Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I make any money writing or posting this fanfiction.

Chapter 3 – On my Soul

"ARGHHHHHHHHH!" Naruto screamed out in pain.

The transformation reversed immediately, and Naruto collapsed to the ground...

A dark echoing chuckle filled his mind, "Foolish Nigen, my Powers are not yours to toy with..."

Naruto slipped into unconsciousness...

/ / / / /

Drip...

Drip...

Naruto's eyes snapped open, and immediately realizing he was laying on the ground, he flipped himself backwards and back onto his feet. He immediately took a scan of his surroundings, frowning when he didn't recognize his location, if he didn't know any better; he'd think he was in Konoha's sewers. But he did know better, having been forced to flee to the sewers multiple times, and though these sewers appeared similar in appearance, he knew that they weren't the same.

'Hmm...sewer...watery floor...broken walls...pipes...one red, one blue...'

Naruto blinked briefly in though, and raising his right hand, snapped his fingers. His snap echoed through the empty corridor, followed by a visible pulsing sound-wave, as it passed, the water on the floor dried up, the cracks in the wall healed, the pipes smoothed out, but continued to drip continuously, and the dim corridor lightened. Suspicions confirmed, Naruto closed his eyes and began to focus, thinking out the changes he wanted to make, and what he wanted to see when he opened his eyes again.

Though he didn't spend every waking moment reading, Naruto had read enough, and interacted with enough Yamanaka to know where he was and what was going on. He remembered being knocked unconscious, and since he didn't recognize this place, but could control and affect it with his mind, it was apparent this was his Mindscape. A mental representation of his soul, that he could bend to his will and control, as long as he had sufficient mental will, and Naruto's will was second to none.

Naruto opened his eyes once more, and found himself atop the Fourth Hokage's stone head, inside a mental version of Konoha. Smiling faintly he stood up and looked around, examining his work for a few moments, before nodding. Everything seemed to be working; even the mental animals he'd created were here. Turning his gaze to the right, Naruto was greeted with a massive Nine-Tailed-Fox, looking around in confusion, and brightly glowing collar around its neck.

Smirking Naruto began making his way over to Kyuubi, walking along the air like it was the ground, as he reached a mile or so away from Kyuubi, its large crimson-slit eyes caught sight of him. Naruto felt the air displaced around him, as a massive furry claw cut through the air, soaring towards him faster than the human eye could follow. This wasn't the real world though, and with reactions that appeared godly, Naruto's right hand snapped up, and the Kyuubi's claw smashed into a glowing barrier of chakra.

"Kyuubi, for goodness sakes, calm down you dumb Kitsune!" shouted Naruto in annoyance.

Kyuubi roared, and nine-tails sharpened, before stabbing at Naruto with insane speed, all nine tails glowing red with demonic chakra. Naruto lowered his arm, but made no other reactions, Kyuubi's tails pierced through Naruto, blood flying through the air and splattering the trees below. Kyuubi cackled darkly, and then pulled with his tails, Naruto's bloody body ripped apart, and fell into the forest below.

"Well...feel better?"

Kyuubi's eyes narrowed and locked onto Naruto, who was sitting calmly on his massive nose, arms behind his head as he stared at Kyuubi unharmed. "My mindscape Kyuubi, honestly, what a horrible first impression," said Naruto with a chuckle.

"Damn Brat, I swear I'll kill you!" Kyuubi roared in rage.

"Seriously Kyuubi, what in the world is wrong with you?" questioned Naruto in confusion, starring into Kyuubi's massive eyes.

Naruto wasn't sure what was going on, he might not be able to remember perfectly, but he knew that Kyuubi didn't normally act like this. Kyuubi kept to himself, not bothering with mortal problems which he considered to bothersome. The great Kitsune Demon only interfered if his brethren, the other Bijū, or the balance, some weird-ass balance thing all the Bijū worked to protect, were in danger. Kyuubi enjoyed fighting yes, but he never did it to simply kill and acting this way...something was definitely wrong.

"I'm sealed inside some damn Brat! Of course I'm angry!" roared Kyuubi, still not attacking though.

Naruto frowned, eyes widening as a weird image flashed inside of Kyuubi's eyes. Naruto's eyes narrowed and he blurred forward, lashing out with his claw, sinking it into Kyuubi's massive eye, and causing the huge Kitsune to howl in pain. Naruto struggled to stay on the Kyuubi's muzzle as the fox thrashed and bucked, tails waving and smashing into the ground, the massive beast trying to throw Naruto off him.

Ignoring Kyuubi's rage and pain, he stared into the beast's eye, straight into his soul, until finally he caught sight of it. There was something inside of Kyuubi's soul, a dark stain infecting the Great Bijū; perhaps it was even what was affecting the Kitsune's personality. With a deep breath he focused and gathered his chakra, tapping into the power deep inside himself, and squeezing his claw shut, wrapping it around the dark stain, and letting out a powerful war-cry as he pulled.

"ARGGGHHHHH GET OUT!"

Pulling so hard to get the dark stain loose, Naruto felt it rip away from Kyuubi's soul, and he stumbled back, having lost all resistance. Reaching the edge of Kyuubi's nose, he managed to regain his balance, just as Kyuubi managed to focus through the pain, and narrow its huge unhurt eye at Naruto, only for it to widen in shock in the next moment. Struggling in the air a few inches away from Naruto, was a strange white...man-thing...naked and with weird pointed teeth and angry-yellow eyes, held effortlessly up, with Naruto's metal claw wrapped around it's throat.

Naruto squeezed his claw tight, digging it into the strange white-thing's neck, drawing...white fluid from the creature instead of blood. Eyes narrowed at the still struggling...thing...he glanced over at Kyuubi, who looked just as confused as him, but even more angry. In fact, Kyuubi's eyes were growing more and more clear, but at the same time, darkening with rage as he regained control of himself, and realized what had happened.

"I'LL KILL IT!" howled Kyuubi in utter rage, "BOY! THROW ME THAT THING SO I CAN DEVOUR IT!"

"In a minute Kyuubi," said Naruto softly, trying to stay calm, all the while his mind ran a mile a minute.

How long had this thing been inside of Kyuubi? Had it controlled the great demon, forcing it to attack Konoha, to kill so many? What else had this thing done, or had it even influenced Kyuubi at all? Maybe it was something Kyuubi had created to confuse him? Naruto struggled to think, all the while he stared at the creature closely...before his eyes suddenly snapped wide open, before narrowing even more as he glared at the creature.

"What are you?" he questioned coldly, "What are you doing in Kyuubi's soul?"

Naruto paused for a second...before in a shocked voice he shouted out the most important question he could think of, "WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A SOUL!?"

Kyuubi's massive uninjured eye widened in stunned surprise, all the fight draining from his frame and the anger that had previous been drowning him simply fading away, his mind clearing from Naruto's shouts. If this creature didn't have a soul, which meant it was even more dangerous than he could possibly imagine, the power to control him...who knew what else a soulless creature of such power could do.

"I won't tell you anything...Ughk," the white-man trailed off, coughing up white fluid, before screaming out loudly, "...DIE!" The creature's chest burst open like a demonic maw, a massive spike forming and stabbing forward, impaling Naruto through the heart.

Kyuubi gasped loudly, the white-man smirked in victory, and Naruto coughed painfully, blood splattering all over the white-man. The next instant all the pain on Naruto's face vanished, his eyes burning crimson and slitting demonically. Kyuubi felt a powerful tug on his power, and instantly allowed it to flow into the boy across from him, whom he understood was his container...how...how long had that thing been controlling him?

Naruto squeezed his claw even tighter, "Burn..." he growled out, his voice echoing oddly.

Kyuubi's chakra flowed around Naruto, turning into crimson flames that wrapped around the white-thing's body, consuming him in intense heat, turning the thing to ash in seconds. Naruto waved his claw in the air, ash falling from the metal onto Kyuubi's muzzle, before being blown away in a fierce wind that carried it off into the distance. Naruto didn't know how that...parasite...had attached itself to Kyuubi's soul, but at least it was gone now, and that's all that really mattered.

"Boy...no, Young Man...where, where am I?" asked Kyuubi, it's voice still filled with power, but no longer roaring in rage, simply filled with confusion instead. "I...I can't remember anything since that Uchiha pulled me from that woman...Kushina?"

"That would explain why I didn't see any memories of the attack," mumbled Naruto, before shaking his head and speaking up loudly, "Kyuubi...I don't know anyone named Kushina, and I actually thought I was your first container," he said honestly.

"No...I have been sealed twice, both times in the Uzumaki, only their potent life-force can contain my power," said Kyuubi seriously, his uninjured eye locked onto Naruto. "To be sealed inside of you, that means you must be an Uzumaki as well, but I have never seen one with blond hair...your remind me of that man...Minato, who was always around Kushina."

Kyuubi stared at Naruto uncertainly, slowly putting things together in his mind, but not saying anything, not wanting to draw the wrong conclusion. Though he didn't want to admit it, Kyuubi was already worried, this young man had incredible control over his mindscape, who knew what would happen if he said or did something foolish.

"That would make you my third container Human," said Kyuubi honestly, hoping that he could convince the young man not to hide him away, perhaps by being truthful things would work better for him in this container. "You have freed me from that things control Human, you may ask me anything, and I will answer with complete honesty. I do not know how I have acted to you before, but I swear on my Soul, that I will not cause you harm, if only you will promise not to lock me away in the darkness once more."

Kyuubi felt his pride wounded by his own words, but he couldn't help himself. Too long had he been locked away in the darkness of his previous containers, chained and bound, unable to see the world, to breath in nature. His father would be disgusted with how things had gone, how they'd all let himself be controlled by that Senju so long ago, causing the start of their imprisonment. The Bijū all captured and used as tools for the Humans, it was never meant to be this way...

Naruto stared up at the Kyuubi for a few seconds, "Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage sealed you within me by sacrificing his Soul to the Shinigami, it's been twelve years since that day," he began softly, closing his eyes and loosing himself in his memories as he continued to speak.

"You attacked Konoha, killing hundreds and destroying much of the village, and as your container I have been hated for it...but recently I awakened a bloodline, or something like one," said Naruto in a pain-filled voice, opening his eyes as he looked back up towards Kyuubi.

"I remember none of this...are...I hesitate to ask," Kyuubi trailed off, unsure of how to ask what he wanted, "Will you show me your memories Naruto Uzumaki, will you let me see into your past, into your mind, into your soul...so that I can understand?"

"Kyuubi," Naruto stared into Kyuubi's eye, sighing softly, "Not even Jiji knows it, but when I found out that you were sealed inside me...I've been researching the Bijū endlessly."

Naruto turned around and stared out at the fake Konoha that he'd created, standing motionlessly as silently thought of what to say next. As he turned back around to face the Kyuubi, it felt its injured eyes suddenly heal, and found himself starring into the brilliant cerulean blue eyes of a young man, a young man whose soul was pure and bright.

"I know that you aren't mindless monsters of destruction, that you once wandered the Elemental Nations as guardians," said Naruto, eyes bright with determination, and filled with an inner resolution as he spoke, "I know that you aren't evil, I can see it in your soul...I will let you look into my soul Kyuubi, but I ask for one thing in return."

Kyuubi stared into Naruto's eyes, for a moment, seeing a hazy figure super-imposed over-top the young man. The Great Kitsune Demon found himself surprised, was this young man, no older than a kit...truly the one his Father had spoken of? It was certainly possible, he could see his Father in this young human, and he could feel it in his soul, that if he followed Naruto, things might finally begin to change for the Bijū.

"Name it," he said, placing his trust in Naruto, certain his request wouldn't be unreasonable.

"I want you to fight alongside me, not as a follower, not as a source of chakra inside me," said Naruto, his chakra flaring to life and circling around him, his soul shining brightly before Kyuubi's eyes as he spoke in a clear, unmistakable truthful voice, "But as my Friend...my friend, Kurama, eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths!"

Kyuubi's large eyes opened wide in shock, he couldn't believe what he'd just heard, and for a moment, wondered if he might be dreaming. Just how powerful was Naruto's newly awakened bloodline, how much had the young man seen by being able to look at his Soul? Kurama...it had been long since someone spoke his true name, and even longer since he'd been called friend, and never before had he been called the Sage's son.

"H-How?" questioned Kyuubi in shock

Naruto smiled gently at the shocked Kyuubi, and slowly began to walk forward, down its large muzzle, and towards its massive eyes. As he walked, Kyuubi watched Naruto's chakra grow larger and larger, circling around him and getting bright and brighter. When Naruto stopped directly in front of Kyuubi's eyes, in the space between them both, his chakra was circling like a cyclone, but had also become a bright pure-white.

"Kurama," said Naruto softly, lifting up his hand and putting it on Kurama's face, between its huge eyes. "I do not know what you'll think when you've seen my memories, but I hope that you'll understand...the promise I've made on my soul."

Naruto's chakra exploded with the force of a sun, sinking into Kurama's head, and causing it's massive eyes to roll backwards as his huge body collapsed to the ground. Naruto slid off Kurama's muzzle and landed on the ground, walking over he dropped down on the Fourth Hokage's head, and let his legs hang off the edge. Sighing he starred out at his fake Konoha once more, things were getting more and more complicated...a being that could control Kurama...a bloodline that had awakened out of nowhere...Jinchūriki that had existed before him...there was so much he still had yet to understand.

"Naru...no...Kit, I-I...I'm so sorry," whispered Kurama weakly.

Naruto was snapped out of his thoughts by Kurama's voice, and he turned his head around to look at the Great Demon Fox. His eyes locked with Kurama's, and he found himself slightly shocked by the amount of pain and sadness in Kurama's eyes, the fox was incredibly sad for some reason. It took Naruto a minute to understand, Kurama felt that everything that had happened was his fault, that his weakness had caused all of Naruto's problems.

"It's not your fault Kurama," said Naruto seriously, eyes flashing, "I understand, and you have nothing to be sorry for, nothing to apologize for!"

Kurama was shocked by Naruto's words, and for a moment didn't know what to say, "Kit...I, I still have to apologize, all of this was because I'm not strong enough." Kurama's slit-eyes stared at Naruto sorrowfully, only to widen as Naruto suddenly appeared between them, rubbing the fur between them gently. "Kit..."

"I'm serious Kurama, don't fret on it, the past is just that," said Naruto, sighing a little as he spoke gently, "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that the past can't be changed, you can only move on...I think an old man I met said it to me best."

Naruto's voice took on an ancient tone, and as he spoke, Kurama couldn't miss the way he did. Naruto obviously placed a great deal of trust in the words he was about to speak, and as he searched through the memories he'd received from the young man, he could only think of one thing that fit.

Together Naruto and Kurama spoke, their voices echoing together into a single tone, "Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate."

"I understand Kit," said Kurama softly, starring down at his container with respect, "I will continue to move forward just like you, and from now on, my power is yours whenever you need it."

"Just as mine is yours," responded Naruto seriously, "We'll walk forward together Kurama, from now on...neither of us will ever be alone again."

"Kit," whispered Kurama softly, "Thank you Kit, I promise not to let you down."

"I know you won't," said Naruto, smiling up at Kurama with a grin. Naruto blinked suddenly and tilted his head to the side, wondering if Kurama might know, he decided to satisfy his curiosity and asked, "Hey, can you tell me anything about my bloodline Kurama?"

"I'm afraid not Kit," answered Kurama with a frown, "I've never seen anything like it before, but I'd definitely be willing to help you learn about it, just like that Old Man and your One-Eyed Sensei."

"Awesome, with all of us working on it, hopefully we can figure some stuff out," said Naruto in relief.

With him, Sarutobi-Jiji and Kakashi-Sensei all working on it outside, and Kurama working on it from inside of him, they would be able to figure things out much faster. He was a little worried though, having to tell Jiji and Sensei about this conversation, he knew they would have a much harder time learning about Kurama, and trusting the Demon Fox. They didn't have the advantage that he did, the ability to see into Kurama's soul made it easier for him to trust the Kitsune.

"I was wondering Kit, you said you're an Uzumaki correct?" questioned Kurama curiously, waiting for Naruto's nod before continuing, "Does that mean you're related to Kushina Uzumaki?"

Naruto shrugged softly, "I don't know, it's possible I suppose." Naruto was unconcerned, he knew that he was an Uzumaki, Jiji had made that apparent, but he'd never been told his parents' names, or any of his relatives that were all gone from the world. "I'm the last of the Uzumaki Clan, so she might be an Aunt, Grandparent or something of mine."

"That makes sense I suppose," said Kurama with a shrug of its large shoulders.

Kurama decided not to mention anything, he had witnessed all of Naruto's memories, and even the one's the young Kit couldn't remember because he'd been too young. If that Old Monkey hadn't told Naruto about his parents yet, than he assumed there must have been some reason. Letting out a soft growl, he wished he could have been the one to rip that white-thing to shreds; his heart ached from the knowledge of what he'd seen in his Kit's memories.

'What will you do Kit...will you still call me Friend when you learn that it was I who killed your parents...controlled or not, it is my claws that are stained with their blood,' thought Kurama to himself quietly.

"I think I should head out and talk with Jiji and Sensei," Naruto paused, a thoughtful look on his face, "I...I don't know if I'll tell them everything though, maybe just a basic summary and then I could point them towards some of the books I read about the Bijū in."

"I believe that would be a wise course of action Kit," Kurama agreed after a second of thought, "So if this new bloodline of yours is new, have you decided what to perhaps call it?" the great fox-demon questioned curiously.

"Yah, I was thinking of calling it 'Soul Union'," he suggested without even having to think about it, "Seirei Gōitsu, I think it's the perfect name for my bloodline, and perfectly describes what it can do as well."

"Well…it's not the most original name," Kurama decided with a faint shrug of his massive furred shoulders, "But sometimes simplicity is the best recourse, Seirei Gōitsu, a powerful and amazing bloodline you've been gifted with Kit, use it wisely."

"I will Kurama, I can't wait to discover everything it can do!" he exclaimed with some excitement, rubbing his hands together completely un-bothered by the metal claw wrapped around his left, "You'll help me right?"

"Always Kit," Kurama stared for a moment, before he intoned solemnly, "I swear it on my Soul."

Naruto's eyes went wide at the Kyuubi's words, his new senses letting him see the binding promise as it wove its way into, around, and even through Kurama's ancient soul. He'd read enough to learn that a Demon's word by itself was the law, they were bound to obey anything they swore…but he'd never read anything about a Demon swearing on their very soul.

But if what he was seeing and understanding was correct…Kurama had just bound himself to Naruto's aide, to be with him and help him with anything he required, forever. As he began to fade from his mindscape, something calling him back to the world of the waking Naruto could only stare up at Kurama; eye's still wide in surprise.

"Kurama…thanks," he whispered before fading fully as he was pulled away.

Starring at the spot where Naruto had been standing only a moment ago, Kurama let his tails swish faintly through the air behind him as he found a smile stretching across his wide muzzle. A soft chuckle echoed from the Hokage Monument overlooking Konoha, and Kurama dropped down onto his stomach, starring out into the city below.

"He might just be the one…Jiji."

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"Naruto! Dammit, wake up Kid!"

Naruto's eyes snapped open as he came back to his senses out of his mindscape, for a moment he wasn't really sure what was going on or even where he was, but it quickly came back to him. He'd been with Jiji and Kakashi-Sensei discussing his strange new power, and then he'd tried to perform Gōitsu to merge with Kyuubi liked he'd done the previous day, only to be rejected and pulled forcefully into his mind to speak to the demon.

"NARUTO!"

Blinking Naruto looked up to see Jiji and Kakashi-Sensei both staring at him in concern, Jiji's eyes were roaming over him seemingly checking for wounds or anything out of place, and Kakashi's gloved hand was glowing green with medical chakra and hovering just a few inches away as if the skilled ninja couldn't quite decide whether he should be actually using medical Ninjutsu on him or not.

"Uhhh," trailing off for a second Naruto flushed a little and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, "Yo…?"

Completely ignoring Naruto's awkward embarrassed state Hiruzen stepped forward and put both his hands on the young boy's shoulders, looking him right in the eyes before pushing him back a few inches and continuing to look him over before firing off a rapid string of questions, "Are you alright? What happened? Did Kyuubi interfere somehow? Do you need us to take you to the Hospital?"

Still flushed with faint embarrassment Naruto was none the less thankful for his Jiji's obvious concern, "I'm fine Jiji, Kura…Kyuubi just wasn't too keen on me doing something like messing with his soul without permission a second time," he admitted.

Reaching up Naruto pulled off his hood and shook his head, letting his golden hair spike up freely and shakes itself back into its normal style. Following up by pulling his new outfits mask down to loosely hang at his neck he took these few moments to simply stare at his Jiji, who he trusted above all others, and his new Sensei who would be responsible for him. From what he could tell both elder's had his best interest at heart, he felt that they were both trustworthy…

…and yet, he wasn't sure if he really wanted to tell them what he and Kurama had discussed. He knew neither of them believed he was the Kyuubi reborn, but they were both also required to put the needs of the village high on their lists of priorities, and knowing he was in true contact and had bonded in friendship with Kurama might cause them difficulties.

"Kyuubi…was able to stop you from using your power?" Hiruzen asked curiously, "You were unconscious for quite a while, did you…speak to him…in your mind?"

Hiruzen had been the Hokage for a long time, and a Ninja for even longer, he was good friends with many of his subordinates and knew quite a few members of the Yamanaka clan. He'd been told many stories of the mind and had a lot of experiences with the previous two Jinchūriki, he knew it was possible for Naruto to have spoken with Kyuubi, yet still wasn't quite sure how he felt about the fact it may have happened so soon, before Naruto had truly any training in learning to see through the false truths of those who would use him.

"You two, trust me right?" Naruto asked after a moment of silence, his expression deadly serious and guarded.

Neither of the Elder Shinobi hesitated, "Yes," they both answered in an instant, equally sure of their answer.

Naruto observed them both for a few moments, his eyes unknowingly flickering an eerie whitish gold for a brief instant, letting both Hiruzen and Kakashi know that Naruto's new powers were acting up, and both guessing that it were these strange eyes that were likely letting the boy see into their very souls.

"Kyuubi summoned me into my mind after stopping me from merging our souls like previously," having relaxed from his tense stance Naruto began to explain, "There was something dark within him, and after destroying it he began to speak to me normally, we made a deal, and I trust him."

With that short sentence, both Hiruzen and Kakashi momentarily opened their mouths to scold Naruto for such a rash decision, but at almost the exact same time they hesitated and decided not to. Naruto's new powers were granting him some strange new insights, and neither of them knew what he might have seen in the powerful demon fox that cause him to trust it, and in truth, it was neither of their decisions on what Naruto should do.

"As your Hokage…I object to this course of action," Hiruzen said slowly after a minute, frowning down at his grandson in all but blood, "But as your Grandfather, I believe in you Naruto Uzumaki." Hiruzen's words were no less firm than ever, but his frown had faded as he spoke them, a kind, caring smile on his wrinkled face as he nodded at Naruto.

"I don't know if I could ever trust Kyuubi, but I do trust you Naruto," Kakashi said with an eye-smile, "If you need my help or have anything you'd like to discuss with me after talking with Kyuubi I'm always available."

Naruto smiled brightly at both of them, his eyes glittering faintly with tears as he practically glowed with happiness at their words. He'd been worried how they might react, but after looking at them closely he'd somehow been able to see the truth, both of them trusted him and he shouldn't have to lie to them or keep things from them.

"I…I don't think I'm ready to share everything we talked about, but Kyuubi promised to help me with my new powers, and that I could use his whenever I needed," Naruto explained, getting two slight nods from his Jiji and Sensei as he did so.

Hiruzen and Kakashi were both uncertain of what Kyuubi might be planning, of any reason why the demon might be willing to help, and neither of them trusted it at all. But both of them trusted Naruto, and if he was willing to work and partner with the Demon Fox, then neither of them would attempt to stop them. Perhaps Naruto's powers had changed the Kyuubi or something, but in any case, Naruto seemingly had it under control and that was all that mattered.

"So…should I attempt Gōitsu with Kyuubi again?" Naruto asked, glancing towards his Jiji.

"Please do," answered Hiruzen, slipping into his Hokage state of mind as he answered, "I'd like to document the changes, and perhaps you'll be able to answer some questions well merged with Kyuubi so we can really see how it affects you."

Nodding Naruto wandered back over to the middle of the training ground's clearing, focusing deeply he shut his eyes and began to slowly breath in an and out as he did so. Gathering his chakra he felt it circling around him, filling him as he reached for that feeling deep inside of himself, chakra flaring outwards in preparation.

Gōitsu!

Naruto felt power flood through him at once, the feeling deep inside him flaring powerfully to life as it granted his entire body strength beyond what it was meant to contain, settling into his very bones as his soul became malleable, ready to shift and change. Within his mind's eye he felt everything become clear and visible, three people formed in front of him, just a few inches out of reach with their hands held out for him to take hold of.

Kyuubi's human form stood in the center, glowing with barely restrained power and the most easily visible and welcoming, it was colored in fully and if he didn't know better he'd think Kurama was standing right in front of him. To Kurama's left and right were his Jiji and Sensei, both of them were different though, Jiji was colored and visible but was like a ghost, not really visible, almost like his hand would just pass through him if he tried to touch his outstretched hand.

Kakashi-Sensei was the most odd though, he was just as ghost-like as Jiji, but his body was completely void of color, and unlike how it was with his Jiji whom he could sense the faint stirrings of powers, he couldn't feel anything coming from his Sensei. Taking a moment to take in the scene, Naruto remembered what he was here for and reached out for Kurama's hand.

"Gōitsu…Māji!" Naruto's voice echoed through the clearing, a strange power echoing with it.

A warmth surged out from within Naruto's soul, the power that had flooded into him expanding as it shifted and changed, his soul altering as it merged with Kurama's own willing soul. He could feel his bones shifting and changing, his body stretching and shifting as chakra circled around him seemingly exploding from his body as if it was too much to contain, his mind pulsed and expanded and knowledge and memories not his own joined with him, becoming his own.

Chakra poured from his body in great cascading waves, his clothing rippling and transforming as a pressure began to spread out from him, crushing the area around him as the very feeling and nature of his chakra changed, growing darker and more demonic. His body heightened, his hair grew out down his back in spiky clumps as it seemingly bleed crimson, his baby fat melting away to reveal a more aristocratic face, and his visible right hand grew deadly looking claws as his whisker marks darkened.

His figure became more toned, his body altering as it became more flexible and agile, muscle filling in on Naruto's frame as his shoes burst and melted away, revealing two furry clawed footpaws, fur winding upwards under a layer of fabric. Naruto's pants having shifted, becoming more baggy and loose to accompany his new animalistic legs, his brand new cloak turned crimson as it opened at the front, no longer wide enough to close as his chakra continued to change him.

As the transformation came to an end, Naruto's closed eyes slowly opened to reveal a set of slit pupils. Breathing in and out slowly Naruto looked at his clawed right hand, than at the metal claw that adorned his left, noticing his left hand hadn't shifted to grow claws, the transformation seemingly adapting to his equipment. Almost his entire body had changed and transformed, his clothing had even been altered, but his claw gauntlet and sword hadn't changed, and absently he wondered what triggered certain changes.

"Interesting," Naruto hummed as he lowered his hand back to his side, turning to look towards his Jiji and Sensei.

"What is it Naruto?" Hiruzen questioned, still reeling from having been able to witness the transformation this time.

"I was more coherent this time Old Man," Naruto said, his voice raspy yet somehow calm and mellow, "My power is seemingly the ability to affect my own soul with the souls of others, the ability to do so seems to depend on my bond with the other."

"Māji…" Naruto frowned thoughtfully, "I think Gōitsu is simply the simplest way of stating what my new powers can do, this ability to merge our souls I believe that is Māji, as such I believe there is likely other ways to use my power…perhaps it even has something to do with my ability to see those I'm bonded with when I activate my power."

"See people?" Kakashi questioned curiously.

"Indeed Cyclops, when I activated my power you and the Old Man appeared to be offering me your power just as Kyuubi was, though…you were both oddly less there than Kyuubi," he answered, frowning thoughtfully, "If I had to guess, I would not be able to perform Māji with either of you at this moment, accepting your power in my mind would likely cause something else to happen."

"We can test it if you'd like, but first I'd prefer to ask some questions," Hiruzen said in a firm voice, "Can you confirm access to Kyuubi's memories when you're like this?" he asked just to make sure it was worth asking the questions he had on mind.

"Correct, I am both Kyuubi and Naruto like this Old Man," he answered carefully, hesitating for a moment, "So know that I will refuse to answer any question I feel invades our privacy."

Hiruzen looked a little surprised, but nodded and quickly revised the questions he'd been prepared to ask. "Are you willing to tell me what you'll be capable of in this form, we saw a glimpse last time, but do you know what you're truly capable like this?"

Naruto stared at the Hokage for a good minute, slit eyes piercing through Hiruzen's defenses as Naruto's new melded personality tried to decide how to answer. Naruto trusted his Jiji without hesitation, but Kurama was not pleased to be asked to give up his secrets like this, he rarely interacted with Nigen on principal, and this was already stretching his pitiful desire to share anything. It was the first struggle of Naruto's new melded personality, and a very interesting experience.

"I would say in this form I am stronger and faster than any Nigen, my capabilities revolve around pure chakra manipulation and my skill with swords of any style," he said after a few moments thought, "I know you really want to ask my rank as I am, and I won't try to sugarcoat it Old Man, as I am you would be hard pressed to defeat me if you were in your prime…I would crush you if you attempted it now."

"Yet…this isn't really my power, we know from yesterday that I will not remember how to do anything once this merger finishes," he admits with a heavy frown, "At the same time, Kyuubi's capabilities are limited by my own skills, if I was skilled with a Kenjutsu or Genjutsu like Kyuubi I would be ten times more deadly like this, but even than that power is only available when merged."

Naruto nodded, "We've decided, Māji is a last resort ability our power and skill will not increase if we rely on it," he said seriously before his form suddenly fizzled and Naruto returned to his previous state, the transformation that had taken a good few minutes only taking a second to stop. "Kyuubi says that's all you get to know for now…um, I think he'll be fine to answer more questions next time we merge," Naruto explained with a faint awkward rub of his head.

"That's fine Naruto, we learned a lot even if I didn't get to ask everything I wished," Hiruzen said as he felt himself relax, he'd been tense the entire time he was faced with the merged Naruto and Kyuubi, expecting them to attack or something, not because he believed they would, but it was simply the feeling they gave off.

Stepping forward Kakashi and Hiruzen both found themselves looking over Naruto for wounds, finding none Hiruzen turned and began to add some notes to the notepad he'd brought with him, documenting the aspects of Naruto's new bloodline and his own thoughts. As he did so he thought about how this would change things for Naruto, he could already see the problems the Council would try to cause and he knew it was time he began to make some changes himself.

"How do you feel?" asked Kakashi curiously.

"I'm fine, it's kind of a bummer I won't remember how to do anything in a few hours," he admitted with a faint sigh, before brightening up, "But I'm super excited for training with the Team, I can't wait to start learning new things…I…I know I'll be a little behind Sensei, but I promise to work hard."

Kakashi smiled and patted Naruto on the head before turning and making his way over to the Hokage, as the two talked Naruto pulled his sword from its sheath and examined it, looking over the interesting blade he began to make motions and wield it. Unknowingly drawing the attention of his Jiji and Sensei, who watched him as they conversed quietly among themselves, taking in Naruto's strange form and stance; Kakashi who had copied many Kenjutsu styles didn't even recognize it.

Naruto's slow motions began to speed up and he begins to move and flow through the motions, his simple strikes become a deadly dance of metal that takes both Kakashi and Hiruzen's breath away as they watched it. After a few moments Naruto made a mistake and immediately stopped, frowning heavily as he sheathed his sword and turned towards the two elder Shinobi.

"It's already fading," he admitted.

"Hmm, it doesn't last long once you separate, we'll need to test how long you can maintain a merge as well than," Hiruzen observed as he turned to Kakashi, "I think we'll need to spend the next few weekends working to discover more about his blo—"

Hiruzen and Kakashi both snapped to attention and turned to the side, Kakashi opened his mouth to shout out a warning but it was too late, in a blur of motion a blank-masked Anbu appeared in mid-spin in front of Naruto, sword flashing as he finished his spin and cut straight through Naruto's unprotected neck as he did so.

Naruto stumbled backwards, a gasping rasp leaving his mouth as he choked on his own blood, a thin cascade of it beginning to flow down his neck. Eyes wide in horror he starred across the clearing at his Jiji and Sensei, who were staring back at him in complete horror, too shocked to even react to what had happened.

"The roots of Konoha run deep," the blank-masked Anbu said as he flipped his thin tantō around.

Hiruzen and Kakashi sprung into motion…

/ / / / /

Gōitsu – Union

Seirei Gōitsu – Soul Union

Māji – Merge