So, bit of a backstory to why I'm uploading yet another Naruto/RWBY crossover within a week of already having uploaded a new one. Well, not long after dropping the first one I was approached by Dragon Sage god with the offer to adopt a one-shot he'd made some time ago and to make it into a fully realized story. After a lengthy discussion in regards to how we wanted to story to go, among a few other details, I now find myself uploading a second Naruto/RWBY crossover with a splash of Bleach. I hope you all enjoy it because I'm already enjoying writing it and look forward to writing more. In the future I may take on other story adoptions should people ask and I find their stories interesting enough, however, for now, with four stories under my belt, I think I'll stick with what I have on my plate until I've completed one of them, at least for the time being.


Valley of the End

The Valley of the End, one of the most sacred places for the people of Konoha. Here the statues of their greatest warriors stood tall and proud with a hand extended out towards one another in unification; Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara. At one point in time these two men were the best of friends but time, a series of unfortunate events, and a desire to change the world to mirror the image they envisioned within their own minds tore them apart. In the end one desired to become Hokage while the other was chosen to be Hokage by his people.

History has a way of repeating itself, it would seem. At the feet of these great figures, two boys, once rivals and friends, clashed. One, the descendant of Madara, sought to leave his village in order to obtain power and take his revenge against the man who destroyed his family and clan. His opponent, the son of the Village's greatest heroes, ostracized by everyone for the curse he must bear, seeks to fulfil a promise he made to the girl he loves and admires.

Uchiha Sasuke, the last surviving member of his clan. Clad in a blue shirt with the contrasting red and white fan, the mark of his clan, emblazoned on his back, with black shorts, and shinobi sandals. His appearance was no longer human as his skin had been changed to a sickly grey with a large black X mark that covered his face and forehead. Large, fleshy wings had sprouted from his back, reminiscent of massive hands. This sudden shift in his appearance was all curtesy of the curse mark placed upon him by Orochimaru as a means of enticing him to join his side with the promise of immense power. Needless to say, Sasuke was interested.

Standing opposite him on the other side of the waterfall was his friend and former rival Uzumaki Naruto. Clad in his signature orange jumpsuit and shinobi sandals, his blond hair and facial whiskers had taken on a more feral appearance since the fight began. Tapping into the Kyuubi's chakra buried deep within him, the orange aura had engulfed his form, changing his appearance somewhat as he crouched low on all fours. His anger and desperation for the power necessary to bring his friend home and fulfil his promise unlocked the power he needed but at a cost to his sanity and perhaps even his life.

Their fight had raged on for quite some time with each boy landing critical blows against the other. It had taken its toll, most notably on Naruto who'd lost feeling in his right arm midway through the fight. Regardless, he could still manipulate the chakra throughout his body and he forced it into the unresponsive limb, feeling it move as he generated the power necessary to begin forming a sphere in his palm. The spinning orb of blue chakra, now purple in coloration due to the mixture of the Kyuubi's own chakra being added to the mix, formed in his hand as he readied himself for his final attack.

Seeing what his old friend was doing, Sasuke prepared himself for the final assault. His body ached, unused to the demands pressed upon him by the stage 2 curse mark, but despite this he forced his hands to make the signs necessary to defend himself. Lighting crackled in his hand, a once blue light now turned black from the corruption brought upon by the curse mark. The two boys starred each other down, wondering, hoping that the other would relent and bring this fight to an end. When neither did, however, they leapt into action.

"CHIDORI!" Sasuke cried out, bring his lighting engulfed hand forward as the cascading sound of birds filled the air.

"RASENGUN!" Naruto bellowed, the sound of his voice drowned out by the rushing winds of his attack.

Their attacks collided. The energy was immense and, rather than repel one another, the energy seemed to merge before expanding into a mass that engulfed the two boys completely. The energy merged and coalesced, interacting in a way that would have been seen as odd had either of the boys been paying attention. It soon garnered it as it quickly expanded upon itself, engulfing them in a mass of black energy. The sphere churned and rippled with lighting, the events transpiring within a mystery to anyone who might be watching. Before long, however, an object was expelled forcefully from the mass, slamming into a wall of rock where his impact left the stone chipped and cracked outwardly in a spider web pattern. Sasuke groaned, his form having reverted back to his natural human appearance, the curse mark receding into the small tattoo that adorned his neck.

Up above the black spherical energy still raged with Naruto inside. Slowly, it began to recede into itself, collapsing until there was nothing left but empty space. Naruto never emerged. Whether he was alive or dead was uncertain. What was for certain was that he was gone from this world and where the mass of energy had taken him, only he would know, assuming he survived the trip that is.

Location Unknown

While Sasuke had been sent back to his world by the force of the energy, Naruto had unfortunately ended up somewhere else. Where he was could not be explained in words. In a way it was where all worlds begin and where they return to once they'd reached their end. For any normal person who found themselves here, they could expect a swift end as the energies found throughout would tear them apart atom by atom so fast that they wouldn't even have time to register the pain before they ceased to exist. Naruto, on the other hand, was no normal teenager and his intimate relationship with the Kyuubi inside him ensured that his death would be held at bay for as long as the Fox could manage. Whether that was fortunate or not was something only he could decide. For now, however, Naruto would remain unaware of the plight he was in as the Kyuubi worked frantically to find a way out.

"Where the hell are we?" the Kyuubi asked, looking around their environment for some discernable landmark or detail.

He could see nothing, however, his vision filled with the sight of an endless darkness that preceded and proceeded the beginning and ending of all things. Already he could feel energies beginning to tear at his own incorporeal form and, while he would be able to last a great deal longer than most, his host, Naruto, would have no such luck. If he was to escape this place he would have to do it with the boy intact but it was obvious he would find no means of escape in this place. Unless he wanted to wait for something, anything to be breathed into existence and that was a possibility he didn't have the luxury of waiting for. Time had no meaning here, being only relative to the living and mortal, which meant that should something come into existence it would be at a point of its own choosing, not his. With no other option, the Kyuubi receded back into his host and began to look deeper. Perhaps somewhere buried deep within Naruto's own heritage he would find the answers he sought.

He poured through his memories, running through the many years of the boys childhood spent between running around performing pranks on the village and other times questioning his existence, wondering why he had been born without parents into a world that rejected him for reasons who could not even understand. He delved deeper, coming across the image of the Fourth Hokage and his wife, bidding their son goodbye as they sealed the Kyuubi within their infant son at the cost of their own lives. The Kyuubi snarled, his own memories of that night a bit blurry due to the fact that he had not been in full control of his own actions as well as the fact that what little freedom he'd been allowed to experience had been short lived before he was imprisoned once more. He pushed through, however, setting aside his own anger at the past to focus on the task at hand. He would take his revenge against the one who had done this to him in time. Until then, he and Naruto needed to survive.

The Kyuubi dove down further, swimming through generations upon generations, searching for something that might help. The further he went, though, the more he could feel the energies of this dimension beginning to take their toll on Naruto's body. He had to work fast before the damage became irreversible. After a few more moments he began to sense something. It was different, distinct, and certainly not native to Naruto's world. Knowing better than to look a gift fox in the mouth, he dove straight for it, believing it was as good a chance as any of achieving freedom.

"What is this?" he said, examining the power he'd found buried deep within the boy. "Whatever it is, it had better be worth the trouble."

As soon as he opened it up, the power began to surge through Naruto, adding to his own in ways the Kyuubi did not quite understand. Regardless, it was useful as he could already sense numerous worlds beginning to open up to them, the closest one not far from their position. Taking hold of the ancient power within his host, the Kyuubi latched onto the small threat connecting their current location to that of the other world. Aligning their energies, he could feel themselves being pulled towards it until they were released from this world and spat out into another one entirely.

Remnant – Somewhere in Mistral

Naruto flew through the air, his landing being softened by the various branches he collided with as he sailed through the trees of the forest he had sprung out over. Before long he descended to the ground, running along the grass and dirt until he came to a complete stop. Despite the aggressive manner of his decent into this world, his chakra had ensured he was left relatively unharmed. What's more, throughout the entire ride he'd managed to keep an ironclad grip on a strange Kanata he now held in his hand. The sword seemed to resonate with some strange energy not native to this world and its connection to Naruto was an unknown as well. After a few moments he regained consciousness, pushing himself into a kneeling position as he rubbed his head.

"What the hell happened?" he asked aloud, not expecting anyone to answer his question.

Slowly, memories of his battle with Sasuke drifted to the surface of his mind. Sakura's desperate plea for him to bring Sasuke back. His heated exchange with his old friend and rival. The ever escalating stakes that had led to Sasuke tapping into the second form of his curse mark while Naruto had tapped into the primal energies of the Kyuubi's chakra. They'd prepared their final assault, lunging at one another, before his vision and memory went black.

"Sasuke!" he yelled abruptly, looking around in desperation for some sign of him.

Confusion swept over him as he registered the forest he now found himself standing in. It was obvious he was no longer in the Valley of the End. That only left the matter of where he was and how he'd ended up here. At best he could guess that the resulting explosion from their opposing attacks had somehow thrown him into a nearby forest and sent Sasuke flying off somewhere else. That only left the matter of figuring out where and if he was still alive and unharmed. In the long and short of it, though, he knew there was no hope of him retrieving Sasuke at this point. He had no idea how long he'd been knocked out and, even if it had only been a short while, he still didn't know where Sasuke was or where to begin looking for him. There was also the possibility that Orochimaru had already retrieved his newest tool and taken him away. It was frustrating to think about and even worse now that he had to return to Sakura and tell her he had failed to keep his promise. He clenched his hands in anger and that's when he noticed something odd.

There, clutched in his right hand, was a katana. He looked at it, puzzled by what he saw. While katana's weren't often used by shinobi, they were considered part of the arsenal used by his people. The Anbu for one, were well known for caring these swords and even shorter variations of them but Naruto had never seen the appeal. His ninja tools had always been more than enough with other items such as the windmill shuriken being used on occasion when the need arose. This one, however, looked more like something the Samurai in the country to the North used. It was long, about half Naruto's height, and had a distinct four pointed star cross guard on the hilt. A strange energy seemed to emanate from it and, strangely enough, Naruto thought he could sense it calling out to him, almost as if it could sense him just as much as he sensed it.

Shaking his head, he figured the flight and landing must have done some damage to his head and he quickly headed towards the sound of running water to splash some in his face. It didn't take him long to find a small stream emptying out into a small lake and Naruto eagerly walked towards it. The moment his reflection came into view he nearly stumbled over in confusion. Approaching slowly, he took in the image he saw before him, unsure of what he saw. His cloths had been burned around the edges, with the legs of his pants and sleeves of his shirt completely gone and blackened around the edges of his knees and elbows. They seemed to be a bit smaller as well, as if Naruto had grown a few inches within the time he was unconscious, but that wasn't what garnered his attention. His hair, set right above his headband which was hanging on by a few surviving threads, had changed color. No longer the signature blond, it had darkened, turning a strange shade of orange (think Ichigo from Bleach). Most of his other features had remained the same, however, his body was more lean and his shoes smaller. Something had happened, something he wasn't conscious for.

He wouldn't be getting any answers anytime soon, however, as the adrenaline which had been keeping him going had run its course and suddenly he felt all his energy fade from him. He collapsed to the ground, his headband finally snapping off the last few threads and landing in the dirt next to him, light reflecting off the forehead protector. His grip on his katana remained firm, though whether that was by Naruto's own desire to maintain a hold on it or the swords, one couldn't quite say.

He remained there, unconscious on the ground, until three men in dirty, ragged clothing emerged from the forest. Their skin was tanned from time spent in the sun and the weapons, both blades and guns, they wielded showed significant use and in desperate need of repair. They had been watching Naruto for some time, having witnessed his destructive entrance into the forest, and now regarded him from the outskirts with obvious trepidation. After a while, however, they decided it was safe enough to approach and slowly they made their way over to him. They crept cautiously forward, none of them too eager to approach, especially when he still had a firm grip on that expensive looking sword. Once they were standing right over him, however, they felt safe enough to inspect their prize.

"Think he's dead?" one of them asked.

"Nah, you idiot, he's still breathing."

"Don't call me an idiot."

"Then don't ask stupid questions."

"Shut up, both of you," the third man said as he crouched over Naruto. "Who do you think he is?"

"Huntsman maybe, from Haven?"

"What makes you say that?"

"The sword, obviously. What kind of person could afford something like that and not be huntsman trained or training. He's young enough to be in one of the academies."

"Then what was he doing flying through the trees?"

"I don't know? Maybe he fell out of a bullhead or something."

"We would have heard it flying overhead," the crouched man pointed out. "Whatever he is, I like that sword. I think I'll inspect it a little."

He reached out, attempting to wrest it from Naruto's hands. He didn't get much of a chance before the sword sent a sharp jolt of energy coursing through his arm. The man stumbled backwards, crying out in shock and pain as he clutched his arm.

"Son of a bitch!"

"What happened?"

"Damn thing must be booby-trapped. I guess that confirms he's a huntsman."

"So what do we do now?"

"What do you think? Grab him and his stuff, we're taking him back to camp. Raven will be interested in him as well."

Grumbling their complaints but otherwise doing as they were told, the two men picked up Naruto between them while the third grabbed the stuff which fell from his body and took point back to camp. Today was certainly turning out to be interesting.

Mistral – Branwen Tribe Encampment

"I sent you out to gather supplies and instead you bring me back a boy. Explain."

Raven sat with the three bandits standing at attention in her tent and Naruto, still unconscious, laying on the floor with his items placed atop him and the katana still clutched firmly in his hand. Raven's tent was adorned with items taken from various raids, some of them looking to be quite expensive while others appeared to have sentimental value. Raven herself sat upon a simple camping chair, certainly not a throne by any means, but the imposing image the former Huntress cut was enough to make the thing appear regal in her presence. Behind her stood a young girl, a little older than Naruto, with short brown hair and an intricate raven tattoo on her arm. Her face was stoic, giving away nothing, as compared to the bandits who knelt before them and looked very nervous. They had every reason to be.

"We saw him fall out of the sky," one of them began.

"You saw him fall out of the sky," Raven repeated in a mocking tone.

"Yes, he came flying out of the sky and crashed through the trees. We followed him to the lack where we found him collapsed. We think he might be a huntsman from Haven or Beacon," he said, the latter word causing Raven's eyes to narrow dangerously, "and we thought he might be of interest to you."

"He's wearing some strange clothes and his weapons are like nothing we've ever seen before."

True to their words the bandits had taken the liberty of rummaging through his pockets. They'd found them mostly empty save for the satchel he kept strapped to his back hip. Some of the things they showed her Raven recognized from her travels. Throwing stars, smoke pellets, and a few other items that she was unfamiliar with. What truly caught her eye was the katana he'd kept such a firm grip on the entire time. While not as long as her own, it was still intriguing nonetheless and no doubt came with a unique story to it as well.

"I see you left him with his weapon. Why?"

"We haven't had much luck removing it," their leader piped up, rubbing his arm with a grimace that spoke of an unpleasant memory. "We think he may have booby-trapped it to prevent anyone from taking it away while he slept."

"Is that so?" Raven asked quizzically.

Intrigued, Raven glanced down at the weapon in the boy's hands. Slowly, she reached out her own hand, ready to leap back at a moment's notice should something pop off or spring out in reaction to her medaling. When her fingers were just inches from the hilt she felt a reaction and not something she had expected. Her maiden powers flared within her, the energy rising in a manner meant to protect her from harm. The fact that they were doing this on instinct told her something less than accommodating was waiting for her should she make contact with the sword and she decided to leave it be.

"I see," she said, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "Place him on the bed and leave," she instructed.

The bandits did as they were told, gently lifting and deposing Naruto on the mattress before exiting the large tent. Only their leader remained, his eyes wavering on the sword. He obviously wanted it but something, fear perhaps, kept him from reaching out and taking it. His desire to claim it for himself won out, however, and he slowly reached out his hand to take it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Raven said, watching him intently.

"Is that a no, Ma'am?" he asked, obviously concerned that he may be treading on unwelcome territory by taking something she considered hers.

"No, it's more helpful advice. You may take the sword but you may not like what it takes from you."

The bandit starred at her, puzzled at her cryptic words, before glancing back down at the sword. While the memory of what had happened flashed through his mind, he ignored it. Here, in the Branwen tribe, the Strong prevailed and the Weak died. He wasn't weak. If he were weak he wouldn't be able to handle the sword. He was strong, strong enough to work through the pain and claim it as his own. He reached out once more, forgoing all subtlety as he gripped the hilt and attempted to wrest it from Naruto's grip. He didn't get very far.

Without warning a sheet of ice erupted around his fingers and wrist, encasing them in a cold prison. Pain shot through his hand as he stumbled back. The ice slowly dissipated the further he drew away from the sword but the pain remained, a constant reminder of his foolishness. He quickly ran from the tent, Raven watching his hasty exit with an amused smile on her face. Her glance soon returned to the boy, still unconscious despite the botched attempt to relieve of his weapon, but otherwise unharmed. Certainly they had brought her someone interesting.

"Ma'am, what just happened?" the young woman asked.

"I'm not quite sure myself Vernal," Raven replied.

"Do you think it was a booby-trap just like he said?"

"I doubt it. I've never heard of a device small enough to conceal ice dust inside a sword's hilt nor have I ever seen ice dust react that way. If you noticed, it didn't touch the boy and reacted only to the man touching it but melted soon after he relented."

"Maybe it's his semblance?" Vernal suggested.

"Perhaps. We'll have to wait until our young guest wakes up to find out. Why don't you go get him something to eat and drink? I'm sure he'll be famished when he wakes."

Sparring a quick, curious glance in the boy's direction, Vernal left the tent in pursuit of the cooks to grab what food she could. Once she was gone, Raven fixed her own gaze on the boy, curious and intrigued in equal measure.

"Interesting indeed."

/-/

Naruto awoke some time later, his head throbbing. He groaned, clutching his head as he willed the pain away. It was strange in that it wasn't the same as a headache or migraine but somehow it caused him great discomfort. Slowly, the throbbing receded but somewhere in the back of his mind he could still feel it, like it had retreated in preparation for another assault. Whatever had caused it, he would have to establish later. For now he needed to figure out where he was.

The last thing he could recall he'd made a hard landing in a forest before making his way to a nearby lake. There he'd found his reflection had changed or rather that he himself had changed a great deal. After that he'd fallen unconscious and now had woken up in what he could see was a rather large tent. Unlike the ones he'd use while on a mission, this one was built to accommodate a large number of people, something that was usually meant to be used as a meeting hall or makeshift hospital. This one showed signs of having been lived in, if the furniture and numerous other items that were stacked around him were any indication. He himself was laid out on a large bed with his bag of ninja tools and his forehead protector sitting on the small nightstand next to him. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he was once more surprised to find the strange katana still clutched firmly in his hands. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it but his thoughts were quickly directed elsewhere when he heard someone cough loudly.

"You're awake," she said.

Naruto blinked a few times, allowing his eyes to adjust enough to make out the woman sitting across the room from him. She was older, possibly around Kakashi Sensei's age if he was being honest, though he'd never seen the man without his signature mask on. She had long raven black hair that came down to the middle of her back and piercing red eyes that starred at him with intrigue. The Yukata she wore matched her eyes and she wore a complementary pair of black shorts along with them and black boots that came up her thigh and stopped just short of her knees. Strapped to her hip was a large cylindrical device from which he could see the handle of a katana protruding from it a numerous colored vials set within the machine itself. It was a curious sight, as was she, and both were clues that he wasn't anywhere near Konoha or the Land of Fire for that matter.

"I take it you're the one who rescued me?" he ask, his throat raw and dry.

"In a manner of speaking. It was actually some of my men who found you. You apparently came flying out of the sky before crashing through some tress and collapsed beside a lake. Any of this sound familiar?"

"It does, actually," he replied, recalling his time at the lake and the moment he'd woken up after being reacquainted with the ground. "Where am I?" he asked.

"You're at our camp. This is the Branwen tribe and I am their leader, Raven Branwen," she said proudly.

"Humble as well," he remarked with a note of sarcasm.

Raven merely laughed, amused by his comment rather than offended. "Are you hungry?"

Before he could answer, Naruto's stomach growled loudly. She laughed again, somehow seeming relaxed while never dropping her guard, a rare ability that not many people could master. "Vernal, see to our guest."

At the mention of her name a young woman about his age stepped into the tent holding a plate stacked high with food and a large jug of water. She had short brown hair and slightly tanned skin from being out in the sun. On her arm he could see adorned there an intricate tattoo of a large bird, a Raven perhaps, over a flower. Her cloths looked tattered and worn with one of her pant legs being cut off just above her knee. Her face was unreadable but the look in her eyes told him she held no affection towards him. He decided it was best not to antagonize the scary looking girl, especially when he felt so weak, and offered her his silent thanks as he took the food and water before draining the jug of its contents. His throat sang with relief as it was caressed by the cool liquid. As soon as he was done he looked across the room at the two women who were gazing back with a mixture of surprise and amusement to his reaction.

"Thirsty?" Raven asked with a smirk.

"A bit," he replied.

"Well, seeing as how you're refreshed now, would you mind telling me how you got here?"

Naruto took a moment to collect his thoughts before recounting the events that had led him here. He was conscious enough to leave out the parts of him being tied to a Demon Fox Spirit, but otherwise he recited everything to the letter. In regards to how he had managed to end up in a forest of all places he wasn't quite sure nor as to why his appearance had changed so much since he'd last been awake. Raven watched him with an unreadable expression while Vernal's became more and more confused by the minute. She would steal the occasional glance down at her mentor but, when she made no sign that she had noticed, she would return to listening to Naruto, just as confused as she was before. When he was finished he waited for their own explanation. Vernal was the first to speak.

"You honestly expect us to believe that you're some ninja-?"

"Shinobi," Naruto corrected.

"Whatever, shinobi who used a ball of wind- "

"Chidori."

"Using some sort of energy- "

"Chakra."

"Against your best friend who was using lightening and the backlash from your attacks meeting each other sent you flying through the air and into the forest?"

"That's the best theory I can come up with given the evidence."

"Right," Vernal said, taking a moment to think before adding, "just how hard did you hit your head?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?" Vernal asked, exasperated. "You're story makes do damn sense, that's what I mean!"

"What? How?"

"You honestly expect me to believe your some ninja- "

"Shinobi."

"I don't give a fuck!" she bellowed, causing him to flinch in surprise. "Ninjas don't exist. You're whole story is a load of shit."

"How do you not know about shinobi? We have villages in nearly every country, two in some."

"You're obviously delusional. Makes sense, though, given what they teach you at the academies."

"Academies?"

"Yea, the huntsman academies."

"What's a huntsman?" Naruto asked, his turn to be confused.

Vernal growled, her temper having reached its peak as she made to walk over and punch his teeth out. She was stopped by Raven who threw her hand out in front of her, the unreadable expression she wore having never faltered.

"He's telling the truth," she said.

"Raven?"

"Or at least, he believes he's telling the truth," she stated, rising from her chair to walk across the room.

Naruto shifted uncomfortably in his chair as the woman came to stand over him. Even when she was sitting she had cut an imposing figure and now she looked far more intimidating than he'd first thought. Taking his chin between her thumb and forefinger, she looked into eyes, searching for something he wasn't aware of. After a long silence she released her grip, a smirk spreading across her face.

"He is certainly an interesting one," she remarked. "Eat you fill and get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll give you a tour of the camp and find out just how skilled you are with that sword of yours," she said, pointing to his katana before exiting the tent with Vernal close behind.

Naruto watched them leave, curious to find out what had elicited that outburst from Vernal but decided to leave it for the morning. He instead turned his attention to the plate of food she'd brought which he was pleased to see had an assortment of fruits, vegetables, and meats. Eating his fill, he settled himself back down on the bed and felt his exhaustion overtaking him once more. All the while the Katana had remained firmly in his grip but he paid it little attention, more concerned with sleep as well as having a conversation with someone, or rather something, who might just have the answers he so desperately needed.

/-/

Naruto had only been inside the dark, dank realm that acted as the Kyuubi's prison within his soul a few times. While not a physical place, the connection each of them had to their respective chakras enabled them to interact with one another, ensuring that Naruto was standing a good ways back from the bars that separated them both. His feet were buried within ankle deep water as he gazed up at the massive fox, the creature laying down in a relaxing pose, never paying much mind to its visitor. Naruto steeled himself, knowing he had to be stern and confident when speaking with the Demon fox. Any show of weakness could prove fatal and right now he needed answers.

"Hey, Kyuubi, wake up," he shouted.

The creature lazily cracked open an eye, regarding Naruto as one might an ant that had crawled up on its plate.

"I need answers," he said.

"Hmm," the fox said, closing its eye as it ignored its host's demands.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" he yelled.

"I'm more than aware of that fact," it answered lazily.

"What happened during my fight with Sasuke? I don't remember anything which means you must have done something. What happened?"

"I might have done something but you'll have to do something in return," the creature replied.

"And what might that be?"

"A thank you."

"What?"

"A proper thank you, for saving your worthless life."

"Why should I thank you? You've been oddly silent ever since we got here, wherever this is. What exactly did you do, anyway?"

"I saved us from being torn to shreds by forces so powerful and ancient your puny mind can't even comprehend them," the fox growled at him. "Thanks to your foolishness we were thrust from our world and nearly killed as a result. Now, while I don't relish the fact that I'm to remain a part of you for the foreseeable future, I will at least settle for a proper thank you."

Naruto starred up at the creature, mouth agape while its expression remained uninterested and lazy. Knowing that he would say nothing until he complied, Naruto slowly bowed himself forward. When he raised his head once more, the Fox's expression remained unchanged though there was an amused spark in its eye, as if it had not expected him to go so far but was nonetheless pleased.

"Do you know what happened when your attack and Sasuke's collided?"

"Not really. I blacked out when it happened."

"I'm not surprised. The energies meshed together, enough to force your friend back and knock him unconscious. Where it not for me being in your body, you might have had the same thing happen to you as well, though I doubt you would have survived."

Naruto felt his stomach plummet. Whatever complaints he might have had regarding his unwarranted relationship with the Kyuubi, he was at least grateful that it had managed to keep him alive and unscathed. He could only imagine what might have happened to him otherwise.

"When the energy dissipated, it took us with it and emptied us into the dimension of beginnings and endings."

"Huh?"

"Essentially, it's where every world is born and where they eventually return to once they've reached their end."

"Oh, so like an afterlife of sorts?"

"Basically. We were trapped there for some time, the energies nearly tearing you and I apart. I managed to find a way to pull us from that dimension and sent us here."

"Yea, but how?"

"It would be difficult enough to explain but, essentially, I had to reach deep within you to find the means to exit that plain. Thankfully your family had an ancient power tucked away, something I had not encountered before. It's interesting that it would take the form of that sword."

At the mention of a sword, Naruto glanced down at his hand and was astonished to see he was holding the katana. Even in this place it still looked the same only it had a strange glow about it, like it was radiating energy of some kind. Stranger still, he swore he could hear something. It was faint and difficult to make out but it sounded almost like a disembodied voice, calling out his name. Something was inside of it but he wasn't sure what.

"What is this thing?"

"How should I know? It came from your family line, not mine," the Kyuubi replied.

"Ugh, well, thanks for the help anyway. Now I just need to figure out where this place is and how I'm supposed to get back home."

"Good luck with that," the fox replied before adding, "watch out for that Raven woman."

"Huh? Why?"

"I can't be sure but I sense an odd power radiating from her body. I can sense something similar from everyone else but it seems like a natural part of them so I've ignored it mostly. With her, however, it feels ancient for some reason and completely foreign to her body. I'd watch what I say or do around her. There's no telling what she's capable of."

"Thanks for the tip," Naruto said gratefully.

"Don't read into it too much, kid. I'm simply warning so I don't get caught in the crossfire of your own stupidity," the Kyuubi replied before closing its eye and returning to his rest.

/-/

"You'll be expected to work and prove your worth while you're here," Raven instructed as she led Naruto through the makeshift camp.

Naruto looked around, unimpressed by the sight that greeted him. Tents of various colors and fabrics were set up with no thought to their location or their neighbors. As far as he could see, so long as they were within the boundary of the large wall they had erected, they were safe enough anywhere. Amongst the tents he could see broken crates, barrels, and chests, some filled with various items. Having learned that he'd been rescued by bandits earlier that morning, it wasn't difficult for him to assume that the items they owned were trophies pilfered from their victims. Another thing that became blatantly obvious to him was the camp's temperament towards him. None of the faces he had seen were at all friendly, with the kinder expressions being little more than a frown. He even recognized one of the men who'd brought him to the camp, a young guy a few years older than himself with blond hair and barely visible stubble. The moment he locked eyes with Naruto he scowled, turning away while clutching at his arm for some odd reason.

"We have a philosophy here. The Strong Survive and the Weak die."

"That's a bit dismal, don't you think?" he asked.

"It's simply the truth of things. Those who are strong are meant to survive while those who are weak are fated to be brushed aside."

"But shouldn't those who are strong lend their strength to those who are weak? Why not even help the weak to become strong?"

Raven stopped, turning to regard Naruto with a critical eye. "That sounds awfully similar to something they'd teach at the Huntsman academies. Out here, such things are unwelcome. You either adhere to the codes we set or you leave and strike out on your own. Your choice."

Naruto was hesitant for a moment. While he didn't agree with everything Raven had told him, he also knew he probably wouldn't be alive if not for the intervention of her and her bandits. Not only that but his knowledge of this world was horribly lacking, ensuring that if he stepped outside of this encampment with the intent to find his own way, he'd be effectively feeling his way through the dark as he struggled to make sense of their culture. After a while he conceded, nodding to Raven in acknowledgment. The older woman smiled, pleased with his answer before stepping into a large area cordoned off with a makeshift wooden fence.

"Let's test your ability and see if you're strong or weak," she said.

The moment he stepped inside, he realized what this was. Considering the layout, as well as the fact that most of the encampment had gathered around to watch, it was obvious this was a training arena of some sort. It made sense, given the fact that they would be expected to fight in order to defend themselves or, more accurately, overpower anyone they intended to steal from. Raven had walked to the opposite side of the arena, removing her katana from its scabbard. The metal made a loud sound as it was removed and Naruto couldn't help but stare at the length of the blade. It was longer than any normal katana he'd seen and looked difficult to wield but from the way Raven held herself, Naruto could see she was well seasoned with the weapon.

"Now, show me how well you handle your sword," she commanded.

"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I have no idea how to use a katana really," he admitted.

"Is that so? Then why carry it with you if you have no ability to use it?"

"Would you believe me if I said I'd never owned it until yesterday?" he asked.

"Perhaps. Regardless, I still expect you to fight. Now, show me whatever skills you have. Your objective is to either throw me from the ring, knock me out, or force me to surrender. Just so you're aware, the last option won't happen no matter what you do."

"We'll see," Naruto said.

Without waiting for anyone to call the fight, Naruto reached into his hip bag and removed a shuriken from inside. He threw it almost immediately, trusting the surprise attack to catch her off guard just long enough for him to produce a few shadow clones. Raven proved more adept than he'd anticipated as the shuriken pinged uselessly off the flat of her blade before she lunged forward, closing the distance in a matter of seconds. She followed up with a diagonal slash, watching as Naruto's surprised expression was cut in two. Bystanders all around cheered Raven on but their cheers were silenced when his form disappeared in a plume of smoke leaving everyone, Raven included, confused about how he had managed to evade her. She turned around in time to see Naruto standing behind her, making a cross sign with his fingers.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" he yelled.

All at once plumes of smoke appeared around the edges of the arena as perfect copies of Naruto appeared, surrounding her completely. The audience was stunned with a few crying out that he was cheating, but Raven paid little mind to their protests. She readied herself as the clones all lunged for her, attempting to overwhelm her with numbers. They were sorely mistaken. In a circular swipe, Raven slashed through a majority of the clones, filling the air with white smoke as they disappeared. Only one remained, the original by all appearances. Before he could retaliate, Raven lunged at him, stabbing her sword through his chest before he could counter. She heard a satisfied thunk as her sword impaled him, something which should have brought a smile to her face but didn't. She'd killed before and human bodies didn't make that sort of sound when impaled. Sure enough her suspicions were confirmed when this too disappeared, leaving in its place a large piece of wood with her sword firmly stuck in it. She didn't have much of a chance to yank it out when she took notice of several strange tags attached to it, all of them burning for some reason. She soon learned why when they all exploded at once, sending shards of wood sailing out in all directions. Bandits ducked and dove out of the way as shards of wood sailed through tents and impacted crates, barrels, and even the barricade. Only when the danger had passed did they venture to look up.

Unsurprisingly, Raven had survived the surprise attack. A little singed around the edges but alive and pissed. Her eyes were locked onto a pair of Naurtos across the arena, one holding his hand out while the other made what appeared to be exaggerated hand movements over the space around it. It was only when a small blue orb of energy began to appear that people took notice, taking a few cautionary steps away with some ready to bolt at the first sign of danger. Raven herself held her ground, unsure of what might happen should she attack. She would soon realize this didn't matter as the second Naruto disappeared, leaving the first with the orb swirling dangerously in his palm. Not wasting a moment, he charged forward, forcing the orb forward as he cried out his attack.

"RASENGUN!"

The orb flew through the air and straight at Raven who took the attack with the flat of her blade. Rather than dissipating like she had assumed it would, it instead pushed into her, pressing her back as she struggled to maintain her guard. It was a battle of wills as Raven was pushed against the ground towards the edge of the arena, leaving a trail in her wake. After a while she decided she'd had enough and forced the attack aside at the last moment. Bandits once more dove out of the way, having learned from the last volley, and watched as the blue orb sailed through the air, taking out tents, crates, and even smashing through the barricade before dissipating in the nearby forest but not before uprooting a few of the trees. Raven starred after it, watching its trail of destruction and finding a single bead of sweat trailing down her face. It was obvious she needed to bring this fight to an end now. Without a moment's hesitation she lunged forward, sending the pommel of her katana into his stomach, winding him, before giving him a swift roundhouse kick that sent him flying out and over the arena wall and into the dirt.

Naruto landed with a groan, struggling to pull himself to his feet as bandits crowded around him. Gazing up at them it was obvious he hadn't made any friends. On the contrary, it appeared the camp's overall opinion of him had suffered immensely, no thanks to his use of Rasengun during their fight. He was fully prepared for a fight, or rather to flee while looking like he was fighting, when Raven stepped from the arena herself, an amused smirk on her face.

"That was certainly an interesting fight. I haven't had a battle that close in quite some time," she said proudly.

"Raven, we should kick him out. Some of his attacks nearly injured us and his last one tore a hole in our defenses. He's too dangerous to keep around," Vernal argued with several other bandits voicing their support.

"It's true he's dangerous and quite powerful which is why he's staying," she said to the sound of grumbling and arguments. She continued, "unless you want me to kick him out, thereby ensuring the possibility he'll be picked up by a rival tribe or Haven and turned against us."

This was met with silence as no one wanted to consider that possibility. It was difficult enough for their tribe to survive with the threat of the Grimm as well as efforts made by local Huntsmen to hunt them down and bring them to justice. Despite this, Naruto's little display had not endeared him to anyone. It would take a great deal of time and effort for him to earn their trust and even then he was still an outsider. Regardless, Raven's word was law and to go against Raven was to invite disaster as the means of walking away from such a disrespectful act was to either publicly apologize to her or attempt to defeat her in combat. Obviously, most people chose the former option or simply avoided crossing her period.

"Good, now that we've settled that, I want the barricade repaired before the end of the day. We don't want any Grimm wandering inside while we're sleeping. The rest of you return to your duties."

The bandits did as they were told though not without a few grumblings here and there. Raven herself turned to regard Naruto, motioning for him to follow her. He followed her obediently, eager to distance himself from everyone else given his little mishap. She led him to the far side of the camp, well away from the others but still relatively close to her own overbearing abode. There he found a small one person tent set aside for himself, or so he assumed. Inside he could see a cot and a small chest to stow his belongings in.

"This is where you'll sleep from now on," she stated. "If you want something bigger you'll need to work for it. Nothing comes free in this world, though I'd venture the same could be said of your world as well. Anything you acquire during our raids is yours to keep. If something goes missing and you think someone stole it or you have a dispute with someone in the tribe, you'll work it out through combat. The winner, obviously, wins the dispute and that's that. Any questions?"

"Just one; when do I start working?" he asked, less eager to become a bandit and more so to start learning about the world outside the camp.

"I'll have you go on one of our raiding parties tomorrow. You'll be learning from them so be expected to do as your told. Remember, the Strong Survive- "

"And the weak die, I know," Naruto finished.

"Good," she said with a smirk before turning to leave.

/-/

Naruto laid in his cot, listening to the sounds of the bandits outside. He could hear faint laughter and some small talk going as well as a group play cards. Every now and then shadows would pass by his tent flap but never for very long. He doubted he would have any visitors that night and he was grateful for that fact. He had a lot on his mind and not very many sources he could turn to for answers. There was Raven, of course, who was no doubt knowledgeable about this world. She was certainly skilled, that much was for certain, and by the looks of the bandits she was the strongest amongst them by a fair margin. The only caveat was the fact that he suspected she would want something in return and he wasn't too eager to know what her payment would be.

He turned in his cot, his gaze falling upon his mysterious katana which had somehow been formed from an ancient power buried deep within his family line. Even now it puzzled him. The Kyuubi didn't know much about it and didn't really care to investigate it any further. The fact that it had enabled them both to survive was enough for him. Raven was a no go as well. It was obvious from their first encounter that the sword was a mystery to her as well and if there was any possibility of finding information on it outside the camp, it would require a large favor on his part. Still, he was curious, not only with where it had come from but what that strange voice he kept hearing emanating from it was.

Finally giving into his curiosity for the strange weapon, he rose from his cot to sit down on the ground and pulled the sword forward. Releasing it from its sheath, he examined the blade, looking for any slight detail as to its origins or construction. He was disappointed to find a blunt and somewhat rusted blade. It obviously hadn't seen a whetstone in quite some time and looked more like an antique that someone would have on display in their home rather than strapped to their waist. Still, despite his initial opinion, he could feel a faint energy emanating from it. It somehow felt alive which should have been impossible. Of course, given Naruto's life, the world he'd come from, and the journey he'd taken to get to this one, calling something impossible was rather careless. It was then, almost by instinct, that he felt the urge to meditate with the blade cradled in his hands.

Following his instincts, and feeling a little silly while doing it, he sat as still as possible with the blade laying in his hands. Slowly, he closed his eyes and sensed the energy flowing from the blade. Manipulating his chakra, he tried to reach out to it, looking for a means to interact with it. It didn't take long for it to react and not in the manner he had expected. The energy latched onto his own, overwhelming him instantly sucking him into the blade. His vision went black as all sight and sound disappeared completely.

He awoke to an icy world covered in snow as far as the eye could see. Despite the low temperatures, Naruto didn't feel cold in the slightest. The snow beneath his feet was soft and powdery, not at all what he would have expected. This, of course, didn't steal his attention for long as he felt a presence there in the world with him. Slowly turning around, Naruto gazed up into the face of an immense dragon. It was unlike anything he'd seen. It was massive, a creature that appeared to have been carved entirely from ice. The details were quite intricate, down to the eyes that seemed to be glowing and the breath that came out in small clouds from its nostrils. It was also floating in the air, a detail that had taken him by surprise, as it stared intently down at him.

"Uh, hello?" he said.

"So, you're the latest Shinigami, hmm? We'll, you're not very impressive but I suppose you'll do," the creature said.

"Uhh, thanks, I think? My name is Uzumaki Naruto."

"I am Hyorinmaru, the Frost Dragon. I am the Shikai of the sword you now wield, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Alright, um, question. What's a Shikai?"

"A Shikai is a powerful spirit which takes the form of a katana that all Shinigami wield. We vary in power and abilities of which I am the most powerful ice spirit. Although, you should already know all of this, young Shinigami. It is basic knowledge that should have been taught to you while at the Soul Society."

"The Soul Society? This place is the Soul Society?"

"Of course not! You're in a bandit camp, even I can see that," the Dragon said loudly, obviously irritated for some unknown reason. After a moment's pause it leaned down, looking Naruto square in the eye before it asked, "you are not a Shinigami, are you?"

"Well, I've no idea what that is but I am a shinobi."

"What!? A shinobi!" the Dragon bellowed in an outrage. "How can this be? What a disgrace, to have been stolen from my Shinigami by a mere shinobi! Such a thing is unthinkable!"

"Hey, I'm not that bad. Sure, I was last in my class but I did manage to graduate. Plus, I came up my own jutsu. I call it the sexy no- "

"I don't care about such drivel!" The dragon roared, turning on Naruto. "I demand to know how such a disgrace could have happened! Tell me, what have you done with my Shinigami?"

"I keep trying to tell you, I have no clue what you're talking about. Listen, let me explain how I got here and maybe we can figure out what happened."

Naruto then began to recount the long and tedious story of the events that had led up to him being transported to this world with Hyorinmaru along for the ride. Despite his initial outburst the dragon listened intently, never making a sound. Naruto was grateful for that at least. It was difficult enough to have the spirit of a Demon Fox living inside of him and now to have a giant frost dragon living inside a sword was starting to give him a headache. Once he was finished he waited for his new companion to speak. He was silent for a while before he finally answered.

"So, it appears you have Shinigami blood running through your veins. How interesting. That would explain how you were able to summon me and even now communicate with me."

"I guess. This is all kind of new to me so I'm having a difficult time wrapping my head around it."

"No doubt you are. You mentioned you share your body with a Kyuubi, correct?"

"Yes, but he's not much for conversation. Honestly, I can't stand the guy myself."

"Well then, let's see if we can't rectify the situation."

Puzzled, Naruto stared up at the Dragon, wondering what he meant. A few moments later a strong wind began spiraling into a whirlwind right behind him. The wind grew more fierce and, while it wasn't cold, Naruto still had to cover his eyes just to be able to see what was happening. All at once the image of the Nine Tailed Fox came into view, standing on all fours and looking pissed beyond belief. Naruto yelped in surprise but soon found he had no reason to as several long chains made from ice coiled themselves around the Kyuubi's legs, body, and neck, pinning it in place.

"Kyuubi, welcome, my name is Hyorinmaru and this is my realm."

"Like I give a damn! Why did you summon me here?" the fox roared as it struggled against its restraints.

"Uzumaki Naruto informed me that is by your power I was summoned in order to help you two escape the realm of beginnings and endings."

The Kyuubi snarled and glared down at Naruto. While the restraints that held him looked strong, Naruto couldn't help the cold shiver that ran down his back. If looks could kill then the Kyuubi's would have torn him to shreds.

"I did. We were in a desperate situation and I had to do something to help us survive. If you're mad then take it out on the kid. He's the one I had to summon you from."

"On the contrary, I summoned you here to offer you my thanks."

"Huh?"

"What?"

Naruto and the Fox exchanged looks before looking back at Hyorinmaru.

"Uh, you're welcome?" the Kyuubi answered, uncertain, no longer struggling against the chains that bound him.

"Indeed. Thanks to your intervention I was awoken from my long slumber. It seems much has changed since I was last awake. Regardless, despite the change in scenery, it is nice to be of use again, even if it means working alongside a most unimpressive child," he said, gazing down at Naruto.

"Hey," Naruto said in an indignant tone.

"The feelings mutual," the Kyuubi replied.

"Hey!"

"Kyuubi, might I ask you your name?"

"My master, the one who created me, gave me the name of Kurama."

"I see. Then brother Kurama, it seems we have a long road ahead of us. I've no doubt you desire to return to your world as does the boy."

"I honestly couldn't care. I'm stuck with the brat for now so wherever he goes, I go."

"Indeed. Given our current situation we can't stay here forever. This world is strange to me just as much as it is to you. I would therefore like to offer a suggestion."

"I'm listening."

"We work together to teach this boy what knowledge we possess. I'll help him to unlock his latent Shinigami powers and you assist him in becoming a more competent Shinobi. In time, once he's gained a great deal more power within himself, we may be able to combine our abilities and return ourselves to our homes."

"Sounds good to me," Kurama said.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Naruto asked.

"Do you have any objections?" Hyorinmaru asked.

"Well, no, not really. I just don't like being left out of the conversation."

"I see. Well then, Uzumaki Naruto, it seems fate has brought us together. From this day onward you and I shall be partners. I will teach everything you will need to know to become a competent Shinigami. Once we have finished here simply hold my blade and say "Rise above the Frosted Heavens, Hyorinmaru" and my full power shall be unlocked. It will enable me to instruct you without the need of this realm."

"Alright, no sweat."

"Very well, I look forward to training you, Uzumaki Naruto."

Almost immediately Naruto found himself back in his tent, clutching the blunted katana in his hands. While he'd spent a good amount of time speaking with Hyorinmaru it seemed as if very little time had passed in this world. For a moment he wondered if he had simply dreamed it all but the faint pulse of energy coming from the blade made him think otherwise. Slowly, rising to his feet, Naruto gripped the sword by the hilt as he held it out in front of him.

"Rise above the Frosted Heavens, Hyorinmaru."

All at once a cold rush of air erupted out of the tent and into the night. The katana changed immediately, shifting its appearance to nearly the opposite of what it had been before. The blade was now razor sharp and shone brilliantly despite the low light seeping into his tent. The Four star cross guard now had an overlapping cross guard, giving it eight points in total and a long thin chain ran from the swords hilt down to a small crescent moon shaped blade that hung at the end. The sword now pulsed with energy, filling Naruto with a sensation he'd never experienced before. For a moment he starred at the blade, stunned, before a smile grew across his face. Things were about to get very interesting.