A/N:

I thank all you people for your great reviews. It was brought to my attention that there were a few problems in the previous chapter. I have corrected them, and I apologize that I didn't catch them. I am doing my own beta-ing because no one but me knows how I want every chapter scripted. Also I am debating whether or not I can give a few of the first chapters of my other stories, or leave you hanging until I finish this story. But that's neither here nor there. (Pulls out gavel and hits podium)Now people, it is time that we move on to the Reviewer questions. SOULREAPER14 asked, "So will Naruto be super strong/evil?" Answer: NO! Naruto will not be turning evil, because it is only logical that after several years away, Naruto would be able to put any issues he has Konoha aside in that time. AGEANT asked, "Are you using an Edo Period Japan as a backdrop for your Naruto Series?" Answer: YES and NO. From what I can understand, Naruto is based in a time line that is so far in the future that mankind has regressed, otherwise you would see more guns and heavy machinery than what was shown in the manga. However, they do have cameras and TV. So my idea is to have the elemental countries stay at that point, while Japan digresses to the more simplistic Edo Period. Also, I feel that I need to point out something. I know that all the people reading this story think that I am modeling the Samurai after Kenshin Himura, but that is not so. I named my Samurai KENSHI as in the Japanese word for fencing. There might be a few similarities, but I am trying to make my character original. I have posted about the Filipino Kick boxing aka Yaw-Yan at the bottom of the chapter.

DISCLAIMER:

I don't own, refer to chapter one.

"Blah" - Talking

"Blah" - Thinking

"Blah" - Demon/Summon talking

"Blah" - Demon/Summon Thinking

"Blah" - Jutsus

Japanese Loading Docks

Naruto and Kenshi entered the deck of the ship as it made port carrying the few possessions they had with them. Kenshi turned to the boy and asked, "Maki, do you have everything?"

Naruto looked into the bundle of cloth that was roughly the size of the boys own chest, and by the light of the fading sun he looked at the few possessions he owned. There was the knot board that Fukutaicho gave him, and there was also another wrapped up bundle that he had gotten from Ziggy just the night before. Naruto remembered that night perfectly.

Sailor's Cabin (Memory)

Naruto had just fallen to the floor from an exhausting practice with Akira as Ziggy was sitting over the side on a crate with an unrolled scroll scribbling furiously while also giving suggestions to Naruto when he didn't get the kick or punch perfect. Approaching the boys Ziggy had Naruto kneel and hold out his hands. After Naruto had assumed the position with his arms outstretched, Ziggy handed over the very scroll he had been writing in just moments before. Puzzling over the medium sized scroll, Naruto broke its seal and was amazed as he unrolled it.

Taking the scroll from Naruto, Ziggy started to explain, "I told you several days ago that I wasn't going to continue your mentoring in the was of Yaw-Yan if you weren't going to master it. This scroll is the means to master it. Within this scroll contains all the basic forty kicks and twelve punches of the Sayaw ng Kamatayan, as well as several exercises necessary to get your body to the point where it can utilize the moves better." Unrolling the scroll a little, Ziggy showed Naruto that there were diagrams as well as words for each of the pictures. After rolling the scroll back up and resealing it, Ziggy handed the scroll back to Naruto.

"The first six diagrams show the necessary exercises you need to perform before training. These exercises are meant to help you hone up your body's core. People think that the abdominals, arms, and legs are the most important muscles to train up. But what they don't realize is that every muscle needs be in balance with its neighbors. What isn't widely understood is that all of the muscles that control your spine are important. To achieve maximum development and performance, you need to do exercises for all of your core muscles and movements. " Ziggy continued when he saw the boy give him a confused look. "You have four layers of abdominal muscle: The Rectus Abdominis, which balances your upper body and armors your solar plexus and internal organs. The Transverse Abdominis, which coordinates your body's movement by linking your upper and lower sections to your center of mass making you lighter on your feet, faster, more responsive, connected, fluid and agile. The Obliques, which work in different combinations to rotate your hips and trunk, bend you sideways, and stabilize your upper body while also protecting your sides from kicks, knees, and punches. And finally, your Spinal Erectors which help you arch backwards, twist around, and bend sideways."

Naruto looked at the two completely lost. Akira decided to enlighten the confused kid, "What Shishou meant to say was that if you continue to do these exercises: you will hit harder, dodge faster, kick harder, maintain balance, and increase your defensive capabilities. These are necessary to be able to fully use the Yaw-Yan better, as well as make you stronger in other areas." Akira finished with a nod.

Smiling in comprehension, Naruto nodded his head repeatedly in excitement to show he fully understood what they were saying. Ziggy handed the scroll over to Naruto before continuing, "Now Maki, I fully understand that you are just learning to read and write, so you wont be able to fully understand the words written in the scroll. So, I went the extra mile and drew diagrams of all the techniques. However, I don't want you to think you wont have to read them. So, you must swear to go back and read them after Kenshi finishes your tutelage. You promise this?" Ziggy finishes as he leveled Naruto with a steely glare.

Bowing his head Ziggy added almost as an afterthought, "Oh, and I want you to remember the oath you took, never stop practicing and getting better. I hope the next time we meet, you'll have a lot of progress to show me. Maybe you could give Akira a run for his money. Eh? All this writing has given me a quite the thirst, you whipper-snappers don't know how good you have it. " Pulling out his fan with a click, Ziggy left the two boys alone in the room while cooling himself with an over exaggerated flair.

Grinning to each other, Naruto and Akira left on the heels of their teacher.

Japanese Loading Docks (Present)

Naruto rewrapped the cloth bundle and nodded to Kenshi. Both Naruto and the samurai went to give their thanks to the captain of the ship who was shaking the hands of the departees at the top of the departure ramp. Walking up to the man, Naruto spied FukuTaicho standing next to his superior. Speeding up to the man and bowed to the two men. Smiling at the boys antics, Kenshi caught up to Naruto and spoke to the two awaiting men.

"Thank you for the trip, Maki and I had a good time." Kenshi said bowing to the esteemed men while putting his hand on Naruto's shoulder. And beamed at the boy.

"We were glad to have you. The crew will also be sorry to see such a fine sailor go. Would you mind giving him to us?" Fukutaicho asked to the departing duo, "No? Oh well...It was worth a try. Sorry for the pirate attack. You saved many of our men's lives that night, and any time that you require shipping services, you come straight to us. OK?" Fukutaicho finished as the two made their way to the top of the ramp.

"There's no need to thank me, I was doing what any normal person would do in your situation." Kenshi responded to the grateful sailors.

"Well anyway, you will always be welcomed on board the Tatsuki as long as we're here." The captain finished with a wave as the departees exited the ramp. And started walking up the docks.

"Come Maki. We need to hurry up. We'll need to make some tracks before the sun fully sets and they close the seki." Naruto looked at Kenshi funny and he decided to elaborate, "I'm not very well received in Yokohama because the samurais' Daimyo here doesn't get along with the Daimyo I serve in Kyoto"

Widening his eyes in understanding, Naruto and Kenshi picked up the pace a little bit until they had cleared the gate. The guards eyed Kenshi suspiciously, but didn't arouse any unwanted attention to the traveling duo. After leaving the confines of the city, Kenshi stopped in front of Naruto and gesturing down two very different roads and explained, "The road to Kyoto is divided into three roads. Tokaido, which is relatively flat and much traveled by merchants, leads through the lowlands. While Kiso Kaido and Nakasendo lead through the mountains and is more for those traveling lightly. I give you the choice which to go through."

Putting his hand on his chin, Naruto debated both routes. The merchant road was the more convenient, but the mountain road gave him a chance to see some more of this strange new land that Kenshi lived in. So Naruto raised his hand and pointed to the Image of the mountains in the distance.

Smiling to the boy Kenshi placed his arm around Naruto's shoulders and said, "I thought you might say that." And with that they were off toward the rocky path aligned with trees that headed toward Kyoto.

Hokage's Tower

Once again we find Sarutobi pacing in his office at the Hokage's Tower. His ANBU had been scouring the countryside trying to find any information on Uzumaki Naruto. They had searched in the way stations on the road to Taki no Kuni (Waterfall Country), Kusa no Kuni (Grass Country), and Ame no Kuni (Rain Country). So far Sarutobi's ANBU found no mention of a blond Five year old passing any of their borders.

Turning to the four pictures hanging on the wall, Sarutobi swept his gaze over each of the previous Hokages until he stopped on the last picture. The man was known as Minato Namikaze, but he insisted that he be called Arashi Kazama because he hated his family name. The man shown in the picture was wearing a long white coat with flames crawling up the bottom under which he wore black long sleeve shirt that could be seen coming from the torn sleeves of his coat and a pair of dark navy shinobi pants. If he were only twenty years younger and had whisker birthmarks, he could have been mistaken for another Naruto.

"Minato, what am I going to do? Naruto has been missing for a week already, and the council is starting to ask questions." Sarutobi asked the picture of his predecessor. It was true. After so long of not seeing Naruto in town, the civilians on the council were wondering where the blonde boy they enjoyed tormenting was. "If he hasn't turned up soon, I'm going to have to report him missing to the council. If that happens, they might force me to cease using Konoha's resources to find him."

Now many who have aspirations to become the Hokage might believe that the Hokage has the highest authority in a Shinobi village. However, they would be mistaken. The highest authority in any village is the Daimyo of the country that village resides in. The Hokage is deferred to on matters of the military, but the Daimyo has the powers of state. That was why ages ago most starting Kages killed off their country's Daimyo, and took over their fortunes. That way they had absolute control over their territory. However, since then the Daimyo's have hidden their wealth so that any Shinobi nation that they funded would be unable to usurp them.

Konoha's Civilian council, with the help of Sarutobi's own teammates managed to worm their way into the Daimyo's confidence, and thus gave them clout to force Sarutobi's hand on anything that wasn't military related. And as much as he hated to admit it, Sarutobi knew Naruto was still a civilian until he joined Konoha's Shinobi forces, which he hoped would happen when the boy joined the academy at Nine years of age.

A Clearing of the throat let the Hokage know that he had a visitor. Turning toward the door from his standing position in front of the pictures, Sarutobi saw the very people that he had been thinking of. Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, despite what many would think of them did not want to usurp their former teammate Sarutobi Hiruzen. They merely saw what had to be done and made sure it was done, even if Sarutobi didn't like it. They were not like Danzo, with his secret army of ninja that carried out orders behind the Hokage's back. And while they didn't hate the young jinchuuriki, they did feel that what was inside him was too powerful to let loose unrestricted..

"What may I do to help you two." Sarutobi asked his two former teammates calming his emotions and putting a mask of cold unfeeling on.

"It has been brought to our attention that Uzumaki Naruto hasn't been seen within the village for some time now. We were wondering if you knew anything about that." Homura stated pushing the glasses higher onto his nose while Koharu peered at Sarutobi through her squinting eyes.

"I might know something about it." Sarutobi stated, glad that Sixty years of life as a shinobi allowed him to perfect his empty expression otherwise his teammates would have known something was up. As it was, they couldn't determine anything off of his face, "Was there anything you wanted with him in particular?" Sarutobi asked hoping to lead them into thinking he knew where he was.

"No, we were just curious as to why he hasn't been seen. It was curious that also five of our best chuunins have gone missing also." Commented Koharu tilting her head ever so slightly to the left.

"I have ANBU investigating that matter. Apparently the five chuunins were killed about a week ago and their murderer got away." Informed Sarutobi in the hope of taking them away from their questions of Naruto.

They took the bait and asked, "What were their attacker after? No one has reported any break-ins or kidnappings in town. The only person that has not been seen is Naruto. Are you certain word has not reached our neighbors about his 'Condition'?" Homura finished.

Sarutobi tried to keep the frustration out of his voice and barely succeeded before continuing, "Yes I am certain nothing has happened to Naruto" "Hopefully" Sarutobi finished thinking, "It wouldn't surprise me that with the treaty signing with lightning happening at the end of the month, that some foreign nation decided to mix up trouble about it."

"Speaking of the upcoming treaty signing, we need to go over the necessary security protocols." Koharu commented and Sarutobi heaved a mental sigh of relief that the subject was changed to something that would keep them preoccupied for a while.

"Naruto, Come back soon. I'm getting too old for this." Sarutobi thought to himself as he settled down for what seemed like a long meeting with his former teammates.

Japanese Words/ Phrases

Seki- A gate that along the road to Edo where people had to present documentation to proceed.

Jinchuuriki- (Power of Human Sacrifice) The host of one of the Bijuu.

Random Facts

Yaw-Yan is not purely a full-contact no-holds barred sport martial arts. It is a complete martial training with body-mind coordination and test of enduring indomitable spirit. More than just physical training, it also involves the mental disciplines of focus, concentration, alertness, flexibility, stamina, speed and continuity. Students train for real confrontation and actual fights -- on or off the ring.
Advanced Disciples have to go through a rigorous ritual of practice and discipline consisting of actual full-contact sparring, bag hitting, and flexibility exercises. The Elbows (siko), knees (tuhod), and shin (lulod) are utilized in much the same way as in Muay Thai.
Yaw-Yan practitioners have to learn 40 basic kicks, advanced disciples have to be able to execute and apply complexed advanced kicks requiring great dexterity, flexibility, and mastery. Most of these advanced kicks are trick kicks could catch unsuspecting opponents by surprise. Yaw-Yan Back-kick, reversed Yaw-Yan roundhouse stomp thrust, and the famous scorpion kicks were some of these kicks popularized in national motion picture by action stars Boy Fernandez and Rey Malonzo, both Yaw-Yan experts.

R&R PLZ