This is Pandagoon with Chapter 3 of Power of the Gods. Thank you to the people who've favorited and followed the story so far. Thanks for the reviews so far. Speaking of reviews, let's respond so some.
Racan - Glad I have you hooked. Since you're interested in finding out what happened to Kurama, stay tuned and you might find out soon. Also, because it seems no one has been able to figure out the clue, I'm just going to say what it means. If you take the first letter of every line of the poem, and apply it to 2 Corinthians 11:14, it means; And no wonder! For even Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. Now for who that applies to I won't say, but keep the line in mind when reading this story.
Also I know I teased Naruto learning how to control the Karma Mark last chapter, but, I'm going to wait for a little while, and show the past of this alternate Naruto universe. Great right?! With that being said, let's get on with the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own any Naruto or Boruto elements used in this Fanfiction
The First Meeting
This book is the best you've ever written Jiraiya-Sensei. While I don't necessarily like and agree with the methods of the main character, it's the side character that really intrigued me. Such a strong and formidable shinobi." came a voice inside a quaint house in Konoha. The owner of said voice being Minato Namikaze, Jonin of Konoha. He was currently talking to Jiraiya, one of the Three Legendary Sannin.
"So you didn't like Arashi huh? I knew having him there was a bad idea. I wanted to stray away from a boring happy ending, but by the way it's selling, I should've stuck with what works I guess." replied the Sannin, sighing as he does so.
"No, that's not what I met. While I don't like his methods, like I said earlier, I can't excuse the fact that, logically, it makes sense. It's downright evil, but anything is fair in war, even genocide. With that being said, I love how you wrote the side character. Wanting to achieve peace through understanding one another. That's actually why I called you here. I want to name my unborn child after him." said Minato with a serious, yet playful, tone in his voice.
Jiraiya went to reply, "Really? I mean, I came up with it while I was making ramen. I'm not sure-"
"Naruto. I think it's a wonderful name." before he was cut off by a voice walking out of the kitchen. The wife of Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki. "And what are you talking about Minato? I hope he takes after both Arashi and Naruto, just...minus the negative traits of Arashi. I want him to care for his friends as much as Arashi did, and fight for peace just like Naruto did."
"Well, I can't argue with you there can I, Kushi-Chan?" replied Minato with a cheeky grin on his face. "Besides, I don't feel like getting relegated to the couch, not with what we planned." Seeing Kushina's blushing face, Minato just lets out a hearty chuckle. Meanwhile Jiraiya just stares, shocked that they thought so highly of the book he deemed a failure.
Looking down at the book, he rereads the title and thought it over. Making up his mind, he decides to keep it, just in case. Never know what might happen in this crazy world filled with Shinobi after all. Right before he puts it away however, Kushina finally gets a glimpse of the title, after not having been shown by Minato for some reason. As soon as she does though, she grimaces a little and understands why the title was withheld from her.
The title of the book was straight to the point, and depressing. On the title cover it read, "Sekainoowari." Coming from an old language, you would have to translate it to the modern language. Doing so would get you the title of, "End of the World."
Naruto Uzumaki was tired. Not just physically tired, though that was a large portion of it after all, you don't get trained by Kakashi Hatake and Anko Mitarashi and not get tired. No he was also mentally tired. For the past couple of weeks, he's been assaulted by memories, which were strangely not his. They were filled with people with horns, pale skin, and eyes that matched that weird Hinata girl and her family.
After every single memory, he'd wake up in a weird ethereal place, surrounded by nothing but white. With a man standing front and center every time. He would move his mouth but it would always go too fast and he couldn't make anything out of it. Well, that wasn't true, he could make something out. The name Shibai.
Whatever it was, he was tired of it. So he went to the Hokage and to see if he knew what was going on. After all, if the Old Man didn't know, then nobody did, right? However, that's the dilemma, the Old Man didn't know. All he got was a confused look, and him promising he would look into it. Somewhat disappointing, but what else was he expecting? An answer to the universe?
After catching up, we find Naruto walking through the village with his hands behind his head. After getting a free day from his Jonin-Sensei, and with Anko-Nee out of the village on a mission, he had some time to kill. So, what better way to spend it than at Ichiraku? As he was walking, he received glares from the civilians per usual. While they would glare and ignore him, they would never dare try to harm him. Lest they want to face the wrath of Anko and the Third Hokage.
So here he was, strolling through Konoha towards his favorite ramen stand, when he heard a voice in his head. It sounded monotone, and casually, as if it didn't care about anything.
"Why care? Destroy them, and you'll never be hated again." Naruto stopped, looking around for the voice and to see if anyone else heard the voice. Seeing everyone go on with their day, he decides to just ignore the voice. Well, he would've if the voice left him alone for five-fucking-seconds.
"You have the power of a god within, what's stopping you from crushing this village. One that has shunned you, ignored you, hated you. Why fight for such people?" the voice asked with that same monotone and carefree tone.
"I fight for my friends, and besides, who cares what they think right now. They'll all change when I become Hokage and show them how much of an amazing ninja I am." replied Naruto with a sense of agitation growing in his voice.
The voice snorts at his reply.
"Ah yes, you're friends. What would you do if one were to suddenly turn rogue? What would you do if one destroyed one of those clans you humans like so much? What would you do? Would you turn rogue with the friend? Or would you kill them and continue your dream of Hokage? Would you back the clan killer and leave the village with them? Or would you kill them, making the people congratulate you and be accepted by them?"
When the voice didn't get a response from him, it continued, "Think about what i said, Naruto Uzumaki. Heed my words for the future."
With that, the voice seemingly vanished. Leaving no trace within his mind, that he was there in the first place. Nothing but an image of a man with pale skin, a horn going around his head, and with two different eyes. one was like Hinata's eyes, and the other had the iris and the pupil yellow with a black wheel-like pattern, with eight spokes coming out the center.
He didn't feel like eating ramen anymore today.
Hirzuen Sarutobi was a troubled man. While many would call him a great Hokage, he knew he was far from it. All three of his students are away from Konoha at all times, two of them wanting nothing to do with his village. Orochimaru was his greatest failure. He should've stopped him then, he could've stopped him then. But he was too much of a coward to kill off his favorite pupil.
The Uchiha Massacre being probably his biggest failure. It could've been handled so much better if Danzo didn't interfere. They were close to a deal with the Uchiha! But Danzo just had to manipulate Itachi to kill his entire clan. Rubbing his temple, Hiruzen thinks back to Itachi and how much of a mess the situation is with him. Being a spy in the Akatsuki is no easy thing to do.
His latest failure was his inability to keep the villagers off of Naruto, and keep his Jinchuriki status a secret. Unfortunately, due to some 'mysterious sources', that was something that proved fruitless. He knew Danzo had a hand in it, he just needed a way to expose him. If there is anything Hiruzen will give Danzo, it is his ability to cover his tracks up perfectly.
Now, Naruto is having visions of a man called Shibai all of a sudden. He had no clue who this is, but if he is a threat, then it's best to get any kind of information on him. Maybe Naruto is messing with him? Hiruzen quickly shakes his head of those thoughts. Naruto wouldn't lie to him, especially not with something potentially dangerous to the village.
With that being said though, he needed information, and he knew just the man to get it. Getting out of his chair, he turns to look out over the village and speaks.
"ANBU"
Out of the shadows an ANBU agent with a wolf mask kneels before the Hokage. "Hai Hokage-Sama."
Still looking at the village through the massive window, he says, "Summon Jiraiya. Tell him to hurry up. He needs to perform one last mission for me. Non-Negotiable."
"Hai!" And With that, the Wolf ANBU leaves in a puff of smoke. Not a trace of him being there in the first place, like a good ANBU.
Sighing, Hiruzen thinks to himself, 'Truly troubling times we're in. A great war is coming, I just don't know when.' Sighing once again, he moves back to his desk and continues doing his daily paperwork.
At night, Naruto is laying in his bed, thinking about the conversation he had with the voice. While he doesn't want to listen to it, it does bring up some good arguments. What would he do if one of his friends went rogue? What if someone killed their entire clan? He honestly doesn't know.
Deciding to think about it tomorrow, Naruto closes his eyes and tries to go to sleep, when he hears it. The voice from earlier.
"Can you sense my presence?"
Naruto snaps his eyes open, and finds himself outside a regal house, which is as big as his apartment. Confused, Naruto walks towards it, trying to find out just what's inside. Just when he gets to the door, it opens, and out came the man he saw earlier inside his mind. While he was no sensor, he could feel the sheer power radiating from the man. It was so overbearing, his knees buckled, and he had to take a few steps back to even breathe evenly.
"Seems you're able to come to me. Interestingly, it's not often a vessel is able to come and talk to the Otsutsuki it contains. Although, considering what you already were holding, it makes sense." the man said, staring at Naruto with eyes full of arrogance.
Finally getting his wits together, Naruto replies, "W-w-what the hell do you mean a vessel? The only thing I know about holding is the Kyuubi, and from what looks like it, you don't look like a giant Nine-Tailed Fox."
Still staring, the man says, "Look at your right palm, do you see the diamond? That is the seal which causes me to be inside of you." Naruto looks at his palm, and his eyes get as big as saucers when he finally notices the mark on his palm.
"What the hell?! When did I get this?!" asked Naruto. While he was processing this, the man grabbed Naruto's wrist and brought it eye level to Naruto.
"You are the vessel to the strongest being in this universe. You are the vessel to Isshiki Otsutsuki. The strongest of the Otsutsuki clan." Naruto just stared, transfixed, before he was shoved backwards into a pitch black void.
For what felt like years of falling, he landed in what looked like a sewer of some kind. Getting his wits back, Naruto stands up and walks, hesitantly, towards the place that was calling to him. He kept walking until he came upon a gate twice as large as the Hokage Monument. Continuing his walking, Naruto approaches the gates until a large claw emerges and tries to swipe at him.
Fortunately, it barely missed Naruto. Though it did cause him to fall on his ass. Looking up, Naruto saw the most viscous pair of eyes he has ever seen. The iris was pure red, with a black slit going up and down it, akin to a fox.
Hearing a growl, Naruto snaps out of his shock and stands up, all the while yelling, "What the hell was that for ya damn fox!?" All he got in response was an even more viscous growl.
"Come here ningen, come here so I can TEAR YOUR FLESH APART!" screamed the Kyuubi, showing his towering frame for the first time. It was easily as tall as the Hokage Monument, if not taller. It's tails by itself, dwarfed Naruto.
Naruto was pulled from his shocked form by the same man from earlier speaking, "Kyuubi, do you need me to put you in your place once again? What have we talked about? Don't scare the vessel. Besides, if you kill him, we both die."
Even though it growls, the Kyuubi stays quiet. "Now then," Isshiki says, turning to Naruto, "I'm sure you have questions, but unluckily, you won't get any answers from me. Ask the questions relating to the Kyuubi, and he will answer them." he continues, turning to the Kyuubi and glaring at him, "Lest he wants another reason on why he should not underestimate the Otsutsuki Clan."
Naruto just stares in shock at the man, before he hesitantly turns towards Kyuubi. Not exactly sure about this, he hesitantly asks his first question, "Why? Why did you attack Konoha that night?"
The sound of silence stretched for what felt like hours before he finally got an answer, "I was being controlled. A masked man named Madara Uchiha used his Sharingan to put me under a genjutsu. Then proceeded to use me against Konoha."
"Uchiha? Like Sasuke's clan. Who is Madara Uchiha?" Naruto asked once again.
"Madara Uchiha was a man so strong he was able to rival the power of Hashirama Senju, who you ningen called the God of Shinobi. He fought Hashirama twice and, from the looks of it, survived both times. As much as I hate to say it, he was able to control me in his fight against Hashirama, and again when he attacked your village twelve years ago." replied the Kyuubi, as he moved towards the gates to get a better look at who he was talking to.
"I guess I only have one more question left. Do you know who my parents are?" Naruto asked, with a slight bit of hopefulness in his voice.
The Kyuubi eyed him, making Naruto fidget, before he spoke for the final time that night, "No clue." After he said that he moved deeper into the darkness, and after a while, a snore could be heard coming from the darkness.
"It seems that will be all he'll answer for now." Isshiki says, turning towards Naruto he continues, "I will leave you with this message ant, there will come a time where the balance between good and evil will be in your hands, make the right decision." With that, Naruto feels himself falling through the same black void as earlier, before he found himself back in his room.
Taking a few seconds to collect himself, he decides to sleep on it. He needed sleep, after all, his training starts up again tomorrow.
"I want a C-Rank Mission!"
"YOU IDIOT!"
Kakashi just sighed at the way Naruto was acting. He understood where he was coming from, he knew how horrible D-Ranks were, but still. You shouldn't act like this in front of the Hokage.
Sasuke didn't show it, but he agreed. He could only take so many missions where he has to chase a cat or clean the Inuzuka kennels. Or worse, clean the Akamichi latrines.
Sakura was in the same boat as Naruto, even if she didn't show it like him. Still though, nobody should shout at the Hokage like he did. That's why she knocked some sense into him.
Hiruzen just chuckled.
"Oho, so you want a harder mission eh? Do you think they're ready for it, Kakashi?" Hiruzen asked, looking at Naruto with an amused gaze.
Kakashi sighs, thinks about it, and replies, "Hai Hokage-Sama, I think they're ready." Various reactions from his Genin follow suit. Naruto yells 'YATTA' and does a crude jig, Sakura simply smiles and nods her head, and Sasuke has smirk on his face.
"Well then, bring in Tazuna." Hiruzen said, before an old man walks in, half drunk. The supposed Tazuna is grey-haired with glasses on his face. He has a goatee, a sleeveless v-neck shirt with an obi, pants, and sandals.
"These are the runts that will be protecting me? A chibi, a flower, and an emo with a duck-ass for a haircut? You couldn't have gotten me anything better?" asked Tazuna.
Naruto tries to fight the old man, but he's held back by Kakashi, who tells him to let it go.
"I promise you Tazuna, they are very well trained for the mission. That is unless, there is something you want to tell us additionally for this mission." accused Hiruzen.
Tazuna gets a shiver that runs down his back. Sweating, he responds hesitantly, "Tch, just meet me at the gate soon." And with that he left the office, leaving a still fuming Genin squad, and a suspicious Jonin and Hokage.
After packing everything and meeting at the gate, Team 7 sets out on their first ever C-Rank Mission. Naruto and Sakura showed full on excitement. Sasuke didn't show anything, but if you were to catch a glimpse of his eyes, you could catch a hint of anticipation. Meanwhile, Kakashi showed indifference to the whole situation, and Tazuna showed just a hint of nervousness.
What neither of them knew, was that this mission would change the lives of all of them. Some for the better, and some, unfortunately, for the worse. But that is the way of life.
That, is the end of Chapter 3. How was it? Let me know in the reviews. Thank you guys for reading, and I will love you guys, no matter if you decide to drop this story. Hope you enjoyed it though. As you can see, the next time we meet, the start of the Land of Wave Arc begins. Enjoy your weekend guys!
Ja Ne!