Chapter 21: Journey to the Spirit World
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any shape or form. Only Masashi Kishimoto does.
A/N: In response to Arch Zell's review, Naruto will return to Konaha one day. As I mentioned, this is also a training arc. He's going to sharpen his skills a lot and then he'll be able to return.
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Naruto opened his eyes to find himself flying over desolate land with Koenma floating in front.
"Where are we?" Naruto excitedly inquisitioned while continuing to fly against his own will.
"This, Naruto, is the Spirit World. Down there are the Plains of No Return. Some vicious monsters live down there. They are some of the escapees of hell," Koenma explained about the place they were in.
"B-but why are we flying?" the very excited Naruto questioned even farther.
"I'm Koenma. If I can fly, I can make others fly."
"Makes enough sense to me," Naruto shortly said.
Koenma felt his pacifier nearly slip out of his mouth, causing him to take the focus off of keeping Naruto afloat. Naruto felt the tingle of flying disappear from his system and he began to plummet to the land beneath him. Before Koenma could try to get Naruto back afloat, Naruto had already left his view.
"Oh no! What am I going to do?" Koenma worried wondered while floating.
Naruto hit the ground hard and began to panic about as to how he'll get to wherever Koenma's base is. He looked around at the desolate bone yard around him before walking north. Just minutes into his walk, Naruto froze in place when a dark and menacing voice breathed down his neck.
"Just where do you think you're going, pip squeak?"
"I was just taking a nice stroll to the bathroom. Now please excuse me," Naruto whimpered, trying to get away as fast as possible.
"Nice try kid, but that's a huge lie and I don't like those. For that, I'll smash you," the demon dementedly accused Naruto.
Naruto began running away as fast as possible, but the demon, which was ten times his size, swung his hand out, smashing Naruto into the ground. It then picked up Naruto and began to crush him between his two palms.
"Kit, I'll lend you spirit energy. Take out that low class demon and I'll help you get to where you need to be."
'I-It's nice to hear you Kyuubi. That energy would be greatly appreciated r-right now.'
Wit the added boost of spirit energy, Naruto channeled some into his right leg and kicked a huge hole through the demon's hand, letting him go. Naruto took this chance to once again take off, but this time west, the direction Kyuubi ordered him to go in.
"I recognize this place. After escaping hell not to long ago, I traveled this plain until I found a way to the human world. If my memory serves me right, if you go north from here for two to three more miles, you'll be at the gates to Koenma's Base of Operations."
'So you paid a visit to Koenma too, didn't you?' Naruto asked Kyuubi mentally while still running.
"Yes, I was sent here after three ancient lords from thousands of years ago defeated me, the Demon King. I was sent here and Koenma sentenced me to the last circle of hell. I escaped soon before my punishment had nearly completed and I landed myself here in these plains, which I scoured for another ten years before finding the gate to the human world. It's a really long story after that."
'Wow, you must've been pretty dangerous bac-' Naruto began until stopping when a black river came in sight.
"Kit, that is the River Styx. I had to ride across it in my half demon form. Do not touch it or you will face eternal damnation."
'That's nice to know. So, what do I do? Wait here?'
Before Kyuubi could answer, someone dressed in a pink robe flew in on an oar. When she came closer, Naruto was able to see she was a beautiful woman with blue hair dressed in a pink kimono. She landed right in front of Naruto and began staring at him.
"Um, lady, what are you doing?" Naruto pondered what the woman was doing until she responded.
"That's no way to speak to the grim reaper. I have a question of my own. What is a fully alive human doing in spirit world?" the self proclaimed grim reaper asked Naruto.
"I was here with Koenma until he accidentally took his focus off of me and I fell down here, but I seem to have found something. By the way, what's your name and how could you be the grim reaper? You're way too pretty."
"My name is Botan and I'm flattered at the fact that you think I'm pretty. If you're really telling the truth then I think I can give you a ride to Koenma's palace.
Trusting Botan, Naruto complied and grabbed on the end of Botan's oar and she took off at a high speed. Naruto shouted while Botan maneuvered through the sky, but he held on and closed his eyes for the rest of the ride. Eventually, he felt the force of the winds blowing on him cease and when he opened his eyes, he found himself at the gates to Koenma's palace.
"We're here!" Botan enthusiastically yelled while Naruto fell over on his side.
"Did you have to go so fast?" Naruto wanted to know while he tried pushing his messy hair down.
Botan merely giggled and led him inside of the palace. Koenma, who was currently sucking on his pacifier nonstop and panicking after accidentally letting Naruto fall, jumped up out of surprise when he saw Botan and Naruto enter.
"Look who I found, Koenma, sir," Botan stated with Naruto in front of her.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Botan. You don't know how much I owe you," Koenma exclaimed while nearly kissing Botan's feet.
"She didn't do everything, toddler. I was the one who had to escape a demon and randomly find the River Styx."
Koenma compromised himself and walk a few steps over to Naruto and said good job before going back over to his desk and staring right at Naruto.
"You are very far behind, skill wise, your future four teammates for the Dark Tournament, Hiei, Kurama, Urameshi Yusuke, Kuwabara Kazuma, and I am even informed there will be an alternate. Currently, three are trading off as training partners, one is privately training, and we've no information on the alternate," Koenma informed Naruto while George the Blue Ogre, Koenma's assistant, stamped his work for him.
"So, who am I training with?" Naruto wondered.
"You, Naruto, are going to train with Urameshi Yusuke and his master, Genkai. Your job is to learn to unlock your potential with what time you have until the tournament. I'll be able to arrange Botan to take you there tomorrow, but for tonight, you need to rest up."
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Konaha
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Itachi entered the Hokage's Office, intent on finding out what happened to Naruto. Right when he entered, Sarutobi greeted him and told him to sit down.
"I bet you're wondering where Naruto went, right?"
"Actually, yes, yes I am. So you know where he is?" Itachi questioned Sarutobi.
"Not to worry, Itachi. Naruto is just on a training trip with a young man named Koenma. I believe he's participating in a tournament because three tickets were left on my desk addressed to you, Sasuke, and Gaara. It's to something called the Dark Tournament and there are instructions on it," Sarutobi told Itachi, pretty much answering all of Itachi's questions and more.
"The instructions say to meet at the east gate of Konaha for pickup," Itachi read off of the envelope.
"Will you be attending, Itachi?" Sarutobi calmly asked while smoking his pipe.
"Why not, it seems fun."
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End of Chapter 21
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A/N: Here's the third update for today, New Years Day. It's my beginning of 2008 present to my readers.
Preview: Next up comes three chapters detailing Naruto's training with Genkai and Yusuke. Trust me; it is going to be very brutal.