Disclaimer: I apparently don't have to do these but ehh its tradition. I don't own Naruto I do however own the plot for this story.
Scene Change(Time)
Kyuubi
'internal monologue/thoughts'
Chapter 7
Konoha Gate (4 weeks since the funeral pyre)
"Wait who are you?" Izumo and Kotetsu had gotten gate duty again.
"Some call me Tim..." The figure in black said.
"What the hell kind of name is Tim?" Kotetsu asked.
"So sad when people don't remember the classics. Regardless, you two bore me." Black answered with a drawn out sigh.
"I don't know who you are, but unless you properly identify yourself you're getting an ass kicking!" Izumo said and the two Chunin took up stances.
"Well, well, can't have that..." The cloaked figure said and defeated them both with a single kick.
"If this is the skill of Brothers these days, I weep for humanity." The man said.
"Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu!" Izumo gasped, sending out a fireball.
"You have guts, I'll give you that, but such a pathetic flame won't even damage my clothes." Black said.
"Wh-what are you?" The normally lazy Chunin asked, stammering for the first time since the Kyuubi attack.
"Me? I'm just a man. Now come on out ANBU-chan and entertain me." The cloaked man said looking at the hidden ANBU.
"You die this day." A boar faced ANBU said.
"Possibly, but not because of you..." Black said and played with the ANBU for a few minutes before knocking him out.
"Well, that was disappointing." The cloaked man sighed. Now he had nothing to do.
6 hours later
"You're finally here, Naruto Namikaze." Black said as team 10 walked to the gate.
"And you are?" The whiskered boy asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Some call me Tim." The figure said gesturing dramatically.
"No, your real name." The former monk said impatiently.
"That I can't tell you, but you can call me Black if you don't like Tim." Black said.
"What do you want?" Naruto asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Well that's simple boy, I want to test you. See if the famed Namikaze blood holds true." The figure said tossing aside his cloak revealing a full body suit; an Oni mask hiding his identity.
"What are you talking about?" The former monk said genuinely confused.
"Surely you don't mean...No, they wouldn't would they? Oh well not my problem." Black muttered.
*Crack* Naruto was slammed into Konoha's wall creating a spider web of cracks from the impact. He slid down the wall before forcing himself up.
"Hmm, maybe you are worth my time after all. Not many can get up after a hit like that." The man seemed genuinely impressed.
"I've had worse training." The blue-eyed boy said rotating both of his arms and sliding into a stance.
"Indeed? Then let's get this started!" Black said maniacally and attacked.
Naruto did as best he could, but found himself forced back. Black eventually tired of tormenting him and launched a viscous side kick into the former monk's chest.
"It seems I was wrong. Is this what the Namikaze have become? It will be a favour to burn this world to ashes." The mysterious man said shaking his head.
"I may be Namikaze by blood but I was raised an Uzumaki!" Naruto said forcing himself back up. That attack had cracked several ribs.
"You've got some spirit in you." Black said good-naturedly.
"Hijustu: Arashi no Dageki." The blond muttered, sending out a storm of fists and palm strikes at the man.
"You blocked all of them?! How?!" Naruto said stepping back to see the man unfazed.
"You're still too slow." Black commented.
'Now where have I heard that before?'Naruto wondered.
"Slow or not, you lose!" Ino said as the rest of team 10 began to fight.
It was short and brutal with Shino and Ino falling to a single punch and Genma being thrown into a wall.
"Looks like our time is at a close, as a parting gift...." The man said grabbing Naruto's arms at the wrist and breaking them.
"Hmm most people scream when you snap their wrists."
"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction." Naruto said grimacing.
"Until next time..." Black said disappearing in a whirl of wind.
"I think I punctured a lung...a medic would be appreciated." Shino said as he unsteadily made his way to his feet.
"What happened here?" A small squad of ANBU had arrived.
"A very bad man decided to play patty cake with us; we lost." Genma answered grimacing. He was damned lucky that his spine hadn't broken.
"If you say so, we'll get you to the hospital." A bear faced ANBU said.
"Hai." The team said.
Hospital
"A bruised spinal column, several broken ribs, a slight concussion, moderate internal bleeding, and last but not least two completely destroyed wrists. The only reason you aren't dead is because of that healing factor of yours. Even with it you're still going to be here a week, the wrist is a complicated thing and fixing it without your regeneration interfering is going to be a pain. Fortunately, you are the worst of your team. Regardless I am going to have to insist that you do no physical training for a month." The doctor said looking at the medical charts.
"I don't have that kind of time." Naruto said shaking his head.
"Ask me if I care."
"Do you care?" The former monk obliged.
"Not really, my job is to keep you idiots healthy. Not enable your obsessive compulsive need to train." The doctor answered with a frown.
"Aren't doctors supposed to be nice?" The whiskered boy asked with a small smirk.
"Only when we think the patient deserves it." The doctor said shaking his head.
"Guess its chakra control and studying for me." Naruto said with a sigh. The books were interesting, but somehow seemed incomplete.
"No explosions." The doctor said firmly giving a death glare.
"Why do you say that?" The blue-eyed boy asked blinking.
"That's usually what happens when you idiots practice chakra control in the hospital." The tall man said with a frown.
"I'll try..."
"Good, see you in four hours." The Doctor said walking out.
"Nii-san!" Hanabi ran in and awkwardly gave her adopted brother a brief hug.
"Hanabi-chan?" The blond asked.
"Nii-san what happened to you?" Hanabi asked with a frown.
"Remember the bad monk I told you about?" The former monk asked.
The young girl nodded.
"I met another one who, as Kiba would say, 'kicked my ass' badly." Naruto said frowning.
"Then why aren't you dead? Hiashi-sama always said to kill a defeated enemy." the younger Namikaze asked.
"...I don't know. Presumably because he either had orders or he genuinely thought I wasn't a threat." The whiskered boy said his frown intensified.
"Oh." The young girl said with a shrug.
"Now, how have you been Hanabi-chan?" The blue-eyed boy asked.
"Fine." Hanabi said masking her disappointment. She had lost her sister and her new brother apparently had people trying to kill him.
"I'm sorry about the Anathema, I only found out the day I left." The blond said with a small nod of his head.
"We ignored that while you were gone but we can't now." The former Hyuuga said with a small scowl.
"I'm glad that you got some time together. Family is too precious to allow some blind council to tear it apart." Naruto said after a moment.
"So where's Yamato nii-san?" The young girl asked.
"I don't know, we got separated on our way back. But he's a former ANBU captain I'm sure he's fine."
'I hope he's fine anyway. The area around Mt. Shaoshi is pretty safe usually.' The blond thought.
"How long are you here for, Nii-san?" Hanabi asked.
"A week according to the doctor. Hanabi-chan if I were to train a few others as monks, would you be alright with them being in our home?" The whiskered boy asked.
"Why aren't you training me?" The younger girl asked giving a rather cute frown.
"I thought you wanted to be a ninja?" The former monk Said.
"Nii-san..." She growled, unintentionally using the Hyuuga death glare.
"Sorry I just don't think of girls as monks. A female monk is called a nun and as far as I know none of them ever had a martial tradition. Still if I train others as monks and if you still want to become one, we'll work something out okay imoto?" Said a rather nervous Naruto, all men instinctively know when a woman is ready to kill them.
"Hai!" Hanabi said smiling.
"Now if I could trouble you to get me some ramen?" The blond asked.
"Nii-san!" The death glare returned full force.
"...and some cinnamon buns." Naruto said relenting after a couple of minutes.
"Yay!" The younger Namikaze said taking some of Naruto's money and heading out to Ichikaru's.
"Blasted sisters and their eyes." The former monk muttered and pulled out one of the books and began reading using his feet.
Hokage Tower
"Genma is this report accurate?" The Sandaime asked looking up from the report.
"Hai, Hokage-sama. Whatever took that place out was very thorough. There were no survivors."
The senbon chewing Jonin had been released quickly with minimal damage. He was now giving his and his teams reports to the Hokage. Asuma was there as the closest thing the village had to an expert on monks besides Naruto.
"What could take out a monastery full of monks stronger than Naruto, who is already a Chunin in all but name?" The old Kage muttered.
"Naruto says demons, but something tells me it's more than that." The brown haired man said.
"Demons...like the Kyuubi?" Asuma asked.
"I don't know Asuma. I don't think so but you'd have to ask monk boy." The bandana wearing Jonin said with a shrug.
"Thoughts?" The Sandaime asked.
"Get Naruto to train more monks to deal with these other monks. I know we ninja can take them but we aren't even remotely trained to deal with people who can take us in a straight up fight. As a whole, Shinobi are pretty arrogant and if we do fight these guys who, incidentally, are at least A-class, we will lose a lot of people." Genma replied after a moment.
"Is he willing?" The old man asked taking a puff on his pipe.
"Dumb kid thinks he isn't ready to teach or be a leader even though he has both abilities in spades." The senbon chewing man said with a frown.
"What do you mean?" Asuma asked even as the Hokage smiled.
"The kid's a born leader even if his training has muted some of it. He's already become the rookie's de-facto go-to guy to get stuff done thanks to his friends in the academy. He inspires people and makes them want to succeed. Hell even Yamato is being affected. And though the kid doesn't know it he can teach." Genma said with a smile as both Shino's and Ino's taijutsu had improved dramatically with Naruto's help.
"We all go through it. But why are you so insistent that we get monks?" The Sandaime asked. He knew but wanted to hear his subordinates reasoning.
"Sir, Monks and Shinobi are fundamentally different. I've talked with Naruto a lot over this. Normal monks seem to be straightforward enough to kill. Sneak up on them and stab them, even if that's a little harder because of their awareness. But this group; it's like the Seven Swordsman going rouge but still working together at a very basic level, we aren't equipped to handle this kind of fight." Genma's pride stung at that but it was still true.
"Asuma you have something to say?" Hiruzen asked his son.
"I don't think that the kid's ready to teach, he needs a little more experience first. But get him to write out a training manual in case the worst happens. Other than that Genma's right, Monk's don't fight like we do. A specialized team designed to counter them might not be a bad idea." The bearding Jonin said.
"Indeed. It worries me that we have a hostile organization operating under our noses. Not to mention that you lost Tenzo." The Sandaime said frowning.
"It wasn't our fault!" The senbon chewing Jonin said quickly.
"No it wasn't, but he was one of our stronger shinobi on par with most A rank ninja." The Hokage said taking a long puff on his pipe.
"Sir?" Genma asked after a few minutes.
"Hmm...That will be all gentlemen; I'll discuss this with Naruto before going any farther on this front."
"Hai, Hokage-sama" The two men said bowing before using the shunshin to disappear.
"Neko, I have a job for you." Hiruzen called out to his ANBU guard.
"Sir?" The purple haired ANBU asked.
"I want you to infiltrate the village, find out where our leaks are. I've become too lax since the Kyuubi attack. I'll be damned if I let this village fall from within because of my fatigue." The Hokage said firmly.
"Hai Hokage-sama, do I have a free hand at this?" Neko asked.
"To a reasonable extent, any A-class foes are to be eliminated quickly and quietly though." The Hokage answered.
"Sir if that's the case then I request Dolphin be reactivated." The cat masked woman said.
"No faith in your own skills Neko?" The old man asked with smile.
"No sir but this is a midnight job sir I want it done cleanly." Neko answered.
"Very well, you can have Dolphin for the assassinations but other than that you are on your own understood?" Sarutobi asked.
"Hai Hokage-sama." The woman nodded.
"Dolphin's reactivation phrase is Ichikaru's makes good Dango."
"Understood" Neko answered and disappeared.
Hospital (Next day)
"Well Naruto good to see you being so dedicated." The old Kage said.
"Master Sarutobi." The blond nodded but didn't look up from the book.
"Something wrong Naruto?" Sarutobi asked.
"This manual doesn't make sense. And trying to figure it out is proving a nightmare."
"How so?" The man known as the 'Professor' had spent many nights trying to figure out old jutsu scrolls.
"It keeps referring to dedication but it never says dedication to what. It's confusing, but on the other hand it does have a wealth of knowledge on demons and the Black Order." The whiskered boy answered.
"Naruto, how do you feel about training monks?" Sarutobi ask getting to why he was here.
"That it's a bad idea. I am not ready to be a teacher. If I could take the Trials then maybe, but I wouldn't be ready for the Trials for years." The blond answered. Seeing the Sandaime's eyebrow raise in a questioning matter he continued.
"Once one has reached a certain point a monk would undergo a series of tests for the mind, body and spirit if he could pass these tests he was acknowledged as a Master. But it requires another Master to apply them."
"And there are no more masters." The Sandaime finished.
"Correct at least not of my order." Naruto said
"So then how do you purpose to rebuild the order?" The old man asked.
"Well if you are able to defeat whatever destroyed the Order you become a Master by default." The blond explained.
"So this has happen before?"
"No, it's just sort of implied that's all."
"Makes sense. Still I would feel better if you at least wrote down a training manual of some sort so we can at least try if you fail." Hiruzen said.
"I won't fail Master Sarutobi, not when so much is at stake." The whiskered boy's face was set in grim determination.
"No man is immortal. Not even you Naruto." The Hokage said quietly.
The silence stretched between them for several minutes until Naruto gave a sigh and spoke.
"I suppose you're right Master Sarutobi but this manual cannot be used unless I am dead."
"Why?"
"If I die then it will be bad, there will be few with the knowledge to stop them. The other orders have not kept up their martial traditions arguing that our time has passed. This manual will provide that knowledge. If they know of its existence then they will do everything to destroy it. Thus the manual must remain hidden so that it is not destroyed." Naruto explained.
"I see...how would you hide it?" The old kage asked.
"A blood seal for the Hyuuga specifically Hinata." The blond said, there were few he trusted more these days.
"Why?" Hiruzen said raising an eyebrow; the Hyuuga would love to have those techniques.
"Ever heard the term hiding in plain sight? The Hyuuga and Namikaze are not friends right now so who would think to look for the book there? I am aware of the Hyuuga desire for my techniques but I can trust Hinata, besides a life seal would keep them from opening it." The whiskered boy answered.
"I see, very well I will arrange it discreetly enough. But I want you to look at candidates for training in the event things go wrong." The Sandaime said firmly.
"I can give you the criteria now if you wish." Naruto said. At the Hokage's nod he continued.
"The individual must have never killed. Know the pain of loss and isolation. And posses Wisdom, Strength, Compassion and Honour."
"Anyone that fits off the top of your head?" The Hokage asked.
"No not really but then I don't know that many people."
"I see must they be children when they begin training?"
"It is preferable; it's not impossible to become a monk as an adult but is much more difficult." Naruto said with a shrug.
"Why would that be?" The Sandaime knew that as a general rule you had to start early with ninja. But that was mostly to get chakra output up rather than any integral need to have children with the ability to gut men like fish.
"Adults are more set in their ways. It's much harder to walk the Divine Path when you've been on another for so long." The blond said reasonably.
"I see, if this needs to happen I'll handle it personally." The old Kage said.
"Alright I'll have a clone write out the manual." The former monk said.
Hiruzen nodded and turned to leave only to meet Danzo.
"Danzo what are you doing here?" The Sandaime said his eyes lowering.
"What you should be doing. Boy..." The last part of the statement was addressed to Naruto.
"Hai?" The blond asked.
"Can you tell me the full power of these monks?" The master of ROOT asked.
"It varies from person to person. In general, full monks will be by your standards incredibly skilled in taijutsu and immune to all but the most powerful genjutsu. In addition to that although monks don't use ninjutsu they cultivate their skills at nature manipulation to the highest level they can." The whiskered boy saw no reason to not tell the man what he wanted to know.
"I'd expect more blessings and curses from monks." The crippled man muttered.
"They're not priests. There are some rituals that work like that according to the records but using them is forbidden on the basis that the most powerful ones require human sacrifice." Naruto said shaking his head.
"Hmmph not much but still I can work with that." Danzo said turning.
"Danzo what are you planning?" The Sandaime asked.
"To protect Konoha whatever the cost." The master of ROOT said calmly and left.
"Naruto do not trust that man whatever you do." Sarutobi said quietly after the other man left.
"Hai Master Sarutobi there is a taint around him. I didn't intend to trust him." The blond said with a small frown.
"Well Naruto I'm glad we had this chat. Now I have to go and discuss some things with the council." The Sandaime said.
"Such as what Master Sarutobi?" Naruto had always had good instincts.
"Crime, especially violent crime, has risen dramatically since that pulse about a week ago. Like some kind of...curse." The old Kage said causing Naruto to give a start.
"No they wouldn't..." The blond muttered as he flipped through the pages of the book.
"What is it?" the Hokage asked seeing Naruto's face.
"They used 'Beast Within' ritual. It creates an incredibly powerful curse that makes people given in to their darker desires. It also requires a human sacrifice specifically a child." Naruto's face, normally a healthy tan, was pale.
"So then all the violence..." The Hokage said quietly trailing off.
"Yes and it's only going to get worse." The whiskered boy said with a grimace.
"Can you stop it?"
"Maybe...I have enough Holy Chakra for it but I lack the control. There might be a ritual or seal in here to counter it." Naruto answered
"See what you can do." The Hokage ordered
"Hai I need to do a little more research first." The former monk said and began reading. The Hokage soon left.
Naruto's mind (Night)
Mortal.
Kyuubi, this is unexpected.
I have a deal.
Any deal made with you is worth less than the words used to speak it.
I swear as a demon that this is a true bargain.
Alright I'll listen.
How much Power do you think you need to defeat any of the other demons?
Hmmm, using tails converted to Holy Chakra I'd say four maybe five?
How long do you have until the seal reverses?
7 years you know this.
I have been thinking. As much as I hate you and all humanity I hate enslavement more. Millennia ago my fellow Bijuu and I were enslaved by you accursed apes. I wish to avoid that.
I'm not letting you out. Your kind is too powerful to be let loose on the world.
I know that you would not give me freedom on this plane, but my home plane I think you should be able to do that. I give you 4 tails in addition to the one you stole. In exchange you send me home and I work my way back to the king of demons.
Even if I was willing to agree to this deal, what's your angle? That bargain is far too generous. There's something else.
The ulterior motive in this case is revenge.
Revenge? Against who?
I intend to hijack any and all summonings, destroy every last summoner there, and retreat.
Including the ninja summons?
No they are....neutral to my kind, it will be centuries before the war with them can resume to its fullest.
Why, am I not surprised that you're at war with them?
...We're a race of malevolent beings that enjoy torture and bloodshed what did you expect us to do?
Kill each other and save the rest of us the trouble?
That's rich. We do, but we can't fight each other all the time. So do we have a deal?
I can't see how this deal is even possible so no.
I fail to see your problem.
The seal that tied our souls together, damning both of us to the Shinigami's stomach, is the problem. Short of removing it, which I refuse to do, there's no way to do this.
That's simple; I've looked at this seal for a very long time and found that right when it reverses it breaks for a split second. We set the seals up right and I can escape without either of us dying.
Answer's still no.
What do you mean no?
No: a negative used to disagree or reject a statement. I don't trust you and even if I did there's no way I'm failing my duty.
Well crap.
So Kyuubi are you ready?
Heh. I was trying to be nice, after all you did earn some respect coming in here and facing me down every day but now I'll just do it the hard way!
How? The seal should still be working.
Idiot, when you used that move against the fake Tengu it opened up a back channel. Good bye!
Over my dead body!
That isn't really a problem for me.
The mind is a strange and wondrous thing. When two minds clash, it is not the one with more intelligence, or experience that wins it is the one with the desire to live. The two had summoned weapons representing their souls; Kyuubi with a giant cleaver of a sword, all power and no grace and Naruto with a simple staff, merging elegance and strength. Yet Naruto was losing. His staff battered and his stance weak.
You're pathetic! You can never defeat a demon!
No....I've made too many promises to die here! The words echoed in his head.
Flash back (6 Years ago)
"You must promise me Naruto to never give in to the demon." Master Wu said pouring a cup of tea.
"But Master, it's so strong I don't know if I can." The young blond said shivering a bit as he watched the tea flow.
"Yes the demon is strong but so are you." The old man said smiling.
"But if the Saints couldn't do it then what chance do I have?"
"The chance that all men have. We were never the strongest of Kami's divine creations but we were always the most wilful. We would fight until we were on the ground bleeding and broken and then get up and do it again. That is the strength the individual possesses but do you know where our true strength comes from?" The abbot asked.
"No master." Naruto said shaking his head.
"Each other, the will to live for another is the strongest force we possess." Wu said taking a long sip of tea.
"Then I will never lose as long as I have you and the others Master!" The whiskered boy shouted.
"Glad to hear it." The old Abbot said.
4 years ago
"Still too slow little guy." Brother Zhou said lightly smacking Naruto into the ground.
"Arrgh! One day Aniki, one day!" Naruto shouted.
"One day what?" Zhou said laughing.
"I'll become even stronger than you!" The blond declared.
"Will you now?" The monk asked.
"It's a promise!" The whiskered boys face was hard with determination.
"You're going to have to work hard to catch up then." Zhou said using his one hand to block Naruto's attack.
1 year ago
"Naruto promise me something would you?" The two had finished one of their spars and were lying on the ground.
"What's that Hinata-chan?" The blond asked.
"-Sama you idiot! Promise that no matter what happens we'll still be friends." The heiress said resuming some of her long lost shyness.
"Hai only if you promise the same." Naruto said smiling as his friend nodded.
Present
I won't lose to you!
Bold words insect let's see if you can back them up!
The two gathered everything they had into their weapons; this next blow would finish it. Ethereal blue and white surrounded Naruto while the Kyuubi's violent red chakra pulsed.
The two let out a battle cry and swung their weapons.
A/N: And that's a wrap for this chapter I got over 5k hits for this story last month that's awesome. Anyway found a new beta so a big thank-you to DustBunnyQueen. Moving on I do have a poll up if you would like to vote that would be appreciated. And seriously will anyone take my challenge? Anyone at all? Next: It's a secret