A/N: For those of you wondering, Kyuubi will make an appearance shortly, maybe not this chapter but probably the next.

Training

Naruto woke up from his sleep well rested and made his way to the kitchen where he met Tsunami, once again making rice balls.

"Ohayou."

"Ohayou, the two sleepyheads will get down in a bit so why don't you just wait at the table?"

"Okay." Naruto took the plates and chopsticks and set the table again. He sat down and started to ponder the matter of him being a royal of Uzu no Kuni.

'First I need to learn more about the country itself. I didn't learn anything about that in class with Iruka-sensei, though I'm pretty sure it's not only because I wasn't there most of the time. Also, figure out what those tattoos on my arms are, they maybe some other sort of power that I could learn to control.'

As he mused about the kinds of power it could be, Tazuna walked downstairs with Inari in tow.

"Ohayou, Nii-chan!" Inari said as he tackled Naruto.

"Ohayou, outoto. Ohayou old man. Wanna talk about those marks now?"

"Alright, let's get settled then."

They all sat down at the table and they served themselves the rice balls when Tazuna started to talk.

"Basically kid, you are part of the royal family, and not one of the branch families, only the Main Family had those wings. One thing that I have to make clear though is that the royal family of Uzu no Kuni is not the same as the Kages of Uzushiogakure. The Royal Family was the daimyo of the country. Most of them were accomplished ninja in their own right and had their own bloodline limit. They were also as known and feared as the Dark Dragon Clan, due to their infamous use of flight and shadow elements to overpower their enemies. As the kages were chosen from the strongest ninjas of the Village, it wasn't uncommon for the kages to be a part of the Clan. Uzushiogakure is also special for having more than five kages, the sixth having passed on during the Second Great Ninja War."

"So basically, I have an overpowered bloodline limit that I have never heard of before, and I can use it to restore my clan?" Naruto asked as he munched on his rice.

"It's not that simple, the Dragon Clan starts to train early on as their bloodline can take years or even decades to master, they each have an affinity in shadow as well as a second that varies. Learning how to manipulate their wings to fly, as well as learning the two elements will take a while."

"Oh well, training didn't kill anybody. Actually now that I think about it, it more than probably has."

"However for some good news, there has been a sort of urban legend that talks about an area in the woods that only members of the Dragon Clan can enter. I bet that if you find that place, you could find hints to mastering your limit. On a side note, the blacksmith I was talking about is a recluse who lives a few miles north of this place; he recently changed due to an increase of people living in the village he was in."

"All right, I guess I know what to do today then."

Naruto bid them goodbye and left the house at the same time that Tazuna left to go to work. He followed him to the bridge where they separated, calling out goodbye as we walked away. The ninja jumped on the closest tree next to him and then searched for the tallest one around him. Naruto jumped onto its uppermost branch and made a cross with his fingers.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled as two-hundred clones appeared on the treetops surrounding him.

"Alright everybody! Let's find this secret place!" He roared out and the clones cheered alongside him before running in different directions.

'Let's try and find out what the deal is with fire then.' Naruto said to himself.

He concentrated on the swirling energy he felt within him. He felt three, one that was constantly twisting, turning, bending itself, a second one that reeked of chaos and death, and finally a third one, from which he could feel practically nothing, or rather, the absence of something.

'The first was probably fire, the second definitely Kyuubi, leaving the third to be shadow. Interesting.'

He latched onto the first one, drawing it out through his right arm, bit by bit, as slowly and controlled as possible, not wanting an accident on top of a tree. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and he saw fire dancing on his fingertips. However, the moment he moved his hand, they were gone due to his concentration breaking.

"Cool…" was the only thing that passed through his lips.

"Let's try again!"

This time however, he was less cautious, causing the flames to take up much more space, threatening to engulf his hands as well as almost lighting up the tree.

"Ah!" Naruto screamed out, batting away the flames on his sleeve.

"Oh what is this?" Naruto asked himself, feeling memories rush into him, from a clone which had dispelled himself.

"Crap I need to run!" He said as he suddenly got up and jumped from the tree in one fluid motion.

He landed on a tree branch a twenty meters away and immediately bounded away once more, unintentionally using chakra to speed up and leaving behind scorch marks of his feet on the branches. He finally landed a kilometer away from the tall tree, crouched right between a group of two girls and three shady looking guys. He had managed to put his mask on the way here and got up slowly, looking the lead man right in the eyes. He was, thanks to his sudden growth spurt, a full inch taller than the man.

"What the hell is happening here?!" He asked, his voice slightly altered by the mask, sounding much deeper than it was.

"Wh-who are you! Doesn't matter! We'll cut you up too! Hahahahaha!' the man responded, ending with a crazed look in his eyes. The two men behind him muttered 'yeah!' and took a step forward, an equally crazy look in their eyes.

"I see, stand back ladies." With that he let his instincts take over and rushed the first one head on but appeared behind him to deliver a crushing blow to the small of his back with his foot, severely bruising him and sending him to the floor. He then back flipped, using the bandit's body as a spring board and kicked the second bandit creeping up behind him while recovering from the flip. The third bandit saw his two comrades on the floor and charged Naruto with a blade that he held high over his head. Naruto stepped inside of his guard and knocked the weapon out of the bandit's hands and then delivered two quick punches to his enemy's rib-cage before finishing up with a devastating haymaker to the head, knocking him out cold.

Naruto turned to the two ladies and then realized that it was really a mother and her child.

"Are you guys okay? Did they do anything to you?"

"N-no, we're good." The mom replied, a bit shaken up from the quick but violent fight that took place right before her.

"Would you like me to accompany you? I fear that there may be more."

"Thank you ninja-san," She replied, bowing her head forward, "we're meeting with the blacksmith to pick up an order that I made a few weeks back."

"Perfect! I was going to look for him anyways so this saves me the time to search for him. Oh, I'm sorry, my name is Arashi." Naruto answered, sticking his hand out.

"My name is Miyu." She said, shaking Naruto's hand.

With that, they continued on their path to the blacksmith.

Xxo0oxX

They saw a sign that looked a bit worn out and had plants covering the pole holding it up. However, they could hear the tell-tale sound of a hammer striking hot metal, shaping it, creating the shape that the blacksmith needed.

Naruto followed Miyu as she led the way to the entrance of his shop. He followed as she opened the door and listened as the bells chimed when the door opened. He felt something strange around him. He couldn't put his finger on it but something was definitely different.

He walked in and walked up to a sword that looked broken and had whose blade had lost its luster, as if in a trance. He picked it up and

"WAIT! DON'T!"

The blacksmith screamed out and jumped towards Miyu and tackled her behind a shelf, as if expecting an explosion of some kind. He must have been pleasantly surprised when one didn't come. However, three seconds later, a bright flash lit up the whole room.

When he stood back up, he saw that the beat-up sword was no more. Instead, there was now what seemed to be a blank slate. It had been fixed, it now looked in perfect condition, but it didn't look like anything special, didn't even look like a sword that would be used in any sort of fight.

"Wh-What happened? How did you not get injured?! And better yet, how did it change?!"

Then came an older man with grey hair from a backdoor.

"It seems it has made its choice…" he muttered.

The old man walked up to Naruto and said.

"You, come with me." He then walked off, with a confused Naruto trailing behind him.

They went through the door the old man had gone through and made their way through winding hallways, staircases and more doors until they reached a bigger and older door. The old man pushed it open and walked into the room.

The room was as large, if not larger than Chuunin Exam's arena. In its center the floor was sandy and had some rocks here and there. There were also large pillars in an octagon shape that surrounded the arena-like place. This arena spanned at least twenty meters in every direction.

The old man sat on top of one the red rectangle shaped sand that was in front of the middle. He gestured for Naruto to sit down on top of the other rectangle. Naruto, still in a daze, followed him.

"Wh-Who are you? What is this place?"

"My name is not important, what you need to know is that I am a master blacksmith and this is my personal dojo." He responded coolly. "The sword that you now possess is very special and you must come to understand that. The sword used to belong to one of the daimyos of Uzu no Kuni. He was known to be the strongest one and his sword was equally famous for changing shape for whoever possessed it. However, only people from his bloodline, direct descendants mind you, and those who had faced serious hardships and met and defeated them head on could wield it, let alone carry it. It has always rejected those it didn't deem worthy in a manner that would cause death befitting the would-be thief. So I think that this raises a better question. Who, are you?"

Naruto who was taken aback by his monologue took a few seconds to answer.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, ex-ninja of Konoha. Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi." He said lowly.

The old man nodded slowly before saying.

"I shall have to train you in using it. Take your sword and put in on your knees. Concentrate on connecting to its spirit. When you feel it, latch onto it and he will draw you closer."

Naruto did as told and was brought to a plain where sat a man, garbed in peculiar clothes and playing a flute, seemingly oblivious to the world around him.

Naruto was about to open his mouth to say something when the stranger's eyes opened. The oddly dressed man had very peculiar were of a pale color, similar to a blind's man but what shocked him was that they were almost canine in looks. Instead of a round pupil, the man had oval pupils that spanned the whole height of his eyes.

Naruto's breath caught in his throat as the man stood up and started chuckling. He grinned and his canines were now easily seen and at least three-quarters of an inch long, surprising the ex-ninja even more.

The chuckle quickly became a full-blown throaty laugh and lasted for a few seconds before the stranger quieted. He looked at Naruto once more and said in deep voice.

"Took you long enough eh? Thought you'd never find me. I've been waiting for so long man. What happened you got lost or something? Doesn't matter, you're here now, that's what matters. Are we going to make the same deal as before?"

"Wha-What are you talking about? Deal? And what do you mean you've been waiting for me?" Asked a shocked ninja.

"You forgot? Wait a minute, do you know my name? How old are you?"

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I'm sixteen. I've never seen you before so how would i know you?."

"That can't be right… You feel like him but you're not? Did it happen again?" The stranger murmured to himself perplexed.

"What are you talking about old man? I want some answers!" Naruto demanded, almost panicked.

"My name is Yamato and i've known you for a hundred years, give or take a few. You found me when you were exploring the countryside and entered a shrine. There you saw me, a useless sword but took me and made me what I am right now, a sword that will change shape whenever the user decides it."

"But how do you know me for that long? I'm only sixteen!"

"You think you are only sixteen when in reality you are much older, look inside you and you shall find the truth."

The strange man then started to disappear as if he was a sand figure in the wind. Soon enough he was gone and the world around Naruto changed as the sky turned to pitch black and the ground turned into a mucky, blood red substance. He took a step back and fell backwards, Naruto threw his hands forward but caught nothing as he continued to fall. the young ninja fell on his back in what seemed to be a sewer. He got up and looked around him.

"Where am I? I swear to god I'll punch that bastard in the face…"

He looked behind him and saw nothing but a wall with a few gears and pipes. All the pipes were cracked and a few were broken, leaking into the water, turning it into a dark shade of red.

He took a step forward and then another before starting to run and follow the corridors. After what felt an eternity of dead ends sharp turns and twists he screamed out in abandon.

"WHERE THE HELL AM I?!"

Suddenly a booming laugh reverberated around him. He looked over his shoulder and saw an entrance that was not there before. The door was a bloody red with the handle being what looked like fangs. It also had ninetails sprouting from the center of the door. There were some more teeth that were ornating the door and the threshold. As he was looking at it, another one appeared with an audible groan. It was directly across from it and very different yet eerily similar and familiar. Contrary to the first door, it was a majestic and lavish as well with no detail spared. The doors made of what seemed to be obsidian and the handles ruby. There was a symbol on it that Naruto did not recognize. It was a black circle with a red dot in the middle and lines going out from it some sort of spiral. There were three diamonds between the three lines and a shape above them all.

He felt drawn towards the last door and before he knew it, Naruto was in front of the door, his hand reaching for it. The blonde Jinchuuriki took a moment to compose himself before he threw open both doors and walked inside. Suddenly Naruto was taken by a malaise and saw the world spin around him. The ex-ninja stumbled and when he gained his footing, he finally noticed what was around him. Or rather, what should have been but wasn't. He was expecting to see about the same decor, yet this was completely different. The floor was red and sticky with a dark substance, the walls gone and replaced with an endless expanse of red, and the sky, well it was hard to tell where it met the ground.

"What shithole am I in now…" Naruto muttered, taking a few steps to look around.

Once more, he heard a laugh, except this time, it was softer, and more melodious. Naruto searched for the laugh but saw nothing. Then, an eye appeared in front of him, a red, almost canine eye. It blinked at him, then leered at him. He took a step back in surprise then another one as the eye approached the blond once more. Another eye appeared except that one was behind him. Then, a mouth appeared, this one above him though, with small lips and canines that were just seeable, poking out.

The eyes and mouth joined together to say "And who are you ningen? What kind of person are you? Will you be the one that sacrifices themselves for the one they love? Or will you turn out to be the one that gains power to prevent the demise of the ones they love?"

"Wh-What? I-I don't know what you're saying…" Naruto replied, looking down at the ground.

"WILL YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, OR WILL YOU PUSSY OUT AND LET THE BIG BOYS TAKE CARE OF IT?! ARE YOU PREPARED TO DO WHAT MUST BE DONE?!"

As the voice was getting louder and louder, the air was getting thicker and thicker, the voice, seemed to gain power and pure, red, energy was swirling around the three body parts. For 30 seconds, energy was swirling, twisting, condensing around the eyes and mouth, and a silhouette started to appear. A few seconds later, the energy was shot away in a burst that traveled along the floor and the sky.

"Will you find in you the power to do what must be done." The voice was now extremely low, almost, dangerous.

Naruto finally looked up and gasped. In front of him stood a man. He stood tall and proud, almost regally one would say. He looked down at Naruto, eyed him from top to bottom and barked out a laugh. His canine eyes were a dark red, and a savage sneer adorned his face, his canines sticking out. His ears were sharp and closer to the top of his head. His hair reminded Naruto of a character from an anime he used to watch, Lizard Ball or something like that.

"So ningen, what is your answer? Will you act like a leader, one who has the power to stop any conflict, or will you be cannon fodder, sent to the front lines so that others can run over you and take your accomplishments as your own."

"I want to be a leader, but I don't want to be like the rest of them. Weak and spineless, unlike the ones that we used to have. I despise the new ones, bowing to the will of the council fools. I will have my revenge. But for that I need power."

"That's what I want to hear!" The man roared. "Your training…starts now."

Suddenly, the man turned into a gaping fox head, teeth stained red with blood, and swallowed him whole.

Naruto got up from the ground with a start, gasping for breath, his panicked eyes jumping from left to right. He first patted his body, to make sure nothing actually happened to him and finally stopped to see where he was, realizing he was back in the dojo.

"You're alive then..."

Naruto turned to the old man and saw that the old man was gone. He was replaced by another, younger man, that was still undoubtedly the same person.

"I have become young once more so that i may fulfill my purpose once more. I have been sworn to protect and to pass on my teachings to one that is worthy. The sword, was the deciding factor. You have been deemed worthy, and if you accept, i will teach you all that i have.

Naruto then bowed to the now-young man and said "I would be honored master."

"Then come, and receive your training!"

(A/N):

Hey guys and gals, just wanted to let you know that yes I might indeed have some free time from now on to write. Entry tests and the like are pretty annoying to deal with sorry. The next chapter is already in construction. I will talk to you guys later!