This is a show of work.
I originally was only going to release this at the end of the month when I did my monthly update dump from Ao3, so a few of you have probably seen this already!
However, considering this is a retelling of a story I wrote here on FFN, Fox and Cat, I feel it should get released here before then...
The original story, one of the few that I completed, is story that has a lot of meaning to me.
But as an author and as a person now, I look back on it and there are a lot of things I look at and feel I could have done better and don't feel the same about.
And there is just simply a lot I didn't know about Naruto at the time, considering that story started in '09 and finished in '11.
So I really just want another shot at it through a new lens.
This in a lot of ways, is a show of my personal growth.
Light was all there was.
So intense.
He had to shield his sight with his hand.
What was causing this? Where was it originating from? Last thing he remembered…
His eyes blinked. The blurriness from the luminous flash dimmed as the light. He could see around him and figure out what was happening…
He was left with more questions than answers.
Where was he? This wasn't where he was? Last thing he remembered was training with Jiraiya, attempting to gain more control over the Nine-Tails…
Wait, where was the Perv?
Who was this?
Befuddled eyes flickered, unable to process the scenery before them.
The leaves of the trees were warm browns and stark oranges, the grass a dusty brown scattered with falling leaves.
A cold, wispy breeze wrapped around him, scattering the leaves and causing him to shiver.
But his eyes remained trained on the figure sitting on an elevated plain, his legs dangling over as he watched the sun fade over the horizon behind a massive fruit-bearing tree in the distance.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
He pursed his lip. Squinted his eyes. He tried to put the lessons of what his master was teaching into use to learn more about this stranger.
Learn more about him from posture.
His demeanor.
His voice…
Naruto learned nothing about this brown-haired stranger or who he was, why he was here, and what was happening!
So he went with what worked best for him!
Being blunt!
"Mah, just who are you?"
The man with brown locks chuckled at his bold assertion. Naruto scowled at the action, unable to notice the twinkle in his eyes as he looked back at him with an amused smile curled on his lips. "Ah, where are my manners? You may call me Asura. Care to join me watching the sunset?"
"Huh?" Naruto blurted, perplexed by the offer and the man's calmness, before waving his hands. "Nah, gotta pass. Don't know what is going on here, where Pervy Sage or a camp is, but it was nice meeting ya! Gonna get on out of here so I keep training to become strong enough to become Hokage! Maybe then…"
Naruto's octave began to lower and trail. His eyes darkened as his thoughts drifted towards rescuing his wayward teammate.
Bringing him home.
"You really do work hard, don't you?" Asura's voice snapped him out of the darkness. "Always pushing yourself to your limits to get stronger and making friends wherever you can. Valuing your friends, doing whatever you can to help them, even if it means putting yourself in dangerous situations…"
"Whoa!" Naruto recoiled in alarm, hair standing on end, before pointing at the strange man who appeared before him out of nowhere. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You know way too much about me! You better start talking, or we're gonna have some issues here!"
Asura laughed aloud, causing Naruto to twitch violently. Gnashing his teeth, he stomped forward. "Old man! You are asking for it…"
"I do apologize. I confess to understanding why my father said he saw my actions in my youth as humorous. Wily old codger." Asura wiped a tear from his eyes, wearing a broad smile on his features, his eyes sparkling.
While effective in stopping Naruto, it left him stopped in place with even more questions, scratching his head.
Did this old guy just compare them? What was this day? When he got back to camp…
"Do not worry. You will be back soon enough." Asura spoke calmly, his eyes returning to the fading sun on the horizon, his smile ever present. "I brought you to this place to chat because I wanted to speak with you. For you and I are one and the same."
"Huh?" Naruto balked, mystified at the old man before scrunching his face hearing that he brought him here.
Yet, one thing Naruto prided himself on was being a good judge of character. While he wasn't always correct, he felt it was often better to give the chance than to assume the worst. There were some cases where he knew better, and he knew it would bite him in the rear occasionally, but he'd like to believe in people.
He never really knew why…
And this guy genuinely felt like a good person and someone to trust.
So, perhaps he should hear him out?
Didn't seem like he was holding him here…
Slowly walking over to the small hill, he settled down next to him, observing the old man watching the sunset. Trying to get a gauge on him.
Feel him out a little…
"Seems like you know a lot about me. Kind of suspicious…" Naruto glowered yet attempted to fish up any information he could gather from the old man.
"I know everything about you, Naruto." Asura's eyes glimmered at the sun before they fell upon Naruto. "From your work ethic to your eccentricities. Everything you've ever done, I know, for we are one and the same. You are my inheritor. My sun."
"What?" Naruto flinched back from his words, utterly bewildered and apprehensive.
He couldn't make any sense of what Asura was saying!
They were the same?
He was his inheritor?
He was his son? What?!
"Wait, hold on! Are you telling me you are my…"
"No, my child, that privilege belongs to another man," Asura chuckled, seeing the panic. "You are my sun. Like the stars in the sky. No, as for the man that is your father… You will meet him another day. I believe that."
Tilting his head, now utterly confused and starting to become frustrated, Naruto began to ruffle his hands through his locks. "Ah! Can you just hurry up and explain what is going on here, old man? I'm trying to be patient, but I was training with my sensei, which I don't understand how I got here from doing, might I add, ya know! Can you make sense of this for me!"
"The sun has almost faded." Asura's gaze fell back upon the sun, holding his hands spread before him, before profoundly sighing. "It is almost time for you to become the next sun, Naruto… And become my successor and resolve this senseless cycle of violence once and for all."
A well of energy began to rise, and black orbs condensed around and rose by Asura while he spoke. His eyes took on an orange hue as his gaze ended and focused on Naruto.
Who went rigid, leaning away from the man.
His sensory skills were practically non-existent, and he could feel the raw chakra radiating from the man!
It was oppressive!
And he wasn't even attempting to be intimidating or trying to enforce his presence upon him!
This was a passive display meant to convey a point!
Message conveyed!
Yet…
He felt a sudden swell inside of him…
Naruto gasped.
He clutched his right wrist, clenching his hand into a balled fist. It felt like a white-hot fire was traveling down his arm, searing every nerve through his body!
His vision blurred. He gnashed his teeth as he doubled over. Bit his lip. Dug his backside further into the ground.
Anything not to scream!
This was agony!
Yet it was over in an instant.
All the pain had vanished, and he could breathe again, even if they were shallow pants.
What was that?
"But that would be too easy." Asura's voice resonated as Naruto recovered his breath. "We work for everything we have had to get before. Why should that be any different now? Power should be earned, not given."
Cerulean hues glanced up towards Asura. The strange aura around him was no longer present.
Nor were the mysterious black orbs. They had disappeared.
What had he done to him? Was this what he meant by being his inheritor?
By being his…
"Why…" Naruto reached over to his temple with his left through half-lidded eyes. "I think I understand now. Huh?"
"Because we are one. Always have been." Asura reassured Naruto, patting him on the shoulder before glancing upon the horizon. "I don't have much time left, so let's get started, shall we?"
"I have much to teach about the power that has always resided within you."
In a forest backdrop, the small, relaxing rural town focused on the central hot spring.
Unsurprising, considering this was the Land of Hot Water.
Repressing a yowl for the trail leading her all the way out here, she brushed her bounded, braided blonde hair behind her while walking through the streets.
She knew he was here. He had been evading her all this time. And for what? Just for his ra…
Yugito, huney. All this unnecessary stress is not good for the health of your skin. We should take a dip in the hot springs after we find our dear troublemaker.
Scowling, her dark eyes pierced through the crowd. Scanning for her target and his entourage.
Ignoring me, dear? Now, that won't do…
No, just concentrating, Matatabi. You know how slippery he is. If I give him an opportunity…
The beast within her huffed. It felt like it was rolling its eyes at her. However, it seemed pleased with the communication, a purr coming from it.
He'll take it. Yes, I am aware. He has eluded us several times before… I do wonder how Gyūki can deal with him. Perhaps he had simply grown accustomed to the man and enjoys his company.
You enjoy mine.
The creature scoffed at her response, bemused.
You are quite entertaining. Why would I not? Oh, is that… I smell familiar scents!
Letting her senses fill her, taking a deep whiff of the area, her eyes dilated. She flickered from the spot, knowing she could not allow them a moment of reprieve.
And she landed in front of two figures in a crouch, startling both as she stood straight, her dark eyes piercing theirs.
"Son of…"
"Lady Nii? What are you doing here?"
"Where is he?" She asked, gazing at them both before she decided to focus on the kunoichi, being less startled at her appearance. "Karui, why is he not with you?"
Karui flushed before a deep scowl adorned his expression. "I think you know why…"
"He gave us the slip this morning, expecting you would be on his trail soon." The dark-skinned shinobi followed up, running his hand through his hair, embarrassed at the mild interrogation they were being run through, and flinched at the blistering gaze he received. "Hey, if we had known, we would have tried to stop him! All we know was that he said he was close to finishing his rap!"
"He's never finished, Omoi." Yugito bitterly retorted before regretfully exhaling, placing her temple in her palm. "Of course, this would happen. Lord Raikage wanted him to return home immediately, and he's purposely going out of his way to make my day worse…"
"I apologize for our sensei's actions, Ms. Nii." Karui hung her head, sympathizing with her superior's situation before pulling out a ticket from her pouch and handing it to her. "We waited for you here. Given your success rate at bringing B back when called upon, we knew Lord Raikage would call you in soon…"
"What's this?" Yugito accepted the ticket, scowling, recognizing it was a ticket to the hot spring here. "I don't have time to stop at the onsen, unfortunately."
"I know… Sensei left it." Omoi scratched his head, a broad smile. "Think he was trying to be nice to you for all the trouble he was causing. He knows it's you who is sent after him all the time and wanted to make it up to you."
"Would stop running off if he was truly sorry…" Yugito mumbled under her breath, gazing upon the ticket before a slight smile crept onto her face. "B… At least your heart is in the right place, though."
Right? If he had just stayed put, maybe we could have… There is a bijuu fighting nearby!
The hair on the back of Yugito's neck stood on end.
She could feel that chakra. Matatabi was correct.
Leaping onto a building, her eyes dilated, scanning the forest.
Where was it?
"Lady Nii?" Karui called out below before jumping up beside her with Omoi, seeing her gaze and scanning alongside her. "What do you sense?"
"A Bijuu." Yugito snarled, eyes shifted around while her head was on a swiveled, alarming her two comrades.
Her eyes narrowed as a pulse of charka built—raw, terrifying chakra.
She knew what was coming.
And it horrified her.
"Get down!" Yugito screamed, starting to command the citizens of the small village frantically. "Brace yourself for impact! Get behind any building you can!"
Many citizens stared in confusion, unaware of the danger, as Karui and Omoi leapt down, quickly attempting to follow Yugito's instructions.
But a roaring crimson sphere burst through the forest, rupturing it.
The earth quaked and rumbled, buildings shaking and hardly withstanding the pressure.
Wind sheared as uprooted trees pierced through buildings and landed in the streets.
Terrified citizens cried out as she, Karui, and Omoi could only rescue so many as others were left in the wake…
As the dust settled, she gnashed her teeth, her focus dropping toward the blast's epicenter. Her fists tightly balled as she stood in the wreckage of the town. "Karui, Omoi! Remain on standby and assist with the village until I return! If I'm not back soon, return to Kumo and report to Lord Raikage on the situation!"
"A blatant bijuu bomb near civilization cannot be ignored!"
"What… How? This can't be! The boy is… After all this time…"
"...Heh, fine. But don't expect me to back down! He'll have to earn every last ounce of my respect, and don't you forget it, Ōtsutsuki! I'm not gonna give him a free pass, for you haven't seen what humanity has become since you have left…"
"...But that does make things interesting. Hardly thought this boy was worth anything before. Now…"
"Let's have some fun."
The number of times he had seriously been in danger was in the single digits.
He had only felt he was near death once before in his entire life.
This officially was the second time.
And this was his mistake.
Jiraiya knew trying to draw more chakra from the Nine-Tails was a risky proposition. But it was a necessary risk they had to take. Naruto had to learn how to control the chakra from the fox.
Minato's seal was limiting the amount he was summoning. His student's work was immaculate.
Too much so.
Naruto needed more access to the fox. With what was to come, he needed the power of the Nine-Tails to stand a fighting chance. The training they had done on this trip went…
Well…
He had wished they had taken their training a little more seriously in the first half, but that wasn't the point of the trip.
It was to help Naruto grow and make him into a man.
Training wasn't the primary purpose, although he put the boy through his paces to keep him on his toes.
Whatever had happened, there was a fault he wasn't ready for. He had studied extensively to ensure the risks would be minimal, and still, this was the outcome.
But the Nine-Tails had been damaging the seal, and he hadn't accounted for that.
And when he went for a minor tweak to allow Naruto to draw for more chakra…
Jiraiya wiped the blood from his mouth. He stood steadily as the dust faded and muddy walls crumbled before him.
His clothing was ragged and torn, with patches scattered throughout. His body was covered with welts and bruises. Crimson elixir leaked from opened gashes.
He would need to patch those later…
"My boy," A voice grumbled in his ears. "I can't say I've ever wanted to smack you harder in my life. But I'm getting my rod ready…"
"Pa," A feminine voice chastised the previous. "Jiraiya boy could not have predicted such an outcome. We can only minimize the damage to the poor boy…"
"Who is also our other contracted summoner!" The other voice bitterly retorted, sounding unpleased with the situation. "We haven't even had our proper introductions, and this is how we are brought to see him? At his worst because of the beast's chakra and malevolence?"
A roar bellowed, blowing the settling dust away revealing the landscape that Jiraiya stood within.
He stood within a hollowed pit within a cracked crater.
Forest surrounded the crater like a barrier.
Solid and thick trees were uprooted, shattered, or split in half. Plenty had their foliage ripped away, leaving them bare.
Jiraiya's face was visibly filled with warts, two toads on his shoulders now focused as the dust cleared to the center of the crater.
Drawn to the center of the crater.
The origin of the roar was a glow. A red aura pulsed, and an unearthly growl echoed.
A humanoid shape stood, coated in crimson chakra with four tails flickered behind him eerily, staring hollowly toward them.
A ghastly grin expressed on the void of his face.
"Great, it wants more!" Fukasaku shouted, hunkering down on Jiraiya's shoulder, preparing for more. "First, I don't get to meet the boy on my terms, and now this! Yeah, you're getting the rod!"
"Now Pa," Shima reprimanded her husband again, making Jiraiya's eyebrow twitch. "This still could be worse."
"How could it be worse!"
"He could have more tails!"
"Don't challenge it!"
Jiraiya exhaled at their bickering without losing focus, a wry smile wavering on his expression. "You know, I think you two might be why I can't take any situation seriously…"
"Don't blame us for your faults, boy!" Fukasaku smacked Jiraiya upside the head, a croak stuck in his throat before his intent was entirely focused on the fox-possessed boy. "Now, how do we repel the beast from the boy safely? That chakra coat will not be easily pierced to seal it back away."
"Exhausting it isn't an option we can afford either," Shima added, gazing upon the horrifying creature inhabiting the boy grinning upon them. "Evading and hit-and-run tactics would only delay the inevitable. The fox has too much chakra, and the destruction it can cause…"
"You may be onto something, Shima." Jiraiya carefully observed the chakra-coated Naruto howl as it attempted to move forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet and stopping moments after. "He has hardly moved once. It has been from manipulating chakra… I don't think Naruto can handle the density of chakra the fox has poured into him! He can't move!"
"His arms sure can!" Fukasaku called out, and Jiraiya leaped to the side as a stretched crimson claw sliced through the ground where they had been standing previously. "Lot of speed for something rooted to the spot! But if that's our opening…"
"We gotta take it!" Shima croaked, her gaze fixated on the Nine-Tails possessed boy. "We'll find the openings for you… It isn't doing that again!"
All four tails gathered above the head, a black and crimson orb sparking, almost as if it was glitching as it formed. Jiraiya cursed, seeing the front arms plant into the ground for support.
It was as they feared.
"Oh, it's another! The beast can bomb for days, Ma! Those are endless!" Fukasaku bellowed, sweat falling from his brow. "If it has realized it can't move, it might have decided to use the boy as a cannon! Jiraiya!"
"I know!" Jiraiya retaliated by sprinting forward, preparing chakra within his right hand.
There was no option left.
Even if this was a trap laid by the fox, it was too big of a risk. The amount of damage a potential barrage of bijuu bombs launched even in this area would be incalculable.
He had to end this here!
The fox had laid a trap as he expected.
Chakra claw spurted from the ground. Gashing and clawing at him, attempting to clutch him in their grasp.
But he narrowly evaded their clutches, suffering slight burns and nicks as he brushed past them. Even with the resistance this imperfect form granted him, the Nine-Tails hit hard enough that even near misses were damaging…
How he wished he could perfect the technique!
Maybe one day…
But now, as he was upon his possessed student, with the charge blast nearing completion, he brought his left fist into his stomach, charged full of natural energy. Yet he let it linger there, driving it further in, allowing his body to be the conduit.
Allowing Fukasaku and Shima to pump natural energy into his body to weaken the chakra barrier.
He needed an opening to reach the seal.
The Nine-Tailed possessed Naruto let out a hellacious roar as its chakra became unstable. One tail rapidly responded, swatting Jiraiya away, but the damage had been done.
The chakra coat began to bubble and boil. The chakra claws extended into the ground, retracted, and recoiled towards his body, grimacing as it cried and bellowed.
It was in pain, the chakra unstable.
Unable to protect the seal any longer!
Jiraiya lunged forward, seal prepared…
But in a flash, the bijuu bomb burst out into the sky, enveloping everything in a bright crimson light.
He did not waver, even with his eyes closed and his head turned to avoid the brunt of the flash, and withstood the shockwave from the bomb detonating the sky.
Jiraiya made contact with his target…
But he noticed something very off when he did.
It didn't feel like the chakra cloak it had been before.
It felt like he hit a brick wall of flesh!
His eyes flickered, filtering out the crimson light of the dimming bijuu bomb, and he was dumbfounded at the sight.
He had expected Naruto to return to his usual self after the seal had been applied…
Not before it!
And not to be standing as if nothing had happened!
"What happened here?" Naruto expressed in shock as the murky crimson light faded, looking upon the destruction in reverent awe and horror. "Pervy Sage! Is that a new look for you? …Never mind. Tell me about that later. Last thing I remember was that we were training…"
"Brat!" Jiraiya instinctively reached up and slugged Naruto on top of the skull, glad a sense of normality had returned to him.
He had been so close to reaching out and embracing him. Thankful that he had returned to usual self.
But no… He had to go and call him by his endearing name again and mention the deformation that this form gave to his glorious appearance! …Stupid kid…
However, Jiraiya instantly recoiled. Drawing his hand back, he gingerly shook it while giving Naruto another observation.
A frown spread across his features, noticing something was different than before. But precisely what?
Nothing in particular stood out immediately.
The kid was hard-headed, but to accidentally withstand a sage mode infused smack to the head and cause him damage?
Something was off… Hold on…
Was that a weird circle imprinted on his right palm?
That wasn't there before.
"Jiraiya boy…" Fukasaku's voice resonated, drawing his eyes to what the toad sage was pointing toward. "He's done it… I don't understand how or why…"
"He's mastered the true form of natural energy." Shima croaked, unable to contain her excitement, stopping the channeling to Jiraiya and leapt onto a shocked Naruto's shoulders. "My word! He truly has! This is true mastery! But how? Where and when could you have learned this? You were only just injected with natural chakra!"
"Huh?" Naruto blanched, surprise etched on his expression while the odd toad pinched his cheeks. "But I've been gone for so long! That's why I'm trying to figure out what has happened! I felt like I was training with old man Asura for months to master this!"
Shima froze.
Fukasaku went rigid.
Jiraiya scowled.
Naruto believed he had been gone for months? Training?
Something was off, and he needed details…
"Jiraiya boy," Fukasaku's trembling voice caught his tension, and his stomach clenched.
His tone was unsettling. He knew what came next would make his day.
"The prophecy has been fulfilled." Fukasaku stared at Naruto, awestruck. "And we are here to bear witness to whether he is our savior… Or destroyer."
Feeling the pit in his stomach swell, Jiraiya's gaze fell onto the clueless Naruto, attempting to piece together their odd conversation and what had happened here.
He worried this day would come. Feared that it would be Naruto…
And now the day had come to pass…
"Ah, my head…" Naruto grimaced, reaching for his temple before clutching his right wrist. "This again… Ow! Wait, that really didn't hurt."
"Enough!" Fukasaku leapt over, smacking Naruto over the head with a rod he drew out of thin air, landing on his haunches.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes, knowing the purpose of what he had done.
He had knocked the natural chakra from Naruto's body.
But he hadn't noticed any signs that Naruto was under the influence…
"You may have mastered the perfect form, but you have a time limit with it." Fukasaku recognized, huffing as he tightly held onto his rod, gazing up toward the blonde shinobi. "Moreover… I don't think you recognized you were using it… That you were naturally within the state."
"We are leaving for Mount Myōboku! The boy needs further training!" Shima exclaimed, leaving no further room for discussion before patting Naruto on the shoulder. "Let us make haste. Such talent must not be wasted!"
"I happen to agree with you for once, Ma." Fukasaku nodded, his gaze turning and focusing back onto Jiraiya. "It is not up to us whether or not to decide what his decision will be…"
"It is whether or not he is ready for it." Jiraiya exhaled, finishing Fukasaku's statement and understanding his sentiment.
He always had been torn about the prophecy and hesitant about how it could affect his home.
But he wasn't one to lack faith. And if there was anyone to believe in…
It was the incorrigible knucklehead before him, unwavering in his path to become Hokage.
Only to narrow his eyes as another figure made their presence known, landing in a crouch.
"Care to explain what the hell happened here? A village was nearly destroyed!"
Darkness…
It loomed all around him…
A falling, crescent moon loomed, hanging in the sky.
Descending, preparing to crash into orbit.
Falling upon a massive, pale tree. Filled with strange fruit glowing with…
Chakra?
Crimson eyes scanned, scrutinizing every detail of the scene as fireflies scattered all around him.
This was real? Where was he?
"You crave power."
Burning red eyes locked onto a lone man with long, flowing brown locks, gaze glinting toward the falling moon. "Power to crush everything before you… To achieve your goals and end those foolish enough to challenge you."
"Who are you?" He questioned, stepping toward the man, blade drawn and ready to strike.
"You already know the answer to that, don't you." The man, unphased by the gesture, turned his head, and crimson eyes like his own pierced his. "The real question is…"
"What are you willing to do to get that power, Sasuke?"
Hope you enjoyed. This story genuinely means a lot for me to tell, so any feedback is very much appreciated. I would love to hear from you. Updates will eventually come, but I do have other stories.
Until next time,
Peace out.
