Chapter 2 The Reagent and First Day

Naruto continued to flip through the pages of the Necronomicon, deciphering what he could. Looking at the familiar symbols and corresponding it to a language he was able to piece together bits and pieces of the esoteric knowledge contained in the book. Smiling as he wrote down the translated message he laid down his pen and inspected his work.

"Ok lets see. Hmmmm"

As Naruto read the text it became apparently clear he was reading what seemed to be a list of ingredients needed to create a type of serum. Some of the items needed were known to Naruto, Most were not. He skimmed through the pages upon pages of his days work. Noticing it was getting dark out and he had yet to eat, Naruto went back to the opened cup of ramen he had yet to make. He began boiling water as he prepared to dump the contents into the pot. As he cooked his eyes were drawn back to his notes. He tried to ignore it in favor of eating but he could not shake the thoughts from his mind. Before he knew it the Ramen was finished cooking. Putting the food in a bowl he started to eat. He began to think to himself.

Well several ingredients are poisonous perhaps when mixed a certain way the toxicity is lowered into a manageable level, What could the serum be used for, the list is simple enough it's mostly plants and herbs. What was even the title of the passage.

As he thought to himself he put his food down to go and get his notes. He looked at them reading the title. In an attempt to work out this new puzzle, Naruto begins to speak to himself.

"Ok, The Reagent, couldn't translate much else other than a name, and not a very good name, Lets see. Well A reagent is something used to cause a chemical reaction, ok well the instructions make it seem as if it is meant to be injected into humans to do anything. I wonder what the reaction would be", says Naruto to himself.

He continues eating the last bites of the food before going back to the book. Flipping through it he comes across a familiar sight. Hiding between two pages is the notes of the previous owner of the book. He stares at the writing the words 'Look to The Stars' written frantically over and over and over again from the top of the page to the bottom, it was somewhat disturbing, and the handwriting was rushed. Small red dots on the page appeared to be blood, making Naruto wonder the state of the man who had written the note. He flipped it back to the other side rereading it's short entry.

"So I guess this Book is called the Necronomicon, well at least I got a title", Naruto pauses and slowly looks up.

"I really have to got to stop talking to myself", Ironically he says to himself.

He sets the paper down before flipping through the Necronomicon, hoping more pages would fall out. As he does three loose pages fall out all written in the same handwriting as the first page, though done less frantically. In fact looking at the notes, Naruto found there was a gradual decline in the mans handwriting, also somewhat alarming was that while the earlier pages were analytical and well written with only results, later pages went on to include notes on creatures that the man seemed to revere in some way. Naruto takes one of the pages with clear handwriting and read it to himself. As he goes down the page his eyes widen at the implications of what it says.

Subject: John Doe

Age: between 25-27

Weight: 165 pounds

Cause of Death: Cardiac Arrest

Results: After injecting the subject with the Reagent movement occurred after 15 seconds with full reanimation in 35 seconds. While awake John Doe showed signs of increased aggression. Subject terminated after 2 minutes 26 seconds via electrocution. Subject showed no cognitive functions. increased strength viewed after awakening possibly due to the subject working on instinct, bypassing the mental limitations of human strength.

Notes: While The Necronomicon's information on the reanimation of dead tissue is amazing without further translation of the book higher levels of thinking are a pipe dream. Dr. Wests additions allow it to be possible but only if the subject has been reanimated before permanent brain death, and even then the subject still shows heightened states of aggression, otherwise the result is little more than an intelligent yet violent walking corpse rather then a mindless one.

As Naruto finished the note he quickly grabbed the next one and began to read it slowly making sure he makes no mistakes.

Herbert's Obsession with bringing the dead back to life is beginning to cause fear and hesitation amongst the staff. West may be brilliant and driven but his narcissism leaves much to be desired. We have walked into a quarantine area just to use the bodies of those who succumb to Typhoid. I am beginning to wonder how far his obsession will go. Never the less I will continue to help him, reluctantly.

Naruto puts it down grabbing the net page.

West has lost interest in science, now he has used the reagent for sheer perversity, I feel like a slave to him, too afraid to leave out of fear for what he will do to me. Yesterday We were attacked by a group of reanimated corpses not properly euthanized. Luckily no one was seriously injured but it is only a matter of time. I do not care what other secrets are held in the Necronomicon, If what has happened to West is just a taste from a single page then the risk of translating more of it is out of the question. We haven't even fully translated the reagent formula and it cost us greatly. I can only hope that whoever reads this takes the warning do not read from the book It is dangerous. It will consume your very soul leaving you a husk of what you once were. I have translated a passage to use, it should allow me to force West to give the book to someone else. Then I am going to kill him. I don't know if I can live with myself for all that I have done but I will at least take out that bastard, I cannot risk him continuing his experiments.

Naruto dropped the page before quickly grabbing the last one.

West is dead, killed by his own pets. The ritual to send the book way is ready, this will be my final message. At the moment, I find myself severely tempted to use this book. I see things in my dreams, horrible things, things that make sleep rent with the screams of nightmares. I saw something the other day, it looked like a man, but he was obscured by shadows, shadows that was cast by nothing. As if they stained his skin. He just watched me. I think he was smiling. I can't take it anymore. Once the ritual is complete I don't know what to do next. I suppose only time will tell.

Slowly he turned back to the book. He walks up to it looking at the page with information to revive the dead.

Should I listen to the warning, the implications. Should I be the one to beat death itself. I have to do it, but not like West. No I won't even attempt using it until the entire thing has been translated. This could change everything.

He brushes dust from the book staring at it's pages. He smiles to himself.

"And that is only one page".

Naruto quickly sits back down looking for familiar patterns in the language to translate the book. He does so quickly and excitedly. Translating what he can. As He goes down the list his face falters. One of the ingredients needed was not easy to attain.

"Devine Flower, but it's almost extinct, and I don't even know where it's grown", says Naruto.

With a sigh he closes the book. He would have to research the Devine Flower another time.

For now it is best to get some sleep.

After a week of study no information on the Devine Flower would come up. All those wasted hours reading books at the civilian library turned up nothing and the owners would not allow Naruto to check out the books, but it wasn't all bad. Today was the first day of Ninja Academy. With a smile Naruto dresses in his traditional black coat as he makes his way to the Academy. Looking at it with the exception of a training ground it looks no different from a normal school, aside from the equipment scattered outside the building. Naruto walks inside checking his surroundings, noticing the halls are empty Naruto decides to wait in class reading to pass the time. As he enters the empty classroom he pulls out a simple book on different species of plants, while there was no information on the Devine flower it was still interesting to know about wild plants, some safe to consume others deadly poisonous. As he turns the page the door opens. In walks a boy wearing sunglasses and a coat with a high collar. The boy momentarily inspects the room seeing only Naruto before he quietly walks up the steps to a vacant desk in the back. Naruto marks his page before turning to the boy.

"Hey there, My names Naruto Uzumaki, is this your first day", asks Naruto.

The boy looks at him.

"Yes, I am Shino Aburame", he says.

Naruto nods.

"Aburame huh, the ninja who use the Kikaichu beetles. I have always found such a level of symbiosis impressive, as are the combat tactics of using the Kikaichu in silent ambushes draining Chakra from your enemies with them none the wiser", says Naruto.

Shino looks at the boy for a moment.

"You are quite knowledgeable Uzumaki-san", says Shino.

"I fancy myself a scholar, though I also wish to become a great ninja. I spend a large portion of my time reading and doing experiments, nothing major but it helps pass the time. interests in many different fields of science lead me to reading many books on the subject of Biology, that includes Entomology, it was only by coincidence I came across several books with relation to the Kikaichu and as such the Aburame clan, no clan secrets of course only the basest of information. I have always found them fascinating in there regard, normally Kikaichu are a parasitic species, your clan must have great skill to form a Symbiotic relationship with them", says Naruto.

"The techniques are a clan secret, but It is a difficult process", says Shino.

"Yes, but one with many benefits to a Shinobi", says Naruto.

Shino nods. Naruto smiles at him nodding his head before continuing on reading. As he does several more students enter the class. Naruto chooses to ignore them for the time the class fills up a Naruto decides to look to his classmate sitting next to him. It is a tired looking boy with drooping eyes and a hunched posture. Quickly the boy folds his arms and proceeds to nap in class. Naruto pays him no mind before putting his book away. He reaches in his back fishing for another book. He pulls out a book on human anatomy. He begins to read the book waiting for the teacher to show. As he reads the book he begins mumbling quietly to himself.

"Hmmm lets see after death the brain continues to function for only a few minutes. Hmmm that's a small window of time to really do anything. So how does it work. How does it combat rigor mortis. Memories don't come back according to the notes so maybe it affects the hippocampus no ability to form memories, maybe a regenerative agent added to it could help", mumbles Naruto to himself.

"What are you talking about", asks the previously sleeping boy sitting next to him.

"Oh sorry did I wake you, I didn't mean to I tend to talk to myself to figure out a problem, I was just reading about a new scientific study that shows that there is a small window of time after death to fully resuscitate the patient, while he is somewhat functional, capable of movement, he is technically brain dead. I have been trying to figure out how it works", says Naruto.

The boy lifts his head from the desk looking at Naruto.

"So you want to be a medic-nin or something", asks the boy.

"No I am just curious, I have been known to study different fields of science From Biology to physics, after hearing about this incident I have been trying to figure out what they did", says Naruto.

"Sounds troublesome", says the Boy.

"It's just one of my interests, anyway I'm Naruto Uzumaki".

"I'm Shikamaru Nara", says the Boy.

Naruto smiles.

"One of the Nara Clan huh, sounds cool manipulating your shadow and all to dangerous effect, complete control over a 2-dimensional weapon impossible to stop, only dodge" says Naruto.

"I guess so, truth be told I just want to be an average ninja with nothing extraordinary about me. Anything else would be too troublesome", says Shikamaru.

"I see, I have heard that one of your families quirks is being o a bit on the lazy side, never the less it had been a pleasure speaking to you", says Naruto.

"Likewise, now if you can keep it down so I can get some rest before class begins", says Shikamaru as he lies down on the table. Naruto continues to read the book making a conscious effort not to mumble. Minutes latter the door is flung violently open.

"Ha take that Ino-pig I was here first, looks like I get to sit next to Sasuke-kun", says a pink haired girl.

"What! No way I was here first forehead, see my foot is in front of yours", screams a blond haired girl.

Naruto confusingly looks at the commotion as the two girls continue to fight one another.

"Keep it down", says a boy wearing a jacket with a small dog on his desk.

Naruto sighs as the pink haired girl hits the boy on the head. He looks around the room to see who this Sasuke is. He looks he sees a boy with raven hair siting with his fingers laced in front his face and his eyes closed. He notices the two girls seem to be heading in his direction. Naruto closes his book.

"Excuse me ladies", Says Naruto as the two girls begin to glare at him.

"If that boy up there is this Sasuke you are talking about you can both sit next to him. Both chairs by him are empty", says Naruto.

The two girls look at Naruto, then back at Sasuke, before they look at each other. Quickly each take a position on either side of him. Naruto shakes his head as he goes back to his book.

"You actually got them to stop talking, you are a miracle worker", says Shikamaru.

"No just observant, not even overly observant it should have been obvious. I suppose they were much to focused on some perceived rivalry to pay attention to the world around them, hopefully they will not make a habit out of that. Who are those girls anyway", asks Naruto.

"The pink haired girl is Sakura Haruno, the blond is Ino Yamanaka. My Dad is close friends with Ino's dad, and Ino was once a close friend to Sakura now they have this Sasuke rivalry thing going on", says Shikamaru.

"Ino Yamanaka, one of the mind walkers, hmm cool. Wait a minute doesn't her family work a flower shop?", asks Naruto.

"Yeah, Why", asks Shikamaru.

"I have been doing some research and have been trying to find information on a certain flower, it's very rare and I haven't even come close to finding it, maybe she would know", says Naruto.

"Yeah, you do that", says Shikamaru as he drifts back to sleep.

After a few moments a plump boy eating potato chips sits next to Shikamaru. Each exchange a greeting before Shikamaru falls back asleep. Naruto looks at the students around the class, noting the unusually large number of clan heirs in the room. He looks to the boy from earlier with the small dog. Obviously an Inuzuka. He looks around a bit more before looking at a girl with dark blue hair and pupiless eyes a Hyuga. He waves at each when there attention focuses on him. The Inuzuka boy smirks while the Hyuga girl nervously nods back. Naruto then returns to his book waiting for his teacher. After the class quiets down the door opens. Walking through the door is a silver haired chunin. He looks around the class.

"Good morning students, and welcome to Ninja Academy. I am Mizuki, I am to be one of your instructors, now unfortunately your other instructor Iruka Umino shall not be joining us until tomorrow. Well I think we best get started introducing ourselves. We will start at the bottom row", says Mizuki.

He points toward Naruto.

"Why don't you start us off", asks Mizuki.

Naruto smiles before beginning his introduction.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, My interests are reading, research, experimentation, mythology, psychology, biology, physics, and all fields of science really, and I have a fondness for ramen. I dislike willful ignorance, and find it a poison of our society at large and My dream is to be a great ninja, and a greater scholar", says Naruto.

Mizuki chuckles to himself. Naruto narrows his eyes.

"Excuse me Mizuki what is so funny", asks Naruto.

"Nothing, nothing Its just you don't look like the Scholarly type", says Mizuki.

"Really is that so", says Naruto.

Naruto takes a deep breath calming himself as he stands from his desk smirking.

"As an object in motion approaches faster speeds the pressure waves in front of it become scrunched together while the sound waves behind it move further apart, this is known as the Doppler effect. While it does happen with sound it also happens with light. As light moves toward you it shifts into a blue as it moves away from you it becomes red This is known as blueshift and redshift respectfully. When viewing far off galaxies we can see them entering redshift meaning they are moving away from us. This shows that the universe we inhabit is expanding and growing in fact at one point we can theorize that all matter in the universe inhabited a single point smaller than a sub atomic particle before expanding outwards in what is known as the Big Bang. Now getting back to sound when the object moves at a certain speed enough to break the sound barrier the pressure waves in from it can become so close together that when they touch or move behind the object. This causes a phenomena known as a sonic boom, a deafening sound emanating from that which breaks the sound barrier. The first human invention capable of breaking the sound barrier is the bullwhip. Still don't think I am the scholar type Mizuki-san", asks Naruto.

Mizuki chuckles a bit.

"Well I've been wrong before, I apologize Uzumaki-san, it appears as if what they say is true. Looks can be deceiving, but I expect great things from you", says Mizuki.

"Fine by me just don't underestimate me I worked hard to memorize a vast amount of information and even more effort to turn information into knowledge ", says Naruto as he takes his seat.

"Is there really a difference between the two", asks Mizuki with a small smile.

"Anyone can memorize facts or information, even an idiot can do it, only true intellectuals can find a way to use that information practically", says Naruto smirking back.

"Very well Uzumaki-san but lets not waste time, please wake the student next to you to allow him his introductions", says Mizuki glaring at Naruto but not losing his smile, no doubt believing Naruto called him an idiot.

As the class begins to introduce itself Naruto gets a feeling he is being watched. He slightly turns his head peering out the corner of his eye. Looking around he sees no one looking at him. He turns his head ever so slightly until he sees that he is being stared at by the Hyuga girl. He fully turns his head to her. The moment he does she quickly looks back to Mizuki. Naruto shrugs before laying back and listening to the class.

Elsewhere back at Naruto's home the Necronomicon begins to open on its own quickly flipping through the pages before coming to an abrupt stop. unseen tendrils and feelers emerge from the page feeling the world around it. Altering it's contents to better fit with this new universe it now rests in. As the unseen tendrils suck back into the book it shuts itself. It then sits and waits.