Hey hey guys! How you doing? Oh my? What an insane amount of reviews. Talk about Crazeyyyy. Mucho Thanks to everyone that left me a review, telling me to continue. Your thoughts have been heard and I have finished the chapter! Each of my chapers for this story will be 10k or more. Without a doubt!
Some of your questions may be answered here, some may not. They will be answered over time as the story continues building.
Thanks to Wilson (Weixuan) for proofreading this.
Let's hear it for another hundred reviews xD!
The winds are blowing, yearning for change. Each time it blew, it was carrying away the sins of the past and allowing the seeds of the future to take root. Oddly enough, he could feel it happening. He didn't know how or why but he just did.
Maybe it was because of his imprisonment.
Maybe it was because of who he was.
He didn't need others telling him that he was different. He could feel it himself. There was something about himself that differentiated him from others. He just didn't know what that difference was.
Was it his birthmarks on his cheeks? Or was it because he was an orphan?
No. It was none of those.
The answer stared right at him whenever he held the weapon in his hand.
He knew he was different from the moment his fingers touched the hilt on the katana. It was almost as if destiny herself wanted him to become something more. To be more than just another orphan who had no place in this world.
Destiny must have known that this was his calling. That one day he would be needed and be set free.
Naruto stood there, watching ninjas rejoice after their almost defeated war. Some were grinning while others were grieving for the lost of their fallen comrades, their fallen loved ones but in the end, he didn't care.
Being stuck in that cell for fifteen years had taught him a lot. It taught him that he wasn't one of them. He was an outcast, a scorn of society. That was why no one bothered to visit him, except for the old man. Once a week, he would stop by, either to just speak to him for a few moments or to drop something off but those visits soon stopped.
It bothered him at first but soon, it was forgotten, just like everything else.
He remembered the old man telling him something, something that didn't quite make sense. It was a couple of years ago but he could still remember the message…
'A man who walks the path of a wolf shall be greeted by nothing but for a man who walks the path for himself, he shall become great.'
He remembered that day, the old man spoke in a sad tone, almost as if he knew that day would be his final visit…
Naruto sighed. He was thinking way too much into the past. "The past should stay buried in the past…" He muttered as he walked around the village.
He wasn't shocked to see people appearing on the streets, to survey the damage themselves. Homes were destroyed, torn in half. The streets were painted with blood and bodies covered most of it.
As he looked ahead, Naruto saw a group of five large men running towards him in a hurry. In that very moment, his body began to tense and his breathing started to increase. His left hand intuitively reached for his Katana and waited.
But it never came. The group of men ran past Naruto, shouting to everyone that help was coming soon.
"Hang in there! Hokage-sama is sending the medics now! Just hang on!" They shouted to anyone who would listen. They continued to spread their loud message, taking to heart their mission from the Hokage.
Naruto watched as the group of men ran past him harmlessly, not bumping his shoulder or shoving him out of the way. His muscles slowly relaxed themselves and he continued on his way out of the village.
After walking for a few minutes, he finally saw the gates that led to the outside world. These were the very gates that separated them from the entire world. The very gates that currently stood between him and finding his answer.
He hurried up his pace to the gates, anticipating the moments before he took his first step out of this village.
"Halt!" A member from ANBU said, holding his palm up. "We're under orders to not let anyone leave the village at this moment."
Naruto gave the ANBU wearing a Hawk Mask a confused look. "Please elaborate yourself further ninja-san. Your instructions aren't clear."
"What is there to understand? The orders were absolute." Hawk answered in a serious voice. "No one is allowed to leave at this time."
"No, your orders are to not let anyone that originally belonged to this village leave but I'm not from this village. In fact, I don't belong to this village at all…"
Hawk looked at Naruto, finally noticing that the boy was really pale, almost if he was from another country. The people from Konoha were naturally tan from being in the sun but this boy was different. Even his clothes, as tattered as his were, was white as well.
"… It doesn't matter. Hokage-sama wants no one entering and leaving this village." Hawk replied, standing firm on his decision. "No one."
Naruto sighed as he turned back around, walking back into the village. His hand held the Katana firmly. Maybe he could sneak out, using the village's critical state as a distraction to escape.
Yeah, that would be the best plan.
He had no debt to them anymore. He upheld his end of the bargain and surely, the Hokage would do the same.
She looked like a trustworthy person if she was willing to come down to his cell to ask for his help. Either that or she was desperate…
As Naruto looked around, he noticed that the walls that protected Konoha were crumbling but then he frowned. There were ANBU everywhere, each team guarding each area along the wall.
They were really adamant about not letting anyone out. Naruto sighed, giving up his earlier plan of escaping. He wasn't a ninja; he couldn't just disappear like they can. He was just a man with a sword…
Instead of brooding, the blond decided to take a brisk walk around the village, seeing as how this was the first time he was back.
It really had been fifteen years since he last saw the surface world. Almost everything had changed; the scenery, the buildings… and the people. He could barely remember any of the places in Konoha anymore, with exception to the local landmarks. These places were nothing more than a fading dream…
He moved in a daze, his destination unknown. While his mind was preoccupied with thoughts, his body was on automatic. Somehow, someway, it was moving by itself.
When his feet finally stopped, Naruto's eyes widened, realizing where he was before reading the words at the abandoned building.
"…Konoha… Medical… Facility…"
He knew this place. Yes, he definitely knew this place but why?
Naruto looked around, seeing the broken front steps leading up to the front door, the clean sparkly windows that were now dirty and shattered.
Suddenly, his head started throbbing and then his world begun to spin. Naruto dropped to his knees and clutched his head with his right hand.
Screams….
Curses…
Crying…
Yells…
The voices were getting louder and Naruto was frantically shaking his head, trying to shake whatever was in his head out.
"NO! YOU CAN'T TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME!"
"STOP FUCKING MOVING YOU DEE-BRAT! I CAN'T –"
"Please… You can't take it away from me…"
Memories came flooding back as Naruto closed his eyes. They took him here… That night, when he found his sword, they took him here…
He remembered a doctor, with a scar across his face yanking the sword out of his hand before administrating something to him. One thing led to the next and the doctor was holding a scalpel next to his neck.
"Now be a good demon and hold still. I need to do something…"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!"
That was the night where everything went to hell. Literally.
He remembered the old man showing up, staring at him with disappointment. Next to him was the doctor, with both of his hands removed and lying on the floor away while he wept in the corner.
"ARGHHHH!"
One last scream came forth and Naruto found himself back in reality. He could feel the sweat dripping down the sides of his face, his breathing irregular.
"What the hell is going on with me?" He asked to no one in particular. Naruto focused his eyes on his hands before pushing himself off from the ground. "I've got to get out of here…"
- - -
In the Hokage Chambers
Tsunade paced back and forth, unable to sit still. She paced around her office, walking back and forth in circles. Jiraiya was looking through the window, his eyes quickly scanning the area for Naruto. "Where the hell is he?" He muttered.
Ants! They were like ants out there but like ants, there were too many to distinguish one from another. Feeling so helpless pissed him off so much. If only he had his other arm…
"Where the fuck are they?!" Tsunade growled, checking the time. The meeting should have started fifteen minutes ago. What part of urgent did they not get?
She heard a small chuckle from Jiraiya and looked his way. The man stood there with a smug look on his face. "What's so funny?"
"You." Jiraiya chuckled. "I have never seen you this serious before. Not even when we decided to tackle that crazy death trap Minato constructed."
Tsunade rolled her eyes, not amused at all. She understood that he was trying to shed some humor on their situation but it was unnecessary. She had a village to rebuild and every moment is precious.
Hearing the sound of the doors opening, Tsunade sighed and turn around. "Finally! Where the hell were you guys?"
Iruka rubbed his head nervous as his two other accomplices pushed him in. "Erm… Uh… There's a good reason Hokage-sama…" The Chunnin uttered out. "Izumo?"
The scarred Chunnin quickly sidestepped and pushed his partner forward. Izumo gulped when he saw the murderous glare she was giving the group. "Ah… Kotetsu?"
"ENOUGH!" Tsunade bellowed out. "JUST GET IN HERE!" She firmly ordered.
The trio silently stepped inside, unable to find their voice. Tsunade paced around the group, looking at each one of them. "I don't care what you do when you're off duty. I don't even care if you're bleeding to death but when I request a meeting with you, I demand that ALL OF YOU SHOW UP ON TIME!"
The men flinched, unable to bring themselves to look her in the eye. Each one of them uttered an apology.
Tsunade sighed, "Look, I know we just finished a great battle and everyone's tired but please, I only have one more assignment for you. Once you finish this, consider yourself on a two day vacation."
The trio looked up, confused at the sudden change of tone. "What is it Hokage-sama?" Iruka asked. "What do you want us to do?"
"There is this person that I want you to seek out." Tsunade said. "He's within the village walls." She quickly added after seeing the sad look in their eyes. "This man shouldn't be too hard to find. He sticks out like a fish on land."
"What does he look like?" Kotetsu asked. "If he sticks out, we should be able to find him quickly but because of the battle, everyone is sticking out. If you get what I mean."
Tsunade nodded her head. "He has blond hair… -" She saw Izumo's eyebrow twitch and quickly knew what he was going to ask. "He's unrelated to the Yamanaka Clan, Izumo."
"Or me." She added, not wanting to know what kind of thoughts went inside that head of his.
The Chunnin nodded his head and allowed Tsunade to continue. "His skin is pale, probably due to the lack of sunlight and his clothes are white. The only unique thing about this man is that he's carrying a Katana. You guys will be searching the village individually and when you locate this man, do not and I repeat, do not engage him in any fashion. He is highly skilled and I am unsure of what his current mental condition is. Watch from afar and send up a chakra flare when you find him. Jiraiya and I will be searching the village as well so do not worry. We will come as fast as we can when we feel it."
"Do you guys have any questions?" Tsunade asked after debriefing this team. Each of them shook their head. "Good then move out Team Eagle." She watched as each member of Team Eagle disappeared in a Shunshin.
They were Team Eagle, consisting of Iruka Umino, Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane. They were the fastest runners in the village. They have trained long and hard to achieve their current status and there were a few people that could beat them in a race.
"Let's move out Jiraiya. We have a lot of ground to cover." She called out to her teammate.
The Toad Hermit merely sighed; tired of everything that is going on. "I'm always cleaning up your messes Tsunade. I won't always be here to do it." Jiraiya walked past her with a stoic expression on.
"I know that Jiraiya… I know that…" She whispered, locking the door behind her.
- - -
The further Naruto walked away from the medical building, the less pain his head was in. It was such an odd experience but he wasn't sure how it happened. One minute, he was fine and then the next, his mind was on fire.
The images felt so real, almost if they just happened yesterday.
It was like he could feel all the pain, the emotion from it.
Maybe once he left this village, he could seek out someone who can understand his problem. A professional perhaps.
Walking further away, he found himself faced with another building and his eyes widened for a second time. This building… he remembered it.
"… Why…?" Naruto asked, taking a step backwards. This three floor building should have been condemned a long time ago. This hellhole should have never existed. This was a piece of shit orphanage that made him wish for a real place to call home.
"What the fuck!" Naruto cursed out. "Why are you still standing?!"
"AHHHH!"
"STOP YELLING!" Naruto screamed. "WHO ARE YOU?!" The blond tilted his head back, trying to subdue the immense pain that he was experiencing.
"YOU… YOU'RE A MONSTER!"
Images began flashing through his head once more but this time, it was coming in faster. Naruto dropped to his knees, using both hands to clutch his head. "STOP!!" He yelled.
Images of him standing outside the orphanage, knocking on the door.
A lady… the caretaker… screaming at him…
The Katana soaked in a crimson liquid…
"DON'T COME BACK HERE YOU DEMON!"
More screams and the cries of the other orphans.
Rocks coming towards him…
"PLEASE!! Just stop!" Naruto begged, repeatedly slamming his head against the hard ground. "No more… Please…" He whimpered. "Please… no more…"
Just as quickly as they came, the images slowly began to disappear, allowing the blond to return to reality. The pain slowly lessens and Naruto was soon able to regain his bearings. He intuitively reached for his weapon, not caring about the wound on his forehead at the moment.
Whenever he had his hand around his Katana, he felt a sense of comfort, protection. Throughout his early life, he was never offered the feeling of comfort, warmth, and protection but this weapon, strangely enough, managed to offer it to him. For that, he was grateful and to repay the favor, he was going to go on a quest, to find the name of the beast that resides within.
So he could personally thank him…
A sudden sound caused Naruto to look up, seeing a ninja running across the rooftop of the building rather quickly.
"Looks like he got the same idea… I got to get out of here…" Naruto muttered as he too, followed the example set by this ninja.
- - -
Kotetsu leaped across rooftops in a single step, jumped over two houses with a single leap but where the hell is this Naruto bastard? He was giving up his precious sleep time to search for him. He released a low growl as he Shunshin from one spot to the next. Blond hair, white everything, the phrase he kept repeating in his head.
"Argh! This is hopeless!" The Chunnin yelled. He frantically scratched his head, "Maybe I should switch my approach. Be like Shikamaru, think like Shikamaru…"
In a second, the anxious expression was replaced with a laid back one and Kotetsu stifled a yawn. "That's more like it. Work more efficiently, not harder."
The Chunnin giggled to himself as he landed on the abandoned orphanage. He looked around, seeing a dirty homeless man bowing to the ground. Figures he wouldn't be here. Maybe he should head to the market area…
"An apple smoothie sounds good right about now… Let's hope the stand hasn't been damaged in the process."
Without another word, the man leaped forward and disappeared with a Shunshin in mid-air, an amazing feat that even some Jounins couldn't accomplish.
But what Kotetsu didn't know was that the homeless man he disregarded earlier was actually Naruto Uzumaki, the target that he was searching for. It wouldn't have mattered anyway because as soon as he left, a cold breeze blew in, causing the footprints on the ground to disappear, erasing all evidence from the area…
- - -
"The Konoha Police Precinct..."
Those were the words that were written on the big sign but even that couldn't withstand the full fury of war.
It wasn't just the sign; the entire building was in ruins. Naruto surveyed the area, gulping at the damage. He had a vague memory of this building. He remembered it being magnificent, having such a superior aura to it.
To be honest, out of every building here in Konoha, he had a deep respect for this one. When he was still young, he had a childhood dream of becoming a policeman for Konoha, someone that upholds the law and brings justice to the evil.
But that was then and this was now…
His hands were too tainted with blood to be an upholder of justice. He had killed in exchange for one wish… A hero of justice wouldn't do something like this…
Naruto took a sniff of the air and he quickly squeezed his nose. The scent of blood reeked in this area, a lot stronger than anywhere else.
He sighed as he took a step forward, into the area to see but before he did that, he felt his head throbbing and he stopped. Naruto slowly massaged his temples and turned around. He didn't want another episode of memory lane so he wisely turned around and walked away.
The last two times were incredibly painful. The images… the feelings… it was just too much and he almost lost control over himself.
Who knows what he would have done if he lost control…
Without another thought, Naruto started walking out of the area, seeing a large red circular dome near the precinct.
"That… looks… familiar…" He said and then decided to walk over there next.
Just as Naruto left the area, Izumo entered the area via Shunshin. He stood on top of a pole, staring down at the area. He sighed as he looked at the destroyed precinct and saw the dead bodies laying along side it. This was just terrible… the lives of people who died today… it was too horrible…
There was no one in the area that vaguely resembled the description that Tsunade-sama gave him. Hell, there wasn't even anyone else in the village that had blond air except for the Yamanaka Clan, herself and the Yondaime and since the Yondaime was dead for some time now, Kami bless his soul, the Yamanaka clan was the reasonable choice.
"Okay, I'll check with Inoichi and see if he knows anything." Izumo said, nodding his head. "Might as well ask the people around them too…"
The Chunnin tapped the surface of the pole a few times with his right foot before disappearing in a Shunshin.
- - -
"So this is the place…" Naruto said as he walked into the area. "Don't look like much…"
The blond stopped walking when the pain in his head acted up again but only this time, it came in waves. Large tidal waves…
Naruto gritted his teeth as he took a step back but before he could do that, his body took a step forward. His eyes widened in surprise when he couldn't stop himself. With each step forward, the pain came faster and harder. The images rammed itself against his brain, demanding access into his mind.
"NO!" Naruto shouted but it was futile. His body wasn't responding and either was his sword. The sword began to emit a small blue glow and it was also pulling him towards the academy. Naruto couldn't let go of the Katana, his hands weren't responding to his thoughts. It was almost as if his body turned into a zombie…
The body dragged its host deeper into the surrounding area, passing by the swings and sandbox but it didn't stop there. It kept going until it was near the Academy itself. Naruto stared at the building with widen eyes.
He remembered… He remembered this place…
This was where it all started for him…
It was coming together now…
"STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER DEMON!"
There it was; the screams. It started once more and Naruto knew what was going to happen next.
"You are not welcome here. Be gone."
"My mommy said you're a bad boy so I can't play with you anymore."
More yelling…
Naruto felt himself grasping for air; it felt like the very oxygen in his body was being depleted and his lungs felt heavy.
"If you dare to show your face here again, then I, Ryo-sama, will personally beat you up!"
These memories, the searing pain in his head… He couldn't take it anymore. Naruto dropped to the ground, kneeling against it with his hands lying next to his body. "I can't win…" He whispered. "I can't stop these memories anymore…"
The moment Naruto gave up, the images flew straight into his mind, conjuring up the memories of his past, the memories that he had suppressed and the memories of that fateful day…
It was finally becoming clear…
All those memories that he saw today, it was all his.
It all started here, where he came by the academy to play in the sandbox. He only wanted to be alone so he decided that coming when the sun was setting would guarantee that but he was wrong.
When he entered the area, he found a couple of people still here but they paid him no attention so he just walked in. There was a girl in the sandbox, happily laughing as she threw sand everywhere…
He walked up to here, standing there with a pleading look in his eyes but otherwise, remained silent. He didn't know what to say to this girl.
"Do you wanna build a sand castle with me?" She asked, noticing him standing by the edge.
That was her voice, asking him if he wanted to play with her. Naruto remembered nodding his head and they were off building their huge castle, fit for a princess.
They finished building one tower before it just collapsed and sand flew everywhere. The girl giggled as she flung sand all over the air.
"Sand sand! Fly like the wind! Be free like the Fand!"
He couldn't help but laugh too, throwing sand in the sand with her.
"STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER YOU DEMON!"
The mother, who just walked out of the academy ran towards the sandbox and yanked her daughter away. The girl had a look of surprise on her face and didn't bother to hide it. She started to throw a fit, yelling at her mother for ruining her fun.
The woman whispered something into her ear and then the girl's eyes slowly changed from being angry to frighten.
She slowly walked back but stopped half way, afraid to continue any further.
"My mommy said you're a bad boy. I don't play with boys who are naughty."
She said that with a frightened tone and then ran off, running towards her mother and they left the academy playground together. She didn't even turn back to look at him…
The sun soon began to set and he knew it was time to leave. The old man told him stories about monsters that came out in the dark, to steal away children who stayed out late. He hurried up his pace but before he got far, a group of boys stopped him.
They picked up rocks and threw it at him, some without much force while others pelted him with everything they had.
"If you dare to show your face here again, then I, Ryo-sama, will personally beat you up!"
That was the large lean boy, the one wearing a bandana on his head. He started pointing and the rest of the guys joined in as well…
The pain from the rocks didn't hurt that much compared to the other pain he was feeling. Physical wounds were capable of being heal, sometimes without a scar but it's the emotional pain that really stung.
The pain from being so helpless, from being so weak, it made him a target for bullies. He guessed it was because he was an orphan, a kid without parents, that's why he was picked on. No one in this world wanted a kid that didn't know where he came from, not even the people in the orphanages.
Feeling the emotions in him fighting in turmoil, Naruto dug his fingers deep into the hard rocky soil, not caring that his fingers were blistering. All he wanted was for the memory to finish, so he can pick himself up and leave.
But the fates weren't so kind and the memory began to replay.
It started right here, at the sandbox that caused him to be late going back to the orphanage. He ran away from the bullies, crying, begging them to stop but they wouldn't. They chased him into a group of drunken adults who took over the harassment.
He did everything he could to get away but in the end, he couldn't. They cornered him in an alleyway and that was when he found it. The strange Katana…
After picking it up, he felt something stirring inside of him, begging him to let it out. The fear and anger that he had allowed whatever it was to control him for that moment and within moments, the group of men were dead on the ground.
The persona didn't stop there. It continued to fight, against the group of ANBU before finally, the old man himself had to step in, to stop himself from killing others.
The old man took him to a medical facility but that itself was a mistake. The quack of a doctor was just one of them, another person who hated him.
The orphanage was no different. They wouldn't let him back in but he didn't care. It wasn't really his home anyway…
Watching the memory happen all over again, Naruto did the only thing he could and that was to scream.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
- - -
Iruka let out an exhausted sigh. He then groaned as he walked over to the academy. This was not how he wanted to end his day with. All he wanted was a warm comfortable bed and maybe some ramen…
Yeah… some nice ramen with a little helping of Ayame on the side… He giggled at the naughty thought.
Yeah for sure… he was going to stop by for some ramen after this…
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Iruka looked ahead when he heard a blood-curling scream. It didn't take a second before he ran towards the playground, locating the source of the scream.
He saw a man on the ground, lying in a fetal position as he clutched his head, screaming in pain.
"Sir…"
The man didn't respond with words, only sounds of grunts and growls.
"SIR! Are you okay?" Iruka asked. He took a moment to take a good look at the man. He had blond hair and his skin was pale compared to the rest of the population. It then hit him, could this be the man that Tsunade-sama was looking for?
"Not to switch topics or anything sir but by any chance, are you Uzumaki Naruto?"
Hearing his name, Naruto turned his head slowly and his eyes looked up at the man. He had a scar on his face and he was wearing a standard Chunnin vest. He saw the man tensing up and he reached for his weapon.
Iruka saw that the man was reaching for the sword and stepped back. He held his hands up in the air and waved, "Woah, hold up for a minute! I'm not your enemy! Look!" Iruka pointed to his hitai-ate. "Konoha! I'm a Chunnin from Konoha!"
At this point, Naruto's head was in so much pain that his eyes couldn't distinguish the man in front of him from the men in his memories. They were looking all the same and before he knew it, the colorful world of reality was gone, replaced by the dull, gray world of memories…
And then it just snapped… all the emotions that he held back… it finally came out.
Iruka held his breath as he watched the man pushed himself up from the ground. Maybe he heard his voice and identified him as an ally.
But he was damn wrong.
So damned wrong…
Without much warning, the man shot up like a rocket, his sword aim to kill. His actions took the Chunnin by surprise but his body acted on instinct, moving itself back to dodge it.
What Iruka didn't see was a rock behind him and he tripped but as the fates would have it, his fall saved his life.
He watched as the man lounged past him, the sword barely going past his noise. Iruka took this moment to shove his attacker away.
"Stop! I'm not your enemy!" He explained but it fell on deaf ears. Iruka took out a kunai and held it in a defensive position. "I don't want to fight you!"
There wasn't much time for talk after that. The man increased his speed once more and Iruka had to concentrate. His eyes could barely follow the man's speed.
This was just insane. Didn't Tsunade-sama warn them not to engage in any physical combat with this man?
Fuck, he hated it when she was right. He was out of his league here and if he didn't act soon, he was going to be six feet under.
Iruka barely sidestepped the next attack, allowing it to harmlessly strike the ground but the effects of the aftermath caused his eyes to widen. He couldn't believe that from a single strike, the ground was split open. Granted that it wasn't as powerful as Tsunade-sama's punch, this wasn't far from it
"Gah!" Iruka grunted as he Shunshin away from the area. He landed on a nearby tree, panting.
He held up a hand seal and then flared up his chakra, channeling as much as he could. He silently prayed that they got his message.
"Holy fuck!" Iruka cursed out when he saw Naruto leaping into the air, his sword posed to cut him in half. He couldn't believe how fast the blond had found him. From this position, he couldn't roll out of the way to avoid the strike completely.
"DON'T!" The Chunnin shouted but Naruto didn't stop. One moment, he was twisting his body, preparing for the final strike and the next; the blond lounged forward in mid-air.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" A familiar voice shouted. Before Naruto had the chance to strike, Tsunade leaped into the air and tackled him, sending the both of them into the ground.
"You okay Iruka?" Jiraiya asked, appearing next to him. The Chunnin merely nodded, unable to find his voice. "Alright, we can take it from here. Now if excuse me, I got a big problem to solve."
The Toad Hermit leaped down from the tree and stood next to Tsunade, who was looking at Naruto.
"His eyes…" He heard her whisper.
Jiraiya looked at the fallen blond, wondering what she meant by that. After the dust cleared, he saw what she was referring to. His cerulean eyes weren't there anymore. As ridiculous as that sounded, he couldn't see Naruto inside Naruto. It was just a blank soul within a body. It was almost like if Naruto wasn't there anymore.
"What happened to –"
"- MOVE!"
Tsunade shouted, interrupting Jiraiya. With one hand, she shoved her teammate out of the way as Naruto ran forward, bringing his sword down for a downward slash. The Hokage raised her arms and easily caught Naruto's wrist but that was a mistake.
She was taken by surprise when she felt the immense power behind the attack. Even though it didn't connect, the strength that Naruto put into it was felt throughout her entire body. She could feel her knees giving out from the pressure.
"JIRAIYA!" She painfully yelled. "DO SOMETHING!"
Jiraiya groaned as he picked himself up. He turned to his teammate and saw that she was barely holding Naruto off. "What do you want me to do?"
"TAKE OUT A KUNAI AND STICK IT UP HIS ASS. I DON'T FUCKING CARE! JUST DO IT!"
Tsunade concentrated some chakra into her knee and brought it up, connecting it with Naruto's stomach. The sudden knee blow caught the blond by surprise, sending him flying into an academy wall.
She panted slightly as she recomposed herself. Jiraiya walked up next to her and stared at the hole in the wall. "I'm just a guy with one arm. What do you want from me? My other arm?"
"I'll have your balls if you don't do something about this." She threatened.
Before Jiraiya could retort a reply, a huge power surged from inside of the walls and the Sannins stared at the emerging blond with surprised eyes.
"You don't think he accessed the Kyuubi's powers do you?"
Tsunade nodded her head. "That could be the cause of that huge power spike… The demon might be breaking the seal that Minato placed on him. Quickly, we must stop him before the Kyuubi frees himself."
Jiraiya nodded, "I'll prepare the Gogyou Fuuin but I need some time Tsunade. It's not easy doing it with just one hand you know."
She groaned but she had no other choice. She wasn't knowledgeable with seals and Jiraiya couldn't possibly go head to head with Naruto in his state. "How long?" She asked.
"One minute."
"You got thirty seconds." She yelled before running into battle. The blond swung his sword sideways, causing Tsunade to duck under and counter with an elbow to the solar-plexus. She expected Naruto to wake up from the blow or get pushed back but he didn't. He just stood there, unfazed by the attack.
"What the fuck?" She asked, staring in amazement. Tsunade didn't have much time to wonder when Naruto brought his left fist up, knocking her directly in the face. She grunted as she leaped back, rubbing her sore nose.
"Bastard!" Tsunade ran back in and slammed her fist into the ground, causing it to split open. The blond leaped forward, avoiding the ground splitting and he thrust his Katana forward, aiming for Tsunade's head.
The Hokage saw the attack coming from a mile away. She could easily dodge it but she needed to subdue him. "Are you ready yet?!" She hastily asked.
"SHUT UP FOR A MINUTE. IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO DO IT WITH ONE ARM." Jiraiya yelled back, focusing all his concentration into doing this right. He had one shot or else, he wouldn't have a teammate anymore.
Tsunade growled and with no option left, she concentrated enough chakra into her fist that should shatter that blade of his.
"WAKE THE FUCK UP NARUTO!" She screamed when her fist connected with the blade. The force from the explosion caused the both of them to be thrown back. Naruto skidded and rolled along the ground while Tsunade dug her heels into the dirt, to prevent her from sliding further back.
Tsunade waved her hand around, trying to ease the pain away. Her eyes widened when she saw Naruto holding the sword forward. Did her eyes deceive her or was there no crack on it?
She put most of her chakra behind that attack. It had enough to shatter most blades easily but his Katana wasn't even damaged. Not even cracked.
Just what the fuck was going on? What kind of blade did that man possess?
She wasn't prepared when Naruto disappeared from his spot, using some sort of a high level Shunshin and appeared behind her. He posed his sword to deal the fatal blow but it never came. Tsunade held her breath, wondering what was going on.
She had already deduced that Naruto was in an unconscious state. His pupils were enough evidence to make that claim. Something must have triggered in his mind and his body was now acting on pure instinct.
Slowly, Naruto lowered his arms, bringing his Katana to his sides before falling to the ground.
"Are you okay Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked, appearing from behind Naruto.
"You… What… How…?" Tsunade stuttered out. "What did you do?!"
"I hit him with the Gogyou Fuuin during your last attack. In the midst of your fighting, I used that as an advantage and rushed in. I'm surprise you didn't see me appear from the sides. The boy was tough, I'll give him that. I mustered everything I had into that one blow. Locating the seal on his stomach was troublesome but seriously Tsunade, for him to last this long after I applied the seal only proves one thing."
"And what's that?"
"He wasn't under the influence of the Kyuubi." Jiraiya muttered. "Something else must have happened and I don't know if what I just did was the smartest thing…"
Jiraiya didn't have to wait long for it to happen. Before Tsunade could further question her teammate, a huge blue force exploded from Naruto, causing the two Sannins to move away and shield their eyes from the light.
"SEE!" Jiraiya shouted, "I TOLD YOU!"
Tsunade didn't even dignify that with a response as she watched the event unfold by itself.
Just as quickly as the light appeared, it disappeared in an instant. Tsunade and Jiraiya stood there, amazed at the special effects but it wasn't the effects that made them speechless. It was the silhouette that stood above Naruto that caught their tongue.
A silhouette that resembled a dragon…
None of them could move nor speak. They were too enchanted by the way this beast was standing over him protectively, almost as if it was guarding him from them.
The dragon sent its gaze towards them and it was enough to make Jiraiya weak in the knees. With a flap of its mighty wings, it sent them a cold breeze before disappearing into sparkles, making them wonder if it was just a figment of their imagination.
"Do you think it was an illusion?" Tsunade asked.
"No… I think it was more of a warning…" Jiraiya replied, his mind still unable to wrap itself against the idea that the boy had a freaking dragon inside of him. Wasn't he just the host for the Kyuubi?
As he looked on, the Toad Sannin realized that there was something more to this boy than what meets the eye. Was there another ceremony that took place that he didn't know about? One that sealed a dragon inside of him?
But first things first, how did they manage to find a dragon? They were creatures of legend, mythological creatures that should have died out long ago! Just what the hell was in this boy?
"A warning? Are you kidding me? What kind of warning does a dragon give? An end of the world warning?"
Noting the sarcasm in Tsunade's voice, Jiraiya scoffed, "Dragon's were known to be very protective of their kin. If they sense that one of their kin has been hurt, there is nothing that anyone can do to stop them from having their revenge."
Tsunade sighed as she walked over to Naruto, checking him for a pulse. "Let's get him to a private room in the hospital. I want to see for myself that the seal you put on him wouldn't cause any more stupid things to appear."
"But but, you told me to do it!" Jiraiya argued. "It's not my fault at all!" He walked over to Naruto and picked him up easily with one hand. "I'm getting way too old for this…" The Sannin grumbled.
- - -
Inside Naruto's mindscape
So he was back here once again… standing in the same field of ice…
Naruto looked around and sighed. "This sucks…" He muttered. The only time when he was actually here was when he was sleeping, dreaming about this field but since he wasn't sleeping, it must have meant that he passed out from pain.
He sighed once more. He hated coming here, hated dreaming of the same dream. It was always the same thing. No matter how much he tried to change, everything always remained the same. The conversation, the scenery, hell, even the stupid pebbles on the ground were in the same place.
He once tried dreaming of fire, thinking it would melt the ice but sadly, fire never appeared.
He resigned to his fate years ago, when everything remained the same.
"Any moment now… The dragon will appear, asking me if I can hear its name…"
"So we finally meet boy…"
"And there he is…" Naruto said, not feeling surprised. He turned around and faced the mighty beast. "Are you going to tell me your name today?" He asked.
The answer Naruto was expecting was somewhat along the lines of… 'Search for me…' But to his surprise, the beast remained silent, opting to move closer to him.
It stared at him for a few moments, circling around his entire body. "You are still afraid to me."
"Huh?" Naruto replied, shocked at the new development. The beast was speaking out of line here. "… What the hell?"
The dragon said nothing, just continued circling the boy. "You think this is just another dream…"
"Am I not wrong to think that?" Naruto replied. "I've been dreaming the same dream for fifteen years…"
The dragon suddenly soared into the sky, spreading its majestic wings. "The dream is finally over young one."
"… I see…" Naruto answered, closing his eyes. "Then won't you tell me your name…"
"I can tell you my name all you want but it is useless when you can't hear it."
Naruto sighed, "Fifteen years dragon. It has been fifteen years, having the same dream day in and day out. It's always the same conversation. How can I hear your name if you're unable to help me?"
The blond scratched his head in frustration but never once forgetting his manners. The dragon lingered its gaze on his young charge before flying back down to the ground. "From this point on young one, I will not be a dream nor a memory but instead, a reality." The beast cryptically answered.
"What has changed… that allowed you to be able to converse with me like this…"
"You… You changed young one. You have taken the first step from being a young hatchling to a dragon…"
"Huh?"
"Did you think those memories that you experienced today were just a coincidence?"
Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I taught myself that there is no such thing as coincidences, only the will of making things happen yourself."
"Yes… you're learning but knowledge takes time. It's not something that you can rush. For today, your acceptance of those memories was the first step. You buried those memories deep into your brain young one, banishing it from ever resurfacing." The dragon explained. "You claim that you're unafraid, ready to accept my power but your body knows you better than your mind does!" The beast roared, flapping its wings.
Naruto remained silent, knowing that it was true. He did banish those memories to the deepest corners of his mind, afraid that they would come back to haunt him.
"But your actions today speak louder than words. Even though I tried to force your mind into accepting reality, it always rejected my influence."
"So that means…"
"That's right. You did it all by yourself." The dragon released a small roar, flapping his wings around. "Do you want to hear my name?"
Naruto nodded his head, "Of course I do. What must I do in order to hear your name?"
"That is not up to me to decide."
"What do you mean by that? I don't understand the requirements that you set forth for me." Naruto said, not getting the messages that the dragon was sending.
"If you want to know, then go forth and find the fields of ice…"
"That's it? Find the fields of ice? Where do I even begin searching for this?"
"Do not falter and do not fear. You are now walking the path of a Dragon. Learn to rely on your own power and soar into the skies. Break those mortal constraints that you set on yourself and then soar high into the skies, further than any dragon has soared before."
Naruto waited for the dragon to continue but he then noticed that it wasn't going to respond. The blond knew what it meant. The beast was done talking and it was up to him to decipher the riddle.
He sighed. "Fine I'll search for the fields of ice…"
The dragon released a mighty roar, soaring into the sky before disappearing into the clouds. Naruto kept his gaze up, watching it disappear. He couldn't help but smile, knowing that the dream was finally ending…
- - -
Outside the mindscape
Naruto uttered a few quiet groans, getting his subconscious out of his dreamlike state. He expected himself to wake up on the cold hard ground but instead, he felt warmth.
The blond opened his eyes, his cerulean blue orbs breathing in the sights of this room. Naruto tried sitting up but he failed when something pulled him back down. He tiled his head sideways, eyeing the chains wrapped around his wrist. He tugged on it a few times, testing the firmness of the metal. He couldn't pull his arms up far, which meant he couldn't summon enough strength to break free.
"What the fuck?" Naruto cursed. "Just what is going on here? Where am I?"
The door suddenly opened and the two Sannins walked in; Tsunade holding a clipboard while Jiraiya had a stoic expression on his face.
Naruto stared at his two guests, recognizing them as the people who came and freed him. "How long was I out for?" He asked.
"Three hours." Tsunade replied. "Now I have a few questions that I want to –"
"Untie me." Naruto said, interrupting the Hokage. "Untie me now!" He demanded, struggling against his bindings.
Jiraiya glared at the blond. "Listen here brat. You still have to pay for your crimes so don't think you're walking away from this."
Naruto didn't respond, only started to struggle against the chains. "Let me go!" He demanded. "I will not be held captive here against my own will!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that Naruto. I thank you for helping us during our time of need but unfortunately, you're still going to be punished for the crimes you committed against Konoha fifteen years ago." Tsunade replied, shaking her head. "It wouldn't be fair to every other criminal out there that you get a pardon for your crimes while they didn't."
"I like to see you stop me." Naruto coldly answered. "I'm telling you now; I'm not going back there."
"Did I say you had a choice?" Tsunade replied, scoffing at his attempt of negotiating. She snapped her fingers once and five ANBUS appeared, surrounding the room. "You only have one option here Naruto. Come back willingly or I'll break every bone in your body and drag your half dead carcass back to the cell."
"Ah ha ha…" Naruto chuckled, "You think you can make me go back in there? You can make even the wildest of beasts succumb to your wills, you can even make humans submit to your wishes but you can never… make dragons… do… what… you… want…"
Tsunade's eyes quickly widened. She realized what she just heard. He wasn't trying to form another speech; he was trying to buy time for something! Before she could do anything about it, a blue aura surrounded the man. It was so light intensive that she had to shield herself from the glare.
"GRAB HIM!" She yelled but no one made any attempt. Not even Jiraiya. She looked past Naruto and saw the ANBU that was standing next to him. She saw his hands, hanging in mid-air, almost non-responsive. It was almost like if he was frozen…
She then looked around, noticing that everyone in the room but her was frozen in their place. Did he have the ability to stop time? This was never mentioned in his file…
"What did you do to my men?" Tsunade growled, gripping them into a fist. "If you harm them, I swear that I will kill you."
With ease, Naruto yanked off his shackles, the chain falling apart easily. He reached for his weapon, lying next to the ANBU. "I really don't intend on leaving like this. This was the only way I can get you to listen to me without resorting to violence. You spoke to me earlier about granting me one wish in exchange for my services. I couldn't tell you what I wanted then but I now know what I want."
"I want to leave the village, to complete my goal."
"You must be kidding right?" The Hokage scoffed. "Once you run away, you're never going to return. I know your kind. Once you taste freedom, you'll never want to return to the life of solitude!"
The blond merely narrowed his eyes but it was the next words that came out of his mouth sent chills down her spine. It felt like she was staring into the eyes of a cold beast.
"Then for your sake, you better pray that I'm not like the rest…"
Naruto walked past the ANBU, still frozen in place. His hand reached for the window and pulled it open. Before he could step out, Tsunade walked over, grabbing him by the arm. "Where the fuck do you think you'll go? By morning of tomorrow, every village will be on the lookout for you. I'll put a bounty so high on your head that you won't be able to take one step in any direction without being hunted."
"Then let those people come." Naruto replied as he yanked his arm free from Tsunade's grip. "I just hope that your soul is strong to accept the consequences of their deaths. I can't let anyone stop me now. For the first time in my life, I have a direction, a goal that is propelling me forward. Surely you can understand what I'm saying."
"No…" Tsunade lied. She couldn't tell him the truth. She couldn't tell him that she was just like him, on a path. The only difference was that her path was for forgiveness. She had sinned in the past; condemning the people she loved to death.
Nawaki… Her younger brother… he had died because of her. It was after his death that she became distraught, unable to grasp the meaning of reality but she strived on, being the best medic Konoha could produce, so that she could honor his memory.
It wasn't until she met Dan… her first love… that she began believing again. It was him that pushed her, showed her the path that she had long forsaken. He was her light and when he died on a mission, it pushed her over the ledge. The light that she had was stolen from under her nose and she became lost in her life once more. She spent the next several years wandering from town to town, with no destination and just gambling her life away.
Just as fate played a hand in her departure from Konoha, it also played a hand in her return to Konoha. She told herself she was only here because of her sensei's last request but over time, she grew to love this village and she finally understood what Dan and Nawaki meant by becoming Hokage.
Being back in this village has renewed her goals, setting her straight once more. Just watching this man say that he finally had a goal in life triggered something deep for her.
"Fine!" Tsunade finally said, noticing the determined look in his cold cerulean orbs. It was the same look that Dan and Nawaki had, when they told her their dreams. Maybe just this once… she could trust this man...
"Go but I'm holding you to your word Naruto."
The blond smiled and bowed his head, "Do not worry Tsunade. You are a Hokage, a leader of this village and you have my word that I will return."
Tsunade remained silent, unable to say anything else. They both welcomed the silence until a cold breeze blew into the room, causing her to shiver. Naruto took that as a cue to leave.
"Where are you going then?"
Naruto hopped on top of the window plank with his back turned to her. "To find a field of ice…"
The Hokage held her breath as she watched the man leap out of the window, landing on the ground safely. She watched as he walked in the moonlight, leaving the village peacefully. God, she hoped she wasn't making a mistake here, letting him walk away like that.
"Tsunade-sama!" The several people in the room finally yelled out her name.
She turned around, noticing that everyone was unfrozen again. 'I wonder how he pulled this off…' She pondered to herself. 'It would be a great trick to use when I'm in meetings…'
"What the hell happened to us?" Jiraiya asked, shivering on the spot. "I just felt like I was frozen in ice."
Tsunade merely shook her head, a small smile on her face. "You don't know the half of it Jiraiya. How about I tell you what happened over several bottles of sake?"
The Toad Sannin looked confused but nevertheless, he accepted her generous offer. It was free sake of course. "Shall we do it at my place or yours?" He lecherously asked.
"You wish my place you damn pervert. We'll relax in my office." Tsunade answered, walking out of the room with Jiraiya in tow.
- - -
On the outskirts of Konoha
"So that's what a full moon looks like…"
After taking his leave from Konoha, Naruto stood in the middle of a forest, staring directly at the bright moon. "I wonder where I can find these fields of ice…"
"Would it be in the north? Or the south?" He pondered for a few moments, completely lost. "Does something like that even exist?"
"Gah! This is hopeless!" The blond muttered, sitting down on the ground. "I should have borrowed a map before I left. That would have been the sensible thing to do."
"Then why don't you just ask for help…" The dragon's voice answered, startling Naruto. He fell backwards, quickly looking around for the beast.
"Huh? What? How are you talking to me? Oh god, did I fall asleep again?"
"No you didn't Naruto. As I told you earlier, I am no longer a dream. I am a reality…"
As if that made complete sense, Naruto nodded his head. "I see… Then to be honest Dragon… I'm completely lost. I don't know which direction I'm supposed to be traveling in."
"The path that you seek lies in the north, past the great mountains, across the sea."
"And then what? Is there a name to this place?" Naruto asked. "Hello?"
When he heard nothing from the dragon, he continued his journey, heading north. What lies for him in the north, Naruto didn't have the faintest idea but he only knew one thing…
The answer that he sought was out there…
- - -
Elsewhere…
"Come on Renji!" A petite woman, roughly half the size of the man she was calling, pointed towards something. "We can't spend all day searching this area. Matsumoto is waiting for us over there."
The man, Renji, only grumbled, complaining about the snow and how it stuck to his clothes. "Why are we here in the first place? Reports said that there was a slight chance the Reiatsu here might have belonged to him… A small chance…"
"What did you say?" She whipped her head around. The tone of her voice suggested that she was angry but Renji ignored it and continued.
"I mean come on; everyone else has accepted the fact and moved on. Maybe… I don't know… We should too…"
The petite woman angrily marched over to her partner, grabbing his Shihakushou and pulled him down to her level. Renji quivered as he saw the fire burning in her eyes. "You listen to me and you better listen good Renji. There is a woman sitting in that cabin with a broken spirit. She has been searching for him for the last three years… spending all her free time searching for him. I don't give a damn if we search this fucking place a million times! We will do it until she says its time to go!"
"… Y-yes… Rukia…" Renji gulped. "I-I'll… continue… searching…"
Satisfied with this response, Rukia released his Shihakushou and looked around, "Now where's Ichigo? He's supposed to be here searching with us."
Renji snorted as he rolled his eyes, "That guy… he said he hated the cold so he's searching another district, someplace warmer."
"I see… Then let's continue searching this place and get back home. They'll notice that we left without permission again."
"Hai."
The duo continued walking, their bodies marching a similar tune but their eyes were searching for something else. Clutching their brown cloaks close, they walked through the snowy region, stopping once they reach a large cabin…
Author's Note: Woah, long chapter. Okay, I have now stepped into the realm of Bleach and there's no turning back. The portal just closed and I'm in pitch black, surrounded by caves and there's no light at the end of this tunnel!
Hope you enjoyed it! Now leave me a review!