Vagabond
Chapter I: Prologue
Chaos.
This was the only word that could describe the battlefield.
Cries of anger and fear, screams of pain and agony filled the area, very much like the fire and smoke did. The stench of blood and decay hung heavily in the air, filling the noses of the hundreds of combatants, reminding them what the potential outcome might be, should they lower their guard even for a moment.
Metal met metal, sparks illuminated the night, and blood soaked into the ground and what was once a beautiful field, now was nothing more than a river of mud, blood, and corpses.
He had been warned by his father how the battlefield was not a place of glory and honor, but of despair and hatred. He thought he understood, he thought he was ready, but nothing could prepare a man to enter and witness this hell.
But here he was, lying in mud and blood, his body exhausted and wounded, blood staining his clothes and body. He blinked slowly, his blue eyes gazing at the cloudy sky before everything went black.
It was a warm afternoon in the Tanazuka Gai, a big enough city, filled with casinos, bars, and merchants. It was located in the southern parts of the Fire prefecture, in the newly established Elemental Empire. The City was home to many wealthy families, most of which owned some part of the gambling industry in the city, but there were also a few exceptions, like the few Swordsmen families.
Swordsmen were masters of the sword, who either learned how to handle their weapons in their Clans or families or were taken as apprentices on the road. After finishing their training, most swordsmen became Ronin, drifters who wandered the land in search of fortune. They would often get employed as guards in cities and Villages or to wander with a Caravan to deter bandits, yet some desired more.
They did not want money but also influence and it was a well-known fact that whoever owned land had at least some influence in the world. So, swordsmen went and got hired by some Lords across the empire, in hopes of their strength and valor being recognized and rewarded with some land for their own use.
They had also plentiful opportunities, for even when united under one emperor, the Daimyo's and other Lords waged wars with each other, in hopes of gaining more land, influence, and wealth.
In one of the mansions in the Tanazuka Gai, a blond teenager sat on the porch of his house, overlooking a well-kept garden with a scroll lying next to him. The young man had sharp blue eyes, spiky blond hair, and a slight tan, which was revealed by his rather few clothes. He wore black pants, that were tucked in metal shin guards and sandals, which were tied to his waist by a white obi. Besides this, he wore a tightly tied red and black igote, an armguard for archery on his left arm, which covered him from wrist to chest, and a loose silky, long-sleeved female Haori was draped over his shoulders, while a red fabric was tied around his right wrist. On the inside, the Haori was blue in color, with golden, white, and pink flowers on it, while the outside was pure white with an orange spiral on the back.
His clothes, revealed a body of a warrior, toned and built for speed and strength. Besides his good build chest muscles, arms, and shoulders together with abdominal muscles, the only blemishes on his skin were a few small scars around his arms and chest, which were a testament to his hard-earned strength. His name was Namikaze Naruto, son of the legendary Yellow Flash, a 17 years old swordsman, who hated summer in the Fire prefecture.
"Ugh, it's so hot," He bemoaned and fell on his back, his arms folding under his head and his eyes closed. The sun was scorching and Naruto felt like he would die should he put on any more clothes. Honestly, he preferred autumn, the weather wasn't so hot, the sun wasn't shining so bright, and- his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps.
The blond lazily opened his eyes and looked sideways and sighed when he noticed his father. Minato Namikaze, a Living Legend, was a handsome man in his early forties, even if he didn't look like it. Naruto was a carbon copy of his father, who, too had spiky blonde hair and sharp blue eyes, though his hair was a bit longer and his eyes were slightly lighter. The man wore a white Kimono with yellow obi and get sandals.
Minato sat down next to his son, and neither spoke for a few minutes before the older blond sighed and fell on his back next to his son. Naruto looked at his father with an amused expression before closing his eyes again.
"Are you still ready to throw your life away in some meaningless war?"
"No, I am not ready to throw my life away, but I wish to join Lord Byakuya in his war. Besides this is just a small uprising and Lord Byakuya has to crush it, I am the perfect guy for this,"
Byakuya of the Kuchiki family was the current Daimyo of the Fire prefecture and a renowned swordsman throughout the land. His family had a long history with the imperial family and was very influential in the Emperor's court.
"Listen to Naruto, you might be strong, but no man is a god, all can be struck down by a stray arrow or cut down by a single mistake,"
"Coming from you, someone who never lost a duel, it's kinda difficult to believe it," Minato sighed and sat up.
"Do you at least know who you will be fighting against?"
"Nope,"
"You are hopeless," The older Namikaze said and stood up, before entering the home. Naruto glared at the clouds in silence. It has always been like this. His father told him stories of how he wandered around the world, fighting in wars and challenging all to duels, but whenever Naruto mentioned he wanted to do this too once he was an adult, Minato would forbid it and end the conversation.
He knew he was strong, but he also knew that Minato was stronger still. If he wanted to join Lord Byakuya's cause, he would need to leave tonight, the army was supposed to start marching from Osaka in three days and this was how long the blond would travel to the Capital of the Fire prefecture. The problem was weapons. His father closed all weapons and training tools for the night in a small building, sealed with the ancient art of Fuinjutsu, where his old man learned it, Naruto had no idea.
'So, it's decided, I will need to sneak out tonight without the old man catching me, but swords, where do I get a sword from?' The blond thought before sitting up, he needed to prepare for the road ahead and plan how to acquire weapons before arriving in Osaka.
The night was dark, the moon hidden behind countless clouds, a perfect moment for sneaking out. Naruto tip-toed across the estate, a small bag of necessities and provisions on his back. His heart pounded in his chest, nervous about being caught, but that shouldn't happen, Minato had fallen asleep a few hours ago.
A warm breeze swept across the Estate, even the night in the Fire Prefecture was warm enough for the blond to walk shirtless, and for a moment the moon shined through. A reflection caught his eye and he looked to his left, seeing one of the sliding doors slightly open.
Naruto walked over to the door and carefully, to not make a sound, opened them. His eyes widened, in the room resting on a stand was a pair of matching swords, a Katana and a Wakizashi. He walked over to them slowly and kneeled in front of them before taking the Katana in his hands and unsheathing it.
The blade was black, with the edge having a flame design and a fiery red color. The scabbard was black in color, with a deep purple Sageo, a rope that allowed the Katana to be worn on the hip. The guard was gold in color and resembled the Spiral from his Kimono while the hand wrappings on the hilt were the same deep purple as the Sageo.
The Wakizashi was a twin to the Katana, just slightly shorter. Both swords were razor sharp, which confused the blond. It was his duty to sharpen and clean swords, Minato only took care of his own Daisho, as the Katana and Wakizashi together were called, and Naruto didn't recollect ever seeing this pair. As the blond took these swords and put them behind his obi, a small piece of parchment fell to the ground, being held under the Wakizashi.
"What's that?" Naruto muttered and opened the piece of paper. There was a single kanji, but it was more than enough for the blond to understand. With a resolute expression, he stood up and walked out of the estate, letting go of the parchment and letting it fall to the ground.
Kushina.
As Naruto left the estate and headed north to Osaka, he failed to notice a single silhouette watch his departure with a heavy heart, before it sighed and started praying.
"Please, come back safe,"
It was early in the morning, the sun was barely rising, but Naruto was already awake. Today was the day, today he would enter the battlefield. A week ago, he joined the host in Osaka under Byakuya's banner and they had been marching since, without a single battle. But yesterday the scouts that were sent ahead returned with news of a small army a day of march ahead. Lord Byakuya decided to camp here and allow the army to rest, before heading into battle, but Naruto couldn't contain his excitement and, unknown to himself, slight anxiousness.
"Hey, looks who is here," Apparently he was not the only one awake. naruto looked where the voice came from and was surprised to see familiar faces. In front of his were Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji and Inuzuka Kiba. The three came from three old swordsmen clans, renowned worldwide and important enough in the Fire prefecture to hold vast amounts of land.
Naruto had met them a few times in the past, sparred with them even, and could probably call them friends. He was happy to see them, though honestly surprised, something that must have been obvious from the small smirk on Shikamaru's face.
"Suprised?"
"Yeah, never expected to see you on the battlefield," The young Nara, all of them the same age of 17, sighed and sat down next to the blond, the other two following shortly.
"Honestly, I didn't want to come, it's too troublesome, but the old man said it would be a good experience for me," The Nara said, scratching the back of his head.
"I have decided to come with Shika, even though I dislike fighting," Choji said as he mumbled on a bag of chips.
"Ha! Don't listen to these two, this is a perfect place to grow stronger and get your name out there. After all, this is over, Inuzuka Kiba will be a name known in all the courts across the Empire!" The brown-haired teen boasted loudly, waking a few of the near swordsmen around them, who grumbled at the embarrassed Inuzuka.
"What about you, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked with a yawn as the people around them started to wake up.
"I came to make a name for myself and gain the battle experience, can't be living in my old man's shadow forever, right?" The blond answered with a confident grin. "You guys know who was stupid enough to revolt against Lord Byakuya?"
"Some farmers that were angry about the taxes? Eh, it was too troublesome to learn the details,"
A horn was heard around the camp, signaling for all to wake up and gather. The group split, Naruto went to be in front of the lines, while his three friends went to gather their things. They later met during breakfast before the host moved out toward where the enemy army was last seen.
They marched through a forest for a few hours before an order to make another camp was issued. All combatants were told to leave their things here, where some of Byakuya's men would wait as rear-guard and hold the position, while the main army would go on to the battle. The blond left his bag and Haori, seeing the heavy clouds gathering above, knew that the battlefield would become muddy and not wanting to get it dirty.
They arrived at a large plain in the evening, when the sun was starting to set and that's where Naruto saw their enemies for the first time. At first glance, he saw farmers and workers, with weapons made out of bamboo or with farming equipment, but ever so often, he would see men wearing Daisho's with some Clan markings on their clothes.
A sense of foreboding settled in the blond's gut when looking at the black-haired swordsman, whose face showed excitement and thirst for battle. In the front of the host was a small group of horses, upon which sat warriors from the higher classes, one of them was Lord Byakuya, a man in his late twenties, with long black hair and dark eyes, wearing a black Kimono, with a white haori with the Kanji for 'Fire' on his back. His face was set in stone, cold, expressionless, with not a single hint of anger or fear. There were some others, but Naruto didn't know them, but he didn't need to. He was here to fight and get his efforts recognized, that's all that mattered.
An older man, riding on a horse came in front of the host, his eyes shining expertise gained through numerous battles. He spoke loudly, for all swordsmen who came to fight for the Fire Daimyo to hear.
"Warriors, all who came under Lord Byakuya's banner, hear my voice! Our enemies are disloyal scum, who would rather spill blood and burn down Villages of their Lord than admit their wrongdoings! Their time to pay the price for their crimes has come, don't waver, don't hesitate! They deserve no quarter, cut them all down and you will be compensated well for your efforts! Long live Lord Byakuya! Long live the Fire Dai-!"
Blood splattered on the grassy fields, as the sound of a body hitting the ground rang across the area. Naruto watched with wide eyes as the older man fell to the ground, a single arrow, still filled with Raiton Chakra coursing through it pierced through the back of his head. The blond's eyes zoomed on their enemies and found a group of archers with their bows drawn.
Someone shouted something, and the two armies started to rush toward's one another. Arrows flew overheard, swords clashed and blood was spilled.
Naruto was in the thick of it. He channeled Chakra into his sword and it burnt ablaze with a fiery aura before he saw a man in front of him. The blond stepped forward, avoiding a spear made out of bamboo, his sword cut through the air and steel met flesh. Naruto's sword cut the man in half, sending a wave of fire through him and into another enemy, whose screams of agony filled the air.
The blond ducked as a flash of lightning filled the air and zipped above him, killing other fighters. Honestly, the blond didn't know if the attack was from an enemy or ally, but there was no time to think about it. The Namikaze moved swiftly, cutting through man and woman without discrimination, the blood of his enemies painting his body and sword in crimson before someone pushed him from the side.
He lifted his arms and partly blocked the hit from a hammer, that send him to the ground. Someone run over him as the blond tried to stand up, only to be forced to deflect a scythe that almost beheaded him. A stray arrow grazed his arm, making him hiss as his sword cut someone's arm off. A sword flew through the air and he moved back just in time to avoid it, before pain blossomed on his forehead and blood spilled into his eyes.
Unable to see anything, he swung his sword in a large arch, sending a spiral of fire around him, burning at least three people before he wiped his eyes clean, only to narrow them on a black-haired man with two swords at his hips and a fan emblem on his clothes. He looked on the man's sword and growled seeing the telltale signs of Futon Chakra.
The blond rushed forward, and their swords met in a show of sparks before the blond pulled back and spun, fire blossoming from his blade. The man ducked and cut at the blond's leg, leaving a small wound before Naruto moved back. The two exchanged furious strikes, a swing, dodged, a thrust, sidestepped, overhead attack parried.
A single mistake was all it took and Naruto found it. The man overextended his cut, giving the blond just enough time to step in and slash at the man's exposed torso. Blood burst forth, the body fell to the ground and a spear pierced Naruto's side.
He cried out before being kicked in the torso and the weapon being ripped out. He didn't see who did it, as people rushed around him, his body falling in a bloody heap to the muddy ground. As his back hit the ground, exhaustion set in as his breaths came out shallow. He didn't know how long he fought or how many men he killed, it was all blurry, but he noticed that somewhere during the battle, the sun set down and the moon appeared high in the air, tiny drops of rain started pelting the battlefield as water, blood, and earth mixed together, making the once grassy plain into a muddy trap. Smoke raised high in the air as fire consumed the battlefield before the world started getting darker and his eyes closed on their own accord.
Yo, an idea that wandered in my head for some time now, and I decided to put out a Chapter to see if anyone would be interested in it. Not a lot of info about the world, but that's something that would appear in the future if I will continue it. For now, I wanted to give you the all-around feel for the world, so let me know what you think.
This is of course an AU, where there are no Shinobi Villages, but the world is rather filled with swordsmen, Samurai and Ronin, that do the Shinboi work.
Naruto's outfit was copied from Senji Muramasa from Fate, because damn, have you seen how fire it is? Like, daaaamn!
Anyway, let me know what you think about it, and should there be enough people interested in it I might continue it, though I will most likely write a second Chapter to hit at least 10k words.
Thanks for reading, see ya!