AN: Happy new year everyone. Hope you had a fun day. Here's another chapter lol.
You know, thinking about it now, Kakashi has every reason to be a little worried about me. Hell, I'd be a little more than just worried if some cranky demon-dude could just hijack a young adult's body and then beat you, a trained killer, senseless.
To be fair it was more than just a beating though.
Sukuna had been out for blood.
And I'd-
Huh.
What did I do again?
The Hokage had arrived, spoke to my body, and then-
Hmmm.
I'm drawing a blank here. Might have to tell the Hokage about that, but for now I'm just going to chalk it up to sudden invasion and possession taking a slight toll on my mind.
That had been a pretty crazy night.
As I reach the top step of the staircase, I nonchalantly push open the rooftop door with my hip.
My hands stay in my pockets.
I'm trying to set an image here.
Cool.
I've got some big shot sealed within me, and I'm fairly certain Sukuna might be the baddest fucker on the block. Thus, what have I got to worry about?
As I step into the sunlight, I take a brief moment to appreciate the new day.
I'm still super exhausted from everything, but the light is rejuvenating. The breeze is also fresh and lovely.
The last weeks of summer are like that.
"Ryo!"
I'm already walking toward the seated figures of Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke, the second of which had called out to me.
"Ah sorry!" my pace quickens. But only slightly. I still have a grin on my face.
As I sit cross legged beside Naruto and facing the white haired Jonin, I offer a sheepish, "I'm always so worried about falling on the stairs. Had to be certain I got here safely"
Kakashi didn't react.
Sasuke did.
"Stop fucking around, idiot. He said meet on the roof in five"
My covered gaze snaps to mister duck-head-hair. I nod toward Kakashi, still looking at the Uchiha with my cloth covered eyes.
"And it took him a few hours to show up. Probably for similar reasons, eh Kakashi-sensei?"
I'm greeted by a stiff silence.
…Looks like he doesn't appreciate the humorous attitude.
Ugh.
Maybe an apology might ease the awkward air.
I look toward the Jonin and bow my head.
"Sorry. I'm exhausted. Didn't feel like running"
Again, not a single response comes from the white haired Copy-Cat Ninja.
Yikes.
Maybe he'd been serious when he said he didn't like us?
Oh… I'm going off the assumption that this is the same Kakashi, and that nothing significant has changed. He may look the same, but this could be an entirely different-
"My name is Kakashi Hatake. I am a Jonin of Konoha"
Kakashi's eye is only on me for a moment, his introduction being given to all three of us former academy students.
"I enjoy many things. I dislike a few things. My dream is…. Private"
He crosses his arms, his serious tone leaving nothing to be interpreted as he utters his first command.
"Introduce yourselves as I have" he nods to myself, "you start"
…serious Kakashi wasn't very fun. But I get the feeling that this isn't his normal attitude. Just a few days ago I met him on the street and he seemed pleasant, so this current air of dead straight professionalism was odd.
Yet I get the feeling it's my fault.
I frown.
'How do I fix this?' I can't help but wonder as I comply with his order.
"My name is Ryo. I am a Shinobi of Konoha"
I'm not a Genin yet after all.
"I enjoy sweet food and… and reading. I dislike cocky and ignorant people. And… well I don't really have a dream, I'd just like to live a good life"
Short, sweet and to the point.
I look over at the hyperactive blonde idiot.
"My name's Naruto Uzumaki! I enjoy Ramen and training! I dislike Kiba-baka and Sasuke-teme!" he grinned, "and one day, I'm gonna be Hokage! Believe it!"
From anyone else's mouth those words would make me cringe.
But it's always been Naruto's thing.
And even if this world may be different from how I knew it, Naruto was still going to become the Hokage. He was still the main character. But he's also my friend.
My memories, even though I did not experience them directly, are still mine.
This body is mine now.
And I am Naruto's best friend.
Right now, I'm arguably his only friend.
And now I'm his teammate as well. I'm going to be fighting and struggling alongside him, I'll be there every step of the way as he chases his dream.
So before Sasuke can speak I make a promise to myself.
'You will be Hokage, Naruto'
"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I dislike loud and childish people. I like my family and friends"
'Friends? Who the hell does he consider a friend?'
Sasuke's posture straightens.
"I wish to be become better than my Sister, and be a good clan head one day"
That captures my attention.
'So that was Itachi in the cell… a female-Itachi? Probably has a different name…'
My mind runs over the second part of his dream declaration.
Clan head, huh. That means his older sister isn't in the running… I smell something there, some kind of fucked up situation that I'm not privy too. Maybe later I'll piece it together, but for now it's none of my concern.
I look Kakashi's way, turning my cloth-covered head to look straight at him.
He seems to be a bit more relaxed.
I'm probably just imagining it, but I like to think our words, or at least my words, have eased him off of whatever train of thought he had been following.
"Every Jonin Instructor has the right to forfeit their teams if they believe them incapable of functioning. For whatever reason" he stood from the ground, "I will be testing you, personally, to see if you have what it takes to be my team"
The white haired Jonin gave us one more once over.
"Tomorrow. Training ground five, at six. Arrive on time"
The last part is directed at me.
And in the next second Kakashi is gone in a swirl of leaves.
Sasuke was the quickest to leave the roof. Naruto waited to ask me if I'd be going home as well.
Probably wanted to go get Ramen.
I told him I had someone to speak to, but would be home in time for dinner, if he wanted to eat at mine.
He nodded in agreement before waving goodbye, also running out of the academy building.
Yeah, definitely getting Ramen.
As I slowly stroll down the stairs and towards the gates of the academy, I really begin to feel how tired I am.
'It's been a long two, basically three, days'
And a lot had happened. Not just in the sense that I'd probably fucked up a few very important Canon moments, but that I'd stepped on the toes of some extremely powerful and dangerous people.
Sukuna. Hiruzen. Danzo. Kakashi.
That were a few.
But being in the same realm as these people alone also put me in sight of ANBU, ROOT, the Uchiha (thanks to Sasuke and his Sister), and whoever else I'm not aware of.
I'm a person of interest now.
One day a nobody, the next a potential security risk to the village.
A familiar figure is waiting by the gates. I don't have to completely reveal my eyes to know that there are ANBU lingering everywhere around the Hokage.
'Hopefully Hiruzen trusts me'
I bow before the robed man.
"Hokage-sama"
"Ryo" he addresses me politely, "how was your team meeting?"
He begins to walk and I quickly fall into step with him. Now's not the time to ask where we're going or what we're doing. The Hokage will talk and I'll do my best to capitulate.
"Not a team yet" I sigh, "Kakashi-san says we've got a test tomorrow. Here's to hoping we pass"
My uptick of joy at the end gets a soft chuckle from Hiruzen.
"Kakashi is an excellent Shinobi. But even for a man of his caliber, he has high expectations. Do your best tomorrow, Ryo, and I know you'll succeed"
A silence lulled between us. People on the street gave us a wide berth.
Hiruzen is giving me space to say something. But I don't give a shit about my concerns right now.
"You said you wanted to speak to me, Hokage-sama, and I don't think it was about my hopeful team assignment"
Hiruzen shook his head, eyes still on the path ahead, "no it was not"
He pulls his Tobacco pipe out swiftly, packing it lightly as he lets the quiet drag on.
As he brings it to his lips, he asks a question.
"Do you trust this Ryomen Sukuna?"
As he takes a deep puff my answer is lightning fast.
"Hell no"
Hiruzen fixes me with a side eye.
I want to wince, "my apologies Hokage-sama. I do not trust him... but I'm going to try and learn from him. You can't deny he's strong"
Hiruzen mulled over my words for a moment before nodding lightly.
"I do not trust him either. I also do not know what he is, and as such will warn you now, Ryo-kun"
The leaves in the pipe crackled softly as the Hokage took in another puff of smoke.
"It is through power that an individual begins to free themselves from concepts such as morality and empathy. In a philosophical sense, only the most powerful may be free from such restrictions"
The Hokage looked down at me, his gaze emphasizing the meaning behind his words.
"From what I have witnessed of Ryomen Sukuna, he is cruel, uncaring and malicious. He is guided by only his whims and displeasure."
He puts the pipe away.
"You told me of your Pact with him, how it felt like a solid and enforced bond. For now, it seems that he is bound to you in some way or shape. This is good. But from here on out, you are the line between him and the world."
We're still some ways from my apartment complex, but the world around me is completely ignored as I take Hiruzen's words with as much severity as they are being delivered.
"You must hold the line, Ryo. If not for the sake of the village or your friends, then for yourself you must be strong. And be careful. You are dealing with something that even I do not fully comprehend"
The Hokage is right.
No shit, but he is.
Ryomen Sukuna is a wild card to this world. As am I, but I'm only a fourteen year old right now. Hardly a fucking threat to anyone.
Even if I can see good and punch better, I'm still cannon fodder.
…and falling deeper into Sukuna's proverbial pocket doesn't sound like a smart idea anymore.
I'm of the mindset that he'd kill me if he had the chance.
In fact I'm certain of it. I don't think he's able to now, but who's to say that the current circumstances will remain.
Orchimaru can do some body hopping bullshit, can Sukuna do something like that as well?
Does that invalidate our pacts?
I'm… I'm not sure.
Words come flying back into my mind.
'You may never use any of my techniques against me'
The condition of the pact.
Hang on. Does that extend to the usage of the energy?
Surely not. He can't just consider drawing on the power source to be his exclusive ability?
'Does anyone else use this Cursed Energy?'
…fuck.
If he was the only practitioner.
Hmmm.
Maybe.
But if this power is anything like Chakra, Sukuna will have techniques, some of which are clearly defined as his own. And that means usage of the energy wouldn't violate his condition…. But if he teaches me everything else, including techniques…
'You may never use any of my techniques against me'
…he is planning to get out.
And that is certainly not good.
Not good at all.
And he's assuming that I'll oppose him, probably with whatever he'll eventually be teaching me with. So he's attempting to handicap me.
If I want to be able to fight him using whatever he's taught me, then I'll need to either find a way to circumvent the condition… or I'll have to teach myself stuff.
Figure it out on my own.
"Hokage-sama" I look up at the aged man, who has let me think in a relative quiet for the past minute or so, "regardless of what happens tomorrow with Kakashi, can you spare me a training dummy?"
Hiruzen raises an eyebrow.
"I wish to train my… well, my new abilities. But I haven't got a clue of what to do beyond the basics. And since I'm stumbling in the dark here, maybe another set of eyes on it would be useful?"
The Hokage regards this information, sifting over my words before replying.
"What are the basics?"
"Well" I focus, "you might have sensed it in the cell, but there's this stuff-"
A soft blue glow eminantes in the form of wave-like smoke from my body.
"-the grumpy bastard called it Cursed Energy. It may not seem like it, but to me it feels like my Chakra. There's an amount of it, and I can take hold of it…"
I let the energy dissipate with a shrug, "but I don't know what to do with it"
"You need a specialist," Hiruzen contemplated, "but there are no specialists for this…"
As he trailed off into silence I could tell he was thinking it over.
The Professor was searching for an answer.
"Let me think about this Ryo. When I find an appropriate answer, you will be the first to know"
I nod with a thanks.
A bit later, I'm at my apartment.
The Hokage bids me a good night, advising me once more to eat and sleep well for the bid day ahead of me tomorrow.
I wrap a knuckle on Naruto's door to let him know I'm in the building again, before quickly shooting down to a particular room.
….
My sheets are still in the machine!
Naruto burst through my door with a loud question already on his lips.
"You excited?"
His nose told him I was in the small kitchenette before he even came hurtling through the front door. Not quite done with dinner, but almost there.
I was in front of a small pot, aromatic fumes wafting up from the depths of a dark boiling liquid.
"It's polite to knock" I hum over my shoulder at Naruto, twisting a ladle through the liquid before turning to face the blond youth.
A small island divided the kitchenette from the rest of the living room, and Naruto was quick to take a seat at the barstool beside the island.
The young Uzumaki rolled right over the comment, his thoughts still attached to the next day.
"Think we can take him?"
I offered a chuckle, reaching into a cabinet to retrieve another pot for the two burner stove top.
"Kakashi-san is a Jonin, idiot. We're a long long way from being able to even hurt him, let alone fight him"
I fill the pot halfway with hot water as Naruto flips out.
"AH?" he exclaims, "but then, how do we pass?!"
I shrug as I flip the burner on, "Kakashi is probably not testing us on how good at fighting we are. It'll be something else. Like sneak attacks, teamwork or whatever"
Naruto frowns at this.
"That's dumb"
I nearly stumbled as the familiar yet still certainly odd feeling shoots through my face. Seems like someone else also agreed with Naruto's curt dismissal.
The slit beneath my left eye snapped open as a mouth with a tattooed tongue opened wide to chip in to the conversation.
"To measure your value with any metric other than strength is pointless"
The blonde's gaze is stuck to the side of my face.
And I can't blame him. It's not every day that your face gets…. Well, a mouth. My second set of eyes is still covered by my Cloth wrapping after all.
Naruto was dumbfounded for only a moment, before his eyes narrowed downward in consideration. His voice in the next second is very serious.
"It's you"
"Oh" Sukuna's voice is filled with faux merriment, "do you remember me, Nine-"
I forcibly interrupted him. The anger in my tone pulled forth Cursed Energy as my eyes glanced back at the pot of soon to be boiling water.
"His name is Naruto"
It feels like Sukuna's poisonous gaze is peering up at me.
"Are you friends with it?" he sounds surprised, his tone hinting at a question far deeper than what lays upon the surface.
This fucking…
On the surface Sukuna's words seem direct and honest, but there's this damnable itch at the back of my mind screaming at me that the red eyed demon is after something else.
He knows more than me.
And I guess since knowledge is power, Sukuna wouldn't give it away that easily. Especially to me.
I sigh.
"He is my best friend. Stop being an ass"
The mouth laughs at me.
"You're so pathetic!"
I glare from behind my cloth, a little bit of Curse Energy unwittingly springing forward, "I'm aware. Now say what you gotta say and kindly fuck off"
"Heh" the mouth chuckled once more, "just don't forget your place, Ryo. Insects remain upon the dirt"
And the mouth faded away.
I'm left with Naruto's keen gaze fixed upon my own. He's obviously waiting for me to say something first.
"The seal I touched" I gesture up at my face, "yeah. He was in it"
"Who is he?"
"Ryomen Sukuna" I answer honestly, "beyond a name though…" I shrug at Naruto, reaching into the dry storage cupboard beneath the island.
"Haven't the slightest"
The blonde stews over my words as I turn back to the boiling water.
'Not a lot of salt left'
I can still season the water, but I'll need to do some grocery shopping tomorrow. Hopefully if Kakashi leaves us in one piece that is.
"He was going to kill me… when he was in your body… there was nothing I could do about it too…"
I nod at that. I'm not looking Naruto in the eye but knowing from the sound of his voice that the admission frightened him.
We were young.
Facing your own mortality isn't that easy.
"I'm sorry. When I touched the seal I was… a bit lost. He managed to take control of my body during that time. Guess he didn't expect me to-"
To…
…huh.
"To what?" Naruto asked, confused that I had stopped talking so suddenly.
"I… don't remember" I answer honestly, racking my brain for a few seconds trying to find what it had stumbled over, "but I switched out with him again, and as you can see, he's my new side along passenger"
The blonde grimaced, "kinda gross how he can just… pop up like that"
"Well good thing I bore him" I smile, pulling out two packs of noodles, "he's also not the chattiest person"
"Or the friendliest," Naruto dryly remarks, "but he's just stuck with you now? Any way of getting him out?"
My smile is more forced, "not sure. The Hokage doesn't really know what to do about it either"
I slip the noodles into the boiling water.
"But hey, he's him and I'm me. Two totally separate individuals" my smile relaxes again, "it's not like-"
As I turn around to face Naruto I knock the ladle out of the broth. A splash of the liquid is sent flying, but my precious wooden ladle is falling to the floor.
I quickly reach out to grab it, nice and easy. It approaches my palm and-
…huh?
I caught it in the next heartbeat.
But when it was falling it-
"Nice move you stupid dork!" Naruto hollers, and I look around at him to see what he's complaining about-
"HA! Sorry bout' that!"
The broth had been flung right at him, catching his jumpsuit by the shoulder and staining his clothes a shitty brown.
And as he fumes at me and I jokingly snap back at him, I completely disregard the odd phenomenon that had just occurred.
If I had taken into account my Cursed Energy had only receded back into my body, maybe I would have noticed.
But I wasn't that familiar with the power source yet.
I didn't know what it was.
And I certainly didn't know what it could do.
If I had been, maybe I would have taken note of the fact that the falling ladle had slowed before it reached my hand.
Instead, myself and Naruto eventually had a small dinner together, laughing about one thing or another as we ate.
And when he went home after a hearty meal of noodles with vegetable broth, I dragged myself to bed.
'Finally, some good rest'
Kakashi was at training ground five nearly two hours before the first Genin hopeful showed up.
Sasuke Uchiha's distinct figure and hair style slunk through the dirt pathway to the training ground, the youth taking a look around in the pre-dawn before finding a seat beside a looming tree.
The Jonin commended the boy's choice.
Thick branches filled with leaves, an excellent amount of nature cover created by the shadows it cast.
'Good intuition'
Itami Uchiha had been a prodigy amongst prodigies.
Her younger brother was competent, thus far, but Kakashi would finally see today if the boy did indeed possess any talent.
It was interesting to note that the boy had brought a blade with him. He hadn't had that before. Kakashi did also take note of the extra ninja gear bags on his hip. Even from over the lip of his Icha Icha novel, the silver haired Jonin could see that they were filled with offensive gear.
When he started their test he would know to keep his eye out for explosive tags.
Naruto and the vessel arrived next.
Sensei's son was as brash as his mother, but it seemed he was not a morning person. Slouched somewhat with a dreary expression, the ever joyful ball of sunshine was muted by the early rise.
Ryo seemed the same.
But Kakashi's attention never left him.
The Hokage had warned him about 'Ryomen Sukuna', the entity that was now within the Academy student. And Kakashi of all people didn't hesitate to comply with Hiruzen's subsequent orders.
'Observe. If the boy turns hostile, eliminate or stall him'
The white haired Jonin didn't need to hear it twice.
Because the Red Eyed Monster known as Sukuna was a threat.
He'd been manhandled by the entity.
Treated like a child, misbehaving.
It was not something even Sarutobi Hiruzen could accomplish so simply. The entity had laughed and enjoyed itself as it played with Kakashi's life, always a step ahead of him, always faster, always-
The clawed hands reached ever closer to him.
Four crimson eyes hovered above a gruesome smile.
'Death'
Kakashi blinked the image away.
He would do his best to differentiate Ryo from Sukuna, but the underlying threat wasn't something he could easily ignore. Even the Nine Tails was held back by the guarantee of Minato's proficiency with seals.
Ryo held back the beast with only a promise? A pact?
Perhaps whatever Sukuna was relied on such things-
'Meaning it truly is a demon'
-but Kakashi wasn't going to bank on that. This was a situation where the truth was buried beneath, suspicion, possibility and rumination. Whatever was actually happening was beyond them all. The Hokage certainly understood the possibility as well, otherwise he wouldn't have given Kakashi such an order.
'Eliminate or stall'
Kakashi pondered those words as he put his book away.
If it came down to it, could he even do such a thing?
His mind, no matter how firmly he attempted to marshal it, couldn't blot out the malevolent smile.
Kakashi didn't know for certain, and even though he believed that Ryo was a loyal soldier… the entity wasn't Ryo.
The Son of the White Fang was a Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf.
And he would face any threat to his village with everything he had.
Naruto is mid-complaint when my eyes spot movement.
"Let's begin"
One second the space before us was empty, the next second, Kakashi was standing there.
My eyes saw him before he appeared, but my brain and body-
"WAH" Nartuo exclaimed in surprise, stumbling back at the Jonin's sudden appearance.
"Kakashi-san" I can't hide the startled note in my voice.
My brain and body couldn't keep up with it. Just because my eyes noticed it, didn't mean the rest of me could do anything about it.
Kakashi ignored both of our reactions.
"Sasuke" he calls over my shoulder, "front and center"
The Uchiha is quick to move into the field, swiftly getting up and away from the tree he was resting at.
…the mean looking Katana had caught my attention, that was for certain, and not just because it was my first time seeing it.
But rather the fact that there were strands of chakra running up and down it.
Chakra looked a lot like Cursed Energy, only that it was more free floating and bright. Cursed Energy was compact and homogenous.
It was like looking at a stream versus pressurized water.
Sasuke's sword looked like a rolling river.
I turn my attention away from the blade and to the instructor before us.
Kakashi doesn't waste any time.
"The test is simple"
There's a soft jingle as he raises two very familiar silver bells into the air. He's holding them out for us to see.
There are two of them.
"To pass, you must have a bell before three hours have passed"
Blunt and to the point.
I can't help but jokingly hold a hand out.
"Can I have a bell, Kakashi-san?"
He raises an eyebrow at me.
HA! Finally got a reaction out of him.
"No" he replies evenly, "if you-"
Chakra flares up from beside me. Sasuke's in the midst of drawing his sword as I see Kakashi's attention snap to him.
The Uchiha only gets the blade a few feet through the air before the Jonin is upon him. A wrist slap breaks Sasuke's grip on his sword. The Chakra submerges back into the blade, the flare up prevented.
A kick and what my eyes perceive as two violent finger taps send the abrupt Uchiha a few meters away.
I blink.
'Sasuke doesn't fuck around. But neither does Kakashi'
The white haired Jonin immediately twists to face us, his attention now latched onto myself and Naruto. I'm ashamed to admit that it's my idiot friend who doesn't fail to act.
For a moment I lock up.
Kakashi's stare is killer.
"Kage Bunshin!"
Through the smoke and sudden appearance of no less than fifty identical copies of Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi's eyes still remained locked onto my own.
The command that the blond idiot gives to his pack of clones is loud and clear.
"Get the bells!"
And the melee begins.
As Sasuke's world swims back into focus, it takes him a short amount of time to take stock of his current predicament.
His fingers curl in the dirt as he wrenches himself upright and onto his feet.
Spitting blood, the young Uchiha takes a moment to analyze the carnage before him.
Head still swimming slightly from the Jonin's kick, Sasuke is treated to a wave of identical copies of Naruto rushing toward-
Two clones block a strike from the Jonin, before a pair of Kunai reduce them to smoke.
But Sasuke took a moment to process the information his eyes had witnessed.
'They're physical copies? Shadow Clones?'
His Sister utilized many different kinds of clones and the solid ones weren't anything to sneeze at.
He hadn't known Naruto was capable of such a dangerous technique…. And to such a numerous extent either.
'Chakra freak'
But this worked in his favor for now.
Kakashi was focused on thinning out the crowd of identical blondes, giving Sasuke as good an opening as he would get against a Jonin. He needed his sword though, the blade having been knocked out of his hand before Kakashi had brutally taken him down.
Steel glinted against the first rays of light from the nearing sunrise.
Sasuke made a break for his sword.
At the same time, Ryo sprung forth toward Kakashi.
And that's that.
Kabuto S Inferno. Just thought I'd direct this to you since your review brought it to my attention. I'm sorry bout going the route I am, since you can probably tell where I'm going with Ryo's INATE stuff, but my super stupid convulted idea to put Sukuna in the Naruto world hinges on a 'gojo-esk' character being able to contend with him. What makes it spicy and fun for me to write is giving Sukuna the pseudo-mentor position. It's also fun to write pitfalls for our characters to deal with later.
The OC is the eyes and the ears for this story. To some extent he's also the opinions and 'outside view', don't take everything he says and does for granted. People are dynamic, thus character's should be as well.
to everyone else, thanks for the reviews and comments, I'll catch ya around.
All the best,
Freedom.