Well dang, 2 reviews, no 'views' seems this site is on a roll for buggin. Ah well; it is what it is. Just wanna take a quick moment of your time before we get into the next chapter to address a review to chapter 3. By "Chakra abilities" if you mean jutsu, yes; that is not far off from the point. I can't say too much in case of spoiling my plans, but I'll happily give a mention to the first person who manages to guess the route I'm taking for naruto
Disclaimer: I do not o- oh for gods sake, you've read the other three chapters, you know this shit by now.
Location: Hokage tower
"…. So yeah. That's what happened Hokage-sama, The kid just sprouted his finger back like he was a bloody plant.". Anko Exhaled to herself, watching the sun setting off in the distance to the horizon behind her village's leader as she finished off her report. She would have liked to have done this earlier but her new "student" had required her attention first in making sure he was both safe at home and had a doctor there to check up on his hand to ensure that the new digit he had grown was not missing anything or… well ok, to just check up on the entire situation as a whole, since no one really had any clue what regrowing a missing finger could mean. And then there was the waiting for brats to come and go with their missions, waiting for appointments; sure she could have said the K word and gotten in immediately but she wanted to try and keep this on the down low for now for Naruto's sake.
She could do without the old man taking small glances at her tits however; she dressed like this for her enjoyment dammit, not anyone else's! the soft exhale of smoke drew her attention, standing To attention a moment later when he stood and turned his back to her, staring out his office window at an apartment building in the distance where the lights had just flicked on. "In your own theorized words, Anko, What would you say you saw today".
She blinked a few times before coughing into her hand, letting the professional side down a bit since he had asked for her own words. "I think the brat has some form of superpowered Regeneration that would make Your old student throw her back out in Jealousy. He rebuilt a finger old man, From NOTHING. Just grew it back, no problem. I know the report said his body was saturated with the kyuubi's chakra and regenerated cells en mass, But sudden muscle growth? Regeneration from nothing? Sir I don't think I can actually do anything to teach this kid, he has no way of using jutsu and if that's how his body grows, I don't have anything physical to teach him either. He's never going to have the physicality to fight the way I do; he would have been much better off with Gai…".
As she tailed off at the end of her 'report', Anko's voice slowly seeped into a rarely heard tone of disappointment. It was not often she admitted a lack of ability to do something after all; but the small sigh she heard coming from the man in question quickly drew her from the pit of her own thoughts. "Sir?"
"Sorry my dear, Just wondering a few things… The boy's healing has always been advanced with the Uzumaki bloodline and that Damned beast's chakra… but now, Total Cellular regeneration… Tsunade would have loved to pick at the boy.". The kunoichi nodded, knowing and recognizing the similarities to the famed medic's own medical prowess. When he turned to her with a look of concern however, she banished those thoughts and stood back to attention.
"I fear you are correct in thinking that your style of fighting and your techniques will do nothing for the boy. With no pathways, it seems he can only achieve the bare minimum of chakra control by saturating his body; muscles, skin and bone structure with the volatile mixture of beast and cursed chakra his seal grants him… To know how closely related it is to his anger brings me worry; as that is exactly what we were trying to avoid…". The two broke into a heavy silence, the unspoken facts between them hanging in the air.
A silence soon broken by the boy in question barging through the door, a frustrated look on his face and steam escaping from his clothes, Hirzuen's poor receptionist shaking next to a fist shaped indentation in the wall; earning a look of disapproval that helped serve to curb the rising anger he saw in the boy. "I hope you understand I will be taking that out of your next stipend".
The bobbing of blonde hair was his answer, the unasked question of naruto's reason for being there hanging over him, the blonde taking a deep breath before speaking. "Old man, I want to become a shinobi Apprentice.". The sigh it drew from Hiruzen's mouth only caused the growing fear in the blonde's heart to grow ever more than it did that night.
"Naruto… you need to understand that I cannot grant that request… as long as we do not understand what is going on with your body, you would be more of a liability than a help on any mission. What is happening with you has never been recorded before in shinobi history, pre-waring clan era or after.". the blonde looked ready to announce his displeasure at hearing this, but was silenced by a sharp stare from the old man.
"You are an anomaly, who by all logic we know to this day, should be dead. Your body is being fueled by two sources of completely toxic energy; one alone that kills anyone it comes into contact with… and the other with a 10 percent survival rate and that being the luck of it; the fact you are standing here is nothing short of a miracle, and you want me to squander that? No… no I will not". It took all the old man had not to look away from the heartbreak and the growing anger in the boy's eyes directed at him. That is until he noticed a look of recognition in Anko's own gaze, settled upon the photos on his desk… namely one of a white haired youth with toadish features.
"Something to say, Jounin?". Brown eyes flicked to him with a wide gaze, a stammered cough coming from the woman as she was removed her thought process. "I believe I know a way that the brat could be trained, but-".
"HOW!?". The words were cut off as a blonde missile impacted her, her trench coat struggling to hold the boy hanging from her collar as she attempted to remove him from her. "get off of me you damn brat! I was getting to it weren't I!?". pushing the now embarrassed blonde off of her and straightening out her coat; She shot him a small glare before looking back to the amused, yet stern gaze of her Kage. "Continue Anko…"
"of course… now, As I was saying, Brat… I might know of a way he could be trained. The usage of nature chakra is not an undocumented Event in our own village's history sir. While I doubt and, do not encourage this boy be trained in anything similar to sage mode by Any of our summon clans; not only due to the lack of pathways to safely navigate the energy but a lack of tenketsu to perform the summoning technique in the first place… The Training they undergo After becoming one, might prove useful to him…"
….
Both boy and elder stared at the woman, one in confusion, the other in contemplation before the latter of the two let out a small chuckle, a raised eyebrow following it as he smiled at the woman. "And you thought you wouldn't be a good teacher for the lad. Go on?".
Choking back the pride that rose in her at that small approval of her thought process, Anko nodded and turned to the boy. "Sages; if we follow the example I read from Lord Jiraiya when we discovered what this seal of ours actually does, require a peaceful mind and frequent meditation while Motionless to absorb nature chakra and enter their famed Sage mode. The brat", ignoring naruto's angered shout at being referred to as a brat once again; she looked to the aged Kage with her classic Anko brand smirk. "I think you're right sir. He definitely can't become a shinobi, that's for sure… But that doesn't mean he can't become a kickass fighter~"
Her excitement, as well as a dripping of sadism in her voice, did not do much to quell the worries in Hiruzen's heart. Instead, his eyes hardened, and the grip on his pipe got harder in kind. "Anko I do not think I like what you are suggesting to me".
But she continued on, her smirk only getting wider. "Sir, please, just hear me out. The br-, Naruto could become a living nightmare on the battlefield. Think of Iwa's Berserkers; They used nothing but their own bodies and large weapons such as axes, hammers, Zanbatos to cleave entire units of our shinobi apart in the war. We could use that! If we can find a way for naruto to control and tap into the Infamous Jinchuriki rage while saturating his body with the beast's chakra; he could become a wrecking ball on two legs-"
"And in doing so, become the same monster that the villagers have feared him to be!". The smirk fell from her face as she watched the kind grandfather disappear, The war veteran in his place. "Do, Not, Remind me, of the things we faced Anko; The things I faced while you were still in the academy… Those Mindless BEASTS you are referring to were not in 'Control', they were not in 'Command' of their emotions, but ruled BY them. There is a reason that the creation of their kind was labeled a forbidden act by the end of the third Great shinobi war…"
The three stood In silence, One unwilling to move on the matter while another looked ready to argue her point… and the third, shaking as he saw a side of his grandfather he had never seen before. But Naruto was not only scared, but angry… Angry that he was watching his dream fall apart again before his eyes just as he had found a way to reclaim it. Before Anko could speak once more, the soft pat of shoes on floorboards came from behind naruto; a hand on his shoulder rooting him to the ground as both occupants of the room turned to him. "Dragon, I do hope there is a reason you left your post".
"Of course sir… Frankly, Hokage-sama… I believe you are letting your personal views on the boy cloud your judgement". Anko barely managed to restrain her hitched breath, as she watched the Anbu commander himself overstep and break protocol, something that could get him marked down to chuunin, or worse, revoked as a shinobi completely if his next words did not go well. For Hiruzen, to say there was a cold anger under the surface at being second guessed by his own subordinate like this, would have been an understatement. When no reply came, Dragon took this as a chance to continue.
"You are treating this boy as a civilian child, which he is not. He is at his very core, a weapon for this village… Lord fourth set that in stone when he sealed the fox inside of him, denying it does little but blunt the weapon for when we may need it. You fear him becoming a wild beast, when we should treat him as a blade… Control, not the reckless abandon that the fence sitter employed". Despite the anger he felt, The Third could not dismiss the fact he partially agreed with this sentiment. The War vet in him too unearthed to ignore his natural instincts as a leader, instead of a grandfather.
For Naruto, he felt himself rooted to the spot by what he saw… The eyes on him not of his beloved Jiji, but someone else he had never seen before. Where had his grandfather gone.. "…What would you recommend then dragon, and make it quick before I change my mind". Any attempt Naruto made to speak, was silenced as he felt the hand squeeze down on his shoulder in warning.
"Inu wished for the boy to be on his team. But now, his other would-be students have been assigned to the reserves instead, with that boy as his part time apprentice, a Watcher to ensure the Flight risk does not Flee the nest. I Feel the same must be done with the Jinchuriki; With… Insurance, to ensure he does not lose himself to his newfound rage".
Anko's eyes narrowed, stepping towards the Anbu in White before halting at the sight of him reaching for his blade… The fear on naruto's face clear and simple. The two stood in a deadlock, one with fury, one with stoic preparedness. Only the sound of Hiruzen sitting behind his desk broke the silence, Yet neither looked from the other… until…
"Very well dragon…"
The tired voice of the Hokage cut through the silence like a hammer. His eyes, tired. His shoulders, heavy, as he took a slow drag of the pipe in his hand and exhalation of smoke across his desk, before he spoke once more, or would have if not for the boy in question. "h-hey hey, Jiji? What's going on, what does he mean insur-mnnmf!". The blonde was cut off; the hand on his shoulder covering his mouth as anko stood off to the side, growling in anger. "THIS IS BULLSHIT! Come on Old man, You can't seriously be considering this!? he doesn't need insurance-"
"Your voice does not matter in these regards, Jounin". The cold and icy tone in the Anbu Commander's voice cut her tirade off at the knees, a shiver going down Naruto's back as he Looked at his grandfather with pleading eyes… and saw only hollow pain, and a plea for forgiveness. "Naruto Uzumaki is hereby Promoted to Gennin Rank under Jounin team leader Kakashi hatake, with one month of probationary Conditioning under Anbu watch to be Educated of his role… The application of seals to ensure his obedience in moments of his cursed seal running out of control shall be applied henceforth. That is all. Dismissed"
Naruto's eyes widened at the fear in Anko's, the woman lunging for him before the telltale sign of a Shunshin Left her alone in the office with her leader… shaking shoulders acting as the warning before she looked at him with eyes full of hate. "You heartless… He was WILLING to train under someone, and instead you'll turn him into a SLAVE. You're being no better than those damn Hyuuga bastards!".
But she got no reply, the Hokage's gaze coming to rest on the table in front of him… a tired sigh leaving him. "I'm tired of my decisions being second guessed by those I command tonight, Anko. One more word out of you and I will have you brought back down to Chuunin. You wanted this, And Dragon was correct. Left unchecked, Naruto will lose himself to his rage.. I promised him I would not let him become a tool; or a weapon and I intend to hold to that promise, even if I need to protect him from himself. The leash will always hold more freedom than the kennel"
Despite herself, the woman could not help but scoff as she dismissed herself, leaving the office with but a few words as the door closed behind her.
"Depends on who's holding the leash, Hokage-sama".
Location: Anbu Headquarters, Secure cell.
"…uggghh…what.. what the…what hit me..?". blinking the blurriness from his vision, Naruto groaned under his breath at the pain he felt in his head, The pulsing thrum of blood in his ears and the strain he felt in his arms.. pulling at them, his eyes shot wide open at the sound of metal, to see his wrists bound to something off in the shadows of the room by chains marred in writing. As he pulled on them, he was shocked to find his chakra would not respond to him. "Gennin Uzumaki". The Voice, Metallic in nature and resembling that of a radio, jostled him from his attempts to escape
The crack of a switch being thrown, and the sudden bright lights shone into his eyes from above made him squint and look away, blinking the spots from his vision. "Gennin Uzumaki, Confirm your Identity". Confirm his… what!? His head slowly turned back to the lights, a confused expression on his face. "You just said my name, you know who I am-", "Gennin Uzumaki, Confirm your Identity!".
Flinching at the shout, he looked up to the lights to see none other than 'dragon' behind a glass screen, another Anbu with a mas befitting a bear at his side. "h-hai hai! I'm Gennin Naruto Uzumaki..". The bear nodded, pulling back from what he now saw to be a microphone.
The two spoke for a moment, before the unlocking of a door behind him and the sound of someone walking in filled the air. "Gennin Uzumaki.. Do not attempt to resist your bindings. They are for your safety as much as ours. As you just heard, Anbu operative Hawk has Entered your cell. They will be applying to you the Seals commissioned to ensure your Obedience to Country and Government of the land of fire, Should your own seals cause you to lose control, Do you confirm?".
NO! he did NOT confirm! He did not agree to this, he wanted out! Out! The sudden pulling on his chains and thrashing from the boy knocked the freshly wetted brush from Hawk's hand, the clattering lost to the sounds of chains. "NO I DO NOT CONFIRM! WHAT THE HELL IS THE OLD MAN THINKING, HE KNOWS I'M A LOY-"
THWACK
The boy was flung from his spot on the ground, the chains pulling him back as a heavy fist impacted the side of his face… The ringing in his ears was followed by the swelling of his cheek, then deflating of it, a whimper of pain coming from the boy as he felt a loose tooth be forcibly pushed out by a new one, the cracked ivory shattering on contact with the ground as he spat it out. "Hawk. That is enough. Disengage". The grunt of frustration coming from his side told him just what had happened… the muttering behind the glass growing louder before a different voice, one he recognized as dragon, followed over the speaker.
"Naruto Uzumaki… That Seal on your stomach makes it so any claims of loyalty, Any claims of Obedience you may make, Null and void as far as the views of your fellow shinobi are concerned. It will drive you to rage. It will drive you to madness. And it will drive you to be no more than a rabid beast should you be left unchecked. It is the Cursed seal of one of our greatest enemies and to shut it off from you would result in your consequential Death. Much like the chains at your sides, These seals will be for your protection as much as those around you… Understand?"
It took a few moments, the words spinning in naruto's head, before he let out a soft hiccup… the sigh over the speaker was followed by a different voice, a female voice this time.
"Apologies for dragon's bluntness, Gennin Uzumaki… he doesn't know how to speak to children".
"That voice…I know this voice… but where?"
"We know that you are not a traitor. We know that… you are a fine example of loyalty to the village. But you must understand that much like a Tanto without its Sheath, You are dangerous… not by your own design, but by the bad fortune that you have been burdened with. These seals are being put in place, not to harm you, but help you… like a teacher, Scalding his student to correct their mistakes. They will not be pleasant, but a day WILL come when you will not need them any longer. Do you understand?".
Moments passed before naruto nodded his head in the affirmative, a relieved sigh coming from the voice before he felt the brush against his skin… he stayed as still as he could, trying to ignore how the brush tickled at his skin. He did notice however..., the scent of blood. It was potent, in every drop of ink on his skin, it was saturating the air at this point. Even as he felt the brush leave him and join to the other arm.. then his back, then his legs; for what seemed like hours he was kept in silence, Hawk never coming around his front without a blindfold being applied to his eyes,
"Gennin Uzumaki" Back to dragon it seemed. "What is being applied to right now is an altered version of the Heavenly prison seal used in Hozuki Castle, Named the Binding Roots Gateway. It was created in the event of capturing a Jinchuriki like yourself and turning them into a loyal weapon. When it is activated, it will use your own chakra to fuel attacks of increasing levels on your central nervus system until deactivated. When hawk has finished applying the seal to you, You will be exposed to a mild level of it so you may understand the effects. Is this understood? Confirm this statement".
Knowing this was Anbu talk at this point for 'do you get what I'm saying', The boy nodded with a small 'hai' and a shiver. He heard hawk chuckle next to him, his eyes flicking to them as best he could before a hand forcibly turned his head back around to face the window. "Sorry kid, Can't let you see my face… I never did like working with the mask on. Look, Dragon is talking all sorts of official mumbo jumbo, but it comes down to this. you don't do as your told or you need to be pulled back, this seal will help act as a reminder to keep you in line. You'll be able to live a normal life with it, just don't break any rules, ok?".
Not given a chance to reply, Naruto felt the brush finally leave his skin as hawk stepped back, the shadow of the man raising his arm in sight. "Seal application complete, Engaging in sealing in 10.. 9.. 8… 7-"
The boy was unprepared in the slightest for the agony that came with the feeling. His body seized up every muscle cramping at once, his eyes feeling like they would pop out of his head and even his teeth feeling like they would shatter from how hard he clenched them. The lines and seals on his skin burned, a deep dark red as they seared into the skin… boiling blood dropped onto the floor below him, as his eyes went bloodshot at the pain, a molar cracking as he pulled at the chains and only then, did the pain stop… the boy falling limp, forward as the chains held him up. blood dripping from the already healing fourth degree burns the seals had applied to mark his skin, the scars that remained resembling branches and roots of a tree sprouting from his chest.
"Sealing complete… Gennin Uzumaki, Are you conscious".
The slow turning of the blonde's hand and a middle finger raised up towards the window, before that too fell limp, drew a chuckle from the man.
"Good… Good. When hawk leaves the room, we shall disengage the chains. Take the time you need; and then exit the room through the door to your left. If you feel you need assistance; simply swing yourself to your left". It was weak, but the boy stumbled to his feet, slowly supporting himself on shaking legs as muscles bulged and steam exited his fresh wounds… the locking of a door behind him was all the warning he got, before the support he had been relying on gave way and just like the chains, he too crumpled to the ground in the warm pools of his own blood.
"Sigh… Sparrow, go collect the boy. His training begins at 0500 hours".
