Paid In Blood

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.

It seemed for years he had floated in a white oblivion, nothing around him but emptiness for as far as the eye could see. Up was down, down was up, black was white, white was black. Here, in this place, time had no meaning and yet, meant everything. For this man, time had stopped long ago…and yet defiantly marched forward around him.

He didn’t even bother to open his eyes anymore to look at the desolation around him. It was too depressing knowing that he was alone here, except for his fellow prisoner, but neither talked to the other. They had nothing to say that hadn’t already been said through numerous cursings, mutterings, and all out wars between each other.

The blonde man simply floated through his punishment without any care. At first, he had lamented his fate, for Heaven had denied him entry for the burden he carried and Hell had cast him out because his soul was too pure. And so, he was left to Limbo, which was worse than Heaven or Hell.

It was just like living again. No one cared where he was or what happened to him. He was all alone, except for one who cursed his existence and the fate that was brought upon them. Truly, he had been cursed since birth. Perhaps…his eyes had been closed too long. Perhaps…something had happened while his eyes were closed to make things interesting.

Slowly, the blonde man opened his eyes and found exactly what he had thought he would find.

Nothing…

His eyes closed slowly again and he sighed, the sound echoing out to the far reaches of the whiteness.

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The beast looked back at its former container and growled. It didn’t care if the blonde heard it or not, it hated to be ignored though. No amount of prodding or provoking had made the blonde move in centuries it seemed. It ceased growling and sighed.

The creature slumped its shoulders and looked back at the whiteness beneath it. Even being in that dank sewer the blonde had called a mind had been more appealing than Limbo. Becoming nothingness was more appealing than Limbo.

It blinked slowly and gazed out over the whiteness, then back to the form of its former container floating along listlessly. It would do just about anything for some form of interaction. A fight, a tiff, a barb…hell, a one finger salute.

Anything was better than suffocating silence. How it loathed the silence…

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There had been none worthy since his last disciple to wield the power he could offer. All he wanted was someone who could kill in his name and bring back the glory that he had once had on the earth. He was a long forgotten god that demanded sacrifice.

In the olden days, his followers had been many, their minds simple and malleable. As long as they killed in his name, he blessed their crops and made sure his people were blessed. But soon, he grew bored with helping the people. So he chose one above all to be his disciple above all others and slaughter his fellow villagers.

Not one was left alive. And thus began the bloody religion.

He had learned over time that without certain gifts his disciple would perish from the ravages of time. It was disconcerting because then he had to search out another who was worthy. The first disciple had died of old age. The second disciple would not perish of natural causes.

His second disciple was a man filled with hatred for his fellow human beings. He lived to kill and killing in the name of a god was just as good as killing for the sake of killing. So he had gone out in the name of his god and slaughtered mercilessly.

A priest of Kami, a worshipper of good and righteousness, had destroyed him and obliterated his body, scattering it to the four corners of the world. The god had been livid that his disciple had been taken from him and had searched again for a worthy follower.

He had found that in a woman, scorned by her village as a harlot because she simply loved men and cared not who she loved. She had gladly taken up his name and had killed all who had beaten her, sneered at her, or shunned her love. She had done well as his disciple, but a freak mistake had taken her from him in her hundred and twentieth year.

The god found he needed a way to instill his disciple with his longevity and immortality, but that was impossible. Only the gods could possess immortality. Even he did not wish to give a mortal the power of a god, for it could only lead to very bad things. So, he had had the idea of not instilling them with immortality, but invulnerability against any mortal death.

Only a god or holy being could kill them. A priest could kill his disciple, but what priest trained for battle?

That was when he had met the monks of the temples as they had decimated his fourth disciple. Even his invulnerability had not saved him from the purification of the monks. And so, the god had given up his quest for a while and waited for the one who could take his power and do his will unquestioningly.

It had been eons before he had come across a man of no morals or ethics, who seemed to be waiting for him to whisper promises of power in his ear. The god had given this man a power he had never given another, the power to inflict on his enemies the pain he inflicted on himself. For years, he had reveled in blood that the man offered him and he could feel his name being spread slowly across the land as his disciple cut a swathe of terror.

Then he had met those children, and all his aspirations had come crashing down as the lazy one had effectively neutralized his disciple and left him helpless. The god had watched, hoping that some hapless soul would wander upon his disciple and free him.

After twenty years, the god became disheartened and abandoned his disciple. He simply didn’t care anymore. It seemed that he would slip into history unnoticed and unworshipped, a forgotten idol. Still he searched for that one soul who would serve him and not fail him…and now, after eons of searching and hoping, he had found that soul.

But how to make a disiciple on earth that was already dead?

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Naruto closed his eyes again and sighed deeply. That was probably the most active he’d been in years. He had heard the Kyuubi growl, trying to get a reaction out of him, but he didn’t respond. He didn’t care anymore. The two of them had been abandoned by the gods to this desolate outpost for the unwanted.

The Gods called it Limbo, the land of timelessness. He called it torture, hell, any euphemism that could describe its unholy ways of pain.

It hurt to be unwanted, even by the gods…

You’re not unwanted. I have need of you…

Naruto’s eyes snapped open and he looked around. The Kyuubi had its back to him, not paying any attention. Great. Isolation was making him crazy now. Hundreds of years with no talking or physical contact and his mind was beginning to play tricks now. His eyes closed again and he let out a huff of breath.

Do not ignore me child. I don’t like to be ignored.

Naruto looked around again for whoever it was, but found nothing, only the Kyuubi sulking across the whiteness. He kept his voice as low as possible so that the fox wouldn’t hear him.

“Who are you?”

A god. A god that did not forget you. It just took eons to find you child.

“You can’t really call me child. I’ve been here for millennia it seems.”

You’ve been here longer. You have no idea how time has passed. I know of you child and what you carried. I know of your troubled life. I know of how your death was unsatisfactory to you, dying without fulfilling your promises or obligations. I can help you fix that.

Naruto looked around again for anyone and wrung his hands together nervously. It felt like he was about to make a deal with the devil.

“How do you know these things? What can you possibly do to help?”

I know all. And I can help you by giving you the power to change this so called future of yours. You exist outside of time now child. I can help you locate the pivotal point so you can change your future.

Naruto scrunched his eyes and knit his eyebrows. Anything was better than staying in Limbo. The gods had forsaken him after all. Yes, he should accept this. It would be worth it, even if he had to kill to get out…He took a deep breath and cleared his thoughts.

“What do you gain out of this?”

I gain infamy, my name spread across the land again. I gain fear and a disciple. I gain blood shed in my name. I gain much and so do you.

“What must I do?”

Swear loyalty to me and only me. Kill your enemies in my name. That is all I ask. Unwavering loyalty.

“What do I gain from this?”

Invulnerability. The ability to weather any kind of attack from mortal man. The only ones who can truly slay you are holy warriors and the like. Other than your loyalty, I ask for nothing. The rest of your new life will be up to you.

Naruto shook his head from side to side and closed his eyes again.

“No deal. I don’t want invulnerability. I pretty much had that in my previous life.”

The voice came back angrily this time.

What do you wish then? Tell me and I shall grant it!

Naruto grinned and opened his eyes again.

“True immortality. The immortality of a god.”

The voice was silent for several moments.

So granted. Is there anything else, my servant?

“I want a contract signed in blood stating that my immortality prevents even you from killing me. I’ve been betrayed too many times by those I considered friend or master to ever trust anyone fully. You give me a blood bound contract and swear on your immortal life that you won’t turn me out.”

So done.

A contract appeared soundlessly in his hand, smeared with blood and lettering of gold ink. Naruto read over it carefully before cutting his hand with his sharp canine teeth and putting his name on the parchment.

Good. Your immortality is assured through my own. As long as the god Jashin never dies, so will you never die. Now then, the details of your worship to me…

Naruto nodded and flexed his hands. He didn’t feel any different…

“What are the details?”

When I send you back to the chosen point in time, you must kill your younger self.

Naruto immediately went into panic mode.

“But then I’ll cease to exist!”

You already exist outside of time. The Kami has forgotten you. Everyone you ever loved has forgotten you. You must understand child, you have been in Limbo for millennia, eons! Stars have been born and died since you came to this wretched place, a purgatory where only truly damned souls go.

Naruto’s shoulders slumped.

“Then, why do I have to kill myself?”

As my servant, there can be no Namikaze. There can be no Uzumaki. There can be only Naruto. You are to give up all ties to your former life, including your surname. You are only Naruto now. You serve only me. You answer only to me.

Naruto nodded and let out a shaky breath.

“Is there anything else?”

Yes. You shall have a weapon, most unusual, to deliver unto me the sacrifice of blood. As my last disciple had a scythe to sacrifice to me the blood, so shall you have a bladed weapon. You always enjoyed close combat on a personal level so you shall have a gauntlet.

Naruto stared down at his wrist as a gauntlet appeared on his arm, a blade almost a foot long jutting from the plate on the forearm and hanging out over his hand. It was a wicked piece of work, jagged edges and everything. It looked so unassuming and so deadly at the same time. The metal plating was strapped to his forearm with leather binding and the blade and plating seemed to be poured from the same mold.

It suits you and your straightforward style. There is a certain ritual, taught only to my chosen disciple, that you must learn. But, you already lived when my disciple was chosen. Hidan lives in your time. So, for the first time, I shall have two disciples. Seek him out and have him teach you the ways of my religion. Have him teach you the ways of the blessed blood.

Naruto nodded his head and jumped to his feet, trying the gauntlet on for size. It felt so light and natural. He twirled around with it, wishing he had something substantial in the whiteness to cut. His eyes turned to the Kyuubi, still turned away from him, but he decided against it. It would be too much trouble to have to fight the thing again. He stopped leaping around and closed his eyes again.

“When do I go?”

Now. I would suggest getting some clothing when you arrive. Clothing does not exist in the afterlife after all. Now ready yourself child and when you arrive, search your younger self out and make your first kill in my name.

“What is the name of my new master?”

My name is Jashin-sama to you. Remember it child, remember it well. Now close your eyes.

Naruto did as he was commanded and opened his eyes again when he felt cool grass under his feet. He looked up to find a full moon and the familiar sight of Konoha stretched out before him. Tears streamed from his eyes as he looked up to a sky he hadn’t seen in an eternity.

“I’m home. Jashin-sama did it.”

His thoughts quickly came back to the task at hand.

“Now to find myself…and end my own life.”

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Kyuubi had known what was happening as soon as Jashin’s presence made itself known in the realm of Limbo. It hadn’t said anything at all, preferring to keep a low profile. When it felt Naruto’s presence vanish along with Jashin’s, Kyuubi ran frantically around Limbo, searching for any sign of the blonde.

Fear, for the first time in a long time, set in for the once most powerful being in the mortal plane. The fox visage faded and warped, revealing a stunning beauty with pale, creamy skin, her long red hair cascading around her. Her eyes opened to reveal blinding golden orbs and tears raced down her face.

“I haven’t been alone in so long. Don’t leave me here all alone. I don’t want to be alone.”

She curled into a ball and pulled her knees to her ample chest. She and Naruto might not have gotten along but with the other there, they’d never been alone. She didn’t want to face Limbo alone…

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Naruto walked toward his old apartment slowly, deliberately. His mind was set on one thing only, killing his younger self. He paused at a clothing store window as he passed and gazed at the reflection in the glass.

He looked as he did when he died long ago. He was the spitting image of his father, except for the whiskers. His eyes were dulled with age though and he no longer felt innocent or pure. The world was so ugly and gray.

His hair was still the same sun kissed gold it always was, his body toned with the wear and tear of age. He lifted the gauntlet and turned it this way and that so that he could see every detail in the glass. Thinking back to Jashin-sama’s words, he looked into the shop and grinned.

‘Guess I should get that clothing.’

He walked up to the door and jiggled the handle. When it wouldn’t budge, he pulled his arm back and jammed the gauntlet’s blade into the knob, slicing right through it. The door swung back and he stepped inside, closing the door shut behind him.

The shop was mostly civilian clothing but it had a few selections for ninja. Naruto unhooked his gauntlet and sat it beside the bench he had laid his selections on. He looked around quickly and pulled on the black pants, tying them off with a red sash. He sighed as he felt clothing for the first time in years. It felt good to feel again.

His next acquisition was a black sleeveless shirt that slid on easily. He took a look in a mirror and nodded to himself. It wasn’t what he wore in the past, but a dark purpose deserved dark clothing. He calmly taped up his ankles and pants with some tape he’d found under the counter and slipped on some black shinobi sandals. He slid his gauntlet back on and strapped it back into place, flexing his hand and wrist to make sure it was well enough in place. As he walked back to the entrance, he saw a cloak that would cover him and whipped it off the rack, throwing it over his shoulders and walked out toward his old apartment.

Naruto saw the ANBU watching the apartment as he walked up to the entrance and began to climb the stairs. He guessed if they got curious he could test his immortality to the limit. Not like he had anything to live for if he actually did. He guessed he’d just cease to exist this time. He stood in front of his old doorway and took a deep breath before kicking the door in, splintering the door.

He stalked inside and was met in the living room with a wide-eyed and scared younger version of himself. The young Naruto grit his teeth.

“Oi! Who the hell are you?”

Naruto looked down at his younger self and blinked slowly. He’d almost forgotten how impetuous he had been as a child. He drew the gauntlet back and the hood fell away. The young Naruto gaped and dropped the kunai he’d been holding.

“Yon…Yondaime?”

Naruto’s eyes softened for an instant before hardening. He’d idolized his father as a child and that had hurt to see his younger self look at him with such hope.

“Sorry kid. No Yondaime here. But I hope you meet him in the next life. Sayonara and I’m sorry.”

The little blonde’s eyes went lifeless as Naruto speared his heart through with the gauntlet, ejecting it out the back of his body. He laid his younger self on the ground and watched as the essence of the Kyuubi tried to leak out but was held back by his younger self’s life force as it dissipated into nothingness, cursing him the whole way. Naruto watched as the blood on his gauntlet seemed to be swallowed by the blade and a cool wind kicked up around him, seeming to carress him. Jashin-sama was pleased.

Naruto walked out the door and down the stairwell, to be met on the ground floor by Sarutobi and what seemed to be the entire ninja population. His cloak had been pulled closed again and his hood shadowed his features. It pained him to see Sarutobi again, but he held firm.

“What have you done, you monster? That was an innocent child you slew, a hero of this village! Who are you?”

Sighing, Naruto let the hood fall back and listened to the chorus of gasps when they saw his face. Sarutobi’s breath caught in his throat as he took a tiny step forward.

“M…Minato?”

Naruto shook his head.

“No, I am not Namikaze Minato. My name is Naruto. Just…Naruto.”

Sarutobi’s eyes widened as he took in more and more of the man’s features. The whisker marks, the blue eyes, the blonde hair.

“Naruto? What happened to you? What is going on?”

Naruto gave him a small smile and held the gauntlet out before him.

“I can’t tell you that old man. Just know that the names of Namikaze and Uzumaki died this night. The Kyuubi is no more in this mortal plane. I serve a new master and my mission is to spread his word.”

Sarutobi let a small tear find its way to his eye.

“What is your mission? And who is your master?”

“My master is Jashin-sama and my mission is revenge against my enemies. Don’t make enemies of me Old Man. Just let me leave and everything will be fine.”

Sarutobi shook his head sadly.

“You’ve killed Uzumaki Naruto, whoever you are truly. I can’t let you walk out of this village. You’re under arrest. Please do not resist.”

Naruto sighed heavily and rolled the sleeves of his cloak back.

“Then I am sorry but anyone who gets in my way has to die.”

He began to walk forward and a chuunin leapt for him, receiving a gash to his throat. Naruto didn’t even wince when a sword found its way to his heart and turned to find Gekkou Hayate behind him.

“I’m sorry, but you have to die.”

Naruto gave the man a small, sad smile and batted him away, the sword still stuck in his chest.

“I can’t die. I’m immortal. Now let me pass.”

He pulled the sword from his chest and cast it aside, leaving the assembled ninjas gaping. He continued to walk forward toward the gates, fighting and killing ninjas as he went. He didn’t recognize any of them and was thankful for that.

His heart sank when he got to the gate and found all the old senseis standing before him, with Sarutobi in front of them. Naruto pulled up short and looked at the ground.

“Please Old Man, don’t make me fight you. You aren’t my enemy.”

Sarutobi shook his head again and frowned.

“You killed the Yondaime’s legacy to this village and someone I held dear to me. I cannot allow you to go any further.”

“You’ve seen me survive a sword to the heart and think any of you have what it takes to stop me? When I killed him, I only killed myself…”

Sarutobi’s eyes narrowed.

“What does that mean?”

Naruto clamped his mouth shut immediately. He’d said too much already.

“I’m going out that gate. Either open it or I break it. Your choice.”

Sarutobi raised his arm and Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai readied themselves.

“Kill him.”

The four rushed forward and Naruto stood stock still, waiting for them. He didn’t have the heart to kill them so he did the next best thing. He would knock them unconscious and break their bones. He’d break Kakashi’s favorite wrist as well, just for good measure. His old sensei deserved to be deprived of his whacking material for a while.

Gai reached him first and punched him in the gut hard before kicking him in the face. Naruto took the blow and wrapped his arm around Gai’s leg, lifting him in the air and smashing him head first into the ground. Gai tried to stand back up, but he was disoriented.

Kurenai tried to snare him in her Magen: Jubaku Satsu so Asuma could stab him with a wind enhanced trench knife but the blonde didn’t even struggle as she held a kunai to his throat while Asuma plunged his blades into the man’s stomach. Kakashi came rushing in with a Raikiri and plunged his hand through Naruto’s chest, almost hitting Kurenai. The blonde's eyes went lifeless and rolled to the back of his head.

The raven haired woman dropped her genjutsu and stepped back while Asuma removed his blades and Kakashi braced a hand against the blonde’s shoulder to remove his arm. Just as his hand passed the man’s sternum, Naruto’s eyes snapped back open and he gripped Kakashi’s right wrist. He cut his eyes to Asuma and Kurenai and grimaced.

“Away.”

With a large pulse of chakra he blew away everyone in the vicinity except himself, Kakashi, and Sarutobi. He glared at Kakashi and snapped his wrist with a quick jerk.

“That’s for being a pervert when you should have been a teacher.”

The silver haired man had no idea what the man meant, but he was in too much pain to care. He wasn’t of any use at the moment so he stepped back and watched.

All that stood before Naruto and the outside world now was Sarutobi. The old Hokage set his face in a grimace and whipped his robes off, revealing his armor underneath.

“I told you ‘Naruto’, you can’t leave. You’ve killed one of my own.”

Naruto gave him a small smile and brandishd his gauntlet again, the blood on it miraculously gone.

“I don’t have time for this. I have people to kill Old Man.”

His eyes softened again and he whispered.

“Please Jiji, move aside. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Sarutobi stood shocked as Naruto walked past him. Only one person ever spoke to him in that tone of voice, but that person was recently deceased. He turned to watch as the blonde man strode up to the gate and held out his left hand. Swirling chakra soon formed into a ball and he thrust the sphere forward, blowing a chunk out of the gate. Naruto turned as he stepped through the hole and gave the old man a sad smile.

“Good bye Jiji. I’ll see you again someday.”

Like that, he was gone and Sarutobi had let someone that had killed his subordinates pass him again for the second time in his life. He turned to the now standing Asuma and Kurenai, who were helping Gai and Kakashi back to their feet and let out a shuddering sigh.

“Something tells me we haven’t seen the last of that young man.”

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Naruto ran quickly through the forest, not sure of where he should go. He had to find Hidan to accomplish his goal but he didn’t know where to start. Then, he remembered Akatsuki.

‘As good a place to start as any.’

He raced off toward Amegakure with abandon.

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Kyuubi sat alone in the empty whiteness, lamenting the fact that she was without even Naruto with her. In truth, the two had found a begrudging respect for one another and though they fought, it was mostly out of boredom. Nothing else to do in Limbo after all.

A presence soon filled the realm and she felt a soft hand on her shoulder. She looked up through tear-filled eyes to find a woman looking calmly at her.

“Where is he?”

Kyuubi wiped her eyes and stood, her hair falling over her breasts.

“Who are you?”

The woman looked genuinely hurt by the question.

“Why, Akane, I’m hurt. It’s only been a few thousand years.”

The woman, newly named Akane, looked upon her visitor with wide eyes.

“Kami-sama?”

Before Kami could smile, she found hands around her throat and she was lifted off the ground.

“Why? Why were we sent here? Why were we abandoned?”

Kami gently put her hands over Akane’s own and pushed downward.

“First answer my question. Where is he?”

“Jashin took him.”

Kami bit her lip and looked down before bringing her gaze back up to Akane’s.

“That…is bad. As for your question, you weren’t abandoned, you were lost. I couldn’t find you when Naruto died. It was almost as if you’d both just ceased to exist.”

Akane grit her teeth.

“We went to Limbo. Both of us. And Jashin took Naruto. What is my fate?”

“Tell me, would you like to get out of here?”

Akane nodded quickly.

“Would you like to redeem yourself and perhaps see him again?”

“Anything to get out of this horrible place.”

Kami smiled and put her hand on Akane’s shoulder again.

“Then all you have to do is find Naruto and convince him to turn against Jashin.”

Akane cut her eyes to the woman.

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

The Kyuubi slowly nodded her head and smiled.

“Let’s do this then. At least I get to torture the brat again.”

Kami smiled as she took them both out of Limbo.

‘Naruto and Akane, the Whirlpool and the Kyuubi. Your paths will forever cross and intertwine. And if Naruto accepted Jashin’s offer, then the two of you will never be able to be apart.’

The two women disappeared and Limbo was empty again. But the mortal plane would never be the same.

The future has caught up with the past…and the past will pay the price for the transgressions of its present.

I've decided to continue this, but it will only be an every now and then thing. When I get inspiration for it, I will write a new chapter. Remember please, that I am mostly a comedy writer. Doing something this dark is totally out of my element and I'm just going by ear. Be gentle, since this is my first time outside the comedy realm, I'm asking you to be gentle.

Let me know what you think.