A/N: Please read this note, would you kindly?

And the daily updates roll on!Sorry if this seems short, I'm really not feeling well.

In other news, I had the vaccine forced on me and I feel like craaaaaaaaaaaap. Had to take a few days off work just to recover. I am...still sore and feeling like crap, but writing helps to focus my mind and take the edge off. There are times when I wish I could make a career out of this, but oh well. Reviews are the only currency I'll ever receive.

Also been watching Castlevania and Invincible. Both of which have given me...ideas.

Now then, lets answer your questions, shall we? Five should to this time.

Q: When do we get to see the gods?!

A: Ask and you shall receive.

Q: Is Naruto old now? I mean, he does age so...

A: Nope. Naruto's still in his prime and then some; moreover, he's had reason to get stronger since we've seen him last. By this chapter, he's five years older than his canon Shippuden self. He used those five years well, both to expand his repertoire and grow ever stronger.

Gotta protect Little!Salem after all...

Moreover, each and every Uzumaki has an ABSURDLY long lifespan. Its crazy, really.

Q: Please don't let Salem become evil! Mercy, m'lord!

A: By all means, read on.

Q: Is Salem starting to fall for Naruto?

A: Oh, she's already smitten, make no mistake. He's the only one who's shown her any semblance of affection; he took her out of that tower, raised her, helped her stave off her surges, and taught her what it means to be alive. For an outcast like her, that means the world.

Time will tell if he returns her affections or tries to find someone else for her. Naruto is...well, we all know how dense he can be when it comes to romance.

You'll just have to read on and see.

Alright then, I've kept you long enough. Grab some popcorn, some tissues, and get comfortable, because here we go!

I'm tempted to make puns of the chapter titles but I can't think of one right now. Maybe later.

AS EVER I own no quotes, references, memes or themes. Not a wit or a one!

Little!Salem is adorable and must be protected.

"WHAT WILL YOU HAVE IN FIVE HUNDRED YEARS?!"

~The future..

Year Five

One man walked into the domain of a god.

Salem steeled herself and followed that man into hell.

Truly, the Land of Darkness was a barren wasteland few could hope to imagine; an arid purple rock with naught but Grimm and strange rock formations to its name. Haphazard crystal protrusions jutted from the earth like jagged grasping fingers, stretching toward the sky in search of salvation. The air was powerful here, charged with equal parts might and magic alike. She'd never set foot here before, and yet it felt as if she'd come home; returned from a long journey abroad.

Why?

She couldn't explain the feeling away; that alone concerned her more than she cared to admit. This place should be unknown to her; yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she had been here. Even now these very steps called to her, spoke to her soul in a she didn't truly understand.

She still couldn't believe they were here.

Make no mistake, Salem knew why they'd come to this place, but it was a marvel they'd made it here at all. One year to find this place, another spent in training, evading the Silver-Eyed warriors as they came. The God of Light had much to answer for; she could only hope that his Brother would be able to explain what was wrong with her. He had to have answers. He must.

The alternative was simply unacceptable.

Pale fingers traced a nearby crystal growth, running along its protrusions like an old friend. Her reflection gazed back at from within, not at all warped and twisted by the strange surface, but a stranger all the same. Truth be told, she barely recognized the being staring at her. Keen red eyes gazed back back, framed by a curtain of long ashen hair and a lovely face, rimmed by a striking scarlet veins. Gone was the gangly girl of yesteryear, in her place stood a teenager well on her way to becoming a young woman. She was changing, growing older, stronger, but into what, she knew naught.

Perhaps it was petty to preen over herself, but preen Salem did, admiring herself in her dark dress.

Naruto said she was lovely, soon she would be the most beautiful in all the land. She'd become bolder too, more sure of herself.

"You alright?"

At Naruto's inquiry Salem craned her neck and inhaled once, letting the raw mana in the air fill her lungs and suffuse her spirit. Such power would've stifled anyone else, but to her it felt a gentle caress. Like warm fingers running across her scalp, soothing her to sleep. A strangely pleasant feeling. Perhaps this place wouldn't be so bad after all.

"I...am fine." she swallowed once to stifle a whimper and mustered up her courage. "This is nothing."

All that changed when they stumbled upon the first altar.

Her protector whistled softly. "Well, that's ominous."

A grisly sight awaited them there; for a woman's lay sprawled atop ruined stone. Jaws agape, in some silent scream, her stripped skeleton offered them no words of wisdom nor encouragement. Whomever she was, she was long since dead. It wasn't hard to find the cause; for a curved dagger jutted from her ribs. Salem winced at the sight. This woman had died here. Died hard. Around her broken bones lay a ring of mangled skeletons, each far larger than they had any right to be. Multiple attackers. Humanoid.

Not Grimm, then.

Closer inspection revealed there was a smaller body tucked into the woman's side, clutched tight just above her breast. Salem's stomach roiled at the sight. A child. The woman had been guarding a child. And she'd paid for it with her life. She gazed upon those small bones, now made brittle by age, and felt her gorge rise.

"Who would do such a thing?"

Naruto took her by the hand and led her away.

Despite her weakness, the little grimmling scowled at him. "I'm not a little girl anymore. You don't have to do that."

"Its fine." his words soothed her. "I want to. But if you don't...

When he pulled away, she reached out and clutched his hand. "I didn't say no!"

His smile warmed her more than words; it dampened her fears and distracted her. That was his intent, no doubt. Damn her for her weakness. Damn him for being a sentimental fool. Salem dared a tentative smile as she walked alongside him. Still, she looked back at the skeleton and shivered. Would this be her fate someday?

Sometimes she wondered if she would ever truly die.

Perhaps not, but Naruto was aging, too. There was silver in his hair now. One had to squint to see it, but it was there, gleaming in the light of the shattered moon. Perhaps it was stress that had begun to change him so; maybe it was the effect of this world upon him. Salem didn't know. Perhaps they would find answer to that question as well.

Naruto tugged her onward before she had a chance to dwell on it.

Together, they ascended the steps leading unto the altar, making that arduous climb as equals. Salem's heart skipped a beat. She told herself it didn't matter. That this was nothing. Nothing at all. It was a lie. At some point, her feelings had begun to change. She was falling in love. She...this was wrong, wasn't it? She dare not speak of it. Surely it was nothing.

...wasn't it?

A pool of teeming darkness awaited them at the peak, flanked by growling Grimm. As one, they knelt to her; indeed they bowed low, bony masks scraping the blackened soil. Why did they bow? Another question, without so much as an inkling of an answer to be found. Naruto exchanged a baffled look with her, but nevertheless stepped forth.

He approached that ghastly pool, spread his arms, and threw his head back.

"OI!" His voice boomed long and loud into the silence, crackling with powerful chakra. "God of Darkness! We want a word with you!

A dark hand burst from the pool.

As master and apprentice looked on it clawed its way to the surface, dragging something unholy with it. A ghastly twitching shape crawled their way on all fours, only reluctantly assuming the guise of main. It was a man, and yet not a man; the best description she could give it was...humanoid. A being of deep dark violet, long horns curled from its head as it stood tall, while its faceless visage regarded them. Whatever expression it wore could not be seen, for it possessed neither eyes, nor a mouth, or even a nose.

It as close now. Far too close. Salem choked back a whimper.

It was a frightful thing to stand before a god. She knew they were real of course -everyone did!- but to see one in person was another matter entirely. In the flesh, well, not flesh, more energy than anything else and oh dear she was rambling, wasn't she? He really was quite large. Magic began to swell in her veins, heralding a surge. She clamped down on it with a scowl and refused to let her power escape.

Mastering herself

And yet when it spoke, its voice shook the world. "You know me, mortal?"

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki." steely blue eyes gazed up into his. "Of course I know you." he planted his feet and lifted his chin. "Finding and fighting gods is what I do." one hand rose, jabbing a finger toward the ethereal being before them. "You're not the first I've dealt with. You probably won't be the last; not if I have to deal with your dick of a brother after this. However...I didn't come here to fight you." still, that small smile held, lingering like an old memory. "Its time for us to talk."

That horned head tilted, regarding her protector like an amusing ant.

"Visitors, then? How quaint. Very well." the being leaned forward just a touch. "Many an age has passed since I last entertained guests. Speak."

Naruto stepped aside.

"First, I'd like you meet someone." he swept an arm out, and quite suddenly, Salem found herself standing along before a god. "This is my daughter. She's traveled a long way to meet you."

That faceless gaze slid to Salem.

"Come, child. Tell me your name."

"S-Salem." she managed to stutter out. "My name is Salem."

Oddly enough, that seemed to amuse him.

"Salem?" a low laugh rumbled through the air. "I've not heard that name in quite some time. Still, you are safe here."

"I've always been safe." she interjected. "Naruto protected me."

It was the right thing to say; because a dark brow quirked. "Did he, now? It would seem I have misjudged you. What do you wish of me?"

Salem steeled herself. This was it, then. This was her moment. This was why why they'd made the trek here, all the way to this dark continent. She couldn't falter now. Nay, she mustn't falter. She couldn't afford it. To do so would spit in the face of Naruto's efforts and she refused to do such. But before she could ask, first she must tell.

"I wish for you to hear the truth."

"Oh?" The mighty being sat before them, crossing both legs beneath its torso. "Do tell."

Here at last, beneath that endless gaze, Salem's resolve failed. "W-Well, my story begins with a t-tower and...

"Allow me."

When her courage finally faltered, Naruto stepped up beside her. He told The God of Darkness how he had found her, of the surges she suffered under. Of their journey here, of those with the silver eyes, the warriors who had tried to take her and their grisly end. He embellished nothing, yet spared no grisly detail. He told the truth. They were the victims in this. Not the aggressors. Their every reaction had been just that; reactionary. In the last year alone they had been pushed from conflict to conflict, seemingly without end. All because the world called her Forsaken; a word she didn't understand.

And by the end, the God of Darkness remained silent.

"Well?" Naruto spoke into that silence without fail. "Do you understand why we're here, now?"

"I suspected as much; you've merely confirmed my initial suspicions." he stood slowly, drawing himself up to his full, towering height. "You did well to bring the girl here." A low chuckle escaped him, deep and throaty like a mighty avalanche grinding its way down the mountainside. "His followers will not dare come into my domain."

Naruto frowned. "You say that, but we found a dead woman and her baby near your altar.

The god's brow turned thunderous. "My brother overreaches himself."

Salem scowled. "What does that mean?"

"There was a time when He and I walked among the mortals of this world." The God summoned a flame to his hand, sketching the image of two figures within. "We spent a full cycle among your kind; lived among them, laid with them, and the life." his fist clenched, stifling the scene. "It was...an experiment. Those of the Silver Eyes were born of his blood, but I thought nothing came of mine...until now."

Why was he looking at her like that?

"It would seem you are not the first of your name, child." The deity leaned forward to...pat her head? She blinked up at him, startled as that giant palm caressed her face. "Merely the first to survive this long." Thrice as quickly, he pivoted and turned to face Naruto. "I am indebted to you, Naruto of Uzumaki."

Her guardian laughed. "No, not of of Uzumaki. That's my surname."

...I do not understand."

"Eh, its complicated." Naruto smirked. "You're going to help us, right?"

"Indeed." A low growl pierced the air. "My brother has overreached himself for the last time." High above, the heavens crackled with power. "I have let his descendants be, but now he seeks to snuff my bloodline out?!" dark clouds rolled in, bringing with them the wrath of Destruction in all its wroth. "This will not stand!

Salem rocked back on her heels. "Wait! We still have questions!"

"And I shall answer them all, dear girl. You may stay here. You will be safe with me."

Her blood turned to ice in her veins. "What? No! I refuse!"

...you do not wish to leave your protector?"

She shook her head fiercely. She could not. She dare not. Without him, she was nothing. Ancestor or not, she knew naught of this God. A furtive gaze flicked Naruto's way and seeing it, he stepped to her side. She took hold of his hand and held tight, regarding him with pleading eyes. He couldn't leave her. He had to understand. He must. He was her world. Her heart. Her everything. If he left her now...she'd break.

And then, the God of Darkness spoke.

...very well then. Kneel, Uzumaki Naruto. And received my blessing.

The blond winced. "Not really one for kneeling."

"Then you need not kneel at all. Stand then, and know that you have my boon."

With ponderous grace, a dark arm rose and came down upon his shoulder.

So it was that the God of Darkness found his first Knight.

Naruto would be but the first of many.

A/N: Didn't see that coming, did ya?!

And there we go. Looking forward to your feedback/chatting with you all! No review is too large or too small! Thank you all! By all means, speak up! Make yourself heard!

And so passes Year Five. Next comes Year Seven.

I'm still genuinely shocked by the amount of reviews this story has received; looking forward to reading through your feedback when I get back from work. Well, until then! I'll talk with you later!

Once more, Reviews help keep me going, truly, they do. Every bit helps! Speak up! Make yourself heard!

So In the Immortal Words of Altas...

...Review, Would You Kindly?

(Preview)

"WHAT WILL YOU HAVE IN FIVE HUNDRED YEARS?!"

"Him!

Foolish little child. You are so much more than you know. You will outlast every fragile insignificant being on this planet. You'll live to see this world crumble to dust and blow away. Everyone and everything you know will be gone! What will you have after five hundred years?! A thousand?! A millennium?!

"Him. Even after all this, I will still have the man who raised me. The man who taught me. The man who showed me the value of life and death."

"He will die long before you! His name will be naught but ash in the wind!"

"No. I won't let that happen. I reject that reality."

"You cannot defy death!"

"Watch me!"

"You are a child! What do you know of loss?!"

"Everything! From the beginning, I had no one! Not a thing! Until he came! Without him, I am NOTHING! And what do you know?! You're a god! You've never lost anything! You never will! You think to judge me? ME?! I spit on your judgement and all that you are!

Salem blinked rapidly.

The knight kissed her hand.

"My name is Ozma, fair maiden. A pleasure to meet you."

Naruto frowned.

He tipped the bottle to his lips and drank.

"If the gods won't fix this mess, then I will." he whipped the glass away, smashing it against a wall. "I'll become god."

"Are you sure about this?" Kurama frowned. "Divinity changes you.

R&R~!