Flames of Duty

Chapter Two: Eight Years

Appearing from nowhere, Naruto looked around with calm eyes. Judging by the huge trees he saw in the surroundings, he was certainly in the Land of Fire. At least he hadn't gone in the wrong direction.

'Now...how should i act?' thought Naruto before heading north, where he could sense a large number of people 'If I just go to Konoha and then kill everyone, it could be a problem. I don't think they can defeat me, but they managed to enslave the Shinigami of this world, so they might have some tricks up their sleeve that I still don't know.'

'There is also the problem of knowing how to recognize people who have been brought back to life. It is not certain that their souls are different in appearance.' said Kurama with his deep voice, the same he had when we was still a Bijuu 'I would suggest taking a brief inspection tour to get an idea of what we have to face.'

'Good idea, but first...' concentrating, Naruto used his chakra for the first time and within seconds he was engulfed in an explosion of white smoke. Once dissipated, an old man with a long gray beard was in his place.

'Are you going to use your appearance as Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto?'

'Yes, I'm a new face to them. If I were to present myself with my true appearance, the end of the world would be unleashed. Also with you still hidden in my walking stick, it is better to use my old appearance.' explained Naruto while walking like an old man, his eyes almost completely closed.

'Can't argue with that.' nodded Kurama before adding 'Also, kit...'

'Yes, we've company.'

From the trees around him suddenly appeared several men dressed in dark clothes, but all different from each other. With a quick glance, Naruto understood that they were a group of missing nin, since all of them had a headband with a line engraved above the symbol of their former village. Instinctively, his mind reminded him of two missing nin in particular, who had died years before during his first real mission as a ninja of Konoha.

'I wonder where the circle of rebirth brought them...'

"Hey, old man!" said one of the missing nin, taking a step forward "This area belongs to us! If you want to pass you have to pay a fee!"

While the other men laughed as if they had just heard something funny, Naruto could only sigh "Yare yare...today's children are truly disrespectful." some of the ninja growled for comment but then Naruto slowly opened one eye "I think a punishment is a must."

None of them understood what had happened, but in a single instant, they all found themselves on their knees, crushed by a monstrous pressure. Most of them also had tears in their eyes, foam coming out of their mouths and a dark patch between their trousers, however Naruto ignored them all, concentrating only on the man who had spoken, who was watching him with eyes full of terror.

"My task has no time limit." said Naruto with his usual calm voice "However, I don't have the patience to teach infants like you how to breathe."

The missing nin in front of him felt bile go up his throat. How was it possible? The man in front of him had done nothing, yet he had reduced them to that state! He was once a ninja from Kumo, he had felt the negative aura of the Hachibi, yet it was nothing compared to what he is feeling now!

"However, before you faint, tell me...in what direction is Konoha?" asked Naruto leaning forward slowly.

The former ninja of Kumo barely managed to move a trembling arm, pointing behind his own shoulder.