AN: Thanks for all the reviews!
To Cuervo Blanco: You have no idea how close you hit the "Akuma" part. Thanks for reviewing!
To Ookami88: The reason why I have not really explored the romance bit extensively yet is because I do not want to write it for the sake of writing it. I want to try my hand a working it into their character, so please bear with me. As always, thanks for your opinion! To tell the truth, I'm not really good at writing romance, so I'm sorry if it's less than satisfactory. The Raikage is not A by the way, sorry If I wasn't clear.
Thanks to the other reviewers.
Note: Orochimaru was part of the Akatsuki before, as in Canon, and he has already left.
One more thing: the Raikage is not A. He is simply, the Third Raikage. ( I'm going to introduce A... maybe next chapter)
After the Jump!
-A Few Minutes Before-
Orochimaru pumped his legs at full speed, dashing up the steep incline of the hill. His long black hair fluttered in the wind, and his slitted eyes glinted, reflecting the rays of the moonlight; he was little more than a blur, and even trained ninja would be hard pressed to spot his figure.
Ominous footfalls boomed behind him, and the pale man could feel the buck and heave of the earth; the stifling presence was only gaining on him. Increasing his pace even more, Orochimaru blazed forward with seeming abandon.
The demon is persistent. If Jiraiya had agreed to assist me, this would have been much easier.
The hibernation period of the demon energies is over; according to my calculations, the demon's chakra must have already bonded with my chakra system. However, even with the power coursing through me, I cannot hope to face the Kyubi aspirant; my last chance lies at the summit of this hill, where my greatest work lies in all its glory.
For the past three years, I have constructed a seal array unmatched in complexity and power; more complex than even the best Seal Masters in the land could hope to achieve...
I can hear it coming. its presence taints the air with ungodly filth.
Its rage will be its ultimate undoing.
The horrible crashing sounds was only getting closer to him, for all his speed. The beast was close enough that Orochimaru could hear its ragged breathing and intermittent roars.
Finally, Orochimaru reached the summit of the hill. While not as tall as the mountains looming in the distance, it still gave him a bird's eye view of the destruction befalling the Land of Fire. Already, the tide of demons was enveloping the land, laying waste to human settlements small and big. It seemed as if a fire blazed from border to border, raging and consuming all in its path.
Konoha itself was little more than a raging bonfire, the tips of the flames rising up tall enough to lick the jagged edges of the mountains; seeing this, Orochimaru allowed himself to smile a little. The irony of it all. The leaves of the Great Tree are cultivated, only so that it can burn with that much more intensity.
Readying himself for the final confrontation, Orochimaru began drawing upon his new-found power. Black symbols snaked across the ground, covering the entire area of the summit; as the pale man began flashing through hand seals, the black glyphs upon the ground turned blood red, pulsing with demonic fire.
For countless hours I have spent inking arcane symbols into the soil, all for this moment; I cannot afford to blunder, for the survival of the Land of Fire depends on me. I would not have it destroyed before I conquer it.
Greater than even the forbidden 'Fūinjutsu: Genryū Kyūfūjin' (Sealing Technique: Phantom Dragons Nine Consuming Seals) that the Akatsuki employed to extract the Bijuu from their hosts, and more powerful than all the seals in the Land of Fire combined, it is my masterpiece.
'Fūinjutsu: Rokujūyonman no Sennin Fūin' (Sealing Technique: Six-Hundred-and-Forty-Thousand-Pronged Sage Sealing). With this seal, I will be able to force each and every spirit back into their domains. Forever, if need be.
At that moment, the gigantic draconic demon burst into the area, roaring its frustration and ready to rend the insolent mortal before it.
"GIVE ME THE POWER NOW! GIVE IT TO ME-" before the demon could smash Orochimaru into a bloody pulp, the pale man completed all four hundred seals needed to activate the seal.
Slamming his palm into the ground, Orochimaru sneered, "Too late. Fūinjutsu: Rokujūyonman no Sennin Fūin!"
Teeth bared in anger, the monstrosity raised its forearms, as if to ward off whatever Orochimaru had in store for it.
Silence descended. Nothing happened.
Frowning, the pale man cursed. It was the first time he had ever cursed. No matter what situation he was in, cursing was always the last thing on his mind.
Unfortunately, it was the only thing he could do.
"Fuck? What the fuck happened?"
As if realizing whatever the mortal planned had failed, the demon threw its head back and let out a deep throaty laugh. "FUCK INDEED."
And it wasted no more time, brandishing its claws and stabbing straight at the man.
At that very moment, a bright light appeared in the sky, right above the sealing array; just before the demon could reach Orochimaru, the light exploded, sending the beast flying backward.
Snarling in pain, the beast rose again, its skin bubbling and steaming from the painful radiance. "NO! IT'S MINE, MIIIIINE!"
With that, the fox demon evaporated into the air, but not before sending the most hate-filled glare in history at Orochimaru.
Then the light faded away, and all was quiet. Slumping to the ground in exhaustion, the former Sannin let darkness overtake him.
If looks could kill...
-Konoha-
Jiraiya was brought back to the land of the living, in time to see another giant fox smash into the hospital. It had taken the whole roof off, and was now staring at some fifty writhing, moaning men.
He tried to get up, but pain flooded his nervous system, sending his muscles spasming and almost causing him to black out.
A familiar figure landed just beside the fox, severing its head and throwing its vaporising body backward.
"G...Gamabunta..." Jiraiya croaked. Inwardly, he cursed; he was too weak to even call out to his friend
As if sensing that his friend was awake, Gamabunta turned, looking down at the pitiful sight. "JIRAIYA... REST NOW. MY COMRADES WILL PROTECT THIS VILLAGE UNTO THE DEATH."
The hidden connotation was clear: You are too weak to do anything. Just sleep... we'll all wake up in hell together.
"Where is... Naruto?" Jiraiya inquired weakly.
"ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT OTHERS... MY FRIENDS TELL ME HE RUSHED TO DEFEND THE SAFE HOUSES AGAINST THE DEMONS." Gamabunta said.
Naruto... you can't die here. You must survive...
Suddenly, the sky lit up, as if a thousand suns decided to rise in a second. Howls of pain echoed around the village, and to Jiraiya's surprise, even Gamabunta flinched, as if hurt.
Just like that, the sound of battle died down. Jiraiya looked up at Gamabunta, whose back was turned; his skin appeared to be boiling, as if hot oil had been poured on him.
He closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, Gamabunta was gone.
It was silent; even the injured ninja held their breaths. The sudden tranquility was disturbing. Slowly, the sky darkened again.
An armless ninja stood, eyes wide with fear; his unearthly white pupils marked him as a Hyuga. All eyes were on him as he slowly made his way to the door. He opened the portal and stepped outside, only to close the door once more.
There were no sounds.
Frowning, Jiraiya pushed the pain to the back of his mind, and forced himself to his feet.
"Hokage-sama... what happened?" a nurse asked.
Grunting with pain, Jiraiya stumbled, only to be caught by the aforementioned nurse. "Thanks, Tsubaki. I don't know what happened, but I'm going to find out."
Slowly, and with Tsubaki's assistance, the broken form of the Hokage made his way to the bloodied wooden frame that the Hyuga had passed through.
As he staggered out, he saw the Hyuga on his knees, back turned. One by one, the injured ninja shuffled out of the hospital, and one by one, they too fell to their knees, gasping in shock.
Finally, only Jiraiya was standing, held up by the trembling nurse.
In front of them, Konoha lay in ruins.
My home... Konoha. It's destroyed.
All gone.
Nothing left.
Many of the ninja were sobbing now. Other ninja were standing amongst the ruins, rifling through the debris, as if in the hopes of finding the bodies of downed comrades.
No trace of the demons...
I could almost forget they were ever here, if not for the fact that they razed Konoha to the ground. The Leaf has been burnt, and only ashes remain.
After so long, after so many trials, in the end, it was all for naught. All the sacrifices, all the hopes and dreams for a better life... all are crushed.
Before me lies the ruins of a once great village, and now, I find myself aimless. I, who has dedicated his life to protecting those precious to him, now finds nothing left to protect.
The children used to run through these streets, laughing and playing together. Mothers gossiped with the maids, their eyes twinkling merrily as they spread exaggerated rumors.
For so long, the shinobi have lived in darkness; my sensei wanted to change that; Hiruzen wanted to give his people a better life, one devoid of so many of the sins other villages were forced to commit.
So he molded the village to fit his vision. Here, even the ninja played with the children, laughing and indulging in ridiculous antics.
Even ninja could find love here; some married and retired, living out their lives peacefully, far removed from the violence of the world.
For that, the Leaf was seen as weak by others, seen as unable to protect itself.
How right they were.
Jiraiya shrugged off the nurse's hand and stumbled forward, as if unable to believe what had transpired. A single tear bled from his eyes, running down his cheek along the streak of blood-red ink. The dawn was coming, but it did not seem like a new beginning.
Defeated, the Hokage collapsed.
But he did not hit the ground. Strong hands grasped him, pulling him up to his feet.
"Hokage-sama. Why do you fall? You told me that a ninja always perseveres." a lazy voice drawled out.
Startled out of his sadness, Jiraiya turned to find a silver-haired man staring at him with clear eyes. As always, his head protector was pulled down partially such that it covered his left eye. His jounin vest was torn and ripped in several areas, and he sported deep gashes in his midsection; despite that, he stood straight and unyielding, a stark contrast to his normal, slouching posture.
"The village may be destroyed, but its people are not." the man said simply.
Hatake Kakashi...
He's right. The village is not made up of the buildings, but its people. Even from the ashes, a new tree may grow, and many leaves will result.
We have to persevere... but persevere where?
Just then, more ninja arrived by his side, their faces streaked with soot. Many had sustained grievous wounds, but all of them stood strong together.
"Hokage-sama, where do we go? What do we do now?" an uncharacteristically subdued Tsume Inuzuka asked.
Jiraiya could feel the eyes of the others upon him.
"Hokage-sama, what are our orders?" the soft, kind voice of Choza Akimishi inquired.
Tsume, Inoichi, Kakashi, Choza... even Danzo...
There are many more, and they are all of them looking to me for guidance.
I am their leader, and so I will lead them.
I am just afraid that I might lead them into hell.
Some two hundred ninja stood before him now, not counting the wounded. A soft wind picked up, ruffling Jiraiya's white hair. Raising his voice, Jiraiya commanded, "As your Hokage, I order all of those fit for battle to accompany me to the safe houses. I do not understand why the demons are gone from here, but there still might be more attacking the civilians."
"The village might be destroyed, but we live on. Remember that."
He was beaten, battered and in pain. Still, he ignored all of that, and as the first rays of sunlight struck the ruins of Konoha, the ninja sped off once more.
-Konoha Safe Houses-
Naruto rushed at the enemy, hungry for blood. Still, his emotions could not refresh his already exhausted body, and so with a mere flick of his wrist, the giant man sent him falling face-first into the dirt.
Not bothering with him, the man commanded, "Secure the perimeter; make sure no one escapes."
The ninja made no attempt to fight. They simply fanned out, some of them speeding away to the opposite end of the safe houses.
Coughing out mud, Naruto raised his voice in anger, "What the hell do you want with us?"
Shifting his attention downward, the man spoke, "I am the Raikage, little boy. Do not tempt me. With a single command I could kill every single Konoha citizen... even that pathetic little girl cowering in fear. She is a Hyuga is she not? A shame to see such powerful eyes in the possession of a weakling, a weakling who trembles at the mere sight of an enemy."
"But I am willing to be-" The Raikage began.
Snarling, Naruto was already in the throes of his rage, "Shut up you bastards! You killed my friend!"
Bounding to his feet and sprinting up to the dark-skinned man, Naruto brandished his kunai. Eyes narrowing, the Raikage sent him sprawling backward with a simple slap.
Naruto could no longer control himself. The chains he had tried for so long to materialize before came so easily now, stabbing out through his chest, much to the surprise of all those present.
Hinata herself was wide-eyed. What is happening to Naruto-kun? I have to help him! But how? What could somebody like me do against the Raikage?
"Persistent brat. I was going to spare you, but you leave me no choice. Kill him!" the Raikage ordered.
As one, the grey-cloaked shinobi charged the writhing blond.
Realizing that he was being attacked, Naruto forced himself upward once more, fire blazing within his sapphire orbs. All of a sudden, he felt power coursing through his body, defeating the exhaustion that had slowed him just moments before.
How hard can it be?
To the Raikage's surprise, Naruto ducked under the swing of the kunai, promptly extended his chains and ripped off the ninja's legs.
With a mere thought, I could take a life.
Silently, his next adversary appeared behind him, kunai poised to stab straight into his spine. Not even deigning to turn around, Naruto snapped another one of his deadly appendages back, severing the man's wrist then beheading him.
Is this all there is to life? To take?
Baring his teeth, Naruto drew all the power he had left; a blue fire consumed him, lighting him up as if he were a candle.
I always had this power. All I've ever done with it was kill.
More men jumped at him, recklessly risking their lives in the face of his wrath.
They have seen my power, and they are afraid. Why then, do they persist? What drives them to continue fighting?
Naruto willed his chains to sharpen, then spun his body around. The sharpened metallic links snapped around in a deadly hurricane, slicing through flesh and bone like a knife through hot butter.
It doesn't matter. I'll kill them all.
No more ninja came forth. Looking up, Naruto could see the giant man motioning for the others to stand back.
He then spoke, voice soft but laced with anger and frustration, "You kill my men with such ease. It is clear you have power. If I did not know better, I would say that you were a descendant of the Uzumaki berserkers of yore."
Then his own power surged up, covering his body with cackling bolts of electricity. "But do you know why we fight? Do you know what drives me as the Raikage to send my men to their deaths?"
Naruto bounded at the Raikage, intent on ending his life. With practiced ease and unmatched speed, the man weaved through the deadly web of silver surrounding the boy, sending a bone-shattering blow straight to his jaw. The punch sent Naruto's body flying away with terrifying speed.
A sickening crack rang out, followed by the sound of wood breaking.
"Let me tell you why we fight. We fight so that we can feed our families and live better lives. We fight to crush our enemies and leave nothing behind."
Slowly, the blond struggled back toward the Raikage, his jaw hanging open uselessly and at an unnatural angle.
The Raikage rushed forward and kneed the boy in his abdomen, causing him to crumple to the ground.
"We are not justified, nor do we claim to justify our actions. We are selfish, and we take what we want to better ourselves. And yet even in this world there are villages like Konoha, villages that live under the pretense of being the good Samaritan, giving help where help is needed."
Bringing his foot down upon Naruto's chest, the Raikage pinned the struggling Naruto. "This is a world of injustice, boy. The men you have killed were good men, men with wives and children waiting at home for them. This is war, and so people die. People like your friend, and you."
With deliberate slowness, the man raised his hand, lightning coursing around his skin.
But before he could bring it crashing down upon the prone body before him, a small figure crashed into him. Taken by surprise, the Raikage stumbled to the side.
"Stop! I will be your opponent!" A soft feminine voice exclaimed.
Raising his head, the man's eyes widened in surprise. It was the girl from before, the girl who had cowered at the mere sight of his power. What could have brought about the sudden change?
"Another one... die too then!" the Raikage shouted. The indigo-haired girl simply stood her ground, arms raised in the signature Jyuuken stance of the Hyuga.
The Raikage could have laughed at the sight. A mere girl, taking on a Kage? Pathetic!
Rushing forward, the giant extended his leg, smashing his shin into the girl's face; she tried in vain to block the attack, covering her head protectively with her forearms, but the force was so great that her bones broke from the impact.
She tumbled backward, coming to rest just beside the writhing body of Naruto.
The blond saw red. He wanted to rip the heart out of the man's chest, he wanted to make him pay for hurting Hinata.
His body could take no more. It was already well past its limits; but still he fought against the pain, and with a colossal effort managed to once more get to his feet.
Every second he spent standing was an exertion that sent jolts of pain lancing up his body. "I'll never let you hurt Hinata!" He spat. His words were slightly slurred on account of his broken jaw.
At his side, the girl struggled to her feet as well, arms bent unnaturally and hanging uselessly by the side; but Naruto put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her back to the ground.
leaning down, he whispered in her ear, "I can't afford to let somebody else die because of me... I'll hold them off, so run while you can."
"No! Naruto-kun, I want to help because I-"
Before she could finish, the Raikage appeared before them, placing a foot on Naruto's chest and forcing him to the ground.
"I grow tired of this! I will kill you both now!"
And just then, a large pulsing orb of chakra was slammed into his side, sending him flying away.
"RASENGAN!"
There, right in front of the battered blond, the remnants of the Konoha Ninja Corps stood, battered and bruised, but standing nonetheless. Where the Raikage once stood, the large frame of Jiraiya, Godaime Hokage and leader of the Leaf Village crouched in a battle-ready stance.
In a flash of light and the cackle of lightning, the leader of Kumo was on his feet once again, scowling at the sudden development. The assembled body of ninja drew their kunai as one, ready for a battle to the death.
Seething in rage, The dark-skinned man could no longer contain himself. "ENOUGH! Do not be foolish, Hokage. I have heard of your prowess in battle, but look at you! You can barely stay on your feet!"
"As you fight beside your men till your last breath, so I will protect Konoha until my own dying breath!" Jiraiya snarled back, angry at the state his student was in.
The assembled ninja gave a hearty roar.
"I. Said. ENOUGH!" The Raikage roared, quieting all those before him. "This is your student? I will have you know he attacked me first! Look around you. My men far outnumber your pathetic army. I had originally planned on striking a bargain, but your stubbornness and impatience is makes me wonder how you came to be leader."
"Look! Your men are tired and weathered, your citizens fearful. If you are the leader, then I pity those you lead!" The Raikage finished.
The words cut Jiraiya to the bone. He knew he was right.
No one wants to fight.
Not anymore.
They fight only because I order them to.
Sighing, Jiraiya spoke, "What do you want? We have nothing now. Nothing to give. If we have to fight and die, then so be it."
"I have no interest in fighting, not anymore at least. Look around us, Hokage: there is not a single soul here, save yourself and your brash student, that wishes to battle. The night has taken a toll on all of us; my men are tired, and I would rather resolve this... peacefully." the Raikage said.
Growling with barely constrained anger, Tsume advanced, arms raised, "Shut up! Our Hokage answers not to the likes of you!"
"STOP! Tsume, stand down." Jiraiya ordered calmly. "Raikage, what do you have in mind?"
"The demons have irreparably scarred this land. They are fox-demons; it is no secret that Konoha has the Kyubi jinchuriki; the events are no doubt linked to it." The Raikage said. "I want it. I want the jinchuriki."
At this, gasps could be heard. All around the Konoha citizens and ninja were wide-eyed.
Suddenly, a young civilian woman spoke out, "Y-yes... give it to him! It must be the reason why the foxes attacked us! They must want to free the Kyubi!"
There was a chorus of assents, and even some ninja found themselves agreeing. "He is right. The jinchuriki is no doubt the root cause of the problem. I say we wash our hands off him." Came the calm clear voice of Hiashi Hyuga. "This boy here, Naruto Uzumaki, he is the Kyubi jinchuriki."
Hinata could take it no longer. Just moments before, Naruto was risking his life to protect the citizens of Konoha. How could they betray him so? What she gained from the confrontation was that Naruto was apparently the host of the Kyubi, and that he was somehow the cause for the demon attack.
"Father! Naruto-kun is innocent! I saw him- ack!" Hiashi promptly slapped Hinata, splitting her lip and drawing blood.
"I am not your father. Now be quiet."
In an attempt to salvage the souring situation, Jiraiya said, "The Kyubi is dead, Raikage."
The Raikage's scowl deepened, "You expect me to believe you? You just want to keep its power for yourselves! I have no more patience; give me your answer now. If it is unsatisfactory, then we shall execute each and every one of you. It is our right, as victors."
Damn it! He's right; they far outnumber us.
If we fight, our deaths are assured.
Sighing, Jiraiya made the most difficult decision in his life.
"We accept."
It was the last thing Naruto heard before he succumbed to unconsciousness.
Hinata, however, refused to give up.
"No! How could you betray him? He would willingly give his life for this village!" Hinata cried. I can't let them do this to him!
Jiraiya spoke again, words soft and laced with regret. "You have no say in this, girl... but you are right, he would willingly give his life for this village. That is why I do what I must."
The needs of many outweigh the needs of one. Forgive me, Naruto; Konoha is not dead yet, and I... we must do all I can to rebuild it.
The Raikage's eyes were grim, betraying not one hint of happiness at his victory. "A wise decision, Hokage. Perhaps we might meet again under better circumstances. Let us head for home."
Slinging the unconscious boy over his shoulders, the Raikage disappeared in a crackle of lightning, his ninja following suit.
Then the Hokage's eyes rolled back, and he slumped to the ground, spent.
Many of the Konoha ninja wandered around the safe houses aimlessly, not knowing what to do; the Clan Heads convened at the summit of the mountain, discussing and arguing about the Leaf Village's uncertain future.
Hinata was carried to the makeshift hospital by Iruka, who had witnessed the whole incident. As the chunin hefted her off the ground, he tried to talk to her, to tell her why the decision had to be made; he could tell she was affected deeply, but she remained unresponsive, preferring to wallow in her own misery.
That night, as she lay on the thin hospital mattress, she could not help but let out a stifled sob.
Why...
Why am I so weak...
So incompetent.
Tears streaked down her face now, like twin waterfalls of liquid diamond.
She knew she lived and breathed for him. She never doubted she loved him. She would do anything to be with him. If only she was stronger...
But it was too late now; he was gone, betrayed by the people he tried so hard to protect. She knew about the abuse he was forced to endure, knew about the isolation he was forced to endure. It was clear to everyone why he was not a person, but a thing to be feared; he held in himself the beast that had ravaged Konoha years prior.
And now, it seemed the foxes had returned with a vengeance. Unsurprising then, that the whole situation was blamed on Naruto.
But Hinata did not care; she loved him nevertheless, loved the unbreakable determination he showed even in the face of impossible odds. She had watched him as he charged at the enemy despite his wounds and exhaustion; he fought for her and the civilians, and in the end managed to buy enough time for the Hokage to appear.
A pity he saw fit to sacrifice the greatest warrior on his side. Hinata was angry; she could not care less if every single one of Konoha's ninja died, she just wanted her Naruto-kun back. As always, however, she was too weak, too weak to matter or do anything about the situation.
She was a ninja, a weapon of death. But she never wanted this life. Ever since he first saved her, ever since he acknowledged her like no one ever had, she had only wanted to be a part of his life.
She was his slave, in everything but name.
-Miles Away-
The Fortress was no more than a pile of rubble.
The Shogun stood clad in full battle regalia, riding upon a neighing warhorse. At his sides, the surviving samurai rallied, faces set in stone.
The Land of Fire is no longer a viable player in the politics of Japan. The land would take years... decades even to recover from the devastation.
This complicates things. My plans shall inevitably have to be put on hold. A strategic retreat back to the Winter Fortress is in order; there in the Land of Snow, I will be able to consolidate my forces and start anew.
I shall return, and when I do, the age of ninja shall come to an end.
Digging his spurs into the sides of his mount, he forged forward at the head of the column of warriors.
-Even Further Away-
Orochimaru traversed the underground tunnels, an almost euphoric smile upon his face. From time to time, he chuckled creepily to himself, his sibilant laughter echoing through the corridors.
That went better than expected. All that remains now is to gain more followers.
Perhaps I should even start a new village!
Ohh... maybe even get a new laboratory! I really hate those sewers. They do stink after all.
And a private bath! Or maybe a mixed bath...
As this thought passed through his mind, he giggled even louder. I guess Jiraiya's perverted tendencies really rubbed off on me.
Hmmm... and what shall I name my village?
Maybe Kimimaro can come up with something...
I got it!
Otogakure...
When I return, I shall make everything mine.
Hell, I'll even bring new meaning to the age of ninja while I'm at it.
-Some Time Later-
When Naruto awoke, it was to find himself in a dark room. Metal chains cuffed his limbs, restricting him of all movement. Damn chakra suppressants.
There was no light, only infinite darkness.
Then, he heard voices conversing.
"What do we do with it?"
"We break his mind. We need to extract his power."
"Why can't we break his seal?"
Naruto could barely make out the sigh that followed.
"Too dangerous. Look, just do as I tell you; if you have any questions, I'm sure Raikage-sama would be happy to answer them."
Silence again.
And then light. A small light, the light of a flickering candle. It revealed two men looking straight at Naruto. One was armless, and had two scars running vertically down his left cheek. The other was young, and had short silver hair; both sported a similar dark tan.
"He's awake." The scarred man stated.
The younger man walked closer, cocking his arm back and punching Naruto straight in the gut, causing him to spit blood.
"Yeah, he is. Let's work our magic."
The scarred man lighted a small brazier, slowly kindling the fire. Then, he put three metal rods inside.
"So, how do you feel?" The young man asked Naruto. The blond looked up and snarled.
"We got a fiesty one. What do you think, Jubei?"
Turning, the other man smiled, revealing two rows of crooked yellow teeth. "Two to three weeks I reckon. Are the clamps ready, Kitano?"
"Yeah, all oiled and ready."
"Okay then. I think these are hot enough."
Naruto watched as he grasped two red-hot metal rods from the brazier and walked right in front of him, brandishing them like one would a sword.
"Heh. Well, how are you feeling?" He asked, smirking. Naruto did not deign to answer his tormenter, and instead hawked and spit, catching him in the face.
He recoiled, cursing and swearing, "Stupid fucking piece of-"
The younger man, Kitano, simply sighed. "You always fall for that, Jubei."
"Let's make that motherfucker pay!"
He stabbed both rods into Naruto's gut, causing him to scream in pain. The smell of sizzling meat met his nostrils.
"Fuck you bitch! How dare you spit at me! Kitano, give me the other rod!"
Nodding his assent, Kitano grasped the other red-hot metal rod and proffered it to his senior.
Grasping it, he stuffed the hot end into Naruto's shoulder, causing him to struggle all the more.
"You should enjoy it. We are your only companions here after all."
It was the beginning of a wonderful friendship.
We question our mortality, dwelling on the fringes of society,
Our gods call us to become their missionaries, protectors of peace and prosperity;
That just leaves us the dregs, the scraps, the strips of spoiled food,
While the men who do naught but pander to the whims of others,
Live with pampered hands and silver cutlery, unheeding of atrocities;
Now, locked in a dark, damp dungeon,
Your only companion the skitter of pest and arachnid limbs,
Now, you think of what you have lost, you give in to despair,
Because you know you are lost, forgotten in the darkness.
Like loyal puppets we live our lives,
Facing war and strife with not a change in expression,
Because, like the bees who protect their hive,
We would welcome death, if only to sting our opponents once;
Still, the Truth of the world is bared for all to see,
Like a book of sentient animals, magical places and shamanistic tendencies,
It is not so much a stretch of imagination,
But an attempt at creation, the creation of new perspective.
For there is no 'true' Truth,
Because it is intangible and intransigent and defies all explanations.
The truth we know is the perspective we respect,
And the beliefs we expound are the rules by which we live our own lives
What is this feeling?
Is your thinking that muddled?
You cannot help but be confused,
Because your body grows weak.
Day by day, metal is driven into your skin.
You are re-healed, restored physically but weathered mentally,
And inside you cannot shake the feeling of betrayal,
A dull heartache that wells up within you.
My will is ironclad.
Unbending as the strongest steel.
Unbreakable as the densest of rocks.
But inside, I am crying, the saltwater has formed a waterfall,
And when saltwater meets iron,
Even the toughest of ferrous substance...
Must rust.
-The Thoughts Of Naruto Uzumaki
AN:The ending passage was a little prose that I came up with. Take it as a lamentation of Naruto's situation.
That's the end of the chapter! Read and Review! The time skip will last four years, so Naruto will be fifteen when next you see him. The reason why he is being tortured will also be revealed in the next storyline.
Also, Orochimaru's 'Fūinjutsu: Rokujūyonman no Sennin Fūin' (Sealing Technique: Six-Hundred-and-Forty-Thousand-Pronged Sage Sealing) was a technique I created for the purposes of the story.
Here are a few plot lines I plan on writing, starting from right after the time skip (in chronicle order):
1. The Clouds Hang Heavy: A, a simple Jounin instructor, is not happy with the rule of the Third Raikage. Since their invasion of Konoha, he has only become more tyrannical. Finally, a chance meeting with a caged jinchuriki of the Two-Tails drives him to rebellion.
2. Thick Roots Strangle The Tree: Naruto stumbles back to Konoha, heavily scarred and permanently injured. His hair has grown white from the torture he has endured, and he takes the new name of Hanzo Shimizu to hide his identity. He finds Danzo is the new Hokage... But where is Jiraiya?
3. My Little Sunshine: Hinata-centric chapter. Who is this Hanzo? Why does he seem so familiar? Hinata has grown even more withdrawn... But inside, she is colder than the harshest winter. She strives to be the best medic possible and unfortunately, that also means she's the best when it comes to cutting things up.
4. Orochimaru Returns. Nuff said.
5. The Way of the Samurai: The Shogun returns with an army unmatched in numbers, and sets his plans into motion. He will not rest until every ninja is wiped off the face of the Earth.
I you have any interesting plot lines, submit them, and I may use it!
Thanks for reading!