Chapter 4: Tainted Blade

Soji and Musashi are gifted in the art of the sword. But still... raw talent isn't enough in this world. Right now, they are training katas and he can tell both are tired, Soji more than Musashi.

Naruto is signing some documents as a servant entered the room "Naruto-Sama, a letter for you."

Naruto smiled and nodded "Thank you." He received the letter and saw that it was from Yagyu Munenori. He knows Yagyu Sekishusai, an old friend and one of his teachers, but Munenori... that's a new name.

He opened the letter and started to read its content. He sighed as he finished it as he stood up. "You can rest." He said as Soji let out a breath and Musashi dropped the wooden sword.

"I'm... so tired." Soji said and Musashi nodded.

"I agree... but I can continue."

"I bet you can." Soji said and turned to Naruto, reading the letter again. "Something wrong, Master?"

Naruto nodded "An old friend of mine passed away. His son just informed me of his death..." He sighed "I will have to go to the Land of Iron for his funeral and to pick up his son. It seems that he trusted me to take care of Munenori."

"Ehm...Sorry for your loss, Master." Musashi said as he looked awkward.

Soji nodded "Yeah... do... you want us to come with you?"

Naruto hummed "It would be appreciated. The Land of Iron is a great place to train the sword and if Munenori is anything as his father, he already trains." He smiled at his students "Go pack your things, we are leaving in 20 minutes."

As Musashi and Soji left, Musashi still looked unsure "Are you okay, Musashi?"

Musashi groaned "I am... not good at making people feel better... I'm not really that sociable."

Soji chuckled "You could have tricked me." Musashi groaned "But, I know that Master would appreciate you just being there with him. You don't have to say anything. Just be there."

Musashi nodded "I guess that makes sense..."

The travel to the Land of Iron, didn't took long, a couple of days at most. As they arrived at the Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu School, where he can see an old friend of his.

"Itto." Naruto greeted as he saw his old friend drinking's sake on the entrance.

Itto wiped his mouth with his forearm and nodded "Naruto. If only we could meet in a better time."

Naruto nodded "Indeed. And how did Sekishusai died?"

Itto frowned "Murdered. The only clue that we have, is that it was using fire weapons, and that he calls himself, Justice." He turned to Musashi and Soji. "And who are they?"

Naruto nodded "My apprentices, Soji Okita and Musashi Miyamoto."

Soji and Musashi bowed "It is a pleasure meeting you." Soji said and Musashi remained silent.

Itto huffed amused "I hope that Naruto is training you two well. Two more samurai on his level would be appreciated."

Naruto chuckled "Do you know where Munenori is?"

Itto nodded "Inside. He was training last time I checked."

Naruto nodded and turned to his apprentices "Wait for me with Itto." he said and walked in.

Itto turned to Soji and Musashi and grinned "So, want to train?"

Naruto walked in the empty school, where only one person was inside, swinging a bamboo sword down. He has black hair tied in a high ponytail, with a white bang of hair covering his right eye, and purple eyes, and seemed to be around the same age as Soji and Musashi.

"You are, Naruto Namikaze-Dono?" He asked and Naruto nodded.

"Indeed. And I can guess you are, Munenori Yagyu-Kun."

Munenori nodded as he kept swinging the sword and Naruto walked next to him "I was informed I will be under your care, Namikaze-Dono."

Naruto nodded "That was your father's will."

Munenori smiled "His will... He spoke highly of you, Namikaze-Dono. You are a great motivation for me." He stops his training "I am more than willing to go with you, but I just ask one thing in return." Naruto nodded "Make me strong to avenge my father. To kill Justice."

Naruto hummed "The road of vengeance, is a dark one, full of what makes us... tainted in the soul. Are you sure you will walk down it?"

Munenori smiled at him "I am, Namikaze-Dono. I know the risks; I am ready to take them."

Naruto nodded "Very well. As your father's will, I will train you."

Munenori smiled and slowly and gracefully bowed his head "Thank you Master."

Naruto nodded "Let's go outside. There are two people you must meet."

Musashi was hit again on the stomach by the wooden sword of Itto and fell to his knees. Soji rushed behind Itto and was going to strike, when Itto turned around and elbowed him on the face. Itto laughed "Is that the best you have!? I thought Naruto is training you!?"

"Itto, if you can avoid killing my students, it will be appreciated." Naruto said and Itto laughed.

"We are training." He turned to Munenori who had his few belongings and his sword "Ready to go kid?"

Munenori nodded "I am." He bowed to Itto "Thanks for everything you gave me these pasts few days."

Itto smiled and ruffled his hair "It was my pleasure. You will learn a lot under Naruto's care."

"Munenori, this are my other two students, Soji Okita and Musashi Miyamoto." Naruto introduced as Munenori bowed his head.

"It is a pleasure." Munenori said as Soji and Musashi are getting back up.

Soji smiled at him and bowed his head "The pleasure is mine, Munenori."

Musashi groaned and nodded "Hey."

Munenori kept his small and graceful smile as he nodded. "I hope we don't run into any trouble during my training. Please, don't drag me down."

Musashi frowned and Soji laughed "Don't worry about that. I like to think we are good with the sword."

Munenori chuckled and went to hit with his open palm Soji before Naruto caught his wrist "Munenori."

Munenori chuckled "Forgive me. But I believe that you are quite slow, Okita-Dono."

Naruto let go of Munenori and Itto sighed and patted his friend's shoulder "I don't want to question how you train your students, but from what I had seen, Munenori is far ahead from them."

Naruto nodded "Any suggestions?"

Itto smirked "Don't pamper them."

Naruto nodded and saw how Musashi challenged Munenori to a duel. Munenori simply chuckled.

"I already angered Master by almost hitting Okita-Dono. He would be more than angry if I cut you, Miyamoto-Dono."

Musashi took out his blade as Naruto examined Munenori. He was calm but prepared. And his eyes...

"Musashi." Naruto said and Musashi turned to him "Don't. I will test Munenori skills myself back in the capital. For now, we have a funeral to go."

Musashi snapped his tongue as Naruto turned to Itto "Munenori's eyes..."

Itto nodded "Yeah. He knows how to control his killer instinct."

Next Chapter: Family