Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Edited by Skelethin.
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Operator
Chapter 3
---
The morning came...
...too early.
"Daaamn but I'm sore...!" Hana yawned, stretching as she walked into the kitchen.
Haku just shook her head with a smile.
"Please sit, I'll have breakfast ready in a minute."
"Damn your morning perkiness..." Hana grumbled sitting by the large, low table. "Seriously... First thing in the morning and you're all chipper. Aren't you feeling even a little bit worn out?"
"Tired? Mm. I wonder." The pale woman giggled. "But it's good kind of tired, hmm?"
"No arguing here." Hana stretched, moaning as the kinks in her back vanished. "Still, it is damn illegal to be so perky in the morning. Honestly."
"Ah, I guess I'm just a morning person." Haku said putting the bowls on the table.
"Four?" Hana raised an eyebrow. "Why there would be-"
"Good. Morning." Came the familiar deadpan from the side.
Hana yelped and almost jumped from the table.
"GOD-FUCKIN'-DAMMIT TENROU!" She howled. "How many fucking times did I tell you not to do that in the morning?!"
"One hundred...forty...five. Mhm. Yes. That. Would be... right." Tenrou nodded, her eyes covered by her inky mane as always.
"Geez..." Hana rubbed her temples. "When did she get here anyway?" She asked Haku with irritation.
"Mor...ning. Yes." Tenrou said, before nodding.
"Morning is NOW, you fruitcake!" Hana muttered.
"Hmm... I guess it would be just after you came in." Haku said, tapping her cheek.
"And you didn't so much as thought about saying 'I'm in?'" Hana growled at the swordswoman.
Tenrou just kept staring.
"Right. Stupid of me. Damn fruitcake." The Inuzuka heiress sighed dejectedly. "Why are you here anyway, Ten?"
"Hungry. Haku's cooking... Delicious." The dusky skinned woman nodded.
"Ah, thank you." Haku blushed. "Tenrou comes around every morning. She likes my cooking I guess."
"Like. Very." Tenrou nodded sagely, her face still expressionless.
"Geeeez... You damn freeloader! Every morning?" Hana scowled. "And you didn't even think of bringing anything all this time? You shouldn't get anything because of that!"
The swordswoman turned to her captain, her body tense.
"Haku's Food... DELICIOUS." She said forcefully, her ever present sword appearing as if by magic in the taciturn woman's hand. "I. Will. Eat. I'll fight you... for it. Now?"
Hana blinked.
"Damn." She muttered. "I guess you really are serious."
"Food. Serious thing. Yes. Haku's food... most serious thing." Tenrou said nodding. "Fight now... or later?"
"Eh." Hana shrugged. "If Haku doesn't mind... I guess it's okay." She muttered.
"It is so nice to feel appreciated." Haku sighed happily.
"Yo." Naruto walked in yawning, like Hana clad only in a loose shirt and pants. At least his fit. "Hey bitch, you've stolen my clothes. Again."
"So what." Hana sniffed him. "Mmm... You smell good."
"You... reek." Tenrou sniffed. "Of... her." She pointed at Hana. "But you smell... of her." She pointed at Haku. "That is... a good smell. Good night?"
"Oh you can damn BET it was." Hana smirked. "He kept us nearly up to dawn."
Tenrou looked at Naruto who just shrugged.
"Ah. Good." She nodded. "Sexual tension... bad. Makes you both. Angry. Yes." Then she calmly gone back to eating, stealing from Hana's plate.
"Hey! Stick to your own plate, you thieving fruitcake." Hana scowled growling. "The beef is MINE!"
"Can't keep it... Not yours, then?" Tenrou pointed out, calmly stealing another morsel.
"Why you...!" Hana rose.
"Please." Haku was smiling, but her voice was oddly... chilly. "No fighting during breakfast if you would be so kind?" She said sweetly.
Hana and Tenrou froze, blanching.
'Crap!'
"And Tenrou... Please don't steal. I'll give you a bigger portion, okay?" Tenrou's lips tightened a little, which meant she was scowling.
"Not... as fun." She declared petulantly.
"Please? Ten-rou-san?" Haku sing songed, looming over the swordswoman who shifted back a little, before nodding slowly.
"Thank you!" Haku beamed.
Hana just stared.
"I've seen this before... But it still amazes me." She said reverently. "That girl is my hero."
"Oh this is nothing." Naruto said waving his hand dismissively. "You should have seen her when she chewed out that jounin for screwing up last week. Now THAT was scary. Guy is almost two meters tall, built more solidly than Gai and is as tough as they come. I thought he was going to cry before she was halfway done."
"Now that must have been interesting." Hana shook her head in amusement as she started eating. "Heh. She doesn't know what 'back down' means, does she?"
"Ah, I'd like to say that I am... determined." Haku said, sitting by the table gracefully. "More rice, Naruto-sama?"
"Please." he nodded as she scooped him some. "Anybody spoke with Yashiro or Kyo?"
"They will... come by. Later." Tenrou offered. "At Masato-taicho's... place."
"Yeah." Naruto sighed. "We haven't been there lately, eh?"
"Well, we've been busy." Hana muttered, chewing. "Now we're on leave, so I guess Ryoko won't mind, right?"
"Ryoko never minds." Naruto snorted. "And I bet she'll chew us out for not coming earlier, too."
"Ugh..." Hana hung her head. "Please don't remind me."
"And I guess we can go and see Masato-taicho while we're at it." The blond frowned.
"Yeah. I guess so." Hana sombered, before shaking her head. "Hey, what about if we hit the town and drink ourselves stupid after that?"
"We ALWAYS drink ourselves stupid." Naruto pointed out dryly.
"Then I guess we have to keep up the tradition, eh?" Hana grinned.
"I'm... Game. Yes." Said Tenrou.
"Sure, why the hell not." Naruto shrugged. "And I bet Yashiro and Kyo would be all for it, too."
"Hmm... I guess I should come too, then." Haku sighed. "To keep Naruto-sama and the rest of you out of too much trouble, if nothing else."
"HELL YEAH!" Hana smirked, rubbing her hands. "We're gonna drink until we drop, Team 4 style!"
Haku just rubbed her temples with a sigh.
'I guess it is five hangover remedies to prepare for the morning, then.'
She smiled as she watched the incomplete team's antics by the table.
'Honestly, those people... And Naruto-sama... They are all the same.'
It was hard to believe that the people rough housing by the breakfast like children were among the most effective killers in the ANBU ranks.
'So carefree...'
She smiled looking at Naruto's smile.
As long as he smiled and was there so she could walk by his side...
The world was all right.
---
"Drinking, sure!" Kyo nodded, rubbing his hands with glee. "You're on! And we have that con- ow! Ow! ow!" The 'True Sniper' yelped as Yashiro grabbed his ear in a painful looking hold. "What?!"
"You're NOT getting into drinking contest with Mugen again, honey." Yashiro drawled lazily.
The renegade nobleman opened his mouth.
"Uh uh! No. No means no, hon." Yashiro said calmly. "And puppy eyes won't work on me, too. Forget it."
"Spoilsport." The sniper muttered petulantly.
"Last time was a goddamn fucking disaster. You're NOT getting us banned from another bar again." Yashiro smirked as she watched the pitiful looking sniper hung his head sadly. "Now now, honey..." She cooed, patting his head. "It won't be so bad. Why wont the two of us..." She lowered her voice whispering into his ear.
It took less than two seconds for a silly smile to appear on Kyo's face.
"Oh you're SO on!" He said gleefully, almost skipping.
"Now I'm honestly afraid of whatever you told that pervert." Hana raised an eyebrow. "Though I must admit... you push his buttons like no one else."
Yashiro smirked, buffing her nails.
"I'm the best, Bitch. The best." She giggled sinisterly. "Oh that's gonna be SO fun..." She shivered, licking her lips.
"Just don't overdo it, girl. You're still technically in recovery." Hana cautioned.
"Feh." Yashiro sniffed. "As if you're the one to talk, miss 'I-will-screw-my-man-till-morning' Inuzuka."
"True, but I at least bullied medics into healing me." Hana said smugly.
"Rats!" Yashiro scowled. "That's not fair!"
"Is that jealousy I hear?" Hana said gleefully
"Fuck you!" Yashiro muttered.
"Ooh... such nasty words, princess." Hana cooed. "Did I hit a nerve?"
Yashiro sniffed.
Naruto just sighed.
'How did I end up in this asylum anyway?' He thought shaking his head, before blinking as he looked forward. "Oh hey... The garden is new. Ryoko was busy, I see."
"Nice. Very, very nice..." Haku looked at it with eye of a true professional. "And she planted it so fast, too... I'm a little jealous. Those roses are really beautiful."
"Well, if you ask Ryoko I'm sure she can give you samples." Naruto said helpfully.
"You're right." The pale girl smiled. "That is Ryoko-san, after all..."
---
"Hana! And Mugen! Yashiro, Kyo, Tenrou... Even Haku!" Ryoko smiled widely, ushering them. "You haven't been around for months! Please, come in! I just baked a cake!"
The Team 4 hung their head with embarrassment collectively.
If there was a mother for the band of outcasts known as Operations Team 4, Akagi Ryoko was her.
A former jounin and ANBU herself, Ryoko retired from the service to concentrate on her children and leading the Akagi clan after her father passed away. Like Masato, the team's former captain, she had nothing but a kind word and advice for them and her home was always open to her husband's former subordinates.
She was a beautiful and warm copper haired woman with full lips that always seemed to smile. It was hard to believe that she was once the Shien no Yuurei, one of the deadliest assassins in the history of the ANBU.
But then, aside from Tenrou, people never thought much of Team 4 either.
"I'm sorry we haven't been around Ryoko-san..." Hana muttered hesitatingly, shifting nervously. "We had a lot of-"
"Oh don't worry, don't worry!" Ryoko waved the concerns away with a smile. "I know how ANBU gets. You're here now, right? That's all that matters. Though..." Her eyes flashed dangerously. "I advise you to at least drop a word, hmm? If not for Kanna's generosity I wouldn't know if you are alive or dead."
"Y-yes, ma'am!" Hana said, paling.
"That's a promise, okay?" Ryoko beamed.
"I will make sure that they keep it, Ryoko-san." Haku smiled cheerfully "You will, won't you?" Both women smiled sweetly at the five ANBU.
"Kyaaaa! Haku... So cute!" Ryoko squealed. "And you've gotten even more beautiful, too! So delicate and graceful! Like a princess! I'm so envious!"
"Ah it's nothing, I can never equal you, Ryoko-san." Haku said, blushing. "You're so much prettier than I can ever be..."
"Nonsense!" Ryoko said cheerfully "You are getting more beautiful each time I see you! You're already more beautiful that this old woman can ever hope to be!"
"But Ryoko-san! You're not old!" Haku said indignantly. "You're not old at all! It is just me who is so immature still..."
"Kyaaaaa!" Ryoko glomped the girl. "SO SWEET!"
"You know... I kinda see the resemblance..." Whispered a wide eyed Kyo. "Scaaaaaary..."
"You are afraid?" Said Naruto. "And what am I supposed to say? If she gets as scary as Ryoko-san..." Naruto paled. "Oh kami..." He whimpered.
"Na-ru-to!"
The blond paled looking full on at Ryoko's frown.
"I do hope you're treating her well, young man."
"Y-yes ma'am!" The blond ANBU nodded vigorously.
"See?" Ryoko smirked, turning to Haku. "That's how you handle him. He's bit of a blockhead, but a good boy." She frowned, peering at Naruto. "Oh my. You've grown again! Soon you'll be taller than Hana!"
"Well I DO happen to be a teenager with a completely fucked up maturation cycle." The blond muttered.
"What was that?" Ryoko smiled sweetly.
"N-nothing!" Naruto paled and Kyo snickered.
"And do you have something to add, Kyo?"
"Umm... no?" The 'True Sniper' swallowed nervously.
"I thought so." Ryoko smirked triumphantly. "Now come on in. The cake should be all right and the kids will be delighted to see you after so long!"
---
"Aunt Hana!"
Hana laughed as the six year old first part of twins, the long haired Aoi barreled into her.
"Hey there, squirt." She chuckled, spinning the little girl.
Naruto felt a tug at his leg as the other twin, the serious eyed Hotaru tugged at his leg.
"Yo." He grabbed her. "How ya been, Firefly?"
"Bored." The girl shrugged. "Mom won't let me play with the daggers. She took 'em."
"Took them." Naruto corrected the girl, ruffling her hair, cut into near-identical way to his wild, spiky haircut, though sandy blond, like Masato's. "If you start talking like me, your mom will start chasing me around with the sword. Or worse. She won't feed me anymore." Naruto said seriously.
"No she won't." The six year old said with absolute certainty. "She likes you too much."
"Let's keep it that way, eh?" He smirked as the girl pulled down his mask. She'd been bugging him to get one exactly like that for past year, exploiting his weaknesses shamelessly. He supposed that he would break sooner or later, too. He couldn't deny her anything ever since he had met her when he came around to the Masato-taicho's house the first time. "But daggers... Hmm. I think we can get around that, eh?" He smirked. "Show me your wrists, okay?"
He looked covertly, but Ryoko was still busy chatting with Haku, Tenrou and Yashiro. Hana was piggy-back riding laughing Aoi on Ichimaru's back and the girl was having a grand time.
"Well now..." He muttered with a sinister smirk, pulling out a small brush. "Now, don't show it to anyone." He charged a little bit of chakra in a precise pattern, sketching a simple design just above Hotaru's wrists, so it could be covered by sleeves.
"Hmm... that should be enough." He muttered critically.
"What is it?" The girl looked at the seals curiously.
"B-class storage-link quick access seal. But only for one, small object each." He grinned opening snapping his palm through the air quickly.
Hotaru's eyes widened as two short, beautifully crafted, if simple, daggers appeared in his hand.
He twirled the daggers briefly, offering them to Hotaru.
"Now, the seals are simple." he showed her the short sequence. "Do it in reverse for storage. Like this." He demonstrated slowly. "Can you do it?"
Hotaru grabbed the daggers, then slowly went through the sequence as the weapons sealed themselves in her wrists.
"Excellent." The blond nodded. "Let's keep it our little secret, okay?"
"Sure!" She nodded seriously. "I won't let mommy chase you with the katana." She smirked.
"Why, I'm so touched." He muttered, ruffling her hair.
"I won't have anyone to give me the daggers then." She said with a sage nod.
"Heh. You learn fast, kiddo." He smirked, patting her head. "Just don't let mom catch you. And if you get better... I might think about giving you a sword or two, who knows."
Hotaru's eyes lit up.
"I will. I will train and train and get better! I promise!" She said with determination.
'Masato-taicho... your kids... They are just like you.' Naruto thought as he watched Hotaru look at him with her blue eyes glinting with pure, stubborn willpower.
"We'll see." He nodded at her. "Until then, just be careful, okay?"
She nodded curtly.
"Hmm. Cake." Naruto mused. "Don't you want your part"
"Cake!" The blue eyes widened with panic. "I want my cake!" The girl ran off.
"Giving her such expensive things again..." Naruto stiffened as Ryoko sat beside him. "You'll spoil her, Naruto."
"Eh. I've got hundreds, if not thousands of blades. I get more every week. I can afford it." The blond shrugged. "And she likes them."
"No dolls, just pointy steel..." Ryoko shook her head with amused exasperation. "She is just like her father, that girl."
"I thought you'd be getting on my case because I gave her weapons."
"As if I could keep her away from weapons." Ryoko laughed mirthlessly. "Too much shinobi blood in that girl. From both Masato's side and mine. She is a natural born kunoichi, that one. Did you know that her first word was 'sword'? Not 'mom' or 'dad'. Sword. No. Hotaru... There is no stopping that. She is too much like Masato."
"Sorry." Naruto said after a long silence.
"Don't be, Naruto." She said looking at him. "I still miss him. That won't change. But I have my daughters and my son. And five other big children to remember him by." She ruffled his hair fondly. "It is not so bad. I think he'd be very proud of you. Of all of you."
"I miss him." Naruto said, lowering his head. "And I know others do, too. Masato-taicho... He was one of the kind."
"Yes, I know." Ryoko smiled gently. "If he wasn't, I wouldn't' have married him, now would I?" She hugged the blond. "You know, I still remember the day when he brought that strange blond shrimp here. That rude little boy in that comical mask and the uncomfortable set of ANBU armor. Remember him?" She grinned. "Not much has changed. The brat is still rude. The mask is still stupid. But..." She looked at him. "I think the brat is a man and a shinobi Masato would be proud of. I know I am." She laughed softly. "Konoha's Mugen no Ken... You've come far from that little angry outcast, Naruto."
"Well I'm still an angry outcast." He shrugged. "And I managed to pick up several bad habits. Some enemies. And a B-class Bingo Book rating. But otherwise, not much has changed."
"Outcast?" Ryoko laughed. "Oh my, Naruto... Are you really? A team that would give life for each other in a blink of an eye. A tight group of friends that might as well be family... And two fine women to share your life with." She frowned. "Which reminds me. We will have a talk about that, young man." She said ominously. "But really... If that is an 'outcast'... I'd like to be such an outcast any day."
"Heh.. yeah." He closed his eyes. "I guess you're right."
"Sure I am." She smirked. "Now come on, let's eat some cake before Hotaru and Tenrou decimate it completely."
---
It was a simple gravestone. No frills, despite the fact that Akagi clan was very rich and could afford the most lavish tomb. But Masato was never one for frills. He liked things straightforward and functional.
The inscription was simple.
Akagi Masato.
That was all.
'Masato-taicho would approve.'
"Masato-taicho..." Hana led the group as they stood in typical ANBU formation in front of the tombstone. "We are here. We'd just like you to know. We are still here. Still together and doing well. We screwed up a little, but we are alive. Just like you taught us. We all returned alive. So don't worry. Just watch over us, please."
They bowed to the tombstone.
"We swear." Hana said looking at her soldiers. " As Team 4, we solemnly swear...
"...no matter what happens..." Kyo picked up smoothly.
"...we will not break our bond, our oath..." Yashiro continued.
"...we will never fall alone, we will never let go..." Naruto nodded.
"...we will keep on going to the end, no matter the cost..." Tenrou continued their chant.
"...we WILL go forward together!" They said in unison.
"So please... taicho..." Hana bowed her head respectfully. "Just watch over us."
---
The party, if one might call it that, was in full swing. Cake was gone, but it didn't take long for another one to appear again. Hotaru and Tenrou glared at each other over the last part of the first cake until Kyo finally got annoyed enough to cut it on half with one if his thrown kunai.
The glare they leveled on him could be equaled to a S-class offensive jutsu.
Kyo hid behind Yashiro.
'The coward.' Naruto chuckled, taking a long drag of his herbal cigarette.
Aoi was on the ground, Ichimaru sprawled by her side, carefully watching the little girl as she happily used the war dog as a pillow after playing tag with Hana.
Ninja tag.
'That girl...' Naruto shook his head.
Hotaru, like Masato and Naruto, was a weapon and ninjutsu nut. But Aoi would one day be either a genjutsu specialist or a medic nin.
'Propably genjutsu. She's way too devious and sneaky to become a medic nin. She'd be bored in a day.'
Barely six years old and she already could do the tree walking exercise, as she presented by following the astonished Hana to the trees by running on them.
'Hmm... I wonder where is Shuichi?' Naruto frowned. 'He should be d- ah. Right. Second year of the Academy. That means jutsu practice.'
He turned when he heard the front gate being opened.
'Speak of the devil.' He smirked at the blue eyed, copper haired boy.
"Yo."
To his credit, the kid first looked to confirm if he was really without the mask.
Ryoko and her kids were one of the very few people who knew that Mugen and Naruto were the same person. But they were ninja children and from a noble clan. They knew how to keep secrets. They wouldn't go calling him 'Naruto' when he was wearing mask and armor - Ryoko trained them well.
Akagi Clan had no blood limit, but they were a very old family, older than Konoha by far, like Inuzuka. In fact, there was an ancient alliance between the two, one that continued unbroken for centuries.
"Naruto!" Shuichi beamed. "I didn't know you were coming around!"
"I'm on leave. And others are here, too." The blond smirked. "How ya been, Shu?"
"Bored." The red head scowled. "I thought the Academy will be fun but... Those things are dead boring. I mean... I can throw kunai already. What do I need the trajectories and ballistics for? You either throw it right or not, right?"
"I see the academy didn't change much." Naruto shook his head. "Some of the things ARE useful but the most... Well, once you become genin you'll see." He shook off some ash from the cigarette. "Tenrou's inside if you want to bug her."
"I don't have a..." With a small hiss a chisai katana appeared in Naruto's hands. "Heh." Shuichi's eyes glinted as the blond gave him the weapon.
Shuichi went in and Naruto took a long drag from his cigarette.
He exhaled the smoke.
There was a loud crash.
"Tenrou-shishou! Teach me!"
Another crash.
Shuichi came out of the room, flying, and stopped on the grass.
"Mhmmm... That looked painful." Naruto frowned.
"I won't give up!" The boy charged again. "Tenrou-shishou! Teach m-eaaaa...offf!"
"I'd give you ten for enthusiasm... but zero for execution." Naruto smirked. "Keep trying."
The boy got up, little slower this time, determination blazing in his eyes.
"Tenrou-shishou!"
"Ouh!" Naruto winced sympathetically. "Now THAT... Just had to hurt."
"Impatient. Learn... patience. Baka. Deshi." Tenrou came out of the room to the veranda and stepped on the training field. "Stance." She said calmly.
"Yes, shishou!" Shuichi, still dirty and dusty, assumed the correct defensive stance.
"Neutral. Baka deshi. Am I attacking you. Now?"
"No, shishou." He dutifully shifted.
"Good." She nodded curtly. "Feet... Solid base. Good. Attack. Now."
Naruto watched curiously as Tenrou put the boy through his paces without a shred of mercy.
Akagi clan had a sword style, but amazingly enough, the only one that Shuichi wanted to learn was the one practiced by Tenrou. Which was a little odd since it wasn't very flashy one, but insanely demanding. And Tenrou was a brutal, if effective teacher.
Shuichi started bugging her a year ago, when he started the academy. After Ryoko gave her blessings, Tenrou agreed to teach him. She had no mercy for the boy and trained him as if he was an Ops rookie. But to his credit, Shuichi asked for none and kept on training without a word of complaint.
'Stubborn brat.' Naruto chuckled.
The lesson was short, to the point and painful.
Tenrou didn't crush him senselessly. She hit where it hurt, true, but never with excessive force. Just enough to show the holes, to improve on the good and correct the wrong. Then she calmly explained where he went wrong in an unusually vocal display and gave him a list of exercises he should spend time doing until the next lesson. Boy soaked her words as if a revelation from a kami, not wavering in his attention for a second.
'Little fanatic. Damn. A male Tenrou for the younger generation. I almost pity the poor fuckers that will be fighting him in the taijutsu spars. With the regimen Tenrou puts him through, even without the sword the kid will be a monster comparing to his academy peers.
"Naruto. Here." Tenrou nodded to him.
"Me? What for?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Sword... Is not an only weapon. Show him. Variety." She said curtly.
"Now?" He protested. "I've just eaten."
Tenrou just tapped her katana.
"If you want it so much..." Naruto shrugged. "Any rules?"
"No external summonings. No assault ones. No mass summoning. Only to-hand access ones. Close combat weapons."
"Sure. Want to tie my hands behind my back too?" He said sarcastically, cracking his neck. "I mean, that's inviting to get my ass kicked by you."
"Not. Sparring. Showcase. Of sorts. Varied weapons, varied ways of fighting." She took a loose stance. "Go."
"All right." He threw the cigarette to the ground and put it out with his shoe. "Let's do it then."
By that time, all members of the small group walked out of the house to watch the presentation.
"Look well, Shu. Every weapon has different characteristic. Attack, defense, movement and strategy. There is no such thing as a perfect weapon. But some things, can get pretty damn close." Naruto grinned. "Let's go, Tenrou!"
He... reached.
And the weapon was there.
One. Two. Ten. Fifty. Hundreds.
He lost count a long time ago. But he KNEW each of them. Could chose every in the split second.
That's why he was the Mugen no Ken.
His swords were not 'infinite'. But they came pretty damn close.
Katana was the first, appearing in his hand with a hiss. No seals. Once the Mugen no Ken was activated, it was unlike any other summoning in the world.
"Katana. Simple. Curved. Sharp. Cut. Occasional stab." He slashed at Tenrou who evaded nimbly. "Good sword. But just a sword."
A slightest of hisses only he could hear and katana was gone, replaced by a nodachi.
"Nodachi. In essence a large katana. But it would be misleading. " He made a sweeping strike on Tenrou who swayed out of it. "Balance, power and speed... Completely different from a katana.
Another hiss.
"Yari." He twirled it in his hands, a deceitful and blurring path of attack. "Seems simple, doesn't it? But it has reach. Power. SPEED." He thrust at Tenrou who ducked. "Disadvantage?" Tenrou closed the distance, touching Naruto's throat. "Opponent cuts the distance, you're toast." Yari went away. Another hiss. "And now we're going exotic. Axe. Powerful. Slow. In right hands, however? Deadly as hell."
And so it went.
Kodachi. Wakizashi, claymore, samshir, trident, halberd, battleaxe, moon-sword, jian, katar, naginata, dadao, kwan-dao, chakram, dagger, kunai, dart, senbon, kukri...
One after another, they blurred in his mind. Some he had mastered. Some he never did. Some he knew in passing. But he had them all.
'Infinite sword. Feh. I should be called 'walking arsenal' rather.'
Mugen no Ken was a complete accident which he secretly blamed the stupid Shiki Fuujin and Kyuubi for.
Instead of unsealing a weapon, when he was half-delirious from chakra overburn, he somehow ended turning it into a very odd summoning.
He could add weapons to it, but once it was there, he could never get it out permanently. It was a summon then.
Over the years, he had collected them. A lot of them. Swords - he had almost every kind of blade that ninja used, even one of the Mist Seven monster swords. And far less, but still plentiful examples of many other weapons, from kunai to such archaic things like spears and bows.
'Though Kyo would probably get offended if I called the bow archaic.'
And summoning the weapons to his hand was just a first step.
There was a reason why every Konoha weapon master almost drooled at the prospect of possessing this summon. Pity there was no scroll. And he wouldn't give them one even if it existed.
They'd probably kill themselves with chakra drain trying to pull some of his moves anyway.
"Hey, walking junk heap!" Hana called. "You can stop now."
Naruto blinked.
"I can?"
Tenrou nodded.
"Ah. Okay." He looked at the sword in his hand and almost froze.
It was the familiar, simple blade with the Gekkou Clan symbol on the hilt. Not awe inspiring, but very solid weapon, very good quality.
'Kazuya's katana... How nostalgic.' He sighed.
Hayate gave him his brother's weapon as a sort of 'thank you' and acknowledgment after the whole 'trial' fiasco. It was a very touching gesture for him then. Still was. Despite everything, Hayate believed him. He was one of the few who did.
He dismissed the katana.
The past was the past. There was no point in dwelling on it.
'And the future looks... Like a blue eyed, bright haired six year old girl with that disturbing glint in her eyes.'
"That was... so... cool..." Hotaru said reverently. "Naruto nii-san.. Please please PLEASE teach me that uber-cool, super awesome jutsu!"
Naruto hung his head.
'How did I know she'd react this way after seeing it?'
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TBC...
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