Hikari's Monster

Hello, people. This chapter is kind of sad. But…...It's been another year. Yeah! Also, I know you guys want to see some Narusasu, but it'll be back soon. Naruto's travels are very important here. Also, the next update will be December 12

"Hey, guess what?" Naruto asked, swinging his legs.

"What, Gaki?" This voice did not belong to Jiraiya, his three tailed beasts, or his own fox summons.

No. It was the booming voice of Gamabunta, Naruto's toad summon and the toad king. He'd summoned him on his third month of training, in the unclaimed land between Suna and Iwa, where they sat now.

Jiraiya was out doing research, which Naruto couldn't fathom where so the blond was left with his summon.

When they first met, Naruto could honestly say that he disliked the toad, who seemed too sure of the world. But after a while, they got used to one another.

"Now all you have to do is…."

"Pervy-sage, I know how to summon. This is the fourth time I've told you."

Jiraiya smiled with his eyes. "Sorry. So just go ahead. I'm sure you'll get it this time."

Naruto sighed and bit his thumb. Crouching, he thought extremely hard. Priorly, the blond had been making the mistake of summoning his foxes, and the solution was very obvious.

"Toad Summon" He yelled as his palm was slapped into the ground.

Smoke filled everywhere and the blond smiled as he was lifted from earth. "Alright!."

Jiraiya stared baffled as Gamabunta spit out his cigar, the object denting the lands.

He kneeled. "Chief Toad."

The toad grumbled. "Jiraiya. Why'd you summon me? I was busy."

Naruto laughed.

Jumping down, he rested upon the animal's nose. "He didn't. I did."

Gamabunta stared for a single moment, as if registering who the boy was. Then his eyes narrowed. "The prophecy. This means that war is brewing and time to save the world is beginning."

Naruto frowned, but still nodded. "War is brewing and we can attempt to save the world."

They tolerated each other to an extent.

It wasn't the kind of brotherly relationship Naruto had with the tailed beast within him.

It was the tolerated relationship Kurama and Shukaku had.

Naruto sighed. "When will he perv return? I'm bored and you're boring."

Gamabunta growled and swiped for Naruto, only to grow angrier as the nine year old dodged. "If I'm boring, I'll be leaving."

He then dispersed, having Naruto fall to the ground and onto his feet. The blond frowned deeper then. What could he do when he knew so much about the world and about abilities?

He briefly wondered what Gaara was doing now. The boy, now five, would be starting school in a year. Naruto really hoped Gaara was well. He'd kill anyone in that village who hurt him. He was his brother's hero first.

And what of Sasuke? Was the raven on the brink of his own destruction due to Naruto's absence? Naruto would honestly feel better if Sasuke weren't so vulnerable. He was probably home now, training hard to uphold his look in Itachi's and Fugaku's eyes.

With a bitter chuckle, the boy sat upon the ground. He should have been home, making sure no one dared look at Sasuke or Gaara wrong.

Gaara knew who Naruto was to him. He knew Naruto would give his life for him.

Sasuke on the other hand was high strung. He wouldn't admit things.

Naruto breathed deeply. "I'm Sasuke's bodyguard…..protector. But, mostly, I'm his warrior. The world will perish if he's hurt. That is my only weakness. Use Sasuke -make him bleed, torture him, capture him- and that's how you have defeat me."

To the humans of earth. "For the safety of this world, you mustn't patronize those I hold dear. Do not touch the tailed beasts, do not touch Gaara Namikaze, and do not touch Sasuke Uchiha. For the sake of this world, do not anger me."

Naruto opened his eyes then, touching his hair horns softly. What kind of monster was he becoming? A fierce one. He had lost hope for the world long ago.

Naruto and Sasuke were just starting their third month of training. As of now, both six year olds were sitting on the monument; particularly the third hokage's nose.

Sasuke was in the middle of complaining about how his father wanted him to be strong enough to protect the whole clan.

"I just don't want to be strong, Dobe. I mean I do, just not to take over clan duties. I want to be normal. All I do is train for them. The worst part about being strong is that no one ever asks if you're okay."

"Are you?" Naruto whispered. He couldn't say that he understood because Pein was the Heir of the Namikaze clan, although he never complained. Naruto couldn't fathom why Fugaku wanted both his sons to run the Uchiha clan.

He didn't understand, but he did feel his friend's pain.

And Sasuke lost it. He laid his head down in the blond's lap, who unconsciously began to stroke the dark strands. "No, I'm not." He sobbed out. "I just wish my father would give me time to be me. I'll protect the clan, but who's going to protect me?"

It was rhetorical, but without hesitation, Naruto spoke. "I am." The Uchiha stopped his cries for a moment, waiting for the other to continue. "I'll protect you with my life, Sasuke. Every day, hour, second. I'll be your strength. I promise."

The boy hummed, a sign that he heard Naruto loud and clear. "Thank you." He whispered and the night won against him.

Had he stayed awake for just a moment longer, he would have witnessed Naruto cutting his palm with a kunai and swearing to show the Uchiha he'd care when nobody else did.

Why had he ever had thoughts like that?

He sat in the middle of nearly nowhere, contemplating his decisions and the common phrase used by both Jiraiya and his tailed beasts.

War is brewing

In an attempt to forget his thoughts, Naruto looked around for any signs of life. When he spotted none, tapped the seals upon his body.

"Godlike Divinity: Unsealing."

His body felt no strain as three large tailed beasts were removed from his body. He sat down as they crowded him in a circle.

When he realized he could not look into their faces, he touched their legs. "Small Summon."

At this, all three beasts shrunk to a small size. The size they had once been when Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki created them.

"What is it, Naruto?" Kurama asked, frowning as he looked around. "I see no battle."

Naruto smiled softly and placed his staff on his crossed legs. "I didn't bring you three here for battle, Kurama. Sit."

The fox did as told and Naruto looked at them all. Son Gokū and Shukaku all looked healthy in their own ways.

"Are you all feeling alright? The seal hasn't gave any negative effect, has it?"

The beasts shook their large heads. "Good. I have a mission to discuss with you three."

"Go on." The raccoon dog ushered, resting on his arm.

Naruto smiled and rubbed the Ichibi's head, making it relax further. "How many of you are within me?"

Son Gokū raised a brow. "There are three. Is there something wrong with the seal?"

"No no. Nothing's wrong. It's only that six of your siblings are missing."

Kurama's eyes widened. "Are you saying…." He trailed off, unsure of his hope.

Naruto nodded. "Yes. Our mission is to locate them and seal them within me. Not for power, but for peace. The world is a cruel place and they will soon be used now that war is brewing."

"Where will we find them?" Shukaku questioned. He hadn't seen his other siblings in years. To think that Naruto would want to strain himself just for their safety, it meant so much.

"Is that even possible?" Kurama asked, outraged. Naruto summed up his anger as a concealment of fear and pain.

Kurama had been with Naruto the longest. He knew that having nine tailed beasts within would physically strain him….even kill him. "Do you know that you could…" Again he trailed off.

Naruto closed his eyes with a smile, and rubbed Kurama's left ear."We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"Now, you three need to understand that the world has never battled with anyone or anything more than it has with peace. Or greatest concern is making sure the beasts are not weaponized and deanimalized."

Shukaku opened his mouth to speak, but Naruto held up his hand. "You need to understand that hell is empty and the demons are here.

In all known time, there has never been a greater miracle or monster than the human being. Those are words from Chi."

The tailed beast looked defeated and Naruto laughed. "We'll be fine. There's a reason we're all together."

"Is that all?" Son Gokū asked solemnly. "Is the mission why you summoned us only?"

Naruto shook his head. "No. There's is another thing. It's seems that since war is brewing, there is more to learn. We have to travel to the ancient lands."

Shukaku nodded. "Do you mean the land where Hikari Namikaze was born and raised?"

Kurama visibly shuddered and Naruto pat his head again to assure him that he was safe. "That's considering, but he may be referring to lands where Haruto Namikaze experimented in his world-like mannerism."

Son Gokū reasoned out the assumptions. "What about the most ancient place of them all? The place where Chi was rooted from the ground? Where She raised her children and wrote her theories? Where no one has gone?"

Naruto smiled. "All three of those places, my friends. We're going to learn more about the world. Ttebayo."

Looking toward the dimming sky, the nine year old yawned. "I may as well see Pervy-sage when I get a little rest. Come. we will speak and train together later."

Naruto again, touched the seals upon his body. His chest, lower abdomen, and neck. "Godlike Divinity: Non-restraint seal."

The tailed beasts restored themselves within Naruto once again. Laying down on his futon, the blond closed his eyes.

'Goodnight Shukaku, Kurama, and Son Gokū."

"Goodnight." they called in unison.

Naruto didn't know how tired he was until he fell asleep instantly.

He was walking through a quiet field with a large sword in hand.

Naruto didn't know he could be so tall and stood mesmerized as the sun kissed the tip of the trees. And unwillingly, he began walking again….closer and closer to tents he grew.

With each step, there was the camp of tents. Who occupied these tents, Naruto did not know. he only knew that he was walking slowly toward them.

When he finally reached a tent, the blond- if he even was Naruto- stepped inside and grabbed a scroll.

Upon the scroll were odd blueprints. Human blueprints. The words left his mouth, but they were not voices of his.

"I see the putrid humans think they can steal from me? I shall teach them that this recreation jutsu will never be for them."

With that, Naruto's eyes turned and left the tent. He did not get far, however, as a child stood before him.

She looked about his age, but in this dream, Naruto was taller. Her eyes stared confused, not betrayed. With as much innocence she had, she spoke.

"Who are you, big mister?"

The knowing engulfed Naruto. He knew he could not stop himself. He didn't know how. Within him was his caring side and hope for the world and for himself. That side of him escaped and turned to flee.

It would not return for the rest of this nightmare.

Before he could stop, the sword stuck within the child's head and she died instantly.

As she dropped to the ground, Naruto's inner self gagged. Nothing came out.

Stepping on the child, he moved forward. A pregnant woman kneeled in old clothing, cooking a meal.

Naruto put his hands up. "Life Absorption."

At the last instant, she looked up and gasped. And then she lay dead. Naruto unwillingly walked forward and touched her stomach.

He laughed. "The child will not live. For it cannot be born into this filthy world."

There he went on to killing the people in camp. Women, children, men.

He felt like he was drowning. The water was a shock spurting into his head. He choked on air as if he could taste the water. It had a slat blood mucus taste.

A sound came from his mouth, intended as a sob, but a low guttural animal growl as he killed a sleeping man.

He moved on to a child, shaking as he saw Naruto rip his mother into shreds.

Tears leaked from the boys eyes, but he was standing up to Naruto. Naruto growled as he and the boy stared one another down.

He saw it. The boy was shaken, but the pure hatred was there.

The boy was one of those kids. Those kids who saw their families killed by those type of men just to become meaner; to become angrier; to become older; Just to become those type of men themselves.

He killed the boy.

As he killed a child that lay in a crib, Naruto became dizzy. He couldn't flee. He couldn't run or hide.

At the worst thing about the situation was that deep down in the pit of his stomach, Naruto enjoyed it.

When they was no one left, he began to roam camp and set it ablaze. These people, if found, did not deserve a funeral.

"What have you done?" Someone asked behind him. The person's voice was weak and they coughed haphazardly.

Turning, he smiled at the old woman there, holding her weak boy against a tent. He walked closer.

"They were going to use my jutsu on you. To have you live longer. You humans cannot give up."

The old woman seemed to open her eyes then. "Haruto Namikaze? Hikari's monster is what you are. Killing me will not save you once she finds you. You will have to answer to Hikari."

Naruto laughed darkly. "Yes, but first….answer to me. I am the great and the powerful and no human can take me down. I can kill you, use my jutsu on you, and kill you again."

With that, he stabbed his sword within her head. She did not die instantly. Instand held onto his shirt for dear life.

Once again, she asked "what have you done?"

Touching her face, Naruto growled. "I killed this world."

It took some time, but the old woman finally died. Naruto pushed her down and kicked the sword further into her head. "You may keep my gift to you."

Finally, as if some known power knew Naruto did not belong, he was pushed out of the body he was within.

His arms were weak as he fell to the ground and let out a hacking sob. Curling his knees to his chest, the boy finally began to cry.

Between gasps, he was breathing, he was breathing and he knew he was safe.

Someone kneeled before him. "It's okay. You will get used to things like this, flesh of my flesh; blood of my blood."

Naruto looked up. Staring into the blue eyes of a man who looked like him.

Scarred cheeks, blond hair, as gruesome smile.

"We killed those people."

Hikari's monster smiled. "I know. Soon you will understand. Follow me, Naruto. You are me and together the world can be stopped."

Naruto almost nodded. Almost succumbed to this monster before him. But, was he not a monster too? He enjoyed killing just as much as Hikari's monster before him.

But then, Sasuke's image popped into his mind. Gaara was there too, smiling and holding up his hands for his aniki to lift him up.

There was Shukaku, Son Gokū, and Kurama.

Naruto closed his eyes. Deep in the back of his mind, there was Pein, lifting him in his arms, training him, playing around the house with him.

The last image he saw was Pein crouching down and squeezing his nose. Naruto smiled and flew back a little and then breathed deeply. Pein smiled. "You're alive."

Looking back at his great great grandfather, the blond shook his head. "No. I won't join your treachery. When I find you and I'm strong enough, I will destroy you and this world will be saved. You're a monster."

Instead of looking offended., Hikari's monster laughed. He reached forward and rubbed Naruto's hair.

"So are you. You're a monster….you just haven't realized. But it's coming….really soon. Flesh of my flesh; blood of my blood. I'm asking you not to make this choice. You're not quite ready to meet me yet."

And he disappeared.

Naruto awoke with a gasp to yelling in his head. The voices of his tailed beasts urged him to awake and Naruto did so.

'What is it?' he asked disoriented, not fully recovered from the nightmare. It felt so real…..like Hikari's monster was really there.

"There are five large chakra signatures coming our way." Kurama nearly yelled.

"You have to get up now."

Naruto sighed and stood, rubbing his eyes, just as he did so, five men appeared from the west. They were not shinobi, but they were powerful.

"Did you really think you could come for me?" He growled. "You have no idea who or what I am."

The first person stepped forward and Naruto noticed the problem.

All five men looked the same...they were replicas of one another. When he looked even closer, he noticed the same blood stain on their stomachs and the dead look in their eyes.

They were dead.

And they were being controlled.

"We are a follower of Haruto Namikaze born again to use us for good. We are here to destroy you and bring you back to Haruto-sama's camp."

"Goodluck." Naruto mumbled. Instantly, he hit his staff upon the ground. "Prophecy Sage Art: All World Destruction."

The shockwave the emitted killed the man of five instantly and uprooted the small camp around him. Before he could turn, someone hit his neck.

He jumped away, only to stand face to face with a man who looked just like him. The man was in his prime still. How? Naruto had no idea. He looked like Naruto, but his face was stitched and blood stained his teeth when he smiled.

"You are not strong enough to fight me yet. You must be destroyed before that happens."

He stomped his staff and darkness encased the blond.

Five months since his attack and he knew he was almost through.

During this time, they kept Naruto inside a tent, strawn up by ropes upon his arms. He could not move or use jutsu because his chakra was still coming in.

The tailed beasts were emitting some of their chakra into Naruto daily to keep him alive. They couldn't do much because Naruto locked the seal in order to keep them safe.

Five months he'd been separated from Jiraiya and hung into this tent. He knew he was in Suna because he could keep track of time using his feet.

The numbers on the sand were bloody because Naruto's own feet were dripping blood.

Everyday, a different person came in to beat him. Cut him up. Stab him. And for what? They claimed to be followers of Hikari's monster, and Naruto knew the man's plan was to kill him before he got stronger.

Why the wait?

He wondered if Jiraiya had gone back to Konoha. If they were looking for him. It was too late now. He was already damaged.

His left leg was bent backward while his right leg had three kunai in them.

His arms were raised by ropes against the heavy tent walls, so that he was defying gravity.

The right leg with the Kunai was dripping blood.

His stomach had blood splotches over it because he was stabbed many times and many occasions..

Heavy but slow breath, so near to dying.

His cheek had a stab through it and his single blue eye was cut and bloody.

His heart hurt like hell. The bandits here had injected him with something….they attempted to paralyze him. It didn't work, but it still hurt.

How could his grandfather have this executed? Have humans that he hated so much hurt flesh of his flesh; blood of his blood?

These were hardly bandits. They were Shinobi of Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure. Naruto supposed that if he killed them, no one would know. He assumed they were committing treason.

Just as he was about to close his eyes in order to sleep, Shukaku called.

"Naruto...you have to stay up. If you fall asleep, we can't emit our chakra into you."

'I'm so tired." He whimpered. In so little years of his life, his world was falling apart.

He was molested and beat by his own people.

His village feared him.

His brother killed their clan, leaving only he and Gaara. And now it would just be Gaara.

His great great grandfather had somehow revived himself and he wanted Naruto dead.

He was going to die here in this camp. Bruised and without fight.

He lowered his head and closed his eyes...forgetting to breath was his main concern. And he tried and tried to stay awake.

There was a single glimpse of light as his tent was opened.

"Naruto?" Someone called in a whisper. They touched his face.

Naruto watched as hands touched his chest and a red light glew from them. He was being healed by someone.

And if he was being healed, he was being saved and given the power to fight. But, by who?

With a weak smile, the blond looked up as he stood on his now partially healed legs. All he were purple ring eyes, orange hair, and a smile as the person left the tent.

"Kit, you have the power to leave camp now."

Naruto smiled and balled his fist. "Let's go. And let's show these men who they were messing with."

With a sigh, he pulled on his cloak and grabbed his staff, which lay on the table. He was so happy he sealed everything he brought on his trip. He walked out, not caring who was before him. He wanted these men to see their executioner.

There were ten men exactly standing around, talking and laughing with one another.

One looked toward him. "Namikaze Naruto! He's-"

"All World Destruction."

Their bodies were ripped apart. The other tents were set ablaze. Naruto growled.

He felt three hundred and twenty five signatures in this camp. He vowed that half of them would not make it out.

With a sigh, the blond lifted his staff again. Again, as shockwave tremored through the camp and he could hear the screams of agony.

"Namikaze Light Release: Light Ball Jutsu."

Five balls of light, gas, and fire emitted from him and hit 20 men head on. "Revenge! I will show you revenge!"

Naruto knew that if some of these men got away, he'd be wanted by three large villages. He'd be an enemy. "Let my name be known!"

The blond bit his thumb and slapped it upon the ground. "Foxes of wind."

Kaze appeared. "Yeah, boss?"

"Give them wind."

The fox grew in size and stomped. With as much air he could get in, Kaze blew out his breath. Naruto watched as four men were split in half. Kaze dispersed and Naruto moved on.

He came face to face with seven men standing in a line. He raised a hand.

"Light Cut."

With a single swipe, their head were severed.

He continued through the burning camp, killing anyone in his path. He lost count at 234. When the blond reached the end of camp, he watched in agony as men fled, screaming something about Akuma Kitsune.

Demon Fox.

The blond was weak. He had no strength to go after the last 38 men. They lived to tell the tale.

"You have to go to the forest, Naruto. It's safer there."

"Yes, Son Gokū. Much safer."

As he limped away into the forest, Naruto thought.

His great great grandfather must have fled the camp. He must have left the humans to do his dirty work.

There were exactly 325 people in that camp. All but 38 were killed by his hand.

287.

287 men was his body count. In spite of himself, the blond smirked, thinking of what Jiraiya had once said.

Your father defeated 1,000 Iwagakure shinobi in a single battle.

"I destroyed almost 300 in less than ten minutes."

When his vision grew blurry, the blond spotted an old woman in the forest. She sat crossed legged, he dark skin saggy and nearly sick.

Her hands were cradling a thin space and chants left her mouth. "Ka-Ka-Ka."

Deciding she was no real danger, Naruto clasped next to the dark woman. She stopped chanting and looked toward him.

They stared in silence for a moment before the blond closed his eyes, drifting from consciousness.

And so goes the story of Akuma Kitsune.

The 38 men who escaped camp really did live to tell the tale. It would only be months before Kumo knew and spread the word to Iwa, and then to Suna, Konoha, and Kiri. It would only be months before the world knew.

How Namikaze Naruto got a second name. How he became both a loved and feared ninja around the world. Akuma Kitsune, Demon Fox, was born as 287 men lay torn apart, burned alive, mauled.

This was the final moment of who he was meant to be.

And in that moment, something caught on to him. Something from a whole other world inside him, waiting, clawing at his bones, itching to be set free.

Something more dangerous than a tailed beast itself. When Naruto drifted from consciousness in agony, the world winced. The volcanos screamed too. The clouds sputtered and coughed. The wind hissed. Hell grew cold.

The prophecy, in which Namikaze Naruto was to be the savior of the world, was altered. Once meant to be the liberator and not the destroyer, that had changed. It was up to fate now.

So goes the story.

And...scene. Just so you guys know, that old woman who Naruto laid next to is very significant to the story. A new friend Naruto will soon make in the next chapter. I finished this chapter and I am so happy.

That was sort of a dream and reality for Naruto before the attack. Hikari's monster basically used a nightmare to locate Naruto.

Yes, Naruto killed 287 men and sadly, this is how he will become famous. Review friends, tell me how you feel.

And remember that slow can go.