Ascension of the Kitsune by Wandering Maverick

Chapter 6: Training: Year 3

The bandaged man pointed his hand at Naruto, who had already began a set of hand seals for a counter. Naruto was able to finished before the lightning charged at him, which drowned out the name of his jutsu. The lighting seemed to connect with the boy, but the rubble it kicked up caused the man to lose sight of Naruto...which he would learn will. The smoke form the blast cleared a second later producing a thick layer of stone which jutted up from the ground to protect the boy who was now gone. At least before the man felt a cold steel blade against his throat.

"Now unless you plan on using those swords to fight me...I've won." Naruto said in an emotionless voice, despite Naruto's semi-laid back behavior with Natsumi...when dealing with an enemy shinobi he pulls no punches and gives no quarter...it was all business.

"You may have gotten me this time...but you have still yet to prove to me that you earned the right to die beautifully by my blades." The man retorted, just as emotionless.

"Then teach me...and when I feel I've learned enough we will fight once more...to the death." Naruto offered trying to appeal to the insanity in the man obsessed with funerals.

He man thought for a few minutes not even seeming to care that a katana was still against his throat.

"If you can promise me that your funeral will be even more beautiful then Rokusuke-san's, I will teach you what I know and will gladly give you a beautiful death by my blade If I deem you worthy of such an honor of course." He agreed.

"We have an accord then..." Naruto agreed taking his blade away from the man's neck. "...considering you have a better 'corpse' now, let the man go." He requested, making the strange man go into a pondering pose before nodding.

Naruto let the man out of the box and told him to go home and forget about what happened, before moving back towards the man again.

"However...if you show yourself as a failure...I will not only kill you, AND Rokusuke-san as planned. But his death will no longer be beautiful... he shall suffer as will his family before I slay them in front of him. And my name is Kurosuki Raiga...that is until the day we fight, then you can just call me your Executioner."

"Pressure much?" Naruto thought, eyes hardening while looking at the man.

"I believe in you Naruto-kun, if I'd have guessed from this fight alone, and you went all out...you'd probably win because you have an elemental advantage by knowing so many Futon jutsus which are a strong defense against his Raiton jutsus" Natsumi stated within the seal, since she dispelled herself the moment Naruto used his first jutsu.

"Arigato for the confidence Natsumi-chan...but I think this guy is stronger then we both think. When I fight him again I'll need to be more careful, I only caught him off guard this time around...that won't happen a second time." He admitted.

"Then I'll just have to work you to the bone so you live then Naruto-kun" She retorted playfully, but lined with an almost taunting sadistic undertone, causing Naruto to shiver.

"Shit!" He swore lowly, while actually feeling the evil smile gracing the vixen's lips in the back of his mind.

Naruto and Raiga grabbed his henchmen and went back to the shack, where Naruto would soon begin his third year of training.

Three Months Later,

Naruto's training had pretty much been gone on as it had for the previous two years, although Raiga as a teacher was anything but 'stable' to put simply. The man was just as insane as Naruto had predicted he was the moment he heard him speak. He didn't teach him a damn thing without going on a rant about all the 'beautiful' funerals hes witnessed in the past. Fortunately for Naruto the man sure knew his Raiton jutsu, which was the only thing that kept Naruto from killing himself just to make the ranting stop. After the third month however Naruto had gained a slight immunity to the man's long winded stories, until it was time that Raiga finally taught him the next jutsu.