A/N: Hey guys, long time no see! Life caught up to me, and my intentions of writing and finishing my stories waned. However, I have managed to find some time to write, so here we go!

Demon, But A Saint

Chapter 6 – The Ittou Tengai

The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and in Wave, the resident's of a house sat around a kitchen table, silently thinking about the unconscious boy upstairs.

Tsunami had, upon the arrival of Team 7 and Team 9, quickly helped Naruto upstairs and laid him down and treated him as best as she could.

But she was no medinin, the best they could hope for at the moment was for Naruto to come out of it himself.

Chakra exhaustion was no small matter.

Team 9 were, however concerned they may be, composed, silent, each member staring silently at the table.

Team 7 was brooding, and Team 9 knew enough to leave them be, Naruto wasn't theirs'.

Sasuke had taken to clenching and unclenching his fists, worrying and blaming himself for Naruto's state.

'After all, I had to go and nearly get killed didn't I? And Naruto had to go and be an idiot and save me. Noble bastard...' Unbidden, Itachi's words from the Massacre came floating through his head.

'Weak...' Sasuke clenched his hands even harder, his head bowed, vowing to become stronger, in order to prevent this from happening again.

Hinata was crying silent tears, brushing them away occasionally, her lavender eyes unusually subdued. Her thoughts swirling her head like a mantra around her head. She had always been taken the brunt of abuse from her father and sister, and having caused Naruto's near death did nothing other than to exacerbate that feeling.

'Weak...' Her father sneered, as she lost to Hanabi again.

Hinata gave a small, barely noticeable shake of her head to clear herself of those thoughts. She was not weak, Naruto gave her strength everyday, to move on, to fight on.

But her father, his eyes, they all but eliminated her new found skill, unable to put them to any use in an exhibition with her sister.

Unbeknownst to them all, Naruto was no where near death upstairs.

'Kyuubi!' Naruto screamed mentally, as he stood in front of the cage that imprisoned his longtime friend.

A lone, single eye glowed as Kyuubi opened an eye.

"What did you need kit?"

"I think you know damn well what I want!" Naruto half-shouted, "What the hell happened? Why am I still unconscious?"

Kyuubi sat up on his haunches. "Because Naruto, you practically brought back not one, but two people from the dead. Your body's not equipped to handle that, and nor is the Amatsugan meant to bring back two people at one time. One? No problem, minimal consequences. Two? That's where the problem starts."

Naruto stared at the Kyuubi impassively, wondering which of the swirling questions in his head to ask first.

Kyuubi seemed to predict this, and answered the most prominent one.

"Your second tomoe is both a blessing and a curse, Naruto. You saw yourself, the Ittou Tengai. It gives you the weapon, the only weapon said to be able to tear the Heavens asunder. A weapon forged by Kami himself, but yet greater and weaker than Kami."

Naruto was taken aback.

"How-?"

Kyuubi snorted impatiently and held up a paw.

"Let me explain. The Ittou Tengai is the only weapon that is capable of tearing, destroying through anything. The very name makes the fiercest of demons shudder, the most holy of angels flee, and Kami himself shamed. Why? Because of how it was made. You are aware of course, of the Western belief of "God" and "Satan"?

Naruto nodded, Kyuubi continued.

"Here, there is of course, no "Satan," only the Shinigami, death himself. He does no evil, all the evil is caused by you humans, and your tendency for immorality. The Ittou Tengai is the deadliest weapon of all time, spoken of only in whispers, in hushed tones, written of only in legends. For you see, it was made by combining the powers of Kami and the Shinigami, although he was not known as such at the time."

Kyuubi cleared his throat and continued, "Kami and the Shinigami needed a weapon, capable of destroying any being who wished to harm Kami's kingdom, but mistrust lead to the Shinigami's downfall. The Ittou Tengai was originally two separate swords, although how they came to merge is not my story to tell, nor mine to know. The Ittou Tengai is comprised of the darkest of emotions, the most dark of thoughts, and the purest, most gentle of intentions, the most heavenly graces of Kami. Here you can see where things started to become... troublesome."

Naruto nodded.

"The dark nature of the separated Ittou Tengai lead the Shinigami to become "corrupted," if you will, twisting his thoughts and emotions, turning his heart, beat by beat. It granted upon him almost infinite power, power to kill with one hit, to drain someone's life force, to bear judgment upon those who deserved it. However, this power was too much for the Shinigami to bear, it's dark mutterings and whispers, growing stronger with each dark soul taken, eventually drove his mind to near insanity, and so, he went against Kami."

"But what about the light version of the Ittou Tengai?" Naruto asked, somewhat with dawning apprehension.

"The light version of the Ittou Tengai allows you to save someone Naruto, and ability you used to save your two friends. It is the healing power of the Ittou Tengai that crippled you, Naruto and it is the reason why Kami was so harsh in dealing with the Shinigami, for when he struck him down, he did so with dark intentions, not because the Shinigami was wrong, but because he challenged Kami. A sword so pure, so heavenly, being used for an the intention of damning a soul, is a sin against nature itself, Naruto. The sword did indeed strike down the Shinigami, and it ripped away his wings, his powers, and almost took his life."

Naruto gulped, he was beginning to feel less fond of his new found sword.

"So why does the Shinigami still exist?"

"Because Naruto, Kami, upon realizing what he had done, immediately backtracked and tried to save the Shinigami, but it was too late, his flesh was gone, he lost his sight, hearing, and the ability to think rationally, all he knew was pain. So Kami did the only thing that was left at the time; he seized the dark Ittou Tengai, and drove it into the Shinigami, with the intention of saving him. The conflicting intention used on both swords then created a link, allowing them to bond with each other, and form the sword you wield today, both greater, and darker than their separated selves."

Naruto, nodded, pensieve. "So what's so bad about the sword now? It's completely pure, right?"

Kyuubi gazed upon him, and Naruto stared back, unflinchingly.

"Naruto, the powers of the Ittou Tengai are now both purified and corrupted, the merging is something that was never meant to happen, but it did. When you use the Ittou Tengai, it recognizes your intentions, it is more than a mere sword, is is essentially, an external device of becoming the Shinigami and Kami themselves. But this power comes at a great price."

Naruto paid rapt attention, apprehensive.

"Everytime you take a soul with the sword Naruto, the dark nature of the sword will begin to try to convert you, driving you along the path of madness. Every judgment you lay down, will either corrupt the sword, or purify it. Your intentions are what makes the Ittou Tengai, Naruto. Every time you heal someone, instead of the injuries going away, they are instead, transferred to you, due to the dark nature, every time you inflict an action of anger, or hate, the light side of the sword will see you as a threat, and attempt to "save" you Naruto. Do you see? The sword is fighting an internal civil war, with the only way for either side to win is the wielder to purify the sword completely, and use all it's powers without harm unto self. The light side to win needs you to completely recognize, and accept it, and the dark nature will do all it can to resist this."

Naruto gulped, and whispered, "How does the dark side win."

Kyuubi paused, not wanting to answer.

"Kyuubi... tell me, please," Naruto all but pleaded.

"Kit... the dark nature wins, when it successfully corrupts your mind, in essence, when it drives you down the path of insanity, and the light side of the sword, and the dark side, both destroy you, mentally, and on a metaphysical level."

"But..." Naruto gulped, dawning horror on his face. "Is that all?"

"No Naruto, there is much more to it than that, things that I can't even tell you, due to the mysterious nature of the Ittou Tengai."

"Is there anyway to avoid the outcomes?"

"Only by never using it, and if you do, using it at the barest minimum."

Naruto began to regain hints of a smile. "So I could master the Amatsugan without ever having to use the Ittou Tengai?"

"No Naruto... full mastery of the Amatsugan means... mastering the Ittou Tengai."

Kyuubi hated it. Having to be the one to tell his kit this. He knew it would come to this, the dread, the fear that had clenched his heart when Naruto finally achieved the second stage of the Amatsugan.

Naruto walked a very fine path between insanity and hate, and rational thoughts and life.

Should he begin to lose his battle... the Shinigami and Kami might once again, have to step in, and plague the world from disaster, should Naruto ever begin to lose control.

Because if Naruto ever lost himself, everything was doomed.

Naruto looked at the floor, his heart replacing his stomach, and his stomach dropping so low it felt as if he could touch the floor.

Without looking up, he desperately wished the Kyuubi hadn't answered, and he quickly asked another question, to distract himself.

"So, can I fly with the Amatsugan?"

Kyuubi recognized the question for what it was, but attempted to humor the kit.

"Eventually, but that comes with the last and final stage of the Amatsugan I believe."

"What about the three Trinities? What is that?"

Kyuubi gave a slight smirk. "It is something from the Western culture, the first tomoe represents the son, the second the Holy Spirit, and the third representing the Father."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, that upon mastering the Amatsugan, you become a being so close to Kami, you could literally walk the Heavens, Naruto, and live to tell of it."

"Oh..."

There was a period of silence, as Naruto contemplated the information told to him.

"What do my eyes look like?"

Kyuubi grinned a toothy smile, "Take a look for yourself."

Naruto channeled chakra to his eyes, and opened them, staring downwards and grinned at his reflection.

There was no notable difference in the eyes, except for a second wavy circle appeared inside the first one, this time black.

'Maybe to represent the possibilities of the sword...' Naruto pondered, somewhat morbidly, before asking another question.

"So why aren't I transformed?"

Kyuubi laid back down, getting ready for another nap.

"It comes at times of stress Naruto, the Amatsugan is a doujutsu, the most powerful ever conceived, but still only a doujutsu, and as such, it does nothing more than change your eyes and give you abilities regarding that."

Naruto nodded his acceptance.

And so, he turned around, and walked out of the sewers, and out of his mind.

^.DBS.^

Naruto opened his eyes, and with it, came the feeling that not all of his body was quite yet done healing.

He groaned and stretched, feeling his sore muscles ache, and his bones popping and snapping back into place. He hurriedly got dressed, and went downstairs to assure his party that he was most certainly noton the verge of death.

Everyone froze as they heard the sounds of someone's footsteps down the stairwell. Their suspicions were only confirmed when Naruto, dressed in his usually attire, flashed everyone a brilliant smile, and said: "Hey, what's for dinner?"

Hinata immediately squealed and rushed, giving him a hug, much to the displeasure of one Neji Hyuuga, who immediately narrowed his eyes.

Sasuke breathed out a sigh of relief and grinned at Naruto, flashing him a wink as Naruto struggled to breathe under Hinata's attempts to shatter his ribs.

Team 9 gave him smiles, minus Neji, and Kakashi merely leaned back, and took out Icha Icha for the first time since Naruto had been bedridden.

All the while, Tsunami and Tazuna smiled small smiles, appreciating the scene in front of them.

"Um, Hinata, I appreciate this and all, but could you get off of me for a second?" Naruto asked, teasingly.

Hinata let go of him, blushing, while Kakashi stood up.

Naruto smiled a small smile, feeling that everything was right with the world.

"Naruto," Kakashi said, "Zabuza's still alive, a Hunter-nin came to take him, but he was actually working with him..."

As Kakashi explained the situation, Naruto's head drooped lower and lower.

A fear gripped his heart as he remembered his conversation with Kyuubi.

Last time he faced Zabuza, he had needed his transformation, Kyuubi's powers, and the Ittou Tengai to beat him to a draw.

And with the knowledge that the Ittou Tengai would attempt to corrupt him in any way, should he successfully live long enough to cast judgement on Zabuza suddenly made him feel as if his sanity's future was looking very bleak.

Nothing was alright in the world any more.

First attempt at writing in about a year. Let me know what you think, yeah? I'm pleased with how the chapter came out, although I feel the talk with Kyuubi was a bit too lengthy, I tried to focus more on the sword, as I'm sure there were going to be some questions about it.
As I've already explained, Naruto in this is powerful, the Amatsugan makes him extremely more so, but I'm giving him limitations and repercussions so he won't be overpowered and just taking everyone down.

Updates will continue to be slow, as school and such things take their toll.

However, I also feel the chapter is subpar, compared to the previous chapters, except maybe the fight scene.