Zodiac no Shinobi
Unknown-nin345: Hello and welcome to my take on dracohalo117's Naruto Hates Yondaime Challenge. Originally, this was going to be a Naruto/Ghost Rider crossover, but I changed my mind.
Also, this is definitely going to be AU with a major example being: Mizuki never caught Orochimaru's interest; instead some random chunin is going to be the traitor. Mizuki is nice in this fic. There will be other pieces, but I think I'll keep those as a surprise for now.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or jutsus used by the anime/manga Naruto. I do however own the original bloodline limit I came up with for this story.
13 year-old Uzumaki Naruto sighed in relief as he rested against the side of a metal shack located in a small clearing in the forest of Konohagakure. With a satisfied smirk on his face the blonde-haired teen turned his gaze down to the object in his lap: the Scroll of Forbidden Seals.
"Alright then, let's see what jutsu this baby has!" Naruto exclaimed as he rolled open the scroll and let his eyes read over the first jutsu description listed.
'Tajū Kage Bushin no Jutsu
-An A-rank kinjutsu that produces an extreme amount of Kage Bushins. This can be anywhere in the hundreds and above. As a side note, the memory of anything the clone sees, hears, says, or feels is transferred to the original. Caution: this jutsu requires a large amount of chakra to use successfully because it will divide your chakra equally between the original and the clones, do not attempt if your chakra reserves are below jounin level.'
Naruto leaned back against the shed in thought, 'Hmm. Despite what it says this jutsu seems pretty easy to learn. Ojii-san said I have a whole lot chakra for someone my age and the whole 'learning what my clones learn' bit sounds extremely handy. I'll copy this down and learn it some other time.'
With a determined nod Naruto hurriedly pulled out a small notebook he always kept with him on the off chance he got the inspiration for a new prank. He quickly copied down the information on the shadow clones before he noticed the variations of the jutsu that extended to weapons and enabling the clones to blow up, these were copied down as well. Once he finished writing Naruto quickly began searching for another jutsu to learn before Tamaki-sensei showed up.
The blonde-haired teen froze when he came upon the symbol of a red spiral which he would have passed by without a thought were it not for the writing next to the symbol: 'For Uzumaki Naruto' with a small arrow point to the red spiral. With a trembling hand, Naruto touched the spiral and channeled a small amount of his chakra into the spiral, recalling lessons from the academy about sealing things into scrolls, only to watch as nothing happened.
Naruto closed his eyes as he tried to remember all that he could about storage seals, digging deep into his memories. His blue eyes snapped open before he bit one of his fingers hard enough to draw blood and placed it on the spiral while channeling his chakra into it once more. Accompanied by a small cloud of smoke, a scroll appeared in Naruto's hand.
Naruto slowly unrolled the scroll and began to read the writing there.
Hello Naruto,
If you're reading this then one of three conditions has been met. 1- You have just turned 16 years old, 2- You have become a genin of Konoha, or 3- You have just learned of the terrible burden I have placed upon your shoulders.
I want to start by apologizing to you my son; yes, if you have not been told yet I am your father, my name is Namikaze Minato. But the reason I am apologizing is because I am almost 100 percent certain that the villagers will hate you for the burden you carry and will completely disregard my wish for you to be seen as a hero.
This burden I am speaking is a great one, and I think the first time such a procedure has been used in this way. Today, the day of your birth, the legendary Kyuubi no Kitsune is about to attack Konoha and while the shinobi have fought bravely to stall it, you cannot kill a being made of chakra. So, I decided to seal it, however the only thing able to contain the Kyuubi would have to a newborn who's chakra pathways had yet to solidify and set into place. That newborn was you. You are the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune.
Hopefully your mother has been able to provide you with some sense of love and caring if the villagers do hate you.
I have to go now son. Reports are coming in that the Kyuubi has almost reached Konoha and to save the village, I must seal it into you. It is your duty to keep Konoha safe by holding back the Kyuubi, protect the village as I have done so.
As a way to hopefully make up for the life you've lived, all my notes and theories on my two greatest jutsus are sealed into my signature at the end of this letter.
Goodbye son,
Namikaze Minato
Yondaime Hokage
As Naruto stared at the letter, only stunned disbelief existed in his range of feelings. Then, bubbling up like the insides of an overcooked pot, rose such an anger that Naruto felt he could barely contain and indeed, as if reacting to his rising anger, Naruto's sapphire chakra began to ooze out of tenketsu before taking on the appearance of a raging bonfire.
Suddenly, with tears of anger escaping from eyes that were slowly turning from ocean-blue to ice-blue, Naruto threw his head back to the heavens and screamed with all the anger he was feeling, "DAMN YOU YONDAIME!"
At that moment, two certain chunin arrived on the scene in time to witness an event they hadn't seen in thirteen years.
A piece of the bonfire of chakra slowly broke off and took that shape of an inquisitive mouse that scampered a couple feet to Naruto's left and turned back to face the still screaming blonde. Next came forth a burly ox that took up a position next to mouse. The ox was followed by a ferocious-looking tiger, then an adorable rabbit. A majestic dragon appeared that took to floating above Naruto while an impartial snake slithered over next to the rabbit. A graceful horse and a docile sheep took up the next spots followed by a mischievous monkey and a hurried rooster. A sable dog and a hardy boar took up the final positions.
Naruto's scream of anger died down only after the last of the animals had appeared. The young blond-haired teen looked around at each of the chakra-made animals, with each of the creatures bowing to him as he gaze locked upon them, before he was hit by a tidal wave of exhaustion and collapsed into the realm of unconsciousness. One by one, the twelve animals dissolved into small wisps of chakra and flowed back into Naruto's body.
Iruka and Mizuki then entered the clearing, somber and silent. Iruka picked up the unconscious Naruto, tucking the letter into the blonde-haired teen's jacket, while Mizuki collected the scroll. The two chunin nodded to each other before they began to make their way to the Hokage's office, intent on finding out how Naruto was the son of their sensei.
A couple minutes after the clearing had been vacated; another chunin arrived in the clearing. He looked around and, upon not seeing his target, began swearing, "Damnit the demon brat was supposed to have been here by now. I knew I should've gotten someone else to steal that scroll! Now what am I going to tell Orochimaru-sama?"
Suddenly, with no more noise than a gentle breeze, a kunoichi wearing a cat mask dropped down behind the traitorous chunin and quickly beheaded him. Before the body could even touch the forest floor, the cat-masked Anbu set fire to it as well as the still flying head. The Anbu shook the blood off her ninjato and faded back into the shadows of the forest.
Back with Iruka and Mizuki, the two chunin had thankfully arrived at the Hokage Tower without encountering any of the shinobi still searching for Naruto. They quickly entered the building and didn't acknowledge the secretary who was ordering them to stop claiming the 'demon brat' couldn't enter (right before an Anbu wearing a dog mask appeared right behind her and promptly escorted her out of the tower). The two Anbu guarding the door to the Hokage's office bowed slightly in recognition of the two ex-Anbus and moved aside to allow the group of three to enter the Hokage's office.
The aged Sandaime Hokage raised his head up from the palms of his hands and greeted the two chunin, "Ah, Mizuki-kun and Iruka-kun. Thank you for bringing in Naruto-kun. If you'll place him on the couch over there we can wait for him to wake up and find out why he decided to steal the Scroll of Forbidden Seals."
Iruka did as the Sandaime suggested and set Naruto gently on the couch while Mizuki set the Scroll of Seals on the Hokage's desk. Instead of moving back to stand by Iruka, Mizuki continued to stare down at the leader of Konohagakure.
The Sandaime raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is there something I can help you with Mizuki-kun?"
The pale-blue haired chunin looked over at Naruto before turning back to the Sandaime. "Why didn't you tell us sensei's son was alive?" was all the chunin asked.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's brows furrowed in thought before he recalled who had been Iruka's and Mizuki's sensei, "And what makes you think that Naruto-kun is Kushina-chan's son?"
"Well, besides the fact that he has always been similar to Kushina-sensei personality-wise and that he has her surname, both of which were factors that had already made Iruka and I curious, we recently witnessed Naruto activating what could only be a kekkai genkai. The only person in Konoha at the time of Naruto's birth who carries the same kekkai genkai was Kushina-sensei. That is what makes me so sure," Mizuki finished.
Hiruzen sighed sadly, seemingly aging a decade as he leaned back in his chair, "Yes, Naruto-kun is indeed Kushina-chan's son. What I don't understand is why Kushina-chan left the village. She had made it clear to me that even though she knew Naruto-kun was to have the Kyuubi sealed inside of him; it didn't mean she would love him any less."
Iruka and Mizuki shared a concerned glance before Iruka spoke up, "Sandaime-sama, before she left Kushina-sensei told us that it was you who had informed her that Naruto had died as a result of the sealing."
The Third Fire Shadow felt as if all the air had been blasted from him by that simple statement whilst his mind went into overdrive. As he quickly ran through a list of the people who could possible benefit from this only one name come to the forefront of his thoughts, "Danzo."
"So that's who's responsible for my mother not being here," Naruto stated from his position on the couch, surprising the others who thought he had still been asleep. The blonde-haired teen stood up and looked over at the Sandaime, staring at him with icy-blue eyes. "I heard it all."
The Sandaime hurried to say something, "I'm sorry for not telling you who you're parents are Naruto-kun, but you father-"
"That bastard is not my father!" Naruto interrupted, "He gave up all rights to that claim the day he decided the villagers mattered more to him than his own family! I will never be a Namikaze, only an Uzumaki shall I ever be."
Hiruzen stared at the young jinchuuriki for a moment, studying the teen's posture, before he nodded slowly, "Very well Naruto-kun. If you are that set against it then I will not force you to take the Yondaime's name. However, I feel we should move onto other matters, namely your stealing of the Scroll of Forbidden Seals."
Naruto let his anger die down as he began to explain, "Well, after I had failed the genin exam all 'because I couldn't make a stupid bushin, Tamaki-sensei found me and told me there was an 'alternate' exam. I just had to sneak into your personal library and steal the scroll. Then I had to learn a jutsu from it."
"And were you able to learn a jutsu from the scroll?" Hiruzen asked with a raised eyebrow.
Naruto shook his head, "Nope. I became a little preoccupied with the letter that bastard left me."
Something in Naruto's earlier explanation registered in the Hokage's brain, "One second Naruto-kun. You meant to tell me that the only reason you failed the exam is because you couldn't do the Bushin no Jutsu?"
Naruto shrugged while Iruka took over, "I'm not sure how he did on the other parts but Naruto did score well on the written exam. Easily in the top 10 of the class."
Mizuki then interjected, "In the physical portions Naruto scored extremely high. He had the fastest time on the obstacle course, almost as fast as Hatake Kakashi's and Uchiha Itachi's times, and while he doesn't have an actual taijutsu style, he did manage to last the longest out of the class. The only thing Iruka and I aren't sure about is the nin-slash-genjutsu portion of the exam."
Naruto turned to the two chunin with a confused expression, "What do you mean Mizuki-sensei? You and Iruka-sensei were the proctors for that part weren't you?"
Iruka shook his head, "No we weren't Naruto. When that part of the exam was going on, Mizuki and I were starting to configure the teams. Even if you had failed the genjutsu part, it shouldn't have kept you from graduating. The genjutsu portion is worth the least amount of points out of the entire exam. In fact there was a kid last year who graduated who can't even use any nin- or genjutsu."
The Sandaime quickly put the pieces of the puzzle together, "So Tamaki failed Naruto-kun and convinces him to steal the Scroll as an 'alternate' exam, most likely to deliver it to his master, Orochimaru." Upon seeing the stunned looks from the others the old Fire Shadow elaborated, "We recently discovered evidence that Tamaki has been working for my old student for quite some time now. As we speak he is being hunted down by an Anbu member to be executed."
There was silence for a brief moment before Iruka asked, "Hokage-sama, what are we to do about Naruto?"
"Ah, yes," the Sandaime murmured before sitting up straighter in his chair. "Uzumaki Naruto, as the Hokage of Konoha I do hereby grant you the rank of genin. Will you accept the responsibility, swear to protect the village to your best ability, and uphold the Will of Fire?"
Naruto smirked and asked back, "Would I be Uzumaki Naruto if I didn't? Of course I will."
Hiruzen then reached into one of the drawers of his desk and pulled out a hitai-ate attached to a short black cloth. He presented it to Naruto saying, "Then take this hitai-ate and wear it with pride."
Naruto took the hitai-ate and, after moving his green goggles down to his neck, tied it over his forehead. The blue-eyed teen grinned brightly at the man he saw as a grandfather before a thought came to the forefront of his mind and he turned to the two chunin, both of whom were sporting a proud smile. "When's the team assignments?" the blond-haired teen asked.
"In one week Naruto, so the genin graduates can have a short break before they begin their shinobi careers," Iruka answered.
The blue-eyed teen nodded to his teacher and turned to the Hokage, "Is that all Ojii-san?" At the Sandaime's nod Naruto turned to go, but stopped and addressed the two chunin, "I would really like it if you guys could tell me some more about my kaa-san."
The two chunin nodded with a smile as Iruka answered, "Of course Naruto. We'll stop by your apartment tomorrow."
Naruto nodded with a smile of his own and exited the office, as he descended the steps of the Hokage tower only one thought ran through his head, 'Time to get serious.'
Back in the office the Hokage turned to the two chunin, "Now I suppose the only thing left that we need to do is find a team for Naruto-kun. Do you two have any suggestions?"
Mizuki spoke up first, "Unfortunately the teams for Naruto's class have already been decided and to add a fourth member would definitely put a strain on the jounin-sensei of that team. Plus, even if there was a slot open, about only three or four of the other students would work with Naruto without a complaint of some kind." Iruka nodded his agreement.
Suddenly, the brown-haired chunin snapped his fingers in realization, "Hokage-sama I do believe I have a solution. Recently one of the genin teams that graduated last year lost one of its members due to an injury gained on a high C-rank mission that left him paralyzed from the waist down. The sensei is one that wouldn't be biased to Naruto because of the Kyuubi and the two remaining genin never judge someone based on what they hear from others."
"That sounds wonderful Iruka-kun, which team is it?" the Sandaime eagerly asked.
"It's the team led by…"
- Bam! Chapter End! -
Unknown-nin345: Fear the almighty CLIFFHANGER NO JUTSU! BWAHAHAHAH!
But seriously, what did you think? I can't really write a semi-/full-on dark Naruto fic like dracohalo117 can so my Naruto is just going to get more serious about being a shinobi than canon Naruto does.
Here's a description of the bloodline limit I came up with:
Name: Cloak of the Zodiac.
Abilities:
First stage- The user forms a handseal for the zodiac animal he/she wants and calls out the name of that animal. In the pupil of the user's eye a small picture of that animal appears. The user gains a different ability for each zodiac animal.
Animal-Ability
Rat—"Brings motion to the motionless", meaning the user can make inanimate objects move, mainly statues since the object acts like whatever it is a copy of.
Ox—Super Strength. Pretty explanatory don't you think.
Tiger—The user creates a perfect clone of themselves. However, a downside to this is that the clone will be embodied by a particular emotion or characteristic and it won't be the same emotion/characteristic twice in a row.
Rabbit—Super Speed.
Dragon—The user can launch the elemental chakra he/she is aligned with from their hands without needing to do any handseals.
Snake—Complete invisibility, even the user's scent disappears. However, when the ability is turned off, it is accompanied by a bright flash of light.
Horse—Healing or renewal. The user can heal any illness or wound but must wait a period of time before he/she can use the ability again based on the severity of the illness/wound.
Sheep—Astral projection. The user sends out their spirit which is completely invisible to any other person. The spirit-form of the user can also take over weaker-willed people. However, the user's body is completely unprotected while doing this.
Monkey—Complete shape shifting. The user can turn into a perfect copy of anyone he/she has seen (even if it was in a picture) or an animal and even non-living objects.
Rooster—Levitation and minor telekinesis (which means the user can move stuff with their minds).
Dog—Invulnerability. So long as the user has this activated he/she cannot be wounded or killed.
Pig—The user can fire beams of pure chakra from their eyes.
Second Stage—The user covers him/herself in a cloak of chakra in the shape of the zodiac animal of their choice. While in this form the user can also use one other zodiac ability but the second ability will be a weaker version.
Well there you go my own somewhat original kekkai genkai. I say somewhat because the animal abilities are inspired by the Talismans from the cartoon 'Jackie Chan Adventures' while the whole cloak thing is similar to what Naruto and Killer Bee use in the manga/anime.
Only one thing left to say: Review !