Author Note: Decided to post early to get chapter fourteen done much faster than I expected... And I expect to work next weekend as well with the growing workload at work. I'm just glad I got today off and was able to write as much as I wanted. I likely will post chapter 13 on either Friday this week or Monday next week. I aim to try to keep a small buffer so I can publish chapters once every week or two for this year on both AO3 and . However, this all depends on my work schedule. Hopefully, you all enjoy this chapter. Sadly, Naruto, not too much.
"Will Kakashi-sensei be alright?" I grunted with a little jealousy. I was trying to sleep, but… Well, I don't know why, but my brain wanted to stay awake instead of out like the Kakashi guy lying in the middle of my carriage.
"He's gonna be alright, Sakura. Try to rest." Why were you sending me a dirty look, Sasuke? The guy you hate was in another carriage.
"But… He hasn't…"
"The Uchiha is sort of right." Tsunade sighed while Shizune rubbed Sakura's back. I felt horrible seeing Sakura hold back tears… But I closed my eyes and tried to force sleep on me. I was next to drive and I didn't dare want Raphtalia's sass from not sleeping.
"But… Naruto, what happened to Kakashi-sensei?" Dammit. Somehow I could see Sakura's glare from behind my closed eyelids.
"I don't fully know," I answered with honest fatigue. "He activated a seal on my jacket and… well, you saw the Wave it caused."
"Wait… You're blaming-"
"I am not." I snapped back with my own glare. "I only knew something bad would happen if it activated due to Tate-chan."
"Tate-chan?" Sakura looked at me like I grew an extra head when I motioned to Tate-chan. "A hunk of metal?"
"A legendary weapon that can fend off Waves like the one Kakashi-san accidentally summoned."
"As if, dope." Sasuke snorted in disgust. "Drop the henge and stop-"
"I'm not playing around." My voice came out like ice. "My age went up with getting stronger in this world. And this world works much differently from the one you know."
"Right. And I am the reincarnation of the Six Realms Sage's son." Sasuke quipped right back at me.
"Hah hah." I snorted, "Nice joke, but I ain't laughing. You've seen the shit that went down with that ten-tails." That brought Sasuke back to a zipped mouth.
"How did you know it was a tailed beast?" Tsunade asked with an arched brow. "And I thought they only went up to nine…" Ding. The light bulb went off for my medic-nin teacher.
"I had experience." Not that anyone would believe me if I told the truth. I was still trying to accept my father was sealed inside me.
"My lord," I jumped when the masked lady appeared out of my shadow. Dammit. I nearly pissed my pants because of her. "The Queen's decree has been spread throughout the country. However, from the reports I have gotten, your assumptions about the Three Heroes Chruch's control are correct. Many of the nobles who would like to assist you have been pushed to the outskirts of the kingdom or under strict scrutiny by their neighbors who align with the King and the Church."
"That might work in my favor." I sat up, giving up on any sleep now.
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked and I popped my neck. Note to self: invest in better cushioning for inside the carriages.
"I do not trust any government of this world." I snorted while pulling out the hairpin I had been working on. "The fact that a conference of the nations' leaders decided to put me in charge of a country puts things in perspective." Sasuke and Sakura went wide-eyed at me. "Hence I am taking the bluff face on. I have a sneaking suspicion why all the nations agreed to this deal of letting a twelve-year-old take charge of a nation. Can you inform all the nobles who would side with me to keep watch on the border and prepare for possible conflicts?"
"You think of civil war, I daresay?"
"No. More of a trap being laid out for others like the King who goes behind their representative's backs." I scratched my head with the hairpin. "I know the King hates my guts, but he also has to keep a presence to keep his side running smoothly. I expect fights more of a diplomatic nature than actual fighting when it comes to the Church and him."
"Why are you trying to talk like you know everything?" Sasuke scoffed before going wide-eyed when I shrugged back.
"I don't know everything. I just have a hunch and what I do know of this place." I whittled at the crystal, making the shaft of the hairpin smoother. "I don't think the Demi-human nations want me in this nation as a leader at all."
"You suspect Siltvelt will try an ambush, I daresay?"
"Or other nations," I gave a deadpan look at the masked lady. "My guess is the nations want a civil war to take advantage to sneak in and try to get at me."
"Who would want you?" Sakura huffed.
"Idiots who think someone wielding a so-called legendary shield makes him a holy man." Sakura actually fell over at my words… Or was the bump we just hit knocked her over. I did hear an odd faint squeal in the distance. Did Filo run over a monster again? "Trust me. This world's people have odd assumptions about strangers and such."
"So you're a political hot potato. Only instead of being a potato, you're a bomb."
"Yeah. That sounds about right." Tsunade nodded with crossed arms. "I don't wanna be… But, if the leaders of this country are not gonna put on their big boy and gal pants, I will have to do what I can against these waves. I mean, I don't want to put innocent people in between the beef the King and I have for each other."
"Naruto, only you can be a mess between nations." Sakura huffed while getting herself back up on her knees. "Still… It's just jarring talking to an adult you."
"Don't remind me of my sped-up growth." I pointed the hairpin at Sakura. "Raphtalia and I had quite a time with the aches and pains from our level-ups."
"Raphtalia?" Sakura asked.
"The girl driving this carriage." I motioned towards the driver's seat hidden by a curtain. "She's ten years old."
"What?!" Sakura shook her head in denial. "You're lying. There's no way that busty woman is younger than me!"
"She is." And how I know I'm not human… Or now, not completely human. "She's a demi-human. They have-"
"Dammit, Naruto! Enough with the lies!" I frowned as Sakura gripped her dress with tears in her eyes. Likely from frustration.
"... Raphtalia, switch with me." I turned to the driver's seat and opened the curtain.
"Huh, but-"
"I ain't gonna get any more sleep, so might as well let you get some instead." I pulled back my hair and pinned it with my crystal hairpin. Just what I needed as my bangs were getting annoying.
"... Ok. Just don't push yourself too hard." Raphtalia huffed while we switched spots. "You don't need to do everything yourself."
"I'm not. More tired of being called a liar." I huffed while taking the reins. I found Raphtalia giving me a strange expression… Even though I was seeing it without looking at her directly. I shook my head in confusion and the widened vision disappeared.
"Father, are you alright?" Filo asked.
"Yeah. Just tired." That or I need to let Doc check me over when I get to the castle town. My sight keeps going from clear to foggy and back…
Wait a second.
"Raphtalia, why didn't you tell me about this fog?" Raphtalia stuck her head out the curtain.
"What fog-Eh?! It wasn't foggy a minute ago?!" Raphtalia's ears went straight up to alert. I let out some mana and instantly felt the chakra saturating the air.
"It's a jutsu." I closed my eyes to better focus my senses. I was shocked when everything seemingly turned into a world of black and white. However, this new sight expanded and zoomed into several flames of chakra within the outline of several people.
Several people were on guard from what I could tell… Along with sensing two chakra flames away from the group. All the flames were ninja outside one, who was a civilian.
"Raphtalia, take the reins."
"What are you about to do?" I could see Raphtalia's glare.
"There's a possible fight ahead. I want you to lead the group around it while I scope it out."
"Then let me join you." Raphtalia calmly said with her hand on her sword. "You aren't alone."
"I know. I am not going into a fight. Just scope to see if there is a threat to our caravan." I leaped off the driver seat and landed in the branches.
"Master!" Matthew gasped out, but I didn't bother to listen. I leaped through the trees, everything crisp and clean even with the wisps of chakra in my vision. It didn't take me much time at all to close in on the larger group of ninja. I could begin to see details like their clothes and-
Sparks flew off Tate as I blocked a huge… meat cleaver-like sword?
"Huh? What are you supposed to be?" A gruff man who was taller than me huffed. I saw his headband hard the mist lines for Kirigakure. "A bandit after my mark?"
"No. But I assume this mist is yours?" I could practically taste his chakra in the air… Wait, when could I taste chakra? Dammit, this must be Father's doing.
"And the large group I sense in my mist is yours?" The Kiri ninja asked back. "Quite a lot of bandits… Did that scumbag Gato send you all as insurance or stab me in the back?"
"Nope. Tell me. Where are you?"
"What does that mean? I'm clearly in the Land of Waves."
Land of Waves… Land of Waves… I think I remember correctly, it was east to the Land of Fire. One mostly surrounded by water. So the transfers hit even further from where Iruka-sensei compiled.
"Do a double take of your surroundings. I don't think there are any oceans near us." The Kiri ninja brow… Oh. He had no eyebrows. Awkward.
"Tch. So that's why those Leaves got back up so quickly." The Kiri ninja removed his blade from my shield. "I'm in Fire?"
"No. Far from any Elemental Nation." I sighed while getting a shocked look from the Kiri ninja. "You said you after a mark. Is it the civilian?"
"A sensor-nin." The Kiri ninja huffed at me. "Heh. Think you can outbid Gato's offer?"
"That offer is worthless here." I reached into my pocket as the Kiri ninja stiffened. I pulled out my travel wallet and tossed it.
"Coins?" The Kiri ninja asked at the changing sounds from the bag. He opened the bag and went wide-eyed.
"Real gold and silver. How about that as a down payment for your fellow ninja and you to work for me?" I smirked as the Kiri ninja pulled out a gold coin and bit it through the bandages on his lower face. "I require help with basically a hell of a war."
"What's the pay?" Good. He took my bluff.
"Covering your living expenses is part of it. Though, we can discuss your pay once you put away the fog and we collect the ninja you spooked."
"Why?" The Kiri ninja narrowed his eyes on me.
"Like I said, I need manpower… Especially since we are in another world from the one we know."
"You kid." The Kiri ninja scoffed before he went wide-eyed as an Aqua Shot whizzed by his head, leaving a scratch on his cheek. I saw Matthew with his staff held out as he got closer. "Is that guy wearing rabbit ears?"
"No. He's a rabbit demi-human. Matthew, stand down. He's not an enemy." I didn't bother to look back. I could see Matthew somehow in this black-and-white vision without looking at him.
"What?" Matthew went wide-eyed before looking meek. "But didn't he attack you?"
"I just hired him." I sighed before holding my hand out. "Air Strike Shield!" A glowing shield appeared next to Matthew's side and deflected metal needles that were aimed at his neck. "Could you have your hidden friend stand down? I don't like it when someone kills my comrades." I smirked as a look of upstanding crossed the Kiri ninja's face.
"Haku. Don't attack our new employer." A Kiri Anbu landed next to the Kiri ninja. "Name's Momochi Zabuza, boss."
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto." I messed with my status screen. "One sec. I'll invite you to my party."
"Party?" Zabuza asked before jumping with shock. I felt him flare his chakra.
"It's not a genjutsu. In this world, you can see your abilities as numbers and such." I shrugged. "Useful, but it sure makes me feel a little naked as a ninja."
Oh! Good! Zabuza accepted my party invite. "So this isn't Earth?"
"Y-ep." I popped my lips before catching sight of a blur coming at me. "Hold it-"
"Dynamic Entry!"
Crack!
Ow…
I somehow saw the man's leg bone break while kicking my held-up Tate to protect my head.
The man… in a spandex suit leaped back and stood easily on one leg as his broken leg was held up. He had a Jonin vest on along with a Konoha band on his belt. I never met a man with such a bowl cut and hairy eyebrows.
"… Zabuza of the Bloody Mist." The Konoha ninja gritted his teeth. "I see what Asuma meant by this mission being way past the reported rank."
"Thankfully, you need not worry about your client." I sighed while focusing on my mana. "Sorry for the-"
Ping! Ping! Ping!
"What the?" The new Konoha ninja looked perplexed as I blocked his quick strikes from his hands with Tate. Still, his attacks were very visible with chakra focused on his hands. Though, I still felt the impact of his attacks. His hand strikes felt like one of Filo's kicks!
"Neji! Dynamic Entry!" I morphed Tate to the Rope Shield and pulled out the rope to catch a… mini of the intense brows, bowl cut man by the leg. I yanked the mini-clone over my head and threw him into a bush. The Konoha ninja unleashed another barrage of hand strikes and I pushed my mama into Tate to deflect the chakra.
"Can you… stop for… a second?" I huffed while deflecting the Konoha ninja to the side, forcing him to move past me. "I'm not your enemy."
"Tch!" I felt the chakra all over his body come out.
"Dammit! Stop it!" I pushed Tate full of mana into the Konoha ninja's chest.
Huh? The Konoha ninja gasped out in pain and the technique he was trying failed as he crumbled to the ground.
"Neji! Lee!" A kunoichi roared seeing the Konoha ninja down. She threw a barrage of kunai and I held my hands up.
"Chill! I'm not your enemy!" To my surprise, a pane of glass materialized right before me and stopped the kunai. "Okay. That's cool, but can we all. Just. Stop!" I roared out while catching the foot of the mini-clone trying to kick me in the head from behind and held him from his legs while catching his other foot. "I'm trying to dissolve this conflict, not fight!"
"Everyone stop!" Even I was surprised by the scream from a girl I recognized but her name escaped me. "That's Naruto-kun!"
"You can tell who I am?" I raised a brow at the girl as several other classmates I did recognize ran up with two other Konoha ninja… Wait, they all had Konoha headbands. Oh right, I was the only one not to pass the Genin Exam.
"Hinata, what do you mean?" Ino asked while looking back and forth between the girl and me. "That's a bandit!"
"N-No. I-It's N-Naruto-kun." Oh right! Her name was Hinata! Hinata stuttered while playing with her fingers. "I-I recognize h-his chakra anywhere."
"You're a sensor-nin, too?" And Hinata panicked and looked down at her feet when I faced her direction. "Wait. Tangent. Will you all stop? I paid off Zabuza to stop his assassination job."
I felt a little breeze as everyone was silent for a good moment.
"You did what?" Ugh. I scrunched up my nose from the smell of alcohol that came from an old man surrounded by my past classmates.
"You're no longer my target." Zabuza let out a chuckle while making a hand sign. I felt the chakra and watched as the chakra in the air disappeared. Oh, some returned to Zabuza. Never knew jutsu could do that. "Kinda glad as Gato was sketchy as shit. Probably can earn more from this Naruto fellow with just seeing the down payment."
"Wait… That's really you, Naruto?!" Kiba gasped out after sniffing the air.
"It seems Naruto has had quite a metamorphosis… Almost like a caterpillar to a butterfly." Ah… Shit, can't remember his name, but I recognized the sunglasses and coat of one of my creepier classmates. A chill dude… But I can freaking see insects throughout his coat and body. That made me shutter.
"As if. Naruto is our age. Not an adult." Choji huffed with a glare at me. "Worse, he would be in big trouble with-"
"That is the real Naruto."
"Old Man, you didn't have to come." I slumped while seeing Old Man Hokage with the sunglasses-wearing Jonin and the otter mask ANBU. "I had everything under control." I dropped the shocked mini-clone to face the Old Man.
"I am safe to assume Might Gai's injuries and his two downed students are your doing?" I gave a meek smile at the Old Man. "That defense of yours is impressive."
"Yeah. Tate-chan is awesome." I focused on my mana. "I am the Shield Hero. I order thee. Decipher the laws of nature and heal them. Faust Heal." I cast a healing spell on who I guess was Might Gai. I made sure his bone healed fully before letting go of my focus.
"Huh?" Gai moved his healed leg before hopping on it. "What the?! Amazing! It's like it never broke!"
"Healing magic is awesome even with its drawbacks." I chuckled before feeling the blood on my face drain with Zabuza putting his arm over my shoulder. "Ah, do you mind? Personal space."
"Nope. Let's make a deal. I help you with your war and you help me with my war." I snapped my eyes open in shock and instantly regretted it.
'Don't puke. Don't puke. Don't puke.' I chanted, closing my eyes to make the world stop being overexposed to my brain.
"The only reason I've been scrounging up funds is to challenge that Kirikage again to take down that tyrant. Having a medic-nin like yourself would change things."
"Don't act so familiar with Master Naruto!" Matthew pointed his staff at Zabuza. His face was red with anger which made his light color hair and ears more noticeable.
"Chill, Matthew." I sighed while removing Zabuza's arm from around my shoulder. "We will see about that deal after we survive my war first considering it's fighting a world's prophesied end."
"Prophesied end?" Zabuza snorted.
"Don't scuff at it. It is like constantly fighting a stream of enemies coming from everywhere at once is the best to describe it."
"Sounds like my kind of fighting." Oh, great. Zabuza was a battle nut.
"Good. Then you will be earning a good salary doing what you love." I sighed while offering a hand to Gai's student. "Sorry for the bash. I didn't think it would knock the wind out of ya."
"You… mimicked the Gentle Fist." The Konoha ninja, Neji I think his comrade called him, just stared at me dumbfounded.
"More I just pushed a lot of mana into your chest to mess with your chakra you were building." I scratched the back of my head with my free hand. "Even though you use mana to make chakra, it doesn't like mixing." A fun experiment I pulled with Iruka-sensei with our clones to see how mana worked with chakra. Hence making my Tate Bash as the mana blast from Tate easily dispelled Iruka-sensei's and my chakra clones. Still, tried the Shadow Clone Jutsu with mana… Only to produce results like back at the academy right now… But cool to know my Tate Bash could stop jutsu before it could be used!
"Mana?" Neji asked as he took my hand and I pulled him up to his feet.
"The mental energy part of chakra is called mana here," I explained. "You use mana to cast magic spells like Faust Heal I used on him." I pointed at Might Gai who flashed a grin with a thumbs up.
… Awkward.
"I see… So that was the odd chakra I was seeing you use." Neji smirked at me. "Thank you for humbling me by showing there are those who can counter the Gentle Fist Techniques that the main branch cherishes so much."
"Huh?" I raised a brow at Neji, somewhat confused.
"Lord Hokage, why are you here?" The Jonin kunoichi asked while nodding to the Old Man. "We were on a mission and suddenly found ourselves with each other here in this forest."
"Sadly, the situation is far more complex." The Old Man huffed out before taking a puff from his pipe. "We have ended up trapped in another world due to an accident with time-space jutsu."
"You gotta be kidding, Lord Hokage," The Konoha ninja snorted. "Seriously, what kind of nonsense is-"
"It's not nonsense." I coldly stated. "If I never had stolen the Forbidden Scroll, none of this would have happened."
"Forbidden… Wait, you are a bandit and stole from Leaf?" I gave a spur expression at Zabuza.
"No. Just a kid wanting to become a Genin." I sensed where the caravan was and sighed. "Seriously? I told Raphtalia to take everyone around."
"Sorry. I asked them to hold their ground while recognizing everyone's chakra." The Old Man meekly apologized to me. "Though, are you alright? Why do you have your eyes closed?"
"Right now, trying to prevent a massive headache." And not hurl. Tired of puking and nasty shit in my mouth. "I need to get my eyes checked when we get to Castle Town."
"Why not have-"
"I have someone I trust more right now." The Old Man frowned at me… And thankfully left it be. "Well, Let's get back on the road. We still have a ways to Lute Village. Thankfully Hickwall-Sensei has gotten quite a few carriages, so I think we can add you guys into the carriages with no problem."
"Finally, I was beginning to wonder if we would be walking forever." Shikamaru groaned while stretching. "When you get rich, Naruto?"
"I haven't. Just like Zabuza here, I have been building contacts and funds. I just rather do it the non-missing-nin way."
"Interesting. What do you mean by that?"
"Well, you see…" I'm amazed Zabuza listened to the recount of my group's various income streams. It helped me feel a little better with my bluff. Seems we will be making quite a good business partnership… If I can keep Sakura and Ino from bickering over Sasuke. For a guy without brows, it was way too easy to read his expression of annoyance at the girls.
"Ah! Sir Shield-No, My lord, what brings you to our village!" Lute's governor greeted me as I jumped out of the driver's seat. Seems the Queen's decree even reached small villages like Lute.
"Sorry. But I have to ask a favor." I motioned to the other carriages as they came to a stop before the village's destroyed gates. "Is it alright if these wave refugees settle a camp here?"
"It is no problem at all!" The governor smiled. "We need more hands with trying to rebuild everyone's homes as some of our villagers have decided to live with their families elsewhere."
"Good. Bonus, several of them are farmers and can help with restoring ya fields," I nursed my forehead and closed my eyes. The oversensory thing was hitting me again.
"Are you alright, my lord?"
"Yes, yes! Just-"
"Seems you are pushing yourself too hard." Oh! Doc walked up to us. "You look like a Filolial dragged you through the stables."
"Feels like my head been that way," I grunted as Doc forced me to open one of my eyes. "Could of warned me."
"Boy… Are you going blind?" Doc asked with a shocked tone.
"No. Opposite… It's like my sight has become too clear and crisp… And my vision expands further than I think it should." I freed myself from Doc's hand and closed my eye. "Why ya say that?"
"Your pupils are almost white along with your eyes. Pale greenish blue if I do say so."
"... Wait… What?" I just faced Doc with a confused grin. "What do you-"
"It seems eating some of that ten-tail's clone has given you a mutation in your eyes." I snapped my lips shut with Father's words. "It's not like the Old Man's eyes… Nor his brother's… Something in between…. At least it's not that accursed Uchiha's Sharingan."
'I don't have time for freaky eyes!' I yelled in my head as Doc took another forceful look at my eyes.
"I think I can make some medicine to ease the symptoms." Doc sighed as he let go of my eyelids. "I owe you for saving my family members from the Princess's scheme."
"Ah… You heard about that." I was hoping that didn't spread… Oh, right. "Can you look at someone for me?"
"Sure. I came on business to get some herbs that grow around here, so I don't mind giving someone a check-up."
"Good. Cause I'm stumped." I led Doc to Filo's carriage and helped him up to see the unconscious Kakashi. Tsunade and Shizune raised a brow at us but stayed quiet.
Sakura, not so much.
"Who is that?" Sakura sounded ready to claw me like a cat.
"Doc. He helped me learn how to make medicine." I sighed at the glares from Sasuke and Sakura. "He's more experienced with illnesses and much of this world. Hence asking him to look at your sensei."
"A good idea," Tsunade smirked at me. "I didn't think of this place being a different world."
"I can't see it, but I think your foreign friend is suffering from a curse."
"A curse? Like in slave crests?" I asked with a bit of shock. I felt the heat from Sasuke and Sakura's glares.
"Though those are a type of curse, not that kind of curse. Though, this is the first time I've seen one without clear markings… Not that I can see much with his clothes on."
"Markings… Like in black botches?" I asked.
"Yes. Usually, a curse would have dark bruises or botches on the skin affected by the curse."
"I see them sometimes. They appear all over his body."
"A strong curse, then." Doc nodded with a grim expression. "The only cure for such curses is strong Holy Water from a large church."
"Like the Three Heroes Church." I groaned.
"So you share the spite we pharmacists and other medicine makers have against the arrogance of the church." Doc snorted with a smirk. "However, I got some normal quality Holy Water on me. We can at least do first aid on him."
"Wait. I might be able to fully treat him with that." Doc raised a brow at me. I held up Tate and he nodded with understanding.
"That's a handy shield you got there if you can use normal Holy Water on powerful curses." Doc chuckled. "Let's take him to my family's place. I left my supplies with them to not worry about monsters destroying them."
"Alright. Let's get this over with."
"What are you doing to Kakashi-sensei?!" Sakura screamed as I picked up her sensei.
"Taking him for treatment, from the sounds of it." Ah, the Sasuke clone finally spoke up.
"Shut it, Sai! I meant why is he carrying him when he could use a stretcher or something like that!"
"She has a point." Tsunade laughed at me. "But I guess they don't have something like that?"
"They do, but don't think they have any to spare at the moment." I meekly smile back at Sakura. "Plus, even though the area has been cleaned up, the terrain is still a little worse for wear from the damage the Wave's monsters caused, so carrying him like this will be easier." I hopped out of the carriage and blinked at seeing Ino and some of my other classmates there along with Might Gai's students.
"Huh?! Naruto? What are you doing to that man?" Ino's voice grated my brain. Seemed my ears were still sensitive from the Nue fight.
"Taking him to get treatment." I saw Tsunade and Shizune followed along with Sasuke, Sai, and Sakura. "Is there something you need from me?"
"I don't trust you being Naruto." Ino crossed her arms with a pout on her face. "You must be that brat's father!"
"It r-really is N-Naruto." Hinata weakly piped up.
"But how did he get so old in only roughly three months?!"
"Not dealing with this, right now." I groaned while following Doc once he got out of the carriage.
"My guess, are demi-humans like yourself are rare where these foreigners come from?" Doc looked back as the large group followed us.
"Sort of. My situation is a bit more…complicated." I huffed, a bit thankful the farm Doc led me to was a Filo farm I recognized that sold me beans for Filo and Lial.
"The Shield Hero?!" The farmer gasped in shock and quickly dropped what he was doing to open the door to his home. "You can put him on my bed. Grandfather, what might you need for treatment?"
"I need the two vials of Holy Water from my medicine bag. My pupil here will be treating him."
"Wait, pupil?" I raised a brow at Doc.
"You have gotten quite a name going for yourself that the Pharmacist Guild has been hounding on finding out about our traveling Saint of the Heavenly Beast. I had a sneaking suspicion it was you, so made things easier for you." Doc reached into his pocket and handed me a plate. "You just need to give the guild your information, but I got you registered at the Pharmacist Guild as my student."
"Really?" What was with me and getting sensei?!
"Yes. More to make things easy for you as I heard the Crown was cracking down on medicine makers who aren't registered with the guilds."
"Probably due to me." Crap. I didn't think that ass of a King would try to stop my business.
"Well, more the King is kicking himself as the commoners are the ones suffering with the crackdown. The Churches can only handle so much with healing magic and they charge for it through donations." Doc sighed before looking at the group. "Ah… Can we get some privacy?"
"Sorry. Can ya'll wait outside?" I turned to the group while putting away the plate.
"No! I don't trust whatever treatment you are about to give Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura growled but jumped when Tsunade put her hand on her shoulder. "Tell him to stop!"
"No. Because it seems Doc and Naruto have an idea of what they are dealing with." Tsunade sighed, "But what was that Doc gave you?"
"My plate for being part of the Pharmacist Guild. I might see if I can get Shizune and you in the guild along with other healers in the group due to an issue arising with the Crown." I sighed as the group crowded outside the bedroom. "But seriously, can ya'll not invade these people's home?"
"I wanna see you heal someone." Kiba barked out with his puppy Akamaru. "Are you now a medic-nin? That's so far from the prankster I know."
"If it really is Naruto," Ino huffed.
"Yeah. You must be the brute's father pretending to be his son!" Chouji joined in with Ino's glaring. Oh, the irony. My dear Father was locked away in my stomach.
"Plus, how can we trust someone who stole from the Hokage to heal our sensei?" I flinched at Sasuke's words.
"Yeah! Sasuke-kun is right! You could poison him instead!"
"You said you had two vials of Holy Water?" Doc looked at me oddly as his grandson came in with the vials. They were in elegant-looking glass that gave them a slightly holy feel for the ordinary-looking water inside it.
"Yes… One will be used for bandages for first aid…"
"Let's see if my idea will work."
"Sure. Are you doing to-What are you doing?!" I took off my mantle and chest plate.
"Proving the treatment will work." I took off my undershirt and Doc went wide-eyed at my chest. I turned to the group while taking a vial from Doc's grandson. "Doc says this Kakashi guy is suffering from a curse. I happen to have a Monster Crest on my chest which is a curse used for controlling monsters. A high-quality one at that. If this removes the Monster Crest, it should be enough to treat the curse on Kakashi."
"Curse?" Sasuke scoffed. "What tattoo on your chest has to do with the coma Kakashi is in?"
"You have a brand on you." Tsunade frowned while my classmates and Gai's students whispered to each other. "You say that so-called Holy Water can remove such brands?"
"Yeah. Though it's rare stuff and controlled by the churches." I huffed while activating Potion Efficacy Up. I gritted my teeth as I poured the Holy Water over the Monster Crest. I glowed and the pain I expected was not…
It was much worse. I collapsed to the ground and curled into my chest with the pain spreading throughout my body.
I heard shouts, but the bings got my attention as I tried to look at my status.
Monster Crest Curse removed.
Curse of Hatred removed.
Curse of the Otsutsuki removed.
What the? I understood the Monster Crest… But what was this Curse of Hatred and Curse of the Otsutsuki? I looked over my body and saw black veins and spots sizzle off my skin like sizzling water evaporating off a hot skillet.
… And my vision swayed as it expanded once again… And it stayed even as the pain from the lifting of the curses began to dull. My head felt like it was full of cotton and pain. I finally focused on my expanded vision to see everyone around me with concern.
"I'm okay," I grunted out as I tried to get up. I swayed and Doc steadied me. "I think… my idea works, but a bit too… potent?" Why were some of my classmates looking at me with horror?
"Naruto… Your eyes…" Sakura had tears in her eyes as she covered her mouth.
"What's with my eyes?" Oh, wait…They kept going that light blue color as Doc said. "I'm not blind. Just some weird thing happening to my eyes." And the expanded vision wasn't turning off. I could see Doc's granddaughter-in-law rushing over from the kitchen to see what was going on.
"Wait… Naruto, you have the Byakugan?!" Kiba gasped out in shock.
"The what?" I glared at him and instantly felt my veins bulge around my eyes and my vision zoomed past the group and building walls.
Oh. Good. It seems Iruka-sensei was helping the Hokage and Governor to work out a deal from the look of it. Though Iruka-sensei was panicking… Likely due to dissolving the Monster Crest,
Wait. Tangent.
What was a Byakugan? Sounded something familiar.
"Naruto… You never paid attention in class." Sasuke huffed with an odd smirk. "The Byakugan is one of Konoha's treasured bloodlines since the Uchiha were…"
"Bloodline?"
"It's not the Byakugan, but similar." Tsunade held up my undershirt to me. "The Uzumaki clan were said to be close relatives to the Hyuuga. It seems you gained a bloodline trait no one knew the Uzumaki clan held."
"Bloodline trait?" Right… I was a Uzumaki like my mother, even though I took on traits from my human father.
"A kekkei genkai, idiot." Sakura's tears dried up. "A dojutsu from the looks of it. Why put on a front like that to make us worry!"
"I was not expecting it to hurt that bad," I honestly confessed.
"That Monster Crest must have been deeply ingrained in your body for that to be the case," Doc said with a deep frown. "Who put that on you?"
"I did it to myself. Iruka-sensei and I both got crests so we could prevent Shadows from disguising as us against the other." Doc nodded with an interested look. "I'll get it reapplied at Beloukas' place once I get everyone settled here."
But… What was the Curse of Hatred and Curse of the Otsutsuki? Neither sounded like a technique someone could use… Unless it was forbidden? I might ask the Old Man to let me look at the scroll to see if it came from that.
"You… That medicine removes curse brands?" Huh. Neji spoke up with a very serious expression… Wait, his eyes were the pale white of Hinata's… Were they related?
"Yeah. Now will you let me treat your sensei?" I gave a strained smile at Sasuke, Sai, and Sakura as I put on my undershirt.
"Seems you were right." Sasuke gritted his teeth while crossing his arms. "Go ahead, dope. Heal Kakashi."
"Wait!" Neji pushed through as I got the second vial of Holy Water. "Why are you using that blessed medicine for a coma?"
"He's suffering from a curse." I shuttered while looking at Kakashi. I could see the black splotches and veins all over his body. "This is the best bet to treat him."
"Neji… Um… Naruto-kun… I-Is it p-possible to buy more?" Neji looked shocked at Hinata.
"Yeah. Though, not with me." I sighed, "I'm not exactly the best person to ask to buy something from the Church." I turned to Kakashi. "Now, how to best apply this as-"
"Wait!" I held the vial up even as my back seemingly twitched in cramps from a palm strike from Neji. "I'll pay you for that medicine!"
"Stop! Naruto has to heal Kakashi!"
"Guys! Stop!" I gritted as I forced my stunned back muscles to move. I turned around to find Neji and Sasuke grappling with each other. "What is this all ABOUT?!" I gasped out as the duo slammed into me when they tried to trip each other.
Splash!
"Aaagh!" I paled as Sasuke and Neji collapsed on the ground. I looked up to see the top of the vial and the contents gone.
"Naruto!? What did you do?!" Sakura screamed as she rushed over to Sasuke. Hinata and Neji's teammates rushed over to Neji.
"Nothing." Wrong. Potion Efficacy Up must have taken off curses on both guys. 'But what curse do Sasuke and Neji have?'
"Sasuke-kun?! Are you alright?" Ino rushed over while Tsunade and Shizune tried to get through the small crowd to look at Sasuke and Neji.
"Agh… My eyes…" Sasuke growled as he tried to get on his feet. "Dope, what did you do?" Sasuke glared at me with…
I picked up my chest plate and buffed it shiny with my undershirt. I held it up for Sasuke to see his reflection.
"What?" Sasuke gasped at seeing his eyes was a muted pink with odd tomoes around the pupil. One tomoe in his right eye and two in his left eye. "My Sharingan?"
"Is… it gone?" Neji took off his headband with his eyes closed.
"What's gone?" Lee asked in confusion, but Hinata burst into tears. "Huh? Why are you-"
"Yes. I-It gone. The b-brand is gone." Hinata whispered out, but I heard her croaky words before she straightened up and bowed before me. "Please don't punish Neji-san! I'll t-take responsibility for the medicine!"
"Wait… Lady Hinata?" Neji asked in confusion when he saw Hinata bowing before me.
"I… really don't get what's going on here." I sighed while looking at the now empty vial. "It was an accident." Why would I punish these two guys fighting without knowing why they were fighting for Holy Water? Well, Kakashi for Sasuke, but why did Neji want the water?
Still… If my Potion Efficacy worked that well… Maybe buying good quality Holy Water would prevent the pain my process does with normal quality Holy Water.
'I think we can spare a few gold coins if the Three Heroes Church tries to scam me.' I let out a huff while thinking of my other options… Which were none… Unless.
"Hey, Doc, you said you came here to gather ingredients?" I turned to Doc.
"Yes. Why you-"
"Grandfather, what is going on?" Ah, there's Doc's grandaughter-in-law.
"Do you happen to have a cauldron, ma'am?" The woman was surprised by me.
"Y-Yes. Sir Shield Hero! How may I help you in my home?"
"Are you using your cauldron?"
"No. It's not our turn… Oh, I'm just rattling. Let me show you the kitchen."
"What are you doing, Naruto? " Tsunade asked as she followed me into the kitchen. Doc and the others also followed with confused expressions. I looked through my recipes in my status magic. Specifically, the alchemy recipes.
"Hey, Doc, you got any Cordata and Tonmin?" Cordata was a plant that had antidote properties while Tonmin was a bitter root that I found to recover SP and was the main ingredient in Soul-Healing Water. Hopefully, those two plants will work in place of the plants mentioned in the recipe for the item called Cure Jar.
"Plenty. High quality?"
"Of course." I took the small cauldron from the cabinet the lady of the house had and put it on the cooking fire. I needed a liquid as well… What were those words again?
"Drops of Life," I muttered under my breath and large droplets of liquid formed in the air between my hands and landed in the large pot.
"Boy, what magic is that?" Doc asked as he brought me the plants. I took them and held them over the pot. I threw them slightly up before making a sphere of wind mana that turned the leaves and roots into powder that I dropped into the liquid. I put my hand on the cauldron and focused mana into it. The mana spread to the inside walls of the cauldron and I put the lid on top. With my weird vision, I could see the mixture clearly and used my mana to thoroughly mix the three ingredients.
Oh, dear. I tensed as the whole mixture glowed bright white before a large pop made the lid jump and made my head hurt from the flash of light.
"What did you do, Naruto?!" Sakura did not help my growing headache. Still, steam drifted up from the openings between the displaced lid and the cauldron.
"Doing alchemy," I sighed while taking the lid off the cauldron. "Likely a… failure?"
Success! Cure Jars created!
Cure Jar quality improved from 30 to 60!
Cure Jar: Neutralizes poisons and effects on and within the body; Quality 60; Element: Earth; Effects: Cures anomalies; Ether Effects: MGK+, RES+
I felt my eyes twitch as the notification disappeared… And in the cauldron were six round glass vials with pink liquid sealed inside with a cork stopper. "... Doc, are you pulling my leg?"
"What cha… Did… you make a potion?" Doc looked in the cauldron. "How did you already have the potion in the bottles?"
"That's what I am wondering." Doc and I exchanged worried looks. "Is this supposed to happen with ancient alchemy?"
"Ancient alchemy?!" Doc recoiled from me. "Boy, did you just create the legendary medicines of old right before me?!"
"They are Cure Jars." I picked up the vials with a skeptical look. "Hopefully they work on curses. All it tells me it can do is cure anomalies."
"Of course, it can heal curses! It is on par with the medicine of miracles, the Elixir of Yggdrasil! That medicine is really hard for even the most proficient medicine makers."
"Really?" I looked at the vials. "But this was easy to make?"
"Boy, are you-Right, you're the legendary Shield Hero… Your shield helped you, didn't it?"
"Yeah… But it was still easy to make these Cure Jars."
"If so, teach me."
Eh?
"What?!" I did a double-take at Doc.
"I'll teach you all I can in poisons and medicines and you do the vise versa in alchemy. The Cure Jars alone will help take the Churches tight hold on restorative magic and Holy Water."
"Sure. Anything to better do my job as a medic-nin!" I chirped as we all returned to the bedroom. I positioned myself to hide Kakashi's face as I opened one of the Cure Jars.
"Drink up." I activated Potion Efficacy Up and Kakashi glowed as the medicine crossed over his lips. His eyes shot open and he was in pure agony as I forced him to gulp down the Cure Jar.
"B-Bitter." Kakashi groaned as I saw the black lighten on his body.
"Sorry, but good medicine is bitter." It took three more Cure Jars for the icky black to disappear from his body. I pulled his mask back up and he gave me a weak nod in gratitude. "How ya feeling?"
"Like I've been Leaf Hurricane several times over." I helped Kakashi sit up.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura rushed over, surprising Kakashi.
"So we made it back." Kakashi's exposed eye softened when seeing Sakura.
"No. We are not in Konoha." Kakashi turned to me as I crossed my arms. "You are lucky to be alive after going against what I said."
"Wait… How is my Genin team here?" Kakashi asked with fear creeping up around his only exposed eye.
"I told you something bad would happen. Your team isn't the only one who got dragged into this world." I noticed the odd looks of my classmates and Team Gai. "I'll let the Old Man know you are awake. Don't worry about anyone blaming you. I already took the blame since this wouldn't have happened if I hadn't stolen the Forbidden Scroll." I walked past the group after getting my mantle and chest plate.
It didn't take me long to find the Old Man. He was having tea with the Governor and a worried Iruka-sensei, Raphtalia, and Matthew.
"Naruto, your-"
"Had to prove something to treat Kakashi," The Old Man nodded in understanding. "I plan to get it reapplied when we get back to Castle Town."
"Iruka told me of your crest," The Old Man frowned at me. "Are you sure that is safe with… well…"
"I had it put on in case I ever end up like… that." I held my tongue. No way the Old Man and Iruka-sensei needed to know the Fox was Father. "Tate-Chan prevents me from using these powers for anything offensive. Instead, I can only protect and heal with that chakra."
"Can you heal with the Fox's chakra?" The Old Man Hokage was shocked as I nodded. "Amazing… I never thought such a creature of malignant nature could have such powers with its chakra."
"The Tailed Beasts are not… malignant in nature." I sighed, getting shocked reactions from both my sensei and the Hokage. "Bitter and filled with hatred, yes… But even… the Fox has standards, Old Man. It is for that reason Kurama respects my choices even with using its chakra for just healing and protecting. Though I also respect the Fox's hatred towards me for being its prison and not wanting to talk about its past with me... Even if we are the same."
"So you can speak with it." The Old Man Hokage sighed out smoke from his pipe. "Did it tell you of the other Human Sacrifices before you?"
"What?" Iruka-sensei looked horrified at the Hokage.
"Yes. That my mother was its last host." I kept my voice steady. "I guess my mother was a village secret, hence why you couldn't tell me anything about my parents?"
"Sadly, yes." The Old Man Hokage slumped his shoulders. "We never could find out how someone took advantage of using your birth to unleash the Fox on Konoha. I am thankful you look like your father as it made it easier to hide you in plain sight from potential kidnappers. Only an Uzumaki can handle being the container of the seal of the Nine-Tailed Fox."
"So… Naruto isn't the Fox?" Iruka-sensei looked paled. "But… He aged with his levels like a Demi-human."
"I am not surprised by that." The Hokage pointed at me. "Those whiskers were on Naruto before the Fox was sealed into him. It is likely a side effect from being born from a Human Sacrifice of the Nine-Tailed Fox."
'More due to Father being my dad.' I added in my head, trying to control my anger. "Who was my father?" I asked, expecting nothing.
"The Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato."
"…" I went wide-eyed at the Old Man. No way… There was no way my father was…
"It is, Kit," Father spoke in my head. "I would eat that bastard alive if he hadn't sacrificed his soul to seal half of me inside him and the Shinigami took his soul and mine with it."
"Hence why I did all I could to hide your heritage by making you seem like an orphan given a clan name." The Old Man got a look of pity from the Governor as he sounded regretful. "I had to keep myself away due to my title as Hokage as well as others from you to prevent your parents' enemies from finding you. It was too much of a risk with you being the last pure-blooded Uzumaki left in Konoha. It often made me sad seeing how much of a nuisance you became to the village… All because I was too scared to lose you. I was gonna tell you all about your parents when you became a Chunin and could protect yourself from the threats outside of Konoha… But I guess that isn't in the cards, huh, Naruto."
"Old Man… Thank you for being honest." I gripped my fists tightly. "So… Even if we do return to Konoha…"
"I have a sinking suspicion on who my replacement will be once Konoha realizes Tsunade and Jiraiya have disappeared." The Old Man put his hands together and rested his chin on them. "Danzo will likely put you as a kill on-site order of the highest priority. If not being stuck in this world…"
"I would be as good as dead." I relaxed my fists as I let out a deep sigh. "Then I better get a hella good as a medic-nin and shielder… If we can ever return to our world."
"That's right… I never thought about the position you heroes are in being summoned from another world." The Governor said with sadness in his tone. "To have your fellow people from your world now stuck in this situation of the Waves of Destruction… I will do everything I can to help Lord Hiruzen and the others with both settling here and surviving."
"Good to hear. I don't think the King would even believe me if I tried to tell him." I looked at Raphtalia and Matthew. "However, we best head to Castle Town and get that crest back on me. I also need to stop by the Pharmacist Guild and fully register as Doc's pupil before the King realizes I am part of the guild."
"Ah, that is a good point." The Governor went wide-eyed. "We barely managed to scrape enough funds to get our local healer his guild membership. Still, we would have lost a lot of people if you hadn't been here to heal our injured after the Wave. Some are very grateful you saved their livelihoods, too."
"Really? That's good." I smiled at the Governor. I was just glad to hear my healing didn't leave anyone disabled. "Though, Old Man, you need anything from Castle Town?"
"Not that I know of with being clueless of this world." The Old Man groaned. "I am just glad we had some of our volunteer firefighters brought to this world. Their water jutsu expertise will be a great help to Lute Village as they are dealing with contamination of their water source from the Wave. They should be able to find a new after source as it seems this area used to be volcanic like our home in the past."
"The cave near here has a natural spring."
"We are currently using it, but it is a hassle to move it from the cave to here." The Governor chuckled at me. "But from the sound of it, we might be able to find hot springs from what Lord Hiruzen explained to me through your fighter. That could be a big boon to this poor village!"
"That's wonderful news!" I clapped my hands together in delight. "Well, let's get on the road, everyone. I'd rather get in and out of Castle Town before they realize I was there."
"Naruto, what got you so wound up?" The Old Man raised a brow at me.
Oh, right.
"I rather not talk about it." I regretted my new sight as I face-palmed my forehead. "Can't I catch a break?"
"Master Naruto, what is-"
"Where is he?!" Yep. My nearly 360 vision didn't lie to me. Motoyasu stormed through the village right up to the Governor's house. He spotted me and turned livid. "There you are, you bastard! How dare you show your face here!" He pointed his spear to my back. "How dare you steal from the knights?! Especially after they-"
"Woah!" I spun around and lashed my hand out next to Motoyasu's head.
"What are-" I caught an arrow before it could fly into either the Governor or Old Man. It did scratch Motoyasu's cheek, surprising the clown.
"Motoyasu! Stop right this minute!" I glared at the Bow Hero and Sword Hero. "You have no right to be pointing your spear at the Shield Hero!"
"But he does." Malty chirped as Motoyasu's party caught up with him. "The Shield Hero is a thief and a liar."
"More the King is!" Itsuki growled at Malty. "How dare he claim Naruto as a murderer! He is the one who lost an ally!"
"Yeah. If not for our party members, we would have never known what the King has publically told everyone." Ren sounded sour as he shook his head. "What lies have the King spewed at you now, Motoyasu?"
"He stole a monster carcass from the knights who slain-"
"If they are talking about the mini-Wave that hit, I did not kill it all by myself. I had help from fellow adventurers. I only had a seal master seal the boss away without wanting it to rot like you left the Chimera." All three heroes look at me with shock. "Which… Itsuki… Check before you shoot." Itsuki turned pink as I pointed at the group behind me.
"However… With us all here… Wanna have a meeting about our jobs as the Four Cardinal Heroes, no?" I gave my best customer service smile… Why did those three pale at the sight of it? Sure, I am a hella mad… But my hatred and anger meant nothing when it came to my job as Shield Hero.