Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto or Fairy Tail
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By Any Means
Chapter 5 – The Hagoromo Clan
Part 3 - The Manslayer cont.
Opening – Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer by One Ok Rock
0o0o0 One Week Later 0o0o0
"How is he?" Mei asked the doctor as she looked down at the bloodstained blond resting in the medic tent bed, having yet to be removed from his ruined clothing and armor.
"Physically he's fine. As far as we can tell, he was never touched. It even looks like some previous wounds and fractures from before his time here have completely vanished. Scars that would take decades to heal… just simply gone. It's… miraculous." The doctor said as he looked at the blond's charts.
"Then why is he comatose?"
"To be honest, I've no idea. We've extensively looked him over for any signs of jutsu or magic and found none."
"And his eyes?"
"Another mystery. Much of our medical jutsu and examinations were lost with Shadow Heart, and with Tsunade-sama busy keeping the council preoccupied we can not call on her for aid. Too suspicious for her to make a sudden journey to Bosco when all out war has been declared."
"Do you at least know when he'll wake? We have to know what happened. He was supposed to only kill the Archduke, not massacre his entire family and guests!" Mei shouted, letting her anger get the better of her.
The doctor remained calm and adjusted his glasses. "He should wake soon, Mei-sama. As the situation is now, I can give no accurate estimates. He could wake in the next few seconds, he could wake in 10 years."
"As soon as he is conscious send someone to fetch me, then I'll give you your next assignment. For now continue to monitor him." Mei turned to leave and had almost made it out the tent when she turned back around. "And Kabuto, for your sake, he better wake up soon."
The gray-haired man bowed respectfully "Hai, Mei-sama."
0o0o0 Two Days Later 0o0o0
"I think he's waking up now. Send for Mei-sama."
The voice seemed so far away. Everything was murky and swirling and twisting and...eurgh. It made him sick to his stomach. He could feel himself slowly falling back into the abyss and began to fight, clinging to whatever awareness he could get. Slowly, oh so slowly, he inched his way toward consciousness.
"Is he awake yet Kabuto?" A second voice. Female. Familiar. Still so far away, but closer than before.
"His vitals show he's well on the way. Let's see if I can give him a little help," the first voice responded.
He felt a hand come to rest on his forehead briefly, before a surge of energy seemed to shoot through his body. DANGER. Naruto's baleful red eyes snapped open at the same time as he grabbed a kunai from his holster and drove it into the arm above him, reaching for another as the man in front of him recoiled.
"Sunava-!"
"Naruto, stop!"
The blond haired shinobi froze, his hand halfway back up, another kunai in his grip.
"I swear," Kabuto sighed, his hand lighting up with a medical jutsu, "why does every shinobi who wakes up here have to stab me?"
"You. I don't like your chakra. Twisted."
"Ahaha…" Kabuto winced internally. "Sorry about that. I've been under a lot of stress lately, what with having to heal our men all the time now."
"Enough. Uzumaki Naruto, report. Now," Mei demanded.
Naruto turned his attention to his commander, his head still swirling trying to grasp onto his senses. After a minute of silence he finally spoke. "The mission was successful, the Archduke is dead Mei-sama."
"I know that already. Hell, nearly the whole continent knows! You were supposed to only kill the Archduke. What happened out there? What went wrong?"
"His wife… his wife saw me kill him. She… she came to bed early. She screamed and I exfiltrated. The Archduke… he had an extra shinobi detail that wasn't known of. Didn't know I was there until after I killed him. He pushed me back into the compound where the rest of the Archduke's guard cornered me. After that…" Naruto trailed off, his head pounding as he tried to remember what happened.
"Naruto, focus. I have to know what happened. Focus."
"I...I was surrounded. Given the option to surrender. I chose not to. They 'gave' me enough time to utilize sage mode." Naruto smirked as he recalled their carelessness, before he frowned. "Unfortunately, the Archduke had some damn strong guards. Probably an average of B-rank if they were shinobi."
"And what of the enemy shinobi?"
Naruto scowled as he looked away for a second. "...Probably a mid to high A-class."
"How did you make it out of there in one piece?" Mei asked, aghast at the odds her temp-subordinate had faced.
Naruto looked up, his eyes distant. His right arm subconsciously moved up, grasping at his clothed chest. "I didn't," he mumbled.
0o0o0 Flashback 0o0o0
Dodge, block, toss a kunai. How long had he been fighting? Jump over an incoming magic missile and retaliate with a Daitoppa. It was impossible to keep track in this chaotic melee. Avoid the mage attacking from behind, turn and plant a fist in his face. Then -
SNIKT
A kunai lodged itself into his left arm, rendering it useless. "Son of a bitch!" the blond growled out, eyes darting, trying to find the opposing Shinobi. His search was cut short as he began dodging the incoming attacks from the mages once again. At the beginning of the fight he had merely let their blows bounce off his Sage Mode reinforced skin, but then his opponents began to get creative. Sage Mode didn't prevent one from drowning, nor from suffocating. It didn't help that his Shinobi foe seemed to have a Wind chakra nature, and was able to pierce his defenses.
Block incoming halberd, use another Daitoppa to deflect another magic blast, block incoming sword with reinforced arm -
Naruto let out another curse as he quickly withdrew his arm, now sporting a fairly large gash. "Shit, Sage Mode is running out? I've been fighting for too long, damnit!"
Actively pumping his chakra into the air surrounding him, he dove through the middle of an incoming fireball, emerging lightly singed on the other side as he buried his target into the ground.
Naruto turned, panting but ready to continue, only to pause as he noticed he was surrounded. "Holy shit, just how many of you guys are there?" he tried to joke, frowning as they all prepared to attack him. "Let's see if I can even this out a bit."
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called out, four copies forming around him back to back, covering each other. Unfortunately, as they appeared Naruto felt the last of his sage chakra expire. He took a knee, panting. Hopefully his clones would be able to cover for him until he managed to get his breath back, then he'd show those mages who was running this show-
"Doton: Dochu Eigyo no Jutsu."
Naruto's eyes widened as he heard the whisper of the technique's name come from right behind him, inside the ring of clones he'd created. He began to turn, but before he could get anywhere he felt a terrible pain as a foot of steel burst its way through the right side of his chest.
His clones disappeared, shocked expressions as they vanished, and he gagged, blood running from his lips.
"A...uh…"
Time seemed to slow, blood droplets taking forever to reach the ground from the tip of the tanto piercing his lung. The world seemed to pause, as Naruto realized he was most likely going to die here.
"Shit. I think I'm gonna die. Hehe, here I thought I was invincible and now I'm going to die? How pathetic…" His head lolled forward, eyes slipping closed.
"Pathetic weakling."
0o0o0 Flashback End 0o0o0
"After that, I ...well, I suppose you could say I snapped. In a haze of rage and pain I started to demolish the property, and anything that moved… well, accidents happened."
Mei stared on in growing shock and trepidation as her charge described his fall into madness. "Uchiha is going to murder me."
0o0o0 1-2 Years Later (5-6 Years with Hagoromo) 0o0o0
Daily Boscoan
March 12, X781
Sinister Suspect Slays Citizens
A horrendous year into this unnecessary civil war, the Hagoromo sent a single assailant into a crowd of protesting civilians where he viciously and brutally slayed over 40 men and women and injuring over 150 others. The protesters had gathered to show their support in the crown and the brave soldiers combating against the Hagoromo and traitorous brethren. Royal sources indicate that...
Weekly Sorcerer
October 24, X781
Bosco's Boogeyman Back in Action
Having been missing since late July, Bosco's boogeyman, known best as Hitokiri, the Elemental word for manslayer, made a horrifying return one week ago as he publicly executed former General Archduke Albrecht. Albrecht came out of retirement after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and had been the leading...
Herrlichkeit Bosco!
June 9, X782
The People's Hero Strikes Again!
Comrades, Hitokiri has done it again! Another oppressor of the people has been put down like the dog that he was! Count Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf and his supporters, who had been leaching their wealth from the common people, were massacred on their way to the annual Military Organizational Restructuring Meeting, or MORM. With this, their strength is cut...
0o0o0 1 Year Later (7 Years with Hagoromo) 0o0o0
"I can't believe we're were actually put under the command of the Hitokiri!" the rookie mage exclaimed excitedly as the small troop marched through the blaring heat.
"Heh, he isn't the only famous shinobi here kid." Kotetsu boasted.
"Really!? Who else is here? I didn't see anyone else famous like the Kaiju Kisame, the Kazeken Baki, or even Lady Mei!" the rookie looked around fervently, trying to spot someone he could recognize.
"I was talking about my partner and I! The famous Conch Duo!" Kotetsu pronounced proudly, flexing to show off.
"ALL HAIL THE MAGIC CONCH!" Izumo screamed at the top of his lungs, pulling a giant conch shaped mace from behind his back.
"Never heard of you." The young mage waved the shinobi off, leaving the shinobi in stunned silence.
"Cut the chatter. We're near the operation zone. We could stumble upon the enemy any time now." Naruto called from the front of his squad.
"Seems you already have."
Naruto's head whipped in the direction of the voice just as he lost all hearing from an explosion barely 10 feet from where he was standing. A massive dust cloud enveloped the troop, trapping them within.
Naruto had been blown off his feet, a loud ringing in his ears. Ever so slowly the world came back to him in muffled cries for help. It wasn't until one of his mages fell next to him, headless, that time resumed its normal pace. As quickly as he could, Naruto formed the Mi seal before calling out his attack. "Fuuton: Daitoppa!"
The dust cleared as the raging winds tore through it, revealing 8 of his 12 man squad laying in a pool of their own blood and innards. In the center of those remaining stood a tall imposing figure, the blood of their comrades dripping from his massive cleaver. Short black hair was wrapped in starch white bandaging, razor sharp teeth showed brightly behind a wicked smile, and grayish skin gave him the appearance of a walking corpse.
The rookie fell back as he took in the sight that surrounded him. The urge to defecate himself grew the longer he stared at the legend before him. "Za-zabu…" He couldn't say it. If he did, this horrible nightmare would become real.
"Oh come on, you know who he is but not us!" Izumo yelled, trying to keep his calm. In under a minute flat, most of the squad had been wiped out.
"Not the time, Izumo!" Naruto yelled from his position, glaring at his foe.
"I have to say, Hitokiri, that I'm a little disappointed in you. The rumors of your speed have become legendary. I thought for sure you'd be able to avoid such a simple ambush."
"Zabuza the Demon." Naruto smirked. "I thought you'd be taller."
"Laugh it up brat. I'm not the one who just got more than half his squad murdered." Zabuza countered.
"Hn. I never expected them to live long. At best they were nothing more than shields for me to use. Lessoned learned, don't take mages out for anything."
"Heartless. I like that. Oh yes, this is going to be fun. At long last, I can fight against a true shinobi." Zabuza's eyes glowed with a twisted glee.
"Izumo, Kotetsu! Get the rookie out of here and report back to Mei-sama. I'll continue the mission alone."
"Are you insane!? This guy took down 3 platoons by himself in the last month alone. You're going to need help," Kotetsu yelled back in defiance.
"That's an order. The 3 of you will just get in my way. I don't need weaklings holding me back."
Both Kotetsu and Izumo winced at Naruto's words but understood. As much as they didn't want to admit it, Naruto outclassed them in every way. They both sighed in resignation, now wasn't the time to let a hurt pride get them killed.
"He thinks I'm just a nuisance? Kankuro of the Sands recruited me to be a part of his personal squad. Captain Kankuro volunteered me himself for this mission." Rookie stared at his hero of the last 3 years. For 3 years he'd idolized the man known as Hitokiri, who selflessly sacrificed for the liberation of Bosco from the thrice damned Aristocrats that left the poor in desolation. For 3 years he wanted to leave his father's farm and become just like the man he idolized. And now, after finally finding the courage to seek out the Hagoromo clan, his idol saw him as less than worthless.
"No! I can't accept that! I've worked too hard to get here. To be on the same battlefield as my hero. I won't let this bastard take my chance away! I'll prove I'm not worthless. I'm going to kill this motherfucking demon!" Rookie rose with a roar and sprinted forward, charging his magic in both hands. "DIE YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"
"Rookie no!" Kotetsu screamed as he watched the young mage charge off toward his death.
Looking nonplussed, Zabuza waited until Rookie was almost upon him, before striking out with his sword faster than a normal mage could track, separating Rookie's head from his shoulders.
"Fuck!" Izumo swore as he watched the head roll on the ground for a few moments. "Dammit kid why'd you go and do it? You were shitting your pants not 30 seconds ago!"
"What? They make you babysitter of the day Hitokiri? I know puppies more frightening than these pathetic mages."
"Kotetsu. Izumo. NOW."
"Don't gotta tell us twice. Izumo, we're gone." Kotetsu turned and took off, Izumo not far behind, before a flurry of shuriken and kunai rained down on them. They began to dodge, but were unable to escape unharmed.
"Where do the two of you think you're going, Hagoromo scum? The party's just getting started!" Two camo-cloaked shinobi rose from the sand.
"Dammit. Something tells me, we're not getting out of this one Kotetsu." Izumo cringed at the stinging from his wounds.
"Seems like it…" Kotetsu watched as each enemy nin revealed a large gauntlet on their opposing arms, linked by a chain.
"Die, Hagoromo dogs!" Both men charged in, the gauntlets gleaming, as they zeroed in on the defenseless shinobi.
Sand blasted into the air once more as a great gust of wind blew the two assailants back.
"It's about time you made your move Hitokiri. I was beginning to wonder if you were even the real thing or just some oaf pretending to be a hero." Zabuza and Naruto were deadlocked in between their subordinates, kunai to cleaver.
"S-so fast!" Gozu and Meizu looked on in shock, realizing how close they came to death.
"Get me some water. Now!" Zabuza ordered the two, a mad grin on his face.
"Suiton: Suitenhoufutsu!" both brothers called out after flipping through a short sequence of hand-seals. The sand all around them darkened and shook violently as the brothers panted from the large expenditure of chakra.
"Shit! What the hell is going on?" Izumo asked as he began to feel wet suddenly. Looking to the sand at his feet, he saw rising water.
"This isn't goo-" Kotetsu was cut off as a geyser of water shot up beneath him and Izumo.
Naruto remained focused on Zabuza. If he lost concentration for even a second he was as good as dead.
Suddenly both shinobi broke their stand still as another geiser shot from the ground beneath them.
Taking a glance at his kunai, Naruto scowled, noticing a large gash marring the kunai. "Feh, useless piece of junk." Tossing it aside, he reached back, grasping the hilt of his ninjato.
Seeing this, Zabuza smirked. "Oh? You fancy yourself a swordsman, do you? Let me show you how it's done!" Immediately the man blitzed at the blond, large cleaver-like blade rising and falling with a terrible swiftness.
Gritting his teeth, Naruto sprinted forward into the field of steel, his own sword flashing out to block what he couldn't dodge, determined to make the demon pay for underestimating him.
Unfortunately, Zabuza was known as demon for a reason. Time and again, whenever Naruto thought he glimpsed an opening, he was ruthlessly reminded of his opponents skill. The large blade Zabuza wielded seemed to both float through the air, light as a feather, yet strike with the force of a sledgehammer.
It was beautiful, yet terrifying at the same time. Getting a front row seat to such superb swordsmanship, Naruto could feel his blood beginning to burn. This was true combat. This was life and death. This, this is what he was looking for!
In the middle of the dance of death, Naruto couldn't help himself. With a deadly gleam in his eye and feral smile on his lips, he couldn't restrain his laughter.
The demon answered, his own crazed laughing mixing with blond's. Finally! Finally, he had found someone else like him! Someone who thrived in the heat of battle, who was addicted to the feeling of their blood burning its way through their veins.
Finally, he could go all out.
Almost unnoticed Zabuza's strikes began to speed up. Soon, Naruto was spending all his strength just to divert the Demon's ferocious attacks. He snarled in frustration, pushing his body to the limits just to try and keep up.
"Good, good!" Zabuza ground out mockingly. "You have some skills brat. Some." He grinned evilly, his muscles tightening, bulging as he poured his strength into his next blow. "But not good enough!"
As Kubikiri Boucho came screaming at him, Naruto flooded his chakra through his ninjato, bracing the back against his left forearm, and intercepted it. About to snark out a response at Zabuza's failed attack, he froze when a crack appeared on his weapon. Quickly, the blond released his weapon and jumped back, just in time to watch his ninjato break in half. "Damnit!"
"If kenjutsu doesn't work, then..!" Forming the Tora handseal, he reared back before spitting an expanding ball of fire at Zabuza. "Katon: Endan!"
Almost contemptuously, Zabuza sliced Kubikiri Boucho through the air. dissipating the fireball. "Moving on to ninjutsu, brat? My turn." He sped through the three handseals, ending on Usagi. "Suiton: Mizurappa!"
Compressed jets of water began to shoot towards Naruto, which he quickly began to dodge. Unfortunately, the damage from their early kenjutsu clash caused Naruto to stumble in dodging, leaving him vulnerable to the next jet of water. Twisting his body harshly, the blond sped through four seals, ending on Inu and slapped his hands down onto the ground. "Doton: Doryuheki!" The earthen wall shot up from the ground just in time to block the water technique. Naruto huddled behind the wall, trying to catch his breath, but Zabuza wasn't giving him any time to rest.
Completing another set of seals, the demon called out, "Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!" A giant vortex of water formed behind the man before shooting forward and smashing through the earth wall, revealing a missing Naruto. Feeling a chakra buildup, he spun around, seeing a drenched Naruto completing the last seal of his technique.
"Futon: Kazekiri!"
A ripple in the air announced the technique's completion, an almost invisible wave of cutting power rushing toward the caught off guard Zabuza. Even as he tried to bring his hands together to use a defensive technique, the cutting wind reached him, slicing him in two. The two halves fell to the ground, and promptly dissipated into water.
"A Mizu Bunshin!? Then where-"
Kubikiri Boucho sliced through the blond mid thought, revealing Zabuza behind him. "Feh stop hiding blondie," the demon called out as the Kage Bunshin disappeared with a pop of smoke.
The ground beneath Zabuza buckled, before Naruto shot out of the ground, a spiralling sphere of chakra in hand. "Rasengan!"
Showing why he was a jounin, Zabuza sped through several seals before the deadly technique could make contact. "Suiton: Suijinheki!" The surrounding water flowed into a swirling defence in front of Zabuza, blocking the Rasengan. The two forces colliding caused an explosion, water going everywhere and launching Naruto away from Zabuza.
The pair regarded each other, Naruto glaring at the smirk on Zabuza's face. "Time to finish this up, brat." He began to go through a long chain of seals, 23 to be exact, before ending on Tori. "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!" he called out, the surrounding water gathering together, forming a giant dragon shaped construct behind him.
Naruto's glared sharpened as he saw his opponent's technique, a scowl making its way onto his face. He concentrated his chakra into his palms, dual orbs of spinning chakra appearing. Zabuza almost seemed like he was waiting for Naruto to finish readying for his attack, for the moment the blond prepared to rush in, Zabuza responded.
"Die, Hitokiri!" he yelled, the pseudo-dragon roaring in synch with its master, before rushing forward.
"I'm not going to die here!" Naruto yelled out, rushing the dragon head-on. Just before contact he thrust a Rasengan into the water dragon's head. "UWOOOOH!" he yelled, forcing his way through the raging water, crimson eyes locked onto Zabuza's position.
"Hmph," the demon smirked. "He was an interesting challenge, but in the end, no match for me." He turned and began walking to Kubikiri Boucho where it stood in the sand, only to turn at the sound of an explosion. "What?!"
"ZABUZA!" Naruto cried out, his first Rasengan detonating, blasting his way out of the Suiruudan, a second Rasengan thrust out toward his enemy. "Rasen Rengan!" he cried out, at last making contact with Zabuza. The Rasengan began to drill into Zabuza before it destabilized as Naruto lost control of his chakra and exploded, launching the two foes in opposite directions, their bodies digging trenches into the ground.
The air slowly cleared from the blast, revealing the two fighters laying in their respective trenches. Slowly, they each began to rise. Naruto rolled over onto his front, got his trembling arms underneath himself and pushed up, pausing as he began to cough, flecks of blood splattering on the ground. Zabuza had managed to raise himself to his knees, revealing his mangled chest, before bending and puking up blood.
Through sheer force of will, Zabuza made it to a standing position first. "Keh..hehehe. Magnificent," he rasped out. "To think you could break through my most powerful jutsu and injure me so much in one attack. Truly, you are deserving of your reputation." He coughed, blood trickling down his chin. "But it isn't enough! I'm still standing! Come!" Zabuza gestured at Naruto, a crazed grin on his face. "Let me enjoy this fight to the end!"
Grunting, the blond finally rose to his feet, wiping the blood from his chin. "You'll regret taking me on..."
Slowly, the two first began to walk towards each, speeding up with each step until they were full out sprinting toward each other. The met in the middle, their fists each finding their mark in the other's face.
Fighting through the pain, Zabuza turned back and launched a heavy punch into the blond's chest, driving the air from his lungs. The blond quickly retaliated by driving his fist into the giant wound on Zabuza's chest. The two paused a moment to catch their breaths before continuing. Naruto led off with a body blow that cracked one of Zabuza's ribs. In retaliation, the demon drove a haymaker into the blond's temple.
The blow rattled his brain, and, in that moment, wounded, exhausted, and almost devoid of chakra, for the first time in over 3 years, he lost the connection with his darker half. His crimson eyes drained away, revealing his original blue, and a wave of bone-deep exhaustion passed through his body, causing him to stagger and miss the next attack Zabuza sent at him. It connected with a thunderous crack, and threw his head in the other direction.
Seeing this chance Zabuza began to throw blow after blow, pummeling the blond where he stood. "What's wrong Hitokiri?" he sneered. "Where did all that ferocity go? The tenacity? The strength?!" He landed an especially heavy body blow, causing Naruto to bend over and spit up blood, before collapsing to his knees.
"Are you giving up already?" Zabuza frowned. Maybe he had misjudged his foe. He grabbed the blond by the hair and raised him to eye level, only to see the blond's now blue eyes clouded over. "Feh, have you lost the will to live? Pathetic." He tossed the blond to the ground.
Naruto landed heavily and laid there. He had no strength left. He had given everything he had, and it wasn't enough. This was the end for him. And why should he even try anymore? He had already failed. His squad was dead. Various teammates over the years were dead. They were dead. There was no point anymore.
He could just barely see Izumo and Kotetsu the way his head was laying. He felt...sad. He had gotten them killed all because he was confident in his strength. Zabuza then entered his field of vision, stopping before their bodies, Kubikiri Boucho back in his hands.
"Oh, looks like these two are still kicking." He shook his head. "Gozu and Meizu sure have gotten sloppy. Well, time to put them out of their misery." He raised his blade. "Maybe I'll turn their heads in, might be worth something."
NO! No, they were still alive. "Damnit Zabuza, I'm the one you were after! Leave them out of this," Naruto thought desperately. He strained his body, tried to move it, something, anything to draw the demon's attention from his comrades.
Nothing. He had nothing left to give. He was going to fail again. "Damnit…" His mind raced, trying to think of something. Slowly, he became aware of something just at the edge of his senses. Something warm and long forgotten. "This is...natural chakra?!"
Desperately, he stilled himself, trying to take in the long disused energy. Almost immediately, he could feel a warm, soothing sensation as his body absorbed a scant amount of the energy. He had no time to wonder on it though, as he saw Zabuza begin to swing his sword. Eyes snapping open to reveal glowing cobalt eyes, he sprang up, charging what chakra he had left into his right hand.
"ZABUZA!"
"What?!" the man exclaimed, turning to see his downed open lunging at him with a glowing palm. "Impossible!" he roared out, trying vainly to dodge the attack, but his wearied body refused to listen.
"RASENKEN!" the blond cried, landing his attack directly into Zabuza's abdomen, the force behind the blow launching the man away from his downed comrades.
"Izumo, Kotetsu… I'm sorry," Naruto thought as his body gave out, passing out and landing right in front of his comrades.
0o0o0o0o0o0
"I'm still alive." Naruto grimaced as he began to awaken to the world once more. "But why?" He tried to sit up but fell back down onto the bed from his stinging wounds.
"I'm impressed that you've woken so soon Naruto-sama. Very few have ever managed to impress Zabuza-sama the way you have, and fewer still have managed to live to tell the tale."
Naruto's eyes flashed open for the first time since his fight with the Demon, and his first thought upon seeing the young woman sitting next to his bed was beautiful. "Wh-who are you?"
"You should save your strength Naruto-sama." The girl smiled warmly at him. "My name is Yuki Haku. I've been ordered to take care of you from now on." Haku saw the question forming on the blond's lips and answered him. "It's Zabuza-sama's order. He wishes to face you in battle again one day."
"He… wants to fight again?"
"Oh yes. He was very impressed with your abilities and fierce determination that he's chosen you to oppose him and his organization."
"Org-organization?"
"Unfortunately, I know very little as Zabuza-sama did not let me join officially but I do know the basics. This group is the one that has been supplying shinobi to the Boscoan government in opposition to the Hagoromo clan and it's civil war."
"Who are they?"
"Kyosho no Issan."
"Why are they siding with Bosco?"
"As I said I know very little about them. Just that Zabuza-sama joined them and takes missions through them." Naruto looked down at his bandaged hands and furrowed his brow. Nothing was making sense. "However I do know something that will tell you everything you need to know about Kyosho no Issan."
"What is it?"
"I am unsure how to tell you this, however I believe you must know the truth of Shadow Heart's fall." The young woman paused as Naruto snapped his sights back on her. "It's been nearly thirteen years since Fiore launched its campaign against the traitorous shinobi group who murdered the King's heir and his family. But you know better than anyone that the five great Kage would never betray our ancestor's oaths."
Silence fell between the two as Naruto began to realize Haku's implications. "Shadow Heart… I haven't even thought about that name in so long I can't remember the last time. I can't remember anything about Shadow Heart really… just anger. Can I believe her? What she's implying means Sensei was right. Fiore… the bastards were just pawns to axe us off. But for what?"
"Why should I believe you? You're Zabuza's pawn. Everything you tell me is probably a lie."
"Do I have a reason to lie to you, let alone take care of you? Why would I, better yet Zabuza-sama, heal your wounds only to trick you? Would it not be easier if we simply killed you? You're very powerful and would, will, get in our way. Playing games is not Zabuza-sama's way. Fighting you again is not the only reason you're still alive."
"What do you mean? Why are you telling me all of this? What's the damn point!?" Naruto screamed his eyes flaring their dangerous red.
Haku kept her calm as she stared into the red hue of the blond's eyes. It was interesting, in her opinion, how his eyes changed color at times. When he awoke his eyes were ocean blue and ever since his eyes would jump from that pure blue to a fiery red. It was the same when Zabuza was fighting him. During the entire fight the blond's eyes were the picture perfect demonic eyes he was displaying now and just before the end they were a shade of cobalt she'd never seen before.
"The point, is that you have a power no one else does. And Zabuza-sama is making a gambit on you." Haku watched as Naruto's eyes wavered back and forth between blue and red, each color fighting for dominance. "Kyosho no Issan betrayed Shadow Heart and Fiore pitting them against one another, to weaken not just the country but the entirety of Earthland. Think about it. When Shadow Heart was still active there hadn't really been a war between countries since the Dragon era. Now Bosco is caught in a civil war, terrorist attacks in Pergrande Kingdom, Minstrel is trying to annex Midi, and Sin and Enca have gone to war with one another. If Shadow Heart still existed none of this would've happened. The shinobi have deterred or put an end to any rising conflict for over the last century. Now Shadow Heart is gone and the stability of Earthland is quickly crumbling. The bonds between nations are falling apart and there's nothing and no one who can stop it."
Naruto stared at Haku briefly, quietly processing everything he'd been told. It was true, the rising conflicts in the last few years. More and more conflicts were rising not just in Bosco but all over the continent. Even truer was the fact that Shadow Heart put a quick and swift end to any major conflict, whether it be between nations or civil. Could their presence have truly been the only deterrent to war? Had Shadow Heart been digging their own grave by being the unwanted protectors of Earthland?
"And what does Zabuza want me to do? Rebuild Shadow Heart? Take on this Kyosho no Issan and save the world from destroying itself?" Naruto questioned.
"Yes."
"Why? Isn't he a part of Kyosho no Issan? Why is he betraying his own group?"
"As I said before I don't know everything. Only what Zabuza-sama has told me. He knows who your father was Naruto-sama. He knows that if anyone can stop whatever it is Kyosho no Issan wants, it's you. Zabuza-sama may not show it, but he is a kind man. He truly does wish for a peaceful world, however it is not his place to make it so. He is a shinobi first and a man second. He accepted the offer into Kyosho no Issan and so he, himself, will not betray his orders. That does not mean he won't let slip a few details to others. And what others do with that information, well, he cannot be held responsible. As of today, Zabuza-sama relieved me of my service to him and left me in your care Naruto-sama. I am your tool to use as you see fit and I shall follow, ever loyal."
0o0o0 6 Months Later (7 Years 6 Months with Hagoromo) 0o0o0
"So you've decided then." Haku stood in the middle of Naruto's tent at the Hagoromo headquarters.
Naruto stood up, having finished making sure his pack was ready for travel, and turned to face his "partner" as he'd taken to calling her. "Yes."
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you Naruto-sama? I-" Naruto cut her off.
"I'm sure. This is my fight, my war. It began with Shadow Heart and it will end with Shadow Heart." Naruto began to walk out of the tent but stopped just short of the entrance. "I never said thank you for back then."
Haku bowed immediately. "You don't have to thank me Naruto-sama! I was only doing what a tool does for her master."
"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" Naruto shook his head as a small grin broke out on his face. "I owe you my life. Both you and Zabuza. Not just for sparing me either. I owe you the only thing I can think of."
"And what is that Naruto-sama?" Haku questioned unsure what he was going to say.
"From this day on, you're your own person. There's more to life than just being a tool to be used and then tossed aside. There's more than being a sacrifice." Naruto then walked out, not giving Haku the chance to change his mind.
Haku could only stare where her now former master had stood as tears began to fall. "But you still need me Naruto-sama."
0o0o0 Hagoromo Main Tent, Mei's Office 0o0o0
0o0 "Vengeance" By Zack Hemsey 0o0
"I must've misheard you. Did you say you were leaving?" Mei questioned sharply, her assistant Ao staring hard at the young shinobi standing before them.
"I did." Naruto stared just as hard back at his leader.
"And what makes you think you can just leave?"
"The fact that starting a fight with me in the middle of your headquarters would cost you much more than the loss of one soldier."
"Was that a threat boy?" Ao barked taking a step forward as his stare turned into a glare.
"No. Just an outcome. I'm leaving one way or another Mei-sama. Whether its peacefully or not is up to you."
"And just where is it that you're needed so badly that you'd abandon your post and every single oath you've ever made?" Mei kept her eyes trained on Naruto.
"To finish something."
"And that would be?"
"Vengeance."
Mei took a hard look at her subordinate. She could see the determination in his blue eyes. It had been 5 months since she'd last seen him and his eyes were ruby red as they had been for the last three years. She could tell something had changed when he'd finally returned from the dead. He no longer radiated killer intent, he'd actually smile, and volunteered to help throughout the camp, something he'd not done since returning from the old toad.
It wasn't hard to figure out what he meant by vengeance. She knew all too well his past. He was the son of the final Hokage of Shadow Heart. Naruto had witnessed the destruction of his home by his own countrymen. She had always found it admirable how he'd never brought up his anger at his former home, choosing to bear his pain and loss quietly. For him to bring it up now, after all these years… this wasn't simply about vengeance.
"Vengeance? That's what all this is about? No one in their right mind would let someone as powerful as you go get yourself killed over an event that happened thirteen years ago. You're no longer in Fiore, boy! You're no longer part of that weak group known as Shadow Heart! You're of the Hagoromo clan! The most powerful shinobi group to ever emerge in Earthland!" Ao had to restrain himself from assaulting the younger shinobi.
Naruto remained silent, simply keeping the staring contest between Mei and himself that had initiated. After a time Mei relented, sighing deeply.
"There's no changing your mind is there?"
"Mei-sama! You can't be-" Ao was cut off.
"Be silent Ao. Something bigger than vengeance is going on here. Isn't that right?" Full attention returned to the lone blond.
"Yes."
"I assume you're not telling us the full reasons for your departure for a good reason."
"Yes."
"Should I assume that we've been compromised?"
"Yes."
"I see." Mei closed her eyes as she contemplated on what to do. After taking a moment to make her decision she opened her eyes. "Uzumaki Naruto, you are hereby stripped of your rank and all standing with the Hagoromo clan. As of this moment you are exiled for insubordination and treason. You have 24 hours to leave or be executed for your heinous crimes against the Hagoromo and the new Republic of Bosco."
Naruto bowed and turned to leave before Mei called out to him one last time. "I trust that one day you'll be able to explain why I just exiled one of my best shinobi."
Naruto never stopped. He continued walking, never looking back.
0o0o0 4 Months Later, Ruins of Shadow Heart, Fiore (2 Months Before Hargeon) 0o0o0
Thirteen years.
It had been thirteen years since he last stood amongst the charred and burnt down buildings that once formed the village his ancestors had built from the ground up.
Naruto knew what he was looking for was still here, sealed away, waiting.
Crossing the border had been more difficult than he'd thought. The Fiorean government had buffed its border patrol, turning any refugees away forcing him to cross the border at Seven and work his way back south into Fiore. Under normal circumstances crossing the border would've been child's play but the longer it was unknown that he'd returned, the better.
Naruto eventually found the building he was looking for.
"Naruto. One day, when you're ready you'll have one of your own. Until then, it'll be waiting for you."
"Tou-san." Naruto closed his eyes momentarily as long forgotten memories resurfaced. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled as he stepped into the home he'd abandoned.
It was as if it had only been a day since the last time he last stepped into the house. Called out to let his parents know he was home from playing with his friends. Had sat down at the dinner table to eat the meal his mother prepared, remembering a complaint about it not being ramen. Being sent to bed without dessert. Waking up to screams and explosions.
Naruto shook his head and refocused on what he was looking for.
The house was barren. The items that had made it a home had either been burnt or pilfered long ago.
It wasn't long until he found what he was looking for.
Hidden away in his parent's room was a sealed scroll.
"Good, it's still here." Naruto performed the necessary hand seals to unlock the scroll and took the contents locked inside.
Naruto walked away from the ruins of Shadow Heart wearing his birthright. The iconic black cloak with red clouds billowed as the wind picked up. Taking one final look at his burnt home Naruto flicked the cloak's hood up, masking his face in shadow, his heart and mind feeling more settled than either ever had.
"I promise, to all of you, I will have vengeance before I die."
0o0o0 Present, Masterful Melodies 0o0o0
Shikamaru sat in the dark room looking at the sleeping blond, mulling over everything he'd been told. "Kyosho no Issan huh? How troublesome."
Shaking his head, Shikamaru ran a hand through his pulled back hair. "This is completely fucked up you know that?"
"I know," Naruto spoke up in the surrounding darkness.
"Do you even have a clue as to where to find them?"
"Nope."
"How do you know they're even in Fiore?"
"I don't."
"Then why come back here?"
"Because this is where it started." Naruto turned and sat up on the bed. "They wanted us gone for a reason. If Shadow Heart makes a resurgence, the news will travel across the continent. It doesn't matter if they're here or not, they'll come."
"So basically we're bait."
"Basically."
"Wonderful. I always wanted to be live bait." Naruto ignored the sarcastic remark as Tayuya kicked the door open.
"Hey fuckheads, you may want to hear this."
0o0o0o0o0o0
Ending - In My World - Rookiez is Punk'd
0o0o0o0o0o0
Ronin: No ending notes this time. We'll do some review responses in the next chapter. For now, we're just sick of looking at this chapter.
Morning: No more. No fucking more. Please. No chapter will ever be as bad as this one to write, because I made it harder than it should have been. Zabuza demanded it.
Ronin: Now go review or something.
Morning: Please. If you don't I don't get motivated, and then Ronin doesn't do anything.