Chapter 28

Life in the regular forces is so much different than life in Leaf's ANBU. In ANBU, we complete the mission. There is almost never any turning back. Only when facing a force four times greater than our own do we abandon the mission.

Naruto was walking through a wooded area. After several minutes, he came upon a clearing.

It is time for training. Training with the nine tails chakra.

Naruto sat in a cross legged position, with his eyes closed.

When Naruto opened his eyes, he was in a sewer. Naruto got up, and started walking through the toe deep water of his mind. After a walking a short distance, he arrived before a large double gate of metal rods. At the center where the two door met, laid a piece of paper that read 'seal.'

A silhouette appeared behind the gate, that of a fox. Red eyes glowed in the darkness. The fox stared Naruto down, who didn't flinch at the stare. It then spoke coldly, somehow managing to pull it off despite having a different physiology, "So my jailor returns. I wonder what actions you have planned for today. One most likely is stealing my power for your own filthy desires."

Naruto then sarcastically replied, "Hello demon, I hope it's not too cramped in there. I would hate for you to feel uncomfortable."

"Are you here just to feebly insult me, or have you something planned that actually has the potential for me to enjoy. Such as letting me eat you, or releasing the seal," The nine tails asked?

Naruto smirked before saying, "I'm not sure you would want to eat me. I might just eat your insides and force you to spit me up."

The nine tails simply replied, "That time reminded me of proper manners, such as chewing one's food."

"You, manners, please.," Naruto said, "You are nothing more than a fluffy ball of chakra that somehow managed to gain a personality. Although I'm not sure it really counts when all you are is hatred."

The fox narrowed its eyes at the accusation. It then replied, "And I suppose all your species is a pack of war mongrels. You kill yourselves over petty desires, and bastardize what it means to be a living thing."

"Like you would know what it means to live demon. You are not a living being. Nor are you dead, because that would suggest you lived once. You are simply a culmination of chakra. It is a good thing you are locked up. Innocents no longer die as a result of the pleasure you take in destruction," Naruto accused.

The fox retorted, "And how is your race any different? For thousands of years, you destroy your kind, and when an 'innocent' happens to die, it is written off as an acceptable collateral damage. Without feelings or respect for the dead, what separates man from beast"

Naruto's eyes narrowed at the accusation, and then said "The fact that we can think better, and know what is right from wrong. Are you trying to be a sage? What a fool you are, you beast. We created nations to create a better peace."

The nine tails responded, "You may have created them to do one thing, but that has not happened. I have always thought actions were the greatest indicators of thought. They tend to speak much louder than words ever could."

"And therefore you solely think of destruction. " Naruto accused with a smirk.

The nine tails yawned, before replying, "As does your kind."

"That's where you're wrong. The Leaf defends multiple cities and villages from destruction," Naruto retorted, feeling victorious,

"And for what reason? Do you protect because it is right, or do you protect because they pay you to, for I recall a time before I was sealed, in which the hidden leaf refused to protect a village because they failed to pay their dues. The village was ransacked by more humans. I wonder how they knew."

"We're different now," Naruto bit back.

"Worse most likely, The cursed Senju was suppose to be an idealist. Yet look how he treated little old me. Look how he treated that poor village."

Naruto let out a slight snarl, before reaching his hand out. Red chakra seeped through the cage and surrounded Naruto. Naruto left his mindscape, and once again found himself in the real world.

The stupid fox thinks he's so sagely. All know is destruction. All he has done is destroy. He knows nothing of peace.

Naruto now had more pronounced whisker marks. His eyes were red, his pupils slits. His teeth became fangs. His nails were claws. Two ethereal red tails sprouted from his back, and a red aura encompassed him.

Okay...My mind is sound...I think. Let's flex my muscles.

The ethereal tails shots themselves at a tree. It was destroyed. Naruto then began to slowly manipulate his tails, making them do separate actions.

Lets make it a more challenging.

Naruto's tails then stuck themselves lightly into the dirt. One tail started creating circles. The other squares. Then both abstract shapes.

Losing control. I have to focus. Alright...let's try again.

Naruto restarted his attempts. He did not get far. Naruto huffed, before stabbing the tails into the ground. After a couples seconds, they burst out of the ground and struck a tree, destroying the poor thing.

Naruto then made the tails rip themselves out of the grounds, creating two distinct paths of destroyed earth. He then ran through the training ground and the forest surrounding at high speeds. Naruto repeated his exercise many times over. After a while, the red cloak disappeared.

Naruto let out some heavy breaths, before leaving a scarred area that was once called a training ground.

Tenzo can fix that.

I promised to train Ashi to help make it up to her. I better head to training ground five.

As Naruto ran, his eyes adopted varying emotions.

What does that fox know? All of history points him towards being destructive, yet he thinks he can argue how were bad. What a fool. He always goes on about philosophy when we speak.

She should be here in another ten minutes. I probably should focus her training in either tatjutsu or ninjutsu. Maybe chakra control based on how capable she is right now. Oh, she's early.

Ashi arrived at the training field, but saw no one. She scrunched her eyebrows, before she let out a huff and laid against a tree. Ginmaru sat at her side. Naruto sat only a few meters away, invisible.

Well, I am doing an ANBU level suppression skill. It stands to reason she wouldn't know I'm here. Well, let's surprise her.

Naruto silently rose and walked to the brown haired Inuzuka. When he was right next to the girl, he tapped her on the shoulder. Ashi's head snapped his direction, and had total confusion on it. She sensed nothing. Neither did her dog.

Having the Inuzuka as a clan sure helps in learning how to suppress ones scent extremely well.

Naruto tapper her shoulder again, and hid behind the tree she was laying against. This time, Ashi was extremely alert. Naruto's hand snuck up around the tree, and tapper her shoulder once again.

"WHOSE THERE!" She yelled.

Naruto then spoke, coming out of his stealth, "Ashi, it is not whose there, the correct grammar would be who's there."

Ashi looked confused for a moment before asking, "How did you come out of nowhere, and what makes you think I used the wrong grammar."

Naruto smirked before saying, "ANBU secret, as for the second, I guess it has to do with me being made so awesome."

She punched Naruto in response.

How? Despite it being so slow, there was no time to react.

"Anyways, Ashi, I need to see a demonstration of what you can do so I know what to work on," Naruto stated, "Weapons, Chakra control, then tatjutsu."

"Okay sensei," Ashi sarcastically replied.

Ashi suddenly threw a cluster of shurkien towards a target that for some reason went completely unnoticed earlier. Not a single shurkien hit the bull's-eye.

"Impressive Ashi," Naruto stated, observing the smiley face that was formed on the target. She then threw a flurry of kuni, all the kuni hitting through the small holes of the shurkien.

She then without prompting ran up a tree and jumped to the sides of different trees, running up and down them.

Finally Ashi charged at Naruto. Naruto easily dodged her left swipe. blocked her right side kick, and caught her right claw. Naruto then spoke, "In the area of tatjutsu... you're a bit behind the curve. Like, third year academy student level behind."

Ashi growled, muttering under her breath, "And whose fault is that?"

Naruto inwardly cringed at the comment, but showed nothing otherwise. Naruto released Ashi who then jumped several meters back and launched a few kuni. Naruto dodged most of the attack, while catching one kuni for himself. Ashi then charged Naruto again, while Ginmaru suddenly attacked from the rear. Naruto charged Ashi in return which allowed him to dodge Ginmaru's attack. Ashi slightly faltered in surprise of Naruto's attack.

Naruto took advantage of the surprise, and grappled her arm, and threw her at the then jumping Ginmaru. Ginmaru lacking any air breaks was unable to alter his course, and the Inuzuka and dog slammed into one another.

The occurrence caused little injury, but allowed Naruto to drop down, Ashi's previous kuni at her throat. "You said it was tatjutsu," she complained.

Naruto's response was quick and simple, "Ninja."

Ashi sighed before asking, "I have a long way to go don't I?"

Naruto nodded, before responding with conviction, "And I will be with you every step of the way."

Ashi slightly blushed at Naruto's statement, before she smiled with the redness fading. "Thanks Naruto."

Naruto smiled in return before saying, "Anything for a friend."

Ashi rolled her eyes before replying voice laced with fake annoyance, "Stealing my words eh?" Naruto only chuckled in response.

See demon, this is why I am better than you.

Ashi then launched a surprise attack on a contemplative Naruto. Naruto reacted. In the air, an audible cracking sound was heard.

"Crap! I sorry Ashi! I didn't mean," Naruto cried out in alarm.

"You just broke my arm!"

He's going to kill me for this!

Credits to:

Confucius
John Locke
Buddha