Thump!
Uzumaki Naruto suddenly landed rather violently on a rough patch of soil as he felt was entering the 7th dimension in going back to the Elemental Nations from Academy City. Standing up, he saw his sensei Aiwass now standing up stoically while waiting for the blonde boy to get up on his own. And when Naruto's eyes landed upon the supposed angel…
"Neh, Aiwass-sensei, what are you wearing?"
Normally, his angel master was supposed to be in his usual golden image and halo but today, it seemed that the spirit has managed to shape-shit so quickly. He now had an appearance of a regular human, with long black hair and golden eyes. He also wore a black kimono with a long white vest-like garment adorned around his kimono and a silk scarf. He wears fingerless white tekkō which only cover the back of his hands.
But it was the sword in Aiwass's waist the caught the attention of Naruto.
"Neh, Aiwass-sensei," Naruto pointed at the strange curved sword. "What is that sword and why is it curved? Most of the swords that I saw here are straight…"
"This, Naruto-kun, is what we call a sickle sword or a khopesh among the ancient Egyptians…" Aiwass explained although the facial expression in Naruto was telling him that he didn't understood what he said.
"A kopes sword of a what?" Naruto can't pronounce the words quite correctly.
"In simple terms, it's a type of sword that's used by the people in the Middle East—a region far from the Elemental Nations," Aiwass explained. "Unlike the katana and wakizashi, which you shinobis and samurais used, the khopesh can't be used for direct stabbing but it's more suited to hack an enemy's leg or neck."
Naruto nodded as he thinks it's so cool, "Neh, Aiwass-sensei, now that we're back, what am I supposed to tell the old man? I mean, I can't just tell him that I met you and I went to Academy City or else, he would have banned me thinking that I broke his non-sense law."
"That's a good question, Naruto-kun," Aiwass nodded as he then took out a small piece of paper and began to scribble something in it. "Here, take this."
Naruto took the small paper and as soon as he did, a voice suddenly rang in his head, "Naruto-kun, can you hear me?"
"Waaahhhhh!" The blonde nearly jumped in fright as he nearly rips the paper.
Aiwass sighed as he had to remind himself that he was talking with a young boy, not someone of Aleister's persona, "Naruto-kun, that is a communication talisman and through this, we can speak with each other while not opening our mouths."
Nonetheless, the blonde was amazed at that, "So it's like telepathy?!"
Aiwass nodded, "It's one of the lower forms of communication spiritual items and the higher ones can reach up to the other side of the world, But enough chit-chat, my student. Before I transport you in your pitiful village, open up your bag and check some items. There should be a bag of precious gemstones among your newly-acquired belongings."
Nodding, Naruto knelt down to put down his bag and as soon as he zipped open his bag, he saw a small bag tucked in between his books. Curiously, he pulled it out and was surprised to feel that the small bag was quite heavy. Opening it, Naruto was surprised at the sudden weight of the jewels and upon opening the bag, he was stunned to see that it was actually filled with light-blue colored gemstones that looked pretty much expensive, if the luster is to indicate something.
"It seems that my first student had begun to invest heavily on you personally," Aiwass explained.
"Hah? What does that mean, Aiwass-sensei?"
The spirit sighed as he then explained, "It means that he's subtly providing you with resources from time to time and in exchange, you'll do him some favors and considering how you met with him in his own personal fiefdom, it seems that he had planned all of this from the beginning."
Naruto only nodded although he didn't fully understand what his sensei meant as he then said, "Well, we'll get there when we get there."
Aiwass just sighed at his student's overly-optimistic attitude as he then said, "Well, Naruto-kun. Since we had to keep your training a secret from your so-called Hokage and from the sinobis in general, I suggest you keep away your books to wherever is safe. Do you have anyone whom you can trust with your belongings?"
"Hmmm…" Naruto entered his thinking pose before he came up with two names. "Ahhh! I think we can go first to Teuchi-ojii-san and Ayame-nee-chan! They're the ramen guys who are the only ones to show me kindness—apart from the old man, you, Yomikawa-san, Komoe-san, Yoshikawa-san, Tsuzuri-san, that four-eyes Togashi, and also that creepy Aleister guy."
"Please, don't talk too loudly or you will attract the presence of other people," Aiwass shushed him. "Now, can you give me a general description of this ramen shop that you are talking about so that I can easily transport you inside Konohagakure?"
"Aye…aye…well, Ichiraku Ramen has its name written in like Katakana or something in its flaps and it had a large lantern on the left side. It's small with a large water tank in its roof."
For someone who's stupid, you do have a sharp sense of memory. Aiwass was somehow amused that his second student can remember something as vivid as his favorite ramen bar. "Okay then, Naruto-kun. You've given me enough details to transport you there using one of my transportation spells. Hold my hand but remember, when we get there, you'll be the only one who can see me as I will revert my being into a spirit once again. So we'll have to speak to one another using the communication tag."
Naruto nodded as he took the hand of his sensei. Aiwass then muttered a few Latin words and before Naruto knew it, they disappeared into thin air in an instant.
Ayame sighed as he took one of the orders of their customers for the day.
Where is our little brother right now? Is he eating well?
A week ago, her father Teuchi had heard the news about the incident about a certain "fox hunt" that happened in an alley not far from them but more than the reported list of casualties among the mob, the young woman was more concerned with the fact that it was their number one customer was the subject of the mob hunt. Idiots! Of course they won't understand the fact that the Kyuubi isn't Naruto at all! Ayame remembered his father ranting about it and she herself was relieved when the Sandaime himself personally came to their shop to reassure that based on the evidences gathered, their blonde customer isn't even the main suspect at all but rather someone who might have known about the presence of the jinchuuriki and decided to personally kidnap him.
I do hope the ANBU can quickly rescues him. She thought as she then accepts the payment coming from their customer.
But as she was about to go and check on the temperature of the water boiling the noodles, she was suddenly interrupted in her train of thoughts by a loud and sudden thump into the floor, as if someone from the sky had ended up falling from the sky.
"What is that?!" Ayame suddenly gasped but before she can get out, something else had gotten inside the ramen shop.
Or rather, someone…
"Oi, Teuchi-jiji! Ayame-nee-chan!"
Wait, that voice…
"Come one now, Ayame-nee-chan! Don't you recognize your number one unpredictable customer?!"
Before Ayame can even open her mouth, Naruto removed his ballcap, "It has only been a week but it's like I'm gone the whole year, Ayame-nee-chan!"
"Naruto...Is that you?" Ayame asked, a mixture of shock and surprise carving up in her face.
Although unseen by all but Naruto, Aiwass was standing beside his blonde student and quickly scanned the whole area. Not bad, Naruto-kun. In his estimate, his blonde student could possibly be more than a lady's man in a few years.
"Of course. Uzumaki Naruto, at your service. Future Superintendent—" Naruto was about to continue rambling but a slight electric shock stunned him in his legs. Frozen, he looks at Aiwass to see the man's serene smile—which meant either two things for the blonde.
One, he's pleased with the blonde and second, he's asking the boy to shut up.
"Dad!" Ayame then turned backwards to call his father. "He's here already and judging by the looks, he's safe!"
"Naruto?" Teuchi was flabbergasted as he was coming out from the stove area.
"Hello Teuchi-ojii-san," Naruto greeted the man.
"Is that you Naruto?" Teuchi asked, seeing Naruto not dressed in his usual orange suit and looking quite different. Not to mention that he wasn't shouting at the top of his voice about becoming the Hokage like he usually does.
Naruto just nodded his head as he tells a carefully-constructed lie that was told to him by Aiwass, "Forgive me if I was gone for more than a week since…a lot of things happened, ojii-san. You heard about that explosion incident, right? Well, some idiot stranger decided to explode and reduce the morons into ashes but before I knew what was happening, I was taken into some place called Tsukigakure…"
Both Ayame and Teuchi were shell-shocked at the place that Naruto mentioned. That far?! How did he even got home?!
As if reading their thoughts, Naruto continued, "Well, if you're wondering how I got there, I don't know myself. Maybe some stranger passed by a pitied me so he used a jutsu that sent me somewhere or he was a child-trafficker and decided to kidnap me but was just careless. The most important thing is, the guys from Tsukigakure helped me get home and even gave me these new clothes. They said that these ones are from outside the Elemental Nations," he explained, showing off his cap. "And after that, they helped me hitch a ride to Degarashi Port and from there, I had to walk back here after asking for general directions."
Teuchi can't help but sweatdrop at how hard Naruto must have had in order to come home, "The good thing is you're already safe, Naruto. The bad thing is, things have gotten pretty much intense here since you've disappeared. The ANBU is still stations in the corners of the Fire Country's borders and they obviously don't know that you're already here."
"Meh, they're idiots. What's important is that I get to fill my tummy with 12 bowls of miso ramen. Of course, I'm going to pay your right away since I earned a few things along the way from helping travelers," Naruto smiled as he thumbs up.
"Or course, Naruto although I'm also curious. You put the bill on Hokage-sama's tab. Just how much did you earned? You didn't scam anyone or steal, did you?" Teuchi asked as Ayame began to prepare Naruto's order.
"Of course, no. I'm just cool!" Naruto smirked as after three minutes, the first serving of ramen bowl was presented before him and he began to dig in.
When he was already in his sixth bowl, he suddenly stopped eating and quickly took out his bag of the blue-gemstones. When he pulled out a precious stone enough for Teuchi to see, the latter's expression turned to one who seemed to have multiple heart attacks as his eyes opened widely enough to see that he had gray-slated eyes, "Na-Naruto, where the hell did you get that gemstone?!"
Quickly replying, Naruto replied with a smug expression, "Someone as old as the old man hokage seemed interested on me to give me those gemstone as a way for me to either go home or build upon it for my future." Ayame's mouth dropped to the ground at that.
Aiwass, who was beside Naruto all the time, nodded in approval at the lie they concocted. For a random stranger, it can mean Naruto was kissing the old man's eyes to get the jewels but for someone who was aware of the whole situation like the golden angel turned samurai-like human in all but earthly birth, it can mean either the first interpretation or the fact that his old student Aleister had begun to pour resources into Naruto's welfare—for the strongest magician in flesh to be able to use in the future.
"Just like that?! Naruto, this is the Blue Star Diamond and it is one of the rarest stones you can find in the stores of the Elemental Nations. You can't even mine it naturally at the Elemental Continent as it is said to be sourced outside of the continent and stories of sailors and travelers getting lost due to the the wild storms and the different civilization outside the shinobi world had prevented others from seeking it out. Only a lucky few were able to venture out of the continent," Teuchi explained frantically while seemingly wanting to snatch the gemstone from Naruto but controlled himself. "It was said that one stone is so expensive that it can buy you a small lake and three mountains containing silver mines with the profits. The only thing that can probably surpass that is the rumored necklace of the First Hokage and even I don't know if that things exists."
Naruto nodded as he took in all those information, "Well…then it's all good. I planned to pay you all back with the ramen that I have ate and will eat in the future with the Blue Star Diamond stones. Here…" The blonde then laid out the rest of the precious stones, pushing three-fourths of the gems into the hands of Teuchi and Ayame, who were both astonished to see the number of stoned he had, while keeping the rest to himself.
With shaky hands, Ayame took one stone into her hand and quickly examined it. Upon clearer scanning, she was stuttering as she exclaimed, "The-They're all genuine, d-dad! It had its distinct azure-teal translucent as well as its amber-like beauty—like the one I saw in the magazines!"
"Naruto, I don't know what did you do to the old man but thank you for this!" Teuchi cried in comical tears of joy. "I can now renovate our ramen bar into a restaurant and even expand our business!"
"Now that's what I'll expect sooner, Teuchi-jiji!" Naruto cheered happily and then became. "Neh…neh…do me one favor though. Please, let's all keep this within ourselves. I don't want you three being targeted because of those stones and I…well, you know what I will say…"
The father and daughter duo nodded in understanding as something as expensive as the stones could actually end up catching the attention of everyone, especially the greedy ones, and Naruto wouldn't stand for that. Naruto then took off his whole backpack and pushes it in front of Ayame, "Neh, Ayame-nee-chan, can you keep this away for me for the moment? I just had the terrible feeling that jiji will have to properly talk to me after this."
The two nodded in great understanding as Ayame took the heavy knapsack and kept it in their cabinet. Just 30 minutes later and 25 minutes since Naruto had finished his last ramen, a large platoon of a combined ANBU-Jounin platoon, with the ANBU commander now entering the ramen bar to personally fetch the blonde jinchuuriki.
"Uzumaki Naruto, you're ordered to present yourself before the Sandaime Hokage-sama to explain your side about the incident seven days ago," the commander barked rather gruffly.
"What? Not even a simple greeting or even a question of how am I doing, since I was kidnapped by some moron from outside?" Naruto mused mockingly. "I even heard from the grapevine that you all went out of your way to even find me and I'm shocked since I am the most hated guy here in this village."
"Your safe and that's the important thing," the ANBU commander replied tersely. "Hurry up now. Boss can't wait any longer."
Is he also a hater of mine or what? "Hai…hai…" Naruto sighed as mentally, he sent a message to Aiwass. "Little help here, sensei…"
"Don't worry, Naruto-kun. I'll be with you," the spirit assured him as the platoon then proceeded to move to escort the blonde. Aiwass chuckled at this.
And yet, I was able to spy on you, cannon fodders…
Laughing mentally, the spirit then proceeded to follow the whole phalanx of ninjas.
The Sandaime Hokage Hiruzen sat in his office while waiting for his surrogate grandson and his ANBU-Jounin escort to arrive. Mere minutes ago, he had looked on through his crystal ball in shock as his surrogate grandson had miraculously come back to the village after a jounin who passed by the Ramen Bar had happened to notice his mop of blonde hair though it was almost hidden because of his ball cap. Although he was glad that Naruto was safe and unscathed, he had to admit that it was a bit of surprise that nothing bad happened to him. If anything, he looked so healthy and clean and he even had a new set of strange clothes that is far different from his usual orange shirt. At least, he would be able to tell his two advisors in Homura and Koharu that their Yondaime's legacy is back home safe but of course, they would probably be bitching about their village's weapon being a traitor or similar stuff.
He sighed. He was too old for this crap. I'm really sorry, Naruto my boy. If only these villagers and the foolish advisors of mine can see past the Kyuubi that you're holding.
He then looked up as he senses the whole platoon arrive with the young boy. Eagerly, he then stood up to meet the boy, "Naruto, my boy! I'm glad you were able to go back home safely!"
"Or course, jiji!" Naruto smiled but for some reason, the way he acted like before seemed a bit forced now and Hiruzen can't help but feel a red flag rising in his instincts. "I know I was able to go home safely from that damned port in the south!"
Sarutobi raised an eyebrow at what Naruto said, "What? What do you mean, Naruto-kun? We're under the impression that someone from Iwa just kidnapped you and took you somewhere…"
Naruto smiled and then quickly told the same lie he had told Teuchi, minus the blue precious stones, and he even added that for some reason, his alleged kidnapper brought him Tsukigakure and left him there to die.
Every present jounin and ANBU can't help but raised their own eyebrows at the story as if the blonde was bullshitting them. But Hiruzen himself saw little reason to doubt the child's story. I would have doubted him but I don't think he even knows Degarashi Port without someone informing him what that place is and it's been a week. A barely good timeframe for a journey from Tsukigakure to Konohagakure provided that he continuously travels with little to no rest. It must be the Kyuubi when he was stressed from the journey. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to come back here in just seven days…
While Naruto and Hiruzen were busy speaking, Aiwass was busy observing the whole place and even if it's just a blink of an eye, he quickly noticed an irregularity in the ceiling as he spotted three energy masses—hidden from the public eye but clear as the morning sun for Aiwass. Hmm…they have masks similar to those cannon fodders that escorted my student. Perhaps, I think they are that Danzo's ROOT lackeys that Aleister had once filed in his database.
He frowned as he saw one of them signaling the other two in the ceiling to prepare to move on. I see. They're going back to report to their master. Not that it will happen. I like disrupting plans, after all.
Quickly letting a flow of mana run through his khopesh, Aiwass quickly moved in like a gentle breeze of the wind to cut off the escape of the Root Anbu.
In a matter of seconds, three bodies suddenly made a 'thud' sound as Naruto and Hiruzen had to step aside to avoid a collision with the three bodies.
"Eh? Jiji? What is that?" Naruto asked in genuine curiosity while mentally, he used the communication talisman pocketed in his pants to ask his sensei. "Neh, sensei, what was that? Did you do that?"
"I had to, Naruto-kun," Aiwass explained back mentally. "I had an idea about what they are but if ever your Hokage doesn't explain who they are, then I will tell you in the days to come."
"Danzo…" Naruto's mental communication with his sensei was cut off by Hiruzen's rather heavy voice—as if he was sorely irritated or something. He couldn't put it. "It seems like we'll have to talk things over again later. By the way, Naruto-kun, try not to get in trouble again and tomorrow, I will send you your monthly stipend again."
Inwardly, he snorted but outwardly, he just smiled it off and grinned, "Okay old man but…" He then turned a bit serious—too serious if one is to ask a certain Dog-masked Anbu who was standing in the sidelines. "Ya know, I can't help but feel envious of those kids who get to eat picnic with their parents when I was in the port…"
It was at this point that Naruto noticed all the shinobis, although almost subtle, somewhat froze in their spots. So they know what I was about to ask, huh?
"Just tell me old man, what really happened to my parents?" Naruto swore he almost enjoyed the look in Hiruzen's face. So there's really this stupid law about furball? Well, joke's on you now, idiots.
The Sandaime Hokage managed to compose himself properly before he sighed, "Naruto-kun, we've been over with this. I told you that telling about them won't bring them back alive."
Instead of the sad expression, which Hiruzen and the dog-masked Anbu expected from the Naruto, the blonde merely entered into a thinking pose and then huffed. He then turned around to begin walking to the exit door while waving his head, "Can I go home to my apartment now? I needed a heavy rest from the journey that I made. Oh and I'll probably see you when you want to talk to me…Hokage…sama…"
Everyone was nearly speechless that Naruto called "The Professor" Hokage-sama instead of the usual old man nickname.
And at least, I can finally start my daily dose of training with Aiwass-sensei. And maybe I can finally decide if I really want to become a ninja or…whatever job that I get to get someday… Naruto thought as he saw Aiwass nodding at his thoughts before they exited.
There was a deafening silence that had descended into the office before the dog-masked Anbu then moved, "Hokage-sama, should be monitor the boy closely or should we let him cool of for the time being?"
"Let him cool off for now. Perhaps, he was simply too tired from the one-week non-stop journey that he took to get here even if I'm somehow inclined to believe that someone else helped him," Hiruzen frowned as he can't help but fear that some random stranger was trying to buy his surrogate grandson's loyalty. "If it wasn't for the more hardliners of the villagers, we wouldn't have to deal with something like this."
"Isn't that the reason why you have implemented that law, Hokage-sama," the Anbu captain interjected.
"Yes but it seemed that it backfired for us. Every person who had lost their love ones haven't moved on and it seemed that they're still blaming the boy for it," the Sandaime sighed. "I wished that I could have adopted him but the stigma of being a jinchuuriki is preventing that from happening. I can only hope that he be able to build some sort of bonds with his fellow youngsters in the Academy."
"Easier said than done, Hokage-sama," the Anbu captain said to his boss. "I observed that even the children of the villagers were being told to stay away from the boy."
Hiruzen sighed. This is getting shittier and shittier as the days goes by, "We can only hope that it changes for the best. Perhaps, enrolling him at the academy early would be able to help him since I can assign a sensei who can provide some sort of a father-figure to him."
"I heard that the demon stain is back again…"
"Shit…and here, I thought my friend had killed it already a week ago…"
"Son, don't go near that vile creature. He killed the Yondaime Hokage-sama…"
Naruto twitched at the last statement he heard from the whispering people he passed by as he and his sensei were coming to his apartment. After getting his bag from Ramen Ichiraku, Naruto was peacefully walking in the street until some idiot recognized his face and quickly spread the word. "Damn fools. Hey, sensei, what would you have done in my place?" He sent the message via their telephatic communication tag to Aiwass, who just smiled.
"I would have killed them myself, Naruto-kun…"
The blonde merely raised his eyebrows at his new master, "And make people hate me more? Thanks for the advice but I'd rather not do it if I can help it."
"That's what you say but my training and our journey together might change your mind." Aiwass shrugged as they eventually reached Naruto's apartment and judging from Aiwass's facial expression, the blonde already knew that he wasn't even slightly impressed at the hellhole that the Hokage gave to him as a house but in his opinion, it was already better than being left in the streets to fend for himself.
Once they were inside, Aiwass had to scan the area to notice that there are a lot of empty milk cartons and, to his disgust, empty bowls of instant ramen. "Naruto-kun, don't you eat anything other than noodles?"
"What's the problem, Aiwass-sensei?! Ramen is the food of the gods!"
I should have expected that answer. The angel-turned-flesh sighed as he then sat on the bed of the boy and began to lecture his student, who sat on the chair from his kitchen, "We'll start with physical conditioning, Naruto-kun. Before you even complain, I'll be frank with you. You're malnourished; we'll have to fix that first. It's good to know that you somehow know how to hunt smaller game and fishes in the wild but I'll have to show you how to hunt larger animals such as boars in your local forest so that you have a reliable source of food. The hunting will also allow you to put your training into practice. By the way, I cannot teach you more advanced techniques unless you're in a certain level of conditioning that allows me to do so."
Naruto nodded but asked, "Sensei, what do you mean "latter half of the day?"
Aiwass smiled, "Because before you move to the physical part in the afternoon, I'll have to teach you the lingua franca of the whole new world and the lingua pura of the Angli people of the north-west."
"Hah?" Naruto didn't understand what his sensei was saying.
"I'm saying that I will teach you English, the main language of the modern world," Aiwass explained. "Because you'll be travelling around the true world, you'll have to get accustomed to the ways of the civilized nations. As they say in the West, when you're in Rome, do what the Romans do."
"But I barely can even read the local language here. What makes you think that I can learn something as hard as…Ingrish…" Naruto said, not getting a bit sad.
Of course he isn't, I bet I was the first to show him how, thought Aiwass.
"Don't worry Naruto-kun, I'll teach you and we'll practice your reading a few hours every day before your physical exercise in the afternoon. You'll be a good reader in no time. After you quickly mastered your Niponggo, which I believe it won't be that long, we'll start with the basic English words and alphabets and if you've managed to master it as well, then we can move on to the other Latin Languages of the West and the Oriental Languages of the East. Niponggo, the language you all use here, happens to be part of the latter so I believe won't have a hard time learning Mandarin and Hokkien…and Korean…"
"Really?! Yay!"
Aiwass took a minute to think about the logistics and flaws of their training plans and venue. If possible, he would have to order his apprentice to move here as he obviously wasn't safe wherever he staying now. The issue was that his presence would likely be immediately noticed by the Anbu and the jounin and surely, Hiruzen would check up on Naruto, even if it was only because Naruto had such malevolent power contained inside him.
"Naruto, I also sensed that there is a long and wide river teeming with fishes some 25 kilometers away from the border of the village and it's connected to the smaller river running here. We should train there so you should move there," the angel sternly said, "I know this is your only home but it's obviously not safe to train here when every Konoha shinobi, be it genin, chuunin, jounin, Anbu or Root Anbu, are already on a lookout for you."
Naruto looked like he was going to interrupt his master but Aiwass put a hand up to silence him.
"I'm not saying that you will transfer to another home. Leave most of your stuff where it is as we don't want to arouse suspicion. Just take what's necessary for our training schedule. You'll still have to spend some time in the village or otherwise, people who shouldn't know anything will come looking for you," said Aiwass with a deadpan stare.
"By the time I'm done with your funny face, you'll be one, if not the most, of the strongest spiritual warriors and guardians in this accursed physical world—someone who can challenge the supremacy of my first student, Aleister Crowley," the angel made a bold claim, as if he believed it would happen someday. "Personally, I don't want you to limit yourself as a shinobi. You had more than the potential and raw talent to be more than that."
Naruto smiled at that. Spiritual Warrior and Guardian of this World? I like the ring in it, dattebayo.
For the first time in his complicated life, things were looking up for him.
Meanwhile, from behind the iron bars, a dark figure watched these new developments with piqued interest.
"Well, this is an interesting development indeed. The son of the Uzumaki and the gaki Yondaime will be trained by the Angel of Creation—the Sei Shugo Tensi, the one who holds the secrets to the spiritual and magical world. The Thelema and Aeons of the ancient people of the far east that predate the Sage of Six Paths and makes ninjutsu's potency pale in power. Interesting indeed. I wonder the morons of Konoha will handle this and how this will change things. Well, as long it gets rid of that accursed Uchiha, I wouldn't mind…"
1st Year of Training – Naruto aged 6
Bright rays of sunlight seeped through the large gaps of the leaves in the large cheddar tree, illuminating two dancing figures in the rice field below. Their movements graceful, both composed and improvised. One would move, the other would respond and on they continued, back and forth, occasionally meeting in a clash of blood, steel and sweat. In between the sharp echoes of curved bronze against straight iron, Naruto's labored breathing could be heard as he struggled to keep up with his master's frantic pace.
"Naruto-kun, make it quick! You won't last long with reactions like that, " Aiwass said sternly and stoic, his khopesh almost decapitating Naruto's head from his shoulders. "I have already told you what a true shinobi would have done, not the idiots here masquerading as shinobis. You're better than them."
Naruto said nothing as he felt the edge of his blade whizzed past the top of his head. He was used to Aiwass's baiting. Whenever they sparred, he would tease, provoke, chastise, and mock his student just about anything to create a rash reaction out of him. It was simple provocation—a useful tactic to be sure, but he wasn't an idiot — well, at least not anymore. He may have fell for that trick some five months ago when he and Aiwass was just starting but the angel had literally beaten the habit out of him. At this point, he quickly grasped the complexities of Nihongo and is able to read mixed scripts of Kanji and Kana which is why prior to this afternoon session, they were amidst his English lessons, which the blonde was pretty much catching quickly through the use of vernacular material.
Although it was helping him little to counter his master's quick thrusting and slashing reminiscent of the foot soldiers of the Pharaoh.
His actions enticed a small smile out of Aiwass. It seems he approved of his self-control. Such a shame that I didn't even teach my accursed first student this type of warfare. At this point, he was beginning to think if dictating Liber Legis to Aleister Crowley was a mistake that he rarely made.
As time passes by, Aiwass then began to attack Naruto by conjuring out from thin air short bronze-tipped spears and quickly hurling them towards the blonde, who was forced to step back. Taking out a rune card from his pouch, he quickly hurled it on thin air and before the spears had struck him, Naruto chanted, "Ash to ash…dust to dust…" and the rune card exploded, turning the three spears into ashes.
Seems like you have taken a liking to rune cards, my student. Aiwass smiled but didn't reflected too long on that as he noticed Naruto's appearance suddenly fade away like a mirage. Mirage Creation? Too basic but useful in certain situations. The angel smiled as he suddenly sensed a disturbance coming in his way and without even looking, he managed to block a sneak attack from the blonde, making the latter curse. Dammit, he's not even in his Golden Angel form and yet, I can't even land a single strike on him!
As expected of an angel, Aiwass was a fast and athletic fighter in his human form who emphasizes more on speed and precision rather than brute force and strength—something which Naruto admits he favors it more. He had the weird but deadly habit of reversing his grip on his khopesh, often attacking him one handed from just about any angle. This freed up his movements, allowing him to combine his Western swordsmanship with some impressive Eastern grappling techniques and acrobatics.
Naruto did manage to dodge most of his master's swings and thrusts and parried the ones he couldn't. Though unlike his sensei, he was using a Chinese Miaodao sword as a practice weapon as he couldn't use the longer Odachi for now due to the slightly longer size. Aiwass explained that to him when they teleported to China via a dimensional ball.
He launched his own attacks at Aiwass as he tried a slash at his shoulder and a thrust to his neck. However, he flipped out of his range before closing the gap between them with extraordinary speed and kneeing him in the stomach. That quickly sent the blonde crashing down back to Earth.
Damn sensei… He thought in frustration. I thought I would have gotten him in just five months and yet, I still can't touch him.
It wasn't that he hadn't improved—his current self was levels higher to the weakling he was five months prior but Aiwass just proved to him why he was the Holy Guardian Angel. He had an answer for everything he threw at him and it also opened the boy to the reality that he was still very weak.
Over the first five months alongside his physical conditioning and his linguistics, Aiwass had started teaching him the basics of Magic by telling him what mana is. When Naruto asked if it's similar to what the shinobis used, Aiwass stated that it's not really a good comparison because everyone and everything had mana but only trained magicians and specialists are able to harness it into something akin to ninjutsu. Under his guidance, he learned the basics of Four Elements of Western and Eastern Cultures as well as the use of runic cards in battle. It was also through the help of Aiwass that Naruto was again sent back to Academy City and this time, he was sent to the library where he was thought on what a real shinobi looks and acts like. At that time, Naruto still wanted to learn flashy techniques he can quickly exploit in an opening battle but his master quickly disabused him of that.
A true shinobi, Naruto learned, wields deception as the main weapon, uses stealth and tactics to win a fight, not flashy moves. In the words of his master, not everything should be won by flaunting their aces up in their sleeves.
Aiwass thought Naruto that shinobis and similar individuals from the other civilizations such as the military orders of the past are subtle creatures, not really brute fighters. That using a magic technique without completely mastering it is like using a gun without aiming correctly. In the opinion of the angel, it was better to know how to use one technique in a hundred different ways than know a thousand different techniques but only know one application.
Naruto then realized that it all made sense to him. It's not that Aiwass discouraged him from learning both Magic and Ninjutsu but the angel thought him that he should treat the two as mere tools that needed constant sharpening and daily practice, down to the basics and that they're better as trump cards—to catch the enemy off guard.
In other words, Aiwass was teaching him to be more efficient and practical in war and in life, especially in times when problems don't require complex solutions.
"Let's rest Naruto-kun," Aiwass called out to the downed Uzumaki. "You're getting too worked up but keep up the good job."
Naruto snorted at that but kept quiet and quickly stood up and dusted himself off.
As they sat under the cedar tree while the blonde was busy chewing some fruits, Aiwass pulled out a small book and threw it at the blonde, who caught it promptly, "As you rest Naruto-kun, you practice your English lessons by reciting the next poem I assigned to you."
Gulping his banana, Naruto opened a certain page in the small black book and began to read while having an English-Japanese dictionary in hand.
As night hath stars, more rare than ships
In ocean, faint from pole to pole,
So all the wonder of her lips
Hints her innavigable soul.
Aiwass prodded him to go on.
Such lights she gives as guide my barque;
But I am su-su-swallowed in the swell
Of her heart's ocean, sagely dark,
That holds my heaven and holds my hell.
In her I live, a mote minute
Dancing a moment in the sun:
In her I die, a sterile shoot
Of nightshade in oblivion.
In her my elf dissolves, a grain
Of salt cast careless in the sea;
My passion purifies my pain
To peace past personality.
Love of my life, God grant the years
Confirm the chrism - rose to rood!
Anointing loves, asperging tears
In sanctifying solitude!
Man is so infinitely small
In all these stars, determinate.
Maker and moulder of them all,
Man is so infinitely great!
"It's probably one of the best poems my first student made," Aiwass dropped the fact as soon as Naruto finished his poem. "Literally, it speaks of a man who was navigating in the seas at night and uses the patterns of the heavenly bodies to guide him to the right direction. Allegorically and metaphorically…" He then looked at Naruto with a knowing smile, as if trying to provoke a reaction out of him.
The blonde merely looked at his master before realizing what he wanted him to do and quickly replied, "Uhm…I haven't really grasped it this way but…from what I can understand from the English poem, I think I can interpret is as a guy who just got fucked up in his life and someone came along to help him…"
"Such crass words, Naruto-kun, but you're not wrong," Aiwass smiled as he closed his eyes and began to speak solemnly. "Sometimes, man, in his glory and power, loses himself and eventually strays away from his intended path. As Søren Kierkegaard perfectly puts it, the most common form of despair is not being who you are."
"Yeah, I like that guy that you introduced to me," Naruto beamed.
After a few more minutes talking to each other about life and divinity, the two were beginning to spar once more. As Aiwass was scanning his khopesh, he examined his protégé from across the rice paddies. He'd changed dramatically in just over five months and although the childishness was still there, he began to show signs of maturity both physically and mentally. Long gone was that ridiculous jacket as he quickly burned it with the fire monster Innocentius. While he didn't know why Naruto had that kind of getup, Aiwass knew it would only decrease his chances of surviving in the battlefield. While Naruto at first complained, the blonde quickly relented as the angel explained to him that he can just simply fill up his wardrobe with orange clothes that are suited more for residential use rather than combat usage and that he can still use his orange jacket to purposely fool others while training outside of Konohagakure.
After all, stealth and bright orange were not a good mix.
For combat purposes, he now wore a white undershirt covered by a jet black, polo-like jacket uniform with deep red stripes in the sides. He also had jet-black pants and rubber shoes to complete it. He had also trimmed off his hair into a semi-bald style—which caused a certain Inu-masked Anbu and Hiruzen to nearly have heart attacks while a certain purple-haired Anbu twitched upon seeing his head an hour after he had his haircut by one of the Hokage's servants.
"Alright, I'm ready to go again master," said Naruto, having gotten up after spending several minutes stretching his limbs in the rice field.
He smirked at him as he got back into his fighting stance. For this next fight, he decided to ditch the khopesh at the side and instead, he summoned a pair of shuang gou (hook swords), causing the blonde to twitch in irritation.
The two then quickly launched themselves at each other, with Naruto quickly blocking one of the blades with his Miaodao while sidestepping to his right.
As they were continuing to spar, Aiwass can't help but feel how pleased he was with the boy's development. Being guided so well, he was not only a natural ninja but was quickly grasping the concept of basic magic at an astounding rate. Although he has yet to study any ninjutsu, he knew that he would be able to learn them although he was still a bit concerned about his chakra control. His student, after all, was the bearer of the Nine-Tails.
If he comes into age, he can easily succeed Aleister as the next Superintendent of Academy City. Aiwass quickly thought as he sums up some of Naruto's qualities. Despite being a slow learner at first, he quickly grasps things by carrying out physical activities rather than to understand the theory behind a movement—a kinesthetic learner, if he would put it. This was the reason Aiwass, in their first month of training, used the VARK (visual, aural or auditory, read/write and kinesthetic) mode of teaching his apprentice as he wasn't that proficient in understanding everything thrown at him the first time.
That and the fact that he's quick to notice details others may overlook.
He then sighed. But still…he had a long way to go before becoming proficient in theories as they are important as well.
After the sparring session, which ended up with the blonde lying down on the paddy field, Aiwass said, "That's enough, Naruto-kun. Rest up and tomorrow, we'll go over your English vocabulary again."
Naruto let out a relieved breath as he stands up and quickly changes his getup into his usual orange suit and he began to walk home. He smiled at that when suddenly, he felt the cold air suddenly change directions. Frowning, he then called out his student, "Naruto…wait a minute there…"
"Hah?!" The blonde turned to his sensei with an annoyed look. After all, he wanted to go to Ramen Ichiraku to be able to eat his usual servings of 12 bowls of Miso Ramen.
Aiwass created a portal before he then said, "Naruto-kun, as much as I would want you to go home, something came up in my mind. I'll send you to a safehouse somewhere in 108 Blythe Road in England and there, you will find a spiritual item that you can use for your training. I'll follow you."
"Follow…me…?..."
"Think of this as training," Aiwass explained. "After you get that lone spiritual item in the warehouse, get out of the place and we'll meet somewhere in streets but preferably the steak house…"
"Oh, you mean Popseye, sensei?" Naruto asked. "You already took me there once in my 5th day of training. Yeah, let's meet there. I'm hungry, anyways. I think I'll order first. I can speak English decently by now…" The blonde sighed before jumping into the portal.
Aiwass closed the portal for now before sighing and speaking in a deep and stern voice while pulling out a mobile phone, "It seems that you're timing isn't right at all, my old student. Tell me then, why have you called?"
"It's been a while, teacher…" The cold voice of Aleister Crowley filled the air in the proximity of Aiwass as the vibrations rang into the ear of the angel. "And how's my investment going on?"
Aiwass stayed stoic as he said, "For a complete imbecile in contrast to your comfortable, if not happy, childhood, he does seem to quickly catch on a lot of things—even faster than you were at his age."
"We'll see about that…" Came Aleister's reply. "Even so, that boy and the Imagine Breaker will be important pieces to me—as well as you are…"
"We never know. Who knows? Maybe you'll end up being the one in despair or anything," Aiwass shrugged of Aleister. "But I can see it right now that sometime in the future, the boy will grow up into a powerful individual—one who can bring the future of your Academy City to its peak and its proper growth."
There was some momentary silence before Aleister replied, "If he does fulfill what I have been seeking all along, then even I won't complain. But that brings me to that point—were you grooming him to be your earthly alter ego or you were simply treating him as someone to fight against me?"
"Hmmmh… That partially depends on young Naruto-kun himself," Aiwass replied. "But whatever he does, he would be always fun to watch. Being a jinchuuriki, he could have already accepted his fate to be used as a mere weapon by the village but instead, he chose to take a path unknown even to the best of the shinobis this place can offer and for that, he always reminds me of yourself. Both of you had made my boring view of this world entertaining as rebellious elements like Uzumaki Naruto that struggle against the odds of the world and climb the waterfall are actually quite rare. Not even a typified hero can do that. And that is why he is so worth observing—and worth mentoring."
The angel didn't anymore get a reply as Aleister simply cut off the line.
"Pissed, eh? So unlike of you, my first student," he closed his eyes and opened a portal, "By the time he grows up, he'll probably be the next Silver—no, Golden Star would be better and the one who will finally bring the ancient rivalry between Science and Magic to an end. Or am I counting the eggs too much and too early?"
He then disappeared as the portal closes.