Naruto – Warlord
AN:
This is where the story really begins, far away and many years later after he left Konoha. Not gonna make a long note here, check the AN in the prologue if you havent and you have questions, or review and ill answer to the best of my abilities.
Also, i've noticed that fanfictions doc manager (what we use to upload and edit our chapter to the site) has a bad habit of randomly scrambling the grammar here and there. Noticed "Naruto" suddenly became "Narout" at one spot. Compared with the original file on my own harddrive and it wasnt a mistake on my part, the doc manager is actually taking a fucking piss. I hope i've gotten all of the silly little mistakes here and there, but i apologize ahead of time if there are faults, either mine or the doc manager's. Its my responsibility anyways, so im not disregarding any blame, just fyi.
Enjoy.
Chapter 1
"Hey Naruto!", a voice called out.
Heaving with heavy breath under the amount of weight he carried upon his shoulders, Naruto gave the young man that came running an annoyed glance.
"Ryu.", Naruto greeted his friend, before heaving the logs that were easily five times his own size unto the makeshift sled that stood before him at the outskirts of the small village of 'Kisara'.
Leaning back to stretch his back, Naruto ignored the incredulous looks from the other workers around him. It still made him uncomfortable, despite having been living in the village for the last 5 years.
He had traveled for 2 years, after his departure from the village. Seen places and talked to interesting people before finally deciding to settle when he came upon the small province which held the 'Kisara Village'.
It had been some very good years he'd lived there. Peaceful, and without the hate filled glares and stares that he could still remember from Konoha. When he was younger he'd always pitied the civilians, naive as he was as he believed that everything that was worth doing in life had been as a shinobi.
But during the last 5 years, he'd known peace. For once, as far as he could remember, he had serenity. Here he was just Naruto, an orphan of war who did not know his family name. He'd yet not told anyone of what he carried, as it would no doubt change people's views of him. Chances were he'd been chased out of yet another home.
He was 19 years old now. He'd changed a lot as well. Before, back in Konoha, he'd been a squirt, even among those of his own age. Now, he towered over most he came across, being a good head taller than everyone else in the village. He was quite happy with how he turned out, and the physical work the village demanded every day had done him good for the last few years. The first time he'd overheard the local girls call him handsome had been quite refreshing. He supposed the amount he worked out physically helped their attraction, but he was not complaining.
Naruto had never stopped training, despite having no intentions of ever going back to becoming a shinobi. He'd quickly realized the uses of enhancing his muscles with chakra when it came to physical labor, and so had continued practicing his chakra control.
He liked to think he'd improved quite a lot, but it was not like he had anyone to compare against. While they where in the Land of Earth, Naruto had kept far away from any shinobi villages and shinobi themselves, as far as he could manage.
As a civilian, he'd found work easily enough. He was young and strong, something anyone would see if they saw him, being both broader and taller than any of his peers. As a budding and growing village, there were always a need for things to be built, repaired and grown.
"Looking strong as ever, Ruto!", Ryu grinned boyishly as he came up to Naruto.
Ryu had come to the village a year after Naruto had decided to settle, orphaned from war abroad, something Naruto had refrained from questioning much about. Young and inexperienced, Naruto had taken it upon himself to help Ryu settle as well and they had both hit off quite well in the months after.
Ryu was nowhere near as tall or as big in mass as Naruto was and despite their shared age, still looked quite boyish. He had light brown, short and messy looking hair with dark eyes and an angular face which held no small amount of tan from working in the sun, as most of the villagers had. He wore cheap linen clothing, light brown in color, as did Naruto and most of the village as they lived in general poverty.
"I told you not to call me that.", Naruto grinned with playful irritation before putting Ryu in a headlock. After a moment of roughhousing, Naruto let him go as they shared a laugh. "So, what do you want? I'm working."
"It's midday man.", Ryu lifted a brow at Naruto.
Frowning, Naruto looked to the sky and noticed the position of the sun.
"...So it is...", Naruto muttered. He hadn't even noticed the time until now. Work was over.
"Times are a bit rough right now, but do you want to grab something to eat?"
"Sure.", Naruto shrugged. "Let me just give a word to the manager and I'm coming."
The days payment was given without a hitch and the boys trudged down the street of the crowded village, making small talk as they looked for a suitable place to eat.
Kisara Village laid in the bottom of a wide and lush valley. It was the Land of Earth after all, so the country was framed beautifully with tall mountains and many rivers that ran down into the many lakes of the valley. Clean water was rarely an issue for them and the wildlife was rich.
The village easily stretched a couple of kilometers, but it was still a very rural village with only simple walls protecting it from minor undesirables. They did not have the same technology as Naruto could remember from Konoha, but he was fine with that. Everything was made with simple wood and stone and the lack of electricity was sometimes missed if Naruto was being honest with himself, but it was also quite freeing to be independent of unneeded luxuries.
Times were hard for the village, as war was waged beyond their borders it had quite an impact on the trade that came. Without much technology to speak of, their lives were very dependent on trade as more and more refugees came to the village looking for respite from the horrors outside the valley.
Arriving at one of the local food halls, Ryu and Naruto found a table at the back of the room, away from any rowdy villager celebrating the end of work for the day.
The waitress that came up to them was a cute young woman that smiled brightly at them both when they noticed her. She was a long haired brunette, their own age and of a slender build as she wore an apron over her simple brown linen clothing.
"Hello boys.", she smiled infectiously as they both grinned back.
"Hello Hina.", Naruto nodded politely. Naruto ignored Ryu whom seemed to be blushing as he looked at her.
"So what will it be today?", Hina smiled, looking inquisitively at Ryu who was beginning to make a fool of himself. Discreetly stomping Ryu's foot under the table, Naruto made Ryu stammer an order for them both which made Hina giggle.
"She's so beautiful...", Ryu muttered dreamily as Hina went away to the kitchens at the back to get their order, pushing through the boisterous crowd of the hall.
"Yeah, I've noticed she has that effect on you.", Naruto snorted, ignoring Ryu's embarrassed flush. "For that matter, she's going to know as well if you continue to bumble as you are."
"Ugh, not like it will matter in the end anyway.", Ryu shook his head demurely. "I'm an orphan. I have nothing to offer her family for her hand in marriage anyways, pretty sure they'd never even give me a second hand consideration."
"Then work harder.", Naruto muttered, eyes gazing over the increasing amount of patrons that filled the hall. "Talk with her at least and see where it will go. Work hard so you actually have something to impress her family with."
At this point Hina came back with their order and smiled brightly at them as they thanked her and paid for the food before she went off again.
"So, have you hear'd any of the rumors from the Land of Water?", Ryu questioned, obviously not willing to talk about his apparent love interest.
"Haven't really heard anything during the last month.", Naruto shrugged.
"Well, there's a big rebellion going on over there, yeah?", Ryu began and Naruto nodded already knowing this. "Something big went down, like people are talking about a giant demon appearing or something like that!"
Naruto's shock was easily hidden as he kept eating. Another one of the sealed beasts maybe? It wouldn't surprise him if either side of the war had gotten their hands on a jinchuriki.
Hiding his surprise, Naruto lifted a brow with a smirk at Ryu.
"Demon...?", Naruto muttered in what he hope sounded like unbelieving amusement.
"Well, I dunno, you think something like that exists?"
Snorting, Naruto kept eating with a thoughtful gaze into his bowl.
"I think there are forces we do not understand in this world... But demons, as we picture them from the many, many stories we are told, no. I somehow doubt its as easy as that."
"What about these bloodline users?"
A memory, unwanted an unbidden sprang into the forefront of his mind and Naruto had to resist the urge to clench his hands in anger.
"What about them?"
"I heard they're really evil and dangerous, but aren't they just people with abilities?"
"You shouldn't believe everything you hear Ryu.", Naruto fixed Ryu with a disapproving stare.
"I know that, but I've never met one before.", Ryu shrugged thoughtfully. "Have you?"
"Not that I know of.", Naruto lied easily.
"And that's exactly my point!", Ryu eagerly, leaning forth in his seat, as if explaining something secret. "Just imagine! Walking past someone with a special bloodline, with special powers! Like, being able to shoot fire or something!"
Naruto kind of wanted to say that it does not take one a bloodline to be able to shoot fire, but it was honestly irrelevant. Most civilians away from Shinobi villages never saw anything more interesting than the usual Samurai, so Ryu's imagination was very justified.
"They're just people like you and me, Ryu. Both good and bad and everything in between."
"You take the fun out of everything, you know.", Ryu muttered, ignoring Naruto's snort as they ate. "I wonder... If things had been different if I had one..."
"A bloodline, you mean?", Naruto lifted his brow and Ryu nodded.
"Wouldn't you like to be able to do things like they do? It sounds so incredible."
Ryu's naivety was somewhat amusing, but a somber mood fell over Naruto as he thought about it.
"From what I heard, in the Land of Water, before the rebellion began, I heard the Mizukage of the Shinobi village declared all those with a bloodline to be slaughtered. In his eyes, they were less than beasts, too dangerous to be let alive." Naruto shook his head. "I heard it tore families apart, neighbors murdering each other in prejudice, fear and self-defense. So no, I think I'm fine with how I turned out."
Ryu looked completely bummed out, but it was Naruto's honest opinion. Hopefully he'd respect that.
Eating on in silence, it was not long after their discussion that the doors to the food hall was slammed open.
Silence fell upon the room like a gunshot as everyone turned towards those that had caused the ruckus.
As a federal law, only Samurai in the employ of political leaders was allowed to bear swords. Therefore, the 5 men that had barged into the food hall were easily identified as such. They were clothed in traditional kimono, swords at their sides as their ragged faces gazed sneeringly over the crowd.
The patrons quickly evaded eye contact and dully paid attentions to their drinks and hushed whispers with each other.
Discreetly keeping an eye on them, Naruto followed them with his eyes as they went over to an occupied table before harshly pulling and kicking those that were using it away.
Ryu kept his gaze down into his food, but Naruto was not really afraid of them.
It was not an unexpected sight to see. It was quite often you could see the Samurai beating up the defenseless for minor offenses and imagined slights. The abuse of power was common, and Naruto had even seen a a man get beat up for 'breathing too loud'.
There were worse crimes the Samurai had taken as well. While it did not happen often, there were times Naruto had heard the Samurai taking liberties with the local women against their will as well as murder.
They went unpunished for everything as well.
In another life, Naruto would have stepped in and helped those in need, but he was no longer that person. He was just a civilian now. He would abide by the law like everyone else. He had considered helping many times, but ultimately thought the better of it.
Fighting against those in power would bring nothing but trouble.
Sighing, Naruto felt his old dreams of protecting his loved ones rear its ugly head at him... But he quickly shoved those thoughts to the dark pits of his mind where they belonged.
One would wake up as soon as the sun rose in Kisara Village. Daylight burning, It was usually a rush during the summer season before autumn as their survival would depend of the fruits of their labor. While winter did not grow as cold and devastating as in the Land of Snow, it was still enough to make life considerably harder.
"Pull!", a man yelled as several lines of men pulled the ropes connected to the foundation of a wall.
Sweating, Naruto heaved as hard as he could along with those that surrounded him as they finally managed to rise the foundation to its standing position. Cheers rung out from the crowd upon completion and some set out to make sure it stood secure.
"Naruto!", the manager yelled and Naruto turned towards the sound as he was waved over.
"Hey old man!", Naruto grinned, sweat running down his form under the baking sun. "What's up?"
"Cheeky brat.", the manager grinned widely, before giving Naruto a small pouch. "You're doing good work for me, pulling so much more weight than anyone else here. Take a break and see if there's any iron wires at the market that you can buy for me, yeah?"
"Alright, but I'm good to continue working though. I don't mind."
"I know, but the last shipment has been late and we really need it soon. Check with the blacksmith as well if you have to and I trust you to bring any excess coin that is left back to me."
"Got it.", Naruto grinned and set out into town.
However, as soon as he arrived at the market, a town crier suddenly yelled at the middle of the market. Waving to get the attention of as many people as possible, Naruto trudged over to see what it was about along with everyone else.
"Hey Naruto!", Ryu called out as he came up to Naruto.
"Ryu.", Naruto nodded before gesturing towards the town crier. "Any idea what this is about?"
"No idea to be honest.", Ryu frowned. "But I doubt its anything good."
Naruto silently agreed with that. Any news that was delivered by the town crier was usually ordered by the village leader. The village leader treated himself like nobility, something he easily got away with as he was guarded by the only ones allowed to bear arms in the village, whom he payed a generous amount of money to stay in his employ. Usually, the town crier only informed the masses of any eventual raises in taxes or other concessions the village leader forced upon the villagers.
"By order of noble Nobu Fujita, in order to properly ward our precious village from the warring world outside our borders, all taxes are as of this moment raised by an amount no less than 5 percent!"
The crowd exclaimed in outrage and the rest of the crier's words was drowned in angry yelling.
"Yet another tax raise?", Ryu groaned. "I'm barely eating as it is already!"
"Guess in order for our 'Noble' Nobu to eat in his fancy villa, we have to go hungry.", Naruto snorted and shook his head.
Nobu, the leader, and his wife and son lived in a big compound at the center of the village. Nobu himself was rarely seen, but his retainers had their fingers everywhere in the village.
His son was also know throughout the village as an arrogant loudmouth, and unfortunately a dangerous one as well. As the son of the leader he was allowed to bear arms himself, posing as a Samurai yet fooling none.
In any case, this would only end in tears. Naruto could already see that they wouldn't be able to finish the new buildings at this rate, which would leave some of the refugees out in the cold or at someone else's mercy when autumn and eventually winter would come.
The day went on in a somber mood as Naruto and his colleagues did their best to keep their hopes up. Naruto, at the very least, had a home, a small shack, but it was way too small for more people to live in. Lives laid on the line depending on the result of the construction.
Naruto and Ryu eventually found themselves back at the food hall to spend whatever few coins they had for a light snack.
...And Ryu wanted an excuse to see Hina, but they didn't talk about that.
"How's the shop?", Naruto asked as he absentmindedly gazed over the crowd.
"After today, not sure.", Ryu muttered, his eyes lingering on Hina as she walked among the many patrons.
The same Samurai from the day before suddenly entered, but Naruto and Ryu paid them no mind. There were considerably less people present, most likely due to the unfair tax raise and so the 5 Samurai found themselves an empty table easily enough without taking it from someone else.
Conversations were held by low and somber voices and Naruto and Ryu didn't really feel like talking much.
"Please, don't!", Hina suddenly cried out and the hall fell silent.
"Don't be shy darling!", one of the Samurai sneered and his companions chuckled has he held a tight grip on Hina's wrist. "My father owns this village! I can show you a real good time, you know!"
The son of the village leader. Naruto didn't even need to think to realize this was bad news, even more so for poor little Hina if this scumbag had his eyes on her.
Naruto cast a quick glance at Ryu to see him clenching his hands in anger as the creep pawned at Hina.
"Don't.", Naruto whispered and shook his head, but it went unnoticed by Ryu whose gaze was fixed at what transpired. He could see that Ryu wanted to intervene, but no good would ever come of it.
Eventually, the son of Nobu got a little too frisky, and Hina in her panic scratched his face in order to free herself.
Everyone gasped as the son and the rest of the Samurai stood furiously.
"You bitch!", he yelled in impotent rage. "Come here!"
People yelled in fright and moved to get out of the way as the Samurai ran and grabbed the poor girl.
Ryu had long since jumped to his feet and Naruto could see this ending in no good way at all.
Maybe it was egotistical of him, but Naruto rose and turned to leave. He didn't want to see this. He'd warned Ryu about meddling and whatever he did now was his own choice.
"Please, no!", Hina screamed as the men pushed her down onto a table and stretched out one of her arms as her father sobbed helplessly in the background.
"I will cut off your fucking hand, bitch!", the son snarled and pulled out his sword. People yelled in dismay as the son approached and raised his sword, spurring Naruto to quicken his steps to leave sooner.
"NO!", Ryu suddenly yelled.
Naruto turned around just in time to see Ryu charging into the son. The son, obviously knowing a little on how to use the sword, easily freed himself and quickly slashed a shallow cut across Ryu's chest.
Ryu yelled in pain before one of the Samurai fell him over and sat down with his knee on Ryu's chest in order to hold him down.
"Hold him still!", the son yelled furiously as he turned back to Hina, whom was looking desperately at Ryu. "Ill take care of him after I'm done with this bitch!"
Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Should he just go?
5 long years he had lived in this village without a single incident. It was his home now. And while it was far from perfect, he loved his current life.
One action was all it would take for him to loose it all.
Opening his eyes, he saw the son raise his sword arm above Hina as she pleaded desperately.
He made a decision.
As the son rose the sword above his head, Naruto was already there and grasped unto his wrist and halted his downward slash.
Not giving anyone time to respond, Naruto grasped unto his face from behind and drove a knee straight into his spine. Quick as lightning, Naruto sidestepped and wrung his wrist that still held unto the sword. The movement sent the son flipping over his own hand before landing on his back with a bang, his head hitting the ground hard.
Disarming the downed son, Naruto spun to his feet and used the newly acquired katana to deflect an incoming slash from the closest Samurai.
Stepping closer to the Samurai, Naruto enhanced his legs with chakra and stomped down on his foot. The Samurai yelled in pain, but was halted as Naruto hit his fist up into his chin. The force would have sent him flying, but being lodged to the ground by Naruto's foot on his own, he instead went flat out on his back, the back of his head slamming into the wooden floor.
The other samurai was already in motion and Hina had scurried off and away from the battle.
Sidestepping a thrust, Naruto yet again grabbed onto a Samurai's wrist and spun low to the side, barely ducking under a slash from the man's comrade. Quickly, Naruto slashed deep into the man's leg, sending him screaming to the ground as his leg was now useless.
Naruto spun back to the man he still held the wrist of and pierced his shoulder with the sword straight through before shoving the man and the sword away, effectively sticking the Samurai like an ornament upon the wall.
Ignoring their pained screams, Naruto turned a calculative scowl upon the last Samurai, whom quickly turned tail and fled, most likely attempting to tell his master of what had happened.
Naruto took a shuddering breath.
It had been a long time since he'd moved like that. While it wasn't entirely unwelcome to stretch his legs, so to speak, the blood that followed was indeed regrettable.
Looking around himself, Naruto noticed everyone present staring at him completely dumbfounded. Some looked frightened of him, and it brought a whole set of unpleasant memories to the surface.
Briskly and without saying a word, Naruto left the food hall and hurried home. He had no illusions about staying. The guard that had run off would no doubt be bringing backup along with a very furious and very powerful noble.
It was time to disappear.
In the middle of his frantic packing, Naruto froze as he heard knocking on the door. He considering bolting through the window of his little shack, but a voice called out.
"Naruto! Let me in, I know you're there!", Ryu's voice called out.
Naruto sighed and opened the door. Letting Ryu inside, Naruto held his eyes low and continued packing.
"Whatever questions you may have need to be quick. I need to leave before the Nobu's men come to find me."
"What the hell was that back in the food hall, huh?", Ryu exclaimed. "You were so fast and so strong! How long have you been able to do things like that?"
"It doesn't matter.", Naruto muttered, just about ready to finish packing as he cloaked himself with a hood over the rest of the simple linen cloth he wore. "I shouldn't have done it. I cannot live here anymore."
"...I'm sorry you did it for me.", Ryu muttered sadly, but Naruto shook his head as he headed for the door.
"Don't be.", Naruto smiled sadly at his friend. "Lay low for a while, alright? Nobu's son will most likely forget about your face soon enough, but I'm pretty sure I do not have that option."
"I have so many questions for you...", Ryu shook his head demurely.
"If we ever meet again, maybe ill answer some, but it is irrelevant for now."
In a brisk pace, Naruto exited his little shack, Ryu following sedately after. The sound of yelling and smell of smoke filled their senses as they came outside.
"The hell...", Ryu muttered in confusion before he noticed smoke rising from a familiar location in the village. "...The food hall... Hina!"
Ryu dashed towards the food hall and Naruto watched him go with a sad smile, before turning the opposite direction in order to leave, most likely to never return.
Naruto walked alone a short distance before stopping. His stomach churned with a bad feeling.
"...Damnit..."
The local food hall burned brightly in front of the crowd, yet none dared to intervene.
In the middle of the town square, in front of the burning food all, a crowd stood gathered around a couple of individuals.
The townsfolk didnt look at them. They all had their eyes low, as the Leader's Samurai paced amongst them slowly with their sword drawn.
Sitting on the edge of the fountain in the middle, a burly looking individual with beard relaxed, his sword resting beside him in its sheath.
He wore red, traditional cloth, trimmed with gold and intricate patterns depicting dragons of old.
He held an apple in his hand which he cut pieces off with a tanto blade, eating slowly as his eyes slowly ran over the population present. The man's son stood beside him, an ugly sneer present on his face as he too gazed over the population with contempt.
A samurai came up to the man and bowed deeply.
"Lord Nobu.", the samurai bowed deeper. "The man that was described is not here."
Sighing, Nobu nodded and rose to his feet, glaring condescendingly over the crowd.
"Where...", Nobu drawled slowly as the hall burned eerily behind him. "...Is the man who defies my rule?"
The crowd stayed silent and unmoving, none daring to raise eyes nor words.
Nobu pursed his lips with annoyance, but his son shared none of his patience.
"...You fucking pricks!", his son snarled, walking over to an old man before kicking him down ruthlessly. "Where is he, huh!? Some of you know where he is!"
"Patience, Toushiro.", Nobu voiced calmly despite his son's temper. As his son returned to his side, Nobu waved some of his men over in a lazy manner.
2 of his samurai walked in from the side, dragging Hina, the waitress of the food hall, crying into the middle where the men held her down on her knees.
A man in the crowd, her father, yelled in protest, but was held back by one of the samurai when he tried to step forward.
"Where is he?", Nobu asked again just as patiently, yet condescendingly. "If i have to ask again, i will cut pieces off this girl until someone responds or until she dies." Taking a last slice of his apple, Nobu ate it quickly before rising to his feet. "Where is the man who harmed my son and my men?"
The crowd stayed just as silent, so with pursed lips, Nobu waved at his men holding Hina down to continue their actions.
Hina screamed in protest as one of the men forced her to hold out a finger, the other unsheathing his sword.
"Wait!", someone in the crowd yelled.
Surprised murmurs rose from the crowd as they parted, revealing a lone young man in the middle.
Ryu shivered where he stood, fear nearly tearing the heart out of his chest. As Nobu's eyes fell on him, Ryu bravely stood his ground with a determined glare of his own.
Nobu gave Ryu a short glance, before looking at his son for confirmation. Toushiro narrowed his eyes at the boy with confusion, not really recognizing him, but nodding to his father none the less. After all, his attacker had struck him from behind before he could see him.
"Alright then.", Nobu smiled benevolently, waving at his men who held Hina down. As they released her, Hina quickly scrambled away and towards her father in the crowd. Nobu then nodded towards Ryu. "Kill him."
Ryu sucked in a deep breath between his teeth and turned to run. He was stopped dead in his tracks with widening eyes as he realized he'd been surrounded.
The ominous sound of a sword unsheathing came from behind him, and as he turned, one of the samurai whom had crept up on him raised his blade with a warcry.
Stumbling back in fear, Ryu fell to his back with eyes locked on the falling blade.
Suddenly, a woodcutter axe flew through the air, all the way from the other side of the town square.
The crowd gasped in shock as the axe slammed into the Samurai's chest, sword still held above his head as his eyes widened in surprised shock, before tumbling to the ground. Nobu's eyes turned to steel and snapped his gaze towards the direction of where it had come from.
Naruto walked slowly towards the man he'd just killed with an unamused expression, ignoring Ryu whom laid on the ground looking at him as he approached.
Coming to a stop over the corpse and having willingly walked into the middle of being surrounded by samurai, Naruto kicked the corpse over before grasping the handle of the axe. Yanking the bloodied axe out of the samurai's chest, Naruto looked towards Nobu with a bored expression.
"...You wanted the man who 'defied your rule'.", Naruto drawled sarcastically, before scoffing condescendingly. He had never had any respect for the leader or his men, but now that they found themselves at knife point there was no longer any need to hide his opinion. "Well. Here i am."
Nobu pursed his lips again, before looking at his men. Upon his nod, the samurai around him all drew their swords and began converging upon Naruto.
"Ryu.", Naruto muttered, glancing at Ryu still frozen on his back from over his shoulder. "Move." With a moments hesitation, Ryu scrambled away from the scene.
Naruto tightened his hold around the shaft of the axe, standing in a relaxed position with the weapon hanging from his grip. His eyes flitted over the men who paced around him, slowly shifting his feet to count them all. Naruto counted 7, a few remaining close to their master.
One at his side suddenly decided to attack, lunging forward with a thrust towards Naruto's chest. Grasping onto the handle of the axe with a wide grip, Naruto deflected the weapon to the side before harshly shoving the blade of the axe in a cutting motion across the man's face. Not letting him recover as he screamed, Naruto swiped his legs from under him before slamming the axe down upon his back.
As the surrounding samurai converged on him, Naruto swung wildly at them, forcing them the take a wary step back to avoid getting their head chopped off. Naruto could have ended it quickly if he used his clones or the 'Rasengan', but he had not used those tools in many, many years and would prefer not to.
One samurai gave a warcry and lunged at him, motivating some of those nearby. Sidestepping the downward slash, Naruto spun and slammed the blade of the axe into the man's back, before pulling the man with the axe still buried in him into a spin. Naruto threw him into another who was charging at him, sending them both tumbling into the ground, one already dying from the fresh, opened wound at his back.
Hot, searing pain suddenly burst out from his back and Naruto gave an involuntary roar of pain as his skin was split open by the sharpened edge of a katana, forcing him down to one knee.
Turning quickly, Naruto gave a wild swing and swiped the legs from under the samurai who had cut him. Naruto angrily slammed the axe into the samurai's face a second after, charging to his feet as the nearby samurai were newly motivated after seeing his blood.
As he stood, Naruto picked up the katana from the killed samurai, flinging it towards one who was close. The force was enough to send it straight through the samurai's chest whose eyes widened in shock, dropping his own weapon before succumbing to his initial instinct of trying to remove it from his own body in shocked panic and futility.
Turning towards another, Naruto made the mistake of raising the wooden handle to block as one struck towards him with his blade. Realizing his mistake a second before the katana struck, Naruto swayed away an inch away from the katana as it cleaved the handle of his axe in two. Quickly dropping the broken pieces, Naruto threw himself at the overextended samurai and grappled onto his arms, stopping his reversal cut. He received an elbow to his face for his trouble, but the pain was easily ignored and his grip remained firm.
Quickly sending a knee into the man's groin, Naruto spun and dragged the samurai in front of himself as one of his comrades charged at him from behind, keeping the samurai between him and the others.
Reaching around the head of the hunched samurai, Naruto quickly enhanced his muscles with chakra and wrenched the man's head around, snapping his neck like a twig with a sickening sound. His other hand, still on the dead samurai's sword hand, quickly disarmed the corpse as it fell and rose the blade in a reverse grip to block a cut for his face.
With a growl of exertion, Naruto sunk to one knee, using his falling weight to stab through the samurai's leg. As the man hunched over his limb in a scream, Naruto quickly ripped the blade out, before spinning to the side into a downward slash that beheaded the man a second later.
Almost frantically and with wild eyes, Naruto sunk into a wide stance, blood dripping from himself and his blade as he observed the men now warily stepping away from him. With a guttural growl, Naruto took a threatening step forward, hunched and resembling more of a beast than man. The Samurai responded by taking a fearful step back, now wary of their opponent.
"You're not without skill.", a drawling voice interrupted from the side. The crowd had long since dispersed, seeking cover by the many buildings around the square, yet eyeing the events with wary eyes. Nobu had risen, his golden trimmed garbs fluttering gently in the wind as he approached, a hand on the handle of his sword still in its sheath. As he came to a stop in front of Naruto, Nobu waved away his Samurai, the cowards all too happy with backing off. "What is your name, young one?"
Naruto frowned and rose from his hunched position, taking the opportunity to relax as his clothes billowed in the wind. Staring Nobu down, Naruto noted how deathly quiet it had become.
"...I'm just a commoner, nothing more...", Naruto finally shrugged, his voice cold and dismissive. Naruto couldn't care less about the scum in front of him; he was a thug and a bully, not royalty.
Nobu chuckled and shook his head, his cold eyes gazing at Naruto with curiosity.
"You became something much more, the second you stood up to my son.", Nobu drawled with the hint of a smile. "You became something even greater, by killing my men and now, threatening my rule."
Naruto felt his hackles rise at the man's words. He reeked of narcissism and superiority complexes. Behind his cold eyes, Naruto could clearly see the unsettled mind of a megalomaniac.
"'Your rule.'", Naruto began smiling condescendingly with a scowl. "You are the ruler of nothing. It is a power given to you by the Daimyo that you have abused since the day you were given it."
Hoping to incite some anger in the man, Naruto was disappointed as he simply chuckled at him.
"Clever, trying to incite anger in your opponent.", Nobu muttered, a glint in his eyes. "I was once an officer within the Daimyo's army. For my services, i was granted lordship over this town to do with as i wish. I have every right to rule here."
Naruto merely shrugged at his words with a hateful scowl.
"Then the Daimyo is a fool!", Naruto barked loudly. Nobu and everyone else who was watching widened their eyes in shock. No one ever dared speak badly of a Daimyo, as they were seen as something close to the gods themselves. "During the years i have lived here, i have seen your men, your own sworn Samurai abuse the people they have been sworn to protect. People YOU have been sworn to protect!" Naruto spat out a glob of blood from his mouth. The wound he'd received earlier had already closed up, no longer bothering him. "If it is the will of the Daimyo that you rule here, then to hell with him! To hell with YOU!"
Dashing forward, Naruto rose his blade overhead as he was upon Nobu withing the second. The man widened his eyes in shock, his hands moving to draw the blade in order to block. Clenching his teeth together, Naruto pushed chakra to his arms, his bulging muscles straining at the force he pushed forward with.
Nobu was fast enough to draw and raise his sword in a horizontal block, trying to stop Naruto from cleaving him from shoulder to hip. Unfortunately, the man had no idea about Naruto's background, nor ability with using his chakra to reinforce his muscles. The blade slammed into Nobu's regal blade with force unlike any swordsman Nobu had ever seen, pushing his blade down and out of the way. Naruto's blade cut deeply into Nobu's shoulder, severing arteries as it cut deep beyond the shoulder bones of his body before coming to a stop.
Nobu's eyes widened, his face contorting into an expression of shock and pain, mouth opened in a silent scream as his blade fell from his fingers. Naruto glared at him with a determined expression, ignoring the shocked screams from the crowd looking at what was happening.
Ripping the blade loose in a downwards manner, Naruto simultaneously forced the man to his knees while drawing it out of his flesh. While Naruto was sure the man had been a fierce warrior during the man's tenure as an officer, he had underestimated Naruto greatly. He was a vile man who would receive justice for all the lives he'd marred with his influence.
Slowly, Naruto rose the blade above his head, a look of disgust upon his face as he looked down at the kneeling leader. Naruto hated himself almost as much as he hated Nobu for what he was doing, but for the sake of his friends and the village as a whole, Nobu needed to die.
As Nobu looked up at Naruto with a shocked expression, disbelief still prevalent in his expression, Naruto let his arms fall, the blade descending faster than the eye could see. Nobu's head fell from his body, his essence leaking from both severed ends and soaking the earth.
Silence filled the square, Samurai and townsfolk watching alike as the young man stood over their now dead village leader. Stabbing into the ground, Naruto let his blade stand anchored to the ground as he kneeled. Grasping the hair of Nobu's head, he made eye contact with Toushiro, Nobu's son who stood frozen by the fountain, trembling with fear despite the death of his father. He was a coward through and through, despite his posturing over the defenseless villagers throughout the town. As Naruto rose, he lifted the severed head of Toushiro's father towards the son, his hateful glare bearing down on the cowardly son.
"For you, you craven coward.", Naruto hissed, throwing the head towards him. Toushiro yelped as it landed in front of him, jumping to the side in fright to avoid the head coming too close to himself. Naruto scoffed at the display before glaring at the Samurai around him. They stood scared and confused, unsure on what to do. Naruto recognized many of them and knew them to be guilty of the cruelties they had done to the people over the years since he'd settled there.
"People of Kisara!", Naruto roared out, rage and blood lust still in his veins. His roar drew the attention of everyone present and they gasped at the sight of the young man, covered in blood with eyes which seemed alight with fire, his irises sharing the color of the blood draped across his body. "Nobu is dead! The man who have abused and used us for years is gone forever!" Naruto leveled his glare on Toushiro who seemed to shrink in on himself. "Only his son is left to succeed him and you all know his disposition towards us common folk. The very reason we are here today is because a young brave man attempted to stop him in having his way with an unwilling woman!", Naruto yelled, turning around as he looked to the townspeople surrounding the square who looked at him completely enraptured. His eyes found Ryu, the man he was speaking of before continuing their travel over the crowd. "He is nothing more than a parasite! He and his Samurai are only as brave as the blade in their hands allows them to be against unarmed and peaceful folk! Take up arms, my people!", Naruto roared again, blood thundering in his ears. This had gone beyond what he originally intended, but years of oppression was now resurfacing with his anger, a flame having been fanned to life like a forest fire. "Take up arms! Take up arms and strike down these criminals who call themselves our protectors!"
Like a buzzing bee hive, the crowd emerged from the roads and alleys of the village, scowling with foul expressions on their faces. The Samurai that had so far been surrounding Naruto had quickly turned, leveling their weapons fearfully towards the approaching crowd who were yelling obscenities at them.
Toushiro turned from face to face in the angry mob, his fear making way for childish indignation and fearful petulance.
"S-Stay back! I am you leader now and you will do as i say! One step closer and i will-"
"You will never be the leader in this village!", Naruto roared as he stalked towards Toushiro with a scowl. The son turned towards Naruto fearfully for a moment, before surprising Naruto with a show of bravery as he charged him. Waving the sword above his head like a fool and screaming like a goat, Naruto narrowed his eyes and readied his blade at his side. As Toushiro was upon him, Naruto deflected the blade with a hard blow, sending the blade out of Toushiro's hands and to the side. Before he could respond, Naruto used the back of the blade to swipe Toushiro's legs from under him.
Seeing this, the crowd burst into activity, emboldened by Naruto's actions. Like a single entity, they converged on the remaining Samurai with little regard for their own safety. The Samurai cut down an attacker each maybe, before the crowd swarmed them forcing their swords out of their hands before ripping the rest of them apart with rage.
With a warcry that was mirrored by the crowd a second later, Naruto rose his blade to the sky.
"Take back our homes!"
And chapter 1 done. As i said earlier, dunno when chap 2 will be up. Hope you enjoyed it so far.
MiNdZeRo here, signing out.