Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ DEATH visits the Fire Nation ❯ 1 ( Chapter 1 )

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Naruto stood, confused by the sudden lack of pain in his limbs. When the Kyuubi had finally broken the seal, Naruto had used everything he had to contain the beast again, but he’d exhausted his chakra.

I’m worse than Kakashi, he thought, remembering his teacher’s lack of chakra control with a grin. Kakashi was going to kick his ass when he woke up in the hospital unable to move because he wrecked his own body. He had a feeling the Kyuubi wasn’t going to help him heal this time.

Naruto flexed his arms and stretched. That’s odd. I shouldn’t be undamaged.

Then he looked down and realized he was floating over his own body. Sakura was crying and frantically pumping chakra into his torn and pale form. Kakashi and Sai stood nearby, unable to help.

“Don’t you dare die on me!” she screamed. “Don’t you leave me like Sasuke.”

“I’m right here, Sakura-chan,” Naruto said, but she kept working on him.

A figure in black appeared next to him. UZUMAKI NARUTO. THIS IS YOUR TIME.

“Who are you then?” Naruto asked.

I AM DEATH. I HAVE COME TO COLLECT YOU.

“You don’t look like the Shinigami. He appeared when the old man died. Everyone saw him.”

I AM DEATH. THE SHIMIGAMI ASKED ME TO COVER FOR HIM WHILE HE IS ON HOLIDAY.

“I can’t go yet,” Naruto said. “I have too much to do. I’m going to be Hokage someday. Believe it!”

Death pulled his hood back, and Naruto saw a skull with glowing blue eyes. A skeletal hand pulled a timer with sand in the bottom from deep within a cloak that shouldn’t have been able to hold its shape.

IT IS TIME, Death said.

They heard a primal scream from Sakura, and they turned to look at the scene below them. Sakura had channeled a massive amount of energy into Naruto, and they saw the physical body of Naruto cough slightly and open his eyes.

Sakura collapsed on top of him. The timer in Death’s hand began to glow with a blue light, and Naruto began to sink toward his own form on the ground. As he entered his body he heard the sepulchral voice of Death say, BOTHER. MEDICS ARE SUCH AN ANNOYANCE. I SUSPECT THAT THEY ARE MADE OF THE SAME STUFF AS THAT RINCEWIND.

Naruto blinked his eyes. Everything hurt. His hair even hurt. Kakashi pulled Sakura off him and checked her pulse. “She’ll live,” he said. “But she’s going to be in the hospital for a long time. She drained almost as much chakra as you did.”

He flicked Naruto on the head. “Baka. What were you thinking? We could have helped you.”

“I guess I lost my head,” Naruto said. He had a vague memory of something dark and somehow comforting being with him.

“You almost did,” Kakashi said. “You weren’t breathing, and your heart stopped for a while there. We really thought you were dead.”

A last memory of intense blue eyes flickered in his mind and passed on, never to return. “Granny’s going to have a fit,” Naruto said.

It began to rain. Kakashi hefted Sakura onto his back. “Let’s get home,” he said to Sai. “I want them in the hospital as soon as possible.”

“Why do I get stuck with Dickless?” Sai asked.


“Because I was smart enough to pick up the lighter one first,” Kakashi said.
Death watched them bound away over the trees. WIZARDS THERE, NINJAS HERE. THIS JOB WOULD BE MORE ENJOYABLE WITHOUT SO MANY MEDDLESOME PEOPLE. He mounted Binky and rode back to the Shinigami’s lair. At least that Hokage fellow who lived there was a nice chap who played a good game of Shoji.