Let's see. This fic was started back on the 25th of February, 2007. Last update, 3rd of November, 2007. That's what, three years and two months? There's a fucking record. What next? I update Naruto Takes A Genin Squad? (No, I'm still pissed that ffnet went screwy and somehow changed the name " to just "." completely ruining the fucking joke).

Honestly, I grew to dislike Reaper of Death, hating myself for writing cliche stuff. I'm going to rewrite the prior chapters again. Mainly because I want to retcon some minor details, fix some of the shit I slipped in by accident, get some better chapter titles, et cetera, et cetera, and hopefully fixed this cliche crap and actually make it into a fic I'm proud of.

Okay, vague recap, as I recall it (it'll help if you imagine this like a Star Wars Intro):

Naruto nearly gets executed by Danzo and his lot. Gets rescued by Jiraiya. Six years later, Team 7 minus Naruto go to Wave, which is now a minor ninja village. They encounter a murderous vigilante named the Reaper of Death, who controls blood and shadow. He beats them single handed and insists they escort him to the Leaf. When they get there, the Leaf shinobi do their utmost to try and kill him, only to discover he wanted to work as a merc for them. Upon agreeing to this, he reveals his true identity as Naruto (except I made it fucking obvious from the start that you'd have to be a retarded chimp not to have figured it out). He then also states he's travelling with a company, which includes Jiraiya, Itachi, Kisame, and his adopted daughter, the charming OC Ren, a descendent of the Senju Clan from Tobirama's line (That's the Second Hokage, right?), who surprisingly has inherited his great affinity for water techniques.

Blah blah, random shit happens. Naruto ends up murdering Danzo's sorry arse when he discovers the weakness of the Reaper, holy water, and Naruto uses a strange technique called the Dread Eyes to scare them half to death before he executes them. Jiraiya, the explaining guy in this fic, explains that the Reaper has his counterpart, the Guardian of Life (original naming thing I was using, wasn't it?), and that hundreds of years ago, the two ended up killing each other, their souls sealed away in their weapons, the Reaper's Scythe, the Fell Herald, and the Guardian's Blade, the Sword of Sanctity (I swear, I may as well have called it Masamune with the originality I was using).

When he rescued Naruto, they also came across a kunoichi living it rough named Kaori, and the two became fast friends. On a mission to pay for Jiraiya's hookers ( I wish I had actually put that in), they ended up coming across the weapons in ruins (they had to fight many goblins along the way) and as they took up the weapons, they were transformed. They fought, and Naruto ended up killing Kaori. With that done, he managed to regain control, and despite his guilt, had to start carrying out the duties of the Reaper of Death (murdering criminals). However, sometimes, when Naruto got a little too into it (that is not innuendo), typically by using the Dread Eyes, he would transform into a skeleton, and Kaori's anger personified would take up the Sword and try to kill him (how much drugs I was taking to come up with this?).

Some time after this, Deidara launched a solo attack to attempt to capture Naruto, using Ren as bait after the two had their family soap opera drama argument, but Naruto kicked his arse, saved his daughter and gave her that funky lightsaber sword used in the filler arcs that apparently belonged to the Nidaime. Although I think he did that before he kicked Deidara's arse...

Anyway, it's revealed that the Leaf have been having some bad relations with the Stone recently, and Naruto intended to help Konoha against them, while dealing with Akatsuki, the original Reaper (whose strength was growing inside Naruto and was going to mount one last attempt to break free) and Kaori's spirit, and hopefully wipe them all out in one fell swoop. When the attack finally happened, however, the Iwa-nin and Akatsuki began to tear through the Leaf's defences, despite Naruto's help.

With that, the Leaf and the Reaper launch one last counter attack...


Chapter VIII: Live Again

Konoha burned. The plans and tactics were overcome by the swift advance of the Iwa units. The men on the walls were quickly overwhelmed, and the Konoha ninja were in disarray, fleeing in all directions, and those who did not head to the centre of the village to make what must have seemed like a final stand. Citizens remained hidden away amidst shadow and worried whispers, and the ninja guarding them hastily reassure them that the Leaf shall not be defeated, as they wish they could be out there making a difference.

The outskirts of the city were now taken by the Iwa nin, who had already started setting up camps in case they had to end up sieging the heart of the village. Their patrols dug through the buildings, rooting out any Leaf people and killing them, be they ninja or civilian.

An Iwa-nin cut the throat of a girl and threw her body on the pile. "Hey, is it me, or did that just move?" He said.

His partner looked at him as though he was a fool. "Because you threw another body on," he said. "Are you stupid?"

"No, it moved after-"

The bodies erupted outwards, knocking one of the Iwa-nin onto his back. The other felt a scythe dig into his head, before it cut through bone and brain, splitting his head in two. The first man crawled backwards, screaming, his hands covering his eyes as the figure dressed in black approached with a bloody scythe.

His decapitation stopped his screaming easily enough.

The Reaper groaned, shaking his head. "I can't believe I actually let myself get buried down there," he said to himself. Awaking under a pile of corpses had not been pleasant.

He disappeared into black mist, reappearing on the top of a building not too far away. He looked over the burning village; the screams echoing in his skull, the pain of the villagers his pain, their blood spilled his blood.

He was tempted to charge back into the village centre, but refrained. At this rate, the people would have to be evacuated. In which case, for now, the best plan would be to help clear out the outskirts of the village, and look for survivors.

Once again, he disappeared into black mist.


He found Shino's blackened body in the wreckage of a small household. He would not have recognised him if it wasn't for that familiar pair of sunglasses that lay some feet away, cracked. The incredible burns he was covered with- suffice to say, Shino's end had not been painless.

Naruto covered Shino with a sheet he found strewn amongst the wreckage. Now was not the time to bury him, but he could at least pay his respects.

The voices of the people began to fade, as more and more were extinguished. Suddenly, he was looking out across the darkness, each precious life a flickering light, and the lights were-!

He did not want to be left alone in the darkness.

And it was why he had returned. He bore them no ill will, for he better than any other man understood the weak hearts and minds of humanity. He would keep this light burning, because there was always hope.

He melted into shadows, rematerialising in the midst of a battalion of Iwa shinobi seven streets away.

Naruto straightened upright as they realised his presence. They formed a circle around him, and he moved into a stance, his scythe held behind him, his feet wide apart.

As they pounced, his spin of the blade tore through them all.

One had not dwelt in the circle, and Naruto took a step towards him. The survivor fell onto the ground as he backed away, raising his hands as he blubbered, begging for his life.

Naruto raised the scythe, and bashed the man in the head with the blunt edge. He was knocked out cold.

He'd wake up in five minutes. If he had any sense, he'd desert. If not, well, Naruto would have to kill him the next time he saw him.

Tendrils of shadows crept through the roads buildings, burrowing into every nook and cranny. He searched for people of either side, be they alive or dead. All he could feel was sadness as he touched the bodies of the dead.

Sometimes he had questioned why even the Reaper of Death should be allowed to exist, even if he executed injustice. Although there had been moments where his scythe had shown mercy, for far too long the Fell Herald hungered for blood. What good was it as a tool of justice if all it could do was kill?

The shadows returned to him, and wrapped him in darkness.


Red lightning crackled across the black skies, the only source of light in the world of darkness. There, Naruto stood, facing the true Reaper of Death.

"Release me," said the Reaper.

"I have people to help," replied Naruto, turning away.

"People? Pardon my impertinence, yet are they not the same who wisheth to end thy life?" replied the Reaper. "And so, what will thou do, even if thou lives, and remains the same?"

Naruto was silent. "I will go."

"Thou will run?" the Reaper laughed. "Again, and again, thou can only run from thy life. Fool."

"Goodbye," said Naruto, before disappearing.


Hidan stalked through the streets, dragging his scythe behind him. He'd been torn up quite badly by Asuma's last stand, and had been separated from Kakuzu in the explosion. Not that he cared about his partner; he thought it excellent if Kakuzu had been killed.

He was looking for more heathens to sacrifice to Jashin.

And then, he heard movement inside one of the houses. Laughing, he smashed the door down with his scythe, finding a family of four; the parents in front of their children.

Their attempts at protecting their offspring were a failure, as were any attempts to protect their lives.

Merrily, he emerged unto the streets once more, this time breaking down most the doors he passed. Unfortunately for Jashin, there were no more people to be found to renounce their heathen ways in sacrifice.

"Come out, come out!" He shouted to the village, and then, he heard movement from inside another house. Once more, he broke down the door, laughing as he stepped inside.

He was not laughing when a blunt force connected with his gut, sending him crashing outside onto his back.

Hidan picked himself up with a growl as a mass of shadow stretched out of the house, forming a being clad in a black cloak and bone-like armour. "Uzumaki!"

"Hidan," said Naruto. "A sinner like you deserves no mercy."

"A sinner? Nonsense," Hidan scoffed. "I have converted heathens with the scythe, much like yourself. As I shed their blood for Jashin and his chosen people, to-"

"Do not attempt to rationalise yourself," said Naruto. "I chose to kill sinners, and as flawed as my arguments have been, I know you are only kept alive by slaughter. Murdering to prolong one murderous life- I know there is no force in this world or the next that could ever condone such an ideal. You will die today, as I show you the power of the Reaper of Death."

Hidan charged forwards with the scythe, to meet Naruto's own scythe.

"I am the worst possible opponent you could ever have," said Naruto.

Hidan snarled, and continued swinging his scythe, but Naruto met him every time. Incensed, Hidan began to take more risks, and although Naruto started to get hits in on him, they bothered him not.

Then, he finally saw a chance, his scythe digging in deep between the joints of Naruto's armour. He laughed, and drew the scythe away, intent on using the blood for his ritual- only to see the blood jump off the scythe, and disappear into Naruto's cloak.

"I control my blood," said Naruto. "I can meet you in combat with scythes. You cannot kill me."

"Neither can you kill me!" Hidan screamed as he lunged forwards, intent on severing Naruto's head from his shoulders.

The Fell Herald cut through the scythe's handle, and continued, cutting deep into Hidan's chest, dragging across his heart.

"This scythe cuts your soul," said Naruto. "It matters not if your body is immortal."

Hidan fell to his knees, dropping his own scythe as he clutched as the wound at his heart, and then Naruto brought the scythe down on his head, splitting his head in half.


Jiraiya choked, and waited for his death to come. The Six Paths of Pain approached- only to halt as a scythe landed before them, cutting deep into the ground, before it was pulled back by the chain.

Naruto stood over the barely alive Jiraiya. His shadows encircled the semi-conscious man, and transported him safely away.

"Intriguing," said Naruto. "I did not know that there was six of you."

Simultaneously, the Six Paths of Pain narrowed their eyes, silently analysing their new opponent.

"So then, Pain?" said Naruto, before his eyes darkened. "What is Akatsuki's intention?"

"You have done me a great favour by coming to me," said one Pain, with spiky hair not too unlike Naruto's own.

"Pain." Naruto twirled his scythe in the air before pointing it at the six. "I shalt bringeth judgement upon thy sins. Thou penance shalt be in death."

He had just finished saying that when a gigantic summoned three-headed dog burst out of the ground at Naruto.

Naruto only smiled as he met the dog head on.

The scythe's metal clashed with the teeth of the heads, when suddenly, the scythe ripped through the enamel, and Naruto stabbed down, pushing the scythe through the skin of the dog's mouth, before he dragged his scythe out, and faced the next head

The dog roared- and Naruto jumped into its mouth.

"What the-?" One Pain cried.

And the dog exploded, leaving a blood splattered Naruto where it had been.

"Impressed?" he asked. "Now-" He threw his scythe into the air, and fire appeared around him. "Burn! Burn in eternal flames, wretched souls!"

The scythe came down- and Naruto seized it, blasting forwards, flames trailing behind him.

But the Six Paths of Pain were not to be underestimated. Already they had moved out of the way, but blood and shadow shot up from the ground, twisting towards them.

They dodged impressively, but only for Naruto to burst out of black mist and appear in their midst, fighting them all simultaneously.

"Impressive," said One Pain, evidently a taijutsu specialist judging by the ease he defended himself. "But you cannot win, Reaper."

"Really?" Naruto asked, as the shadows and blood pooled at his feet. "The only thing I notice is that this'll take me six times longer than I thought."


"Where the hell am I?" Jiraiya groaned, as he lifted himself up. He could've sworn he'd just been fighting Pain.

"Naruto sent you here."

Jiraiya groaned. "Oh good, it's you."

Sasuke sat there, his face and clothes sticky with blood. Jiraiya looked around, and there were several other injured Leaf shinobi being treated in the dim light.

"Anyway, I don't have time for this," said Jiraiya, struggling to get up. Yet he could not do so, and Sasuke looked over at him.

"What are you doing?"

"I need to give Naruto a message." He groaned again. "He- urgh- doesn't stand a chance against Pain if he doesn't know the truth behind him."

Sasuke watched Jiraiya struggle for several more moments, until he finally asked. "What is the message?"


"It is time the Senju finally learnt their place," Madara said, watching Tsunade struggle to escape his grasp. "This village is mine, at last, and you fool woman, you ought to realise that."

Tsunade managed to free an arm and lunged at him, but then she shrieked in pain as the limb was cut off. Madara released her, laughing as she picked up the appendage, staring at it dumbly.

He stopped laughing when Tsunade smashed him in the face with her arm, sending him across the clearing. She reattached it with a medical jutsu, scowling at him as he climbed to his feet.

"A lucky-" Madara cut himself off, as a boulder came hurtling towards him.

He jumped out of its way, and then a blunt force collided with him, shoving him to the ground. It was Kakashi, and Madara was briefly shocked how he had not sensed him. Then he ignored that as he realised the seals Kakashi was running through.

"Raikiri!" Kakashi shouted as he made to plunge the lightning through Madara's mask, only for the Uchiha to disappear from underneath him.

He smashed the Raikiri into the earth, forming a large crater, kicking up dust as he looked up with rage. Madara had reappeared between both him and Tsunade.

"Another fool who thinks to challenge me," said Madara. "You cannot hope to win when-"

"What are you talking about? We've already won," Kakashi replied. "Now that all the shinobi of the Earth are in the centre of the village, and we can easily spring our trap and crush them in a counter attack. We've tore through your Akatsuki; and right now Naruto is about to kill Pain. You have lost, Madara. It's just another entry on your long list of failures in your life."

Kakashi and Tsunade could actually feel the burning anger and hate radiating from Madara.

"Not if I stop the counter attack," he finally said, his words barely louder than a hiss, but they caught every last one.

Tsunade made as though to spring forwards and attack, but Kakashi laughed. "Sorry, Madara. Do you think I'd tell you this if there was any chance of you stopping the counter attack? It's already started."

Madara snarled. "Then I can at least kill you two."


Naruto slumped against his scythe. He'd managed to kill that incredibly resilient Asura Path, and then take down the Human Path as well, both of which lay at his feet- he'd succeeded in killing the Animal Path as well, but since he hadn't realised the Naraka Path could heal them, that body had been resurrected. Since all of them were walking corpses, the ability of the Fell Herald to take souls that had been Hidan's bane was useless.

Not wanting the Naraka Path to heal any more, he was forced to stay near the corpses in order to make sure they were not restored.

Preferably he'd prefer to kill that damn Path and see how that worked, but it was smart enough to stay at the back, and he still had to get through the Preta, Animal and the Deva Paths. The latter happened to be the strongest, and that damn gravity power was getting really irritating.

Still, he had methods for taking out the Naraka Path yet.

He raised his hand. "Darkness Release: Destruction Jutsu."

The force of the technique however, impacted with a great beast Summon the Animal Path formed and blew it to pieces. Still, it functioned as a shield.

Naruto snarled. There was nothing for it; he had to get up close and personal. His shadows crept up from the ground, wrapping around the two corpses, as he began to approach the remaining Paths of Pain.

He charged- but then felt an invisible force blasting him off his feet, sending him back where he had run from.

It was the Deva Path again. Naruto scowled, as his blood leaked from his robes, and shadows twisted from the ground, all heading towards the three Paths of Pain. He'd noticed something earlier, and was now intent on testing it out.

The Deva Path blasted away the first torrent of blood, and then blasted away the shadow. But the gap between them, despite being about five seconds was a gap that could not be intentional.

He charged forwards again, and gravity came down on him as though a building was dropped on him.

"Perhaps you will surrender yourself without any more-"

The shadows sprung up, but not at the Deva Path. They wrapped around the Naraka Path's head, and snapped his neck. Naruto smiled under his mask as he rose, only to be forced into the ground once more by the gravity.

"You do not understand," said the Deva Path. "The powers of the Reaper of Death are great, but they do not make you invincible."

"Neither does the Rinnegan," said Naruto, rising from ground, only to be slammed down yet again. His hands gripped the earth, and he disappeared into shadow as he lay upon the earth, reappearing a short distance away. "I have destroyed three bodies, now three left. And then, you'll finally die-"

"Not quite."

Naruto and the three Paths of Pain looked to see Sasuke, standing atop one of the remaining buildings in the area. "Sasuke? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked.

"I have a message for you from Jiraiya," said Sasuke. "The real one isn't amongst them."

Naruto realised what it meant. He reached out with the shadows, detecting the presence of the lives in the village- and then felt chakra that was identical to the Paths of Pain.

He grinned. "Found him. I'll come for you in a moment, Pain."

"Do you think you can get past me?" asked the Deva Path.

"I'll hold them off, you disappear already," said Sasuke, before Naruto could say anything.

"But you'll probably-"

"Won't they all die when you kill the boss?" Sasuke interrupted.

Naruto shrugged. "Stands to reason, I guess."

"Then go," said Sasuke. "I only need to hold them off for a couple of minutes at best, right? No problem."

Naruto nodded, and disappeared into the shadows, racing across the darkness. The Paths of Pain made to move, only to be forced to dodge a torrent of fireballs.

"I wasn't joking when I said "I'll hold them off"," said Sasuke, his Sharingan eyes staring dead ahead at the three pairs of Rinnegan eyes.

"Very well," said the Deva Path. "I will be your opponent."

Sasuke was pushed through the top of the building as a result of the gravity suddenly forced on him, but he crashed through one of the windows before he hit the ground floor. He landed on the earth, scowling, but as the Preta Path appeared before him, its outstretched fingers readied to drain the life out of him-

It was blasted away in black flame.

"You!" said Sasuke, looking back to see his brother. "I don't need your help-"

"It appears so to me," said Itachi, walking forwards to face the Deva Path.

"Itachi," said the Deva Path. "It has been a long time."

"Pain," acknowledged Itachi. "Not long enough, if I must be blunt."

"Why did you betray Akatsuki?" The Deva Path asked. "Was it because Uzumaki managed to help you heal you and your eyes?"

"He what?" said Sasuke, looking over to Itachi.

"That was but a little bonus," said Itachi. "He offered me something else, but that is not important right now." He smiled. "We must've bought Naruto enough time-"

"Have you? Have you really?"

It was then they realised the Animal Path had already disappeared.

"Shit," the Uchiha brothers said simultaneously.

"And now- no! No!" The Deva Path suddenly cried.


The Reaper burst out of black mist that had gathered in the hollow tree.

"You made a mistake coming here, Uzumaki," said Nagato. At the end of it, he was but a sickly man atop a mechanical walker.

The walker fired a blade at the Reaper, who batted it away and leapt forwards, cutting through the metal legs with his scythe as though it was butter, leaving Nagato kneeling in the collapsed walker.

It was then Nagato noticed that it was not a bone mask underneath the hood. Nor was that armour carefully designed to look like bone visible at the neck and the top of the chest. It was actual bone.

"I am the Reaper of Death." He poised the scythe as though to behead Nagato. "You have sinned greatly. It is time you paid the price."

"You will only-"

"I care not for your meaningless philosophies," the Reaper interrupted. "The unjust must die. You have the blood of countless upon your hands."

"What about you?" Nagato asked. "I have killed in the interests of many. What makes you any different from me?"

The Reaper's teeth twisted into a smile. "I am the one who is holding a scythe over your neck."

"No!" It was Konan, rushing towards them on paper wings. "Don't!"

The Reaper brought down the scythe, severing the head of Nagato. Konan screamed, but in an instant, the scythe wet with Nagato's blood was pointed towards her.

"In his name, you did commit countless atrocities. You too shall share his fate."

Konan saw red, before trapping the Reaper in her paper, intent on shredding his bones into ribbons. She focused, letting the paper cut and cut- but then she realised, it felt wrong, as though she was not cutting him at all. She released some of her grip, only to see a mass of shadow.

Then she felt a presence behind her, and cold steel on her shoulder.

"I shalt bringeth judgment upon ye sins."

Konan's head fell next to Nagato's, and the True Reaper looked over the village. Ninja fighting everywhere, and to him, the only viable conclusion came easily. If the ninja were killers, they would have to die. And so, he would kill every single ninja, regardless of whether they were Leaf, Earth, or Akatsuki.

He disappeared into black mist, but it lingered still after him, and deposited a body to lie in the blood of Nagato and Konan. A man lying there, unconscious.

Naked he laid there, save for an emerald necklace, the blood starting to cover his body, and only minutes later, he groaned and rose.

"What the hell happened to my clothes?" Naruto asked himself, before slapping himself for asking such a stupid question at the time.

The Reaper had left him? But he thought it would have had to try and take his body- then he realised what the Reaper had done, manipulate the shadows and create a new form for it as an ethereal spirit.

He paused. But that meant- he didn't have to fight it. He could run. He could take Ren, Jiraiya, anyone close to his heart and flee Konoha, to live away from the backstabbing ninja world that would soon be erased by the Reaper's scythe.

But there was a part of him that could not do it. Kaori, the only friend he'd ever made between him nearly getting executed and becoming the Reaper, had died because of it. He owed it to her.

And he knew just as well, that the Reaper had not been joking when it swore to kill him. If he ran, he'd only be delaying the inevitable. In the interests of the greater good, he may as well take down this insane century old killer who was going to wipe out the entire village.

But then, he'd learnt nothing over the past six years. Sure, he was faster and stronger, but he knew no new jutsus that hadn't been taken away from him as a result of the Reaper leaving him. He no longer wielded the Fell Herald, he couldn't use the Dread Eyes, he no longer had the hourglass, he couldn't use the Reaper's shadow control ability, or the blood control ability that had worked only as a combination of the Reaper and Kyuubi's power.

What did he have? Rasengan, and the Kyuubi.

Actually, that wasn't as bad as he thought.

"The Reaper has finally awoken."

Naruto looked up to see a ghostly, shining woman loom over him, kept aloft in the air with wings. "The Guardian of Life."

"My Naruto-kun," said Kaori. "Soon, I will kill the Reaper. I will avenge you, and I will pass on to join you. We will reunite in the world beyond."

"I'm not dead, Kaori," said Naruto. "And you know this."

Kaori regarded him with a frosty glare. "Do not speak false words to me, spirit. While you take his form, I am not inclined to harm you, but I shall if you attempt to force me to stray from my path."

The Sword of Sanctity appeared in her hands, the counterpart to the Fell Herald.

"You cannot defeat the True Reaper," said Naruto patiently. "He's managed to come back to life, even if he is just shadow. But he is whole- and you are just a fragment. The anger of Kaori."

"I will not heed your words, spirit."

"If you want to really pass on, you will listen to me," said Naruto. "I can defeat him. And you can have your vengeance if you aid me. Give me that sword."

Kaori flared up. "I knew it! Lies from a false spirit! The Reaper's trickery! You too shall be destroyed!"

Naruto stooped, grabbing the blade that Nagato's mechanical walker had fired. On second thoughts, he also pulled Konan's Akatsuki cloak off her corpse, wrapping it around himself.

He raised the blade in both hands, as Kaori flew towards him, the sword above her head as she prepared to slash at him.


AN: So, how many chapters left, you ask? Two or three, probably, four's very unlikely but possible.

Anyway, anyone who was happy to see this final chapter come out, thank MechaUltimaZero. His constant demand for updates actually got me motivated enough to get off my arse and finish writing this. Now all of you know that pestering me actually works *bangs head into wall*.

I'm looking forward to what my reviews are gonna be like from now on:

"Where's the new chapter? Where's the new chapter? Where's the new chapter? Update!"