Welcome one and all to chapter four of Iron Shinobi. I apologize for the wait but I've really been focusing my efforts towards getting a job. No luck yet but I'm still trying. Anyway, since Kishimoto is dragging out the history of Naruto's birth and the truth about what happened the night he was born I'm still holding off on writing Forest of Flames first chapter. To keep my fans happy however, I'm updating Iron Shinobi for your reading enjoyment. So sit back relax and let's get the chapter started.
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Chapter Four - Encounter at the Hot Spring
Naruto, having just passed his Genin exam, was headed for the hot springs to take a relaxing soak. It didn't take him long to reach the springs and after paying the admission fee he quickly went into the locker room to change. After stowing his clothes in a locker and wrapping a towel around his waist Naruto walked out of the men's locker room and down the hall leading to the hot spring.
"Let's see; Men's side, Women's side, or Co-ed spring?" Naruto read off the signs above the three doors in front of him. "Well the co-ed spring is probably full of old perverts hoping a girl will get in the spring with them, so that's out. I'm not a female so that rules out Women's side. I guess Men's side is for me." Naruto mused as he prepared to walk to the men's side of the spring.
"You keep leering at me, pervert, and I'll kick your ass." said a voice from the co-ed spring, loud enough for Naruto to hear through the door. 'That voice sounds familiar.' Naruto thought with a frown as he reversed his direction and headed towards the co-ed spring.
"Aww, come on now. You're too pretty to talk like that. Why don't you three friends let me help you relax?" came an older sounding male voice.
"You touch either of these girls and I'll make sure it's the last time you touch anything." said a woman's voice from behind the door.
"I could make all three of you feel very relaxed though." the older male voice said with a suggestive tone.
"I doubt that. Besides I don't like guys that are old enough to be my father hitting on me." said another familiar, to Naruto, voice.
"What's with all this noise?" Naruto demanded as he slid the door to the co-ed spring open and gazed at the four occupants. Tenten, Ino, and a purple haired woman sat on one side of the small spring while an older, slightly balding, man sat on the opposite side with a look of annoyance directed at Naruto for interrupting.
"It's nothing boy. Now run along so me an the ladies can have some privacy." The older man said with a shooing motion.
"Bullshit! This pervert has been harassing us since he got in the spring, Naruto-kun." Tenten stated while glaring at the old man.
"That's right, he won't stop staring even after we told him to stop. He's just a pig." Ino added as she too glared at the man.
"He probably would have tried something already if I wasn't here to help the girls." stated the purple haired woman as she looked Naruto directly in the eyes.
"Is that so? Well then, come along Mr. Pervert, we'll take you back to where you belong." Naruto stated with a manic grin as he reached for the old man.
"What're trying to do? Get away from me you brat!" the old man yelled before Naruto grabbed him by the back of the neck and physically drug the old man out of the spring.
"Enjoy your soak you three." Naruto said with a nod to the three women sitting in the spring before dragging the pervert out of the room and closing the door.
"Let me go you brat! You can't just drag me out of a spring I paid good money to use!" The old man yelled while squirming to get out of Naruto's grip.
"I can and will if you're harassing the other patrons. Especially if they happen to be women you idiot!" Naruto exclaimed before throwing the man in front of the desk in the lobby. "This man was harassing a few of your female patrons in the co-ed spring, I thought you might know what to do with him." Naruto said to the man and woman behind the counter, who happened to be the husband and wife who owned the hot spring.
"Yeah, we know exactly what to do with people like him." the man behind the desk said as his wife pulled a wooden bat from below the counter.
"Perverts must be punished!" the wife stated with a dark aura surrounding her form as she placed the bat on the counter.
"It's just bad for business if you're not." the husband agreed as he grabbed the man and thanked Naruto for bringing him to the front desk. Naruto quickly walked back to the co-ed spring just before the first dull thud of wood meeting flesh reached his ears. After opening the door to the spring slightly, Naruto let Ino, Tenten, and the purple haired woman know that the pervert had been dealt with and that they could enjoy their time in the spring.
"Why don't you join us Naruto-kun? We have towels on and we know you won't stare at us like a pervert." Tenten said before Naruto could close the door.
"Are you sure? I don't want to interrupt your soak." Naruto asked as he kept the door slightly ajar.
"If it's you, Naruto-kun, I don't mind as much. I know you respect women to much to do anything perverted." Ino stated from inside the spring.
"If these two vouch for you I won't mind as long as you don't do anything I dislike." the purple haired woman called out.
"Alright, as long as you're sure you don't mind." Naruto agreed before sliding open the door and shutting it behind him. Naruto quickly slipped into the spring and rested his back against the edge before letting out a content sigh at the feeling of the warm water.
"Thanks for getting rid of that pervert, Naruto-kun." Ino said as she looked towards Naruto with a smile.
"Yeah, he was making me want to get out. But he probably would've looked up my towel if I did." Tenten stated while stretching her arms above her head.
"It wasn't a problem Tenten-chan, Ino-chan. Who is your friend?" Naruto asked while looking at the purple haired woman.
"Uzuki Yugao, Naruto-san, nice to meet you." the newly named Yugao stated with a smile which Naruto returned.
"Likewise, Uzuki-san." Naruto replied while leaning his head back against the edge of the spring. For the next few minutes the group of four made small talk before the topic of ninja weaponry came up.
"Hey, Naruto-kun, my dad says that he'll be finished making a new sword from that iron you sold him in a couple more days. I can't wait to see it, the swords he makes from your iron always look perfect." Tenten stated with a smile to which Naruto nodded.
"I'm glad you like them so much, Tenten-chan. I'm always willing to do business with your dad." Naruto replied.
"You own an iron mine, Naruto-san?" Yugao asked with curiosity on her face.
"Huh? Oh, no I don't own an iron mine Uzuki-san. I produce iron with my bloodline limit. Then I sell it to Tenten-chan's father so he can make weapons from it." Naruto explained to Yugao who nodded.
"I see, you must be the boy I heard about a few years ago, the one with the Tetsuheikihada bloodline. Your bloodline is hard to come by in the Elemental Countries, considering the fact that your family dispersed themselves throughout the continent back in the era of warring countries. I've been an active kunoichi for years and I've never met another person who possessed your family's bloodline, Naruto-san." Yugao stated while Naruto nodded in agreement.
"From what I understand; most of my fellow Tetsuheikihada wielders tend to move around from place to place looking for strong opponents. It's not surprising that you haven't met another one. You may have seen a child that has the dormant bloodline but it's hard to tell because the bloodline usually activates between the ages of eight and ten." Naruto explained.
"Why would that be possible, Naruto-kun? Wouldn't the child's mother or father be around with the bloodline active already?" Ino questioned with a look of curiosity.
"My family has an unspoken rule, Ino-chan, if we are challenged to a fight and we end up losing the victor can ask for anything they'd like from us; unless the prize they want clashes with our personal honor code. In some cases, what the victor wants is our bloodline. Since we can't give them ours, a child is usually allowed to be conceived to give the victor's family our bloodline. Since the victor has already proven themselves strong enough to defeat the family member it keeps to my family's belief of making the next generation stronger. Sometimes the victor is already married though, so the parent simply leaves a way to contact them for when the child's bloodline activates. That is how my family insures the survival of our bloodline." Naruto explained to which Ino, Tenten, and Yugao looked shocked.
"But what about family secrets? Isn't your family worried someone might misuse their bloodlines' power?" Ino asked in shock. Coming from a clan herself she knew the danger someone could be if they misused the Yamanaka clans' secret techniques. Giving a bloodline like the Tetsuheikihada to someone who would misuse it was just asking for thousands of people to be killed or enslaved.
"Not really, what most people don't know is that once the Tetsuheikihada awakens, the child will often leave the family after a few years and go off in search of strong opponents themselves. That is why the Tetsuheikihada isn't known to come from any one clan. Our family simply doesn't care for clan names, rules, or long term residences. We don't have any interest in killing off villages or becoming tyrannical leaders, that would simply take to much time away from our chances to fight. In my case however, I plan to live in Konoha for the duration of my life. The life of a shinobi already guarantees plenty of combat against strong enemies so settling down in a Shinobi village makes sense. My future children will also live here and return here as Konoha shinobi, it'll be the first time since our family dispersed that we have a place to call our home." Naruto explained with a grin as the three women stared at him.
"So, you're saying, if I were to challenge you to a fight right now and I defeated you. I could ask to have your bloodline and you'd impregnate me no questions asked?" Yugao questioned while Tenten and Ino looked at her in shock.
"Uzuki-san! What're you talking about?" Ino asked with a hint of distrust in her voice.
"Yeah Yugao-san, if you do that I'll make sure you never get any weapons from my father again. Even if you are one of our best customers." Tenten stated with conviction as she stared at Yugao.
"Calm down Ino-chan, Tenten-chan. I'm sure Yugao just wants some clarification." Naruto said while trying to lessen the sudden tension.
"That's correct, I have no intention of carrying Naruto-san's child. I merely wish to make sure I understand what he said." Yugao explained with a relaxing smile that let both Genin kunoichi know that she was telling the truth.
"To answer your question, Uzuki-san, if you defeated me in battle then yes I would impregnate you if you asked for my bloodline." Naruto stated with complete seriousness.
"I see, that seems like it could put a difficult strain on any relationship you might have in the future." Yugao said while looking at Tenten and Ino causing both girls to blush scarlet.
"That's why it's an unspoken rule, Uzuki-san, it's better for everyone if no one but my family knows about it." Naruto replied while looking at all three women with a look that told them not to tell anyone.
Unbeknownst to the four in the co-ed spring, multiple kunoichi in the women's section next to the co-ed spring had heard the whispered conversation the group was having. All of the kunoichi quickly looked at each other before similar grins appeared on all their faces. 'I don't think this will bold well for young Naruto.' Kurenai thought as she and her friend Anko sat at the edge of the women's hot spring with their feet in the water. 'The little man better prepare for hell, he's about to get a shit load of it soon.' Anko thought as she saw the devious looks on the other women's faces.
"Don't worry, Naruto-kun, if a woman wants to challenge you for something like that they'll have to go through me first!" Ino said with determination.
"They'll have to get by me too. I won't let some random woman have your child." Tenten stated with conviction and fire in her eyes.
"Thanks Tenten-chan, Ino-chan. That means a lot. I'd like to keep the number of children I have exclusive to the woman or women I marry." Naruto stated with a smile.
"What do you mean women, Naruto-kun?" Tenten asked with a confused look.
"Apparently, according to village law, as the only living member of a kekkei genkai bearing family I'm legally allowed to have multiple wives to increase the rate at which my bloodline can multiply in successive generations." Naruto answered with a sigh as he recited what the Sandaime had explained to him and Yachiru on Naruto's last birthday. Both Tenten and Ino shared a glance at this new information before returning their gaze back to Naruto.
"Shall we leave this topic for one that is less serious perhaps?" Yugao asked and received nods from Naruto, Ino, and Tenten. "Alright, do you know when Hayate might be able to request a custom made chakra conductive sword of his own, Tenten-san?" Yugao asked as Tenten tilted her head slightly in thought.
"It could be awhile, Yugao-san. My father only orders chakra conductive iron from time to time. The only other way we receive it is if we get it from Naruto. So until my father orders more or Naruto sells him more I'm afraid Hayate is going to have to wait, Yugao-san, I'm sorry." Tenten answered with an apologetic smile.
"Don't worry about it too much, Tenten-san. Hayate knew he would have to wait for a while." Yugao stated with a small grin.
"You mentioned this, Hayate-san, would be receiving a chakra conductive sword of his own. Does that mean you have one already, Uzuki-san?" Naruto questioned.
"Yes, I requested Bukiji-san to craft me a katana almost a year ago. I received it several days later and have both marveled at its' beauty and strength, and trained hard to use it in combat." Yugao replied with a small smile.
"That sword was actually forged from one of the iron bars you sold my father Naruto." Tenten said causing Yugao and Naruto to look at each other before turning to Tenten.
"Is that true, Tenten-san?" Yugao asked.
"Of course, that's how my father was able to craft you a chakra conductive sword in such a relatively short amount of time." Tenten answered with a grin.
"It seems I must thank you for my sword as well, Naruto-san." Yugao stated with a small bow.
"Don't worry about it. I get paid well for the iron and knowing the weapon it's made into is keeping Konoha-nin safe is all the thanks I need." Naruto replied with a grin. The group of four chatted for a few more minutes before they decided to leave the hot springs and go their separate ways for the day.
The next morning Naruto woke up at his usual time and went through his hazy, half-asleep morning ritual, before sitting down to breakfast with Yachiru. After a breakfast of toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, and milk. Naruto quickly brushed his teeth before telling Yachiru to have a nice day and leaving for his team meeting. On the way to his team's meeting spot, a bridge overlooking a small stream near the Hokage tower, Naruto couldn't help but notice the looks several of the Chuunin and Jounin kunoichi were giving him. 'That's odd, I don't recall seeing them look at me like that before.' Naruto thought before shrugging it off as unimportant. He was only about two or three blocks from the bridge when a brunette kunoichi, a Chuunin judging by her vest, approach him.
"Can I help you, Chuunin-san?" Naruto asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.
"Yes, I believe you can, Genin-san. You're Uzumaki Naruto, correct?" the attractive brunette kunoichi asked.
"Yes, what is it that you need?" Naruto questioned as the kunoichi's eyes lit up with a barely noticeable glint.
"I'd like to challenge you for the right to bare your child." the kunoichi whispered so faintly Naruto barely heard it.
"What? Where did you hear that kind of information from?" Naruto questioned her while whispering. He knew Tenten and Ino wouldn't tell anyone and Uzuki-san seemed like a trustworthy person, so who had let his family's unspoken rule out into the open?
"A bunch of kunoichi overheard it at the hot springs yesterday. News like this travels fast, after all what better way to insure my child's strength than to have a powerful, bloodline carrying, man be the father?" the kunoichi explained with a grin that caused Naruto to expect more than just this woman would soon be challenging him.
"How many people know about this? I don't need a lynch mob of shinobi after me over this." Naruto stated with an annoyed look on his face.
"Only the kunoichi Chuunin and up know. The ones of us that are ready to have children are all planning to try and have your child. So you don't have to worry about the shinobi trying to harm you. We'd all much rather have you alive, Naruto-san." the kunoichi explained, inwardly making Naruto sigh in slight relief. 'At least I don't have to deal with angry shinobi over this mess. I should probably add a stipulation of one challenge per person otherwise I'll never have this end.' Naruto thought to himself before refocusing on the kunoichi in front of him.
"Very well, should you win this challenge I'll give you the child you want. However, should you lose you cannot challenge me for the right to bear my child ever again. Do you agree to these terms?" Naruto asked in his most serious tone of voice.
"I accept your terms, Naruto-san. I hope you're ready to be a father." the kunoichi replied with a wink. The two were soon in an out of the way training ground preparing for battle. "Are you ready Naruto-san?" the kunoichi questioned.
"Whenever you are." Naruto responded with his manic, battle crazed, grin. The kunoichi quickly let a wave of kunai and shuriken fly at Naruto before leaping back and beginning a set of hand seals. Naruto simply hardened his Koutetsu before charging straight through the wave of weapons towards the kunoichi. Before he got to her she finished her hand seals and called out her attack.
"Suiton: Teppoudama no jutsu! (Water Release: Gunshot Technique)" the kunoichi called out as she let off five water bullets in quick succession. Naruto charged through the first two water bullets but came to a dead stop after being struck by the third. The fourth water bullet made him skid back a few inches and the fifth bullet knocked him off his feet an onto his back.
"That's annoying." Naruto mumbled before jumping back to his feet and dodging the small fireball that was heading for him. "Not bad, kunoichi-san, try this." Naruto stated before rushing the kunoichi with his arms bladed. The kunoichi quickly jumped into a nearby tree and started another set of quick hand seals. Naruto was at the base of the tree when the kunoichi unleashed her attack.
"Katon: Endan no jutsu! (Fire Release: Fireball Technique)" she called out before sending another small fireball at him. Naruto raised his arms to block the attack and was consumed in the flames for a moment. The kunoichi suddenly felt the tree she was standing in shake before it started falling backwards. She quickly jumped from the falling tree and into the next nearest tree and examined what had happened. Near the base of the trees' trunk, a large section had been cut out and caused the tree to fall. Scanning the clearing she tried to find a trace of Naruto, only to jump from her perch on the tree branch to the forest floor right as Naruto's bladed axe kick severed the limb she had just been standing on.
"Watch out, Chuunin-san, I'll beat you if you underestimate me." Naruto called out as he landed a few feet away from the kunoichi.
"Doton: Doro Gaeshi no jutsu! (Earth Release: Mud Overturn Technique)" the kunoichi called out as she slammed both of her hands on the ground causing a wall of solid earth to rise up between them. Naruto tried to go around the wall but the kunoichi appeared to his right and slammed her hands down again causing another earthen wall to rise up between them. Naruto quickly tried to go to his left but the kunoichi was faster and raised another earthen wall to block him. Naruto quickly turned around only to see the kunoichi with her hands on the ground again. "Looks like I win, I'll let you out when you admit defeat." she stated as she playfully stuck out her tongue. Before Naruto could retaliate the fourth earthen wall rose and trapped him in an earthen box ten feet high with only a small opening at the top for air.
"Well, this is annoying. I better end this before I'm later than Kakashi-sensei." Naruto muttered before he extended a three foot blade from both of his hands and one from both of his elbows. After pushing chakra into the blades Naruto spun quickly and easily cleaved through all four walls. As the walls were falling and kicking up clouds of dust Naruto quickly used Kyorioomata (Distance Stride) to shoulder tackle the stunned kunoichi. As soon as the kunoichi hit the ground Naruto put a blade on each side of her neck in a scissor formation. "I win, Chuunin-san." Naruto stated with finality as the kunoichi tried to get air back into her lungs.
"Yes…you, *cough*, win." The kunoichi admitted as she took slow deep breaths to get her breath back. Naruto quickly retracted his blades before pulling a small bottle of water out of his hip pouch and placing it beside the recovering kunoichi.
"It was a fun match, Chuunin-san, feel free to spar with me again sometime. Just without the whole child bearing thing." Naruto said with a wave as he quickly started tree hopping back towards his teams' meeting place.
"I don't know, Naruto-san, I think you might just outclass me in almost everyway." The kunoichi mumbled to herself before picking up the bottle of water Naruto had left for her and taking a few sips. "You're a sweet guy though, you'll make some lady very happy one day. Or ladies if any of the others have better luck than me." the kunoichi stated with a giggle at the end before standing up and walking back towards the village.
"Safe!" Naruto yelled upon landing beside the bridge where his teammates were waiting. After not seeing Kakashi anywhere at the meeting place Naruto sighed in relief. "Yeah, I'm safe. Got here before Kakashi-sensei at least." he mumbled out.
"Where the hell have you been Naruto!" Sakura yelled causing Naruto to look over at her with a bored expression.
"None of your damn business, Haruno." Naruto replied before leaning against the railing of the bridge to rest a little.
Shortly after Naruto's arrival Kakashi appeared in a swirl of leaves. With an orange book in hand and his single exposed I glued to the pages.
"Good morning, I'm sorry I was late but I had to help an old lady climb up ten flights of stairs before I could leave my apartment complex." Kakashi stated like he was talking about a common occurrence.
"Liar!" Sakura screeched causing everyone in hearing distance to cringe at the volume.
"Anyway, if you all are ready we can go get our first mission as Team Seven. How about it?" Kakashi asked to which his three students merely nodded and started walking towards the end of the small bridge. That's when Kakashi noticed something strange about one of his students. "Naruto, why do your clothes look singed? Did you burn them or something?" Kakashi questioned with a curious look in his visible eye.
"Something like that, Kakashi-sensei, something like that." Naruto replied with a disinterested shrug. Across Konoha a certain brunette Chuunin kunoichi sneezed.
"Someone must be talking about me, I wonder who?" she mumbled as she continued walking down the road towards her apartment.
"If you say so, Naruto." Kakashi responded while leading his team towards the Hokage tower to get their first mission. Once the group had arrived they approached the desk to see the Sandaime himself was handing out the missions today. "Team Seven requesting a mission, Hokage-sama." Kakashi stated with a bow.
"Ah, Team Seven, let's see what we have for you today. Hmm, I think this will do just fine." the Sandaime stated while passing Kakashi a mission scroll with the letter D in dark red printed on it.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama, we will return when the mission is completed." Kakashi stated with another bow before leading his team out of the missions office. 'I don't believe Naruto will like this mission much.' Sarutobi thought to himself before going through the missions for the next team that would come to request one.
Meanwhile, with Ino, said Yamanaka was punching at a training post with both fists as she thought about her current situation with Naruto. 'I can't let any of those bitches challenge him. Naruto would probably marry any girl he had a child with for the child's sake. I have to be strong enough to keep these other women away from Naruto-kun.' With that thought Ino punched the training post at an even faster pace.
At the same time, with Tenten, said girl was currently talking with her sensei about ways to increase her strength.
"Gai-sensei, is there anyway I can take my weapons mastery further? I need to get stronger than I am now." Tenten asked her eccentric sensei who smiled down at her.
"Tenten, your fires of youth know no limits! I know of a few ways to further increase your weapons proficiency as well as your strength overall. We shall start right away!" Gai shouted as Lee stood beside him with an awe-inspired look on his face.
"Gai-sensei, you're so youthful!" Lee shouted while in the 'good guy pose'. 'Don't worry, Naruto-kun, I won't let any of those whores bear your child. I'll get strong enough that none of them will ever be able to beat me, much less challenge you. I'll make sure those women stay away from you, Naruto-kun.' Tenten thought before focusing all her attention on Gai as he started to explain her new training.
"Kakashi, please tell me that not all of these D-Rank missions are simple chores like this one." Naruto stated as he cut another small log in two for firewood. Team Seven's current mission being to cut an elderly couples firewood. Not that Naruto didn't like helping the elderly, he just thought that a ninja mission would actually involve some amount of ninja skill. This was something any civilian could do.
"Don't worry, Naruto, the missions will get harder as you progress through the ranks. Until then be content with what you're given. It'll soon seem like a vacation compared to what you may have to do." Kakashi stated seriously as he placed another small log on the stump Naruto was cutting them on.
"You sound like you're speaking from experience." Naruto commented as he sliced the small log cleanly in two.
"I've been a shinobi for many years now, Naruto. There are times you'll have to do things you'd rather not, but in the end you'll do them for the sake of the village, the mission, and even your comrades." Kakashi stated as he placed two small logs on the stump this time. "We'll increase the number to get done faster." Kakashi said with an eye smile to which Naruto quickly split both logs cleanly down the middle in about one and a half seconds.
"I wonder how Sasuke-teme and his fan girl are doing over there?" Naruto questioned as he saw Sasuke swing an axe down on a small log of his own. Sakura quickly cleared the cut log and placed another one to be cut on their stump.
"They seem to be doing just fine, Naruto. Try three this time." Kakashi said while motioning towards the three small logs he'd placed on top of the stump.
"You got it, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto replied before splitting all three logs in roughly two and a quarter seconds. 'I'll have to get stronger fast. If any Jounin kunoichi challenged me I'm not sure I'd be able to beat them. I wouldn't mind being a father but I'd like to be a bit older before it happens and I'd also like to know the girl and actually have feelings for her at least a little bit.' Naruto mused to himself while slicing through four logs this time. 'Oh well, I'll just have to deal with it as it comes along. Hmm, I wonder what Yachiru-neesan is making for dinner tonight?'
-End Chapter-
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So how was it? Good? Bad? Let me know with your reviews. Anyway, this chapter was more of a filler/character development chapter. It also introduced the only older woman Naruto will really have prolonged contact with. As it stands until Kishimoto finally reveals exactly what happened the night of Naruto's birth, Forest of Flames is postponed. I hope you all can forgive me but I'd prefer to know the truth on the matter before I write another story. So until I get your reviews, later. P.S. Wish me luck job hunting.