Bleach Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Hollow King ❯ Chapter 5

Things were getting to be too much for the elderly Hokage and he was just about to call it in and drag either Jiraiya or Tsunade back to Konoha to become Hokage. They might be able to deal with this better than he could.

Maybe.

Everything with Naruto was just getting out of hand and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. He didn't want to be blasted into the next dimension by the Hollow King. He wanted to see his grandson at least start his journey as a ninja before he croaked.

"So let me get this straight…" A very annoyed and very tense Hokage spoke with a twitch in his eye while his gaze shifted from Naruto to Kyuubi every few moments. "From what you are saying is that… Somehow Kyuubi was released from your body and was turned into your loyal servant and has to do whatever you say…"

"The hell I do!" Kyuubi roared in a violent expression, swinging her tail behind her and furiously hissing at the insinuation that she had no free will. "I am simply still connected to the brat by the seal and now he has absorbed my power…"

"Why would I want your pathetic power?" Naruto immediately cut off Kyuubi seeing that she was trying to make it seem that his power was once hers, probably a cover she was given by Kami. "The power I have is mine and mine alone and far grander than yours could ever be. Remember the gap between you and an Adjuchas much less a Vastro Lorde and you will start to realize how much more powerful I am then you, Gillian."

As Kyuubi hissed at Naruto, Sarutobi's eyes widened for a brief moment as a startling revelation came to him. While it was nothing that could be used to somehow counter Naruto or at least keep him under control, it was a viable piece of information.

Whatever it was Naruto was now so was Kyuubi. They had both turned into this creature and somehow during this transformation Naruto had gained power far beyond what the Kyuubi had, a frightening thought since he could feel the fox demon was at least twice if not trice as strong as he last seen the fox in action.

And from the sound of what Naruto had said… He was even beyond this Vastro Lorde level.

Great… Just great.

The last thing he needed to know was how helpless he would be if Naruto decided to destroy the village. But at least he had a better gauge on his power since Naruto was very apt at concealing his strength and using just enough to show he had more than enough strength to obliterate anything in his path.

"Well how else do you think you'd become so powerful?!" Kyuubi fired back with a growl and hoped that the arrogant bastard would understand that this was cover information she was given to by the holy bastard before being sent to serve him.

"I ate. I ate so much." Naruto grinned seeing Kyuubi blanch at that reference and made his point clear.

He didn't give a damn if anyone knew or not. He wasn't going to hide in the shadows like Sasuke and quietly change everything that was not supposed to happen. He was going to blow up everything before him, not even bothering to ask or answer any questions and then continue on his path without care.

"Now are we discussing how I got my power?" Naruto stated in a nonchalant tone and turned his attention to the Hokage. "If so, I would like to suggest a C-rank mission for my team tomorrow, old and worthless."

"What?" Hiruzen was lost in the conversation the two were having, trying to gather as much information as possible in case there was a way to stop incase Naruto decided to betray the village. "I'll willingly send you on any level mission you choose but why just a C-rank and why with your team? On the last notes I got from Kakashi…"

"The team works together just enough to classify as team work and normally each member stays in their own little world, occasionally breaching on the others." Naruto responded verbatim what Kakashi had noted to the Hokage leaving said person twitching. "However I know far more than you think and I know a C-rank is well in the realms of a possibility for the team even if I was not on it."

Frowning at this information, wondering if the other note Kakashi had given him about Sasuke slight change in manners and how he seemed to be unaffected by Naruto's overwhelming power, Sarutobi knew Naruto knew something. And that he didn't like.

He never liked being without information and without it he knew he could be manipulated into making a decision he would later regret. And that was happening right now and he was mentally fuming. "And just what do you know that would persuade me to send such a dysfunctional team instead of a more cohesive squad instead?"

"Now wouldn't that be telling, wouldn't it?" Naruto grinned and wagged his finger at the elderly Hokage in a playful manner that happened to be extraordinarily demeaning to the said man.

But as the Hokage growled out and was about the retort, the blonde Arrancar shifted his demeanor and placed his hands on the desk, leaned forward till he was almost nose to nose with the Hokage and let his cerulean eyes pierce into Hiruzen's brown's. "Let make this quite simple… I'm heading out to the Wave Country whether you want to or not."

"I wanted to make this simple for you since I overheard your mission statements and one happened to be heading in that direction so I thought to bring in some easy money for the village. However it does not matter to me if I'm being paid to head there or not. I'm going to investigate something that was brought to my attention and may require my intervention." Naruto simply stated in calm and collected tone.

For one of those rare moments in Sarutobi's life, he would have taken a step back if he wasn't seated. Instead he leaned back yet he could not pull his gaze from Naruto's. There was something about those eyes… So different then they had once been.

The one thing he could always say about Naruto's eyes was that they were full of life. Even in their encounter on the monument, they were full of life. Yet now as his eyes stared into the blonde's blues… He could say that this being had far more wisdom then he should. It was…

It was as if he was looking into the eyes that had lived for a thousand life times and knew what he was doing.

Which just left the Hokage with one option…

And how much he hated the fact that he was going to have to give into one of his subordinates… Even if it was such a loose cannon that he could not control in the slightest.

"Fine… However I have one condition that must be met." The Third spoke in a dangerous tone that promised swift action if he were to fail, which only made Naruto grin at the thought of the old man trying to enforce his will upon him, the Hollow King. "You must promise that if whatever this is you are going to investigate happens to be dangerous… You are to ensure Sakura's and Sasuke's safety if this becomes more than just a C-rank mission."

"Kind of leaving Kakashi out there to dry, aren't you?" Naruto pushed up from the desk and smirked at the bulging temple on the Third's forehead. "Do you honestly expect him to last against something that could be dangerous for me to investigate? And you believe he could hold his own in a situation like that?"

He, however, quickly decided to change out of his playful mood seeing the Hokage sneer at him and reverted back to his serious demeanor. "However to ease your burden… I will inform you that everything is fine. It is mostly nothing however I want to know what it was that has happened there. There was a… Disturbance that requires my attention."

Alarms began to sound in Hiruzen's head. Just the thought of something that would require someone, or something, of Naruto's caliber to be forced to investigate was something that he could not just ignore. "Are these disturbances… Something that could be a problem for the village?"

"To be blunt, yes." The Hollow responded in a nonchalant tone as he made this seem more like terms of a business deal. "If my suspicion is correct… Things haven't gone quite according to plan and a new problem has been birthed. However I need to see it with my own eyes before I jump the gun for it could be a chance happening and may not happen ever again."

"The danger level will be rather high if it is however, it is nothing to be considered of if I'm there with Kyuubi. I alone can handle any threat but in the off chance something does get past me she can handle it with ease. Even Kakashi could deal with the low class threats." Naruto continued to placate the Hokage and let him know there was nothing that could not be handled.

Still frowning at the lack of information Naruto was giving as he wanted to know exactly what it was that he found so damn interesting and could be so damn dangerous. "With the lack of information you are supplying me I seen no reason why I should send them along. If you and Kyuubi can deal with I'll just send you two instead."

Not being able to come right out and say that Sasuke would need to be there to investigate too, for it was supposed to be his job in the first place, Naruto sighed as there was no choice.

His reiryoku poured from his body and let his gaze pierced into the now frozen Hokage, who barely noted that even Kyuubi was drastically affected and had fallen to one knee. "Let's get this straight, Hokage! If I want to bring my team with me there is a damn good reason why I need them with me, got it?! So I suggest you do as I say for this one and I'll make sure there is some cash flow coming back to Konoha otherwise this village will be in need of a Godaime!"

Releasing the spiritual pressure, ignoring the groans of the concealed Anbu as they tried to get back to their feet, Naruto kept his gaze firmly placed on the Hokage. The said Hokage was trying to recover from the shock he received, having never felt such a powerful presence be able to stop him so easily from his will allow.

It was rather frightening.

"Alright… I'll concede. I'll send your unit to the Wave on Tazuna's mission." Sarutobi labored through the two sentences, still struggling to regain control over his body.

He now had a glimpse of Naruto's true power and now he could tell why the blonde called himself the Hollow King. He couldn't even sense the depth of his power yet he knew without a doubt there was nothing that he knew that could stop the entity before him.

Even the Death God of Shiki Fuin would be unable to do anything to this being.

"Good, we have an accord then. We shall take the mission in the morning so make sure Tazuna and my team is there… On time." Naruto growled at the end, letting him know to inform Kakashi to be on time otherwise face his wrath, not the Hokage's.

Seeing the Hokage simply nod at his response, Naruto and Kyuubi dispersed in a boom of static and appeared back at their living quarters for the time being. However at the moment they arrived there was another waiting for them, kneeling on the pillow at the table.

"Alright… Why did you call me over?" The Shinigami King droned as he really did not want to have a meeting with his arch enemy even if it was of something of value to be gained from it. "This had better be good…"

"It is…" Kyuubi spoke before reaching into the back of her small jacket and tossed a broken mask in front of Sasuke. "Kami fucked up. We have a problem here."

"Hollows may know how to get to this world."

<The Hollow King>

Once again… Kakashi was beginning to doubt why he wanted to be a jounin-sensei again. Then again he did happen to have the team with the enigmatic Uchiha, the now double-fangirl Sakura and the infamous Hollow King. If he just got a normal team he could probably be happy…

But no, he had to have the constant death threat loom over his head with Naruto to be on time for a mission, and only an hour late for a normal meeting. However being told that this was a C-rank mission that had another mission attached to it for Naruto cheered him up slightly.

Maybe things would get a little interesting on their trip to the Wave. The problem with going to the Wave was…

Kyuubi was coming. At least he had convinced Kurenai to cast a powerful genjutsu on her to make her look normal…

After she was done having a panic attack that the fox was free and consoling her, informing her in the process that Kyuubi was still bound to Naruto and was now his servant. It was a reasonable response after all since he and Sakura had the same reaction, though he had to explain to her that Naruto was formerly her vessel after they recovered.

"I see all of you are here… And on time for once." The Hokage threw in a jab at Kakashi and wanted to growl at the man for he hardly showed up on time when he threatened him yet the moment Naruto did it he was on time…

The bastard.

"As Kakashi probably informed you on your way here, I've decided to send you on a C-rank mission to the Wave Country. The client has informed me that he will need protection from thugs, thieves and maybe even mercenaries while he works on a completing a bridge connecting the Wave to the Fire Country, something that will make trade easier for both countries. It will be your job to make sure no harm comes to him during the duration of the mission." The Hokage informed the team of the mission specifics.

"You may come in now, Tazuna. The team I sent for your mission has arrived." Sarutobi called in the client that they were to guard the moment he finished their mission detail.

And in came Tazuna holding a bottle of liquor, probably sake, and looking slightly dazed from the amount he had been drinking. At least he wasn't drunk enough to forget the reason he was there in the first place or fail being able to walk in a straight line. "What is this? You gave me a team of little kids and from the looks of it a sensei that tends to slack off. At least you sent a woman with a big bust to distract me from these deficiencies."

Everyone twitched.

Sarutobi was mentally laughing someone would make fun of Naruto. Kakashi nearly used his Sharingan on the man and placing him under a genjutsu. Sakura felt like pummeling him into submission. Naruto twitched and almost felt like using a Cero on Tazuna and for some reason the Hokage while Sasuke was about to ask Naruto just to do that to just Tazuna.

The only one that acted was Kyuubi as she grinned. "Master… My I devour the old man for looking at my breasts? They aren't for anyone's viewing pleasure."

Naruto wanted to retort that they were better than watching TV and were his to watch. However tact won out and he sighed and shook his head. "Sadly no… A kick to the groin will have to do instead."

"With pleasure!" Kyuubi suddenly was in front of Tazuna and with a kick later, drastically weakening it so Tazuna wouldn't be split in half from the blow, the said bridge builder fell to his knees.

"Alright, let's get everything in order for this mission. So pack your things for a two month mission and make sure to bring plenty of weapons in case things get out of hand." Kakashi said ignoring the intense groaning coming from Tazuna clutching his groin. "Meet me at the east gate in an hour, dismissed!"

Team seven left to pack without bothering to help Tazuna to his feet. They all felt he got what he deserved for insulting them.

<The Hollow King>

Both Sasuke and Naruto knew something was amiss now that they neared the channel that separated the Fire Country from the Wave.

Having gone through this scenario once before in their life they knew something had changed. On their trip here they had not run into the Demon Brothers, something that happened last time, and Tazuna had yet to admit that this mission was much more dangerous than a C-rank mission.

Obviously he had no reason to since Kakashi had not confronted him about it, seeing that there was nothing to escalate the mission's level. There was no reason to speak of Gato's control of the land and his suppression to keep the people's spirits low so they would be easier to control.

However as they neared the channel and Tazuna was looking for his friend to get a ferry across, both Naruto and Sasuke were on high alert. There was also no mist in the area and that meant Zabuza was not there to ambush them. And if he wasn't there…

Kyuubi could be right. Hollows very well could know how to arrive at the recreated world of what was supposed to be Eden.

And that was worrisome.

Naruto hardly cared for such a paragon place but he was charged to help create so he was going to do so. He kept to his word even as a Hollow. He was just going to have a little fun while doing it now that he had a physical body again to enjoy everything he missed out on as a human.

Yet if Hollows had found their way here… That was something he had to fix and unfortunately he would need Sasuke's help for that. He might be the Hollow King but that didn't mean many would listen to him since he had been more concerned about himself over the last four thousand years.

Hell most Hollows didn't even know about his existence and he preferred it that way. If more knew about him the more that would come to challenge him for rule and he honestly didn't want to deal with the upstart Vastro Lorde's that thought they were something.

Only that Harribel chick was the only one he could stand among the group along with her two followers, Mila-Rose and Sung-Sun. And it wasn't even because of sexual attraction though he could say that was a reason to stick around her for a while. It was because of her calm demeanor, a very calculated and tactical approach to life and to be quite frank… Her intelligence.

Forgetting about Tier for at least now, Naruto focused on the task at hand before an unnatural green glow began to surround him. "Everyone stop. I'm going to scan the area to see what's going. Something doesn't feel right."

"What… AHK!" Sakura was about to ask how he was going to do that when she noted that Naruto was literally glowing a sickly green before it burst out around him, enveloping everything nearby.

But instead of being hurt from the said green aura that washed over them they felt a tingling sensation throughout their bodies. Then in an instant the aura quickly receded back into Naruto, who now had closed his eyes as they twitched.

A second later they snapped open and were narrowed. Yet in an instant and not saying a word to the others he had used Sonido and burst before two downed shinobi.

Seeing who they were, Naruto cursed and knew that this had gone horribly wrong. This was not supposed to happen and now he had to be the one to deal with.

At least Sasuke was stuck in the same situation as he was. At least he could have solace in that. He wasn't the only one getting screwed over.

With a single glance at the creature attacking the two, Naruto easily could tell it was a low-class Hollow. It was rather humanoid in shape but with the brown fur covering its body and the paws that could be compared to a bears he could classify it was a bear Hollow.

However due to its strength he could guess that he had fed on other Hollows before and was near transforming into a Gillian. He simply was here because the humans here possessed stronger spiritual energy to quickly gain strength and move onto the next step.

However he also could note that he had taken a few fresh battle scars from battling Zabuza and Haku, possibly the Demon Brothers as well. He obviously had already sacrificed his regeneration for more powers and abilities early in his life, probably seeing it as a useless skill.

And if he would have to guess he would be sure this Hollow had got the jump on Zabuza. Low-level Hollows weren't that strong and he would classify them from anywhere a strong chunin to a powerful jounin and/or a weak Kage. This normally would be more than enough to kill average humans but Zabuza wasn't average and was a good jounin and should have put up a better fight since the Hollow had lost his main advantage.

The humans here could fight back and damage them since it seemed that this world made both Hollow and Shinigami alike possess a physical body. An adjustment Kami most likely made so that he and Sasuke could intervene in this newly recreated world.

Holding out his hand, he stopped the charging Hollow of brown and white beast and with a push knocked it onto its back and sent it skidding across the land before a pillar of water splashed outwards on its impact into the channel. "You two are lucky that I was here… Otherwise you would have filled this guy's gullet."

A roar echoed from the water as the Hollow burst out of the channel, rage apparent in his golden eyes. "How dare you stop me from my attack you pathetic human?! I will be sure to devour you along with them!"

"Please." Naruto yawned and rolled his eyes, barely giving the masked beast any attention. "Like you can do anything better."

Apparently this Hollow was easily angered, not that it was a surprise, and it roared before rushing Naruto once more.

Its speed was commendable, the Hollow King would give him that much. He would have easily caught anyone off guard because of it and could take a few jounin out before they were able to react accordingly.

However he was the Hollow King. Not even a thousand Kages were enough to make him sweat. So he simply caught his paw, for it seemed this one didn't rely on abilities and transferred everything to his strength, and acted bored as he did so. "Is that it? Do you have anything else?"

Flicking him away like a rag doll, ignoring that his team and Kyuubi had arrived, Naruto sighed as he looked into the channel and the Hollow rising out once more with narrowed eyes. "You… You aren't like them. What are you?"

"Pfft… It was like I said…" Naruto rolled his eyes before rubbing the left half of his remaining mask before a wicked grin spread on his lips. "I'm your better, Hollow. Now it is bed time for you."

The golden eyes of the Hollow widened. He recognized what those remnants meant. He wasn't dealing with a human. He was dealing with another Hollow! "You! You are broken?!"

Appearing directly behind him with a single finger placed at the back of the Hollow's head, Naruto's grin grew even wider. "It seems you aren't entirely stupid… However you still have to die. Cero."

In a flash red energy erupted from the Hollow's skull, obliterating the mask and its head in the process, before it scarred through the land and pierced through the forest. The headless Hollow's body splashed into the water before he kicked the corpse over to his red haired Fraccion. "Eat. I will not have you eating any more humans unless I say it is alright. You will have to get by on any other Hollows we find or you will have to eat like a human as I do."

While shocked at how easily this creature had been beaten before them, since it wiped the floor with them and had made them attempt to retreat, Zabuza's skin turn ashen at the sight of the red head. Even if she was without a tail or hole, still having her mask visible as she wished for that, he recognized her in a heartbeat.

And he remembered what she had said.

And now they had been saved by a second time by her master.

Great… Now he owed a second debt to the bastard. Everything was just peachy!

However Haku was more vocal about the vixen before them. "Fuck! You again! Stay away you monster!"

Naruto twitched and glanced over at Kyuubi, who smirked feeling how powerful Haku's fear was, he appeared next to the vixen. "Do not worry about her. If she tries anything against you in my presence I will not only stop her but show everyone what my punishment is for disobeying me! And I brought my equipment with me so…"

Leaving those words hanging in the air for everyone, Naruto smirked seeing Kyuubi become void of all colors. The sheer embarrassment of showing what he did to her for disobeying his commands to anyone that could walk by and see it…

"She isn't your problem anymore… However I am. I don't come free." Naruto noted his Fraccion's timidity, grinning that she was coming along just nicely and learning her place, his grin became down right wicked as he glanced at the two. "So there are two things I want from you… Information and your lives."

"What?!" Zabuza growled out at the last statement instantly knowing that he meant he wanted them as servants. "Why should I…"

"Not only did I save your life from that creature that should have by all means killed and eaten you and your soul. I also believe I saved you from being eaten by my Fraccion if your reactions are apt." Naruto cut Zabuza off and stated his reasons. "That means that both of you at the very least owe me a life debt and since I know you are a man of honor…"

Letting his words hang over Zabuza, who was twitching madly and cursing under his breath, his trademark grin spread further on his lips. "Fine… I will abide to your so called life debt on the information at the very least! But my skills are by no means free…"

"Oh god no. I wouldn't want your skills for anything you could do I can do it ten-thousand times better. I was simply going to ask the masked girl there for a favor… A certain kind of favor." Naruto once again left his words hanging and his grin now seemed to gain a bit of perverseness that even made Kyuubi a little weary, hoping the tools would not be coming out any time soon.

God how she hated those toys of his… Sick perverted bastard. At least the masked one understood his tone and took a step back.

Kakashi would have interjected in this entire arrangement before it got started… If this was a normal team. Since it wasn't and since he knew there wasn't a damn thing he could do to stop Naruto anyways… He went along with the flow.

"What do you know of what has happened in the Wave? Also why is a missing ninja such as you doing in the Wave? This was only supposed to be a C-rank mission… For these two anyways." Kakashi asked before feeling a little sheepish as he forgot the S-rank mission that was officially given to Naruto for observations and whatever else popped up during the true mission.

He was also pretty sure they weren't going to buy that Naruto and Kyuubi were on a C-rank mission for any reason.

"Then you were lied to… For that old fart behind you has a bounty on his head by Gato and I was originally hired to take it." Zabuza responded before grinning at Tazuna, who began to heavily sweat at the killing intent coming from Kakashi, before focusing his attention back onto team seven. "However… Things have changed drastically."

"These things… They suddenly showed up right after the red haired bitch arrived and have been pouring out of black holes that occasionally appear one by one." Zabuza continued; throwing in the jab at Kyuubi who obviously was steaming for no one called her that. "They began to eat villagers indiscriminately, no matter if they worked for Gato or were under his oppression."

"Finally my employer, the pig of a man known as Gato, got tired and sent me out to exterminate these threats. From his own mouth he said 'There ain't no God damn point in taxing people to poverty with no way out if there is no God damn people to tax!'. And I got to admit… He does have a point there."

"And… That is how we kind of got into this precarious situation that we're in now… And we lost two of our comrades along the way to that bastard that was chasing us… At least I took care of his friend." Zabuza finished giving the little information he had on what was going on in the Wave.

"There was another?" Sakura trembled at the mere notion of there being another one those creatures, ignoring the fact that Kyuubi had decided to start eating the one that Naruto tossed her and happened to do so with surprising cleanliness.

Seeing Zabuza nod, Kakashi narrowed his visible eye at this revelation before questioning the swordsmen. "Do you have an idea on their numbers or are we going in blind here?"

"I would like to say I do but every damn time they finish eating they rip open those black holes and leave this place. I would follow after but I get this foreboding feeling… That wherever they are going… That there is something far worse there then these guys." Haku stated instead of her master having tried to track the beast, and did so without getting spotted, only to learn what she had stated.

"Hueco Mundo…" Naruto muttered the name of the Hollow World, which he dubbed, before he narrowed his eyes and glanced over at Sasuke, catching his gaze for just a second.

With that look they simply nodded having identical thoughts. This was the work of Kami to keep his end of the deal when they're job was over. He had connected their planes of existence with Eden so that when they were finished they would be able to travel back to their respective worlds and then most likely close the connection.

But once again he erred. He obviously thought that Hollows would not find this world. Now all that was left was to hope that the Soul Society would soon find it and give Sasuke some help.

"Great… Just great…" Kakashi glared at Tazuna, feeling like this should be charged since he did lie about ninja be after him, the ninja currently wasn't hired to do anything to him and these beast definitely weren't attacking when he left. "Do you have any idea of what their strength level is?"

"Strength is a relative term. Hollows are just like humans in the fact that they vary in what they excel in. Some are masters of physical combat like the one Naruto dispatched, others use speed to their advantage and there are even those with powerful techniques much like ninjutsu or genjutsu." Sasuke answered instead of Zabuza or Haku, both of which were shocked at what this kid began to say.

"However there are different levels of Hollows that you have to consider. There are just the average run of the mill Hollows that tend to make up most of their population so they tend to be the weakest. Then you get into the Menos classes such as Gillians, Adjuchas and the ever dangerous Vastro Lordes."

"What we had here was a simple Hollow and nothing more… An Academy Student compared to the others with almost no chances of every defeating the higher class threats." Sasuke finished with his explanation since this knowledge was now deemed necessary for the others to know.

"And from what I sensed of the little brat… He would be almost ready for a promotion to Gillian. However most are moderately weaker and would only be able to match high grade chunin." Naruto added on since he was the one to kill the bear Hollow.

As Sakura, Haku and Zabuza looked dumbstruck at what Sasuke knew about these Hollows, Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

Obviously there wasn't anyone that had access to this kind of information in Konoha because for all he knew this was the first encounter with the beasts in the history of the Elemental Nations. So the question was where Sasuke could get this information?

He couldn't quite rule out Naruto because they could be the very reason why he and Kyuubi had wanted this mission. The question became then how did he know this and why would he tell Sasuke before anyone else…

Kakashi eyes widened at the one thing he almost skipped over. Sasuke had said Hollow. He called the creatures Hollows. And Naruto called himself… "Wait… It can't be…"

"Ah it seems the scarecrow is finally getting it." Kyuubi mused before obliterating the carcass of the Hollow with a Bala, finished with her meal. "Yes, Naruto is the Hollow King! The strongest of all Hollows and has obtained the highest rank we all wish to obtain; Vastro Lorde! For that bow before your king, mortals because you should be grateful he has spared your lives!"

Raising his eyebrows at the vixen, wondering where this praise was coming from since Kyuubi did nothing but berate him and his skills whenever she could, Naruto simply grinned in response. There was no need for words. Kyuubi had said it all for him.

He would treat her for that later.

"Then control your vassals Naruto like a real king." Sasuke shot back, bristling both Naruto and Kyuubi in the process.

Keeping his composure and placing a hand on Kyuubi's shoulder, to keep her from doing anything, Naruto shook his head. "I looked after no one as their King. I am selfish and looked out for only myself, as all Hollows do. Only on rare occasions would I ever even speak with others as most of our race is just mindless drabble or only cares for power and obtaining more."

"That is what our race is… However we change when our masks either fracture on their own and fall off or we rip them off ourselves and gain Shinigami powers." Kyuubi grinned seeing Sasuke's eyes widen at this notion. "We regain some humanity and even a bit of our old personality, well in Naruto's case at least. My mind set is the same as when I was a demon; I'm just a little hungrier than I ever was before."

After a moment of silence, as all the information spoken sunk in, Naruto shook his head and gazed around. "None of this matters at the moment… We need to get across and set up a base of operations before we can go any further… You two will be coming with us."

"And why is that?" Zabuza growled and was ready to fight before taking a step back as Kyuubi grinned and stepped towards him.

"As I said… Your lives belong to me to use as I see fit. And right now they need a little help while I go off to play super hero." Naruto announced before increasing his spiritual pressure just enough to let them know he could kill them at any time.

Grunting in response, despising the fact that he would have to follow this kid around till he let them free from this life debt, Zabuza groaned as he followed. He had not only screwed himself over but now Haku. He just hoped he could find some way to get here out of this deal.

He wouldn't let her be used like some toy. How little he knew… Naruto had something completely else planned for her.

Her abilities were actually useful to him.

<The Hollow King>

A/N: Sorry for yet another late chapter but there were some outside problems that kept me from being able to finish the chapter. And because of that the chapter ended slightly different as I planned, since I was hoping for a lemon at the end. However now that will be moved to next chapter.

The idea of Hollows being able to bend the rift between Eden and Hueco Mundo was to give Naruto and Sasuke a challenge while there. It also opens up other possibilities later and allows me some freedom later. I've almost decided to throw out a pairing and who Kami is will be released near the end, mainly because it is undecided now.

The technique Naruto used was Pesquisa, the Hollow sensor technique. However since how they do it is quite differently and varies from character to character I created my own for Naruto.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and the next one will hopefully be out soon enough. Peace Out.