Team Otsutsuki

Fifteen

Toneri shuddered, "It is official. I can't see, yes, but this place gives me the creep,"

Naruto nodded, "Same...and I can see dead people,"

Indra added, "We can see the Shinigami,"

That was the main difference between Naruto and his brothers. Indra and Toneri can see Minato but they cannot see the typical dead. Maybe because Naruto once wore the Shinigami Mask and became the 'door' between the stomach of the Shinigami and their world. That aside, the Forest of Death lived up to its name. It was only because Minato walked with the brothers that some of the more violent ghosts didn't come forward.

Naruto shivered, "The energy in these trees...they are of Mokuton but...twisted. Dark and miserable, angry even,"

Toneri hummed, "Maybe because this was created after the final battle at the Valley of the End?"

Naruto sighed, "Maybe,"

Minato chuckled, "Alright, kids, focus,"

Just after he said that, Toneri was snatched into the air by a trap and Indra quickly found himself running for cover from water needles. Naruto parried an attack with his kunai, "Ame!"

The Genin from Ame....let's call them Ichi, Ni and San respectively since no one knows their name...attacked the team with a laugh. Ichi looked smug that Toneri was caught in his snare but Toneri just float upright and loosened the wire threads using a small knife from his shoe with his gravity manipulation. Ichi complained, "That's just cheating,"

Toneri smiled, "I'm just resourceful,"

Indra scowled and disappeared. Ni looked around, confused, "Where'd he go?" At that moment he felt cold steel against his throat, a chilling whisper in his ear, "Give up or die,"

Naruto rolled on the ground, San coming after him quick and nimble. In the end, Naruto manipulated the vines of the tree to grab hold of him. San yelped, "The hell is this?!"

After they tied the group up, Indra flashed his Sharingan and demanded, "Scroll,"

Ni whimpered, "Earth,"

Toneri grinned, "Give,"

San struggled, "As if!"

Indra scoffed, tanto out and ready, "I could always take it off your dead body,"

Ichi sighed, "Just give it,"

Naruto smiled, "I'll let you go once we are out of your sight...just pray to the Sage that the beasts in this forest didn't find you first," With that, they bid their competition goodbye and leapt away deeper into the forest.

After a while, Naruto let go of his control once Toneri couldn't sense them. Minato smiled over them, "Wonderfully done. No injury and no death. That's a good start,"

Naruto suddenly stopped and looked to the side just as he was swallowed. Indra and Toneri screamed, "NARUTO!!"

But before Indra could hack the stomach of the snake open, someone met his strike and sent a gust of powerful wind to blow Toneri away. Minato looked on in horror, "Boys!"

Toneri called out before he disappeared from sight, "Get Naruto-nii!!"

Knowing that Toneri can handle himself and so does Indra, Minato headed straight for the snake that's taking away his son to digest him. Zenitsu out, he cut off the head of the snake but though the soul has been beheaded the physical form remained intact. It was moment like this that Minato hated that he's dead.

Suddenly roots and branches grew from inside the snake and Minato breathed easier, "Naruto!"

Naruto coughed, a little blistered from the stomach acid, "The snake's a summon!"