Good day to all, it's that time. Time for me to show what I've been working on thanks to all the new lore Iceborne has given us. I am really sorry for this taking so long but between work and everyday activities I wanted to make sure it would be up to par. Even now I feel that it gives off a rushed vibe, and I mostly jot that down to my unrefined writing style. Anyways enough of me rambling, I just hope you enjoy it.

To start however this first chapter will just be a small intro "teaser" chapter where it starts in the middle, just after the wave arc would have ended and before the chunin exams began.

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Minako Namikaze considered herself to be many things, patient, calm, smart and beautiful were a few. However even her brilliant mind couldn't seem to fully comprehend what her daughters and wife had told her. Staring at the group as well as Team 7 with a dumbfound expression she could only dumbly say "I'm sorry but. . .that's all very hard to believe."

Kushina sighed softly and placed her hands on her hips. She had to agree that if she didn't witness it with her own two eyes she would not believe their tail. Taking a seat, crossing one of her legs over the other she began to retell her wife what had happened the day Team 7 and the Uzumaki family battled in wave.

Xx Flashback Start xX

The sight that greeted the group as they arrived was gruesome. Bodies of workers strewn across, pools of blood surrounding some. The mist was thick and covered the back half but loud grunts and weapons clashing rang loud through the air. The group had their guard up and surrounded Tazuna ready for any figure to emerge from the mist.

Gritting her teeth in anticipation Kushina tensed and watched as a worker's now dead body flew towards the group. Her and Kazumi easily dodged the attack, along with her daughters Mito and Naruko. However Sai and Satsuki had foolishly jumped too far from the group causing the Hunter nin from the forest to spring out towards them. Before either her or Kazumi could jump to aid the two Zabuza burst from the mist swinging her cleaver at Kazumi. Kushina was barely able to notice in time to block an attack coming at her. "Seems you needed to get help Zabu," Kushina grunted, holding back twin swords with her own.

Growling Zabuza and her partner jumped back allowing Kushina to see it was none other than Ringo Ameyuri aiding her. The two redheads glared at each other holding their swords at the ready. Zabuza stared at Kazumi as the silver haired woman took out a kunai and revealed her Sharringan eye.

"I really can't wait to gut that builder. He's got a real pretty penny on his head," Zabuza's words rung out through the zone causing Sakura to growl and keep Tazuna closer. Satsuki and Sai had been battling the fake hunter nin for a few minutes, deep cuts starting to litter the two's skin.

Gulping Kushina tightened her grip on her katana when several crossbow snappings wrung through the air. Turning the four woman's eyes widened seeing Sai, Satsuki and the fake hunter each on the ground with crossbow bolts deep into one of their shoulders. Hearing the snap again Kushina and Kasumi had managed to dodge bolts aimed at them but Mito, Naruko, Zabuza, Ringo had not been as lucky or fast. A chuckling was heard from the mist that caused shivers to go up the woman's spines as Zabuza started to clear the mist.

Standing at the edge of the bridge was none other than Gato, with a small army's worth of bandits and hired thugs. "Truly that was too easy. Did you truly think I would shell out the amount of money you wanted Zabu? And the bitch Ringo's price? Ludicrist! Absolutely preposterous!" The short man sneered at the group, eyeing them like pieces of meat. "So I simply thought, 'I'll just let the tree of them tire out the Konoha group and then swoop in to capture you all'. However that was before remembering how many paralyzing agents my men use. Each of those bolts are coated in enough tranquilizers to stop an elephant from moving. So I wouldn't get my homes up on moving anytime soon." Turning to his men he gave them a disgusting smile, "tell you what boys. Anyone who brings me whatever woman they grab will be given the night with her. . .after I've had my fill of them that is. And you know what? A bonus for whoever brings me the head of the bridge builder and his family!"

The crowd roared in approval while several of the paralized girls stared in horror. Kazumi growled knowing that with her injuries from earlier in the week she won't be able to hold her own against the group for long. Kushina on the other hand was trying her best to control her rage. While she was indeed one of Konoha's strongest but on her own with her ribs being injured by Zabuza earlier that week she was unsure how long she would last.

While glaring at the man she looked behind him and noticed one of his men pushing through the crowd. She was unsure why but something told her that this one was different from the others. The fact that she couldn't see his face only aided her suspicion. However she was taken completely off guard when a bright sapphire light enveloped him before flashing away revealing a new armored form.

The helmet was shaped like that of a skull with horns shaped like that of a crown. His chest was covered by skeletal looking armor covered in what appeared to be shaggy clumps of fur, draping from his shoulders down to his chest while forming a cape on the back. Two spike armor legs were covered by a knee length shredded wrap, white on top with blood red on the bottom (Blackveil Vaal Hazak Alpha + armor). A clawed gauntlet rose up and grabbed the fat man's neck as an eerie voice chimed. "Yeah. . . how about you just die instead?" The man's voice was hollow, almost ethereal as it rang in Kushina's ears. Before Gato could answer the armored lich a sickening crunch was heard making the business tyrant groan. A second crunch rang out caused by the armored man plunging his hand through Gato's chest.

Staring at the blood covered limb Gato attempted to speak only for his world to suddenly and painfully turn to black. As a sick tearing sound was heard the mist and konoha teams watched as the man ripped Gato's head from his shoulders, spine dangling loosely. Two empty sockets stared into the decapitated head's eyes before a flick of blue could be seen in one of them. Catching a blade from one of the hired thugs the figure remained staring at the decapitated skull. "Fucking bastard! He was my fucking meal ticket! Not to mention all the fucking ass I could've gotten!" The nameless goon continued his rant as the armored man slowly turned his head and stared at the goon. Within a second the blade the armored man was holding snapped like a twig and was turned around plunged into the goon's skull.

Flinging Gato's severed head up and grabbing the spine the man proceeded to smash the skull against another incoming goon. Turning and grabbing the necks of two more running at him the man leapt into the air, and flung the two down into the bridge. Kushina could only cringe as she watched the two be reduced to severed parts and red paste. Landing another light flashed over the man, replacing the lich like armor with a more regal looking red set. A red horned helm with pure white hair styled like that of a lion's mane, red plated armor was covered by a red cape lined with golden fur, the same type of fur lined the armored gauntlets and armored legs, tied with a red armored waist the figure gave off the imposing aura of a warrior king ready to face all whom challenge him (Teostra + Alpha armor. Side note tell me that armor doesn't look glorious asf). Reaching out his hand a smaller flash of sapphire had caused a weapon to appear in his hand. It was a massive duel bladed battle axe, as tall as if not taller than the man himself. It appeared to be made from the same material as his armor, with intricate panel lines of gold and a small crown at the tip (Teostra's Hellebarde). Slinging the massive weapon over his shoulder made it appear weightless as he stared at the small militia.

Cracking his neck the armored man raised his free hand and simply offered one gesture, flipping them all the bird. The enraged group roared and collectively charged the man who readied his axe and charged back with a roar of his own. Kushina and Kasumi watched as the regal armor of the man proceeded to become stained by bandit after bandit's blood. The massive axe would cleave its way through whatever was placed before it, causing blood and severed parts to fly wild. The man swung the axe with near supernatural levels of strength and control.

Kushina paused from the carnage and looked at the rest of her group. Kasumi was staring at the one man army cleaving his way through the hoard with her sharingan analyzing every movement. Kushina wasn't surprised to see Sakura and the bridge builder shaking, as neither has witnessed something of this level. Sai's normally emotionless eyes were wide with shock and confusion, unable to comprehend what she was witnessing. Satsuki on the other hand was looking at the scene with a face of terror, more than likely replaying the night everyone in her clan but her mother was butchered by her sister. Mito and Naruko held each other, with the elder Uzumaki (Mito) sitting ahead of the younger. However when Kushina turned to the mist group she saw what was a rather shocking sight. While Kushina had no way of knowing this, Mist kunoichi had a thing for a man who could slaughter. While the three couldn't feel their bodies watching as the armored man ripped and tore through anyone in his path started to ignite a fire within them. Ringo and Zabuza even had very noticeable nosebleeds staring at the figure.

Kushina's attention was snapped back to the man as he bellowed a mighty roar and swung his weapon, causing the front axe head to shift down the weapon shaft as well as the back axe head swinging forward to make an enormous sword. Planting one foot firmly on the ground he rotated his upper body quickly and decapitated five thugs surrounding him in one swing (think like how Optimus killed all five of those combiners in The Last Knight. Say what you want about the movie but that scene was badass). A loud hiss could be heard coming from the blade as smoke started to rise from it. With each swing the sword started looking more molten, becoming red hot metal that cauterized any flesh unfortunate to be in its way. The mob's numbers were dropping quickly as some began to flee from the scene, haunted by the memory of a shapeshifting armored demon who butchered their comrades.

The remainders of the group had still attempted to land any form of blow on the man, coming at him from multiple angles only to be killed or casually redirected. The final goon stood shaking in front of the blood soaked man and tightened his grip on his sword, rushing forward with a loud battle cry. His head fell to the floor soon after, his body dropping near instantly.

The man then turned and faced the group, scanning the recovering and two standing kunoichi. Hearing a lot of footsteps behind her, Kushina cautiously turned and saw the people of wave armed to the teeth. A sapphire flash drew everyone's attention again as the figure now wore blue armor with an orange undertone (Lagiacrus armor). Taking off in a sprint, the man leapt over the bridge's edge doing a flip into a swan dive. Rushing to the side Kushina scanned below only to see the figure had vanished into the deep water. Kushina turned back to the celebrating wave citizens and her recovering group. While relieved the storm was over she couldn't help but wonder "just who. . .or what was that?"

XxFlashback OverxX

"While we had thought against it at first we also decided to let Zabuza, Ringo, and Haku; the hunter nin go if they gave up being missing nin. Since their client was dead now and the Mizu civil war was over they decided to head back. Something about trying to rebuild." Minako nodded to her wife, while she didn't like the idea she understood the decision. But her thoughts are drawn to the armor shifting man. She had heard a few legends through the grapevine of a spirit living in the forest, one who shifted between armors and weapons within seconds to slay whatever was before him. There had even been reports of monsters unlike any ever scene before. With his supernatural abilities and beast that he could summon it lead to many legends rising.

From what her wife had said it seems these legends are true causing Minako to wonder, just who is the Monsutā no kami (God of Monsters).

Xx Elsewhere xX

The man from the bridge suddenly sneezed loudly as he walked through the forest at a leisurely pace. Pausing to wipe his nose a gust of wind blew managing to flip his hood down and let his spikey blonde mane wave in the breeze. Looking up his pure blue eyes shifted to the sky as a smirk crossed his lips. "Geez, someone really important must be talking about me. Wonder who?"

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So hear me out. This chapter is short sadly but I wanted the first chapter of this new series to kinda be something like a sneak peek kinda thing. Short, simple, entertaining and to the point. As for why I decided to set it after Wave, honestly it's mostly because I've had this idea of something playing out in the chunin exams causing Naruto to reveal his powers to the ninja world. But don't worry I will be going over things like his origin, how his powers came to be, his traveling the land and maybe him befriending a monster or two. But don't you worry wild monsters do still exist and hunts do still happen for our resident blonde.

I hope you all enjoyed it even though it took absolutely forever to get out heh… my bad again. But until next time Kings and Queens, wash your damn hands.