A Shinobi Among Monsters

Chapter 1

What makes a legend a legend?

A smirk made it onto Naruto's lips as Kaguya was finally defeated. Sealed away so securely that escape was impossible.

They had won.

But at a price.

"Naruto, damnit, stay with us! Sakura, do something!"

Oh, look, the teme showed emotion for once. Naruto honestly hadn't thought he would ever see Sasuke display any outward emotion again. It's nice, in a way, to see that he still cared.

He's a little too late though.

Sakura's hand glowed green as sweat trickled down her forehead. "I don't know! None of my techniques are responding!"

Kaguya's final attack, all of her hatred and rage condensed into one devastating strike, had hit Naruto square in the chest. Her last revenge. A goddess's wrath.

A normal man must first have a dream.

Naruto. You're going to live. I don't know how, but something will happen. You hear me? You're going to live. I command you to.

Sorry, Kurama, but I think that's it for me.

Kurama growled. An angry sound that couldn't cover up the worry in his voice. You're not going to leave me. I refuse to let you leave me.

Always so demanding, Naruto smiled internally.

"What's wrong with Naruto?" His dear sensei. Kakashi-sensei. Naruto could hear the desperation in his voice, and he could feel the agony Kakashi-sensei must be going through.

Kakashi was going to lose one of his precious people again.

That's right. If you die, that brat is probably going to sink into a depression and be angsty and edgy for the next decade. So you better not die.

By taking action to accomplish that dream, a man becomes a hero.

Sakura despairingly gazed up at Kakashi. "Nothing. There's nothing wrong with Naruto that I can detect. Cell degeneration, organ failure, necrosis, psychosis, hemorrhaging, psychological breakdown. . . there's nothing I can find. Naruto is healthy, both physically and mentally. He should be fine."

"But he's dying."

"He's dying."

"He's not allowed to die," and suddenly, Kakashi was in Naruto's face. It was so odd, seeing both of Kakashi's grey eyes filled with concern. "Naruto. Can you hear me? Can you respond?"

Naruto tried to open his mouth. He tried to do something, anything. But nothing worked.

Naruto, I'm telling you, I can't heal you if there's nothing to heal.

Naruto could feel Kurama's chakra coursing through his system, looking for any wounds, anything that could be fixed, and finding nothing.

When a hero achieves greatness and becomes known throughout the entire world, he becomes a legend. Someone written down in eternity. Someone who has bled to reach greatness.

"Not again not again not again!" Kakashi was wild now. He jerked away from Naruto, hands flying to grab his head, eyes scrunching shut. "Think, you failure, think!"

"Kakashi-sensei. . ." Sakura reached out and touched Kakashi's shoulder. He ignored her, eyes still closed as he tried to think of some way, some technique to save Naruto.