All right, since I already posted today I'm not gonna say much of anything. Thank you so much for reading.

THE WILL OF FIRE

PART THREE

Chapter 1 - The Old House

Naruto ran home immediately after leaving the office. He wanted to see his old house again and get a out of it before going off to the Training Ground. He knew that they used this contest to get him out of the room. He honestly did not care. He was ready to show his stuff! Besides, if that cheered his mother up then it was worth it. She had been sad for far too long already. Just wait until I show my stuff - that will make you smile! He thought as reached the house.

The house had been sealed up for years. His mother's strongest bloodseal stood before him and entry. It was too powerful for him to remove, but he didn't need to. It was also keyed to his blood. So long as he smeared his blood on the barrier would let him in. It was pain but it was the only way in until his mother took down the seal. Which she wasn't going to do so long as she was stuck in a meeting with the Hokage. Carefully, he approached the house, pricked his finger, then smeared his blood on the barrier. It reacted immediately and opened a hole just large enough for him to pass through. As he entered he could feel every cell in his body tingled as the barrier checked and doubled his identity. Satisfied, it did nothing to block his path. It remained open until he had successfully passed through. Then it snapped shut. No one else would be allowed in. Naruto did not have the skill or the power to change that. Not that it mattered, he was to get something anyway.

Naruto left the barrier and headed up the stairs. No other seal tried to stop his progress. There were others of course. However, they were the original ones from his childhood. He had almost forgotten the way his father's barriers felt when you passed through them. They were warm and inviting. It was almost as if they were welcoming him home. He could almost imagine his father at the top of the stairs waiting for him. There was no one there. Minato Namikaze was long dead. He knew that but he couldn't help imagining it. Everything about this house reminded Naruto of his father. His mother told him that he had been very particular about the house's design. He wanted to make sure that it was a place for their family to grow.

His father also designed the house so that it could easily be defended. It looked completely harmless to the bystander. No one would think that there was any secrets. Which was foolish considering that the Yellow Flash lived here. Nothing was ever that straightforward when it came to protecting his family. Intruders might not notice the study or the underground seal chamber, but they were there. His father had shown it to him. He even taught him how to use the seal chamber as a panic room. If Naruto sent his chakra into specific spots on the the door it would activate. The room would be sealed shut. Only someone like his father could get in.

Naruto smiled when remembered the time he tried to use the room to hide from his mom. That failed miserably. He didn't understand that wasn't designed for that. He had accidently set off security seals that alerted his parents. For his efforts Naruto was rewarded with a long lecture and a week's worth of grounding. Apparently, his father didn't appreciate being summoned from a meeting for false alarm. He went on and on about being scared half to death or something. Naruto couldn't really remember why his father was so upset anymore. All he remembered was that he had never heard his father talk so much! It was almost as bad as being grounded! Afterwards, Naruto never, ever activated that seal ever again. It wasn't worth it. His father would have killed him if he did. It was only for emergencies. His father made that quite clear.

Now that Naruto was older he could appreciate the design. It was so simple in appearance yet it held some of the strongest seals that one could construct. Almost nothing could get in when it was activated. Yet, it was so easy to turn it on! Heck, his four year-old self could do it. Now that he understood seals well enough he could appreciate how hard that is to create. A barrier seal of that strength takes massive amount of chakra to activate. It doesn't matter if the ink is already there. One would need loads of chakra! Something his younger self did not have. So his dad made sure that it wasn't necessary. That takes a lot more work to make that possible. Instead of creating one big seal his dad would have needed to make countless smaller, interwoven seals. They would link up and power each other. Making it possible for a child to activate. Meaning that Naruto could easily seal himself in if necessary. It was quite a feat and seal design. Dad, you were really awesome you know that?

Naruto moved away from the door leading to basement. What he was looking for was not there. The seal chamber was always empty unless it was in use. What he was looking for was in his room. He was looking for his father's Kunai. He knew that it stupid. The darned thing was absolutely useless now, but he wanted it on him anyway. That way his dad could be there watching over him. This was his homecoming and he didn't want his dad to miss it. For this battle was going to be great! They were totally going to knock it out of the park. It would be wrong for his father not to be there.

He raced upstairs then threw open his bedroom door. Everything was exactly as he left it. Only now there was a thick coat of dust everywhere. The whole house was loaded with it in fact. This would drive dad up the wall! Naruto thought as he checked the bed. There it was, hidden under his pillow: It is a Flying Rajin Kunai. No one had touched it in three years. He almost felt bad for leaving it behind. Sorry. He thought as he picked it up. He was reminded of how his dad always forced him to take it along with him. Back then he resented being forced to take it along. After all no one else had to carry someone to call his daddy when things got ruff. Now he would give almost anything for it to be useful. He wanted to see his father again. He wanted to tell him thank you. His father had done so much for him yet he never once asked for anything in return. He was the best father ever. Thank you, dad. Naruto tucked the kunai inside his clothes then ran out the door. He had some serious butt to kick.

Well, that's it for now. I'll see you all next time! Alley