This story is a one-shot about Naruto's lesser known elder daughter, Kushina Uzumaki.
It's a story that was playing in my head for a while and needed to be written. It assumes that Boruto has an elder sister about two years his senior.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Kushina started as she saw her teammate hold up their opponents flag. She felt dread and fear consume her. They had won. They passed the second round. For the first time, she made it to the third round of the Chunin exams.
Kushina Uzumaki was named after her grandmother and was the first born child of Naruto and Hinata Uzumaki. She had a lot less personality then her younger brother, Boruto, at least so it seemed. She was a shy girl and mostly kept to herself. She got decent scores at the academy and graduated dead middle of class. Since then she had become a remarkably unremarkable Genin with a modest mission success record.
She mostly kept in the background and supported her team with what skills she had. Her teammates accepted that about her and gave her space, trusting her to help them as needed. When they slipped she was always there to catch them, when they were attacked she would always defend them, and when they cried she would always console them.
That's why they trusted her to look after their flag and she did not let them down. She surrounded the flag in carefully drawn seals and activated them from a distance. One by one she watched as her opponents were trapped in each seal, writing swirling up their legs as they were immobilized by her technique. She smiled, Chakra Drain, she thought to herself, opening her scrolls. Her opponents yelped in pain as they felt their Chakra draining from their bodies. She smiled as she watched the markings from their legs flow into her scroll.
Finally they noticed her. "What are you doing!" They shouted. She smiled but said nothing.
She looked up and saw her teammates raising her opponents white flag in the air. She released the technique.
Here we go!
Kushina stood in the center of the arena, staring up at the crowd. Everyone was looking at the fighters, namely the two prodigies; Boruto Uzumaki and Sarada Uchiha. Everyone was excited to see them fight. Kushna smiled. She wasn't as important as her younger brother, nor as popular, but that was ok. That was how she liked it.
Naruto and the other Kage watched from their box. Chojuro looked down at the fighters, "Ehh! Hokage-Sama? Isn't that girl your eldest?"
Naruto nodded curtly, "Yes."
"Everyone wants to see Boruto-kun," Kurutsuchi smiled, "I think they forgot she exists."
Naruto nodded, "That tends to happen," He sat back in his chair, "She's a quiet child."
Chojuro nodded his understanding, "She's older than Boruto right? But she's still a Genin? What kind of abilities does she have?"
Naruto sat back in his chair, "I honestly don't know," he said with a sigh, "She may be my daughter but she's a mystery. Even her Sensei says she doesn't know the extent of her abilities. She's shy and quiet. So much like her mother."
Naruto stopped talking when he realized he was rambling, "Nevermind," He said with an awkward smile, "We'll see what she can do here ya know?"
Darui smirked, "She's up against my guy first so she may not make it that far."
Naruto smirked at Darui's challenge, "We'll see about that."
Kushina stood in the center of the arena and stared at her opponent. His Hidden Cloud headband shined in the sun.
"Match 4," Rock Lee announced, "Kushina Uzumaki from Konohagakure vs. Inui from Kumogakure."
Murmurs erupted from the crowd.
"Uzumaki?"
"Isn't that Hokage-sama's daughter?"
"Why is she still a genin?"
"She must not be very strong."
Kushina heard every whisper but didn't react. She knew what they thought of her and she accepted it. Perhaps it's time she showed what she could do.
Hinata watched her daughter stand in the center of everyone's attention. "Oh Kushina," she whispered.
Naruto held Hinata's hand as she sweated, breathing hard. "Push Hinata!" He encouraged, "You can do it!"
Hinata gave a determined smile, only Naruto could encourage her like that.
Sakura smiled as she guided the crying baby out of Hinata. She held her up for the new parents.
Naruto stared, wide-eyed. The baby cried, displaying her healthy lungs for all to see. His daughter.
Sakura cleaned the baby off and handed her to Hinata. Hinata cradled the child against her chest.
Naruto gently ran a single finger through her shock of Uzumaki red hair.
"We have to name her after my mom," he said with a smile.
Hinata smiled her agreement, "you know Naruto, I think we do."
Hinata frowned as her daughter bore the unpleasant insults from the crowd with a stony face. Her daughter had always been quiet and shy. Just like her as a child. She sympathized with Kushina who did not enjoy the attention that being the Hokage's daughter forced upon her. Boruto on the other hand thrived under the scrutiny. He trained hard to outshine his father and in the process, easily outshined his sister.
Kushina, Hintata thought to herself, Do you best.
Kushina continued to look at her opponent with a stony face.
"The disgraced child of the Hokage," Inui smirked, "What an easy opponent."
Again Kushina didn't say anything. She looked down at the ground, bringing her hands in front of her face. Just like her mother as a child.
Inui laughed, "What a pathetic show! You don't think even you can win do you?"
Kushina's hands dropped her side. She looked up to the box where her father was sitting, staring at her with intense eyes. She turned to her opponent and smiled, "Good luck," she said quietly with a gentle smile.
Inui's eyes narrowed in anger, "I'll take you out in one go!" He shouted.
Rock Lee watched the two opponents carefully, "Hajime!" He shouted.
Inui ran forward at blinding speed and swiped with a kunai. Kushina dodged easily, moving around the arena, dodging every blow. She didn't attack or take out her own kunai, she simply moved.
Chojuro watched from the Kage box, "What's with those movements?" He asked.
Naruto shrugged but watched intently, "It's like she's choosing each location that she lands, like she knows what she wants her opponent to do ya know!"
Darui smirked, "Inui has other skills. She's not going to end this by running away."
Inui finally jumped back a distance away from Kushina, "Pathetic!" He spat. "You run away constantly! You are a coward!"
Kushina didn't reply.
"Fine!" Inui shouted, "If that's what you want!" He made quick hand signs, "Lightning Style: Lightning Dragon Jutsu!"
A dragon formed out of lightning and shot towards Kushina who didn't move. Naruto's eyes widened. Was this it?
Kushina made a hand sign and knelt down, pressing her hand to the floor, "Seal!" She shouted.
Suddenly the dragon disappeared and markings began to appear on Inui's body. Flowing from paper seals carefully placed around him.
"Oh!" Chojuro said from his box, "She placed those seals while she was dodging! Impressive!"
Naruto smiled, "That's my girl."
Inui was frozen, unable to move. Kushina knelt not far from him, one hand on a paper seal on the ground as she held the seal active. The markings from the seal continued to move up Inui's legs and around his arms until it froze, completely binding her opponent.
Inui glared at the red haired shinobi. She looked at him with a determined look in her eyes, "Do you yield?" She asked him.
Inui's eyes widened in fury, "Yield to you! Never!"
Kushina smiled and drew a scroll with her free hand and laid it on the grown next to her. She placed her hand on top of the scroll, "Chakra drain," She said.
Inui shouted in pain as the seals on his arms and legs glowed red, pulling his chakra from his body. The red writing stretched from his body to the scroll in Kushina's hand. He felt himself weakening as he collapsed to his knees. But he couldn't collapse as the seal held him upright. Soon he lost consciousness, still held up by the seal.
Lee walked over to Kushina and placed a hand on her shoulder. "That's enough," he said, "It's over."
Kushina nodded and took her hand off the scroll. The seal turned black. "Kai," The seal retracted to the paper seals.
Inui collapsed to the ground unconscious as the seal was released.
Kushina stood and Rock Lee grabbed her hand, raising it in the air, "Winner!" He shouted, "Kushina Uzumaki of the Hidden Leaf!"
Kushina looked up to the Kage box and made eye contact with her father. He grinned and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled, her hands curling to fists.
I did it.
Kushina returned to the locker room and sat next to her younger brother.
"Good fight Onee-chan," Boruto said looking at her.
Kushina smiled, "Thank you little brother, do your best against the other cloud ninja. What's his name Yoroi?"
Boruto scoffed ruefully, "like I'd lose!"
He walked off. Kushina rolled her eyes, what an obnoxious little brother.
Again Kushina found herself standing in the middle of the arena facing an opponent. Maybe I should've lost the last round, she thought to herself, I really don't want to fight again.
Shinki was looking at her evenly.
"I wanted to fight your brother," He said.
She sighed, "Many people share that sentiment." She looked down at the ground then looked back up at Shinki, "I hope I'll at least give you somewhat of a challenge."
Up in the Kage box Naruto signs, "So Gaara, I guess it's our two children against each other ya know! My daughter against your son."
Gaara nodded stoically, "She doesn't stand much of a chance against Shinki," he said.
Naruto laughed, "Well I supposed we'll see ya know."
But I don't even know. After that last match…. What is Kushina capable of? And then there was that night. A few weeks ago, the night he screwed up Himawari's birthday.
Naruto was sitting at his desk having sent the scroll to the decoding unit. Sasuke and Shikamaru had left several minutes ago but he still had a pile of paperwork to go through.
Suddenly a Naruto jumped up. He spun around to see Kushina standing at his open window. Silently watching him.
"I didn't sense her" He thought to himself, "Why didn't I sense her?"
His daughter glared at him, her red hair almost glowing in the moonlight. Her green eyes were intense as she stared straight into Naruto's soul.
"Kushina! What are you doing here?" He asked in shock, "And why didn't I sense you?" He added to himself internally.
"Go home and tuck her in," Kushina said steadily.
"What?!" Naruto shouted in surprise.
"Go home and tuck her in," Kushina repeated.
Naruto understood now. He sobered, his face dropped, "I have too much work."
"You can spare thirty minutes," She said firmly.
Naruto looked at his daughter. She'd always been a quiet girl and she understood her place. Unlike Boruto she never complained about his absence. She seemed to silently understand the importance of his job and she always supported him in her own way. But now she seemed angry, the air around her seemed to spark with her now present chakra.
But before there was nothing. As she approached he couldn't feel her at all. How is that possible?
Naruto nodded slowly. He stood and stumbled a bit from exhaustion. Kushina caught him. She sighed and then she hugged him.
Naruto gasped from the touch. He felt love, kindness, and acceptance radiating from her.
She stood back again, "Let's go."
Naruto nodded, "yes, Let's go."
But why didn't he sense her?
Naruto remembered the shock as his daughter managed to sneak up on him that night. How had she done it? What kind of chakra control did she have. It was remarkable.
Kushina never revealed her true abilities to anyone. Even him.
Show us your power Kushina, he thought to himself, show everyone what my daughter can do.
"Hajime!" Rock Lee shouted starting the match.
The two opponents continued to stare at each other, unmoving.
Rock Lee hesitated, "Um… I said Hajime!" He said again.
Still the two shinobi stood stock still.
Finally, Kushina began to move slowly. She walked in a circle around where she was standing, carefully laying sealing tags on the floor.
"What are you doing?" Shinki asked.
Kushina didn't look up from her work, "I saw your match with Chou-Chou," she said, continue to lay down tags, "You're not the type to attack first so I figured I'd take my time and get ready."
Naruto sweatdropped in the kage box. That's kind of on the nose isn't it Kushina?
Shinki's frown deepened, "How dare you make assumptions about me!" He said angrily. The iron sand formed into fists around him and shot towards Kushina who looked up in surprise. She leapt into the center of the sealing tags quickly as the giant iron fists landed their blow.
Gaara nodded from the box, "I'm sorry Naruto, but that's it." He said stoically.
Naruto didn't say anything as he squinted at the dust covered arena.
The dust cleared and there in the center was an untouched Kushina kneeling in the center of a purple chakra dome radiating from the seals.
Naruto's eyes widened, "A barrier!" He whispered.
Chojuro chuckled, "clever."
Gaara was silent, What will you do now Shinki.
In the arena Shinki's eyes narrowed upon seeing the barrier. He decided to test it and again sent the giant iron fists to pummel at the dome. Kushina remained in the center as the dome remained intact.
Shinki scowled as he retracted his iron sand, "so you found a defense against my sand," he said, "no matter, you can't do anything from in there anyway."
Kushina looked up at him, still holding the barrier with her two fingers raised, "What makes you think I don't have a plan?"
Shinki frowned, "It does not matter, there's nothing you can do to defeat me."
Kushina nodded in agreement, "I'm going to try though."
Kushina stood and briefly released the barrier. Shinki immediately sent the fists back, rushing towards the now unprotected kunoichi. Again the arena was clouded with dust.
The dust cleared and the crowd erupted into cheers. Kushina was again kneeling in the center of her barrier, but now outside the barrier, behind her, stood five shadow clones.
Shinki scoffed at the clones, "shadow clones," he said, "I'll take them out easily."
The five clones said nothing, brandishing one kunai each and charged,
The clones danced around, avoiding the iron sand best they could as they attempted to make it to Shinki. But as Shinki said, he destroyed each with no problem. One by one the clones disappeared into a puff of smoke.
Shinki smirked, "What a weak attempt."
Kushina smiled, and released her barrier. Again Shinki attempted to attack her now unprotected body. The giant fists rushed towards her quickly, but this time before it could hit her, the firsts crumbled to the ground.
From the box, Gaara's eyes widened.
Naruto grinned, "Brilliant," he whispered.
Shinki was now in the middle of five seals attached to the kunai from each shadow clone. The seals created a green barrier around him. Kushina held her two fingers up as she flooded her chakra into the seals, activating the barrier.
Shinki's eyes widened slightly as she approached him calmly. "You use magnet release right? It's really cool." She smiled.
Now she stood right in front of the barrier, looking Shinki in the eyes, "Lightning style: Lightning seal barrier activate."
A crackling sound flooded the arena as lightning appeared inside the barrier, repeatedly striking Shinki's remaining iron sand. The sand would quickly cover him, only to be struck again by lightning.
Chojuro nodded from the box, "What a brilliant plan," he said, "She noticed that lightning could affect the magnet release and planned accordingly."
Naruto grinned and pumped a fist in the air, "That's my girl ya know!" He said with a grin.
Gaara just stared down at the arena and said nothing.
Shinki looked up and made eye contact with his adopted father. He felt his sand weakening from the repeated attacks. He needed to win this match. He needed to prove to his father that Konaha was nothing more than a village of weaklings. With the exception of the Hokage, his admiration was meaningless. He would show him.
Shinki gathered as much chakra as he could and he pushed his iron sand out. Breaking the barrier as he created giant iron wings.
Gaara showed a little emotion with a small smile, there you go Shinki!
Kushina leapt back, attempting to get to her own barrier.
"I don't think so!" Shinki shouted, sending his sand down to attack. Kushina dodged well but the continued attack eventually got to her and she was sent flying into a wall.
She collapsed to the ground.
Naruto sighed as he collapsed back into his chair, Well.. It was a good plan.
Kushina stood up shakily, her body almost completely exhausted of chakra.
Shinki looked down at her, "It's over! You should give up now! You've got nothing left. No more chakra and no more seals to hide behind. Your nothing without your silly little tricks."
Kushina glanced quickly at the Kage box to see her father look defeated. She sighed. Maybe she should give up. No one expected her to win this match. No one expected anything from her. Her place in this village was clear. To be the quiet, behind the scenes, daughter of the Hokage. To be respectful and diplomatic. To protect her two younger siblings. She didn't need to shine.
Then she glanced at her mother and was confused. Hinata's face didn't show defeat, it showed determination. Hinata smiled at her. Show them what you got Kushina! She thought to herself and nodded to her little girl, Be the powerful Uzumaki I know you are.
Kushina nodded making a decision and reached into her pouch, pulling out a scroll.
Naruto gasped. "That's…."
"The scroll from her previous match," Darui finished.
Kushina opened the scroll and laid it on the ground. She held her hand in the center and said, "kai."
The chakra she had taken from her previous opponent was released from the scroll and rushed into her body with a blue glow. It healed her wounds and strengthened her.
Darui scowled from the Kage box, "That brat is stealing my guy's chakra!" He growled.
Naruto shrugged, "it's within regulations," he replied with a small smile. Amazing Kushina, he thought to himself.
Shinki scowled from where he was, hovering over the arena, "Your so weak that you use someone else's chakra. How pathetic."
Kushina stood up straight and shrugged, "Is it pathetic to take someone else's power as my own? Maybe. But now I'm ready for a second round."
Shinki looked down on his weaker opponent, "It doesn't matter, you don't stand a chance against this next technique."
Feathers shot out of his wings and headed straight for Kushina at blinding speed, but for the Uzumaki princess time seemed to slow down. She took a deep breath. The time to reveal her true strength had arrived.
"Adamantine Chains!" She shouted.
Giant glowing chains shot from her body and headed straight for Shinki. The chains cut through the Iron Sand like butter until they wrapped around his unprotected body. The feathers froze in mid air and collapsed to ground, useless.
Shinki fell to the ground, landing on his feet, but still wrapped in the giant chakra chains.
"What is this?" He asked, panic in his voice as he was completely unprotected for the first time in his life.
Naruto gasped in the kage box, sweat pouring from his face, his breath quickening, "Kushina… " he said quietly, "I had no idea."
Gaara's eyes had widened slightly, "Naruto, what is that power?" He asked, turning towards his old friend.
He was surprised to see that Naruto looked panicked. Almost as if he was afraid of what was happening in the arena, "That's my mother's…" he hesitated, "She used it to control… the nine-tails ya know?"
Kurutsuchi laughed, "Does that mean she could use that technique to control you Hokage-sama."
Naruto looked at the Tsuchikage and frowned, regaining his composure. "Not at that level of power." He said, "But if she trains… potentially ya know."
Gaara was still frowning at the arena, seeing his son wrapped in the powerful chains, "Those chains inhibit chakra."
Naruto nodded and said nothing.
What will you do Shinki
Back in the arena, Shinki glared at the red-headed girl who held him captive, "What is this?" He asked angrily.
Kushina smiled, "This is my power. No tricks. No seals. Me! What do you think?"
Shinki was silent. He continued to glare.
"Do you yield?" Kushina asked politely.
Shinki smirked, "Yield? To a Konaha weakling? I will never yield. Especially with to someone with such dumb hair."
Kushina's eyes narrowed, "What's wrong with my hair?" She asked.
Shinki didn't seem to notice the danger in her voice and he continued, "It makes you a giant target! Another shinobi will see you from miles away. It's ridiculous."
"It's the same color as your father, the Kazekage," She said evenly.
Gaara placed a hand on his head as Naruto glanced at him, "Hey would would look at that! It is! Maybe you have some Uzumaki in you Kazekage-Sama" He laughed,
Gaara would've rolled his eyes if he did that type of thing, "I think not." He said firmly.
"Though, that kid should stop insulting her hair. Or he's gonna get what's coming ya know!"
Gaara looked back at Naruto, "What do you mean?"
Naruto said nothing and looked back at the arena. He smiled ominously, "you'll see."
"The kazekage has almost unlimited power and an ultimate defense. His hair color doesn't matter," Shinki continued, "On a genin like you, you're a liability.
Kushina's eyes were downcast as she spoke, "you know, Subaku no Shinki, I inherited my hair from my grandmother and namesake, Kushina Uzumaki. She was also teased for having such red hair. Eventually she earned the name 'the red hot habanero,' you know why?"
"Was it because of her red hair," Shinki jabbed.
Kushina's eyes snapped up, glowing a bright green, "Her temper."
Without warning she lifted the chains and Shinki off the grown and slammed him back into the earth, once, twice, three times. Each time she added a little more power until she felt Shinki's body go slack at the end of her chains. She released the technique leaving Shinki's unconscious form on the ground.
Rock Lee stared at the girl for a few seconds, What power! What fury! He decided to never piss that one off as he walked towards her.
He took her hand and raised it to the sky, "Winner! Kushina Uzumaki!"
The crowd erupted.
"To be expected from our Hokage's daughter!"
"So amazing!"
"She's so powerful!"
"And hot!"
Kushina blushed as the language that the public used changed completely. She was no longer the hidden child of the Hokage. Now she was in the front.
She looked up to her father in the Kage box. He grinned and gave her a thumbs up. This time she returned it.
As Kushina headed off the arena she saw her brother walking out.
"That was amazing Onee-chan." He said, "Now I have to put on an even better performance."
Kushina smiled, "Please do, you know how much I hate being the center of attention."
Boruto grinned ruefully, "What will you do when we're in the finals together,"
Kushina gave her brother a playful punch on the shoulder, "Pompous considering your have one more match."
Boruto smirked, "Shikadai doesn't stand a chance,"
"Well do your best Boruto-kun." Kushina said as Boruto walked past her.
He held his fist in the air and his sleeve slipped down. That's when Kushina saw it. The Kote.
She frowned, "Oh little brother, what have you gotten yourself into?"
Shinki woke up to the sight of his father standing over him in the recovery room. Silently he sat up and stared at the ground.
Gaara looked at his son. The boy was covered in bumps and bruises. He may have a few broken ribs and was certainly low on chakra, but he would recover.
"You underestimated your opponent." Gaara said simply.
Shinki continued to look down at the ground and said nothing.
"I hope you learned something from this." Gaara said.
"It was a good match," A voice came from the doorway.
Shinki's head shot up as he saw Kushina walk into the room, "Come to gloat leaf-shinobi?" He asked ruefully.
Gaara sighed, apparently his son had learned nothing.
Kushina shook her head, "No, I came to congratulate you on a match well fought." She stepped forward and held out her hand.
Shinki stared at her hand and said nothing.
"It's polite to shake it," Kushina said with an even facial expression.
Shinki reluctantly reached out and shook her hand silently.
Kushina smiled, "I hope we fight again Shinki-kun. It was a fun match. I learned a lot."
She turned and bowed politely to Gaara, "Kazekage-sama," and then she left the room.
Shinki stared at her as she disappeared, "Shinki-kun?" he asked himself hestantly.
Gaara also watched the girl leave.
Naruto, he thought to himself, everyone sees you in your brash, blond-haired, loud-mouthed son. But I don't think you realize, how much she is like you.
He looked at his son who still looked shell-shocked and smiled slightly,
Yes I believe he did learn something.