Chapter 4
Sothis stared incredulously at the child standing before her throne, the words he'd declared to her upon his arrival hanging in the air.
"I want to be a Shinobi, Onee-san."
"Yes, I heard you the first time, but why did you think it prudent to inform me?"
Naruto blinked.
"Because I wanted you to know."
"Yes, but have you not forgotten that I am capable of seeing the world through your eyes?" The blonde's silence was telling.
"...Aren't you, happy for me?"
The Divine raised a brow, genuinely curious about the question. "You have simply found a way to fulfill a purpose in life. It is an achievement all humans gain at some point. If I were to congratulate you on that, then I must also congratulate you on giving your body proper nourishment for healthy growth...something of which you've been neglecting of late."
"...You don't have to be mean." The boy said, his cheeks puffing out in an attempt at a pout but falling flat without the assistance of a furrowed brow.
"There is far more I could do if I wished to hurt you, Child. Finding your way in life at your age is commendable, but you are still but a child—a child still naive to the world, no less. What matters and deserves praise are your accomplishments, not your goals. You may think my words harsh, but I am simply trying to dissuade you from celebrating accomplishments that mean nothing until work is actually done. You may not appreciate it now, but you will in the future."
Her peace said, she got comfortable in her seat once more and closed her eyes. Soft footsteps echoed in her ears, and the feeling of a body in front of her had her peeling her lids open once more. Sea-foam eyes, followed by blonde hair, greeted her, the boy literally inches away from her face. Of course the boy had no understanding of the word 'bounderies'.
"What, Child."
"...Can you help me?"
Sothis raised a brow, not expecting the question. "Pardon?"
"Be a shinobi. Can you help me?"
Sothis didn't need long to think on her answer, nor was it what the kid expected it to be.
"No. No, I cannot. Nor will I."
"...Why? Why can't you help me?"
Seeing that she was likely not going to get any sleep, she sat up and leaned against her fist.
"It's not a matter of 'can't', Child. What you ask of me is simply something I do not wish to have a hand in, especially since you do not fully understand what you have willingly signed up for. It is, however, irrelevant. It is my choice, and you will respect that."
"But I do know what I'm doing, Onee-san." The boy tried arguing, not quite yelling, but definitely with a higher octave than before. "I'm going to become a shinobi. The strongest shinobi. The Hokage. That way, everyone in the village will have no choice but to acknowledge me."
Sothis sighed and shook her head at the sheer naivety the child was showing. "I thought you bright, Child, but it seems I must now retract that." Naruto looked confused at her words. "The life of a Shinobi is a life filled with gray. It offers promises, yet greed and opportunity are always hidden beneath the surface. I have explored the world outside during your absences, and the little I've seen is enough for me to understand the world you wish to delve in. Those who do not have coin are often taken advantage of by the strong, and the strong are taken advantage of by the stronger. Allies who you think are kind are likely using you to further their own gains. It is a world of greed, betrayal, and hatred, and you think joining an organization, one that thrives off sabotage and murder, to be wise? No, I will not give my aid, nor my powers to one who could potentially be the greatest threat this world has seen."
She could tell the boy was stunned. He wasn't expecting her denial, nor was he expecting the words that followed. Alas, whether he understood her or not, he did understand that she refused to help him. His he dipped in disappointment as he said, "But, I wish to be strong."
"And there are many other avenues to strength, Child. You are but a kid who does not yet understand my words, but you will. In the future, you shall thank me, for you will-"
"No." The kid interrupted her, his usual placid features now showing a small frown. "If I don't become a shinobi, then there will be no future for me. Nothing will change. I'll still be a nobody with no friends or family, and people will still look down on me. Becoming strong is the only way for me to be acknowledged."
Sothis understood the boy's anger, yet a bit of irritation began seeping in as she tried to continue, "As I've stated before-"
"I'll show you." The boy interrupted once again, a determined glint in his eyes. "I'll show you that I can become Hokage on my own. I'll become the best, and I'll do it without any help. I'll become strong—the strongest. You'll see."
With that, the boy disappeared from the mindscape, leaving the Divine to stare at where he'd vanished in silence. A sigh left her lips as she got comfortable once again. To think the Hokage had such an impact on him with just one encounter...
"Such a bright soul, yet so desperate..." The Divine let out another sigh. "He'll be back." She finished, the words sounding almost reassuring as she fell back into slumber.
Konoha
Two week later...
It turns out there was quite an oversight that Naruto missed when applying for the academy.
Granted, he should have seen it coming. All the benefits the Academy Principal whispered into his little ear was enticing, but need he remind you, he was only 4-years-old and still didn't understand the significance of 'reading the fine print'.
'Orphans who enlist in the academy must be registered by a legal guardian upon their first day of attendance. However, if there is no legal guardian, the child can declare independence and will be granted a place of residence through village funds.'
Did you understand any of that? Naruto sure didn't. All he understood was that he could finally leave the orphanage and join the academy.
Now, living alone doesn't necessarily sound like a bad idea to any prepubescent child. Most kids would love the freedom that comes with not being told what to do all the time by adults, having the independence to make choices for themselves, and not having to ever listen to people constantly scolding them for their 'mistakes'. But alas, the reality of living alone was all too real.
For one, he had absolutely no idea how to cook, and the fact that no one would particularly sale to him either was also a harsh reality to him. He also had no idea how to clean aside from picking up toys, he had no idea how to generally take care of himself aside from taking a bath, and he had no adult to speak to (physically, at least) if something went wrong. 'You'd be dead within a week' as his ghostly Onee-san so bluntly stated.
But what other options did he have?
The answer is none.
The only other option he had was to be adopted, but he knew that was a reality that would only remain in his dreams. To put the final nail in the coffin, he'd asked Suzuki-san to adopt him, but even she had turned him down. She had tried cheering him up and explaining to him the reason why she couldn't, but all he could hear was her denying him the first real favor he'd ever asked of her.
Now, walking alone through the dark streets of Konoha, the blonde's mind wandered aimlessly. His ghostly friend Onee-san was currently sleeping once again, not that he'd had much to say to her since that day. She had made passing comments every now and then but otherwise hadn't spoken to him. As much as he wanted to see her and ask for help on this matter, he needed to prove himself. If he didn't prove himself, if he didn't show his friend that he was not just a stupid kid, then maybe, just maybe, she would acknowledge his dream. She was his only true friend (even if she was mean most of the time) and he wanted to prove himself to her more than anyone else.
It was as he was crossing another alley that he was forced to stop. A blur of black was speeding his way; it moving so fast that he wasn't even sure he could get out of the way in time.
Before he could even process what the figure was or why it looked to be in such a hurry, he suddenly heard a very weird and nasty sound ring through his ears. Confusion hit him first, not understanding what had just happened or why it had suddenly become so hard to breathe. Something warm began filling his throat, and it wasn't until he coughed that he looked down.
Something was sticking out of his neck. It looked familiar, yet in his state of shock, he couldn't place where he'd seen it before. He tried reaching up to it, hoping to pull it so he could breathe again, but his arms felt heavy. A sensation he'd never felt before began building within him. He didn't know what it was, but he knew he didn't like it. It made his entire body shiver like it was cold, and it made him feel like running away even if he couldn't.
His legs began feeling weak as red liquid began escaping his mouth. The lack of oxygen began to hurt unlike anything he'd ever felt before and he stumbled back in desperation. His back met a hard surface, feelikg himself slide it as his legs gave out shortly afterwards. He tried opening his mouth to scream for someone to stop the pain he was feeling, but all that came out was gurgles and red that kept escaping his mouth. Out of options, he turned to within and tried begging his one true friend for help—one who could definitely stop this agony he was feeling.
To his growing horror, there was no answer. He tried moving his body but no longer had function in his arms. He tried the same with his legs, but found that not even willpower was enough to get them to move.
It was as he was desperately trying think of a way to stop the place that was causing him so much pain that he realized something no 4-year-old should ever realize.
He was dying.
He was dying alone, and where no one could help him. He was dying before he could truly experience the life he didn't really even know. He was dying before he could make any real friends or find the family he'd always wanted. He was... just dying...
And in the midst of his life leaving him, the only one that came to mind was his very first and only true friend. If he were gone, who would she talk to? Who would she scold now? Would his Onee-san even miss him if he were gone? Was she still mad at him? What would happen to his friend if he was gone?
Tears mixed with blood as they streamed down his face—now realizing he would be leaving his only friend far too early.
As his body began to go numb and his eyes began losing light, he could only think of one thing.
"Li…ve…wa...to..."
As if answering the only wish he'd ever had, reality shattered the world to a pause—a purple haze covering the Elemental Nations and the lands beyond.
Unknown Location
"-body is not suitable for the latest experiments. It does react well with the chakra and has...Sir?"
A very pale, raven-haired man in a lab coat blinked as he came out of whatever trance he'd seemingly been in. "Yes, Kabuto-kun?"
"Is everything alright?" It was rare for the white-haired teenager to see the man who had changed his life so loss, but at that very moment, he looked as if he went to summon a snake and got a gecko.
Said man blinked ever so slowly before giving his reply.
"...No. Everything's fine, Kabuto-kun. Please, continue with your evaluation." The white-haired teen seemed to hesitate for a moment, but cleared his throat and went back to his analysis. Meanwhile, the ravenette listened to the analysis as if he'd just rewound the scene and played it again. He looked down at the coffee mug held in his hand and couldn't help but get lost in its calm surface as a thought passed through his mind.
'...What...?'
Omegakure no Sato
Red hair swayed as it's bearer's head snapped to look behind him. The dark, empty corridor stared back at the redhead, it's silence bringing no comfort after the foreign feeling of something rubbing against his chakra.
"Is there something wrong, Nagato?" Despite the call of his name, he did not remove his eyes from the darkness. After what was likely more than a minute, he assured himself there was no danger and turned his ripple patterned eyes to the woman joining him on this mission.
"Nothing, Konan. Let us proceed."
Fodlan
Church of Seiros
Rhea jolted awake. She checked her surroundings, a desperation in the motion she hadn't felt in millennia. When she found nothing, she calmed herself, whipping away the sweat that had accumulated on her brow. Looking to her bedside, she found the painting of her faith glimmering from the moonlight reflecting off the glass surface. The paint, that of a woman descending from the heavens, reopened the hole in her heart that seemed to never be able to stay filled.
"Mother..."
Konoha
Naruto suddenly stopped on a dime and began coughing uncontrollably before falling on all fours. Heavy breaths followed his sudden lack of air, the boy breathing as if air were no longer a commodity. The quivering took hold of him next, the boy unable to fully gain a hold of any of his motor functions.
A hand absentmindedly came to his neck, as if expecting it to no longer be there. A second later, images invaded his head, and bile, along with the little he had eaten that day, emptied from his stomach into the dirt.
'What, happened?' he asked no one after emptying his stomach, looking forward in hopes of finding answers. A shiver suddenly went up his spine as he saw the end of the alley. Visions of a Kunai sticking out of his neck nearly had him vomiting once more, but the one who'd thrown such a weapon brought back his shivers of fear.
"Hide NOW you idiotic child! Quickly, before your fate is renewed!"
He didn't have time to question the voice of his friend since his body was too busy subconsciously following orders. Taking cover in the bushes conveniently to his left, he made sure not to move as he peaked through the leaves obstructing his view. Moments later, his heart nearly stopped when he saw the same black figure once again running towards him. Not a sound left his lips this time as he watched the figure get closer and closer. Thankfully, the blur ran right past his hiding place and down the path he had previously come from.
He didn't even have time to feel relieved since the second his eyes followed the blur, he witnessed it falling to the floor in a boneless heap courtesy of another man in a white robe.
Many things happened after that. More people in robes, along with Konoha shinobi and even shinobi wearing strange animal masks, appeared to take the body away. Naruto did not know how long they were there, but he felt it was an eternity before they all finally dispersed.
Only when he was sure everyone was gone did he leave the bushes and run as far away from that place as possible. What he experienced that night would give him nightmares for the next few months.
Fodlan: ?
Jeralt looked down to his burned arms.
The same arms that had held his little girl as she thrashed uncontrollably moments ago.
It had happened again.
His daughter had lost control once again.
Despite his promises to keep her safe, despite his reassurance that everything would be OK, he was unable to protect his child once again.
Doubly so, since the cause of her sudden transformation was due in no small part to the man currently held before him in chains.
The dastard, Renly, brother to his former lieutenant, the same who'd died during Byleth's first 'awakening' of her powers, had stabbed his little girl—right in front of him, no less. A boy, like his sister, who had sworn his loyalty to him. A boy who once vowed he'd held no grudge for his sister's death and swore his sword under oath.
That same boy had run his little girl through the moment he was able.
Yet his little girl did not die.
Though her heart was pierced and blood escaped both her mouth and breast, the wound was not fatal. Before his eyes, he watched as the wound closed. Before his eyes, he watched as Byleth's face turned from surprised agony to rage. Before his eyes, bubbling red, demonic mana began rising from her skin. Her hair became wild and spiky, while her eyes turned red and her pupils became slits. The marks on her face became futile, and her nails became sharp as steel. Everyone, including the craven traitor, fled upon witnessing the sight, knowing what would follow shortly after.
But Jeralt did not run.
Immediately, he brought his girl, his joy, into his arms, ignoring the way his armor seemed to heat up at the contact with the demonic energy. She began to thrash, her small arms wiggling furiously as her snarls began to become more feral the tighter he squeezed. The demonic mana that escaped her began to rise the very dirt around them, even turning nearby stones into rubble, yet he did not falter. Even when the heat of his armor against his skin began to become unbearable, he did not let go.
Instead, he began soothing her. Rubbing her hair softly, he began whispering soothing words into her ear. He wasn't good at this at all. He did not know the right words to say, nor had he ever, yet he said any and everything he knew from his own upbringing for this moment. He did not know how long he held her, but he knew it worked. Eventually, the mana began receding. The air that had once been thick with killing intent had all but ceased. The demonic energy surrounding Byleth eventually retreated back within her and Byleth had stilled.
He succeeded.
Byleth had fallen into a slumber, and Jeralt thanked his lucky stars that another town did not suffer yet another tragedy for his daughter.
It was a blessing.
Yet there was something that now needed to be done.
The boy, no older than 19 name days, had been caught within the hour. He had foolishly believed he'd have enough time to escape in the panic and had paid for it with an arrow to the knee.
It would not be the only wound he suffered before his death.
Gathering all his mercenaries before a podium outside the town's walls hours later, he stood above the boy who had run his daughter through. His arms were tied in front of him, along with his legs, despite the arrow that was still lodged in his kneecap. Two men held him in place while the boy glared angrily at him, yet the malice was heavily overshadowed Jeralt's own growing fury.
Despite there being over 200 warriors present, all was quiet. Not a soul dared to speak since he'd stepped on the stage to confront the man who'd nearly succeeded in murdering Jeralt the Blade Breaker's child.
The boy was dead.
They knew.
They all knew.
It was Jeralt who finally cut through the silence like a hot knife through butter. His voice was cold, colder than any of them had heard, and they all knew there would be no mercy on this day.
"...I have treated you all fairly." He spoke, everyone able to hear no matter how far they were from the front. "I have treated you all like men. I have equipped you, paid you well, given you shelter, and given you names befitting a warrior. I have given you respect of not only myself, but the Realm. I have treated you all fairly and justly, no matter your background or upbringings...And yet, here I am, still facing treachery."
The sound of someone spitting echoed at the end of his words. Yet, Jeralt did not remove his eyes from the boy who'd already dug his own grave. "Ta hell with yer equality. I only fought for my sister. And that demon-"
His scream of agony stopped his tirade. The arrow that was in his knee had been lodged in further and snapped off courtesy of Jeralt's iron boot. Despite the clear show or cruelty, none in the mercenary band moved to help or protest. They were loyal to one, and any would be fools to charge the Blade Breaker, armed or not.
"...I have asked nothing of you in return but to fight at my side." Jeralt continued, ignoring the writhing and whimpering boy before him. "However, it would seem I have been too lenient as of late. You all think me weak for showing compassion? For showing mercy and sheltering the weak?" Not one amongst them thought of such a thing, and even if they did, they were not foolish enough to say such things out loud. They have done things that went against their greed, but never have they even dreamed of thinking Jeralt weak. "That ends today."
Walking away from the still-whimpering boy, Jeralt retrieved a stick that had laid untouched at the end of the podium. Heaving it up for the rest to see, they now saw the object for what it was.
And so did Renly.
The boy's anger turned to fear, and he was pleading for his life before Jeralt had even made it back to him.
His pleas went on deaf ears.
The men holding him seized his arms and held them out onto a chair brought by a third. He was then forced to his knees, pleas of mercy still leaving his treacherous lips all the while. Jeralt gripped the sledge hammer, putting all his fury before him to do what needed to be done.
Before he could go through with it, a shuffle of green caused him pause.
Byleth had walked onto the stage. The stoic, permanent mask she had held before that day had returned as she stopped before the man that had nearly taken her life. Jeralt faltered for a moment, but knew he could not back out of what he was about to do—even for Byleth.
"Kid, you don't need to see-"
"No, Father." Byleth interrupted him, her voice calm, and her eyes never leaving the man who now held hope for the child he nearly killed. A hope that was shattered by her next words. "I want to watch."
Jeralt stared at Byleth, his child. This was definitely not something a child should witness, yet her eyes did not waiver. She was determined to see this through, no matter how this would make her feel afterward. He honestly didn't know if he should be happy that the demon inside of her somehow gave his little girl the ability to actually show human emotion, or curse it for turning her life into a nightmare. Either or, he couldn't back down now. This needed to be done, both for his image, and his revenge.
The boy was pleading again, this time to Byleth. Yet again, his pleas fell on deaf ears. Byleth was unmoved, even when the boy began cursing her name. Jeralt looked to the crowd one last time, to the crowd of warriors that watched with stony eyes or held breaths.
"Let this serve as a lesson to traitors, or anyone who wishes to bring harm to our organization, or my daughter." His peace said, he swung the hammer back behind him.
The sound of shattering limbs were followed closely by screams of agony.
Byleth didn't so much as flinch.
OMAKE
Suzuki Yami: Part 1
Suzuki knew she lost points with the Demon Fox when she reluctantly denied his will for her to be his legal guardian. The fact terrified her on a whole new level, and she quickly tried explaining herself, but she knew that even though his face lacked emotion, her words were going in one ear and out the other. When the fox turned and walked away despite her plea for him to listen to her excuses, she almost wet herself in fear. When he did not return for curfew, she had all but lost hope. Visions of her painful demise, just like everyone else's, began playing in her head, making her fear skyrocket to new heights.
Without thinking, she left the orphanage in the hands of the other workers and went in search of her Lord. It was late, and she was a woman who was not particularly strong and very vulnerable. The fact that Kumo was currently in the village made her feel worse, but her death via the fox was more terrifying than anything a mortal could do to her, so she continued searching late into the night.
During her search, she turned to an alley somewhere around the Hyuuga territory and hoped beyond all hope that she'd find her Lord there. Other alleys were fruitless or held less than savory individuals, but held no signs of her Lord. This one would probably be no different, but it never hurts to check either way.
The moment she took a step forward, her entire body shook, and she almost fell to her knees at the phantom pain she suddenly felt in her neck. Shakily checking the area, she was confused when there were no signs of injury, but the phantom pain was unmistakable, and it made her look down the alley with dread. Every living instinct within her was yelling at her to not go down that alley, and she had no idea why. There didn't seem to be anything in there aside from dark patches and trashcans, but her gut was telling her otherwise. Seeing that her gut had never been wrong before, she quickly 'noped' and did a full 180 on the spot—disappearing quickly down the street and missing the speeding figure that passed not seconds later.
She had to find him before it was too late.
Thankfully, her desperation bore fruit. After resigning herself and returning to the orphanage, she spotted him along the way. He seemed to be out of breath, but those unique eyes never left hers. Moments later, he was running towards her, sending a spike of fear through her.
What was he about to do? Would he kill her for her treachery? Would he disembowel her? Tear open her throat? Consume her insides? Subject her to a lifetime of torture? Only Gods knew what the demon fox was going to do to her the moment he-
He collided with her and nearly knocked her off her feet. Two arms wrapped around her, and she feared the worse. Upon realizing her spine wasn't instantly snapped, she hesitantly opened an eye and peered down.
He, was hugging her? But why? Had she not failed him? Had she not disappointed him? Was he not going to consume her soul?
If, if he wasn't going to kill her, then that could only mean...
She had been given a second chance!
A second chance to keep living and not disappoint the one who had chosen her out of everyone else and to continue living just a bit longer. She still could not grant his will, but she would make sure he was well accommodated so his transition into the ninja academy was less troublesome. Even if it was something as mundane as cleaning or cooking, she would do it and continue to live.
Because she had been given a second chance. And she would do everything in her power to make sure she did not waste it again.
A/N: Over 100 follows in the first 48 hours? That. Is. AWESOME! Thank all returning and new readers for your support! Seeing so many like the story right off the bat does wonders for my confidence in this story! Already four chapters down and 16 to go! Keep up the motivations plz!
The next chapter is the start of the academy, and Naruto finds out the world isn't as easy as he thought it would be while Byleth deals with her own inner demons (see what I did there).
By the way, I DO TAKE IDEAS! If you have ideas for the story, or have ideas for an Omake that you would like to see either in this story or my other, PLEASE tell me! Be it in a review or a PM, I always welcome ideas!Of course, I will give credit to those that help me with the story, so don't be shy and gimmie!
Thank you all for the follows and favorites. If you like this story, consider giving my other work 'The Fate We Have Chosen' a try. Reviews, both good and bad, give me motivation to write, so please keep them coming, and I hope you all have a damn good day.
Current Ages in Scene:
Byleth: 8 (cannon 9)
Naruto: 4
