He stared in shock right into the pair of deep red eyes burning with so much hatred and anger.
In that moment, he knew his death would be much more horrible and painful than he originally imagined.
Yet even as his final moments tickled by and he approached closer and closer to the rising form hidden in the dark shadows bubbling with a monstrous amount of negativity, something within him snapped.
You're the blood of the dragon.
He remembered his father's words to his older brothers whenever they encountered something impossible to accomplish. Those words had always excited Inabi and Yashiro, and made Izuna as well as Madara become more bolder.
But he had never understood the meaning behind those simple and silly words.
Yet as death came his way, it was those same simple and silly words that gave him strength.
A dragon never surrenders, A dragon never bows to anyone, A dragon fights and fights until he defeats his enemies.
Grabbing twin sharp kunai's from his pouch, he sent them flying towards the nearby rock walls but not before tying ninja wire on them. For once, he was thankful of Izuna's warnings to always be prepared even if he just went out for a stroll near their clan's borders.
As the weapons connected he gripped one end of the strings that made him fly straight towards the nearby rock. When his feet connected to the hard surface, he was ready and immediately channeled chakra that made him stick firmly to the surface.
He unleashed his tanto just in time as the creature beneath him growled angrily that sent tremors across the darkened valley.
His eyes widened when a massive tail rose from the shadows aimed right at him.
Determined to survive, he sprinted down the rock surface at speeds he never thought himself capable of. Massive chunks of rocks and debris flew over him as the tail shattered the spot where he was previously standing.
His enemy was more smart than he originally thought as it continued lashing out more and more giant tails in an effort to splatter his brains, but he had always been faster than all of his brothers. And despite his wish of seeing his dead brothers again, he now realized Madara would be heartbroken if he died.
His eldest brother was not bad, even if he had been distant all these years. And Madara had showed that he truly cared about him, and now he wanted to know his eldest and only living brother, to support him, to protect him just as Izuna had protected him.
And for that one wish he would not give up.
He would find a way to survive no matter who or what he would have to face.
Going back up was not possible for the creature was hell bent on stopping that possibility, so that left him only one choice.
As the ground neared to his relief, he made a quick jump narrowly avoiding being smashed to death courtesy of another tail.
He immediately adopted his battle stance and activated his prized dojutsu glaring out at the massive creature.
And what he saw both stunned and terrified him.
And it seemed he was not the only one to experience those feelings as the now revealed beast flinched as his terrifying red eyes saw its enemy.
"Those eyes..."
It's voice was even more heavy and rumbled across the empty valley as a battlecry. Despite the rising fear in his heart, Naruto gripped his tanto firmly glaring down at the massive Nine Tailed Fox standing in front of him.
"An Uchiha..."
If possible, the hate and anger in the monster's eyes increased ten fold as it snarled.
"Are you going to attack me again?" asked the boy in an unnervingly calm voice,
The fox momentarily paused staring at the little runt and was surprised when the brat had not tried to flee. Either he was foolish like most kids were, especially those of his mad clan, or he was more bold than Kurama had imagined.
"You're not afraid..."
It was just a statement from the fox but evoked not a single reaction from the stoic boy. When the monstrous animal glared harder at the insect before him, it was then the child spoke.
"I am a shinobi. I won't kill you if you let me go, but if you persist then I will fight you" answered the boy fiercely,
The beast laughed.
"What makes you think a stupid runt like you can even harm a scratch on me? I can crush you in a flash, brat" mocked the fox,
"Maybe. But I will still fight with all I've got..."
"Why?" asked the curious fox,
"Because I don't want to die"
The beast again laughed at the pitiful answer expected from every human, yet the boy's gaze unnerved him for he neither exploded in anger or even scowled. He stared back at the fox with the same determined gaze which made the fox curious, most people would have pissed themselves, fought back, or just tried to run away.
This little one had done none of that.
"You will die. Either by my hands or some other moron shinobi out there. Children like you don't survive long in this world, yet you still fight. Why?" asked the fox curiously, momentarily keeping his desire to crush the boy at bay if only to find his answer. It had been quite a while since another foolish human crossed his path or tried to attack him.
"My brother would be sad if I died. And I don't want him to be sad again. Not anymore" answered the boy quitely,
The fox became silent staring at the boy with a gaze the little Uchiha could not understand. Just when he thought the beast was about to attack again, it spoke.
"You are already cursed enough to be born into that mad cult you call A Clan. What's worse you inherited these wretched eyes when I thought I would never see this power again in my life. You think they will make you powerful? All these eyes have ever brought to its wielder is misery and pain. It would actually be a mercy if I killed you here" said the fox frankly,
The boy didn't say a word and only pointed his tanto forward which made the beast scoff.
"Go. I spare your pitiful life" mocked the fox,
Naruto blinked in surprised knowing that he was probably given a once in a lifetime chance, something this beast would not have given to anyone else. Yet he didn't want to turn his back to the fox only to be stabbed from behind.
The creature must have recognized the look making it snarl.
"I am not showing you mercy, stupid boy. Anybody who has ever wielded The Sharingan before never met a good fate, they all die screaming in pain. A day will come when you will wish that I killed you here..." warned the fox,
"We'll see about that" replied Naruto sharply,
"Heh, you've got some balls. Pretty impressive for a shitty little brat..." said the amused fox,
"I will not tell anyone about this meeting or the fact that you live here so close to our borders. You have my word" said Naruto honestly, placing his weapon back in its sheath.
When he stared back at the fox, if possible it seemed even more disappointed than before.
"Not only do you belong from a mad clan, but you are an even bigger fool with that sense of loyalty and honor that you have towards your clan. Does that make you feel better?" snarled the fox, receiving an icy stare from the boy.
"Maybe my family is mad and I am too. But without my loyalty and honor, what is the difference between you and me? I will fight and die for my family no matter how bad you say they are, what do you fight for?" asked Naruto harshly,
The air around them grew thick with hatred and anger as the fox looked down at the ground hissing fiercely...
"Go. Before I decide to kill you..."
Naruto didn't need anymore warning as he jumped on the rock surface and instantly started running back towards the surface at great speed.
And as he continued to run away, he missed the fox staring back at his disappearing form with a heavy frown.
"Foolish boy"
He didn't stop running even when he climbed out of the dark valley, his legs refusing to stop as he sailed past trees at great speed. His heart threatened to burst out of his chest, and he was sweating profusely as he continued to remember just what he had encountered moments ago.
More importantly, he had survived by some truly awesome luck.
For there was no way in hell he could have defeated that monster, not even Madara, any other Uchiha, or even his own father could defeat that beast. He had felt that unending sea of vile chakra in that beast, felt its hate, the anger, the desire to murder.
Not even the entire Uchiha clan combined could defeat that monster.
It was the reason why he had promised not to tell the fox's location to anyone lest any idiots come out there to try to enslave the monster only to get themselves killed.
If things had turned out differently, he would have been forced to fight the fox.
And he would have died, there was no doubt about that.
But strangely, the beast had spared his life and his words...
What did he mean the Uchiha's were mad? Sure, his family was too uptight and arrogant but they couldn't be insane. He refused to believe that, no matter what that stupid fox said.
The Sharingan only brings pain and misery...
All he had ever heard from every single Uchiha was how great this power was, or how lucky Naruto was to awaken it. But if he could trade these eyes for his dead brothers, Naruto would do so in a heartbeat for the pain of losing them haunted him every moment over whatever power these eyes gave him.
It was not worth it.
And as he realized that fact, he knew there was some bitter truth in the fox's words.
And there was a hell of a lot of things Naruto didn't know about his dojutsu, his clan, or even what type of dangerous monsters lurked in the real and dangerous world.
All these years he had lived a sheltered and protected life under Izuna's watch, but now that veil was dropping very fast.
He had already seen the barbarism and murder humans were capable of inflicting on each other, the pain of losing your loved ones right before your very eyes, the power of hatred that could drive even the most noble or weakest man to momentary insanity, of men's unending desire for ever more power and greater ambition.
Finally, he stopped as he reached the clan settlement and the secret passage he had created for himself over the years.
His head was spinning from all these overbearing thoughts, but if one thing was certain was the fact that the Uchiha Clan was his family. The strange but caring Madara was his brother, attractive but strict Naori his aunt, and ambitious and cold Tajima his father.
Walking towards a nearby tree, the boy knelt and placed the edge of his tanto on the grass, eyes burning intensely with determination.
"Izuna...Yashiro...Inabi..."
He wished to see even a ghost reflection of his lost siblings but all he saw was the blank bark of the tree before him.
"I will protect them all, no matter what happens"
Taking a deep breath, he said the word on which he would live his life.
"I promise"
(Next Morning)
Naruto was quite surprised when he received the summons and had to hastily prepare himself in order to not be late for that man never tolerated any weakness or lethargy.
It was why Naruto found himself donning his finest Clan clothes and donning his newly forged armor. He was fully armed in order to be ready for the daily training session that he would definitely have with Naori afterwards, for no matter what the reason an Uchiha trained everyday.
When he met the man near the holy temple, the air around them turned frosty as they both looked at each other.
And then Tajima did something Naruto never saw him doing, atleast with him.
He smiled.
But it was not one of joy or pride, but that of even greater ambition and plans that lurked in the man's eyes.
"Naori tells me you have potential" said Tajima frankly, directly getting to the matter without any pleasantries.
"Well she's not blind, unlike few people I know" replied Naruto icily, earning a raised eyebrow from his father.
"Do you hate me, boy?"
Naruto chose not to answer and settled for giving a fierce glare which made Tajima look at their clan settlement laid out below the mountain on which the temple was situated.
"You've always been funny, strange and innocent. Believe it or not, I don't hate you. But I don't love you either"
The barely six year old boy had known this fact his entire life but to hear it being said in words was like a sword brutally being jabbed through his heart. And it hurt, but he didn't blink, he didn't tear up, he didn't glare.
He just stared.
"Why?" he asked simply, without any accusation or expectation.
Tajima's fists clenched and for a moment Naruto saw the rare pain in those harsh eyes, something the man never did even when his sons died.
"You took away the one thing I ever wanted above all. You stole her from me, and nothing can ever fill the hole she left behind"
The sheer amount of anger and pain present in Tajima's eyes was enough to make his youngest son realize why things had turned out this way between them.
"Mother..." said Naruto sadly,
"You are so much like her that everyday it hurts to see you just standing before me while she remains dead. Hikari was warned about problems with her pregnancy, I told her to abort to keep her safe. But she chose to give you life, forsaking her own. I loved her more than anything in this world, even my sons. But why do you think she chose to die?" asked Tajima harshly,
Naruto found it hard to stop himself from tearing up knowing that his mother died for him. It hurt worse than the scorns and ignorance from his family all these years, for it made the hatred his brothers had shown towards him and the distance his father kept from him justifiable.
For he killed the one thing they all loved.
"I don't know..." he replied sadly,
"It's the family name that lives on, it's all that matters. Not you, your honor, or your beliefs. We all serve the Clan and the ones above our station. I want you to stop acting like a fool and become the man you were meant to be. Not tomorrow, or the day after...now" said Taijima seriously, looking his son right in the eye.
"If I do that, will things change between us?" asked Naruto, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Never"
Naruto lowered his gaze to the ground but was stopped when a hand was placed on his shoulder making him look back at his father.
"But I can be proud of you"
He saw nothing but plain honesty reflected in those dark black eyes. This man would never love him, and yet...
"You're my son, you've always been my son no matter what either of us feel. I will do my duty towards you, but I expect you to do yours as well. For a man to rule he must sometimes do unpleasant things to his enemies and allies like, but it also earns him wrath just the same. I am able to rule well because Naori does things that may not be possible for me to do, she keeps our clan running from the shadows. You are the younger son, and as such it will be your duty to support Madara who shall succeed me in the same way that Naori supports me now. That is your job, do that with all you've got and you will make me and this clan proud. Do you understand, Naruto?" asked Tajima seriously,
Naruto nodded looking right back at his father...
"I will never love you, Father. But Madara is my brother, my only brother I still have. And there is nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for him" promised Naruto fiercely, earning a cold smirk from the older man.
"You are an Uchiha, alright"
"But you will give me what I want. No questions asked" demanded Naruto,
"If it is within my power to give and if you do your duty well, then you will get all you want. I promise you that" said Tajima honestly,
Sparing a final nod, Tajima watched as his son walked away proud and tall.
But he never saw the silent tears that fell from the young boy's eyes.
Days flew away as quick as the wind, weeks passed in the blink of an eye turning into long months. All the while Naori had stood watching as the boy she adored changed right before her very eyes.
Where once shined innocence and joy, was now replaced by a permanent harsh and grim gaze.
When he once complained of reading and writing, but now he did what she asked him to without any questions. He did what he was commanded to without blinking an eye.
He did one thing and one thing alone.
He learned.
She had never seen an Uchiha pour so much passion in their training before, day and night he practiced until he collapsed from exhaustion. It was as if he was possessed by something that drove him forward and forward.
In a span of six months, he who was once weak now stood as one of the finest water and lightning style ninjutsu fighters. His Genjutsu had became even more dangerous with his sharingan, and while his Taijutsu was average unlike Madara who was a monster in that arena...
Naruto was the finest swordsman Naori had seen in the entire new generation of Uchiha's.
He was quick as the wind and flexible like a snake, and when he attacked he would carve his enemies in half.
No hesitation, No fear, No Mercy.
He laughed, he joked, he smiled, but the light in his eyes was gone. And it broke her heart for Naruto had been the only one who had shown her a new possibility the Uchiha's could take, he was different, but someone had crushed his spirit in an irreversible way.
She had tried talking to him, urged him to open up, but he was always made some silly excuses or said everything was fine.
But it wasn't.
She had confronted Tajima for her brother could be the only one capable of reducing Naruto to this state, but all she had gotten in reply was denial of any involvement of Tajima in this matter. Naori knew it was a lie, but she had no proof and her brother was difficult enough already.
However, things were not so dark despite everything. For once in a while, she would catch a glimpse of the old and true Naruto, the kind and gentle boy around Madara. It made her happy to see those two get along better than ever.
Madara despite his busy schedule as clan heir did his very best to spend time with his brother. Corrected his mistakes and always cheered him up, something which Naori could never do much to her disappointment.
And that was the only thing that gave her hope.
She watched the boy seated beside her as they both observed the setting sun in the sky.
"Are you afraid? Tomorrow is a big day for you" she said gently,
"I am ready" he said, holding his new sword firmly in his right hand.
He stiffened when a pair of gentle but strong arms wrapped around his chest from behind followed by a deeply pleasant scent invading his senses as Naori laid her face next to his cheek.
"Naori..."
He still felt strange calling his aunt by her name knowing it was not proper or respectful. But she had insisted to the point of bonking him on the head whenever he didn't do so.
"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly,
"I am fine"
He winced as she pinched his cheek rather harshly making him glare at her but softened on seeing the look in her eyes.
"What am I to you, Naori?" he asked, his eyes looking anywhere but at her eyes afraid of her answer.
"You're my nephew, my student, my friend. Why do you ask that?" she asked with a frown,
"Please don't lie to me. Just tell me what you really want from me, you didn't just spend all these months training me for nothing. I am the younger son, a spare, someone important like you would never bother with someone like me unless they want something" he said honestly,
The slap that hit his cheek sent a tremors down his entire body and when he looked back at her, Naruto couldn't help but flinch on seeing the raw fury and hurt in her eyes.
"How dare you say that?" she hissed furiously,
"Nothing is free in this world, Naori. Everybody always wants something, be they father, the clan, or you. Nobody cared about me for all these years, but now that I have the Sharingan and three of my brothers are dead suddenly everyone starts taking an interest in me. All they want is my power and what I can do for them, maybe except for Madara. So please just tell me what you want..." he requested, unable to hide his sadness.
She stared wide eyed at this child unable to hide her shock or pain on hearing him say such cruel things. What pained her even more was the fact most of it was all true.
"Naruto, you're my family. I don't need anything from you..." she whispered, and flinched when he glared back.
"You abandoned me"
A faint memory of a three year old young boy with tears in his eyes came haunting back in her heart. Even after all these years she had never forgotten the hurt and pain in those young eyes, or the sight of that child crying himself to exhaustion in Izuna's arms as she walked away from their lives to fulfill the duty towards their clan.
It had been the right thing to do, the necessary job to keep the Uchiha still in the game of power, but never had she thought the hurt it would bring to that one boy.
She had thought him young, that he would forget her, but he never did.
"The only thing I had in this world was Izuna and you. Then you just walked away, never looking back. You never loved me, did you? But it's okay, I killed my own mother and my brother so it's okay. But why does it still hurt?" he asked painfully, clutching his heart with his small hands.
"What?"
Naori stared in horror and eyes full of tears as he got out of her embrace and stared at the lake with melancholy ever present in his eyes.
The very next moment a shadow plopped down beside the young boy startling them both, and before they could even blink a hard bop connected with Naruto's head making him wince, as he stared at the harsh glare of his older brother.
"You have me, you little fool" said Madara fiercely, but frowned when Naruto laughed cynically.
"How far will you go for me? Izuna always fought for me no matter against whom. You cannot do that" replied Naruto harshly,
"And what if I do?" asked Madara sternly, all playfulness gone from his eyes.
"Even against Father? Even against our clan? Against the entire world?"
Naruto's eyes widened when Madara didn't blink nor did he flinch even for a single second. His eldest brother just stared right into his eyes.
"I will burn the entire world if it makes you happy and keeps you safe" promised Madara,
"Why?" asked Naruto sadly, tears brimming in his young eyes.
Strong arms wrapped around his smaller form pulling him into what was the most fiercest embrace of his life. He felt himself crushing but oddly it only served to lessen his pain as Madara whispered in his ear...
"Because I can't do this without you. You are my youngest brother, my last brother. If I lose you too, then there is nothing left for me to fight for. And no matter what happens little brother, I will protect you. Against our enemies, our own clan, and even Father. Anybody who threatens you will have to go through me first, and I will kill them all"
Naruto stared in shock into those sharingan eyes as Madara looked back at him with such affection that it warmed his own cold heart.
"You promise?" he asked hesitantly,
"Want me to pinky-swear?" asked Madara with a smirk,
Naruto burst out laughing just imagining Madara even remotely doing such a thing. However, he was cut short when Madara again bopped him on the head.
"But if you continue getting depressed like this, I'll kill you myself" warned Madara,
"Hai, Papa Bear"
Madara's eyebrows twitched violently and he cursed loudly when Naruto bolted out of his arms right across the lake with a mischievous grin on his face.
Naori blushed furiously when Madara shamelessly removed his pants and ran after Naruto yelling out a series of curses while spraying his special water right behind his now terrified brother who also started yelling out a series of unique curses while trying his very best not to get drenched in the shower Madara threatened to unleash on him, all the while Madara continued laughing maniacally.
She couldn't help but realize the fact that Tajima had destroyed his own family, but fate had not been totally cruel as she saw hope not just for Naruto but for her entire clan in these two boys.
Together they could do anything in this world.
And maybe it was time for her to amend her own past mistakes and to cherish the one thing that truly mattered in this world.
Family.
She was fortunate enough to still have one in this cursed world of never ending warfare.
But those amends would have to wait as she settled for watching her amusing nephews bicker with each other.
However, she had not missed the lingering darkness in them both. More so, in Madara's case if that promise he just made was any indication. That boy was far more powerful than anyone in his generation or the several ones that came before him. One day he could possibly be powerful enough to even defeat the Senju.
But in those powerful eyes, she had also seen a great weakness.
Madara loved too much.
And he truly cared about his youngest and last brother.
Naori could only pray these two boys didn't lose each other, for the madness that would follow after such a calamity would destroy both the Uchiha and the world.
(Next Day)
The fateful day had come.
Probably the most important one in the life of every Uchiha that ever lived.
For it was today it would be decided whether they were one of the group or liabilities required to be cast aside.
It was Naruto's judgement day.
The young boy stood near the lake fully armed and ready with a determined look in his eyes. Almost the entire clan had gathered to watch his Right of Passage. For not only was he a future possible clan leader if Madara or Tajima died, but he also had the famed Sharingan.
And for many who had not witnessed that holy power in battle before, this was a golden chance.
Conflict had reduced considerably after their critical victory over the Senju's six months ago with both great clans taking a step back leading to a strange momentary peace. Madara would still go out on small missions but only with a small squad, leaving the rest of the clan to starve to see the Sharingan in battle.
And now their wish would be fulfilled, but Naori knew it had only increased Naruto's problems.
While he would have to face an established and recognized younger member of their clan, mostly near to his age in combat to either defeat them or atleast show a fight worthy enough to be considered strong. That would make Naruto a true Uchiha and an adult despite being only six years old.
It was a daunting task for every child but Naruto stood strong because Madara was there watching him like a hawk. The presence of his older brother had stopped any whispering or jabs that were usually thrown at the fighters by the crowd.
But everyone's eyes widened when a fully armed Tajima was the one who started walking towards Naruto.
"Father, what is the meaning of this?" asked Madara furiously,
"I will be his opponent" declared Tajima, earning gasps from their clansmen as murmuring began in the crowd furiously.
"That is unfair and against the rules, Father. Choose someone near his age just as the law demands" argued Madara, his temper rising at the injustice about to inflicted on his younger brother.
Tajima glared.
"I make the rules boy. And you will obey me"
Tajima and the entire clan flinched when in the blink of an eye there was a sword placed at the Clan head's neck by none other than Madara himself who had pure murder shining in his eyes.
"Long have I watched you inflict injustice on him. Not anymore" promised Madara,
"You fool. Can't you see that I am doing this for you? I'll give a good show to make sure he passes, but also show that he is not as strong as you. The clan cannot be divided between two brothers, only you shall lead the clan and not him" hissed Tajima angrily,
"Naruto will never betray me nor has he ever desired power" said Madara confidently, staring right into his Father's cold eyes.
"Foolish boy. Maybe your brother doesn't want that, but if he proves himself strong today then his followers will grow day by day. There are already many in the clan that admire him, and they will one day push Naruto to overthrow you if only to satisfy their own goals. That kind of rivalry will tear the Clan apart, and I will not have that. I know the game of power better than you, so fall in line. This is my final warning" said Tajima icily, ready to thrash the boy if he persisted.
But Madara didn't relent as his Sharingan activated, Naori was already moving towards her brother and nephew to stop the conflict while the crowd grew only more entranced by the spectacle.
"I will fight him"
To everyone's surprise and Madara's horror, it was Naruto who said that by unleashing his sword and pointing it at his father.
"Naruto-"
"This is my fight, Nii-san. Believe in me" he requested, staring gratefully at his perplexed older brother.
Much to Tajima's surprise, Madara lowered his sword but didn't walk away without a warning.
"If you do him injustice, then consider my support towards you gone"
Tajima was about to discipline the insolent boy but Naori's pleading eyes and the stares of the entire clan stopped him. Already Naruto was corrupting the obedient and loyal Madara, and he could not have that.
With fury burning in his eyes, Tajima walked towards the battle arena as both him and his son took up positions across the lake.
"Try not to dishonor our family" warned Tajima, and was further irritated when Naruto smirked.
"Could say the same thing about you, old man"
This insolent brat!
Without warning, Tajima attacked.
"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)"
A massive raging fireball was unleashed by the Uchiha patriarch sending it right at his young son burning water in its way making steam rise.
Madara held his breath when Naruto simply brought his sword forward making it glow in chakra. The older brother saw Naori smirk proudly.
The next moment Naruto vanished in a swirl of leaves.
Shunshin!
Madara's eyes widened as through his Sharingan he saw Naruto literally carve the fireball in half with his sword and vanish out of the flaming aura with such speed that made Tajima gawk.
And he was not done.
Sharingan blazing, the boy weaved his hands through an intricate set of hand seals at lightning speed.
"Sution: Suiryudan no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique)"
Two large roaring dragons of water with hateful yellow eyes rose out of the lake and charged right at Tajima much to the shocked clan head's worry.
But experience kicked in as at the last moment Tajima made a hand seal substituting himself with a nearby log that was available near the shore just in time as the water dragons tore through his position.
Naruto whirled backwards bringing his sword forward to clash against his Father's steel as the man now appeared behind him with a fast Shunshin.
And Tajima made his first mistake.
For a brief second he glared hatefully right into Naruto's eyes that now burned with an active Sharingan.
The clan spectators gasped when Tajima froze as Naruto disarmed him followed by beheading the man swiftly only for him to turn into smoke.
Shadow Clone.
Even with their Sharingan gone, the Uchiha's were able to maintain their dominance across the world due to their skill in the ninja arts. One of their finest traits was their great prowess with ninjutsu which had led to the development of many powerful techniques.
The Shadow Clone was one of them.
Only a handful of their clan could perform this forbidden jutsu, and even they could do it to a limited extent. But Naruto's family had always produced the strongest warriors among their clan, it was why they were the leaders and the others followed them.
And while Tajima didn't have the Sharingan, it didn't diminish the fact that he was a powerful and dangerous shinobi.
Naruto turned back and saw the real Tajima waiting for him with a proud smirk on his face.
The son prepared himself as his father raised two fingers making four Mizu Bunshin rise out of the lake. All armed and possessing the same bloodthirsty grins on their faces with the intent of putting their enemy in his right place.
And then the clones charged.
Naruto charged back.
Madara was hardly grinding his teeth watching his father use so much power against Naruto, but surprisingly the young boy was holding up. Quite well in fact if the admirable and proud glances from their clansmen was a proof.
Still, it didn't make the older brother any less worried.
However, he blinked in surprise when Naruto unleashed sparks of lightning from his left hand as he came near the water clones making them scream. Within a second, Madara watched with his active sharingan that his brother's sword carved through the paralyzed clones like butter making them die.
And then the boy jumped high in the air with a ferocious battlecry descending down on the real Tajima.
The brutal kick he received across his gut stole every ounce of air out of the boy as Tajima smirked. But the gesture soon vanished when the Naruto he just kicked dissolved into water.
Mizu Bunshin!
"He copied my jutsu but without any hand seals, and when? More importantly, where is he?" thought Tajima quickly,
He gasped when something sharp tore through the back side of his legs as the real Naruto emerged from the lake with his sword now stained with his Father's blood.
Tajima angrily whirled back ready to pummel the insolent boy only to have him easily evade the attack.
Damn his Sharingan!
While he was glad that his clan had the prestigious power back, it didn't change the fact that right now Tajima felt a slight disadvantage towards himself as his son continued to evade his attacks.
"He's trying to tire me out or waiting for an opening. When he gets one, he'll strike with his impeccable speed. Clever boy, but it ends now" thought Tajima seriously,
He was already blurring through the hand seals of one of his most dangerous moves when a shadow appeared between them.
Naori firmly grabbed Tajima's hand and stopped Naruto's own sword from attacking any further with the help of a kunai.
"Enough" she commanded icily,
"The fight is not over" said Tajima coldly, only to receive an equally cold look from his young sister.
"It is over" she ordered,
"Are you defying me?" asked Tajima in shock,
"I will not permit you to slaughter a child to satisfy your ego, Tajima. More importantly, he's my nephew and I will not allow you to do him injustice" warned Naori, even as Naruto's eyes widened on seeing her stand up to his father like that.
And it was for him.
The next moment Madara also jumped in between and while he had not raised his sword like before, he looked ready enough to make a move if their Father persisted.
"He proved himself, Father. Much better than most Uchiha ever have, it's done" said Madara seriously,
Tajima heatedly glared at these two and then back at Naruto who stared back at him calmly. The boy still looked ready enough to fight but was holding himself back deferring to whatever decision the adults would make.
Then the Clan head also saw the crowd and in their eyes he saw pure admiration and pride for Naruto. All of them were also tense waiting for the next move which finally made Tajima sigh.
He placed his sword back on the scabbard on his back and saw Naruto do the same. Father and son both walked towards each other as Naori and Madara lingered nearby just in case if things got out of hand again.
"Kneel"
The boy obeyed and respectfully got down on one knee as Tajima removed his sword again and tapped twice on the boy's shoulder.
"Naruto, of the Uchiha Clan, you have successfully passed the Right of Passage and I hereby welcome you as a full fledged adult member of our prestigious and noble clan. Make us all proud" commanded Tajima,
Naruto thumped his clenched fist across his armored chest and looked back at his father with determination and pride burning in his eyes.
"I will, Father"
Despite everything that had happened, Naruto still felt defeated when Tajima simply walked away without another word while for his other sons he always had some good words when they completed the same test.
But his disappointment was soon shadowed behind joy as Naori and Madara came forward to congratulate him.
And when Madara uplifted him on his shoulders cheering for him, with a smile Naruto watched their enthusiastic clan cheer back.
It was a good day.
When the pair of eyes opened again they widened in shock and disbelief as in the darkness of the valley he saw a figure waiting for him.
"Are you mad?" asked the giant fox in disbelief,
Naruto grinned at the remark while showing off his official Uchiha Clan T-Shirt to the giant fox.
"Well I am an adult now, so according to you I am now one of the man cult" said Naruto cheekily,
"Why are you here, boy?" asked the fox with a strange sadness evident in his voice,
To his utter chagrin, Naruto simply ignored him and placed a few scrolls on the ground. With a single hand seal he opened them all and to the fox's surprise there appeared so many variety of foods.
"I am celebrating. Was nearby, so thought you might be hungry. What the hell are you staring at? I'm not going to finish all of this by myself" said Naruto with a smile, pointing at the hunted deer, ramen, five types of fishes, rice and many other dishes alongwith beef.
"Why are you here?" asked the fox again, making the boy frown.
"It took a lot of effort to steal this food from the kitchens and I hunted this damn deer myself, fast little thing-"
"Why are you here?"
To the fox's surprise the boy walked forward until they were both an inch away from each other. Naruto looked right into those demonic eyes, this time without fear and hesitation.
"Not all of us are mad"
The fox had barely gotten over his shock at those words and the boy's present actions when the child extended his tiny hand forward with a bright smile on his face.
"Naruto Uchiha, son of Tajima, brother of Madara, and second heir of the main family"
The fox stared without blinking until he suddenly received a hard bop on the head making his eyes go comically wide.
"It's bad manners not telling your name when someone introduces themselves to you" said Naruto with a pout,
"I will kill you..." promised the fox angrily, but was again left speechless by the clarity and conviction that arrived in the jovial child's eyes.
"You would have done that when we first met. Someone powerful like you is not just hiding here in this dumbass valley so close to the Uchiha Clan border without a reason. Am I right?" asked Naruto seriously,
The fox stiffened making the boy smile.
"It took me six months to figure this out and reading a hell of lot more books until I finally discovered the truth. You're a Biju, aren't you? A great being of chakra and power, the books called you Kyuubi and said your kind disappeared thousands of years ago when the very first war broke out. Is that correct?" asked Naruto curiously,
"You talk too much..." said the fox irritatedly,
"What is your name?" asked the stubborn boy, making the fox roll his eyes.
"They already call me Kyuubi. It doesn't matter what stupid humans call me"
"It matters to me"
For a moment the fox's eyes softened on hearing those words and the sincerity visible in this child's eyes. Perhaps the old man had been wrong, maybe this time things could change...
"You're annoying..." muttered the Kyuubi, making the boy roll his eyes.
"Why, thank you. Giant stupid fox..." replied Naruto with a smirk,
"I'll kill you" growled the beast,
"Please do so"
"I'll eat you"
"Why? I brought you so much good food. You're mean..." said Naruto with fake tears rolling down his cheeks,
"GAH!"
Naruto chuckled when the fox roared madly out of frustration before banging his giant head on the ground creating a minor tremor across the entire valley.
"Kurama..."
"Huh?" asked the boy confusedly, the fox was barely speaking in whispers.
"My name is Kurama..." said the fox irritatedly, earning a bright smile from the boy.
"A nice name. It's good to meet you..." said Naruto happily, and forcefully shook his tiny hand with one of the beast's massive paws.
When he looked up, he saw Kurama staring at him with a strange look present in his demonic eyes.
"Are you not afraid of me, child?" asked the fox seriously,
"I was before. But for the past six months I have observed you from afar, you don't interact with anyone or go out for hunting. You just stay here in this dark valley sleeping, at first I thought you a lazy asshole, then I thought maybe you were protecting my clan. But none of our books mentioned someone like you as an ally, and then I remembered you saying that my clan has madness passed down among itself. And then I finally realized..."
Kurama had been left gawking by the deduction of this young child, one he proved by looking the fox right in the eyes with a knowing look.
"You are watching my clan, waiting for something to happen. I don't know what it is, but I guess it is not pretty or good for my people" said Naruto coldly,
"You're a smart one. Never thought those sister-fuckers would manage to create an intelligent one again..." mocked the beast, making Naruto frown.
"Those days are long gone. In-breeding has been reduced in our clan, and unlike our ancestors we don't kill each other now. Kinslaying is the worst crime an Uchiha can ever commit, and it is punishable by death. Maybe my clan was bad before, but we can change. Not all of us are crazy psychopaths..." argued Naruto fiercely,
"Is that why you are here? Setting an example?" asked Kurama with a smirk,
"Yes"
The fox laughed but this time it didn't have the mocking edge, instead the beast sounded amused.
"It won't work, boy. My vow is absolute and I will fulfill it should that dark day ever come. Even you cannot stop me from doing my duty" warned Kurama, but still the child didn't back down.
"Well then, it becomes my duty to make you see my people in a different light. I'll make you change your mind..." promised Naruto confidently,
"Quite a declaration. Not sure you can fulfill it..." challenged the Biju,
"We won't know unless I try"
With those words, the boy brought the dear forward and placed it before the fox.
"You're a strange child..." muttered the fox in an annoyed voice, and while he had no need to eat or drink he did grab the dear in his large jaw if only to humor the grinning child before him.
"Get used to it. We're friends now..."
(Few Days Later)
Madara and his squad charged through the borders at top speed, anxiety and fear evident in their eyes.
They had set out a few days ago to destroy a few Sarutobi that had tried to raid one of the villages protected by the Uchiha. While the monkeys had been all killed, Madara had received a distress call right from their hometown.
That had been an hour ago and he had not wasted a single second to return.
His group was tired but still they all ran as fast as they could, the fear for the safety of their families burning far and wide in their terrified hearts. Had the Senju's attacked in full force?
Or some other group was about to attack their borders?
Madara stormed through the gates not even glancing at the guards, his sharingan eyes locked on the monstrous fire burning in the place where the holy Uchiha Temple once stood.
He took to the roofs jumping across houses not even looking back to see if his followers were behind him or not.
After several long minutes, he arrived at the site.
And what he saw stopped his heart cold.
Around him were dozens upon dozens of their clansmen, many trying to put out the fire with water jutsu, while others remained motionless in horror.
For there in front of them were nearly a dozen bodies.
All Uchiha.
Men, women, even young children cut down like animals.
Their horrified open eyes staring blankly into the dark night.
The holy grounds of their temple now ruined with the blood of their own family that soiled the once green grass in red.
And in the middle of the massacre was the person being glared upon hatefully by the entire clan.
The young boy of six sat in a wooden chair with his bloodstained sword in his hands. His Uchiha attire soiled with the blood, flesh and dirt lying around him.
Madara stopped breathing when a pair of familiar eyes looked back at them all.
But where there was once joy and innocence lay a fully activated sharingan with three bright tomoes.
And when those same haunting and terrifying eyes so full of darkness looked back at him, Madara could only say one word..
Naruto.