EDIT: omake added

Okay. a lot of time-skip because this chapter is set on Shippudden years, and there is a list of things which do not follow Naruto canon.

First, the bijuu are not all canon. Some are taken from this website: : / / . . h t m

Second, the plot will not follow exactly as Shippudden canon, although previous chapters were mostly based on Naruto canon.

Third, expect some bizarre new jutsus I made up (especially Flash Technique :P)

and the list still goes on but those three are most important anyway.

The characters are also older.

Naruto is 15 going on 16

Kiba is 16

Sakura is 16

Kakashi is 30

Yamato is 27

Hopefully the missing plots during the time skip in this chapter are not too confusing. I also will start with 1st person point of view starting from this chapter, because it makes writing much easier and more fun.

Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns the character and some of their quotes.


Chapter 9: Minato's Legacy – Orange Flash Has Returned!

"Everyone, Naruto Uzumaki has returned! This time I will be Konoha's Orange Flash, dattebayo!"

- Naruto -

Kiba POV:

I followed his scent and hoped that idiot was alright. To think that he could buy time so we could escape was totally outrageous. Naruto had no idea who he's facing against. He did not have Inuzuka instinct like me or Akamaru which could feel that sheer power, a life-threatening force similar to a predator which toyed with its preys. I was scared out of my shit when our opponent hissed like a snake, planning his fun with his calculating snake-like eyes. When I noticed them from a distance and smelled no trace of blood, relief washed over me. What struck me strangely was how they stood so close like two duelists sparring evenly, yet there was no sign of fighting. It was…I stared in disbelief. The sound-nin was caressing Naruto's abs under his shirt and also devouring his mouth. Somehow I boiled with anger, evaporating my fear and caution into thin air. A fierce desire rose in me and spurred me into action. I instantly sprung athim. I had to end this disgusting sight. I had to stop him… sexually harassing Naruto! I launched myself with my Inuzuka Style: Fang over Fang, but suddenly a sharp pain spiked behind my head. My body collided with something rough, perhaps a tree trunk, and everything just faded into darkness. But one strong scent lingered in my brain: a smell of a fox.

My eyes blearily opened, and something moist nudged my cheek. I could tell it was Akamaru's nose.

"Having a bad dream?" His nuzzle pointed at my clenched fists, and I quickly loosened them up.

"Yeah…" It made me depressed and angry and feel awkward. I wished I could be stronger, but I knew it was impossible. The person who assaulted Naruto almost three years ago was one of Konoha's legendary sannin, who happened to be a twisted psychopath. Kakashi-sensei grimly explained that Orochimaru was after the key held by Kyuubi to awaken Yamata no Orochi*; that's why Sandaime died to seal the key, making sure it was useless. However, my dream replayed what my first impression told me. I still saw it as sexual harassment, because how could a forced kiss be some kind of jutsu? 'Tch, how troublesome.' Now, I sounded more like Shikamaru. Sighing, I decided for a bath, and Akamaru trailed after me.

The summer warmth was comforting. Sometimes, a cool breeze passed by, making the heat more bearable. Too bad, it did not alleviate my boredom. I walked Akamaru, or strolling idly around Konoha, because it was the only plan I could think of. Sakura was a busy medic-nin apprentice now, and Kakashi-sensei… man, I wished he was available. Sensei had been training me intensely, perfecting my reflexes and combos. I loved to spar with him; his Flash Technique was perfect to test my agility and sense of smell, especially when he used his White Light Chakra Sabre. But too bad, today was not my training day. Since Naruto left with Jiraiya, Team 7 had been tasked to help other teams more than doing missions together. Since Asuma-sensei left Konoha, Kakashi was assigned as Team 10's sensei. Practically Team 7 was almost non-existent. Dragging my feet, I sulked silently beside my faithful dog, "Any idea what to do, Akamaru?"

"I can smell Naruto's coming home." Akamaru sniffed into the air. My jaw dropped. I focused my sense of smell and found no sign of him. I looked disbelievingly at my dog, "I can't smell him. How do you know?"

"Remember when we find out a residue of Kyuubi's chakra inside me?" Akamaru barked. A cold shudder ran through me. I was not fond of that particular memory.

Having to discover that Kyuubi's red chakra saved Akamaru from his death and also turned him into a monster shook me to the core, and I found out about it in a cruel way. Naruto was beaten up really bad not by some random mob, but by some Inuzukas. At first, I did not believe it, but Naruto verified everything. He looked away in shame and guilt, but I could tell how shaken and broken he really was when he apologized to me. If my mom and Tsunade-sama did not stop the commotion, he might not make it alive until now…

"Kiba, I'm talking about when Tsunade-sama examined me." Akamaru broke my reverie as if he could read my thoughts. "It seems my nose is highly enhanced to track Kyuubi's scent, perhaps because I have Kyuubi's chakra inside my system." Akamaru pondered thoughtfully, tilting his head to the side. I could not resist smiling at his adorable habit.

"So, is that another perk you have there?" My smile widened at the prospect of him having another one. Akamaru could heal himself, boosting his endurance greatly. He also could turn his white fur to red without soldier pills. Man, it was so cool, thanks to the Kyuubi, but Mom did not see it that way. She suspected the demon was up to something and always warned me to be cautious. May be I had to report this to the Hokage; I promised Mom anyway.

"I do not know. Should we let Tsunade-sama know about this?" Akamaru was truly my best friend. I was glad for his transparency; that's why I and many others trusted him. I nodded in consent and grinned. 'Who knows, today may not be boring at all!'


Naruto POV:

Finally! I have arrived at Konoha! It had been two and a half years. Feeling excited, I dropped my bag and stepped on a metal pole nearby. I strode with pride as doppelgangers followed behind me. Yosh! My chakra control was dominated by my Flash Technique; I could not wait to see Kakashi-sensei's reaction. A nice breeze greeted me once I reached the top, and I embraced it happily. Finally I was home!

All the houses and buildings around me were so familiar, so nostalgic.

"This brings back memories!" I yelled out in excitement. "This place hasn't changed at all, dattebayo!" But, I had changed and gotten stronger, and there was one nagging emotion which impatiently urged me to announce my presence. So, I took a deep long breath and yelled it all out whole-heartedly.

"Everyone, Naruto Uzumaki has returned! This time I will be Konoha's Orange Flash, dattebayo!"

I thrust my fist forward as I finished my grand announcement with my favorite catchphrase. Jiraiya was smirking at me; I could tell without seeing. In front of me was Konoha's Hokage Headstone. Now, there were five huge faces on the mountain. Ah! "They added Granny Tsunade's face to the mountain!" Konoha had moved on from its devastating loss when Orochimaru and other clan defectors conspired against the village to acquire bijuus' power. Old man was truly amazing; he sacrificed himself for the peace of Leaf Village. I promised I would be strong for his sake even though it was too late to tell him that, but I would never forget his last words.

"But please understand this, Naruto.

Your parent was our hero.

They saved Konoha. They saved you."

At first, they sounded harsher than all the accusations I had received in my childhood years, and it took old man's death for me to realize who I really was. Within me lay a power coveted by many. Within me lay a noble purpose. That's why I had to be strong so this power would not fall into the wrong hands, and if possible, I would use it to protect my home, my family. That sole purpose drove me to keep moving on from my self-pity, anger, and bitterness. It helped me to learn and accept the cruel truth which had been intertwined with my fate. It hardened my resolve and heart to bear all their hatred and anger bombarded at me. It fueled my raging desire to take control of the untamed power inside me, and I did not want to fail. A familiar voice called out to me, and I looked below and found Sakura with Konohamaru and his gang.

"When did you get back, Naruto?" She cupped her mouth to project her voice.

"Just now!" I shouted back and jumped down to greet her. "It's been a while, Sakura-chan." Her pink hair was short as usual, and it brought back fond memories, especially one when Shikamaru told me her most impressive feat he had ever witnessed: stomping her girly pride for my sake and Kiba's. That was big news to me; I wished I could see it, not to see Ino's funny reaction of course (I'm not Shikamaru), but to see how Sakura did care for her team. Out of gladness, I let out a short chuckle.

"You're taller than me, aren't you?" Now that she mentioned it, I compared our heights with my hand. She was indeed shorter than me.

"So, what do you think? I am more womanly now?" She asked me out of the blue. Without thinking twice, I gave her a thumbs up and replied, "It's fine. You haven't changed at all, dattebayo!"

Yep, her short hair showed it all. It was a sign of her determination to become a strong kunoichi, and her accepting me as a jinchuuriki. So, for her sake too, I promised myself to get stronger, so I could protect her with my strength. Ever since my teammates found out my true identity, I initiatively covered their back and took most of the brunt. At least that's what I could do for them, to really show them that I was still Naruto of Team 7, not a despicable monster.

Sakura huffed and pouted, definitely displeased. I had no clue why and wondered what I did say wrong.

"You're totally hopeless…" Jiraiya muttered with a visible sigh, making me more confused.

"Naruto-niichan*!" Konohamaru cried out. "I have a big surprise, kore*!" My eyes widened in recognition of his hand seal; then a flash of blue passed my sight. He stopped and grinned from a distance, his long blue scarf fluttering for a while before it limped to the ground. Whoa! That was so cool!

"I-Is that your Flash Technique?" I knew it was, but I just had to ask. Sometime after Grandpa Hiruzen died, I promised to teach Konohamaru cool techniques to cheer him up. I owed Konoha's old geezer a lot for his comforting presence every time I was down, and somehow I could relate to his grandchild's situation. Hiruzen Sarutobi died as a hero and made sure everyone knew that Sarutobi clan living in Konoha would stay loyal to the Leaf Village. I never knew Sarutobi clan had a grim dark past; Konohamaru must be devastated to know it. When Sandaime told me the truth about me and my parent, I knew how it painfully felt. Unfortunately, Orochimaru was still hunting me down and I had to leave Konoha before I had the chance to teach him. However, upon seeing my student (he basically looked up to me, so yeah) mastering Flash Technique, indescribable happiness and pride swelled inside me. My eyes must be sparkling with tears running down my face like Gai-sensei, but I didn't mind. My clenched fist was thrumming with intense excitement.

"Konohamaru, I will show you a greater level of Flash Technique!" His enthusiastic feedback fired me up, and I practically shouted, "Behold! The one and only!" – I unzipped my black orange jumper – "Endless Naruto Fusion Kunai!" A miniature kunai hung proudly from my neck. Unlike normal kunai, it had three blades instead of one. Its handle was quite longer and thicker than the middle blade that it looked like an upside down cross.

"Isn't that just a normal necklace?" Sakura looked at me incredulously, pointing at my small kunai. "Except that it was too big for a fashion." My spirit dwindled a bit. Okay, that was not an expected reaction I wanted to hear.

"No, it's not just a necklace, dattebayo!" I tugged it down easily because its string was made with some chakra for easy dispatch. "I'll show you!" Yes! I could not wait to show them, and the street was relatively not crowded. Just perfect. After flash-dashing for a few meters, I turned on my heel and threw my kunai across me so that everyone could see it. Seeing them awestruck and wide-eyed made me smile giddily, especially Konohamaru who watched with his jaw open at the flurry of doppelgangers trailing after my kunai.

"Watch me guys!" All attentions snapped to me. Ero-sannin* was the only one smirking, with a knowing look. With the coolest voice I could muster, I yelled as loud as I could, "Flash Technique: Super Double Naruto Barrage!"


Kiba's POV:

Sigh. I did not expect the procedure would take this long, just to make sure Kyuubi's chakra was still under control and did not do anything suspicious except the new effect I reported. Akamaru's telling me that Naruto was already in Konoha did not help either. Getting impatient, I told Godaime about Naruto, knowing she also missed him, and expected to be discharged. Now, I had to be Akamaru's translator as she asked mountains of questions related to Kyuubi's scent and such. Awesome.

To be frank, Naruto had been a bit different since Orochimaru and some clan rogues attacked Konoha. Or was it when he confronted Gaara? It was sort of complicated. He was hiding something underneath his cheerfulness and silliness. I did not know what it was; and somehow his secret irritated me… because he didn't trust me right. Until other Inuzukas spilled it to me, I finally understood why, along with a suffocating emotion that sucked off all the air from my lung. It was really, really suffocating because part of me refused to believe it but Naruto's timid and sob-wrecked voice rang the truth loud and clear. Never in my life had I ever heard his voice so pitiful. Strong sympathy for him coursed in me and constricted my heart after I realized how everything finally made sense. Why Mom warned me to stay away from him. Why he was super worried of Akamaru. Why he often looked guilty in our glance exchange. Why he just stared with fear at his own reflection.

But one constant was always present in him until it defined everything about him. Naruto was stubborn, very stubborn. Since he was mobbed by the Inuzukas, he continued his life just as usual. Whenever Akamaru had an examination procedure, Naruto would always stick beside him, like a loyal pup. Whenever Sakura or I was caught off guard, he would cover our back, even Akamaru's as well. I knew he was trying to justify himself or impress us with good deeds so we could accept him. That alone showed enough how stubborn he really was. Sakura gladly responded, and of course, I did too.

Finally, Akamaru was done. Godaime requested me to summon Naruto and Jiraiya to her office because she knew I was going to meet them. Following my dog, I tried to pick up Naruto's scent. It had been two and half years. I wondered if his scent still stayed the same. Then, a familiar loud voice shouted nearby. 'Heh, why needs to track him by smell? He's loud enough to tell me where he is.' I ran toward the source of his voice, and now I could smell Sakura. It was a faint, sweet-smelling flower scent from a cherry blossom shampoo she used.

"C'mon, Akamaru!" I could not wait to see Naruto, and it seemed Sakura was now with him. Excitement fluttered inside me, and I broke into a sprint. Akamaru was excited too, sensing that we were close, "Just around that corner!"

As I turned around the corner, I heard him yelling again. Before I had the chance to grasp his words, a weird kunai was flying in my direction. 'What the hell! Who throws a weapon in civilian area?' I managed to dodge it, but a weird orange train of doppelgangers followed after it. 'What the hell is this!? Wait! Isn't this…!?' Unfortunately, my train of thought had to stop when an orange flash collided with me. Hard. My back and butt awfully hurt, and I couldn't breathe, as if both my nose and mouth were covered by something… soft and warm? I curiously opened my eyes and locked gaze with a pair of cerulean blue up close.

So close that I could see a hue of light shade to dark shade of blue around the pupils. BLUE!?

His pupils dilated, and I could say the same with mine.

Astonished, I could not help but gasped, feeling a moist and soft texture. Oh shit. I made a wrong move.

He then audibly gasped, and that same texture nibbled on my lips. Fuck.

My whole body was on fire.


Omake:

"Naruto, there is something I have to tell you." The serious tone suggested it would be something bad, and it really was, even worse. It was unbearably cruel. Naruto did not want to believe it, but everything just clicked fittingly like a puzzle, revealing a cruel truth. His senses suddenly became numb. His mind throbbed. His heart ached. He even did not know what he was feeling right now.

"Your mom was too weak after Kyuubi forced its way out."

Those words pierced his heart so deep like a double-edged sword. They sounded harsher than all the accusations he had received from his childhood to now.

"Your father had to seal Kyuubi inside you before it was too late,"

Bitter anger boiled wildly within, searing his mind and senses with heated rage. Furious questions blinded him – 'why me? why me? WHY ME!?' – that Naruto began to loathe his parent.

"They loved you Naruto. They regretted they could not make it to be there for you."

He had lost it before he understood the word "love". Grieving loss mixed with his heated fury that he could feel stinging hot tears ready to spill. His tormented soul could not take it.

"But please understand this, Naruto.

Your parent was our hero.

They saved Konoha. They saved you."

Tears spilled without restraint as he ran as fast as he could. Sorrow and anger surged restlessly, waiting to be unleashed. He vented them by running and running, away from the cruel reality. Naruto just wanted to scream till his voice was no more and wanted to cry till his tears were all spent. However, he had no chance when exhaustion slowly overcame him and shut down his system.


Finally! The romance is starting to kick in. Hope you enjoy it and please do review!

Also may add an omake later.

Yamata no Orochi: Eight-Branched Giant Snake

-niichan: addressed to older person, between children to older children/between sibling

-kore: Konohamaru's favorite catchphrase, like Naruto's dattebayo

Ero-sannin: perverted sage, nickname made by Naruto for Jiraiya

First, the bijuu are not all canon. Some are taken from this website: (can't post link) just google bijuu legend and click first link that shows up