Unconsciousness.

It's a rather funny thing to experience. Similar to sleep, but much too deep to engage in REM sleep. There's no possibility for dreams. Just an empty blackness one never senses, only aware when they emerge.

So when Naruto found himself in a similar sewer-like area, he knew immediately that he wasn't just napping. Being unconscious, he immediately realized he was somehow in the space containing the Fox's seal. Glancing around his surroundings, he walked slowly through the ankle-deep water. He really felt no reason to go visit the fur-ball. Not with all the events of the recent past on his mind.

An image of Sasuke flickered in front of his eyes, prompting him to sigh. He had no idea what happened after that explosion. All he remembered was feeling a sense of relief and warmth as he felt something wrap around his pinky finger. He wasn't sure if it was real or just a fabrication of his mind, but the feeling was real. It was as if Sasuke was trying to tell him something… Was it… friendship? Like a pinky promise…? Naruto glanced down at his right hand with a sigh. He'd probably never know what it was, or what it meant. But that wasn't on his mind. He had so many questions on his mind right now. Where was he? Where was Sasuke? Was he still at the valley? When was he going to wake up?

"Argh!" he growled, rubbing his temples. He hated it when he thought this much! It did nothing but make his head hurt! Sighing, he leaned against the wall. "Hopefully I'll wake up soon. I can't let Sasuke get away!" he growled, clenching his fist. "Wait…" his eyes suddenly widened as more possibilities flooded his mind. The blond soon realized there was a very real chance he'd been out for quite some time. If he was… "No…" Naruto whispered. If he'd been unconscious for a good while, then Sasuke could've woken up already! Naruto punched the wall next to him in a flash of anger as he was mentally bombarded with questions. That was it, he had to wake up! Snarling, he banged his head against a wall, hoping to snap out of his state.

No such luck.

Naruto collapsed on the floor, his cerulean eyes wide as he struggled to think.

"If Sasuke's gone… What am I gonna do? He could be at Orochimaru's right now! Or worse… what if he's standing right over me right now?! He could kill me in a flash and I can't do anything to stop it!" He gripped his head in a rare fit of fear. But he had every right to be afraid. When the consequences of an event are left up to the imagination, it's only natural to come up with worst-case-scenarios. What-ifs of all kinds flooded his brain and gave him no answers to bring relief. He wanted so badly to shake the thoughts away, but for some reason, he had nothing else to think about. Not even imagining ramen was helping any.

"Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit!" Naruto punctuated each word he spoke with a punch to the floor. "Stop it, Naruto! This isn't you! Snap out of it!"

The blonde's blue eyes narrowed as he tried to will his thoughts away. Why was he thinking so much anyway? There were still the good what-ifs, right? There was a chance he could stop Sasuke… right? He stood up as he tried to make himself feel better that way, but the scarier possibilities wouldn't leave him alone. In fact, they were screaming at him, that the good what-ifs were wrong. Naruto shook slightly as fear overtook his nerves. No, wait, that wasn't his nerves…

Naruto's worried expression fell into a scowl as he heard a deep chuckling. He stomped through the water, approaching the large room he'd been in only once before. Upon entering the much larger room, he turned his now narrowed gaze towards the ridiculously huge gate. Sure enough, the chuckling was coming from the creature behind the gate. In a flash, Naruto could see the leering eyes and large, malicious grin of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Contradicting logic, Naruto forgot his earlier fear as he crossed his arms up at the demon.

"Oi! What's so funny, stupid fox?!"

The crimson-furred monster let out another chuckle, as if mocking him. The fox seemed to shift, laying his large head on his forepaws. His grin stretched ever so slightly, yet not moving as he spoke.

"You pathetic humans… you sicken me with your emotions… but also, I can't help but find it so… amusing." Naruto quirked an eyebrow, taking a few steps forward.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" he asked. Really, that stupid fox could take his beliefs and shove them up his ass for all he cared. He was the one stuck behind the gate, yet he felt he could be the one throwing taunts? In his opinion, the fox had to get a reality check. The fox let out a growl, as if he knew exactly what he was thinking. Naruto chuckled at the Fox's empty rage, wiping the underside of his nose with his thumb.

"You and your petty fears… The fact that you insects can get so distraught over little matters is so… pointless. It's pathetic to act like an infant over some other mere human…" Naruto's scowl deepened. He would love to see this guy get knocked off his pedestal. Make him stop acting like such a high-and-mighty asshole.

"Oh, sure, of course you don't get it. The oh-so-great Nine-Tailed-Fox isn't afraid of anything," Naruto retorted, trying to sound as much of a smartass as he could. He even went as far as to give his best deadpan look, just waiting for the inevitable outburst. After a few seconds, he realized that the guy wasn't getting angry. His deadpan morphed into a curious expression as the Fox looked almost… nervous? No, he was probably just ignoring him now. When a sigh came from the fox, Naruto blinked. "What?"

Silence.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Naruto called out, glaring at the fox and demanding an answer. The fox closed his eyes as he seemed to think. Naruto's eyes widened. This guy… did he really have something that he was afraid of? Now this was making him curious. He lowered his voice softly, as if hoping that would get a reaction. "Are you… alright?"

Soon, the fox's eyes opened, showing a strange mix of emotions Naruto hadn't seen before.

"Human, tell—"

"Hey! The name is Naruto Uzumaki! And you better remember it!"

The fox seemed to scowl, but spoke again.

"…Naruto… tell me. Have you ever heard of a being called…" the fox made a noise like—a gulp? "…Akuma?" At this, Naruto's eyes widened. He in fact had heard of a man called Akuma.

"Y-Yeah," he muttered in surprise, half at hearing the fox reference him and half at the fact that the fox actually used his name that easily. "He's supposed to be some legendary warrior. He supposedly took on the strongest warriors, but only truly fought those that used all their power or something. Wha-What about him?"

"Well then, Naruto, what would you say if I told you… he is no mere legend?"

Naruto's butt hit the floor faster than he registered it. Sapphire and crimson gazes crossed paths, conveying a hidden message of unadulterated truth. The fox, in spite of his demonic nature, was not lying. This Akuma warrior… he was real?! And… the fox was… scared of this guy?

"W-W-W… Huh?!" At this, he flushed at his squeak, but the fox seemed to actually… justify it? The fox nodded grimly. "You… How could he… scare you? I mean… He was strong, but, you're way stronger than any human out there! You keep saying so yourself!"

"…I don't think he was human at all, Naruto. That man… he had power I never encountered beforehand…" Naruto's mouth hung open as his tan cheeks faded slightly. A sharp shiver crawled up his back out of instinct. If Akuma had done something to scare the most powerful being in existence that badly… "If you think you can handle real fear, allow me to tell you something about Akuma."

-Flashback—

It was a time and place Naruto would never understand. Long before any of the hidden villages were even established, and before shinobi truly understood the concept of chakra. The only human who had fully understood it had perished several years before even then.

Night overhung the continent, which lacked its symbolic 'Great Nations' as they were known today. The stars and moon shimmered against the dark sky, bathing it in minimal light. In the midst of a dark clearing, towering above the very trees, was the most feared creature in the land. The Nine-Tailed Fox was resting comfortably on the grassy plains, having crushed the trees underneath like twigs. For once in his life, he felt a sense of peace. He hadn't felt any concentrated malice from, well, anywhere, within the past month.

While he wished he could say he was bored without any destruction to cause, he was quite the opposite. It felt… nice… to not have to deal with those horrid creatures. Aside from his creator, all other humans were insignificant creatures that scorned his existence and acted like mindless animals. He let out a sigh of content as he started to slumber, when a powerful force jolted his senses.

'The Eight-Tails? What is he doing here?' he mentally snarled, opening his eyes to glare at his intruder. Strangely enough, he saw no sign of the bull-monster. Soon, though, a flash of red caught his eyes, causing his gaze to look toward the ground. 'What?'

Of all the things he expected, the fox did not expect to see a human standing in front of him, looking for all the world a man on a mission. The human was different from any other he'd seen, though, raising his suspicions.

First and foremost, his stature was a far cry from that of those shinobi. He stood tall and proud, opting not to go into any stance. His body had a much heavier build, showing off an impressive musculature that looked more fit for a bodybuilder. Perhaps he was one of those martial-artists that believed in head-on fighting? Trading stealth and tactics for brute force and power?

Shaking the thoughts away, he focused. The flash of red he saw was a mess of spikey crimson hair, almost looking wild in its form. The human's lips were pulled back into a snarl, revealing canine-like teeth. His clothing consisted of a black gi, which was tattered and worn. Instead of a belt, a bundle of rope was used to secure the long cloth to his waist. His skin was darker than most humans he remembered. Perhaps he lived farther south than in the nations.

However, out of all the features this human had, none of them garnered the demon's attention than the man's eyes did. Cornea, iris, and pupil were inconsistent, as the entire eye was stained the color of blood. There was no glint in the eyes, giving them a glassy and dead appearance. The ill-concealed malice contained within made them seem as though they were windows into Hell itself. Truly a scary sight for any human…

But was he human at all? Perhaps… this man was another powerful demon in disguise?

'Ludicrous,' he mentally grumbled. Why would any demon go under the guise of something so pathetic looking? But more to the point: who was this human? And what was he doing invading his resting spot?

"What business do you have here, human?" he spoke, his voice carrying a hint of boredom and annoyance. "Begone. I have nothing to do with the likes of you." He closed his eyes, attempting to gain some much wanted sleep. However, the man stayed put, and the oppressive force spiked. Furry eyelids snapped open and narrowed into a glare. "BEGONE!" he roared, shaking the trees nearby.

No movement whatsoever.

The fox was feeding off of the human's malice. It, coupled with his own anger, caused his demonic instincts to surface. His bloodlust started to rise, and he found himself grinning at the prospect of crushing the insect.

"What's this? Nothing to say? Oh, I see. You must have a death wish then…" he chuckled darkly, his grin stretching slightly as the man's malice was reflected back. The human crossed his arms, his snarl deepening.

"Fight me," he spoke for the first time, his voice carrying a weight equal to the fox's own. At this, the fox's chuckle deepened.

"Fight you? How pathetic. All I'd have to do is slam my paw onto your tiny body and you will be no more than a pile of red jelly." Really, just how stupid was this human?

"Funny. Seven of the other Tailed Beasts accepted my challenge and tried that. Each has fallen before my fists."

The fox stopped chuckling.

'What?' He leveled his gaze directly at the human's eyes. Though he wasn't a human, he had a distinct knack for detecting lies through an individual's tells. Such as an eye twitching or a slight gesture, or a near undetectable spike in their heart rate. When he detected none, he couldn't help but raise a furry eye-ridge.

"Impressive," the fox rumbled. "But even though you defeated the Eight-Tails, I am stronger than him; there is no way you can defeat me. However, you amuse me… I'll allow you to live if you leave now."

Snarling, the human crouched low.

"It's your choice, fox. I will not fight with those who do not wish to. But I will not leave. If you wish to not suffer, you will be the one to leave this area."

The fox snarled.

"Very well. But first, I wish to know the name of the most stubborn fool I've ever met." The fox's malicious grin grew as he had trouble holding in his anger and bloodlust.

"I am Akuma, Master of the Fists!"

"I see…" the fox chuckled. It seemed he was right. The man was one of those brash fighters. "Very well, Akuma. Prepare to DIE!"

The Nine-Tails swiped at Akuma with a large paw, expecting to either impale the human with one of his claws, or to bat him away like a fly with the force behind. Akuma, instead of dodging, raised his forearm into a blocking position.

Fur met skin.

The attack stopped cold.

Crimson irises widened in utter shock. To say the fox was surprised was a huge understatement. A blow like that would kill even the strongest human he knew! Snarling, he lashed out with his other paw, getting blocked once again. This process repeated several times, each ending in the same result.

'What is this man made of?!' the fox yelled in his head. A growl bubbled in his throat as he raised his paw up high, as if reaching for the sky. With a needless yet satisfying roar, he slammed it down in attempt to crush the redhead like a mere ant. Yet it seemed that like an ant, Akuma was very tough. The fox didn't hear the usual minute squelching sound that was usually associated with such a move.

The fox wasn't surprised to know he was alive, but he wasn't expecting what happened next. He could feel the human's tiny hands gripping at the pads of his paw, showing he wasn't even unconscious. The next thing he knew, he no longer felt the ground beneath him. Instead, he slowly felt his vision become consumed with the night sky as wind rushed around his furry form.

Trees and large boulders lodged themselves in his coat as he landed on his back and skidded along the ground, sliding several hundred yards. For him, it wasn't much of a distance, but for a human, it was quite something to see. As he rolled back onto his paws, his muzzle hung open in ill-concealed surprise. How… just how did a little human THROW him?! It was impossible! He was more than ten times the man's size!

In spite of the unexpected event, though, the fox refused to lose his cool. While this man was physically strong, he didn't have much else to show. There was no hint of chakra coming from his being. So that meant he couldn't move very fast. An easy target for one of his best attacks. And even if he did dodge, he could use the distraction to deliver a nasty blow.

'No need to go big, though…' he thought, letting logic come through for a split second. The fox opened his snout, expelling chakra in the form of invisible waves. The tainted chakra concentrated only yards in front of him, coalescing into a deep purple ball of power. With another roar, the fox reared his head down, throwing the five foot wide sphere straight at the human.

However, Akuma displayed an unusual way of thinking. He stared the sphere down as it approached him. Slowly, he cupped his hands to his side. A strange purple energy appeared between them. It looked like chakra, but it was somehow different. The fox couldn't sense it at all, but it looked… wild… unrefined… powerful…

The purple energy soon coalesced in the same way, but the sphere created was totally different. It buzzed and hummed loudly compared to his own attack's dull thrumming. The attack seemed to show off the extent of its power as it glowed brightly and crackled with energy.

"Gohadouken!" Akuma shouted, thrusting his hands out. The sphere shot out at a much faster velocity, making the air displace around it like a great whistling gale. The two attacks met head on, instantly exploding against each other. The two energies mixed together and burst in a blast of brilliant light and noise.

Once the explosion subsided, the two combatants stood their ground. Akuma was back in his stance, while the fox stood there with an expression of shock. He was truly taken aback at this. Whatever this energy was, it had to have more brute strength than chakra. For it to not be overpowered by his own attack…

"I'm disappointed with this chakra," Akuma stated. "Ki may not be as versatile, but it is just more powerful." The fox narrowed his eyes. This man was using his body's latent energy as an attack? Didn't that affect his life force? He tossed his thoughts aside as he saw Akuma rushing at him. Thinking fast, the fox swiped at him, but Akuma leapt over his paws and kept closing the distance. Just how could this man jump so high? Soon, though, the street fighter was right underneath the demon's snout.

"What are you—?" the fox began to ask before he was interrupted by the man's battle cry.

"Goshoryuken!"

Akuma shot straight up in mid jump with the force of a rocket. He raised his hands and curled in his knuckles, landing his fist to the underside of the beast's muzzle. The unfamiliar sensation of pain exploded in his maw as he was lifted off the ground once more and thrown back some. Once he landed, thankfully not on his back, he raised his head to see Akuma land on the ground and jump up again. The redheaded warrior started to spin rapidly with an outstretched leg, hoping to land a devastating spinning kick.

"Senpuukyaku!" he called out, drawing neared to the demon. The fox backed away from the warrior and avoided the attack. He then lashed out with his tail, hoping to strike the man as he stopped spinning. But the "Master of the Fists" displayed incredible aerial balance as he not only avoided the tail, but also grabbed onto it. The fox went to use another tail, but sucked in a gasp as Akuma used the kinetic force of his swing to springboard off of the appendage. Incredibly, he managed to sail right over his head!

"Zankuu Hadouken!" Akuma fired off two purple blasts of ki from his hands, causing pain to erupt on the crown of the fox's head. Yowling in pain, the fox knelt and grasped at the top of his head with his front paws. His snout dug into the earth as he growled lowly, trying to force the pain away. His eyes felt strange, like they were burning just enough to irritate. Was he… crying?

No, that wouldn't be. He wouldn't let himself get brought to tears over that!

"You… you insolent… putrid insect! How DARE you!?" he roared out his demand with a force that toppled the trees, whirling around to glare hellfire at Akuma as he landed.

"I thought you would be better than this, Kurama," Akuma scowled, standing straight up with his arms crossed. His back was facing the enraged fox's person. The fox felt his eyes widen in shock before narrowing down into almost slits as a primal growl bubbled up in his throat. When he spoke next, his voice was no longer the fiery tongue most knew the fox demon to have. It was deeper, richer, colder than anything he'd ever used before.

"Don't… call me… that… Akuma…" he snarled lowly, each word as clipped and frosty as an iceberg.

"I was thinking you would be more of a challenge than this. You claim yourself to be the strongest of anything. Yet all I've seen is wasted energy and irrational judgment. You may be the strongest of your brethren, but you are not the strongest on this planet if this is all you have to show."

"Stop… talking…" he growled, his voice rumbling, packed with enough energy to crack the earth beneath their feet.

Akuma then turned around, his own eyes wide and catching the moonlight, making them appear as if they were glowing.

"If this is truly the extent of your power, it's pathetic. You are nothing more than an arrogant kit." His face was completely neutral as he said this. No smirk, no scowl, just a flat line marring his chiseled features. He could see clearly that the man was not just trying to rile him up. The expression was undeniable proof. That… insult… had left his lips as if it was a fact. He said that and meant it.

The fox felt overwhelming, seething fury shoot through his veins like a mix of magma and ice. This… this man… dared to talk him down?! That was the straw that broke the camel's back. He had enough!

"I'LL SHOW YOU THE EXTENT OF MY POWER!" the roar shattered bedrock as the fox looked to the sky, charging up another sphere. But this time, he didn't stop. Not after that. Akuma had signed his death warrant now. He expelled his chakra in punishing ripples of energy that busted rocks, turning them to gravel. Fallen trees started to splinter as his dark purple chakra whipped up hurricane force winds.

His tails rose up and crashed down, buckling the ground and creating large crevices in its wake. The ball continued to grow, soon starting to dwarf the fox himself. From Akuma's position, the gigantic sphere was starting to block out the light of the moon. The ill wind nipped at his skin as the ripples blasted against his body, making him grunt slightly. It wasn't enough to send him flying, but he had to focus slightly to keep his ground firm.

Snarling, Akuma cupped his hands by his side and started to gather his ki once more. This time, though, he focused its compression first. It started to gain a stronger glow, buzzing and crackling more viciously than before. Soon, though, the glow overpowered the surrounding lightning, casting Akuma's form and the ground around him in a bright lavender light.

The fox snarled lowly, compressing down the huge purple sphere. The punishing waves began to recede, being pulled back into the deep purple sphere. Soon, faint red lightning began to form around the ball as it continued to shrink. Purple began to deepen and darken until the ball was blacker than the night sky. With a dark chuckle, the fox opened his mouth and ate the sphere. At that instant, his maw was lit up with a red light, trying desperately to escape. His bared teeth were bathed crimson, as if he had finished consuming a kill and had yet to clean himself.

The fox bowed his head, and for the briefest of seconds, the two combatants locked eyes. They could easily see the pure hatred flash through the other's gaze.

At that moment, they released.

"Messatu Gohadou!" Akuma shouted as the fox let out a demonic roar. The two opposing energies shot out as gigantic beams of pure power. Bright purple met deep red head on. The Nine-Tails and Akuma grunted as they found themselves in a deadlock. They poured out all of their focus and concentration, trying to overpower the other. Neither would let up, but the fox could feel his energy waning. He just knew Akuma was aware of it as well. It wasn't going to be long before his attack would weaken and allow Akuma the upper hand.

Apparently, Akuma decided not to wait it out. With a grin from Hell, the redhead poured an intense amount of power left over into the attack, overpowering the demon's beam. The Messatu Gohadouken engulfed the fox's form, blasting him back several body lengths. The fox rolled along the ground, letting out a shrieking roar. Pain flooded his system, igniting seemingly every single nerve in his body. Fire consumed his entire being, boiling his blood and sinking into his bones.

Blackness began to waver at the edges of his vision, tears threatening to fall from his eyes as he tried to stand. His muscles twitched and sent out silent screams to his brain, making him collapse once more. Through the veil of agony, he could barely hear Akuma walking over to him.

However, his voice rang out in the quiet night, making the demon wince.

"Disappointing," the Master of Fists grumbled, standing in front of his face. "You fared no better than the other seven…" A crimson aura enveloped Akuma's body. The fox's eyes widened slightly and he started to shudder. His blood began to feel cold, and his hair stood on end. His fight or flight instincts suddenly peaked, trying to get him to move. The pain shot through his spine, leaving him desperate to move. He couldn't even think properly. For the first time, the fox realized he was afraid. Afraid of this man. Afraid of his power.

What was going to happen now? What was this… monster going to do?

Setting his face in a neutral expression, Akuma placed his hands in front of him. He scooted his right leg forward, bending it at the knee. His left leg came up before he rested his left foot on his right knee. The fox felt his watering eyes widen in shock as Akuma floated over to him, inching forward at a steady pace. The man got within two feet of his person, and the world went black.

The fox began to wonder if he was unconscious, but then came another blast of bone-rattling pain. Flashes of light appeared in his vision, and with every light, the pain intensified. His dignity was torn to shreds as tears spilled from his tightly shut eyes. He couldn't find the strength to scream. Soon, the kanji for 'ten' was drawn in front of his eyes, and the pain stopped. Through his blurry haze, the Nine-Tails could see the kanji glowing on Akuma's back.

-Flashback End—

"That kanji was the last thing I saw before I fell unconscious. It has never left my mind… Even today, I still see it sometimes in my dreams, as if he's right in front of me…"

Naruto let out a gasp as the story ended. How did ANYONE have so much power?!

"You never ran into him again?" Naruto asked, his voice muted out of shock.

"No," the fox replied. "And I'm thankful for that. The only comfort I have is that the battle took place too long ago for him to be alive today." Naruto nodded. If Akuma was alive today, would anyone be able to stop him?

One week later, Naruto was walking through the streets. He had finally gotten out of the hospital, and was walking back home with a new stockpile of ramen. The blonde was slightly nervous walking this late at night, although there was really no reason for it. He had been so spooked by the story the Fox told him, that even though there was no way Akuma was still alive, he couldn't supress the feelings he got when he thought of the legendary warrior.

Naruto turned the corner leading to his house... And promptly froze. Standing in front of the apartment complex was the Master of Fists, his arms crossed and his red eyes staring straight into Naruto's blue ones.

"No... Th-that can't be!" the shinobi squeaked, paling as he felt like the chill of the night soaked into his body. However, there was no denying it. The man standing in front of him looked exactly as the Fox described him. And there was no way anyone could make a genjutsu that accurately. Shaking, he lowered himself into his stance. 'Well, if I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die fighting!'

However, Akuma seemed to have different plans, as he turned and walked away. Naruto blinked before throwing all common sense to the wind and yelling.

"Oy! Where are you going?!"

Akuma turned to Naruto and sneered.

"You are not yet ready..." he then resumed his walk. "Where...? Where can I find the one that can stand up to me?"

Well, there's the end! Review and tell me what you think of this little one-shot!