Disclaimer: I do not own anything Naruto or Zelda that is mentioned in this plotline. All I own are original characters, items/weapons/jutsu/ect.
A/N: Wrestlemania was awesome, Leaf. Saw my favorite superstars, managed to get my white shirt I wore during Axxess signed by various superstars and announcers alike (got some cool stuff as well). Cena used the FU first on Big Show, and deal the same hand to Edge before pinning the Big Show to win the gold. Triple H got his revenge, first while the ref was out dished out a punt of his own, and before the ref revived, used a sledgehammer, pin, and retailed the WWE Title. Carlito and Primo are Unified Tag Team Champions, held as the bonus match before WMXXV began. Jericho defeated the Legends, but left with a sore victory after Rourke was taunted into the ring, and landed a left swing (being a former boxer). HBK and Undertaker really took it to the limit, but nonetheless, the streak goes to 17-0. Matt beaten Jeff, which I was hoping would be the other way around. And with CM Punk winning Money in the Bank, it's as matter of time to see if he, will go after Cena's title (I predict), or Triple H's title (or possibly the ECW title).
With that minor rant off my chest, I'm going to resume this story now. Ya know, it surprises me how some people have different views and opinions about this story (not that I'm not angry or anything, in fact I encourage you all to tell me truthfully how this story appeals to you), and yes, in some places it looks like it can never work, or why things look like they way it is now, and the few changes made here and there. But anyway, sorry for the wait, but this chapter was the hardest at writing up so far. Trying to put in good enough detail, so it is interesting enough to read... I also had been distracted playing Hyper Mode on Metroid Prime 3 Corruption (barely managed to defeat Rundas).
Chapter Twenty
Epona nickered.
"What is it?"
Epona then looks towards the Kumo-nin who was walking up to him.
"Thank you... for saving me, you and the priestess. Are you from Konoha?" He gestured to Naruto's shield, having seen the insignia of the leaf on the background of the metal shield despite the eye catching detail of the (unknown to him) Triforce.
"Yes, but they don't even know. I'm with Kururi here on my own accord."
"He speaks the truth," Kururi tells the Kumo-nin.
A scream echoes, and they turned toward the source. Naruto ran and jumped onto Epona as he charges off, grabbing Kururi and swinging her onto the mare, while the fully-healed Kumo ninja followed after them, having recognized that cry.
=0=0=
Yugito backed away, as two guys stalked her. The teenager knew these two wanted her for the Nibi she had sealed into her since birth. They even said it themselves, before attacking her, trying to take her out so it would been much easier. He has been in the fight against them, doing very well until they managed to knock her out from her Bijuu form. She had since then been on the run from these two, until they had finally trapped her outside Kaminari no Kuni.
Just as Hidan delivers the final blow, Deidara breaks through the ground, gasping for air. As he finally unburies himself, he finds himself in the surprised company of Kakuzu and Hidan, two other members of the Akatsuki. Kakuzu was a man who steals the hearts of his victims and uses it as extra lives, while Hidan was a religious man, who worshipped the god Jashin, by killing victims in the name of Jashin with the use of a tri-bladed scythe.
"The hell?" Hidan yelled.
"We were chasing after you two, until Tobi and I were attacked. Tobi's dead."
Hidan snorted. "Good, always hated that skipping prick. Who killed him anyway?"
"Some armored man with an affinity for lightning."
All of a sudden, a swirl of twilight emerged, and in came Lansing.
"Hm..." Lansing felt all eyes on him, but he turned his attention to Yugito, "Ah... the Nibi no Nekotama, Nii Yugito." A soft chuckle escaped his throat.
"Hey! Who in the name of Jashin are you?" Hidan yells.
"Wait, Hidan... this is the man who had stolen the Kyuubi no Kitsune from one of the former targets Uzumaki Naruto," spoke Kakuzu.
"Correct. I am the Twilight King. I require her powers so you are," his hand began to glow, "dismissed!" The two Nukenin took stance, as Yugito tried to escape, but a bolt of lightning emerged, and Kumo grappled the struggling young lady.
"That's the creep who killed Tobi and destroyed my beautiful works of art, yeah!"
"Let go of me!" She yelled flaring her bijuu's power. Kumo laughed, and knocked her upside the head, knocking her out.
"Kumo, take the girl away... she shall be useful in killing Uzumaki Naruto. I will take care of these scumbags."
Kumo vanished before Kakuzu could release the power of his fire mask.
"Hm.... a man who steals hearts, a devil worshipper, and a clay bomber with tongues in his hands." The king cackled softly, "this will be fun."
"Jashin is not a devil you heathen bastard!" Hidan shouts.
Three lovely goddesses and Kami would gladly disagree on that statement.
The king smiled behind his mask, before a portal opened up above him. Dropping from the portal were six Shadow Creatures. He floated back, "kill them." before he vanished. The creatures all converged on them. Kakuzu released two of his masks, unleashing fire and lightning jutsus, while Hidan was swinging his scythe, slashing two down. Deidara struck two with his clay birds. They fell down, but as Hidan was going to kill the last one, it screeched loudly. The three found themselves stunned, and before their eyes, the fallen beasts rose up from the floor, as if they had never died. The resumed the attack. The king watches, invisible, as they were weakened down by the might of the beasts he's summoned, before Hidan got the lucky idea of killing them all in a single sweep, which he did with his scythe. With them killed, the portal remerged, and formed one before it rendered itself invisible.
"Hm..." his voice echoed all around them, "impressive. So, Naruto isn't the only one who can combat my shadow creatures. Nonetheless, you will not have the girl. Her powers will do wonders for me and my overall goal. After all, what I did to Naruto shall happen to the girl, one I pit those two in battle."
"The Jinchuuriki is ours!" Hidan shouted, "You blasphemous freak!"
"Heh... then explain how you failed your mission."
All of a sudden, they were warped under his magic, under swirls of twilight, forcibly returning to the Akatsuki Base. He emerged from his invisibility form, and turned around just as Naruto charged in, and halted his horse. Both he, and Kururi sitting behind him, looked at the Twilight King.
"Lansing..."
"Ah, the Boy Who Lived, so good to see you again... well, Naruto, no need to worry about Deidara anymore, or Hidan, and Kakuzu. I had ejected them back to their base... I have the girl now, and if you want to save her... you'll have to find her."
"Let the girl go!"
"Oh no... I will not. You'll have to defeat her, once of course I transform her by force. The Jinchuuriki of the Nibi no Nekotama... go to the Lightning Temple, if you wish to save her, fool." His laugh echoed all around as he vanished in twilight.
Naruto scowled, and snapped on the reigns, and charges off, soon passing the border of Kumo, while the Kumo-nin they had saved from Mizuki followed after them, finding all of this weirdness getting weirder.
=0=0=
They made it to the border into Kaminari no Kuni. Naruto, Kururi, and the Kumo-nin Hyoto managed to get pas the guards with no trouble. However, they were following after Kururi, who was tracking down the sudden aura of evil that sprung up. Hyoto however told the ANBU that patrolled the border to get the Raikage, and tell him that an unknown enemy has captured Nii Yugito. They Shunshin away with a poof of smoke, traveling towards Kumogakure to alert their kage of a threat situation...
"You two... the direction we're going, it's going to take us to the Lightning Temple owned by some monks."
"Yes... I have been there before," Kururi spoke, "I know a few of the monks there. I fear that the evil has taken refuge within, and may have turned it into his own dungeon of darkness."
=0=0=
Traveling non-stop was Kakashi, Gai, Anko, Kurenai, several ANBU, and other ninjas trusted with this mission Tsunade issued.
"Can't believe Naruto would do something like this," Kakashi said, unsure of whether to feel mad at his student for doing something so foolish, or feel bad because Naruto would get in a lot of trouble that could damage the village for entering another country illegally.
"Naruto will be fine, but let's hope this does not cause any war to spring up with Kumo. They still wish to obtain the Byakugan by any means necessary." How they traveled was using Anko's summon to bring forth a large snake that could carry them all and cross vast distances.
In Konoha, Kin was frantic, as were the rest of Naruto's girls, and his other friends of course. Everyone was shocked to learn that Naruto had gone to Kaminari no Kuni with some priestess, and not even tell the village. In Kumo, the Raikage had learned of what had happened, and had gone to travel with various other Kumo-nins and his ANBU Guard. They of course were traveling to the Lightning Temple, because the entire village felt a sudden flare of demonic youkai emanating from that general location. The cause for the flare of energy was Lansing warping the temple into his own twisted dungeon, and of course, tormenting Yugito until his power had captured the Bijuu within. The same controlling crystal he used to turn the Shukaku Jinchuuriki against Naruto would now be used on the Nibi against the Hero.
The Temple of Lightning.
Kururi had visited this shrine three years ago. But now, the monks that lived at the temple had been driven out by an evil force, and though the outside of the temple remains the same, within, by evil magic have been warped to accommodate the dark army that had been released within. Uzumaki Naruto stood at the small flight of stone steps that leads to the shrine's courtyard. He could feel the evil aura radiating from it.
"Naruto, you know what you have to do, right?" Kururi asks the boy.
"Yup..."
"I wish you luck in cleansing this evil," she says.
Naruto nodded, as he begins his trek up the stairs, as everyone else watches him descend those stairs. Kururi smiled softly.
Brave Hero chosen by the Gods, you shall succeed...
=0=0=
"He's coming, my king."
"Good... let us leave, and let our new pet kill the boy. But, even if he does survive, he'll have weakened the Bijuu long enough for me to capture it as I did the kitsune."
=0=0=
The shadow beast fell to his blade, and exploded into a burst of twilight. The single beast's death caused the gates of twili to open up, allowing Naruto entry into the warped temple. Walking into the temple, through the small hallway, he found himself in a larger chamber room. He did not trust the few holes in the stone floor. Actually, in fact this entire first room was a bottomless trap hole. There are just a few suspended platforms, with three leading to three different doors. The side exits were blocked by locked doors, but the one up front was simply sealed. Walking around on two of the larger platforms were two skeleton-like figures with swords and shields.
Midna emerged next to Naruto. "Hm, this feels so much like a dungeon, Naruto..."
"You know what those walking corpses are?"
"They are called Stalfos. They can reanimate themselves even if you beat them. The first time around Link and I had trouble with these creeps. The best way of destroying the remains after you smash them is with some bombs. The explosion is enough to erase their remains."
Naruto nodded, as he pulled out a Senbon and attached it with a Nin-Omb. He flung the lit explosive at the first Stalfos, and blew it up. The second one got caught tin the explosive blast, and crumbled. Naruto threw another Needle Bomb, and destroyed it as well. Naruto jumped across the suspended platforms, destroying the last two Stalfos. The door facing north suddenly opened up, and before him, a chest appeared in a swirl of magic.
"Okay, that's weird..." Naruto opened it up anyway...
[Naruto obtains a Map of The Temple of Lightning.]
Naruto looked at the thing. Right now, he's on the first floor. There were apparently two more floors, but they went down deeper into the ground.
"Well... this is strange indeed," Midna spoke up, having peeked at it over Naruto's shoulder. She decided to keep a hold of it, as Naruto looked at her, "this entire temple screams dark magic... no matter what, keep on your guard."
"Right..."
She vanished, and Naruto retraced his steps, before taking the north path and through the door. The next room was a larger room. However, some of the floors alternated. Below him was a pool of water, with several of those biting school of small fish from the Valhalla Airship. The other half of the room was across the wide channel. Looking up, there was a small ledge with a door going north, but the only way to get there was with those floating plant-like things. He took a running start, and jumped. With the Chakra Grapple, he lassoed the chain that dangled from the ceiling that had a ring hook at the end. Using his weight, he swung himself to the other side. Immediately, several of the goblin creatures raced at him with clubs. Naruto fought back, spinning in a circle releasing the chakra whip to stun them. He then took them out with three cleaves of the Master Sword.
Naruto puts the sword and shield away, and takes out the Clawshots. He looked to the door on the small ledge, and then fires one claw at the nearest floating plant (Midna kept reminding him they're called Peahats), and reeled himself up. He looked around, and noticed a lone treasure chest sitting on another ledge, high above the open door he traveled through. So, he claw shots across the room using several other Peahat and landed on his feet in front of it. All it held was a Small Key. Naruto arcs an eyebrow. He decided to head back into the first chamber, and took the east path. Unlocking the padlock on it, he opens the door, and enters into a room that was sweltering with heat.
"Damn."
There were only a few pillars of stone that did not melt away into the lava at all. There were only a few supports of metal with mesh chain fences for floors going up towards some suspended platforms on thick chain. A few of those bats – Keese, he reminded himself – flying in lazy patterns, but they were lit with flames. He spotted on a grown ledge of stone a weird reddish lizard with a glowing tail.
Those are Dodongos. Their weaknesses are the tips of their tails, Naruto.
And they do what?
Almost like being in front of a furnace expelling a jet of fire...
There were in fact two of those Dodongos, and they were in front of a larger chest. So, he began to cross the pillars. Only, upon stepping on them, they began to sink, so it was a small race of getting to the other side. He clung to the edge, and pulled himself up as the last pillar sunk into the pool of liquid fire. The path he traveled up was an enclosed fencing. Thankfully the metal didn't burn that hot, but still... pretty warm with the heat in the room. Naruto cursed, feeling the heat start to work against him. He's killed a few of the fiery Keese with thrown kunai. When he ran around, he spied a chest on a small ledge. The jump to it was perfect, and this rewarded him another key. Now, here came the skip across the suspended platforms and onto the ledge where they turned to him and the Dodongos began to breathe fire at him. He rolled to the side, away from the lava, mind you, and jumped forward, slashing at the tail. The first one fell to its death, but Naruto backflipped from a jet of fire that nearly burned him. When it crawled up to him, ready to exhale another burst of fire, Naruto strafe around it, and attacked its tail. The thing cried before collapsing. Naruto put the sword and shield away again, and ran over to the chest, opening it and reaching in.
[Naruto obtained the Compass for the dungeon, now highlighting the location of treasure chests scattered in the Temple of Lightning.]
Midna took out the map again, and looked at it. On the third floor, was a marked skull, and there were several chests lying around in this transformed temple. She kept the Compass as well, before looking around. It was a long jump to get back to the entrance to the room.
"Naruto... see that stalagmite?"
Naruto nodded.
"Chakra Grapple."
Naruto nodded, and took a running leap. She flew after him, as Naruto extended the whip, and wrapped around the thick base of it. But it began to crack, and Naruto swung himself back to the way he started in the room just as it broke, and plunged into the lava. He and Midna backed from the minor splash. They got out of the room and back into the coolness of the first room, only to traverse to the western door... this time, they entered a chamber filled with cold water instead, and overgrown vines along the walls. There was a man-eating shark swimming in the pool, and several of those one-eyed daddy long leg spider creatures... that were water skipping towards him now that his presence was felt. Oh, and the door behind him had locked.
When the Tektite came at him, he killed them with ease. Now, it left him with the shark in the water. There was a small chest in the water, in the center of course. He looked around the room, looking for something that caught this eye. A sudden slash alerted him to the shark that flew out of the water and at him. He ducked to the side, swinging the blade as he cut a long line across the underside. When it flopped, bleed profusely, Naruto shoved a kunai wrapped with two explosive tags, and three lit Nin-Ombs before diving into the water. The result was a bloody explosion of fish. Naruto swam back to the surface, as the door unlocked again. He took a deep breath and dove back under again, and swam towards the chest; he kicked it open before swimming back to the surface, using the Chakra Grapple to latch onto whatever was inside, which was another Small Key.
=0=0=
The now unlocked door opened. Naruto was hurting a bit from the sudden drop when he went through that door that was now high above him and unreachable, unless he did some skillful Wall Jumps. According to the map Midna took out, they were on the first Sub Floor. This room now was overgrown with underground flora. It looked like a garden, with lots of roots. Of course this garden was nothing more than a false image, since it was littering with dark creatures. As they tread carefully into the deadly garden, they heard several slurps. Man-eating plants called Deku Babas soon grew from patches of grass, tongues lolling out with a hungry grin. Of course, they all shriveled up into hardened plants when Naruto released his Kaitengiri. Those that survived where what Midna told him were called Baba Serpents. Well-aimed attacks took them out.
All of a sudden, a bomb is dropped before him. He dove to the side as it blew up, but he got caught by the splash of debris. He looked around, and saw one of those Peahats. Only this Peahat had four green smooth tentacles, and it had the mouth of an Octorok. The eyes were a slanted teal blue with yellow beady eyes, and the leaf-like propellers were larger than the non-attacking Peahat. It vanished into the foliage.
I never saw a Peahat like that before, Midna told Naruto.
It nearly blew me up!
Then it came at him again, and "birthed" a blue bomb. That looked oddly disgusting, but Naruto ran for it, jumping over the thick roots, and dodging biting Deku Babas. It was lost as Naruto ran into the first door he spotted, and it sealed up behind him.
"Now where are we?"
Naruto sighed, as he looked around the chamber. As the last room showed, foliage as far as the eye can see. However, there was a crevice filled with water. Muddy water, but water nonetheless... He noticed a few of the bony fish swimming around. That'd be no problem with a simple Kaitengiri, seeing the water was knee height. He wandered into the water, and just as he predicted, they came at him. He spun with the sword, the energy slicing through them all with ease. More fish came, and he sliced away at the school. He released another Kaitengiri to rid the rest of those annoying fish.
"Now, where do I go from here?"
"North... leads to no where, but there's a treasure chest in there. Wouldn't hurt to check it out."
"Meh, okay Midna-chan."
Only problem is the door to the northern door was above ground, and there's no cliff, except the tangled vines leading to it. Midna noticed and flew up there. Naruto waded through the muddy water, and began to climb up the wall of vines. Suddenly Naruto got bit by something. It was a Baba Serpent, hanging from the ceiling. Getting back up, Midna zapped it with a bolt of magic, and Naruto cleave the sword upward, slicing it vertically in half. Now he attempted climbing back up again. Once getting there, Midna opened the door for him, and he managed to maneuver himself into the room, before it sealed up behind after his entire body passed the doorway.
This room was bare. It looked like a simple temple room, with red carpeting and a purple flame design lining the edges. A cluster of four pots along each wall, and of course, the internal lighting this time came from lit torches, three each wall. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the ground in the center, and in came a Darknut. This Darknut was clad in yellow and blue armor, streamline, yet almost bulky in girth. Why was he reminded of the Akimichi? Anyway, they looked like the Darknut Kumo, but this one was wider, shorter, but he knew it was not a pushover. Armed with a short broadsword, a perfect round shield, clad with a billowing scarlet cape.
A/N: This particular Darknut comes from Minish Cap.
Midna floated one way and Naruto ducked the other way as it came at him with fast speed, cleaving the weapon down. It turned around, and rushed Naruto, who shielded himself against the indirect strike, barely though. Naruto back flips before jumping right in with a lunge, and caught it off guard with that maneuver. From there, Naruto roared as he released several strikes until it regained its senses and shielded again. The short-stack of a Darknut gathered energy into its blade before releasing a whirlwind of fire at Naruto, who cried out in pain. He was up close when the attack struck him. Midna flew over, with her boomerang blade formed off her helmet and threw it. The Darknut merely shielded the measly attack. She caught her boomerang, and this time charged it with some of her own magical energy. She threw it again. A light whirlwind of energy swirled around it, and it nearly tipped the Darknut over. Naruto, pushing through the pain, charged up and thrusted his blade forward. A cutting whirlwind of energy spirals forward, and plows through the Darknut. The metal monster was torn, and it exploded, scattering parts that then explode as well into ash and fire.
"Hey Naruto... you just did the Kaze Kiwa technique," said Midna, inspecting the remains which was its helmet, and found a Small Key.
"I... did? Wow..."
"Let's get going, nothing else here..."
Naruto nodded, as the door opened up behind.
Hidden Skill) Kaze Kiwa / Wind Edge: Naruto can gather energy into his blade until a small spiral of chakra wraps around it. Upon then, Naruto can unleash this technique in the form of a lunge, releasing a miniature cyclone of wind a short distance from Naruto. Taught by: Kururi the Priestess
-- Naruto's Status --
Collection: [Men's Wallet - 16,567 Total Ryo] [Midna's Headgear] [Naruto's Ninpod] [Tsunade's Necklace] [Horse Call] [Letters - 02]
Sword: [Kubikiri Hocho] [Master Sword]
Shield: [Konoha Shield]
Costume: [Hero's Clothes]
Ninja Inventory: [Ninja Pack - Kunai x30] [Ninja Pack - Senbon x55] [Ninja Pack - Nin-ombs x17] [Ninja Pack - Explosive Tags x13] [Toad Summon Contract]
Inventory Pack: [Relic Spinner] [Kagura] [Kaitouken] [Chakra Grapple] [Double Clawshots] [Mole Gauntlets] [Lantern] [Fishing Rod + Box]
Hidden Skills Learned: [Gokumonken] [Mikazuki no Mai] [Morigari no Kanketsusen] [Kaze Kiwa]
Jutsu Skills Learned: Kage Bunshin, Sennen Goroshi, Kawarimi, Oroke, Harem, Shougekiha, Uzumaki Naruto Rendan, Fuuton: Rasengufuu, Ichi Ni Ko Rendan, Rasengan, Kenjutsu: Hasakikinan