Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Author's Notes: I'm still fairly a beginner in the Naruto world, so any well thought out opinions would be helpful. This is slightly AU and starts just as the time-jump is ending. This will be NaruIno, at some point later in the story. Comments and Criticisms welcomed, flames are not. Peace.
Naruto: The Raging Beserker
Chapter 1: Last Day Before the Return
In Hagihara, a hybrid village in a temperate region, a figure could be seen in a large, open grassy area with a pair of finely crafted, double-bladed hand-axes. Sweat gleamed off his shirtless, slightly tanned skin. He wore a dark gray pair of pants with orange highlights and a pair of boots. He started off slowly swinging the axes, but soon he appeared to be doing an intense and deadly dance. He twisted his body in different directions all the while his weapons slashing, nearly soundlessly through the air.
This was Uzumaki Naruto as he got in his last chance of training in the village after staying there for three years. Hagihara was a village with a diverse mix of shinobi, samurai, monks, and other warriors. His master had brought him here knowing that the Akatsuki would not likely expect them there. At the moment he was practicing his axemanship as he always tried to do at least every other day since the village's oyabun allowed his training almost three years ago.
Off to the side a male samurai, Iori sat with his sword resting on his lap. He was a young man only a few years older than Naruto himself, but his face seemed etched in seriousness. He was garbed in varying clothes of brown hues and wore his brown hair short. He wasn't turned in Naruto's direction but rather the direction of the ponds next to them; his eyes held a glazed unseeing look, when in fact they were taking in everything around the area.
Naruto briefly nodded in Iori's direction as he whispered a few words before a red aura began to glow around him as he made his way to one of the garden's ponds. With a flip he landed in the center of the pond, easily standing on top of the water without falling through. The water below his feet hissed and steam rose up, before suddenly Iori, who had begun gesturing in the air with one hand writing out rune words, caused numerous small geysers of water to shoot up as Naruto resumed his practice. The aim now was to hit the water plumes before they fell.
Iori's eyes narrowed as he began to really scrutinize Naruto axemanship. He kept a close eye on both the number of water plumes and the ones successfully hit. The fire aura Naruto called on made this easier to discern.
Naruto still didn't break his rhythm even as he felt his companion's calculating gaze. He then really began turning up the intensity as his weapons became a whirlwind of motion. Finally he did one last slash at the water causing a large geyser of water to erupt under his feet and launching him in the air. At the peak of his launch a brown aura appeared around Naruto and then he did a few back flips until he was back over solid ground. Landing hard feet first he left a slight indentation on the ground. He held his axes down at his side as he gave a respectful bow. He then laid his axes at his feet, before starting a few cool down stretches.
Not looking in Iori's direction Naruto finally spoke, "So . . . how'd I do Iori-san?"
Iori closed is eyes and hummed a bit in thought before he answered, "You missed an eighth of the thousand plumes, you'd have to get that down to an tenth before you could be considered Elite Samurai level and down to a hundredth before you'd be considered Saint level. That said it was still a fine display of control, power, skill and speed given that this exercise is primarily done with a sword, you're not a samurai, and you ended by showing off. Overall though your skill with axes is remarkable for one who began only three years ago, even with your insane training style."
Naruto scratched the back of his head, giving a fox-like grin while chuckling, "Well, you know I just wouldn't be me, if I wasn't a little flashy."
"Indeed," Iori answered with a nod, a tiny smile gracing his face briefly. "By the way your sensei left word for you to take the rest of today off from training. He went to check a last few contacts about the situation in the main shinobi villages."
"So, the Ol' Pervert is actually doing some legitimate work today?" the foxy genin asked in a bit of surprise, before catching himself, snapping to attention, and giving a bow. "Forgive me Iori-san; I know how much you dislike it when someone disrespects their sensei."
"Over the years I've figured out that one of the ways you show how much you like someone is by giving them nicknames," the brown-haired samurai began as he sighed and his shoulders slumped, "and sadly, despite his amazing skill, Pervert seems to be an apt name for him."
Naruto sweat dropped and also sighed, "Who'd he get caught peeking at this time?"
Iori's expression became serious and stern, "Jun-sama and Koyuki-sama."
"What!" Naruto yelled his eyes bulging out in shock; he never though Jaraiya would be foolish enough to peek at the village oyabun's older sister and the little sister of the oyabun's wife too.
"Yes," Iori nodded solemnly, "He said he didn't know it was them, I honestly think he didn't; Jun-sama didn't care. It wasn't pretty, when she was done with him."
"I bet!" Naruto shuddered. "The only ones worse would be Miyako herself or if he were really suicidal Ruki!"
Iori nodded in agreement, before standing, "Anyway, I have to meet the rest of the council for a meeting in half an hour; what are you going to be doing in the mean time?"
"Ramen!" Naruto yell in happiness.
Iori shook his head and chuckled a tiny bit at his comrade's exuberance as they began to make their way back into town.
-----
Night had cloaked the village and a certain blonde genin could be found in his room sleeping or at least trying, as he tossed and turned caught in the clutch of a bad dream. Suddenly, Naruto snapped awake, panting as a light sheen of sweat glistened his body. After running a hand through his unruly hair he got up, grabbed his boots, and a shirt before making his way silently out of his room and the house he shared with Jaraiya and one other. He walked along the streets of the village before makings his way through some woods and to a clearing with a lake. Plopping on a rock, Naruto gazed into the water's darken depths with glazed eyes.
"Beautiful night isn't it?" a feminine voice questioned from behind Naruto.
As Naruto turned around, a fair-skinned female figure could be seen jumping down from a tree branch and walking over toward him. The figure was dressed in a pair of black or dark-colored sleeping shorts and a white tank top. As the young woman made it into the moonlight, Ino's light blue eyes could be seen sparkling. She had her pale blonde hair down at the moment and it blew slightly in the breeze.
"Yeah, it's wonderful, Ino-chan," Naruto said with a forced smile at the kunoichi that now stood next to him. Although forced the smile would have fooled anyone save those that knew him better or someone who had used a similar mask. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your view point, Ino fell into one of these categories after spending as much time in his head as she did.
"Nightmares?" Ino asked softly, frowning a little.
Knowing that he couldn't fool his friend, Naruto looked down as he answered, "Yeah, I . . . still feel guilty. I just don't understand why they did it, I'm not worth . . ."
Ino's expression turned hard before she smacked her blonde companion side the head as she cut Naruto off. "Never say you weren't worth it! It is disrespectful to their sacrifice!" she told the young ninja she had come to view as a close friend. Her face softened as she continued, "They thought you were worthy, more than that they had come to love you. Plus, you know they were incurably ill. The eight of them were slowly being killed by their illness and they wanted to die on their own terms and with honor. And what greater honor could there be than to rid the world forever more of the greatest Demon Lord, Kyuubi."
After rubbing his head in pain he looked down a bit in shame, "I know, but . . . ."
"No buts, except for yours getting back to your bed and you, getting some sleep," Ino interrupted as she offered a hand to help Naruto up. "We have an early start tomorrow."
"You're right, Ino-chan, about everything," Naurto complied with a small smile as he took the offered hand and was pulled up. "I feel a little better now, thanks."
"Think nothing of it, Naruto-kun," Ino replied, waving off Naruto's thanks as they began to head back town and get some sleep.
-----
Birds chirped in the air as Naruto, Ino, and Jaraiya stood at the stone walled gates of Hagihara Village, their packs at their feet as they said their final goodbyes to the crowd there to wish them off. Among the well wishers were the village chief, Daisuke, his wife Miyako, and most, if not all of the entire Hagihara Village Council.
"Well, Otouto-chan, it seems the time for you to depart has finally come. I think I speak for us all when I say you will be missed." The middle-aged chief said this walking forward.
"I'll miss everyone too," Naurto replied.
"Look's like we just got here in time," a voice spoke.
Coming from off to the side were two warriors that had done the most to help train Naruto three years ago and Ino when she joined a year and a half later. One was a man dressed in blacksmith's clothing wearing a pair of goggles on his forehead with wild spiky brown hair; he had been the one to get Naruto into using axes and had trained him him in them. The other was a serious-faced woman dressed in violet ninja garb with her red hair in a spiky ponytail. She was a kunoichi known, respected, and feared by some among the village for her mastery of ice jutsus and adeptness at genjutsus as well.
"Takato! Ruki!" the blonde ninja screamed as he bounced over and gave them a hug.
"Glad to see you too, Shorty," Ruki said with a smirk as she returned the hug.
"Hey! I've grown!" Naurto fumed pulling away and crossing his arms.
"Maybe, but I'm still taller," Ruki teased as the crowd laughed.
With a deep chuckle, Jaraiya spoke as he shouldered his pack and began walking out after giving a nod to the Daisuke, "Anyway, let's go, brat."
After giving Daisuke and a Miyako a brief hug each, Naruto dashed out to catch up, "Wait up, you pervert!"
Shaking her head Ino, chuckled, "Those two will never changed."
"Yeah, but it gives one a bit of comfort in a way," Takato replied after giving Ino a hug.
"True," Ino conceded as she finished hugging everyone, "Anyway, I better catch up with those idiots before they get too far, bye."
Hearing multiple goodbyes, Ino took off to catch up with Jaraiya and Naruto as they began their trek home.
Author's Notes: So, what do you think so far? I tried to show a balance of Naruto maturing but still being Naruto and I'm not sure I quite got it. Why Ino ended up joining them shall be discussed next chapter, as well as a bit of how Naruto and Ino became as close of friends as they are now. Oh, and to make it clear, Kyuubi is gone, where all his power went shall be shall explained soon in the story. How Kyuubi was gotten rid of shall be hinted at all throughout but never exactly told. I'll leave that to your imagination. The idea of Naruto wielding a pair of axes came about by me and a friend discussing weapons and that when Naruto is in Kyuubified mode he is more or less a Beserker. Beserkers are most known for wielding axes so that how that idea came. Anyway tell me what you think of this chapter. Also I plan to give Ino some time to shine and show her improvement as well. Anyway, Read and Review. Peace.