Chapter 11: Monster
Tazuna stood, paralyzed with fear at what just occurred. He knew something was off with this boy, but he had never expected him to be this chaotic and cold blooded. As Naruto walks back over to the group, the tension rises. "W… What… What the… The fuck was that?" Tazuna managed to stammer out. Naruto looks at him with his cold and lifeless eyes, almost as if he was piercing through Tazuna's soul.
"I killed him before he killed me." Naruto states. He then crosses his arms and quietly waits for Kakashi to finish up with the hopes of being allowed to finish the man off. 'Stupid Kakashi… That was my kill… I wanted to kill him…' Naruto silently thought to himself.
"Naruto, what was that jutsu you used on that guy? His entire face and skin, along with the bones were melted." Sasuke declares.
"The chakra of the nine tails is more than 3000 degrees." Naruto states.
"Then how does it not burn you? Also, if it's 3000 degrees, how come the ground isn't melting either?" Sasuke asked. His curiosity was getting the better of him while part of him felt as if Naruto was just making up answers to satisfy him.
"I don't know… I don't really care. All that matters is I'm allowed to use Kyuubi's chakra to kill others before they kill me." Naruto explains.
Sasuke scowls at Naruto as he grabs his shirt. "You think you're all that, don't you? Well, let me tell you this. Without the fox, you are worthless! You have no skills of your own and always rely on borrowed powers!" Sasuke exclaims.
"It doesn't matter. As I previously said, all that matters is that I'm able to kill before being killed." Naruto says.
"How can you be so empty? Don't you have a damn soul? Don't you feel anything?" Sasuke asked.
"No." Naruto responds with. This seemed to further tick the male Uchiha off as he went to grab Naruto's shirt, gritting his teeth. Naruto looks at Sasuke with an unimpressed gaze. "I suggest you let me go… Unless you want to join your mother and father in the afterlife." Naruto warned. Sasuke's unyielding rage grew, and he was about to strike Naruto in the face, only to be stopped by Madara's stern tone.
"Enough! I've had it up to here with this nonsense!" Madara exclaims. Naruto smirks at Madara, feeling the sensation of her killing intent. She narrows her eyes at Naruto, seeing that he wasn't being affected, which wasn't exactly a surprise to her. "We're on a mission. Knock it off." Madara says. That's when Kakashi casually walks up to explain the situation.
"Alright, listen up. It seems there were some details that Mr. Tazuna left out. Right now, he's the target of a businessman by the name of Gato. I'll get straight to the point. Gato has hired assassins to eliminate Tazuna, which means we'll be dealing with more than just thugs and bandits. I have a feeling that the next person Gato sends out won't be a Chunin, but a Jonin. So, I'll need you three to start taking things a little bit more seriously." Kakashi says in a firm tone.
"Kakashi… The next time you stop me from killing my prey, I'll kill you, remember that." Naruto warned. Unlike before, Naruto's expression shifted to one that was much darker than usual, almost as if his blood was boiling.
"Killing for the sake of killing is wrong, Naruto. You're a shinobi, not a machine." Kakashi shot back, only for Naruto to chuckle.
"Killing for the sake of killing is wrong you say? Haha… I seem to recall being wrapped up in a set of chains, ready to rip me to shreds without any hesitation. I'd say that's grounds for killing, don't you think?" Naruto asked. Kakashi's gaze softened as he looked at Naruto.
"Let's just go. But seriously… Things are much different now. This isn't a simple escort mission. We'll all need to be ready to put our lives on the line to protect Tazuna." Kakashi states. Tazuna looked at the silver haired with a hint of remorse. Even after discovering the truth of this mission, the shinobi of Konoha are still here to protect him.
'Perhaps I was wrong about this village… Maybe I shouldn't just let one bad apple ruin the bunch." Tazuna thought to himself while looking over at Naruto. Kakashi gave the order that it was time to move, but for his Genin to stay on guard for anything.
Nighttime fell and Kakashi knew that moving in the dark would only further risk Tazuna's safety. "Alright, let's go ahead and set up camp. I imagine this is the first time you three slept outside of the village. I'll explain the procedure. We will alternate shifts to keep watch over Tazuna and the others. Since there are four of us, we'll each watch for two hours a piece. Sasuke, you'll take the first watch, followed by Madara, and then Naruto. I'll take the last watch. Now, Sasuke, go ahead and see if you can't find us some fish or rabbits." Kakashi ordered. Sasuke scowled. He wasn't some servant to fetch food. However, he decided that it was probably best not to question Kakashi's orders, seeing the shift in the man's demeanor. "Madara, go ahead and get wood for the fire." Kakashi said. Madara nods and begins walking off, leaving the two men and Naruto in the small clearing.
Sasuke stood in front of the river, looking down for any fish that would be swimming. 'There aren't any fish here…' Sasuke thinks to himself as he begins walking alongside the stream. His thoughts begin to drift to his sister, who apparently has the soul of Madara Uchiha. Sasuke started to wonder what caused this and what her intentions were. From the little bit of knowledge he had about Madara, for one, he was supposed to be a man, not a woman. Secondly, Madara was looked at as a war hungry monster, looking to achieve peace through power and domination. This had Sasuke wondering if he could even trust her in the first place. Was she going to betray him? She certainly didn't show any signs of being upset at learning their entire clan was slaughtered. A school of fish began to swim by and swiftly, Sasuke flicked a few kunai, striking them down. While gathering the fish he killed, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if maybe talking to Kakashi about this would make more sense, even if he promised his sister not to say anything.
Sasuke returns back to where everyone was, seeing that Madara had made a fire and was sitting next to Tazuna, across from Naruto. "I found some fish." Sasuke declares and he walks over and starts stabbing them with a stick so they could begin cooking. Naruto's gaze remains locked on the bright fire, his expression still remaining void of any emotion. Sasuke noticed Madara kept stealing a few glances at Naruto, something else that had his concern. She had made it clear that her intention was to use Kyuubi for her own agenda, which she never revealed to him. 'What are you planning, Madara?" Sasuke asked himself, wondering just what his twin sister was capable of.
Tazuna had his gaze on the fire as well, but he soon looked over at Kakashi. "Kakashi, there is something that's been bothering me." Tazuna begins to say.
"What is it, Mr. Tazuna?" Kakashi asked and looked up at the man.
"Why are you still helping me? I clearly lied about the mission and the Land of Waves only got charged for a C rank. How come you didn't just pack up and leave, or return to the village?" Tazuna asked.
Kakashi lets out a deep sigh. "Lord Hokage may be old, but his mind is as sharp as ever. He knew there was more to the story than what was let on. That's why he sent me, Madara, Sasuke, and Naruto on this mission." Kakashi explained.
"B… But why? These are just kids. Well, those two are. I don't know about him." Tazuna states while pointing at Naruto, who didn't' look away from the fire. "I've got a grandson that isn't much younger than they are. Why send these children out of the village when you know there is a chance they may never come back?" Tazuna asked.
"That's the life of a shinobi. We serve our village even at the risk of our own lives. Our mission is to make sure you get home safely and remain there until the bridge is built. All four of us are ready to put our lives on the line for you." Kakashi said. Tazuna frowns. He begins to realize just what kind of village Konoha was and found that the stories of it being filled with the kindest and most loving individuals was more accurate than he initially thought.
"It looks like the rumors of Konoha being the home of angels isn't all that false, now, is it?" Tazuna asked, letting out an amused chuckle. However, everyone around the fire flinched slightly from the small burst of killing intent radiating off of Naruto.
"Home of the angels? Don't make me laugh." Naruto growled. His face hardened as he thought about the people in his home village. "The people of Konoha make me sick." Naruto admitted through gritted teeth.
"I can imagine you'd feel that way, considering how much less civil you are compared to the others." Tazuna pointed out. This only seemed to intensify Naruto's anger as he met Tazuna's gaze with a harsh glare.
"Don't you dare try to act like you understand anything about me." Naruto growled out.
"What the hell is wrong with you, anyway?" Tazuna asked out right, finding some courage to meet the Blond's glare head on. "You act like this wild animal, always looking to kill. You're like some kind of monster. If you ask me, you're just a spoiled brat that blames everyone else for your own problems." Tazuna said.
"Shut up!" Naruto roared as the crimson chakra began to form. "You don't know a damn thing about me, bridge builder! Why the hell should I apologize for being a monster? Nobody apologized for making me this way!" Naruto shouted.
"Easy there, Naruto. Go take a walk and cool off." Kakashi said with a hint of sorrow in his voice. Naruto turned to look at Kakashi, still fuming and seething with rage. But instead of arguing with the man, Naruto stormed off, knocking down trees that stood in his way. "Madara, go keep an eye on him." Kakashi ordered.
Madara looked at her sensei. "Why do you want me to do it? Why not ask Sasuke?" Madara asked defensively.
"Your Sharingan is more developed than Sasuke's. If it comes down to it, you'll have a better chance at calming him down. Besides, just make sure he doesn't hurt anyone or himself." Kakashi says. Madara rolls her eyes and places her hands inside of her pocket while casually walking in Naruto's direction. He then lets out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding. "Sorry about that, Tazuna. Naruto means well, sort of." Kakashi admits.
"Means well? Naruto looks like he was ready to kill all of us." Sasuke points out.
"True, but he didn't, now did he?" Kakashi asked. Sasuke's face shifted into a scowl. "Naruto is one of the most misunderstood members of the hidden leaf. You know, he wasn't always like that." Kakashi says as he gains a distant look in his eye.
"What are you saying, Kakashi? Are you saying that this brat wasn't always like that?" Tazuna asked. Kakashi nods. The three of them remain silent as they sit around the fire, waiting quietly until the fish is done cooking. Deep away in the forest, Naruto continues to vent out his frustrations, destroying anything in sight that could be destroyed.
"Who the fuck does that old man think he is? He doesn't know anything about me! He's just liked the rest of those damn villagers!" Naruto shouts while punching a tree. He immediately turns to face Madara, having both heard her footsteps and smelt her scent. "What do you want?" Naruto asked.
"Kakashi sensei sent me to keep an eye out on you. He wants to make sure there aren't any innocent lives getting killed during this temper tantrum." Madara states as she crosses her arms.
Naruto scowls at her. "I suggest you watch yourself, Madara. I'm not in the mood." Naruto states but Madara remains unaffected. "Get the fuck away from me!" Naruto shouts.
Madara grows a scowl of her own. "Who the hell are you talking to like that? I seem to recall quite vividly that back in the academy, I could kick your ass any day of the week." Madara says. Naruto isn't amused by her taunts, not at all.
"Then bring it on! I'll show you exactly why I'm called a demon." Naruto declares as he charges Madara. Her Sharingan activates and she manages to sidestep Naruto, driving the side of her fist into Naruto's cheek, knocking him to the ground. The blond quickly gets back up and launches himself at her, delivering his own punch to her face.
She wipes the blood from her cheek and smirks at the sadistic Jinchuriki. "Not bad. But if that's all you got, I'm afraid you'll be in for a long night." Madara states. She then flicks a barrage of kunai, which Naruto easily avoids, only to be met by her Wind Style: Great Breakthrough. This sends Naruto crashing into the trees. "Are you done acting up, or do I need to put Konoha's pet fox in timeout?" Madara asked. She was then met by a loud and demonic roar as Naruto charged her while running on all fours. Madara quickly ducks from Naruto's charging assault, and she turns around and punches his back with a chakra enhanced fist. This caused Naruto's spine to crack, though it was quickly healed. 'His healing is something else. I guess being an Uzumaki and the nine tails Jinchuriki isn't something to scoff at.' Madara thinks.
Naruto crosses his two fingers, using his Shadow Clone technique, creating four more copies of himself. The five of them then charge Madara, determined to make her regret that loudmouth of hers. The first clone leaps at her with the intention of sending her into the ground. Madara quickly catches his fist with her left hand, pulling the clone down and dispelling it by using her right fist to punch his face. Two of the other clones try to attack from behind, but Madara quickly turns around and stabs them both in the stomach, with a kunai in each hand. The final clone charges her head on and with only the seal of the tiger, she releases her Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu on it, dispelling the last clone. However, she wasn't prepared for the original to run through the flames, slashing across her chest and drawing a little blood. This had caught her off guard and it made her realize that underestimating Naruto wasn't a good idea.
"Fine, I'll admit it. You aren't as much of a weakling as I thought you were. But don't let it go to your head. You're still nothing compared to me. I can go all night if you want, Uzumaki scum." Madara states, her own sinister grin forming.
On the inside looking out, Kyuubi found this battle to be quite amusing. While nobody else was aware of it, who knew firsthand that this was Madara Uchiha. Though, he didn't understand how her soul entered this girl's body, along with traveling from an alternate universe, one where she was a girl. Whether she was a woman or man, Kyuubi didn't care. She was still Madara Uchiha, the bane of his existence, aside from the damn Fourth Hokage. However, even as prideful as the fox was, he knew that if his host went any further with his chakra without any rest, it could significantly impact his body, even being an Uzumaki. So, Kyuubi began to retract some of the chakra that he leaked out. 'Don't worry, Naruto… Your day will come when it's time to use my power and wipe that Uchiha bitch off the face of the Earth.' Kyuubi thought quietly, though he knew that in the back of Naruto's mind, he could hear his thoughts.
Naruto looks in the direction of Madara as his chakra recedes, his own expression remaining impassive. He then proceeded to walk past her, ignoring her entire existence. Madara remained still with the same impassive expression that Naruto had. After a while, she turned away and began walking towards the group, knowing that it was almost time to turn in. When they got back, Kakashi greeted them both with an eye smile, telling them he saved them some fish. Naruto ignored his sensei and went to sit on a fallen tree that he destroyed earlier and look away from the group. Madara sat down and reluctantly snatched the fish and began chewing, her own thoughts seemed to be focused elsewhere.
"Well, I suppose it's time we turn in. Why don't you take the first shift, Madara? Then Sasuke, and then Naruto, with me being the last." Kakashi says. Madara mumbles, "whatever", to Kakashi and the three begin to head into their tents for the night where tomorrow, they'd have another long day ahead.
Author's Note
I decided to have a small battle between Naruto and Madara. While Naruto didn't have any personal hatred or issues against her, Madara did. She wanted to gauge Naruto's skill, figuring that he was angry enough to fight her. Since in the cannon storyline, we aren't exactly shown team 7 and Tazuna resting for a night and we know that it took longer than a day to get to Wave Country, I figured it would be neat to add to the story.
Even though I've been determined to make Naruto a sociopath and a sadistic killer that loves to kill. I also wanted to add a moment that showed his human side, by him declaring that he was only like this because of things outside of his control. This felt like an interesting moment that could be expanded on more throughout the Land of Waves Arc and during the first part of Naruto.
As for Naruto's explanation on how hot his chakra was, I went on google and found out that bones melt at 3000 degrees, somewhere along those lines. It isn't going to be a reoccurring thing, it was more so for theatrics, really. I hope you all are really enjoying this, and I plan on doing more with Naruto than to have him rely only on Kyuubi's chakra. Thanks again for all the support and constructive criticism, and I'll see you guys tomorrow with the next chapter.