Chapter Three

We were Strong…

One man fell. Then another. And another. The thugs hadn't even registered that they were being attacked let alone that anyone had moved until nearly half of their forces were gone.

The bells chimed once more snapping them from the spell.

Blood pooled around their feet as they took stock of the bodies that suddenly were cooling beside them. What had happened? What monster had done this?

Kakashi was pale as he watched his student, goofy, loudmouthed Naruto drop unsuspecting men where they stood. No, this wasn't Naruto. The fighting style was not his and the grace in which he moved definitely wasn't something the boy was capable of. He lifted his headband and examined the fight with his Sharingan but all he saw was the boy's own blue chakra swirling calmly within him. Somehow it sent shivers down his spine. Something was wrong.

Naruto stood still, almost surveying his work. As the thugs became aware of the fate that had befallen their comrades, they began to back away, primordial fear taking hold.

Gatou's heart was beating in his ears. He had seen all manner of beasts and monsters in his dealings but never had he been as terrified as he was at that moment. His personal bodyguards were nearly wiped out. All at the hands of a child. How could this be?

The frosty visage of the blond sent shivers through his very bones. Irrational fear conjured images of the Shinigami around him and as the blonde's eyes laid upon his own it chilled his very soul. He was going to die here.

No! He ground his teeth and straightened.

He was Gatou! His very name struck fear into the hearts of man. No one was going to beat him, let alone kill him. "What the hell are you doing?! Kill him!" He screamed.

The men around him hesitated but advanced on the blonde. With their paychecks held firmly in their mind as kindle for their courage, they converged on the blonde. However, instead of their weapons cutting through flesh, they met air. They gave pause at the new development.

The sound of softly chiming bells snapped heads to the direction of their boss. Naruto held the impish man by his throat above his head with one hand, his other arm was firmly planted in the man's chest. His Shakujō stood beside him defying the laws of gravity. The silence that followed was deafening.

Finally, finally, Naruto spoke. "You are a stain on humanity." It was cold and matter of fact, a statement of observation. There was no hatred, no anger, just undisputed certainty.

Naruto removed his arm slowly and with it, no blood flowed. Instead, a white phantom-like Gatou emerged. Vaguely, everyone registered it as the shipping tycoon's very soul as his body dropped to the ground. Gatou's mouth was opened in a silent scream that would never be heard. His eyes held the now dim emotion of pure terror.

The blonde's hand tightened around the ethereal figure causing it to shatter, then disperse in a thousand pieces that melted into the atmosphere.

The small group of mercenaries felt self-preservation ignite in them as they ran away from the monster before them only to run into the villagers who decimated the last of them easily.

At the bridge, Naruto stood in the same spot staring blankly at his hand as the last of the soul dispersed. The wisps of power that floated around him slowly disappeared like the settling of dust. Kakashi took a step toward him cautiously and faced him.

Naruto's lip quivered as consciousness reemerged to the forefront of his mind. He couldn't believe what he had just done. Dimly, a voice told him it was his duty but it pained his childish heart all the same. He suddenly felt exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep. His limbs gave way beneath him but Kakashi caught him easily.

"Naruto? Are you alright?" His sensei asked checking him over for wounds. Naruto met him with insecure eyes before he fell back into a world of snow.

Naruto shivered at the chill in the air, not because he was cold but because it somehow sang of his lost innocence. He looked around and glimpsed the outline of a hill with a ginkgo tree fully blooming despite the weather, sitting atop it. Just under that tree was the snow leopard from before. The blond hesitated but a pull in his heart forced his feet forward.

When he did make it to the beast's side, he turned to look out at the vast wasteland around him. Nothing but snow and ice entered his vision and he wondered if this was really his mind. Everything felt so real. The feeling of snow melting on his skin, the way air whooshed passed. The only thing that let him know that the world around him was false was the fact that he was warm. Warmer than he had ever felt before and it was a comfort.

"That power… was it you?" He asked finally, unable to stand the silence any longer.

The leopard looked at him. "No, that power came from you."

Naruto looked at him wide-eyed. Never had he felt such a strong force before. He could admit to himself that he was weak compared to his classmates and that he lacked mentally what most found normal. He also knew; however, that they had all had people to teach them. Naruto had to fight for every scrap of knowledge he had. Every scrap of strength. He looked to his animal guide. "How?" he asked simply.

"You will learn the how and why later. At the moment, that is not important. What is important is learning to control your power. Without proper control, you will fall to chakra exhaustion each time." He said strongly. "I will teach you everything you need to know about wielding me."

That caused the whiskered boy to pause. "Wielding you? So that power, is you? How is that possible?"

"As I said before, I am a part of you. More specifically, I am a part of your soul. A representation of what lies deep within you. My name is Baransu No Ikari, you may call me Ikari." Ikari stood and bowed low to him.