"There are nine levels of power..." (Speech)

"Rin, Kyo, Toh, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, and Zen." (Thoughts)

"This is the Silent Way of the Mystic-Knights, the Moonlit Path of the Shadow-Warrior,

the Invisible Assassins of Feudal Japan, the NINJA." (Bijuu or higher Deity)

This is the story of Uzumaki Naruto, the True Shinobi. (Narration)

True Shinobi


"I see, well I'm glad to hear you're being taken care of Naruto kun." the Sandaime says with a warm smile. It finally seems like Naruto is happy to the old man. It filled his heart with joy that there were people who could see Naruto for what he truly was, a wonderful young man with great potential and the Will of Fire.

"I'll say Jiji! I've learned so much from the clan and they make me feel at home. Evangela obasan and Angel chan helped me a ton with throwing weapons! And otuo san and kaa san are going to show me how to use the Meshidasu Tedzika today! I've never been happier than I am with them." Naruto says with a big smile. The Sandaime couldn't help but smile. He made the right choice allowing the Alexandros clan to adopt the boy. Still, he missed having the blonde around, but it was for the best. Naruto told his Jiji as much as he could about what he had been doing with the Alexandros clan; seeing as there were Anbu watching them. The old man had a perverted smile on his face whenever Naruto mentioned Angel, who he seemed to be animated about. He even laughed when Naruto told him about the time he accidently stumbled on Angel taking a bath in a nearby lake and she didn't stop once she realized he was there.

"Well Jiji I have to be going before Angel, otuo san and kaa san get worried about me. I'll be sure to visit more often!" Naruto replied, Shunshinning out of the office. To say the Anbu were surprised was an understatement. For an eight year old to perform a C rank jutsu hasn't been heard of since Uchiha Itachi. The Sandaime could only smile proudly at his adopted grandson.

"You're going to go far my boy..." the Sandaime says mentally, taking a drag of his pipe before he glares at the stack of paperwork on his desk. He could swear the stack grew the minute Naruto left, in fact, he was sure a lot of the paper concerned Naruto and his new clansmen. With a sigh, the Sandaime picks up a slip of paperwork and begins his most hated task.

"Here's a bill denying Naruto and all associated with him access to the shopping district. Denied." the Sandaime says to himself stamping "rejected" on the paper and placing it in the out pile.

"Here's a bill denying Naruto and all associated with him from all restaurants. Denied, though I'm sure they won't let him in anyway." the Sandaime sighs stamping rejected on the bill. The job of Hokage can be stressful at times.

Alexandros campsite...

Once Naruto made it to the clan campsite, he finds another Root operative bound with Apollo standing over him.

"That Danzo baka just won't learn will he? How many of his Root have we killed so far Amira chan?" Apollo asks preparing to gather any information he could from the man.

"I'd say thirty six, the guy has to be running out by now. I removed the tongues of all the other Root ops for analyze and I've determined the seal makes it so they can't mention anything concerning Danzo or Root. The seal affects their ability to speak and connects to their minds. I suppose he had the Yamanaka in mind when making the seal." Amira states.

"That complicates things. I know for a fact the Root are not under the Hokage's orders which means Danzo has something planned. You don't have your own personal army just for show. No matter, I have just the trick for this. Kyo!" Apollo chants as root chakra pours from his body in a flare of red.

"Seishin hokousha" Apollo chants mentally. Miniature Spawn creep from Apollo's fingers as Apollo grabs the Root ops face. The Spawn burrow into the Root's head, leaving their tails outside as they wiggle. The Root op's body begins to convulse violently as he tries to scream, but a Spawn tail erupts from his mouth silencing him.

"Oh hello Naru chan. Your father is busy, but follow me and we can start your Meshidasu Tedzika training." Amira says, leading Naruto away from Apollo and the poor Root op. Strangely, Naruto wasn't horrified by what he saw. He's seen his otuo san do far worse to those foolish enough to enter their territory without permission. Like the time Apollo burned one a group of Root ops with white fire, burning them layer by layer slowly until not even ashes remained. Amira takes Naruto deep in the forest before coming to a stop.

"Alright Naru chan, before we begin there's something I must tell you. What I'm about to reveal is concerned a S rank secret in Konoha, but I feel you're ready." Amira says with a serious tone. Naruto gulps and gives his kaa san his full attention.

"Naruto, when is your birthday?" Amira asks, figuring having him figure it out is the best way to handle the situation.

"October 10th." Naruto answers not sure what that has to do with anything.

"When did the Kyuubi attack Konohagakure?" Amira asks.

"October 10th." Naruto answers still not putting it together.

"From your studies of the Bijuu, has there ever been a case where they were slain?" Amira asks, hoping the boy would figure it out.

"No, according to the scrolls, Bijuu are masses of chakra and even if you defeat it, it will just respawn..." Naruto replies finding it odd that the history scrolls never say what happened to the Kyuubi, only that the Yondaime killed it, but if they can't die then why hadn't the Kyuubi returned?... Unless... Naruto's eyes widen with realization. His birthday was the same day of the Kyuubi's defeat, the way the villagers treated and hated him, it could only point to one thing.

"It's sealed within me... I'm the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko..." Naruto says, his expression is blank. He doesn't know what to do, what to believe... Was he the Kyuubi? Was he a demon like everyone said? Seeing where his train of thoughts were headed, Amira sighs and slaps Naruto upside his head; her way of telling him he's being a baka. Amira takes out a scroll and a kunai and then seals the kunai in the scroll.

"Tell me Naruto, is this a kunai?" Amira asks showing him the scroll.

"No... It's a scroll... It's a scroll!" Naruto says, his entire demeanor shifts. Just because he hosted the Kyuubi didn't make him the Kyuubi. Just like the scroll wasn't a kunai just because it held the kunai in it or an Aburame isn't a insect just because they host them. Amira smiles at her musuko.

"I'm glad you can tell the difference. Don't let those fools from the village get to you. They simply wish to take their grief out on something. They were too weak to save their loved ones and need to regain the strength they feel they lost by taking it out on you. In their warped minds, any pain they inflict on you, is pain against the Kyuubi and that is why they fear you. They realize that the older you get, the stronger you become. True, they wish for your death, but at the same time they want you around to serve as their scape goat and weapon." Amira explains. Naruto can't help the fury he feels building within him. He is just a child! He didn't ask for any of this and yet the villagers blamed him for what the Kyuubi did! How could they? How could his fellow villagers be so foolish, so cold to a child?

"Well enough of that, it's time to begin our training. The reason why I told you about the Kyuubi is because like it or not, you two are connected. If you die, so does the Kyuubi and vice versa. Unlike normal, where it would respawn, due to the Shiki Fuuin and your otuo san's binding contract, you two are connected. In fact, your spirit animal is the Kyuubi reincarnate though much weaker." Amira explains. Upon hearing this, Naruto subconsciously rubs the fuuin on his navel.

"To explain what happened during the Meshidasu Tedzika ritual, your otuo san separated the Kyuubi's will from his chakra by removing the Kyuubi's source of power; its main tail. While the other eight tails are still within you, the Kyuubi has access to one of its tails and the only way for it to gain back its tails is by making you stronger." Amira explains.

"But kaa san why would the Kyuubi work with me? Once I summon it, what's stopping it from going on another rampage or just up and running away?" Naruto asks finding the thought of being linked to the Kyuubi a bit frightening.

"Great question Naru chan! To answer it, the Kyuubi is a member of the great Kitsune clan. A proud clan that are master tricksters and hold freedom above all else. I highly expect the Kyuubi to try to run actually since they HATE being caged. Still there is a way to keep it obedient to you and that is with the Kitsune ball." Amira answers.

"Kitsune ball?" Naruto asks confused.

"Yep, a Kitsune ball is essentially a Kitsune's life force and since you two are connected, I believe you are the Kyuubi's Kitsune ball." Amira explains. Naruto lets out a sigh of relief as he awaits instruction.

"Alright, using the Meshidasu Tedzika is just like a normal Kuchiyose except you have to use the Nine levels of power and all the chakras related to your familiar. In your case, you need to use the Rin level of power as well as Root chakra. Since the Kyuubi only has one tail, you only need one of each, but the more tails he gains, the more levels of power and chakra you need." Amira explains.

"Wouldn't it gaining tails be a bad thing?" Naruto asks

"Normally yes, but since it's connected to you the stronger it gets, the stronger you get." Amira explains. Naruto couldn't believe how cool the Meshidasu Tedzika was and couldn't wait to use it. Getting the signal to begin, Naruto assumes the full lotus meditation position and begins to do breathing exercises. Naruto searches his mind for the peace within...

Inside Naruto's mindscape...

Naruto found himself swimming in the calm darkness of his mind. Where one would normally find the void frightening, Naruto found it soothing. In the void, nothing mattered. There were no problems, no sense of time, nothing but peace. Instead the void, Naruto saw a flash of red light as he swam, or floated or whatever, he moved closer to the red light; recognizing it as his Root chakra. The closer Naruto got to the light, the more secure and instinctual he became. He remembers that the Root chakra represents survival and secures a person to the Earth as he basks in the warmth of the red chakra. When he finally reaches the Root chakra, Naruto finds himself just outside of the Kyuubi's cage. His ankles are submerged in murky water as he moves closer to the cage. The Kyuubi no Yoko dosen't move a inch, not even breathing. When Naruto touches one of the bars to the cage, the fuuin reacts and draws a tail of chakra from the Kyuubi as it overwhelms Naruto, consuming him in a sea of red chakra...

Back in reality...

The night sky shines with the starry pearls of the night and a crescent moon hangs over head. It's been hours since Naruto began his spiritual journey within his own mind. Apollo joined his wife in watching over Naruto, when suddenly a gust of red chakra erupts from Naruto's body. The chakra spirals around Naruto as he channels the enormous chakra safely within his body. Once the chakra is safely absorbed, Naruto opens his eyes, revealing crimson eyes with slits.

"Great Naruto kun, now focus that chakra into your heart chakra!" Apollo advices. Naruto does as he focuses all the Root chakra into his hand and slams his glowing palm on the center of his chest. The Root chakra combines with his Heart chakra as a beam of light shoots from his chest. A dimensional rift opens from his chest as a hand claws its way out, followed by another that stretches the portal wider until a fox head comes out.

"I'm FREE!" the Kyuubi roars as it forces its way out of the portal. Upon landing, it realizes just how small it really is.

"What the hell is going on here? Why am I so fucking short?" the Kyuubi roars. Waving its tail around, the Kyuubi comes to a shocking realization...

"Where are the rest of my tails? I'm no stronger than the fucking Ichibi and how come the brat is still alive?" Kyuubi asks utterly confused. Amira just sighs, not wishing to explain it all over again. She walks over to the Kyuubi who growls, Amira just places her hand on Naruto.

"Stand down!" Amira commands and Kyuubi follows her orders unwillingly.

"What the hell is going on here?" Kyuubi roars! It was the Kyuubi no Yoko for crying out loud! Amira walks up to the Kyuubi and places her hand on its head. Information floods the Kyuubi as it realizes the situation its in.

"I am not helping him..." the Kyuubi states laying down lazily seeing as it can't leave. Apollo saw something like this happening and smirks.

"Then you will never regain the tails still inside Naruto and will remain as you are now. Just wait until the other Bijuu find out the great Kyuubi, oh sorry, the Ichibi no Yoko only has one tail. After all, isn't a Bijuu's power based on the number of tails they have?" Apollo says with a smirk. Seeing where he's going, Amira decides to add her two cents.

"That's what I heard. I guess I forgot to tell Naruto that if the Kyuubi doesn't regain his tails in time, then the Shiki Fuuin will drain the tails of chakra and they will be converted into chakra for Naruto. So help him or not, Naruto will get stronger, but if he wants to stay a one tail..." Amira says just waiting for the Kyuubi's reaction. To say the Kyuubi was pissed was beyond an understatement. It was reduced to the weakest among the Bijuu and if it didn't help the bastard child it would never regain its power!

"Look, I don't like this anymore than you do. I don't want to make you a slave, I only want us to be partners in this. I help you by allowing you to once again roam the Earth, provided you don't go too far and you help me become stronger. I'll even sweeten the deal by not sending you back inside of me, deal?" Naruto asks. The Kyuubi searched Naruto for any falsehood. It had been around for a long time and all humans ever wanted was power. They would use the Bijuu as nothing more than slaves that would do their bidding, but this child was different. He couldn't find any falsehood in his words; he really wanted to work together and not force his will upon him.

"... Fine. I'll help you, but only if you swear never to send me back to that place... EVER!" Kyuubi declares, just thinking of returning to that abyss sent shivers down it's spine.

"Deal, but first..." Naruto says passing out. He held on for as long as he could. Calling forth a tail of the Kyuubi's chakra was exhausting. The Kyuubi laughed at his "partner" and then looked at Amira and Apollo.

"Can I go now? I haven't roamed the Earth in eight years." Kyuubi asks. Amira pets the Kyuubi and allows the Kyuubi to roam the forest in search of a meal. With the first phase of the Meshidasu Tedzika complete, Apollo picks Naruto up and the trio walk back to the campsite...


And scene! At first I assumed that since no one reviewed my story that they didn't like it, but since I average about 300 readers a day and 500 hits that can't be true. Perhaps everyone just doesn't feel like reviewing or they like it so much they feel they don't need to say anything. Whatever the case, thank you to all the people out there reading my story! you can review if you want to, but don't think I'm someone who stops writing because no one reviews my story. I'm going to keep updating and if you feel the need to review than go for it! Again, I use reviews to help me shape the story and correct mistakes I'm sure I make. That being said, enjoy the story!