Greatness's Difficult First Step

Sowing the Seeds

"I can't move…so tired…fuck," were the thoughts of one Uzumaki Naruto as he laided upon his side weakened by incredible hunger.

Still, for some reason, Naruto couldn't help but grin in delight. The blood, all of the beautiful crimson red, it stirred something within him. Something that felt wonderful and terrifying all at once. As he laid there on his side, the tangy scent filled his nostrils. The metallic taste flooded his buds with bliss. His body soaked fully in the essences of one of his few formerly living friends.

Part of him was horrified by what he had just done and so he grieved. His body felt numb and he could tell that he was shaking slightly. But his mind, his thoughts, they remained clear. They remained focused and joyful for reasons he had yet to comprehend as he stared into the blank eyes of a long dead puppy. Naruto saw the organs littering the silvery steel floor of his prison and strongly desired to gag. He didn't or maybe he couldn't.

He saw the pool of lifeblood spurting out of the numerous holes and bite marks, caused by Naruto's own fangs and merciless fingers, and felt tears welling up in his eyes. He saw the way the dog's limbs were twisted into unnatural angles with two ripped away from their flesh and sockets. The way the head was reversed completely by a broken neck out of courtesy for the pup. The way the tongue was dipped in its' own blood pool. He saw all of this and still, Naruto continued to grin that bloodthirsty smile.

Naruto hated himself for enjoying what he had just done. Naruto hated himself for wearing the smile he could not force from his face. Naruto hated himself for being so easily manipulated. But most of all, Naruto hated the pale man squatting before him with that damnable grin on his face. S class criminal, Orochimaru, his new master.

"Murphy could be such a bitch…" the boy thought as he swore his unwavering loyalty and services to this devil in humanoid guise.

The mass of snakes had the nerve to chuckle as if the whole scenario was so damn funny and yet, Naruto found himself almost agreeing with the man. The rush, the thrill, the kill. He had enjoyed every minute of it and wanted to experience it again and again. The Jinchuuriki wanted to see and spill more blood. Damn it, he wanted to kill again!

"What has he done to me!? I never asked for this!" despaired the five year old child and still he could only grin.

"Well done, Naruto-kun," begun the snake user in his usual sibilant drawl. "You have honored your end of the bargain and so I shall honor mine."

A snap of unnaturally pale fingers later, an Otogakure Shinobi responded to the summon and proceeded to unlock the cage. Rough hands reached in and dragged the blood bleached boy free from the silvery hell he had almost begun calling home. Naruto was slung over the man's shoulder which suited him fine as he doubted if he would've been able to stand on his own anyway. The man felt really warm and Naruto couldn't help but obey his body's instinct to greedily soak in all the warm he could.

The last thing the boy saw before exhaustion lulled him off to a blissful, dreamless sleep, was Orochimaru excitedly licking his lips with his unnatural tongue. His eyes were alight with malice…

What came beyond that point was a haze for the blond child as if his life suddenly begun proceeding on fast-forward. His mind zoned in and out of consciousness as he was set on the marble floor of a empty room with rows and rows of lockers. Orochimaru was nowhere in sight, but that hardly made the boy feel any better about having his ruined clothing cut open and yanked from his body until his was stark naked. The fact that the room was literally colder than an October night didn't help.

Roughly, the child was seized by an arm and pulled to his feet. His wobbly legs nearly gave out on him numerous times as he was pulled along into a plain adjacent room with a large hose attached to the far walls. Naruto was shoved against one of the white walls and sprayed with freezing cold water that forced him to cry out in mind numbing shock. The five year old did all he could to shield his face from the violent torrent, coughing and sputtering as the blood water washed free of his skin and hair and drained away into the sewers.

The cleaning seemed to go on for hours in the child's mind and he was frozen to the bone within a matter of seconds. Eventually, the water was shut off and Naruto weakly slid to the floor with fresh tears streaming from his eyes. His less than gentle caretaker heeded none of it and roughly toweled the poor boy down before wrapping the cloth around his shivering body. Again Naruto's arm was roughly seized and he was marched down a long, brightly lit, hall that seemed to have no end.

Naruto was squinting the whole while as his eyes, used to a week of darkness, was forced to adjust to light once more. The sound of his bare feet slapping against the cold floor and the heavy footsteps of his escort echoed like a siren in his ears. Naruto despaired but refused to complain. He didn't trust his own voice and certainly didn't want to invoke the wrath of the silent figure dragging him along.

Eventually, the Kyuubi vessel was led into a bedroom of sorts and shoved onto the sofa. Not even a minute later, a training uniform was roughly piled into his arms.

"Get dressed, now," ordered the gruff and muffled voice of his masked escort, a man whose name Naruto would eventually learn to be Atama Hanta.

All Naruto wanted to do was lay down and sleep, but he instead did as instructed and pulled on the silvery gray colored camouflage shorts, black T-shirt and black sandals. Once dressed, the man pulled Naruto to his feet yet again and led him out of the sleeping quarters. This time, Naruto's eyes adjusted to the brightest of the halls more quickly allowing him to see the faces of the people they pasted along the way. Almost all of them were wearing identical white lab coats or Shinobi gear like his less than talkative companion.

To the five year old, they were just faces and nothing more. Each one staring at him not with hatred but instead a short lived idle curiosity that unnerved him so much more. Within six minutes, the man dragged Naruto into a large mess hall and forced him to sit down. A quick signal had a piping hot bowl of thin porridge and bland milk set in front of him.

"Eat," instructed the man frostily while sitting down across from him and lowering his mask so that he too could eat.

Hanta's face was stern and littered with battle scars. Kunai wounds by the look of the lacerations. For some reason, after seeing his sun bronzed face, the young Jinchuuriki felt calmer. Following his silent guide's instructions, Naruto picked up his spoon with shaky hands and proceeded to eat the largely un-filling meal. So much so that Naruto may as well have not eaten in the first place though he did regain some stamina, make no mistake. No words were exchanged and once Naruto drained the last of his milk, his escort stood up.

This time, Naruto rose before the man had a chance to grab him again. This earned him an approving nod and a gesture to follow him. Hanta could say one thing about the kid, he was a quick learner.

Naruto was still a little wobbly on his feet, but the meal did help him along enough for his escort not to have to touch him again. As they traversed the halls, Naruto begun mentally comparing the indifferent treatment he was receiving from this man to that of the villager's who had partially played a role in driving him off from Konoha. Rough as his handling was, Naruto acknowledged that it was at least easier to tolerate than being jeered and beaten.

The man simply didn't seem to be the conversing type, which Naruto found a little depressing. Of course, he was far too physically and mentally exhausted to initiate any conversation himself. Instead, he begun counting the floor tiles in various patterns and formations after deciding that looking at the blank expressions of the white coats was unnerving. Also, after spotting the greenish purple limbs of several grotesque corpses, he no longer had the stomach to look beyond the doorframes they regularly passed.

"Forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty…" Naruto switched from diagonal diamonds to vertical rows. "Fifty-one, fifty-two, fifty-three…"

"We're here," vocalized the Atama stonily.

"Fifty…damn, lost count," thought the blond with a mental sigh before looking up at his Shinobi escort.

The man stared indifferently at him for a moment before opening the door he had paused in front of and inclining his head as if to say 'go inside.' After a small nod, Naruto did just that and proceeded through the aforementioned door. The man, still standing outside, shut it once the blond was on the opposite side of the threshold. For the time being, Naruto was allowed a moment of solitude inside this dimly torch lit hallway.

Making the most of it with a deep breath, the Kyuubi jailer ventured forward to the sound of low murmuring. The source of which awaited in a large candlelit chamber. The chanting was discovered to be the doing of several men wearing inky black and immaculate cloaks. In the middle of the circle of men, a low steel table awaited besides Orochimaru who also wore a cloak though he at least had the hood lowered so that his face was visible.

All eyes fell on Naruto's intrusion and the volume of the chanting dropped slightly but still continued all the same. Orochimaru's cruel smile and serpentine eyes seemed to grow almost predatory with pleasure when they locked eyes. The diabolical Sannin raised his left arm in a beckoning gesture of welcome while also partially approaching the boy himself up to a certain distance. He begun speaking once Naruto cleared the remaining few steps.

"And so you've arrived, Naruto-kun. I trust you've found my hospitality bearable for the time being. Now, come with me, child."

Naruto's mind already knew that it would be impossible to deny the man at this point. The Kyuubi jailer's teeth gritted in irritation at the sight of the Hebi Ninja's calculating smile as he obeyed his instructions. Naruto was almost certain that the man could sense his poorly masked dislike of him and already knew that the serpentine Shinobi simply did not care. This was his world now and nothing Naruto had to say would ever matter, that much was clear as crystal. All Naruto was, in his eyes, was a unused tool that needed sharpening beforehand.

Orochimaru rather fondly wrapped an arm around Naruto's shoulders in what was clearly a deceptive tactic used to instill parental trust. The spiked blond wasn't fooled but didn't try to resist as the pale bastard steered him towards the awaiting table. The circle parted to allow them entry then, just like that, the boy was trapped within the belly of the snake yet again.

"Sit here, Naruto-kun."

The blond wordlessly did so while immediately hating the feel of the cold metal against his skin. Orochimaru merely continued to observe the boy's body language and movements keenly. Not a single detail was missed when his eyes finally settled upon Naruto's.

"You seem tense, Naruto-kun. Are you afraid?" questioned Orochimaru gently.

With some effort, Naruto tore his eyes free of Orochimaru's gaze and allowed them to wander the room freely instead. It was easier not to have to look at the man and experience had him wanting to avoid being placed under the spell of the snake's eyes again.

"What's going to happen to me, Orochimaru-sama?"

The Sannin seemed to consider the child's question for a moment before brushing his long hair out of his eyes.

"Very well, I see no harm in telling you this much. No, you deserve to know."

At this, Naruto couldn't help but to meet Orochimaru's gaze. The Sannin seemed truly genuine about this declaration, the blond could sense it. Of course, the snake Sannin didn't seem all that concerned about finally piping the boy's interest, he had been expecting it.

"In order to create the ultimate ninja, certain steps are necessary to bring out the true potential of the body. I merely seek to augment that potential with an experiment. Which brings us to the current situation. Preparations must be made beforehand but I'll spare you the details for now. You'll understand best once you experience it for yourself, Naruto-kun. Now, remove your shirt and lay down on your stomach."

The information had been subtle, but Naruto gathered that overall this experiment would certainly not be a pleasant one judging by the glint in the snake user's eyes. The thought of being the man guinea pig somehow made the boy sick to his stomach. But under the pale man's gaze, Naruto's resistance was null and his hands automatically moved to lower the T-shirt he wore until it loosely hung from his waist. With a growing sense of dread filling his being, Naruto laid down as requested and waited for the Sannin to begin.

The walking mass of snakes donned an approving smile that lacked sincerity or kindness as he nodded to two of the cloaked men. Both approached Naruto, one from the front and one from the back. The foremost man kneeled and took hold of Naruto's arms in iron grips that made movement impossible. Likewise, the rearmost male did the same to the boy's legs. Both men's hands felt cold and clammy to his skin.

Once the preparations were complete, a third cloaked man approached carrying a complicated looking scroll, a jar of black ink and several Senbon with glowing red tips due to exposure to the flame of a small candle. Naruto swallowed as the man seemed to say some strange prayer while making hand movement through the air. The circle then begun chanting once more in that dull monotone that the boy hated so. Eventually, the circle begun forming ninja hand signs while the man carrying the supplies dipped one of the super heated needles into the ink jar. Vapor rose into the air as the metal made contact with the liquid and the dread in Naruto's guts became as heavy as lead.

Naruto shifted his gaze to Orochimaru one last time and despaired at the positively evil expression of cruel delight on his face. The Sannin was an observer here, nothing more. A true scientist type content to watch how his experiment would pan out rather than lean any support. The snake knew that before this day was over, Naruto would truly and thoroughly be broken.

The cult like ritual began and the needle was pressed to Naruto's skin. Throughout the halls of a hidden bunker beneath Otogakure no Sato, Uzumaki Naruto's screams echoed in vain…

Naruto had experienced hell trice over in but merely a week and still he miraculously maintained a degree of sanity in a mind that knew nothing but suffering. For three long hours, Naruto's skin had been touched and burned over and over again as a seal was branded on the poor boy's back. No matter how much he scream, how much he begged them to stop, the burns persisted. His sobs and drool were soaking the metal table as his arms and legs remained held tight to prevent any unnecessary movement or acts of violent retaliation.

Eventually, Naruto forced himself not to scream when he noticed that each pained wail filled the eyes of Orochimaru of the Snakes with some twisted sort of delight. The blond refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing just how badly this experience was affecting him. He refused to satisfy that monstrosity's pleasure of Schadenfreude as the seemingly endless virtue of pain was applied to his latest experimental victim. And so tears silently streamed down his cheeks as he winced and hissed with each touch of the ink coated metal to his raw and sensitive skin.

Very little of his back was spared from the brutal makeover and though it would be hard to make out until the skin healed, the tattoo job on his back was reminiscent of a fated circle with modified chakra seals. Kami it had hurt like a bitch. But the straw that had really broke the proverbial camel's back had been the finishing touch administered by Lord Orochimaru himself. The minute the blood had been wiped clean of Naruto's back, Orochimaru had infused a massive amount of his own tainted chakra directly into the bloody seals. The end result had been a haze of blurred pain as the tattoo glowed a bright purple before settling into its' final shape. A impressive replication of a mystical beast like creature that would make it harder for seals masters, such as Jiraiya of the Densetsu no Sannin, to be able to identify the actual design. (1)

Naruto's last scream from the resulting pain had been like that of a person on his deathbed before he mercifully entered the sleep that he desired from the beginning. A sleep temporarily free of pain…

Naruto had awakened a few hours later in a simple bedroom and found that his entire torso had been wrapped in bandages. In addition to the blood spots here and there, the wrappings near his back was moistened slightly with what smelled like some type of salve. Naruto soon found that he could not rise from his bed as the wounds had not healed in anyway at all. This unnerved the boy greatly since the bastard fox would normally have healed him by now. Still relatively new to the concept of chakra, Naruto had no idea that Orochimaru's tainted energy had drastically delayed the recovery speed of the painful injury.

Confined to his bed laying on his stomach, all Naruto could do was think. And for the hugely damned boy, his thoughts were mostly bitter just as Orochimaru envisioned. Even the slightest of movements brought pained tears to his eyes and a new wave of curses.

"Why? Why am I the one who has to suffer like this? What did I do to…damn it!"

Naruto pounded his pillow in frustration and immediately regretted the sudden move when a surge of enflamed pain overtook his throbbing back. Naruto hissed and buried his face into his pillow to keep from crying out. Sadly, it did nothing to stop a sob from escaping his lips. It just wasn't fair!

Naruto was no different from anyone else, he was a human being damn it! And yet, just because he was selected by some off chance to house the bastard fox in his naval he had to endure nothing but the worse. Things no kid his age should ever have had to experience. Such thoughts kept running through his head until he eventually raised his head and glared at the walls with eyes colder than ice.

"Konoha…"

How he hated that place. This whole mess was their fault. If they hadn't foolishly tried to blame their problems on him, if they hadn't blindly tricked themselves into believing that he had been the Nine Tails. If they hadn't driven him off…

Abruptly, the door to his sleeping quarters swung open and someone Naruto couldn't shift his view to see intruded. Learning from his recent experiences, the boy immediately grew mistrustful of the unexpected guest. Naruto merely continued to glare at the walls while waiting for the newcomer to speak. Oddly enough, the stranger never said a word and Naruto could feel the stare directed at the back of his head.

His annoyance, that he had every right to feel, grew.

"What do you want?" he questioned in a less than friendly tone.

Silence.

"Well?" questioned the boy again.

Again, not a word was said.

"Look, I'm not in the mood to talk to the walls. If you don't want anything then leave me alone."

Again there was nothing but silence for a moment before the sound of something being set down on the wooden dresser near the door was heard. Another moment of silence where Naruto could practically hear the person's bow before the door opened and gently shut. Had Naruto been able to look behind him, he would've seen a small bonsai plant on the dresser.

Sighing, Naruto laid his head down on his pillow and stared out the unopened window to the sunlit streets beyond. Just before allowing himself to drift off into a drowsy nap, his sharp nose detected the lingering scent of white plum. A woman's sensual perfume…

When Naruto next awoken, it was to the heavenly smell of garlic roasted chicken. Naruto's stomach roared its' demand to be fed prompting the blond haired kid to open his eyes in search of the food item. When he found it, his eyes traveled from the meal to the face of the person whose lap it was perched upon. A woman who, while not exactly pretty but instead plainly attractive, regarded him with a blank stare.

Her jet black hair extended just past her collar bone and seemed to compliment her ebony colored eyes well enough. She wore no makeup but didn't really need to. Beneath her white lab coat was a cream colored blouse that went well with her black skirt. She appeared to be at least seventeen years of age.

The two seemed to just observe each other for the longest until eventually one begun speaking.

"Hi…" a withdrawn and quiet Naruto managed in an effort to at least be civil after his initial funk.

Rather than respond, the woman picked up a pair of chopsticks and used them to tear off a chunk of the chicken. She then proceed to lead the juicy morsel to Naruto's lips while her freehand hovered beneath it to catch any dripping juices. The action was not unlike that of a mother though the woman's expression remained blank. Not used to this sort of treatment, the blond raised a questioning eyebrow.

The woman's expression still did not change even as she spoke.

"I've been assigned to be caretaker for the young master here, one Uzumaki Naruto-san. My name is Tomoe. Kyohyama Tomoe. Please eat, young master," the woman named Tomoe requested.

"Young master?" the child thought quizzically.

However, hunger and lack of real interest in the matter prevented him from voicing his thoughts. Instead he opted for asking his questions after appeasing his instinctive need and so merely nodded and opened his mouth to accept the first bite. Tomoe delivered with the grace and elegance of an ideal housewife, patiently waiting until the boy chewed and swallowed before tearing off another piece of the tender meat.

Naruto had to admit that the food wasn't bad at all. Used to consuming nothing but ramen during his upbringing, the new dish was a welcome change. Even better, unlike the spoiled and rotten crap the occasional villager used to give him, it tasted great to the tongue and didn't cause him any funny stomach pains. In other words, for just a few minutes, Naruto was at peace and allowed the treatment of a ordinary kid for once.

Ordinarily, such treatment would've seem embarrassing to a child Naruto's age. However, with no memories of anytime where he had experienced such intimate contact, the attention starved child accepted every bit of it that this Tomoe was willing to give. Needless to say, Naruto felt a thousand times better when the meal reached its' conclusion. The only thing that would've made it all better was if his back didn't hurt so damn much, though the burning was duller compared to before at least.

Naruto stoically observed the expressionless woman as she set the tray of chicken bones aside and met the Uzumaki's gaze. The first thing Naruto did was thank the fair maiden for the simple task of feeding him. It had certainly been a lot less painful than trying to do it on his own in any case. Tomoe responded with a small nod.

"It's no trouble at all, young master."

Naruto blinked at the most unusual honorific that the woman seemed to favor. Wasn't young master, or waka, a title given to the heir of powerful lords and what not? Why then did Tomoe continue to address him in such a fashion? The thoughts were beyond the boy's understanding and while not fond of the idea of seeking answers from someone associating with Orochimaru, the questions had to be asked.

"Miss, why do you keep calling me young master?" asked the boy with guarded curiosity.

Tomoe seemed to observe the boy for a moment more before responding.

"Lord Orochimaru has recently announced that one, Uzumaki Naruto is to be his successor and so Naruto-san is young master," explained Tomoe as simply as she could to a five year old though clearly their was much more to the title than just that.

In any event, Naruto accepted the current explanation without much thought. A title was just a title, nothing more than indicator of his new status. Ultimately it meant nothing to him for now.

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense," commented the fox sprit child quietly while adverting his gaze to his pillow for a moment. "Miss, could you tell me more about Orochimaru-sama and the Sound Village?"

Tomoe silently nodded and begun to educate Naruto with a simple story explaining how the Land of Rice came to be influenced by the great and terrible man that was Orochimaru. Most of the time, Naruto found the story to be difficult to understand and would occasionally interrupt with a observant question from time to time. Each time, Tomoe would patiently answer the question in full detail until Naruto fell silent and nodded for her to continue with the tale.

Although the woman hardly seemed to ever smile, Naruto felt oddly drawn to her and hung closely to her every word. As his knowledge begun to swell over the next few hours, his respect and admiration for the lady grew. Tomoe was a dream teacher in many ways and was admired most for never losing patients with him and most importantly speaking to him like a fellow human being. She never used kiddy or cute words to explain things as most adults did with children his age. Rather, Naruto was spoken to exactly like an equal making him like her all the more.

Tomoe further encouraged him to ask questions with nods and approving gestures. Before long, Naruto allowed his guard to lower and fully gave his trust to the woman. Tomoe had just given the boy his long denied freedom. By the conclusion of her story, Naruto had learned that Orochimaru had used considerable political influence and a simple display of power to manipulate Rice Country's feudal lord. The reigning ruler became fully convinced that the exiled Sannin would use his power to make Rice Country a better place and so constantly came to him for advice. In other words, Orochimaru was effectively running an entire nation directly under the very noses of the elemental countries.

According to the many rumors the civilians spouted day after day, the Shinobi Hebi was an honorable hero even though nobody, outside of his most trusted ninjas and lab assistances, had ever actually seen him in person. Effectively blinded by devotion, all mysterious disappearances had for a time been blamed on invading rivals despise the fact the land was dirt poor and of no major value. Even so, the land was rich in minerals and labor and generally welcomed anyone with open arms who sought a refugee. Filled with a vast mixture of ideas and cultures from around the world, the small country slowly was beginning to prosper under the Snake Sannin's rule.

Likewise, numerous alliances between the country's various Shinobi groups and clans were being established with the strongest representatives from each one venturing to the recently formed Sound Village to meet with Orochimaru in person. A prime example was the fabled Fuma Clan, rumored to be the best of the bunch, being taken completely by the snake user's trickery. The people, living in poverty for so long, wanted to believe that the mysterious Sannin was making their homes better and so turned blind eyes to all they saw to be the man's true nature. They had to if they were to survive with the strong figures surrounding them. Those who spoke out were the ones who were never seen or remembered again. The unspoken rule being that no one worth a damn would remember them or care if they valued their own hide.

All this, the good the bad and the ugly were just Ta no Kuni alone. Orochimaru's deceptive influence actually spread to neighboring countries as well. Extending friendly relations and attempting to establish military alliances with the Land of Wind, the Land of Cloud and the Land of Earth using negotiations and messengers. Clearly the man was through in his pursuit of military power and friendly ties that rather suspiciously avoided including the Land of Fire.

Of course, all of this was done very quietly making it seem as if the tiny territory of Ta no Kuni was merely keeping to themselves in order to avoid unnecessary attention. All that anyone really knew about Rice and Sound was that it was a labor goldmine whose ruler was indiscriminate about who was allowed to set foot on its' soil.

The last thing Tomoe told the boy that interested him the most was that Orochimaru was most certainly not invincible. For Naruto, who had just came to respect what the Sannin seemed to be trying to accomplish as well as the power he seemed to represent, the revelation was quite unexpected indeed. Sure he would never stop resenting the man for what he had done to him, but to hear that he could be defeated stirred something within his heart. Hope…

"What do you mean, Miss? Please tell me," requested Naruto earnestly.

She did.

"Several years ago, in a time where Lord Orochimaru served the Hidden Leaf Village, he and his teammates fought a great battle…"

The enemy had been fierce and nearly on the brink of defeat during a long war between the Leaf and the Rain. But the tide had been turned by a single man named Hanzou of the Salamander, the current ruler of Amegakure no Sato. A man so powerful that not even all three of the Sannin in their prime had been able to match him.

Within a matter of minutes, an entire platoon of Leaf nins had been wiped out until only Lord Orochimaru, Sir Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade were the last standing. Perhaps it had been out of pity, but the man had spared them and more or less forced the title of Densetsu no Sannin on them. For Orochimaru, even to this day, the title wasn't so much an honor as it was a reminder of a bitter defeat. Constant knowledge that there was at least one person whom he would never be able to defeat on his own.

By the time Tomoe had finally stopped speaking, Naruto's expression had became one of deep thought. It seemed that the more he heard, the more he realized truly what he desired. Everything Naruto ever wanted and strived to obtain always seemed to have a price. That price was power, the strength to earn the respect he deserved. The strength to truly make a difference and change a world Naruto viewed as impure.

The boy's hands clenched into fists. He would change this impure world into a better place using his own power. He would grow strong using any means, resources and aid available to him. Naruto Uzumaki would become a Shinobi of legends. The man who changed the world. His lips curled into a grim smile as his goal cemented itself firmly in his mind…

Tomoe had stayed with Naruto for a few hours longer telling him many things. However, the woman did have other duties to attend to and eventually rose to leave, much to Naruto's disappointment. Taking the food tray and bowing, Tomoe bid the child a simple farewell before taking her leave.

That would be the last he would see of her for some time as the door soundlessly closed. The following two days were dull as Naruto found himself isolated yet again. The people who came to offer meals were never the same and not one of them, man nor woman would ever speak to him outside of a 'greetings young master' or 'farewell young master.' Orochimaru made it clear that he was resolute in his quest to drill into Naruto never to depend on others. Unable to form bonds, Naruto came to view them as threats that would only result in heartbreak. He couldn't afford to be vulnerable if he was to accomplish his ultimate goal.

Naruto awoke on the third day to find that the pain in his back had finally vanished thanks to his Nine Tailed tenant and sat up on his own for the first time. Without a second thought, Naruto unraveled the bandages around his torso until his bare skin was kissed by the cool air of the room. Almost unconsciously, Naruto traced the smooth ink markings on his back with his fingers. The feeling was strange and in a way rather uncomfortable.

Eventually, Naruto pulled on his T-shirt and tried to stand up. No sooner rising to his full height when his bedroom door swung open. Naruto's gaze, no longer quite so bright and easy going, took in the figure's frame with frosty indifference. It was the man from before whose face had been marred by numerous kunai scars. No time was wasted.

"You're wanted by Orochimaru-sama. Follow me," Hanta gruffly instructed before turning on his heels and leaving.

Naruto followed after him not caring how the man knew that he was healed. More than likely, each person he had seen had been ordered to bring him to Orochimaru the moment he showed signs of a full recovery. No matter. With the Snake Sannin, things were always interesting if painful.

Like before, the man showed no interest in inciting conversation and for once Naruto was in the same boat. Instead, the blond keenly surveyed his surroundings no longer feeling intimidated by the sight of the occasional corpse here and there. After a time, the demon carrier felt the slightly chilled air of an autumn breeze tickling his sensitive whisker markings.

For just a moment a mixture of disbelief and relief shone in his eyes as they set foot outside into fresh air and sunlight. Judging from the positioning of the sun rising from the east, it appeared to be mid-morning. The warm rays felt good on the boy's skin. The blond continued to enjoy the creature comforts for as long as he was able as he followed his silent companion along a stone breezeway linking to another building nearby.

It was a shame that the pleasant feeling couldn't last. Not even a minute later, the duo proceeded into the central structure of one of Orochimaru's many private laboratories. The bane of Konoha felt his expression changing to one of wonder as the interior of their itinerary came into view. A large room of pure white all but blinded the unprepared eyes with two realistic statues of posed to strike cobras being the sole occupants. Behind the statues, a large set of stairs led upwards to the balconied landing that branched off into three separate exits. Potted plants of white roses only further serving to add to the ethereal feel the white brought to the room. Overhead, a glass dome exposed the clear azure skies.

The architecture was indeed nice to behold. However, Naruto's escort seemed focused on a particular spot directly in-between the cobra statues. Naruto soon learned why when the man approached the left one and pushed in one of the eyes of the statue. Soundlessly, a square outline appeared in the floor that slid aside to reveal a hidden set of stairs descending into darkness. A glance over the Atama's shoulder was the only prompting the demon carrier received before his escort begun to descend.

His face set, Naruto went after him. The first thing Naruto noticed when he feet finally touched level ground again at the end of the spiraling stairway was that the walls were coated in some strange glowing moss. The pale green glow of the chakra grown plants served to ignite the path with decent lighting. The underground passage was wide enough to at best allow for two people to walk comfortably side by side. They did so, for the better part of fifteen minutes.

Each listening to the incoherent song of their echoing footsteps mixing with the gentle hum of running water somewhere nearby as they traversed a lengthy hall. The glow of the moss lining the wall serving to make even shadows appear eerier in the darkness. Eventually, their trek had the duo emerging in an underground cavern with an expansive lake taking up the center. Directly across the body of water from their location was a sizable wooden door made of heavily water stained oak.

Naruto waited as the man approached and kneeled in front of the water mass. His gloved hands soundlessly begun forming several hand signs commonly applied to ninja techniques. When the final seal was completed, a soft rumbling sound began as dozens of stepping stones broke the calm surface of the tranquil liquid one after another. A minute later, a simple path had been created for his non ninja companion to use.

The silent man rose back up to his full height and gestured for Naruto to get started along the path. A truly impressed Naruto did just that, hopping from stone to stone while his escort took a faster approach and walked atop the water's surface as if it were solid land. Inwardly, Naruto was determined to learn how the man was doing that when he finally caught up to him on the opposite shore.

Once both feet were situated on solid, moist ground, Naruto's escort approached the wooden door until stopping exactly five feet away. The scarred man raised his hands and arms to form a simple seal.

With a mutter of 'Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu,' two separate masses of churning water rose up from the lake and changed shape to that of solid and identical copies of the caster. Again the former pariah of Konohagakure was truly impressed by the simple display of Ninpou as the equally stoic water clones strode by him to take up positions on either side of the door.

Once all three were ready, the Hanta water clones fished a twin set of shiny keys from their pouches. One key a solid gold color, the other a rich violet. Moving in perfect uniform, the clones inserted their keys into the twin keyholes along either side of the wooden barrier. The original then begun forming hand signs once again. Ending the seals of the corresponding animals with a loud clap, both clones twisted their keys at the same time.

The resulting rumble was not unexpected as the locking mechanism released the immovable door from its' grasp. In true medieval fashion, the barrier slid upwards into solid stone to reveal a second, adamantine door behind it. Said door near soundlessly swung open save for the hiss of compressed air gushing out to mix with the fresh air beyond its' threshold. With it came the dull glow of several melting candles lighting the newly revealed tunnel of artistically carved magnetite.

Dispelling his clones into twin puddles of water, the man whose name remained untold ventured on with the silent Jinchuuriki shadowing him. With Tomoe's stories still fresh in his mind and the new experiences unraveling one by one, it was not hard for the boy to figure out exactly what this tunnel's true purpose was.

This was an underworld of shadows and endlessly stretching catacombs that few knew about and even fewer could ever find. Miles of tunnels and networks extending from country to country, completely unknown and unseen by surface dwellers. A merciless maze of innumerable entrances and few exits. The veil, shield and weapon that had all but insured that one legendary man would elude capture for many years to come.

This Naruto understood as the duo moved forward along a easily perilous path with numerous branches and countless wooden doors situated every ten to twenty feet. From some of those doors, pained moans and pleas for release could be heard. With them came the pungent scent of must, rotten flesh and even death. Each lingering strongly in the blond haired child's sensitive nostrils. Naruto tried to ignore them with poor results and soon grew to envy the stiff man who could tune them out with ease.

As they traveled, the moans increased in volume until it was a drone that reverberated nonstop upon the endless stones. A feat that given time would have robbed anyone of what little sanity they had left after making it this far into the underground hell. Naruto could easily feel his arms shaking as he did his best to ignore the wails and pleas with limited success. Eventually it grew to be too much and Naruto's vision swam in a haze of distortion. He unceremoniously sank to his knees and proceeded to vomit with loud retching noises. The screams and cries grew louder as a result forcing Naruto to cover his ears while pleading for them to stop.

They didn't and Naruto was soon enough dragged to his feet again by his escort firmly taking hold of his arm.

"Move," he commanded simply with no sympathy for Naruto's distress.

He had orders and he wasn't going to let the boy slow him down. A little pale in the face, Naruto did as ordered while grimacing at the noises and sour taste in his mouth. After awhile, the man let Naruto's arm go and allowed him to walk on his own again for the remaining five minutes. An eternity to the poor boy and his growing anxiety.

The conclusion of the nightmarish trip found them standing before a pair of double doors different from the rest. The twin wood carvings easily took up the whole of the hallway with mounted torches on either side. Decorating each door were bronze carvings of intertwining snakes. Naruto knew then that this was it. Without a word, his guide seized a bronze handle in each hand and tugged.

The door looked rather thick and clearly must've weighed a ton and yet Hanta had no trouble opening them. Not surprising, the stoic male was strong. Not a sound was made as the door swung outward to give Naruto his first view of Orochimaru's private quarters.

A large room well beyond the true compensation needs of one man came into sight with mixtures of beige walls and lust velvet carpeting. Situated at the very far end of the room on a raised platform was an unmistakable throne. Wooden chandeliers gave off an orangey glow from the dancing flames, adding more feeling to the room though the area nearest the actual throne was mostly blanketed in darkness. The only other features to the room were two separate doors on the rearmost walls and a railed off upper landing.

Naruto gave his escort a questioning glance. Said man abruptly bent into a practiced bow while gesturing for Naruto to proceed inside. The boy would go alone from here. Mentally dreading the moment to come, Naruto stepped forward into the throne room itself. Once inside, the massive door swung shut behind him of its' own accord, ending with a soft click of the lock activating on its' own.

"Welcome, Naruto-kun. I've been expecting you…"

Once upon a time, Naruto dreaded to hear that sibilant drawl. Now that same boy anticipated it. Revolving on the spot, Naruto's eyes traveled up to the throne where he knew his serpent loving master sat. As if to prove his thoughts accurate, the faint glow of Orochimaru's golden orbs shone in the darkness with their usual malice.

Disregarding the mixture of emotions flooding Naruto's conscious, the blond purposely approached the snake user's throne and lowered himself onto one knee in a genuinely respectful bow.

"Orochimaru-sama. You've summoned me?"

Said Sannin's eyes shone just a little with unspoken delight. At long last, his carefully implemented plan was going into effect.

"That's correct, Naruto-kun. I have called you to this place for two purposes. But, first thing first, I would like to hear your opinion on a potential scenario in the near future."

As the man said this, his shifted his slightly bored position from his head resting on his propped up knuckles to a slight crouch with his elbows on his knees so as to be nearly eye level with the spiked youth. Naruto didn't bother to hide the surprise he felt in hearing that the Sannin valued his opinion, even if just once. The boy nodded his consent and Orochimaru got to the heart of the matter.

"For just a moment, imagine that you have become one of the strongest warriors in Sound. So much so that your very name struck fear into the hearts of all who dared speak it. It is a time of constant conflict and raging wars in which you have managed to strive against all odds. A new world is beginning to dawn. Now, Naruto-kun, imagine that you were tasked to aid in protecting the queen of that new world. A queen who sought to bring forth this nearly formed new world by wiping out everything but her knights. Would you be able to take up arms to defend her and would you be able to take the lives of those you once shared a bond with?"

A test of character, Naruto came to realize as he pondered his answer. Still, his decision had been cemented days ago. Naruto hated this current impure world and would trust few if any who resided within it. If this queen desired to change the world into a better place than she was useful to Naruto. Thus, the boy would gladly defend her just as he promised himself. As for his bonds, they had caused a terrible heartache that he never desired to experience again. As far as he was concerned, bonds were a weakness.

"I would, Orochimaru-sama. Even at the cost of my own life," vocalized the blond very seriously.

Orochimaru believed him, but better to be sure.

"Are you absolutely certain of that, Naruto-kun? You would even be willing to claim the life of the Third Hokage if necessary?"

Though his eyes softened just slightly at the mention of the Third, a sign that he was not yet completely consumed by the darkness, his voice remained strong.

"I would."

Orochimaru smirked just slightly and stood up to his full height.

"That's good to know, Naruto-kun. Now I shall tell you the truth about the so called Sandaime, though I'm sure you've probably already figured it out by now. The precious Hokage who extended a hand of kindness to Konoha's detested Kyuubi vessel did so to protect him from the murderous villagers. This is what you had been led to believe. In reality however, that aging monkey defended you and stuck you in an orphanage merely because it was his duty as Hokage. The Third never liked you nor personally stepped in to defend you from the slings and arrows. He, just like the rest of those simple minded fools, feared you, Naruto-kun. You who have the ability to surpass any Shinobi in existence were a threat. A living time bomb waiting for that one moment to explode outward in a rampage of unstoppable retaliation. Just the excuse the man needed to destroy you and yet you were still just a innocent child. Sarutobi-sensei, your precious Hokage, decided to wait until the fuse vanished to destroy what he could not surpass while your powers were still not fully understood by you. Better a significantly weaker adversary than a fully empowered one beyond anyone's means of stopping. Thus the reasons why the villagers got away with the unfair treatment you know very well."

Orochimaru took note of Naruto's hands balling into trembling fists of silent fury and continued speaking.

"Even if the Sandaime did like and accept you for who you were, that's only one person out of hundreds, Naruto-kun. You're a bright boy, Naruto-kun. I'm sure you understand that such a unstable bond would have only caused you more pain and suffering than you needed. I saw that, and intervened. Now comes the results, the respect and power you deserve as a human. Nobody should ever be treated like a beast just for being different, right?"

The fox sprit child gave a small nod with his glare still directed at the floor. It didn't take a genius to tell that the boy believed the Sannin's every words. Everyone already hated him and while a selected trio did seem fairly nice to him, the boy could admit to himself that he never fully trusted them either. Rather he acted like he did in the hopes that he could fool himself into believing that they wouldn't betray him. It never seemed to work for very long. Ayame and Teuchi were just civilians and hadn't been around when the Kyuubi had attacked five years ago. They merely enjoyed having Naruto around because of his appetite and a certain degree of pity for his prior treatment. And now this new revelation about the Third had finally convinced him to cut his ties with Konoha for good.

Naruto's descend into darkness was nearly complete. Realizing this, Orochimaru finally put all his bets in and laid his cards down on the table. The time to snare the boy had arrived…

"I'm going to be honest with you, Naruto-kun. Admittedly, I think of you as nothing more than my ascension to unparalleled power. However, I'm not entirely without sympathy for the life you've led as I know it very well. I understand it better than you do yourself. Regardless, our end goals are the same and so we are comrades until those goals have been met, Naruto-kun. Eventually I shall come to depend on you as the end of everything draws near. That's why I shall ask you personality…"

As the Sannin spoke these words, he begun to descend the small flight of steps to his throne and approach the boy with smooth grace that Naruto could not help noting. Each movement taking after the very creature he was named after. Once more Naruto's eyes glazed under the spell of the Sannin's hypnotic orbs, paralyzing him in place much like prey in the sights of a predator. The sole difference was that Naruto's consciousness and will were still under his own jurisdiction, unlike last time.

The majestic Sannin was drowning the boy in his eyes. Flooding his senses with a small siphon of his addictive power. The experience was best described as a terrifying bliss. The pale and unusually beautiful man hooked a finger under the boy's chin to completely trap him in his eyes. His thumb gently and fondly running across the sensitive whisker markings on his cheek.

"Become a ninja of the Sound. My ninja. My sword. My ally. My legacy…and perhaps even my friend."

His words intoxicatingly alluring. Naruto's final decision had the last nail driven in.

"I shall. I planned on it," promised Naruto, sixty percent under his own power and the remainder contributed to the Sannin's eye spell and gentle touch.

The power hungry snake user truly smiled, showing a small hint of elongated canines that partially marked him as quite different from others yet similar to the blond Kyuubi container in question. Then the pool that was Orochimaru's eyes relinquished their hold allowing Naruto to rejoin a world shared by others. His felt strangely lightheaded when it was all over.

"Come with me, Naruto-kun. There is something I want you to see," announced Orochimaru while pressing a gentle palm to his back.

His palm met no resistance and together, they took one of the rear doors outside of the snake summoner's throne…

The afternoon sun was just beginning to set by the time Naruto and Orochimaru emerged out into the fresh air of a forest setting of some kind via one of the numerous exits to the underground maze of tunnels. The pink and orange skylight of the westbound setting sun was truly beautiful and the nature scented air felt refreshing after wandering underground for several hours. Miles of complicated twists and turns that only the Sannin besides him seemed capable of memorizing.

In any case, Naruto found himself feeling intrigued by the sight of nearly every tree in view glowing faintly with a pale pulsating glow of milky white light in the semidarkness. This glow seemed to have no boundaries as each leaf, visible root, branch and even the trunk itself was fully illuminated. The area was also pleasantly moist and riddled with puddles of clean water giving nourishment to the roots. The pure sight, for lack of better words, was peaceful and being near the glow of the trees seemed to wipe away all of one's fatigue.

Naruto shifted his gaze to his pale master. Orochimaru's gaze remained transfixed on the trees but Naruto could tell that the man was aware of his questioning expression.

"These are all trees that have been carefully bred and cultivated with an immense infusion of chakra, Naruto-kun. As I'm sure you've noticed, the emission given off by these trees are potent enough to heal wariness to all who are near. Thus is the nature of physical and spiritual energy in it's purest form," Orochimaru locked eyes with Naruto with a surprisingly normal smile on his face for once, free of its' usual malice. "Are you familiar with chakra, Naruto-kun?"

While Naruto had heard of the term, with no ninja experience he admittedly knew very little about the mysterious form of energy.

"I'm sorry, Orochimaru-sama. I don't really know."

The Sannin nodded and begun walking forward along a seldom used path through the forest with Naruto following. The low chirping of birds, night crawlers and rodents gently breaking the silence while the man thought. Before long, Orochimaru begun speaking yet again.

"Chakra has a variety of uses, Naruto-kun and can be found in nearly anything. Some with more chakra than others. What chakra truly is, however, simply can be described as either sprit energy found in everything. As well as physical energy, found in all living organisms. Unless these two energies are mixed together, chakra cannot exist. That is why various animals and human beings are capable of making and using these two energies simultaneously. Because they are able to do so, things such as Ninjutsu and Genjutsu are possible along with various feats that would be impossible to do without the application of chakra."

The first of several stars were beginning to come into sight as the sun nearly completed its' descend beyond the horizons. Orochimaru admired them for a moment before continuing with his lesson.

"With chakra, a person will be able to vastly improve their physical attributes and scale difficult surfaces using only their fingertips and feet if they wished. By learning how to control their chakra, what one considers difficult becomes easy and what one views as impossible merely becomes difficult. But you're different, Naruto-kun."

"Different?" echoed the fascinated boy while speeding up to walk besides the Snake Sannin.

The trees steadily begun thinning and both the sound and scent of water were detected by the senses. They were getting close.

"Yes and rather fittingly so for the bringer of the new world."

Orochimaru could tell that the boy had committed the sudden title to memory just by the way his expression seemed to become more determined.

"With your massive reserves of chakra, nobody will ever be able to become as strong or as fast as you can be. Frankly, there is almost nothing that you cannot do once you learn how to control and truly use your chakra. That is why you are both greatly feared and strongly coveted by all the Shinobi groups in existence, Naruto-kun. That is why you will be able to change this impure world into a better place with me by your side."

A hint of a flush graced Naruto's features at Orochimaru's words. To hear that anyone had such unshakable faith in him was more than he could've ever hoped for. Truly wanting to believe the man's words, the five year old allowed himself, just this once, to naively believe that Orochimaru-sama would always stay by his side in some way shape or form. Him! The fucking demonic child whose existence caused nothing but trouble, as one villager had been bold enough to say directly to his face back in Konoha.

Naruto would have gone to the edge of the world and back if the Sannin had asked him to. His loyalty to the snake had finally taken root and not a moment too soon.

The forest path of ongoing trees finally gave way to the place Orochimaru desired to show him. A large circular starlit lake stretched a considerable distance in the middle of a clearing of brightly illuminated chakra trees. At the very heart of the lake a large building, that was also illuminated with the pale glow of chakra, floated peacefully. The structure was very unique and artistically crafted by an old style of architecture long since forgotten. It took a moment for Naruto to realize that the building had been crafted from pure crystal.

Whiter than snow and in a way similar to a conch in design, the place carried a magnificent grandeur to its' walls. The boy could already tell that whatever laid within was precisely the purity that he sought to make this world become. A beautiful land free of strife and illness. Free of hatred and sadness. A glimpse of how life could be if he could just cut a swath through evil and bring about the promised land.

But evil was very hard to truly destroy, especially for an inexperienced kid. So long as it lingered in even a single heart, this impure world would continue its' descent into destruction. Even if a man of incredible strength should appear to fight against that fate, in the end he would fail. To believe otherwise was simply to be naïve and yet, Naruto knew that he could do it. He would bring about the promised land using his own power. Seeing a small sample of it only proved to him that it was not impossible. Orochimaru had said as much himself.

Now he understood why the Sannin had brought him here tonight…

"Orochimaru-sama…"

"There is one other place just like this one, Naruto-kun. Far away, in the Land of Whirlpool, there too exists tranquil peace. A forgotten city that was once peacefully existing at the height of its' majestic glory before the Great Shinobi Wars came about."

Whether it was simply good acting or true concern, Naruto could not tell. Orochimaru's expression darkened in silent fury as he continued.

"The results were a peaceful race being wiped from existence and their homes being destroyed completely. This is what befell a innocent, non-shinobi group of benevolent people no different from you and I. Do you think that people capable of making a place like this deserved that, Naruto-kun?"

The question was voiced in a way to indicate that the man wasn't really expecting an answer. Still, Naruto already had decided that whatever had transpired in that era was nothing sort of senseless carnage that got innocent people involved. The ancestors of the Big Five elemental countries were barbaric incarnations of Akuma's spawns. It wasn't impossible to believe that their offspring were no different. As it were, they too were to blame for the current state of the world. The child was almost shamed to have once been considered a part of their circle even though he was just an unwanted piece. Almost because he knew that in the end, when the new world finally came to fruition, he would have to finish himself off last.

"Orochimaru-sama, you mentioned a forgotten city. And yet, I only see a single structure here. What did you mean by that?" Naruto voiced his other thought.

At this, Orochimaru smirked slightly and closed his eyes.

"No, I think that'll be all for today. You'll know soon enough, Naruto-kun. Soon enough indeed."

Still smiling, Orochimaru spun on his heels and begun walking back towards the entrance to his underground catacombs. Naruto watched his master's back for a moment, admiring the way the sleeves of his kimono fluttered behind him in the winds before glancing at the forgotten city one last time. Pressing his hands together respectfully, the blond murmured a quick prayer for those who had lost their lives here. Naruto then followed after the Sannin as quickly as his legs would allow.

The boy remained blissfully unaware of the cruel grin spreading across the face of the man he was chasing and the faint glow of the structure behind him brightening slightly. All was going as planned, was the thought flickering through the mind of the prince of darkness. All that remained was make certain that things kept proceeding exactly the way they were.

The winds picked up just as the boy fell in stride and with it came destiny's unheard last words.

"Naruto…anata watakushi no kishi ne…" (2)

Naruto looked back solemnly at the lake once more. The silent gentle words whispering in the winds…

Author's Note:

Domo, Aninene-san speaking. Many apologies for the unnecessary wait time for a chapter that I had finished writing several months ago. Posting it up was the last thing on my mind due to a mass production of my PC component that seemed to be a huge hit with my boss and coworkers. On top of that, I've been sent out on tons of business trips to represent my company and present my own work to potential buyers with mixed results.

Anyway, that hardly matters here. As I promised, the pace of the fic is beginning to accelerate. This particular Naruto now has a goal to work for while serving the man he finally accepted as a worthy master. Observant readers will have also noted that the Snake Sannin still continues to manipulate the boy into the ideal warrior he has envisioned. Now as I'm sure you all have plenty of questions concerning the tattoo branded onto his back as well as varying opinions about Tomoe and Hanta, I'll try to address a majority of them before you ask.

Firstly, the tattoo is in no way associated with the Cursed Seals. Its' purpose is entirely different and too crucial to the story for me to give away much detail at this point in time. For now, think of it as a multi use seed that is housing something useful in his back that will be growing along with Naruto himself.

Yes, Tomoe is modeled after Nobuhiro Watsuki's Tomoe from Samurai X. However, the two are not the same in the least. Rather, I made my Tomoe this way as a tribute to one of my favorite anime and nothing more. Her role will be explored and expanded upon as the fic continues. Also, the person who set the bonsai plant in Naruto's room wasn't Tomoe.

Lastly, Hanta is a major original character that Naruto will be seeing quite a bit more of throughout his upbringing. He is not the personal trainer I was referring to in my last Author's Note but relevant to Naruto's development all the same. Like Tomoe, his role in the fic will be explored in time. Those still curious, his rank is that of a Jounin.

Finally, before I address the reviews, I have one more highlight to point out. As I'm sure many of you have noticed, the last few scenes of the chapter were influenced by mixtures of Final Fantasy 7's Sephiroth as well as Samurai X. Both respective properties of Square and Mr. Nobuhiro Watsuki. I take no ownership in any tributes, references or burrowed quotes that may potentially be used. Least of all, Naruto itself. Moving on, the reviews await below.

Xelena: To answer your question, Orochimaru will have almost no interest in Sasuke towards later chapters and you'll see why soon enough. The Sannin's only two goals that have not changed will be extracting revenge against Sarutobi and attempting to punish Uchiha Itachi for taking his arm. Both of which shall be done in a rather unique way though I shan't tell you what the results shall be. Stay tuned and you'll soon find out for yourself.

Note that the above review answering format is meant to tackle questions and theories only so as not to "cheat" my way into a high word count. All other types or reviews shall be acknowledged with thanks as shown.

I'd like to give a special thanks to 'kitt90' as our first reviewer. And reward him/her with the option of submitting one request that'll I'll try my best to fit into the fic. Note that I may need to edit it slightly so that it flows with my original plan. Or, if necessary, come up with an alternative compromise instead.

I'd like to give this same special thanks to our first anonymous reviewer as well as second reviewer 'teen wtich' and grant her the same request option with the same terms.

I especially wish to thank anonymous reviewer 'weirdsquirrelgirl' for an insightful opinion that perfectly nailed exactly what I was trying to convey in the first chapter. Very observant, well done. Like the above, I wish to reward you with a request option for being the third reviewer.

Due note that the request options for chapter one reviewers was planned to include the first three only however as the fic continues and certain conditions are met others may also be lucky enough to receive this same reward. You might even be next. Keep your chin up please. Also, refrain from requesting lemons, that I'm not very good at writing just yet, and Yaoi that I've little desire to write for fear of making it sound forced and corny. I've no problem with Yaoi but at the same time I'm not fond of it either. Hence part of the reason why I didn't think very much of pairings initially.

Next up, I'd also like to thank anonymous reviewer 'i read a lot of fanfiction' for pointing out Orochimaru's eye color for me. A classic mistake on my part.

Finally, I wish to thank Basium1, spedclass, Demondog666, Inumaru12, Lanna, Kantra, Wolf Huntress, Eclipse Rose, imnofangirl, green ninja93 and Full Flame Demon for all the awesome reviews and words of encouragement to keep writing. It's greatly appreciated and I shall continue to do my absolute best from start to finish.

All things accounted for, please continue to enjoy the fic. Until next chapter.

Mata ne!

(1) After transforming into final shape, think of tattoo on Fai's back from Clamps' Tsubasa Chronicles

(2) Literal translation, 'You are my knight…'