Author's Notes: Well, one small break later, and here I am again. Truly, let's hope nothing shitty happens to me for quite a while now. Knowing my luck, though, nothing good can come out of this.

Review Responses

Reedz22: More comes now.

SPark681: Well, there won't be a Uchiha Purge, especially considering the timeline is far beyond that point, but Satsume will have an important role.

Dragon and Sword Master: I guess you could say that this version is the 'polished' version.

Speed Ke'Dai: It was mainly because I enjoyed writing Blade of the Blizzard, but I cringe when reading back the first chapters now, hence why I've begun this redux version. As for the burning building scene, well, that was mainly inspired by a scene from a movie with somewhat similar themes. Both Satsume and Aiko will have roles to play in the future of this story.

"Talking"
'Thinking'
"'Talking/Thinking but emphasised'"
"'Talking or thinking by a Bijuu or berserk Jinchuuriki'"

Alright, no further delays, let's get right to it.

-Konoha, A Winter Five Years Ago-

The noises of shouting and the clashing of metal ringing out in the background, Naruto ducked under the roof of a slightly crumbled building, panting as the shelter granted him temporary respite from the falling snow.

"Huff... Guess it'll be here for now..." Naruto mumbled, rubbing his shoulders under his orange jacket whilst peeking out of the small hole. "They probably won't look here..."

Sighing, Naruto slowly slumped onto his back, looking up at the ceiling whilst biting his teeth to try and fight the bitter cold.

"You know... You'll catch a cold at this rate..." The voice of a girl around Naruto's age spoke up, a set of slow footsteps closing the distance a moment later.

The blond slowly looked up at the voice's source, blue eyes soon sharing eye contact with a pair of onyx ones belonging to a slender girl with long, raven-black hair tied into a high ponytail.

"Are you merely going to stare, or will you respond like you are expected to?" The girl asked, tightening her haori over her kimono as her teeth chattered slightly through the cold. "It is, at least, polite to speak when you are spoken to."

Naruto sighed, pupils rolling slightly as he sat upright, eyes soon falling upon the Uchiha Clan's crest which was on the haori the girl wore.

"Well? I'm waiting," She stated, crossing her arms soon after.

"You're a Uchiha, aren't you? One of those fighting outside?" Naruto asked cautiously. "What are you doing here? Don't all of you live in one of those big houses?"

"I'm taking a walk, surely I'm allowed that," The girl stated, rolling her eyes half in bemusement and half in annoyance. "And I'm pleased you can at least articulate through words. Got a name?"

"... Are we exchanging?" Naruto asked back, tilting his head as he did so.

The girl tilted her head in response, sharing the blond's gaze before sighing soon after. "If you wish. It's not like any would believe you."

"In that case... My name is Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto explained, "What's yours?"

"Satsume," The girl replied, looking over soon after. "Cold?"

"Could be worse, I guess," Naruto replied, making a mental note of the girl's name as he responded.

"Well, aren't you just funny," Satsume stated, rubbing her shoulders as footsteps could be heard outside. "Hmm?"

"Satsume?! Satsume!" A voice called out from outside. "Where are you?!"

"And... It seems our time will have to be cut short," Satsume sighed, shaking her head as she crossed her arms. "Last chance. Are you cold?"

"... Yes," Naruto admitted after a long period of silence. "I am feeling quite cold."

"See? Was it that hard...?" Satsume asked with a sigh, reaching into her haori before pulling out a dark blue scarf, and tossing it over soon after. "Here."

"Hmm? I... Don't get it," Naruto mumbled, tilting his head as he caught the scarf. "Why?"

"How else am I going to get you to be here tomorrow?" Satsume asked back, shaking her head bemusedly before turning around. "I've rather enjoyed our little talk, so... I trust that I'll see you here tomorrow... To return that scarf?"

"... Alright, I'll be here, then," Naruto mumbled, wrapping the scarf around his neck as he did so.

"Oh, and Naruto..." Satsume began to say, turning her head around as she began to climb out through a small hole in the building's rubble.

Getting the blond's attention, Satsume nodded, before a small smile managed to break through her earlier blank expression. Giving him one final look, Satsume turned around, exiting a moment later.

"As long as you wear that scarf... You'll never feel cold."

-Present Day-

'... Am I dead? Why... Why am I...' Naruto thought after a long blankness, his mind still yet eerily silent. 'Why is it so... Cold?'

With some effort, Naruto stirred through his strengthless rest, gathering his will before slowly moving to open his eyes, only to be denied the usual reward of light, his visage still engulfed by nothing but darkness and haunting, pitch black.

'What the...? This is... Weird,' Naruto thought, attempting to move his hand yet failing to find the strength to do so. 'Can't see, but... There's others around me.'

True to his thought, a woman loomed over the seemingly unconscious Naruto, hands shaking as silver-grey hair quivered with her movements, framing her wrinkle-mapped face as small beads of sweat slowly ran down its surface, despite the falling snow outside the building.

"Where did you two find this boy, Nario?" The woman questioned, shaking hands reaching down to Naruto's face, fatigued yet experienced digits twitching slightly as they removed a minuscule splinter from it. "A torture house? I must say, I am at quite a loss."

"Believe it or not, Shiho-san, we found this one in Konoha," Nario stated, standing in the corner of the room while holding his kabuto helmet in his hands. "The locals there didn't seem to like him, on the contrary, they seemed to despise him."

"In that regard, the greatest miracle would be how he lasted this long, to begin with," The woman stated, removing another shard of wood before moving a hand downwards, placing two fingers upon Naruto's neck. "Truly, what kind of cruel world would inflict this upon a child, steal his light and leave him in a field of war... And what crueller irony now, to find that it keeps him alive still."

'Only two of them in the room... That one... I remember him, he was at Konoha...' Naruto thought, the vague shape of Nario and the woman emerging within his mind, alongside the room's shape in general. 'How am I seeing... Any of this? I can't see...'

Naruto fell still for a moment, entrapped in his viewing of events unfolding around him through the vague lens, only for his strength to finally return to him a moment after, his right-hand shooting over and grasping onto the woman's wrist as she attempted to remove a dark-blue scarf.

"What the..." The woman muttered as Naruto released his grasp and shot up whilst Nario straightened nervously.

"Where... Where am I?" Naruto questioned, head spinning around despite the darkness that engulfed his vision as he fiddled to resecure the scarf. "Don't... Don't touch the scarf."

"Calm down, boy, we're not going to... Oh." The woman began to say, only for Naruto to dash away in another direction, smacking against the door's frame upon his first attempt, before darting out of the room a moment later. "You might want to..."

"... Did he just..." Nario asked in confusion, looking over in astonishment before following the blond out through the door. "Kid, hold on!"

Having ducked through crowded hallways, crashing into carts and others meandering around and smacking into the door once more, Naruto soon found himself outside the large building, tightening the scarf around his neck as he stood in the falling snow, before the vague shapes and structures of the lands around him soon fell upon his mind.

"Huff... Where... Where am I?" Naruto mumbled, panting slightly as snow fell upon his hair and torn clothing.

"The Land of Iron. That's where you find yourself, kid," Nario stated as his right hand rested upon the hilt of his katana. "Please. Don't make this more difficult than it has to be, and come inside. If anything, it's snowing. Take shelter, at least."

"... I don't feel very welcome here... Why is your hand on your sword?" Naruto questioned as he turned around, his scarred face and blinded eyes coming fully into view for Nario as he did so. "And... How did I know that?"

"Your confusion is shared, and in that, we have common ground," Nario stated, moving his hand away before stepping over and placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Please. Just come inside, and I'll try to explain as much as possible."

"... Very well... Nario," Naruto mumbled, stepping over before walking back inside with Nario's guidance. "Did... Well, is that girl okay? You know... You were there, that little girl in the burning building?"

"Aiko. That was the girl's name. And yes, she was safe in the end," Nario assured once again, guiding the visionless blond into the room that he had prior escaped before pausing for a moment. "... How did you...?"

"... Guess everything ended alright, then," Naruto stated as he sat down on the bed he had been laid upon earlier. "Your name? I... Don't know. I... Just know it, not sure why... What now?"

"First, you can lie down and allow me to remove the remainder of the wood that riddles your brow," The woman offered once again as Nario stepped over and placed a hand on the blond's shoulder. "It may not restore your sight, and may not rid you of any evidence of your wounding, but at the very least, it may ensure you suffer no other affliction as a result."

"Well, you could say that we have a proposition for you, kid," Nario stated, before gently nudging Naruto onto his back once again. "Until then, please. Let her help you. There's no shame in receiving help."

"... Fine then," Naruto sighed as he laid back and relaxed slightly, unable to feel any difference upon closing his eyes as he stared into his mind, looking on as the woman's vague blue shape worked on pulling splinters from his face. 'This is all getting very confusing... I can see, and yet... I can't see.'

The blond sighed silently, wincing slightly as the woman pulled a particularly large splinter from his right eye's socket before the pain worsened as if every nerve in his body had been set ablaze by the application of an ointment.

'... If there is a Kami out there... Why me?' Naruto thought to himself, thinking back to everything and allowing a tear to slip unnoticed down his cheek. 'I... I tried. I did everything I could to be good... What did I do wrong...?'

"With all due respect, Yoshiyuki-san... It was a bold move to bring him back here," Nario stated, as a vague shape of the older veteran soon entered the picture in Naruto's mind. "How are you so sure that Lord Mifune would even accept him as..."

"As one of us?" The older man questioned, the shape of the man in Naruto's mind soon seeming to remove something from his head. "Nario, you should know better. Physical attributes have never been what made a samurai. Blindness or not, we'd both be hard-pressed to deny the fact that, this boy, whom we've just asked to take care of our horses... His first instinct upon seeing a burning building was to rush in and attempt to save a terrified child belonging to an equally terrified mother."

"He's more than worthy then, wouldn't you say?" The woman tending to Naruto's wounds asked, pulling out another splinter before leaning in next to Naruto's ear. "Try to relax, dear... This one will hurt."

The woman took a deep breath, steadying her hands before reaching down into the depths of the wound on Naruto's left eye, drawing several quivering winces from the blond who tried desperately not to scream.

"Well, you do have a point, I suppose..." Nario conceded as the image of him in Naruto's mind leaned against the wall. "Lord Mifune does let many become samurai... Me, back then when I was sickly... And even that granddaughter of his who..."

"In that regard, Nario, hold your faith high," Yoshiyuki cut in before the younger man could finish. "And we will plead our case together. In the odd circumstance that this boy isn't allowed... Well, then we will figure something out."

'... I don't care if you even exist anymore, just...' Naruto began to beg mentally, overcome completely by the pain as he gripped hard onto the bedsheets. 'Please. Kami. I don't want to die here... Not like this. Whatever I've done wrong... I'm sorry. Please. Help me.'

Suddenly, the blond's thoughts fell blank, the images temporarily erasing themselves from his head as he stepped into a large, open space. Surrounded by nothing but pitch black, Naruto reached and groped around, finding nothing before he tilted his head slightly, stepping back as his clothing began to billow despite the windless space.

'Is... Is someone else there?'

The blond thought, the words sounding out loud in this unfamiliar landscape.

"How perceptive of you. You and I both know that... There has always been two."

A deeper, booming, and near-ghoulish voice replied, followed a moment after by feral, fox-like laughter.

"It was inevitable that you'd come upon me eventually, regardless of what that man did to ensure otherwise," The voice stated, managing to guide Naruto along until the blond smacked head-first into what appeared to be a metal beam. "Though, not even I could foresee circumstances that would facilitate our first meeting. So... What say you, my Jinchuuriki?"

'... So the rumours were true,' Naruto thought to himself, slowly rising to his feet before turning towards the source of the voice. '... There was a monster inside of me. All. This. Time.'

"Perhaps. Yet I am no monster," The voice stated, guffawing before continuing soon after. "Come now. Reach out your hand, and clear your mind. Allow yourself to see the extent of my sincerity with what I intend to say."

The blond paused momentarily, before sighing and taking a deep breath, calming down and emptying his mind as he reached out with his right hand, a vague blue visage coming upon the pitch black that was his vision, or lack thereof. Within this visage, large blue pillars formed around a larger, more vague shape, a large seal hanging at the front of the pillars.

"Close, but a little bit more is needed, we both know that." The voice encouraged, despite its tone remaining largely feral and untamed. "Identify me. And through that, identify yourself, Uzumaki Naruto. See the two of us through this lens few can utilise... Focus."

The blond tilted his head, a look of scepticism forming over his features before doing just that, wincing in pain from a wound upon his brow, before even that ceased whilst the blond's vision shifted once again, himself a more defined blue shape upon a large, damp space, the essence of it all flowing through his body and beyond back into the rest of the realm.

The blond took a step back, focusing before tilting his head upwards, unable to see yet being able to feel two large eyes, each with a fox-like slit within each pupil, bearing down upon him, the eyes themselves belonging to a large, beastly head connected to a large and vague blue shape, with nine tail-like protrusions extending themselves from the back of the creature's form.

"Well, well..." The creature chuckled as Naruto turned his head around the space, unable to see yet able to sense the presence of it all before he turned back towards the beast. "Look who finally knows."

'You're... The Kyuubi,' Naruto thought, tilting his head at an angle as if they were meeting eye-to-eye. '... Why help me?'

"Should you perceive me as a beast who detests all humanity, you'd only be half right," The Kyuubi stated as the large beast leaned in closer to the blond. "Within my previous vessels, I've proven an unwilling witness to both the best and worst of your kind. Archaic as I may prove, for as much hatred and rage as my form may protrude, such has only ever been directed to those who seek only my power. Simply put, why should I bear such towards a child who never chose to be my jinchuuriki? A child who has only suffered from it? When the time comes, you shall inevitably perish, and I will find myself the prisoner of another."

'... Sorry, that's... Well, I... That's a lot to take in,' Naruto admitted in his head, earning a hearty laugh from the Kyuubi a moment later. 'I'll need a moment.'

"Hah! Worry not, in the several centuries of which I have existed..." The Kyuubi began to say. "This is the only conversation I've participated in which proves somewhat amicable. Oh, and worry not, for your life will not be extinguished today in this frigid winter."

'Wait, one moment,' Naruto stated, tilting his head upwards as he came to a quick conclusion. 'How are you so sure? Is it... Are you the one keeping me alive? If so, why? Wouldn't my death lead to your freedom?'

"Had it ever been so simple, you'd have been vanquished within that time of anguish and strife you found yourself a child of," The Kyuubi stated. "But nothing has ever been so simple. My father, the progenitor of all chakra, had always believed existence to be a struggle to understand and maintain sincerity. And, as if it had been its comedic irony... Just as one can only weaponise I with the sincere intentions of harm without concern for others, one can only grant me the freedom I seek through the sincere act of wanting to do so, without concern for their existence."

'... I see. In that regard,' Naruto began to say, 'How would I go about freeing you?'

"Do not be foolish, young one," The Kyuubi warned, "Lest a jinchuuriki gains strength sufficient to challenge the beings of myths and legends, the freeing of their bijuu assures nothing but the most anguished of any extinguished fate. Irrespective of your feelings, you will not free me without exchanging your soul for mine... And we both know that you still deserve to go on."

'I see... Well...' Naruto thought, speaking once again soon after. 'If that's the case, I'll just have to get to that point, no?'

"Even after everything, you remain unchanged? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You've always been like this, yet..." The Kyuubi stated curiously, leaning in closer and observing Naruto more closely. "You still prioritise others?"

'I... Suppose? What's wrong with that?' Naruto questioned, feeling around before soon touching the Kyuubi's face. 'I doubt there's anything wrong with that. Nothing's ever been easy, I guess, but, well... Seeing others happy does make things easier.'

"... You truly are one of a kind," The Kyuubi stated, shaking its head before snorting good-naturedly. "If that is your wish, far be it for me to stop you. Though... If you truly do insist, then I shall be here to assist. So, what say you, my Jinchuuriki? What is it that you'd like to learn?"

'... I've got a few ideas,' Naruto thought in return.

Naruto held out a hand, taking a deep breath before reaching out towards the holes of Kyuubi's cage. Taking a moment, the Kyuubi relented, reaching forward with the manifestation of its titanic paw, shaking the blond's hand momentarily.

-The Real World, Two Hours Later-

Stirring slightly for a moment, Naruto soon burst upwards upon the worn cot he had laid upon, sitting upright whilst taking desperate grasps for air as he did so. Turning his head from left to right, the blond took a deep breath and focused, before the vague blue shapes of the environment and people around him appeared within the prior onyx of his visage.

"Oh. You're awake," An unfamiliar voice stated as a girl Naruto's age stepped over, her long, navy blue ponytail flowing down her back, contrasting the floral light blue kimono that she donned. "Apologies if I startled you, just... I believe we've yet to meet before the current moment."

"Well, I... I guess I did just arrive yesterday," Naruto explained, scratching the back of his head as he observed the girl's vague blue shape within the image in his mind. '... Her name is Akane... How do I... Never mind, that's for later. She feels... Sad? But she doesn't sound that way...'

"I see. Well, welcome to the Land of Iron, I sincerely hope your stay has been pleasant," Akane explained, nodding along as she took a seat by the bedside. "They said you were from Konoha... Are you a Shinobi? We don't see many from there... Honestly, we're only really told of Konoha in textbooks."

"I would've wanted to be, but... I think that's no longer a choice," The blond sighed as he shook his head, tilting his head slightly soon after. "So now I'm here. Nario said something about some proposal, but honestly, I don't want to think much about that right now... Are you a samurai?"

"Me? Samurai? I'd like to be, but not everyone would be so fast to see me as such... Hold on..." She mused as an errand thought caught her attention. "So that's what they were talking about... And that's why you were brought here..." Akane mumbled, seemingly piecing things together in her head. "I see. They want to offer you a chance to train as a Samurai. Not sure why considering... Well, anyhow! I... Guess that's your reasoning."

"I guess it's the thought that matters? Honestly, I'm thankful they saved my life," Naruto explained. "Actually, to be frank, I thought I was dead until..."

The blond paused, both locked in a moment of silence as both levelled with one another as if both were sharing a glance, despite Akane's grey pupils finding themselves unable to hold Naruto's sightless gaze.

"I... Wow, neither of us is any good at this, well..." Akane coughed, doing what she could to shift the topic a moment later. "Okay, let's try this again. It's nice to meet you, what's your name?"

"Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto to be specific," Naruto stated before tilting his head over. "What's yours?"

"Akane. Kurasagi Akane, to... Well, also be specific," Akane explained before taking hold of Naruto's hand and shaking it soon after, immediately pulling away after doing so. "... Apologies if that startled you. I see people do that often and thought it would be... Polite?"

"It's alright, Akane," Naruto began to say, "Your name does sound nice, too."

"Oh, well, thanks," Akane replied, mustering a small smile as she pulled her hand back to her side despite her slowly rising fluster. "I... Well... I think I should leave now. I'm not supposed to be here, so I might get in trouble..."

"Oh, I see. No problem, then," Naruto assured as he gave a nod whilst she rose to her feet. "It was nice meeting you."

"Likewise. Hopefully, we may meet again," Akane assured, bowing her head in return before turning to leave the room. "And preferably not in the hospital."

"Sounds good, think you could show me around next time?" Naruto asked, causing Akane to pause in her steps. "It'd be really hard trying to get to know this place in my state... So a friendly voice guiding me around would be nice."

"Oh! I... That sounds amazi- I mean! That sounds good!" Akane assured, stumbling over her words before she rushed out of the room, leaving the blond alone once more. 'A friend! I... Wow, certainly didn't expect...'

'Akane seems nice. She's feeling almost... Giddy?' Naruto thought to himself, the shape of Akane's chakra slowly growing smaller from his view, yet never truly vanishing from his senses. 'I should ask her about it the next time I see her...'

Naruto sighed, shaking his head at the revelations of the day, before leaning back to rest upon the cot once again and focusing. Within the blond's visage, the blue shapes of many went about their day within the environment they found themselves in, some in groups and some as individuals, but all of whom remained oblivious to this spectator's knowledge of their exact presence.

'This is still so confusing...' Naruto thought, shaking his head to take focus away momentarily as he sat upright, before rising to his feet, just as two blue shapes soon entered the space as depicted in his mind.

"Ah, I see that you're awake, how are you feeling?" Nario asked as he stepped over whilst Yoshiyuki crossed his arms. "You passed out just then, but Shiho-san did manage to get the last of those splinters out."

"I'm feeling better, I suppose," Naruto explained, tilting his head around before bowing his head. "But... Thank you. Both of you. I wouldn't be here to have this conversation had you two not decided to save me."

"Even if we weren't from Konoha, we'd never allow a child to fall to his death," Yoshiyuki commented as he stepped over as well. "I'd wager not even some of those presiding in Konoha, those who detest you for what they perceive you, and thus what you show of themselves... Even some of them wouldn't bear to see a child fall to his doom. Now that you're alright, Naruto... Are you ready to leave? Our Lord would appreciate an audience with his esteemed guest."

"Well... I wouldn't say esteemed," Naruto joked as he followed the two of them out of the room. "I'm not that important."

"Oh, don't sell yourself short, now," Nario stated as he placed a hand on the blond's back. "We've certainly had much worse."

The blond tilted his head towards Nario's direction for a moment, before shaking his head and disregarding the last parts of his statements, following along through the two's guidance despite being able to sense a clear route on his own, even whilst a familiar shape and presence grew closer.

"Oh, there you two are, Yoshiyuki-san, Nario-san..." Akane greeted as she stepped over and bowed momentarily, receiving bows in return from Yoshiyuki and Nario. "And I see that you've brought our guest with you too... Huh, in that regard, there's no need for me to deliver this message, then."

"Hmm? Message?" Nario asked whilst looking over. "What sort?"

"Well, you two were to bring our guest with you to the tower... But now that you have, there's simply no need," Akane assured, nodding her head before stepping over next to Naruto. "In that case, allow me to accompany you on your way there."

"If you so wish," Yoshiyuki assured, looking over the group before beginning to lead the way towards the tower at the centre of the village, or at least what Naruto perceived to be its centre. "Do stay close, we wish to not lose you on our way."

"I won't, don't worry... I'll try not to be a hassle either," Akane assured whilst falling in step next to Naruto, the two of them walking closely behind Nario and Yoshiyuki. Tilting her head slightly, the blue-haired girl reached over, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder before guiding him along, whispering silently without turning her head. "Stay close now, and don't worry. If I'm here, you won't get lost."

"Oh, well, thanks," Naruto assured, following along as several villagers looked over, drawn by the sight of the group of people gathered around the foreigner and the conversation that had just transpired. 'Oh... Wow, there's... There's a lot of people here.'

The blond sensed and tilted his head around whilst walking along, taking in the sounds and smells of the village around him, whilst taking in and feeling the presence of those who inhabit the many buildings and structures atop the frigid mountain. Naruto stepped along, initially mostly oblivious, only to find his attention captured by the many wary glances the group seemed to draw during their journey to the tower.

'Strange... They're... Backing away?' Naruto thought, tilting his head around before shaking it soon after. 'A lot of them... Are scared? Of who? Me? Probably not, I just got here, they wouldn't know about the Kyuubi anyhow... Are they..."

The blond thought, sensing the many vague shapes around them back away whenever the group grew closer, the lingering feeling of fear intensifying to the extent that Naruto could almost taste it upon his tongue, as he soon tilted his head slightly towards Naruto, the blue-haired girl's gaze remaining fixed forward.

'Scared of her?'

-The Tower, Ten Minutes Later-

"We've arrived now," Akane stated, pinching Naruto on the shoulder and motioning him to stop. "For now, this is where I'll take my leave. I trust you both know the rest, Yoshiyuki-san, Nario-san?"

"Of course, thank you for relaying the message," Nario replied, taking a moment before continuing. "Or well, intending to relay it. But thank you for accompanying us regardless."

"The pleasure is all mine," Akane assured, turning towards Naruto before offering a small, rare smile, flicking him a small wink before turning around. "It was nice meeting you too, Naruto."

"Hmm? Oh, well, thank you," Naruto assured, nodding. "It was nice meeting you too."

Gazing at Naruto's parting wave for a split second, Akane's smile widened marginally, before she stepped into the tower's interior, whilst the vague blue shape in Naruto's visage slowly shrunk until it vanished soon after despite her presence's persistence within his mind.

"Ready to enter, Naruto?" Yoshiyuki asked as he stepped before the blond, brushing some hair from his brow before combing the sides more neatly. "There. We must look more presentable, after all."

"I'm ready," Naruto assured, tilting his head upwards before pulling the blue scarf from his neck, wrapping it around his head and over his eyes immediately after. "Will I need to kneel?"

"You can if you'd like to, but it wouldn't be necessary," Nario assured as he stepped inside with his two companions. "Just take care to not speak unless spoken to."

"Alright, I think I can handle that," Naruto assured, continuing to walk alongside the two before speaking up again. "... That... Well, Akane seemed pretty nice, when... She walked with us earlier."

The two samurai escorting the blond paused in their steps, momentarily sharing a glance before Nario would soon reply.

"Well... For what it's worth, it's nice to see that you've found a friend in her?" Nario offered, before continuing to walk along the path. "Though, from my first impression... I'm not that surprised."

"Is... Is that bad?" Naruto questioned, hearing the strange wording as he tilted his head.

"Far be it for us to judge you for making a friend," Yoshiyuki assured, stepping alongside the two as he spoke. "Though... Do take care to beware what she may say... Should you ever question what she sees in you. One rarely finds themselves too pleased with the answer they are bound to find."

Naruto nodded, providing no further comment as the three walked along in silence. Immediately after turning a further corner, the three found themselves standing before a large, intricate door when compared to the others, to which Yoshiyuki soon rapped his knuckles three times in quick succession.

"Taisho. It's Yoshiyuki and Nario, we've brought the honoured guest," Yoshiyuki stated, before taking a step back.

"Enter!" Came a voice authoritative yet patient, as if stemming from one who had faced countless battles, who had stared the very concepts and manifestations of life and death in the eye before this very moment, yet one who lived to not just tell the tale, but to also dare to challenge these very constructs.

Giving a brief nod to signal his two companions, Yoshiyuki reached out and opened the door. In his darkened and blackened visage, Naruto bared witness whilst the blue shapes of his surroundings shifted to accommodate for the open door, yet its shapes for the lone figure within the office, and the desk he sat at remained the same, his very presence emanating the purest sense of calm.

"Taisho," Yoshiyuki and Nario both stated, removing their helmets before bowing lowly, prompting Naruto to follow in their lead, the long tails of the blue scarf now wrapped around his eyes cascading down and framing his head.

"You may stand," Mifune stated, standing up from his seat as long, grey hair fell down his back, black eyes and wrinkles coming into the view of the two samurai whilst his moustache and goatee grew ever more pronounced. "On behalf of all the Land of Iron... Welcome, Uzumaki Naruto. You honour us with your presence."

"Well, I was brought here, but... Thank you. I am honoured," Naruto assured, bowing his head once more before lifting it a moment later.

"Your reputation precedes you, young one," Mifune commented, hands folded as he took his seat once more. "Sincerely, when I heard this statement of a young child in Konoha of all places, who seemed to be detested by all who coexist with him... Who also ran headfirst into a burning building to save a younger child, who also accepted blindness as a consequence... I thought these two were lying. Yet, here we are. Face to face."

Naruto nodded, offering no response as he waited for Mifune to continue.

"The path to becoming a samurai strays far from Konoha's tradition, or what once was their tradition, of the path to becoming a Shinobi," Mifune explained, leaning on his hands a moment after. "Yet it is strung with its unique difficulties. Uzumaki, your qualities and valour far supersede what is traditionally required of a Samurai, yet... It is not our place to force you into this, hence why we extend to you this choice."

Mifune cleared his throat as Nario stood at attention, whilst Yoshiyuki tilted his head towards Naruto momentarily.

"You can opt to refuse, and we will deliver you back to your home, where you can forget all about this, should you choose. Or..." Mifune began to say, "You can accept, and we will all assist in your development as a Samurai, regardless of what challenges you may face. So... What say you, Uzumaki Naruto?"

"... Assuming I chose the second option, would I be allowed to return to Konoha for visits?" Naruto asked, his mind drifting back towards memories shared with Satsume. "Not for like, days or anything... Just that I'll go, and return after a quick... Walk."

"You may," Mifune stated, "As long as you do not find yourself owing a duty to an employer, you are free to do as you please."

"Very well," Naruto assured, untying the scarf from his face and revealing the scarred and burnt skin around his eyes. "I accept."

"Then it shall be so," Mifune stated in response, looking over to Yoshiyuki and Nario a moment after. "You two shall train this boy to the best of your capabilities, until, come six months, he shall face the trial all others face. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Taisho," Yoshiyuki assured with a bow.

"Consider it done," Nario continued with his bow, before placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto shall be ready by then. This I vow."

"Very well, you may leave," Mifune stated, nodding before passing one final glance towards Naruto. "And to you, young one... I wish you the best of luck."

The blond nodded, wrapping the blue scarf around his eyes and face once more, before departing the room, escorted by Nario and Yoshiyuki. Behind the closing door, Mifune sighed, looking down into the document he had been drafting prior. Pausing momentarily, Mifune rang the bell on his desk, before a servant stepped into the room, bowing lowly immediately after.

"Yes, my Lord?" The servant asked, "How may I be of service?"

"Find my granddaughter," Mifune stated, "Phrase that this matter is of utmost urgency and that she is to be here immediately. Now, go."

The servant nodded, bowing once again before dashing out through the still-open door. Several minutes later, whilst Mifune sat at his desk and continued with his original draft, a gentle yet distinct knock sounded at his door.

"Enter," Mifune called out, still drafting his document whilst the door creaked open and Akane stepped inside.

"Yes, ojii-san?" Akane asked, bowing momentarily before straightening whilst sharing a glance with the old man before her, the latter lifting his gaze momentarily as he paused during a stroke of his brush.

"... You wanted to be a Samurai, didn't you?"

Omake: Echoes of an Unknown Past

-One Month Later, Outskirts of the Land of Iron-

"Focus now, and be steady," The Kyuubi stated as Naruto took a deep breath and readied himself. "This is no easy task for those who lack stability. You have made exceptional progress in the short time you've attempted, but you will be required to make a greater attempt to progress."

Naruto nodded, taking a deep breath before turning slightly to orientate himself towards an oak tree, beginning to step over soon after. Slow steps gradually increased in speed, before the blond dashed forward and ran against the tree's trunk, feet bound in sandals planting themselves onto the trunk as they clung onto it momentarily, only for him to fall several seconds later.

'Huff... Still not used to that... Falling part,' Naruto thought, panting for air as he rested amidst the leaves.

"Naruto. Place your hand on the ground," The Kyuubi stated.

'Hmm, what for?' Naruto mentally asked, lifting his hand for a moment, before doing as was instructed and placing it amidst the leaves on the ground. 'Like this?'

"Just like that. And worry not, I seek confirmation to something I have long since wondered," The Kyuubi explained before continuing. "Take a breath. And when you're ready... Imagine yourself letting out all the frustration of falling off that trunk. Think about all of it, and try to channel it out through that palm on the ground."

The blond nodded, his scarred brow furrowing as the memories of the past month surged through his mind. Gritting his teeth and imagining himself reliving each one, the blond pressed his palm further into the ground, only for the leaves to soon launch up into the air, several of them being slashed in halves as they slowly descended around the startled Naruto.

"Woah! I... What the..." Naruto questioned confusedly, turning his head around the area as if trying to understand what had just happened. "Did I..."

"Yes. That was you," The Kyuubi stated whilst chuckling within the blond's mind. "So you possess an affinity towards Wind. How interesting..."

-At the Same Time, the Museum of the Land of Iron-

Within the large, ancient building, itself worthy of a museum due to its age and centuries-old style of architecture, visitors rifled through every exhibit set up, some staring in awe whilst others lost interest in boredom at the ancient weaponry, scrolls, paintings and poetry on display. The large group wandered around the entire museum, yet only leaving one singular exhibit in the corner of the building's second floor, itself having not been attended to as was evident by the years of dust that had been gathered around its frame, where next to it laid a long-rusted sign that vaguely contained the Kanji for "Muramasa".

Yet, here it sat undisturbed, with solid seals holding the archaic blade that had slain a clan in place whilst many others wandered around oblivious to its presence. Even more oblivious to the small cracks that just formed upon its shell of seals.

Author's Notes 2: Well, this chapter proved far longer than I had expected. Regardless of which, I still hope you'll all be able to enjoy this to some extent, even if most of this will prove to just be set up for the future.

I will also say that I will be attending University soon, during which time I will be forced to take more time off to tend to my studies. However, as my funding may prove insufficient for every year of my studies, I will be considering opening a Commission account where, for a certain price, I will take on most writing commissions that you send my way, save for some of the ones containing more extreme subject matter. Whilst plans aren't the most concrete, do feel free to hit me up in DMs(Or write to me on the email attached in my profile) if you are interested.

Regardless of which, do feel free to leave any thoughts regarding the chapter, or the story as a whole, in the review section below. I am always eager to see what you've thought.