Blue-Eyed Avarice
Honesty and Discovery
Hinata was perplexed.
While she knew that her toy would defeat Sasuke, she was unaware of how quickly and one-sided the battle would be.
And that chain her toy used was created with pure chakra and the way it not only cleaved through Sasuke's Jutsu, but it also absorbed what it touched.
But what truly stumped her was the disappointed expression that her toy had on her face. Was it due to how quickly Sasuke had been defeated or was it something more?
All of these questions were weighing on Hinata's mind as she watched the object of her thoughts walking into the academy.
So in her infinite wisdom, she followed her toy.
"Uzumaki!" Hinata exclaimed as she walked into the academy hallway after the blonde. She watched as the blonde stopped and turned around to face her.
"What do you want? Don't you see that I want to be alone?" Her toy questioned with her narrowed eyes.
Hinata walked up to the Uzumaki and tilted her head as she adjusted the taller girl's collar to be neater. "First things first," Hinata started as she stared into the blue eyes of her toy. "Good job on defeating the Uchiha. His arrogance was unfounded, and I am glad you were able to deflate his ego in such a brutal show."
She smoothed out her toy's shoulders and murmured, "Nice and neat," before she smirked. "But, I now have questions, and you will answer them for me."
The blonde frowned and asked, "And what makes you think I'm going to tell you anything?"
Defiance.
Her toy continued to annoy her with it.
"You already know why, my dear toy," Hinata murmured. "Because you're mine, and I demand of it. Or did you forget who you belong to?"
"I belong to no one but me," Naruko replied before Hinata was pushed back by the blonde. "So step off and don't touch the goods without asking, got it?"
Hinata stumbled back lazily before she rolled her neck and said, "Don't say I didn't try to be civil with you," before her hand lashed out to strike Naruko in the face, but the blonde caught it, causing a strand of her hair to blow from the breeze.
Hinata blinked in surprise.
Her toy should not have been able to catch that.
How did her toy catch that?!
"That was pretty fast," Naruko noted as she used her free hand to brush the loose strand of her hair back into place before a slight smirk appeared on her face. "Was this meant to hit me?" Naruko asked, her eyes glittering with amusement.
Hinata would have found the sight breathtaking if she wasn't furious.
Hinata scowled and pulled her wrist back and attempted to strike Naruko in the chest twice, but Naruko smacked her right arm to the side, sidestepped her left arm.
Hinata twisted her body and landed a blow to Naruko's chest, which caused her to skid back, only for Hinata to leap into the air with her right arm cocked back. Naruko held up her arms in an "X" shape as Hinata let out a battle cry.
The world seemed to move in slow motion as Hinata's palm collided with Naruko's left forearm. The classrooms' windows shook from the blow's impact before shattering, causing the glass to shower them from the sides.
As Hinata stared at Naruko's eyes, she saw a cold gleam within them, but then a flicker of life appeared within them.
And then Hinata saw her smirk.
The world sped up as Naruko pushed Hinata back, which caused her to soar backward in the air before she landed on the ground with a skid.
Hinata rose to her feet and looked ahead, only to see Naruko before her with her right arm cocked back and a dangerous gleam in her blue eyes.
It was then she felt this unrelenting pressure before her, and the image of the blonde girl vanished, replaced by a roaring blue fox made of black and blue energy.
She had to move. She had to deflect it. She had to do something before this beast engulfed her.
The image of the fox and the girl seemed to flicker back and forth, the fist of her opponent getting closer and closer until Hinata managed to move her arm to deflect Naruko's punch, so it passed over her right shoulder.
Hinata felt a large gust of wind follow Naruko's thrown jab, causing her hair and jacket to sway from the fierce wind before she heard the doors behind her burst open.
There was a lot of force with that punch, and had that blow managed to hit her; she would have been out like a light.
That realization had Hinata rooted in her spot, her legs trembling in fear.
Hinata watched as Naruko moved her hand back and stared at it before she began to laugh. "And here I thought you were going to be like Sasuke. All talk but no action," Naruko said through her laughter.
"My worries were for nothing after all," Naruko chirped as she slipped her hands into her pockets. "Blocking that palm strike made my arms tingly. I think you made them numb for a minute or two."
Hinata's irises shook in terror as Naruto leaned down and said, "I can't wait until we're able to fight. And unlike Sasuke, I'll have fun beating you into the ground, Princess." Naruko then pecked her on the cheek and walked past her. "Later."
Hinata fell to her knees and panted heavily only to hear, "Hinata-sama!" come from behind her.
Hinata turned to see a worried Ino at the doors.
"H-Help me to the Hyūga district," Hinata told her with a shaky voice.
"Yo! He's waking up."
"Clear the way!"
Sasuke opened his eyes and saw Chōji, Sakura, Kiba, Shikamaru, and a load of other students surrounding him.
"W-What happened?" Sasuke groaned.
The last thing he remembered was facing off against Uzumaki in the ring.
"What happened?" Kiba asked. "Dude, you got knocked the fuck out!" Kiba exclaimed. "Naruko beat your ass several times over."
Sasuke's eyes widened.
No, that couldn't be.
"Haruno, is he serious?" Sasuke asked.
Sakura looked away.
"Dude, you don't remember getting your ass rocked?!" Kiba exclaimed before he laughed.
Meanwhile, Chōji held out his hand to Sasuke, who gladly took it and got hoisted to his feet.
And it was then the pain set in.
Sasuke lurched forward and grasped onto Chōji with a grimace of pain. Why did his body feel like a giant hit it? "Take it easy. You were just in a bad fight," Chōji admonished.
"Did I truly lose that fight?" Sasuke asked.
"You did," Sakura softly replied.
Sasuke looked down at the ground in disbelief. "What happened?" he asked.
"Man, you really don't remember. I wouldn't want to remember that ass-kicking either," Kiba told him before Kiba, Sakura, and Chōji told him all that had gone down in his match, and when they were finished, Sasuke remained silent.
His defeat had been that humiliating that Naruko had called off their bet? Sasuke should have been glad about this, but he was ashamed. He closed his eyes for a moment as Sakura asked, "Sasuke-kun, what's on your mind?"
"Haruno, Inuzuka, Akimichi, can any of you tell me where to find the Uzumaki special?" Sasuke asked.
"Oh, that's at Ichikaru's," Chōji answered.
"Can one of you lead me there?" Sasuke asked.
"How troublesome," Shikamaru said as he walked up behind the group.
"Shikamaru, I thought you were about to fight Hinata," Chōji said.
"Did you guys not hear the commotion?" Shikamaru asked as he pointed back at the academy. The group turned to see various Chūnin talking. "Apparently, someone trashed the place with Hinata in there. They canceled the rest of today and the next two days."
"Whoa, how did we miss that?" Kiba asked.
"We were bringing Sasuke up to speed regarding his battle," Chōji said.
"I heard," Shikamaru said before he looked to Sasuke and asked, "You know what you're doing by getting Naruko that, right?"
Sasuke nodded.
"Come on; I'm sure all of us are hungry. I need to get something, and I owe you all thanks for watching after me while I was unconscious," Sasuke told the group. "So, let's go to Ichikaru's. My treat."
"Thank you for your time, Yūhi-san. I look forward to meeting with you again regarding my daughter," Hyūga Hiashi said as he fixed his robe. Across from him, Yūhi Kurenai tugged at her dress with a small smile.
"Thank you for your time as well. I hope our next meeting brings more to this conversation," Kurenai said as she nodded and walked out of the office. Hiashi looked at his bare desk, looked at the papers that littered the floor around his desk, and finally let out a deep, shaky sigh.
Hizashi would be laughing at how screwed this situation was.
After ten minutes of reorganizing the paperwork on his desk by alphabetical order, Hiashi sat back down and picked up his pen, only for Hinata to burst through the doors, causing the wind to blow the papers off his desk.
Hiashi sighed as Yamanaka Ino stepped in behind his daughter. "Hello, my daughter," Hiashi said before he looked to Ino and said, "And hello, Yamanaka-san."
"Afternoon, Hyūga-sama," Ino said with a bow.
"Father!" Hinata exclaimed. "I need more training."
"My daughter," Hiashi said as he lifted a hand to stop her. "Aren't you supposed to be at the academy?"
"They found the academy wrecked, so they closed it for two days to repair it," Hinata quickly replied as she waved off his concern. "That's beside the point. Father, I request more training. Effective immediately."
Hiashi quirked an eyebrow at his daughter. "You're already at Chūnin level when it comes to shinobi knowledge and abilities, and you're at Byakko rank regarding your knowledge of Jūken," Hiashi told her. "I can oblige and get you further training, but you're in good standing with the elders right now."
"You don't understand," Hinata said. "I need to get stronger. Add Neji-nii to my rotation. Add Kotaha-san. Anyone. I need to get stronger."
Hiashi noted the hint of panic in his daughter's voice and knew there was a story behind this. But instead of asking it, he sighed and replied, "Very well. I will add both of them to your rotation starting tomorrow."
"Thank you, father," Hinata bowed before she turned to Ino and said, "Come Yamanaka-san. We must discuss my new schedule."
With a nod, the girls walked out of the room, leaving Hiashi alone once again.
Hiashi looked around at the papers around the room and sighed.
Yes, Hizashi must be laughing his ass off in Heaven right now.
"What an exciting day. You defeated the Uchiha and managed to get over your worry that Hinata wouldn't be strong enough to put a fight. Does a body good to see all that carnage," Kyūbi stated as Naruto walked down the road of the village.
'Yeah. I finally have the feeling back in my arms. I can't wait to fight her again,' Naruko thought cheerfully.
"You have the Jutsu that Anko wanted you to train with?" Kyūbi questioned.
'Shit, I knew I forgot something. Damn it,' Naruko swore before she turned her head thoughtfully. 'Hm, how long do you think he'll follow?'
"Until you are alone," Kyūbi replied.
Naruko turned her body and eyed her follower, and motioned with her head to follow her before she dashed off.
"Ah, you're leading him to our training ground. Interesting. You think he's worthy?" Kyūbi asked.
'Moreso than anyone else,' Naruko thought with a grin.
After ten minutes of running, Naruko finally skidded to a stop in the middle of the forest that sat atop the Hokage monument. "Alright, no more running. You ready to talk?" Naruko asked as she turned around to glance at Shino with a grin.
Aburame Shino was perplexed.
From the minute the blonde Uzumaki appeared in his life, Shino knew that there was more to them than met the eye. They were cocky, sure of themselves, admittedly attractive (Though he would never admit that out loud, lest he is teased like Kiba), and stand-offish.
But there was a charm to them that Shino liked. On the exception of the Uchiha and the Hyūga, the Uzumaki never went out of their way to belittle or piss anyone off. He was friendly to Shikamaru, Kiba, and Chōji, amicable to Sakura, and seemingly adored Ino.
But Shino knew that the Uzumaki shouldn't be this way to everyone.
Shino knew that the Uzumaki was not well-liked in the village. That was an understatement truthfully, the Uzumaki was hated in the village for reasons he did not know. His parents often dissuaded him from interacting with the Uzumaki, but Shino denied their request.
The Uzumaki did not treat him like a freak because of his clan or his Kikai affinity. He did not find him weird for being so anti-social. The Uzumaki treated him like a friend. Someone they cared for, and what kind of person would Shino be if he did not return that gratitude?
But with that said, Shino was curious about the Uzumaki. He was perplexed when the Uzumaki showed up in their female form randomly. That fire only grew into an inferno after he watched the Uzumaki dismantle the Uchiha during their battle.
Sasuke was not a pushover. He was jocking for Rookie of the Year against Hinata while the Uzumaki managed to get by.
And yet, the Uzumaki trounced Sasuke without breaking a sweat with abilities he had never seen before. But that alone wasn't enough. Immediately after the fight, he got into that skirmish with Hinata that wrecked the school.
But Shino had a feeling he was not supposed to see that part of it.
Things weren't adding up to Shino.
He needed to know more.
But would the Uzumaki tell him?
And so, Shino followed The Uzumaki for as long as possible until he reached a forest behind the Hokage Monument. When the Uzumaki finally stopped, it was in a clearing in the middle of the forest, where a small stream separated him and the Uzumaki.
The Uzumaki then turned around with a bright smile and asked, "Alright, no more running. You ready to talk?"
"You knew that I was following you," Shino stated.
"Of course I did," Naruko replied with a grin on her face. "You think you can hide that perfectly sculpted fro, being as tall as you are? Think again."
"I see…" Shino muttererd.
"So Shino, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" Naruko asked him.
"I had a few questions that I hope you don't mind answering," Shino told her.
Naruko tilted her head in thought as if she was thinking about it before she grinned. Naruko summoned a clone, who then got on their hands and knees, and she sat on their back. "I'm an opening book."
"W-Wait. That's a clone," Shino stammered out. "How are you sitting on it?"
Naruko nodded, not seeing what the issue was before she blinked and said, "Oh! That's right. You didn't know. Shino, let me introduce to you the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. This jutsu allows the user to create solid clones. The best part is that when they're destroyed, the user gets their knowledge. It is absolutely busted."
"How do you even know that jutsu?" Shino asked her.
"How? Simple, the Forbidden Scroll. I learned a lot from it," Naruko replied as she looked at her fingers.
Despite the glasses and the high collar that hid the bottom of his face, Naruko could see that Shino was stunned into silence at her reveal.
"To answer your question, I didn't steal it. I borrowed it and returned it, and I know that's bad. But the way I see it, that scroll belongs to me," Naruko explained.
Shino stared at her in silence for a moment, which caused Naruko to laugh. "Wow, I never stunned you into silence before. You need help rebooting Shino?" Naruko teased.
"You threw a lot at me. I needed a moment to file it all away," Shino responded.
"Understandable. Well, in the meantime, you have any fancy Kikai that can act as a lie detector?" Naruko asked him.
"I do," Shino answered. "Why?"
"Simple. I told you I'm an open book, but what good is that book if you think it's lying to you?" Naruko asked him. "So, do what you have to do with that bug."
Shino nodded, and a small Kikaichū flew from Shino's right sleeve and attached itself to Naruko's neck, causing Naruko to wince slightly in pain.
"It's bug bite, Little Prince. Don't be a wimp," Kyūbi taunted, which caused Naruko to pout.
'It still hurt,' Naruko replied to her before she looked to Shino and asked, "Is it done?"
"It is done," Shino confirmed. "You seem oddly prepared for this, Uzumaki-san."
"It's because whether you followed me or not, I had a feeling this was going to happen sooner or later," Naruko admitted. "Also, what made you follow me?"
"Well, after you defeated the Uchiha, I saw Hyūga-san follow you, and in turn, I followed her," Shino answered.
"Ah, so you must've seen our scuffle," Naruko told him with a laugh. "I guess you liked what you saw?"
"I was more confused than anything," Shino admitted.
Naruko nodded. "I want to make sure that your lie detector works, so let's play a game of "Two Lies and a Truth." Okay?" Naruko asked. "And I promise, all your questions will be revealed."
Shino nodded.
"Let's start. I think Kiba is cute, I have a crush on Sakura, and I want to defeat Hyūga Hinata in combat," Naruko told him.
"Lie, lie, and truth," Shino told her.
"Very good," Naruko said. "Next set. I love to train, I love to burn orphanages, and I hate you."
Shino paused and then said, "Truth, lie, and lie. Thank you for the last one, by the way."
Naruko winked in response then said, "Next set. I feel that the Hokage betrayed my trust and my parents, The Yondaime Hokage and The Seal Mistress are those parents, and I hold the Kyūbi no Kitsune inside of me, and my father sealed her inside of me to save the village."
Shino let out a sharp gasp. "All true…." He whispered.
"Next set," Naruko said. "I feel that this village owes me a debt for the sacrifice I endured in holding the Kyūbi and for them treating me as less than nothing, and I want to become the Hokage, but not to get revenge."
"So, you want to become Hokage, but it's not for revenge, so there must be more to it than that, right?" Shino asked her.
"There is more to it than that," Naruko told him. "I wish I had noble goals for wanting to become the Hokage, Shino, but I don't. All the Power, Fortune, Fame, Adoration, and Respect that the old man gets is enticing to me."
Naruko gave Shino a determined smirk as she said, "As the Savior of Konoha, I'm only claiming what is rightfully mine, and I will have it. And I should specify. I do want revenge on Konoha. But not its people. My parents lost their lives to save everyone's lives here and offered up me to continue to save it so I would be a monster to want to destroy it."
"With all of that said, I do want revenge on those who decided to hide my birthright and allow me to be treated like the monster I never was," Naruko admitted. "And what better way to do that than to make this place a powerful but peaceful utopia? When it's all said and done, I want the world to sing praises of Konoha, its citizens, and its Hokage."
"That is strangely good to hear and, while deserved, very petty," Shino noted with amusement. "But you're telling the truth. You have every reason to want to destroy this place, but you instead want to be malicious but in an elegant way. I can't fault you for it. But why tell me all of this?"
"The reason I am telling you this is that I like to think you're my best friend," Naruko told him. "I hold a lot of respect for you, and you're the second person that has treated me like I'm a person instead of an object or a ghost,"
"All true," Shino told her. "….You think of me as your best friend?"
"Of course. You think I would let anyone follow me to my private area and spill all my guts?" Naruko asked.
"I'm touched," Shino told her, sincerity heavy in his voice. "Truly…You have no idea. I was unaware you thought so highly of me."
"Of course I do," Naruko told him. "Another set, I am currently afraid of your response to everything I told you; I am hoping that we can remain friends, and I would like your help to achieve my goals."
Shino was silent for a moment before he nodded, and another Kikaichū flew to the other side of Naruko's neck and attached itself to her.
"You will feel a vibration if I am telling the truth. If I am lying, you will feel a slight shock," Shino told her. "My name is Aburame Shino. I am heir to the Aburame Clan, I find Haruno Sakura cute, and I find myself thinking highly of this village."
Naruko felt the Kikaichū on her neck vibrate twice before she was slightly shocked.
"You find Sakura cute?" Naruko asked with a coy grin.
"I do. While I don't ever want to be in a relationship with her, there is something about Haruno-san's eyes that I like," Shino responded. "Next set. I feel that it would be hypocritical for me, as an Aburame, to think any less of you for holding something powerful within you, I feel pride for my clan for sticking by you, and I do not hate you for holding the Kyūbi inside of you."
Naruko felt the Kikaichū vibrate, shock, and then vibrate again against her neck. Naruko looked at Shino as she touched her chest, a small smile on her face. "Thank you," she sincerely told him.
"Another set," Shino softly said. "I think you're my best friend too, I admired that you want to become the Hokage, not out of revenge despite deserving it, and as Heir of the Aburame, My clan owes you a debt, and I will repay it by sticking by you and help you achieve your goals."
With all three answers, the Kikaichū vibrated.
"Thank you, Shino," Naruko told him with a smile. "My turn. The reason I'm strong is because of Mitarashi Anko, who is Tokubetsu Jōnin, and my sensei. I have this form because while I'm hot as hell in my original form, I think I'm pretty hot in this form too and I like being in both."
Shino chuckled. "Modest. But on the first statement, I received a half-truth," Shino noted.
"I know. Anko is not my only sensei, but I don't feel comfortable revealing my other sensei right now, but I will when I'm ready. I promise," Naruko told him.
"Truth. Okay, I believe you," Shino said. "So, about the scroll. How much did you learn from it?"
"Not as much as you may think," Naruko answered. "There's the Kage Bunshin, Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, Bunshin Bakuha, Bunshin Bakuha: Eikoudan, and some Taijutsu style I'm unsure about learning admittedly."
Shino nodded. "How did you find out about your parents?" Shino asked her.
"I was told about them by someone that scared the hell out of me at first, but that quickly gave way to the injustice of how this village and everyone in it has treated me," Naruko responded. "And I know that's another half-truth, but the person who told me is my second sensei, and as promised, I will tell you when I'm comfortable."
Shino nodded.
"All of this has been eye-opening for me, Naruko," Shino admitted.
"That's the first time you ever said my first name," Naruko said with a growing smile.
"I think as your best friend and now confidant, I should start. Do you prefer Naruko or Naruto?" Shino asked her.
"Naruko in this form. Naruto in my original form," Naruko answered before she blinked. "Oh shit, I forgot! I need to have you take your Kikaichū back."
The two Kikaichū detached themselves from Naruko's neck and flew back into Shino's sleeve. "I told you that I respect you, and as my best friend, I think I should show one more thing."
"One more thing?" Shino asked.
Naruko smirked.
"How much I've truly been holding back."
Ino watched with rapt interest as Hinata and her cousin, Hyūga Neji, continued their intense sparring session when she felt an intense wave of chakra slam into her.
Ino turned her head sharply in the direction of where the chakra came from, and against the setting sun, Ino noticed the shimmer of black and cobalt blue chakra shape of a roaring fox.
"W-What in the world?" Ino breathed.
Hinata, who used her palm to block Neji's palm, noticed this and shouted, "Yamanaka! What's wrong?!"
"Worrying about your girl?" Neji taunted, but Hinata frowned at him and stared at Ino with concern.
"Yamanaka," Hinata said, the edge leaving her voice.
Ino continued to watch in fascination as the chakra faded against the sun. It wasn't until Hinata placed a hand on her shoulder did Ino snap out of her trance. Ino looked back at Hinata and felt herself flush when she noticed the concerned look in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Hinata questioned.
"I-I am okay," Ino stammered.
"What did you see that took your eyes off of me?" Hinata asked her.
"I felt this huge amount of chakra just n-now," Ino explained. "And when I looked to the Hokage monument, I saw this black and blue chakra against the sun. It had the shape o-of a fox. I-It felt like N-Naruko-chan's chakra."
Ino watched Hinata pale. "You felt that from here?" Hinata asked.
Ino nodded.
Hinata frowned then asked her, "Where does my chakra sit compared to that one you felt?"
"Like a pebble in an o-ocean," Ino answered with a cringe.
Hinata nodded before she grabbed the sides of Ino's face and placed a kiss on the blonde's forehead. "Thank you for telling me the truth," Hinata said.
Ino's face turned a deep red at the kiss and the sound of Neji wolf-whistling.
"Shut it, Neji-nii!" Hinata exclaimed, although her face was pink as well. Hinata looked back at Ino and said, "You will stay with me tonight, understood?"
Ino nodded.
Hinata smiled and told her, "Good. Let me know if you feel any more of that chakra. I'll need the motivation so I can match that ocean of chakra that my toy has…"
Ino's eyes widened.
That was why it felt so familiar.
"I-I will cheer you on," Ino promised.
Hinata smiled and walked away.
And despite Ino's growing crush on Naruko, her crush on her master was deepening.
She was afraid to see who would win when the two would finally meet.
"That was pretty simple. You have a Clan Heir at your disposal. You must be proud," Kyūbi said as an exhausted Naruko walked down the dirt road toward her and Anko's apartment.
'Yeah. Thank goodness that lie-detector thing worked. I was so sure Shino wouldn't have a way to do that,' Naruko thought with a pleased grin. 'Too bad he couldn't stay over my place tonight. It would have been nice to talk and be free with someone other than you and Anko-sensei."
"Speaking of which, how long are you going to let this one trail you?" Kyūbi asked.
'Until I get to the apartment door,' Naruko replied.
"Meanwhile, your chakra has increased. We can add more for you to control tonight during our training session," Kyūbi told her.
'You think it will be enough to mold my first Kongō Fūsa weapon?' Naruko asked.
"I think it will be. Also, when will you learn the Taijutsu style you got from the scroll?" Kyūbi questioned.
'Look, the Sekizuihansha (Spinal Reflex) and the Kaminoshikō (The Way of Divine Thought) are both damn good; I don't know which one to choose. The first one relies on brute strength, while the other is supposed to be fast and swift. I want to learn both, but I don't know which one to start with and what would be good for my eventual weapons training…' Naruko said, only to stop when she reached the door to her apartment building.
She turned around and faced off against Uchiha Sasuke.
"You want to come in?" Naruko asked him.
"Remove your sandals and make yourself at home," Naruko said as she led Sasuke into her and Anko's apartment. "Sorry if it's a little cluttered. My roommate tends to leave a disaster whenever she leaves for a mission."
Sasuke nodded and glanced around the living room, which was littered with clothes and dull kunai. Sasuke slid his sandals off and sat down on the couch that was spared the mess of Naruko's roommate and watched as Naruko summoned two clones and motioned to the chaos that was left behind.
Sasuke was confused about why Naruko summoned these clones, but the clones began to pick up the discarded items to his surprise. "W-What in the world?" Sasuke breathed out.
"Kage Bunshin," Naruko said as she walked into the kitchen. "This jutsu allows the user to create solid clones. The best part is that when they're destroyed, the user gets their knowledge. Like I told Shino, It is busted."
"Very much so," Sasuke agreed.
Just how strong was the Uzumaki?
"So," Naruko said as she walked out of the kitchen with two glasses of grape soda in her hands. She handed one to Sasuke then sat across from him on another couch. "What brings you here?"
Sasuke grabbed the bag of Ichikaru's Ramen from the side and said, "The Uzumaki special. As promised." Sasuke held out the bag to Naruko, who stared at him with surprise.
"Sasuke," Naruko began. "I can't accept that."
"That was the terms of our agreement," Sasuke told her. "If I were to lose, I would do whatever you ask, no matter what. Sakura told me what you did, and admittedly, It made me feel ashamed."
"Ashamed?" Naruko asked.
Sasuke nodded. "I treated you horribly, and had you lost, I would not have done what you did. I know that I would have relished the control. So for you, someone I treated so horribly the last few years to spare me that humiliation on top of my defeat when you had every right to enjoy the spoils of victory…It showed me you were the bigger person and were far more honorable than me."
"So, I decided that despite you reneging on our agreement, I will still follow through with it all the same. Because an Uchiha never breaks his oath. And if I can't keep my word, what good am I as a shinobi or a person?" Sasuke finished.
To Sasuke's surprise, he saw Naruko's gaze soften. He didn't expect to see her so sympathetic to him. "If you are serious about this, then I will be as well," Naruko said. "I expect you to do anything I ask, whether it be benign or life-threatening."
"Life-threatening?" Sasuke asked her.
Naruko remained silent for a moment, her soft gaze turning cold. "I want to be the Hokage, Uchiha Sasuke, and I will do anything to obtain that throne. I may have to fight for the throne, and I may have to kill for it. But I will achieve what I want. And if you genuinely want to do this, I expect you to be better than you are now," Naruko told him before her cold gaze turned soft again. "I'm giving you one more chance to back out. Are you sure you want to do this?"
"If I say yes, what will be done?" Sasuke asked her.
"Well, we can't have you be as weak as you are now," Naruko said. "I need powerful allies, Sasuke. I shouldn't have been able to defeat you as easily as I did today. I need you to be at the level where you can give me a run for my money. And if you are to do this, I will give you the keys to becoming stronger."
A glint appeared in Naruko's eyes as she added, "And you will need them to kill the one who destroyed your clan."
"And you can promise this?" Sasuke asked.
For a moment, Naruko stayed quiet before a smirk appeared on her face. Sasuke watched as she stood and said, "I believe a demonstration is in order…."
Sasuke watched as Naruko put her arms to the side, and slowly, a complex black and blue aura consisting of rippling, fire-like chakra began to flow from her body.
Sasuke held his chest slightly as a faint pressure began to beat down on his body. Suddenly, the chakra around Naruko became thick and violent, causing the couch Sasuke sat on to shake.
This was far too much chakra for one person to have!
Naruko's hair, which was now platinum blue, flowed wildly as that same complex and chaotic black and blue aura flowed around her.
Along with the hair color change, Sasuke noticed that Naruro's nails and canine teeth had grown longer and sharper. Her hair also grows longer and spikier, and the whisker-like marks on her cheeks had become broader and thicker.
Sasuke then took note of Naruko's eyes. Despite the shadow over Naruko's eyes thanks to her hair, Sasuke could see that there was a faint glow to the Uzumaki's eyes along with her pupils being slitted.
That pressure that Sasuke had felt before tripled, causing Sasuke to clench his chest as sweat poured down his face.
But when Sasuke stared into Naruko's eyes, Sasuke felt a wave of terror overcome him.
"Relax," Naruko gently told him. "I will not harm you. I promise."
"W-What is this?" Sasuke asked. "What is this pressure? Why am I so terrified?"
"That pressure you're feeling is my power, Sasuke," Naruko told him as the fire-like chakra began to fade away, leaving Naruko's body outline glowing in blue light. "In our fight, I could have killed you if I fought with all of my might."
Naruko narrowed her eyes at Sasuke and then told him, "I worked hard for this power, Sasuke. Endless days and nights of training. Whether by myself or with the help of my sensei and I am still not strong enough to do what I need to do. Regardless, this is proof of my power. So take this as my promise. If you're dead set on working for me, I will make you as strong as I am now. But I will make you work for it. But if not, then the door is over there. I will not hold it against you. The choice is now yours."
Sasuke sat there for a moment to weigh his options.
On the one hand, Sasuke could walk away from keeping his word, forever shaming his clan and throwing away his honor but be free of whatever Naruto's plans were.
Or, he could go through with this and serve Naruko at every whim, but he would maintain his honor and become strong enough to kill Itachi.
The choice was obvious to Sasuke.
Sasuke slid off the couch and placed the bag of takeout ramen in front of Naruko before kneeling, wordlessly giving his answer.
Sasuke felt the oppressive pressure suddenly disappear, and when he looked up, Naruko had a proud smile on her face and she looked normal. "You chose wisely," Naruko said with a smile. "Now, get up. No one kneels to me unless I ask or when I'm the Hokage."
Sasuke hastily stood and asked, "Great. So, what do I do first?"
Naruko observed him for a moment and said, "First, I want you to go home and get some rest. I need you well-rested for what I have planned. Got it?"
Sasuke nodded.
"Tomorrow, you will meet me at the front of my apartment at the crack of dawn. Make sure you pack well because you'll be gone for a while," Naruko explained.
"What about school?" Sasuke said.
"Kage Bunshin plus Henge," Naruko answered as if it was apparent.
"I see," Sasuke murmured.
"Also, be sure to get Shino for me as well," Naruko commanded.
"Understood," Sasuke said with a nod.
"Now go on, we have a busy day tomorrow," Naruko told him.
"Right. I'll catch you tomorrow then," Sasuke told her before he walked to her front door. He then paused and looked back at Naruko and said, "Thanks…"
Naruko smiled, and Sasuke walked out of the apartment.
"You certainly weren't kidding, Little Prince. He was certainly a changed person after your fight," Kyūbi commented as Naruko watched Sasuke leave her home.
"Humbled by ass-kicking. I do love that method," Naruko said before she looked at her right hand with a frown. "Now, let's get to the Forest of Death. We gotta try those two Taijutsu styles."
With a quick change of clothes, Naruko jumped out of the open balcony and ran through the streets to her location.
After traveling for forty-five minutes, Naruko stood in the middle of her training field in the Forest of Death, her black t-shirt and black sweatpants swaying with the breeze.
"Alright, Little Prince, let's get started on the Sekizuihansha and the Kaminoshikō," Kyūbi told her with a grinning tone.
"You've been hounding me about these styles a lot lately. What is going on?" Naruko asked.
"I want to see someone outside of those damned brothers using it," Kyūbi explained.
"Wait, so you know these Taijutsu styles?" Naruko asked.
"Intimately," The Kyūbi said. "Back when the world was in its infancy, there were two brothers. Suija and Enja. They wanted to be invincible gods and thought the way to do it was to battle my father, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo."
"Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo?" Naruko questioned.
She felt Kyūbi smile. "I'll tell you about him later. Anyways, despite my father being weak after creating my siblings and me, he fought and trounced them but was impressed by their techniques. He taught his sons, and they taught theirs, and so forth. The last ones I knew who knew the Taijutsu styles were the damned Kingin Kyōdai," Kyūbi answered.
"Interesting. So how did it get into the scroll?" Naruto asked.
"Well, after I defeated and swallowed the Kingin Kyōdai, I was able to absorb their knowledge of the two styles. When I was eventually sealed in Uzumaki Mito, I taught her both styles, and that led to her writing them in the Forbidden Scroll due to how dangerous each style was," Kyūbi explained. "And as much as I cared about your mother, her body was not as sturdy as yours and Mito's were, so I didn't bother teaching her those skills."
"I should have known with how hard you were pushing them that you had past knowledge of them," Naruko said. "Well, that makes me all the more interested in learning them. Let's do it!"
"Perfect. We're going to try something different. Typically, we would train in the mindscape, but I think for this lesson, doing it in the real world is a better idea to make a clone," Kyūbi told her
Naruko nodded and summoned a clone to stand across from her.
"Naruko-sama," the clone said with a bow.
"At ease," Naruko ordered.
The clone nodded and stood up straighter, her smile eager and ready to assist.
"Alright, Kyūbi-sensei, what's next?" Naruko asked.
"Just sit back and relax a bit. This is my first time trying this, so I'm unsure if it will work," Kyūbi told her.
Naruko nodded, and suddenly, her clone hunched over in pain, clutching her chest. Naruko turned to her clone with confusion as the clone winced in pain, wisps of crimson chakra flowing from her body.
"T-This hurts," The clone whined as Naruko felt another pulse of crimson chakra shoot out from the clone. The clone suddenly let out a blood-curdling scream as a burst of complex black, purple, and blue aura consisting of rippling, fire-like chakra began to flow from her body as the clone fell to its knees.
Naruko felt guilty at the amount of pain the clone was going through, but after two minutes of agony, the screams of the clone died down, along with the aura of the crimson chakra, leaving the clone kneeling.
The clone's skin was tanner, and the clone's hair color had changed from bright blonde to strawberry blonde.
The clone stood up and opened her eyes, to reveal purple irises and slitted pupils. She took a deep breath and said, "Success…."
Naruko blinked in shock as she watched the clone throw two rapid jabs, causing a small shockwave to shoot out of her fists. "Kyūbi-sensei?" Naruko questioned.
"It worked. I'm that damn good," Kyūbi said as she flexed her right bicep, her body outline glowing a faint pink as sparking particles of the magenta color floated around her.
While the Kyūbi marveled at her good looks, Naruko switched to Naruto and asked, "How?"
"Simple, remember those weapons you pulled out of me, which caused you to absorb quite a bit of my chakra?" Kyūbi asked, the particles and glowing outline fading away.
Naruto nodded.
"Well, when that happened, a link was formed between my chakra and what you absorbed. Even though my essence melded with your own, the connection remained. After you learned the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, I noticed throughout our time that when you create a Kage Bunshin, a copy of that link is made. I pushed my chakra through that copy and viola," Kyūbi finished with a flourish.
"Do you know how long you can push it for?" Naruto asked as he crossed his arms.
"No idea," Kyūbi answered with a tilt of her head. "I mean, this is the first time I've done this ever. Your mother did not know the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, and neither did Mito. You're the first."
"The guinea pig then?" Naruto snorted.
"My guinea pig," Kyūbi teasingly cooed, which caused Naruto to blush.
"Now, what I came out here to do," Kyūbi said as she lifted her right arm in the air and bent it while her left hand remained at her side. She then crossed her left leg in front of the right while keeping her hands open and flat. "This is the stance of the Kaminoshikō (The Way of Divine Thought). This style is all about speed, agility, and chakra control."
Naruto watched as Kyūbi switched the position of her legs three times before they returned to the original stance. "Summon another clone," Kyūbi instructed.
Naruto nodded and summoned a clone.
Kyūbi smiled and ran towards the clone before she leaped into the air and formed a bubble of magenta-colored chakra where she hovered. "This is the Kami no Tate (Shield of God)." Kyūbi fell to the ground and formed the shield around her again. "Hit it, clone," Kyūbi barked out.
The clone bowed, then ran towards the shield and performed a jab. The clone's fist bounced off the shield, which made Kyūbi smile. "This shield has water properties to it. Whatever attack strikes it, the shield matches it in strength. However, the amount of chakra control you have determines how many of those it can take," Kyūbi explained.
"If performed in the air as I did before, it allows you to hover for a brief moment in time," Kyūbi said before she held out her hand and snapped her fingers.
The magenta-colored orb broke apart into smaller spheres that had sharp liquid edges around them. The blobs of liquid floated around Kyubi before she fired the balls, causing each of them to hit the clone before it dispersed.
"This attack is known as Kami no Jūdan (Bullets of God)," Kyūbi introduced. "Depending on your chakra control, you can break down the Kami no Tate and use the remains to form the Kami no Jūdan or form the technique without activating the Kami no Tate. Are you with me so far?" Kyūbi asked.
"So far, so good," Naruto replied.
"Good. Next! Summon two clones on each side of me," Kyūbi ordered. "And you may want to step back."
Naruto nodded and summoned two clones as instructed before jumping onto a tree branch. Magenta-colored aura formed around her hands and feet with a quick spin. The aura flowed around her like water and sliced through the midsections of both clones, causing them to disperse.
Naruto then watched as Kyūbi performed two open-palmed jabs, causing the aura to extend at the apex of the strike before delivering a slashing uppercut, creating a broader wave of chakra to follow her movements. Kyūbi landed on the ground and then performed a low sweeping kick, a mid-sweeping kick, then finally a roundhouse, which caused the chakra to flow with each attack.
She then dashed forward and swiped her arm sharply repeatedly, each swing of her arms causing that broader aura to follow it before she twisted her body and delivered another open-palmed jab, which caused a sphere of water to shoot out from her palm and slice through the tree.
"Kami no Kanashimi (God's Sorrow)," Kyūbi introduced. "It creates a water-like chakra that surrounds your hands and feet. Each strike with Kami no Kanashimi causes cuts against your opponent's body, and if your chakra control is near-flawless, you can extend the chakra with each attack to pierce or slice through your opponent. This technique is essential to the Kaminoshikō."
Kyūbi relaxed her form and asked, "Now, what did you notice about the Kaminoshikō?"
"All of these attacks have water-like properties; you have to be fast and agile for the attacks, and it seems that they are used to keep the opponent at a distance," Naruto answered.
"Perfect," Kyūbi said with an approving smile.
"I think, for now, I want to perfect this one. Especially with Hinata's attacks in mind," Naruto said.
"I agree. Plus, this will be a perfect test regarding your chakra control. Once you get this done, which, knowing you, you will put your all into it, a year, the Sekizuihansha will come to you more naturally," Kyūbi told him.
Naruto nodded.
"We'll start the practicing Katas for now, and then tomorrow, we'll get into the full weight of it," Kyūbi instructed. Naruto nodded, and for the next four hours, Kyūbi and Naruto focused on the katas of the Kaminoshikō.
By the time Naruto finished, his arms and legs were numb with exhaustion. "I think we'll call it there," Kyūbi said, which caused Naruto to fall onto his back and pant heavily. The glow that outlined him had long since vanished, and his chakra was near depleted, but he had managed to get the basics down.
"You okay there?" Kyūbi asked as she leaned over to into his line of sight.
"Never better," Naruto replied with a grin.
"Good, Little Prince," Kyūbi said. "I could go for another few weeks, but I think I'm going to take a nap."
"Thanks for the training lesson. I hate that we weren't able to learn more about molding weapons from the chains," Naruto told her.
"We have plenty of time for that. It's no rush. But time to get some sleep," Kyūbi said before she closed her eyes.
The tan skin and the strawberry blonde hair faded back to the clone's original skin and hair color, but when the clone opened her eyes, her eyes were still purple, but the pupils were their standard shape.
"Nice job. You can go now," Naruto told the clone.
The clone nodded and then closed its eyes….but it didn't dismiss itself.
The clone opened her eyes in confusion. "W-What is going on? I can't dismiss myself," she whispered.
"What do you mean by that?" Naruto asked.
"I'm trying to dismiss myself, my lord, but I can't," the clone said.
"Try hitting yourself and see if that works," Naruto told her.
The clone nodded and punched herself in the stomach, only to lurch forward in pain. "Ah, that hurt," she wheezed out.
Naruto was alarmed now.
Typically, if a Kage Bunshin were attacked, they would disperse in a single hit, but this clone did not.
"What the hell is going on?" Naruto asked.
"What are you going on about?" Kyūbi asked.
"Lady Kyūbi, I am unable to disperse myself," The clone said out loud.
"Wait…You didn't disperse? You should have dispersed the second I left your body, clone. Wait…You can hear me?!" The Kyūbi exclaimed before Naruto felt a feeling of shock come from Kyūbi. "Wait…No, that can't be…" Kyūbi whispered.
"What the hell did we just do?" Naruto asked.
"W-What's going on?" The clone asked.
"D-Did we just create a Homunculus?" Kyūbi whispered with awe.
