Chapter 33 The Things in the Sewers
Naruto sat in his lab as the clones worked around him, he was reading the Necronomicon. He read the pages trying to identify the being that stalks him. So far no such luck. There were literally hundreds of possibilities on it's identity and Naruto had so little information on it. Whatever it was it was not afraid to interfere in Naruto's life when that suited it's purpose. Whatever that purpose was Naruto felt as if he would never truly find out it's plans until it had been identified. Whatever it was it was either equal or greater to Cthulhu in power and that scared Naruto. He knew the Chunin exams would start tomorrow but he had to figure something out. Looking over the information of the Great Old Ones and Outer Gods he could find nothing. Naruto was able to throw out a few, the ones who slept like Cthulhu were out, as were the apathetic beings they cared little for schemes against mortals and anything humanity perceived as bad was usually our fault of an accidental reaction of whatever it was doing at the time.
While reading Naruto came to a most unusual passage on Azathoth, one that was shocking to say the least. While Naruto knew that when Azathoth awakened all would end, what was shocking is just how much would end. Every single Outer God and Great Old one would end as well, no matter how powerful.
That was disturbing news. A god so powerful that other gods would never have even existed when it does something as simple as waking up. Azathoth was powerful indeed and the Outer Gods had many reasons to keep it sleeping, though when humans would attempt to summon Azathoth the Outer Gods or Great Old Ones never stopped them. Were they so apathetic they did not even care for their own existence.
Either way that was not important. Azathoth was sleeping in a death like slumber, he was not a problem. At least not yet. Though there was the idea of never existing. It was one thing to end, it was another to never have existed. What was the point of it all if existence was so fragile and meaningless. Naruto did not pretend to know the answers, might as well enjoy what you have now before it slips away into oblivion.
"What are you thinking of my lord", asks Xel.
Naruto looks up as Xel crawls toward him.
"Just thinking about Azathoth waking", says Naruto.
"You should not fear death my lord", says Xel.
"That's easy for you to say, you are immortal. Besides I am not afraid of death. I was dead before I was born, for trillions of years. It's nothing new. Death does not make he shiver in fear, but never existing does", says Naruto.
Xel nods as he sits next to Naruto.
"I see, it is a concept hard to understand even for the spawn of Azathoth", says Xel.
"Well what hope do I have if gods can't even understand the concept", says Naruto.
"Azathoth will awaken one day, it is inevitable. It would be best not to think on those lines, it could drive even the Outer Gods mad", says Xel.
"I suppose so, though this whole thing is confusing, what's the point of it all Xel, I mean I get it, I really do. We are born we live then we die, but we still live. Why exist in the first place if it was not only temporary, but would never happen", asks Naruto.
"perhaps existence itself was some cosmic accident. Not necessary life but existence itself, that's not the point my lord. Right now you live so enjoy it while you can", says Xel.
"Cosmic accident, well could be worse", says Naruto.
Xel nods.
"Either way tomorrow you begin the exams, I suggest you rest", says Xel.
"Yeah, I suppose you are right. Thanks Xel, talk to you later", says Naruto as he closes the book and heads out.
It was not long after he made it to the door that he was stopped by Konohamaru.
"Well, seems we have a new problem", says Konohamaru.
Naruto raises an eyebrow.
"I'm listening", says Naruto.
"Well, it seems as if the entire reason I chose this body is failing", says Konohamaru.
"What do you mean", asks Naruto.
"I chose Konohamaru for several reasons. One he knew you and thus me being around you would not appear strange. Two Konohamaru is an important historical figure, thus I believed that using him would deter the Hounds of Tindalos, who have a habit of hunting down time travelers. It seems as if I may have been wrong", says Konohamaru.
"Why are the Hounds coming for you", asks Naruto fearfully.
The Hounds were not creatures to be messed with. Unlike most life the Hounds descended from the angles of time, rather than the curves like humas or other life had. They hunted Time Travelers and destroyed them. Capable of emerging from any sharp angle such as the corner of a room.
"I am not sure, but there have been a few dimensional anomalies as of late. It may be the Hounds, which means they could be after me. It may be something else completely unrelated but I cannot be sure. Whatever it is it is in our sewer", says Konohamaru.
Naruto looked down at Konohamaru nodding. Then he called his clones to him. Once several clones emerge Naruto began to explain the situation.
"It seems as if we have visitors. I want everyone outfitted with whatever weaponry we have. We are going to search for what ever is causing the dimensional disturbance. We suspect the Hounds of Tindalos but we can't be sure. I want a squad to protect Konohamaru in a room with no corners, The meeting room has circular curves for corners rather than sharp ones. Hide him there", says Naruto.
The clones do as he says. Naruto goes to the armory where he grabs special kunai that had gone through a chemical bath to repair them with blood like Zabuza's sword an a gas mask. He puts the kunai in his hidden pouch and gas mask on his face while fastening the canister of poison on his back before heading out. When all the clones were outfitted Naruto looked at them one last time.
"Ok split up in teams of five, if you run into trouble make some clones or call for help. There is a built in radio in the mask use it", says Naruto.
The clones all nod as they leave the lab. They explore the sewers for several minutes. So far nothing was out of the ordinary. Then they heard the sound of shuffling. Slowly they approach the sound. As they near it Naruto begins to see the colors of sound.
"I can see the sound, whatever it is, it looks. Humanoid", says Naruto.
"Well it's not a hound then", says a clone.
"That just makes it an unknown, keep your guard up", says Naruto.
Then the figure disappears.
"Shit, it's gone", says a clone.
"See what you can find" says Naruto.
They begin to search the area for a moment. Then they hear the shuffling again from behind them. Several clones turn on the thermal vision on there masks while other clones begin searching the ground for clues. then one clone calls Naruto.
"I found something", says The clone.
"What is it", asks Naruto.
"Hair, but it's not from anyone here", says the clone.
Naruto looks at the small pile of hair on the ground. It was black with what appeared to be dirt on it. The shuffling sound then comes from another direction.
"There's more than one", says a clone.
"Why are they here", asks Naruto to himself.
They wait with kunai in hand. Surrounding the area as best they can. Naruto puts his hand to his mask pressing the radio button.
"This is Alpha Squad, we have encountered some evidence of the creature, not a hound repeat not a hound. Subject is humanoid Capable of possible teleportation, more than one. They are heading for us, get here ASAP. Be cautious, we don't know what we are dealing with. Over", says Naruto.
He waits for a moment for the other teams to respond.
"This is Delta Squad, we read you loud and clear. Heading to your location. ETA two "
"This is Beta Squad, we have run into one of the creatures. Poison gas was used. Had no effect. Whatever it was it looked like a gorilla, target disappeared after a few seconds, heading to Alpha Squad, ETA five minutes"
"Gamma Squad, heading to Alpha's location, ETA three minutes"
Naruto nodded.
"Roger that, be cautious, anyone sees one use kunai, try to identify them", says Naruto.
The shuffling sound gets closer and closer still.
"There are at least five, maybe more", says a clone.
Then they heard screaming. Memories flooded through Naruto's mind as he got a look at the creature from the last memories of the clone. He reaches to his hamlet to activate the radio.
"This is Alpha Squad, we are dealing with Dimensional Shamblers", says Naruto.
Then the creatures move from the Darkness. Covered in black dirty on their fur. They shamble towards the team. Kunai was thrown but had no effect on the creatures. As they are attacked the claws of the beasts kill clone after clone.
"Shit, ok stand back", says Naruto.
Naruto slashes his thumb on his kunai. Then he slams his hand on the ground. Smoke billows from the ground. Standing in the middle of the sewers towering above Naruto was the Gug. It's vertical mouth opens giving out a scream. It claws and bites the shamblers. Several disappear, the rest step forward to fight.
"Retreat, let the Gug handle this", says Naruto. The clones run back to the labs. Naruto stays behind as the Gug rips and tears at the soon becomes apparent that there were just to many Shamblers for the Gug to last. Naruto breathes in heavily. Then he reaches to his radio.
"I'm going to try something, make sure there is a team nearby to pick me up incase I go down", says Naruto.
Several Shamblers manage to crawl up the Gug and begin to claw and bite into it's flesh. Naruto does several one handed seals. Different for each hand. Then he grabs his forearm. His palm painfully rips open revealing a fanged mouth on his palm. The Gug dispels.
"Y'Golonac Scream", says Naruto.
The fanged mouth on his hand lets loose a powerful scream who's colors makes Naruto sick. The shambilers use the claws on there feet to stay on the ground while the ones on the Gug are violently thrown back. Naruto can feel his stamina getting lower as the mouth on his palm screams colors so sick Naruto could swear he was rotting inside just by viewing it. The Shamblers begin to disappear one by one. Those who remain become emaciated and thin as if the scream was sucking the very life from there vody. With the sewer walls there was no way for the shambers to get out of the wat from the attack. It was not long before the last of the shamblers disappeared from the universe to enter another. Naruto fell to his knees. He vomited black ooze as his palm closed once more. His vision blurry. He could hear the muffled screams of his clones as they made there way toward him. Then the World went black.
Further in the sewer a tall man hidden in shadows watched as Naruto was dragged off. His face while covered in shadows could not contain his smile. When the clones walked off with Naruto the shadowed man walked forward. He moved to the black ooze. He looked down at it, and smiled once more.
"You are a worthy puppet", speaks the whispers as they leave his lips.
As he speaks the Shadows on the walls seemed to come alive and lean towards the shadowed man as he walked as if they were children trying to return to there master. After only a moment he turned back disappearing from sight to return to his palace of chaos. The shadows return to normal.
Naruto awoke on a slab with Brainiac hovering over him.
"Oh you are alive, oh well, I'll make you an undead cyborg later", says Brainiac.
Naruto groans as he sits up.
"What happened", asks Naruto.
"Oh the pan-dimensional gorrilla bears attacked you. Then you summoned the bigger Gorilla bear with the sideways mouth that is not pan-dimensional. That didn't work so you used the scream of the God of perversion and depravity to eliminate the pan-dimensional gorilla bears. So yeah that happened", said Brainiac as he grabs a hammer
"What, never mind. Where is everyone", asks Naruto.
"Oh they all left to do there own thing and left you here. I was about to do a few experiments on you but then you woke up. So I'm just going to hit you with this hammer to knock you out and do those experiments, is that good with you", asks Brainiac.
Naruto sighs.
"No Brainiac, that is not good with me", says Naruto.
"You're no fun", says Brainiac.
"Stop saying that", says Naruto.
Brainiac shrugs.
"Whatever, anyway everyone is fine and dandy", says Brainiac.
"How long was I out", asks Naruto.
"About three hours", says Brainiac.
"Ok, that's good. Anyway I'm out. I need to be rested for when the testing takes place tomorrow", says Naruto.
Brainiac nods.
"Yeah you do that, I'm going to study some of the Shamblers fur and that black stuff you puked out", says Brainiac.
"Black Stuff?", question Naruto.
"I'll let you know when the tests are done", says Brainiac.
Naruto nods.
"Good, I'm out", says Naruto.
"Ok, don't talk to any strange pan-dimensional Gorilla Bears, just kill them and give me there remains", says Brainiac.
Naruto shakes his head as he leaves.
Meanwhile in Konoha the streets were empty, or at least they appeared to be. A cloaked figure walked the streets.
"Ah, it's been so long, hasn't it", says the figure as he stares at the Hokage monument.
He walked towards the monument for a moment before stopping. He hears the faint sound of metal dragging on rock. Slowly he looks around the corner. He sees a boy emerge from the sewers.
"An urchin. No a ninja, well what was he doing down there", says the figure.
He looks at the child with silted yellow eyes. For a moment he waits. Once the child is gone he walks to the sewers. Looking down he smiles as he remembers his old days. He looks back to the child and decides to follow him.
Naruto was walking home. He was tired and it was late. It was only half way until he saw the colors indicating he was being followed. Naruto stops walking and turns around. He sees nothing there. Deciding to pass it off as the ANBU he shrugs and continues walking home.
The cloaked figure walks from the nearby tree.
"Impressive for one so young to realize he was being followed. I'll have to keep an eye on this one", says the cloaked figure.
A small snake exits his sleeve. It looks to his master. The cloaked figure pets the snake with his pale hand.
"Watch the boy, he appears most interesting", says the figure.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru" speaks the snake as it' hisses.