120Welcoming Notes: Yello everyone, Soul here, and welcome to my first Naruto x Fate story. Now that I'm diving into the Nasuverse, I'm sure there will be a lot of lovely lovely lovely reviews coming my way during the course of this story.
Of course, this story is a Naruto x Fate/stay night crossover story with elements from:
Fate/Grand Order
Fate/Extra/Extella
Fate/Apocrypha
Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA ILLYA
Other Nasuverse properties
AND Fate/stay Night Unlimited Blade Works Abridged
Inspiration for this story includes the likes of Four Swords and Nerve Damage. Kind of a spoiler, but what the hecky.
Oh this gonna be much fun, it'll be like walking right into a meat grinder XD XD XD
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, the Fate series, the Nasuverse, or any other crossovers that will appear.
Special thanks go to Rixxell Stryfe, Reaper of Souls, and NorthSouthGorum for beta-reading.
Now Presenting: Fate/Uzumaki: The Ties That Bind
[Fuyuki City, "1994"]
In the beautiful Japanese city, there was a scene that could only be found in the depths of Hell. A fire erupted from a local theatre, spreading throughout the town. The flames licked the ground and engulfed the demolished buildings. Smoke billowed through the area, with the air around the site smoldering hot. Sirens could be heard in the distance, but it'll be a while before the fire trucks would arrive on the scene.
To the public, it would be explained that a gas leak was the cause of the explosion. But in reality, the city on fire was caused by the climax of the Fourth Holy Grail War.
There was an explosion caused by a Noble Phantasm attempting to destroy the Holy Grail. The destruction of the Grail had been enacted by a Master, who'd used his remaining two Command Seals to force his Servant to destroy it. But the cup retaliated, raining black mud from the sky and flooding the city.
In the nearby Fuyuki Civic Center, a local anime geek convention was taking place. Those who were blissfully unaware of the war in progress were killed in the crossfire. Their bodies melted when the radiated ooze made contact with them, leaving nothing behind.
Outside, a young boy was found on the ground outside the center. His skin and clothes were covered in soot. On his right ring finger was a ring with a red jewel. Tears poured from his eyes, and his hands clenched into a fist. Then, he was suddenly picked up by a rescuer and whisked away. Before the boy lost consciousness, he saw a man covered in black mud. He had a pained look on his eyes, but he was smiling.
"It's okay, son. I'm here. Now let's get out of this sludge!"
'Dad…no…'
Day 00: Ten Years Later…
(Homurahara Academy)
"Oi. Oi! Is this really the time to be asleep?" a voice asked from above, "Wake up, blondie!"
A rolled-up newspaper lightly smacked the top of a mop of blonde hair. The owner of the latter groaned, waving it away. He reached under his folded arms he'd been sleeping on and held up a sheet of paper.
"Come now, Naruto-san. Just because you finished my quiz, doesn't permit you to sleep in my class. You could do other things, like preparing for the next quiz!"
Eyes twitching, the blondie named Uzumaki Naruto raised his head, giving his teacher the stink eye. Said blonde was 18-years-old and five foot eight inches tall, with blue eyes and whisker-styled birthmarks on his cheeks. His hair was spiky and bright as the sun. Like the other students, he is wearing a light brown school uniform, with his jacket open showing him wearing an orange t-shirt.
His teacher was a bit weird, having a mask covering his lower face…like a ninja. He wore a white dress shirt and black trousers as well. His passionate and energetic nature usually annoyed Naruto to no end.
"Funny. I just don't have the bone in my body to care." the blonde mumbled and buried his head into his arms, "So don't mind me, Kakashi-sensei…"
"Guh…as troublesome as ever, Naruto," noted a classmate sitting behind him, getting him the side-eye.
"You're just mad that I'm stealing your shtick, Choji." Naruto countered, waving his hand back at him, "Tell you what, let me have it. That way, you and Karui can finally go out on a date. I can arrange it if you want."
His classmate, Choji, had spiky brown hair, slim, and physically fit. He's serious, and the brains of the class.
"Uh, no way!" Choji grumbled, returning to his test, "The last thing I need is for her and my mom to get together."
"Regardless, since you're done Naruto, you can't have all that energy go to waste, can we? Why don't you go help Seijou-san in fixing the school equipment?" Kakashi suggested to the blonde, "The school's heating system has been acting up again. As a future engineer, you can't let that youth go to waste."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not like I have better things to be doing…" Naruto mumbled with a shrug, "Ja na, Kakashi-sensei."
Naruto picked up his bag and brought out a book. He heaved his bag over his shoulder and flipped open the book.
"Hey~? Is that another one of your so-called 'spellbooks,' Naruto-kun? Does it include a charm that makes you fall for me?"
Naruto looked over at his friend Hyuga Hinata, a girl who had a mad crush on him. She was five foot three inches tall, with an inky-blue hime-cut and pupil-less white eyes with a lavender tint. She wore makeup and lipstick on her face, with her full, firm, E-cup breasts filled out her school uniform; her dress-shirt open revealing her cleavage. She also had a haughty expression, along with a flirtatious smirk.
"Sorry to disappoint dearie, it's a book on the legend of King Arthur…" Naruto responded with a sidewards smirk, "Are you still waiting on that date?"
"Of course I am, but you're so busy every-single-fucking-day!" Hinata complained, reaching out and pulling his cheek. "Doing the occasional odd-jobs, learning weird magic card tricks, and standing in for other clubs. Why don't you focus more on your personal life? You know, go out on a date? With me?"
"I would, there's something I have to do. Once that's done, only then I can have a relationship," he replied, brushing her face away and turning back to the book, "See ya around, Hinata-chan."
Hinata looked wistfully at his back as he exited the classroom. "Mou…you're always like that, Naruto-kun. But that's going to end soon…"
[Hallway]
'Sorry, Hinata-chan. We can't be together…not yet anyway,' thought Naruto, biting his thumbnail in frustration, 'Just like…in the past…'
He sighed, snapping his book shut. He didn't want to go down that train of thought. His eyes traveled downward, looking at the red ring he wore around his neck on a necklace. One would think that it was a souvenir, but to Naruto, it was a reminder; a reminder of ten years that changed his life.
The Great Fuyuki Fire.
"Yo, Uzumaki-senpai! Over here."
Naruto looked up to see Homurahara Academy's Student Council President, Ryuudou Issei. He had blue hair, wore glasses, and donned the Homurahara Academy uniform, just like he was.
"Yo, Issei-san. Kakashi-sensei kicked me out for sleeping after taking a quiz, so I'm free." Naruto stated with a wave, "So, what needs to be fixed now?"
"Just the school heaters. Sure, they're broken down, but with you and Seijou fixing them-" Issei said until Naruto put a hand to his face.
"I understand. Say no more, dattebayo." Naruto sighed, looking annoyed, "The School Council's being stingy with the budget as usual. This is what happens with they buy high-end equipment for the other clubs. Geez."
"Sorry, Uzumaki-senpai. Don't worry though, you and Seijou-kun will be well compensated," Issei assured him, before adding, "Well, you more than Seijou-kun. I mean, after all, you're one of those special genius students recognized by the Ministry of Education, are you not?"
"I may have a high IQ, but that doesn't make me a genius." Naruto pointed out in annoyance, entering the Student Council room.
"That's true, but you are allowed to play hooky, unlike the rest of us."
Naruto's eyes twitched at his fellow student. Said student had short auburn hair, golden eyes, and wore the Homurahara Academy uniform, with his jacket open showing his white t-shirt.
"You're the last person to call me out on skipping school." Naruto shot back, a tickmark forming. "At least I don't help out every single old lady and lost child on the street, Shirou."
Everyone had that one annoying childhood friend in their life. For Naruto, that was his friend Seijou Shirou. The boy was so helpful and kind that it was downright insane. His optimistic and idealistic personality drove the blonde up the wall. Still, Naruto considered Shirou one of his closest friends at the end of the day.
More than a certain smug seaweed urchin.
"Oh come on. No one else in this day and age will do it, so it up to me," Shirou declared, puffing his chest out, "Fuyuki's local Hero of Justice!"
"Yeah, yeah." Naruto waved him off, "Anyway, let's just get this done. My caretaker put a curfew on me, even though she's currently out of town for the next couple of days. She's such a worrywart."
"Well, I don't blame her. Not with all the incidents in the past few days." Issei pointed out.
"You know how my head is stuck in the sand." Naruto drawled, but had a curious look all the same, "Japanese, please?"
"Well, for starters, there've been gas leaks all over the main city. Not only that but there have been some crazy murders going on around the area at the same time," explained Issei seriously, adjusting his glasses. "As a result, those who aren't a part of a school club have to go home. There are even talks of shortening the school's hours to half days."
"Sounds like a serial killer is loose in the neighborhood." Naruto said thoughtfully, before biting the tip of his thumbnail again, 'Could it be? No, it's too soon.'
"Uzumaki-senpai, are you okay?" Issei inquired, noticing the concerned look on Naruto's face, "Maybe you should invoke your special student rights and lay low at your place."
"Nah, I'll be fine. I was just thinking about…stuff…yeah." Naruto responded and shook his head, "Anywho, the damaged equipment."
Naruto walked over to one of the heaters Shirou wasn't working on. He opened the control panel and examined the machine's innards. He felt his eye twitching as he saw the worn-out sections of the heater, along with the damaged areas that looked as if arrows pierced them, and groaned.
"Would it kill you to replace these damn things?" he growled, with a sideways glance at Issei. "And what exactly happened to this one?"
"Ayako vs. Shinji II: The Reckoning," Issei responded dryly. "Shinji was hazing the newcomers again and Ayako had enough, so she used him for target practice. Then Shinji took whatever he could get his hands on to block her fury, and that's how that heater got involved. He couldn't get close to her without getting a face full of arrows."
Naruto smirked. "I'm glad Ayako's finally doing something about the asshole, unlike some people." he deadpanned at him.
"Apologizes, Uzumaki-senpai. But it's out of my hands," the Student Council President apologized, clapping his hands in front of him, "Please don't go on a hunting spree as you did to him and the Treasurer several months ago."
Naruto grumbled to himself. When it came to the school budget, it was screwed up something fierce. He had once…interrogated…the school's treasury department on the allocation of funds when foul play was suspected. When he discovered the rat pilfering funds for himself, Naruto turned him into a human pinata and sent him to the infirmary.
The week-long suspension was worth it. Even more so when the majority of the club leaders supported him…except one.
"Issei. Shirou. Bring me all the broken heaters you got. I'm fixing all of them today." Naruto said and looked at his classmates, "And I want them ten minutes ago!"
"Seriously? You'll burn yourself out! At least let me help-" Issei protested, but fell silent at Naruto's irked glare. It reminded him of a certain tsundere when angered, "Okay, on it! Man, your methods are strange Uzumaki-senpai, but they've never failed us yet."
Issei zoomed out of the room. Shirou just shook his head and followed him out.
Naruto rolled his eyes and smirked. He could fix the broken down equipment, but not in front of them. His means of repairing them is pretty unconventional. Once the two closed the door behind them, Naruto put his hand to the heater and closed his eyes.
"This is cheating, but…" he grinned to himself, "It's a learning experience as well. Build On…"
The darkness behind his eyes was now occupied by an image of the heater in his hands. It was like an outline that acts as a blueprint. Thanks to scanning the item in his mind, he saw the problems right away.
"Hmm. The wire is frayed to high hell. The pipe's still intact through," the blonde murmured to himself, opening his now glowing green eyes, "Good thing there's insulation tape to patch this up. But once it breaks down again, it's done."
Cracking his knuckles, a physical tick he'd picked up as a habit, he quickly wrapped some insulation tape around the damaged wire. Next, he hovered his hand over the heater and focused. The next moment, green aetheric lines coated his arm and hand, before traveling across the heater. He focused the energy on the damaged areas and watched as they repaired themselves.
"That should do it." Naruto murmured, closing the control panel. He took a look at his aetheric -lined hand and smirked, "Reinforcement sure is handy." he praised as his eyes returned to normal.
Yes, Naruto knew Magecraft. He just used magic to scan the heater and 'reinforced' its damaged areas so it'll last longer. While he didn't want to use magic like this, he can't deny it was good practice.
"Ah, Uzumaki-senpai," Issei said, entering the room with Shirou. Both of them had the rest of the heaters, "Once again, sorry about this."
"It's fine, Issei. I'm the one who volunteered, so stop apologizing. It's my choice," Naruto snapped at him. He grabbed a heater from him and set it down, "I have an idea on how badly they're damaged. My repairs will extend their lives for a bit. But afterward, please replace these damn things. And if the teachers complain, they can explain to our parents why their kids are in a cold school. Got it?!"
"H-Hai…" Issei nodded and groaned it himself, "I'm in agreement, but as I said, it's out of my hands. I'm sorry."
"I can only hope we can get these done before school is done for the day." Shirou pointed out, "My workplace is on the other side of the bridge, and with all their gas leaks and murders-"
"Stop talking about them before you get worked up. We'll be fine. Nothing is going to happen to us." Naruto cut across him, and frown inwardly, 'Still… Gas leaks? A random murder? Is there a rogue mage on the loose?'
[School Grounds, after school]
"Classes have now ceased for the day. If you are not a part of your school's many delightful after-school programs, I advise that you depart the school grounds for the day, preferably within a group as the sun dies. Classes shall commence at eight o'clock on the dot. Follow the path of flickering lights, and have a lovely evening."
'Classic Kuzuki-sensei has outdone himself again. Was it because of the incident?' wondered Naruto, looking at the loudspeaker on the ground, "If that's the case, then they should close school so everyone can stay home. It'll be a lot safer that way. Still…empty…"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head. He was unaware of the Archery Dojo being closed today. It meant that his childhood friend, Matou Sakura, went home ahead of him.
"That's strange. Usually, Sakura-chan and I would go home together…" Naruto said to himself, looking through the windows, "Did she go home early? Then again, she did look a bit pale this morning-"
"Hey, you smug dick!"
Naruto's danger sense suddenly went off, warning him of an incoming attack. He immediately jumped back to avoid a pole shooting towards his head. Stepping back, he appraised his attacker.
It was Makidera Kaede, the track team's star sprinter. She had short black hair and tanned skin. She was flanked by her two friends, making up the famed Track Girl Trio of Homurahara.
There was Himuro Kane, the track team's High-Jumping ace. She had long gray hair and wore glasses, along with Saegusa Yukika, the manager of the Cross-Country Club. She had auburn brown hair and a gentle expression on her face.
"Matou Shinji! I hate to break it to you, but Tohsaka Rin isn't going to show up! No matter how long you wait!" Kaede declared while twirling her staff around, "Heh!"
"Oro?" uttered Naruto, outright confused at the situation.
"...Maki, this guy doesn't match the description Mitsuzuri gave us. He doesn't have seaweed hair either," Kane pointed out dully, adjusting her glasses.
"The way I see it, he just dampened his naturally curly hair to straighten it! And a face that stupid could only belong to Matou Shinji!" Kaede rebuked confidently, causing Naruto's eye to twitch.
"Excuse me, bitch? I'll have you know that I look nothing like the Wakame (seaweed) urchin," he countered with strained calm, glaring daggers directly at Maki.
"See what I mean? That's what the bad guys always say!" Maki replied cheekily, but Kane shook her head.
"Wait a second." Kane shook her head, and walked over to Naruto, "I'm sorry, but would you mind showing us your Student ID?"
"Un-fucking-believable," Naruto muttered, digging around in his jacket pocket, "How could you not have seen him? I shouldn't have to show my damn ID to prove that I'm not that annoying twat. Do you three really go to this school or not?"
He fished it out and handed it to Kane. She took one look at it and her eyes widened in horror for a moment. She sighed in resignation, turned around, and showed it to Maki. One look from the star sprinter and the pole she'd been wielding clattered to the ground.
"Like he said, we got the wrong guy cornered." Yukika deadpanned, causing Maki to sweat bullets.
"Uzumaki? That Uzumaki-senpai?!" Maki wailed, now scared out her mind. She launched into a weird dance before she hid behind Yukika, "The school's private eye who solves all the school's problems and fixes all the equipment?! As well as the notorious prankster of class 3-A?! That one?! The one they call the Orange Hellion?!"
"You know, they could come up with a better nickname for me than that," Naruto commented amusedly, before turning serious, "I do happen to be acquainted with most of the presidents of the sports clubs."
"Wah! I'm sorry!" Maki wailed, getting down on all fours in a seiza. "Please forgive me~!"
"We're all sorry. It seemed that you were looking for someone. So we thought you were Matou," Yukika explained, also bowing in apology.
"It's fine, it's fine. Since you're apologizing, I won't hold it against you," he said, waving them off, "I was actually looking for Sakura-chan. Have you ladies seen her?"
"Sorry, no. We heard that Sakura wasn't feeling well, so she left early." Yukika responded, shaking her head.
"I see." Naruto nodded in understanding, "Now what's this about Rin-chan? Did something happen?" he asked, concerned about his old friend.
"She informed the school that she wasn't coming in today, so she stayed home."
"Yeah. Tohsaka's sick, dude. Said she's got a cold, so she's gonna hang out in bed today," Maki informed the blonde, before adopting a smug look, "Can you believe a model Alpha-bitch like her is capable of catching a common cold- oof!"
Maki's teasing was cut off by Kane sitting on her back. Her butt rested on the back of Maki like a chair, since the latter was still on her hands and knees.
"We're very sorry, Uzumaki-senpai. Especially for our exotic beast here. But with all due respect, you shouldn't be here either." Maki told Naruto, who raised an eyebrow.
"I understand why, so you don't need to remind me," he said coolly, folding his arms and looking irked, "Maybe a prank or three will set you kouhai straight, eh?"
"Oh no, anything but that!" Maki cried out, trying to get away, "Please Kane! Apologize to him before he sets his sights on us! You heard what he did to Matou a few weeks back! He made his locker explode with itching powder!"
"My apologies, Uzumaki-senpai," Kane bowed again, with a nervous undertone now, "I meant no disrespect."
"Right, right. Now run along before you three become my new test subjects. My next masterpiece will invoke gym wear, honey, and tree branches. Care to find out what I planned? One hundred out of ten say that it'll embarrass you three at the next competition."
Frantically shook their heads in unison, Kane and Yukika picked up Maki and quickly scooted away. Naruto smirked out their retreating backs, and then made his way towards the front gates.
'Weird. Rin looked fine yesterday, especially when she came to school early. And Sakura-chan. Despite everything, she's been a lot more clumsy lately. I can only hope that you're both okay-'
"Ah-!"
"Hey! Watch it, ya dumb blonde!"
Naruto was knocked out of his musings and saw one of his classmates in distress. It was one of his classmates, Yamanaka Ino. She had platinum blonde hair that framed her face, with her hair covering her right eye. She had pale blue eyes, a slender figure, wearing the female Homurahara school uniform. She was shy, modest, polite, friendly, and hated confrontations. Right now, she was sprawled on the ground, with her books and folders sprawled on the ground.
"Ino-chan! Are you okay?" Naruto asked, rushing to her side.
"Y-yeah. Thank you, Naruto-san," she replied meekly; her fellow blonde helped her up.
"What the hell happened to you, Ino-chan?" Naruto asked, picking up her things.
"Oi, Uzumaki! Do your job as a stupid hero, and teach out of people's way. Specifically mine!"
After handing back Ino's study material, Naruto spotted Matou Shinji. The latter was his former distant friend, but now a bitter enemy. He has curly blue hair, gray-blue eyes, and was wearing the standard Homurahara uniform.
"Oh, it's just you," Naruto drawled, his previous anger turned to annoyance, "Wakame-bitch..."
"Don't call me that, you asshole!" Shinji snapped at him, adopting a ferocious look, "At least I'm not a dumb blonde like that waste of space!"
"The only waste of space I see around here is you, Wakame. You've got a lot of nerve disrespecting your upperclassmen. How you're still Vice-Captain of the Archery Dojo is beyond me," sighed Naruto, cracking his knuckles loudly, "So, I guess the rumblings from the grapevine are true. Rin-chan turned you down, again. I know rejection is cruel, but that's no excuse for you to take your childish frustrations out on other people."
Shinji gritted his teeth in anger as Naruto hit the nail on the head. But what infuriated him further was Naruto affectionately calling Tohsaka 'Rin-chan.' He was always jealous of the past he shared with Rin.
…And Sakura.
"That's none of your business, Uzumaki! It's your fault! Yeah, that's it!" Shinji ranted, with an imaginary question mark floating from Naruto, "It's because of you that Tohsaka's not interested in me!"
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Uh, pardon me, Wakame? Are you okay? Do you need anything? I have nothing to do with Rin-chan rejecting you. It's not my fault that you're an epic fuckboy who can't get a school idol to give you the time of day. As for Rin-chan and I, to be honest, we don't talk much these days. She does her thing, and I do me. But enough about yours truly."
The blonde marched over to the vice-captain of the Archery Dojo, his uncaring look turning into one of cold, tranquil fury. It scared Shinji senseless, causing the once confident look on his face to falter. The blonde was now right in his face, glaring daggers at the menace who assaulted his fellow classmate.
"Eek! G-et away from me!" Shinji yelled, taking a swing at Naruto.
Naruto caught his fist, and retaliated with a direct headbutt, knocking Shinji to the ground. The latter screamed out, thrashing on the ground while holding his bleeding head. Naruto ignored the screams and the throbbing in his head, looking satisfied at blood streaming from Shinji's head.
"A bit of self-defense, but what the heck," he said simply, wiping his head, "This is my one and only warning: mess with my classmates again, and the next one you'll catch will be between those beady little eyes."
"Ano, you didn't have to do that. You shouldn't get in trouble for my sake." Ino said meekly, "Violence…is wrong."
"And him knocking you down isn't? Sorry Ino-chan, but I'm not and will never be a pacifist like you." Naruto replied with a stern expression. He brushed off his uniform, "Idiots like Wakame need to be dealt with whenever they bully someone. Leaving it unchecked will lead to more misery. No matter the consequences, I refused to let that happen."
"And that's why you're Fuyuki's Number-One Anti-Hero! I swear, things get boring until you punch someone in the face."
Naruto sighed and turned to see his two friends and classmates approaching.
The speaker was the gluttonous wiseass Nara Shikamaru. He had shoulder-length black hair, tied in a spiky ponytail, and brown eyes with a mischievous look on his face. He was sporting the Homurahara school uniform and had a random bag of popcorn in hand. Despite being a glutton, he still somehow had a thin frame. He was dull-witted, crass, and easily amused.
Next to him is Inuzuka Kiba, an avid cat-lover. He had a bit of a wild appearance, with messy brown hair, and sharp black eyes. He also had a set of painted-on whisker-marks on his cheeks and wearing the Homurahara school uniform. The latter was a bit ruffed up thanks to his pet at home. He was one of the weird students at school, with him wanting to be a 'cat shaman.' "Isn't it boring to just beat up Shinji, nya?" he wondered aloud, eating cat food out of a bag, "What about the others?"
"You mean the troublemakers from Misaki Town? They're not coming back, especially after what I did to them," Naruto said with a chilly grin, "I mean, how can you take them seriously with their new appearances? Skin all blue, hair pink with orange blushes? And I got the good shit that lasted a week!"
"Ah, the infamous Oompa-Loompa prank. 'Tis your finest creation to date, Master Naruto," Shikamaru praised with a mock bow, "Embarrassing the Hell Riser gang to the point of disbanding. You're more of a Hero of Justice than Seijou."
"C'mon, Shikamaru. I'm no Hero of Justice, and I never will be. That will forever be Shirou's job," said Naruto unconvincingly. He gestured towards Ino. "Can you two take her home? I'm heading into the city for the rest of the day."
"But it's not safe out there, Naruto-san. What if you get caught in one of those incidents?" asked Ino worriedly, tugging at his jacket.
"She's right," Kiba piped up, as Naruto patted Ino on her head, "Trouble always finds you, nya."
"Don't worry about me, cat boy. I can handle myself just fine," Naruto replied. He walked away from them and towards the gate, "Can't stay the same for you when it comes to Akamaru!"
"Gao! That's not funny, Naruto-san! That mutt's the reason I can't own any cats!" Kiba whined and hissed like a cat.
"That's because you suck at being an Alpha. In any case, I'm out." the blonde laughed, waved back at his classmates. "Get home safe!"
"Damn you, Uzumaki! You'll pay for this! I swear!" an anguished cry from Shinji sounded off from behind.
Naruto's wave turned into a middle finger. "Kiss my ass, bitch!"
[Fuyuki, Shinto District, early evening]
"Time sure does fly…"
Naruto was now sitting on top of one of the skyscrapers in the Shinto District. He was watching the sunset over the horizon with a bowl of ramen in hand. His view overlooked Fuyuki Central Park, an area that made an impact on his future.
"It's already been a decade, huh…?"
[10 years ago…]
He remembered the incident like it was yesterday. It haunted his dreams almost every night. While it would drive a normal man to depression, it didn't break Naruto. He used the memories as fuel to drive his goal. His ambition was untouchable to those in the mortal realm of man, since they didn't have the means to stop it.
After all, nuclear weapons paled in comparison to the power of legendary heroes. That was a fact that an eight-year-old Naruto knew from first-hand experience.
He had been at a convention celebrating anime and Japanese pop culture. His father, Namikaze Minato, had taken his eldest sister Naruko; with the latter dragging him along for the ride. He didn't want to go since he wanted to hang out with his friends, but Naruko downright kidnapped and forced him to go. To the young Naruto, Naruko had a weird, borderline creepy brother-complex when it comes to him.
He'd managed to slip out of sight when the family got the venue. He'd explored by himself, not willing to be subjected to Naruko's antics. She tended to buy stuff and make him carry the bags so that he wouldn't escape her sight. If he refused, she would subject him an endless stream of pranks until their parents got her to stop.
But Naruto had a plan at the time. If she attempted to punish him, he would square up and retaliate. He'd planned to cover her with sticky chicken feathers and use gathered static electricity to have her clothes zap her repeatedly throughout the next day.
He'd found his friend Shirou, who was with his family. Naruto hung out with them, but lost them in a sea of people. It was hot and stuffy in the building, with the sea of people trying to get their hands on the latest hentai anime. With the heat getting to him, Naruto had left to get some fresh air.
And that's when everything changed for him…
"Hm?"
The sounds of muffled clanging sounded off in the distance. He turned towards the source and noticed that they were coming from the nearby theatre. He frowned, noting that the lights were off.
"What's going on?"
Curious, Naruto made his way to the theatre. He saw that the front doors had been knocked aside. Stepping inside, he saw dusty, skeletal remains littering the floor, along with slash marks and bloodstains on the walls. His curiosity quickly turned to fear as he walked through the hallways. As he proceeded further in, stepping over the swords and shields by the shattered bones, his breathing quickened and his arms shook.
Soon, he found himself on the upper levels of the auditorium, overlooking the stage. Looking closely, an amazed Naruto saw an elaborate-looking golden cup floating above the ground. If it wasn't for the carnage he saw when entering the theatre, Naruto would've thought that it was a prop for a rehearsal.
"Whoa…" he muttered to himself, "What kind of magic is this-?"
A sudden shift from down below caught his attention. He quickly crouched down and looked through the opening of the railing. His eyes widened, seeing a person slowly moving down the aisle.
Looking closely, he saw that it was a young woman in her late teens. She had blonde hair the same golden shade as his, with her hair tied back in a tight circular braid around her head. She had bright green eyes, fair skin, and a slender physique. Her attire was an old-style dress made out of old-fashioned blue cloth. Under it were shining armor parts on her chest and the sides of her dress. She's also wearing a set of armored gloves, greaves, and boots.
'P-Pretty…' Naruto thought, a tint of red in his cheeks.
"You're late, Saber. I realize that you were enjoying yourself with your old mad dog, but it is imprudent to the extreme to keep me waiting as you did."
Entering the theatre was a tall, dignified young man. He had golden hair styled like a burning flame, and his eyes were blood-red. He had a face most women would find handsome and gave off a mysterious aura of royalty. He was clad in an elaborate, golden suit of armor that appeared to be made of the purest of gold. It made quite the impression on the young, hidden Naruto, who looked at him in awe.
"Archer…!" the one called Saber spat. She shifted into a defensive position, holding her weapon that appeared to be hidden by a light-colored hazy mist.
"Look at that delightful expression, like that of a ravenous wild dog," praised the golden man, Archer.
"Get out of my way!" the female knight seethed, "You haven't won. The Holy Grail belongs to me!" She inched forward, but was suddenly stabbed by a flying sword. She screamed in pain as it embedded itself into her leg, instantly bringing her down to the ground.
'What was that?!' Naruto thought, his eyes widening at the sword that came out of nowhere. He looked back at Archer and was amazed to see several weapons floating out of several golden portals.
"Dear Saber. It is when you are delusional and crawling in the dirt, that you are at your most beautiful."
Naruto shivered, unnerved by the foreign emotion showing in Archer's blood-red eyes. A desire to protect the female knight welled up inside the young child. But he couldn't, for if he interfered, there's a high chance he would be killed by the golden man.
"Lay down your blade and be my wife."
Naruto saw Saber's look of pain replaced with a look of utter disgust, but he only felt confusion at this bizarre, horrifying spectacle. Why would he do that? Especially when he shot a sword into her left leg?! The situation was throwing the young boy for a loop at the strange proposal.
"A Grail that grants miracles? Where is the sense in totally obsessing over something so dubious? Abandon these foolish ideals and childish vows of yours. From now on, seek only me and devote yourself to me alone. If you do, I swear as King of all Creation, that I shall give you every pleasure the world has to offer."
The presumptuous tone in his voice re-ignited the flame of rage within Saber's being.
"You would steal the Holy Grail from me? For such utter nonsense?!"
In response, a second weapon flew out of the golden portal towards Saber. She managed to block in time, but the force knocked her through several rows.
"I was not asking for your opinion. I am informing you of my decision!" Archer corrected her unflinchingly, "Now, let us hear your response."
'Is he...forcing her? But why?' Naruto thought, worried for Saber's wellbeing, 'She refused! She doesn't want to be with them. She wants that cup! Why isn't he getting the message? Is this…what they call arrogance?'
"I refuse! I would never-!"
Archer unleashed an axe at her, cutting into her other leg. Saber managed to stop herself from crying out in pain, opting to grit her teeth instead.
"Shyness has left you at a loss for words I see. That's fine. You may answer wrongly as many times as you like." Archer quipped in amusement, "If you would learn the joy of serving me, you must first learn the exquisite pain of it as well."
Naruto shivered at Archer's bloodthirsty smile. Weapons of different makes slowly emerged from the golden portals floating behind him, all aimed at the defenseless Saber. The blond grit his teeth, and looked from the combatants to the…Grail…floating in the room.
'I can try to get it, then maybe…' he thought, only to notice someone else stepping out the shadows, 'Who's that?'
"…Kiritsugu…?" Saber murmured, pulling the offending weapons out of her; and using her sword to support her getting back to a vertical base.
It was a man, an adult in Naruto's eyes. He had black, spiky hair and vacant black eyes. He wore a trench coat over a black suit and held up his hand. On the back of it was a set of strange red markings, with one of them faded out, and another one glowing red.
"Ah, then you have finally made your decision," Archer remarked. He was so focused on Saber, that he failed to sense the man behind him.
"In the name of Emiya Kiritsugu, and by my Command Seal, I order you: Use your Noble Phantasm," the man named Kiritsugu stated in a commanding tone, "Destroy the Grail."
Saber looked shell-shocked at the order. Before she could reply, the air around her weapon dissipated. What was once hidden by the wind was now revealed to be a magnificent sword, with a blue handle, golden hilt, and a radiant blade that glowed with divine power. The next thing she knew, her body was moving against her will, making her grip her sword with both hands.
'That sword!' Naruto thought in shock.
He recognized the sword of legend. He saw it in an ancient history book Naruko was studying from. He'd drawn pictures of it for his art class.
"Impossible! What are you doing, Saber?!" Archer shouted in disbelief. The golden man thought because he was close to the Grail, that Saber would be hesitant to attack him.
"N...no, wait!" Saber cried out, her body visibly resisting the command.
"By my third and final Command Seal, I order you again…"
"But why, Kiritsugu? You, of all people!" Saber screamed, shakingly raising her sword above her head. "Why are you betraying Iris?! Why?!"
At Kiritsugu's name, Archer finally realized that the cause of Saber's unnatural movements was behind him.
"Damn you to hell!" he snarled, turning around to aim his fury at Kiritsugu, "You dare interrupt my nuptials, mongul?!"
"Saber. Destroy…"
"STOOOOOOOOOP!"
"The Holy Grail!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
As Saber finally swung her sword down, Naruto finally realized what he'd stumbled upon.
The cup floating in the room was the Holy Grail.
The markings on the back of the man's hand were Command Seals.
The female knight was called Saber.
The golden man was called Archer.
The sword in Saber's face was the sword of legend: Excalibur.
'This is the bedtime story my mom always told me about.' Naruto thought in terror, watching the burst of energy fired from Saber, 'This is…a Holy Grail War…'
The release beam of light impacted the Grail. There was a great explosion that occurred at the point of impact, making Naruto duck behind his cover. He was unable to see anything, as a bright light filled the theatre.
[Fuyuki, Shinto District, nighttime, present]
"The Holy Grail War, the battle royale fought between Masters and their Servants. Masters summon historical and/or fictional figures of history called Servants. Together, they do battle to determine who gets the ultimate prize, the Holy Grail itself. With the Holy Grail, the winners can wish whatever their hearts desire. Whether to save the world, doom the world, or whatever the hell they want. Ha, what a farce…!"
Naruto laughed to himself, and crushed the finished ramen cup in his hands.
"Maybe that Golden ass had a point. What's the point in obsessing over a Grail that can allegedly grant miracles that one can't achieve under their own power? There's always a price to be paid for such a shortcut. Whether it's direct or indirect…"
He fished inside his shirt and brought out a chain necklace. He grimaced at the ring with a red gem hanging off it.
(Graveyard, a few years ago)
A young Naruto stood in the rain. Donned in a funeral suit and tie, he stood unmoving, holding the red ring in his fist. A sea of people with black umbrellas parted around him.
The boy clenched his teeth, as one thought formed in his mind…
'I gonna shatter that damn cup!'
As the thought crossed his mind, he put on the ring, causing it to glow a bright red. It completely engulfed his form, and his eyes turned red…
(Fuyuki, Shinto District, night, present)
"Such an object should not exist in this world. It will only cause more pain and suffering. That's why…"
Naruto stood up and put the ring back in his shirt. He stared at Fuyuki Central Park, the place where the Civic Center and theatre once was.
"I…"
Before finishing his vow, he spotted someone on one of the skyscraper rooftops that overlooked the street. Taking a closer look, he saw that it was a young woman wearing a red coat, with long, wavy black hair tied in twintails.
"Is that…Rin-chan?" Naruto wondered, frowning, "Why is she up there?"
The blond had never taken his childhood friend to be immune to heights. Maybe it was her secret spot to get away from all the craziness?
However, Naruto remembered that Rin was of the Tohsaka House, a family of magi whose lineage spanned about 200 years. He didn't know whether she was practicing Magecraft or not since they didn't talk much in recent years. But if she was, he was certain that they'd be meeting on the battlefield of Fuyuki in a few decades.
That was when the Fifth Fuyuki Holy Grail War would take place.
"I can only hope that you'll stay out of the war, Rin-chan; for when it comes around, it will be the last one. I will end it and burn it all to the ground. I will destroy the Holy Grail. You can believe that."
[Fuyuki City Streets]
Naruto walked down the dimly-lit street, currently on his way home. He looked over, admiring the city skyline. Life was short and ever changing; and you never know when such a site will drastically change. When he turned this attention back ahead, he saw someone walking towards him.
It was a young girl who's 4'4" tall, had long white hair, and crimson eyes. She had a short-stack frame with a sizable bust, and wearing a purple coat, hat, and boots with a white scarf. She was smiling and giggling as they got closer.
"Nice night, eh lil' von Einzbern?" Naruto greeted the girl, his eyes glowing neon green. "So what got you out of your castle past curfew?"
"I'm 18, onii-chan. Curfews have no sway over me." the girl said with an innocent smile.
"Whatever you say, ya jailbaiting oppai loli." Naruto retorted as they walked past each other.
The girl giggled. "Enjoy joking around while you can, onii-chan. After all, it would be a terrible night to die…"
"The war doesn't start for a few more decades. Why don't you and the other mages keep your murder boners in check?" Naruto growled, side-eying her. "Since Sella-san and Leysritt-san are apparently failing at it."
"Maids keeping their mistress in check? You have funny ideas, onii-chan. I'm sure I'll hear more of them in the coming days, that is if you are able to summon your new friend and not die a horrible death."
"What are you-?" Naruto asked, whipping around in alarm.
Only to find her gone.
"Illyasviel von Einzbern. What are you up to?"
DAY ZERO…END
Next time - Day 1
Just another day in the school life of the Orange Hellion…or will it be? At the end of the day, say goodbye to the days of normalcy, and hello to the Fifth Holy Grail War!
After-notes
Yes, the Naruto characters (sans Naruto himself) are in their Road to Ninja appearances and personalities.
Finally a new update for the new year! Rejoice...or whatever. It took me three weeks to get this done. Life sucks.
Please be gentle. When I introduced Nasuverse in my RWBY story, I got messages stating that I was opening a beehive of hell. But I'm not scared…not scared…
When it comes to the days, there will be multiple parts.
I'm gonna make this Holy Grail War into an actually Holy Grail WAR! You'll see what I mean in the chapter after next. I mean, as I said above, this story is inspired by Fate fics Four Swords and Nerve Damage.
Let the mayhem begin!
-Shameless self-promotion
Message me for an invite to my Discord server, where you can come and chat with me and others with fellow writers. You'll also get sneak peeks at my future updates, and my current status on what I'm working on, and the mindless shenanigans!
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Coming soon: The rest of "Soul Reacts to RWBY Volume 5" on my YouTube channel.
Released: Sunday, February 11, 2018
Patch 1.2: Saturday, February 17, 2018 (NorthSouthGorum finished with the beta-reading)
Patch 2.0: Monday, July 20, 2020 (Corrections, dialog updates, new scene and new after-credits scene below)
[Fuyuki Neighborhood]
"Dammit! I forgot to turn off my eyes!"
Naruto grumbled to himself, and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them back up, his eyes returned to their normal blue.
"That Illya. What is her deal?" Naruto wondered before looking over. "Ah…"
He stopped in front of the Matou residence. The gate was closed and the house had some of its lights on.
'Tohsaka. Matou. Einzbern. The Three Founding Families. I know Rin is knee-deep, but Sakura… I hope she's staying out of…' his ears twitched when he heard a faint buzzing sound. "The hell is that?"
"Might you have some business with my house, young one?"
Naruto looked over to see an old man around the corner of the wall around the estate. He was completely bald and hunched over, the loss of height showing his old age. He also wore plain black and green robes and supported himself with a walking stick. Despite his appearance, he had intimidating white pupils and irises, with black scleras.
"Pardon?" Naruto asked, his senses suddenly going haywire. 'This old man is…'
"What's wrong, young one? Why won't you answer?" the old man asked, walking forward. "If you won't answer, shall I decide for you?"
"My apologies, sir. I was just passing by and recognized my friend's house." Naruto said and bowed. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto."
"Uzumaki, you say?" the old man asked with interest in his voice. "I see. How fares Mito and Kaguya these days?"
"Enjoying retirement." Naruto said with a raised eyebrow. "I take it that you're Matou Zouken then?"
"At your service, young Uzumaki." Zouken said, nodding his head.
'Then the buzzing I'm hearing are those stupid Crest Worms. Fuck that.' Naruto thought before staining a smile. "Right. Nice to meet you, I guess. I don't want any trouble. I know Sakura-chan, and I used to be friends with Shinji."
"Indeed. My grandson complains about you a lot, but my granddaughter seems fond of you, despite our family history." Zouken said with a knowing look.
"Like I said, I want no trouble." Naruto sighed. "I heard that Sakura-chan was under the weather. had to leave school early. Is she okay?"
Zouken snorted. "She is fine. She just had a slight chill."
"...I see." Naruto gave a quick bow. "Thank you, sir. I'll be on my way." he said and walked away.
"And one more thing, young Uzumaki."
"...Yes?"
"What do you know about the Einzbern girl?"
"No. I know nothing about Illyasviel von Einzbern. Or her mom. Or her terrible dad. Or her stupid family of old people that needs a good shower and a nap." Naruto growled out before quickly walking away. "Good night, Matou-san!"
As Naruto zoomed off, Zouken chuckled to himself. "Safe travels to you, young Uzumaki. 'Tis a shame that you know nothing about the Einzbern girl. Still, something tells me that you and I will be further well acquainted with each other down the line, with the Grail at stake." he murmured before disappearing into numerous bugs. "Heh heh heh heh heh…"
