[I'M BACK BITCHES! *CUE THE INTRO*

Hello everyone. Nice to "see" you all again. Been on a hiatus just because life is a bitch and I just lost motivation to work on EVERYTHING that I wanted to do this year. So far all I can say is fuck the 2020s right now. 2023 better shape the fuck up before it gets here. Anyways, here's Wielder of Darkness again for you all. Prepare yourself to see a new chapter for a couple of my stories real soon. I'm giving you guys chances to vote for what story to get a new chapter RIGHT NOW. So, if you want a new chapter for your favorite fic, you better start going to my page (only on PC) and voting on them damn polls. The only time I won't follow the poll is if I have a new story idea or I get an idea for the next chapter for one of the stories and decide to work on that one. I won't follow the poll 100%, may even ignore it some, but it is there to let me know which one you guys wish to see the most at the time. So, buckle up cause it's time to get PRODUCTIVE (maybe)!

Anyway, let's move on to some reviews.

Soul-Seeker-1406: 1) I've already answered about this. Yes, it was hypocritical. It will be confronted soon about the reasons. 2) I didn't say that the bald one was Rock Lee's level. I didn't state that any of them were near Rock Lee's level. I made a mention of Naruto noticing how the girl fought and he assumed she could keep up with Rock Lee from just the little bit he saw at the beginning of the exams. Naruto was capable of handling them because it was nighttime.

biginferno: The pairing for this story is up in the air. The description/summary showing Naruto, Ino, and Sakura was more of a way to show who was going to be "influenced" by Naruto's change first. But both of those girls will most likely end up with Naruto.

KalDemos: Thank you, I too love the crossover Darkness stories but the category is pretty lacking in my own opinion.

Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: I am glad that you are enjoying the story so far. I hope to keep blowing your mind with each chapter that I put out for you guys.

Wolfone10: I mean go off homie. Glad you can agree with the things I've said and yeah, Hiruzen for being an old and smart man was pretty stupid in the ways he handled a lot of shit in the past before his death. But that's why we have FanFiction, to write how things should have been in our perspective.

SolSparda369: You, my dear friend, have given me plenty of ideas to think about how to fuck up Neji during the finals. Here have a cookie *hologram cookie appears in your hand*

Midnight Lost: Well you're about to see what my crazy mind has done with Naruto and Ino's relationship. Pretty sure I've taken all creative liberties for the coming events I'm going to show you all.

NOW ON WITH THE CHAPTER!]

Investments

'Why are you visiting that retch? There are more important things for you to be doing.' Kyuubi spoke as he watched Naruto walk through the dark halls of the hospital. It was currently nighttime within Konoha and Naruto didn't feel like dealing with the front desk. Knowing full well that the time for visitors was over and they wouldn't hesitate to force him out.

'You already know my reasons. I have to deal with that seal on his neck and make sure whatever Orochimaru has planned doesn't work. Besides, he isn't our only person here we are visiting.'

'You should just end his pathetic life now. Deal with two birds at the same time.'

'You hate the Uchiha don't you?'

'They're all filth and power-hungry fools. You already know that your "teammate" desires power for his pitiful ambitions.'

'I see no reason to kill Sasuke, Kyuubi. It is better if he is alive. Less trouble for us at the current time. Plus, we have plans for him.'

"Indeed, we do," Jackie said while chilling in a chair within the mansion mindscape. Kyuubi was laying on the couch before shutting his eyes. His jailor retained his "feelings of friendship" with that Uchiha. Even if they lessened within the recent days. He still saw him as a comrade at the moment. Kyuubi knew that it wouldn't last. You could never trust an Uchiha, no matter who they were. "The Uchiha brat is just one pawn for the coming days. He is unimportant to us anyways. More so bait for our bigger prey. No better way to draw out an animal than to mess with its food supply." Jackie chuckled while Kyuubi simply snorted. Naruto continued on his trek till he found the room that Sasuke was in. He entered the room like a specter in the night. The only thing to illuminate the room was the moonlight shining through the window. Naruto moved to stand at the bedside of his teammate and stared at him or more precisely, he stared at the curse mark that was on a spot between his neck and shoulderblade.

'You sure this will work?'

"Just touch the fucking mark kid. I'm here to help lead the way." Naruto sighed silently before raising his hand and touched the curse mark. Already, he could sense the malevolent chakra within wanting to be used. Closing his eyes, he felt the Darkness move around him before going down his arm and touched the mark. He felt his consciousness slip from himself and enter the mark.

(Sasuke's Curse Mark - Mind)

When Naruto opened his eyes, he noticed he was in the Uchiha clan compound. Looking around the area showed that it was after the massacre had happened. It was nighttime, which unknowingly played a great part for him, and there were bodies littered all over the place. Naruto began walking, stepping over corpses as he began his search for the one that placed this mark on his possibly mental teammate. As he walked, a figure started to form right next to him. It was Jackie and he walked alongside his host while taking in the sights around him like he was a tourist.

"Well, I can see why Orochimaru marked him. If this is what happened to the Uchiha clan, it makes sense why the boy would want the power to avenge their deaths. Even if he is doing it wrong by trying to trust a snake." Jackie said before both individuals stopped walking when they saw a more corrupted part of the area they were in. While the rest of the place was covered in blood in some way with dead bodies lying about everywhere, this place was corrupted in a new way. The ground looked dried up. The few trees within this area were decaying, looking as if they were poisoned. Soon they arrived at their destination where they found a throne made of deadwood. Sitting there was the soul shard of Orochimaru. The only difference was that its lower half was that of a white snake with the tail wrapped around the base of the throne.

"Well, isn't this interesting. Naruto-kun and some strange man have come invading where they don't belong. What exactly do you hope to accomplish being here?" It asked while tilting its head to the side with a coy smirk on its face. Naruto narrowed his eyes and was ready to step forward to deal with the leech but Jackie held a hand out before moving forward.

"Don't bother Naruto. I'll take care of this. Just enjoy the show." Jackie chuckled while the fragment of Orochimaru's soul frowned. Something about this man was off. It made it shiver for an unknown reason. Like the shadows and darkness around it was creeping up to overtake it. Jackie's form soon shifted to his Darkness armor and jumped directly at the fragment with such speed that it was caught off guard. His hand grabbed the snake's throat and he didn't stop his momentum, blasting the throne in pieces as he carried the snake's body with him. Jackie slammed the snake into the ground it forming a crater around his body from the strength used. Its arms were trying to pry the ironclad grip off its throat but it proved to be a pointless effort.

"Who... the hell... do you think... you are?!" It choked out with Jackie's amber-black eyes narrowing down onto him. He raised his hand with the armored fist growing a blade from the wrist. The soul stared at it with widening eyes and fear creeping into it. Whatever this was, it would need to report all of this back to its true self to properly prepare to combat both of these two. Jackie seemed to know what it was thinking and couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

"You don't need to worry about that. You'll be too busy under new management!" He went to stab the fragment with the blade produced at his wrist, but the fragment wouldn't truly let this man destroy him without fighting back. Its jaw dislocated and out came the Kusanagi ready to pierce through the man's head. Such a thing was a failed attempt as Jackie tilted his head for the blade to pass him harmlessly before stabbing his blade into the soul's chest. There was a scream that came from it before black energy began spreading across its entire form. Jackie stood up, pulling the blade from its body, and watched the soul writhe in pain. Its eyes rolled backward with black veins covering it. Soon black tendrils erupted from its body and began cocooning it. The screams it was releasing being muffled before all was quiet within this dead place.

"That was easier than I thought it would be. Considering who the soul piece was, I am a bit disappointed that it didn't put up more of a fight." Naruto stated as he came to stand beside Jackie. He watched the cacoon writhe slightly as if the one in it was trying to break free from whatever held it.

"Remember, Naruto, this is merely a piece of the snake's soul. Even if it was whole and part of the real Orochimaru, he wouldn't be anything compared to us. Now then, since the conversion has begun, we might as well leave the brat to his rest and find our other investment within the hospital." Naruto nodded his head with both men turning away from the cacoon and left the mind and curse mark that belonged to Sasuke.

(Four days later)

It was a hot Thursday afternoon that we find our favorite blonde walking down the street with Karin right next to him. He was taking a small break from training to spend time with possibly his only family member still alive. Even if they were just distant cousins of sorts, they were still Uzumaki and Uzumakis don't turn their backs on family. So, this was the perfect excuse to walk around the village and check out the sights around them. Karin didn't get this chance before since she was always hounded by both her sensei and teammates about staying inside their hotel until it was time for them to start the chunin exams. Even when they were one of the first teams to make it here alongside the other grass team. She was honestly glad that she wouldn't have to be around them anymore.

Soon the duo came to a stop in front of a building that Naruto knew about but never visited before. It was the T&I building. Honestly, Naruto could remember in the past how he always wanted to try pranking this building but something else always came up or the feeling of someone keeping an eye on him always bugged him. He was interested in seeing how the shinobi inside worked. Though he doubts they would let two Genin into the facility without some type of special permission.

"Well, well, look who I ran into!" A boisterous voice spoke causing the two Uzumaki to turn around and spoke a familiar head of purple land in front of them. It was Anko Mitarashi, the proctor of the second exam. "My favorite little trouble-maker and his cousin! What are you gakis doing here?" She asked while standing in front of them casually with a Dango stick in her mouth.

"I was giving Karin a tour of Konoha since she hadn't the chance to do so when her team got here. Considering she is staying in Konoha now, I thought it would be good to show her around." Naruto responded before raising an eyebrow at Anko then looked at the building. "Say, don't you work here?"

"That I do gaki. What, you interested in joining the T&I department?" Anko asked with a smirk and her brow raised. She couldn't deny that she was interested in the blonde now. After witnessing him before the start of the second exam and then seeing what he changed into at the tower; Her curiosity was peaked with the instant personality change.

Naruto shrugged while Karin eyed the woman and then the blonde next to her. "Not sure. Might prove interesting as a side thing."

"Great! Why don't you both come in then? I'm sure we have someone in here that you guys can watch me crack open." Anko had a devilish grin on her face as she cracked her knuckles walking past them both. Naruto had a small smirk on his face and followed behind. Karin could only shake her head while following right beside her cousin. This lady was crazy all the time it seems.

The group entered the building with Anko clearing the two Genin through. She gave them an impromptu tour of the place before coming to one of the rooms that had a person ready for interrogation and/or torture.

"Oh, Anko-san. We were just about to call for you. What's with the kids?" One of the Chunin in the room asked. He was looking through the file of the current prisoner they had captured a few days ago before turning his gaze towards the two addons that the best torturer of Konoha had brought in. He was proving to be a tougher case than they thought.

"Don't worry about them. Just giving a little tour to two prospective recruits."

"Does Ibiki know about this?" His tone was very suspicious and questioning.

"Weeeeelll-

"I'll take that as a no then." he sighed and shook his head.

"Relax~ Now tell me what we got here!" She said with a grin as she snatched the files away from the chunin's hands. The man just rolled his eyes, having to deal with Anko's antics far too many times. At some point, you'd think these people would be used to it.

"The man in there is a bandit leader. Or at least the second-in-command. We found a group of them set up in areas that all the Daimyos, Nobles, and other visitors will be riding through to come for the finals." At this Anko narrowed her eyes before looking at the man sitting in the room. He had chakra suppressing cuffs on which meant he wasn't a normal bandit like the others. He had a smirk on his face as he just sat back in the chair staring forward to them.

"The route for them should be a secured secret. How did this lowlife find out about that?" Anko placed the files down before moving to the door, ready to start cracking the man open to get all the information they will need. She didn't see that she placed the folder down open, allowing Naruto to move and take it before reading through it himself. Anko had already entered the room to begin her type of interrogation plus torture.

'Sejima Ishindo. Rogue Shinobi of Kiri. What is this guy doing down here?' Naruto thought while continuing to read up on the file that they had of the man. All the while Anko was having her daily "fun" with the prisoner inside. Except, this prisoner was proving tough even for her. Each trick she tried using, that wouldn't go too far, was met with strong resilience. The man merely grinned at her, even with blood leaking down his lip while making comments on her techniques. The Chunin in the room and to pull her out once he made a rather vulgar comment that almost cost him his eye if they didn't step in.

"This asshole is tough. Why can't I use my more drastic techniques again?" Anko asked while glaring through the one-sided window at the grinning bastard on the other side. Oh, she wished she could use one of her precious snakes on him. Fill him up with poison and watch him suffer before giving the antidote, just to do it again.

"Because Anko, we need him to be capable of speaking to us about who told him about that route." The voice came from the opening door with Ibiki and a few others walking into the room behind him. "Your more, shall I say extreme methods, have a way to make the prisoner clam up because of the damages. We have to wait till they recover just to get anything." He said with a sigh while Anko childishly stuck her tongue out at him. Ibiki then turned his gaze towards the two newcomers inside his facility. Both Uzumaki was the talk of the shinobi forces ever since the prelims. His eyes turned to the blonde who hadn't turned his attention to anyone else and kept reading the files in his hands. Files he actually shouldn't be reading considering he wasn't a chunin, yet, or part of the T&I sect.

He was about to walk up and take the files when Naruto placed them down on the table and walked to the door before turning his head just enough to look Ibiki in the eyes. "Do you mind if I try taking a crack at him?" All eyes turned towards the genin who had his hand on the door handle. Many in the room were either chuckling or shaking their heads while whispering to one another. Karin was staring at her cousin with a curious gaze, trying to figure out what he was planning. Anko had her hands on her hips while a small smirk rose on her face as she looked between her boss and favorite gaki. None of this matter to the blonde as his eyes stayed locked onto Ibiki's own.

Ibiki was quick to try and deny his request, but he stopped from doing so. He frowned while looking at the Naruto in front of him and remember back to the start of the exams. How is it that these two blondes were the same person? What could have happened during the second part that cause him to change this much? Normally he denies such requests from those that didn't work alongside him. But maybe this was his opportunity to figure out what was up with the blonde now.

So, he sighed before looking at the man still in the other room, still having that same grin on his face. Ibiki narrowed his eyes before glancing at Naruto. "You'll get ten minutes. No more and no less." This caused the majority in the room to look surprised at this new circumstance. Before anyone could protest or put their comment in, Naruto had already entered the room with the door closing behind him. Everyone moved closer to hear what was about to happen on the other side. There was no way a genin, who has no experience with interrogation or torture, can get what they need from this guy.

After the door closed behind him, Naruto turned his eyes to the man sitting in front of him. The grin on his face widens seeing him walk forward to the table before sitting down in front of him.

"Are you fucking kidding me? They sent a kid in here? You may be a genin, but you sure as hell ain't a true shinobi yet. This is a joke." He laughed loudly so those on the other side of the one-way window could hear him.

"Sejima Ishindo. B-rank Shinobi formerly of Kirigakure. Your file says you not only betrayed the former Mizukage known as Yagura but also betrayed the newly instated Mizukage. Why would you do such a thing? You are known to have a kekkei genkai in the records, so why would you betray the new Mizukage that freed the lane of kekkei genkai hatred?"

"So this is the route you're going, eh?" He smirked before leaning forward with his cuffed hands on the table. "Fine, I'll 'play along'. The old Mizukage was a nutjob. Sure things were good but everyone knew the man was insane to start a purge of all kekkei genkai users. I was one of the few who betrayed him early on before the whole rebellion truly got going. Now, when the rebels finally won yeah, I was excited. Didn't have to be hunted down by them damn hunter nin. But once I heard and saw the changes that bitch was trying to put in place over Kirigakure, I knew I needed to jump ship. We of the Chimamire no Kiri (bloody mist) will not accept these changes. We were fine with Yagura being killed but the changes being put in place will weaken us more than what the war did!" His voice held conviction within it. The man truly felt that the way things were changing within his village would ruin them more.

Naruto nodded his head before deciding to move to the next set of questions he had for him. Once the Chunin Exams end, he would need to see if any missions were heading to Kirigakure. He felt like he owe it to Zabuza and Haku to check on their old home to see how things have changed. "How'd you find your way leading a group of bandits in our territory? We found you on a specified route that normal bandits wouldn't be able to figure out."

Sejima's posture went back relaxed with a smirk coming to his face. "This again? You think those other idiots didn't already come in here asking those same questions?" he chuckled before staring Naruto directly in the eyes. "Listen, kid, you ain't getting that info from me. Do you think I haven't been tortured before? Interrogation is nothing to me. Talk all you want, but I ain't cracking. If you read my file, then you should know my kekkei genkai is called Suchīrusukin (Steel Skin). Yeah, you guys got these damn suppression cuffs on me, but that doesn't stop me from having higher physical resistances than your average Jounin."

"I would advise you to talk," Naruto said while leaning back and crossing his arms. He still had around six minutes left in here. If he couldn't convince him to talk normally, then he will take things to the next level. "We have many ways to get you to tell us what we want. Neither of them is good for you. I'm sure I can get you a deal to make things easier on you in here."

"Hehehe, a deal? Tell you what." he leaned forward with his eyes looking past Naruto and at the window. While he couldn't see past it, he knew that purple-haired kunoichi from before was out there. "If you bring that pretty woman back in here and have her service my boy down below then maybe I tell you something. If not," Here he looked back at Naruto before spitting in his face. Naruto didn't flinch back but his eyes narrowed dangerously at Sejima. Those on the other side just shook their head from what was happening on the other side. Karin and Anko were glaring at the prick with Anko wishing to castrate the guy. "then you can go and fuck off." He leaned back with the same infuriating grin on his face.

The lights above flickered for a second as all was quiet inside the interrogation room. Naruto took his sleeve and wiped the spit from his face before standing up from his seat. "Well then. We've tried it the civil way and we've tried it their way." The lights flickered again before they watched Naruto reach into one of his pouches and pulled a shuriken out. They didn't see it but Sejima sure did. Naruto's eyes changing right in front of him. The sclera turning black and the iris becoming amber yellow. "Now, we do things my way." His voice sounded distorted like another was speaking alongside him.

Naruto's hand came up and flicked the shuriken to the hanging light above. It hit the bulb in a way that caused it to flicker and sway. It didn't outright break the bulb but cracked it enough to allow it to still remotely work. It was flickering a lot now with the force of the thrown shuriken causing it to sway. The air felt thick with killing intent that the rogue shinobi didn't think could come from a genin. "Tell me, Sejima. Are you afraid of the Dark?"

The man tried to regain some of his bravadoes. Chuckling he leaned back further in his seat. "Do I look like a fucking baby to you kid? Try any tricks you want, I ain't scared of none of you leaf licking fuckers."

Wrong thing to say.

None in the building were ready for a hydra to come out from behind Naruto. Sejima wasn't ready for it to screech before launching at his face. He screamed as it slammed him back off the chair and onto the ground. Another hydra came out that went and grabbed Sejima by his legs and lifted him in the. Naruto stepped forward past the table and stared into the man's eyes with the hydra that slammed into him snarling in his face. "Darkness has a way to bring out our fears. Let's take a peek at yours." The hydra moved closer before screeching again but this time it let out a dark smog that began to cover from his face to his whole body. Soon, those on the other side heard loud screaming coming inside.

Ibiki was confused about what exactly he was seeing. Seriously, what the fuck happened in the forest of death?! He's never seen these creatures before or seen any sort of jutsu like this before. Was it some sort of genjutsu? It couldn't be since all of them on the other side of the window could see this happening. Plus it was stated that the boy couldn't cast genjutsu because of his huge reserves and horrible control. So, what the fuck was this that he was witnessing? Ibiki wanted to step in and take over, but witnessing this event stopped him in his tracks. 'Something definitely changed with him. We need to start monitoring him closely to figure out what all has changed.'

The screaming stopped from within the room and all of them saw the smog that covered Sejima dissipate. Many in the room took a step back, besides Anko, Ibiki, and surprisingly Karin, as they saw the state of Sejima. His eyes were bloodshot and opened wide, shifting to every direction. He was shivering a lot and his hands were fidgeting like he was trying to swipe away at something.

"Sejima-san. Who told you about the route?"

"I-I-I-I don't know them! Was t-t-through a separate c-contact! I just k-know they are in K-K-Konoha, somewhere in the red district I think. That's all I know, I swear!"

"Thank you for your cooperation." The hydra holding him dropped him without care on the floor where everyone watched the man curl up in a ball, still shivering. He was mumbling to himself but none of them on the other side could tell what it was about. They watched Naruto crouch down next to him before whispering a few words that none of them heard.

"You work for me now, Sejima. Be a good boy and you might get out of your cell on probation. Don't make me have to punish you. Understood?"

"Y-y-yes, boss."

Naruto nodded before standing up and turned to leave the room. Coincidently, the light stopped flickering and swaying before just going out. Leaving Sejima to cower on the ground in the darkness, feeling as if he was being watched constantly. Naruto stepped out to the other side with many of the chunin and a few jounin staring at him with wary looks. He paid those people no mind and turned his attention to the three in the room that matter. Them being Ibiki, Anko, and Karin.

"Hope that information helps. I don't know if you guys can do anything about this right now though." He walked past them with Karin walking with him, a couple of questions on her mind that she would wait till they got home to ask. Right after they left the building, Anko turned to her boss.

"Think we can get him full time?" She asked with a massive grin on her face. Yeah, she had no idea what the fuck any of that was, but it got results and looked cool too! Those hydra things interested her as well. They were like some kind of snake that wasn't related to her bastard old sensei. Ibiki just sighed before going to go get someone to take care of Sejima. He was going to need to be watched carefully and possibly get checked mentally.

[And done. I wanted to continue but felt this was a good stopping point before leaving the next chapter as the last in-between section before the Finals begin. Hoped you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next chapter for this story and the others. Remember, go onto my page and vote for whichever story you really wanna see be updated. I plan on updating all of them but this will give me an idea of which one to focus on first.

So, with all things done for now, please leave a review of what you think, and would you kindly add this story to your Follow & Favorites list? It would make my night knowing you enjoy my work! So long and see ya next time when Naruto finally confronts Ino and her growing self-destructive training.

Jangoman, SIGNING OUT!]