The Old Man

A Naruto and Sword Art Online Crossover

Prologue: An Old Man's Rambling

This chapter is written from the perspective of Uzumaki Naruto, age, 180, in the form of an internal monologue

I have fought men, I have fought men who believed themselves God, I have fought men who believed themselves Demons, but always, I have fought men, simple Humans. Always, if I did not prevail, I at least survived, those first few I called Precious have long since died of old age, yet still I stubbornly cling to life.

Now, my body has begun to fail me, for the first time I feel weak. It grows more painful, more stressful, to channel chakra every day. The Hyuuga say that my chakra is still as strong as ever, but my body cannot handle it. Despite my acclimatization to Chakra I still receive Chakra Burns merely by maintaining a Henge for but a few minutes. Hmph, I, who once could effortlessly maintain a physical Henge for days on end, can now barely manage the academy standard version for mere minutes.

Enough of my problems, at least the World has had peace, True peace, not those back and forth secret skirmishes and battles of words that we once called peace.

Despite everything, the Fourth Shinobi War was truly a Secret War. Only the Shinobi and a few low ranking local officials even know it happened. Only the Shinobi know that no village will raise its hand against another in anger.

Unforunately, Daimyo are as prone to pride as ever, and inevitably, someone's pride is hurt. When the Shinobi are ordered to go "Return the Favor" it generally winds up being a co-operative action between the villages involved, with the objective of seeing both Daimyo further humiliated.

They seem to have gotten the hint.

Now however, my thoughts turn to the reason I purchased this ramshackle vessel, crewed by the Toads I can still call for now.

The Daimyo of Fire is too politically savvy to not realize how much of an asset I am. Though few of my missions influenced the wider political landscape, enough did so in a positive way that the Daimyo refuses to see reason. So now I enter self exile for health reasons, both mental and physical in the end.

Despite my age, I can still crush any Chuunin foolish enough to try to kill me. Though in my youth I favored an "Overwhelming Power" approach, this was not so much my natural inclination and more a combination of my own desire to be "Seen" and a lack of adequate teaching.

Following the Fourth Shinobi War there was a vast period of comparative peace, few of the old S-Class missions were issued by the Villages, old grudges set aside completely, at least for now. During this time I managed to get myself several highly competent instructors in the fields I was most interested in or needed the greatest help with.

Although my Taijutsu with the Toad Kata was strong, it was all but useless for me outside of Sage Mode. So I learned from Lee the basic ideas behind why you struck 'here' and not 'there' in 'this way' and not 'that way', and other such basic theories. From there much experimentation and several hundred thousand Kage Bunshin later and I had the rudiments of the technique which would see me into and through my dotage.

My Ninjutsu had always been considered my strongest point, but all I really had was the Academy Three(minus Bunshin), Kage Bunshin, and Rasengan(and its Variants). Not nearly enough for someone intent on Hokage. And so I found a fellow well versed in the Theory of Jutsu, it was from him that I learned why the "Ram" was such a basic sign, why Kage Bunshin used a Cross rather than any of the 12, how one handed seals were possible and what it took to achieve fluency in their use. Truly, Haku was more skilled than perhaps any realized, certainly no one Team 7 had any real clue.

Ah, but that was off on a tangent wasn't it? Not really, my last two tutors were on the use of a Zanbatou, to honor the Shinobi who taught me that even at their most Inhuman Shinobi are all too Human. And Senbon and their uses, both in combat and in medicine, in honor of the one who taught me that someone with one to protect is far more dangerous than anyone, fighting for any other reason.

After Reaching his Destination, Six Months after the end of his Voyage

In the end, even after I left the Shinobi Nations never did manage to break out into war again. By the time the wounds from the Fourth Shinobi War had healed enough for anyone to be capable of another war all of the generation that had still held grudges had long passed, and the current generation knew only this peaceful state of secretive co-operation between the villages.

Even I managed to find contentment, creating a Dojo and an Orphanage was somewhat time consuming, fortunately I never was quite as foolish as I appeared so many time in my youth. The precious metals and gems I had been sent off with to enable me to create a new life were more than sufficient to acquire both my desired validations and invest for a source of steady income.

After arriving I had been lost, for a time I entertained the idea of becoming a Ramen Chef. It did not take me long to discover that such a business was extremely niche, and all the niche's were filled by long established business'.

It also did not take me long to determine that while, to me, my state, even though its deterioration had apparently stopped, was horrifyingly weak, here I was still monstrously strong and my skill was all but unheard of.

This planted the idea of a Dojo in my head. After seeing several events which would never addhave happened even to an Academy Student who dropped out midway through first year occur. I was set.

The Orphanage would come later.

Then I discovered, Sword Art Online.

A/N: Phew, that was a long chappie

Ok ok, yes I know, I suck for starting a new one without writing anything for my others, I currently have thoughts germinating in my head for Servant of Hellsing and Memories of the Mangekyo, but my other stories are still very much refusing to co operate...

Anyway, I wrote this because every single story in this section has one of two things be true

Naruto is from Canon or AU Naruto-verse, he can use chakra in the game

Naruto is the name used for an OC who LOOKS like Naruto and has a few similar characteristics but is NOT Naruto

this is basically a story I am writing both for the sake of introducing a "Kick Ass Old Guy" to the cast of SAO, and to add a story where Naruto IS a Ninja, but lacks access to Chakra, while still being damned Awesome.

Assume any and every Canon event not shown occurred according to Canon, this story should not take to long(I predict at most 8 chappies) but is not likely to have a sequel(I have tentative plans for Naruto to die), on the other hand, like all my stories, if you want to roll with it and jump on the wagon, feel free.

Just Remember

Naruto is a Ninja

Naruto cannot use Chakra in the Game

Also, for those who are going to nitpick at the World and the Shinobi existing at once, I have a Link for you

www. fanfiction topic/51526/73027983/1/ Sword-Art-Online-Naruto-Ninja-Naruto-but-no-Chakra

so as to avoid the issue of the site erasing it I have split it up

I am also putting it on my Profile.