Quote of the Day: He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. When you gaze into the abyss the abyss also gazes into you.- Friedrich Nietzsche

Chapter 6: Welcome to the Wasteland

It was a mistake to leave his pack behind. He had been so caught up in the moment that his pack was the last thing on his mind. But now as he walked this dead land he wished he had brought his pack. After he had crossed the border he kept moving east, after a few miles he seemed to leave the rain behind him. Now he wished that the rain had stayed with him. After running along the border he had crossed again. If he remembered right he was in the wastelands. No country laid claim to these land because of how useless they are. He couldn't remembered how long its been since he entered this god forsaken land. He felt like he was going around in circles. Everything around him looked exactly the same. give or take the occasional dad tree or animal skeleton, which he was starting to think were the same tree and animal skeleton every time. Naruto stopped and looked around him. He ran his tongue over his dry cracked lips. He was so thirsty, and from what he could tell there was no water anywhere. He turned his gaze toward the sun, bringing his hand up to block the rays shining into his eyes. The hot blistering ball of fire sat in the middle of the sky, scorching the land with its heat. The phrase out of the frying pan and in into the fire came to mind. If the rain was the frying he would gladly jump right back into it. He dropped his gaze back in front of him and continues his way trough the wasteland.

The Kyuubi lay in his cage, not like he could do anything else, and waited, he would not die. He refused to die. He was the King of the the Bijuu! He would not die imprisoned in a weakling of a host. But he couldn't just break free, the seal as to strong even for him. But he knew there was a way out. there were only two ways he could escape, and one of them was completely impossible for his host. But the other way could work and the time for in was close, but his timing for it need to be perfect. If he makes even the slightest mistake he would die. For now he just needed to just bide his time. He need to make his move at the exact moment of his host's death or risk dieing with him.

"Soon. Soon I'll escape this prison and enact my revenge." Kyuubi thought as he waited.

Naruto stumbled over what looked like a burned log slightly buried in the earth. He stared at it and kicked it. Well bumped it with his foot would seem more appropriate seeing as how he was really drained.

"Stupid log." Naruto muttered as he turned back around to continue.

But before he could take another step he felt the earth shake at first it was almost unnoticeable. But it still caused Naruto to stop for a second or two. But before he could continue again the ground shook more violently causing Naruto to lose his balance and fall on his back. Naruto sat up as quickly as he could looking around trying to find the source of the shaking. Low rumbling and cracking earth made him look behind him, and what he saw caused him to freeze.

The icy fingers of terror gripped his heart. His breathing increased, almost to the point of hyperventilation. His heart pounded in his chest so hard that he swore his heart would burst from his chest. More sweat covered his already sweaty body as he trembled in terror. Eyes as big as they could possibly be. Knuckles white as snow. Mind trying to comprehend the sight before him.

From the cracking earth rose the object of his terror. A shell of white and black covered the beast. Two big claw like pincers on either side of its body, eight insect like legs holding it up. A giant stringer rising up from behind it. It's mouth was a row of fangs sharper then any blade, drool flowed from it mouth. And its eyes, its eyes were black. In fact they were the darkest black Naruto had ever seen, and they were staring right at him.

Scorpion. That was the the thought that ran through his mind. It was a giant scorpion. Almost two stories tall. Sure when he fought against Garra the Ichibi no Shukaku was at least four times lager than the beast before him. But the Ichibi did not look nearly as terrifying. It looked more like and overstuffed raccoon stuffed toy. Not to mention he had help from Toad Boss Gamabunta. A series of clinks rumbled from its mouth as it stared at Naruto. Then it raised it head section and and an ear splitting shriek tore through the air. The shriek forced Naruto out of his terror induced trance and brought his hands to his ears in a futile attempt to block out the head splitting sound.

Naruto turned onto his knees, hands still covering his ears. It felt like his head was splitting apart, like some was hacking at his head with an axe. Finally after what seemed like an eternity the scorpion 's scream stopped. Naruto raised his head, only to see the scorpion's stinger thrusting toward him. Panic replaced the terror. Adrenaline and his training kicked in and he flung himself to the right, out of the stingers path .The stinger stabbed into the place Naruto was just in not even a second ago. Chucks of earth and dirt flew into the air when the stinger impacted the earth. Naruo had no time to rest as the beast's claw came to grab him. Naruto scrambled to his feet and jump over the claw. But before he could land the monster's claw struck again, slamming into Naruto sending him sliding across the dirt. Pain flared across his body. The force of the blow knocked the air from his lungs, and he swore some of his ribs were cracked if not broken. Naruto struggled to get air back into his lungs as well as getting back on his feet. His adrenaline was the only thing that was keeping him from passing out.

"Hmm, this really is an interesting turn of events. I may be able to escape sooner then I expected." thought the Kyuubi as he watched events unfold through his host's eyes.

Naruto rose shakily to his feet just in time to see the scorpion turn and charge at him.

"Is this it am I going to die?" thought Naruto as the monster neared him.

Hagane Kane was tapping his foot impatiently. He was waiting for his partner to finish his "business" from behind one of the dead trees in the wasteland's seemingly endless desert. Next to him his other partner Sentou Gakudan silently strummed the strings of his guitar. Well they weren't strings. They looked like mini lighting bolts stretching from one end of the guitar to the other, and his guitar was a strange sight to. It looked like something out of a gothic painting or something, the guitar was a light purple color the head looked jagged and pointed. The body of his guitar looked like a V but was more curved, one side shorter than the other. Nevan that is what it was called a guitar that had been handed down in his family for generations.

Hagane was really getting tired of waiting.

"God damn it! Shisen hurry the fuck." Hagane yelled, causing Sentou to stop playing.

Hagane's shot got the desired result. A few seconds later his blond haired teammate appeared from behind the tree zipping his pants up.

"Damn Hagane can't you let a guy piss in peace?" asked Shisen his green eyes glaring holes in his teammate's head.

"Not when we are supposed to be on patrol." Hagane answered as he turned and took off in a slow sprint.

Shisen turned and gave Sentou a confused look. Sentou shrugged his shoulders and strapped his guitar to his back before taking off to follow his team leader. Shisen figured that Hagane just wanted to get out of the sun. He couldn't really blame him. No one really liked to go out on patrols especially during the day.

Shisen was about to follow his teammates, but then he heard a voice in his head. Which made him stop. He dropped to a knee, brought one of his hands near his face, three fingers touching his temple. He closed his eyes in concentration.

"Shisen can you hear me?" the voice asked.

"Yeah I can hear you sis, whats up?"

"It looks like a demon decided to show its self."

"Where?"

At first he didn't get an answer, which meant that she was calculating the demon's position. By now his teammates had noticed he was not following and were making their way back to thier teal hair colored teammate.

"It looks like it is a few miles east of your current position. Your team is the nearest so Shikyokage-sama wants you to go check i out,and if possible eliminate it."

"Right we're on our way. Oh can you ask mom if she could make spaghetti tonight?"

"Yeah whatever just get going and be careful, this demon may be young but that doesn't make it any less dangerous."

"Got it, we're on our way now out."

"Be careful."

Shisen opened his eyes and stood up, wiping the dirt off his pants. He noticed that his teammates were right behind him, waiting for the news.

"Looks like we are on he hunt now." Shisen said looking at Hagane.

"Then lets get moving. Lead the way." answered Sentou.

With a node Shisen lead them in the direction of the demon. Each member of the team mentally preparing themselves for what they were about to do.

The beast was about thirty yards away when Naruto made up his mind.

"No. I wont die here. Dieing would just prove all of the villagers right that he was weak." Naruto thought to himself as he stood up.

Naruto was in survival mode. He couldn't feel the hunger or the thirst that previously plagued him. All he could feel was the null ache on his ribs, and the determination to survive this confrontation. Any other feeling was replaced with a numbness so that it would not interfere with the task in hand. He brought his hands together into the seal for his most used jutsu.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

In an instant there were fifteen more Narutos standing at his side ready for he battle. The scorpion did not slow, it continued to charge. Naruto and his clone split up into groups running into different directions around the scorpion. It was a simple tactic but it got the desired effect. The scorpion stopped and looked at the groups of Narutos in confusion as they moved from place to place. Naruto did not waste his opportunity as he and the three clones with him launched a barrage of shuriken at the beast. There attack was ineffective as they saw that their weapons just bounced off the demon's exoskeleton like pebbles off a wall. The demon scorpion turn its attention toward the attack and charged. The other clones followed the original's example and flung their own shuriken at the demon. The demons attention was diverted once again as in charged at what ever was attacking him. Naruto knew he couldn't keep attacking like this. The monster's hide was to strong. So he decided to switch it up a bit. While the scorpion was busy trying to kill the clones that where annoying him the real Naruto and his group of clone readied kunai with explosive tags. The scorpion looked like it had had enough and charged at the clones that had just finished throwing a group of shuriken. It now ignored the other clone as it closed in on the the group of four clones.

The clones split up in an attempt to escape, but the scorpion was to fast. With swipe of its claw it cut through three of the four clones with its claws. While the fourth clone was able to avoid the claw by jumping it was not able to avoid the scorpion's stinger as it impaled it, and in a burst of smoke the clone disappeared. A moment of confusion washed upon the scorpion, its pry had disappeared. But it had no time to dwell as a series explosions riddled it back. Smoke and dust surrounded the scorpion, hiding it from Naruto's view.

"Did we get it?" asked one of the Naruto clones.

"I fucking hope we did." answered the original.

Naruto desperately hope that hey had killed it, or at least drove it off. But in the back of his mind he knew that what they had done had only angered it. But he still hope for the better outcome. Fate had other plans however. as the beast rushed through the smoke catching Naruto and his clones off guard. With a swipe of his claw another two clones ceased to exist. Naruto and his clones unleashed another barrage of explosive kunai at the beast hoping to find a weakness of some kind. But all his attack did was kick p more dust and smoke and and piss the monster off even more. The monster charged through the smoke again this time he was heading for the original Naruto. Naruto's clone threw their kunai to slow the beast, but they just bounced off its seemingly impenetrable hide and detonate around it. Naruto dove to his right narrowly dodging the scorpion's claws as it swung. Aside from one clone that slide under the beast. The clone under the beast stabbed into the scorpion's underside where two of its armor like exoskeleton. The kunai detonated taking the clone with it, but the scorpion howled in pain as it thrashed around. Its wild movements caught three more clones and eliminated them.

"Its stomach. Its stomach is its weak point." thought Naruto as he formulated a plan.

He rallied his remaining clones together. They had vary little time before the monster recovered. The original Naruto removed his tool pouch and handed it to one of his clones. After a quick instruction his clones went to work. Naruto took one clone with him to by time, as the Scorpion was recovered and heading toward them. Naruto stared at the Scorpion as it neared. But this laps in battle had it negative effect as well. The adrenaline in his blood was starting to thin out. Naruto was slowly becoming more aware of his condition. Lack of food water and energy were starting to take their effect. But he couldn't give up yet. As long as he could move even a finger he would continue fighting. That was his way of the ninja. Even he ran away his ideals came with him. Naruto rose his right hand toward his clone and dipped into his nearly depleted chakra.

"Alright lets do this." He said to his clone as his clones moved its hands around Naruto's palm.

A blue sphere began to take shape as the chakra was feed into it until it was finished. The Rasengan, the Fourth Hokage's technique, and one of the only techniques he knows. Without a second more of thought he charged at the scorpion. The beings continued their death charge toward each other. The scorpion's claws at the ready waiting to tear Naruto to shreds, its stinger rised over its body ready to strike at a seconds notice. Naruto's eyes were a blaze with determination, the Rasengan was spinning wildly in his hand ready to unleash is devastating power. The scorpion was within striking distance, and with a final roar lunged with it stinger. Naruto meet the monster's roar with his own and brought his weapon to the ready and aim to meet the stinger.

"RASENGAN!"

The two forces met in a clash of strength. Naruto strained under the force of the scorpion's stinger, using both his hands to try and hold back the beast. His Rasengan was barely hold against its strength at bay. Naruto's clones had barely finished their task, putting all their explosives together to hopefully make a explosion strong enough to kill the scorpion. They rush to the original Naruto's aide. But before they could reach him fate again decided fuck with Naruto one more time. The scorpion's stinger broke through Naruto's Rasengan. The failure of his jutsu blow his arms away from each other. Before Naruto could react pain flared through his left arm and shoulder. The stinger had only grazed him tearing through the skin and muscle of his bicep. But the pain had only just started, stingers were make to inject poison into a predator's prey. And that was exactly what happened to Naruto. While it wasn't as large amount as it could have been, the poison that did enter him was enough to cause him to howl in pain and drop to the ground clutching his wounded arm.

Naruto's nerves felt like they were on fire. It felt like hot lava was coursing through his body. Pain unlike anything he had ever felt was the only thing his mind would register. The scorpion moved forward, its black eyes focused on Naruto. Clicks sounded from its mouth as fangs dripped with drool, claws snapping its legs stabbing the earth as in walked. It had won, it prey lay before it immobilized by pain. It raised its stinger again ready to finish its prey.

BOOOOM!

And explosion erupted from beneath it. lifting it body almost fifteen feet into the air. Another ear splitting screech came from the wounded beast's mouth as it landed on its back, thrashing even more wildly than before. Cracks riddled the armor of it underside. Naruto was saved from the blast by one of his clone and was being held up by one of them. His arm burned like hell. But he gritted his teeth and watched the scorpion thrash wildly.

"Fuck. That damn thing still isn't dead." said one of the clones.

"What now? We're out of explosive tags." the clone holding the original Naruto asked.

None of them said a thing. Running was defiantly not an option, the scorpion would be to fast plus the original Naruto was injured so that would slow them down a great deal. Naruto looked at the scorpion as its thrashing lessened and attempted to return to a standing position. Naruto saw the crack in its armor and knew what he had to do. Slowly with his left arm burning he moved from the the clone supporting him.

"There's.. only.. one ..way." he said through clenched teeth.

Again with a final plan the remaining clones and Naruto prepared. Naruto held out his hand before his last clones. Then four of the remaining five placed their hands around his palm, and began feeding their chakra to he original's technique. Slowly one by one they puffed out of existence, having pour all their chakra to Naruto. Naruto's hand burned from all the chakra in his Rasengan, but he bared with it. Thing was his last chance. When the last clone disappeared he wasted no time an made one final run with his final clone beside him.

Ten feet away from the fallen beast the clone ran in front and linked his fingers together. When the original reached him he stepped on his clones hands. The clone channeled his chakra to his muscles and and with a grunt launched Naruto into the air before he to disappeared. Naruto flew high before he stopped and began his decent. He faced downward Rasengan spinning in his hand. Pain shooting through his body, but adrenaline flood his system one last time, slightly dulling the pain just enough to focus at the task at hand. He neared the scorpion. This was it, his last chance. This attack would decide his fate. Failure meant death, so he hope that fate would cut him just a little slack. He was there, and with one final cry he brought down the deadly spinning orb onto the monster's cracked and weakened armor.

"RASENGAN!"

The Rasengan crashed into the armor the added momentum from the fall adding more speed to his thrust. The scorpion screeched again as it felt its armor cracking. Naruto could see new cracks form and spread across is belly. Then he felt Rasengan losing power. So he dipped once more into his nearly empty chakra reserves. New live filled his jutsu.

"Come in! Come on!" thought Naruto preying to the heavens for a break.

Naruto was finally rewarded for his efforts. The armor caved in, allowing the Rasengan to enter the soft insides. The attack tore everything it touched. Spinning, tearing, destroying. Naruto's Rasengan was like the blades of a blender turning everything into a chunky liquid. Blood splashed across Naruto's face, arm and torso, staining him his clothes and hair. The scorpion opened it mouth to let out a screech, but all that came out was a gurgling sound. Claws and legs flailing around. After a few more seconds the scorpion stopped flailing, and like most insects do when they die its legs curled up to its belly.

Naruto stopped the jutsu wen he saw that the scorpion stopped moving. Removing his hand from the hole in its armor he wobbled to the end of the now dead scorpion's body and jump down. Which proved a bad idea seeing as how he was about ten feet off the ground. In his weaken state he stumbled and fell, landing on his injured arm. He hissed in pain rolling to his other side, clutching his arm. He laid there catching his breath only to have it taken away from the building pain in his arm.

A sizzling sound caused him to sit up. Smoke rose from the scorpion's corpse. The parts of it that were still white blacken and charred. It was like watching wood burn, but with out the fire. Ends of its claws began to slowly flake away. Naruto quickly got up and ran as fast as his injured body was able to. He didn't want to stick around to see what would happened. For all he new that thing would come back just stronger. He ran, he didn't know where he was running to just as long as it wasn't here.

Old fingers ran tough his bead as he stared toward the horizon from the walls of his village, the sun setting behind him painting the sky an assortment of red pinks and oranges. He children were at his sides looking out across the land as eldest stood at his right, his second eldest sat at the edge of the wall elbows resting on his thighs his head resting on his left hand. And his daughter sat sat next to her brother, her legs pulled to her chest arms around her legs, her head resting on her knees.

"Ryu, Kenpachi I want you to go out and search." said the Shikyokage.

"Hai Oto-sama. Where do you want us to look." Ryu asked ever ready to serve his father and leader.

The Shikyokage lifted his hand and pointed straight ahead of him.

"Just keep move straight do not change direction."

Ryu nodded and walked to the edge. he stepped off the the high walls. He channeled chakra to his right hand and feet and place them against the slowing his decent. Ken remained atop the wall.

"Ken Oto-san said to go." Yuuga told her brother.

Ken grunted.

"Why do I have to go? I'm tired and Ryu is more than capable of searching on his own." Ken answered.

Yuuga looked around her. Looking for anything to strike her brother with. And there right next to her a part of the wall was cracked enough to remove a chuck off. She grabbed it a pulled it lose. The she brought the rock up and hit the back of her brother's head sending him over the edge. The Shikyokage pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. Why couldn't they resolve their fights in a different manner. Ken managed to right him self mid fall and like his brother channeled chakra to his left hand and his feet to slowdown. His right hand clutching the back of his head.

"Damn one of these days she's gonna give me brain damage or something... I think I'm bleeding" he pulled his hand away to check "Yup I'm bleeding."

Ken reached the bottom of the all and head out with hid brother into the cold wasteland.

(2 Hours Later)

Hagane looked around him. In the darkness of night he could barely see. Shisen and Sentou were looking around as well, but like him were having trouble looking through the night like him.

"Hey I think I found him!" called Sentou called out drawing the attention of the rest of his team.

Hagene and Shisen head toward him to see what he had found. It was a boy. He looking no older than eleven. He was covered in dirt and dust, as well as a few cuts and bruises. Sentou leaned down to check his pulse , but couldn't find any. He was dead. Sentou looked at his teammates and shook his head telling the the grim news. Hagene walk to the body and knelt down.

"Put him on my back." he said turning so the boy could be placed on his back.

"I don't get it we were the only one in this section. Who could have done this?" asked Shisen as he began walking toward to village.

Hagene stood and adjusted the body on his back. and jogged up to his teammate Sentou at his side.

"Don't know. But right no lets get back home. His family would want to give him a proper burial." Hagene said in an low voice as he started into a light run, his teammates following him, each wondering how this had happened.

4249 words again don't get used to it. First off I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed, you really make writing enjoyable. And a big thanks to Ookami88 who was the only one who wanted to take advantage of the chat with me. Thanks for all the tips and idea's which I'll be adding to the story. Even though there is a nine hour time difference I still enjoy chatting with you. And there I have revealed the sons of the Shikyokage. You should be able to guess who the Shikyokage is. Well on to my rants.

Only one thing this time. And that is that OneManga is shutting down. For those of you who don't know what OneManga is,its a manga site. So apparently The authors and artist of manga are now against he scanning of manga. And are telling people to take there stuff down. Personally I think that that's alright these people work had ans deserve to get paid properly. But as a reader of manga it kinda sucks. Now id fill be a long time before I'll read anything new on Naruto and Bleach. Oh well I find a way to cope.

That's it for now. Till next time.

Well See Ya Squall Leonhart Out.