Naruto: The Chosen Undead

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Chapter no.74 Team 10

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Shikamaru blinked, his eyes heavy with fatigue. Okay, more tired than usual. He stretched his arms lazily, staring down at the shogi board in front of him. His mind wasn't on the game, though. It kept replaying his graduation day, over and over, trying to piece together something he couldn't quite pin down.

Naruto acting… not like Naruto.

"Checkmate," came his father's calm voice, dragging Shikamaru back to reality.

"Your game today was a mess," Shikaku said bluntly, his sharp gaze making Shikamaru feel like he was under a microscope.

Shikamaru yawned and scratched the back of his head. "Troublesome," he muttered, already preparing to dismiss the conversation.

Shikaku Nara, ever the epitome of calm, watched him with an unreadable expression. His spiky ponytail and goatee made him look deceptively laid-back, but the scars on the side of his face hinted at the experience of a man who had seen far too much. His dark eyes, however, were sharp as ever.

"A Nara with an interest is a dangerous thing."

Shikamaru stiffened slightly. Of course, his dad would pick up on his distracted state. The man was too damn perceptive for his own good.

"Not thinking about anything important," Shikamaru mumbled, trying to play it off, even though his brain was screaming at him about Naruto's strange behavior. Should he bring it up? It might be a mistake. Shikaku wasn't just his dad—he was the head of the Jōnin Council. If Shikamaru said something even remotely suspicious, it could turn into a village-wide headache.

Did he really want to invite that kind of trouble?

...Nah. Too much effort.

"You look like you're about to fall asleep," Shikaku said, narrowing his eyes. "Try not to think too much about it. Overthinking—it's not the Nara way."

"Oh no," came a stern voice from behind. "He should think about it."

Shikamaru sighed inwardly.

His mother, Yoshino Nara, stepped into the room holding a tray of green tea and cups. Her sharp gaze landed on her son, and Shikamaru immediately felt like he was five years old again and being scolded for not cleaning his room. She set the tray down with precision, her long brown hair tied neatly in a ponytail, strands framing her serious expression.

"What are you talking about, woman?"

"You know exactly what I mean," Yoshino shot back, hands on her hips.

"You think it's a girl, don't you?"

"Of course, it's a girl!" Yoshino said with absolute certainty. "Why else would our lazy son look so troubled? It's either a girl, or the apocalypse is coming."

Shikaku smirked. "Makes sense. I mean, I was young once too. And you did occupy my mind for a while back then."

Yoshino blushed, a rare moment of softness crossing her stern face. "I was the beauty that stayed in the mind of the great Shikaku Nara," she said, smiling faintly.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Here it comes…

"More like a pain in my butt," Shikaku added dryly, sipping his tea.

"What did you just say, you bastard!?" Yoshino shouted, slamming her hands on the table.

Shikamaru sighed, standing up slowly.

"Don't you dare walk out while I'm yelling at your father, young man!"

"I'm just getting some air," Shikamaru said lazily, waving a hand behind him.

Yoshino huffed but softened. "Well, if you need any advice about the girl on your mind, you know you can always come to your mom."

Shikamaru froze in the doorway, glancing back over his shoulder. "It's not a girl, Mom."

"Of course it's a girl," Yoshino said, ignoring him completely. "Just bring her home sometime, alright? I'll make dinner—something impressive. You know, gotta show your future wife we're a good family."

Shikamaru's groan deepened, and he quickly stepped outside, letting the door close behind him.

It's not a girl, it's Naruto.

Behind him, his parents' voices drifted out, loud and clear through the walls.

"You're impossible, Shikaku!"

"And yet, here we are, happily married!"

"Happily? You—"

Shikamaru sighed heavily, picking up his pace. "Yeah, definitely worse. One headache is enough."

Shikamaru arrived at Training Ground 10, the perfect place for an afternoon nap. The lush green field was surrounded by towering trees whose leaves rustled gently in the breeze.

At the center of the field stood a small pavilion. Its curved, tiled roof rose in graceful tiers, supported by weathered wooden beams painted a deep vermilion. The stone floor was smooth and cool, with long benches and a central table that seemed perfect for quiet reflection—or, in Shikamaru's case, uninterrupted naps.

Shikamaru stretched out, resting his head on the table. The cool stone against his cheek was soothing, and he closed his eyes, letting himself drift into half-consciousness. The faint hum of nature filled the air—birds chirping, wind in the trees. It was peaceful, almost perfect.

Then he heard it.

A deep rumbling sound in the distance.

He lazily opened one eye, too relaxed to react fully. Turning his head just enough to see, he caught sight of something rolling toward him—fast. It was a massive sphere, tearing through the field like an oversized boulder.

Shikamaru blinked, unfazed, as the ball came to a screeching halt and exploded in a puff of white smoke. When the dust cleared, there stood Chōji, holding a bag of beef jerky in one hand and grinning triumphantly.

Chōji Akimichi looked bigger than ever—mostly in his weight. His friend's face was rounder, and his limbs carried a noticeable layer of fat. Shikamaru didn't comment, of course. He valued his life too much for that.

"How's training going?"

"Look at the gains!" Chōji said, flexing his arm proudly. Beneath the soft layers of fat, there was muscle, but it was buried deep. Shikamaru didn't comment, though. He knew this was all part of the Akimichi's unique jutsu—turning stored calories into raw chakra power.

It wasn't hard to figure out why Chōji had been training so hard, either.

Naruto.

Naruto's killer intent had left an impression on Chōji—and had lit a fire under the boy, pushing him to bulk up as quickly as possible. In just four days, he'd gained almost twenty kilograms.

"You're going to be rolling everywhere soon if you keep this up."

Chōji grinned, unbothered. "That's the point."

Before Shikamaru could reply, another voice broke through the calm.

"Fashionably late, as always."

Ino Yamanaka strutted into the training ground, holding a small bag of leftovers. She tossed the bag to Chōji, who caught it easily and immediately began digging through it.

Ino's presence was as bright as ever, though Shikamaru had noticed some changes in her recently. She was more serious than she used to be, ditching her Sasuke-obsessed antics in favor of focusing on her Yamanaka clan techniques. But despite her progress as a shinobi, she still carried herself with the same confidence that had defined her since childhood.

"You bring snacks for him and nothing for me?"

"You don't need it. Besides, you'd just complain that it's too much work to eat."

Chōji chuckled through a mouthful of food, and Shikamaru rolled his eyes. The three of them fell into their usual rhythm—Shikamaru lounging on the bench, Chōji munching away, and Ino sitting cross-legged on the grass, soaking up the sun.

The calm didn't last long, though.

A swirl of leaves caught their attention as Asuma Sarutobi appeared in the center of the training ground, his ever-present cigarette dangling from his lips.

Asuma was the picture of laid-back authority. His spiky black hair and scruffy beard gave him a rugged look, and the rolled-up sleeves of his jōnin vest added to his relaxed demeanor. But the sharpness in his eyes betrayed his true nature—this was a man who didn't miss much.

"Sensei," Ino said, stretching her arms dramatically. "What boring mission do you have for us today?"

Asuma exhaled a puff of smoke, smiling faintly. "No mission today. A friend of mine asked me to do him a favor. We're going to help one of his students with elemental jutsu training."

Ino perked up immediately. "Oh! Are we going to meet one of our senpai? Is he handsome?"

"Not exactly. It's one of your classmates."

The trio exchanged confused glances.

"Sensei," Ino began, "elemental jutsu training doesn't usually start until at least a year after graduation. It's only been four days."

"That's Kakashi's choice. I'm just here to help out. Besides, I get to cash in a favor."

"Kakashi? As in the Kakashi? Team 7's sensei?" Shikamaru asked, sitting up slightly.

"Yeah," Asuma replied, taking another drag of his cigarette.

Ino clapped her hands, grinning. "It's gotta be Sasuke-kun! We're going to train with Sasuke-kun!" She practically squealed with excitement.

Before Asuma could respond, another swirl of leaves announced the arrival of Kakashi. But it wasn't Sasuke standing beside him.

It was Naruto.

The air changed instantly.

Shikamaru stiffened, his mind snapping to attention. Ino froze mid-smile, her face falling as she instinctively moved closer to Chōji. But it was Chōji's reaction that caught Asuma's attention.

Chōji, who usually wouldn't hurt a fly unless he absolutely had to, clenched his fists. His fingers trembled halfway through the motion before stopping altogether, his body paralyzed by a fear so primal it was as if he were staring down a demon.

"Are you three okay?" Asuma asked, his tone sharp. This reaction was… unnatural.

Ino snapped out of it first, rushing to Chōji's side. She grabbed his arm, whispering to him urgently, trying to pull him back. Shikamaru stayed rooted in place, gripping the edge of the stone table so hard his knuckles turned white.

Asuma watched his students leave, slightly concerned, before turning his attention back to Kakashi and the blond genin beside him.

"Asuma, is everything alright with your team?"

"I think so. Maybe it's because you arrived early," Asuma joked, subtly telling Kakashi that he'd handle it.

"I am a clone," Kakashi replied, subtly telling Asuma that he was, in fact, a clone.

"Of course you are," Asuma said, turning his attention to Naruto. "So, you must be Naruto Uzumaki. Heard a lot about you from your sensei. The name's Asuma."

"Nice to meet you, bearded man."

Asuma sweatdropped. "Bearded man?"

"Yeah," Naruto said with a shrug. "You've got a beard. What else am I supposed to call you?"

"How about Asuma-sensei?"

"Nah, you have to teach me something first before I call you sensei. Otherwise, you're just a bearded guy."

"I'm not sure that's much better," Asuma muttered under his breath.

"I'll leave you to it," Kakashi said before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Alright, kid. What do you know about wind chakra?"

Naruto immediately perked up. "It's one of the five chakra natures, and I have it. So, what jutsu are you gonna teach me?"

"Hold your horses. Before we jump into jutsu, you need to learn how to use your chakra nature first. Otherwise, it's like trying to swing a sword without knowing how to sharpen it."

"Alright, so what's the first step?"

Asuma pulled out his cigarette, holding it loosely between his fingers. "Let me show you something." He filled his fingertip with normal chakra and flicked the cigarette. The lit end exploded, scattering ash and tobacco everywhere.

"That's what happens when I use regular chakra," Asuma said. He pulled out another cigarette and flicked it again—this time, using wind chakra. The result was precise and clean. The cigarette's lit end was sliced clean off, leaving the bud with a perfectly sharp edge.

"Whoa, you sharpened your chakra?"

"Not exactly," Asuma said. "What I did was change my chakra into wind nature. Wind chakra is sharp and precise—meant for cutting. From the look in your eyes, I think you're getting the point."

Naruto nodded slowly. "So… I need to learn how to change my chakra before I even think about learning a jutsu?"

"Exactly," Asuma said with an approving nod. "Any questions?"

Naruto scratched his head. "Yeah. What happens if I try to learn a wind jutsu before I figure out how to change my chakra?"

In response, Asuma reached into his pouch and pulled out a pair of trench knives. "These are made from chakra metal," he explained, holding the blades up for Naruto to see. "They're designed to absorb and amplify the user's chakra. Here, give it a shot."

[ Item: Custom Trench Knife ]

[ Weapon Type: Dagger ]

[ Attack Type: Magic ]

[ Description: A weapon created using a special iron sand only found in the deserts of the Land of Wind. A very expensive weapon that excels in mid- and short-range combat. ]

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the Attack Type line in the system's description. Magic? Remembering Asuma's words, he quickly concluded that the system was lumping chakra into the same category as magic.

His mind started racing. Could he channel his pyromancy or divine energy into the knives? That'd be insane. His excitement, however, was quickly dampened as he remembered the chakra paper incident—the unsettling moment when his pyromancy flame turned the paper into something… unnatural.

I don't think I wanna see what happens if I use the pyromancy flame on a weapon. Last thing I need is a demonic knife in my hand. He shuddered at the thought. That would probably ruin the knife too.

"Say," Naruto asked, holding up one of the trench knives, "how expensive are these, anyway?"

"About 10 million ryo each," Asuma said casually, as if he were talking about the weather.

Naruto froze, his mind blank for a second as the weight of that number hit him.

"WHAT?!" he finally shouted. "You're loaded, bearded man!"

"Not rich, kid," Asuma said, smirking. "Just lived long enough to save up and invest in the right gear."

Naruto hummed in thought, watching as Asuma channeled his chakra into the knife. The blade began to glow with a sharp, steady light, the edges shimmering faintly with power.

Naruto attempted the same, focusing his chakra into the knife. The metal started to glow faintly, but the light flickered erratically, wobbling like an unsteady flame.

"Now," Asuma said, "throw it."

Both of them hurled their trench knives at a nearby tree. Naruto's knife stuck in the bark, quivering slightly. Asuma's, however, sliced straight through the tree, embedding itself in the ground on the other side.

"Whoa… It's like a hot knife through butter!"

Asuma retrieved his knife and gestured to the tree. "See the difference? A jutsu is only as strong as the chakra nature behind it. If I gave you a powerful wind jutsu right now—say, an A-rank one—it'd barely register as a C-rank because you haven't learned the basics."

"So… you're saying I gotta walk before I can run, huh?"

"Exactly," Asuma said with a grin. "Glad you're catching on."

"So, what do I do now?"

"Go grab a leaf. Hold it flat between your palms and try to split it using your chakra. The goal is to focus your chakra into a thin, sharp edge, like a blade."

Naruto grinned. "Got it." Then, without missing a beat, he formed the cross-shaped hand sign.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

A dozen Naruto clones popped into existence, each one immediately grabbing a leaf and getting to work.

"Well, that's one way to speed up training."

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[ An Hour Later ]

"Bearded sensei, can you ask them to stop glaring at me?"

Asuma followed Naruto's gaze toward his team. Shikamaru was lying on his back, arms behind his head, staring at the clouds. Ino was using her mirror to fix her hair, though she kept sneaking glances at Naruto. And Chōji, well… Chōji wasn't even pretending to be subtle. He was glaring at Naruto, fists clenched, his usual easygoing demeanor nowhere to be seen.

"Naruto, did you do something to my team?"

"No! Nothing!" Naruto said quickly, shaking his head. "I mean, I skipped a few classes with Shikamaru and Chōji back in the academy, but I never even talked to Ino! I swear."

Asuma hummed.

"Uh-huh. And what about recently? Did anything happen that might've upset them?"

"No!" Naruto groaned. "Well… maybe… there was this thing with Kiba."

Asuma blinked. "Kiba?"

"Yeah, that jerk insulted my master, so I defended his honor." Naruto crossed his arms, frowning. "I don't care if he wants to call me names, but I draw the line at him throwing dirt on Oscar's name."

"Care to tell me what happened?" Asuma asked, keeping his tone light. He wasn't sure how much Naruto would open up, but it didn't hurt to try. To his surprise, Naruto launched into a word-for-word recounting of his fight with Kiba, complete with exaggerated hand gestures and sound effects.

Asuma nodded along, filing away the relevant details. The kid was refreshingly honest—almost too honest, really.

"Well, Naruto," Asuma said once the story ended, "I think you did the right thing."

"You do?"

Asuma smiled. "I mean it. Sticking up for your teacher? That's not easy to do. Not everyone has the guts to stand up for what they believe in."

Naruto beamed at him. "Thanks, Asuma-sensei!"

"Don't mention it," Asuma said. "I'll talk to my team. You keep at it with the leaf."

"Got it!" Naruto gave him a thumbs-up and went back to his training, his clones working alongside him.

Asuma made his way over to where his team sat under the shade of a tree. Shikamaru hadn't moved, still lying back with his eyes half-closed. Ino was fiddling with her hair again, and Choji was still glaring at Naruto, though his fists had unclenched.

"Alright, Team 10," Asuma said, crossing his arms. "What's going on?"

The trio stayed silent.

"Look, if there's a problem, I can help. But I can't do anything if you won't talk to me."

Still nothing. Asuma sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "At least stop glaring at the kid while he's here, alright? He's my student today, and I don't need you three making things weird."

"I've got better things to do," Shikamaru muttered, closing his eyes.

"Uh-huh," Asuma said dryly. "Like lying here doing nothing?"

"It's called cloud-watching," Shikamaru shot back lazily. "It's productive in its own way."

Asuma rolled his eyes and turned to Ino. "What about you?"

Ino shrugged. "I wasn't glaring. I mean, now that I really think about it, he's not bad-looking. That awful orange jumpsuit was doing him no favors, but with that armor… he might actually be kind of cute. Sasuke's still way better, though."

Shikamaru cracked an eye open and gave her a look. "Ino…"

"What?" Ino said, smirking. "I'm just saying. Not that it matters. I've got standards, y'know."

Asuma groaned and turned to Choji. "Alright, big guy. What's your deal?"

The big guy stayed silent.

"Come on, Choji. I'll take us to Yakiniku Q after this."

Choji glanced at him, then slowly leaned back against the tree. "Fine."

Shikamaru reached out and fist-bumped him. Ino rolled her eyes and went back to her mirror, though Asuma noticed she was still glancing at Naruto every so often.

"Seriously," he muttered to himself, lighting another cigarette. "I'm supposed to be the adult here. Why do I feel like I'm babysitting a bunch of five-year-olds?"

"Because you are."

Asuma raised an eyebrow. "Careful, Shikamaru. I know your weaknesses."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Hard Work."

Shikamaru groaned, muttering something about life being a drag, while Ino burst into laughter. Choji even cracked a small smile, though he tried to hide it.

Asuma sighed again, but this time, there was a hint of fondness in his expression. Teenagers, he thought again. What a pain.

Naruto had been at it for what felt like hours, holding the leaf between his palms, pouring chakra into it, trying to split it as Asuma had instructed. His clones were scattered around, each working furiously on their own leaves, but none of them had succeeded yet. Naruto gritted his teeth, feeling frustration bubble up inside him.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "Asuma-sensei, can you give me some tips? The stupid leaf isn't splitting!"

"Alright, kid. How are you visualizing your chakra?"

Naruto frowned. "Like a gust of wind tearing through the leaf! You know, like… whoosh! Just ripping it apart!"

"There's your problem." Asuma pushed himself off the tree and walked over. "You're thinking too brute force, Naruto. Wind chakra isn't about tearing through. It's about precision. You've got to imagine splitting your chakra into two streams and grinding them against each other—sharply and finely. That's the trick."

"Grinding them? Like… what, sharpening a blade?"

"Exactly. Think of it like honing the edge of a knife. You're not smashing it; you're sharpening it." Asuma tapped his cigarette, letting the ash fall. "Give that a shot."

Naruto's eyes lit up with determination. "Got it!" He turned back to his clones, clapping his hands together. "Alright, you guys heard him! Let's grind this chakra like we're sharpening kunai!"

"Yes, boss!" one of his clones shouted, and they all went back to work with renewed energy.

Finally, as the sun began to set, a loud cry rang out. Naruto's voice echoed across the training ground, and his clones all shouted in unison, "Yatta!"

Asuma stood, raising an eyebrow as he saw Naruto and his clones tossing their split leaves into the air like confetti. He smirked and started clapping. "Well done, Naruto. You've just completed something that takes most ninja months to figure out."

"Wait, months? Are you serious?!"

"Completely," Asuma said with a grin. "That's no small feat, kid. You should be proud."

Naruto puffed up his chest. "I am awesome, aren't I?"

Asuma chuckled, ruffling Naruto's hair. "That you are. And since you've worked so hard, I think it's time to celebrate. What do you say we head to Yakiniku Q?"

Naruto's jaw dropped. "You mean the fancy barbecue place?!"

Asuma nodded. "Yep. My treat."

"Wait… wait… we have to share Yakiniku Q?" Chōji said, looking almost betrayed.

"C'mon, big man," Asuma said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "It's a celebration. Food tastes better when you share it, trust me."

Chōji grumbled under his breath but didn't argue further.

Asuma had a feeling the warm, inviting atmosphere of the barbecue restaurant might help ease whatever lingering tension there was between Naruto and his team. The sizzling plates of meat, the clatter of chopsticks, and the hum of lighthearted conversation created the perfect backdrop for breaking down walls. He'd rather not have Konoha's future shinobi at odds over something petty—especially when Naruto needed allies now more than ever.

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Author's Note:

Alright, let's address something real quick. I've seen some gentle criticism about the pacing of the story being slow. And yeah, you're right—the pacing is slow. But it's slow for a reason. This is a crossover between Naruto and Dark Souls—two massive worlds with their own depth and lore. If I want to develop both sides in a meaningful way, we have to take our time.

The story of Dark Souls is just as important here as the story of the Shinobi world. Naruto's journey isn't limited to just one world—he's influencing both and being influenced by them simultaneously. So yeah, we can't just speedrun this.

Sure, I could easily write Naruto blowing through Undead Burg, fighting bosses, leveling up, and collecting items. And honestly, most Dark Souls players would agree that area isn't exactly the highlight of the game. But would that be satisfying to read? Probably not.

Think about it—why do you care about characters like Oscar, Alexander (the Crestfallen Warrior), or the Undead Merchant? In the game, they're barely more than NPCs. But here, I'm taking the time to explore them, their struggles, and their stories. Because if I don't, why would you care?

Naruto can fight hollows, grind for power-ups, and mow down enemies, but if you're not emotionally invested, none of it will matter. In Dark Souls, environmental storytelling works beautifully because you're the player—you interact with it. But in a written story, the emotional connection comes through the characters. That's why you felt something when Oscar died, why you cheered when the Asylum Demon went down, and why you're rooting for Naruto to reunite with Alexander.

And the same thing applies to the Shinobi side of the story. The side characters, the development of Team 7, Hiruzen's growth, and even Danzo's schemes—they all need time to breathe. If Naruto's immortality as an undead made him untouchable and we rushed past everything, why would you care about any of that?

That's why the pacing is slow. Because to make you care, we need immersion. We need moments that feel earned. And when you're juggling two massive worlds, multiple plotlines, and a huge cast of characters, rushing things would ruin the payoff.

I'm not saying my fanfic is perfect—some other writer might be able to pull this off better—but I hope you get why I'm writing it this way. And if you've stuck with me this far, I hope I've given you something to really enjoy.

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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 35, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.

To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!