Don't Fear The Reaper

By Intimidator1323

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Dante's Inferno, or anything else I use for this story.

Hi everyone!

...Please don't kill me.

I know it's been a awhile since I posted anything. I haven't been too busy or anything, I just have a hard time putting my thoughts down on paper.

Coming up with the stories and chapters is easy for me, typing it out in a way that I find satisfying is not. Every chapter I write, to me, must be as perfect as I can make it, otherwise I don't feel like I'm giving you guys the full experience, that you're not seeing it as I see it. If I don't, it feels incomplete and boring. That's why it takes me so long to publish chapters, If I don't put everything I have into it, it feels like I've done nothing but waste your time.

Pretty much I have all my stories planned out from beginning to end, even before publishing them, but like I said, writing it is tough. Also, I don't even touch a story unless I feel inspired to write it. I won't type a single word until I feel inspired.

To make amends, allow me to tell how far along the next chapters for my other stories I am as of this writing.

Naruto: The Prototype: Right now, I'm mostly done with chapter three. I'm still writing Naruto and Ino's reunion but it's mostly done. The chapter is not nearly as long as chapter two, not even by half, nor does it have any action, but the next one will make up for it.

Master of the Spectrum: I'm about, maybe, halfway done with the next chapter. The entire thing is pretty much one big fight, so it's taking awhile. The Green Lantern comics I've been reading will be useful in the coming chapters.

I Am Horde: I've done my best to prioritize this story among all others, seeing as how the big parts are coming up soon, but, so far, I'm still a bit stuck. The next chapter will be worth it though (I hope), with Yagura vs. RAAM being the highlight. It is almost done, but I still have quite a bit to go if that makes any sense.

Made To Grieve: Ugh, don't even ask how far along I am. It'll be quite awhile before we see chapter two. Quite. A. While.

The Curse: This is, by far, the hardest story I have to write. The Fallout universe is so diverse and open, that it's become difficult to write. Also, because it's an open world game, it's hard to judge when to write about certain quests or whether I should skip them or not. Plus, I'm writing as I play the game. It might take awhile. Still, I'm nearly done with the next chapter.

So, now you know and knowing...Almost made a G.I. Joe joke just then. I stopped myself just in time (thank God).

Anyway, in addition to updates about my already existing stories, I present to you a brand new one!

To be honest, I thought I wouldn't write this story for a long time, but my inspiration compels me to start it and take it far as I can go before it grinds to a halt. My inspiration is practically overflowing in my mind, so hopefully I can keep this going for quite awhile.

I've had this story planned for years.

Before any of you say anything, yes the title of this story is based off of the song by Blue Oyster Cult. It's one of my favorite songs and I felt it would fit the story. I'm listening to it right now, actually.

This is actually the first of a series. There will be three other stories after this one.

This story will take place during the first part of the Naruto series and a part of Naruto's training trip with Jiraiya.

The second will take place during Shippuden to the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War.

The third and fourth...are a secret!

Anyway, sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Prologue: Death is Only the Beginning

It began, as many stories do, with a single person and a single defining moment. A moment in which the person in question is set on the path upon which they will travel to greatness. On this path, choices are made, heroes and villains are born, and destinies are fulfilled.

In this case, that single person is Naruto Uzumaki, and that defining moment...is death.

Our story begins eleven years after the great, monstrous fox, known as the Kyuubi No Yoko, suddenly appeared in the tranquil yet powerful village of Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

When it appeared, the beast tore through the village defenses and slaughtered hundreds, civilian and shinobi alike. None could stand against the sheer power it wielded. Even Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage, a man who once destroyed an entire army with a single attack, was no match for the giant fox. It seemed that Konoha was well and truly doomed to be nothing more than a crater in the ground filled with the memories of its fallen people.

And then, when all hope seemed lost, the Yondaime summoned a being whose power makes the Kyuubi seem like dust beneath one's fingernails.

The Shinigami; Death himself.

Minato Namikaze made a deal with the omnipotent being: his soul in exchange for sealing the Kyuubi away.

With this, a pact was made and the Death God subdued the creature, allowing the mortal Hokage to seal it away into the body of a newborn child, a boy named Naruto Uzumaki.

Minato knew that nearly everyone in Konoha had lost a friend, family member, or loved one at the paws of the rampaging fox, and was well aware that the villagers would see the newborn as the Kyuubi reincarnated. A foolish notion yes, but humans are naive and superstitious creatures that tend to fear and despise what they do not understand. The Yondaime knew that the possibility of the villagers developing a deep, irrational hatred of the infant was very real indeed.

And so, with his dying breath, he begged his people to honor the child as a hero, as the one whose very life kept the Kyuubi imprisoned and kept them all safe.

Thus, with theses final words, he died. The Shinigami took his soul and retreated from the world of the living.

The Pact was complete.

Despite being practically worshiped by his people, the Yondaime's dying wish was ignored by the majority of the people of Konoha. Most called for the infant's death the moment his link to the fox was revealed. On that day honor and reverence were replaced with spite and hatred.

For just as humanity is capable of great compassion, so too are they capable of unspeakable cruelty.

In the eleven years since, the people of Konoha would do anything in their power to inflict excruciating pain, physical or otherwise, upon the young boy. Most days they would form mobs with both civilian and shinobi alike and chase him down and beat him within an inch of his life. Other days they would stab, burn, drown, and, once, even attempted to bury him alive, telling him it was the closest thing to a proper funeral he would ever receive.

Aside from the physical torment, the villagers found other ways to torment young Naruto. Most of these involved denying him the basic needs of survival: food, water, and shelter. The food and drink he did receive (mostly as anonymous "gifts") were often spoiled or poisoned.

Despite the numerous attempts on his life, Naruto survived because of the Kyuubi sealed within him. It didn't want to die anymore than it's prison did, so it healed as wounds and purged any poison within his body.

The Sandaime Hokage, Minato's predecessor who had retaken the position of Hokage after the latter's death, did everything within his power to give the boy the normal life he deserved, but one man, even one known as the "God of Shinobi", could only do so much.

But, despite this, Naruto was able to make a few friends outside of the Sandaime.

Iruka Umino, the man who served as Naruto's elder brother figure and mentor, had lost his parents to the Kyuubi when it attacked. Despite this, he was wise enough to realize that Naruto and the fox were not one in the same. Iruka served as a protector when he could and a friend always.

Teuchi and Ayame Ichiraku. The father and daughter pair owned a small ramen stand called Ichiraku Ramen, and was the only place that Naruto could eat at because the two would not spoil or poison his food. Teuchi saw in the boy the son he never knew he wanted and Ayame a little brother to dote upon. Sadly, any attempt to incorporate Naruto into their family was thwarted by the Civilian and Advisor sides of the village's council. A corrupted cabal filled with liars and greed, they were among Naruto's most outspoken critics.

Naruto did not have many friends his own age thanks to the parents of those who were of his age group. The Sandaime knew those who were alive during the Kyuubi attack would be unlikely to ever overcome their hatred. Because of this, he created a law stating that anyone who told the younger generation of Naruto's connection the Kyuubi would be immediately executed without a trial. The elder Hokage believed that this would allow Naruto to make friends with those of his generation free of the corrupting influence of their parents.

Yet, despite this law, children are gullible and easy to manipulate. When their parents told them to hate Naruto, they did so without question. And why would they question their parents? Those who gave them life and provided for them were surly infallible in their judgment, right?

If only that were true.

It was mostly the civilian children who were encouraged to hate Naruto. Those who were born in clans however, merely avoided all contact with him. They knew they would be alienated for their friendship with Naruto by the other children and so evaded the blonde boy who everyone hated but wouldn't explain why.

Despite this, Naruto did have one friend his age; one child who did not care if she was ostracized for her friendship with the young Uzumaki.

Hinata Hyuuga.

She was the daughter of the head of one of the oldest and most revered clans in Konoha, those who carried the all-seeing eyes: the Hyuuga clan.

Most of the clan disliked Hinata for her gentle and kind nature, something that was an anathema to the strong and stoic clan, but she didn't care what they thought, she followed her heart and became Naruto's closest friend.

For eleven years life was harsh for Naruto with only a few people to provide him a shining light in the darkness of his existence.

But that changed on this day.

On the day of his birth, the day of the celebration of the Kyuubi's defeat, Naruto once again found himself being chased by a mob of angry villagers, this time accompanied by a squad of ANBU.

On some days he would escape. On others, he would be caught and beaten to within an inch of his life.

Today, however, although he would be caught, his attackers would go too far.

Today, the defining moment of Naruto Uzumaki's young life would occur.

Today, Naruto Uzumaki would die.

With Naruto:

He had been running for hours now. Normally the mobs would give up after the first hour or so, even on his birthday, but today the mob was being lead by a squad of ANBU. This seemed to give the crowd the incentive they needed to keep going. After the third hour of running and dodging various thrown weapons, the leader of the ANBU squad finally got lucky and managed to hit Naruto in the leg with a kunai.

Naruto had cried out in pain as he stumbled and fell forward. The crowd had finally caught up to him and began their usual beating/kicking/stabbing session.

After a good twenty minutes of this the crowed parted, encircling Naruto's body while the ANBU leader approached him staring down at him murderously through his bear mask a katana in his hand.

By this point Naruto was barely capable of breathing, much less moving. He could only gaze up at the man who led the attack against him.

The man kneeled down and looked the boy in his eyes.

"Hello Kyuubi" he sneered, "Do you remember me?"

Naruto didn't answer. Couldn't answer. He was too tired to speak. Too tired to care.

The ANBU continued after he received no answer.

"I'm not surprised. Mere mortals like me are beneath you after all. Oh wait, you're beneath me now aren't you?"

Naruto just stared tiredly.

"Let me remind you then. When you attacked the village all those years ago, I launched a fire jutsu that hit you right in your ugly face" he continued, with the boy on the ground not knowing what in the nine hells he was talking about, "You barely flinched, glared at me, and roared. Sent me flying straight through a damn building. I hit the ground, unable to move, both my legs broken, I look around and see corpses everywhere. I keep trying to move when I look at the body right next to me. Guess who it was?"

Naruto didn't answer.

The ANBU growled at him, mistaking the tired look for one of apathy. He raised his katana and impaled Naruto with it, making sure not to hit anything vital.

Naruto cried out in pain as the masked man continued.

"It was my wife!" he yelled, "The woman I pledged myself to! The woman I promised to protect with my dying breath! And she was dead!" he shouted before calming himself. "I must have passed out, because I woke up in a hospital bed, hoping to God that what I saw was a terrible nightmare. But it wasn't. One of the doctors told me she was dead" he then twisted the blade slowly, causing the blonde boy even more pain. "Because of you! You murdered her and that stupid old man let you get away with it!" he then grinned evilly behind his mask, "But not anymore."

He pulled out a kunai and held it to the boy's throat, leaving the katana still impaled in him.

"The old man isn't here now and I put a poison in my fellow ANBU's food so they would sleep and be unable to protect you. No one is going to save you this time."

He continued to grin while the crowd cheered him on.

"This is for my wife, may she finally rest in peace."

And with that, he slit the boys throat.

Naruto's eyes widened as he began choking on his own blood, trying desperately to draw breath.

"NO!"

Suddenly another ANBU appeared, this one wearing a dog mask. He kicked the bear masked ANBU in the side of the head, launching him into a building, and rendering him unconscious.

The ANBU didn't even pay attention to the rest of the crowd as he kneeled next to Naruto and began cradling him in his arms.

"Naruto! Naruto, look at me! You're going to be alright! Just stay with me!"

The crowd was confused by this and then worried. If this ANBU was able to save the Kyuubi, all their efforts would be for nothing.

"Step away from the Kyuubi, Dog" one of the other ANBU in the crowd ordered, calling the man by his code name.

"Fuck you" Dog growled, glaring at him while not letting go of the dying child in his arms.

The ANBU snarled behind his mask, "I said step away..." the man took a menacing step forwards...

Only to stop when three figures appeared before him.

Two of them were ANBU, who were intimidating enough by themselves, but the old man they were with was what really scared him and the rest of the crowd.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage and the legendary God of Shinobi, who was currently glaring bloodly murder at the ANBU in front of him.

Said ANBU took several fearful steps back.

"H-h-hokage-sama" he stuttered in sheer terror.

The old kage continued to glare at him.

"You fools..." he said in a menacing tone before shouting, "Do you realize what you've just done?!"

The crowd was terrified now. The amount of killing intent being released by the Sandaime was enough to bring them to their knees.

"W-we just killed the K-k-kyuubi" the fearful masked shinobi stuttered out.

The killing intent increased.

"No, you just killed Naruto Uzumaki. You just killed the son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. YOU JUST KILLED THE YONDAIME'S SON!"

Everyone present, except for Dog and the two ANBU that accompanied the Hokage, were shocked out of their skins.

It couldn't be.

It wasn't possible.

He only looked like the Yondaime to mock their heroes sacrifice!

"No" the ANBU said, trembling and unbelieving, "No, it can't be, that's not possible!"

The rest of the crowd was in the same position, trying to find a way to not believe what they were hearing.

The old Hokage continued to glare.

"But it is. You just killed Minato's legacy and now..." he said as he discarded his Hokage robes and hat, revealing the battle armor underneath.

"...I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" he cried as he attacked.

The crowd was slaughtered, butchered, incinerated, and crushed by the old kage's assault. They were so frozen in fear that they couldn't do anything but scream. Some begged for mercy, clinging to their lies and claiming that the Kyuubi deserved to die. They were ignored.

When it was over, the street was covered in blood and gore not seen since the Uchiha Clan Massacre years prior.

The Sandaime was panting and trembling in rage while still exuding killing intent powerful enough to be felt by the whole village.

One of the ANBU that accompanied the Hokage, this one wearing a cat mask, took a few careful steps towards her leader and placed a careful hand on his shoulder.

"Hokage-sama stop. You did it, they're dead."

The old man flinched at her touch, still in "battle-mode" before finally calming down.

Then he remembered, "Naruto!" he said as he quickly moved to where Dog and Naruto were.

"We need to get him to a hospital, quickly, with the Kyuubi inside of him there might still be time to-!"

"No" Dog said quietly, interrupting.

The Sandaime looked at his subordinate, "What?"

Dog looked up at his leader, tears welling up in his eyes behind his mask.

"He's dead."

The Sandaime froze as he felt his heart stop at hearing theses words. He looked down at the cradled boy and saw that his face was frozen in shock. His eyes were still open but there was no life in them.

Naruto Uzumaki was truly dead.

The group simply stared in disbelief as Dog closed the deceased boy's eyes with one of his hands before slowly lowering him to the ground and then standing up, Naruto's blood covering his torso.

He then noticed something out of the corner of his eye, he looked over and saw the bear-masked ANBU, still unconscious.

Still alive.

Growling, Dog pulled out a kunai from a pouch on his belt and began marching towards the downed ANBU.

"Kakashi" the Sandaime said as he saw the man move towards his former comrade.

Kakashi kneeled next to Bear and grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up while placing the knife at his throat.

"Kakashi stop!" the Sandaime ordered the dog-masked ANBU.

Kakashi froze, "Why?" he asked, "This...animal murdered Naruto! He deserves nothing less!"

"He deserves much more" the old man said, "He must stand trial for what he did. He will spend the rest of his life in the deepest darkest cell we have" he promised, "But death is to good for him."

Kakashi said nothing for a few moments before punching the unconscious man and dropping him before standing up.

"You're right" he said quietly, still glaring at the downed ANBU, "death isn't enough."

The Sandaime nodded before looking the two ANBU that arrived with him.

"Cat, Hawk. Take Bear to Ibiki, tell him to come up with the worst torture he can possibly think of and then tell him to find something even worse to use on him."

The two ANBU bowed before picking up the unconscious bear and heading towards the Interrogation & Torture Department.

The Sandaime then looked at Kakashi.

"Pick up Naruto, Kakashi. We're going to prepare a proper funeral for him."

Kakashi was confused, "'Proper funeral'?" he asked, not understanding what he meant.

The old Hokage nodded, "I'm going to make an announcement to the entire village. They will know that they have hated and tortured the son of their greatest heroes. They will spend the rest of their lives knowing what they have done."

Kakashi nodded and moved towards Naruto's body. He gently began lifting Naruto up.

That was when something strange happened.

As Kakashi was lifting him up, Naruto's body crumbled into dust!

Both of their eyes widened.

"W-What?" Kakashi stuttered, shocked, "What...just happened?"

The Sandaime was just as shocked as he was.

"I...I don't know" he answered truthfully.

The two could only stare at the dust in Kakashi's hands and on the ground.

Elsewhere; after Naruto's death

Naruto Uzumaki's day had taken a turn from worse to just plain bizarre. He remembered being chased down by a group of angry villagers, being caught, hearing the bear-masked ANBU call him "Kyuubi" while droning on and on and on about his dead wife, then being stabbed, and, finally, having his throat slashed open, gagging on his own blood, and blacking out.

And now, a few minutes later, he awakens to find himself able to breath, on the same street he was caught!

Naruto groaned as he stood up and looked around. Something was different. The first thing he noticed was that all of the villagers surrounding him were gone, including the ANBU. Another difference was that everything was shrouded in a strange light. A mixture of orange and gold, like what one would find as the sun was setting.

Something was very wrong.

As he took a step forward he felt a sharp pain in his gut. He looked down and gasped.

The katana he was stabbed with was still in him! And yet, despite this, he wasn't bleeding, nor did he feel himself dying.

It was official now, something was definitely wrong.

And it was about to get worse.

As he was about to attempt to remove the katana, an ink-like, shadowy substance appeared on the ground in front of him and a figure slowly rose from it. It was tall, at least three times his height, and wearing a cloak with an attached hood. The cloak was mostly open exposing a great deal of its ribcage with a veil of rotting flesh around it. Two threads lined with beads that looked like golden skulls encircled it's waist. Its hands were a sickly grey with a golden bracelet wrapped around both of it's wrists. The hood seemed to be too tall and too wide for the wearer, leaving it to sag across its head. It's face was still visible, though, and what a face it was! It appeared to be the rotting face of a corpse, sunken and grey like the rest of its body, with no nose and black eyes that shone with malice. Two slightly curved horns were protruding horizontally from holes in its hood. It had no visible legs and appeared to be hovering above the ground, propelled by some unseen force. In its left hand it carried a wicked looking scythe even taller than its wielder. The hilt of the weapon appeared to be made of a giant human spine with a small glaive at the very bottom tip. This glaive was dwarfed by the curved, main blade at the top. The piece that connected the blade to the hilt was covered on both sides by a demonic skull design, with horns coming out of its head and face and a mouth full of razor sharp fangs. Across of both sides of the blade were several grooves that seemed to sink into it, giving the weapon an even more intimidating look.

All in all, this thing and its weapon were the most terrifying things Naruto had ever seen in his young life.

The hooded corpse seemed to be glaring at the blonde boy.

And then it spoke.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto jumped slightly at the creatures voice. It was rasping with a dark undertone.

The corpse continued to speak, "You're fate is decided: everlasting damnation for your sins."

This shocked Naruto. He suddenly realized what this thing was.

The Shinigami.

That meant...he was dead!

Naruto also understood what it was saying; he might not have been the smartest of his age group but he knew what the Death God had planned for him.

"B-but I didn't do anything wrong!" he said with fear in his voice.

The he only barely noticed the ground breaking apart in large chunks and floating away, revealing and dark, swirling sky. They seemed to be in a tunnel, floating towards a white light at the end.

The Shinigami seemed to scoff at him, "Your very existence is a stain on the natural order. The fact that you live is enough to deserve damnation."

Naruto's eyes widened. Then it was true, the villagers had called him a monster and demon for years, and now he knew why: because he truly was one!

The Reaper then held out it's hand.

"Come, face Eternity. Soon you will be joined by those whose lives you have ruined. Whose souls you have damned. The innocent you have corrupted, seduced into becoming your friends."

Naruto's eyes widened, 'Iruka-sensei, Teuchi, Ayame-neechan, Oji-san, Hinata-chan.'

The Death God intended to damn them as well!

Naruto had lived a cursed life, a life of pain and torture. His loved ones were his only source of happiness, his light in the darkness. They had saved his life and his sanity.

He could care less about what happens to himself, but he would not let anything happen to his precious people.

Naruto glared at the Reaper, "I don't care what happens to me, but you won't touch those dear to me!" he then looked down at the katana imbedded within him. He gripped the hilt with his hands and pulled as hard as he could. The blade was removed with a sickening sucking sound and Naruto grit his teeth from the immense pain he was in.

He then held the weapon in a stance he had seen an ANBU use while training.

"I'll kill you first!" he declared. He knew he had absolutely no chance against this thing (he was literally facing down Death himself) but he had to try.

The Shinigami scoffed, "Pretending to possess compassion will not save you creature; Your black soul is mine!"

He then held his scythe in his hands and took a stance.

The two glared at one another for a few moments...and then charged.

Naruto swung at the Reaper's midsection...only for him to disappear and reappear behind his attacker.

Death swung the bottom, glaive end of the scythe and left a nasty slash across Naruto's back.

The boy cried out in pain and stumbled forward. The Shingami only laughed.

"You have no skill and even if you did I cannot be defeated here!" he mocked/bragged.

Naruto glared and snarled, "We'll see" he said and lunged again. Death easily blocked a clumsy attack aimed at his stomach and then another before backhanding the boy across the platform.

"Accept your fate. Let me take you!"

"Never!"

Death then surprised his foe by throwing his scythe at him. Naruto quickly rolled to the side barely dodging the spinning weapon. Then blade then reversed and flew back to its owner. Naruto was unable to dodge in time as the hilt smacked him in the chest, knocking him down and knocking the wind out of him. Death caught his own weapon and jumped into the air aiming to bring the scythe down on his downed prey. Naruto caught his breath just in time to roll out of the way, ending up behind the Reaper. Without hesitating, Naruto slashed at the creature's unprotected back.

Death let out a cry of pain and turned, backhanding Naruto again and sending him flying. As he landed, Death teleported in front of him and swung his blade down diagonally. Naruto instinctively held his blade and, miraculously, blocked it!

"What?" Death gasped. How was this possible? His weapon should have sliced right through the human made weapon in this realm!

Naruto took advantage of his foe's shock and slashed at Death's stomach before jumping out of the way. Death shrieked in pain and swung his scythe horizontally at the blonde boy. If he hadn't jumped back, Naruto would have been beheaded.

Death then unleashed a flurry of attacks, with Naruto barely able to block each one. Finally, though, Death landed a blow that knocked the katana right out of Naruto's hand. Before he could do anything, Death wrapped an unarmed rotten hand around Naruto's throat and pulled him up to eye level.

"You have failed, demon. Now you will be judged and your defiance will only inflict even more pain on those you have tainted. Their suffering will be legendary, as will yours!" Death proclaimed.

Naruto was feeling a mix between fear and rage before. Now, however, he was feeling nothing but rage. A pure, endless, all-consuming fury that had engulfed his very being.

Death raised his blade, "Now, face your sins!"

Before Death could finish off Naruto, something amazing happened.

Naruto instinctually reached for his fallen blade (on the other side of the platform) practically willing it to come to him...

And it did!

The blade shuddered for a second before flying straight towards Naruto, hilt first. Naruto caught the blade just as the Reaper was beginning to bring his scythe down on Naruto's neck. Without hesitation, he plunged the katana into Death's shoulder, a torrent of shadowy smoke pouring from the wound.

The Shinigami let out a world-shaking scream of pain before letting go of both his victim and his weapon, reaching for the imbedded sword in his shoulder.

As Naruto hit the ground he immediately reached for the scythe, picked it up, and charged at the wounded god.

Death saw Naruto charging him with his own weapon just as he removed the blade from his shoulder and held out his hand, trying to summon his weapon back to him.

To his extreme surprise and utter misfortune, the scythe ignored his call.

"What?!"

That was all he could say before his foe was upon him.

Naruto slashed down diagonally, leaving a deep wound across the Reapers chest. Death barely had time to cry out before Naruto swung the blade horizontally, carving an equally deep wound across his stomach. The blonde then pulled his arm back and stabbed his new weapon forward. To his slight surprise, the curved blade swung forward, transforming the scythe into a spear. The blade plunged into the Shinigami's chest and impaled him out through his back. Naruto then, pulled the blade out and impaled him again and again. He continued this seven times before pulling back and stabbing as hard as he possibly could. With incredible strength the Reaper was launched off of the blade and sent flying across the platform.

Death rolled for a bit as he landed and shakily got to his feet, surprise apparent across his undead face.

"Impossible!" he cried out as he tried again to summon his weapon, but it didn't leave the boys hands.

His own scythe had rejected him!

Naruto looked down at his new weapon before swinging lightly. The blade then rotated forward, transforming the spear into a scythe once more. He then twirled the weapon and held it like an expert. Despite it being over twice his size and having never used a scythe (or any other weapon) before, he was wielding it like an expert!

Death stared in shock at his young foe. Naruto was covered in a dark red aura, his eyes were red and slited, and the canines he had been born with had grown sharper and more pronounced.

He looked like a demon out of someone's worst nightmares!

And he no longer looked afraid.

No, now it was Death's turn to be afraid!

"How is this possible?! How are you using Harvest?! How are you able to fight me here?! This is my realm! I AM INVINCIBLE HERE!" he demanded and declared.

Naruto growled and charged forwards with murder in his eyes.

Death backed away, "No! Back away! Stay away from me!" he shouted fearfully.

Naruto didn't listen, unleashing slash after slash against the Reaper, with the creature unable to fight back, only shriek in pain.

Finally, Naruto swung the blade upward, slashing Death's face and producing another scream from the Reaper of Souls. Naruto then spun around and stabbed the blade horizontally into his foe's chest. He then lifted his foe into the air and, with incredible strength, slammed him into the ground, knocking the non-existent breath out of him. He then painfully yanked the blade out and kicked the downed Death God across the platform.

Death weakly got to his feet, barely able to move from the intense pain he was in. He rose to his feet and rose up just in time to see Naruto leap into the air. With a mighty war cry, the blonde brought the blade down on Death's right shoulder, severing it and spraying shadowy blood everywhere.

The Shinigami let out a scream of agony so loud, that it nearly made Naruto's ears bleed. But he fought through the pain and held the blade to the Death God's throat.

Death had fallen to his knees, clutching where his arm had been separated from him. He saw said appendage lying on the ground nearby. Before he could even move in its direction, the arm dissolved into shadow and Death found his own scythe being held at his throat.

He looked at his young foe, eyes filled with sheer terror.

"What...What are you?" he rasped weakly.

Naruto glared at him, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. But for you? I'm Death!" he declared.

The Reaper was trembling now.

"Master!" he called out in a begging tone, looking around rapidly, "Help me!"

Naruto paused. Master? Who would Death call master?

That answer was given in the form of a single word.

"Why?" a new voice asked, a voice that was raspy like Death's but was also softer yet carried more authority and power.

Naruto spun around and froze at what he saw. Floating a few meters above the ground before him was another creature, this one even more terrifying than the first. It towered over Death, with a demonic face and glowing golden eyes. It's skin was a darkish-blue gray color. It had long shaggy white hair and two red horns protruding from its head. It was clothed in flowing white robes. It's arms were unnaturally thin and it's fingers were long and ended in claw like nails.

Naruto was shocked enough to allow the Kyuubi's power to recede. He recognized this being from stories and pictures he had heard and seen.

The Shinigami.

And he was glaring at...the Shinigami?

Wait, what?

The hooded Reaper gazed up at the horned one.

"Shinigami-sama" he said lowering his head, before continuing, "Thank the Creator you're here! Quickly, destroy the monster before it escapes!"

Now Naruto was even more confused. If this horned being was the Shinigami...what the hell had he been fighting?

The Shinigami snarled, "You are in no position to demand anything of me. You came here against my wishes, Omen, and you broke your oath to the cause, to ME!" he shouted.

The hooded Reaper now known as Omen cringed.

"But master" he pleaded, "I was only here to serve the cause! To protect mankind against the dark forces who seek to destroy and corrupt them!"

The Shinigami then swooped down on the wounded Omen and roared directly in his face, revealing a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

Omen shrank into himself at the enraged display.

"You dare lie to me you deceitful little worm?!" he demanded, "You did not come here to serve the cause! You came here to settle your petty vendetta against demonkind!"

"They are monsters! A threat to the Balance!" Omen said, defending his actions.

"Demons may be" the Shinigami conceded, "But you know as well as I that the Jinchuriki are not demons, nor are they a threat, unless they choose to be! Even then, it is not our business to involve ourselves in humanity's affairs! We are their silent guardians! We protect them, watch over them, and they do. Not. Know about us!"

Omen seemed to grow angry, "And yet we let these" he gestures to Naruto, "Monsters run around without oversight?! We let the humans control them?! The Kyuubi nearly annihilated one of the most power human settlements until your intervention stopped it! How long until it escapes again and finishes the task?!" he demanded.

Naruto was really confused now. What the hell was a Jinchuriki? And what did he and the Shinigami have to do with the Kyuubi?

The Shinigami growled at his servants defiance, "Minato Namikaze invoked the Pact. I must appear when the Pact is called! The Jinchuriki are not a threat, neither are the Biju they contain! They all agreed long ago to respect the Balance and not to involve themselves!"

"But they did!" Omen argued.

"Because they were forced! A handful of greedy human leaders subdued them and sealed them into innocent children!"

"Humans are weak! They cannot handle that kind of power! All it takes is a single mistake to unleash total destruction upon the world! The only way to stop the threat is to permanently silence the Biju when they are vulnerable!"

"That is not your decision to make!" the Shinigami snarled, "I did not create the Reaper Corp to control humanity or decide its future! I created it to protect them from destruction!"

"When mankind chooses, they choose only what makes themselves stronger, not what makes things right! They cannot be trusted to make their own decisions! Have you forgotten Kaguya and the Shinju?!"

"I have forgotten nothing! Do not think you can lecture me on events that happened before you were born boy! Humanity can only achieve its full potential if it is not affected by an outside source! That is what the Creator said and I agree with Him completely!"

"Then you are a fool!"

Omen widened his eyes at what he just said.

"M-master, I-I didn't mean-!" he attempted to explain.

"No" the Shinigami interrupted, "You meant every word...and you're right; I am a fool..." he then backhanded Omen, the blow somehow more painful than all the wounds he had received combined, "For believing you would not let your past life affect your judgment!"

He then finally turned to Naruto, who had been silent throughout the entire supernatural shouting match.

"Naruto Uzumaki" said boy jumped at the mention of his name, "I apologize for Omen's actions" he then glared at the fallen Reaper who cowered under his gaze, "Clearly, I made a mistake when I recruited him."

Naruto was about to speak when the Shinigami spoke again.

"He has disobeyed my orders and threatened the innocent. Threats he no doubt would have acted upon if given the choice" he looked back at the blonde boy, "Kill him."

Naruto and Omen's eyes widened.

"What?"

"What?!"

"He tried to reap your soul simply because he hates what you carry within you" the Shinigami explained, "He was going to kill your loved ones simply for being connected to you. He has abused the power I have given him and has misused it for his own purposes. He has broken his oath. For that he must die."

Naruto then remembered what Omen had said he was going to do to his precious people. He glared at the wounded Reaper and marched towards him with Harvest in his hands. He then raised it above his head.

Omen's eyes widened.

"No!" he begged, "Please don't-!"

Naruto brought the blade down, slicing the Reaper vertically in half.

The two halves fell to the ground and dissolved into shadow.

"It is done" the Shinigami stated simply.

Naruto merely looked down at where his fallen foe had been kneeling...before dropping Harvest, falling to his hands and knees, and vomiting.

The Shinigami simply watched. He should have realized that this would happen, after all the boy did just make his first kill.

Naruto gasped for breath and was trembling, "What...What have I done?" He had just killed someone...thing, whatever! Even if he had threatened his precious people, that didn't justify killing him!

...Did it?

"What needed to be done" the Shinigami answered, "He was a threat to humanity, to those you care for. Sparing him would only have fueled his desire for revenge."

Naruto simply stared at the ground with a blank look on his face. He stayed that way for several moments before picking up Harvest and standing.

"Feeling better?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah. Thank you Shinigami-sama" he said bowing.

The Death God smiled, "You are most welcome. It's the least I could do after being unable to stop your premature death."

Naruto was confused, "'Premature?'" he repeated.

"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. You weren't supposed to die today" the Shinigami explained.

Naruto was confused, "I...wasn't supposed to die?" he asked.

The Shinigami nodded, "Indeed. Omen manipulated a naive Dead Counter into ending your life far earlier than it was supposed to."

"A what?" Naruto asked.

"A Dead Counter. They are responsible for tracking all living souls and making sure they die at the correct time. Then a Reaper comes and collects the deceased person's soul and brings it to me, where I determine which afterlife they are sent to" he explained.

Naruto was confused, "But you're the Shinigami! Don't you decided when someone dies? Don't you collect their souls?"

The Shinigami chuckled, "Firstly I prefer to be called Death and secondly, no mortal. The Creator decides when someone is born and when they die, I merely collect on the death half of the equation. Besides, do you know how many people die every day? Even I can't do all the work myself."

Naruto nodded. It did sound like a difficult job.

He then remembered something.

"Who's the Creator?" he asked.

Death chuckled again, "Exactly what his title says, he is the maker of all things, the being who created the Heavens, the Earth, and everywhere in between" he explained, "To humanity, he goes by many different names: God, Kami, Allah, et cetera, et cetera. But to everyone else, he is simply called by his title: The Creator."

Naruto noticed a hint of compassion in his tone, "You sound like you're close to him. Like you care about him."

Death smiled, "He is my brother. Or, at least, the closest thing I have to one" he explained, "We need one another. We cannot exist without each other. I reap what he sows. It is a never ending cycle, one we are a part of, whether we like it or not."

Naruto nodded. He knew what the feeling of having a loved one is like.

Death then became serious, "Please don't tell anyone I showed compassion and reverence just now. I have an image to maintain, after all."

Naruto laughed, "I won't I promise."

Death nodded, "Good."

A moment of silence passed before Naruto asked another question.

"What's a Jinchuriki?" he asked.

Death froze for a moment before answering, "A living sacrifice. Someone who contains one of the nine Biju within themselves and can use its power."

Naruto thought before asking, "Am...Am I one?"

Death looked at the boy and nodded, "Yes, you carry within you the Kyuubi no Yoko, the most powerful of the Nine."

Naruto suddenly realized why nearly everyone hated him, calling him a monster, a demon, or a freak. He understood why the bear-masked ANBU had called him Kyuubi and why Omen attacked him. The truth hit him like a ten-ton sack of bricks.

"Then it's true" he said sadly tears forming in his eyes, "I really am a monster-"

"NO!"

Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin at Death's sudden outburst.

Death continued, "You are not a monster and you are not a demon! You are human! You are merely the prison which contains the foxes power! Were it not for you the Kyuubi would have destroyed Konoha!"

Naruto simply stood there contemplating.

Finally he looked at Death and asked, "How do you know I'm not a monster? Not a demon?"

Death smiled, "I have seen monsters and demons. I know their tricks and their powers. And I know you are human. Trust me, I'm older than the universe itself. I know what I'm talking about."

Naruto wiped his eyes of tears and smiled, "Thank you" he said.

"Certainly" Death replied smiling.

"But why does everyone think I'm the Kyuubi? Can't they tell the difference?"

Death shook his horned head, "They could...if they could look past their grief" he explained. When Naruto opened his mouth to ask what he meant, Death continued, "Nearly everyone in the village lost someone in the Kyuubi's attack. A friend, family member, lover, everyone. I would know, my Reapers and I were very busy that day. Grief can drive humans to do any number of unspeakable things and do anything to cope. They wanted to blame something, someone, for their loss, and so they chose you. You, who contain the very being that ruined their lives."

Naruto nodded, it made sense.

"Will they ever realize I'm not the Kyuubi?"

"Doubtful. Humanity as a whole is stubborn and likes to think it is always right. Admitting when they are wrong goes against their very nature. I'm sorry, but it would take a miracle to convince the villagers and those are few and far between" he explained sadly.

Naruto seemed saddened before perking up, "If there's way I'll find it!" he promised.

Death chuckled, "And I wish you luck in that endeavor."

Several more moments passed in silence before Naruto asked a nagging question in his mind.

"So..." he began, "What happens now?"

Death looked down at him, "Now? Now you go back to the land of the living and I don't see you again until your appropriate time of death" he told the mortal boy.

"When is that?" Naruto asked, relieved he would be going back, but worried about how much time he had left.

Death laughed, "I can't tell you that, boy. Sufficed to say it won't be for quite some time."

Naruto sighed in relief before another question popped into his mind.

"What about the scythe?" he asked holding up said weapon.

"Harvest" Death corrected before shrugging, "Keep it."

Naruto's eyes widened, "Really?!" he asked excitedly, like a kid on Christmas Morning.

Death chuckled, "Of course. It chose you after all."

"What do you mean?" the boy asked, confused.

"Did you notice how Omen could call Harvest back to himself after he threw it at you?" he asked.

Naruto nodded, remembering the blow that knocked the wind out of him.

"And did you notice that Harvest wouldn't respond to him after you picked it up?"

Naruto nodded again.

"Harvest is a sentient weapon" he explained, "It thinks and feels and it decided that you were a more worthy master than Omen. It has bound itself to you. I couldn't take it from you even if I wanted to."

Naruto looked down at his new weapon.

'Hard to believe this thing is alive' he thought to himself. He then felt a small surge of power coming from the scythe. He didn't know how, but he knew Harvest was saying "I am alive".

Naruto smiled before looking back at Death.

"Won't everyone be surprised if I just return from the dead?"

Death chuckled, "Most definitely" he answered, "But that will just make it more interesting."

Naruto laughed, "Yeah I guess so" he then became serious, "Alright, I'm ready."

Death nodded, "Very well" he said and then began channeling his power...before suddenly stopping.

"Then again, this is a rather rare opportunity" he mumbled to himself, "Perhaps if...yes...that might just work!"

Naruto was worried now; was Death going to change his mind?

Death then looked at Naruto and smiled, "I have a proposition for you, Naruto Uzumaki. Would you like to hear it?" he asked.

Naruto was still worried but nodded.

"I need you to promise me you will listen to everything I say first and wait until after I'm done to decide. Can you do that?"

Naruto nodded again.

Death smiled, "Good" and then began explaining, "Let me first start by telling you a story. Long ago, before recorded history ,the Creator made the first of humanity, Adam and Eve, and allowed them to live in the realm of Eden, an earthly paradise where all would be provided for them. They would be the first, the paragon for what this new species should be. But, even in its infancy, humanity was vulnerable to corruption. Adam and Eve fell for the manipulations of Lucifer, otherwise known as the Devil, Satan, Iblis, Shaitan, or The Fallen One among others. He convinced Eve to eat from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge, who then convinced Adam to do the same. Because of this act of defiance, the Creator cast Adam and Eve out of Eden and onto Earth. He then made it so that they and their descendents would have to work, have to shed their blood, sweat, and tears for their rewards. Nearly everyone knows this story. What humanity doesn't know is what happened next. The Creator realized that the human race was vulnerable to the corrupting influence of the denizens of Hell and their lord and master, Lucifer. To combat this threat, the Creator came to me. You see, my purpose is to gather the souls of the dead and send them from this life to the next. Who better to protect mankind from the threat of the supernatural than the one who straddles the worlds between life and afterlife? The Creator asked me to create a way to fight this threat, a first and last line of defense between the human race and those who seek to exploit or destroy it. And so, I created the Reaper Corps, a group of humanity's finest and noblest soldiers, warriors, assassins, thieves, scientists, engineers, philosophers, alchemists, and the like. I would wait until their time on Earth was spent and would offer them a place in my organization upon their deaths. It was a volunteer only group and those who did not want to join could simply pass on to the afterlife. Anyway, the Corps goal was simple: protect mankind from the supernatural forces that wished to destroy, corrupt, or enslave it. We were to preserve the Balance between Heaven, Hell, and Earth. The only catch was that mankind could not know about us or the supernatural in general. The panic that would spread would be catastrophic. Also, our members must sever all ties to their previous lives and never attempt to contact their loved ones. No one must ever know that they still walk the Earth. Ever. And so, we work in secret. The Corps has saved Creation countless times throughout history and is still alive today. When not fighting the supernatural, the Reapers spend their time honing their skills or brining me the souls of the deceased for judgment. Omen was one such Reaper until he put his petty vendetta ahead of the cause, the Balance, and his brothers and sisters in arms."

Naruto jaw was practically on the ground. Not only was Death...well, Death! But he was also the creator and leader of a secret organization of heroes who fight the supernatural!

This led to a question, "Supernatural? You mean demons, right?"

"Demons, Fallen Angels, Monsters, Spirits, the Undead, all of these things and more!" he answered.

Naruto was now even further surprised.

Death knew what he was thinking, "Yes mortal, nearly everything supernatural you were told wasn't real, is."

"You mean like ghosts, werewolves, vampires, and zombies?" he asked excitedly.

Death smiled at his enthusiasm, "Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Oh my goodness yes!"

"That's awesome!" he exclaimed before confusion defined his features, "But what does that have to do with me?"

Death explained, "Well, with Omen dead, I find myself in need of a replacement for him...and I was hoping you would fill his position."

Naruto's eyes widened so much that it was a miracle they didn't fall out of his head.

"M-me?" he asked, "B-but I'm not a hero, I don't have the skills to be a part of the Corps..."

"Not yet" Death told him, "But you have great potential. You were able to kill a veteran Reaper with his own weapon. Granted, he wasn't able to instantly overpower you because he acted outside of my authority, but he was still an accomplished warrior."

Naruto was sorely tempted to accept but remembered his precious people.

"Doesn't that mean I would have to stay dead?" he asked.

Death smiled even wider, "Normally yes, but, as I said, I have a proposition for you. You delay your return to life and travel to my realm. Ah, ah, ah! Let me finish!" he said as he noticed Naruto about to protest. Naruto closed his mouth and let Death proceed. "As I was saying you delay your return to life and travel with me to my realm, the Void, where the Reaper Corps headquarters is located. You spend a few years training there in the ways of battle and learn all there is to know about the supernatural. Then, when you're training is complete, you return to Earth and become my personal representative in all things living. Meaning you hunt down those who try to cheat Death among other things."

Naruto was really excited now, "Can I still be a ninja?" he asked.

Death smiled, "But of course. Being a shinobi, you will often come across things you must also deal with as a Reaper as well. Sometimes, the two careers will intersect."

Naruto was really excited now. He could have the best of both worlds! He was about to accept before Death held up his hand to stop him.

"But be warned" he cautioned, "The life of a Reaper is not an easy one. The training will be brutal, arduous, and almost cruel in it's execution. You will encounter things that will haunt both your nightmares and your waking thoughts. You will be forced to make difficult decisions for the good of humanity. You will make powerful enemies, enemies who will likely target those you care for out of revenge. Most importantly, you may very well die an early death. In addition, being a Reaper is a lifelong commitment. If you join, you cannot leave until you either die or until I release you from your duty; something that will take a very long time to happen. And so, Naruto Uzumaki, knowing this, I make you this offer: will you join the Reaper Corps? If you say yes, your new life begins. If not, I will not consider you a coward or uncommitted. I will send you back to Earth with no strings attached. You can even keep Harvest" Death paused before continuing, "I'll give you one hour to think about it. I will return expecting your answer. Think carefully and choose wisely."

And with that said, Death vanished, leaving Naruto alone on the floating platform.

Naruto sat down and began to think, weighing his options.

One hour later:

Death reappeared and gazed at the waiting Naruto.

"Have you come to a decision?" he asked.

"I have" Naruto answered.

There was a long pause before Naruto continued.

"I accept your offer" he answered with absolute conviction.

Death was unsurprised by this.

"Are you certain?" he asked.

Naruto nodded, "I thought about what you said. I know being a Reaper will be hard, but my whole life has been hard from the start. It seems no matter what I do, my life, and those dear to me, will always be in danger, supernatural or not. I made a promise that I would protect them. They saved me so I will save them. It doesn't matter if the threats are human or not, I will keep my promise!" he vowed with as much passion as he could and then smirked, "Besides", he hoisted up Harvest, "I got this new weapon, might as well learn how to use it."

Death smiled, "So be it then. Let us be off."

Naruto nodded and then asked a question, "One last thing: will my loved ones know I'm alive...sort of?"

Death chuckled, "Don't worry, it's been taken care of."

And with that they disappeared, bound for the Void and to a new and better future.

The Hokage Tower, soon after Naruto's "death":

Hiruzen Sarutobi had just arrived at his office, depressed and drained. He was really feeling his age with Naruto gone. That boy had been so full of life, things were never depressing while he was around.

And now he was dead.

'What am I going to tell the others?' he mentally asked, referring to Naruto's other friends and loved ones.

Sighing, the old kage opened the door to his office and walked in...only to find someone sitting at his desk, reading a certain orange...well, let's just call it a novel, that belonged to the old man!

He couldn't make out its face behind the book, but he could see it's shaggy white hair.

"Is this really what passes for human literature?" the stranger asked rhetorically in a soft, rasping voice, "If so, I find myself supremely disappointed."

The Hokage tensed at the sight of the intruder and took a fighting stance.

"ANBU!" he called out, knowing they were hidden nearby, ready to answer his call.

But this time, no one came!

"They cannot hear you Hiruzen Sarutobi, time has stopped. A small alteration so that we may speak privately" the stranger explained, still reading.

The Sandaime looked outside his office door and saw the people in the hall were frozen, like statues!

The old Hokage glanced back at the intruder, whose face was still hidden by the book.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" he demanded.

The stranger chuckled, "You'll find I can do anything if I have a mind to do so" he answered, "As for my name, well, you already know it. Everyone, living or dead knows me."

The Sandaime was confused.

"I am the shadows, the being that haunts all things. I am a whisper in your ear, the feeling you get when you feel you are being watched, the shiver down your spine. I am the end of all things. But most importantly..." he then lowered the book, revealing his demonic face, a face the Sandaime knew all too well.

"...I am Death" he answered simply.

Hiruzen gasped, "The Shinigami!" he whispered.

Death shrugged, "Some call me that. Also, the Grim Reaper, the Devourer of Souls, the Destroyer of Worlds. But I prefer to be called by what I am: Death."

The Sandaime stared at one of the most powerful beings in this or any other universe.

"Why are you here?" he asked, "Are you here to take me, because I assure you it will not be easy!" he declared dropping into a stance.

Death scoffed, "Actually, it would be easy...if that were the reason why I am here. But it is not. Your time has not yet come, Sandaime Hokage..." he then smirked, "...At least, not yet."

The Hokage suppressed a shudder at that comment.

"Then what do you want?" the Sandaime demanded angrily, "Haven't you already taken enough today?!"

Death remained calm, "You refer to one Naruto Uzumaki, yes?" he asked, "That is precisely the reason I came to speak with you. You see, there was a bit of a...misunderstanding on my end."

"Misunderstanding?" the old man asked.

Death nodded, "You see, Naruto Uzumaki was not supposed to die today."

The Sandaime's eyes widened, "Not supposed to-! But he did!" he exclaimed.

"Because of the meddling of one of my servants. He held a deep grudge against demons and believed the Biju were a threat to humanity. He planned to collect the boy's soul and sentence him to eternal damnation."

The Hokage was now frightened for Naruto's safety, but Death soon calmed him down.

"Calm yourself mortal. The boy is safe, he overpowered the meddler and killed him" he explained.

Hiruzen was shocked, "Wait, he-! What?!"

Death proceeded to explain the battle between Naruto and Omen.

The Sandaime was amazed, Naruto was normally such a kind and gentle boy, it must have taken quite a bit to force him to use the Kyuubi's power and even more so to kill someone.

A thought occurred to the old kage, "Wait, does this mean...you will resurrect him?" he asked cautiously.

"Of course" Death answered, "But not just yet."

The Hokage felt is hope rise and then fall at these words.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You see, I made a proposition to young Naruto and he accepted."

Before the mortal kage could respond, Death elaborated, "Naruto is going to spend a few years in my realm; The Void. There, he will be trained by the best the afterlife has to offer. And when his training is complete, he will return and become one of your shinobi."

The Sandaime was suspicious, "And what, exactly, do you get out of this deal?" he asked.

Death smiled, "When he returns, he'll tell you. He will enjoy the look on your face when he tells you what he has become a part of."

Naturally, this made the old man even more confused, but he knew better than to force the issue.

He was speaking to Death himself, after all!

He decided to ask a different question, "When will he return?"

"When do the next batch of genin graduate?" Death asked.

"In four years" the mortal answered.

Death smiled, "Sometime before that then. Before you say anything about letting him graduate despite not attending the academy, I suggest you let him graduate anyway."

Hiruzen was about to protest when Death interrupted, "I assure you, the training he will receive will more than make up for it a thousand fold. I promise you this: he will eclipse the other genin in terms of skill, intelligence, and power. He will make you and your village proud and he will be a bane to your enemies."

The Sandaime saw the serious look in the Grim Reaper's eyes and knew he was telling the truth.

"...Okay then" he conceded before sighing, "The Council will throw a fit about this. The Civilian and Advisor sides at any rate."

Death scoffed, "What does it matter what they think? You are Hokage, you are above them physically, mentally, and morally. I suggest you remind them of that" he advised the old man.

Hiruzen nodded in agreement.

Death stood up, placing the "novel" down, "Well then, I guess I'll be off" he then prepared to leave.

"Wait!"

Death stopped at the old kage's word.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Could you please tell Naruto...that I'm glad he's alive and look forward to seeing him again?" he asked to the point of pleading.

Death nodded, "I think he already knows" he answered, "But I'll tell him anyway."

And, with that, he vanished and time resumed.

Hiruzen just stood there for a moment, contemplating the events that had just transpired and what he had just learned.

"Hokage-sama?" one of the ANBU outside had noticed his superior had just stopped in the middle of his office and just stood there, "Are you alright?" he asked, concerned.

The Sandaime shook himself out his thoughts and looked at his subordinate.

"Yes, I'm quite fine" he answered before looking at the clock on a nearby wall. It was almost midnight.

He then turned to the ANBU, "First thing tomorrow morning, I want you to find Naruto Uzumaki's closest friends and bring them to my office" he ordered.

The ANBU bowed, "Yes, Hokage-sama."

With that, the old kage closed the door behind him and went to finish his work for the day before going home.

He smiled to himself.

'Tomorrow is going to be a busy day' he thought to himself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

And cut!

So, now you guys know the plot: Naruto is an agent of Death and a hunter of the supernatural.

Before you say anything; Yes, I got the idea from the television show Supernatural (which I do not own), but there will be far more action and there will be actual supernatural beings, not people who merely act as hosts (not that I dislike the show, quite the opposite, in fact).

Also, while this is technically and Naruto x Dante's Inferno crossover, there will be many, many elements from other games, movies, shows, and whatever else I choose to use.

I own none of them.

Harvest is the name I have given to the scythe that is used by Naruto. It is exactly the same as the scythe used in Dante's Inferno. The only difference is the glaive at the bottom. I got that idea from Darksiders II, where all of Death's scythe's have it and the bottom of the blade and can be used to stab enemies.

I hope you all liked the plot, the back-story, and the chapter.

The next chapter will involve a timeskip and Naruto's return.

Until next time, this is Intimidator1323 signing off!