Dark Power

"This is getting tedious Orochimaru. Please stop withholding information." Hades was now in a secret lab, where he stood in front of a large container filled with liquid. Inside was Orochimaru with tubes connected to his body. "However, you managed to clone your own body and made it, so your memory is transferred after your previous body's death. You essentially found a way to cheat death. And you thought that you could hide this from me." Hades' hand channel dark energy as he touched to large container and began to corrupt it. "Call this a little insurance in case you decide to betray me."

The liquid in the container became darker as Orochimaru's body began to twitch and his eyes opened, but they were rolled over. Hades let go of the container as it returned to its normal state, with Orochimaru's body stopping its movements.

"Now, to get Naruto back." Hades left and took out a small crystal ball. 'Good thing I put a tracker on him. I swear that brat could get lost in a straight line sometimes.' He then looked at Orochimaru again. 'He will wake up soon and then the ship will be ready to take off. There is no doubt in my mind that those intruders will return with more forces.' Hades then made some modifications so that they could put Orochimaru inside their new ship.

The island which Grimoire Heart's headquarters was located began to shake as slowly, a large airship came out of the ground. This airship was almost the size of the island itself, being able to carry everyone in Grimoire Heart inside it.

'It may be best to contact him through telepathy when I'm near his location.' Hades mused to himself as he thought of Naruto's progress. 'I wonder if he learned any new tricks?' Hades did not know how right he was.

(Back with Naruto, Wendy and Laxus, sometime later)

"That's it! Your doing it kid!" Laxus went with a different approach as Naruto began to blast him with darkness. The exercise from earlier helped Naruto greatly that his normal attacks are more powerful and refined, meaning his body has adapted to them and he no longer hurts himself from them. Laxus was dodging the blasts with ease. 'If he sees me going easy on him, he'll get more fired up!'

"I can use this against you now! Dark….." When Naruto made a familiar gesture, Laxus though stood by and waited for Naruto to use the spell again. "….Blitzkrieg!" Naruto released a dark blast.

'Okay, I think I bit off more than I can chew!' Laxus channelled lightning into his right arms and then used it to deflect the attack, making it hit the boulder to their side and completely destroying it and causing a small crater. "How are the hands kid?" Laxus saw that Naruto's hands were steaming up but no blood or permanent injury.

"They still hurt but not as much. Woo! Come on! Let's go!" Naruto rushed Laxus and launched several punches and kicks at the older blonde, only for Laxus to easily block them and then chop the back of the younger blonde's neck.

"Let's take a break." Laxus told the knocked-out Naruto, despite the blonde not able to hear him. Wendy ran up and was worried for the young blonde after witnessing him push himself, but she also began to admire him and wanted to be strong like him.

(An hour later)

"This is good soup kid!" Laxus managed to get ingredients for a tasty soup, which Naruto made and to both Laxus and Wendy, they thought it was delicious.

"Hehe. Glad you like it! There's plenty, so eat up!" Naruto smiled and put some more soup in for himself, but then heard a familiar voice.

'Naruto, can you hear me boy?' Hades' voice rang through Naruto's head.

"Gramps?" Naruto looked around, confusing Wendy and Laxus.

"Naruto?" Wendy looked at him worriedly.

'Something's up with the kid, but what? He said Gramps. Is he thinking about his grandad?' Laxus stared at Naruto, who looked confused himself.

'Don't talk. I'm contacting you with telepathy, a form of magic which allows me to speak to you without you even saying a word. Just think your words and I'll instruct you to where you need to go?' Hades communicated with the young boy.

'Just think my words? How do I do that? Wait! Am I doing it now? If I am, this so cool!' Naruto would have made more comments, but Hades had no patience for him now.

'Enough! Just stop thinking and head to the forest, I'll pick you up. Say goodbye to your friends and tell them you need to go. Don't tell them that I'm talking to you now, just go. Your training exercise is over. Am I understood?' Hades waited for a reply, only for thirty seconds to pass. 'Why aren't you answering?'

'You said not to think Gramps. Hmm this soup is so gooood!' Naruto just carried on eating his soup. Hades facepalmed on his end.

'Okay, just finish your soup and tell your friends that you need to head back to the guild now.' Hades had to sigh in exasperation at Naruto's stupidity sometimes.

'Okay Gramps.' Naruto happily began to finish the rest of his soup off.

"Hey kid, are you okay? You mentioned your Gramps just now." Laxus looked at him with concern.

"Oh, I told Wendy this earlier, but Gramps is what I call my Guild Master. He's quite old." Naruto did not know it, but Hades still had his telepathy on and heard the old comment.

(Hades' location)

"I may end up killing him at this rate." Hades angrily whispered to himself, making sure Naruto did not hear him.

(Back with Naruto)

"Haha. Just like me, but my Gramps is actually related to me. He's the Guild Master of the guild I belong to." Laxus told them, though his face turned sour for a brief moment after mentioning how his grandfather. "But why did you suddenly mention him?" Laxus looked a little too menacing to him, scaring the younger blonde a little.

"W-Well I just remembered that I've been out for too long! I'm supposed to meet him nearby and head back to the guild." Naruto tried covering up that Hades had instructed him via telepathy.

"I see. What about you, Wendy?" Laxus looked at her, putting her on the spot. Truth be told, Wendy did not Naruto to go and wanted to stay with him for he is her first friend.

"I-I don't know. I have nowhere to go." Wendy replied to Laxus before turning her attention to Naruto. "You're my first friend and I know that you have your guild but I really don't want to say goodbye." Wendy sniffled a little bit. Laxus expected Naruto to tell her to be strong, but Naruto cried as well.

"And I don't wanna say goodbye too! But Gramps said I can't bring back anyone with me until I'm older!" Naruto revealed, though the real reason was that Hades knew Naruto was too naïve and he may recruit people who would be useless to their cause and possibly hold Naruto back.

"Why don't you join my guild. I'm sure my Gramps won't mind or anyone else." Laxus offered, surprising the two. They both had expressions of awe and then smiled.

"Really? You don't mind?" Wendy asked nervously but was answered by Laxus placing his hand on top of her head.

"Nah. Even if you're weak, I've taken a liking to you and the blonde idiot. So, having you in the guild won't be bad." Laxus smiled at her, making her happy to hear that. However, she looked at Naruto who smiled at her.

"But what about Naruto? I don't want to say goodbye to him. Do you have to go, Naruto?" She asked the blonde, whose expression went down.

"I'm sorry, I wish I could stay and hang out more, but I have to go." 'I'm sorry, but I need to get stronger and find the guy who killed my dad.' Naruto wanted to live his life, but his need to find his father's killer still weighed on his mind. "But it doesn't mean it has to be goodbye for good. We'll see each other again someday. Isn't that right Laxus?" Naruto looked at the older blonde as if he was his older brother.

'Damn, when did I turn into a mushy sap?' "He's right. Even though I think he may be better off in my guild and while I don't like the stuff my Gramps says, he's got to do what he's got to do. You don't need to understand it, but you'll meet again one day. In fact, send him off with this." Laxus did something that he hasn't done in years, he put his right arm up in the air, the back of his hand showing and his index finger and thumb extended.

"What's that?" Naruto asked him, only to replied by a small chuckle and smile.

"A message. It means even if you are far apart, you'll always look at each other's way. No matter where you are." This made the two children respect Laxus even more. After this, Naruto packed up his stuff and left, but he also raised his arm and did the same gesture as Laxus. Laxus and Wendy also repeated this gesture.

"Don't worry Wendy, you'll see him again someday. The next time we meet, I have no doubt he'll be much stronger. Maybe almost as strong as me." Laxus was a little arrogant, but he wanted to see Naruto again and hopes he'll grow strong enough to challenge him. 'Get strong kid, I know you can do it.' Laxus smiled, not realising that he returning to the kind-hearted person he was in the past.

(With Hades)

"You took your time….Brat." Hades was still annoyed at being called old. Naruto noticed his grumpy attitude.

"What's gotten into you Gramps? Oh and yo!" Naruto greeted, though Hades was impressed as he noticed Naruto's power increased.

'He's gotten stronger it seems. I'll test him out when he gets on the ship.' "It's good that you're alive, because I want to see what you've learned from your time away. That and it's time to show you our new headquarters." Hades told him with a smirk.

"Headquarters?" Naruto was confused, but before he could enquire more, the wind started to dance around them wildly. "W-What is that!?" Naruto saw Grimoire Heart's new airship in astonishment.

"From now on we'll be living and travelling in that. I hope that you do not have motion sickness." Hades then realised that he was ignored as Naruto kept looking at the new airship in excitement.

"This is so cool!" Naruto wanted to go in straight away, with Hades simply laughing in amusement, being genuine with his reaction after a long time. The ship landed and opened its hatch as the two entered the ship.

"Is this the hall? This looks like our old place." Naruto was a little disappointed until Hades showed him the different rooms and the new features, such as the cannons and his new bedroom. "Cool!"

"Shower up and get some rest. Because tomorrow I want to see your progress. Now, please excuse me." Hades left Naruto to his own devices and headed towards the laboratory.

"Looks like you came back in one piece." Naruto jumped up when a female voice surprised him. He turned around to see a smiling Ultear.

"Oh, it's you Ultear. You scared me. But yeah, I came back and I'm stronger than ever!" Naruto winked and held his right arm with his left hand, making the older girl giggle.

'Hmm. I can sense his power's increased.' "I can see that, but did you learn any new tricks?" She teased him, but Naruto then had a mischievous glint in his eyes. 'Uh oh. He has that look in his eyes.

"I'll show you in the training room tomorrow! Gramps wants me to show what I learned." Naruto snickered.

"Well, then you better not disappoint." 'He's still the same as ever, but he feels a bit off. It's like he feels at ease, at least a more than he was before.' Ultear liked the change. Despite her own dark thoughts, Naruto was a ray of sunshine to her usually bleak world.

(With Hades)

"You managed to find my body and I can tell that you've done something to me. And please don't try to hide anything. I felt you pour your own power into me earlier and this body feels off." Orochimaru was awake and fully clothed.

"And here I thought that I could keep it a secret from you. But I would not worry about it Orochimaru. If you carry on with your duties and work aboard this airship and fulfil your obligations to Grimoire Heart, there is nothing to worry about. What I did to your body was just insurance. Do you understand?" Hades asked of him, though it was more of a threat.

"Perfectly…Master." Orochimaru had to hold back his much viler thoughts and left. 'I spent years to perfect this body and now that old fart is in control!' Orochimaru then calmed and thought of another plan. 'I'll have to make a new body, but it won't be easy now that he'll be watching me more carefully. If only I hadn't lost the book of Belial.'

(Grimoire Heart's old base)

"We're too late!" Hiruzen Sarutobi was back in action but unfortunately, Grimoire Heart escaped. He was joined by Kakashi, Obito and Rin. Jiraiya was still out action and whilst the trio themselves were not in the best of shapes, they felt like they had to return and bring down Grimoire Heart.

"There's nothing you could have done. There was a low possibility that they would still be here." A blonde-haired woman with large breasts appeared. This is Tsunade Senju, one of Hiruzen's former students and a wizard on the same calibre as Jiraiya and Orochimaru. She is also a member of the Wizard Saints, just like Hiruzen and Jiraiya.

"She's right." Another person appeared, a man who made the other two Wizard Saints paled in comparison to him.

"Master Warrod! Please forgive me for my frustration, but Naruto was like a grandson to me and I am worried for him." Hiruzen bowed in front of the much older man, who looked more like a tree. But this man, Warrod Sequen, is currently the 3rd strongest wizard in all of Ishgar.

"No, it is quite alright. We were too late to react this time. All we can hope is to find another lead and that young Naruto will not succumb to Grimoire Heart's manipulations." Warrod usually like to make jokes, but the situation did not call for it. "This old man you mention, he must be very powerful for you all to ask for my assistance."

"He was unlike any opponent we ever faced. Lord Jiraiya struggled against him and his magic power was comparable to your own Lord Warrod." Kakashi replied with some concern in his voice.

"I see. Then you made the right choice in asking for my help." Warrod looked into the night sky as it began to rain.

'I'll find you Naruto and bring you home. Please do not allow them to corrupt you into their beliefs.' Hiruzen sighed and the group headed back to their homes.

(Back with Laxus)

"Rest up kid." Laxus placed a blanket over Wendy as they camped out in a cave. Wendy Was sleeping peacefully and warmed up by the blanket and fire next to her. 'Naruto. Just before he left, he looked confused. It's like he wanted to stay but something stopped him, not his guild, but it was like he needed to do something. If he's okay, I guess I can't complain.

Laxus then thought about the tensions between his father and grandfather. 'I hope Gramps doesn't do anything he regrets, and I hope dad doesn't do anything stupid.' Laxus knew that his father was far from being the most kind, but he still wanted to believe in his father.

(The next day, Grimoire Heart airship)

"All right Naruto. I want to put your training to the test, so that's why I have a simulated opponent for you." Hades told Naruto as he stood to the side.

"Okay? I don't know what simulated means, but I'm up for a challenge." Naruto then heard Hades laugh as he summoned his opponent. A giant machine with various bladed weapons, including a chainsaw. 'Me and my big mouth!'

"I hope you're ready Naruto. I believe in your abilities. And do not worry, I'll make sure you won't die just yet." Hades had an amused look which made Naruto look at him incredulously for a moment but turned back and put his fists up.

'If I can't handle something like this now, then I can't face my dad's killer!' Naruto rushed the machine and was ready for a fight.

End. Sorry for the long delay in this story. I prioritised Bonds over this lately and I always seem busy or get called into errands and then lose my focus.

Currently, Ivan has not been kicked out yet and Laxus has taken some personality traits from his father, but luckily not by much. I twisted some parts and Wendy will soon join Fairy Tail instead of meeting Mystogan and then Cait Shelter.

For those who thought Orochimaru was done for, all I can say it not yet. He managed to make his own version of Tartaros' regeneration system, well in a way he has. He must prepare a body beforehand and in the event of his death, a machine powered by magic activates and transfers his memory from the time of his death to a new body. Of course, as I mentioned, he needs to prepare the machine and the body, which takes time and effort, plus cloning his own body means he has to be careful. I got this idea from the Mauler Twins from Invincible, as well as Tartaros. At first I wanted to make it exactly like Tartaros, but at this point they haven't risen yet and not met any of Grimoire Heart.