Chapter 8

A week had passed and Naruto has continued his usual training regimen. More and more shinobi were showing up from out of the village. 'The Chuunin Exams are starting soon' he thought. He began running around the outskirts of town, wondering if there are any other preparations that need to be made before they start. He noticed a tree in the distance, harboring the sand trio: Gaara Temari, and Konkuro.

He slowed down as he approached the tree, thinking he can make light conversation he thought he would start with Temari who was the closest "Hey, nice fan you got—" "Leave" He heard the red head speak. God he was such a douche back then... now. Naruto looked up at Gaara on the tree branch and took one step forward. "Now now, we may have more in common than you think he said flashing his Kyuubi eyes for a fraction of a second. Gaara turned bug-eyed for moment, not saying anything, just watching the blonde's movements.

"Just get out of here, man, we're not in a very conversational mood" Konkuro said bluntly. "Okay, make-up guy" Naruto said putting his hands up. "It's war paint" The puppet master rebutted. "Yeah yeah... by the way..." he stopped from walking backwards. "If you see a bratty kid with scarf and who's missing a tooth, try not to be too rough with him. He's the Hokage's grandson after all." Temari thought that was a random fact he brought up for no reason until 15 minutes later they had a run in with the young Sarutobi.

Naruto stopped at the top of the Hokage monument in deep thought. It felt for him as he had to accept the inevitable for what he needed to get done and whose help he needed. 'I think my back is against the wall on this one'. Whilst he began walking in the middle of town, Anko was shadowing his movements. She had regained her hardened composure and add some more abrasiveness to compensate for her loss of face. Still, she is really on edge about what she might discover. 'Nothing out of the ordinary so far' she sighed. 'Then again, the kid is out of the ordinary to start with'.

Naruto was making another stop at Ichiraku's after training to regain his energy. He was still in deep thought, and a bit anxious to be honest. A woman sat next to him, ordering the Naruto special (Ramen with Pork Cutlets). "Oi... Naruto" the voice resounded in the background. The blonde glanced to his side breaking his concentration. "Ino!" he exclaimed with a smile. She made a wide smile back "I just got back from my first C-Rank". "No way, what did you do?" The golden blonde asked. "We were guarding a shipment of food and armor to a small village up north, you'll be surprised at how skilled I am now" she boasted.

He smiled at her "I can't wait to see how you fair in the Chuunin Exams". The platinum blonde rubbed the back of her head laughing nervously "that's if we get accepted to take them this year." Anko was in the alleyway outside the establishment "blah blah blah, get off of him you cunt" she said to herself unconsciously.

When Naruto and Ino finished their bowls, they went their separate ways as Naruto said he had something to take care of. Anko vanished from the alley appearing a few rooftops away. Naruto then found an old tree stump and began meditating. 'What's that kid up to?' she thought peering at him from a distance. He then opened his eyes and looked straight at her. "Shit." She said bluntly. Within a few seconds Naruto appeared right beside her.

He grinned slightly, remembering how he was always happy to see her despite her sadistic tendencies and teasing. Contemplating this past week, he really enjoyed teasing her last time; she made such an unfamiliar coy face back then. "What is it, brat" Anko said closing her eyes and crossing her arms while leaning on the guardrail. She began staring at him again. His face turned serious. "Anko... I have something important to discuss with you". She lifted herself off the railing "lead the way" she stated.

Both headed toward the Training Ground 44, where they had originally met years ago. Anko became slightly nostalgic before she snapped back into the moment with the crunching leaves they were stepping on. They sat in the middle of the forest. "I hope you don't mind, but I know it's difficult talking seriously with a kid" he stated before transforming into his adult self. Anko kept her composure, fighting hard with the feeling she felt last week.

'Spare me, kid. If this is your way of getting into my head, it won't work' she thought suppressing her emotions. Naruto still had his eyes closed as orange began to outline his eyelids. "You're a sage, huh? Is that what you wanted to show me?" She inquired. "No, it's to make sure no one is listening into our conversation". Anko didn't rebuke his comment, just listened. A part of her did want to put down a would-be traitor, but a large part of her wishes it wasn't true.

He opened his eyes with his pupils still square-shaped. "I'm going to tell you two secrets: one is an S-Class you are probably already aware of, the other is something no one, not even the Hokage knows." Her blood pressure began to rise as she began to feel anxious. "First, I am the Kyuubi Jinchurikki" he stated. She showed no emotion, telling him she already knows or has removed herself emotionally from this conversation. "... the Second..." he paused with it becoming abundantly clear that he cannot go back after saying it "... I am from the future."

Her eyes opened up. It was clear she was emotionally invested in this conversation whether or not she wanted to admit it. She smirked before pointing a relaxed finger at the blonde and saying seriously "you tell some tall tales, kid". Naruto didn't budge from his position "it is the truth." "If it was true, then why tell me of all people". Naruto didn't like her dismissing herself like that, but he understood her point. "Orochimaru is coming..." he told her ticking a nerve "... and your curse seal will prevent you from—" she grabbed him by his collar "don't bullshit me, Naruto! You are this close before I beat your ass and never talk to you again!"

Naruto wasn't adding fluffy language for a reason. He was being direct out of respect for her. Never breaking his eye contact "I can get rid of it". She punched the adult looking Naruto. "That's a crock if I ever heard it! You're going to have try harder than that!" She said aggressively. Naruto exited his sage mode. "I said I can free you from..." she punched him again and again.

He didn't attempt to block. His bruising became so bad, he lost sight in one eye from the swelling as she beat him into the ground. "Why aren't you fighting back!?" She asked barely managed to say before starting to tear up. She tried so hard for the past 10 years, but it kills her each time to come up short. It'll be easier for her if Naruto was just a traitor, since she can deal with traitors. "Don't..." she grabbed onto his vest. She had grown accustomed to letting things go. Letting people go. Letting feelings go. Encumbered by an overwhelming philosophy that everything is temporary. It was always something she needed to do, but if you were to ask her what she wanted it would have been different. "Don't give me hope you bastard...!" she yelled. "Anko..." he softly spoke while staring into her tearful eyes "... even you deserve to dream." He reached up wiping tears from her cheeks. "I swear on my life what I'm saying is true".

This is it, he had started to reach into her depths. Emotions of comfort and pain that only he had access to. She got off him. Turning around to wipe away the rest of her shame. "How do you do it? I tried everything already". Naruto got up. "Normal curse seal removals won't work... Since there is senjutsu chakra in the Cursed Seal of Heaven. It can be transferred to a medium by normal chakra, but only senjutsu chakra can completely remove it without extensive preparation..." Anko thought for a second "what does this have to do with you being a Jinchurikki?" Naruto grinned at her with his busted eye "I can remove it with senjutsu, but to prevent it from requiring a medium, I need to dissipate it with the pure chakra of the Kyuubi"

Anko sweat dropped "don't tell me you want to be covered in that thing" without a moment to spare, Naruto was going to begin "Kurama" he commanded. A red cloak covered Anko to her surprise. 'I feel refreshed...So much power' she thought seeing Naruto make his way behind her while activating his sage mode. She knelt down and showed her seal. The blonde then sped through hand signs before saying "Evil Curse Seal Release!" Purple senjutsu chakra can then be seen dissipating into the red cloak before completely disappearing after a minute.

Anko leaned forward breathing deeply. The feeling was so relaxing. She felt light as a feather in comparison to how it was with the seal. It's like the difference of breathing with two lungs instead of one. She needed to test it. She ran through several hand signs before letting out 'Katon: Dragon Flame Jutsu'. Her chakra flow felt silky smooth, flowing with no congestion in her system.

She started feeling happiness, relief, exhaustion, but most importantly an incredible amount of trust in the man beside her. From Naruto's perspective she was quiet and not moving "Um Anko-nee.." he started with a sweat drop before Anko turned around and gave the older blonde an aggressive kiss while pulling him closer by his vest. Naruto was shocked 'whaaa whaa whaaa is happening?!' Anko pulled away "you just made your nee-chan very happy" she told him licking her lips.

She took a step back and put a hand on her hip, "That thing you said before, about being from the future... how old are you really?" She was falling into crazy territory here, believing him. Still, he knew something that no one should know besides Orochimaru himself. Something more than what she was already an expert on. Plus, she was trying to play off the embarrassing thing she just did. The older Naruto grinned at her; glad she believes him "I'm 23". She smirked. 'I'm 24 so the disparity isn't that bad.' "Hmm... Nee-Chan it is then. I'll see you later, Naruto-KUN" she winked shinshuning away. Naruto dropped his henge, popping into his younger self "what did I get myself into?"

Later that evening, Anko reported back to the Hokage. "Any update on Naruto?" He asked showing restrained concern. "Naruto has reiterated to me his Jinchurikki status..." she started. "Hmm..." 'we already went over this before, he must really trust Anko if he told her. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I can't tell' the Professor thought. "Anything else?" "He seems to be in control of the beast's chakra and removed the Cursed Seal of Heaven that was placed on me." At this moment, Hurizen actually showed interest "...He is also a toad sage from the looks of it" she finished.

Hurizen knew about his sage hood from Jaraiya, so it came as no surprise. 'By him getting rid of Orochimaru's seal, we can count that he is not working for him.' "Is that all..." the old Hokage groaned. This was the moment that she was dreading. He told her that he was from the future and that not even the Hokage knows about. 'Can I really put my faith in him?' She's been asking herself all day. "That is all, Hokage-sama." "Very well, dismissed" he said waving her off. She could hear him groan as she exited. 'That dumbass owes me.' She thought. She remained stuck in her mind on her way home, still flummoxed by the light-hearted relief behind the hint of uncertainty.