Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Old Man Logan
This story is based on a Wolverine story arc called Old Man Logan. A look at a world thirty years into the future where the villains have won, how has the world changed? How has Naruto changed? What dark secret does Naruto hold that haunts him to this very day?
Old Man Naruto
Chapter 4: Shadows of the Past
The rest of the trip to wave was done in relative silence with Naruto needing his space and Kankuro more than willing to allow him that. They arrived just outside the bridge that led to Wave Country with Kankuro resealing the carriage back into his storage tattoos.
"From here we'll walk to be more incognito", kankuro said pulling his hood over his head. Naruto silently nodded taking a look at the bridge before them. He remembered when he had first been here and when the bridge was first built. He had been back a few times after his first mission, the first time he was speechless, seeing the sign that read The Great Naruto Bridge, and feeling so overwhelmed. That sign had long since been torn down, in its place a simple sign that read, Now Entering the Province of Wave. Scrawled underneath was a bit of graffiti reading, abandon hope all who enter here.
The two made their way through the town which seemed to have regressed back to the state it was under Gato. The end of the trade routes had once again brought the country into poverty. The only business' that seemed to strive were the bars and the brothels. Naruto's anger began to rise as he saw the children not old enough to work the brothels running drinks in the bars. Kankuro noticed, placing an arm on Naruto's to calm his friend.
"Remember, incognito", Kankuro whispered.
Naruto nodded slightly as they continued their way through the barren and dirty streets. They came to a stop across from a small building hidden away on a side street.
"Is this where you're meeting the contact", Naruto asked eyeing the bar.
"Yes, he should already be here waiting for us", Kankuro said leaning up against a pole. "I want to thank you Naruto, you have no idea just how important the cargo I'm carrying really is."
"I'm doing this so I can get the money my family needs to live", Naruto said crossing his arms, "whatever it is your smuggling is no concern of mine."
"We'll see", Kankuro said smirking, "just look tough and let me do the talking. And make sure the money is all there."
"Why? Don't trust this guy", Naruto asked following Kankuro in.
"No. I just don't trust anyone", Kankuro called over his shoulder.
They stepped into a poorly lit room that revealed a small bar with a few scattered tables. A lone bartender was wiping down the counter with a couple of patrons nursing drinks or pasted out at their tables.
"Hey Shigeo where are you? I can smell that awful cologne from here", Kankuro yelled into the bar.
"What happen to incognito", Naruto grumbled to himself.
At the sound of Kankuro's prompting a man seated at a back table rose to get a better look at the two men. Naruto could see he was a few years younger than themselves, slightly heavyset and was wearing a fine suit. Naruto couldn't make much of this stranger, but judging from his girth and suit he was not a local.
The man known as Shigeo met Kankuro halfway and embraced him in a friendly hug. "Kankuro my friend, we were worried you might be dead. We heard about your troubles in River Country and lost touch with you", Shigeo said retaking his seat.
"Yeah we hit a little snag in river, but don't worry, the cargo is intact", Kankuro said patting his storage tattoo.
"The others will be glad to hear it", Shigeo said wiping his brow.
"Others", Naruto asked quietly.
"Who is he", Shigeo asked nervously having just noticed Naruto's presence.
"He is a dear friend and my escort for this mission", Kankuro said motioning to Naruto.
Shigeo nodded in understanding and reached under the table to reveal a large briefcase. He set it down with a heavy thud, undoing the latches and turning it towards Kankuro and Naruto revealing it to be full of gold bars.
"As agreed, one million in gold bullion for your delivery", Shigeo said tapping the case.
"May I", Kankuro asked extending his hand.
"Of course", replied Shigeo taking a gold brick out and handing it to Kankuro. Kankuro tested the weight, smelled, even bit it before handing it to Naruto who also gave it a once over.
"Seems good to me", Naruto said handing the bar back to Kankuro, who in turn handed it back to Shigeo.
"Never had a doubt in my mind", Kankuro said smirking. "Is it all in this case?"
"No, I have a second case here as well. A million in gold is rather bulky, but if you don't mind, the package please", Shigeo said closing the case.
"Yes of course", Kankuro said biting his thumb and smearing some blood across his sealing tattoo. A puff of smoke revealed a small scroll, which Kankuro handed to Shigeo.
"That's it", Naruto asked in disbelief. "That little scroll is worth two cases of gold?"
"This is much more than a scroll", Shigeo replied carefully scanning the parchment. "This is the seed to a revolution."
"The seed to a revolution", Naruto questioned.
"What that scroll is", Kankuro began turning to Naruto, "is the key to the northern countries."
"I don't understand."
"You know that after the Uchiha Civil War, the northern countries were burned to the ground and a barrier seal was used to separate the northern countries from the rest of the world", Kankuro explained.
"Yes, the seal trapped those inside to be burned away and the barrier has remained ever since. No one can enter or exit, it's like they don't exist", Naruto reasoned still not seeing where Kankuro was going with this.
"Well about three years ago a group of seal masters tried to find a way to break the barrier. They were working for Konoha and the Hokage as a way to expand his empire. Very mysteriously", Kankuro said grinning, "they were all killed and all information regarding the project was destroyed or stolen. The stolen information was given to a few independent seal masters and the end result is here before you", Kankuro said gesturing to the scroll.
"That scroll has a seal that will allow those with it tattooed on their person to freely pass through the barrier. It will allow people a safe haven to free lands", Kankuro said leaning back in his chair.
"And how do you know it will work", Naruto asked skeptical.
Kankuro rolled up his other sleeve to reveal the seal tattoo on his forearm. "I tested it not two months ago myself. I entered just where the old Suna and Iwa border once was. The land is beginning to heal and is able to sustain life again. Shigeo and his group are resistance fighters against Konoha and the Hokage. They will help distribute the seal and begin smuggling people up north."
"All thanks to you my friend", Shigeo said rolling the scroll back up. "If what you say is true, then we can begin the first groups within the next three weeks. Soon we'll have our freedom and a safe haven to live in. Who knows, one day we might grow strong enough to strike back and reclaim the entire continent", Shigeo said smiling broadly.
"It was my pleasure", Kankuro said waving his hand, "that and the money you're paying me."
"And worth every brick", Shigeo said chuckling.
"I do have one favor to ask", Kankuro said becoming serious.
"Oh", Shigeo said somewhat amused.
"I would like myself, my friend here and his family, to be with the first groups you are moving north."
A small smile threatened to cross Naruto's face as he said a silent thank you to his friend. Shigeo pretended to think about it with his own smile across his face.
"It would be an honor to have you and your friends among the first", Shigeo said shaking Kankuro's hand.
"When should we be ready", kankuro asked picking up the case.
"We should be ready to move in about two weeks, meet us here", Shigeo said standing.
"Wait you knew about this seal and escaping to the northern countries the whole time and didn't tell me", Naruto asked a little annoyed.
"I wanted to keep it a surprise", Kankuro said sheepishly, "just grab the other case and we'll go home and break the good news to the misses."
Naruto went to grab the case Shigeo was holding out to him when the latches on the case unlocked and the briefcases door fell open. But rather than a shower of gold bricks, a hail of kunai flew from the trap door riddling Naruto's body with sharpened steel. Naruto cried out before flying back and slamming into the bar wall, his limp body bleeding from dozens of kunai sticking sharply from his flesh.
"Naruto", Kankuro yelled hearing the cry and smelling the blood. He reached for a kunai he had hidden in his pocket when a shape pain hit him in the stomach. His hands reach instinctively down and felt the cold handle of a kunai, Shigeo's kunai.
"You are quite amusing kankuro", Shigeo chuckled dropping the briefcase and drawing another kunai. "Did you honestly believe that the Hokage would not know of every movement within his own lands. That a cockroach like you would remain undetected after the stunt you pulled breaking into Lord Hokage's research labs?"
Kankuro felt himself being hoisted up by either arm. No doubt the backup team sent to make sure everything went smoothly.
"Shigeo you idiot", Kankuro said spitting up blood, "why did you betray the others. What about the resistence?"
"Like I said, you really are amusing", Shigeo said slapping Kankuro in the face shattering his sunglasses. "There is no resistance and there are no others. After your little smash and grab job, my team was sent to find the stolen data. Eventually we found you and those seal "masters" you tried to get to help you. You had managed to kill all of our researchers so we let your people finish the job for us. They were killed but not before revealing that you now had the only copy with you. So we laid a trap, one that no one as idealistic or greedy as you could ever pass up. To think that a rebel group could ever exist under the watchful eye of the Hokage", Shigeo scoffed.
Shigeo turned to kankuro who was glaring at him with pale angry eyes. "But now the question is, what do we do with you?"
Kankuro reared back and spit on Shigeo's face, blood and saliva splattering against his cheek and staining his expensive suit. "Allow me to let you in on a secret punk", Kankuro growled. "I'm an old, blind man who has lost every last member of his family and friends. The woman I considered a daughter betrayed me and the memories of my dead brother and sister. I have nothing left in this world, so just go ahead and try to do your worst."
"Very well", Shigeo said calmly as he threw his kunai, embedding it in kankuro's skull.
"We're returning to konoha", Shigeo said wiping his cheek. "Bring the scroll, the money and their bodies", Shigeo ordered to his team, "I'm sure the Hokage will be very please we have some new editions for his trophy room."
Konoha Present Day
The red glow of dusk washed over Konoha as the city gates closed and locked for the night. If you had not seen Konoha in thirty years, the sight of the gates closed might seem a little strange. Look further and you would see a city that was almost unrecognizable.
The white walls of old were now covered by steel plates to reinforce them against all manner of attack. The residences and business that filled the city were long gone. In their place were barracks, weapon forges and various laboratories and prisons. The Hokage monument was gone as was most of the mountain that held it. The slope of the mountainside eroded and carved away from a great explosion years ago. The one thing that had not changed was the Hokage tower. It's majestic form standing tall over Konoha, the faded symbol for "fire" still gracing its peak.
It was in this tower that stood the Hokage himself, in his trophy room that once served as the office for his predecessors. He stands silently, arms behind his back taking in the many spoils of war that lined the walls. A tattered green jacket with the symbol for "gamble" on its back, the color faded from age and the dried blood stains. Next to it a stuffed and mounted dogs head, a fierce growled and an eye patch across its face. Further still on the wall, a jar with a pair of pearl white eyes and a set of cracked sunglasses flanked on either side by a large black trench coat and a smaller tan one. His eyes continued to wander the room falling on various broken treasures, each one special for some reason or another. But the greatest was still without question the one he kept with him always, his hand reaching up to his left eye, his sharingan eye. He smiles as he thinks of that day when all this became his, the perfect end to a perfect plan.
Flashback Konoha 30 years early, The Day the Villages Fell
Tsunade slowly opened her eyes trying to remember where she was. A sharp pain rocketed through her body and for the first time she realized that she couldn't move. Despite the agony she was in she looked around to see she was buried underneath a landslide of rock. Her legs were buried under debris as well as her right arm. Her left arm was free but broken and she did not have the chakra needed to heal herself.
From where she was lying she could only see the Hokage tower and behind it the monument. The only problem was that the monument was gone. She tried to focus her eyes and saw that the carved faces that looked over the village were indeed gone a barren and smoking hole all that remained. In an instant, it all came flooding back to her. The alarm had sounded and the village had been under attack. Their forces had been pushed back by an army of Zetsu's that seemed to have no end. Kakashi and Gai had been with her fighting the invaders off as the civilians were led to the caverns within the Hokage monument. Most of the ANBU were dead and Naruto was nowhere to be found, with kakashi, Gai and herself holding the line against the Zetsu army. Then there was an explosion and her mind went blank.
The explosion had destroyed the monument and sent it crashing down on the civilians sealing them inside a rocky tomb. The avalanche had swept her and the ninja escort with her tumbling back towards the tower and buried under a thousand tons of rock.
She tried to move again, hissing at the sharp pain from her broken arm and more than likely broken leg, when a raspy chuckled was heard next to her.
"Ku ku ku, Tsunade, did I not tell you being Hokage was a fools game", the familiar voice asked.
Tsunade turned wide eyed towards the voice refusing to believe that what stood in front of her was real. The man was dead; it had been confirmed so this had to be an illusion. She tried concentrating her chakra to dispel whatever genjutsu was before her when the voice again called to her.
"It is not an illusion little Tsunade", Orochimaru said walking in front of her.
"You're dead", Tsunade defiantly.
"I was dead my dear Tsunade", Orochimaru said smirking, "but I'm doing much better now."
Orochimaru reached up and pulled at the skin of his face, stretching and ripping it off like a mask revealing Kabuto's face minus his glasses.
"When Kabuto integrated my DNA with his own, that opened the door to my resurrection. Try as the boy might, my own cells overtook his and eventually his mind and body became mine", Orochimaru explained once again donning his own face. He turned to face the village with his back to Tsunade seemingly uncaring about her presence as he mused aloud.
"I honestly can't understand why it took us so long to think of working together", Orochimaru said crossing his arms behind his back. "Our own full power combined against the so called ninja alliance. If Konoha could fall so easily the others will be helpless before us. Madara has already removed the Kyubi brat from the equation and without him Konoha is weak", Orochimaru chuckled.
"It couldn't be true, he had to be lying", Tsunade thought to herself. But Naruto was not there during the battle, no one had seen him at all. There was no way he would miss a fight like this unless…
Tsunade could feel the tears pouring down her face as Orochimaru continued to laugh. "What does it feel like to know that as of this moment you have truly failed everyone you have ever care for", Orochimaru taunted casting a fire jutsu into the village. "You have failed your brother, your love, your closest friends and all those who depended on you as Hokage. And now all that they dreamed for will burn along with this village".
In a quick motion the Sword of Kusanagi shot from Orochimaru's mouth embedding in Tsunade's chest. As darkness took her the last sound she heard was the crackle of fire and raspy laughter. Orochimaru removed the sword and his attention was caught by the painful moans of Kakashi Hatake who was trapped under the mountain of debris. Orochimaru pulled a kunai from his sleeve and slowly stalked his prey.
"To the victor goes the spoils", he chuckled to himself.
End Flashback Konoha Present Day
Reminiscing was cut short by a knock on the door. "Enter", Orochimaru commanded with an ANBU team carrying two bodies and his security head Shigeo, walking in.
"Lord Hokage", Shigeo said bowing.
"Ah Shigeo", Orochimaru said turning to his subordinates; "I trust the mission went well."
"We have recovered the completed seal and have killed the thief, the infamous Kankuro of the Desert", Shigeo said handing Orochimaru the scroll.
"He has been quite an elusive nuisance", Orochimaru said looking over the scroll. "Congratulations are in order."
"There is no need my lord, it was my honor and privilege to…"
Shigeo was cut off as a large snake shot from Orochimaru's sleeve and wrapped itself around Shigeo's neck. "Do let me finish Shigeo. I was saying that congratulations are in order for those who did not cause these problems in the first place", Orochimaru hissed causing the snake to tighten its grip.
"It was your foolishness that allowed the research lab to be compromised in the first place", Orochimaru screamed hoisting Shigeo into the air.
"I swear my lord…I will not fail… you again", Shigeo gurgled.
"I know." The snap of Shigeo's neck breaking, followed by a loud thud woke Naruto from his near death coma. The wounds he suffered were severe to the point that Naruto's body had shut down in order to devote all of his power to healing. The sudden bloodlust in the room had jolted Naruto awake and he shot up on reflex. The guards and ANBU members were startled and launched a hail of kunai that Naruto dodged as he tried to get his bearings. A snake shot out and wrapped itself around Naruto trapping him in a vice grip. The ANBU made to strike him when Orochimaru halted them with another wave of snakes.
"No, I will handle him personally", Orochimaru said with a gleam in his eyes, "leave us."
The ANBU filed out leaving the two alone. Naruto could only stare at the sharingan eye that Orochimaru now possessed, his anger rising in realizing that the pattern match Kakashi's.
"You wish to kill me don't you Naruto", Orochimaru said looking into his eyes; "I can see it in your cold looks. But you still won't attack me, still won't strike me down. My, my little Naruto, what did Madara do to you?"
Orochimaru drew Naruto closer and placed a hand on his head. The next minute Naruto was within his mind before a familiar set of doors.
"Ku ku ku, what interesting accommodations you have here Naruto", Orochimaru said walking up to the bars. Naruto looked up at Orochimaru before smirking, which led to chuckle, which soon became full blown laughter. Orochimaru slammed his fist against the cage causing it to reverb and shake.
"Your attempts to block me from your mind Naruto will fail. This cage will not keep me out", Orochimaru yelled angrily.
"Who said it was to keep you out?"
Orochimaru's eyes widened as he turned to see the glowing red eyes of the Kyubi before him.
Naruto woke to find himself back on the floor and free from Orochimaru's grip. The snake summon had disappeared and Orochimaru now lay squirming on the ground screaming. With his conscious mind being devoured by Kyubi the shell Orochimaru had been using began to deteriorate quickly, shedding skin and flesh to reveal a wiggling mass of snakes.
Naruto grabbed the seal scroll to the northern countries and the case of gold not wanting to go empty-handed. The only problem being there was nowhere to go. The only exit would be blocked by guards and crashing through the windows would sure to alert someone. The guards would have had to have heard the screams and would be barging in at any moment. Naruto's eyes scanned a wall of mounted weapons thinking that he would have to again take a life to escape his current situation when he spied a very familiar kunai hanging on the wall. The guards burst through the doors just in time to see Naruto disappear in a flash of yellow.
Naruto made a journey that would normally take a week in just under twelve hours. The three pronged kunai that made his father famous would touch ground and in a flash Naruto would appear over the kunai hilt. He would then pick it up and throw it as far as he could towards the direction of home repeating the process over and over. Using Kankuro's carriage had taken a little over a week and he had time to make up if he was going to save his family. The drain on his chakra was immense and his entire body began to burn halfway home, but he pushed on. By the end the kunai felt like a two ton weight and he was dizzy from near chakra exhaustion. One final leap brought him within sight of his house where he collapsed.
Naruto could hear a voice talking to him but couldn't make out the words. He opened his eyes to see an older man dressed in a simple robe shaking him by the shoulders. Eventually his head cleared and he could hear what the man was saying.
"Naruto, Naruto you okay", the man said still shaking him. Toshi was a friend of the family who sold vegetables he grew on his farm. He had known Naruto and his family the longest and a familiar face was a welcomed sight.
"Yeah Toshi I'm fine, you can let go now", Naruto said standing up.
"I'm sorry Naruto, I was waiting for you by the house when I could have swore you just popped out of nowhere. I'm sure it's the sun messing with my eyes but I saw you collapse and I rushed over."
"Well thanks I guess, but why were you standing outside? Didn't Inabi invite you in?"
A grime expression came over Toshi's face as he tried to explain what happened. Naruto didn't wait to hear it as he dropped the case and ran to his house.
"Wait Naruto, don't go in there please", Toshi pleaded chasing after him.
Naruto kicked open the door and froze at what he saw. On the floor were three bodies swimming in a pool of blood. Inabi was in the center, a large gash on her cheek with her throat slit nearly to the bone. Haku lay next to her his arm and legs broken the bone punching through the skin with his limbs twisted awkwardly about. He had a deep cut right above his waist that from the looks of it nearly disemboweled him. Yumi lay on the other side of her mother her head and neck bent at a sickening angle, dried blood pooled around her mouth. From the marks on her cheeks he could tell she had been crying.
Naruto stood there silently for what seemed like a lifetime. Toshi had caught up but refused to go inside, both out of respect and disgust. Finally, Naruto spoke.
"What happened", he asked quietly.
"The Uchiha's came back two days ago", Toshi explained looking away.
"But I had two more weeks, they weren't suppose to come back for two more weeks."
"They said they got bored", Toshi said wiping his forehead.
Naruto walked back onto the porch and closed the door behind him sinking to his knees on the wood planks. Toshi walked over and placed a hand on Naruto shoulder.
"If you need help burying them I'm here Naruto. You all were like family to me and if you need anything just let me know."
Naruto did not answer instead staring silently down at the porch. Without warning Naruto smashed his fist clean through the wood causing Toshi to jump back startled. Toshi watched Naruto pull out a small box from the hole before standing up.
"Toshi", Naruto said opening the box, "that case I had with me is full of gold. If I don't come back I want you to take it."
"Naruto what are you going to do", Toshi asked already knowing the answer.
"I'm going to see the Uchiha's", Naruto replied tying something around his head.
"Naruto you're not going to do something dumb to get yourself killed are you", Toshi asked pulling on Naruto's arm.
Naruto spun to meet Toshi, who reeled back seeing Naruto's eyes were now red with slit pupils. A forehead protector with the swirling leaf of Konoha glinting in the sun tied across his head and fangs protruding from his mouth.
"Believe it", he growled and in a flash he was gone.
The final chapter is upon us. The Uchiha Clan vs Naruto will anyone survive? Read and review people.
After this story I am going to begin a new series called Naruto What if?, a look at Naruto's life in an alternate universe where even the smallest of changes have the greatest of consequences. Feel free to vote for the idea you would like to read most.
1-Danzo becomes Hokage after the death of the fourth
2-Neji kills Hinata during the chunin exams
3-Gai saves Naruto from Mizuki
4-Naruto gets the cursed mark instead of Sasuke