. "Don't Bullshit me Naruto! The wind! You used the wind to push me back!"
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the rest of the academy rapidly making their way towards them. Cursing under his breath, he looked back towards Yasuo. "I guess now is the time to get back on the road!" Placing his hands on the back of the back of his head, Naruto turned his back to Yasuo.
"Didn't I tell you? Still about an hour left before the sun goes down. Well, thanks for the fights, but I really have to go, Peace." Making his way pass the crowd that surrounded Yasuo, he could see the looks of awe in some of their eyes as he walked by. Giving a friendly wave as he strode through, he ignored the curious look the master was giving him.
"W-Wait you bastard! I… I'm fine! Stop him!" Yasuo's fervent cries only grew as he saw the mop of yellow hair disappear behind the crowd. Growling, he tried to stand but was reminded of his current predicament when he felt the searing pain of his snapped ribs. Seeing his brother kneel next to him, he grabbed the front of his robe top.
"Yasuo… are you alright? You flew pretty far. Speaking of that, how did…" Whatever he was about to say was cut off as the master finally made his way to him. The master stood before the brothers, giving the younger one a strange look.
"Master, you have to stop him! He used the wind to push me back. I'm not sure how, but he did! Ugghhh…" Grunting as the pain flared up again, he could hear the collective gasp from the class. Almost as a unit, they turned in the direction that monk went. However, they were surprised when they were met with emptiness.
"Where did go? It's almost like he disappeared into the wind."
"Man… It would'a been bad if they had started asking questions. Bad enough that Yasuo was screaming his head off about what I did."
Coming over a rather steep hill, Naruto gazed down from the ledge he was standing upon. In the distance he could make out the gates to the Placidium. Letting out a sigh of relief, he continued his stroll down the path.
"I still don't understand why you don't just travel the normal way, kitten. This paltry pace you've been taking isn't like you."
"I think you're forgetting Matatabi, flying through the tree tops isn't exactly 'normal' here." Looking up, he gazed upon the sun sitting on the horizon. Behind him, the sky was already turning a dark hue. "Just because I have the power, doesn't mean I have to use it." In his hand, he stroked a purple ribbon that was tied to the clip of his pack.
"I hope that old man is teaching you that as well, Syndra."
Looking around the corner of the hut he was hiding behind, the ex-shinobi sighed in relief. "I don't think they're following me anymore… time to get the hell out of this town."
After he had used Shushin to teleport himself away from the field, he had decided to get some supplies before he left town. It wasn't too long however, before he saw some of the students of the academy wondering around. Using a quick Henge, he turned himself to an average middle-aged traveler. He had been approached numerous times by the students of the school. Each time a different person, but with the same inquiry.
"Being the only damn blond on this island is turning out to be pretty shitty." At least back in Konoha, he had Tsunade and Ino to share in the glory of sun colored hair.
"If I recall, the younger one had a more… pale quality to her. That large-breasted woman you named your Hokage also had a shade different from your own. It seems this 'glory' you speak of, is yours alone."
"You and Shukaku-teme both! Always putting me down, Dattebayo! Things would be different if I had been born with kaa-chan's color instead!" As he walked towards the town's exit, he imagined the life he would have had if his hair had been red.
"Yes… red is vastly superior to yellow. You Uzumaki had something good going on there. Until, you know, Mito sealed me away… that bitch."
"Oi kitsune-teme! Don't go calling my… uhh… actually, are we even closely related?" Hearing the fox grumble in his head, he waited for an answer.
"Hmm… if I recall the few glimpses I had of her life when I was trapped within her. Mito was your mother's aunt… I think. Why else would they send her to your village if they weren't related? Regardless, both of them sucked. Mito ignored me for the better half of 60 years, and your own mother had me pinned to a giant sphere with giant stakes!"
Grimacing as he thought about what he had just heard, he almost ignored the woman that was waving at him. Seeing the hand in the corner of his vision he turned to give a smile. Instead of a smile in return, the woman rushed towards him. A hurried look on her otherwise appealing feature's.
"Whoa… White hair and purple eyes? This lady probably isn't from Ionia either."
"And would you take a look at those curves! Y'know brat, after the busy day we've had, I think we should just relax here for the night. A good night's sleep can do wonders for the body!" He could ignore what the tanuki said easily enough. It was another matter entirely to ignore a woman who had a body comparable to Tsunade.
"Excuse me kind sir, thank you for stopping. I've been waiting nearly all day for someone to come this way. It is rare for travelers to leave on this side of town after all. Would you care to come inside for a moment?"
"JACKPOT BABY! All you need to do is follow inside and help her retain that white hair of hers… hehehe."
Giving the woman an apologetic look, he declined the invitation. "I'm sorry miss, but its already night and I really need to be going… uh, have a good night."
During their travels, Jiraiya had talked to Naruto about the 'power of mature woman'. He even had this huge theory that they had a special kind of appeal, especially to younger men. He had been 14 at the time, and had dismissed that conversation entirely. That was almost four years ago however, and times had changed.
Before he could make a rush pass the gate, he felt a frightingly strong grip on his back. Slowly turning his head to face the woman, she gave him remorseful frown. "That is… unfortunate. Then, may I request a favor of you kind sir?" Looking into her violet eyes, he noticed they had a faint glow to them.
Before he could reply, she took out a rolled piece of parchment from her dress. "If you would kindly take this letter to my child, I would be most grateful. I would go myself, but I hurt my leg in an incident a while ago and can no longer make the journey."
Taking the letter, Naruto placed it in his robes. "Very well miss, I would be happy to help a mother in need." Turing back towards the road, he stopped as he thought of something. "Where am I going again?" Giggling at the 'man' before her, she pointed into the distance. "If you take this road up the mountain, you will come across a small temple. It's about an hour north of here, and two hours west of Hirana."
With one last smile he prepared to depart, however he was stopped yet again by a hand on his back. Turing his head once again, he saw the woman giving him a genuine smile. "I am greatly in your debt for doing this for me! It has been months since I've last seen my baby… If you ever find yourself back in Soyokaze, please come find me. I'm sure I can find some way to… thank such a handsome man with exotic blond hair such as yourself."
Naruto stood still has looked at the retreating form of the pale haired woman. "She can see through my Henge?! Nobody's ever been able to see through it! Nobody should be able to see through it!"
"Remember what I said about the people of this realm. We felt her trying to penetrate your mind, likely to sway you to do her bidding."
Shaking his head, he continued looking at the spot where the mysterious mother resided. He didn't sense any evil intent from her when they were talking. She was probably genuine about her concern for her child. "Looks like I'm gonna have to be even more careful from now on." Looking at the darkening sky, he decided to carry on to the temple.
Now outside the gate, he looked around. Seeing no one around, he dropped his transformation and started leaping up the steep ledges of the mountain. "I swear, this side of the island has to be one long ass mountain range or something." Grumbling, he continued in silence.
At the pace he was going, it didn't take long for him to reach his destination. Standing atop the edge of a waterfall, he gazed down at the small structure below him. It looked like any other Ionian dwelling, expect was larger than most. "Well let's get this over with. From here, it should only take me like 15 or so minutes to reach Hirana."
Leaping off the edge, he fell the hundred or so feet down to the valley. Landing silently, he made his way to the house. Looking around his environment, he couldn't help but feel that the valley was somewhat isolated. The corner of the mountain that it resided under did a remarkable job of hiding it.
Reaching the temple, he stared at its imposing wooden doors. Giving the surface a couple of knocks, he waited for a response. After standing for some time, the door gradually creaked open. Seeing no one step out, he hesitantly walked through the entrance. Once inside, he had to stop himself from jumping as he heard the massive door behind him close.
Looking ahead, he saw an elderly man sitting in a chair. "Hello my boy, what brings you here at this time of night? I doubt that you are here by accident." Shuffling his feet a little, Naruto walked until he was but a few feet from the man. Reaching behind his back, he pulled the parchment from his sleeve.
"I was asked to deliver this to someone's child that is supposed to live here… uhh…"
"Kōsoku… that is my name. And yours?"
"Naruto. Anyway, I'm here to drop this off. Do you know who this letter is for?" He didn't mean to sound rude, but he really wanted to reach Hirana before tomorrow. Hearing the older man chuckle, he saw him slowly rise from his seat. No longer draped in the darkness of the night, the monk was finally able to really see the man in the moonlight.
He was definitely old, with silvery gray hair and a chest length flowing beard. He was slightly hunched over, a testament to the burdens he must've had shouldered in his years. The only thing that truly stuck out were his eyes. He could see the kindness within them, but was also wary of the power that radiated from those blue orbs. Beyond that, Naruto would be hard-pressed to not mistake him for any other old man.
Before the man could reach him, they heard a feminine voice call out. "That must be for me!" Arching his head over his shoulder, he saw a younger version of the woman he had met it town. She had the same purple eyes, and the same long white hair. Running up to the blond, see stood before him expertly. "Well? Let me have it!"
"Oh… uh sorry." Giving the girl the letter, he saw her hastily unravel it and read over its contents. Closing her eye's once she was finished, she rolled the letter back up and stuck it into her gown.
"Syndra…" Hearing the tone in her teacher's voice, she gave the man before her a small bow.
"Thank you for delivering this… Naruto was it? It's been months since mother has been able to find someone to come this way." The teen girl gave him a small smile before staring up at his torso. "Also… I couldn't help but notice, but, you're quite big aren't you?" Seeing his eyes widen, she stared at him in confusion as his face took a healthy shade of red.
Looking over at the elders amused face he turned back to the girl and stuttered out an answer. "I-I guess I mean… it's not like I've… you know… compared myself to anyone else."
Syndra thought over his answer for a few moments before her own face started burning up. "That's not what I meant! I was talking about your mana! Why would I want to know the size of your…" Turning her eyes away, she fought to contain her embarrassment.
Realizing the mistake he had made, the blonde tried to save face. "T-That's what I was talking about! I've never compared my uh… muna…"
"Mana." She corrected him.
"Yeah, that stuff… to anybody else.I have a lot, they don't. What's the big deal?" Hopefully they bought that. He didn't need the old man wondering if he was perving on his student.
On her part, Syndra looked completely baffled. "A lot?! I could feel you from miles away! Even now, it feels like I'm standing next to a ley line! Such power… yours surpasses anything I've ever felt before! I can feel it… almost like it's calling to me… and it's all coming from here…" The teen seemed to be in a trance as she placed her hand where his seal was. She felt a warmth spread throughout her body as she made contact with the blond.
"Syndra! Remember your exercises." Awakening from her trance, she blinked and looked at where her hand was placed. Drawing her hand away, the girl looked up into man's eyes. "No… what I felt is far beyond what a human should be capable of! If I can get him to stay then… perhaps he can be my teacher!"
"Well uh… if that's all, I need to get to Hirana." Seeing the old man nod, he turned and made his way towards the door. Before he could open it however, he heard a shout.
"No! Y-You can't leave so soon! You just got here… at least stay here for a couple of days!" Looking over his shoulder, he could see the pale haired teen making her way towards him. Once she reached him, she took his hand of the door handle and held it both of hers. He could see the desperation in her violet eyes.
"I'm sure our guest has his own business to attend to Syndra. Hopefully he'll come back with another letter from Selana." Giving Kōsoku a silent thanks, he smiled at Syndra and nodded in agreement to what the old man had just said.
"Yeah, next time I'm in the area, I'll come down and see you guys." Seeing her face fall, he kneeled so that he could be the one looking up at her. Lifting her chin, he stared into her eyes. "I promise you Syndra, if it means so much to you. I will defiantly come back to see you!"
Giving a small smile, she pulled the ribbon that was tied into her hair. "You promise huh… then you'll bring this purple hair tie back to me when you return then? You better not lose it, my mother gave that to me!" Placing it on his palm, she blushed and turned her back on him. "Well, don't you have to go? The sooner you leave, the sooner you can return… So leave!"
With a loud creak, Naruto turned to see the door behind him almost fly open. Looking back at Syndra, he could only see her back. Giving one last nod, he left the temple and disappeared into the night. Closing the door, she excused herself as she headed back towards her quarters.
"With him by my side, we won't have to listen to those stupid elders. Once I've finished my lessons here, I'll show them that I'm the one in control…"
Taking a glance at the ribbon, he continued his trek towards the Placidium. By now, the sun was well below the horizon. Replaced by the pale radiance of the moon, he was reminded of Syndra's hair. "After I visit those two again, I'll make good on my promise to her…"
"You should know better than to make a promise you can't keep kitten, especially to a woman."
"I'm not, I just don't see the need to go visit a girl I barely know. I know she's probably lonely, but damn was she clingy."
"I'm just saying, you made the same oath to two different women. Don't disappoint them."
"One of those 'woman' you mentioned, was a fox…" He still couldn't believe it himself, an animal had forced him into something.
"The correct term is 'vixen' boy… get it right." Grumbling at what the Kyūbi said, he recalled that particular incident from when he got lost in the forest of southern Ionia.
Three months…
That was how long he had been traveling around his new home. "Although I can hardly call it new anymore… I've already seen over half of it." Taking out his map, he looked at where his next destination was. Currently, he was in the southwestern part of the island.
"Let's see… Karma said to follow the paths through the forest… then to go through the ridge pass. After that, it's a couple days travel to the northwest edge of the island. From there, I'll be able to get to the island where those 'ninja' are supposed to be." Rolling his map back up, he continued trekking deeper into the dense forest.
He could sense the wildlife which stayed outside of his vision. As he thought about the creatures of the forest, he was reminded of his time in Hirana. Much like Shojin, his first few days were filled with meditation. Fortunately, this didn't last long, as the monks of Hirana were a lot more physical than their brethren down south.
Especially a man who called himself Udyr. The few times they fought, he attacked with a ferocity rarely seen in a human. He had explained that he was some type of 'spirit walker' who channeled the power of four spirits that resided within him. Things had taken an awkward turn when he began questioning the blond about his own 'spirits'.
It had been hard, but he had been able to play off Udyr's questions for the month he was there. He had told the brown-haired man that he couldn't 'feel' the spirits he was talking about. After that, he spent most of his time with the beastly man. They would spar a lot, in an attempt to get Naruto to bring forth his 'true nature'. In the end, the whiskered man had told him that he felt nothing. After that, he had left the monastery after thanking them for their instruction.
"Although you lied to that man, we've been able to meld even better since we've left that place." Gyuki had been wary of the man, but couldn't deny the progress Naruto had made with drawing on their individual chakra.
"Yeah I guess… but I can feel more than just our chakra melding. Sometimes I feel like your attitudes are mixing with mine."
"Not surprising… as some of Kurama's nature intertwined with yours, so shall ours."
"Yeah baby! A little more time with me and maybe you'll stop bein a little bitch!"
Feeling a shudder go down his spine, Naruto cut off the communication between his tenants. Letting loose a sigh, he directed his gaze skyward. "Great… now I'm gonna become a super prev like that ero-tanuki… and it's raining… again." During his travels in southern Ionia, he had discovered that it rained here quite a bit. Which luckily for him meant about half the week at a minimum.
Taking shelter under one of the many trees that made up the forest, he began to meditate. Drawing in the natural energy around him, he felt the area around him light up. From his position, he could feel the vitality of all creatures from miles away. "Some of the animals here have pretty dense chakra."
"It's not chakra…"
Ignoring the comment, he continued to radiate his own. He didn't know how long he sat there, but when he re-opened his eyes, it wasn't raining any longer. Stretching his back, he prepared to continue his journey. Before he could however, he took note of his audience. Surrounding him was every type of animal one would expect to see in a forest. Some he'd never even seen before.
The one's that caught his attention the most though, were the foxes. There was a group of about four of them sitting a couple of meters away from him. It wasn't how close they were that made them stick out though, it was their tails. Out of the four, three of them had nine tails, with the last having only six.
"O-Oi Kurama! You seeing this?! There's like three of you in front of me!" The foxes seemed to notice he was staring at them, and proceeded to duck behind a tree. One of them poked its head out and, noticing the human was still staring at it, walked towards him.
"Hmm… Interesting… As far as I know, I was the only 'Kyūbi' back in the elemental countries. And that was because of the old man who created us. It seems as though they can sense us within you."
"Do I just have a huge sign on my head that says 'Hey everybody! I'm a jinchuriki! Ask me anything… like how I have nine huge ass biju in my gut!" Really, he was beginning to think that trying to lay low was a waste of time. As he mused about his situation, the fox continued to approach him.
Cautiously, it made its way towards him until it sat no more than a few feet away. Naruto didn't know why it bothered, the creature was easily twice the size Akamaru had been. He could hear the other foxes yip wildly the closer the one before him got. "Probably warning it that I'm 'dangerous' or something. It wouldn't be too surprising to find out that the animals here are hunted."
"Humans can be pretty stupid, but do you really think anyone from around here would hunt something of that size? Besides, foxes are known for their wit and trickery… a fox that gets caught in some hunter's trap isn't worth their tails." He could almost feel the smugness in Kurama's voice as he talked about his species.
Rolling his eyes, he concentrated on the vulpine figure in front of him. Now merely less than a foot away, it slowly brought its muzzle towards his face. Staring into a pair of slitted amber eyes, the monk didn't make a move. He watched as the numerous tails of the fox slowly descended upon him. Taking this as a sign that he was being trusted, he reached out and brushed his hands through its silvery white fur.
"Y'know, besides the whole size of a small horse thing… this fox is pretty nice." He continued to rub behind the fox's ears. Moving to sit beside him, the fox leaned on him while wrapping him in its tails. Taking the time to look at the creature, he noted it was female. "Good, it would make me feel like it was you if it were male."
"Hmpf… We may be on friendly terms now, but that doesn't mean I'll demean myself by… cuddling with you." Just thinking about it made a shiver of disgust run through the kitsune's body.
After sitting with the vixen for a few more moments, Naruto jumped back to his feet. Seeing this, the fox also stood, its nine tails slowly waving through the air. Giving an awkward smile he pet the animal one last time before turning his back. "Well… uh… it's been fun I guess… so I'll see you again? Man that sounds so lame." Whispering the last part, he started to walk away.
Before he could make it a few steps however, he felt something wrap around his arm. Looking down, he saw the white fur of the fox's tail. Turning around, he was greeted to another tail caressing his whiskers.
"Hehe… looks like its mating season kid. I'm sure you'll just run from this piece of tail too… get it… because she has multiple tails?!"
"Not… funny…"
Giving the fox another forced smile, he tried to pull away. He was rewarded by another tail wrapping around his other arm. Hearing the vixen whine, he stopped trying to pull away. "Alright then, looks like where doing this the hard way." Making a cross-shaped gesture with his hands, another Naruto popped into existence right next to him.
Switching places with the clone, he gave the fox one last look before continuing his trek. Throughout the entire process, the vixen stood in shock as the human doubled himself. Hearing a puff, she felt her tails grasping at thin air as the fake human disappeared. Growling, the fox ran to catch up to the interesting human.
Running back onto the road, she looked around but there was no sign of the robe clad man. Sniffing the air, she yipped as she caught his scent in the air. But how did something on two legs get so far, so fast? Ignoring that, the fox tracked her prey down.
Some distance away, Naruto jumped out of the tree he had just been in. Looking down the empty pathway behind him, he smirked and continued down the trail. "That fox was getting a little too attached… but now I've gone off the road that I was following on the map." Cursing under his breath, Naruto pulled his map back out.
Unbeknownst to him, he was being watched from behind a tree. With a grin forming on her vulpine features, the vixen casually strode up right behind him. Silly human thought he could get away! With him radiating such delicious life energy, there was no way he was escaping her. Not to mention, there was something about him that wasn't right. He felt like the other foxes that roamed the woods, maybe it was the whisker marks?
Meanwhile, the blonde was getting increasingly irritated as he tried to pinpoint where he was exactly. "I'm sure I just went a mile or so west! Or… was it north? These damn trees all look the same! How I'm I supposed to reach the Tranquil Ridge now?" While he continued to glare at his map, he saw a white appendage come over his shoulder. Landing on the map, he saw it trace along the edge, towards his destination.
"Hmm... That could be the way… It does look like the spot where that village is supposed… to…" Pausing mid-sentence, the monk slowly turned his head until he looked upon the foxes own curious gaze. Stiffly rolling his map back up, he kept his eyes locked on the fox. "Look… Obviously you're a lot smarter…" The vixen gave a nod. "… Than I thought, so I'll just ask you. Why are you following me? As you can see… I'm not a fox."
The slivery fur of the fox swayed in the wind as she merely stared at him. Shaking her head she extended one of her tails. Naruto raised an eyebrow as he felt the appendage rub against the markings on his face. "What? What about my birthmarks?" Growling in response, the animal kept rubbing his face with one tail while touching her own with another tail.
"You think… Just because I have 'whiskers' like you, that I'm a fox? I'm pretty sure it doesn't work that way. Anyways, would you please stop following me? You can't go where I'm going, and I'd feel bad if you were to get hurt because of me." Naruto didn't know how to describe the face the vixen was making, but he'd settle on stubborn.
Suddenly, he was yet again wrapped in all nine of the white tails. Letting loose a sigh he prepared to use escape the same way as he did last time. Before his hands could make the gesture however, he heard his unwanted companion whine. Gradually, the snug grip was released until the tails were swaying back behind his temporary captor.
"Thanks… I guess." Turning back towards his destination, he prepared to carry on. Before he did however, he took one last behind him. The fox was still sitting in the same spot, but with her muzzle pointed towards the grass. With an exasperated sigh, he walked back towards the depressed creature.
"Can't believe I'm about to do this… for an animal…" Kneeling in front of the vixen, he wasn't surprised to see her face shoot back up with a hopeful gleam in her amber eyes. "Look uh… I'm sure that someday I'll be walking through this place again! So… don't be so down and stuff. It doesn't look right."
With one last pat on her head, he picked himself up and made his way towards the road. Feeling a tug on his arm, he bit his lip. Turing around with a forced smile, he was pushed to the ground and held down by her weight. Now looking up into a pair of siltted eyes, he grunted as their faces were inches apart. Giving him a few licks on his cheek, he started to feel uncomfortable under the vixen's intense gaze.
"Promise me… you'll come back."
Hearing a soft, feminine voice in the back of his mind, his eye's widened in shock. Naruto couldn't help but squirm under her. "What the fuck… did you just talk?! In MY head! That's it! I…" Before he could launch his vulpine assailant off, he was caught in her gaze once more. Even through his resistance, she kept the same intense look in her eyes.
"Promise me!"
"A-Alright already, Dattebayo! I promise I'll come back to see you! Now can you get off me? You're kinda heavy…" With a slight glare, his captor relented and moved off him. Pushing himself up, he dusted off his clothes. Picking up his gear, he turned to look at the fox. She sat, still staring at him with her piercing gaze.
With a shrug to, he turned his back on the sentient fox. Finally free to continue his journey, he took a step towards the trail. Before he completed the step however, he turned back towards the vixen. "Wait, how will I find you? From what I've seen, white foxes seem to be common around here." With a foxy grin that would put his own to shame, she turned and ran back into the forest.
As he saw her disappear into the darkness of the dense forest, he heard the voice in his head once more.
"I will be the one to find you! And when we next meet… things will be much different."
"Wonder what she meant by that… she's a fox. I don't think things can get much 'different' for her."
Now traveling under moonlight, it would only be another hour or so before he made to the Placidium. Looking up at the night sky, his eye's made out the many constellations that dotted it. Every night when he star gazed, he would think about Soraka. When he had been traveling around southern Ionia, he had asked around about her location. Though the locals knew of the Starchild, they had no idea where she actually lived.
"If I can remember from when I first came here… she was in some kind of forest with glowly trees. I know she's somewhere near Navori… that's the direction we came from originally…" Pushing his hand through his mane of blond hair, he tried to think of a way to get to his former caretaker.
"Remembering that dream you had about her huh? I don't blame you for trying to make it a reality… that star babe had a body that was out of this world!"
"Yeah… well it looks like I'm gonna keep on dreaming because I have no idea where to find her!"
"Well… I'm pretty sure your ninja buddies back on that island might know. Especially that Hikari chick and her daughter! You could make a fine kunoichi sandwich right there, with you in the middle!"
Ignoring the latter half of his suggestion, Naruto thought about what the tanuki had just said. It was true that the Kinkou Order generally knew mostly everything that went on the island. Not to mention he was returning there anyways.
"Alright then! After I leave here in a few days, I'll return back there a little earlier then I planned. Hopefully, Rendao knows where Soraka is… I'm sure he does, that guy knows everything."
As he walked deeper into the shadows, he briefly thought about how he met the leader of the Kinkou.
For an island that was supposed to be full of ninja, it was surprisingly easy to get on undetected.
"You say that, but didn't you just blast across a body of water to reach this very island? I doubt many could do the same thing."
"That just makes it worse then, doesn't it? You'd think that a guy zooming through the ocean would attract some attention..." As he peered past the tree he was hiding behind, he got a glimpse of the darkened sky. "… That's also why I waited till the clouds were covering the moon. You know, stealth and shit."
Giving another cautious look around the tree, Naruto concentrated. "Yo Kurama, You mind gathering some natural chakra for me?"
Feeling the welcome expanding of his senses, he concentrated on his immediate area. Except the wildlife that inhabited the outer forest, he couldn't sense any people for a couple of miles. Jumping to the top of another nearby tree, he scouted the area out.
"Hmm… except that large complex, there's nothing but trees around here. Nice to see that this place is mostly flat, I'm so tired of mountains…" Flipping off the tree and landing in a silent crouch, Naruto ventured further into the islands center. Using his sensing abilities granted from his Sennin-Modo, he could estimate just how many people were at the complex.
Soon, he was less than half a mile away from the entrance of the compound. Releasing the natural chakra within, his eyes returned to their original blue. With one last breath to prepare himself, he stepped out into an open section of the forest.
"Wonder how long it will take… Oh… finally! Let's see how the ninja here get down." Feeling ready to burst with excitement, Naruto ignored the blade at his neck.
"Wow! You guys were like, super-fast! Not as fast as I woulda been… but still! And, would you mind, y'know, taking that blade away from my neck? You could hurt me!" As he finished his sentence, the weapon was pushed further into his skin.
"Your attire designates you as a monk from the mainland. However, no monk has ever penetrated this far into the isle without being detected… nor have they tried. State your business at once… and no more jokes."
The tone in the kunoichi's voice held no warmth, no mercy. The longer they stood, he could feel her digging the blade deeper into the artery of his neck. As he stalled, he let his eyes wonder around his surroundings. He could see another kunoichi to his left, with a shinobi waiting atop a tree branch. He could see them easily enough, but not the other three ninja that hid from view.
"Hey look, I'm not here to attack you guys or anything alright? I've just been traveling around Ionia and this was the last stop. An island full of ninja was just too much to pass up!" He could almost feel the disbelief that was exuding from his captor.
"You thought… coming to an island full of trained assassins made for a good tourist trip. Do not test my patience. I've killed fools such as yourself for much less…"
"Ooohhh… edgy! Your gonna kill a fellow Ionian for nothing? Seems kinda messed up, don't cha think?" He wasn't overly concerned with his health right now, just testing the morals of the local ninja. He was pretty sure she would kill him if she thought he was a threat. It was just a matter of how far he could push her.
"If this had happened before you even mastered Sennin-Modo, you'd be taking a lot more seriously…"
"Meh… maybe, but even if they can 'out ninja' me, I guarantee that I could kick all their 's nice to have a little fun every once and awhile, so lighten up Gyuki!"
Feeling the kunoichi shift, he could feel her breath on the back of his neck. "We may be countrymen, but most know that this place is forbidden. I will take no pleasure in killing you, but I will do whatever is necessary."
Suddenly, a figure appeared before him. He had on a face mask, so the only thing he could see was the man's strange pale glowing eyes. "It has been a while, hasn't it Naruto? Guessing from the clothes you wear, you've been to at least the Hirana Monastery, hmm?" Hearing the leader talk to their intruder like an old friend, the woman dropped her weapon from his neck.
Squinting his eyes at the man as if trying to recognize him. Naruto rubbed his neck as he responded. "Yeah, like I was telling her, I've been over most of this island and wanted to stop here last." Turning his head slightly to give the female ninja a wary look, he continued. "You say it's been a while, but I don't remember meeting an old man with glowy eyes..."
"Not surprising, I have a habit of… blending in. It was a little over three months ago. I'm sure you remember when you stood before the elders? I was there, hidden in plain sight." The older ninja gave a slight bow to his guest. "My name is Rendao, by the way. You'll have to forgive Hikari for her… hostile greeting. What she said was true however. All Ionians learn sometime in their life not to travel to the northern island."
Giving the man a sheepish look, Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Uh… well, sorry I guess. Karma nor Soraka never mentioned anything about this place being off limits. All's I was told was that ninja were on this island."
"That still leaves the question. Why did you come here?" The older man questioned the monk before him. As the moon peeked from behind the clouds, the ninja kept their focus on the intruder.
"Before I tell you why I came here… can we get a little bit of privacy? It's kinda personal, y'know?"
The leader of the Kinkou closed his eyes as he considered Naruto's request. On his side, Hikari kept her gaze on the blonde. "If this is the boy Rendao talked about when he came back a few months ago… I too am curious as to why he came here." Tightening the grip she had on her kamas, she stood ready.
Finally, the older ninja opened his eyes. Staring into his pale orbs, Naruto clenched his fist in apprehension. "If the old man says no, this could turn real shitty… real fast."
"Pfftt… I doubt these wanobi's could barely last a minute with you. If he wants to fight, just put your foot up his ass!" Really, Shukaku doubted that there was anyone on this 'Runeterra' that could pose any sort of threat to them.
"I could do that… but, I actually like Ionia. Things here are a lot more peaceful than they were back home… As long as nobody knows the truth about why I'm really here, we can start over. Oh yeah, and what the fuck is a 'wanobi'?"
"You like it? I made it up like five minutes ago! It means 'wannabe shinobi', cuz these bitches aint got nothin on you! Show them what real ninja are all about!"
Resisting the urge to slap his forehead, Naruto stood waiting for any response from Rendao. Seeing the younger man's stare, the elder nodded his head. With a sudden wave of his hand, the ninja in the trees leapt back into the night. Looking slightly impressed, Naruto noticed that three of them decided to stay behind.
Hikari also noticing the stragglers, turned her head to speak to them. "Return home, we wish to converse with our… guest, alone." Without hesitation the trio also disappeared from the clearing.
"Wonder what was so special about them? They all looked the same as the others. Except Rendao and this Hikari lady, I can't tell them apart from each other!" Shaking his head at the thought, his face grew serious as he looked back at the remaining couple.
"Well, I guess I owe you guys that explanation then huh?" Closing his eyes as he mentally prepared himself, the blond released the breath he had been holding in. "To start, you should know that I'm not from Ionia… or Runeterra for that matter." He wasn't surprised to see the slight widening of Hikari's eyes. It was the look of indifference on Rendao's face that made him nervous.
"After you showed us that 'aura' of yours, a few of us had discussed the probability of you being from another realm. We have had reports that the 'summoners' at the Institute of War are fond of pulling things through space. Were you a victim of their meddling?"
"I guess he doesn't think much of ripping holes into other worlds." Giving a bitter chuckle, his gaze fell to the ground as he replied. "No… Me being here is entirely my own fault." Unbeknownst to him, the duo before him gave each other a quick glance. Shaking himself out of his quickly mounting depression, he continued.
"Anyway… The reason I came here is because I wanted to see the ninja of this world. Back where I come from, ninja were everywhere! But from what I've seen of this place, I don't think we have much in common."
After hearing the shinobi-turned-monk's explanation, the pair were shocked. They could believe that he came from another realm. But, for that realm to also have ninja? The odds of that were even less than slim.
Staring intently at the blond, Hikari voiced her doubts. "I don't mean to be rude, but I find it hard to believe that you were a ninja. Perhaps our worlds have different definitions of what it means to be one? Please, explain the role the ninja of your world played."
"Shit… its times like this I wish I paid more attention in the academy."
"Do not fret Naruto. Did you forget that you have over a millenniums worth of knowledge resting inside you? Just repeat what we say." Hearing the deep rumbling voice of Gyuki made Naruto visibly relax.
"Count me out… You can suck it for all I care!"
"Yeah? Don't go bitchin when I come in there to kick your grainy ass!"
"Excuse me, are you alright? You drifted off for a moment." Blinking his eyes as he refocused, the monk gave a placating wave. "No! No! I was just um… collecting my thoughts. Anyways, here's how the Elemental country's work…"
As Gyuki suggested, Naruto parroted everything he heard from the Biju. From the different shinobi ranks to the principles of jutsu, the blonde gave a thorough briefing on his home world. While Rendao sat in rapt attention, Hikari wouldn't hesitate to ask for further explanation. He didn't know how much time had passed, but Naruto had quickly become bored of the 'class'. After what seemed like hours, he was finally done. As agreed upon with the Biju, the duo heard nothing about his world's origins or Kaguya.
Taking a moment to digest what he'd just heard, Rendao stayed silent. Hikari on the other hand, continued her inquiries. "I understand most of your world's history, but one thing has been bothering me. How exactly did this 'chakra' come to be? It sounds almost like the mana that sorcerers use. I'm still a bit skeptical about half the stuff you said you could do with this chakra."
Giving her no indication that he was a bit alarmed by her question, he gave a nonchalant shrug. "Meh… I'm not sure where chakra 'comes from'. We never learned that in the academy. The only thing we were taught was how to use it… and I've explained that already."
"I see… it just seems that what you call chakra, is what we call Ki. But the feats that you described made possible with chakra, make it seem more like Chi. Would you mind demonstrating one of the jutsu from your home?"
"I guess that's not a problem… but which one should I use…" As Naruto contemplated which brand of Ninjutsu he should use, the pair stood patiently. They grew increasingly interested as they heard him whisper the choices he had.
"Kage Bushin… Rasengan… Oiroke no Justu… Hāremu no Jutsu?! Just what kind of ninja is he?" Hikari's opinion of the blonde wavered as she heard the last two. Unconsciously, her hand rested on one of her kamas. After a couple more minutes of deliberating, the man shrugged and placed his hand into a cross-shape. Without a word, the space on either side of him was now occupied by copies of their guest. Suppressing the urge to gasp, the kunoichi warily walked up to the blond replicas.
"So… is this your 'Oiroke no Jutsu'?" Hearing the underlying hostility in her voice, Naruto made sure to stay light on his feet. Giving her a cautious glance, he replied to the question.
"No, this is Kage Bushin. Where did you hear that one from?"
"You were talking under your breath… If you wouldn't mind, would you show me this 'sexy' technique you have? It sounds… interesting."
Looking over to Rendao for help, he saw the elder examining one of his clones. The older man seemed fascinated by the physical copies. "Well, he aint gonna be much help…" Giving a tired sigh, the blond placed his hands in another seal.
"Henge!"
Seeing a plume of smoke billow next to him, Rendao tore his attention away from the doppelgangers. He had been thinking about the many benefits of the Kinkou having such an ability. What he saw next though, completely floored him.
Once the smoke was clear, the duo were treated to a sight neither had expected. Where once stood a young man on the cusp of adulthood, now stood its complete opposite. A shapely young woman made her way out of the smoke. Wearing a more female friendly version of what the clones he had on, Naruko waved to the duo.
"Yo…" The pair of Kinkou ninja merely stared as they took in the blonde's new appearance. Walking towards the newly formed girl, Hikari gave her a look of amazement. "Even his voiced changed! I was expecting him to just reappear naked but this… this is unheard of!" Now standing in front of the blonde, the older woman narrowed her eyes. "Only one thing remains unanswered."
Without warning, Hikari groped Naruko's breast. Ignoring the shout of protest from her victim, the kunoichi marveled at the feel of the flesh in her hands. "A-Amazing… if I had not known beforehand… I would believe that this was a real woman!" Before she could experiment anymore, her hand were slapped away. Looking up, she saw Naruko glaring at her.
"Can you not do that? It feels really weird having your boobs played with when you spend most of your time as a guy. And Yes! Before you try it, this body is 100% female… trust me on this one." Wrapping her arms around her chest, she gave Rendao a wary glance as he got closer.
"Not only can you copy yourself, you can also transform your physical appearance? This brand of Ninjutsu seems to be more like sorcery than anything. Still, only a fool would deny the benefits of such techniques." Looking in between the clones and Naruko, the elder ninja stroked his chin. "I wonder what other feats the ninja of his world were able to achieve… and if we can do the same."
Focusing his gaze on Naruko, he approached her. "I've seen and heard enough to know that the ninja of your world are far superior to our own. That being said…" Both Hikari and Naruto were surprised to see the elder kneel before the blond. "…I would be greatly honored if you would share your arts with the Kinkou."
"We're finally here…" Naruto was pushed from his reminiscing as he approached the gates of the Placidium. Walking towards them, he gave the guards on post a nod. Seeing the late night visitor, the guards acknowledged his presence. "Hail traveler, what brings you here this late after sun down?" Hearing the wary tone the guard used, Naruto put his hands up as a sign of peace.
"I've been traveling all day to visit some friends that live here. What's the deal with the gates? Last time I was here they were wide open, even after nightfall." Naruto's suspicions only grew as the guards gave each other a knowing look. Relaxing their stance, they only whispered an apology before guiding him to the smaller service entrance.
Looking confused as the guards left without a word, he continued towards his destination. As he trekked along the quiet city, he noticed a lot more guards out on patrol. "Somethings definitely not right here… the guard presence has increased by at least three fold since last time I was here. There's also that feeling in the air…" It felt like everywhere he walked he had to watch his back. The few citizens he did pass looked to be in some kind of hurry.
After a few moments of hurried walking, he finally reached the house he was looking for. Giving a few knocks on the polished surface of the wooden door, he waited. Looking over his shoulder, he suppressed the shiver that went down his spine. "What the hell is going on here? This feels like one of those shitty horror movies where the killer is always watching you!" Fingering the handle of one the kunai he had, he knocked of the door again. Hearing it gradually creak open, he saw a head of black hair peek through the opening. Seeing the green eyes of Irelia, he let himself relax.
"Na-Naruto? What are doing here? N-Never mind, come inside!" Before he could respond he was pulled inside the house. Feeling the door slam behind him, he gave Irelia a nervous glance.
"Nice to see you too… Irelia, what's goin on around here? Everyone seems to be all jumpy over something. Also, where's your brother and the old man? I…" Feeling something of his lips, he looked downward to see her finger. Looking up into her viridian eyes, he noticed a look of sorrow on her features.
"Things have… changed since you left Naruto. F-Father he…" Shutting her eyes for a second, she took a deep breath before continuing. "… Father passed away last month due to some illness that overtook him." Seeing the tears that escaped her eyes, Naruto moved forward to console her. Before he could however, she turned her back to him.
"It progressed so fast… I had noticed him coughing but, he always assured us that it was of no concern. Then he started to c-cough up blood and stayed bed ridden all day. Even now, no one knows what caused it… not even that doctor that traveled here from Piltover…" Taking a few moments to re-adjust herself, the woman brushed her arm against her face. "As for Zelos, he left a couple of days ago to seek aid from Demacia."
"Seek aid from Demacia? Isn't that place on the other side of Valoran? Why is Ionia asking for help in the first place?" Walking up behind her, Naruto placed a hand on Irelia's shoulder. He was momentarily surprised when she immediately turned and wrapped him in a hug.
"I'm so glad you came back! With everything that's going on… I've felt so alone since Zelos left!" Rubbing her back in an awkward manner, Naruto looked down to see the tears running down her cheeks. Hesitantly, he lifted Irelia's chin so that her eyes met his.
"What's going on Irelia? Why did Zelos leave? Does it have something to do with why the gates are closed?" A look of understanding crossed her pale features as she unwrapped her arms from around his body.
"Y-You haven't heard… It all makes sense. Here, sit down while I make us some tea." Doing as she asked, Naruto sat himself down and waited. Hearing Irelia move around the home's small kitchen, he looked around the rest of the house. One thing that was obvious to him was the abundance of items that laid strewn around. The kitchen was cluttered, clothes littered the ground, and even the table he sat at was a mess. Whatever happened must have hit Irelia hard.
Looking at the woman herself, he noticed the same disarray. Her usually straight, jet-black hair looked frazzled. Her skin was looking a lot paler than usual, though it could just be from the moonlight. From the few feet away he was, he could easily make out her red, puffy eyes. Even her pupils didn't shine with the unbreakable resolve he was used to seeing.
"I guess losing everyone you love in such a short amount of time can do that to you…" Thinking about his own loss, his mood took a sharp turn. Feeling something hit the table, he looked up to see the cup Irelia set before him. Seeing her stare into her own mug, he waited for her to start. With an exhausted sigh, she took a sip of whatever brew she made and looked back up to him.
"About a week ago, Noxus launched an attack on the southern provinces. It took us almost three days till we even knew of the assault. Three days Naruto… that's how long it took them to take Shon-Xan. From the reports that I've heard, Galrin will also soon fall under their control. If they take Navori then they'll have captured Ionia's three wealthiest provinces!"
"Why are they attacking us? From what I know of Ionia, we haven't had a war in like… centuries!"
Shrugging her shoulders, the woman merely took another sip of her warm beverage. "We don't really know… the elders have only speculation to fall on right now. They feel that Noxus is invading us because they don't have to fear any sort of retaliation from Demacia thanks to the ceasefire in place."
"So, Demacia should come and help us then right? Enemy of my enemy and all that non-sense?" It was the obvious answer in Naruto's mind. If Demacia saw its rival picking on another nation, they were obligated to help, right?
"I… I don't think so. The Institute of War has forbidden any more open conflict between the two. That's why Zelos was sent to go ask for aid, we didn't think they'd send any otherwise."
"So this… Institute of War has no problem with them attacking us then? What kind of bullshit is that?!" Seeing the enraged look on her friends face, Irelia looked down to see her reflection in the tea.
"Ionia has no member's to represent us at the Institute. Also, we opted to not participate in their so called league that is being built." She felt that the elders had made the right decision. For over 500 years, except for trade, Ionia had remained largely isolationist. There was no need to partake in the events of the mainland.
"So because we don't wanna play their little games we're left to defend ourselves from a fucking empire? Give me one day, I'll make sure that they stop this!" Rising from his seat, Naruto turned from the table and stomped towards the door. Before he could grasp the handle however, he felt a pair of arms around his waist.
"D-Don't be so hasty! The Institute is made up of the most powerful summoners on Valoran! To demand anything of them is a fool's dream!" Hearing the man see was holding chuckle, her face contorted in confusion.
"That's fine by me! I've never been known to be particular smart. And power… that won't be much of an issue." Seeing him reach towards the door latch, she pulled backwards. Tumbling towards the ground together, Irelia climbed on top of Naruto before he knew what was going on. Now straddling him, she held his hands down with her own as theirs faces were only inches apart.
"I won't let you get yourself locked up or killed! The only real ports to the mainland are in the southern provinces. If you go there you'll be killed by the Noxians!" With a stubborn look in his eye, Naruto simply bucked his hips underneath Irelia. Surprised by the force of the thrust, it was easy for Naruto to overpower her. Now on top, he looked at his wrists where he saw she had latched onto.
"Let me go Irelia! If Demacia or the Institute won't do anything, I'll just have to go give them a kick in the ass!" Giving a frustrated growl, she wrapped her legs around his waist. With a defiant gleam in her eyes, Irelia held fast.
"No! Your just one man Naruto! No matter what sort of strength that you think you might have, you can't do it alone! Even if you reach either of those places, what makes you think they'll listen to you?"
"Trust me… I have a way with words!" Growing irritated with her, he lifted himself up onto his feet. Irelia however, chose to keep herself wrapped around him. Trying to push her off of him, they gave each other heated glances. "Damn! I can't push to hard or I'll risk hurting her!" As the two continued to struggle, they missed the knocking on the door. Sliding her leg lower on his body, Irelia was able to bring Naruto back on the ground.
"Irelia! Are you ok in there? I heard shouting! Irelia!? I'm coming in!"
Hearing the door burst open, the duo looked towards the entrance. Through it came a young woman dressed in the standard attire of the Ionian guard. With her blade drawn, she stood before the couple. Silence reigned as the rooms inhabitants stared at each other. Seeing the position the two were in, the guard's face became a healthy shade of red.
"I-I'm sorry Irelia! I didn't know your boyfriend was here!" Sheathing her blade, the guard rushed out the house. Hearing the door slam, the two took the time to examine their positions.
"Why are your hands on my butt?" Looking down the length of his arms, Naruto could indeed see that his grip was situated on her backside. Marveling at the sheer size of it, he gave it a quick squeeze.
"H-Hey! Stop playing with my butt!" Realizing what she just said, Irelia quickly sought to end the current situation she was in. Calmly taking hold of Naruto's hands into her own, she focused her gaze on him.
"The point remains, I won't let you leave. If you won't stay because of common sense, then you will stay for me. Please Naruto, I've already lost my father, and I don't know if… when Zelos will return. Don't leave me here, alone." Watching the fire leave Naruto's eyes, Irelia allowed herself to relax a little.
"She makes some interesting point's boy. Do you honestly think those people would listen to some random kid? Furthermore, trying to force their assistance will only end with you having a target on your back. I'll admit that your charisma has helped you in the past, but it looks like we'll be having to get our hands dirty this time."
"Heh… we barely make it alive out of one war, and here we are about to fight in another one. Things will be different this time around!" Looking back up to Irelia, Naruto gave her a forced smile. "Fine then… I'll just have to stay and watch your back!" Giving him a soft smile, Irelia nodded in agreement. "Which shouldn't be too hard, seeing how big it is. I can't even fit one side in my hand!"
Feeling her release his hands, Naruto looked up to see Irelia's blank face. Knowing she took his joke the wrong way, he put his hands up in defense. "H-Hey Irelia… It was just a joke, y'know! I actually like big asses! It was a compliment!" Seeing her hands reach for his throat, he let out an exasperated sigh.
"You know what, fuck it."
Reaching behind her one more time, Naruto gave the large globes of flesh another squeeze. Hearing her gasp in indignation, he merely shrugged. "Your gonna kick my ass anyways… might as well get something out of it." With a stern glare, Irelia got off Naruto and stomped into another room. "Maybe she liked it?" Hearing the shuffle of items, the blond tried to look around the corner Irelia had disappeared around. Arching his eyebrow as he heard her grunt, he pushed himself up onto his forearms.
"You need some help… back… there…" Paling as he saw what she had such trouble lifting, Naruto started to slide back towards the door. "H-Hey Irelia, remember how you said you need me? I can't be here if you stab me with that HUGE ASS SWORD!" The blade was at least half his height.
"Don't worry Naruto, I'm sure after I cut off your arms we won't have to worry about you groping me butt whenever you please. Now, please hold still."
"BUT I'LL BLEED TO DEATH!"
"I'll be sure to bandage your wounds after we're done. But if you keep resisting, then I'm not liable for how… messy things might become."
Jumping to his feet, Naruto gave Irelia a serious look." I see then… you give me no choice then Irelia. Remember, you brought this on yourself!" Taking a cautious step back, she saw him make a strange hand gesture.
"Here it comes! Oiroke Gyaku Hāremu no Jutsu!" Irelia's eye's shot open as she heard what Naruto called out.
"Reverse sexy technique? What kind of…" As the smoke cleared, Irelia froze as she was surrounded on all sides. "H-How did he conjure a group of naked men here?! What exactly has he been doing the last five months?"
As the group closed in around her, she had to fight to keep her eyes above their waist. "S-Stay back! Despite its size, I know how to use this sword!"
One of the men took a step forward and gave her a smirk. "It's good to know you're so handy with 'swords' of all sizes!"
Growling at what the man was implying, she did the only thing she could do. Rearing back, she shot her foot forward with all the power her training provided. Hearing a satisfying squeak, Irelia was surprised when the pervert in front of her disappeared into a puff of smoke.
"What? So they're really a bunch of illusions?" Glancing at the rest of the group, she could see that they had reached the same conclusion she had. Frowning, she hefted the massive blade in her hands and charged forward.
Outside, Naruto winced from his position on top of one of the trees. Releasing a sigh, he leaned back and looked up to see the inky darkness of the night sky.
"Are you sure that was wise? She'll defiantly ask questions in the morning."
Dismissing Kokuō's concern, he kept his gaze on the sky. Looking for the light of the moon, he made himself comfortable on the branch. "If that's the case, I'm sure she'll have a lot more questions in the coming days." Quitting his search for the light, he closed his eyes as his exhaustion finally caught up with him.
"It looks like there's no such thing as peace in this world either…"
