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Ever since the attack of the Kyubi, Naruto was shunned as 'Konoha's Demon' when he was born with the Kyubi sealed in him. His life was miserable beyond grief. Time passed by and he has slowly proven himself as its jailer instead of its incarnate. But despite this, love never truly touched the young jinchuuriki's heart until death came over him.
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A/N: I do not own Naruto, Bleach or any other canonical characters. If I did, I wouldn't be here in FF now would I?
Talking
'thinking/flashback'
Kyubi Talking/Jutsu
'Kyubi Thinking'
Chapter 5
Rebirth
As the story continues…
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A bright flash of white light blinded Naruto's eyes before he could come into consciousness.
"Ughhh...my head...so this is what death feels like..."
His mind, though battered by the psychological stress that accompanied his pilgrimage into the next world, still remained stable as he could now make out his surroundings from his bedside position.
His cerulean eyes gazed at what was in front of him. He saw a green straw built ceiling with wooden frames that separated the interwoven mats into several blocks that lined the entire ceiling. In the center of the ceiling was a traditional western fan lamp that made a familiar whistling sound as the blades passed by.
To his right was a small table with six mats around it and a small dresser at the corner with a vase full of a familiar blooming flower.
'Not what I expected. Death sure is...traditional.'
As he looked to his left, he saw a pond in the middle of a traditional Japanese garden and a man staring at the sky with his back turned to him. The blonde's gaze gained focus as he concentrated on the figure in the classical beauty of the garden.
He had gray hair standing up in two directions. His haori was pure white as the clouds he gazed upon in bliss with a rhombus lined in black with the kanji of five in its center. The only thing familiar with his attire that could be seen were his shinobi sandals and bandaged legs that held his black hakama from hiding his lower legs as a slight breeze picked up and blew his coat.
The man now could feel his now conscious guest of honor gaze upon his backside telling him that he was up and ready to talk to him. With a big sigh, he then spoke to the blonde.
"The gardens here are much better and cleaner than in Konoha. It's a shame Naruto that we could only breathe this air here than at the top of the highest peak of the Konoha Monument or see such a beautiful garden than the ones growing at the back of the Hokage tower."
This statement sparked in the blonde's mind a nostalgic image. Somehow this man knew him from a previous life yet though vaguely familiar; he still could not pinpoint who it was.
'Who is he? He knows my name. He must be someone who died and had lived in Konoha during my lifetime. Hmm…wait! Then that could mean he's…'
The blonde's thoughts were as sharp as ever even in death. As he stood up and walked behind him. He then took a deep breath to refresh his lungs with the clear crisp air in this new dimension. With a feeling of freshness, he then spoke to the now recognizable man.
"It sure is eh… Sarutobi oji-san."
His remark had touched the heart of the kind old man who was once the sandaime of Konoha as he turned his wrinkled face to meet his with a sad smile.
It was obvious that he had hoped he didn't see his favorite loud-mouthed, hyperactive and ambitious genin come to this world at such a young age.
As the aging wise old sage and young blonde sat down in front of the pond, they began to chat about their surroundings and reminisce on their past lives like it was a regular day in Konoha when Naruto wasn't doing any pranks or training.
Eventually, the conversation drifted towards how they both entered into this new and exciting realm.
"Oji-san…I get the idea how you got here because you died fighting Orochimaru. But, I want to know how I got here and why you're wearing those clothes."
Naruto had much to learn and didn't hesitate as he asked the wise, old man for him obtain answers that could or would blow his mind. As the former sandaime closed his eyes, he then told the puzzled blonde everything that had happened to him.
Flashback
The intertwined spirits had merged into one as they exited the tunnel into the next life. At the gaping void of the wormhole formed in the dimension of the afterlife, a flash of light beamed right through the dimensional barrier of the heavily fortified walls of the city encased in it. The jinchuuriki's entry however did not go unnoticed.
Just as he entered into the next life through the dimensional void, in an enclosed room filled with electronic equipment and several computers and monitors, a beeping sound could be heard as the normally dormant system locomotioned into overdrive.
"Someone has entered the dimensional barrier!"
The brown haired girl said as she looked into the primary monitor indicating their position.
"What? How did that happen? Is this Aizen's counteroffensive already?"
Asked a fatter one as he got up from his chair and looked into the monitor.
"No. The reiatsu signature is strong but it's far too raw to be a Hollow or Shinigami."
The brown haired girl replied as she estimated the composition reiatsu from her computer.
"Exactly how raw and how powerful?"
Asked another as he awaited the brown haired girl's answer. She quickly ran through some tests as she typed away. Her investigation proved some incredible results as she said,
"No Way! Its one hundred percent raw and currently almost as powerful as the sotaicho!"
The nearest one to the screen then barked without hesitation.
"Alert all divisions to prepare for battle NOW!"
Without a moments notice, every division began to ring their alarm bells to warn the inhabitants of the impending danger.
The inhabitants below begun to panic as they each hurried into defensive manuevers to protect themselves from whatever alien that would come to wreak havoc and pain upon them.
While outside they were poised for battle, one hurried inside a narrow hallway and stopped at the open entryway as he bended on one knee and reported to the man in the office in front of him.
"Sotaicho Yamamoto-Genryūsai! A powerful ryoka has effortlessly broken through the barrier of Seireitei and has landed in the execution chamber!"
The blue-haired man's report caused the aging yet firm old man to rise from his seat as his beard hung reaching his chest. The old man, picked up his wooden cane at his left side and immediately lifted his right hand to the kneeling man in front of him and with eagle eyes, barked at him.
"SEND FOR ALL THE GOTEI 13 CAPTAINS TO MEET ME AT THE SITE AT ONCE TO CAPTURE HIM!"
The blue haired man bowed his head in resignation as he replied,
"HAIT, SOTAICHO!"
With the curt reply of the kneeling man to the commander, he then vanished in a blur and did as he was commanded.
On top of the barren and dead hill where the unconscious body of the blonde lay, several figures in white haoris with a black lined rhombus and the kanji of numbers from one to thirteen on their backs respectively, cautiously approached the seemingly lifeless body of the young blonde as a breeze swept by and brushed the dust of the wasted cliff and the blonde locks of hair on the sleeping adolescent.
"So one human got through the barrier. This should be exciting."
One of the figures said. The woman next to him however just rolled her eyes and sighed.
One of the figures that approached the unconscious blonde however, recognized the boy and the several red tails underneath him as he instinctively went over to the body and carried him in his arms.
"No one touches him!"
He shouted at the rest of his colleagues with his cerulean eyes piercing a cold stare of concern and intimidation as the breeze lightly swept his long blonde locks of hair towards the right. All except Sarutobi and Yamamoto-Genryūsai took a step back in fear of this man. they could tell that his eyes just said 'leave us alone or die'.
The commander stared hard at the man before drifting his gaze to the young blone in his arms. His eyes grew wider as he saw a patch of red fur being clumsily hidden by the man carrying the lad. It was then that he immediately knew what the connection between the boy and his newly appointed captain of the third division was. Armed with this knowledge he then spoke to his suboordinates.
"Very well then. All of you return to your posts except for the third and fifth division commanders! I will have a word with these two in my office."
They all bowed in agreement as they returned to their posts to restabilize their environment except for the four sentients that entered the commander's office to speak further concerning this scandalous event.
Sarutobi sat in one chair opposite to the seat of the commanding officer in his paperwork-filled desk and the larger version of the rhombus at the wall with the kanji for one in it. In his mind, he understood what it felt to be seated in front of the Hokage like this it was quite ironic. To his companion on his left though, it was the worst of times as the man cradled the young blonde in his arms.
The commander gave no room for hesitation as he calmly interrogated his newly appointed captains.
"Judging by your reactions a while ago, I can tell he is someone of importance from your past lives. May I inquire as to who he is so we can straighten this matter up?"
The two captains looked at each other with fright knowing that their commander was not a very tolerant man. He was known for his unreal strength but never his mercy. They sharpened their gaze and nodded at each other before turning to their chief of staff while swallowing hard to tell him the truth without regard to the utter consequences.
Sarutobi then cleared his throat as he spoke.
"The truth is—"
The older blonde didn't hesitate as he cut off Sarutobi's words when he spoke in his place.
"Sotaicho, he is my son, Namikaze Naruto. I sealed the soul of the Kyubi no Yoko into his body so that it could no longer tear down the homes of my people in Konohagakure no Soto. He is the reason that Kushina and I am here in Soul Society in the first place. I expected to see him here in my old age at the least, but I see him here now in his youth."
The blonde haired man said while tears streamed down his face as he filled in for Sarutobi. It was better if he explained it as it was his son that he cradled. After all, he is family the commander would understand right?
The commander slumped in his chair allowing the sun from the right side of the room to shine on his cross scarred bald head as he buried his brow in thought. After what seemed like eternity, the commander then ordered the two captains.
"Very well then. If he is your son then he may stay in your house. But I wish to speak to you as well and the boy when he wakes up and is ready to speak. So don't be late…Namikaze Minato."
The blonde haired man then rose his gaze from a downpoured state into a smile of joy at the wonderful news. Sarutobi also felt this sudden burst of joy since he spent most of the boy's childhood taking care of him and watching him grow like he was his own grandson. Before they let their swirl of elation get to them, they respectfully bowed and left.
When they had left the spacious office, the commander then made a weak smile as he said to himself.
" Ahh how good it is to be young"…'but he didn't have to hide the other one with him'
When the two captains had finally reached the third division's post, they were promptly greeted with a bow of respect by the lieutenant of Namikaze Minato, as they entered the bedroom overlooking the garden and lay Naruto down in the prepared futon by Minato's fukutaicho. As they looked in endearment of the boy, the subordinate then asked his superior.
"Is their anything else that I can do for you taicho?"
The blond haired lieutenant asked. His hair covered half of his left face and was shoulder length at the back.He wore a black hakama and kimono with a white armband carrying the division symbol for three and a sheathed katana in his left side of his waist.
"No, thank you Izuru. That will be all. Sarutobi, my friend, please watch him while I go look for Kushina to tell her of the news."
Both men nodded as the blonde haired man blurred away.
End of Flashback
Back in real time…Naruto's eyes grew wide like saucers at the startling revelation. He never expected that the yondaime was the one who trapped the kyubbi in him and furthermore, his biological father. In fact, to add to that bit of information, the culture shock that surrounded him began to burn our hero's young mind.
Naruto then turned to face the old man and stuttered to the old man beside him.
"O-oji-san, I…I…I…"
Sarutobi then held Naruto down as he attempted to stop him from panicking as he said to him with all seriousness.
"Calm yourself Naruto. Take it easy. Take several deep breaths so we can straighten things up. I know how you feel since everything is so sudden, but you just recovered from what I believe was a painful entry into this world."
Seeing Sarutobi's compassion for him, he then did as he was told. His heartbeat finally slowed down. His mind began to cool off as he closed his eyes to soften the storm in his head.
"Thank you Oji-san. I really needed that."
"No problem Naruto."
The wise old warrior said as he smiled.
As they sat down in the glimmering garden, fleeting footsteps could be heard getting closer and louder as it passed by until they heard the sudden swing of the sliding door open wide to reveal a beautiful woman panting with a shade of red on her face.
The two former shinobi turned their heads to see the alarmed woman at the door. Naruto was shocked at seeing this beauty that had barged in unanounced while Sarutobi just looked with a smile of content.
The beautiful white-skinned lady looked to be in her mid-twenties and was slightly taller than Naruto. She had deep-seated purple eyes that complemented her crimson colored hair tied neatly in a bun at the back and fastened securely with two silver chopsticks so the ends of the hair would stand up a little while her front bangs were parted slightly to curve her cheek and two locks hung behind her ears at shoulder length. She wore a slightly loose sleeveless shihakushō to show her ample bust size and the hakama had openings in the side that ran from her waist towards the middle of her upper thighs to reveal the skin on her legs. Her lower legs were tied with bandages in the same fashion as Sarutobi with a matching pair of shinobi sandals and a black choker on her neck. She had a wakizashi tied at her back. Its hilt was wrapped in orange cloth while its guard was the normal square type and its sheath black.
The stunning beauty then fixed her gaze on the young blonde in front of her. Her eyes began to water as she ran to him screaming his name. when she got into arms-length of him, she jumped and grabbed him. Coincidentally, they both fell into the pond.
As she squeezed the life out of him, she then joyfully kept on saying,
"Naruto! My Naruto! My baby boy! I've missed you so much!"
As she snuggled into his blonde locks of hair, Sarutobi began to pry him out of her clutches in order to save what was left of the sufficating boy.
When the former sandaime finally released the blonde from his awkward prison, the young blonde then blushed with his jaw open and pointed his finger at the red haired woman as he stuttered,
"W-who a-are you?!"
Said Naruto as he climbed out of the pond, sitting on the now soaking grass.
The red-haired woman realized that he could not recognize her at all seeing as he has never met her before. She then crept out of the pond, soaking wet with her hair undone, and told him with all her emotions let loose as she hugged him with his face half buried in her busom.
"Naruto, I am your mother…Uzumaki Kushina…all this time while I was here awaiting for you to come one day so we can be reunited as one family after the kyubi seal finally came to an end…I really…missed you. I only got to see your face once before they sent you to the sealing chamber after that I just waited here in death."
His ears could not believe him. Yet somehow, as he felt the softness of her chest, he could feel no lust or romantic feelings towards this fully blossomed flower. He could feel it in him. That parental love that he longed for so long. And that gut feeling that 'she was definitely telling the truth'.
The young blonde was like a helpless lamb as he cried and quickly hugged her tightly. He felt her warm embrace filled his empty soul as he cried and cried and cried.
Sarutobi just stood there looking at them with a smile as he put his haori around them to prevent them from catching a cold due to their sudden outbreaks of emotion.
Nostalgia came upon him as he said,
"A Happy reunion in death. Karma sure is ironic."
While the mother and son sat there, soaking wet, beside the pond, a tall man in the slightly similar outfit as Sarutobi, walked in towards the light of the sun.
He had long, spiky blonde hair and the same cerulean eyes as Naruto. In fact, the resemblance between them is too obvious to deny. He wore a sleeveless version of the haori with the black lined rhombus on its back with the kanji for three witten on it. He wore the traditional black kimono and hakama except the top was left to hang over his obi which revealed his tight long-sleeved black undershirt. His lower attire was the same as Sarutobi's except he had three kunai pouches strapped with a white sash on both leg to contrast the color of the shihakushō and the katana attached to his back with a blue sash and the Konoha symbol engraved on the hilt.
The blond haired man then stopped just at the wooden flooring that went around the edges of the post and grinned as he said to them.
"Yare, Yare. Starting the family reunion without me eh?"
Naruto then recognized the man as they turned to look at him in response to his question.
The light feelings of happiness and bliss suddenly died as soon as it came up when he saw the man who put him through so much pain for all his life.
He knew that he meant well, but his saddened heart did not as his eyes turned into the dereaded scarlet slit ones while at the same time, his fangs and claws grew. His whisker birthmarks became deeper and wider as his blonde hair became more feral with rage.
Sarutobi became very alarmed as he knew what was going on. But before he could act, Naruto ran with a feral speed as he attempted to wound the man in front of him.
Kushina could only watch in fright as her son assaulted her husband. But before Naruto could reach his father's throat, a lash from a red blur sent him flying into the pond once more.
They were all shocked at what just happened.
The former yondaime just sighed as he nearly died from the hands of his own son. He then said to the red figure in front of him,
"I'd never expect that you would come rescue me from my own son. The world sure is ironic…Kyubi."
Naruto stood up from the pond and gasped with his mother and Sarutobi as they saw a wolf sized form of the Kyubi no Yoko in front the now thankful Minato.
He was poised and ready to strike all that would attempt to hurt the man behind him. With his nine tails swaying, he then barked at Naruto.
BAKA! What were you thinking! After all these years saying how the yondaime was a great shinobi and how you wanted to surpass him and make his dream come true, you thank him by attacking him?! He's your father gaki! Even I wouldn't do something so low and you would?! How dare you…you FILTHY BAG OF FLESH!
His words though full of authority, did not cause Naruto's heart to yeild. Naruto retaliated to his question of wisdom with his own answer of folly.
"SHUT UP! He sealed You in me! Because of him, I lived every single day for the past twelve years of my life being beaten to an inch of my life, neglected, hated, constantly being assassinated, made fun of in general, the list goes on!"
BAKA! I was the reason for your miserable life not him! By acting the way you do now makes you no different from the people who abused you gaki!
"ShutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupSHUT UP!!!!"
The condensed feelings in the young blonde's heart could be felt by all in that room as he cried those words. It was a cry of sadness and despair. Sensing his son's deep pain, Minato then knelt in front of his son as he pleaded.
"Naruto, I can't understand what you feel from your past life."
"Of course you can't! You weren't there!"
The feral Naruto said as he spat those words with disgust.
"But from what I heard from Sarutobi, I can only say I'm sorry for everything that has happened to you. I did what I could because I loved the village and I loved you even more. It was painful for me as well to commit such a sacrifice even though I knew the consequences. I prepared myself for this day if ever it would happen."
"What?!"
Naruto muttered in confusion.
Before the former yondaime continued his apology, he then unsheathed his sword.
Everyone else tensed as they saw the readied blade. The blonde man then laid his sword on the ground in front of Naruto and bowed his head as he then made his final plea.
"Naruto…if it makes you happy…take my life as vengeance in exchange for the people who hated you and caused you much suffering…I will be the vessel that represents all those villagers and people who have hurt you in the past…"
A shocked Kushina was about to run to them but was held back by the hand of Sarutobi on her left shoulder.
"Let me go oji-san!"
Screamed the frightened mother. Sarutobi's grip however stood firm.
Sarutobi could only sigh as he looked at the two blondes while paying no attention to the worried Kushina's provocation as she struggled from his grasp.
Naruto had the sword readied to decapitate his father. Kyubi could only watch as son was about to slay father.
'Gaki, don't do this. Don't make the same mistake as that Uchiha did.'
The poised Kyubi thought as his fiery gaze fell upon his angry vessel.
Only silence could be heard in the background as the young blonde's grip on the gleaming blade tightened. It was a deafening silence until Naruto cried.
"KUSO!"
He cursed as he threw the sword into the ground. He then slumped by the wall crying his heart out with his father embracing him in his loving arms. The dying heart of the young blonde was now filled with the love and care of his family except for kyubbi as he slept by the dinner table in the middle of the room.
"It's ok son. Just let it all out."
Said the older blonde as he hugged him in his arms. Kushina soon followed as she broke from Sarutobi and hugged them both with tears in her eyes as she sobbed. Sarutobi on the other hand wiped the sweat and tears from his eyes as he sat beside the weeping family.
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By the time Naruto was fine enough to talk, they all then moved to the dinner table to eat. This of course surprised the young blonde as he had predetermined in his mind that people don't eat at all after they die. Then again, a lot of things had to be cleared up as he was in a strange new world.
His mother just chuckled at his innocent look towards the feast laid out for them. In fact, he gasped and dropped his jaw as he saw the monstrous appetite of his mother as she voraciously consumed the food in front of them. Sarutobi just sweatdropped as he spoke out loud.
"I still can't get used to her appetite. How your able to live with such a woman is beyond me."
"It takes patience and practice."
The blonde man said as he smiled and scratched his head before slurping up the last bit of ramen in his bowl. It was understandable now to the young blonde were he got his love for ramen and his voracious appetite as his mother burped at the last bowl before she lied down in an obvious 'I'm full' gesture. What surprised him with her action was that she didn't gain an inch in her belly.
Naruto sweatdropped as he thought,
'where does it all go? Even I got no clue how that happens to me. Must run in the family'
As they laughed at Kushina's burned out state, Naruto finally noticed that Kyubi was not sealed in him. And so he curiously asked the red maned fox.
"Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be sealed in me?"
To the rest in that room, they too thought about it. It was a very good question. To the kyubi however, it was idiotic. The now annoyed fox bit his pride as he answered the boy's question.
That was a good question for an imbicle. The reason I'm here is because I'm DEAD! Another reason was because of the Shiki Fujin that your father over there used. It bonded our spirits for life. In other words, though I hate to admit it, you're the master, and I'm the…loyal servant…
The kyubi answered in disgust as he spat the last sentence. Naruto just sat there with his arms crossed and deep in thought. This made everyone else sweatdrop as their unison thought was, 'he can't be seriously trying to ponder that?'.
After a full minute, an evil grin formed on the boy's face.
'So now he gets it' was the thought in everyone elses mind in that room. Naruto then looked at the kyubi and immediately commanded.
"Sit!"
After he said his command, a black seal that suddenly revealed itself on the kyubbi's neck began to glow yellow. Before they could be surprised at the sudden entrance of the seal, the kyubbi's body began to gain weight as if gravity was pulling him down. The fox's knees soon gave way as it stood prone on the floor.
An enraged and humiliated fox began to scream at the boy.
KUSO!!! I'LL SEE YOU ROT IN HELL FOR THIS! DON'T YOU DARE TREAT ME, THE DEMON LORD KYUBI LIKE THIS YOU INSOLENT GAKI!!!!
The young blonde just laughed as the kyubbi made his rants and several profanities at the boy while the rest just looked dumbfounded. They were having the time of their lives.
Reunited as a family and whole at last. Though they were only united in death, but their lives were now happier in its rebirth.
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Ok. Here is where I need suggestions on his training. And for those who are wondering if Hinata is in Soul Society, the answer is no. you'll find out why in the ff. chapters. Same goes for when in Bleach was Naruto.
Thank you for reading the latest chapter in Naruto: Death's Second Chance.