DISCLAIMER: I only own three original characters (so far; a few show up later). There will also be swearing and gore. Repeat this for every chapter.

This takes place after the Hidan and Kakuzu arc. Some things that happen afterward in the manga remain in this story, others do not (although I'll try to stay as close to the canon as possible). This story starts out a bit... slow... but it picks up at chapter 3. Also note that this was first written about two years ago when I was still a fledgling writer. Expect increased quality as you delve deeper into this tale. If you want quality now, you're in luck. I have recently published a revised version of this story entitled "The Necromancer: Revisited". I recommend you read that one since it will be better all around.

Also, if you read this, please take the time to review.

The Necromancer: Chapter 1:

Two people clad in black cloaks with red clouds upon them approached the entrance to Konohagakure. One was wearing a face-covering bamboo shade, and the other had a baggy hood that hid the face. The person wearing the shade had several sheathed blades strapped to his back. It was midnight, and the full moon lit up the forest path with an eerie glow. The gates became closer and closer with each step.

"And so begins the destruction of Konoha..." the man wearing the shade said. The hooded person nodded.

Soon they were in front of the gates. Three jonin stood guard.

"Who are you two?" one of them asked.

"Wait... look at the cloaks! They are members of Akatsuki! Quick alert the others!" another jonin exclaimed.

"I don't think so!" the man wearing the shade said. He quickly unsheathed one of his swords, a thicker and larger katana. He slit one jonin's throat and immediately stabbed the other jonin in the chest, killing them both. The other jonin was too frightened to do anything. The man scoffed and sheathed his sword.

"Pathetic," he said.

The other Akatsuki member approached the cowering jonin.

"Is he the first one?" The man asked the hooded member, who nodded in reply.

"Why don't you talk?" he asked.

The hooded member said nothing, and thrust his or her gloved palm in front of the cowering jonin. A yellow gas then formed in front of it and extended outwards, snaking into the man's nose. The man then fell unconscious.

"It will take effect soon... we best go to the 'observatory'," the hooded member said.

The man gasped.

"So the fearsome and mysterious Necromancer is a woman?" the man said in disbelief.

The Necromancer said nothing and started walking off.

"W-wait for me!" the man said as he followed her.

A wolf howled in the distance. It was a low, sad-sounding howl.

Naruto sleepily woke up. He glanced at the clock next to him.

"Ah, man, it's only two o' clock," he sleepily mumbled.

He tried going back to sleep, but he couldn't. Ten minutes passed, and he gave up.

"This sucks," he yawned, "I guess I'll get up, then."

He got dressed and he decided to stroll around the town until dawn. There was nothing better to do, anyway.

That's when he heard slow and irregular footsteps in the distance.

"Strange..." Naruto mumbled, "I guess it's just someone going to the bathroom."

The footsteps got louder and louder. Whoever was making the noise, they were coming to his room.

Then there was a loud thud! at his door. He jumped.

"Ah!" Naruto exclaimed, "Calm down, will ya? You frightened me!"

There was no response besides another thud at the door.

"Okay! Okay!" Naruto grumbled. He opened the door. Sleepiness was clouding his thoughts.

A woman was in the doorway. She immediately made a low growl, grabbed Naruto, and tried to bite him. Naruto punched her in the face and backed away.

"What's the matter with you, crazy lady?" he asked.

The woman slowly got up. She had short red hair and her mouth hung open. She moaned and slowly approached Naruto with an odd walking style, like... shambling.

Her eyes shocked Naruto the most. They were like Hinata's Byakugan, but they were different. These eyes were completely white and had no feeling behind them. Naruto was now scared.

Then he saw a chunk of flesh missing from her leg. No blood poured from the wound. There was blood around the wound, but none of it was coming from the wound. The woman simply continued approaching Naruto, moaning. Naruto was really scared now.

"What's going on?" he asked himself. He remembered reading some books like this. They were about "zombies," fictional creatures that Naruto loved reading about. This woman seemed very similar to a zombie.

"Could she be a zombie?" Naruto asked himself, "No way! It can't be! Zombies aren't real! I have to be dreaming!"

Naruto pinched his hand as hard as he could to wake himself up. He cried out in pain and stopped pinching himself.

"No! I'm not dreaming!" Naruto gasped. The woman was now close to him, and Naruto's back was pressed against a wall. He panicked and looked around the room for some weapon to use. He then eyed his kunai pouch and grabbed it and took a kunai from it. The woman lunged for Naruto and grabbed him. He kicked her off and stabbed the kunai in her chest. She only flinched from the force of the kunai hitting her, but made no other noise except the moan. No blood poured from the wounds. Naruto withdrew the kunai and started to hyperventilate.

No way! She is a zombie! She can't feel pain! Naruto thought. I never got to the part in the books that said how to kill them! He then grabbed some nearby shuriken and tossed them at her. She flinched from the force of them slamming into her skin, but she made no sign of feeling pain. She reached out and grabbed Naruto's arm and moved her mouth towards it. Naruto closed his eyes.

"NO!" Naruto yelled. He slammed the kunai on her head, blade pointing down. She stopped and crumpled to the floor.

Naruto opened his eyes. The kunai was deep in the woman's skull.

Is that how you kill them? You destroy the brain? Naruto thought.

Naruto then put on his shuriken and kunai pouches. He stared at the woman's corpse for a bit, thinking about what he had just witnessed.

This can't be happening! This can't! he thought.

He then gasped.

"Oh no! Sakura!" he realized, "I've got to protect her!"

He quickly ran out of his apartment room and dashed downstairs and left the building.

Naruto gasped. About five other zombies were roaming around.

I've got to save her! he thought.

He ignored the zombies and went towards Sakura's house.