Shinobi of Darkness

by Dymian

The forbidden scroll of seals wasn't forbidden for what was written on it. It was Forbidden for what was sealed Within. During the Mizuki incident, woken by greed and hate, an ancient evil rises, one older and far more powerful then the Juubi. One that had barely been beaten back before by the Rikudou Sennin. Enter The Darkness. I wIlL ConSuMe YouR HeArt!

A/N: Sorry about the mess it was in. I have corrected the most glaring of flaws, but I may have missed some, and for that I'm sorry. Anyway, I made this after I played The Darkness (which I don't own) and read Naruto (also don't own) fanfic, so I decided, why not try to combine them? So I did. One chapter in though, I lost my steam and let it sit in my hard drive. Now I'm posting it with the hope that someone will adopt it. If your interested in doing so, PM me. It is #47 on my list of Profile challenges.

Chapter 1

Konoha; The village hidden in the Leaves; One of the five Major Hidden Villages; Birthplace to the three Legendary Sennin, Home to multiple different clans, as well as Kekkei-Genkai.

But, as with all things, it has its darker side. The birthplace to two of the greatest traitors in the land, home to the likes of Danzō Shimura, a man who kidnaps children in the night and breaks them, before training them to be emotionless killing machines completely under his command, and no one else's. A home of dark plots of violence and treason, of theft and assassinations. But that is not all Konoha has dwelling within its boundaries.

"Get back here you Brat!"

Running through the streets was what should have been one of those closely guarded secrets.

Naruto ducked and weaved as he avoided the incoming missiles that Shinobi and civilian alike were throwing at him, rolling to avoid the sharp-fanged lunge of the nin-dog partner of one of the ones chasing him.

"You'll have to do better than that, you slowpokes!"

Naruto laughed as he ducked into a nearby ally, planning to use the secret way out that he himself had made earlier in the week.

He skid to a halt as three masked Nin dropped down in front of him, blocking his escape.

"Nowhere to run, Demon Brat. Did you honestly think we wouldn't see through this trick?"

And then there is this kid. Naruto Uzumaki. Son of the Fourth and the Princess of Whirlpool. Heir to Two clans, one new, one ancient. And Finally, the Jinjuriki of the Kyuubi No Kitsune. Of course, the powers that be would rather chew off their own arms then let him know it.

Naruto froze as an icy feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. No one knew about this spot. Not the other kids, not the villagers, not even the ANBU that were supposedly there to keep an eye on him, to keep him Safe.

There was only one other person who knew about this, or any of the others.

He had never been able to keep anything secret from the Hokage.

It was then that the young boy started to doubt his 'grandfather'. Started to think that maybe the old man wasn't as oblivious of the goings on around Naruto as he had claimed. As the blows rained down on his curled up form, somewhere in the back of his mind, a Creature up near unparalleled strength opened an eye. This was the Kyuubi No Kitsune.

'I wonder how long until that hairless ape shows. I can feel that he is watching.'

The ancient creature knew full well what was happening, that the torture and abuse had a very focused purpose. To break his vessel's spirit, to make him a mindlessly loyal weapon. It knew, because this was not the first time.

"Hah! Look at the brat squirm! Its disguise goes deep! Hell, it is even faking bleeding red!"

But what they did not know, what they couldn't have known, was that they were feeding a timeless evil, bound at the center of their village. An evil that had remained sealed for millennia before the Village had ever been founded. One who had gone toe to toe with the Sage of 6 Paths, and had defeated him utterly. The Sage, knowing what would come to pass if {Something} remained free, sealed the Demon King, Juubi Biju dama, into himself to gain the power needed to seal {Something}. This act, while successful, poisoned the Sage.

Knowing that if the King was to get free, his seal would fail, the Sage destroyed the Juubi's body and split his spirit into 9 Pieces. This last act destroyed him utterly, but it worked. Without its body, the 9 scattered. But the 9th Remembered. And in the depths of his vessel's mind, he feared for the day of {Something}'s return.

Hearing a steady beeping sound, Naruto's eyes slowly open.

'Oh dammit! I'm in the hospital again, aren't I?'

Sitting up had Naruto wincing, as the poorly set bones shifted a bit under his skin.

'Why the hell does this keep happening to me? I may prank a lot of them, but it's only in retaliation! They started it!'

Lost in his musings, he failed to notice the door opening and a figure creeping in.

His only warning was the scraping sound of the figure's shoes as it lunged forward, scalpel in hand. With a shriek that was cut short, Naruto managed to doge most of the slash, managing to angle his throat so that his jugular was not cut. But this came at a price. His voice-box was damaged, silencing him.

The figure drew back for another strike, only to fall dead on the floor, his head rolling to one side as a slightly pissed Hokage made himself known. Quietly, he motioned for one of his escorts to remove the offending body before his hand was cloaked in a swirling greenish glow. Naruto winced as he moved, sitting up from the place on the floor where he had fallen.

"You must forgive them Naruto. They only act out of fear..."

Naruto closed his eyes as he focused on his thoughts.

'Forgive? Why don't any of them forgive me?! I don't even know what I have done wrong, and yet i'm supposed to forgive them for attacking me for it?! No. I refuse.'

Looking up as the old man pulls back, looking weary.

'I'll give him one more chance'

Coughing a few times as his vocal cords finished healing, he looked up at his pseudo-grandfather. "Ni, Ojji-san, Why do the villagers and ninja hurt me and call me a Demon?"

It was only for a moment, but Naruto saw the twitch of the old man's lip into a smirk, his eyes reflecting glee, before it was all washed away with a frown and pain-filled eyes.

"I don't know."

'Well, that tears it.' Naruto thought as he sat through another lecture, 'I can't trust him. He knows why. If he wasn't able to say so, he would have told me that. But he lied and said he didn't know.'

Getting up, he ran back to his apartment to change clothes before running to the academy.

Sitting down at his desk, Naruto made his plans. 'Graduation test is today. I'll pass it, learn all that there is to learn, and then i'll blow this joint. Preferably up.'

As Naruto walked out an hour later, having failed, Mizuki hid a smile. 'All according to plan.'

"Aww man! Clones are the worst!" Naruto groaned as he read the first jutsu on the forbidden scroll.

"Alright, skipping that! Dead Demon Consuming Seal? Sounds intrestin- Oh, Hell No! Lose my soul when I use it?! Pass! Dragon Egg? Hmmm…maybe. Let's see what else... Soul Eater?" Naruto shivers. "Umm, pass on that too. It sounds too close to that first one... Dragon of the Darkness Flame? Sounds cool. Let's see Unstoppable once launched, nice. Chakra Intensive, no problem. Can reduce to ashes just about anything to ash, cool, cool.. Aww! Irreparably damages the users' arms with repeated use, and can turn against the user if they are not strong of will?! Dammit, and that was sounding so cool too! Oh well. Dagger with alien tech. Nah, I'm more of a hand to hand then a weapons guy... Spear of solid fire. Umm, how would you use it without burning yourself? Sword made of lightning. Same problem with the spear..."

As Naruto continues to unroll the forbidden scroll, the layers and layers of suppression seals incorporated into the paper itself begins to lift. At the center of the forbidden scroll, hidden in a hidden compartment in the base of the forbidden scroll, {Something} begins to wake.

Oblivious to his surroundings, Naruto continues to peruse the forbidden scroll.

"Next is... Holy Shit! The Flying Thunder God?! The one the Forth used? Yup! It is! Oh, dammit! It needs a special kunai and I don't know where to get them, or even how to make the necessary seals…"

As more and more of the Forbidden Scroll is revealed, {Something} begins to stir.

"Alright, next section Summoning Contracts? Ok, that sounds promising. Let's see. Dog? No, I don't what the Inuzuka on my ass. They seem to hate me enough. Cat? Does that mean that I could summon Tora?"

All over Konohagakure, a shiver of dread passes through every shinobi's body. Racing through the streets and over the rooftops, Iruka feels it and urges his body to go faster. 'Naruto, where are you? And why do I suddenly feel as if someone is walking over my grave?'

Within the Scroll, {Something} began to open its eyes, for the first time in millennia.

Naruto ponders for a few moments. "Hmmm, I'll add that to the list with the Egg." Naruto continues on, absently noting that he was coming to the end of the scroll. "Bird. Umm, no thanks I'm allergic to feathers… Lizards. Hmmm. Maybe that and the egg would go together? Next is Sprits?! Seriously, what kind of person would do that?! The Dead need to Stay Dead!" Naruto shivers softly. "M-moving on? Oh damn, I'm at the end..."

Sitting back, Naruto looks at the scroll. "You know, what with what Mizuki-sensei said about this, I kinda figured it would have more in it..."

Sighing to himself, Naruto is about to start over from the beginning, when a discoloration on the wooden base of the scroll caught his eye. Curious, Naruto began to reach for it.

In the center of the scroll, {Something} was awake. And it was ravenous.

"NARUTO!"

The sound of Iruka's voice made Naruto jump. Twisting around, he didn't realize that he was holding onto the base of the scroll, his hand covering the discoloration.

"Oh, h-hey there Iruka-Sensei Looks like you found me before I was able to choose. I don't suppose you would keep a watch-out for Mizuki-Sensei while I learn the Jutsu?"

Iruka was pole-axed. "Naruto, what do you mean?" Eyes widening, his ears pick up the tell-tale sound of Kunai flying through the air. With a shove, Iruka pushes Naruto out of the way and attempts to shield himself, the knives pouring in, throwing him back and pinning him to the wooden shed.

With a swirl of leaves, Mizuki appears, a smug smile tugging at his lips before he adopts a mask of impassioned concern.

"Naruto! Iruka is trying to steal the scroll! Quick, give it to me while he is still pinned!"

Confused and upset by this turn of events, Naruto started to involuntarily squeeze the wooden rod in his hands.

"Wait, what the hell is going on?! Mizuki-Sensei? Iruka-Sensei?"

Biting back a gasp of pain, Iruka wrenches himself free of the kunai pinning him to the wall.

"Don't listen to him! Mizuki is just trying to use you to get the scroll for himself! Take the scroll and run! Run to the Hokage's Tower!"

Mizuki sneered as he called out. "Don't listen to him; he is lying, just as he always has. He has never told you the truth about you, has he?"

That stopped Naruto dead in his tracks.

"W-what do you mean; he never told me the truth?"

Iruka paled, more so then just blood loss could attribute to.

"No! Mizuki! It is forbidden to talk about that!"

Mizuki smiled coldly. "See? Even now he endeavors to hide the truth from you. Even now he lies. But I am not him. I will tell you."

Iruka struggled against the remaining kunai piercing his body, his muscles protesting as he strove to move.

"Mizuki, No!"

Mizuki's face took on an expression of almost orgasmic glee. "October 10th, the Kyuubi attacked. But it was not killed, like it said in the text books, oh no. It was much too powerful for that! Instead, the Fourth sacrificed his life to seal the Demon. And do you know where he sealed that horrifying creature?"

Mizuki crouched down, allowing him to lock eyes with Naruto. "In You!"

"Y-you mean..." Naruto stuttered, no longer aware of anything except this new revelation.

"Yes" Mizuki hissed. "You are the Kyuubi No Kitsune! You are the Nine-Tailed Fox that killed so many of us, all those years ago! It was you who killed the Uminos and made Iruka an orphan. It was all. Your. Fault!"

Naruto's world shattered. And it wasn't the only thing that did. Naruto screamed as the rod in his hand shattered under the pressure it was under, releasing a thick, coiling cloud of black smoke.

Crying out denials, Iruka could only watch as the smoke begin to turn inward, hiding Naruto from view.

As the Darkness soaked into Naruto, his screams cut off as he fell unconscious.

In the mind-scape, the Kyuubi cowered away from the encroaching Darkness. Whimpers turned to screams, which were then silenced as a wet squishing sound rent the air, only to be replaced by a soft, chilling laughter. As the seal started to dissolve, the chakra-ghost of the Fourth waited, biding his time, waiting for the opening that would allow him to re-construct the seal around this new threat.

Outside of the mind-scape, Mizuki and Iruka both froze as the screams stopped, the thick smoke obscuring their vision.

Then laughter, like obsidian being scraped against a chalkboard in a tunnel made itself heard, a sharp, screeching sound, yet with a deep echo behind it.

"ThE TasTe bLooD oF tHe InnOciNt wHo SufFeRs, thE sMelL Of DisPaIr iN ThE AiR… iT iS gOoD tO bE aLivE!"

The smoke cleared, sinking into Naruto, and both Chūnin felt their hearts stop. It was Naruto, but one they had never seen before. Wearing a smile that would look at home in a mental ward of an asylum; Naruto stepped forward, the darkness around him seemingly being drawn into him. Then they appeared. Two creatures, looking to be made of the Darkness appeared over each shoulder. They hissed as they moved slowly, revealing many layers of razor-sharp teeth.

But what filled them with terror was the Presence they exuded. It wasn't killing intent. There was no hate, no rage. Only a deep, all consuming, primal Fear. That Naruto's eyes were glowing yellow was only the icing on the cake.

"wE hAvE rEtuRNedaNd I Must sAY, It iS gOod tO bE oNe WitH a hOsT aGAin…" The two eel like creatures spoke as one, creating the echo.

"NoW" All three turn to look at Mizuki. "You HavE mY GraTitUde, HuMaN. If nOt fOr yOuR EffOrtS, wE WouLd Not hAvE bEen aBLe tO EntER OuR nEw HosT. FoR ThAT AloNe, We wIll gIve YoU a SwIfT AnD PaINleSs DeAth!"

Before anyone could even realize what was going on, Naruto's eyes, as well as the creature's eyes shifted to red as Naruto fell to one knee, causing Nine eel-like creatures to appear and shoot forward, stretching endlessly as they move through the air. Before Mizuki could even think of dodging, it was already too late. With a vicious lunge, the creatures ripped Mizuki apart, the final blow ripping his throat out, causing him to fall to the ground.

Convulsing for a moment, Mizuki then lay still in a pool of his own blood as the creatures quickly retracted themselves until they rejoined Naruto, whose eyes shifted back from red to yellow, seven of the heads vanishing into the Darkness that surrounds Naruto. Smiling that eerie smile, Naruto walked forward.

What happened next caused Iruka to lose his dinner. With almost no concern, Naruto lifted Mizuki's dead body up by the hair, allowing the creature on his right to rip out and consume Mizuki's heart. Contemptuously dropping the violated corpse, Naruto and the two creatures then turned their attention on Iruka, who at this point was on his hands and knees, blood-tinged bile on the ground in front of him.

"NoW... WhaT To dO WiTH YoU?"

The last thing that Iruka sees before darkness claims him is Naruto looking down at him, a symphony of glowing red eyes before him, as the Darkness bleeds away all color.

Chapter 2

The first sounds Iruka heard as he began to regain consciousness, was a soft and steady beep. Slowly opening his eyes, the chunin began to compile a mental list.

'Alright, judging by the sounds and smells around me, I'm in the hospital.'

He wiggles a bit, using tiny movements to determine if he was bound or not.

'Alright, I'm not strapped down, so I'm not seriously hurt. Now, what landed me here?'

With that thought, the events of the previous night slammed down on him, causing him to sit up hard, bile scratching at his throat, the memory of what happened making him feel sick.

'Naruto! What was that smoke? Is he alright? Did he bring me here?'

Not paying attention to his surroundings, Iruka attempts to get a handle on his stomach, taking deep breaths, trying to come to grips with the fact that his little brother figure had taken his first kill, and so brutally.

Iruka is broken out of his thoughts by the door opening.

"Ahh, Iruka-san, I'm glad to see that your up! It was touch and go for a while there!"

Looking up at the man in the white coat, Iruka shook his head and offered a smile.

"Ah, thank you doctor-san. How did I get here? What happened to Naruto?"

The smile died on Iruka's lips as the doctor stiffened, his voice turning cold.

"You were carried here by the Hokage, after he finished dealing with the Demon."

Iruka grit his teeth and glared at the doctor. "He is Not a Demon. And shoulden't you bee a little more quiet with your opinions, what with the Third's Law?"

Iruka was not assured by the almost feral smile that graced the doctor's lips.

"Hokage-sama was forced by the council to revoke that law after the Demon went on a killing spree."

Dread settled in Iruka's stomach. "But, that wasn't Naruto! Something possessed him! I saw it happen!"

The doctor scoffed. "How can a Demon get possessed? No, it was just the Beast finally showing it's true colors."

The next moment, the doctor was sliding down the opposite wall, his jaw shattered as Iruka gripped his stomach, the sudden movement straining the stiches under his bandages.