From Ninja to Shinigami
Chapter 3: Acquiring New Information
By: jacke44
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===July 12, 11:07 AM, Wave Country, Underground Bunker===
Naruto sat and listened to Mayuri's lecture "When I first discovered this world, I was intrigued by this energy you call chakra. I spent several years studying your people and recording several events, including what came to be known as the First, Second, and Third Shinobi World Wars. But eventually concluded my research and returned to my dimension, Soul Society. However, I decided to leave this laboratory as a fail-safe should Soul Society ever fall. Inside this computer, you will find a complete history of the Soul Society, including our techniques of Hado and Kido, and to ensure the safety of all my research up to that point, I left my greatest invention. The machine in the center of the room can make an artificial copy of any of the captains, lieutenants, and all the seated officers, plus a few other noteworthy individuals. Once you make one, they will follow any and all orders you give them, and they would have all their powers they had in my dimension. I also left an extensive range of equipment for Soul Reapers and Quincies and a couple of items I was able to make that can give someone the power of a Fullbringer. one of these is a set of hair pins that was once used by a human female that gave her the ability to seemingly heal any injury, including regenerating entire body parts
In actuality, they allowed her to reject reality itself, reverse time and space within the influence of her techniques for various effects. However, this power came at a cost, the power relies on the determination of the user, and feelings such as doubt can make it weaker, while conviction can make it stronger." Naruto continued to listen for another 3 hours, being told the history of the three Shinobi World Wars, including videos of great battles such as the one between the first Hokage and Uchiha Madara at what would become the Valley of the End. Then another two hours of boring lecturing and a history lesson before it finally ended and Naruto took a moment to soak it all it. "Now, do you have any questions?"
"Can I gain the powers of a Soul Reaper?" Naruto asked.
"Of course you can. Because you have chakra, it will be a simple matter of altering the output of your spiritual energy; there's a chemical compound formula in this computer that can allow you, or anyone else for that matter, to achieve the powers of a Soul Reaper, or a Quincy for that matter. If you look to your left and choose to become a Soul Reaper, that machine there will allow you to make a zanpakuto." Mayuri answered.
A massive grin broke out on Naruto's face. "Great! Before that, show me a list of everyone I'll be working with." He requested then multiple windows popped up on the screen with the faces of several individuals, which Naruto knew he couldn't count by himself. "In my fight at the end of the month, I'm going up against someone that specializes in hand-to-hand combat; who would you recommend to help train me against that, Mayuri?" He asked.
All but three of the windows closed. "These three would be the best to train you in such; the first is former captain of Squad 2, Yoruichi Shihouin. She was known as the Flash Goddess, specializing in hand-to-hand, stealth, and assassination. The second is her replacement and former apprentice Soifon, who has the same specialties. Lastly is Kisuke Urahara, former captain of squad 12; he had a broad range of skills and abilities." Mayuri then listed off.
"What are their personalities like?" Naruto asked, hoping to get a picture of what he would have on his hands should he choose any of them as his Sensei for the next month.
"Yoruichi is a free spirit; all she wants is to live her life how she wants and fight strong individuals. Soifon is dedicated to her job; a by-the-books person, she has zero tolerance for those who would break the law. She believes in hard, and some would say harsh, work in her training of her subordinates. While I loathe to admit it, Kisuke is quite intelligent and more than capable in a fight... but my intellectual superiority will always win out." Mayuri added.
Naruto chuckled and nodded, sitting back in his chair before wincing and rubbing his head. "When will this headache go away?"
"Your headache should dissipate in 2-3 hours; remember that you had quite a bit of information put into your head, so it will be some time before your mind sorts through it all. When it does, you should find that you will be able to memorize and learn things much easier." Mayuri brought up.
Naruto looked over at the clock on the wall and saw that it was about four o'clock which explained his angry stomach. "Okay, I'm leaving, but I'll come back tomorrow. Is there anyone I should activate now so I can get the lab going?" He asked.
"I would recommend activating my assistant and daughter, Nemu. She should be able to clean the place up and get it ready to go." Mayuri advised.
Naruto nodded and typed out a series of keys on the computer before the tube in the middle of the room began to make sounds. After a few seconds of this, a small door opened with smoke pouring out of it, Naruto able to see a figure in the tube before they stepped out; indeed, it was Lieutenant of Squad 12, Nemu Kurotsuchi, who began to look around before spotting Naruto and bowing. "How may I be of service to you?" She asked quietly and kindly.
Naruto smiled and stood up from his chair. "Hello Nemu, my name is Naruto Uzumaki. I would like you to start getting this place cleaned up and running. I'll return in the morning, so I also want you to have a chemical compound ready that will make me into a Soul Reaper if you can." He requested.
Nemu nodded. "I will follow all of your orders to the letter, and you have my assurance Naruto-sama that..."
"Stop it right there." Naruto interrupted. "I don't want some obedient servant, I hope we can be friends, but don't call me sama, okay Nemu? If you have your concerns, or you want something, or you think I'm too bossy, I want you to tell me. Can you do that for me?" He asked.
"Very well... Naruto-kun." Nemu said with a slight smile on her face.
===4:28 PM, Wave Village===
Naruto said farewell before heading out, deciding to stop off at the market and pick up a few more supplies. Jumping through the trees, he made it to the village in about 5 minutes, got some groceries and headed down the street with a smile on his face now that the village is no longer gloomy. As he walked, he thought to himself about the three individuals that Mayuri recommended to him. 'I think I'll go with Yoruichi, she sounds like the best bet to me.' He thought as he passed by an alley and heard laughter, but it seemed to have a mocking undertone to it. Jumping up to a nearby roof, he put the bags down and looked over the edge, instantly becoming furious at what he saw.
There were five boys no older than 8 cornering a young girl, saying things that only made him angrier. "Well look who we have here, boys; it's the dog freak. Where's your little pack of mutts?"The apparent leader had asked before he punches her in the stomach, the others boys laughing at her misery.
One of the other boys grabbed her by the front of her shirt and slammed her against the wall. "Look at this filthy piece of trash; why are you still in our village? I would think you would have left with your mom; oh that's right, she took off without you the moment she got a chance. That just proves how much of a disgusting freak you are."
The girl merely looked up at them. "Please, I just came to the village to get some food."
"Oh, it's food you want? I think we can help you." Another boy said before grabbing a trash can.
Before he could dump it on her, Naruto jumped down between them, leaking a massive amount of killing intent and bloodlust, before speaking in a low, threatening voice that sent a shiver down everybody's spines. "Get out of my sight now, before I get mad. And if I ever see any of you again, you're not going to like what happens to you." The boys scrambled over and pushed each other to get away from Naruto as fast as possible. Naruto turned around and got down on his knees to be closer to the girl, as she was on the floor. "Are you okay?" He asked, as she held her stomach and slowly lifted her head, giving Naruto a good look at her face; he could tell right away that she was at least half Inuzuka and probably from her Mom if those jerks were right, now the 'dog freak' comment make sense, she had the normal features of the Inuzuka especially the wild, spiky brown hair to her shoulders... well mostly, her eyes had a slight yellowish tint, but maybe that was common, after all Hana looked normal except for her cheek marks. Before he could do anything else, she tackled him in a hug, bawling her eyes out, saying 'Thank you' over and over. In response, Naruto wrapped his arms around her and sat on the ground, his back against the wall, letting her vent out everything, rubbing her back and whispering to her softly that everything was going to be okay. The two of them sat for a long time, Naruto listening to her cry and say this or that, reminded of how he first met Tsume.
(Flashback, 6 years ago)
A six-year-old Naruto was making his way back to his apartment after eating at his new favorite restaurant. "Man, they sure do have great ramen! I'm going to have to go back and get more! Wonder if I can go there tomorrow for lunch..." He looked up to the sky and saw rain clouds. "I better hurry up and get home." He said to himself, deciding to take a shortcut through an alley to get there faster. As he walked through the alleys he knew like the back of his hand, he caught wind of a whining sound behind some boxes. Moving them to the side, he found a dog lying on its side, whining in pain. Naruto could see it had been beaten, from all the patches of fur missing, bruises forming, and blood in its fur. "Who could have done this to a poor doggy? Don't worry, little guy, I'll get you some help. I can't take him to the vet, they don't like me." Naruto said and trying to figure out what he should do before remembering the friend he made in the park and how he mentioned his family worked with dogs. "What was his last name? Come on, think, think... it was Inuzuka!' Happy with himself for remembering, Naruto took one of the boxes and carried the dog in it carefully so as not to agitate its injuries. He made his way to the Inuzuka compound within five minutes, heavy rain, high winds, and lightning forming on his way there. Determined to keep the dog safe, he took his jacket off and wrapped the dog in it. Barely able to see in front of him because of the wind and rain, he struggled to reach the front door, when he did he knocked, when no one came he began to panic and repeatedly banged on the door.
In the living room, Tsume was lounging in her favorite recliner next to the fireplace, reading her favorite book, The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi. She jumped slightly when the pounding on the door began. "Who the hell could that be in this weather?" She got up and opened the door, seeing a little blonde boy with whisker marks on his cheeks, holding a box and looking soaked and slightly terrified. "Who are you, what do you want, and what the heck are you doing out in this weather?"
"My name is Naruto Uzumaki." He said then looked up at her after he dropped to his knees. "Please, you've got to help me. I found an injured dog in the alley next to my house. I met a boy named Kiba from this clan, and he said his family works with dogs, you've got to help me, please!" He begged.
Tsume quickly brought him inside, putting them both in front of the fireplace and wrapping Naruto in a blanket that was hanging off the back of the couch. With that taken care of, she turned her attention to the box and removed the jacket, gritting her teeth at the condition of the dog. "If I find out who did this I'll rip their..." She saw him shaking in fear out of the corner of her eye, so she took some calming breaths. "Stay right here, I'll get some supplies to help." She said, getting a nod from Naruto.
Tsume left the room to grab some medical supplies, and while she was gone Naruto looked to the door when he heard some noise, it was a girl a few years older than him and his new friend Kiba. "What're you doing here, Naruto?" Kiba asked.
"I was on my way home and took a shortcut down an alley, I found an injured dog in it, and I remembered how you said your family worked with dogs so I brought it here so I could get it help." Naruto explained, the both of them immediately running towards the box, finding the bleeding dog.
"Naruto, do you know who did this?" The girl asked, growling.
Naruto shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't know."
Tsume came running in, carrying some bandages for the dog. "Good, both of you are here. Hana, go and get some buckets of water, Kiba, take Naruto to your room and let him borrow some clothes. Warm or not, it won't be healthy to let him stay in those until they dry." She said, Hana made a beeline for the kitchen while Kiba and Naruto walked out of the room, passing by Hana with a bucket of water. After Naruto had changed his clothes, they walked back into the living room, seeing Tsume and Hana on the couch, the matriarch walking over and hugging the blond. And said. "The dog's going to be okay. From this day forward, you'll always be considered a friend of the Inuzuka clan; because not too many people would go to these lengths for a dog they don't know."
(End Flashback)
Coming out of his memories, Naruto looked down to see the girl was asleep in his arms. He made a Shadow Clone to take the groceries, then adjusted her position and began to carry her back to the house, walking in to see Fuu and Tsunami cooking supper. With a finger to his lips, he whispered. "Is there a place I can put her?" He asked, Tsunami motioning for Naruto to follow her, bringing them upstairs to bring her to bed, the both of them returning to the kitchen. "Okay Tsunami, who is that girl and why did I find her being beaten up in an alley by five snot-nosed brats?" He asked.
Tsunami started crying. "Her name is Noriko, the reason she was being beaten up by the other boys is because her mother was one of Gato's women he brought in as a 'plaything.' She was already pregnant at the time, and when your team ended Gato's reign, she took off for freedom, leaving Noriko here, she never really cared for her and said she was nothing but a burden on her. Several other women in the village and I have tried to help her, but she is so much like a boy, stubborn and refuses to do anything feminine. Then there's the pack of wild dogs she always hangs out with, she says she can understand them. That's another reason the kids pick on her, believe me we've tried, but she won't accept help from anyone." She explained.
Naruto let out a breath as he processed all that. "It's okay, and I know who her family is. I might not know her mother or father specifically, but I know what family she comes from. She's a member of a clan from my village, the Inuzuka, they're famous for their affiliation with canines, they have the ability to talk to them, and most of the women are rather tomboyish, relatively rough around the edges. Do you think your father would care if I send a letter to let them know about her? I'm friends with the Clan Head. You don't need to worry about anything, and there are two things you need to know about the Inuzuka, they value loyalty above all else, and they care about their family." Naruto explained.
Tsunami still had tears running down her face, but she was smiling. "Naruto, if you can give that little girl a family, you do it. I know for a fact my father wouldn't disagree with this decision." She said.
"Good, the moment they hear that she's here, they'll send someone to pick her up and take her home. She'll be a welcome addition to the family." Naruto assured her. Just then, the three of them heard crying from upstairs. "Don't worry, I'll go take care of it." He said, heading upstairs and entering the room, seeing Noriko awake in bed, crying. "How are you doing, Noriko?"
Noriko looked at him through her tears, hiccupping a few times. "Ho, how do you know my name?"
"Do you know a woman named Tsunami?" Naruto asked first.
Noriko smiled slightly and nodded. "Yeah, she's the pretty lady who brings me food when she can."
"Well right now, we're in her home. Now I have a question for you, how would you like to meet your family, and no, I'm not talking about your mother. You see, you are from a family called the Inuzuka, they're a ninja clan from the Hidden Leaf Village. They're famous for working with dogs, and if you want, I can send a letter and let them know that you're here, you'd be welcomed into that family, and I'm sure they'll let you bring your dogs with you." Naruto offered.
The only answer he got was a flying tackle. "Yes, yes, yes! If they are my family, I will do anything to get to know them!" Noriko said.
Naruto chuckled and sat back up. "Okay, I'll send a letter to let them know you're here. If I send it tonight, they should be here tomorrow to pick you up and take you home. Okay, let's go back downstairs and have dinner, I'm sure you're pretty hungry."
His response came in the form of Noriko's stomach growling loudly, causing her face to go bright red, causing Naruto to chuckle. Embarrassed, Noriko punched him in the stomach. "It's not funny." She pouted.
"You're gonna need some training, all the Inuzuka I know are strong and that punch didn't even hurt." Naruto commented, turning to go downstairs, laughing, causing Noriko to continue assaulting him.
Naruto walked into the kitchen, Fuu, and Tsunami turned to see him carrying Noriko, who was pouting, crossing her arms, and muttering to herself about 'stupid blondes.' "Just you wait 'till I'm bigger..."
"Hope you don't mind, I brought a friend to dinner." Naruto said with a smile.
"Not a problem, Father is staying at his office tonight, and Inari is sleeping over at a friend's, so it looks like you're having dinner with three ladies." Tsunami commented, gesturing as if she were of high society.
Naruto put Noriko down and chuckled. "Should I be worried about you three trying to corrupt me?"
Tsunami giggled. "I'm old enough to be your mother, but feel free to take a chance with Fuu." She jokingly advised.
"Does this mean Naruto wants to make babies with me?" Fuu asked innocently.
"Whoa, whoa... whoa! Of course not, where would you get an idea like that?" Naruto looked at Tsunami. "What have you been teaching her?"
Tsunami grabbed hold of Fuu's shoulder. "You and I are going to have to review a few lessons. Naruto, can you please keep an eye on the stove? This won't take very long." She asked, taking Fuu out of the room when the blonde nodded.
Naruto made a Shadow Clone and had it watch the stove in his place while he tended to Noriko, spying some scrapes and bruises. "I want you to have a seat, okay? I'll go get some bandages and ointment to clean you up."
"You won't use that spray, will you? It hurts." Noriko begged.
"Don't worry, I have some ointment, it's a lot better and doesn't hurt, I promise." Naruto assured her, making a quick run for his temporary room and coming back to treat her wounds.
"And now you're a doctor." Tsunami joked.
Naruto shook his head. "No, but I can patch up scrapes and bruises pretty well." Of course that was before he realized he didn't need to for the minor ones because he healed so fast, but now was glad he had.
The clone came over to tell them dinner was ready, and over the course of their meal, Naruto told Noriko all he knew about her clan. "No way, they use dogs to fight?!" Noriko parroted excitedly.
"That's right; there's even a dog that talks like humans and some dogs are as big as horses, you can ride 'em too," Naruto said.
Noriko gasped at Naruto in surprise, eyes twinkling with excitement. "Okay Naruto, I think that's enough for now; Noriko, stop pushing your vegetables to the side of your plate and eat them." Tsunami said.
"But I hate vegetables." Noriko pouted.
"Well you better get used to eating them. I told you about Tsume, she's been known to shove vegetables down her kids' throat. I'm not kidding. I've seen her do it. One time I was over for dinner with her and her son refused to eat them. She tied him to a chair and shoved them in his mouth." Naruto said.
And with that, Noriko's vegetables began disappearing, possibly as terrified as her.
After dinner, the dishes were being cleaned by Shadow Clones while the four occupants sat in the living room, Tsunami teaching Noriko Go-Fish while Fuu examined her freshly-prepared pack that Naruto just repaired for her, the blonde off to the side ready to write his letter to Tsume. He was also going to send a few pictures he had taken of Noriko; he could almost see the look on her face when she opened the letter. He knew that she would be the one to come pick her up; he also knew Noriko would fit right into the family, catching wind of Noriko asking for any 3's, only for the girl to be shot down.
(Start Letter)
Dear Tsume,
I'm currently in the Land of Waves. This evening, I was walking to the house I'm staying at for the month before the Chuunin Exams, and as I was passing an alley, I heard laughter coming from it. I jumped onto the roof to see what it was and found five boys preparing to beat up a girl. After I ran them off, I checked on the girl... she's at least half Inuzuka. She had the same eyes and features of your clan, and she confirmed that she could speak to dogs. It would seem she has already made friends with a bunch of wild dogs, and she acts so much like an Inuzuka it's not even funny. After she woke up I'd already learned her name was Noriko, and after a bit of back-and-forth that resulted in me laughing at her stomach doing the talking, she tried to punch me in the stomach. I brought her downstairs for dinner and told her all about the clan, she's excited to meet you and your family. I also included some pictures of her.
As for her parents, the father is unknown. If you remember, I told you about the tyrant that took over the country, apparently, her mother was one of his... playthings, she was already pregnant when Gato took her. From my sources, I was able to find out the mother never cared for Noriko and said she was nothing but a burden and made a break for it when Gato was killed, leaving Noriko to fend for herself. I'll explain more when I can, if it's possible, can you or someone else come and pick her up? Just ask for Tazuna's house.
Naruto Uzumaki
(End Letter)
Looking up from his letter and at the corner, Naruto saw that the girls built a tent with pillow sheets and chairs, with a sign saying 'No boys allowed.' Standing up and walking over, he knocked on the 'front door,' Fuu's head popping out. "What is going on here?" He asked.
"We're having a camp out, no boys allowed." Fuu answered before blowing a raspberry and ducking back inside.
"Okay you two have fun, I'm going to send this letter." Naruto said. Doing that quickly, he headed back upstairs to go to bed early today, content with the day's work.
===July 13, Sunrise, Tsunami's House===
As the Sun's rays hit Naruto's face, he sat up in bed and stretched his back until the relieving pop came before making his way to the bathroom and turning on the light to wash his face in the faucet... until he saw himself. "FUU, NORIKO!" He yelled.
Naruto ran downstairs to the kitchen, just catching sight of the perpetrators running out the back door. The sound of his yelling and footsteps caused Tsunami to turn around, getting an eyeful of his face, covered with makeup and accentuating his angry face. Understandably, Tsunami began roaring with laughter, causing Naruto to glare. "Did you have anything to do with this?" He asked accusingly.
"No, no, I promise it wasn't my fault! Fuu asked about some old makeup, and then I went to bed. I had no idea, I promise!" Tsunami said, waving her hands to ward off the eruption of Mt. Naruto. As scary as her mother-side could be, and how much he liked her, if he was to prank or just embarrass her she was doomed... the only good side to that, if he did, was his age... if he was an, 'experienced adult' or even just a pervert, as an attractive single woman the list of things he could do to her was almost terrifying... and deep down that little perverted side of herself that hadn't be 'out' in several years wanted him to since legally he was an adult, but she quickly locked up those thoughts in the back of mind, she was more than twice as old as him anyway and he should have a girl closer to his own age.
"Fine. I'll deal with them later, I'm gonna go take a shower." Naruto left the kitchen, grumbling to himself about revenge.
"That's a real good color of blush for you." Tsunami could at least have a bit of fun with him, giggling when his footsteps sped up. With him gone, she reached into her apron pocket and took out a picture of a sleeping Naruto post-makeup assault. "Just because I didn't have a hand in it, doesn't mean I won't use it against you." She laughed to herself, pocketing the picture.
After his shower, Naruto came downstairs to see Fuu and Noriko sitting at the table, shooting them a dirty look. "I'm going to get you back for that, just you wait." He promised.
Noriko used the dreaded Puppy Eyes Jutsu on him or tried. "I'm sorry..." She said in an exaggerated, more childish voice.
"Okay, you're definitely part of the Inuzuka clan. That reminds me, Fuu, did you decide what you're going to do? Are you going to go back to the Hidden Waterfall Village?" Naruto asked.
"No, I hate that place and never wanna go back. Can I go to your village with you?" Fuu asked.
"I don't see why not, I'm sure the old man will be happy to have you." Naruto said. 'I can't let her meet Ino, that's just a disaster waiting to happen.' He thought.
====Konoha, Inuzuka Compound===
Tsume had just sat down at the table with some coffee and the morning paper, both of her children walking in and grabbing a pair of apples off the table. "What're you two up to today?" She asked idly.
"I'm gonna go work on my Fang Over Fang; I need to get more power behind it." Kiba said.
"The vet clinic is making me take my vacation, so I have nothing to do today," Hana said, pouting slightly.
Drinking her coffee, Tsume had an idea and smirked. "Well I'm off-duty today, so how about we have a girls-day-out? We haven't had one of those in a while."
Before Hana could answer, a tapping at the window got everyone's attention, Tsume walked over to the messenger bird and took the scroll, sitting back down at the table to read it. After just a few seconds, both her children could see she was incredibly upset with what she was reading.
"Mom, are you okay?" They both asked.
"Change a' plans; the three of us are going on a trip." Tsume suddenly said.
"Where to?" Kiba asked.
"The Land of Waves, it seems Naruto found a little girl he believes is at least half Inuzuka." Tsume answered, passing the letter to Hana, who was closest, three pictures falling out. Hana read through it quickly, passed it to Kiba, and picked up the pictures.
"He might be right; she does look like an Inuzuka," Hana commented, passing them to Kiba when he finished reading, getting a nod of agreement from him.
Tsume stood up. "I'm going to the Hokage to let him know we'll be out for the day, I want both of you at the front gate in 45 minutes." She said, receiving a pair of nods before she disappeared in a swirl of leaves.
===2 Minutes later, Hokage Tower===
Tsume quickly made her way to the top of the Tower and knocked on the door, stepping in when he said 'enter', seeing the Hokage at his desk, no paperwork hounding him, surprisingly. "Good morning Hokage-sama."
"Good morning Tsume, now what brings you to my office so early in the morning? If I'm not mistaken, you have today off." Hiruzen commented.
"That's correct, but as I was sitting at breakfast with my kids, a messenger bird brought a scroll from Naruto." Tsume began.
Hiruzen began to rub his temples. "What has he done now?" He bemoaned. Tsume handed him the scroll and pictures, seeing him smile as he read it. "I see, so this is what you came here for."
"Yes, my children and I are going to head out to bring her home." Tsume said.
"Very well, the three of you have my permission to go pick up your clansman, please make sure to tell Naruto how proud I am of him." Hiruzen said with a smile.
"I'll make sure to pass the message on." Tsume affirmed, smiling as well.
"I'll also be having the equivalent of an A rank missions pay to put in his file from my personal account done by this afternoon. Good luck Tsume." Hiruzen said.
The Inuzuka matriarch quickly made for the Front Gate of the village, seeing her children with their dogs. "We're going to run at top speed with no breaks; we should be there within five and a half hours." She said before the lot of them made for the trees and headed east.
After a while, Hana spoke up. "What're we gonna do with Noriko, mom?"
"I'm considering bringing her into the main family, with us." Tsume answered as she traversed the branches.
"It'd be nice to have another girl in the house, and I've always wanted a little sister; should be fun," Hana commented.
===7:26 AM, Wave Country, Mayuri's Bunker===
As Naruto walked up to the lab, he spoke to himself. "Today, things are going to change. After today, I won't be the dead last anymore." He made his way into the main room, spying Nemu at one of the machines, working on what was probably the compound. "Good morning, Nemu; were you able to get what I asked done?"
Nemu turned to him and bowed. "Yes, I was able to get the chemicals ready; the laboratory is now at 100% efficiency."
Naruto nodded then turned to the computer screen, Mayuri's face appeared on it. "Okay Mayuri, what's this chemical gonna do to me?"
"Its main function will be boosting the strength of your soul, thereby granting you spiritual powers like the Soul Reapers." Mayuri answered.
Nodding, Naruto walked over to one of the tables, took off his jacket and shirt then laid down. "Okay Nemu, I'm ready whenever you are." He gave her the go, Mayuri's lieutenant walked forward with a syringe filled with a green liquid before he looked to the computer. "How long will this process take?"
"It all depends on the strength of your soul." Mayuri replied.
Nemu injected Naruto in the arm, almost immediately knocking him out, only for the blonde to wake up in a strange room with giant bars running from the floor to a high ceiling shrouded by darkness, a piece of paper with the word 'Seal' acting as a lock. From the darkness beyond the bars came two giant red eyes with slit pupils.
"Well, if it isn't the little brat. What do you think you're doing here?" Kyuubi said.
"Shut up, you stupid fox!" Naruto responded immediately.
"I was afraid he'd get your temper." An unseen man said.
"Well, at least he got your sense of fashion and good looks." An unseen woman said.
Naruto spun around at the strange voices and saw a blonde man and a red-haired woman. "Who're you?!"
"We're your parents!" They proclaimed exuberantly with their arms, and smiles on their faces.
In a strange sense of deja vu, Naruto passed out while inside his Mindscape.
x
End Chapter 3
