Chapter 4

And Then Kami was Angered…

Naruto felt as though he had been training forever and yet his body never tired nor did it hesitate. Ikari watched him as he went through each kata carefully swinging the Shakujō as if it was an extension of his person. He smiled to himself, pleased with his ward's success.

They had been training for what was a year in Naruto's mind but in reality, was merely a day on the outside of his body. He found that given the proper attention, Naruto learned quickly. This angered Ikari originally, simple explanations were enough for the boy to grow exponentially and yet none were given to him, not even by his most trusted sensei. He had pushed that emotion away, it did not matter. He was here now learning and Naruto held a great deal of potential.

He had explained to him exactly the nature of his power, that it was just like the snowy land before him. Cold, calculating and desolate, Naruto wielded the pure power of wind and water itself. The peak of elemental release, their will seemed to bend for Naruto. Once fully matured, he would be able to pull water molecules from the air around him and create vacuums large enough to swallow whole villages if he so chooses. Now, however; he couldn't even think about the forces separately. Ikari had explained that the two were intertwined within him. One machine that was made up of two parts. He wielded something akin to Ice Release but was much more advanced. In the time spent in his inner world, he had learned to breathe life into frozen leopards, and create ice from the air around him. At the moment, he was learning how to control the power produced when he channeled the very nature of ice and snow.

He danced through the katas with the grace of a cat. He was nimble yet his movements held something cold; an absolute frigidness that cut through the air around him as though he held a sword and not the staff in his hands. When the young blonde slammed the head of the staff onto the frozen terrain, a crack appeared upon the surface which melded itself in the next moment, the action seemed to be the close of the deadly dance he performed.

"Very good, Naruto-kun, you have surpassed my expectations." Ikari said padding up to his master. The grin that Naruto gave was nothing short of one thousand watts. "However, it is time for you to return."

Naruto soured at the prospect. "But why? I've gotten so strong! I want to continue to train." Defiance shone in his bright blue eyes.

Ikari growled at the boy. "You will return, however on the outside it has been a full day since you have moved from unconsciousness. Your team is worried."

Naruto blushed at the mention of his team. He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head impishly, "I forgot about them…"

"The next you return here; we will work on you summoning me to the outer world." That took the blonde by surprise but did not comment and simply nodded. The explanation would come in time.

"Alright see ya then!" He waved as the wind and snow picked up around him, obscuring his vision.

Kakashi watched the whiskered boy closely between training the other members of his team. It had only been a day, yes, but the boy had yet to wake and it bothered him. Perhaps it was because to see the boy sleeping so peacefully after decimating a small army caused him unease or maybe it was simply because Kakashi felt as this was only the calm before a storm. Nevertheless, he could not sleep as the rest of his team did.

He looked over the room they were in. It was the same they had been lodging in since they had gotten to Tazuna's home. The only available room there, it was small and cramped especially considering it housed both Team 7 and Zabuza and his ward Haku now. Oh yes, they had insisted on staying with the group until the blonde woke, claiming to be interested in his recovery. Apparently, the show of power had greatly impressed the missing nin.

Upon hearing this, Tazuna almost had a stroke and protested having the man that was there to kill him originally under his roof. By the end of that conversation it was clear that Zabuza was simply doing a job and nothing more and since he was no longer working for Gatou, there was no reason for him to kill him. Not when he only wanted to meet the blonde formally.

Suddenly, the boy in question sat up. Kakashi tensed for a moment, but relaxed when Naruto yawned. "Man, I must've been out for a while…" he trailed off in a whisper, taking stock of the sleeping forms around him until they landed on Zabuza and Haku. Naruto pursed his lips and grunted. "I guess they aren't our enemies anymore."

He stood in one fluid motion and stepped towards the door silently. Judging by how heavily they were sleeping, Naruto surmised that they'd been sleep awhile, therefore it was very late.

He glanced at his sensei, finally noticing that he was awake and motioned for him to follow him out. They made their way out of the room and down the stairs. They took up residence in the kitchen where Naruto chugged a glass of water.

Midway through his second glass, Kakashi spoke, eyeing him suspiciously. "So are you going to tell me what happened? And where that staff appeared from?" He motioned to the long metal Shakujō he had carried down with him.

Slowly, Naruto wiped the remaining droplets of water from his mouth and pursed his lips. "I don't know if you'd even believe me."

"Try me." Kakashi folded his arms.

"Well, you see," the blond scratched the back of his head, "when I was fighting Haku and thought he had killed Sasuke, everything disappeared. One second I was on the bridge facing down death the next I was in the middle of snow country! Except, it wasn't snow country but my mind. I was staring down this leopard and then it was like something snapped inside of me. I felt cold but warm on the inside. Like all this power was flowing through me, everything slowed down and I could feel everything. Gatou's army, Sasuke's heart beat and all of yours' too. Then that bastard said what he said about hurting Sakura-chan and then all I felt was frigid ice run through my veins. Then Ikari told me to protect everyone and things… got a little fuzzy after that hehe." Naruto looked at his hands. "Then I killed them all."

Jaded eyes looked at Kakashi and he couldn't help but place a comforting hand on the blondes head. There was no doubt then, this was the same blonde that pulled pranks and was loud, just… a little less innocent. "Naruto you did well. You protected your friends and the client. As shinobi we are expected to take life, but we are also expected to save them. You did your duty and the fact that you feel grief over it proves that you are still human. The moment that changes is the moment you wont be anymore."

Naruto looked up at his teacher in surprise. It was true that he was stricken with the magnitude of what he had done but both Ikari and Kakashi-sensei had given him similar advice and it solidified his trust in both. "Thanks sensei." He smiled warmly at him.

"No problem," He eye smiled at the boy. "So, tell me who this Ikari is and where this staff came from."

"Ikari is the snow leopard! And the staff… well I guess you could say that its him too. Ikari said that the emotional strain of watching Sasuke die caused the seal to loosen. Which is what its supposed to do!" He quickly added seeing the alarm in his sensei's eye. "Instead of letting me access the fur butt's chakra, Ikari pushed all his power out and pulled my consciousness in."

"How did this… Ikari get into your seal? I've never heard of sensei having the leopard contract nor would the seal be able to trap a summons in any sort of seal. Are you sure it isn't the Kyuubi trying to trick you?" Kakashi asked holding his chin in thought.

Naruto watched the man for a moment, letting his questions settle in the air like a blanket before answering. "Because he's me and I'm him but not too." Naruto looked up at him from behind his bangs, his statement a declaration more than an explanation and Kakashi was shocked.

"But how?" Kakashi persisted. "And how is he in your seal?"

"From what I understand, Ikari has always been with me. Even before I was born. When the Yondaime sealed the Fuzzball in me it also sealed off Ikari by accident. He's the part of me that wants to keep fighting, my determination to protect. He's all my rage and my love… he's a balance."

"What about the staff?" Kakashi asked mulling over the boy's answer. So far he was

"As far as I know it's the only way he can manifest in the real world by himself. He can't talk or anything, but his purpose is for battle." Naruto explained palming the metal staff. "I kicked ass with him too."

Kakashi shook his head at the boy's usual antics, glad that he seemed his usual self. He didn't have anything to worry about or at least he was less worried. Naruto was Naruto and that's all he needed to know. Kakashi was satisfied with knowing that at the moment. "Get some more rest, you had chakra exhaustion. Tomorrow, we'll be helping Tazuna with the bridge."

Naruto nodded and sipped at his drink as Kakashi made his way back up the stairs. The blonde was shocked he had let the subject of his new power drop so easily but he figured Kakashi would at least inform the Hokage. That was something he wasn't particularly looking forward to.

"So you got some freaky beast sealed in you?" A voice echoed throughout the kitchen.

Naruto sighed and set the glass down. "Something like that."

Zabuza materialized from out of the wall, annoyed that he hadn't got the drop on the kid. "You knew I was here?" Naruto shrugged obviously not going to go into more detail.

"Why are you still here?" He asked instead.

"I'm going to train you." Zabuza declared happily.