Disclaimer: I've already disclaimed enough...My wit today is failing me, so you're stuck with a simple: I don't own anything publicly recognizable.

AN: I was thinking, and then I came to the realization that I could be writing instead, so here I am. Anyway, it seems like this story is gathering a good response, so I'll just have to continue it... Damn.

I'm joking! Well, let's not delay any further than I already have. I probably should have updated much sooner, but I'm lazy. And I already have the story mapped out in my head, so in a way, my fanfiction is already concluded for me, if you get what I mean...

Demonic Changes: Finding an answer

Naruto didn't even know why he was crying, hell, he had known Mizuiro for what, two days? Their bond wasn't strong, it wasn't even heart-felt. It was just two friendly colleagues working together, so why did it hurt so much?

That was the constant question as he ran back to Konoha, a sealing scroll containing Mizuiro's body and his separated head, while another contained Aoi, ironically in the same way as his victim, head cut off the body.

The legendary sword, Raijin no Ken was instead carried by Naruto personally, it was in fact a powerful weapon who anybody could use and be empowered by, and somehow, having the sword in sight helped calm him down, and the fact that he could see himself that it couldn't do any more harm was reassuring to Naruto in a way that he couldn't say he had ever felt before, especially because he had never been in such a situation.

It also give a strange sense of invincibility, because its strength was great and widely recognized, and maybe simply because he had personally seen what the weapon could do, and only a stroke of luck saved him, it could have just as easily been him instead of Mizuiro dying because of it's might.

He wanted to thank Lady Luck for this blessing, but he just as much wanted to curse her.

It was only a C-Rank mission, how is it possible that the enemy was capable of predicting accurately where Mizuiro would be exactly to perform a perfect assassination? There must have been someone behind this.

But he actually didn't care for the politics behind this event, not only because he would probably be walking in circles if he tried to follow this, but also because he wanted to leave this to the Hokage.

Right now, he felt numb. Like everything he did was a chore, and running back to the village was probably the worst chore he had ever done. He actually wanted to walk, to think and rationalize what happened, but he knew that the mission came first, especially in this kind of situation.

And so he ran. Time flew, but he didn't notice, the world around him only a blur of unimportant colors.

It took time to reach the village, that he knew for sure, but he couldn't quantify it, he could only affirm with certainty that right now the moon was high in the sky, and the cover of the night helped him to move stealthily, even if his sword was like a bright beacon of light in the otherwise black world.

Just as he thought that, a hum came from his sword, which he noticed had actually taken a small portion of his chakra, and then it retracted till only the hilt remained. It was so insignificant that if he threw it away he had no doubt that nobody would have touched the sword again.

The temptation was strong, but his will managed to stop the lure of anger-wrought whispers.

He didn't even know why he didn't do that, outside of a certain twisted respect for the sword that had killed his friend and opposed him with such fierceness, and it was the sword that opposed him, not Aoi. He was sure that Aoi wasn't that great of a shinobi, but a hand on the same hilt he was holding right now made him an incredible ninja.

What would happen if this sword was wielded by a competent ninja? The thought caressed his mind, and he was ashamed that he couldn't say that he didn't want this weapon. He desired it, there was no denying.

So he sighed, and made his quick way toward the office of the Hokage, where he left his report for the mission, after noting the absence of the Sandaime. He had written it soon after having numbed himself enough, so it was just as detached as you could expect from an ANBU, but Naruto wasn't sure that was a good thing. He had even written that he had cried, but that was only because he was in such a confidential relationship with the Hokage.

He went back home, where, exhausted, he collapsed on his bed, the scrolls containing the two bodies still floating in the air in their slow descent toward his kitchen table, while the hilt of the Raijin no Ken laid beside him on his bed, still clutched in his hand.

-Demonic Changes-

"-Ki Naruto, you've been summoned by Hogake-sama, Uzumaki Naruto you've been-"

"I get it"

Naruto didn't even have time to wake up before he was summoned by an ANBU on orders of the Hokage. He couldn't say it was his favorite way of waking up, but he had expected something like this, so he lessened his grip on his sword, slowly relaxing as he let happier thoughts run through his mind, trying to calm down and succeeding only partly.

Even if he knew this was important, he couldn't help but take it slow, with a relaxing bath in such hot water that it melted his every thoughts away, for the half hour he lost in it anyway. But when he came back to his senses, those same thoughts came back with vengeance, and along them was guilt, which he was able to suppress ruthlessly in the depth of his own mind.

He looked at the Hokage Monument, still standing tall as always, unmovable even in front of all the losses Konoha suffered at the hand of enemies, still looking at all the village citizens with calm and relaxing gazes, as if they were with them in every losses they suffered-and he wanted to burn it down.

It lasted for but a moment, but it was a moment in which dark thoughts run through his mind unleashed, with a twisted kind of happiness in their freedom.

Why are they looking at me like that?

Are they looking down on me?

How many people have they killed?

Was it worth it?

What did they feel when they sent their shinobi to certain death?

Was it... happiness? Guilt? Hopelessness?

Why did I want to be Hokage?

All these thoughts ran through his mind in an instant, confusing him a little. Then Naruto shook his head, and a semblance of quiet returned to his mind, even if he remained confused.

But he was still himself enough to remember his summon, so he rapidly shunshined to the Hokage's tower, then ran till he reached his destination, the Sandaime's office.

In there he found a quiet atmosphere to greet him, which was to be expected, but it still angered him somewhat that the world wouldn't stop for even a moment in this place for the death of only one person.

"Hokage-sama, you summoned me" Naruto said respectfully.

"Yes, half an hour ago if I'm not mistaken" Sarutobi glared playfully at him.

"Ah! There were a few complications I'm afraid, Hokage-sama..." He trailed off uncertainly.

"Oh? Do tell of these 'complications', Naruto" The Hokage said with amusement.

"Well, my bathroom was leaking, so I had to fix that, then, just as I was using Shunshin to get to your office, I knocked down a old lady and her groceries, and I just couldn't not help her...Hokage-sama" Naruto hastily added.

"Damn that Kakashi" Sarutobi muttered "Anyway, while your mission report was exhaustive, I want to hear it from you, because it's important for the Hokage to listen to his subordinates whenever they're sad or angry, and lead them on the right path" The Hokage said sagely, to which Naruto only nodded, his head bowed as if in sadness.

In truth, he was a little angry at the implications behind this little speech. Just, what was the right path?

But in the end, he was, just as the Hokage said, a subordinate, and he wasn't about to disobey a direct order from his superior, especially when four Anbu were hidden in the shadows of the room, just waiting for a threat to their master.

So he spoke. He told them of how the mission was so boring, how they thought it was useless, up to the laughs they shared as they completed it, before in that ruined castle lightning struck, and then of Aoi, and of how he killed Mizuiro in so little time, without giving anyone time for a response, of his anger and of his win. He was sad, sad that his voice didn't break for even an instant, as if he was a soldier that knew this could have happened and had already rationalized this kind of happenings a long time ago. But he wasn't a soldier, he just wanted to cry and embrace his old man, just like before. But he couldn't, not when he knew just what his "jiji" represented. A life of death and destruction, a life which for Sarutobi Hiruzen was like his natural habitat, and Naruto was disgusted by it, by his cold eyes and also by his empathy.

After all, how in the hell could he share his pain, when he had probably seen thousands of deaths before, when he had probably an hand in at least half of them. It wasn't conceivable. And his cold eyes indicated to a truth that he considered briefly, before dismissing it. After all, it just wasn't possible that he was faking his emotions so well, nobody can.

So he didn't say anything more, he didn't cry and he didn't try to assuage his doubts.

"I'm sorry Naruto, this wasn't supposed to happen, it should have been just a simple mission. Nobody should have died meaninglessly like that, but it happened, and now we just have to try and move on. After all, what would the dead think of us if we just gave up? No, that's just unthinkable". The Hokage looked outside the window in thought, a sad frown on his lips and his hat obscuring his eyes.

Naruto tried to ignore the emotion in his grandfather-figure speech, but it just didn't work. So, he latched on one side of the speech to distract his attention from his conflicting feeling.

"His death was planned, Hokage-sama, Aoi knew too much, and it's unlikely he just happened to stumble upon the one he was searching for. I believe the client betrayed us, and this is grave, for if even a noble could betray us then who knows-"

"I understand your concern, Naruto. But while this situation will be carefully considered, I can't say that noble will ever really be tried or anything like that" 'It will have to be something off the record' the Hokage thought 'Naruto doesn't need to know that' "You see Naruto, nobility has diplomatic privileges, fruit of our own relationship of subservience with the Damyio, so a full on investigation can't even be attempted with so few evidence. It would be like going against our Lord, and we can't, the Damyio can make our life difficult with the power he wield" 'Besides, this will probably teach Naruto to choose his battles better'.

"I understand, Hokage-sama" Naruto said through gritted teeth, after controlling the disbelieving expression he sported throughout the Hokage's argument.

'I can't believe this... Where is justice in this world? A person has just been killed through the use of a traitor, and we can neither expose the traitor or go after Kumo. This...this is madness.'

"I'm sorry Naruto, but that's just how the system works, there's nothing I can do to change it, and neither can you" The old man said with sympathetic eyes.

"I know, but that doesn't make it right!" Naruto almost shouted. The Anbus tensed in the darkness.

"That's a given" The Hokage replied carelessly "But we aren't dealing with right and wrong here. What I have to consider is what is better and what is worse for the village. If I'd let myself be swayed by my morals, then Konoha wouldn't be what it is now, Naruto"

"But, how can you even..." 'Say that. If you don't even have morals, then how can you even call yourself human? What's the difference between you and a monster?' That's what he wanted to say. Instead he took a deep breath.

"I... I believe I understand now, Hokage-sama" Naruto said, his blonde hair shadowing his eyes.

Sarutobi looked concerned, before masking his worry underneath the façade of the Hokage once more. Feelings don't sway him. Not anymore.

"Another interesting thing is your finding of the Raijin no Ken. That's a weapon we've been searching for years now, alongside with that traitor" His eyes held fury in them, but his face was composed "It belongs to the Senju's Clan, and it is a family heirloom"

Naruto tensed, prepared to being ordered to hand back the only prize of his worst mission.

"Fortunately for you, the Uzumaki's are related to the Senju's, and there's only one person remaining of that clan, and she's... indisposed, for now. I think you will be a good "guardian" for that sword, wield it with pride, that's the prized sword of the Nidaime, and I'm releasing it in your care." His eyes twinkled " At the very least, until his owner actually came back to the village to reclaim, which I doubt she will" He sighed.

Naruto was stunned. Here he was, a fresh chuunin, being handed the prized sword of the Second Hokage. It didn't make sense.

"I... thank you, Hokage-sama" He bowed low.

"Then you're dismissed. Oh, and also, take the next week off, you seem like you need it" He could still play it off as a concerned leader though, right?

"Thank you, Hokage-sama"

-Demonic Changes-

Naruto was hiding.

Well, that's a big word, it was more like he just wanted to be alone and he really didn't want to be disturbed. Unfortunately, in the Ninja World, planting a "Don't Disturb" sign on your door is actually a good way to invite everyone in your house, because duh, they're Ninja.

When they read that someone doesn't want to be disturbed, they'll think the worst and enter to see if you're up to a nefarious scheme (Anbus) or if you're crying (your friends).

It's difficult to keep someone out of your door when they can just phase through it or use whatever means to let themselves inside.

No, he was actually living in his training ground by now, trying to sort out his feelings, and even Kurama couldn't get through him. Not that he tried noticeably. Even if he tried to be more social, the big fox still wasn't the best at dealing with human-sized problem.

He doubted the boy would take his advice anyway. Unfortunately Naruto still couldn't summon tsunamis from his tail, hell he didn't even have a tail, so the Bijuu really didn't know what to advice him. He was a pretty straightforward guy.

That human insulted me? A swish of a tail and he and his village disappear.

A village is on my way? Again, a swish of a tail.

There was really no problem that was tail-proof, after all, if you cut the roots, the tree will fall.

But that wasn't what Naruto needed. He actually trained physically, but it didn't help any outside of making him feel tired and sore. He really hated this kind of training.

Actually, it made him more frustrated with himself, because by training, he was able to numb himself to the thousands of questions that plagued him, and that's not what he wanted at all.

He wanted to tackle the problem head on, and he needed to make a decision, but he didn't know if he actually could go through with his plan.

There was only one thing certain. This world he lived in, it was wrong. People lived in fear, children have to grow up too fast, and it's always an hair-trigger near war. When a soul first inhabits the body of an infant, it doesn't get chose where to live, and growing up they have to adapt, but in this kind of world, the only growth admitted was one of death, and he couldn't stand the thought of millions of people just giving up at the thought of a better world. Nobody should do that when there is so much suffering, such a great wrongness permeating the mindset of the whole world. After all, if we can change it, even a little, we should be obliged to do it.

Instead, an half lived in an illusion of peace, and the other without any hope for a better world.

No, he decided.

'I can't allow that' Naruto thought, stretched out on the field of his training ground. His fists tightened. ' I wouldn't be able to forgive myself '

And then he made a promise.

I will be the Harbinger of Change

AN: So, It's been a while. I know this chapter is short, but I can't do it in another way, there's nowhere to make it grow without it becoming just useless junk thrown in for a word or two, and to continue after that last statement would just destroy the epicness of the moment.

This, this is where the real story start. Unfortunately I can't promise updates, what, between school, laziness, but I'll bring this to the end, even if it takes some years. Actually, it shouldn't be that long, I plan for this to last around maybe 30/40 chapters? I don't know, but after this the story will just change so much you won't (I hope) know where it's going at all, I want you to keep you guessing as to how he will change his world.

And, if you want an excuse for my lateness, blame Code Geass. This anime blocked me at the beginning, and after that interest just started to wane...

Anyway R&R!