Naruto: The Chosen Undead

Read advance chapters of all my works or want to support me.

https/www.p.a.t.r.e.on/Adamo_Amet

Join us on discord:

https://di..scord.gg/h3kDw7ma

••••••••••••••••••

Chapter 94 The Demon Brothers

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Sasuke leaned against the Hokage Gates, arms crossed, basking in the rare moment of quiet. Kakashi stood nearby, flipping through his little orange book with the ease of a man who had perfected the art of slacking off. Tazuna, gripping a beer bottle like it held the meaning of life, stared at it with a look of existential dread.

Meanwhile, Sakura was hunched over their supplies for what had to be the third time, mumbling curses under her breath.

Her eye twitched.

"Where. The hell. Is. Naruto?!"

"Give it a minute, Sakura," Kakashi murmured, still engrossed in his book.

Sakura let out a frustrated groan.

"Three hours late?! This is our first real mission! How can Naruto mess this up already?!"

Sasuke scoffed. "I blame Kakashi."

"Oh, Sasuke-kun," Kakashi sighed dramatically. "You wound me. I'm nothing if not a shining example of punctuality."

Sakura scowled.

"Sensei, Naruto definitely picked up this terrible habit and those ridiculous excuses from you!"

Tazuna, watching their banter, let out a long, weary sigh.

"…I hope I'm not killed."

BOOM!

A blur of silver and dust barreled down the road, skidding to a stop so fast that pebbles shot out in every direction.

Naruto stood there, grinning.

But no one was looking at him.

They were staring at the massive wooden crate strapped to his back.

It was fastened with a chaotic mess of ropes—half-assed knots, crisscrossed straps, and what looked like a shoelace.

"Sorry I'm late!" Naruto said cheerfully, scratching the back of his head. "You won't believe it! I was fighting this huge dragon—well, actually, it was a wyvern! And I teamed up with this really cool guy who's looking for his own sun!"

Silence.

Sasuke squinted. "Looking for his own… sun?"

"Sounds legit," Kakashi muttered, still not looking up from his book.

Sakura, however, was done.

"Naruto. What is that?!" she demanded, pointing at the suspicious crate.

Naruto patted the wooden box proudly.

"Oh, this? It's got all my important supplies."

Sakura's eye twitched harder.

"Then why not use a storage scroll like a normal person?!"

"Nah," Naruto said dismissively. "This works better for training!"

Translation: All his supplies were in his inventory. The crate actually contained Oscar.

From inside, the little lizard scratched the wood.

Scritch. Scritch.

Naruto elbowed the crate.

Shush!

The activity was suspicious—but Sasuke didn't care, Sakura just wanted to get moving, and Kakashi? Kakashi let Naruto be Naruto.

Whatever was in that crate, it would be revealed sooner or later. Kakashi sighed, snapping his book shut.

"Alright, now that everyone's here, let's get started. We've got a three-day trek to the Fire Nation's border. From there, we'll catch a boat to the Land of Waves. Stay sharp."

Team 7 and 8 gave a collective nod. But Tazuna shuffled over to Naruto, holding out the beer bottle.

"Here, kid. Just like you asked for."

"Oh, thanks, old man!"

"Wait, Naruto!" Sakura interjected. "You can't drink before an important mission!"

Kakashi waved a hand lazily.

"It's fine, Sakura. One sip won't hurt."

Naruto took a hearty swig.

His face froze. His eyes widened. His mouth twisted. The bitter, burning liquid hit his tongue like liquid regret. He coughed, smacked his lips, and grimaced.

"Huh. Is this what being an adult tastes like?"

Then anotification flashed in his mind.

[ Poison Bar: 4% ]

Naruto stared at the bottle.

"Uh… Sensei?" he said, voice tight. "Is this poison?"

Silence.

All eyes slowly turned to Tazuna.

"Whoa, kid, relax!" Tazuna yelped, holding up his hands defensively. "It's just alcohol! Nothing dangerous!"

Kakashi plucked the bottle from Naruto's hand.

"Let's not take any chances, hmm?" he said, inspecting the liquid with mild amusement.

With a swift series of hand seals, his fingers blurred into motion. A faint blue glow enveloped his palm.

Ninja Art: Poison Detection.

"Sensei, what does that jutsu do?"

"It's a basic medical technique," Kakashi replied. "I send a controlled pulse of chakra through the substance. If there's poison, the chakra reacts and changes color—red, black, or something equally ominous."

Naruto watched intently as Kakashi's chakra rippled across the liquid.

The bottle remained clear. The glow faded.

"Looks like you're in the clear."

Naruto frowned harder. "Then why did my system say it's poison?"

Sakura squinted. "Your… system?"

Naruto ignored her.

"Wait. Is alcohol a poison?"

Kakashi tilted his head.

"Technically, yes. Alcohol is a mild toxin. But in small amounts, it's not harmful."

Naruto went still then he chucked the bottle into the woods.

Hard.

It vanished into the trees, sending birds screeching into the sky.

"HEY!" Tazuna yelled. "That was good booze!"

Naruto crossed his arms.

"First cigarettes, now alcohol? Adults have such sad lives."

Kakashi chuckled.

Sakura sighed.

"Sensei, can you teach me that Poison Detection jutsu?"

"Of course," Kakashi said. "After this mission is over."

Naruto grinned. This mission was already turning out to be way more fun than he expected.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Team 7 and Tazuna trudged along the path for hours, the quiet broken only by the rhythmic crunch of their footsteps on the dirt trail. The journey had been uneventful so far, except for Tazuna getting tired midway. This led to an impromptu rotation system where each member of Team 7 had to carry the old man on their back. As night fell, they set up camp, with Naruto taking the lead using shadow clones. Just like they'd been taught in the academy, he started by selecting an appropriate location. They chose a spot off the main path—higher ground, surrounded by dense foliage. The elevation gave them a vantage point to detect enemies, and the foliage provided much-needed cover.

Sasuke was tasked with covering their tracks, ensuring no one could trace them. Meanwhile, Sakura began digging a Dakota fire pit—a concealed and efficient cooking setup where two holes were dug, one for the fire and another for ventilation, connected by a small tunnel. It minimized smoke and ensured the flames weren't easily visible.

Kakashi, on the other hand, took the least effortful task—protecting Tazuna. The old man was sleeping, and their sensei, ever nonchalant, had his nose buried in his book.

Naruto, focused on their sleeping arrangements, laid out some sheets and foil blankets for warmth. While everyone else worked, he wasn't particularly thrilled about dinner. They only had rice and a bland, water-based soup to prepare—no spices, no oils, and nothing that might leave a lingering scent for enemy shinobi to track.

"Let me guess, Naruto, you have some ramen on you," Sakura teased as she worked.

"Yeah, but I'm not going to eat it."

"Why not? It's just a C-rank mission," Kakashi said, his tone light.

Tazuna, half-awake now, asked, "Can eating this ramen really cause any problems?"

"Well, yes," Kakashi replied. "The smell could linger and attract enemy shinobi. It's standard protocol to avoid fragrant foods on the field. But you don't need to worry about it—it's just a C-rank mission."

Tazuna began to sweat as Kakashi's one visible eye narrowed. Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto exchanged glances, understanding the unspoken implication: Kakashi knew this mission was more dangerous than Tazuna had let on and wanted the old man to come clean.

Feeling a nudge from Sasuke's foot, Naruto grinned. "Sensei, I'm not going to eat it. Gotta act like a ninja on the field, right?"

Tazuna sighed in visible relief as the tension eased, though his shoulders remained slightly hunched.

Kakashi glanced at the trio, his tone flat. "Is that so?"

The group felt the weight of his gaze, their nervousness growing. Sensing the need to break the tension, Naruto decided on an unconventional approach—he loudly farted.

Sakura and Sasuke immediately took a step back, grimacing.

"Naruto!"

"Anyway," Naruto said casually, stretching as though nothing had happened, "nature calls." He grabbed his crate and disappeared into the shadows, leaving his teammates and Tazuna to deal with the awkward silence that followed.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Naruto walked a little distance away from the camp, his movements deliberate. They'd been taught in the academy to relieve themselves far from the campsite and to bury the evidence afterward to avoid attracting wildlife or enemies. The night was quiet, the only sounds the distant chirping of crickets and the occasional rustle of leaves. He arrived at a small clearing with a puddle of water reflecting the moonlight. It seemed unremarkable, so he thought nothing of it.

He crouched down, opening the box he had brought with him. Inside were a few essentials: a couple of small blankets, some raw meat wrapped in leaves, a water bottle, and, nestled atop it all, a crystal lizard.

"Alright, Oscar," Naruto said with a grin, gently reaching in. "Let's get you out for a bit."

The lizard squirmed slightly as Naruto lifted it out, its legs stretching out stiffly before it clung to his hand. Naruto chuckled as he set Oscar down on the ground, watching as the little creature hesitated for a moment, sniffing at the air. Slowly, it started to move, its claws scratching faintly against the stone as it explored the area. Naruto leaned back, watching Oscar's slow, deliberate movements as the lizard paused to flick its tongue out at a stray leaf. It crouched low, shifting its weight carefully as it tested the terrain. At one point, Oscar stopped and tilted its head, staring intently at a rock as though it were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"What are you up to now?"

He watched as the lizard nudged the rock with its snout, pushing it aside before scurrying back toward him. It paused a few steps away, turning its head to look at him expectantly, its tail curling slightly.

Naruto extended his hand, and Oscar scurried up his arm, its claws lightly gripping his sleeve. It perched on his shoulder, still as a statue for a moment before flicking its tongue against his cheek.

The pair sat in comfortable silence, Naruto occasionally petting Oscar's smooth, cool scales as the lizard seemed to relax completely. It adjusted its position a few times, curling its body closer to his neck for warmth.

Then Naruto heard it—a faint sound, like water shifting unnaturally, as though something alive had disturbed it.

His body tensed, his Way of Focality flaring as his eyes darted toward the puddle. Suddenly, with a wet gurgle and splash, two figures erupted from the ground, water dripping from their forms.

They struck fast—no hesitation, no words.

The chain lashed out like a viper, its razor-edged links glinting faintly in the misty light. It coiled around Naruto in an instant, the pull so fierce it threatened to crush him where he stood. The claws on the other end gleamed with venom, hungry to sink into flesh.

But as they pulled, the chain snapped taut on nothing.

Naruto flickered out of their grip, reappearing several feet away, his massive Zweihander already in his hand.

The Demon Brothers froze for half a heartbeat, their instincts sharp enough to recognize the danger of that blade. The memories of Zabuza's brutal massacres surfaced unbidden.

Yet hesitation had no place in their craft.

They melted into the terrain as the nearby stream churned unnaturally.

Mist exploded outward like an avalanche, consuming the forest in seconds. Thick, wet, and clinging, it devoured everything, reducing the world to a suffocating white void. Even the faint rustle of leaves seemed swallowed.

For most, it would be the end—a grave made of silence and shadow.

But Naruto wasn't most people.

His grip tightened on his sword. He used Shadow Clone Jutsu, eight of them erupting into existence and scattering. Yet no sound came. No sign of movement. Gozu and Meizu had spent their lives navigating the shadows, working as assassins who always struck when their targets were at their most vulnerable.

But this boy—this child—had upended all of their expectations.

At first, they had assumed he must be the son of the Fire Daimyō or some other noble, apprenticing under one of Konoha's renowned jōnin. That would explain the absurdity of his sword, his armor, and his unnerving combat prowess. But when the boy summoned an army of shadow clones, their shock turned to alarm. The Shadow Clone Technique wasn't just a jutsu—it was a major tactical advantage of Konoha's elite. It was the kind of secret the Leaf wouldn't risk leaking, not even to its strongest genin.

Yet here was this boy, a samurai no less, wielding it effortlessly.

But it didn't matter.

He was just a boy.

A dangerous boy, yes, but still inexperienced.

And more importantly, he was a boy with a sword and armor that could fetch a king's ransom.

That's why Gozu and Meizu had chosen to attack at night rather than waiting until morning—they would kill him quickly, take his gear, and disappear before the jōnin or his team could react.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 46, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.

To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!