KG: ...I really want some cheesecake. Someone give me cheesecake!
Music of the Week: A Call To Arms by Tirion Fordring
Quote: "The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward." by Steve Maraboli
Yura frowned as she stared out into the frozen wasteland. Once again, the storm had grown too ferocious for her and her lover to withstand. Though she felt warm in his embrace, there was a tense atmosphere settled into the cave where they'd made their home. The events that came about over the last few days seemed so prevalent in her mind. When she glanced at Naruto, the look in his eyes almost scared her. He seemed to be trembling, even though she knew it wasn't from the cold.
"Nii-sama…" Yura thought as she touched his cold fingers with her own. Climbing the mountain was a lot harder than the young Uzumaki thought it would be. She had no idea how her cousin did it. It was grueling, unforgiving, and merciless. Not only had the wind threatened to blow her off, but the grooves in the mountain made were so cold that it felt like thousands of ice needles were puncturing her skin. Don't even let her begin on her chakra. That had long since drained away to its bare minimum.
Yet, that wasn't her concern. Her concern was Naruto. While they climbed, Yura followed after him. She saw just how much he struggled and how in pain he was. He'd often talk to himself in ways that made her worried. Unfortunately, she couldn't climb faster to reach him. She realized that perhaps she hadn't trained in her physical capabilities enough.
She could only watch as even he nearly fell, screaming his name as he slid back down. She winced when he dug his heels into the rock and pulled himself up. This… this had to be the craziest thing her cousin had ever thought of.
Of course, the craziness didn't stop there. Yura didn't understand how, but she saw Pakura, one of Naruto's powerful summons, standing on one of the floor ledges of the mountain. She held out her hand to Naruto. Yura thought he might take her offer for help. In fact, it was basically a non-factor. He would. She knew he would. There was no way in the world that he wouldn't.
…and yet, that was exactly what he did. Yura lay stunned as Naruto not only disregarded Pakura but gave her the harshest glare she'd ever seen. The former Suna kunoichi wasn't the only one. He also passed Suiren when she held out her hand as well. However, unlike Pakura, he refused to look at Suiren. She might as well haven't even been there at all.
Yet in spite of this, neither Pakura nor Suiren spoke a word. They just held their heads down sadly. They didn't even respond when she pleaded for answers. In fact, they looked downright ashamed before they vanished from her sight. When she looked at her lover, he was already climbing the mountain.
Not hoping to fall behind, Yura pushed herself to follow him even as she continued to grow concerned. While she wouldn't admit it, she was actually thankful for the snowstorm that came upon them. The winds howled and thunder roared through the sky.
All that led up to this point where she was watching the storm outside while Naruto kept her warm. She wouldn't deny that she was thankful for the heat. She was actually surprised that she hadn't gotten sick from all this cold. Hell, it was a miracle she hadn't frozen to death. When she looked at her fingers, they were red from the frostbite. She tried to blow hot air on them, but that didn't make them much better. She looked at Naruto again, wondering about his thoughts.
As for Naruto, the frown on his face deepened. "Brat, you're acting like a damn child. Fine, you don't like them at the moment. I can even tell you don't me much right now, but it's time you fucking grow up! You wanted to be Hokage, well act like one! You're gonna have to work with people you don't like. We're not your enemies, Naruto," Kyuubi said finally.
"...Then tell me, are you guys gonna actually help me or leave me to fight on my own again when I call for your help? If you can answer that for me, then I'll be sure to 'grow up!'" Naruto fired back.
Unexpectedly, the Kyuubi was silent for a little while. "We were fighting with you, Naruto. You'll just never know how much. Make of that what you will, but you'd better think about this. It's a long way down the mountain. You'll survive the fall, but will Yura? The Nidaime won't have mercy on her either. She won't survive a fall like that. Even if you can revive her, I don't think she'll enjoy dying because of your arrogance," the Kyuubi finally said which made Naruto still.
After so much time, he finally focused his gaze on Yura. She had long since gone to sleep in his arms. She was a little colder so he focused on heating her up even more with his Honshou. He caressed her cheek and gritted his teeth. As much as he hated it, he knew the Kyuubi was right. He'd never forgive himself if Yura left him, especially not with so many things in flux with the Shinigami and Jashin. Plus, seeing her dead body covered in snow would haunt him forever.
Naruto's arms tightened around her. "Fine," he growled out.
The Kyuubi and Mōryō sighed slowly. "Good. Now, continue your training. We'll assist you," The Thousand-Headed Demon said which made Naruto snort. He'd have offered a witty comment, but he just kept his mouth shut. Instead, he summoned two clones. Ordering them to another side of the room quietly, he nodded his head to them. They nodded back in understanding.
Sitting down, they started practicing with the gold and violet flames. While Yura slept, the two clones went through a myriad of techniques. Most ended in failure, and a few came out in success but nowhere near what was acceptable.
When Yura woke up, she saw Naruto and his clones training hard. She was a little embarrassed that she'd fallen asleep so easily, but her lover hadn't held it against her. Instead, he smiled at her. "Good morning, sleepyhead," he said.
"S-Shut up!" she replied, a little embarrassed by his cheeky, yet handsome smile. He snickered before he continued on with his training. Yura observed him for a long while as his body became enflamed with the white fire of Honshou. The young girl felt her very being shiver in the presence of the divine power offered to him as the charge of the Shinigami. There was just nothing like it in all the Elemental Nations.
Taken from her awe, she watched one of the clones poof out of existence. Her lover opened his eyes with a bit of a snarl. He held up his hand, looking at it as if he were looking at something foreign.
"What's wrong?" Yura asked.
Naruto looked at her, scratching his head in frustration. "These flames. It's kind of hard to use them when I don't even know what they do. I've been thinking about the concepts around them that Shin claimed I should be studying. I have an inkling about them, but that's all. I was never really good at this whole…theory stuff," he admitted. Even if his mother had improved on his academics back when he first revived her, he just wasn't the type for books. They bored the hell out of him, even when it was something intriguing like his sealing scrolls.
"...I assume your clones won't work?" she asked.
A shake of his head was her answer. Yura bit her lips before she finally surrendered herself to the Shinigami's will. "Then… why not use them on me? I can't just sit here and watch you train without offering anything. Besides, I need to do some training as well if I'm not gonna fall behind you. What do I need to do?" she asked.
Naruto gawked. "What?! That's a horrible idea!" He shouted.
Yura laughed. "We're Uzumaki, Nii-sama. We're full of horrible ideas," she answered back, smiling.
"You more than anyone else," Kyuubi commented. It was one that Naruto pointedly ignored. Instead, he focused on Yura.
"I'm not doing that, Yura. You don't know what these flames are capable of. They could kill you!" Naruto exclaimed, making Yura stop smiling. She looked at him evenly.
"In case, you forgot Nii-sama, Jashin's not a spirit. You're gonna need something living to test it out on. Now, in case you've forgotten, you and I are pretty much the only living things out here. Unless your flames work on the Kyuubi and the Thousand-Demon," she mentioned, grinning when she saw Naruto not answer. Indeed, he tried to use them on those two. Unfortunately, they were immune to the effects of either just as he was.
"Yura…" Naruto said.
"Nii-sama. I nearly died quite a few times just getting over here. Maybe this was one of the reasons Shinigami-sama allowed me to survive the journey here. Look, I won't ask what's going on between you and… those others spirits, but don't push me away too," she pleaded.
Naruto balled his fists. "It… could be too much for you," he replied weakly.
"Then I guess you better start working on your control. Also, let me be the judge of that. I don't think I'd deserve to be by your side if I didn't show some guts as well. I can be pretty stubborn too," she responded.
Naruto closed his eyes and exhaled. Fuck, he hated today. In fact, he hated this entire ordeal forced on him and all of the Elemental Nations because of his weakness. If he had just beaten Jashin he might not have to endure this. Neither would anyone else. Yet, he wasn't about to spit in the face of Yura's resolve either. He knew what it was like to be stubborn after all.
So, Naruto conceded and sat in front of Yura. "You'll warn me if anything fucking goes wrong, got it?" he asked, looking at her seriously. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. Immediately, Naruto's hand glowed with the power of dark purple flames. Yura breathed out through her mouth. Somehow those flames looked a lot more menacing than she'd originally thought.
"Me and my big mouth. Well, guess I can't back out now," she thought as she nodded for her cousin to begin. Truth be told, Naruto noticed her hesitation, but he didn't point it out. Instead, he challenged her to remain true to her word. He couldn't help lessening the flames to about a quarter of their original size.
He then fired them at her. Yura tightly closed her eyes, waiting for some pain to flourish through her. Yet, there was none. Opening one of her eyes, she saw that she was indeed bathed in the dark violet flames. Rather than pain, there was a steadily increasing state of discomfort. It was like needles pricking her skin, not exactly unbearable but very uncomfortable. Yet, there was something comforting in the power. Voices whispered into her ears, instructing her despite the discomfort.
Yura slowly closed her eyes and meditated. She sat in the midst of the flames while Naruto watched her.
"What's she doing?" he questioned.
"No idea. But it looks like she's contemplating something in the fire. I suggest you leave her to it for now. Look at her. I might be seeing things but the flames are actually melding with her," the Kyuubi said.
No, the Nine-Tailed Fox wasn't just seeing things. Naruto was seeing them as well. The violet flames indeed wrapped around her skin. Her once beautiful hair turned into a deep violet collar, almost similar to that of Yugao's. The flames were like a second skin that fit perfectly to the rest of her body. Naruto had no idea if he should be concerned or intrigued. If this was supposed to be something good, then he didn't want to screw it up. Though, he figured it couldn't be good because Yura's mouth started moving, speaking words whose meanings he didn't understand.
Finally, Naruto withdrew the flames when Yura's eyes started to bleed and the ground beneath her body splintered. He withdrew the flames until they had all but vanished. Finally, Yura fell to the side, making Naruto jump. He ran over to her and picked her up.
"Yura-chan! Yura-chan, are you alright? Say something!" Naruto exclaimed. To his horror, his lover didn't respond.
"Brat, hold her! Hold her as tight as you can. She's dying!" The Kyuubi said which didn't make Naruto feel any better. Dammit, he knew this was a bad idea. Why had he allowed it to happen?!
"Hug her?!" Naruto asked incredulously.
"Trust me dammit!" The Kyuubi fired back.
Mentally throwing his hands up, Naruto held her as tight as he could, leaning back against the frozen wall. "Good. Now, channel the golden flames around you," the fox ordered.
Naruto gritted his teeth but followed through. He channeled the golden flames into his hands and touched Yura with them. The flames began to spread over her body and quickly she started to stir. She started to breathe easier. She murmured insensible words but Naruto didn't care. He was just thankful she was moving.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Paradise and Hell, brat. I'll dumb it down for you. Think of both as Yin and Yang. You hit the Uzumaki girl with a small amount of hell, but as she bathed in it, it started to grow stronger. I have no idea what she must have seen, but it caused an imbalance of sorts within her. With the golden flames, you brought her back to neutral standing. Hmmm, it looks like she'd had some type of growth despite the incident. I can't tell how, but she feels… different somehow," The Kyuubi said as Naruto looked at Yura. She didn't look any different to him.
"Nii-sama, what… happened?" Yura asked groggily.
Naruto leaned her up. "Easy, Yura-chan. You… You almost died. Can you tell me what happened?" the Uzumaki Patriarch asked.
The redhead touched her forehead and groaned. "I remember voices, then… screaming. There was so much screaming, too much screaming, and so much pain. There were hundreds, thousands, no millions of them. All of them just kept screaming. Even when I closed my eyes, their voices pierced into my mind. But then, it was all gone and the most wonderful, serene feeling filled my body. There were millions there as well, then… you woke me up," Yura said.
Honestly, Naruto had no idea what to make of that. In the end, he just had Yura rest from the ordeal. That was enough training for her, and he wouldn't hear a single word of anything otherwise. Luckily for him, Yura wasn't about to fight him on that. She was more than willing to do as he asked. She fell asleep in his arms while Naruto continued to observe her.
"So what would you have me do now?" Naruto questioned.
The Kyuubi remained silent for a little while before he finally spoke. "You already know what you'll have to do. I don't think I need to bring it up to you," The Kyuubi said. Naruto clenched his fists, hugging Yura for maybe his own sanity. In the end, he closed his eyes while his clones continued to train in the gold and violet flames.
When he woke up the next time, Yura was already awake. He questioned if she was alright, but she claimed that she never felt better. He wasn't sure if she was trying to put on a strong front or not. Nevertheless, she focused his concerns elsewhere. As happy as she was to have him so careful with her, she knew that there were others counting on them. The sooner they finished this task, the sooner they could go back to the village where they'd both be yelled at by the others.
That got the both of them climbing again. It was only then that Naruto thought she might have been telling the truth in regard to her condition. Yura pulled herself up the mountain with speed and strength he hadn't known from many. She jumped from one ledge to the other, swinging her body this way and that.
"Keep down, or you'll fall!" he hollered while Yura smiled.
"The slow don't have the right to warn the people ahead of them!" she hollered back. Naruto shook his head as he climbed after her. Though he couldn't help wondering just where she'd gotten this burst of energy from. He could certainly use it.
When the storm got fierce again, they huddled inside another cave. Yura had spent a few hours practicing her sealing jutsu with Naruto's instruction. While she worked, she continued to observe the golden and violet flames in the hands of his clones. When she looked at them, she felt the very depths of her soul drawn to them.
"Nii-sama, I think I should try training with those flames again," Yura claimed.
That… was not what Naruto wanted to hear. "No," Naruto replied much to her surprise. She thought he'd be a lot more heated in his response. Sure, she expected rejection but for it to be so emphatic was kind of strange.
"N-Nii-sama…" she tried again.
"No. We're not having this conversation," he returned as he continued to focus.
Yura opened her mouth but quickly closed it. She finally took a small breath and sighed. "Nii-sama, I know what you're worried about, but I can handle it. If you just let me get used to…"
"You almost died, Yura. I'll figure this out on my own. I'm not risking you anymore," Naruto returned. Yura frowned.
"I thought we both agreed that I was here to help you," she answered back as Naruto clenched his fists, his concentration destroyed.
"You dying doesn't help me. I've lost enough. I'm not losing you too," Naruto spoke, making Yura's frown deepen.
"Nii-sama, I can help! If you just let me…" Yura's mouth swiftly closed when Naruto blasted the Honshou through his body. He kept it up until her resistance died down to a glare. When he eased his aura, Yura scooched over to the other side of the cave.
"It's possible that you'll lose me someday, Nii-sama. Everyone you've revived is going to feel the embrace of the Shinigami at some point. Even with all your power, you can't save everyone on your own," Yura retorted, already noting the increased agitation on her lover.
She left him alone after that, hurt and upset. Perhaps it was stupid, but for the sake of her pride, she didn't seek his warmth this time. Even when he offered, she refused. Instead, she faced the bitter cold just as he did. It left her with a lot of time to herself, but it also left her with a lot of room for her thoughts. In the end, she decided to continue her training.
For her lover, there was one thing he hadn't considered. If he could comprehend the flames, then so could she. Of course, she wished for a more in-depth experience, but if Naruto was gonna be complicated, then she'd just have to rely on herself.
Yura studied what she could of the flames in the hours that rolled by. She recalled her experiences as she walked through the vast nothingness of darkness and screaming. That was the void of those violet flames. As for the gold, there was the most serene feeling she'd ever known. It was like paradise itself. It strengthened the measure of her soul in ways she couldn't even begin to imagine.
More time rolled by before Naruto and Yura continued their ascent. One thing Yura noticed was the energy from yesterday was gone. She was insufferably cold again. Now, her enthusiasm felt a little embarrassing when she saw how far ahead her cousin was.
As for Naruto, he was too far into his thoughts to think about the climb. He had been arguing with the Kyuubi over the matter regarding Yura. However, fed up, the fox decided to give him a bit of a reprieve. He was immensely thankful for it. It wasn't that he didn't trust Yura, but he couldn't afford to toy with her life, especially after that. For once, he'd had enough of death and its cruel touch. Yeah, pretty ironic coming from the summoner of the Death God himself, but… Naruto had no idea on how to tackle the problem with Jashin.
Who was he going to give to the Shinigami if Yura died? Yet, he also knew he wasn't getting a lot of training in the flames without her. As expected, he needed to understand the concepts of Paradise and Hell more. The Kyuubi and Mōryō offered him their own answers to the problem, and those had greatly helped Naruto, but it wasn't all that he needed. He needed so much more than that.
As the frost continued to set into Naruto's fingers, pain gripping through every pore in his body, he looked behind himself. Yura was a little further down, panting heavily as she pulled herself up. He bit his lip when he saw her slip. She scowled, her face contorting in so much pain as her hands bled.
"You could leave her. Just look at how slow you're having to go just because of her. Then again, that always seems to be your way, doesn't it? You're always leading people into your mess. Not even man enough to keep your problems to yourself, are you? You know, why don't you let her cultivate the flames? She'll die and you'll get a better understanding of their power. You don't need her. You don't need anyone. Isn't that how you're used to working now? Alone. Let her fall. You know you want to!"
Naruto frowned as he watched Yura struggle. Through the days of not being next to him, the frostbite continued to assault her. Her fingers were slowly turning from red to black. Snow covered her red hair and her eyes were struggling to stay away.
Scowling, Naruto hurried back down. He cared not for the jagged rocks that scarred his skin or rocks that bashed into his head. Yura's eyes rolled up in her head and she fell back, releasing her grip on the mountain. She would have fallen to her death had Naruto not taken her hand.
"Really? Truly, Uzumaki Naruto never learns. Don't you get it?! You'll only burden yourself with her around! You'll only burden her if she stays around you. Do her a favor! Release her from your cross! It is too heavy for anyone to carry! Do it now!"
Naruto bit his lip enough to make it bleed.
"LEAVE HER!" the voice hollered as Naruto cursed the fucking world and pulled Yura up.
"Those who abandon their friends, their loved ones, for the sake of the mission… are worse than fucking scum!" Naruto quietly hissed back as he held his lover on his back. With one hand, he climbed back up, digging his feet into the side of the cliff.
The blond pulled the two of them up, snarling as he hung his leg to an awkward ledge. With all his strength, he pulled himself up. The air thundered and lightning struck so ferociously that it struck the side of a far-off mountain. The avalanche that followed made the Uzumaki Patriarch tremble. The loud noise quickly reverberated to his mountain, releasing a stream of violent snow and ice upon them both.
Cursing, Naruto hurriedly pulled himself up and moved Yura beneath a cover of stone. He held her close, feeling the stone under his feet shake like it might break into a thousand pieces. He prayed it would stand otherwise he'd have to make use of other methods to make sure they survived.
Thankfully, he didn't need to as the floor held against the onslaught, allowing him to continue his climb. "N-N-Nii-sama, I'm… sorry…" Yura claimed, which made Naruto chuckle.
"Shhhh, you just focus on trying to breathe," Naruto encouraged. He grabbed another rock ledge, feeling numbness and splintering pain start to settle into his fingers once again. As he held onto the mountain's jagged stone, there came another hand out to him.
Frowning, Naruto looked up and saw Dan Kato holding out his hand to him. Naruto's eyes hardened and he bit his lip. Once again, as always, the cold seemed to melt away as he stared into Dan's hopeful eyes. They were the same eyes he probably held during his fight with Jashin.
The Kyuubi and Mōryō silently observed, glancing at each other every now and then. As for Naruto, he was broken from his thoughts when he heard Yura cough. Wordlessly, he pulled himself and Yura up. He walked past Dan and took Yura into the cavern available for them. He hadn't seen the sorrowful frown on Dan's face as he gently lay Yura against the wall.
Mōryō held his head down. "He's still not…"
"Wait," Kyuubi uttered, interrupting the Dark Dragon's thoughts. They continued to watch as Naruto slammed his fist into the side of the wall. He then turned around and walked outside the cave and into the freezing cold.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki stood before Dan Kato, making the man perk up. He held out his hand again and Naruto looked down at it. Closing his eyes, he grabbed Dan's hand in a firm shake. It was then that Naruto saw Dan with the brightest smile on his face. Unfortunately, Naruto didn't quite feel that smile coming to his face. Instead, he allowed Dan's spirit to merge again with his.
Once Dan was gone, Naruto turned on his heel and went inside the cave.
"Naruto-sama…"
"Please, just shut up for now. We have work to do so let's focus on that," Naruto fired back, silencing any of Dan's attempts for some measure of conversation. As his lord, Dan wisely obeyed while Naruto held Yura in his arms. He quickly flared up his power and warmed her up.
After a while, Yura's breathing slowly returned to normal and her body started to warm up. Naruto breathed a small sigh of relief as he touched her cold cheek. Giving her a quick kiss, he summoned two clones and made them work on the flames.
"Let's get this over with," Naruto suddenly said. He then allowed Dan to merge his soul with his own. Naruto inhaled and exhaled slowly. When he opened his eyes again, instead of a deep blue they had changed into a dark green. In the depths of his mindscape, Naruto and Dan fought as one being against the Kyuubi and Mōryō.
Unfortunately, it became quite clear that they would need a lot of work as the trust, the bond, that Naruto had developed with all his summons had deteriorated severely. Nevertheless, Naruto and Dan continued on.
In the meantime, Yura slowly awakened. Aware that she wasn't cold anymore, she noticed she was in the warm embrace of her cousin and lover. "Oh right, I passed out. The air's getting thinner than I thought. I… almost fell," Yura said to herself.
Turning her head, she looked at Naruto. He seemed to be asleep, his head nuzzling into her neck. It was a very nice feeling, but her eyes wandered back to the flames being held by the two clones. Swallowing nervously, she looked at them like they were the most beautiful treasures in the world.
"I can do this, Nii-sama. I can be there for you this time. I can be there for everyone!" Yura thought.
She untangled herself from Naruto and slowly approached the clones. She was thankful that they had their eyes closed as well. Carefully, she looked at the flames. They were indeed so beautiful. She couldn't help holding out her hand into the violet flames. Thinking quickly, she withdrew her hand and retreated to another part of the small cave just before her world faded to black.
When Yura finally opened her eyes, she stood alone on a long and narrow bridge. There seemed to be no beginning and no end. Everything was shrouded in the blackness of the void just like before. However, Yura noticed that there was no screaming this time. Those were perhaps the most horrible thing out of everything that she'd experienced. Now, she was just here, wondering where she was supposed to go.
"Which will you go, Yura Uzumaki? Shall you go left, or shall you go right?"
Yura stiffened when she heard the voice of the Shinigami ringing in her ears. She looked around, but she couldn't see him. Maybe he didn't want to be seen? Gods were weird like that.
"Ummm, well given that I have no idea where I am, I guess I'll go right. I'm right-handed after all," she said into the void. Turning on her heel, she walked to the right, taking special care to not fall off the sides. She couldn't tell why, but she was sure there was something down there she wouldn't like to experience.
The walk was long, but mostly boring. Yura wasn't sure what she was supposed to be doing, but she noticed that this wasn't nearly as interesting as the first time. That said, if there was one thing she noticed apart from the last time, each step seemed to be so much heavier than the last. The journey was easy at first, but now it was like it was taking all her strength just to move one step.
After so long, she couldn't even walk on two legs anymore. Humiliated, she was reduced to crawling. Sweat poured down her face and she wondered if maybe she made the wrong choice. She tried to put one hand in front of the other, but the pressure was too heavy. In fact, it felt like it was going to crush her into nothingness if something didn't change.
Before the pressure engulfed her, immediately it was gone. Yura stiffened. When she looked up, she gasped staring upon the Shinigami. He glared down at her and her embarrassing predicament. Nevertheless, she didn't attempt to right herself, instead choosing to bow before him.
"Tell me, Uzumaki Yura, why do you continue to bow and pray to me? What brings about your faith in me?" The Shinigami questioned.
Yura blinked and chuckled. "Well, I doubt I'd be very sincere if I only prayed when things were going good for us. Plus, I don't claim to know how you gods do things, but if you found interest in Naruto, then I don't think you'd allow him to fall away so easily. So, I think all I can do is have faith that you've got something in store for him. I… I think even you know that Jashin is beyond him, but he shouldn't be beyond you. Naruto needs to your help. We all do," Yura answered.
The Shinigami gazed upon her critically. There was no slight smile or grin on his face. Instead, he just looked at her. It was one Yura couldn't tell if she wanted or not. To have him so close, yet so beyond her was a very humbling matter.
"Do you know where you are right now?" The Shinigami questioned.
Yura slowly shook her head. "N-No, I don't," she replied.
"Keep walking and you shall find out. Also, have no worries about what you are doing. I shall speak with my summoner on the matter. While you are here, understand that whether my summoner defeats my violent brother or not shall indeed depend upon you. However, understand one thing, I allow you to be and train here. As you are, no mortal has gained the honor before," The Shinigami said before he faded away.
Yura blinked, grunting when she felt the pressure return. "Great! How the hell am I supposed to figure out where I am if I can't fucking move!" the young Uzumaki questioned. She growled, pulling herself up as hard as she could.
While Yura continued in her own training, a fury of explosions followed in the depths of Naruto's mind. With Dan's spirit merging with his own, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki dodged the blows from the Kyuubi and Mōryō. It wasn't an easy matter. The tails of the Nine-Tailed Fox were quick and unruly. Naruto found himself being forced to defend their blows while the Dark Dragon released blasts of pure chakra from his multiple heads.
Holding up his sword, Naruto scowled as the power of Honshou raged within his core. The blast collided with the steel of his blade until Naruto angled it back at the Kyuubi. However, it was nothing for the Kyuubi to fire back into the blast with the explosive might of the Bijuudama.
Naruto and Dan watched the technique come upon them before it overwhelmed them entirely. A shattering explosion followed suit. The Kyuubi and Mōryō squinted their eyes from the force of the blast.
"You're not fucking focusing, brat! You think you'll beat Jashin at this level?! Use them again!" The Kyuubi reprimanded as Naruto appeared out of the explosion unharmed. Nevertheless, the sweat that poured down the side of his face stained his clothes.
Even Dan panted from the physically, mentally, and spiritually intensive task. It didn't help that he and Naruto weren't coordinating together very well. Of course, Dan knew that despite Naruto's acceptance that didn't automatically mean that they'd work well together. It was clear to the former jonin that there was still a barrier of sorts around Naruto that kept him from being let in. All it did was make the pale blue-haired man feel worse. Nevertheless, he tried to pressure on.
Naruto stumbled forward, holding out his hand and wielding the golden flames. "I don't need you to tell me!" the Uzumaki patriarch replied. He knew that his synchronization with Dan was low. They weren't outputting nearly as much power as they had before. Yet, Naruto also tried to not think about it as well. It only served to piss him off more.
The young man was about to charge again before the battle was briefly put on hold when the four noticed the Shinigami appear before them. Immediately, Naruto's mindscape was filled with the divine presence of the God of Death. Everyone was quickly brought into silence.
After a moment, the Shinigami cast his cold eyes on Naruto. The blond felt a shiver run through his spine as did Dan. There was so much sudden pressure that neither dared speak out of turn lest something unfortunate happen.
The Shinigami lowered his gaze and spotted Naruto's proficiency with the golden flames. "Very interesting, indeed. While the innate talent is lower than I assumed, he's gone further than any before him. However, you still have a lot to learn…" The Shinigami thought before he fully faced Naruto.
"Your time runs short as the days run long, Uzumaki Naruto. As you're doing now, you will have no hope of defeating Jashin," The Shinigami said knowingly echoing the Kyuubi's sentiments. Naruto really wanted to retort but he made sure to not lose his cool this time.
"I'm moving as fast as I can," he replied.
"This I am well aware. You move as fast as you can, yet you move not as fast as you wish. I believe I have no need to tell you of the consequences should you fail…" Shin said.
Naruto balled his fists and bitterly chuckled. "Then help me! I feel like I haven't felt you anywhere since any of this has happened. What do you want outta me?" he questioned. The anger that the blond felt slowly died away when he felt a hand on top of his head. Like a father to a child, the Shinigami brushed his summoner's hair.
"Uzumaki Naruto, I have not left you. Neither have your summons. You feel alone, but open your eyes and you shall see a truth that many mortals have failed throughout the length of their existence. Do you truly believe I would leave the one who would interest me so?" The Shinigami inquired with Naruto being unable to answer him.
The Shinigami withdrew his robed arm from his glowing hair, and continued to stare. "As for the young girl. You have no need to fear teaching or instructing her. I have found her worthy to learn of these matters. She shall train these principles as I see fit," The Shinigami informed him, leaving no room for a discussion.
It didn't take long for Naruto to know what the Shinigami was talking about. Before he could utter even a word, the floating specter god was gone. Frustrated, tired, and upset, Naruto had enough of training for one day. Luckily, neither the Kyuubi nor Mōryō pushed him. Instead, they finished their business while Naruto left his mindscape.
When Naruto opened his eyes, he saw Yura sitting in another corner of the cave. As he feared, she was cultivating the violet flames. Her red hair had long since turned black. Yet, she seemed to be in a lot more control than last time. In fact, she was calmer than she'd ever been before. She also didn't appear to be in any danger as Shin said. He could only sense the depths of her spirit, it was growing stronger, slowly but surely.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Yura-chan," Naruto said to himself.
With so much happening, exhaustion finally took Naruto and he fell asleep listening to the howling wind outside.
When the morning, or what he assumed was the morning, came, Naruto decided to slowly pick up Yura. It seemed that disturbing her physically wouldn't have any drawbacks which made him very thankful. After all, he'd rather not leave her in this freezing cave if she woke up and he was gone. So, he grabbed her and placed her on his back.
Another thing Naruto noticed was that the violet flames, though they spread throughout his body there was no pain or discomfort aside from the freezing cold and buffeting winds. So, once again, he left the clones in the cave and climbed the mountain with Yura on his back.
The days seemed to go by neither too fast nor too slow. Naruto wondered if there was a good thing. If anything, he'd have given something just to make the voices in his head stop. Every time he questioned the Kyuubi or Mōryō about them, neither knew what he was talking about. So, out of sheer frustration, Naruto resorted to even asking Dan, to which the former jonin hadn't heard anything either.
"Maybe the thin air's going to your head, Naruto-sama," Dan said.
See, Naruto would have liked to believe that if he hadn't been doing this climb for the third time. Plus, with Dan's strength supporting him, he was already moving up faster than before. Hell, his mind actually never felt clearer, piercing through the void of ice, snow, lightning, and thunder. In fact, after accepting Yahiko back into the fold, Naruto's felt further strengthened again. In fact, even with Yura on his back, he masterfully scaled the mountain.
From Dan, Naruto switched to Yahiko. This merger wasn't any easier than the other. There was a very thin line of trust drawn in the sand, or snow in this case, between the two of them. Yet, they made due with what they had. As Naruto grabbed another ledge, he frowned as he pulled himself and Yura up.
Gently placing her down, Naruto noticed Tobirama standing before him. His body seemed almost invisible in the snow, against his spiritual frame. He walked out of the snowy mist and looked at the blond summoner.
"You're different. It feels like I'm not even looking at the same young man from the last time," Tobirama said while Naruto's frown deepened.
"Let me guess. This was what I had to learn. Accepting the others back into my life?" Naruto questioned, not shying away from the gaze of the Nidaime Hokage.
The Nidaime closed his eyes. "That is for you to figure out. However, as for me, there is no point in us fighting. I shall concede to your might and authority. You have passed my test," Tobirama said, holding out his hand.
Naruto glanced down at the offered hand with a bit of a glare. Truth be told, he really wanted to pay the Nidaime back for all the pain he'd suffered getting up here, but he didn't have the time. He'd only exhaust himself further. Instead, he took the offered hand. He then watched Tobirama settle into his body just like Dan and Yahiko.
"Well, that was rather anticlimactic. After all the shit I've been dealt by the Senju, I wouldn't have minded you roughing the bastard up a little more. Though, now that he's in here, I suppose I'll get the opportunity myself at some point. Hurry along, brat. You've spent enough time here," The Kyuubi stated, which Naruto wholeheartedly agreed with.
He looked out at the snow-covered platform that had been his battleground with the Nidaime for so many days. To pass it in such a non-aggressive manner felt rather alien. Still, perhaps he shouldn't question it too much.
He walked over to Yura. She was still meditating right where he left her. However, there was definitely something different. The black flames began to spread along the ground in various seal marks. Oddly enough, that hadn't happened even when Naruto was practicing them. In fact, like water from a spilled cup, the flames etched the ground with their touch.
Then, wherever the violet flames tread, tiny white orbs would seep out of the ground and fly into Yura's body. Were it not for fear of leaving her here and the time constraint, he might not have minded seeing where she was going with this. He couldn't do that, unfortunately.
Picking his lover up, Naruto saw that the flames on the snow immediately started to recede until they were all gone. He grabbed her arms and struggled through knee-high snow. After some time, he found the next part of the mountain that continued onward.
This time, Naruto had more than enough strength to scale up the mountain. With great power, he jumped several feet through the chilling air. He then grabbed a ledge and swung himself and Yura up. The snow seemed so far removed from his body. In fact, he felt like he belonged up here now.
After hours of scaling, jumping, and running, Naruto finally decided to take a break in another cavern. He set Yura down and kissed her forehead. He then sat in his corner and closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, the young chunin found himself standing before Dan, Tobirama, Yahiko, the Kyuubi, and Mōryō.
"Good. Now that you're here, we'll continue your training…" Kyuubi said before Naruto held up his hand.
"Yeah, but I'm going to do something different for the moment. I know I'm not as into this theory stuff like Yura-chan or anyone else is, but I think it's clear I can't just keep relying on combat to learn things. There's something else, I'm missing. What that is, I'm not sure, but I think I have an idea of where to find it. And, I recognize that for that, I'll have to… put my thoughts on things aside," he said, glancing at Dan and Yahiko.
"What are you suggesting, Naruto-sama?" Yahiko questioned. He, and the others, watched the young summoner sit on the ground.
"I've thought about the experiences, but… as expected, there's only so much I can do on my own. So, I want to learn about these concepts under all of you. Dan, come here," Naruto said as he calmed himself.
Obeying, Dan walked over to him and merged his spirit with Naruto's. Slowly, Naruto felt everything drift away until he was alone with Shizune's relative. Then, everything became a burst of color. Naruto's ears became assailed by the crying of a newborn child. The surroundings morphed into a Konoha Hospital. Dan's eyes softened. He clenched his fists but kept himself quiet.
Naruto was quick to recognize this and immediately understood that he was looking into the life of Dan Kato, the man who captured Senju Tsunade's heart.
As Naruto continued to watch Dan's life, he wondered if perhaps his method was working too well. With Dan so connected to him, it was impossible for Naruto to not feel what the man was feeling. Every moment happy or sad was felt for him. The young summoner watched as Dan wept for weeks at the lose of his younger sister due to having no medic on the team.
Yet, it was that sadness that led into even greater happiness. Dan had fallen in love with Tsunade. Of course, the pain of the death of his sister was still there, but he had replaced that hole, that hell, in his heart with another piece of paradise.
And yet, all that led into the culmination of The Second Great Shinobi War where he lost his life protecting the village. Yet, despite his death and the sadness he felt knowing he would leave Tsunade alone. Still, Dan surrendered himself to the God of Death and allowed himself to pass on. In spite of the sadness, he was also at the absolute pinnacle of happiness. Naruto wondered if he would have been able to do that. He absolutely dreaded the idea that he might have to do such a thing to his mother, Yuri, Yura, or any other member of his family or friends.
Despite his best efforts, Yuri had experienced it firsthand with Yukimaru. Despite his best efforts, he saw Guren and Komachi die. Hinata, Hiashi, Neji, Hizashi, and thousands of others had felt the cruel sting of death.
"None can escape death. You might prolong it. You might hasten it. Yet, you cannot run from it unless… it doesn't bother chasing you for a reason, like with me. Yet, there are others who live too long and they long for the touch of Shin to leave them from a life filled with no meaning. Death is painful, yet it is also peaceful. A rest from cares, woes, and a place where there are no thoughts. Good and evil rest in the ground from all their works until… someone disturbs them," Naruto thought as he detached Dan from him. He thanked Dan for sharing such moments.
Dan took a step back, nodding.
Naruto ended the training with that, feeling emotionally and mentally drained by the experience. He fell asleep soon after and woke up the next day. He picked up Yura and continued up the mountain. Honestly, Naruto didn't remember much of the climb. He'd focused on what he experienced with Dan for the entire journey. Not even the crashing of thunder in the skies could distract him from his thoughts.
It was only his concern for Yura that he made another stop. Yet, he didn't make any clones. Instead, he went back into his mindscape and meditated again. He asked for Yahiko next. It seemed that Tobirama had been teaching the two shinobi some things. Every now and then, he and the Kyuubi would glare at each other. Naturally, there just had to be bad blood between the Kyuubi and members of the Senju Clan.
Putting it aside, Yahiko walked over and merged with Naruto. The latter inhaled deeply and exhaled. Just like the last time, his surroundings faded away and the first thing Naruto was allowed to witness was Yahiko being abused, kicked like a vermin in the street as he tried to get something to eat for himself.
An orphan, just like Naruto.
At some point Yahiko met Konan. Just like him, just like proper orphans, they did what they had to in order to survive. Then, along came Nagato. Strangely enough, Naruto remembered seeing him once or twice back at the war against Jashin. However, nothing could have prepared Naruto for the knowledge that Nagato might be an Uzumaki.
He'd learned this knowledge surprisingly from Jiraiya. Yahiko and his friends had been watching the battle between the Sannin and Hanzo. It was a fierce battle which ultimately led into the withdrawal of Jiraiya and his squad. Naruto sensed the distrust Yahiko had for the three, even as he stuffed his pride and asked them for help. It was no different than when Naruto had to stuff his pride and ask the Sandaime for him. Hell, even the villagers who hated him sometimes threw him a bone every now and then. He absolutely hated it.
Of course, before that, Naruto also remembered Yahiko's dreams. While similar to his own, they were much loftier… and more disrespectful. If there was one thing Naruto had begun to learn, it was that Kami and Shin took it personally when mortals tried to claim godhood, even if it was for supposedly good reasons. Naruto now wondered if Yahiko's attempt to become a god was what drove Nagato to pursue the same dream.
Either way, through Yahiko, Naruto learned at Jiraiya's hand for the next few years. He constantly observed Yahiko's silly tendencies which reminded him so much of himself. Even Konan and Nagato had their own fun. Yahiko's life continued onward, one filled with all the strife, suffering, and determination the life of shinobi gathered. He and his friends proved talented, more talented than Naruto could say for himself when he, Sakura, and Sasuke first started out.
Watching his life, Naruto then observed Obito under the guise of Uchiha Madara. He honeyed their ears with results from the Eye of the Moon plan. Even while the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki struggled to maintain the might of Madara, he'd gotten glimpses into that plan. It seemed stupid to him, but there was no way a plan like that could work now.
Naruto wasn't surprised to learn that Yahiko had been the creator of Akatsuki. He'd learned of it when he merged with Yahiko the first time. Of course, this was the first time he'd seen through the eyes of his summon behind the reason for its creation. It truly seemed like every good thing would slowly be turned to be used for evil eventually.
Akatsuki was created for peace which led to Yahiko's death when the group got too large. He died on his own terms, allowing Nagato to carry on his dream of finding peace. Well, it seemed that Nagato had done that since… the Shinigami was asking for his soul as one who disrupted the balance of death.
However, even through that, Naruto learned something else. Death, as always, was painful. Yet, it was also a time of renewal as well. To pass on the dreams of those gone to those close. While the sun set on one, it rose for another. In the end, Yahiko did what Naruto himself would do, lay down his life for his friends.
Finally finished, Naruto released Yahiko from the merger. He then opened his eyes slowly. He watched as Yahiko rejoined Dan and Tobirama. Once this training was finished, Naruto rubbed his eyes. Emotionally, mentally, and physically drained from the experience again, he sent everyone away.
Alone, he did as Shin instructed and contemplated death for a second time. Unbeknownst to the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, the God of Death observed him. Shin watched, a small smile on his face as Naruto sat perfectly still. The flames of Honshou attached themselves to his hair. His cloak wrapped around his body and his hair steadily got longer and longer. It glowed in a silver color, and the Shinigami watched as the mask of his face slowly reformed on his summoner's visage.
Yet, that wasn't all. The Shinigami watched as Naruto held up the golden flames in one hand, and the violet flames in the other.
"To think you would comprehend so quickly. It seems you have found a method that works for you," The Shinigami thought as the flames settled into Naruto's skin.
Like last time, Naruto felt like his soul was being pulled apart. Intense pain constantly shifted between either being pulled apart or being burned to ashes. His mouth tasted the flames and his eyes were overtaken by their heat. His forehead began to sweat. Yet, he did not scream out. He did not ask for relief. He did not ask for mercy.
Within the pain of death, within the struggle between it and life, within the heat were the righteous inner flames of understanding. The golden flames painfully etched themselves into the skin on the left side of his body. The violet flames did the same on the right. Carefully, they drew ancient, long-forgotten symbols over his arms and legs. The further they drew, the more intense the pain. Steady, they crawled up his cheek.
Naruto inhaled and exhaled, accepting the pain, accepting the world of the Shinigami. A thousand voices whispered into every crevice of his mind. His eyes changed, illuminated by the might of the God of Death.
Outside Naruto's mindscape, outside the cave he and Yura were in, thunderstorm clouds raged across the entire sky. The winds immediately began to pick up as golden bolts of flaming lightning speared the ground of snow and ice. Violet lightning bolts crashed into the side of the mountains. Powerful monuments of ice and frost toppled over each other, slamming into the ground below.
-x-
Far back in Konoha, people screamed as the ground started rumbled violently. Shinobi moved quickly to keep avalanches from threatening to devour the village. The icy winds howled as husbands grabbed their wives and children.
"What the fuck is happening?!" Tayuya hollered as her mother grabbed her in her arms. The mother and daughter gasped as the ground split apart, dropping more mountains into it. The lightning tore and scarred the land. From the far east to the far west, Kagura's dimension was overtaken by the powerful, yet spiritual essence.
"No fucking idea, but I think we're gonna die if we stay out here!" Karui shouted back. She and Omoi stilled as a giant tidal wave of snow rose high into the horizon. It then slammed down into the side of another snow-tipped mountain.
"RAH!" Tsunade shouted as she blasted her fist into the ground, lifting a slab of rock to block the snow from covering those behind her in its cruel embrace.
Gaara released the sand from his gourd and covered what he could as well. However, the storm was ferocious, a grand display of might not known to the world of shinobi. No one was able to keep their balance, falling on top of each other.
"W-We're all gonna die! We're all gonna die in this frozen wasteland!" someone shouted before everyone heard a great roar through the firmament in the heavens. When they looked up, they froze.
"Oh my god…" Kakashi muttered, finding even his legs weak. He fell back as he watched a golden dragon of fire and lightning descend from the skies to the east. Then, a violet dragon of fire and lightning descended from the west. When they opened their mouths, the fire poured out over the land.
Soon, rings of gold and violet appeared in the air as well. From them spouted pillars of gold and violet fire.
"Retreat back to the village! Immediately!" the Raikage called out.
Not a single shinobi was there to vocally disagree. People quickly ran away, grabbing whatever gear they could as the ground split like a deep ravine. Yet, for those who ran away, they knew not of the wonderful miracle happening before their midst.
Kakashi helped Yugao to her feet while several Iwa shinobi covered their escape.
"Hey! What the hell are you two doing? Get outta there!" a Kiri shinobi shouted, making Kakashi and Yugao turn around.
"What…?" Yugao questioned. She, Kakashi, and the Uzumaki clan watched Kushina and Yuri stare at the flames. There they stood alone in the midst of the destruction, unperturbed by it. In fact, they looked at it almost longingly.
Tears fell down Yuri's eyes as her body became illuminated with the same cloak as Naruto's. Kushina followed through next, feeling the power of her son flowing through her. Together, their bodies became marked by the flames as well.
"Naruto, my son…" Kushina thought.
"Nii-chan…" Yuri thought as well.
Closing their eyes, the two swiftly sat back down. Even as everyone feared their demise, they sat together. The flaming marks touched their skin. Despite the pain, they bathed in the cleansing powers of the flames. Unknown to anyone, their bodies were being strengthened, allowed to partake in the might of Naruto's ever-expanding aura.
"They… they're standing in it?" Yugao asked.
"Maybe they know something we don't," Kakashi replied, shivering when the lightning struck the ground again.
"Fuka, what the hell are you…"
Karin shouted as she and others watched the redhead approach the two. Silently, Fuka sat down. Yes, she was scared of the danger, but… there was something here. There was something ancient. She could feel her cousin's power exploding over the dimension, refusing to be silent, refusing to be content, refusing to be held down. It sang to her Uzumaki blood. She couldn't resist it. The primordial call made every cell in her body flare for me.
Slowly, her hair started to turn white as well. Her soul was strengthened by the flames.
"Could this be that guy's doing? Naruto, I mean. It seems like the only ones not losing their minds is the Uzumaki Clan," Omoi replied.
"Then why aren't we feeling anything?" Karui argued to which Omoi couldn't answer.
On the other side, Tayuya clenched her fist. She scowled as the ground shook, more mountains imploding in on themselves. They crumbled to the ground, going up in flames just like everything else. The winds started to grow in strength, either pushing people back or picking them up. Yet, in the eye of all that madness, Fuka, Kushina, and Yuri sat seemingly at peace.
"Goddammit, I'm gonna regret this!" Tayuya scowled as she pulled away from her mother. No, perhaps that was the wrong word. Her mother willingly released her, feeling the same power as her daughter.
They walked into the midst of the flames and sat with Fuka.
Karui and Omoi glanced at each other, swallowing their doubt and walking toward the area as well. The flames were hot but they didn't burn. In fact, they were actually very comforting. They sat with their family.
After them, Mei and Tsunade walked into the flames as well, much to the horror of everyone else. Yet, they too felt the calling in their blood to this great understanding. They sat there too, the flames dancing around their bodies. For once, they all had only one singular thought.
"Naruto… we believe in you."
Meanwhile, far above near the tops of the mountain, Madara slowly opened his eyes. "Uzumaki Naruto… so this is the path which you have chosen," The former Uchiha clan head said, slowly bidding his time until he would meet with his summoner.
-x-
Back in the cave, Naruto, oblivious to the matters outside, continued to train himself for hours, contemplating all the things which the Shinigami had not only taught him but allowed him to experience.
In the end, the weather called when the pressure became too intense. Naruto exhaled and opened his eyes. He found himself alone in the depths of his mind just like he'd desired. "...I think I know what the problem is," Naruto said into the darkness.
Turning around, he spotted the Kyuubi, Tobirama, Dan, Yahiko, and Mōryō waiting for him. He watched Dan and Yahiko kneel to him, bowing their heads in reference. Even Mōryō offered the same respect, bowing his numerous heads to his blond summoner.
"You think you've discovered the problem that the Shinigami wanted you to uncover? That darkness within you?" the Kyuubi asked.
When Naruto turned his eyes to the fox, even Kyuubi had to suppress a shiver that rolled through his fur. What the hell happened? The gaze in his partner had changed ever since he'd delved into the reaches of his mind. There was a maturity in the brat's eyes that hadn't been there before. Oh, he was definitely that some knucklehead that the Kyuubi had… begrudgingly begun to have some measure of fondness for, but there was more. There was… so much more.
"I at least have an idea. If… if it's what I think it is, then I'm not going to enjoy confronting it. I just don't know if I'll be able to deal with it before Jashin. I think I'll have a good answer when I ask a question," he said as he faced the Nidaime Hokage. Naruto walked until he was face-to-face with the younger brother of Senju Hashirama.
Tobirama frowned but he held his gaze against Naruto's. The white-haired man wouldn't admit it, but standing next to the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was tougher than before. There was a lot of pressure being unknowingly exuded from the young summoner. It actually reminded him of the Uzumaki Clan Patriarch back in his day. He might even say it was stronger than what Mito could exude.
Dan and Yahiko watched with bated breath as Naruto spoke.
"I'll give you some time to think on this as I'm sure this isn't gonna be a simple talk, but… I wanted to become the Hokage. It was my goal. When I was younger, I didn't get the best start in life because I was chosen by my father, the Yondaime Hokage, to house the Kyuubi. Had it not been for some very special people, I think I might be standing in front of you as an enemy, ready to use you to destroy the village if I wanted…" Naruto said, making Dan widen his eyes.
Tobirama's gaze hardened, but Naruto wasn't intimidated. In fact, his moment of clarity was starting to make him even more confident than before.
"However, I wanted to become Hokage because I saw the respect Jiji commanded when people saw him. No one dared talk behind his back. I thought… I wished that could be me. Become a person of renown and respect to the people who treated me like I wasn't there in the first place. Many people told me it was a fool's dream. One even said someone like me wasn't destined to become Hokage. I told him off, but as it turned out, I never got much of a say in that decision because it was ripped right out of my hands before I could do anything about it," Naruto said.
Yahiko and Dan held their heads down, obviously remembering what Naruto was talking about. Naturally, Tobirama had no idea what was being discussed, but it was obvious the boy's dreams hadn't turned out the way that he desired.
When he found his voice, Naruto spoke again. "...what does it mean to be a Kage? What is a village where a person's dreams can get trampled on for the sake of others?" the young chunin asked.
Tobirama opened his mouth, but Naruto quickly held a hand up. "Think about it. You might not believe this but you guys were idols. I did have a bit of fun at your expense to try and get noticed, but I also read about you guys a lot. I at least have some inkling of what you're like, and I've only gotten a little more as I've watched you. Don't give me the answer you want me to hear. I've gotten enough of those. Just please, give me an honest response, one that speaks to the soul of Senju Tobirama, the Nidaime Hokage of Konoha," Naruto said.
Tobirama's eyes widened slightly before Naruto faced away from him. "I'll be waiting," Naruto said, leaving the group alone. Everyone else looked at the Nidaime Hokage. He held his head down, staring at the puddle of water beneath his feet with a very focused gaze.
Meanwhile, Naruto opened his eyes back into the cold around him. As usual, he spotted Yura. Now, she was training with the gold flames. He had no idea what kind of training she was enduring, but he didn't intervene. Instead, he decided to spend a little bit of time working on his sealing jutsu.
Once another day passed, Naruto continued onward up the mountain. He picked up Yura and climbed. As expected, the climb was much easier than last time. Hell, the cold seemed so far away now. It actually felt rather comforting in an odd sense.
"So you think you've finally discovered the problem? Well, turns out all the teachers were wrong about you. There actually is a brain in that thick skull of yours. Though tell me, what will you do when you know? Will you even like what you know? It won't change anything. Since when has the truth ever changed anything for you? It would return what you've lost. And it won't stop you from being who you are. You are not worthy of Hokage. You're not worthy of the Shinigami contract. You're not even worthy of being alive! Can you truly give up everything to make everyone else happy? Are you really that selfless? No, no, you're not. You know it. I know it. They all know it!"
Naruto scowled. Resisting the call of the voice as the air continued to grow thinner. He thought he must have been crazy because the mountain slowly morphed into the lush, green trees of Konoha. The flurries of snow steadily became flurries of leaves and cherry blossoms.
"What will you do when they turn their backs on you again? What will you do when, in spite of everything you've done for them, they will isolate you? Be afraid of you? Shun you? What… will you do?"
The voice asked these questions over and over as Naruto watched friends, allies, and more step away from him. His eyes hardened as he looked at his body, drips of blood from a heavy battle laid upon him.
"What will you do?"
Naruto took a step closer and everyone backed away. Finally, he closed his eyes.
"I'll become better!" Naruto growled as he turned around and walked away, the dust kicking on his sandals as he left the people to their own devices. The world morphed back to the world of frost as Naruto noticed Gari. He picked up the man and then went onto Kimimaro as well.
Day and night he trained between Gari, Kimimaro, Dan, and Yahiko. Trusting them again was hard, but necessary. He worked hard. He worked harder than he felt he ever have before. He worked so damn hard until he finally made it to another cliff, the cold snow seeping between the crevices of his fingernails.
Pulling himself and Yura up, Naruto found himself on another platform. His eyes hardened.
"Had you shown up any later I would have ceased this farce. Though I do like the look you have in your eyes. I don't know what training you've undergone, but the person you were back when Tobirama and I almost overtook you is almost gone. Don't think that just because you bested Tobirama that you'll have the same outcome with me. Tobirama was nowhere near as strong as Hashirama, and Hashirama was the only one I would consider my equal. Do you think you have what it takes to stand on the same platform as us?"
Naruto looked up and spotted Uchiha Madara sitting on a snow-covered stone. He clenched his fists before the powers of Death flowed through him.
"I'll not only stand on that platform, I'll kick you off it," Naruto answered back.
The grin on Madara's face widened.
KG: Naturally, this was a bit harder to write, but it sets up a lot of things in the future. Someone once asked me if this was just a event to help everyone try and catch up to Naruto. I'll just say that catching up to Naruto is almost impossible. Who knows, the gods can be tempermental in a fic like this. However, no, this was something Naruto needed for himself. He was always going to lose to Jashin. However, this will be the means that he recalls in his darkest hours, and grant him a new dream to work towards. Naruto might not have been meant to be Hokage, simply because that position is way too small to contain someone of his caliber. I will also say, by the end of this fic, I fear we'll be moving away from the 'ninja' aspect lmao. But I'll do my best.
KG: CHEESECAKE PLEASE!