Disclaimer: You know what I do and do not own.
AN: Just to let you all know, The Tale of Uzumaki Naruto, is cursed. Two times I have finished the latest chapter and two times a CPU unit has crapped out... I nearly cried this time so I thought Fuck it and decided to update this one 'cuz the good Lord willing says it's better (at least through divine fuck ups).
Chapter 5
'Man,' Naruto thought. He was sweating profusely. After a month of training with Jiraiya, he had greatly improved his chakra control. Everyday, Naruto would show up at the Hot Springs after his daily 'purge' (shattering a log through pure bitterness) for chakra control exercises. He currently was beefing up his chakra reserves with the Water Walking exercise. He completed the Tree Climbing exercise two days after meeting Jiraiya and finished the Water Walking exercise after a week. Naruto just came day after day to the Hot Springs to talk with Jiraiya. The simple truth was, Naruto enjoyed his company... akin to that of a grandson and grandfather.
Oh yes, Naruto knew that his and Jiraiya's relationship would become strained at best, shattered at worst. However, Naruto knew that if he never experienced the joys that the normal people of Konohagakure no Sato experienced, he would never protect those bonds to his fullest extent. His pain was well worth it, in Naruto's opinion because the joy he felt over making anyone and everyone happy was more exhilarating than the recent bond he had forged with Jiraiya.
Sadly, Jiraiya had been gone for three days now. Naruto didn't know if that was the end of their friendship. He wished it had lasted longer, Naruto didn't feel he built up the relationship to its fullest extent. At least he got a taste of a familial bond.
Today was also the beginning of the third stage of the Chunin Exams. One of Naruto's clones had picked up some info concerning a Nuke-nin sabotaging a student during the Second Exam. However, Naruto was determined to stop all further aggression on Konohagakure no Sato resident's... even if they didn't understand the meaning of shinobi.
Naruto had just finished his sparring with his increased number of Kage Bunshin, thanks to Jiraiya's instruction when it happened. An explosion at the stadium holding the Third Stage of the Chunin Exams went off and all hell broke loose. Naruto watched as three different Summon Snakes attacked Konohagakure no Sato from three different directions and enemy shinobi poured over the village walls. Naruto's rage was palpable as he was instantly covered in red chakra.
At a blinding speed, Naruto cut down many Suna and Oto shinobi, often so fast that citizens and Konoha shinobi could not identify anything of their savior other than an orange blur. Naruto had evened the odds for the surprise attack, for once the Konoha shinobi regrouped, they easily forced back both Oto and Suna shinobi.
Naruto, however, was more concerned with the brown behemoth moving his way in the shape of a Tanuki. Naruto easily reached the monster in under than three minutes. He knew, even from the center of Konoha that this thing was the Ichibi.
"I thought you had learned a lesson," Naruto quirked at the lumbering demon. Said demon comically looked around for a few seconds before he spotted Naruto.
"You," The Ichibi growled out.
"Me!" Naruto growled back. "I thought I told that I would be there the next time you and your siblings caused trouble," Naruto said as he shifted his gaze to a panic stricken Suna Kunoichi with blond hair.
"He doesn't know better!" She pleaded. "Please just don't kill him, he hasn't had a good life," she sobbed.
"Tsk," Naruto grumbled. "As is the curse of the Jinchuriki. I am not some crazed lunatic. He will be dealt with... with prejudice," Naruto snarled as he once more sent another 'shock wave' out from his person, causing the sleeping red head to awake, but not dispelling his demon.
"You again," Gaara snarled. "I must have your blood!" as a tendril of sand shot out for Naruto. Naruto just stared at the tendril as it came closer until it ultimately collapsed.
"I am jailer of the king of demons. I control all youki. Your attempts on my life only aggravate me. Cease and desist at once... and I'll spare your life for the one that loves you."
Gaara scoffed when he heard that someone loved him. "W-who could love me?" He questioned the blond.
"Why, the girl pleading for your life. The one in Pig Tails." Naruto answered as he used Gaara's chakra to replicate his sand manipulation and float to eye level with his arms crossed.
Gaara only looked down to his older sister, a girl he never gave a thought to, standing on a tree branch, crying. "Why are you crying?" He asked in a whisper.
"She cries for you," Naruto scowled at his brethren. "The story for all Jinchuriki is to be hated and despised," Naruto began in a cold, hard voice, "but, it seems that the hate is less with the rank of the demon," he said in a lighter voice while looking at Temari.
"I have known nothing but hate in my life," Naruto began with his folded arms on a floating cloud of sand, "please, for the sake of all Jinchuriki everywhere, do not shun the love she has given you," Naruto finished in a pleading voice.
Gaara could only stare wide eyed at Temari. Someone who loved him? Impossible.
Naruto sped back to Konoha after dealing with Gaara. The boy still didn't understand the concept of someone at least caring for him, but with the Suna Kunoichi's thanks, she marched the gob smacked Gaara, and an unconscious Kankuro back to Sunagakure no Sato.
Naruto couldn't use Gaara's floating sand to fly back, he could only direct youki that was in use within a certain radius. It didn't matter to Naruto anyways, he was already back to the walls of Konoha.
Immediately upon entering, he noticed a purple dome covering a part of the Konoha skyline, and with his added sensitivity to chakra, he knew that's where the main battle was going on.
Naruto arrived at the dome, which had a group of Konoha ANBU just standing a distance off. Peering into the dome, Naruto faintly watched as the old man Hokage struggled against three opponents. Two he faintly recognized as the Shodai and Nidaime Hokage. The third was standing slightly off to the side with a sick grin on his face.
"Why aren't you breaking the dome down?" Naruto asked the ANBU with barely restrained malice.
In unison, the four looked at Naruto. If Naruto didn't have such a strong constitution, he would have been intimidated by the faceless symmetry of their actions. The apparent leader only raised a hand pointing at a pile of ash. Naruto put the puzzle together almost immediately. Touching the barrier meant a certain death.
Naruto jumped around the dome, looking for any kinks in the design. Sadly, he could find none. He did notice that the ancient Hokage in the dome summoned Enma, the Ape King. Naruto felt some hope return to an almost desperate situation. Naruto also noticed four teenagers hunched at the four corners of the dome. It seemed that they were the anchors for the shield.
Naruto quickly assessed the four, deducing that the most hot headed of the bunch would most likely be the one with six arms. Naruto got as close to the shield as he dared and stared the kid down. At first, the kid just smirked at him, but Naruto's dead panned stare was starting to unnerve him, which was pissing him off. Naruto would have taunted the kid, but from what he guessed, no sound got in or out of the dome.
In Naruto's peripheral, he noticed a complicated chain of hand seals the Hokage was going through. After a minute, the decrepit Hokage finally bared a grin as if he just won the battle. The Shodai and Nidaime dropped to the ground as the strange man charged the Hokage with a gleaming sword jutting from his mouth. Enma was able to grab the blade, but it was too late. The blade had passed nearly six inches out of the aged Hokage's back. Instead of gasping for mercy, the Hokage only smiled more as the strange man started to panic.
Seconds after, the Hokage fell, and so did the dome. The four cornerstone shinobi, who Naruto was able to finally see an Oto designation on, tried to regroup and protect the strange man. Naruto made a bee line for the six armed shinobi as the Konoha ANBU also began their pursuit. The fat completed a jutsu that slowed the ANBU just enough to for the Oto nin's to get away. However, the one Naruto stared down tried to leave a parting shot on the blond. He surprisingly spat a web at Naruto. Naruto focused his eyes in concentration, trying to catch up to the group, but they were surprisingly quick.
It's time to use that jutsu, Naruto thought. Holding his hand out, a wicked looking kunai 'poofed' into existence. The blade was abnormally long, and had a side winding nature to it. Naruto flung the kunai with precision as it slashed through the web, but missed the six armed shinobi by a foot. The Oto-nin smirked at, what he thought was, horrible accuracy, instead, the kunai 'poofed' again, and in its place was another Naruto appeared, giving the surprised nin a roundhouse kick to his face, knocking him out with the force.
"Welcome to the world, Onryou," and Naruto's clone gave him a grim nod as he watched the speedily retreating backs of the Oto-nin's as Naruto went to cover the face of the Sandaime Hokage.
Dictionary:
Onryou: Revengeful ghost, wraith, spirit