Fortis

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own High School D x D. I think it's obvious by now.

AN: Hey there guys this is O-U back from the dead, and by dead I mean two jobs, a broken computer, and summer courses that otherwise killed my time for typing out anything decent barring a preview or two. Alas life can truly be a big B at times my sister being a lazy git and refusing to at least try and write something up to update a fic or two doesn't help either. That aside this fic in particular will hopefully get me back into my grove of typing and updating at least something once a weel. The fic itself will be a mix of a Pledge to My King and Kyokai no ken but it takes a different route from the latter whole exorcist of the church motif, this one is a bit more lighthearted than its counterpart but will also be dark at times much like this prologue, you have been warned.

Tags: Strong Naruto, Smart Naruto, Human Naruto, Hero Descendant Naruto, AU, Violence, Gore, Character Deaths, Ecchi, Minor Xovers, and general OOCness.

Pairings: ?

Unbeta'd

-Fortis-

"If you're going to have a dream, why not dream big? You know? Like reach for the stars and all that stuff. Yes it'll be a hell of a lot more challenging to achieve that dream and at times you might get depressed and find yourself hoping to do the impossible, but you know what? It'll make it all the more sweeter when you turn that dream into reality."

-Naruto Namikaze

-Fortis-

Arc 1: The Strongest Self-Proclaiming Human?

Prologue: The Story of Naruto Namikaze

The sun was high in its zenith, with not a speck of cloud covering the wide blue sky.

Two children stood atop a small hill overlooking a large village, they smiled and they laughed as they ran and played around much like many kids their age. Well much like kids that played with kunais and shurikens, flinging deadly weapons at one another while using the energy called chakra to do inhuman feats and techniques.

Oh sweet childhood innocence, an ephemeral experience to say the least, ephemeral yet enjoyable but in the end it was not but a small part in their life.

The two children stopped playing, they did not know why, but their heads moved upwards to the great blue sky.

Then it happened.

There was a loud rumbling sound –an inhuman and bestial roar. The earth shook violently, the skies blackened much like the void, the wind died down causing a strange chill to rise, the plant life withered their lives faded away while the animals howled, chirped, and barked before running or flying wildly fleeing for their lives. All the while the citizens of the village seized their thoughts and actions – a cessation of their daily lives- as they looked up to the now darkened heavens a feeling dread creeping its way to their very souls.

But most importantly for the two children a top that small hill, the rumbling sound came as a signal to the end of their childhood days.

Those days crumbled like dust against the wind, much like the sky which suddenly cracked violently. It was like glass tinted with red lines as large ominous blood-red cracks appeared along the darkened heavens.

The sky shattered, black shards of what was once the sky fell to the ground like the fierce rain of a storm.

From the crack in the sky a large black draconic head came forth. Its hands soon followed as it pierced through skies with ease as it destroyed what was left of the sky. It opened its maw revealing large jagged teeth the size of large zanbatos, and much to the horror of everyone present to witness the event it inhaled –house and trees destroyed by very act- and then it exhaled, and fiery brimstone and sulfur shot from its mouth taking the form of hellish black fire. The flames moved like molten magma it spread forth and blessed the village with its destructive presence.

Not even a second later, and the village was already drowned in unholy flames –screams of death and pleas for help was only drowned out by the roars of the deadly beast.

Not even a second after that, those who survived were up and arms ready to face the beast that dared to attack their home- their own battle cries also drowned by that of the dragon's roar.

Though in the end their attacks seemed futile; the massive being that spat out the flames of hell itself was barely phased by their assault.

It was often said that trouble came in two or more.

Sadly the flames was but the first trouble the villagers had to deal with. Too caught up in the battle against the beast that these people were completely unaware that the dragon was just the beginning. An opening act to a performance many call a massacre.

The two children a top the hill were the first to see it, small black specks flooding through the cracks and crevice in the sky, it was an army. A legion of beings with bat like wings flew from the very cracks and crevice created by dragon. They descended from the skies like a swarm of hungry locusts yearning for the fresh wheat and grains.

And like a swarm of locust they devoured and destroyed all in their path.

The citizen's of the village stood no chance, most of them were much like defenseless lambs, with the inevitable fate of slaughter weighing heavily upon them.

The shock the two children felt was soon replaced by fear, anger, and dread as they bore witness to the massacre that slowly unfolded in their eyes like the acts of a tragic play written by Shakespeare. Their first instinct was to flee, but flee to where? This was their village. Their home, the people that they loved and cared for was trapped inside the besieged village that was in the middle of a sea of flames, and was surrounded by the flying beings that were killing all in their path.

But alas people tend to think irrationally when they are suddenly forced to act in what was a life and death situation. Common sense was quickly thrown out of the window and panic soon replaced it, any and all logical thoughts were lost when one of the kids, a girl with black hair, ran towards the village, desperate to a certain the safety of her parents and family. Her play mate was soon following her in tow. He ignored the voice inside his head telling him to flee. After all he wasn't the type of person who would leave a friend behind, and he too was worried about his family.

So the two children ran, they ran through the seas of flames, they ran through the blood and gore filled streets, they ran from the flying beings that sought out their death and destruction.

And in the ensuing chaos in the village the two children were separated, the boy with a golden-colored desperately reached out for the black-haired girl. But it was all for naught. They were separated, but while the two drifted apart they exchanged promises that they will meet again –their meeting place set instantaneously. There was only one place they could meet. A place known to both of them. They exchanged quick reassurances promising one another that This was not the end, they were going to walk out of this alive.

He watched her disappear in the seas of chaos, even if they went their separate ways with the girl, he was fully intent on keeping his promise no matter what it takes.

He would see her again and the two of them would escape this hell on earth.

And so the boy gritted his teeth and balled his fists as he ran towards the direction of his own home, completely unaware of what fate had in store for him.

-Fortis-

He ran through the once glorious streets, now bathed in blood and gore, willfully ignoring the cries and pleas for help as he searched for the one person who he lost when the chaos erupted. Normally he would stop and try to help others but for once in his life the boy decided to be selfish.

The survival of those he cared about weighed more to him than those random people that he knew nothing about.

The boy had already passed by his house, searched it high and low for any sign of his parents but found no one. This nearly sent him into an even higher frenzied state of panic but he quickly reassured himself that his parents were okay. After all the two of them were some of the strongest shinobi of this village. So with adrenaline pumping through his veins and his mind moving erratically he decided to make the best of his situation. Without a second thought he pillaged his own home for anything and everything he could use. Scrolls, Fuuma Shurikens, Shurikens, Swords, Kunais, all sealed and stored in scrools. He even had several of his family's famed tri-pronged Kunai.

In a span of a few seconds he took everything he could and left his home like a thief in the night, sneaking out like a shadow in hopes of evading the attention of the creatures that were destroying his home.

*Woosh*

His senses screamed at him of the incoming danger from above. The boy didn't look up but instead followed is instincts as he drew one of his family's Tri Pronged Kunais.

He took a deep breath, his blue eyes going cold as ice as he steeled himself.

Prodigy, was a word often used when the villagers described him and his best friend. They were the best of the best, they who would have been the strongest of their generation.

Despite being a child, he was trained to fight, trained to kill, he was born and raised in the ways of the shinobi.

It was due to the insistence of his own father that he started his training in a young age, younger than even his own peers. Maybe it was foresight in the part of his father, or maybe a severe case of paranoia but in the end he couldn't help but thank his father for those pain staking lessons.

The boy crouched down and pressed two fingers in the ground. He tapped the earth lightly as he extended his senses.

A dark presence entered his body, whatever this things were they felt wrong, they were malicious, vile, dangerous, monstrous, and evil. Yes, evil would have been the best word to describe it. They were so sickening, so evil that he found himself sickened by their very presence.

He took a deep breath and felt a familiar tingle run through his body, like a warm and comfortable blanket. It felt like a gentle embrace. It felt right. It felt good. It was such a familiar feeling, the warm coursing of chakra that coursed throughout his body, filling each of his tenketsu with power.

It was time.

In a speed far exceeding the limitations of humanity, the boy kicked off the ground and left a small crater in his wake as he shot forward evading a downward slash from the bat winged creäture that would have beheaded him.

The boy knew for a fact that he wasn't the strongest shinobi in the village, he was far from it, but that didn't mean he would willingly give up and let the devil lop his head off without a fight.

He turned towards his attacked and for the first time got a good look of it –he refused to acknowledge it as a human being. It was an evil being with bat like wings that held a sword and wore the skin of a man. It reeked of violence and blood lust, but most of all it reeked of arrogance. A feeling of superiority as its blood-red eyes stared the boy down.

The boy could work with that.

He tossed his tri-pronged knife at his attacker, aiming from the creature's face while he gathered and molded chakra in his right hand.

Predictably the being with the bat like wing sneered closing its eyes as it moved its head to the side almost lazily to avoid the knife.

The creäture avoided the knife but when it opened its eyes the boy was nowhere in sight.

Before the devil realized it a large ball of condensed and spiraling chakra smashed against the side of its face. In its arrogance the devil failed to put up any sort of defense and that cause it the battle.

Flesh was twisted and torn, bones were broken and dusted, and organs were smashed and reduced to mush.

Without any hesitation the boy ended the devil's life by completely destroying its head with a Rasengan (Spiralling Sphere).

The boy exhaled, after killing the creäture. Exhaustion entering his body like an unwanted guest, he had only used two techniques but both were rather taxing to his body. If it weren't for the boy's massive reserves he was sure that he would have already fainted.

He also realized that this was the first time that he actually killed someone, but he tossed those feelings aside, burying it deep within the recess of his mind. He was fighting against time, he knew his parents could take care of them selves, but his best friend was another thing, he needed to find her so they could escape together.

Yes, he promised himself that.

They would live to see another day.

-Fortis-

The world was on fire.

The smell of sulfur and brimstone lingered in the air, blanketing the heavy smell of ash and iron from the tens of thousands that were dying like mayflies on a warm summer day.

The young shinobi killed five more of those bats as he decided to call them, each life he destroyed took a harsh toll in both his body and reserves.

His once white jacket was matted with stains of blood and sooth, his black pants was full of cuts and gashes. He was breathing heavily, he was tired but he knew he had to move on.

He had a promise to keep after all.

The boy was running through the bloodied and burning streets, purposely ignoring every mutilated corpse that he passed. Eventually his legs took him towards a small clearing just outside the village, it was surrounded by burning trees, and smoke the carried the scent of hell and death billowed over the air like a dark rain cloud.

This place was the training ground that he and his friend used, and his first instinct was to go here. After all this was the place they promised to meet.

Now he just needed to wait for her, then they could figure away to get the hell out of this place. The boy just needed to stay patient, surely he can last an hour or two without getting into any kind of trouble.

"My oh my… so this here is the little troublemaker that took out a few of my servants."

Son of a-

All of the sudden the already burning trees that surrounded the forest combusted in even fiercer flames, a literal sea of flames now surrounded the training field leaving no escape routes, only deadly flames.

The boy's senses flared, every fiber of his body screamed at him, telling him to run for his life. To get as far away as possible to the person no thing who owned that voice.

"Interesting, you would not believe how interesting this expedition here has been. Yes, destroying through all those barriers and leading an attack to this place was definitely worth it." The voice came from beyond the flames, it was a calm and gentle voice, and it immediately both intimidated and infuriated the blond boy.

Within the boy's right hand he gripped a trip pronged blade. His knuckles were white and his palms bled under his nails, the anger he felt only increased the intense pressure of his hold.

"Why?" The boy asked, his voice carrying none of the exuberance commonly found in a child's voice but instead there was steel hidden beneath that one sole world. A steel so strong enough to slice down devils, but was also extremely fragile and brittle.

"Why?" A voice echoed from the flames, it carried no hint of malice but showed an unusual amount of mirth and amusement. "Do the ants beneath our feet get a reason before they are stomped to the ground? Nay. Reason is only given to those who a person views in equal standing. There is no need to give reason to pests and animals. They should just learn to accept their fate, a fate decided upon by a being of power, a superior being. In this case that being is me, my companions, and the friendly dragon who decided to help us take down those pesky seals and barriers."

The boy's senses buzzed, the hair on the back of his neck frizzled, warning him of an imminent danger coming from the flames. Without a second though he allowed his body to guide him, which allowed him to duck and roll forward just in time to avoid a spike of ice that would have torn through his throat had he not evaded.

"Hoh? That is unexpected. Unexpected but not all too surprising. After all you carry the blood and essence of him flowing through your blood and veins. At least that was what my master told me. Yes, in fact he told me of two clans that exists within this nation hidden from the world by magicks most powerful and ancient. Among the nation filled with beings that could freely use chakra those of the Namikaze and Uchiha are among the most dangerous. After all, they are descendants of humans that broke the ancient laws of this world."

The boy gritted bit his lip, iron filling his mouth as he quickly reached for his pockets with his free hand, drawing several shuriken as he spun around and tossed the deadly projectiles towards the place he thought the voice was coming from.

The boy hit nothing but the flames which quickly melted the thrown weapons.

"Not even close." This time the voice came from the boy's back, and yet again the boy was forced to dodge another icicle. This one aimed towards his chest. Although any semblance of elation or relief gained from evading death once more soon faded away as ice shot from the scorched earth. Intense coldness embraced the boy's body as he found himself encased with ice from the waist down.

"It seems this is where our game ends. It wasn't entertaining, a waste of time if I do say so myself. Then again it might be because I expected too much from a child who's barely out of their diapers." Much like the red sea from the bible the sea of flames parted, and from said flames one of those ting that looked like a man clad in an outfit reminiscent of a butler walked out, its long silver hair tied in a braid was undisturbed by the intense flames which were moving away as if to avoid the thing.

"Now then boy, would you mind telling me where the [Sage's Transcripts] are? They're some parchments passed down through your family line. Your parents weren't very forth coming in answering my questions but I know you are aware of the location of the item I am looking for. "

The boy struggled in a desperate attempt to escape his icy prison, he tried to throw the three-pronged blade away to use it to escape but it too was encased with ice, before it fell to the ground and shattered turning to a fine mist of icy dust. "Let me go! I don't know what you're talking about you silver-haired Okama!"

"Oh how your words hurt me so." The man moved in an exaggerated manner and placed his hand upon his chest and recoiled as if he was hurt by the boy's words. "But alas I hope you coöperate better than your parents did. If you do so I may even let you live."

A pair of blue eyes widened in shock as he realized the underlying meaning of his opponents words. His parents were dead, this vile being killed his parents. His body shook with rage, uncaring of the cold as a feeling of utmost sorrow bloomed within his soul. "No, you're lying! Tou-san and Okaa-chan are strong! They can't be gone! No they can't! You lying okama!"

"Ah, but such is the fragility of human life. They broke so easily. Who knew that their minds were so fragile? Just a slight prod here and there and their minds cracked. Honestly it was careless of me to do that. Now I have to result to asking from their offspring about the transcripts." The man said, his features showed that he was telling nothing but the truth.

"No... No... You MONSTER!" The boy yelled out with renew vigor despite the fact that he had already lost his sensations from the waist down.

"I prefer the term [Devil], after all that is what I am." The devil smiled serenely as it extended its hand and cupped the boy's chin tilting it upwards. "Now will you tells me where those papers are? My master needs them, he needs them badly for his goals."

"Fuck you!" The boy spat out in anger. Meaning he literally spat out a large wad of blood and spit, nailing the devil in the forehead.

The devil blinked in surprise. "My oh my, such a dirty mouth from a foul boy. I remember the first time I cursed like that, my Onee-chan was very unhappy with me. Do you know what she did to me because of it?" The devil smiled as it moved it's free hand and placed a finger on the boy's shoulder.

The boy felt the tap of a finger brush against his skin before his world exploded in an intense amount of pain. His bones cracked, muscles were torn, blood splattered about, pain receptors exploded with over stimulation.

With but a tap the boy's right arm exploded in gore.

"She beat me up, such harsh and cruel sisterly love. In the end it was all for the best. Since then not a curse has left my mouth and I love my sister ever so dearly for it. Just one of the many gifts she gave to me. Ah, how I miss her so." The devil took a deep breath, the sound of the boy's screams was like the finest of concertos playing in his ears.

"Ahh... Now do you feel like speaking boy? Can you point me to the direction of those scriptures? I would really love for my master to have them as they may cure him from the slump that befell him since the Great War. After all it isn't every day that we can acquire information about the other worlds that exists beyond the Dimensional Gap."

"Grrr... F-huh... Hah..."

"What was that? Speak up boy."

"Fu- huh hah...-ck... You... Hah... Huh..." The boy replied defiantly

"A pity, defiant to the end. Such stubbornness is really endearing at times." The silver-haired devil gazed upon the boy's eyes, and within them the devil could see the conviction that not many possessed.

Ah to be young and foolish again.

"I guess that leads me no choice but to pry the information out of your mind." The devil's left hand moved quickly, as it was placed on the top of the boy's head.

Though before he could forcibly pry the information out of the boy's mind, a loud voice bellowed around the burning clearing. "Naaarruu!" The voice echoed from the flames, a feminine voice, filled with youth and a tinge of fear and desperation.

The devil's smile widened as he looked towards the flames, and took a few steps away from the wounded boy. "Oh my, I wonder who that could be." The devil turned to the boy and again looked him in the eye and for the first time in their whole confrontation he could see cracks appear in the boy's conviction. Not even getting his arm blown off was enough to make that conviction waver even a bit.

"Tell me where the transcripts are or from what I'm guessing your little friend will suffer an even worse fate then your parents."

Blue eyes stared at the devil in horror as the thing raised its right hand. "With a snap of my finger I can summon a horde of lesser devils. A horde who would no doubt enjoy both the tastes and pleasures of a young flesh. Would you want to see it? Your friend getting raped and brutalized in front of you? Would you like to watch as she screams in both pain and pleasure until her sanity snaps? Until she becomes so accustomed to the pain and pleasures that she begins to beg for it like a common whore? I wonder will you take pleasure in knowing that you will be responsible for whatever fate befalls your friend."

"No! No! Don't hurt her! I'll tell you what you want just promise me you won't hurt her!" The steel cracked and crumbled to dust underneath the sudden pressure forced upon it.

The silver-haired devil grinned. "I promise, you have my word as a Devil that I will not harm her."

And so the boy told him of the transcript's location, a hidden vault beneath the mountains nearest the village. It was the place where all the treasures of the Sage was located. This place was their family's secret passed down from word of mouth from father to son. His father informed him of the site a few months ago, and now he was willingly trading the information to their murderer for the safety of his friend.

He felt both happy and sick with himself.

The devil smiled. "My master would be most pleased. See was that so hard?" The devil asked as he lowered his right hand bringing it back to the level of his chest. "As promised I will spare your friend."

The boy glared at the devil, tears forming from the side of his eyes, as he gritted his teeth while doing his best to ignore the physical pain he felt from his crippling wounds along with the emotional pain that struck him like a sledgehammer.

His village was destroyed.

His parents were dead.

He betrayed his parent's trust.

But still the boy did, what he did best. He endured. To be a shinobi was to endure, and he would endure this pain and come out even stronger than before, but first he needed to survive. He needed to get out of the ice that trapped his legs…

He needed to…

His thoughts stopped, put in a complete halt, as pain overwhelmed his senses. It hurt. His chest hurt and it felt so cold. The boy's head shifted downwards, his blue eyes was flooded with the sight of crystalline white marred with red, a strange union between ice and blood. The devil's ice magic, and his own blood.

There lodged upon the boy's chest was a large icicle, big enough to stab through not only the boy's heart but also his lungs.

From the distance the boy heard a shocked gasp followed by pain filled screams calling for him.

"Do not worry, I will keep my promise. I will not harm your friend, but I will not be responsible for the actions of the elements, nor those of my fellow devils, or the dragon. She will live through this if she has the ability to survive. You however will not be so lucky." The silver-haired devil said as the ice encasing the boy's leg vanished allowing the boy to fall back first to the ground.

The devil looked down at the boy, staring at the cold blue eyes that were slowly losing their light.

The boy's vision blurred, he could barely see, but he clearly heard the devil's words. "If there was one thing you should really curse it is simply yourself. All of this happened because of one simple fact. Humans are weak, you are weak. Blame your own weakness for the fate that befell upon you." And with that the silver-haired devil vanished from the boy's sight left leaving the body of a dying boy in the hellish landscape which was once the greatest village of the [Elemental Nations].

As for the boy, he laid steadily on the ground, his blood flowing out of his veins, as his life was quickly fading away.

The boy could feel it, he was dying.

"Naru!" The boy heard a familiar voice reach his ears, this time it was closer than it was before, but he did not have the strength to look towards her direction.

It came to him as a blur but he heard the sound of a gasp, then of feet moving quickly against the ground, which was followed by soft sobs as he felt two hands shake his body. A sensation he barely picked up.

'God damn it.' The boy cursed as he felt droplets of tears fall upon his face.

He really hated it when she cried.

He tried to open his mouth, to speak and comfort her, to tell her it was going to be okay, but he knew for a fact that it wasn't and he didn't like lying to her, after all she was his closest friend. Why was it that reality had to be cruel? Why was it never oh so kind? He was going to die today, and if she kept crying over him then she too would die.

He didn't want her to die, he already had one foot in the grave, he didn't want to drag her along with him. What kind of friend was he if he would willingly put his own friend's life at risk for his own?

Gathering what was left of his strength he willed his left hand to move. It slowly rose up and found its way upon the girl's cheek.

The girl's eyes widened in shock, as she clutched the boy's hand like a life line. Her mouth opened but no words reached the boy's ears.

Instead the boy looked the girl straight in the eye, his blue orbs meeting her tear filled onyx colored ones. Then he smiled at the girl, a toothy grin. His teeth marred with blood, and with his life hanging by a thread the boy moved his lips and mouthed out one word to the girl.

"Live"

The world around the boy then faded to darkness.

-Fortis-

When the boy opened his eyes, and his vision was filled with a tone of low orange, a distant glowing orange, which came from a far much like the rays of the sun.

'Is this the afterlife?' The boy thought, as he slowly got up, he felt no pain, no exhaustion. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. When he stood up he saw that all of his wounds were gone, his right arm was fixed, and there was no hole in his chest. All the gashes and smaller wounds he got from his other fights were gone as well. He felt so good, never better. Yet despite that…

The boy's hand went to his chest, his hand left hand firmly resting upon his heart.

…He didn't feel at peace.

He clutched his hand against his chest.

He failed do anything to help those that were being attacked due to his own selfishness.

He pilfered from his own home and hoped for the best as his parents were murdered.

He betrayed the secrets of his family to the very being that destroyed his village.

He left his best friend crying over his body.

He died and he broke his promise to her.

All of it was because he was too weak, he was too powerless to make a difference, and his weakness cost him everything, even his own life.

The boy didn't even realize that tears were already streaming down his face.

"Damn it. Damn it. Damn it Damn it!" The boy curse out as he screamed towards the heavens. He died and failed. He failed to protect his precious people. He failed to keep his promise.

If only he was stronger, then maybe it wouldn't have ended like this.

"Do you want power?" A soft whisper reached the boy's ears.

"...Huh?" The boy actually blinked, and for the first time his blue eyes scanned his current surroundings.

He was in a vast field full of grass, trees, and the occasional large rock or two, it looked much like one of the training fields in his home when it was underneath the overwhelming presence of the orange tinted sky that came from a distance.

The boy moved his head from left to right, and up to down, until his eyes settled into the distance. There a top a large rock far away from the field sat a figure that was shadowed by the orange sky. Despite the massive shadows created by the orange light the young shinobi could pick up small details about the man who sat atop the rock.

He could see a head of spiky hair, though he could not see the color.

He could see a pair of golden colored eyes with cross-like irises.

He could see what looked like a cloak –no a haori- that the man wore.

He could see a black staff embedded upon the earth and sticking out from it, right next to it was a small sleeping animal, something like a cat? Or fox? The boy wasn't really sure.

"Do you want power?" The voice was filled with warmth, it was gentle, kind, and reassuring and yet it was also powerful, incredibly so. It was like he was talking with that devil again but only this time he didn't feel sick instead he felt safe, he felt protected.

Why did it feel so nostalgic?

"…Yes." The boy replied before he even realized it.

There was a small pause, a short minute or two of silence that made the boy wonder if he answered incorrectly.

"…What will you do?"

"What will I do?" The boy tilted his head to the side as he repeated the man's words.

"If you have it? Possess an insurmountable of power? I can give it to you if you'd like. Power comparable to those of beings from myths and legends? With a snap of a finger you could destroy mountains. On a whim you can cause disasters. You can destroy all that stands against you, murder millions if you wished. So what will you do if you have that kind of power?"

"Protect." The boy replied without hesitation. The steel of his resolve that shattered upon his encounter with the devil quickly repairing itself, making it stronger than ever before. "I want to be strong, strong enough to be able to protect those I care about! I want to be strong to prevent things like this from happening ever again! So yes! I want power! I don't care who you are. Even if you're real or not, if you can help me get strong, strong enough so that I won't fail like this again then I don't care what I need to pay you! Just give me the strength I need, the power that will allow me to be the strongest!"

Again there was silence for a few minutes as the man who sat atop the rock seemed to think about the boy's words

"Yare… yare… such a stubborn and selfish brat."

"Oi I'm not a brat! Others say I'm mature for my age! Heck I'm not even short! I'm like super tall for my age!"

"…I didn't say anything about you being short."

The boy who was actually pretty short recoiled in response as if he was struck. "Geck."

"Hehehe… it's like looking at a mirror." Although the voice said it in exasperation, there was a hint of amusement in it. "A mirror that makes a person look shorter."

"Oi who are you calling short!"

"You."

The boy staggered back again as if he was punched in the gut. He couldn't help it that he was actually one of the shortest of his age group and was often teased about it. Heck even his best friend teased him for being a short, and she was barely taller than him.

"Hey brat be honest with me. If you get that kind of power, what will you use it for?"

"I already told you." The boy started, his blue eyes meeting the golden-colored ones that belonged to the man. "I will protect those that I care for. My precious people."

Though he could not see it because of the shadows, the boy was sure that the man was smiling at that very moment.

"You know you remind me of someone. Once upon a time there was a boy much like you. He was stubborn, head strong, and a bit foolish, but once he set his mind into something he'll never go back until he accomplishes it. He was a good boy, a great lad. Although I swear that the person you remind me of is infinitely more handsome and awesome than you are, and will ever hope to be."

"Did you just praise and insult me at the same time?"

"Maybe." The man who sat atop the rock stood up, the orange coloured sky still shrouded him, hiding most of his features. The man then grabbed the staff and used it to slightly nudge the small animal by his side, waking it up.

Apparently it wasn't cat.

It was a fox, a small one with nine tails, and what looked like man hands.

The boy's right hand rose slowly as he pointed at the small nine tailed fox. "Is it just me or those that fox looks weird? I mean foxes aren't supposed to have hands like that, right?"

"Pfft. I had the same reaction when I first saw him, truth be told I though it looked really weird with its freaky looking man hands, not to mention those nine tails, and that oh so violent temper. He also had this lovely personality back then, and he was like free me or I'll will eat you! Hehehe good times, good times."

There was a loud crunching sound in the air as the small fox bit the figure's leg…

"I will give you some power. But I won't give you all of it. You need to earn it, through hard work you would be able to reach the levels of power that you wish for."

…and was promptly ignored.

"I will unlock you're potential. The potential that exists within all those from our line. Like jiji did for me, I will do unto you. For we have the power of the youngest, that which presides over bonds, the power of [Asura]."

The man disappeared in blur, completely vanishing from the boy's sight, leaving only the fox which landed face first on the ground.

Before he even realized it, the boy's right hand was clasped against a larger and more calloused hand that gripped his hand with the force of a light handshake.

The boy looked up to see a face that would match the voice but he was forced to quickly closed his eyes as he was nearly blinded by a large and intense flash of gold that was accompanied by an immense amount of power that easily dwarfed the boy's own.

It was as if he was standing next to the sun.

"From the Second to the one with the potential to become the Third. Face and defeat the darkness and you will rise to great heights, and with it you will achieve what you yearn for. Even the most complicated of a dreams will turn into reality." There was a small pause as the next words came out as a soft and gentle whisper. "The future generation was always meant to surpass the earlier ones. May you be the one, the person to surpass me. The world needs such a person. And if, no when you succeed then you'd be close to achieving the dream that is lingering in the surface of your mind."

Just as fast as he appeared the man vanished once more, and this time he appeared perched atop his rock once more. His left hand holding the staff while his right hand was petting the head of the fox that was previously on the floor. "This is as much as I can help you. Doing anything more will upset the balance of the world and will attract the attention of those bastards. It might even make them get off their lazy assess and come back to the world of man. Let's just hope it won't come to that or you'll have to kiss your dream and this world goodbye." The man hidden by the shadows of the orange light suddenly yawned. "You're potential is unlocked. From here on out whatever you do is your own responsibility, so you better man up and face them if you make any mistakes. Now go on, wake up. Shoo you brat. A man even as awesome and godlike as I needs some of his beauty sleep." The man's left hand moved from the hand and started doing shooing motions and with it what looked light golden started to flood the field.

"Wait!"The boy shouted, as a new feeling started to bloom within him. He felt power coursing through his veins. It was much more potent than his chakra, much more powerful. It was as if life itself was coursing through his veins.

Yet as he thought a mere few minutes ago.

Why did it feel so familiar?

"What is it brat?"

"Just who are you?"

"Hmm that is- that's." For but a moment the boy saw a mischievous grin flash through the shadows. "That's a secret."

The man atop the rock vanished along with the large field as the world around the boy was filled and covered by a golden colored light.

-Fortis-

With a loud groan, the boy opened his eyes.

He then found himself blinking a few times, several times actually, until his mind fully caught up to what he was seeing. He was covered in dirt, and surrounding him -his whole body- as far as his eyes could see was even more dirt.

It only took him a few seconds to realize why.

He was buried in what was most likely his grave.

Shit.

Before panic could even settle in the boy found himself reflexively using his chakra to get out of his grave. As expected chakra did help him free himself. Though what he did not expect to happen was for the earth surrounding him to explode outwards creating a large crater upon the earth when he flared his chakra.

His now golden coloured chakra that seemed to dance along his body.

"This is awesome!" He looked all over his body and found that it was covered by a cloak of golden-colored chakra. His looked like a mess but he would worry about that later. Instead his eyes looked down on his chest, his bare chest, and saw a large scar in place of his wound. He then looked at his right hand, it was back in place, and on his palm was symbol, a plain black circle.

Again he would worry about that weird symbol that appeared out of nowhere later.

He stood up albeit slowly while dusting his body of the dirt and dust that once belonged to his grave. Although there was no wounds his body still ached with pain and was still filled exhaustion. It seems that the guy who he met didn't fully heal him but beggars couldn't be choosers. Whoever that guy was probably saved his life, and he will be forever grateful for that fact.

Yet the boy didn't care really think too deeply about that fact, no instead he looked around, his eyes scanning his surroundings and what his eyes found was saddening to say the least. What remained of his old village was still covered in flames but the scent of blood still lingered in the air.

He didn't spot any of those devils, nor did he spot that large black dragon, but what worried him the most was that his friend was nowhere in sight.

He just hoped she survived.

If she did then at least he could still find her, and eventually reunite with her in the future. That and he felt an immature need to get back at her for burying him. It was an understandably nice gesture but it sucked waking up six feet under.

If- No when he finds her he will make sure to tell her to cremate him if he dies.

That was if she didn't try to kill him on sight for being all stupid and dying in front of her, but knowing her she'll probably try to kill him for it.

Damn for some reason that felt scarier than trying to fight that silver-haired devil again.

He frowned.

Next time he saw that silver-haired okama he was going to make sure to kick the things ass to next week, a Rasengan or two in the face won't hurt as well.

"Everyone's probably dead." A tired sigh escaped the boy's lips as he started walking towards his village, a temporary goal already formed in his mind. "I couldn't help anyone. In the end I was too selfish, and because of that a lot of people died. I'm sorry for that, the least I can do is bury your corpses." The young blond whispered to himself as he kept on walking, dragging his groggy body along as headed towards his now destroyed village.

Hopefully he'd find his friend there.

That was if she was still alive.

If not he'd bury her beside her family.

She deserved at least that much for putting up with him through all this years, for being such a good friend to him -that brash brat who had no friends and kept getting into fights with other kids, the heir of the Namikaze Family, and the shortest but loudest brat in the neighborhood, Naruto Namikaze.

And on that day, as he walked towards the village with plans of burying the dead, a dream formed within the boy's mind, a dream that will likely take him many years or even life times to accomplish.

It was both a foolish and an innocent wish.

From that day on the boy would strive to accomplish his wish...

Naruto stopped walking for a moment, his eyes moving up towards the sky, the darkness was already gone, and the first rays of a new day was there to greet him. A small smile momentarily appeared on the boy's lips but it was gone a second later. "I promise to never be weak again." He closed his eyes shielding himself from the first golden rays as he placed his right palm against his chest. He took a deep breath, taking in the cold morning air that was still filled with the stench of death. "Never ever again." The boy opened his eyes, a pair of blue orbs that glowed with an unflinching resolve.

…to become the strongest.

Prologue: END

-Fortis-

"I was reborn on that day, surrounded by dirt from my own grave and the remnant of the flames that devoured my village. With the bastard devil's words still in my mind, I found myself a new purpose in life. That day I swore to myself that I will never allow such a tragedy from ever occurring again, I will never get anyone I care about killed again. I will not watch them die! I will protect them! I will not be weak, never ever again. To protect those precious to me I don't care what stands in my way, be it heaven or hell, [Satan] or [God], Hell they can even be [The Infinity] or [The Dream]! I will bring them down if I have to! Because that day I promised myself that I WILL BE THE STRONGEST, THE STRONGEST OF THE STRONG and I will never go back on my promise dattebayo!"

-Naruto Namikaze

-Fortis-

Notes: Fortis- The latin word for strong i.e Naruto's wish in becoming the strongest.

EN:I would like to say this now just to make it clear Naruto is not an avenger, he is indifferent about devils and he doesn't go bat shit insane around them. He doesn't generalize and hate all devils due to his experience, he only hates two devils, the one who attacked him, lead the destruction of his village, killed his parents, and threatened his friend as well as the guy's master. Those are the only two devils that might and I use might rather heavily evoke Batshit insane mode avenger Naruto. Emphasis on might and I mean heavy emphasis on the damned word. Also kudos to who ever gets who attacked and destroyed the elemental nations.

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