Night had long since fallen by the time Naruto, bloodied and sore, stumbled into his apartment. He barely remembered to channel some chakra into his door before opening it, once on the other side he closed the rickety wooden door and examined the seal he had taped onto it. It wasn't a very advanced seal, actually one of the first the book had, its purpose was to set off a loud screeching sound if someone opened the door unless he channeled chakra into it first, later he would be able to make it only identify his chakra but for now that was way ahead of the blond. Nodding tiredly as he gazed at the seal he turned and walked over to his couch before flopping down onto it and quickly passing into the land of sleep.

Four Months Later

Training ground 7 was quiet, not even the birds dared speak, several figures vanished and reappeared around the clearing and in the surrounding trees. Blood splashed the ground as trees shattered, the river rose like a great beast of old, a gale of wind blew against the river knocking it off balance and it crashed down upon unsuspecting trees. In the middle of the clearing one figure stood calmly, blond spikey hair cascaded down to his shoulders, tan skin was pulled taught over smooth defined muscles, the blond stood at 5'11 with blue eyes closed but clearly moving beneath the eyelids.

This method of training was something that his Go partner had suggested he do, his problem was lack of experience, both in combat and strategies, so the training was to create two sets of four clones and have one squad henge into Leaf-nin and the other into Kumo-nin and have the squads form strategies on how to fight the other. After he made the Kumo-nin squad he would have them read a book he had gotten about how Kumo-nin fought and use this to plan their strategies, to make it more realistic and change the perspective of the clones to insure both teams didn't try the same thing.

Direct combat wasn't the only method of utilizing this training; the enactments also included escort details and point protection, such as guarding a bridge. By gaining experience on both sides of the conflict his mission experience increased greatly and allowed him practice in using jutsu and thinking strategically.

I really should thank Danzo-Ojii-Sama for telling me about this.

Another clone dispelled and Naruto quickly sorted through its memories, flanking by using Shunshin still left him out in the open for too long, he had been trying to speed up the Shunshin for a while now and had yet to get fast enough. His wind blades still took the full number of hand seals but, Wind-style Great Breakthrough was now stronger than the original, being able to knock down medium sized trees.

Over the next several minutes clones continued to dispel as the battle waged, in the end it was the 'Kumo-Nin' who won the day but only with two members of the squad left. After the survivors had dispelled he was able to see why they had won, the 'Leaf-Nin' squad had tried a flanking attack but in doing so had fallen right into the 'Kumo-Nin' Squad's trap as they triggered several seals carved into the tree trunks.

A slight tensing of the bond's hand was all that heralded the arrival of an Anbu, cloaked in a tan overcoat and a tiger mask, "Hokage-sama has requested your presence Uzumaki-San."

The blond calmly nodded, "Thank you Anbu-san."

The brown haired Anbu nodded and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto sighed as his shoulders relaxed, extending from each of his fingers were small tornados that could tear through armor or flesh, slowly they disappeared, with a gust of wind Naruto disappeared with a flap of his long coat.

Hokage's Office

Tsunade Senju was in a word, bored, being Hokage of the village was stressing, faking calm, anger at not being able to go into the field to help, and politics. Four months ago her old teammate Jiraiya had come to her asking her to order all the Jounin in the village to not train Naruto so, in his words "He would stop deluding himself and come to his senses about proper training for a Jinchuuriki."

Needless to say she had sent the old pervert flying through her window and over the village's outer wall. To think that her teammate, of all people, would deny his godson teaching based upon what he wanted to learn. She had of course kept an eye on the boy's training and in all honesty his progress amazed her, and beyond all of that is besides the occasional training question, he didn't go to any of the Jounin or even herself for teaching. He was getting everything from the Library and watching other shinobi train.

Regardless of her desire to see Naruto continue to grow stronger the council had demanded, that as a shinobi and asset of the village, Naruto be sent out of the village on missions. She had talked to her Anbu a moment after she found a suitable mission and sent them out to gather Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura.

The blond Hokage had taken on Naruto's teammate Sakura as an apprentice shortly after the Uchiha had left and the girl showed amazing promise, much the same way she had when she was that age. It was the almost perfect degree of chakra control and slow building of her chakra reserves that was going to make her great, she would never sling around massive jutsu like Naruto or Kakashi could but she was already well on her way to learning how to use Tsunade's strength techniques and had begun healing small injuries.

Kakashi was a source of worry for the young looking Hokage, after Sasuke's defection he had buried himself in missions; he blamed himself for not convincing the Uchiha to stay and then for not training Naruto well enough to stop him. She didn't understand why the silver haired Jounin didn't stay in the village and help Naruto to grow stronger, but then again, maybe Kakashi just wasn't the teaching type. She had read up on the 'training' he had given his team and, in all honesty, if it were anyone else they probably would've died going into the chunin exams so unprepared. All he had taught Naruto and Sakura was the tree climbing exercise, she couldn't even accuse him of favoritism, until the chunin exams he didn't teach Sasuke any better and even then it was only on orders of her Sensei the Third Hokage.

Tsunade sat up straighter as her door was pushed open with a cane, few people would be brave or stupid enough to open a kage's door without knocking; limping calmly through the door was her Sensei's old advisor and rival Danzo. Calmly she offered she offered the old cripple a nod, "Danzo-san."

The old shinobi bowed his head but his sharp brown eye never left those of the blond, "Hokage-sama."

She respected the old man, one didn't get to be known as the Yami of Shinobi without reason, but she knew that his method of protecting Konoha wouldn't always align with her own.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Danzo merely kept a calm gaze on the Hokage, he knew she definitely didn't think it was a pleasure for her to deal with him, but he was necessary and they both knew it.

"I understand that you're sending the Jinchuuriki on a mission, I also know that you don't have a four member for the squad."

Tsunade nodded, she would have to find his source for confidential information again, "I'm assuming you're here with a recommendation, otherwise you wouldn't be wasting my time."

The old cripple merely nodded and brought a folder out of his robe and tossed it onto the blonde's desk. Tsunade picked up the manila colored folder and opened it to be shown a picture of a pasty white kid with a bowl cut and a smile, so fake it angered her for a reason she didn't entirely understand. Typed out next to the picture were the pertinent pieces of information; Name: Sai, no last name. Age: 14. Main skills: Kenjutsu, Ninjutsu (specialized ink style). Secondary skills: Taijutsu, speed training, genjutsu, torture and interrogation. Mission Completion: D ranks-unknown, C ranks-15, B ranks-13, A ranks-4, S ranks-0.

"Quite the candidate, what I want to know is what his true abilities are? You would never give me an accurate record of one of your little 'root' ninja."

Danzo's frown deepened, he didn't like that it was being insinuated that he lied to the leader of his village often, it was true but he didn't like it being said, after all the Hokages didn't want to know what it was he did in the dark to keep Konoha safe.

"His skills would put him around high chunin to low Jounin, if he were in the regular shinobi forces."

Checking for physical ticks or any type of tell was useless, she knew that the man was every bit the shinobi she was, the only one stronger in the village was probably Jiraiya, he would only give away what he chose to. The mission could end up being difficult and the opposition might prove a challenge if she had misjudged her apprentice or Naruto's progress.

"Fine. Have him here in 5 minutes for a briefing." She closed the file and pushed it back across the desk to Danzo. The old shinobi used his good arm to grab the folder and tuck it back into his robe.

"He's already outside; merely call him when you're ready." With his piece said he turned and hobbled out of her office and disappeared after closing the door.

The blond sighed, Danzo obviously knew something he wasn't telling, was interested in the mission or was interested in Team 7 but she'd have better luck fighting the Sage of Six Paths than prying answers out of the old coot.

The door opened again and a head covered in pink hair poked out from behind it, "Morning Sensei, you called for me?"

"Yes Sakura, I have a mission for you. Please wait for your teammates."

The pink haired kunoichi nodded contently and walked over to a couch before sitting down and pulling out a book. One of the very books Tsunade had assigned her to read, it dealt heavily with the mending of bones. Deciding to have a drink before dealing with the village's most hyperactive blond, she loved the boy but his voice gave her a headache. She reached low into a bottom drawer and pulled out a small saucer and a bottle of high price sake, Sakura shook her head as she watched Tsunade take a pleased sniff from the bottle before she started pouring herself a drink.

"Hello Oba-Chan, Sakura" the deep voice parted the silence in the room calmly, but Sakura's head shot up and Tsunade shot back in her chair spilling her sake all over her open top. It had been decades since anyone had managed to get so close to her without her detecting them, but standing in front of her was a tall blond man covered in a large black cloth overcoat, a maroon long sleeved shirt, black pants and a black vest, finished off with a new black cloth added to his headband, replacing the old blue one. Slowly dispersing around his feet was a cloud of smoke, He used Shunshin and has managed to gain more control over it, which is why there is so little smoke but how did he make it silent?

"Naruto, next time use the door!"

Sakura in the meanwhile simply starred at the well-built blond, "Naruto?"

She couldn't believe it, no way had four months changed him so much, there was no way that her loud scrawny teammate had changed into a tall handsome man in two months.

Naruto turned his head and looked over at Sakura before letting a small smile face, while before his smiles had been like staring at the sun now they were more like a pleasant scent wafting in as you passed a bakery or flower shop, his smile now wasn't forced and he looked content in life as he hadn't during any of their time on team 7. Before it always seemed like he was smiling in spite of the world around him, now he seemed to understand the world and have found joy in it, to have found a purpose.

Sakura found a smile formed on her own face before she even realized it, everything about Naruto now seemed to inspire confidence and hope, hope for a better tomorrow and that if you persevered that tomorrow would be waiting for you with open arms.

Tsunade however, was having a different reaction, she had seen that smile before and felt its affects, it was the same smile that Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage had that had rallied his forces around him like moths to a flame. She had been the one who he had come to about setting up a diet regiment for healthier food, But I never expected him to turn into a carbon copy of Minato!

His face had leaned down and baby fat was gone, his eyes conveyed kindness to his allies but she knew behind those eyes could be a frigid wasteland that would swallow his enemies whole. She couldn't see much since almost all his skin was covered but her years as a medic allowed her to quickly take stock of his muscular condition, he was built for speed but by no means weak as his muscles took on a more springy continence, he seemed highly flexible and his movements wasted little energy.

Then looking at his clothes she knew there would be problems raised at the next council meeting, he was basically wearing a copy of his father's clothes just with a different color scheme. Between that and his now mature face no one with half a brain would be able to refute the truth of Naruto's heritage.

Naruto calmly walked over to Sakura and the two teammates began talking in hushed tones as Tsunade watched from behind her desk. Even just hearing his voice seemed to make the office more comfortable, like there was less of a burden on her shoulders, the room for that second seemed no more daunting than a sake bar she used to hang out at with Jiraiya and Orochimaru when they were genin.

A knock on the door shattered the atmosphere and every bit of the ground shaking responsibility returned, I hate this job, shaking her head to clear it of such thoughts she raised her voice, "Enter."

Silver, gravity defying, hair poked in through the door soon followed by the rest of the man, Kakashi walked calmly towards the Hokage's desk, not even bothering to put away the Icha Icha he was reading. As always his eyes were actually panning the room, taking in threats and possible weapons until his eyes landed on Naruto. The color drained from his face and his feet stuttered bringing him to a premature stop where he lurched drunkenly on his feet, "Minato-Sensei?"

Naruto merely turned to the Jounin and scoffed, "No Hatake, I am not my father."

Eyes went wide as the last word was uttered and Tsunade ran through quick hand signs and slammed her palm down on the desk, purple energy surged along the floor, walls and ceiling creating an impenetrable, and most importantly sound proof, barrier. Tsunade turned to glare at Naruto, a glare mixed with anger and worry, "Where did you get that information Naruto, and why would you say it so casually when there could be spies around?!"

Naruto turned back to her and the look in his eyes made her flinch inside, "I figured it out by looking in a fucking mirror Ba-Chan! And I didn't know, I was fishing for confirmation when I said that and I got it. You knew, both of you knew and never told me! What because I was too stupid to know to keep it quiet if you explained it to me?"

Tsunade could see the despair in his eyes; he thought they didn't believe him trustworthy. "Naruto, we just didn't want there to be any chance of anyone finding out, you're father had a lot of enemies."

Naruto's fist tightened but otherwise he reeled back in his anger, he had figured it out a month ago so had time to deal with his emotions, another thing he'd have to thank Danzo for teaching him. Emotions are useful but you must be careful in using them lest they end up controlling you.

"Its fine Tsunade-sama, I understand your reasons even if I don't agree with them." Naruto's tone was cold and professional, and somehow just not Naruto, without that warmth it was as if he had changed into someone else.

Sakura merely looked lost, she didn't know much about Kakashi's Sensei and he didn't talk about him much. It turns out that Kakashi's Sensei was Naruto's father and a great shinobi if he had so many enemies.

Kakashi was finally getting his feet back under him, "I'm glad you're taking this so well Naruto, it just goes to show how much you've grown up and how strong you've gotten."

This was the wrong thing for him to say as the blond rounded on him, "How would you know how strong I've gotten, Hatake? It's been four months since you've lost your precious Uchiha to dump all your training onto while me and Sakura wasted away hoping to be taught anything. In all that time you never once came to offer your help as my Jounin-Sensei, it was as if as soon as Sasuke was gone you had no interest in our team at all."

With each harsh word the Jounin seemed to sink into himself more and more, it was true that he hadn't gone to help Naruto as he should have, he had been too afraid of Naruto accusing him of not making it in time to help him bring Sasuke back at the valley. Instead he had buried himself in missions which had not given him any time for anything in the village but passing out and having his wounds healed.

Tsunade watched as Naruto ripped into his Sensei but eventually had enough, "Alright Naruto, Enough! I realize you're mad but his rank dictates him as the leader of this mission so you will obey him as your superior officer."

After making sure he understood her meaning she raised her voice and looked at the door, "Sai! Get your pale ass in here!"

The door opened and in stepped a pasty white kid wearing black pants and a black shirt that only covered his chest and one arm. "Hello, I am your new teammate for this mission."

The black haired teen glanced around the room before locking his eyes on Naruto, who was still trying to calm his rage, "You look as if you're going through a woman's period, from now on your name is Dickless."

Author's Notes:

Hey, sorry this one took so long, I've been having internet trouble and finally it will be upgraded to something high speed. As always I'd like you're reviews, I know Sai's intro wasn't very good, my Mojo just wasn't working for that last paragraph plus I really wanted to end this chapter already.

I think the training in the beginning was a good idea if I do say so myself, using the clones to gain combat experience is an idea that I strangely have not often seen in other stories and think is a good idea.

Obviously Naruto is getting close to Danzo because frankly I like stories where Danzo isn't portrayed as such an ass, just because you're a zealot doesn't mean you have to be a dick. Thanks for reading.