Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. A guy called Kishimoto does. I don't own Bleach either Some lucky chap called Tite owns that.
The Eighth Swordsman
Chapter 6
The Academy-Team Assignments
All those who graduated in the Genin exams last week were waiting in the classroom for Iruka to arrive and announce their teams. That was one of the main topics of conservation. The other, of course was the new and improved Naruto Uzumaki. Said topic of conversation was daydreaming as he sat by Yoruichi, who was taking a power nap. At least that's what he seemed to be doing. In reality Naruto was reflecting over the events of the last week. It all started when he fell asleep after walking Mei to her hotel when he was pulled into his mindscape by Kyu-chan and Zan-chan.
Flashback
Naruto had just fallen asleep and felt himself being pulled into his mindscape. He opened his eyes and looked around to find himself sitting in the shade of a large tree and lying against its trunk in a tranquil meadow bordered by a forest. There was a river cutting a gleaming curve in the meadow and in the centre of said meadow lay a large house. He changed his mindscape to this meadow a couple of years ago at Kyuubi and Zangetsu's request. Speaking of which.
"Oi, Kyu-chan, Zan-chan, where are you two?" Naruto called out as he knew that they were the only ones who could pull him in there. If only he knew just how wrong he was.
"Right here Naruto-kun" they both answered him. Naruto turned around and saw them both step out from behind the tree, smiling sweetly at him with blushes present on their faces. They both looked at each other as if to steel their nerves as Naruto got up from where he was sitting below the tree and made his way over to them.
"So, what did you two bring me in here for?" Naruto asked them with his head tilted to the side and a curious expression his face that left them both inwardly screaming Kawaii.
"This" Kyuubi answered before she pulled him forward and smashed her lips into his, moaning at the sensation. Naruto was too stunned to react for a moment, making Kyuubi's heart plummet, before he responded in kind, making her heart rise from the depths once more. He deepened the kiss, much to Kyuubi delight and their tongues battles for dominance before he won out and explored the inside of her mouth, loving the taste of strawberries. He then let Kyuubi explore his own, which unsurprisingly tasted like ramen. Eventually the need for air became to great and the two separated, red faced and breathing harder than before.
"And this" Zangetsu said, barely giving Naruto's eyes time to widen before crushing his lips with her own, letting loose her own moan at the feeling. He responded quicker this time, not as caught of guard as before and his tongue clashed with Zangtsu's own before he won once more, his tongue plundered her mouth which tasted like blackberries and then let her tongue pay a visit to his own. The need for air won out once more and the two stepped away from one another, each with a red face and breathing heavily though it was more apparent on Naruto.
Seeing Naruto was slightly dazed, they decided to explain themselves with a single sentence.
"We love you Naruto-kun" they both said simply gazing at him with warmth and affection their eyes.
"Huh?" was Naruto's well thought out and intelligent response.
"We love you Naruto-kun, we always have and we always will" they told him.
"Why" he asked them quietly.
"You're kind, caring, strong, determined and unflinchingly loyal to those who've earned your trust" they answered him together.
"You saw past my reputation as a demon and got to know me despite the pain I've caused you" Kyuubi told him.
"You don't see me as a mere tool but as an equal and your partner" Zangetsu said.
"I love you both too" both their hearts rose at this "but" only to fall right back down again. What could possibly cause a but? "I also love Yorichi-chan and I am starting to fall for Mei-chan" he said, he hated himself for saying it but it was better now than later.
Kyuubi and Zangetsu simply laughed at him, prompting a confused look from him. "We already know that Naruto-kun" they told him.
"How do you know that?" he asked them.
"We live in your head remember" they both deadpanned.
"Oh yeah" he said grinning sheepishly and scratching the back of his head, he kinda forgot about that.
"And we don't mind sharing either. If we're willing to share with each other why wouldn't we be willing few more girls. Besides you're going to have a harem anyway because of the C.R.A." they both told him.
"Thank you" he said hugging them.
"Besides just think of it, we could an orgy" Kyuubi said excitedly, ruining the lovely moment between the three of them. And think of it Naruto did, and at the thought of the sweat pouring off their voluptuous bodies as he pounded all of them he went flying backwards with a nosebleed so powerful it happened outside the mindscape waking him up temporarily before the wall sent him to sleep once more.
"You had to say didn't you" Zangetsu asked her after a while.
"Yep" she said happily.
Flashback Over
The rest of the week after that was pretty enjoyable. He spent his nights in his mindscape talking to (having make-out sessions with) Kyuubi and Zangetsu .He also hung out with both Mei and Yoruichi who hit it off quite well much to his delight. He also sparred with Mei and found she shared his fire affinity and so they had a spar using only fire techniques and essentially reduced the once lovely green fields of Training Ground 3 into an ash-filled wasteland, completely barren of life. It was fun. He also played flash tag with Yoruichi quite a bit. She was still better than him at it but she said he was doing pretty well for only learning shunpo so he was happy with that. Later in the week he was challenged to a strictly Kenjutsu spar by Yugao. By the end of it both were covered in little knicks and cuts but Naruto won the spar when he disarmed her and held Zangetsu to her throat. Though it must be said that Yugao definitely made him work for it, making the match last for two hours. They decided to spar once a week when they had the chance and weren't on missions. She was also bringing her fiancé, Hayate next time around.
Naruto was brought out of his musings when Iruka entered the room, and woke Yoruichi up who gave a yawn and feline stretch before looking around and noticing Iruka standing beside his desk at the front of the room and nodding her thanks to Naruto.
"Alright, before I make Team Announcements I would just like say it has been a pleasure to teach you all and I wish you the best of luck in your future as a shinobi of Konoha". Iruka said with a proud smile on his face as he looked over his now former students.
He picked up the list and started calling it out "Team One is…irrelevant" Naruto finished in his mind and tuned out Iruka's voice until he reached Team Seven.
"Teams Seven consists of Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno and Sai. Your Jonin-sensei is Kakashi Hatake". Sakura stood up and was about to shout some bull about "true love" when she felt a chill a creep over her spine and turned to see Naruto smiling darkly at her while tossing his knife in the air and catching it by the blade with the silhouette of the Kyuubi roaring behind him. She wisely sat her bitch ass back down. Naruto was then swarmed by grateful looks from the people in the classroom, Iruka included. Naruto smirked, happy with his modifications to that team, Sasuke would be driven mad by Sakura's fangirl tendencies and Sai's insults. Sai was a bastard but he was a funny bastard. He felt bad for Kakashi though, his aniki didn't deserve that kind of shit.
"Team Eight consists of Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame. Your Jonin-sensei is Kurenai Yuuhi" Iruka said.
"Team Nine is still in rotation from last year" Iruka said.
"Team Ten consists of Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akamichi and Shikamaru Nara. Your Jonin-sensei is Asuma Sarutobi" Iruka said.
"Team Eleven consists of Naruto Uzumaki and Yoruichi Shihouin. Your Jonin-sensei is Rangiku Matsumoto" Iruka called out as he read the last team on the list. Naruto felt the corners of his lips curl upwards in a small smile at the look of delight that settled on Yoruichi's face once she heard that she was going to be on the same team as her Naruto-kun.
Her Naruto-kun.
She could get used to saying that.
"So, Naruto-kun do you know anything about our sensei?" she asked him.
"Her name was Rangiku Matsumoto right?" Naruto questioned her, getting a nod in response.
"Nope, haven't the foggiest" he said with an eyesmile, prompting a face-fault from Yoruichi.
"Then why did you ask me about her name?" she asked exasperatedly.
"To mess with you of course" Naruto answered happily with a large grin on his face.
""I hate sometimes, you know that don't you?" Yourichi told him, angrily.
"I love you too Yoru-chan" Naruto said, unknowingly bringing a large blush up to her face which she hid from him.
"Alright everyone, your Jonin-sensei should arrive here shortly" Iruka said as he made his way out of the room. Shortly afterwards the door opened and in came the Jonin-sensei's. Well three of them as least. Naruto sighed as he saw Kakashi's shock of silver hair was missing. He should've known he'd be late. Eh, who gives a fuck anyhow. It would only piss off Sasuke and Sakura, which was a win in his book. Sai probably couldn't give a shit either way. One of the few benefits of being the emotionless bastard that he was.
He nodded and smiled to Kurenia and Asuma. The Asuma was a good friend of Naruto's and always up for a game of Shogi. His eyes fell on the last member of the group and he felt his breath leave his body. She was simply breathtaking, no other adjective could to her justice.
She had light greyish blue eyes, a beauty mark underneath the right side of her mouth, long, wavy orange hair that fell to her firm bubble butt, a bust that was on par with Tsunade's, easily an E-Cup and perfect curves. The woman seemed to embody the term voluptuous. Her attire consisted of a black low cut shirt with pink faming the collar that showed quite a bit of cleavage much to the delight of all males present, a thin golden necklace nestled in said cleavage, pink fingerless gloves, tight black Anbu issue pants that hugged her curves with white medical tape around the ankles with a kunai pouch attached to her left thigh, and black boots. She had a straight bladed katana secured to her left hip by the pink Konoha headband she wore as a belt, the same way Naruto secured Zangetsu to his own hip. The katana had a red hilt with a golden diamond pattern running along it, a golden guard in the shape of a cat's head and a long, silver blade.
"Team Eight you're with me" Kurenai called out before she left the room Hinata, Kiba and Shino in tow.
"Team Ten, meet me at The Akamichi Barbeque" Asuma stated before he too marched out of the room, getting a cheer from Choji as he and Ino followed close behind him with Shikamaru sleepwalking a few steps behind them. Those still left in the classroom sweatdropped at the slackers behavior bar Naruto who merely applauded him. Seeing the odd looks thrown in his direction he remarked "Come on, you have to admit matching their pace and avoiding all the possible obstacles in his way while asleep is pretty damn impressive".
"Team Eleven, meet me at Training Ground 11" Rangiku said before she vanished in a shunshin, leaving a cloud of ash behind her.
Naruto and Yorichi looked at each other and grinned before they phased out of existence and the classroom with a shunpo.
"So, dickless when do you think Kakashi is gonna get here" Sai asked Sasuke with that creepy fake smile of his. Seeing the glare he got in response to his query his fake smile turned into an amused smirk. Danzo-sama may have ordered him to help the Uchiha but that didn't mean he couldn't fuck with him as he did so.
Maybe he shouldn't talk with Naruto as much as he did.
Training Ground 11
Training Ground 11 was like many training grounds in Konoha, a wide green field with trees dotting the area and a large river cutting across it as a source of water for Suiton Ninjutsu.
Rangiku reappeared beside one of these trees with Naruto and Yoruichi close on his heels. Rangiku took in the appearance off her new Genin, the girl was a real beauty, chocolate coloured skin, sparkling golden eyes and long purple hair done in a ponytail. The one who really interested her however was the boy with wild, shaggy black hair that fell to his shoulders, red slitted eyes that screamed about power and the resolve needed to use it and whisker marks giving him a feral appearance that left Rangiku hard pressed to fight down her blush. Her eyes widened when she saw the sword on his hip and she felt a smile bloom on her face. It was just like her mother described it in the stories she told her when she was a child. She then thought back on how she ended up as here.
Flashback
Earlier in the moring that day ten Jonin were gathered before the Hokage, these were going to be the Jonin-sensei for this years Academy graduates. Among them Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, Rangiku, Genma, Aoba, Hayate, Anko (May Kami have mercy on those poor misfortunate bastards because Anko certainly wasn't going to) and two other Jonin who aren't really relevant enough for the author to give them a name because he's a lazy bastard. Rangiku meanwhile, was plotting on how to get out of being a Jonin-sensei. Said plot consisted of using her considerable assets to persuade the old man to let her get the day off and give the Jonin-sensei job to some other poor sod so she could drink sake, a favourite pastime of hers. It worked before and as the saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Before she could enact her brilliant plan however, she was brought out of her musings by the old man telling them their teams.
"Team One is…"Rangiku tuned him out until only Kurenai, Asuma and Kakashi and herself remained.
"Kakashi, your in charge of Team Seven which consists of Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno and Sai" Hiruzen told him sadly and his fellow Jonin-sensei still room comforted the legendary Son of the White Fang as he sobbed. An arrogant, emo, Uchiha avenger, a fangirl of said avenger and whatever the fuck Sai actually was. Even Anko wouldn't wish that on Orochimaru. Okay, maybe she would but it was still fucking cruel as hell.
"Kakashi, just take this and go to your happy place ok" Kurenai said in a kind motherly tone as she handed him his Icha Icha, getting looks of shock from everyone in the room bar Kakashi who merely hugged the book to his chest like it was his lifeline.
Kurenai Yuuhi, a pervert hater on par with Tsunade just handed Kakashi Hatake, a pervert only surpassed by the Sandaime and Toad Sage, the works of said Toad Sage, Icha Icha Paradise, the pervert version of the bible. The world had to be ending. Next thing you know Tsunade would ask out Jiraiya and Orochimaru would return to the Leaf with an age appropriate girlfriend.
"Even I know he needs it right now" Kurenai said getting the others to nod. After a while Kakashi returned to normal, thanked Kurenai then left to read his book until he decided he was appropriately late to show up at the academy.
"Kurenai-chan, you've got Team Eight which consists of Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyuuga and Shino Aburame". Kurenai nodded and left, happy that she got Hinata and was able to train a tracking team just like she wanted to.
"Asuma, Team Ten, the new Ino-Shika-Cho trio is all yours". Asuma nodded to him and followed Kurenai out the door so he could talk to her about arranging their second date.
Rangiku, seeing she was the only one left was about to put her plan into action but was stopped by the Sandaime before she could. "Rangiku-chan, don't even try it" the Sandaime said.
"You'll be teaching Naruto Uzumaki and Yoruichi Shihouin" he told her.
"Do I have to" she whined and got a nod in response.
"If you want to find out who Zangetsu is you do" the Sandaime said and knew he had her at that. Rangiku more so than anyone else in the entire village wanted to know who he was and searched tirelessly for Zangetsu though she never told him why.
Rangiku stiffened at that, if she found him she could finally fulfill the role passed down along her family line from generation to generation as they waited for Zangetsu to make herself and her wielder known to the world once more. A duty she knew fell on her soldiers the day her blade, Haineko glowed black with red edging it one night when she was only twelve years old. She started searching for Zangetsu from that night onwards, just like the six others spread across the Elemental Nations.
Unfortunately, her search remained unfruitful up until a year ago when the stories of Zangetsu first appeared in the Leaf. The tales spoke of a dark warrior with demonic red eyes and a blade, black as sin that was rumored to be able tear the night sky asunder. She knew it was him though he still contrived to remain anonymous, something that irritated her to no small amount.
"What the hell does Zangetsu have to do with my genin team?" she asked him, irritated with old man for stopping her from fulfilling her duty as the current wielder of Haineko.
"Well for starters he's on it" Hiruzen simply.
"Huh?" she asked intelligently.
"You'll be teaching him" Hiruzen informed her, amused at the thunderstruck look on her face at his words.
"Are you trying to tell me that the legendary Zangetsu, Konoha's Dark Swordsman, the man I've been searching for all this time and Naruto Uzumaki, Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi No Kitsune and Prankster King of Konoha are one and the same" Rangiku asked in deadly quiet tone of voice.
"Yes" Sarutobi said carefully, wary of the tone the buxom young beauty before him was using. The last time he heard that tone was before his late wife, Biwako unleashed an ass-kicking of God-like preportions upon him.
"Why the FUCK didn't you tell me who he was" Rangiku yelled at him, having lost all control of the anger and frustration that had built up in her over the years at her inability to find him.
Sarutobi despite his image as the kind grandfather-like Hokage lost his patience and answered in an equally angry but far more quiet and deadly tone "Why do you think Rangiku? Use that head of yours. What would the Council try if they found out about him?".
This shut Rangiku the hell up as she paled upon realizing what would happen to the child if they found out. Let's just say it wasn't pleasant.
"You were protecting him" she muttered to herself.
"Yes, we had to keep his training and skill level a secret until he was ready to face the Council" he told.
"And is he ready?" she asked him.
Sarutobi couldn't help the grin that came to face. "Definitely. We're just waiting for the right moment to unveil his power".
"Sorry for earlier Hokage-sama, it's just a little personal for me" she said in a chagrined tone.
The Hokage merely waved off her apology though that last part caught his attention. "And why is that Rangiku-chan?" he asked her, feeling close to finally solving the mystery of Rangiku's obsession.
"An old promise" she said before she disappeared in her ash shunshin, leaving a confused old man behind before he shrugged and made some kage bushins, mentally thanking the gaki as he did so before returning his attention to the latest addition of Icha Icha. "Oh, Kasumi-chan you naughty, naughty girl" he said to himself with a perverted giggle as a blush started to spread across his face and blood started to drip from his nose, leaving the Anbu who had returned to the room when Rangiku left after being dismissed during the Jonin-sensei assignments to sweatdrop at their Hokage's behavior.
Flashback End
Rangiku brought her attention back to her genin team and saw them looking at her expectantly. She smiled sheepishly and introduced herself.
"Let's start with introductions, shall we. I'll go first. My name is Rangiku Matsumoto. My likes are sake, the Hotsprings, my friends, my sword, napping, teasing people, and kenjutsu. My dislikes are paperwork, fangirls, arrogant pricks, rapists, the Elders and the Civilian Council. My hobbies are training, napping, teasing people, relaxing at the Hotsprings and drinking with my fellow Jonin. As for my dreams I want to have a family and fulfill an old promise to a great man. Your turn tall, dark and handsome" she told Naruto and giggled as he blushed.
"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. My likes are Yourichi-chan, Mei-chan, you, a certain vixen and my blade, ramen, foxes, cats, the moon, pranking people, kenjutsu, my precious people and training. My dislikes are the Uchiha Clan bar two of them, the Haruno Clan, fangirls, arrogant pricks, gravity, rapists, waiting, anyone who tries to mess with my precious people, the Elders and Civilian. My hobbies are making new seals and jutsu, staring at the moon at night, hanging out with my precious people, training and generally making shit go boom. And as for my dreams, well, I'll figure it out when I get there" Naruto said, not noticing the blushes present on their faces when the two beauties were mentioned as his likes.
"Aw Naru-kun, I like you too" Rangiku said hugging him and forcing his head into her substantial chest. Not that he was complaining. No straight man would. "I like her" Kyuubi said to Zangetsu who nodded in agreement
"Eh, sensei I think your suffocating him" Yoruichi said, slightly annoyed with Naruto's head being nestled in her new sensei's cleavage.
"Ah, gomen" Rangiku said as she released Naruto leaving his face an interesting shade of purple. "Anyway your up neko-chan".
Yoruichi rolled her eyes at the nickname before answering. "My name is Yorichi Shihouin. My likes are milk, fish, Naruto-kun, cats, the hotsprings, napping, taijustu and pranking people. My dislikes are fangirls, the emo Uchiha, the Haruno Clan, the Elders and Civilian Council and arrogant assholes. My hobbies are training, playing flash-tag, relaxing in the hotsprings. My dreams are to have a family, become a taijutsu master and surpass the Yellow Flash in speed".
"Alright, I'm meant to give you guys a test based on teamwork but since you two are childhood friends it would probably be redundant. and I kinda forgot the bells needed to test you" Rangiku told them in a cheerful tone making her two new genin sweatdrop at her carefree attitude. "So we'll have to pass on that for now. I'd like to know what you to specialize in and what you'd like to improve in and if you want to learn something else entirely. Yoruichi-chan you're first, then Naruto-kun".
"I specialise in high speed taijutsu and I'd like to learn some ninjustu for long range and maybe some fuinjutsu as well" Yoruichi informed her.
"I specialise in Kenjutsu, taijutsu, fuinjutsu and I dabble in ninjutsu for long range" Naruto told her.
"As for myself I specialise in kenjutsu and ninjutsu and a little taijutsu as well. I'm sorry Yoruichi-chan but you'll have to ask Naruto-kun here about fuinjutsu okay? I should be able to teach you both a few ninjutsu as well as soon as I find out your affinity though. And Naruto-kun we can spar to keep up and improve your skills in kenjutsu though I'm sure you're pretty good already being Zangetsu " Rangiku told him seeing them look happy at being taught a few new jutsu but both of them tensed at the mention of Naruto being Zangetsu.
"The old man told you didn't he?" Naruto asked and then cursed at her nod.
"It's okay, your secret's safe with me Naruto-kun" she told him.
"Thanks Rangiku-chan" he told her gratefully.
"No problem Naruto-kun" she told him happily, then started fishing in her pocket for something.
"Gotcha" she exclaimed happily as she removed her hand from her pocket.
"Got what Rangiku-sensei?" they both asked her.
"This" she said and held out her open palm to reveal three slips of paper.
"That was kind of anti-climatic. I was expecting some kind of scroll or weapon or something badass like that" Naruto commented.
"Yeah" Yoruichi agreed.
Rangiku face faulted and then told them the purpose of the paper. "This is chakra nature paper. It will tell you your elemental affinity when you channel chakra into it. Fire burns, earth crumbles, water soaks, lightning crinkles and wind cuts" she told them and handed both of them a sheet of paper and all three them channeled their chakra into the paper, Rangiku doing so as well though she was more of a demonstration than anything else. Rangiku's paper split in half and then was consumed in flames, showing a strong wind affinity and stronger fire one. Yoruichi's paper split in half and then crinkled into a ball, showing a strong wind affinity and a stronger lightning one. Naruto's paper split in half as well, one half turning into a small fireball and the other crinkling into a tiny ball, showing an equally potent affinity for fire, wind and lightning.
"Ok, we all share a wind affinity and you two share a lightning affinity so I'll start you two on training those two affinities tomorrow along with chakra control, physical conditioning and a spar to end the training session" she told them and got a nod in response. "I'll show you the training exercises for fire nature chakra tomorrow as well ok Naruto-kun".
"No need to Rangiku-chan I've already mastered my fire affinity" Naruto told her.
"Seriously?" Rangiku asked him, a bit stunned. Nature affinities and manipulation were Jonin level skills for a reason after all.
"I'm Zangetsu for a reason Rangiku-chan" Naruto reminded her.
"Oh yeah" she said in a chagrinned tone. "Well that's something else we don't have to worry about then. Ok, I want you both to meet here tomorrow morning at eight a.m. for training. Ja ne" she told them before vanishing in her ash shunshin.
"Yoruichi-chan care to accompany me to Ichiraku's" Naruto asked her politely while offering her his arm as a gentleman should.
Yoruichi giggled at him before answering him. "Of course Naruto-kun" she and replied and took the offered limb and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked off towards the Ramen restaurant.
AN: I managed to get this chapter out early and the next one should be out within the next fortnight. Anyway if any of you could suggest a title for Naruto besides Zangetsu I'd really appreciate it if you sent it to me via PM or review. The Dark Swordsman was the best I could come up with. Also I'm debating on doing the Civil War in the Kiri or not. Let me know what you think of me doing it along with what you thought of the chapter in your reviews. Did any of you see Rangiku as their sensei coming? Also this is the first chapter of this story not to be posted at 4 a.m.
Take it hand,
Maverick Wilde
Edited: 14 June 2013