Chapter 19

Senju's Heir

~~Years Ago, Daimyō's Villa~~

"It's freakin' simple!"

"The hell it is! And stop abbreviating crap! You know how Tsunade hates that."

Naruto very much disliked this back-and-forth arguing with his grandfather. Usually because he was always -not really- right. This time, it was about the logical approach to fighting off a superior ninja's thirst for blood.

"Fine!" Naruto clapped his hands together, forcing the circulation of chakra inside his arms. "DOOO IT~! I challenge you!"

"YOU FOOL!" Jiraiya smacked Naruto over the head, the latter squirming under the large bump forming over it. "Thirst for blood is no game! If you're not properly prepared, I could end up seriously traumatizing you. If anything I shouldn't have told you about it until you were older."

"Owie..." Naruto rubbed his head with care, his teary eyes glaring up at the large man standing before him. "I can do it!" he insisted. "I have to do it! I'm tired of having Tenzo-sensei lording it over me every time I spar with him! Plus..." He pouted as he crossed his arms. "Hazuki-chan keeps giggling at me every time I come back to the palace looking like I saw a ghost... She thinks I don't notice, but I do! And it pisses me off!"

Jiraiya sighed. "Look kid, I get where you're coming from. But it's dangerous. You're not ready for it. Killing intent is an art capable of dismantling the ranks of entire teams of ninja. It can freeze others in their tracks, and kill some who aren't properly prepared. I can't take the risk with you. You're far too young!"

"You said it yourself!" Naruto clutched his fists to his sides, his chubby face showing pure courage, like that time he stood before an army of Anbu. "I'm a Senju and an Uzumaki! I can take it! Besides... I'm gonna need it eventually, right?"

A Senju and an Uzumaki...

As the fact became more and more clear to him, Jiraiya closed his eyes shut and stared somewhere else entirely. 'You're right... All the more reason to teach you, considering who will be coming after you... But it's not that simple... Even if I did teach you to endure it, that snake bastard has a thirst for blood even larger than mine and Tsunade's combined... His sick nature grants him this, and only a few can measure up...'

"Ojii!" Naruto whined. "Just let me get a taste of it! I'll show you I'm tougher than you think!"

"You could be the greatest prodigy of all time for all I care!" Jiraiya poked Naruto's forehead, forcing the boy to take a step back. "One thing still remains unchanged! You're eleven years old! You won't be able to stay true, let alone on your feet."

Naruto snarled. "Try me...!"

Jiraiya groaned and rubbed his face in frustration. "If it'll shut you up...! I'll show you, but only for a literal second. And only if you grant me one thing in exchange."

"Eh...?" Naruto blinked. "Uh, sure... whatever you want..."

Naruto stood confused for a moment, but quickly nodded realizing he would actually show him. Constantly annoying his granddad didn't usually work on the old man. If anything, it just made him ignore his pleas more, not less. All the more reason to be wary, Naruto figured.

Jiraiya crossed his arms over his chest and stared at him, simply stared. The clearing remained mostly unscathed noise-wise, except for the birds chirping and going about their business. The rustling of tree branches presented itself as a gust of wind came passing by, driving leaves to begin orbiting their position once they came in contact with Naruto's aura.

Naruto stared into his grandfather's eyes, his nervousness finally getting the better of him as he swallowed.

Then, after a grueling moment of confusion, Naruto felt what he would not in years to come.

He fell to his knees, and a thousand ways of how he would die flashed through his mind, all at the same time. This evening's lunch came to greet his taste buds, and he discarded whatever content still represented a solid state. It wasn't until later that he saw his leaves laying next to him, dry and destroyed due to the emotions of dread taking over him.

Careful analysis of his surroundings brought goosebumps to his arms and legs. Not a single chirp could be heard. Not a single breeze could be felt. It was as if nature itself feared the repercussions of making any noise, making any movement. And for good reason. Naruto himself felt like moving would make his several visions come to fruition, despite the fact that he knew his grandfather would never.

'This...' he began, finally making a coherent thought, 'is what a Sannin's killing intent feels like...? It's amazing... Even though it was only for a second, I can tell Tenzo-sensei's is nothing in comparison...'

"You get it know?" Jiraiya asked, his arms remaining crossed. "This isn't a game, Naruto. If you ever face someone with a killing intent more powerful than mine, I don't want you to fight; I want you to run. Because if you decide to face this opponent, whoever it is, you can be sure of one thing..." His eyes ceased to produce any warmth whatsoever. "You will die. Perhaps this is bound to change some day, but as you are now, and unless I tell you otherwise, you are to run and wait for me or Tsunade to get to you. Ya got that?"

"Someone as strong as you and Tsunade-obaa...?"

Even Naruto was not foolish -or arrogant- enough to ignore the difference between he and his grandparents. He had heard tales, legends even, of their extraordinary power and unyielding spirit. It didn't mean he feared such an opponent, it just meant he was smart enough to know how impossible the situation was. And going up against a Sannin, according to Ojii, prodigy or no, it meant one thing above all else; certain death.

"Promise me..." Jiraiya reiterated, knowing full well Naruto never breaks his promises. "Promise me you will never fight someone of that category on your own. Promise you will wait for me and Tsunade to get there. In exchange" -he knelt and placed a hand on his shoulder- "I promise we will get to you in time."

"Ojii..." Naruto looked away, his juvenile pride forcing him to do so. Nevertheless, he knew how important this was to him and his grandmother, so he gave the only answer he could to give them peace of mind. "I promise."

~~Forest of Death~~

"You are..." Naruto took a careful step back. "Orochimaru... the final member of the three legendary Sannin..."

"To have the future Heir of the Senju clan know who I am..." Orochimaru tittered, fervently and mockingly. "How flattering... I assume your grandparents, my silly old friends, told you who I am?"

Naruto suddenly turned to the tree his teammates laid in, to get them and run, but as soon as he did, Orochimaru was already sitting on one of the very same tree's roots. Impossible, was his first thought. His second thought drove him to turn back to the Sannin's previous seat, only to see no one there. As he turned back to the tree again, his teeth began to quiver seeing Orochimaru standing a mere two feet away from him.

"Fascinating..." Orochimaru grinned as his hand removed the patch of hair brushing Naruto's right eye and hitched it behind the boy's ear. "Your eyes are that of an Uzumaki, but your body is that of their progenitor; the Senju..."

'It's even worse than Ojii's, only this time I can't even take my eyes away from him...' The only movement his body could produce was the trembling in his arms and legs. 'He's concentrating all of his killing intent on me and me alone... It's like trying to move under the pressure of a massive, nearly-frozen waterfall...! My Shield of Leaves is having trouble responding...!'

"Gah!" He fell to his knees before the man, the latter only staring in honest interest. His eyes widened as that feeling from back then returned, that feeling of powerlessness, of desperation. 'Am I really... gonna die... like this...?'

"Relax..." Orochimaru made a pitiful attempt to lull Naruto's worries with a twisted grin. "You are not meant to die here, my young prodigy... Those images going through your mind are lying to you, they are far from reality. I can assure you I haven't the slightest intention of killing you. You not need be afraid."

"Afraid...?" Naruto bit his lower lip, drawing blood and sending a sharp pain to the very ends of his skull. Steadily steeling his mind, he raised himself from his knees and clutched his fists to his sides, glaring with utmost potency at the Sannin standing across from him. "Who's... afraid...?"

"Ahhh..." Orochimaru felt giddy at the result before him.

Looking into those Uzumaki eyes, he felt moved by the ferocity behind them, despite the obvious strain the body was going through to remain standing.

'The body is unfamiliar with this much concentrated killing intent, but the mind has been honed to withstand it with sheer determination... Jiraiya saw this coming, it seems...' He chuckled. 'Unfortunately for you, Jiraiya, warning him at all has had an adverse effect on him... He's developed a subconscious fear of overwhelming odds. It's the only reason my killing intent is hindering him at all...'

Blood ran down Naruto's lips, crimson and lively blood. It was when a single drop met the Uzumaki crest over his heart, reminding him of his origins, that he turned right and lifted his left leg, guiding the appendage in the direction of Orochimaru's face. He missed him entirely, but he had never meant to do any immediate harm. Instead, he used the momentum of the swing to gain more strength and turned completely, deciding to use a kick similar to that of a butterfly's flapping.

Orochimaru was launched into the air, and Naruto did not waste the opportunity. He dashed across the land between he and his teammates, his hands coming together into a hastily put together seal. A clear problem became apparent to him, however, and he ended up switching seals once he felt the change in air current above.

"I won't make it...! Mokuton!"

"Not bad..." Orochimaru licked his lips with his obscenely large tongue, his eyes content with the tinge of pain on his chin. "But I must say, Jiraiya slacked off in your strength training, Naruto-kun." He calmly, professionally, ran through seals and absorbed a monstrous amount of air. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough."

The tree Naruto built to protect his teammates, one he was particularly proud of, was ripped off its roots and launched across the forestry with ease. It was destroyed as it met a larger, much more sturdier tree and even that one was cracked down the middle, further emphasizing the power behind the Sannin's Jutsu.

Naruto landed far from the point where everything was flattened, sighing in relief. He made the hare seal and concentrated vigorously to check on his teammates. He picked up their signatures in a cocoon of wood that had traveled through the earth and had appeared somewhere else entirely.

"Shit..." Grinding down the tree to sit down, Naruto panted as exhaustion started to creep up on him. "First Neji, now this guy... Why does all of this have to happen on the same day?"

"Why indeed...?"

Naruto lifted his eyes to see Orochimaru, that infuriating smirk still painted over his face. "Why?" he found himself asking. "Why me of all people...? What do you want with me?"

Orochimaru made his way toward Naruto, his steps echoing in the latter's ears as they walked over the wood under them. "Your ancestors, Naruto-kun. I'm after what's inside of you, that ability to control wood, and by extension, the Bijū... I would be lying if I said I was interested in your Senju blood alone, however.

"No, there's more to you than that. I know, because in all of recorded history, only two Senju have ever developed Mokuton. There's something special about you and your grandfather. I inted to find out what that is. And I'm not stopping until I do... You'll find I'm quite persistent when it comes to obtaining something that peaks my interest."

"I'm not your lab rat..." Naruto stood back up, his arms coming up to defend him. "You want my ability so bad...? Why don't you try and take it..."

"You've already proven yourself to me, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru stopped for a moment. "I have no intention of fighting you. All I want is to give you your gift and be on my way. What I have to offer is something nobody else can give you. I know once you realize this, you will seek me..."

"I already have a master... And his name" -Naruto clutched his fists harder- "is Jiraiya!"

Orochimaru sighed as the child rushed toward him. "So young, so naïve..."

As soon as Naruto jumped to deliver his fist over Orochimaru's face, arm reeled, everything slowed. In a split second, the blond was in the air, Orochimaru's fist planted between his stomach and lungs.

Naruto coughed and blood spilled from his lips, this time not of his own will. He felt his back crash against the hard wood behind him, Orochimaru's arm keeping him from sliding down.

All Naruto could manage was lift his gaze and stare in disbelief. "Ngh... How... did you...?"

"Get through your shield?" Orochimaru allowed Naruto to slide down a little, only to stop him once again with a hand against his throat and scarf. Over his knuckles, a clear red hue representing chakra of a nature opposed to wind was present. "Your fight against the Hyūga truly was quite something." He grinned. "You had me at the edge of my seat."

'Dammit...' Naruto clutched Orochimaru's wrist with everything he had. 'I'm sorry, Ojii... I couldn't find a window to retreat...'

"That's right... just let it slip, Naruto-kun..." Orochimaru neared Naruto until he was face to face with him. His teeth became more prominent, as though they were preparing to dig into him. "Accept your destiny. As soon as I give you this seal, our fates will become permanently entwined as master and pupil... I know you can feel it too, this connection about to be forged..."

What frightened Naruto above all else was the amount of truth behind Orochimaru's words. He was right. He could feel it.

It was the possibility of having his grandfather forcibly replaced that drove Naruto to snap into attention just before Orochimaru's teeth came close to meeting his neck. That, and a tremendous amount of rage.

Life reentered his eyes.

Naruto tied his legs around Orochimaru's arm, clutching it right where his elbow bent. The action had the desired effect, and the Snake Sannin's grip lessened enough for him to squirm out of it. He kicked himself off Orochimaru's chest and sticked over the tree's shaft with calculated chakra, his hands -ironically- using the snake seal.

"Mokuton!" Naruto guided several strong blocks of wood around Orochimaru with the intention of restricting his movements. "Care to try again...?"

Orochimaru chuckled. "Why do you insist on resisting? What drives you, Naruto-kun?"

"The Senju and Uzumaki are not criminals!" Naruto clapped his hands in prayer, digging Orochimaru into the massive branch under them knee-deep to further keep him from trying anything. "We aren't the ones destroying. We're the ones building. Not because it's easier, but because it's right."

"How nauseating," Orochimaru scoffed. "Then, by common logic, all you are doing is following the path of your ancestors because you are too cowardly to carve your own. Let me guess, and this is nothing more than a wild swing... but is your dream also to become Hokage?" He sneered seeing the boy scowl. "You are too predictable, Naruto-kun...

"You wish for power, only so you can protect those closest to you; I see nothing wrong with that. You want to become Hokage, only so you can be acknowledged by a village, that until recently, despised your very existence for something completely out of your control; that is what I cannot stomach. I've seen ninjas like you come and go, but they all share one common trait that you lack."

"A common trait...?" Naruto didn't know why he was listening so intently, so diligently. It truly made no sense to him. "What are you getting at?!"

Orochimaru eyed him from below without even bothering to raise his head. "You are still alive." He oiled his lips with more saliva feeling the wood tighten in response to the boy's anger. "Your great grandfather was powerful, Naruto-kun. Far more powerful than I. But he could have grown much more. All he had to do was embrace that little corner of thirst that said: more... Had he done so, I've no doubt Madara would have stood no chance at all. In fact, I've no doubt the world would have stood no chance at all..."

Naruto was reminded of Zabuza's words all those weeks ago, Kyūbi's too. And just like then, he felt tempted by such a result. "I'm not interested in becoming such a monster... So long as I have enough power to protect those I love, that's more than enough for me!"

"I see..." Orochimaru grew a grin so malevolent, so twisted, a chill ran down Naruto's spine. "Then, should I assume you are powerful enough to protect your precious people now...?"

Naruto scowled. "And if I am...?"

The blocks around Orochimaru instantly disintegrated. Pure and thick chakra rushed out of him, as if terrified of its own progenitor. The tree the blond was sticking to groaned and wined, and only the leaves before Naruto was keeping him from using his arms for protection from the violent torrent of chakra.

Naruto could feel his sandals begin to dig into the tree's mantle. And as he did so, he could hear the cracks being made under the source of the unholy storm taking place around him. It got to a point that his own release of chakra had to come into play just to repel Orochimaru's.

In a hail of purple and blue, a humble green could be seen. It was enduring, resisting and fighting... all so the third and final Sannin wanting to take Naruto under his wing did not get his way. All so Naruto could remain true to himself and his principals.

After the tremendous exposure of energy, it disappeared just as fast as it came.

"It's excessive, I know," Orochimaru admitted, scowling. "But you need to be humbled, boy. You're a prodigy who comes only once every few centuries, nobody can deny this. But as you are now, and unless you are properly honed, you will remain as nothing more than what me and your grandparents find on the soles of our shoes; nothing but filth."

Naruto collapsed, his mind and body exhausted. All he could do was raise himself from the branch and remain on his hands and knees. He felt like an insect who had just endured a monstrous storm, a storm that had carried on for hours disguised as seconds.

This sense of powerlessness, of disappointment with himself... it made him sick.

He raised his blond head and locked eyes with Orochimaru. His two lilac orbs flashed a very bright yellow, like two golden coins representing a sudden and momentary surge in energy.

"Yes..." Orochimaru lulled, his steps dainty and his voice like silk. "There it is..." He squatted before the boy and took his chin in his hand. "My initial hypothesis was right. You and the Uchiha somehow share something mutually similar; the Curse of Hatred. And just like they can reach a second stage in their bloodline, so can you in the form of Senju Sage Mode... It's possible that the only way for you to achieve that next stage is to