I'm seeing a lot of activity for this story and I am happy that you, my readers, are enjoying my newest creation. There are some questions that needs answering so let me get started.

1. There will be no Shaman King characters in this story other than Asakura Hao talking to Naruto in the first chapter. There will be no representation of Anna or other SK characters. Abilities, yes. Couterparts, no.

2. At the current pace, there is no pairing. Seriously, Naruto is 12 years old people. I'm not sure if I'm going to make a paring for this story but that depends on future twists to the plot.

3. No, this is NOT a yaoi fic. Refer to #2 if you have questions about pairings.

Alright, I'm done. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Shaman King.

Chapter 6: A Change in Status

Naruto spent the next four months in Uzushio to learn the history of his clan under the guidance of his grandfather's spirit. The library was definitely huge, a compilation of hundreds of years of history, old and new innovation on fuuinjutsu, some random ninjutsu and kenjutsu techniques, and more.

In regards to history, Naruto learned that the last shaman before him was the Rikkudo Sennin, the mythical Sage of the Six Paths who introduced chakra to the Elemental Nations, thus giving birth to the shinobi of today. One of the reason why the Sage was considered a god among shinobi was his shamanic abilities on top of the mythical Rinnegan that granted him various powers that allowed him to defeat the penultimate harbinger of destruction, the Juubi, sealed the monster's body into a construct before throwing it into the sky which later became the moon while keeping the beast's chakra into himself.

Before his deathbed, the Sage used his Rinnegan and shamanic abilities to separate the Juubi's chakra into nine manifestations, the bijuu or the tailed beasts. He gave them personality and power, similar to how an oversoul is created.

Naruto delved into the history of the Uzumaki Clan with gusto. He learned of his ancestors abilities in the Sealing Arts, making them one of the most powerful clans in the Elemental Nations. However, when the Sage died, the knowledge of his shamanic techniques died with him. The gene that triggered one's Furyoku also became dormant until Hao woke it up from within his body.

His grandfather was kind enough to reveal to him one of the legendary items created by the Sage, the Staff of Spirits – a six foot tool metal staff with a large ring at its head. The large ring had six smaller rings through it, three on each side of the handle. The face of the metal was covered in various markings that Naruto found similar fuuinjutsu and shamanic runes.

According to his clan's scrolls, the Staff of Spirits was what allowed the Sage of the Six Paths to defeat the Juubi with the help of his Rinnegan. There was no record on the actual function of the legendary staff but the first time Naruto held it amplified his Furyoku to levels that made his knees weak. He accepted his grandfather's request of using the staff in his quest to revive the shamanic tribe in the Elemental Nations.

When the four months of study ended, he only had one more goal to accomplish.

To finally meet with his tenant.

Naruto found himself inside his mindscape after going into a trance. But unlike the sewer as he remembered it, he found himself standing on top of a large plateau. He would have found it a picturesque scene if not for the large fox with nine tails chained to the ground in front of him.

"So, my container finally graced me with his presences." the Kyuubi said sarcastically.

Naruto tilted his head to the side as he sensed the true emotions of the oversoul in front of him. Yes, he already surmised that the bijuu was an oversoul of demi-god class thanks to his ancestor. He could sense the Furyoku keeping the Kyuubi's manifested in the physical realm thought here was another energy source there reminded him of a vast ocean.

"Cut it out, Kurama. You don't have to act in front of me." Naruto told the bijuu kindly which shocked the kitsune.

"I think I underestimated you, Naruto. You are definitely similar to father in all aspect." Kurama said mildly without the hate in his voice.

"Father?"

"Your ancestor, the Rikkudo Sennin. "

"Ah. I guess it stands to reason that you consider him as your parent since he created you and the rest of your brothers. Would it be safe to say that you also sense my shamanic abilities."

"Correct. I was quite shocked to discover that my container is a shaman but I couldn't say anything or make contact with you because of the nature of your father's seal."

"O…kay. That is definitely new. Can you tell me why that is?"

"The Shiki Fuuin and the Hakke no Fuuin Shiki ensures that I cannot make first contact. You have to meet me in person in order for us to communicate like this. As it stands, the seal already created a telepathic link between you and me, allowing us to converse without your needed to delve into your mind."

"Now that is an interesting function." Naruto said in interest, mentally making a note to ask the Sandaime if he had his father's notes on the two seals. "I think you already know why I'm here?"

"Hard not to since I am connected to your mind." Kurama said dryly. "You want to use my chakra since you can't mold your own because of the seal keeping me inside you."

Naruto shrugged before taking a seat in front of the restrained bijuu.

"To be honest, I just want to find out if it was possible. I am quite happy being a shaman but your chakra, being a potent energy, may open up new possibilities if combined with my shamanic techniques."

Kurama chuckled.

"You are definitely like him. He thought of the same thing when he sealed the Juubi's chakra into his body. That was how he created the Staff of Spirits by combining Furyoku and the Juubi's potent energy."

"You know of the Legendary Items?" Naruto asked with some surprise. According to the Uzumaki clan history, there was no record of the bijuu ever having knowledge of the Sage's legendary weapons.

"Of course. Father told us all about it before….before he passed away." Kurama said sadly, a lone tear escaping its eye.

Naruto sighed as he sensed the powerful love Kurama had for the Sage of the Six Paths. His eyes took on a determined glint as he made up his mind. He sped through hand seals unlike the ones used by shinobi as he chanted a mantra in an ancient dialect no longer used in the Elemental Nations. Slowly, balls of energy materialized around Naruto as he chanted until the balls of light attacked the chains that kept the giant bijuu pinned to the ground. The blonde shaman ended his chant as a confused Kurama pushed himself off the ground and stretched, relishing the freedom he just gained.

"Why?" Kurama asked though it sounded like a demand without the malice attributed to such a request.

"Why what?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"Why did you get rid of the binds? You could have easily controlled me with them on. You could use my chakra without my permission so why did you remove it? Why did you remove the seal's function to give you complete control over my abilities."

Naruto's expression transformed into one of determination that reminded the bijuu of his father.

"I know the truth, Kurama. I will not stand by to let a creation of my ancestor be turned into a slave." Naruto declared resolutely before pointing at the collar with a large 'Seal' around the bijuu's neck. "The seal my father used tied your life force to mine so there is no way for you to be free from me without both of us dying. However, I found a scroll in the Uzumaki Archive containing a technique that disables a seal's function and only a shaman can use it since it requires pure Furyoku to activate. I gave you the freedom of movement in my mind but we are still tied together because of the Shinigami's hand in the sealing.

Kurama snorted before grinning foxily at the shaman.

"I guess father was right when he said that one will come in the future that would treat us with respect and free us from the hate that gripped this world. Well met, Asakura Naruto."

"Well met, Kurama of the Nine Tails. I guess this means we're going to be partners from now on?"

"Partners?" Kurama asked with a tilt of his head in confusion.

"Of course. As I said earlier. I am not treating you like a slave nor will I allow you to control me. As it stands, the best way to describe this relationship is a partnership between two sentient beings." Naruto said with a smirk, holding out a fist towards the bijuu.

"Hm. You intrigue me, Asakura Naruto." said Kurama as he stretched his fist to bump with Naruto's. "Partners it is then until both of us kick the bucket."

Naruto took a deep breath as he exited the first floor of the Uzukage Tower. It has been a week since he made a partnership with Kurama and practiced with a bit of the bijuu's chakra. He couldn't do anything big with it as of yet but vowed to study his partner's potent energy once he gets back to Konoha.

Also, Naruto was now sporting a new set of clothes his grandfather gifted him. It once belonged to the Sage before he died and the blonde jinchuuriki found it to his liking.

The outfit was composed of a loose-fitting white kimono that showed his lightly muscled chest and displaying the magatama necklace tied loosely around his neck. The kimono was held firmly in place by black obi sash on his waist. The outfit was completed by a pair of loose black pants and a pair of wooden sandals. Tied on his back was a large scroll that contained the entirety of the Uzumaki Archive protected by a blood seal he copied from one of the fuuinjutsu scrolls that was now sealed inside. On his hand was the Staff of Spirits, gleaming in the sunlight.

"I guess this is it." Naruto told his grandfather who was floating beside him. "I promise to visit, grandfather."

"Take your time, Naruto. I will always be here if you need me."

"Are you sure you don't want me to send you to the afterlife like I did with the rest?" Naruto asked his last Uzumaki spirit in Uzushio. He spent a week cleansing Uzushio and sending the smiling spirits of his departed clan to the afterlife for their eternal rest. He offered the same thing to his grandfather who didn't accept since he considered it his duty to guard the ruins.

"I told you before, my grandson, I will be here till the last Uzumaki fades from this world." Genji insisted. "However, promise me that you will visit from time to time. Unlike the other spirits, I am tied to this place so I can't leave."

"I promise, grandfather. Farewell for now." said Naruto as he mentally called SoF and merged into his armored OS. He floated before flying off into the clouds towards the mainland. He decided to take it slow since he wanted to enjoy the sense of weightless that was associated with Kurobina.

"You know, this is the first time I experienced flying. You are really amazing, brat."

"Thank you, Kurama. How are you enjoying my senses so far? Not disconcerting I hope?"

"No, I find it liberating since I now have access to the outside world through you. We should do this more often."

"If given a chance then why not. I enjoy flying but I can't really do so in the village."

"Agreed. So where are you off to now? You still have five more months to enjoy before going back to Konoha."

"I think I'll pay Kumo a visit. I read from a scroll in the archive that there's plenty of nice hot springs there. It would be good to relax for a bit before resuming my journey."

"Hm, you might get to meet Gyuuki or Matatabi there if you're lucky."

"The eight and two tails? They're in Kumo?"

"When I was sealed inside Uzumaki Mito, Senju Hashirama gave the two to Kumo as a sign of peace. They should be there unless they moved to another village."

"They're also sealed, aren't they?"

"They should be since all bijuus are inside their containers since they are more protected unlike being out in the open."

"Ah. If I get to meet them, will they recognize me?"

"You might have to flare my chakra to get their attention. Their chakra sense is not as acute as mine so they might not be able to detect your shamanic powers."

"Good point. I'll think I'll land in Tea Country to refresh my supplies before taking the overland route to Kumo. I still want to travel by foot to experience the land and flying kind of defeats the purpose of going into an exploration." Naruto told his tenant as he increased his speed, altering his course slighty towards Tea Country. He was out of supplies and he definitely needed some food for his journey to Lightning Country. He had enough of hunting thanks to his stay in Uzushio and he didn't want to continue chasing his food before he could eat them.

Morino Ibiki was on his way to the ANBU Information Division for his updated copy of the Bingo Book. Unlike the ones from other shinobi villages, Konoha has a more extensive list of missing-nin of other villagers thanks to their spy network. In most cases, the list was updated every three months and accurate enough down to the last detail.

Grinning as he flipped the pages, checking out the new additions, until he saw something that turned his grin into a deep frown before transforming into something akin to anger. He growled a few orders to the head of the division before using Shunshin to exit the room.

He needs to report this to the Hokage before it's too late.

The Sandaime couldn't believe what he was reading. It was a few minutes ago that Ibiki barged into his office as if the hounds of Yami were after him. The reason for his sudden loss of composure was clutched tightly in his hands. The aged leader discovered why the most feared interrogator was raising a fuss when said interrogator showed him a page in the new edition of the Bingo Book.

Entry # 429

Name: Asakura Naruto (formerly Uzumaki Naruto)

Alias: Konoha no Shaman

Affiliation: Konohagakure no Sato

Shinobi Rank: N/A (under Konoha Military protection detail)

Status: Alive

Age: 12

Rank: B-Rank civilian

Bounty: 2,000,000 ryo (alive – Iwa, Kumo, Kiri), 500,000 (dead – Iwa, Kumo, Kiri), 1,000,000 (dead or alive – Otogakure)

Information:

Noted to have the ability to converse with spirits and displays abilities and techniques without the use of chakra. Rumor has it that Asakura Naruto is capable of summoning a being of pure fire that destroyed a mob of civilians and shinobi when he was five years old.

Advise: Approach with extreme caution.

Skill Information:

Taijutsu: N/A

Genjutsu: N/A

Ninjutsu: N/A

Fuuinjutsu: N/A

Last Known Location: Wave Country (as of 3 months ago)

The Sandaime was livid. Despite the inaccuracy of the information concerning Naruto's abilities, he couldn't believe the fact that other villagers were already planning capture or kill his surrogate grandson. From the size of the bounty, it was quite obvious that these villagers were aiming to capture him – to add to their ranks or for breeding purposes.

"Where did Naruto's entry originate from?" the Sandaime asked immediately, his mind already formulating a plan to get his surrogate grandson back to the safety of the village.

"According to Jiraiya-sama's spy network, the information originated from Oto before being spread to Iwa, Kiri, and Kumo. We can safely say that whoever the leader of Oto is, he or she has a vested interest in our shaman." Ibiki noted dryly. "What are we going to do, Hokage-sama? Asakura-sama needs to be informed of this and possibly assign an escort if he decides to continue on his journey?"

Sandaime thought about it for a bit before remembering the item Naruto gave him before leaving on his journey. He opened his drawer to pull out a rectangular tile with Naruto's name on it. Touching the item gave him a sense of direction where Naruto was. At this point in time, the boy was somewhere in the east.

"We can find Naruto using this tile. This is infused with his…technique allowing anyone to find him. He gave this to me just in case he is needed by the village." the Hokage informed the awestruck Ibiki. "We need to set up a tracking team to find Naruto as soon as possible."

"I'll mobilize an ANBU team at once." Ibiki declared and was about to leave the room but was stopped by the Hokage.

"No, an ANBU team is too obvious. We are not going to alert the spies in the village that we are actively searching for Naruto. That would only expose Naruto to more dangers." the Sandaime mused before an idea occurred to him. "Get me Team 9."

"Team 9? Is that Gai's team?"

"Yes. Team 9 is a tracker and assault squad thanks to the inclusion of Hyuuga Neji. They have enough firepower to protect Naruto and you already know what our favorite shaman is capable of if push comes to shove."

Ibiki chuckled, remembering the gaki's GS. They would definitely rue the day if they decide to attack the powerful teen.

"Don't you think we should send a more experienced team, Hokage-sama? Team 9 is only into their second month." Ibiki pointed out.

"I don't think so. This is Gai we are talking about and we all know how dedicated the man is to his training program." the Hokage noted with amusement.

"Why don't you send Kakashi along with Team 9? His Sharingan should be a big help if things come to a boil." Ibiki suggested, not content with having a taijutsu master and three rookie Genins to handle this assignment.

"I agree. Please bring them here in the next 10 minutes. If Team 9 is on a mission, pull them out before assigning another Genin team to take over."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Ibiki said before using Shunshin to exit the room.

"That boy is going to be the death of me." grumbled the Hokage as he started writing a mission request to retrieve or protect his grandson. "I think I'll label this as an A-rank mission. Naruto is definitely worth it."

Why in the spirit's name is going on?" grumbled Naruto as he swung his staff to parry a katana from a Kumo jounin.

Three days on his journey after his brief supply run in Tea Country, he was continuously attacked from various shinobi villages. He was ambushed last night by a team of Iwa Chuunins that his SoF was able to dispatch easily. This morning, a team of Oto shinobi descended on him like a pack of hungry wolves. He immediately summoned his shikigamis to make mincemeat out of them before his GS turned them into breakfast. This was the third team to attack him, three Kumo Jounins armed to the teeth.

He shoved the katana aside before using his staff to bludgeon his opponent in the head but was easily dodged. He jumped back just in time to avoid a ball of lightning and ducked from another sword swing from behind. Naruto growled as he released a burst of Furyoku that pushed his attackers aside.

"This has gone long enough." Naruto declared as he slammed the butt of his staff to the ground while channeling his Furyoku. "Omnyoudou Mahou: Bind!"

The three Jounins who were about to initiate their next assault suddenly froze in their tracks as if gripped by an invisible hand. They struggled to get out of whatever was binding them in place – using physical strength and chakra to get free to no avail.

"Now that you're comfortable, let's get down to answering my questions." Naruto said casually. "Why are you attacking me?"

"We're not telling you anything, tree hugger." growled the katana-wielding Jounin before grunting in pain as head of Naruto's staff hit him in the stomach. "Ugh."

Naruto turned to the other Jounin.

"Why is Kumo targeting me?" he asked the man who was looking at him in fear.

"I-I'm not going to tell you anything."

Naruto turned to the third Jounin who immediately clamped his mouth shut with a resolute look on his face.

"Aw come on." Naruto screamed in exasperation before an idea occurred to him. He grinned maliciously as he eyed the three nervous shinobi. This would be the first time he tried this technique but if it worked, it would be another powerful technique in his arsenal. "If you won't answer me then I guess you leave me no choice."

"W-What are you going to do?" the third shinobi stuttered out, fear lacing his voice as his determination disappeared when Naruto's grin appeared.

"This." Naruto grinned as he raised his hand into the air, palm open. "Kurama, Spirit Ball Mode!"

A ball of red energy materialized on the palm of his hand. It had the face of Kyuubi, its eyes full of menace as nine tail-like constructs writhed behind it. Naruto raised the Staff of Spirits in front of him, parallel to the ground.

"Kurama into Staff of Spirits!" shouted Naruto as he slammed the red ball into the staff causing a burst of red and white energy to cover his form before it erupted into a pillar of intense energy, hiding him from everyone's view. It was a few seconds later that his form became visible, but instead of the staff in his hands, there was gigantic presence behind him, a presence that scared the shit out of the Kumo shinobi.

Behind Naruto was a twenty-foot tall oversoul of the Kyuubi no Yoko, its eyes looking menacingly at the three shivering shinobi, its nine tails dancing in the air, its chakra being released into the air that pushed the enemies down as if they were suddenly covered in heavy weights.

"Oversoul. Kyuubi no Yoko." murmured Naruto. "I will give you three seconds to answer my question. If you don't then you might as well start praying since I'm going to send you to the afterlife."

The Kumo team wasn't able to answer due to the three different shouts that shattered the silence of the forest.

"DYNAMIC ENTRY!"

"CHIDORI!"

"HAKKE KUSHO!"

Naruto stared, dumbfounded, as Gai released a barrage of punches and kicks at one Jounin while Kakashi shoved a lightning encased hand on another Jounin's heart. Another that Naruto recognized as Hyuuga Neji released a powerful thrust that blew the third shinobi back to crash into a tree and knocking him unconscious.

"Glad that we made it in time, Asakura-sama."

Naruto turned to see Tenten, the daughter of the owner of the shinobi store in Konoha, beside him with a pair of kunais out in a defensive stance. He turned to his other side to see a mini Gai in the opening stance of the Gouken.

A bewildered Naruto started at the three in front of him while said three were looking at the smirking Kyuubi in fear.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING HERE?" the four screamed out in unison as the Kyuubi burst out in laughter.

End of Chapter 6.

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