A/N Wow thank you to everyone for their amazing ideas.

Sultry: You're idea for a wolf pack is definitely a good one. Along with the possibility of adding a toad summoning. I do believe the pack itself will be gradually over time if it works out. That was supposed to be an emotional chapter. It was there to show that even without Hayate there those Naruto had touched would still stand by him.

Darkravie: I really liked yours and while I'm considering all names yours I'm taking a special consideration of. Thank you for all of your support.

Theopgamer: I loved the ideas for the Chinese names. Even if they are not chosen for the companion they were still amazing and may be used later on.

Gryffindors: Thank you for the name and even a short version of it.

Naruto's POV

Yoochun didn't begin his training until after lunch. He understood that Naruto needed time to gather himself. During that time he threw himself into the swords techniques. He went slowly through each movement testing how they felt.

For swordsmanship every style was different. Every kata had a minute change that made each style it's own. Only a master swordsman would be able to pinpoint each difference. He was still learning but he was beginning to pinpoint them.

For lunch they had roasted fish and ate it quietly. He wasn't sure if he trusted the man in front of him. While he was willing to give him a chance he wouldn't trust the man easily. After all the man had considered killing him.

When they were done eating Yoochun indicated for him to sit across from him. The man asked relaxing slightly," What do you know about ki? Specifically on the use of it as an elemental?"

He shook his head as he said," I don't know much about ki. I know that ki centers are just behind the chakra center. Like chakra centers ki centers allow the flow and use of ki. I didn't know ki had an element."

With a smile Yoochun said," Normally it wouldn't. Elemental ki can only be used by a select few. Namely those with the Heavenly Ways techniques. There are a few lesser known clans that have it but it's extremely rare and dangerous to use."

Listening he soaked up the information like a sponge. The man continued," The technique that I specifically use is called Enlightment of Thunder and Lightning. EOTL for short. Like the Black Heaven and Earth technique it is the starting technique. It will be a difficult one to master especially in the month time frame."

That was true. It would be difficult for the young man to master it before Chun returned. He would devote all his time and energy to learning these techniques.

The man asked," Has the Chun taught you how to feel you ki center?"

Naruto said nodding," Yes. To use Black Heaven and Earth I have to be able to keep my ki flowing in the correct direction."

A nod came from the other. He suspected it would make the technique easier to learn. When Yoochun opened his mouth the theory was proven correct," Good. EOTL begins with purifying your ki reserves. Eventually you will be able to purify it without thinking about it like i do. But that takes years of practice."

He paused as if to gather his thoughts before continuing," Know this. If you choose this Heavenly Way then you choose it for life. It come with stipulations the others don't have. With EOTL you can never smoke or drink again. Otherwise you will have to purify your ki all over again. Healthier lifestyles as well. Everything that goes in your body affects your ki purity."

Purity is needed for the coming techniques. He thought on the name that Yoochun was called. The Lightning Tiger. He had a feeling that it was not just his summons. EOTL must be similar to the lightning chakra.

He sat carefully bringing his hands in front of him just below the navel. Yoochun said softly," Yes, just like that. Now focus on your ki center. Picture it in your mind almost like a coffee maker. On the top part of it should be your impure ki. Filter the impurities out of the ki and allow it to pass through like coffee."

Listening to his teacher he searched inside himself. It didn't take him long to find his no center. Behind his chakra center and the seal that kept the fox inside him it lay.

Picturing it exactly like the man said he built a coffee machine in his mind. He tried to focus the ki to slowly pass through the filter. Instead of doing what he wanted it to. It gushed over the machine going back into his body unpurified.

Annoyed he tried again. Again the massive amount of ki he had just gushed over the filter.

Tiger's POV

He watched in amusement over the last two hours as the boy tried to purify his ki. The boy was both going at it right and wrong. Normally one would only have a small amount of ki when first starting this technique.

If that had been true for Naruto he would be going about it correctly. Instead the boy had just as much ki as he did chakra. The boy would have to find the balance between too large amount of ki and too little. It was a fine balance for the boy.

If he tried to purify too little his body would be coated in lightning ki. That's why he uad to watch the boy at all times. Without him there the boy would turn into a ticking time bomb. He would either right it himself or... Yoochun shuddered at the thought.

He was going to nudge the boy awake to tell him to take a break when he saw something. It was just a flash but still it was there. A small spark of lightning on the boy's shoulder. Already?

It had taken him three days to even get a small spark. Two hours and the boy had purified a small amount of his ki. The boy suddenly opened his eyes and his left hand touched the shoulder.

He said excitement filling the blue eyes," I did it. It was only a tiny amount but I still did it."

The older could only nod stupidly at the boy. Extraordinary. This boy had to be some kind of prodigy. No one... absolutely no one picked up Heavenly Way techniques so quickly. Chun's prodigy. If the man could see his disciple now.

Yoochun had to hide a chuckle at the thought. The man would probably kill him for stepping on his toes. Masters typically did not appreciate someone stealing their disciple. This boy though...

He watched as Naruto jumped up and down at his victory a childish grin on his face. The first one since that fateful night. He wondered if he should tell the boy. Then again... no it would just interrupt the training. As he was the boy wouldn't be able to face the other demon container. The boy would no doubt be facing the other during the exams. The anger would allow him to continue fighting. No he would have the man or Chun tell him. If the man ever woke that was.

He called the boy back over. Immediately Naruto sat on the grass waiting for instruction. He said," I was surprised that you caught on so quickly. It took me three days when i first started to do that. Now can you tell me how you did it?"

Naruto said looking contemplative," I kept trying to purify my ki all at once. That wasn't working. It took awhile but i eventually figured out why. It was because i was trying to purify too much at a single time. I have to do it in small incrimates otherwise it will just spill over."

Extraordinary... this boy figured it out in such a short time. It wasn't a fluke either. The boy had known exactly what he was doing and why.

Naruto's POV

He stared at his teacher. The man seemed surprised that he had figured out how to purify his large ki source. Why was it so surprising to the man? It wasn't that hard to figure out.

Ki manipulation was similar to that of chakra manipulation. Once you figured it out you were set. The only difficult part is the control aspect. Getting the perfect amount. Not to big and not to small. His first success had been too small but it had been better than any previous tries.

Yoochun said physically shaking himself," Sorry. Keep going. If you get enough of you ki purified I'll teach you a technique."

He returned to his meditative position once again focusing on his center. Once again he imagined a coffee pot with a filter. His ki was circulating around it and throughout his body. He grabbed at a larger amount this time. The previous try and been similar to that of a slow faucet trickle. This time it could be compared to that of a normal faucet use. He put it through the filter of his ki center. This time he could feel the way it purified.

Never before had he noticed how his ki was filled with the junk that he ate. Or the smoke that he was around when he spent time with team 10. As it purified the ki became more and more powerful. He wondered if his inner ki strike would be more powerful with purified ki.

The purified ki was white and hot to the touch. He allowed it to flow through his body while he grabbed a little bit larger amount of unpurified ki. This was more like a full stream of water from a faucet.

He had to keep a tight control over the ki to prevent it from over spilling back into his ki flow. This was the most he could purify at one time. At least for the moment. He would have to practice and gain more control over his ki.

He continued to do this for an unknown amount of time. It didn't seem like he was getting anywhere. No matter how much he purified his no there seemed to be an endless amount that still needed to be done.

A nudge drew him back to his real body. The sky had darkened and his teacher had started a fire. There were three fish cooking over the fire.

He asked stretching his stiff muscles," How long was I practicing?"

The man handed him a fish as he said," Four hours from when you last came out of it. I saw you have purified your ki. Have you had any problems?"

He sighed as he said feeling discouraged," I do not feel like I'm getting anywhere. No matter how much ki I purify there always ton more. My ki reserves are almost as big as my chakra reserves."

Naruto took the fish that was handed to him. He was surprised at how good it tasted. The fish was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. He hummed in contentment as he continued to eat the fish.

It was one of the best fish he had ever eaten. That included restaurant fish. He said," This is excellent, sir. It's some of the best fish I've ever had."

A snort followed his statement then the man replied," I spend most of my time away civilation. I like the quietness of mountains. I only return when I'm needed. Such as the rumors of the return of the guardian of the forest."

Realization filled his eyes. The reason why Yoochun was out of his hiding place. He said apologetically," Sorry. I never asked for this. I never asked to be the guardian's vessel. I never asked to be the Nine Tails container. I sure as hell didn't ask to lose the closest thing i had to a father!"

The black haired man held up his hands defensively. He said calmly," I understand. All activations are different from guardian to guardian but ours were similar. I lost my younger brother. He was tortured and killed right in front of me. I couldn't do anything to save him."

Naruto flinched at the thought. At least he didn't have to see Hayate's death. Or be forced to watch him tortured in front of him. He didn't think he could have prevented himself from losing it all to the darkness if he had.

To think the man in front of him had lost so much and kept his mind. It made him look at the Tiger in a whole new light. This man was worth his respect. Yoochun for his part ignored the looks in favor of finishing his fish.

He said swallowing his pride and grief," I'm sorry. I didn't know what the other guardian's went through. I know so little about Murim and guardians."

Yoochun said looking at him now," That's understandable. You grew up here in the ninja world much like Chun did. Both of you should have grown up in the Murim. You would have been taught at a young age about guardians activations and just the way Murim works."

He frowned and said," If I had grown up in Murim I wouldn't have the bonds i have now. I've seen how both you and Chun act. You both are afraid to make bonds with others. I would be no better than either of you if i had grown up in Murim."

He meant it. Even though it hurt at the loss of Hayate he didn't regret the bond he made with the man. He would never regret it. No matter how much it hurt. If he regretted it even for a moment it meant he never truly meant it.

Yoochun said smiling slightly," That Is true. There is no telling if the guardian would have even found you as a proper vessel. They are picky creatures. If you don't meet the criteria they will never reveal themselves. Wolves are especially picky about who they choose to bond with. You remind me of a wolf pup, you know? Cautious yet playful. More wolf than fox I woulf think."

He was more wolf than fox? What the hell? Honestly he didn't know whether he should be grateful or insulted. After a moment he decided on grateful. Wolves were honest creatures that roamed in packs. Foxes tended to be more solitary creatures and cunning.

Looking at his teacher he realized the man was perfect for his beast too. A loner who was extremely powerful but rarely showed it. One who would rather talk his way out of a situation than fight. A sleeping tiger. One who could fight but chose not to.

Chun a powerful Dragon. The man too was solitary like a tiger. Was more inclined to show his skills than to talk things out. He never showed them more than necessary. Always ready to fight.

It made him think. Personalities seemed to match the animal that they bonded with. That made more sense now. It was not just a random process that the guardians went through when they decided who to talk to. Personalities were taken heavily into account.

As if sensing that his student was lost in his thoughts Yoochun retired to his own side of the camp for the night. Eventually he too retired to sleep. He would not figure everything out in one evening.

The next morning he woke well before dawn practicing his swordsmanship. He tried different techniques including basic wind and lightning swords techniques. What he found was astounding. If he did Dance of the Crescent moon followed by kata 2,6 of the lead style he could connect it with wind katas. The possibility of finding katas to connect each style to create a new jutsu was possible.

He spent the rest of the morning slowly going through each basic wind kata. They were more fluid than the leaf style. Each one felt natural to the budding swordsman. It was almost like he had been using them for years. Even though it was untrue.

By the time lunch came around he pulled out an empty scroll. He was writing notes on his findings. While he didn't have a name for the jutsu he could already see it beginning to work. It would utilize the power from Dance of the Crescent moon. If the opponent was still standing after the first dance the second would start immediately.

Instead of continuing on one would need to use Tweh. That would get the user out of the danger zone. Possibly the use of shadow clones to distract the enemy. If not enough chakra left possibly using Hwan. This would give the perception of shadow clones.

He bit his lip nervously. That wouldn't help against a Hyuuga. Their eyes would see right through the deception that was ki. If he was to beat Neji he would have to use shadow clones. That much was obvious.

It wasn't until after lunch that Yoochun said," You did well yesterday. I want you to continue to purify your ki for at least two hours every day. You should slowly start increasing the amount you purify at a time. The longer you do this the more control you will gain over your ki and chakra."

Naruto sat carefully watching his teacher. He knew there was more the man wanted to say. He also knew he couldn't force him to say it before the man was ready.

The man said with a sigh," First battle technique i will teach you is Lightning Fist. Works very similar to that of inner ki strike that you master uses. This though is with the use of purified ki. It can temporarily stun an opponent. Very effective in battle. Though it can be less effective depending on who your fighting. Low to mid level Murim fighters it will work well against. Someone at my level not so much. I also know it's counter technique."

He paused for a moment to allow the boy to take in the information before continuing," Now Lightning Fist like regular lightning, electricity, and chakra lightning has a charge. It will either be positive or negative. Most of the time our ki gives off a negative charge. Chakra lightning tends to give off a more positive charge. Once you learn Lightning Fist I'll teach you the counter."

Yoochun drew back his arm just like Chun had done the first time teaching him inner ki strike technique. Even before the man extended his arm his hand began to have sparks shoot off it. That was Lightning Fist. He could see the power behind it even without the man moving.

The man's arm shot forward and the air sizzled where the impact would have been. Blue lightning was wrapped around the man's right arm. It was like a protective layer. Getting hit by that would certainly stun if not knock out whoever it hit.

Yoochun said calmly dissipating the lightning," You must learn control with this. If you do not, you could kill someone without meaning to."

Naruto nodded his understanding. Like inner ki strike it was a possible kill technique. Not just a stun and capture. It would definitely test his control to be able to use it properly.

Tapping into his purified he focused it into his hand. A pain in his hand forced him to stop. It was very similar to when he was first learning the inner ki strike. He tried again only to get the same results.

Thinking back to the demonstration that Yoochun did he realized it was not just centralized to the hand. It was all the way up the arm. The main part of the lightning focused in the hand with lightning trailing up through the arm to even out the pressure.

He tried it but had a difficult time keeping the pressure in his arm evened out. It all wanted to focus in his hand. When the pressure became too much he once again had to release it.

He had to break after that second try. He was breathing hard and his purified ki was empty. Yoochun said with a smirk," You won't get it in one day. I will be surprised if you can use it effectively in one week."

Naruto stuck his tounge out at the man childishly. The man only laughed at him in response. Two more days passed much the same. Naruto could bring forth his ki into its lightning form but the pressure was too much. He couldn't evenly disperse the ki so that it wouldn't damage his hand.

It had been frustrating but he was grateful that he didn't have the time deadline that Chun had once given him. It made things less stressful for the young blond. The morning of the fourth day of training had gone the same as the rest. It was spent going through the movements of lightning swords style. Unlike the wind style it didn't come naturally to him.

The style was less like a dance and more of brutal attacks. It would be a challenge to put the wind style together with the lightning style. From the research he had done most jutsus focused on one style rather than combining them. While it would be easier to do so it would also make it easier to predict. Even with the use of ki. Unpredictability would be the ki to winning.

Yoochun said drawing his attention away from the jutsu he was working on," It's time to find your companion."

What... oh right summoning companion. He had almost forgotten as he was trying to create a new jutsu. He rolled his scroll up and put it away for the time being.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves he bit into his thumb to draw blood. Swiping the thumb over his tattoo he quickly slammed his hand into the ground. Like before he focused on using both his ki and his chakra together.

He said," Summoning jutsu."

The smoke was much larger than the day before. It practically enveloped the camp they had made. The first thing he saw when it cleared was Timber. The brown silver wolf was watching him intently.

Naruto squared his shoulders as he greeted," Good afternoon, Elder Timber."

The wolf seemed surprised at his formal greeting but bowed its head in acknowledgment. Now that the smoke had cleared Naruto was able to see the others he had summoned. Three large wolves were laid out in the grass of the clearing. One was a dark chestnut brown and had a litter of five puppies. The second was slightly smaller with grey fur. She had a litter of seven puppies. The final wolf was dwarfed by the other two. She was still larger than any normal wolf. Her fur was as white as snow. At first he only counted nine puppies with her but as he moved around her he saw a tenth.

Timber said in a commanding voice," You will choose one of these puppies. It will be your companion until the day one of you dies. It will stay by your side or in our home depending on your wishes. Choose wisely young summoner."

So he went around to each of the mother wolves. Starting with the largest he examined each puppy. Her puppies were different shades of chestnut. They varied in size but none were exceptionally heavy or light None of them called to him either.

When he put the last of the five puppies down he moved onto the grey wolf. Six of the seven were different shades of grey. The seventh puppy was more of a smokey color. The fur color was black at the bottom and the ends. In the middle it was grey. The smokey colored wolf raised its head when he picked it up. It's eyes made his breath catch in his throat. The wolf's eyes were an icy blue.

So far this wolf was the only one that had caught his attention. It surprised him by licking his hand quietly. A smile formed on his face as he scratched the pup behind its ears. He then stood to look at the last set of puppies. It was female puppy.

These puppies were varied in colors even though the mother was female. The first three were white and grey all female. None of them spared him a glance as he examined them. Even as he picked them up. It was as if he didn't exist.

The next four were chestnut brown in the body but their paws were white. Three of them were female and one was male. They too ignored him.

The next two were black and white evenly through their fur. Both were male. Unlike the others they actively hostile towards him. They growled angrily at him. They even went as far as to snap at his hands when he tried to pick them up. Deciding neither one would be the right fit for him he moved on.

The last puppy was off by itself. It's fur was as white as snow just like it's mother's. The puppy was much smaller than the others. Unlike the others it was away from its mother. It seemed to be a loner reminding him a lot of how he used to be. It was a male puppy.

He walked over to it holding out his hand to allow the pup to sniff it. It lifted its head to look him straight in the eyes. This wolves eyes were the same as his own. They were cobalt blue eyes. They were scared and lonely. The look broke the young boy's heart. He understood the loneliness more than anyone else.

He asked Timber," Am I allowed to pick more than one puppy?"

Yoochun looked at him curious now. Timber answered before the man could say anything," It is rare for one to feel a connection with two puppies. Especially considering this is your first companion. Are you sure you can take care of two?"

Carefully considering it Naruto nodded. He said," Yes, I'm sure."

The brown wolf stared at him for a long moment. Finally it said," Show me the ones you have chosen."

With a happy grin he picked up the white wolf. Placing the wolf on the ground in front of the elder he went back to the second wolf. She barely glanced at him as he picked up the smokey black and grey puppy. He gently placed the second pup on the ground.

The brown wolf said," Ask them to be your companion. It is up to them to accept you."

He moved to stand in front of them before bending down to a knee. He said looking at both puppies," My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I am a ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village. I would like you both to be my companions. Would you like to?"

The smokey wolf watched him with a calculated look. She was extremely intelligent he could tell. She would be one who wouldn't be swayed by sweet words and no action. It would take time to earn her trust. She cocked her head to the side before moving closer to him. She rubbed her wet nose against the underside of his hand. He could feel her acceptance of him. Acceptance but not trust. Not yet.

The white male wolf though stared at him with open mistrust. It reminded him so much of him just a few months ago. So much like him before Hayate had entered his life. Someone had been unkind to this young puppy.

He said softly," I know you don't trust me. I was like you at one time. You most of my village hates me. I have a demon inside me along with a guardian. The demon attacked my village the night I was born. They see me as the demon and not the person i really am. At least that was true until two and a half months ago. I found someone precious to me and slowly I have found more. You don't have to trust me right now. But i swear to you that I will never hurt you. I will always treat your wounds with as much care as i can. I will show you that you can trust me. I never go back on my word. That is my nindo. My ninja way."

While he still seemed mistrustful it seemed the white wolf accepted his vow. His wet nose touched the underside of his wrist just like the female had. It seemed that for the moment they had accepted him. Now he would have to prove himself to them.

He picked the female up and said," Jīngshén. It means spirit. I think that fits you perfectly. That shall be your name. What do you think hmmmm?"

She licked his nose surprising him. He gave her a gentle smile. She would always be his. His to love and cherish. The first living thing to rely on him completely.

Slowly he placed Jīngshén back on the ground. She sat by his side staring at Yoochun with suspicion. Next he picked up the all white male wolf. He had to think awhile before he could come up with a name.

He said softly," Kobaruto. It matches the color of your eyes. That shall be your name. What do you think?"

Instead of licking his nose Kobaruto just seemed to accept his decision. He placed the young wolf down by his side next to Jīngshén. Timber watched them for a moment in silence.

Eventually he said," I Timber elder of the Okami clan do accept this summoner and his companions. May they find peace and family within each other."

The brown wolf them touched his wet nose to each of their foreheads. Naruto felt a wave of acceptance go through him. He bowed in thanks to the elder before dispelling the summoning. His two companions stayed to his surprise.

Yoochun said noticing," Companions will stay by your side unless you specifically tell them to leave. That's what they are their for. They are not like any other summons you will meet. In fact its almost unheard of for summons to allow a companion any more. Be thankful. It will make your life easier both here and in the ninja world."

:Companions life long partners. Kind of like how like Kiba and Akamaru are.: he thought with a smile. He decided right then and there that as long as their lives weren't in danger he wouldn't send them away. They were a family now and they deserved to stay with him.

Chun's POV

Four days since his student's activation he made it back to the elemental countries in record time. Normally it would have taken him at least a week or so. With Naruto in danger his rushed back. He had been expecting to find the village in shambles.

Instead things seemed normal except for heightened security. It almost seemed like anyone Chunin or higher was expecting a war. The genin's seemed painfully oblivious of the rising tension of the older ninja. He remembered enough about his former home to know that something beyond the activation had happened.

His first stop had been Hayate's house only to find that no one was there. It seemed like no one had been home in several days. The food in the fridge had gone bad. It worried him. Normally when his friend went on a mission he would go ahead and toss out perishables. On top of that he knew Hayate planned on taking village patrols. This was so that he could train Naruto for the final exam. That had been the plan from the start. So where was Hayate?

He stiffened when he felt a blade against his throat. He didn't move. instead favoring to assess the blade at his throat. It was definitely a ninja blade since he couldn't feel any ki from it. All Murim weapons gave off a ki signature unique to the user. The blade was that of a katana. He knew of only two ninjas that could sneak up on his wielding a katana. It wasn't Hayate so that meant...

He greeted cheerfully," Hello Yugoa. You wouldn't happen to know where my disciple and Hayate are do you?"

The woman growled as she said," The demon is off doing who knows what. No one has seen him since the day of the funeral. Hayate... Hayate is..."

He forced himseof to ignore the demon comment for the moment. Whatever it was that the woman intended to say she couldn't bring herself to say it. It worried him. Yugoa was known for being strong even when she lost those she cared about. The only one she allowed herself to get close to was Hayate. No...

He swallowed and asked his voice rough," He's gone?"

She removed the blade from his throat and stepped back. She said shaking her head," Not exactly. I was told by a nurse that a man with black hair had brought him in. At first I thought she meant you. But then she described his eyes. Eyes as blue as the sky but colder than the coldest ice storm. That wasn't you. He's not dead but neither is he living. He's in a coma. We held a funeral for him to make the ones or one that attacked him think they did. This was also in hopes that he might wake up."

Hayate was in a coma. His only surviving childhood friend was on the brink of life and death. He asked a thought coming to him," What of Naruto? Was he told that Hayate is still alive?"

She shook her head and said viciously," No. Only the Hokage and a handful of others know the truth. As far as the world is concerned Hayate Gekko is dead."

That explained Naruto's activation. The pain of losing Hayate was too much for him. Much like the pain of losing his master was too much for Chun. But then again the only one who fit the description given was the Lightning Tiger. If Hayate lived that would mean the life debt between them would be dissolved. If so Chun would be immensley grateful. He wasn't the cold hearted bastard most people saw him as. He cared about those closest to him.

He would have to find Naruto and see how the boy was fairing. He would likely be confused and not knowing what to do with his new abilities. First things first though he would visit Hayate in the hospital.

A/N there you have it guys. Come now you didn't really think I killed Hayate after putting so much work into him did you.