Mokusei: Will of Fire
AN: Hello readers, sorry for my late update, finals are a pain, and im slowly going insane with the work load I have to do just to prepare for them. Well after so many months I was able to crack open the laptop and upload this chapter. hope you enjoy.
Chapter 3: Snake in the Wood
Naruto walked out of a tree and froze. A realization hit him as he realized the silver haired teen was hiding his scent. He couldn't even think of something to call the silver haired teen's scent. Sai, the pale dumbass with a fake smile, smelt of ink, the pink haired girl smelt of a cherry blossom and some other unknown scent that made Naruto want to puke, and the Uchiha...well he smelt of torched meat. But that silver haired teen, Kabuto, he gave off no scent whatsoever.
This...is very, very bad he thought as he went into Gaia and stormed over to Kin. He grabbed her shoulder and shook her awake. Kin blinked and stared up into the angered eyes of the Mokusei.
"Do you know of a silver haired teen that wears glasses and has medical skills?" he asked gruffly. Kin, realizing the boy before her was deeply disturbed by something, searched her memory before paling slightly.
"K-Kabuto...Kabuto Yakushi," the girl said. Naruto released his hold on her and looked her in the eyes. They weren't the kind, entrancing eyes she got butterflies from, but a cold look similar to what she used to see when Dosu got angry.
"How strong is he?" he asked her as he went to the chest behind the couch.
"He's Orochimaru's right hand man," Kin said following the Mokusei with her eyes, "What the, where did that come from?"
"Kaa-san gave it to me when I asked for it," he replied as he opened it and pulled a leather vest out. On it were designs similar to his body and two odd holsters on the lower part of his back. He then pulled out a pair of wooden tonfa, spinning them in his grip before flowing chakra through them and forming a pointed tip at the ends of the tonfa. He grinned slightly before placing them behind his back in the holsters. He then pulled a shuriken pouch out and vines came up from the ground to flow through the hole in the pouch while he held it near the back of his pants. Once the vines were tight, he tugged on the pouch to make sure it wouldn't drop. He then dug around again and pulled out green tape.
"What're you doing?" Kin asked as he wound the tape around his hands. Once he finished, he punched each of his palms lightly and clenched his hand tightly.
"I'm going snake hunting," the Mokusei said. He stood and the chest returned back to the ground. Naruto looked back at Kin and hesitated before asking, "Is there anything I can do for you, short of let you go?"
Take me now! Kin thought before blushing and shaking her head, "N-no, Mokusei-san."
Naruto nodded and turned to leave, "I'll be back at dinner then."
He vanished with his Gaia's Transport and Kin sat down with a slightly depressed look on her face. Deciding not to pout, Kin chose to revert to getting some more well-deserved sleep and hopefully continue that dream concerning a wild blonde boy, whipped cream, and some nice chocolate ice cream. A small blush appeared on the former Oto kunoichi's cheeks as she laid back down on the couch. Not soon after her eyes shut did a smile appear on her face as the image of a glowing green tattoo covered boy filled her head.
I still can't believe Kaa-san let them do this,
Naruto thought as he walked out of a pine tree near the Tower. He grumbled angrily for a moment before walking up to the door he'd seen the few shinobi do. Pressing his hand against the door, he felt immediate pain come from it and growled.
"Willows..." he grumbled out before pushing the door open, "Sarutobi isn't going to live this down...not by a long shot."
He walked through the Tower, glaring at anyone who tried to stop him and flaring his chakra continuously. Eventually he came upon two large steel doors and behind them several scents hit him. With a growl, he kicked the doors open, gaining everyone who was present's attention. The jonin senseis all gasped when they looked him over and Hayate and Anko smirked.
"I TOLD you he was real, Nai-chan," Anko whispered in her friend's ear. Naruto stormed forward, bluntly ignoring most of the genin and looking around before his eye locked on a silver haired glasses wearing medic. A small smile came on his face and he reached behind him to pull a tonfa out.
"Oh, Kabuto..." he said quietly, earning a gulp from said teen, "I need to talk to you."
"...I'm sorry, but who are you?" A silver haired masked man asked him. Naruto glared at the intruder and his markings glowed brightly. He took a small whiff of the man's scent and scowled.
"Beat it Uchiha. I'm busy," he growled before storming over to the teen he came for. He started twirling his tonfa and Kabuto started backing up. The silver haired genin reached into his back pocket and pulled a hooked kunai out.
"N-Now Mokusei-san," Kabuto stuttered out as he realized his goose was, for lack of a better term, cooked, "Don't go too far...I've got a chunin exam!"
"Tch, like I give a damn," Naruto said, pulling his second tonfa out and twirling both with expertize. Eventually he came to a stop in a stance with his right hand crossed over his chest, the tonfa resting on his arms and his left hand back towards his side with the longer side of the tonfa pointing at Kabuto.
Hayate looked at the Hokage and Sarutobi hesitated before nodding. A disguised Rain shinobi hissed in displeasure while the combatants and their sensei left the arena. Hayate leapt away to a safer distance before speaking.
"Pre-prelims match, Kabuto Yakushi v. The Mokusei," Hayate said, earning some more muttering from the group, "Hajime!"
Kabuto rushed the blonde who narrowed his eyes and brought his tonfa up in an X to block the attempted and sloppy stab.
Something is definitely wrong here, the Mokuton user thought as he deflected or dodged the sloppy movements, Like he's trying to hide his...Ah, a Spy then...Well, Mr. Spy, let's see how good you are.
Naruto leapt back and put a bit of distance between him and the silver haired genin before twirling his tonfa again. He suddenly shoved both of his hands forward and the grips of his tonfa slid to the end of the weapon. Flicking his wrists, the tonfa reformed into two Billy clubs. His markings turned green and Naruto grinned.
"Wood Release: Gaia Nunchaku!" the blonde said, shocking every Konoha shinobi (present and former) with his exclamation. The clubs in the blonde's hands glowed before separating at the center and vines grew between the separated bits. Konoha shinobi began exclaiming quietly at the sight of a Mokuton user and a few councilors were plotting on how to get a hold of that power for themselves.
"Normally I'd be impressed that I'd have to go this far," Naruto said, keeping the audience's and his opponent's attention, "But I know you're holding back, Yakushi. Please...don't insult me."
Kabuto paused before glancing at where his lord was. The camouflaged missing nin nodded causing Kabuto to grin and readjust his glasses. The blonde across from him rolled his neck and shoulders before he started to spin the nunchaku in an experienced manner. He finished with both nunchaku being held between his sides and his biceps. Kabuto tossed the kunai at the blonde, who merely flicked one of his nunchaku forward and deflected it, before holding his hands out to the side, making a sickly green chakra form around them.
"Chakra Scalpels!" Kabuto said, forming said weapons in his hands before rushing at the blonde with the speed of a jonin. Naruto's eyes narrowed and he suddenly turned to the left, swinging his nunchaku out.
Kabuto had little time to dodge and barely did so, but not without suffering. He suddenly felt a large invisible force impact with his side as he leapt away and skidded back farther than he intended. The silver haired teen glared at the Mokuton user who spun his nunchaku once again before collapsing them in his hands. He slid them into place on his back and settled into a familiar stance to a few shinobi.
Two green clad shinobi gaped and exclaimed simultaneously, "T-The Goken!"
The jonin next to them and genin all turned to them in shock. The silver haired jonin with a mask and one eye visible asked, "What? Are you sure, Gai?"
"Hai, my rival," 'Gai' said, clenching the railing tightly, "And that's no joking stance, from here even I can tell he's mastered it! It took Lee a good year before he's completed the basics and is halfway through the main training, but this boy...He's something else."
Naruto narrowed his eyes before a small grin appeared on his face. He vanished in a blur and only a few could follow him. Sasuke tried to use his Sharingan again but had to bite his lip in order to keep from crying out in pain and frustration at the attempt. Kakashi had slid his forehead protector up and was following with his Sharingan, but barely.
"Leaf Whirlwind!" the blonde's voice announced, his figure appearing as he delivered a devastating leaping roundhouse to Kabuto's face. The silver haired spy was sent flying into the wall and raised a blue hand to heal himself, but Naruto was keeping up the barrage.
"You're good," Naruto said before vanishing and reappearing behind the now standing Kabuto, "But I'm better."
He kicked straight upwards as Kabuto turned, to be nailed in the chin with a destructive force, sending him into the air. Naruto's marks glowed again and he pressed his hands to the ground.
"Wood Release: Monolith!" the blonde said. A rumbling was heard and the ground cracked and broke as a large wooden mass shot up, slamming into Kabuto's back and carrying him through the roof of the Tower.
The silver haired spy felt immense pain as he went through five floors of pure wood and concrete. His ribs were no doubt broken into tiny fragments and he couldn't feel or move his jaw. His arms, which one still had the chakra scalpel active, were burning from the pain of being shoved through the floors. They probably would be useless for a while now.
Naruto 'hmph'ed before leaping onto the monolith and running up it. Hayate looked at the Hokage who shrugged. Hayate looked back up the hole and called, "Give him hell, Mokusei!"
The blonde ran to the top of the monolith and skidded to a stop before his tattoos glowed once again and a new standing spot appeared for the blonde. Naruto walked onto it and looked down at the silver haired teen who was coughing blood and debris up. Kabuto looked back at him and scowled as he tried to stand.
"D-Damn y-you," the spy said. Naruto returned the glare and scowl and raised his right arm.
"Wood Release," he said as his tattoos glowed once again. Kabuto coughed harder and brought his chakra scalpel up in an effort to strike him in the heart.
"DIE!" the spy shouted as he ran towards the blonde.
"Splinter Kunai!" Naruto shouted, clenching his fists and aiming them down, firing a makeshift of wooden kunai at the spy from the tops of his wrists. Kabuto was struck in his chest, thighs, and neck, but still ran at him.
"I...cannot...die...here," Kabuto said as he bled out and slowed down.
Naruto then raised his left fist, driving it into the already dazed face of the spy. He grabbed Kabuto by the shirt and jumped off the left of the monolith, falling at a high speed towards the roof of the building. Naruto began to spin the both of them in the air as vines emerged from his wooden weapons and bound around the both of them.
"Mokusei Style: Front Lotus!" the blonde cried as they span at a blinding speed. The observers were already to start the next match when they felt a crash. They all looked up to see the two fighters spiraling down towards the arena.
"RRRAAAAHHHHH!" Naruto roared as they neared the ground. When they impacted there was no sound for a moment before the dust shot up and an ear shattering boom spread throughout the arena. Everyone watching had to cover their faces with their arms, even those who had seen much worse did so if only for protection.
From the rubble, a figure stood with a smoky outline. Naruto slid his vest off and tossed it at the monolith, which seemed to absorb it, before he bent over and picked the silver haired genin that was bleeding profoundly up. He turned and his tattoos glowed once again, making the monolith vanish, before looking up at the window where the Hokage and council were all looking at him with shock and awe. The blonde narrowed his eyes before tossing the body of the spy at the window.
"Oh...MY GOD!" one councilmember shouted before everyone, save the Hokage, leapt out of the way of the flying body that broke through the window. The crinkle of someone walking on shattered glass alerted them to the Mokusei walking towards them. ANBU suddenly surrounded the blonde and he looked at the Hokage.
"Could you please call your lapdogs off...Jiji?" he asked. The councilmembers all went slack jawed at that while the Hokage simply chuckled. He dismissed the ANBU before turning to the blonde.
"So what brings you here, Mokusei-kun?" Sarutobi asked. Naruto growled before leaning against the wall and making his tattoos glow once again. A sudden wall of wood came up over where the glass once was and Naruto grinned at the shocked looks of the councilmembers.
"Oh you know," he said, standing and inspecting his nails, "This...and that...oh, and the fact Orochimaru is in your village."
"WHAT?" the council roared in shock. They all looked at the Hokage who narrowed his eyes at Naruto.
"I've left you alone after your warning, Mokusei-kun," he grumbled, "What do you want from me now?"
Naruto eyed the Hokage before flashing him a grin, "You found a way around that, Jiji. I want my part of the bargain revoked. Unless you can find something to satisfy me, the forest and I will find shelter elsewhere and not assist in your upcoming battle."
"Upcoming battle?" the Hokage and council chorused in confusion. Naruto scoffed.
"Please," he said with a roll of his eyes, "Orochimaru being here, marking that Uchiha with a weird seal, not to mention the fact I had just killed not one, but three Oto shinobi and I have another in my own realm."
"You must give them to us then, boy!" roared a civilian councilman. The Hokage glared at the councilman before looking worriedly at the blonde before him. Naruto closed his eyes and his markings glowed. Suddenly, a tree sprouted behind the councilman that spoke and started to wind its limbs around him. The other councilmembers jumped back in shock as the tree limbs tightened around him, causing the councilman to cry out in agony.
"Mokusei, release him!" the Hokage shouted, not out of worry for the councilman but for what could happen to the blonde child. Naruto glared at the Hokage and his markings glowed brighter.
"...No," he said after a moment. The council looked in shock at the boy and one of the Hokage's advisors stepped forward.
"You listen boy, and you listen well!" Homura said, "The Hokage, your leader, has given you an order. Do as he says!"
Naruto glanced at Homura and smirked, "I am no civilian of Konoha, nor am I one of its shinobi. I am The Mokusei. My duty is to my home alone, which is the forest surrounding Konohagakure no Sato. And from what I can tell, some of you want my...abilities for your own perverse use."
The council all blinked in shock and the Hokage scowled, stepping towards his advisor, "Homura, let it go."
"But Hiruzen..." Homura said in shock. He was silenced by a glare from the more powerful shinobi and took a step back. Naruto dropped his smile and his glowing tattoos ceased to glow. The pain stricken councilman was dropped unmercifully to the ground and Naruto scoffed before turning to the wall of wood.
"I do not know when this battle will take place," the blonde said, "Nor do I want to be a part of it. Unfortunately, shinobi of this day and age do not care for the surroundings so long as their enemy dies. Promise me, Sarutobi-jiji, that you'll send no Konoha shinobi into the wood during the battle and I will promise none will be harmed by myself or any threat to Konoha."
Sarutobi looked back at the council and some looked indecisive, Danzo especially. He looked back at Naruto who had a small smug gleam in his eye. The Hokage sighed before scratching the back of his head and sighing in defeat.
"We will have to hold a meeting about it," he told the blonde. Naruto looked from the Hokage, to the council and back before shrugging.
"Whatever," he said, waving his hand over the Wood Wall, making it vanish back into the ground. He looked back at Sarutobi and said, "Just send Mitarashi when you wanna talk."
"Surely you jest–" one councilman started but stopped when Naruto's tattoos flickered. He glared at the councilman and looked back at the Hokage.
"Mitarashi," he said, "Anyone else will be food for the animals within Kaa-san's womb."
The council all blinked in confusion but Sarutobi nodded. Naruto nodded back and hopped back out of the room through the window he appeared in. The council looked back at Sarutobi before they burst into uproar for an explanation. Sarutobi smirked and ignored them as he watched the blonde walk past the awed genin.
Naruto was just about to leave when his Emo/Gay/Asshole sense tingled. He looked over his shoulder to see the Uchiha staring him down. He smirked and said, "How's my seal? Keeping Orochimaru off your back? It's not bothering your eyes at all, is it?"
Sasuke's eyes widened and he leapt at the Mokusei with a roar before anyone could stop him. Naruto grinned and held one hand up as his markings glowed green.
"Wood Release: Bark Fist!" he said. From a tree nearly fourteen meters away, a large fist of bark flew over Naruto's shoulder and slammed into Sasuke's face and upper torso. His sensei, the Cyclops, rushed to his aid and started moving his Hetai-ite up.
Naruto's eyes narrowed and he vanished in a swirl of leaves and reappeared behind the Sharingan user, his tattoos still glowing.
"Let's see how strong an Uchiha is when he's blind!" roared the Mokusei, "Sealing Technique: Shodai's Seal!"
He slammed his hand onto the back of the silver haired Jonin's neck, causing him to collapse to the ground. The genin all stepped back in shock, save one (take a guess), and the Jonin readied themselves for a fight. Naruto scoffed and kicked the downed 'Uchiha' in the gut, making him roll over as he clutched his eye and writhed in pain.
"Oh stop being a pussy," he mumbled, "It's only one eye. You've been doing well with only one anyway."
"Kakashi-sensei!" the pink haired girl shrieked. She took a step towards Naruto, but the Hokage appeared before her and looked down at Naruto.
"What did you do, Mokusei-kun?" he asked as he knelt next to Kakashi and looked the seal over. Naruto sneered at the downed jonin and started to retreat into the woods.
"I did him a favor," Naruto said to the old man over his shoulder, "I might remove his seal if you can find something I want. Goodbye, Jiji."
He walked back into his home to find the Oto kunoichi again asleep on the couch. The Mokusei allowed a small smile on his face as he watched her sleep before it turned neutral once again. Dropping the carcass of the dead boar into a storage area behind the couch, he then walked back around to examine his guest. He knelt next to her and shook her shoulder, watching as she woke up slowly.
"Bout time," Naruto muttered as he sat on the stool that once again appeared as he started to sit, "You know; if the couch is too uncomfortable, I can make something more comfortable."
"N-No, this is fine," Kin said, again not meeting his eyes. She couldn't after the dream she had about those eyes. And that smile. And some other more unmentionable parts of a male anatomy.
Naruto shrugged and went over to a side of the tree and pressed his hand against it. Emerging from the ceiling of the hollowed tree were many vines. They looped and intertwined together, forming a makeshift hammock. The Mokusei smiled slightly as he stripped his shirt off and rolled into the hammock. He sighed in contentment as he stretched out in the hammock, unaware of the wide eyes watching him from the other side of the couch.
Oh...My...Damn, Kin thought as a trail of blood leaked out of her nose, It's as though he was sculpted from marble...
Kin lied back down on the couch, trying to keep herself from leaping over the side and jumping the young Mokusei. She doubted he'd enjoy that, despite what her own urges were telling her, and he'd probably kill her or something for waking him up. Kin shook those thoughts from her head. Mokusei didn't seem to be that cruel or hateful, so long as you don't harm the forest. Her eyes widened in realization as she remembered something.
"M-Mokusei-san?" she squeaked out. A grunt came from where the blonde lay.
"Hn, yes Kin?" he asked. Kin felt butterflies in her stomach from hearing him say her name but steeled herself before she continued.
"T-There's something I need to tell you, about why Lord Orochimaru," she said earning a growl from the blonde.
"I know why he's here, and I don't need to know anything about the invasion," the blonde's voice muttered back. Kin's eyes widened.
How...How did he know? She thought worriedly, Is he going to get rid of me if I'm no longer useful?
"...Kin?" his voice called out. Kin swallowed in fear before hesitantly replying.
"H-hai, Mokusei-san?"
"I'm not going to kill you."
"Y-You're not?" She asked straining to look over the side of the couch. She yelped when the couch back switched sides and she could see the blonde lying there, staring at the ceiling, half-naked, and practically oozing pheromones. He turned his head as his tattoos stopped glowing and looked at her, his cerulean blue eyes revealing everything and nothing at the same time.
"No." he said simply before looking back up at the ceiling, "I have to wait until the council decides you're worth anything before I can release you."
"C-Council?" Kin asked.
"The Konohagakure Council," he said, "I've informed them of the attack, that you're in my realm, and that I have information about the invasion."
Kin's eyes widened in shock, "You lied?"
"Yes," he said simply, "I'm not under any oath for Konohagakure, for all I care, they can kiss my ass. Now let me sleep, I have to cook dinner in a half hour before resuming my patrol. Goodnight, Kin Tsuchi."
Kin was amazed. She thought for sure he was the guardian of Konohagakure considering he lived in the forest. Maybe she stood a chance after all. Kin shook that thought from her head and resumed just watching the blonde from her place on the couch. Eventually the silence got to her and Kin fell back asleep, dreams of the mysterious Mokusei filling her head.
"What was that all about, Sarutobi?" Homura asked as he and his fellow Hokage's Assistant, Koharu, followed the Hokage into his office.
"The Mokusei and I have a...History," Sarutobi replied as he said down. He placed his hands together in a thinking manner before waving his hand, summoning the ANBU within the room. They all bowed before standing at a slight ease.
"Hai, Hokage-sama?" one of them, wearing a Nekko mask asked.
"Please leave the room," he said. The ANBU all exchanged a look with each other before looking back at the Hokage and nodding. They then exited the room in an orderly fashion. When the door shut with a click, the Hokage performed a silencing jutsu.
"What I am about to tell you is a double S-rank secret," he said to his advisors. Homura and Koharu exchanged a look before sitting across from their old friend and teammate.
Sarutobi sighed as he removed the Hokage hat and set it on his desk, "You are both aware of the death of Uzumaki Naruto, yes?"
"Namikaze, you mean," Homura corrected, not forgetting that Sarutobi had released the truth of Naruto's heritage to the village in an effort to punish them. The villagers couldn't believe how they acted and a few actually committed seppuku to atone for what they had done. Sarutobi showed no difference to those that acted out against the jinchuriki, but he had easily forgiven them, too easily in Homura's opinion.
"Hai," Sarutobi said with a small nod, "He is not dead."
"What?" the two advisors chorused in shock. The Hokage nodded solemnly.
"That boy earlier," Koharu said in realization, "That was Uzumaki?"
"No," Sarutobi said shaking his head, "He has dropped that surname. I wouldn't be surprised if he took up the Senju name."
"Where has he been for the past 6 years?" Homura asked. Sarutobi smiled slightly.
"In the Forest of Death," the Hokage said. At their astounded faces, Sarutobi continued, "Let me tell you of my first encounter with the Mokusei."
AN: What was Naruto like when he first met the Hokage? Will Kin follow through with her perverted dreams? Will I ever get the damned log? Who knows! As you can see im still here and kicking. leave a comment and review on the story.
