Hi, I own nothing, Naruto x Annebeth solo paring. Not a lot of those around.
Family is a complicated issue for many; from the relationship between parents dancing one thread, creating a household of pain, some are lucky to blossom within a house of care and love. Others never understand either. Only base information about their family or parents formed through tragedy is known. Others are unaware of their blood, through connection and care or discovering something new.
Family is an odd mystery, a blessing for others, and a misery for some. Deities, gods, and lowercase ones are alive and well. From Rome to Shinto, Celtic, and Norse, all these gods live and breathe, running their domain for their worshipers and those who matter. Those same gods and goddesses touch the mortal ground and lay beside humans, having their children before leaving them for good.
Creating those same problems all families have. Most abandon their children and loves into the world with no answers. Leaving broken families and orphan children.
Namikaze Naruto is one of these children. A young demigod no older than fourteen making his way through the fast lands of the United States; while not born in Japan, his father was, and is, a child of a Japanese deity, and he was a child of a Greek goddess. Something he is still unaware of. At the moment, he was just another troubled youth trying to make his way through life in New Orleans. It was not the most incredible place for orphan children to grow up, but he made do.
While he wasn't the most patient or kind person in the world, he was too stubborn to fail. Waking up to the sound of his alarm, the fourteen-year-old teenager smacked his alarm clock with a rather brutal force. Going as far as rolling off his bed and allowing himself to land on his face, the morning struggle mimicked the sound of a dog in a nightmare.
Whoever becomes Ms. Namikaze is indeed a lucky woman.
"Mardi Gras was months ago; why am I still hungover?" he cried, rubbing his eyes. He had had odd dreams since that party. In them, he and people he had never met were battling monsters, as in God of War.
For months, he has been dreaming of war and death, recalling every piece and every bit. Splashing his face with water, he ignored it like always, doing his morning. Quickly putting himself together, he headed down a few floors to a small gym. He lives in a school for troubled youth; while they can live within the school's dorms like himself, many decided to stay with family, leaving five o'clock in the morning perfect for working out alone.
With only a single bench, a few weights, and trembles, it was perfect, rather than a room of fifty people. After spending three hours in the gym, he left, taking his morning shower, dressing, chugging down a glass of milk, and eating a pop tart, heading towards his morning practice for his school's baseball team. Leaving the street was the last thing he could recall before hearing the stunning song.
The soon-to-be news was brought to him in a moment of terror and fear; breathing heavily, bleeding, and wide-eyed, the young freshman stared at what occurred before his very eyes.
It was a typical, dull day in his life, heading to school on a Sunday to practice Baseball with his school's team. He could barely make the team; he only wanted to join to avoid trouble.
Then he heard singing, but he wasn't even aware until it stopped. He walked for god knows how long, at least two hours, seeing the sun's position through the gaps in his parking lot.
He was attacked by a fucking harpy. It had to be one, staring at the torn-apart body of a woman and bird hybrid, standing taller than him with a mix between a woman's attractive features and a bird's long beak, arms, and feathers with talons as nails.
He would have been ripped apart if not for the man staring down at him with a massive smile.
"Wow, that was close. Almost had ya, kiddo." Said the man, smiling as if he didn't rip a hole through and into the creature lying dead in a puddle of blood and gore. It wasn't long before the thing vanished in golden dust, leaving that massive man the focus of his attention.
He spiked long white hair down to his waist tied with a red string, light skin with aging features, and a mole or two around the bridge of his nose. Red lines along his eye down across his checks. Old and add is this man. His attire was a green shirt, matching pants, and a red jacket over the top, and he was wearing those odd wooden sandals for whatever reason.
Two seconds later, the older man had to take a step back, for within those two seconds, the child returned to his feet, swinging a metal bat toward his ribs with every fiber he could muster.
"Ha, look at that; you're smart enough to make space and control it. Good job," he stood above Naruto momentarily as the boy crashed into the ground in a brutal showing.
His hero finally absorbed who Naruto was. His hair was a blond mess no different from the boy's father's, kept shorter and held back by the same hair clips you couldn't see. The boy must hate when his hair gets into his face. His eyes were a steel blue, narrowing and glaring. You could see the cog in his head turning in those eyes. A light tan finish with surprisingly light fat was still present on his checks, with odd markings.
The marking Inari Okami, the Shinto goddess of foxes, fertility, rice, tea, sake, agriculture, and industry, is Japan's most popular and worshiped goddess. Over a third of shrines in Japan are dedicated to her. Like the goddess, her children are seen as a blessing from Earth and Heaven. Minato, the boy's father, was that blessing. Indeed, it is a shame the man died before reaching his full potential. The boy is fit, like most demigods, even under his baseball uniform. Likeren, their bodies build and store muscle far more efficiently and quickly, according to the limitations on human bodies.
He's short, though.
"You got brain damage, brat? This is fourteen times now." The older man mocked his foot, placing it between his ribs and sending Naruto back five feet. "There's a hooter down the block; we can talk there and stare at some ass." The boy barely found footing after denting the side of some poor saps car. Breathing heavily, barely showing signs of physical damage, he quickly regains his footing and breaths.
The kid can take a beating; most hits kill a grown man.
"Yeah, I could do that."
"Ha! Like you already, brat." Brushing himself as the best he could, the two made their way out of the parking garage.
"I am the Gallant Jiraiya, the greatest Bachelorhelor, winner of season three, and overall ladies' man and first-class adventuring hero at your side," He said, giving his long hair an odd flip. He hops on his feet and performs a bizarre dance with his sandals.
This man wasn't serious, right?
"Lastly, the last Toad sage of Mt Myoboku!"
"Uh, Naruto, I play baseball," Jazz hands. He didn't understand anything that was happening right now.
"Really? Fit makes sense, then; your dad was more nerdy. Always had his nose in a book." Stopping in his step, Naruto stared at the odd man with wide blue eyes; this was the first person in his life who stated he knew his father.
All Naruto knew was his name and death date.
"What?" He said, stopping in the center of New York.
"Your dad was more into nerd stuff; he was great at the track, though. I never met someone faster. He never would go to Hooters with me; he said it was above him. A goody two shoes, that kid."
"No, you fucking idiot!" His temper blew, and this odd older man didn't care. "My father, Minato, you knew him?"
"Yeah, he was my student for some years. Your dad knew people; stop being such an idiot." Rolling his eyes term, the tantrum the boy is showing. "Your father was from Japan before moving here to further his studies; his dream was to help people, and this is a good place to learn how. Before you start, many of us can't leave Japan and track him down; I didn't know about you until yesterday."
He didn't yell after that. Even a hot-headed teen like himself understood the man's reasoning.
"The only reason I discovered you was your name."
"My name?" Why did his name mean so much?
"Yeah, it's the name of the main character in the first book I wrote. Sold like shit, waste of time. Sucks, too, the main character was just me." He said, somewhat disappointed, before bursting out in glee.
"It was your father's favorite for whatever reason. I think he would picture himself in those stories. Or, well, you."
"What about my mother?" Naruto asked as the two finally arrived. Like any other, Hooters has different women dressed in a tight shirt and short seats two.
"Beats me; whoever snagged your old man is a mystery. The last we spoke was fifteen years ago. Whoever your mom is, he met and knocked up within a year. It was a baby trap story that's old as time, but your dad wasn't just bright; he was way too kind. I know Grandmaandma, though." Placing a basic order, the boy sat briefly while Jiraiya drank his water.
"You pray, kiddo?" His tone shifted so dramatically.
"What? Like to God?"
"Well?"
"Mean, a little. I've been alone for a long time, so yeah. I guess?" Praying he had done it before, he wasn't sure what to make of it. He wasn't religious by any means. Just being alone is horrible. It was a way to escape his isolation; possibly speaking to someone other than himself was nice.
"Your grandma, your father's mother, is a Megami."
Goddess, wait. He had never heard that word before but knew what it meant.
"Just discovered we've been speaking Japanese the entire time? It's in your blood, after all. Must be nice not having to learn and practice that stuff." Switching back to English, he giggled, telling the waitress what the two would have.
"Though word of advice takes things slowly; everything will change starting now. For the better, mostly for the worse. Your grandmother is a Shinto goddess, that harpy that was about to kill you. It knew that, smelled the demigod on ya. It's probably what happened to your old man, too. Monsters here are far bolder than Yoki. I'm surprised you made it this far without encountering one." He spoke in a usual, dry way; there was no stutter or shock like he was explaining basic math skills to someone.
"And to my shock, this mystery girl happens to be a Greek goddess, making you a demigod with a legacy, making you one of the strongest living people on this planet. Careful, Grandmaandma is the goddess of fertility; always wear a condom." He finished that with a long, heavy laugh.
He didn't handle this news well; how could he? He learned his father was probably murdered. That monsters and yoki are absolute, meaning everything in between must be, and most importantly, he is more god than man.
"That's why we're leaving."
"What?"
"You have been discovered; the smell of your godly blood will attract attention. That harpy would have killed you; something as pathetic as she would be picking your corps clean. So, I'm taking you somewhere safe, with people like you. Siblings, maybe. It's called half-blood camp or camp half-blood, one of those. It sucks I can't take you to Japan, I have a job here and well. Japan's culture around demigods hasn't left the Sengaku period." The demigods of Shinto deities all created alliances and enemies with one another.
Jiraiya himself is no demigod, just a normal man who has the gift to see through the mist and other illusions, but compared to his home, the difference between them and the Greek is interesting. At the same time, these Greek children left for this summer class. Japan was divided into different regions consisting of demigod ancestors. Most are legacies, very few being demigods.
It must be nice.
"Siblings?" Family, did he have a family?
The older man didn't answer that question. Just side-eyeing a woman, he didn't seem to be paying attention, yet this is just how Jiraiya is. He pretends not to pay attention; he plays the act of an idiot, asshole, whatever you wish to say. He understood what the kid was asking.
"Maybe." Being alone is something he understood.
"Your Greek side has a horrible track record of children. You could have a sibling or a few dozen. Or you can be unclaimed."
"What?"
"It's sad, but sometimes your godly parent, your mother, can not claim you. It's a way they show you off. Behold, this is my child-type play. Some may not like you or even forget about you. I'm not a demigod; my parents were terrible people in life and death. Please don't be too worried about her at the end of the day. They've been around for far too long; most don't understand love or the importance of family. Them claiming you mean very little."
Jiraiya didn't like gods.
"You said you knew my dad? What was he like?"
They both sat, one finding words while the other waited.
"Your father was different, and I've never met another like him. He was so untouched by what he wanted and wished to become. He was strong, and I would dare say he was the strongest man to be born. Not just in battle but in every aspect of life, your father was always so light; he saw the best in anyone and supported them to become that person, but he wasn't a pushover. Anyone who tried to attack him was dealt with quickly. Your father, I can already tell, is nothing like you." That last sentence would have crushed him in a standard aspect.
"But that's not bad; through heaven and earth, she is the blessed one. I imagine that saying about your grandmother reflects towards her children. I once believed your father was like the character in my book, but now I believe that may be you."
"Your book? I thought it was based on you?" Naruto asked, staring at the man laughing far too heavily for a public place.
"Only a little bit, but you'll have to read it to find out!"
"You're going to make me buy the damn thing?"
"Of course! What type of businessman would I be not to?"
"Must be a shitty one, trying to scam a broke orphan boy."
"Ha! You think I never played that card, kid. Try it once, a mom. You have the hots for it; it spreads their legs quickly."
"Bastard."
"Yep. I'll give you credit; you're handling this well. Most kids piss themselves."
"I, uh, well, I'm happy." Awkwardly spoken. He seemed happy with the deadly changes in his life or ignorant of the possible dangers.
"Happy? Why?"
"I guess I have more now. This morning, and forever, It's always been trying to get through school, and that's it. There was nothing afterward; maybe joining the army; this gives me something."
"A purpose."
"Yeah, even if I don't understand everything, I have one." His voice seemed to change. It wasn't as rough. His eyes stopped squinting, and his skin even had more life. He was happy to be living for a change.
"Good, the road from here on out is long and painful. One you have to be ready for."
"Let's start! " he almost yelled as the older man smiled brightly. This kid has no idea what is waiting for him. What a pity. After leaving a random amount of cash on the table, the two finally made their dispatcher.
As the two walked through the still busy streets, Naruto offered to go 'home' and pick up a few things. Only to be shot down; they will now buy what they need. A new set of clothing was one of those things.
"You like your jackets." Jiraiya laughed, paying for the boy's week's worth of clothing.
"Why are you doing this anyway?" His new outfit is simple: wearing a high collar jacket that fits his frame and is not too baggy, the top half a dull orange and the bottom half black, the orange long sleeves having some Japanese kanji across the sleeve. He kept the jacket slightly unzipped, showing an orange shirt underneath and finishing with black parts or cargo pants and black/orange high tops.
This is by far the best outfit he has ever worn.
"You're being hunted now; where would the worst place be?
"Where I am the most?"
"Bingo, kiddo." Rubbing the kids' hair. "The monsters here smell ya; your godly blood screams food. They're always hunting you."
"Why are they here anyway? Shouldn't Greek stuff be around the Middle East?"
"The Middle East?"
"Did I say something stupid?" He honestly didn't know where Grease was or if Grease was Greek.
"Mean yes, but no. Anyway, the Greek gods have the biggest ego of all patrons. They move depending on which country is the greatest."
"Oh, so China isn't number one."
"No, unless you get into a fight with Guan Yu."
"The guy from Dynasty Warriors?"
"The same, yeah, he's their god of war. One of the only humans who achieved such states." Paying at a self-checkout station, Jiraiya handed the boy a pile of books.
"Shinto and Greek mythology for dummies, and other stories not covered. Please read them, trust me. You'll die if you don't." With the ability of monsters, the likelihood of dying from some random or off-putting magic they have is relatively standard. Understanding the gods is somewhat helpful.
"Anyway, everything Greek-related, from the gods, titans, and monsters, appeared here when America became the most significant world superpower. Shinto has always stayed and never tried to leave Japan."
"So if all the pantheons are real, how does that work?"
"No idea, no one knows. I have two theories, but they're just theories that are best not to be said out loud. Names have powers, kiddos, gods, and monsters. Try to find a nickname for them; the more humiliating, the better!" He laughed at the last part. "They ting when their name is spoken; they will hear anything you say afterward. The Greeks are a sensitive bunch, and they'll strike you down in a heart joke or not."
"Course they are," Naruto said as the two counted packing. "How long is the drive?" He didn't like long car rides.
"A month-long walk. We'll drop by the same places I know are hot monster dens. On the way, I show you how to fight, teach ya how to survive by yourself before the camp." Training, he was going to make sure this one would stay alive.
Naruto didn't mind; he would rather walk for a month than drive for ten hours. That would allow him to grow more substantially, like the demigods in stories.
The two shopped for another hour before finally hitting the road. Naruto stood, backpack flung over a shoulder, staring at the weapon now in his hand. It's a slim dagger made from bronze.
"The Greek gods bless the metal to slay monsters. Besides gold, it's the only metal that does. However, you have to be careful; you may have god in ya, but a bullet still goes through your head. Magic beats everything, too." He doesn't use weapons, which is not his style; Jiraiya may not seem like one. Being well over six foot with broad shoulders, he is a mage.
"Wait, magic? Like casting fireball?" He was given a smack in the back and a hefty laugh.
"No, this isn't DnD or whatever you kids play now."
"Whats dnd?"
"Nothing, let me explain. Magic is our connection to their world of deities and monsters. Our blood and ancestors determined the magic we could use. Your godly ancestor domain needs to be connected to water to move water. Being a decent Inari means having strong fertility; thus, your life is more substantial. You'll age slower, your body heals quicker, and your nature stronger. I wouldn't be surprised if your muscles recover faster than it tears." Pausing for his words to set further in. "She always began to be worshipped by blacksmiths and warriors after what happened with Sasunoo. You understand how to fight and wield weapons like a second nature."
"That's why baseball was so easy?" Swinging a bat, throwing a ball at someone. Could that mean that there is a connection between those advantages?
"Maybe. Like I said, I'm not a demigod; I am a sage. Most deities of nature have their godly strength leak and fuel the nature around us. I mix that magic from Pan to Zeus' sky into my own. That's you, greek; however, we Shinto have ninja arts." Jiraiya further explained, stopping in his step.
"What? Like Ninja Gaiden?"
"Sure, what hand do you write with?"
"My right."
"Hold out your palm." Doing as ordered, Naruto watched as Jiraiya made an odd circle in his hand.
"Chakra is the life force of everything. From Japan to England, every living person has a chakra. We are more interested in it. One can discover its direction through their dominant palm and hair growth."
In a moment, Naruto felt incredible as the world around him flashed in brilliant blue waves.
"Ha, I thought you have a massive chakra brat." Jiraiya was ecstatic.
"That's good, right?" He said, matching the man's ecstatic with a bright smile.
Naruto has never been happier. Who would have thought nearly being killed was the best thing that happened to him? That feeling never left him, either. As the days passed, he traveled with the older man, learning. First, Jiraiya considered them essential; it took days for him to finally do it confidently. First, he was sticking a leaf or blades of grass to his skin. To learn control, he was told that Jriaiya described it as a little battery. What needs to be done is an x amount of chakra, and too much of x would fry it or fail whatever ninja art he's trying to use.
During this, he was taught that multitasking was necessary. Hood thinks his ADHD helped slightly with that. He mainly learned about the Shinto region. Jiraiya, not native to America but the Greek pantheon, knew the basic understanding of dealing with these gods and monsters. He found it interesting how members of each pantheon spent most of their time traveling across borders to check on them.
'Something bad is soon to happen. The great sage knows that at least.' His now sensei said that the reason he was here, they were finding a teacher, was a divine interception. Indeed, Jiraiya says one of Inaris' white fox messages led to the last game he played.
He learned just how troubled those in Japan are. Only a handful of demigods are born every forty years. While their descendants fight a useless hidden conflict across Japan because of their godly parents' wrongs, there are. There was just too much hatred within their hearts. Jiraiya even mentioned how he wished to do something about it, but he didn't know how.
He wished his writing would do something, but it failed.
Jiraiya wouldn't admit it, but writing cheesy porn wasn't a way to bring peace.
Along with knife play and learning how to use a knife confidently in combat, this was practiced by sparing matches between the two. Staying off most main roads and only entering cities to stare at women. While he did the same, he would never outwardly admit it; during this, they would pick up supplies.
Training to fight in the woods became something he slowly became used to; being in large cities bugged him. He became more in touch with the world and magic naturally around him.
His training made decent progress. After understanding how to throw, take a punch, and kick, he learned to fight in a style he called Frog Katan. He is also learning to pump his limbs with chakra, which allows for bursts of strength, speed, and flexibility. As Jiraiya repeatedly showed him, rapidly shifting how fast you move and how hard you punch, along with basic grappling forms and maneuvers, is a valuable strategy.
As they trained and fought, Jiraiya noted how unorthodox he fought. It wasn't a bad thing. However, he needed to understand if fighting in pairs, he needed to become more fundamental in a way. They will not be able to appreciate his last-second-the-moment movements or grapples.
While his chakra control has slowly been approving at a snail-like pace, he has yet to learn any form of ninja art besides fighting forms and workouts to be done without another.
"Gah, that fucking hurts!" The boy cried while Jiraiya laughed, finding what was happening far too amusing. Naruto is allowed to sign the summoning contract of the toads—something he must do by writing one's name within their contract using their blood. Naruto is told to bite his thumb to draw blood. It's what he's been trying to do for thirty minutes now; he finally did it, however.
"You need to be used to that; it's the safest way to draw blood for this ninja art. So stop being a crybaby." Jiraiya spoke, writing in his notebook; writing the next sage of Make-Out series was doubting work after all.
"Good job, you're finally my student brat." Rubbing the boy's hair, he giggled.
"Best believe it, pervy-sage." His eyes stared at his father's name written in that scroll, right next to his own. He's happy genuinely being here, following the footsteps of the man who taught his father, even if the information lacked luster. Watching his teacher perform the ninja art before his eyes, Naruto began attempting the same jutsu. While he never passed anything more significant than a tadpole, he didn't mind.
There was nothing this world had to damper his mood, Greek gods be damned. If his mother were so willing to leave him behind and ignore the death of his father, he would become grand, not as her child and her demigod but as Namikaze Naruto. Student of Jiraiya, the Gallant number One bachelor and son of Minato. He's okay with being just that and only that.
So that's chap one.
So I have no problems with answering any spoiler questions in an Au next chapter, but for people to understand the hidden villages rather than being villages are more along territories in Japan formed by gods and their children and their children. The land of fire, wing, lighting, etc., are all defended, and those demigods, descendants, and champions hold those regions.
Jiraiya is none of those; he has no ties to any god or goddess. This, in a sense, allows permission in all territories and regions. Explore Shinto, Greek, Norse, and other areas.
Yoki and Monsters are different. Yoki is far deadlier not by feats or power, but they're Yoki.
Naruto is not a true Uzumaki in this story. While his personality in the canon is derived from his mother, I imagine a still uneducated orphan would be as dull and loud as Hostile and be seeking attention. This is just through sports, not pranks. A field cheering your name is far more than a random prank.
As for Minato, he is a Demigod of Inari, and Minato has a child with another Greek goddess, who is birthing Naruto and tying him to both pantheons. This is where Narutos' version of chakra comes into play. Being an ancestor of a Shinto deity creates a chakra network throughout his body, working as the magic within Greek demigods. I will not say Narutos' mother. However, it's not Hera, Hestia, or Artmies. For some odd reason, that is every story. None of you can guess it, though.
And, of course, our favorite Kurama, well, Goddess of Foxs. He will be in this story.
A few other characters from Naruto will make an appearance as well. I will not say how they relate to the story.
Anyhow I'm not the greatest writer I struggle with grammar as embracing as it is both verbely and well written as I'm sure it's apparent. I am using Grammarly, but please leave a message if there is a massive skew or something I should change through storytelling. I'm doing this because of my love of Naruto and because I like reading fanfiction. My main thing is having details on what's happening while not doing too much.
As for the pairing, cause. I understand Percy and Beth are destined together, just not anymore. It's fan fiction. However, Percy will not be abandoned or bashed, nor will Naruto take a back seat to what's happening.
I've read many stories, and many have him as just an odd background supporting character who randomly does something Percy or another character does anyway.
As for Narutos' strength now, it's no different than the beginning of the chunin exams. He never really started getting strong until after that ark. Will Naruto, at this moment, go toe-to-toe with an excellent combat? Not really. Could he beat a full-grown normal man? Oh, yeah.
Before I leave, I'm putting this out there: I am using other fanfics to read and remind myself what characters in the canon seriously say. If anything sounds familiar, doing that is far easier than looking for the place in the book to remember.
Anyway, that's it for me. Hopefully, I'll try to update it twice a month at around the same length. Yall have a good day, and God be with you.