A/N: Dear loyal readers, since I am currently working on re-writing this story, I will be stopping all further updates of "Naruto: The Dark Knight". And with such a good team consisting of TrixBella, KurokamiDG (now KokuenDG), and NorthSouthGorem in my corner (whom I shall thank infinitely for helping to solidify and make this story harder, better, faster, stronger), I hope to write a better story that will in turn get more and better reviews. Don't worry, a good number of OC's will stay in the rewrite…how high their character change levels will be turned up will be dependent on the changes I decide to implement.

Also, since I'm ending this version of "Naruto: The Dark Knight", I decided to say 'farewell' to this incarnation of the story with a last chapter (previous two omake chapters were only ideas not yet implemented and are practically adoptable, so they don't really count). So for the sake of saying "R.I.P Old Dark Knight", do read and review would you kindly?

{Play: "In Your Belief (Ethnic Version)" by Chiyako Fukuda}

[Konoha Onsen, near the river…]

Whether he was fortunate that the beating he'd received from the women earlier was relatively quick, Jiraiya didn't know…what he did know on the other hand, was that the Kyūbi was now free, and was going to help him train Naruto. "You do realize that was a low-blow getting the other women to finish me off don't you?" he asked.

"Don't you give me that 'what did I do to deserve this' crap," Kurama shot back, "We both know that the material for that half-assed pornography had to come from somewhere."

"Hey, my work isn't half-assed! If it were, then it wouldn't be so popular! And besides, what would a fox like you know about real literature?"

Kurama grinned deviously, wide enough to reveal her four sharpened canines. "I know quite a bit. You might recognize this one: 'Kitsunebi sat in front of her friend Nekohime, the latter shuddering in her bed—whether from fear or desire, she didn't know. Nor did she really care. Their relationship was forbidden and sinful, and even more so due to the fact that they were from two different cultures. Before she could even say a word, the Nekomata princess leaped from the bed and planted a passionate kiss on her lips. Their moans of pleasure only served to reinforce their desire to throw caution to the wind, as flesh met flesh in an act of passion only possible between women.'" She gave Jiraiya a contemptuous look. "Original manuscript, page 41, line 1. Take that."

Jiraiya's jaw hit the ground. The excerpt that Kurama had just quoted was from the 'Dōbutsu Monogatari', a rare anthology of stories meant for the adult reader. It was said to have been written long ago during the time of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, a while before Konohagakure no Sato was founded. The popularity of this book was such that it had a cult following of both men and women even today, the latter making up more than half of its readers (a standard that Jiraiya sought to exceed with little success). The author, known only by the pen name "Hikamaru," had gone missing a while before Senju Hashirama fought with Uchiha Madara (apparently in the middle of writing the second book) and was never heard from again…until today, it seemed.

His musings were cut short by Naruto clearing his throat. "Didn't you have something you wanted to show me?"

"Yeah, yeah, don't rush me," he grunted, turning his attention back to the blond, "Anyway, I have a trick for you that may be helpful in the future." The Gama Sennin reached behind him and pulled off the giant scroll hanging on his back and unfurled it. Written at the top were the kanji 'Gama Keiyaku,' and a list of names underneath, written in the traditional format from right to left. "I'll be teaching you the Kuchiyose no Jutsu, which will allow you to summon a creature. First, though, you'll have to sign this contract with your blood."

"No problem," said Naruto. He drew his short sword and ran it across his palm, drawing blood, before cleaning and sheathing it. Closing his fist, he said to the white-haired man, "Just put my hand over where you want me to sign."

Obligingly, Jiraiya took the hand and placed it over a blank space, right next to the name Namikaze Minato, which was crossed out. Once his fist was placed over the spot, Naruto let some of the blood drip onto the paper, before dipping two fingers in it and writing. Jiraiya was surprised to see the blind boy writing his name with the skill of a calligrapher. Where had he learned something like that? "Well done," he grunted, wishing he had hand-writing like that, "So, let's begin…"

…

{Play: "Money" by Pink Floyd}

[Saika District, Tetsu no Kuni…]

Apart from the occasional squeak of a screwdriver, things were surprisingly quiet in Sayaka's garage. Hovering by her shoulder was Gear, carrying a tray of tools for her. She was currently working on two things at once; her new semi-auto pistol and a larger, two-handed new weapon. Of course, the new one was made of hardened bamboo, as per Saika law. The design itself was very simple, but before long she would graduate with a license to make Gatling guns, like some of her older relatives. Until then, I'll have to settle for this thing…

At the moment, all she had left to do was to set the selective-firing mechanism. Too tight and it'll be too hard to use. Too loose and it won't even fucking work. C'mon! I already got the semi-auto mode, she thought to herself, what's so hard about burst-fire and full-auto?! Once she was done with those two, she would just have to give it to her teacher to test.

Picking up her mug of coffee, Sayaka heard the door open. "Ah, how's my favorite genius doing?" asked a deep voice affectionately, "Working hard, I see."

"Hello, Uncle Mifune," Sayaka greeted, taking a sip before picking up the screwdriver, "Yeah, well, I really need to get this right. It's really fu- super finicky."

The corner of Mifune's mustached mouth twitched. "Well, why don't you put that thing down for a second? I want to talk to you about something."

"I can't, Uncle," she growled, trying to keep her hands stable, "If I don't finish this, I'm gonna get a fucking A- for the term! Remember that pistol I gave Carlos? B+."

The Taisho sighed quietly and rolled his eyes. He honestly didn't see what the big deal was about school. He didn't get much education and look how he turned out! Still…he supposed kids these days did need to learn the fundamentals of life. Or, in Sayaka's case, the fundamentals of building weapons. "Your gun is not going to get up and walk away, Sayaka-chan. Will you at least listen?"

"Fine." At this point, Sayaka realized that she just wasn't going to get rid of her uncle and stood up. Making yet another cup of coffee (full of sugar, milk and cream), she turned to Mifune and gestured for him to continue.

Seeing that he now had a (somewhat) captive audience, he began, "Now, then…I've just been to see your principal. I've told him that you've been spending too much time indoors for your assignments. In addition, there are those claims about one of your teachers…playing politics against you, we agreed that you need some time out of the village."

"Uh huh. Well, as I have said about five times already, Uncle Mifune…I don't have the time! I need to finish this! And even then, where would I be going?"

"I decided we should look in on the Chūnin Exams in Konohagakure no Sato in a month. Guess who's participating."

"Some nobody Shinobi who I don't give a crap about?" she muttered sarcastically under her breath, raising her mug to hide it.

However, Mifune heard her and thus decided to wait until she was well into her swig. "Uzumaki Naruto."

Her eyes widened behind her glass as she sprayed coffee all over the place. Gear, who was in the path of the spit-take, took off in disgust. After a moment of sputtering incoherently, Mifune finally took pity on his niece and produced a handkerchief from his sleeve for her to wipe her mouth, smirking as he did so. "N-Na-Naruto-kun?" she asked, her sudden breathlessness having nothing to do with choking on her coffee.

"Yes indeed," he replied, grinning in outright amusement, "He's taking the exams, as is Baihe Meilan. Since I was already planning to leave Tetsu to get some fresh air, I figured you'd like to see your friend again, so I spoke with your principal." His smile briefly became devious. "After all, he has certain secrets that he wouldn't want getting out."

Sayaka had no clue what her uncle was talking about, but knew that if not for the code of Bushido, Mifune would have made for a formidable Shinobi. "Still…I don't think I can," she said reluctantly, "I vowed that I was gonna wow that teacher before the end of the term."

That devious twist returned to Mifune's smile as she turned back to her submachine gun, now somewhat gloomy. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said with mock sadness, "It's a shame, since I felt you weren't the only one who could use the fresh air, I invited Makoto-chan along too."

Somewhere in the distance, a guitar string broke with an amusing *twang.* "What?" asked Sayaka flatly. Even with her back turned, Mifune could just see the expression of purest loathing on her face, "What was that, Uncle?"

And with that, he knew he had her. "Oh, well, I thought that Makoto-chan should also get to see the sights outside the village, to which her father agreed. I wonder if meeting Naruto-san will be as good for her as it was for you?"

Her chair squeaked loudly beneath her as she whirled about to give Mifune such a furious look that he laughed. He loved riling his niece up every once in a while. "I'm coming too."

"Glad to hear it. But what about your assignment?"

"I'll do it on the road. It's not due until we get back anyway. Gear!" The little robot flew in, freshly cleaned of coffee. Mifune wasn't sure what the beeps, whirs and clicks meant, but they were most likely a form of assent. "Get all these tools and parts packed up for the road; we're going on a trip. And so help me, if there's one piece missing, I'll make you wish that you were a coffee pot! I won't give Nago-sensei even one excuse to give the project anything less than an A!"

She didn't even bother listening to the confirmation of her command and bolted from the workshop to start packing. Mifune was left laughing in her wake. Even as he turned to go, though, a certain blueprint caught his eye. It was of a robot, but with measurements that could match a Bijuu in height at the very least. He had been there when Sayaka had shown this poster to her parents, not long before Naruto and Meilan had left Tetsu. This was her ultimate dream, along with that of every mechanic under sun; to find the lost blueprints of the lost automaton of the Empyrean Rebellion: Gae Bolg. Or rather, to build a robot that could equal, if not surpass it. Of course, most others considered such a dream to be the height of foolishness, even Mifune, who had heard the stories about Gae Bolg. But then again, Sayaka had both resolve and genius; combine that with a serious aptitude for machines, and who knows? Maybe she'll be the fool to pull it off one day…

…

[Konoha Onsen, near the river…]

For about four hours, Naruto had thrown himself into his Kuchiyose training, and his progress was slow, but good. His first few summons had only been tadpoles, but over time had grown older and older. On the one hand, Jiraiya was proud of his new student, but on the other hand, there was something off. Unless the toad sage's senses were deceiving him, Naruto seemed to be passively absorbing nature energy without the need to stand still. Each time he performed the jutsu, he seemed send some sort of command through his hands and siphon off a bit of chakra from the environment. In addition to that, there was something else… Ah hah. "Oi, kid, I think I know what your problem is," said Jiraiya, "You're using way too little chakra to summon anything bigger. Even that Senjutsu won't help you at all, so don't even bother with it."

"Senjutsu…?" Naruto asked, befuddled, "What do you- ah! You mean Mana, right?"

It was Jiraiya's turn to be confused. "Mana?"

"Yeah. Well, that's what GSD-sensei calls it. From what I learned, chakra is made from a mix of spiritual energy, Mana, and physical, Nen energy. I got no idea how it works, but apparently jutsu and spells all work with ratios between Nen and Mana. Anyway, he also taught me how to absorb mana from the air so I can use it."

A way to absorb Nature energy without stillness? What the hell is that? But then, Jiraiya remembered that it was GSD. Considering that the man had been around before chakra, it probably shouldn't be all that surprising that he knew such a method. "Well, whatever. I need you to stop holding back," he said finally, "I can see that your movements are alright, but really that doesn't mean too much, especially in a battle situation. I need to see what you can do when you pull out all the stops."

"You sure you want that?" the blond asked in a mocking, sing-song voice, "If I use a lot of chakra, I might someone you don't want to see."

Jiraiya smacked him over the head. "Don't take that tone with me, brat. And if that happens…then I'll know you're good enough. Now hop to it."

Naruto raised his eyebrows, then shrugged, thinking 'your funeral'. Bringing his hands together with a loud clap, he began drawing on as much Mana from within himself as he could, mixing in the minimum amount of Nen. As he stood there, Jiraiya could actually feel himself being pulled towards the boy, as if he were caught in a monstrous whirlpool. Finally, Naruto abruptly flew through the handseals and slammed his palms on the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

The area was engulfed in smoke in an instant. As the cloud mounted higher, Jiraiya was filled with a proportional amount of dread. Oh damn. Looks like the brat actually summoned him. But then, the smoke cleared, the white-haired man blinked in surprise, though his dread did not disappear. At Naruto's feet were two small toads, one purple and one green, each taking a stance. "Eh? Where are we, Pa?" asked the purple one, dropping her stance and looking around, "How'd we get here?"

Naruto, on the other hand, was somewhat put out. "What, that's it?" he asked, panting, "All that Mana and I only got these…puny…" he collapsed midsentence, unconscious.

"Hm…I'm guessing we got summoned," said the green toad, analyzing the boy as a red-skinned woman caught him mid-fall. "Jiraiya, this boy used too much chakra and exhausted himself, didn't he?"

Jiraiya scowled back at him. "Bah, don't pin this on me, Pa! I didn't tell him to use so much. Besides, I didn't even know he even had enough to summon you. But even besides that, it seems that he can use Senjutsu without having to stay still. I thought you and Ma said that was impossible."

The purple toad raised her eyebrows, still staring at Naruto. "Really, now? Well, ain't that interesting, eh Fukasaku? And even without that he still summoned us. I'd say that's enough to give him credit for. Whoever taught him definitely knew what they were doing too, to know the old ways…"

"Hm…true enough, Shima," agreed Fukasaku, "This one's got some massive potential. But then, he'd have to, for GSD-Jii to take interest in him. That said, I don't envy him...with those arms of his, he's gonna have a long road ahead of him."

Even as Jiraiya looked at his companion in confusion, Shima said, "Ask that fox-bitch," indicating Kurama, who was rocking Naruto in her arms, "She knows as much about this as the Senju and Uchiha."

Mentally, Jiraiya made a note to do just that.

…

[Outskirts of Konoha—Sunset…]

The wilderness outside of Konohagakure no Sato held many wondrous secrets for any nature-lover. Unfortunately, Orochimaru had set up several secret camps in preparation for the upcoming invasion of his old village. With his knowledge of the terrain, he was able to hide thousands upon thousands of Shinobi in the jungle.

"Anyone seen Shima?" asked one Oto-nin.

"Nope. I think he went out hunting," another answered, "Why, Genda?"

"Orochimaru-sama has orders for him," replied Genda, "But anyway, we need to get ready for the attack. Every officer here's got to memorize their jobs so there won't be any loose ends."

"Heh…can't wait!" another Oto-nin laughed darkly, "I've always wanted a chance to knock Konoha down a peg. We're gonna show the world that Otogakure is on the rise!"

Everyone in earshot sent up a cheer in agreement. While some had only joined because of their hatred for Konoha, and others for the plunder, all of them carried the same fearful loyalty towards Orochimaru. "Well, that's a mighty fine goal to have," said a voice from beyond the trees. Everyone looked around as an old, mustached man stepped into the camp, a sword in one hand and a severed head in the other. "However…none of you will live long enough to see it."

…

{Play: "Ancient Zone" from "Street Fighter EX 3"}

[Uchiha Dojo…]

The Uchiha Dojo had originally been built to train the Uchiha military police officers, both for times of war and peace. Senju Hashirama himself had constructed the building out of ironwood seeds, while time-space seals were applied by the Uzumaki clan head of the time. The seals were designed to cause regeneration in the structure, both from damage in training and even from age. As a result, it had withstood the years easily. Before the Massacre, the clan had even used it as a war-room. Such was its design that, in preparation for his battle with the Shodaime, Uchiha Madara had locked himself in there to fast, meditate and train.

Uchiha Satsuki and Tsukiko both sat in seiza position with their slave next to them, waiting for their mother to begin speaking. "The two of you," she began, "Have grown to be such fine women already. What I'm about to teach you is a bit advanced, but I think you'll be fine. According to the reports, Kakashi taught you how to use Nature Transformation, right?"

The sisters looked at each other, taken aback by the sudden question. "Ah…a bit, yeah. When we were in Nami no Kuni," Tsukiko said, "Why?"

Mikoto smiled and made a set of seven hand seals and gripped her wrist. Electricity crackled for a second across her fingers, creating a few small chirps, before the hand became obscured by a ball of lightning. Small bolts occasionally flayed the air as she held it up, the sound of chirping rising to a cacophony even in the spacious dojo. "This," said the Uchiha matriarch, "Is most likely why he taught you that. He probably wanted to burn a hatred of Naruto-kun into your hearts, so you would kill him with it." Even as her daughters shuddered at the thought, she dismissed the technique and continued, "I once saw him attempt to kill Naruto-kun with this jutsu. The only reason he failed was because I called in the ANBU. Later, I decided that I would end Kakashi's life with that technique, his one and only original one. So I worked in my spare time to recreate it while also training up my Lightning transformation. Sadly, he's already dead, and from what I heard his death wasn't even ironic. Still, I decided it would be better to teach it to you instead."

Satsuki was the first to speak. "You're going to teach us Kakashi-baka's…original jutsu?" she asked, half awed and half apprehensive.

Mikoto nodded. "Yes indeed. However, I'm only going to show you the first step. Since Kakashi did actually finish your Nature Transformation, now you'll be learning Shape Manipulation." Then she turned to Sakura. "As for you, Haruno-chan, I do hope that your…experiences at the Chūnin Exams have taught you a lesson."

The pink-haired girl remained silent but hung her head in humiliation. She had shamed her mistresses with her failure. She really was a useless servant; the fact that she'd let Satsuki and Tsukiko get marked and had only ended her fight with Ino in a draw only compounded the matter. However, before her thoughts could continue down that depressing path, she felt a hand cup her chin as Mikoto made her meet her eyes. "You have grown quite a bit in the past few months under my daughters," she said gently, "But, I cannot allow you to remain as you are. If you want to become a real Kunoichi, or even a member of the Uchiha clan (albeit a slave), I must prove that you can actually be useful."

Sakura suppressed a whimper as the woman released her. More! moaned Inner-Sakura, Touch us more, Mikoto-sama!

The Uchiha matriarch continued, "I will give you the rest of the day off, to give you a chance to think of your future. If you want to continue, then be warned: I will be demanding and will expect no less than five hundred percent effort from you. I don't want to rush you, but you must think about your decision very carefully. You may go."

Bowing respectfully, the girl got up and left the dojo. What should I do? she wondered to herself, taking in the sights, Do I really want to live like this? Do I really…want to serve mistresses like this?

Figure it out yourself, grunted Inner-Sakura unhelpfully.

While Sakura knew that she had quite a bit of time to make the decision, she also knew that it would not be an easy choice. Did she really want to be a Kunoichi enslaved to the Uchiha clan? Or was there something else that she wanted from her life?

…

[Tetsu no Kuni…]

Sayaka walked towards the carriage, carrying a pair of cases with her. She mentally took stock of what she was bringing; in one case was practically a miniature workshop for completing her homework, full of compact, functional tools. For self-defense, she carried a pair of ornate vine-covered semi-auto pistols with eight ten-round clips. The other case…just had fresh changes of clothes, plus one other thing for seducing Naruto.

"Ara ara, if it isn't Shūriko-chan!" A high voice sang out behind Sayaka, making her freeze, "How are your assignments going? Didn't you get a B+ on the last project? Such a shame that the prodigy is falling behind so much."

Even without looking, Sayaka knew who it was, although she was a little surprised that her glasses hadn't actually broken at that grating pitch. Eye twitching, she turned slowly to confirm that it was, in fact, that girl. Yagyū Makoto, heiress to the samurai clan which had instructed many of daimyo and samurai in the country. She was around the same height as Sayaka, wearing a very colorful, flowery kimono, one silken sleeve covering her mouth to stifle a giggle. Her dark, violet hair was done in a hime cut, and a katana was slung neatly across her back. In short, everything about the girl fairly screamed 'Yamato Nadeshiko.'

The clan's Yagyū Shinkage-ryū was one of the most famous sword styles in Tetsu no Kuni, on par with that of her ancestor's contemporary, the venerable Miyamoto Musashi. Makoto, in Sayaka's opinion, was not a credit to her family. For one thing, while she looked the text-book definition of a Yamato Nadeshiko in peace-time, she was a pure sadist in a fight. Oddly enough, neither of her parents were known for that sort of thing, so it was a mystery as to why that was. Well, a mystery to everyone except Sayaka, who supposed that the behavior had started with…that incident!

…

[Flashback: Yagyū Estate, Tetsu no Kuni—almost seven years ago, approximate time of 'the incident'…]

A little girl around five stood in the training grounds of the Yagyū estate, practicing her sword swings with the specialized shinai in her hands. It'd been a good three weeks since she'd started her training in the Yagyū Shinkage Ryū and already Makoto was showing some progress—as proven by the amount of sweat she was breaking out. "Methinks I see a prodigy," said a voice approaching her from behind, "and one with a bright future no less."

Makoto turned around to see that it was General Mifune with a young and scowling girl around her age with rich, creamy blonde hair that indicated she was of the Saika clan. "Is your father around?" asked Mifune, "I'm looking to spar with the old man…that and he wanted to see me for some reason."

It was no secret that the Yagyū clan trained top-tier swordsmen—some of whom became instructors for daimyō, while others were hired out as bodyguards. It was known to Makoto that Mifune and his younger brother Toshiro studied with her father Munenori…the brothers were so badass in her opinion that she didn't simply want to be the general of the samurai, she wanted to become the first female shogun of Tetsu no Kuni! "He's in the main compound, kicking the asses of some of my cousins," she said, working hard to subdue her inner fangirl upon seeing the general up close before turning her attention back to the Saika girl, "and who's this?"

"Makoto, I'd like you to meet Saika Sayaka, my niece," introduced Mifune, nudging the little girl towards her, "I'll let you two get to know each other better."

Watching as Mifune walked towards the clan compound with a bokken in hand, it was clear that she was to pretty much babysit his niece. With a sight, Makoto then turned to the girl with the weird-looking contraption she was fiddling with in her hands. "What's that you got there?"

The girl looked towards her with a disapproving scowl, before turning her attention back to her device. What Toshiro-sama saw in that Saika woman, Makoto honestly didn't know if that was how their daughter was like. "Nothing much, just a weapon I was designing," she finally said, still tweaking away at the weapon, "it's a flamethrower."

"Flamethrower?" asked Makoto, honestly interested in the device, "does it work?"

"I honestly don't…AGH!" No sooner than she let out that yelp of surprise than when a jet of some greasy liquid splashed on Makoto's face. "That's odd," said the girl, inspecting the flamethrower, "it really shouldn't be…WOAH!" She was interrupted by a burst of flame that Makoto quickly side-stepped from. "Ummm…"

Losing her temper, Makoto quickly turned to glare at the little girl who almost barbecued her. "WHAT?!"

Sayaka shrunk from the outburst. "Yourhairisonfire."

Before she could process what it was that the Saika girl said, Makoto realized she'd smelled something burning. It was then that she hazarded a glance upward, and she saw what it was that Sayaka was saying…HER FREAKING HAIR WAS ON FIRE! Immediately, her instinct was to run screaming, and dive into the nearest body of water—which just so happened to be a lily pond.

It was at this point that Sayaka let out the bout of laughter that she'd tried so hard to contain. Oh, she was going to get it one day! And the heated glares they exchanged with each other made it clear the amount of distate that the two of them would continue to be mutual.

…

Even so, the white-haired girl wasn't about to let her rival get her licks in without returning fire. "Tch, it's a work in progress," she snapped, "And least I know how to spend my time developing! Speaking of which, did you graduate from a training bra yet?"

Only Sayaka's eye, so used to these spats, spotted the minute twitch at Makoto's temple. Her eye cracked open, showing a brief flash of golden brown. "Maa, no need to be petty about it," she said with a small and ominous giggle, not moving her sleeve. While it seemed like she was trying to keep her elegant composure, the Saika knew it was because Makoto's true feelings always showed through her mouth. "After all, I know you have to compensate for my charm. They do say…ah what is it, that 'flat is justice?'"

Sayaka rolled her eyes and smirked. The Yagyū heiress always resorted to that saying, trying to make it look like she was the more desirable of the two. "First off, there ain't nothin' 'just' about you, princess. Second, no matter how you spin it, loli-bait is still loli-bait."

"How crass! I have absolutely no intention of inviting such attention!" Makoto cried in mock horror. "Well, at least I'll never have to worry about my breasts sagging. You should probably watch out, though, with all that coffee."

Sayaka's eyes hardened. "Bitch, you did not just shit-talk my coffee."

"Oh, did I say that out loud? I'm sorry! I didn't realize you liked that muck so much."

"Keep talking, sadistic loli! See what happens!"

Sparks erupted as they glared at each other, along with the distant sound of yowling cats. Suddenly, Sayaka charged with a battle cry, while Makoto put a hand to her katana. Her mouth, finally revealed for all to see, was twisted in a snarl of rage. After all, she had that incident to repay.

*Whack!*

However, any thoughts of revenge were promptly knocked out of their heads as a pair of hands grabbed the backs of their skulls and cracked them together. Both girls collapsed with girlish squeals of pain that they would later deny fervently that they'd made. "No," said Carlos Binarius flatly, standing over them, "No cat-fights. I don't give a damn who said what, or who's got a grudge against whom. It's gonna be several weeks of travel, and if I have to listen to you squabble over things like breast size or what boy you like, I will rebuild Gae Bolg on my own and use it to punch you two into the stratosphere!"

As both girls raised themselves off the ground, Makoto gave Sayaka a look of incredulous, pleading shock. "Who is this cretin?" she asked silently.

"A real troublesome guy," the Saika grimaced back.

It was, perhaps, fortunate that he'd gotten them to stop. Their respective guards had arrived, along with Mifune. There were eight guards in total, four each from the Saika and Yagyū clans. Each Marksman and Swordsman was considered an absolute artist, the best of the best. Once a Saika sniper had the target in his sights, it would be lights; likewise, the Yagyū clan's upperclassmen were completely unmatched at close range. The problem, however, was that neither side was inclined to work alongside with each other. As such, Mifune had assigned Carlos to head the security detail impartially. Seeing both sides glaring at the green-haired man for laying hands on their respective heiresses, the General cleared his throat. "Well then, everyone, since we're here we might as well get on the road. I for one want to see how the finals in Konoha turn out."

Distracted from their resentment, they agreed. After all, nothing like gladiatorial fights to bring family together.

…

[Konoha Onsen…]

Even to a demon like Kurama, the quiet murmur of the nearby river flowing was relaxing enough to put her to sleep. She supposed that it might have been worth it to bring the smelling salts, but she didn't want Naruto to get addicted to them. Just as she thought that, however, the blond stirred in her lap and sat up. "Enjoy your rest, kit?"

"Depends on what you mean by 'enjoy,'" he grunted, stretching his aching body and standing up, "What happened? I remember summoning two puny toads."

Kurama chuckled. "You did more than that. Shima and Fukasaku are second highest on Myobokuzan's food chain, even higher than that obnoxious toad Gamabunta, who you were trying to go for." She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled his cheek. "Normally they probably would've tested you, but since you managed to summon them on your very first try, I doubt they'll bother."

Naruto smiled with no small amount of pride at that. While he didn't know them personally yet, he was glad to have impressed someone so high up. Then he noted the lack of a presence. "Where'd Ero-sensei get to?"

"Oh, he went to speak to the Sandaime," answered the demon in a bored voice, "I told him about the Curse of Kazan, so doubtlessly he's gone to tell him everything I did."

A slight frown creased his face. "You…told him everything?"

"Mm. Shima told him to ask me," she confirmed, "But no, I only told him the basics. Like most other people, he thought it was just a horror story, but I'm sure he'll figure out the details on his own."

"I see," said Naruto, thinking about it. He could only wonder as to how jiji would take to hearing about the curse. Well, he's probably seen enough to not be too surprised. His train of thought was interrupted by a hearty laugh from Kurama. "Well then, back to business," she said, "Like Jiraiya-baka, I have a contract for you to sign, but it will be much easier for you to use."

He quirked an eyebrow, curious. He'd already signed one contract, so why would he need another? "Before you ask," she added, "There are Shinobi who've signed multiple contracts. Of course, it's rare that they can summon multiple ones at the same time. The contract I have for you will make things much more convenient. Well, if you think you're ready for it."

Naruto's head tilted back in thought for a moment, before setting his mouth resolutely. "Well, I won't get anything by not trying, will I?"

Kurama's grin widened, showing sharp fangs and she clapped her hands together. Pulling them apart revealed a large scroll, which she quickly hugged to her body before it fell. Once she got a good grip on it, Kurama unfurled it, showing far more names than on the Toad Contract. "This," she explained, "Is the Ghost Contract. A lot of Slayers have signed this one, even before the Rikudō Sennin came around. Once he sealed the Jūbi into himself, though, it fell out of use. Now, however, I think it's time for you to take up that tradition."

One thing that must be said, first and foremost, was that Naruto trusted Kurama. He knew she always had his best interests at heart, but at the same time, he had to wonder what she was up to. "I can already summon the Kazan ghost," he pointed out carefully, trying not to sound dubious, "What's special about this contract?"

"All Slayers can summon a ghost of Kazan. It's one of the basic Slayer techniques, after all," she agreed easily, "However, there is a special discipline of Slayers who can summon other, more powerful ghosts. That's what you need the contract for. Also…" a red finger stroked his bicep gently, "You'll be able to take off your shackles. It won't cure you, of course, but it's still convenient."

Unbidden, Naruto's arms tensed, rustling the chains on them slightly. In the years of his training, there had often been times where Naruto wholeheartedly wished he could hide his afflicted arms. Unfortunately, the bulky size of his shackles rendered sleeves impossible, so he was forced to go about with his crimson arms in full view. Now, though… "Alright, I'll do it," he said bluntly.

"Same as the Toads, more or less," said Kurama, shrugging, "Sign it with your blood. Then you'll get reverse-summoned to…somewhere. What happens next is up to you."

Grimacing, Naruto pulled out his short sword and cut his hand for the second time that day. His exact thoughts on the matter were, I'm gonna bleed to death before I become the Hokage! Again he signed the contract, only for his hand to be grabbed. He jumped as Kurama licked his palm, "Ack! What's that for?"

"It'll disinfect the wound and help it heal faster," she said matter-of-factly, "Also, Anko-chan had it right, your blood really does taste best."

Before he could reply, Naruto suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke. Sighing, Kurama rolled the scroll back up and dismissed it, completely unsurprised by her mate's disappearance. "Well, then…good luck, kit. Give him a good show, won't you?" She stood up and stretched. "I should go get some real clothes," she murmured. A loud grumbling from her stomach interjected. "Hm, and maybe some food too."

…

{Play: "The Golden Spider" by Chiyako Fukuda}

[St. Peter's Square, Pandemonium…]

All was quiet in the area once known as the Vatican. The cool air sweeping the place only added to the sense of desolation in the once holy city. The only real sounds were the moaning of the ghosts drifting aimlessly about and the disembodied chanting of long-dead monks. Suddenly, the monotony was disturbed by a puff of smoke. Naruto, shaking off his momentary confusion, immediately sent out a 24-kHz chakra pulse in all directions. All that registered to his senses, though, was death in every part of the city. Cautiously, he put his hand to the hilt of Mizu-hime, only for four energy signatures to spike around him. They all coalesced into skeletal warriors, spears aimed at vital spots and poised to strike. Each wore a cuirass and pauldrons over gold and violet-striped clothing, along with steel helmets that concealed their faces. Even as he took this in, a fifth one appeared and stabbed straight at his forehead.

He stiffened even as the unexpected strike approached. However, even as he resigned himself to an early death, the spear stopped about an inch from his face. They remained frozen for a moment, in the meantime Naruto extended his senses to his surroundings again. All five seemingly glared at him until finally the fifth ghost removed his spear and turned his attention to the others. "Non ucciderlo," the skeleton said in a hard, cold voice, "il re vuole vedero."

Two more guards materialized and grabbed Naruto's shoulders, while a third one appeared and chained his feet together. He was promptly escorted from the courtyard, the first four spears still poised to stab him in several instantly fatal spots. Pretty thorough of them, he thought, Plus these chains are drawing my mana out. I bet these ghosts have met mages before... Switching to a more spectral form of sight, Naruto saw that all of his guards were constructed or at least held together by mana.

Eventually, their procession entered a building. Naruto sensed a good deal more ghosts around them, looking at him in curiosity, before the guards suddenly stopped. "So," called a voice from up ahead, "This is the one who signed the contract? It's been a while since anyone living did that."

He extended his sight and was able to make out the speaker, along with those with him. A humanoid male sat on a throne, wearing a long cape, a mask made of what appeared to be gold and strange, archaic clothing underneath. Standing next to him was a machine, apparently lightyears ahead from the Saika clan in technology, apparently female. On the other side stood a hulking suit of armor, filled with roaring flames. Briefly switching on his spectral vision, Naruto took an involuntary step back. A fog of absolute, dark power surrounded him, coming from both the armor and the king. "Come," said the man, raising a hand, "Why don't you show me...the value of your soul?"

The blond gasped as a cold sensation passed through his back and out his chest. It quickly faded, but he kept on his guard, feeling faintly violated somehow. "Interesting," murmured the King, inclining his head to look down at him, "Normally I get Berserkers looking to get rid of their shackles. Other times it's a Soul Bender looking to advance in their arts. I believe I haven't received an Asura before, let alone one as badly cursed as you. But...I can tell already what you want. You want to be freed from your chains, right?"

Before Naruto could stop himself, he asked, "You're the boss of the Ghost Contract, aren't you?" At that point, it was so obvious that he need not have asked, but it was best to get it out of the way.

"Yes indeed," said the man, clapping briefly. He stood up and walked towards him, "Congratulations on getting it on the first try. Yes, I'm the Ghost boss. But that's only my title." He extended a hand. "I am the head scientist of this land, and Maō of the Ghost Contract to you." Gesturing at the motionless gynoid behind him, he continued, "This is my most trusted advisor and guard, Ignis, and that," indicating the armor, "Is the first Soul Bender in existence, Zieg. He is also the general of my army."

Even as Naruto processed the information, the Maō glanced at Zieg and nodded. Instantly the hulking, hellish armor barreled towards him, seizing him by the neck and lifting him up. His grip tightened as he sent pulses of mana into the Jinchuuriki, before abruptly dropping him. Coughing, Naruto tried to stand up and regain his composure, only to feel a burning in his arms. He fell to his knees and grabbed them with a hiss of pain. Beneath his grip, fifteen glowing yellow runes appeared, etching themselves into his skin from wrist to shoulder. Finally, the pain stopped and Naruto experienced a quietness that he hadn't realized he'd never felt before. As if a malevolent voice in his head had suddenly been muffled. "I saw quite a bit from my scans," Maō was saying, "And since I liked what I saw, I decided to forgo the usual experimentation." Naruto shivered at the slight sinister grin he gave. "Because I like your potential, I had Zieg here give you a gift. You will no longer be dependent on your limiters, and you'll be allowed to summon the ghosts of this Contract. However, my generosity only goes so far. All Slayers that come to me for help must all pay the same price. Once you die, your soul will belong to me!"

Naruto stiffened. Is he serious? he wondered, even as the guards released him, Is this some kind of sick joke? This guy releases my chains only if I give him my soul? Not a chance in hell! I won't accept an ending like that! But how can I fight something like him...? Suddenly, inspiration came to him. Well...if I'm gonna lose my soul, I might as well lose it in a gamble. I just need to catch his attention.

…

[Almost four years ago…]

Three dead lizards were skewered over a crackling fire pit. That wasn't a metaphor, either, it was just dinner. GSD, Meilan and Naruto all sat in silence around their campfire, the night sky doing nothing for their mood. Only a few days ago, the blond boy had used a particularly powerful technique, one that had robbed him of his sight. He was distraught. How could I be so stupid? No technique should have a price like this! Or at least it shouldn't be so easy to learn by accident…and I hurt Meilan too. What kind of guy puts their friends in danger?

"You seem troubled," GSD observed, reaching out to grab a lizard-kebob, "What's on your mind, Naruto?"

"Nothing…" mumbled Naruto, touching his blindfold unconsciously. He picked up his skewer as well. "I'm just…well, I know you said that the Lethe's Bell made me forget that Skill, but I can still remember doing all that stuff."

The old man nodded understandingly. "Ah. Yes, that is how the Bell works. Do not worry. It has been said that any warriors who used that artifact experienced the same thing. With a single ring, they would forget how to use their own Skills, and so develop their abilities all over again. It did not, however, give them total amnesia; they could still remember everything else."

"That's not what I mean," Naruto sighed, shaking his head, "What I meant was, I never even wanted to learn that technique, let alone use it. I was practicing with that other one you were teaching me and it…got out of hand. And now, even before I got to choose my Slayer path, I'm blind."

GSD frowned. It wasn't as if he didn't understand the boy's feelings; he too missed his vision. A memory came to him, suddenly. "Hm…but perhaps you will not have to stay that way."

Both Naruto and Meilan looked up, curious and attentive. "Is there really a way that Naruto-kun can get his eyes back?" asked Meilan.

"Well…maybe," hedged the old man, "I only know of it happening to me, but there's always the chance that it could happen with you. It might give you hope." He beckoned both children closer, Meilan leaning comfortably on Naruto. Finally, GSD began, "It all started the day I no longer had anything to learn. You know you're a master Slayer when you simply cannot strengthen your Skills any more, and there are no more Skills to learn from any path. I remember it well…as I sat down under a nearby tree, I remember being proud of myself. After all, how many Slayers could truthfully say that they'd reached the point that I had? However, the next thing I knew, I was falling down through an abyss. When my senses cleared again, I was standing in a place full of sand, with someone standing across from me: the Avatar of Kazan."

"What's an Avatar?" asked Naruto bluntly.

GSD snorted at the question. "An Avatar is a representation of a god or demon, or at least one that lesser beings can comprehend. It's like the form that Kurama-san takes when she appears before you. Anyway, this Avatar represented the demon Kazan, and he made a bet with me. We would fight, of course. If I won, he would give me my sight again. If I lost…he would take full possession of my body. Naturally, at my age, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to become perfect." He smiled bitterly. "But…perfection was beyond me. I fought that demon with every ounce of strength in my body. But for every hit I landed, I took at least three in return. For every strategy I came up with, he perfectly countered it. Eventually, though, I managed to pull through and won. Satisfied, I dropped my guard for a moment, and in that second, he made that victory into a draw. Since I won, I was not taken over by the demon, and my aging stopped at sixty four. However, since I also lost, I did not get my sight back."

Naruto choked on a piece of lizard. "S-stopped aging—oi…"

"It's true," GSD assured him casually, "Can't tell you how old I am, though. I lost count after three hundred."

"Besides that, though, do you know any other stories like that?" asked Meilan, steering the conversation back on track.

He only shrugged. "If there are others who've fought that battle, I have never heard their stories. They were probably out there, though." An eyebrow twitched. "Hm…now that I think about it, I wonder if the Rikudō Sennin had that fight as well. Considering that he never mastered any of the four Slayer paths, I'm surprised; it's obvious that he won."

"Did you ever fight with the avatar again?" asked Naruto.

GSD sighed gloomily. "If I had, do you think I'd still be blind? No. I never encountered that one again, no matter how much training I went through." He straightened up. "You, however…I told you that story, Naruto, because you've yet to meet the Avatar yourself. I did not get my sight back, and will never again be able to, but you…I know that you will triumph where I failed. Where we all failed."

{Play: "Blue Oni" by Hideyuki Fukasawa}

Naruto bowed his head, solemnly and silently acknowledging the gravity of his master's words. "Yeah. I'll do it. Even if it kills me, I'll beat that demon so hard it won't be able to see itself."

"Well, maybe not that far," GSD chuckled.

The blond snorted, but didn't comment, then took a bite out of his lizard.

…

[St Peter's Basilica, Pandemonium—Present day…]

As his memory of that night ended, Naruto grinned. "Care to wager?" he said quickly. He didn't want the deal sealed too soon.

The Maō turned back to face him, a brief look of surprise crossing his face. Then his eyes narrowed in interest. Finally, he shrugged and said, "Hmph. I don't see why not. Normally, I'd have already killed you for your guts, but…well, I've got nothing but time. Make your claim."

Naruto raised a hand and pointed emphatically at the man. "I'm going to get my sight back," he declared boldly, leaving no room for uncertainty, "And when I do, I'm going to keep my soul when I learn all those secret techniques. And then you're gonna help me find a cure for the Curse of Kazan."

His eyes stilled, hidden behind the golden mask. The obvious curiosity was twinkling in the eyes of the Maō. "If nothing else, you've got bravery. But I'll need some incentive to agree to this; what will you give me if you fail?"

A wide, sharp-toothed smile stretched across Naruto's face. Had Relius been anyone else, he might have been unnerved. "You're a ghost, right? If there's one thing I know about ghosts, it's that they miss being alive. I bet not even the king of ghosts feels differently. If I lose to the Avatar of Kazan…you get me. Not just my soul, but also my body. You can live again, eat again, fight until you break down, whatever you want. Your call, King."

He extended a hand, waiting for a handshake. The king of the ghosts did not move, his eyes boring emotionlessly into the younger male. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, a confident smile grew across his own face and he stood up. "That's quite a wager," he said casually, his voice doing nothing to hide the greed shining in his eyes, "But I suppose you peasants must make do with something. I suppose…" his hand, cold as iron and nearly as strong, closed in a vice grip on Naruto's own fingers, "There might just be something behind those guts."

Naruto started to fade away as the Maō banished him back to his own world. "If you manage to fully awaken as a Slayer while you live," the Boss Ghost added, "I will have a special…surprise for you. Now then…entertain me, Uzumaki Naruto. Show me what kind of man you intend to become!"

…

{Play: "Tsurugi no Mai" by NUJABES, from "Samurai Champloo"}

[Sennen Fubuki —Night…]

The other diners could only watch in horrified fascination at a red-skinned woman who was eating like there was no tomorrow. The speed at which she ate twelve (no, rather, fifteen) bowls of unaju was already on par with the demon-boy's when it came to Ichiraku's ramen. Some also wondered how, with how much she was eating, she did not gain so much as a swollen stomach from the quantity. The ten mugs of strong mead only compounded the curiosity. It was as though she had fasted for an enormously long period; a thought that Akimichi Chōza could only shudder at.

During one particularly long swig of drink, a cloud of smoke exploded next to her with a 'poof.' Without pausing, she reached out with one hand and dragged Naruto down onto a chair next to her. "How'd it go?" she asked casually.

Naruto shrugged, grimacing. "'Bout as well as it could have. Definitely reminded me why I hate ghosts; that Maō guy creeped me the fuck out. I got a huge 'bad news' vibe off him when I made the bet with him.

Setting down her mug, Kurama gave him a serious look. "Did he accept?"

"'Course. You know how I am with shit like that. Glad he let me go, though. I felt like he was gonna pull something if I stayed any longer."

She sighed. "Alright, start from the top. What happened?"

Naruto spared the Yoko no detail as he recounted the story of the Ghost Contract. He glossed over his recollection of GSD's story, as she'd heard it before, then told her about his deal, giving her his exact words, along with those of the Maō. When he finished, she laughed quietly. "So, it all worked out in the end. I was going to train you to eventually deal with that thing anyway, but you already knew that." It wasn't a question. "And even without it…I'll make sure you get your sight back, one way or another."

Naruto pounced on her, wrapping his strong arms around her waist wordlessly. Kurama smiled gently at her future mate and alpha male, basking in the quiet faith that emanated from his embrace. She would not fail him. "There's something I should make clear, though," she said, her smile fading slightly, "You must not trust the Ghost Boss. As long as it's for science, he will always find a way to come out on top. And since you're the first chakra-using Slayer he's met…" Naruto understood what she was getting at and nodded. "If he wins your bet, you can be sure that he'll make everyone's lives a living hell with his experimentations. And let's just say, Orochimaru would get down on his hands and knees in respect for him. His ruthlessness is unsurpassed."

The enormity of the wager finally sank in for Naruto. It seemed that the consequences wouldn't be nearly as personal as he'd thought. Everyone around him would be in danger as well. Angrily, he shook his head to rid it of worry. Then no matter what happens, I will not fail! I'll get my eyes back. Just you watch, you evil bastard!

…

[Outskirts of Konohagakure no Sato—Dawn…]

Several hours ago, a search party had been sent out for a group of missing Otogakure soldiers. All anyone knew was that there'd been a struggle. Someone had evidently used a blade, drawing large amounts of blood. No bodies had been found at all, and the lack of a report meant there were likely no survivors. The captain leading the search had just started making himself a cup of coffee when a scout walked into the room. He was pale, shaking and covered in drops of blood. "What is it?" asked the captain impatiently, "Report."

"Found them," the scout answered after a moment, his voice flat, "What's left of 'em, anyway. They were left in an area northeast of here. Can't believe it took so long, it's not hard to find."

Before the captain question him further, the scout vanished in a puff of smoke. "What's left of them?" he asked himself instead, "The hell's that mean?"

He informed his underlings to converge on the area the scout had mentioned, then set out himself. Indeed, it didn't take long to find the location of the twenty four officers. When they did, though, they wished they hadn't. All twenty four of them had been flayed to within an inch of their life (and some beyond that, having been decapitated), hung from the trees by an ankle and then left for the crows. Unfortunately for the others' appetites, the birds were already feeding.

…

A/N: And with that, I bid this story farewell...until its reincarnation.