Chapter 4 Growth
I do not own Naruto but I do own the OC that I create. If you have any ideas for OC content either PM me or just put them in a review and if I like them I'll add them give credit.
-Konoha Central Park-
-6 yrs after the Kyubbi Attack-
As Naruto enjoys a rare day off he is joined by Sasuke and the rest of his friends. "So Dobe what exactly are you learning from the Kazamas? I mean I know you have your Clan's chains but it's not like the Kazamas share that with you so how could they teach you." Laying back against a tree stump Naruto rolls his eyes at Sasuke before answering. "Well Duckbutt you'd be surprised just how much my Clan shared with them before they came to Konoha. Apparently since there has always been a Uzumaki in Konoha they sent copies of the Clan's scrolls protected by bloodseals here. So in between learning the fighting style of Uzushio I've been learning my Clan's fuinjutsu and how to use my chains." As Shikamaru hears this he looks away from the clouds before snorting. "You learning fuinjutsu I doubt that. I bet 50 ryo you can't even make a simple storage seal." As most of the others join in they all eventually look at Hinata who bets 80 ryo that Naruto can make one. "Alright Shika just give me one moment and I'll be happy to take your and everyone else's money."
As Naruto sits on the hill the rest are surprised when he applies chakra to a seal on the inside of his left wrist and sealing supplies come out. Very quickly Naruto places the necessary ink, paper, brush on ground before carefully drawing a basic storage seal on the paper and pushing a small amount of chakra into it. "Alright just give it a few seconds to dry and I'll be able to store something in it." As the rest stare, and begin to doubt they'll keep their money, Naruto pulls out his frog wallet and places it on the seal before channeling more chakra on it. With a puff of smoke the wallet is gone and the kanji for full appears on the seal. With a very smug looking smile Naruto looks up at the rest before gesturing down to the seal. "You were saying Shika?" As the rest of the kids hand over their money Kaito is seen walking up the hill towards them.
As soon as the others point it out to Naruto he immediately jumps up before running to his older brother figure and tackling him with a hug. "KAITO-NII YOU'RE BACK!" As Naruto continues to hug Kaito he chuckles before pushing him off so he can stand. "Naruto I was only gone for a week. Plus it's not like a was on a especially dangerous mission it was just a delivery of some goods." Ruffling Naruto's hair as he stands back up Kaito smiles down at Naruto who smiles back. "I know but I can't help but miss my brother and I'm sure I'm not the only one." As Naruto says this he points behind Kaito at Harue who is angrily tapping her foot with her right hand on her hip. "So Kaito-kun," she says in a sickly sweet voice that all Uzumaki men know the fear,"you decided you'd rather see your brother instead of your girlfriend?" As Kaito turns to Naruto for help he notices he and the rest of left though he does see a note on the ground that says "good luck." "NARUTO YOU TRAITOR!" Before Harue drags him back to the Clan Compound by his ear much to the amusement of those who know them.
As this is occurring Naruto and his friends decide to call it a day but not before Naruto asks Hinata and Sasuke if they'd like to go eat with him. When Sasuke replies he doesn't have any ryo left Naruto cheekily replies he'll cover for Sasuke this time while holding up the money he won from him. As the three friends go for lunch back at the compound Mito calls for a meeting with the elders. As the Uzumaki and Kazama elders enter the room they are surprised to see Hizashi Hyuga in the room with Mito. As the various elders sit around the table Hizashi stands before bowing to the assembled elders.
"Honored Elders of the Kazama, I will not waste your time today myself and my brother seek your aid.," at this many of the elders are confused and look at each other before focusing on Hizashi again," We wish for your aid in both removing and replacing the Caged Bird Seal." As Hizashi finishes his request the various elders are stunned at the request before they hear Mito laughing from her seat. "See Hizashi I told you that asking them would stun them into silence." As Hizashi stares at Mito he smiles before chuckling a bit before once more sitting down beside her. "Lady Mito Lord Hizashi are you telling the truth? Because if you truly are of course we would be honored to aid you in this endeavor." As Emiko finishes her statement the other elders nod and make known their support before Mito raises a hand to signal for silence. "I am glad we are all in agreement but remember this must remain between us, Hiashi, and Hizashi. We can not risk the more obstinate Hyūga elders the chance to work against us before Hiashi and Hizashi are ready to make their move." As the various elders begin talking of how they'll divide up the work Emiko looks up before smiling at Mito and Hizashi. "It appears Naruto has invited Hinata-san over to train today they just entered the compound and are heading to one of our training fields. If you will excuse me Hizashi-sama and Mito-sama I'll head over there now to ensure the two don't go too far." With a bow Emiko exits the room and begins walking towards where her Mind's Eye shows Naruto and Hinata to be.
-Kazama Training Field-
"So Hinata-chan what did you want to do today? Are we gonna spar again with our bloodlines or are we gonna spar without them today?" Nervously poking her index fingers together Hinata thinks back to their last lesson and Naruto's attempts at it. "I-I was thinking we could w-w-work on your chakra co-control Naruto-kun. Af-Afterall you wou-wouldn't be a go-good Hokage if you wa-wa-wasted too much chakra." For a moment the blonde scowls at the memory before smiling at his first and best friend. "I guess we could do that for awhile but afterwards can we spar? You Gentle Fist is hard to counter even with my chains so I want to get better by fighting it." Too nervous to verbally reply Hinata simply nods before retrieving a few leaves for them to try and balance over their foreheads. Within a few moments Hinata is easily able to get the leaf spinning whichever way she wants but notices the leaves are flying off Naruto almost instantly.
"I don't get it Hinata-chan how come I can't get this to work?" As Hinata thinks for a moment she activates her Byakugan, and is momentarily stunned by how much chakra he has, before asking him to try again to see why it's happening. As she watches she sees him direct an absurd amount of chakra onto the leaf hence why it flies away. "Na-Naruto-kun you're using wa-wa-way too much chakra. Can you try using less ma-ma-maybe they won't fly off then." As Naruto try's again the amount still proves to be too much before prompting Naruto to sit down and sulk at his ineptitude. As Hinata thinks over the exercise she comes up with a idea and proceeds to gather multiple leaves before walking over to Naruto. "Na-Naruto-kun can you try it one more time? I want to see if-if using mul-multiple leaves will help you learn this exercise." As Naruto thinks about it he nods before standing and letting her tell him where to put the leaves. In the end she puts one upon his forehead, a action that turns her red for a moment, and another on each hand. "Na-Naruto-kun try focusing on each leaf and using as li-li-little chakra as possible." As Hinata watches she uses her Byakugan to see if he uses too much chakra but to her shock it seems like adding the extra leaves is helping. Knowing this she tells Naruto to put a little more effort in so the leaves will float and spin for him too.
As Naruto concentrates he closes his eyes before trying again. Much to his shock he hears Hinata suddenly cheer for him causing him to open his eyes and see the leaves spinning and not flying off him. "YATTA! I FINALLY DID IT! Thank you Hinata-chan!" He's so happy he momentarily stops channeling chakra and doesn't notice as the leaves fall. As Naruto celebrates he runs up to Hinata and wraps her up in a hug causing the girl to turn totally red before fainting. As soon as Naruto notices he starts to freak out before he sees Emiko walking up to him with a big smile on her face. "Emiko-baa-san! Help Hinata-chan suddenly fainted! What do I do!? Should we take her to the Hospital!" Just as Naruto is about to run off, with the still unconscious Hinata in his arms, Emiko holds out her arm to stop him before pointing to a pair of benches off to the side. "Go lay her down there Naruto-san. I'm sure she'll recover in a moment." As Naruto quickly runs over to the benches Emiko laughs at just how much of his mother lives on in him. "Ahh Kushina-chan I wish you could see your boy now. He may look like his father but on the inside he's just as clueless as you sometimes." As Naruto comes back up to Emiko he asks her what she was saying.
As she looks down at Naruto she ruffles his hair for a moment before telling him it was nothing important. "Now Naruto-san since we're already here why don't we resume training you in the Wairudoshī* style of Uzuken. It seems that you exemplify the random nature of the sea more than anything else." As Naruto and Emiko prepare to spar they both adopt fighting poses with bent knees with their right fist held near their chests with their left farther forward and more open. As Emiko stares down Naruto she opens her left hand and taunting him to attack. As Naruto charges forward he attempts to punch her with his right but has his blow is deftly deflected by her left before she backs up to the right and begins a series of random, circular movements that Naruto copies. As Naruto resumes his attack she constantly dodges or deflects his blows while keeping to her circular movements. "Remember Naruto-san, Uzuken is all about controlling the flow of battle and exploiting your enemies weaknesses. Like this!" As she says this she rushes forward before feinting with a right cross before using her right leg to sweep his legs and knock him down. As Naruto struggles to get up he sees her fist a inch from his face with the tiniest segment of her chains poking through. As they prepare for another round they hear Hinata stirring so Emiko decides to end their sparring session early. Much to her amusement Naruto immediately rushes over to his friend to try and find out what's wrong much to Hinata's embarrassment.
Deciding to help the poor girl Emiko looks at how low the sun is before giving her a a out. "Naruto-san I think it's about time Hinata-san went back home isn't it?" Looking to Hinata who simply nods as she can't trust her voice Naruto smiles before turning back to Emiko. "Can I walk her home Baa-chan? What if she faints,"at this Hinata turns a even deeper shade of red though luckily Naruto doesn't notice,"again on the way home?" As Emiko struggles to hold in her laughs she nods that Naruto can walk her home. As the two leave the training grounds she starts laughing before calming herself and sending a Shadow Clone to inform Hiashi. "Oh Kushina-chan I wonder how long it'll take Naruto to realize her feelings for what they are." As she says this she begins walking back towards the Compound before Kaito, with a few fresh bruises, Shunshins in front of her and simply nods toward one of the larger compounds.
-Uzumaki dojo-
"Kaito-nii why'd you call me here?" Looking down at his brother who'd just returned from walking Hinata home the older Uzumaki smirks before tilting his head towards the dojo. "Well otōto you're going to enter the Academy soon so the Clan believes it's time you have your first blade forged. Go to the weapons rack and try out a few of the blades. Once we've determined which one will suit you best we'll forge one for you." As Kaito watches Naruto go through the katas of Harikēnburēdo* he notices that Naruto seems to favor shorter blades before telling him to stop. "Alright Naruto it appears you're most comfortable with a tanto so try going through the katas with one against a few Shadow Clones of mine." After Naruto draws a tanto from the training rack he moves to the middle of the dojo before assuming a ready stance with his blade held in a reverse grip with his right hand while his left holds a kunai in the same manner. "Alright Kaito-nii bring it on!" As the two charge each other Naruto initially fights defensively using both his kunai and tanto to fend off the strikes from the Shadow Clones chokutos before going on the offensive. As Naruto begin striking back his seems to flow around Kaito's when possible or deflect when his strikes were too fast or close to dodge. Within a few moments Naruto had managed to eliminate the majority of the clones though he had taken a few strikes from them in exchange. But before he could eliminate the last clones he felt the edge of a chokuto upon his neck from behind. "Well otōto I think we've figured out what weapon you'd be most proficient with but it's still my win." Behind a frowning Naruto the original Kaito smirks as he holds his blade steady. "Nii-san why don't you look down." As Naruto says this he pokes his brother figure's chest with his own tanto much to his surprise.
As Kaito begins to laugh they both sheathe their blades before bumping their fists together. "Alright Naruto, that was a good move. But it's still just a tie since if this were real we both would've died after completing our strikes. Now let's get cleaned up before dinner we don't want Emiko-sama to be mad at us again do we?" As Naruto nods the two walk out of the dojo after putting the blades back where they got them. "So Kaito-nii how long will it take for my blade to be forged? What seals are we going to put on it? When will I get to use it?" As Naruto asks more and more questions Kaito simply puts a hand on his head before ruffling it side to side. "Otōto calm down. You'll be called in for the forging soon but with regards for when you get to carry it. That'll be after you start at the Academy because right now it wouldn't be legal for you to carry a real blade in the village." As the two enter the clan's hall for dinner they split up to speak with their other friends.
-2 months later-
"So where is Kaito-nii, Mito-oba-san? He's been gone for a long time and left right before he was supposed to begin teaching me more advanced fuinjutsu." Noticing the worry that's in Naruto's voice Mito gently squeezes his shoulder as they walk. "Kaito left on a very sensitive mission for the Clan. Naruto tell me do you know what your Clan has been doing since the Fall?" Freezing for just a moment Naruto nods before lookin up at the Kazama Matriarch. "Kaito-nii hasn't give me any details but he says the Clan has spent years trying to find lost members, scrolls, weapons, and other things that were scattered during the Fall." As Mito nods she deactivates a seal that kept her office secure and the door opens to Kaito next to two red-haired women who appear to be related. "Kaito was sent on a very secret mission with others from the clan to see if the rumors of two Uzumaki women near Kusa. I'd like to introduce you to Kaida and Karin Uzumaki lost members of your clan who have finally been found." As Naruto stares at his relatives he begins to smile before running forward and hugging them. "Welcome to Konoha Karin-nee and Kaida-oba-san! I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" As Naruto hugs the two he notices Karin looking at his hair and eyes with a weird look. "Are you sure you're a Uzumaki? What kind of Uzumaki doesn't have red hair or violet eyes?"
As Naruto is momentarily stunned he hears Kaito start to laugh before he states that while Naruto's mom was a Uzumaki his father was not. Noticing that Kaito said his mother was one let Kaida know that his mother was no longer alive. "Naruto-kun who was your mother?" Naruto looked back at Mito who nodded before smiling and turning back to Kaida and Karin. "My Ka-san was Kushina Uzumaki." Upon hearing this Kaida looks stunned before falling against the office wall. Stunned at what happened Naruto and the rest quickly rush to see what's wrong. With tears in her eyes Kaida explains that Kushina was her cousin. She explains how while Kushina's side of the family sent her to live in Konoha she was kept in Uzushio as the Head Family had a duty to protect the rest of the clan. "Kaida I hate to ask but how did you survive the Fall? We know the wrath seals were activated soon after the Legacy was sent here but you should've been in a bunker by then." As Kaida thinks back to that horrible day a darkness seems to cover the light in her eyes before she replies. "We hadn't made it to the bunkers before our home was cut off by the invaders. So my husband forced me to flee the island while the Kiri fleet was being ravaged by the wrath seals." As Naruto hears this he hugs his aunt who at first shrinks back before embracing him. After a moment of shock Karin joins him in hugging her mom as she cry's for her lost father and kin.
-Hokage's office-
"So Karin and her mother will be publicly Uzumaki but the rest will have to remain hidden why Jiji?" As the Hokage smiles at his nickname he momentarily thinks to how to explain the complicated issue to such a child. "Naruto your clan's main worry is that their enemies will try to finish their deed correct?", to this Naruto nods,"Tell me Naruto do you think they'd rather risk another war over just three Uzumaki or the clan's remnants?" As Naruto thinks for a minute he says they'd rather target the whole clan instead of just three members. Seeing how sad Naruto is Hiruzen stands up and walks in front of Naruto before sitting beside him. "Naruto I know you want everyone to know your Clan is still alive but don't worry once you're of age you'll be free to do so as their Clan Head. Just make sure you get strong enough that you can protect your Clan because it'll be your job to protect it even if you become Hokage." Happy that one day his Clan will return to the light Naruto nods before smiling at his aunt and cousin.
"Now let's see about signing you up for the Academy Karin-chan and Kaida-san if you'd like I'm sure we could have you become one of the Village's shinobi." As the two begin the process of joining the Village the rest leave the Hokage's office to wait outside. As Naruto, Kaito, and Mito sit outside Naruto begins to notice the looks he's getting from the various civilians along with the glares directed towards Kaito and Mito. As he begins to feel more uncomfortable he moves closer to Kaito and Mito. "Kaito-nii why are so many people looking at me like that? I haven't even pranked most of these people and even if I have I haven't pranked anyone in over 6 months." Putting a arm around Naruto Kaito glares back at those around them with his chakra cracking the ground below him in response to his anger. "They're angry at something the Kazama Clan did in the past to fulfill a oath to your clan. But don't worry about that they are wrong and *we did not make a mistake."
As Naruto looks up at his brother figure he smiles at his words before turning back to look at the Hokage Tower as he hears Karin's voice. "Naruto we're gonna be in the same class isn't that great!" As Karin runs towards her new family her mom smiles as she remembers the horrible deal Kusa had offered right before Kaito found them. "Kushina-chan I don't know where you are but I promise I'll protect your son and our Clan." As the Uzumakis and Kazama head back to their compound Hiruzen smiles as he looks down at them through the window. Unfortunately his happy mood would not last as one of his ANBU came in for a report. "Weasel-san I take it your news is not good." With a monotone voice that betrays no emotion the masked ANBU reports that the Hokage is right with the only sign of his true feelings being his eyes turning red under his mask.
-First Day of the Academy-
"NARUTO WAKE UP!" As Karin runs into Naruto's room she see's him sleeping without a care in the world on his bed despite his alarm, and her, attempts to wake him. As she try's shaking him to wake him he simply borrows himself further into his sheets while mumbling something that sounds suspiciously like him ordering ramen. Seeing that they will have to leave for the Academy soon Karin quickly runs out of the room before running back in with a small cup of water that she dumps onto Naruto's head. "AHHHHHHH WHAT THE HELL!" As Naruto is quickly woken up by the sudden soaking he stares at Karin who simply tells him to get up otherwise they'll be late. "WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP EARLIER KARIN!" Before Karin can reply two chains come around the door frame and lightly hit both on the head as Kaida enters the room.
"Naruto and Karin please hurry up. Kaito and me are going to be taking you soon and we don't want to take you in your pajamas." As soon as Karin leaves his room Naruto quickly changes into the clothes he'd picked out the night before a pair of black pants with orange flames at the bottom, his mesh undershirt, a dark blue shirt with the Uzumaki spiral on the front above his heart a larger one on his back, and his favorite orange and black *sweater. As Naruto rushes out to have a quick breakfast he quickly straps his holders for his weapons and sealing supplies onto his right leg and hip respectively.
A few moments later as they enter the Academy with the others from the Clan Naruto begins to notice some people, most notably civilians though some members of other clans, seem to be staring at him with disgust or anger in their eyes. But before he can say anything he hears someone call his name from behind and see's Sasuke with his older brother. "Hey Naruto, you ready for this?" As Naruto smiles at his long time friend he, loudly, shouts that he'll ace the exam. As the two argue back and forth their other friends arrive and join the conversation. "He-he-hello Naruto-kun." As Naruto turns to see Hinata his smile turns bittersweet as he remembers how her mother had passed away soon after the birth of her baby sister. "Hey Hinata-chan, you ready for this?" Even as the girl blushes even more she nods to her crush. "H-Hai Naruto-kun and I hope we're in the same class."
As the last students arrive with their parents and relatives the Hokage walks onto a small stage alongside the Academy Headmaster and two guards. "Welcome all to the Konoha Academy, it is my pleasure as your Hokage to begin this year's entrance exam. To those of who wishing to become students today I wish you good luck and hope to see you all during the Graduation exam." As Hiruzen steps back the Headmaster steps forward and calls for the various students to line up before taking them into the Academy proper for the first part of their exam. "Attention students the first test will be a purely mental one as we need to ensure you all have the ability to realize what it means to be a Leaf Shinobi. The instructors behind me will separate you into groups before taking you into one of the classrooms for the test. Once that is completed they will bring you back out for the physical portion which will be a obstacle course you must complete followed by having you compete in 1v1 battle with another using only taijutsu. The use of any jutsu or any other skill beyond pure taijutsu will result in your immediate disqualification." As the prospective students are separated Naruto notices the Headmaster seems to be giving him the same glare that many civilians do when he's outside the Compound. As he wonders what the Kazama could've done to anger so many he begins holding his Hyuga Pendant almost as a lifeline.
-1 hr later-
As the slightly reduced class exits the Academy building Naruto is happy to notice that all of his friends and family seem to have passed so far. As the class is once again divided up between the teachers Naruto is glad that he's finally grouped with his friends though he does notice a lone browned haired girl standing at the back looking nervous. Deciding to cheer her up as Kaito used to cheer him up he walks up to the girl and offers a hand which she nervously takes. "Hi I'm Naruto Uzumaki! What's your name?" The girl seems to start at his name before smiling slightly though Naruto is confused as to why. "My name is Yakumo Kurama." Smiling as the girl shakes his hand Naruto thinks back to the etiquette lessons he has as the Clan Heir. "I've heard of that clan before aren't you all supposed to be genjutsu masters?" As Yakumo hears this she smiles before saying yes. "And I have heard of your clan Naruto and I must thank you for them.", Naruto confused at this try's to remember if he or his clan have ever helped her, "It is thanks to your clan's mastery that I am here today. So while I can not thank your clan itself I can thank you and the Kazamas for aiding me in the past."
With this Yakumo quickly bows to Naruto before giving him a quick hug. As Yakumo backs up Naruto rubs the back of his head before smiling. "Well I don't know what my clan or the Kazamas did to help but I'm glad they did. I hope we can be friends Yakumo-san." Before either one can say more they hear the teacher they're supposed to follow them call for their attention. "Hello students my name is Iruka Umino. The man to my left is Mizuki. We will be judging your taijutsu by having you spar against each other to ensure you have at least some foundation to build upon." As Iruka speaks he looks from left to right at all the students, stopping on Naruto for the briefest of moments, before wishing them all good luck and looking down at his clipboard.
"The first fight will be between Karin Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno remember no jutsu or other techniques will be allowed in this. You two will only rely on whatever taijutsu you know unless you'd like to be disqualified. BEGIN!" As Iruka says this Karin falls into a basic Uzuken *Rapizzu stance with her right leg slightly forward and both arms up to cover her core and head. As Sakura sees this she gets into the basic Leaf stance her mother had taught her. The two warily circle each other before Karin suddenly shoots forward before pivoting with her left foot to kick at Sakura with her right. Due to the speed of the attack Sakura is unable to dodge and uses her firearms to block the blow. Before she can retaliate though Karin jumps back and reassumes her original stance before making the come at me sign with her right hand. Enraged at being taunted Sakura rushes forward and begins trying to strike at Karin with erratic left and right hooks alongside the occasional kick. But as the match goes on it's clear Karin is in control of the fight as she wears Sakura down with only a few strikes connecting. As Sakura backs up to take a breather and think of how to take command of the fight Karin rushes forward and kicks again except this time she puts more force into the blow. As Sakura try's to block it she is just a little too slow and as Karin's foot connects she's knocked onto her back. Before she can react Karin quickly jumps forward and has her fist right before Sakura face. "Good fight both of you but the match goes to Karin. Now make the Seal of Reconciliation." As the two girls make the sign the various other prospective students wonder who they're going to be paired against. "Alright next will be Shikamaru Nara," at this Shikamaru hears this he mumbles "what a drag", "and Choji Akimichi."
As the two boys enter the ring neither one appears to want to fight but still make the traditional seal to start the match. Before Iruka can stop him though Shikamaru simply backs out of the ring after winking at his friend. As the kids who know Shikamaru laugh Iruka's eye begins to twitch as he realizes how lazy the Nara men truly are. "Alright the victory is Choji's. Next will be.." As Iruka continues to call out names Naruto zones out as no one he knows well is called until he hears him call out Yakumo and Ino after a few matches. As Naruto watches he notices that Yakumo seems hesitant to fight. "Come on Yakumo you can do it!" As the various students stare at Naruto he simply smiles and shrugs as he sees his words helped her. "Alright if there will be no more interruptions," at this Mizuki glares at Naruto for a moment as Iruka says this, "you two can begin." Form the start of the match it's clear neither girl has trained much in taijutsu as their forms, strikes, and blocks seem very basic eventually they both manage to knock each onto their backs with a punch to the face at the same time. As Iruka waits for one to get up he notices neither one seems willing and thus declares the match a draw and asks the girls to leave the ring after they've made the seal. "Good match girls now will Hinata Hyuga and Yama Fūma please come forward."
As the two girls enter both quickly make the seal before assuming their clan's respective stances. "So Hinata-san how will the Gentle Fist fare without the use of chakra? I know that's part of it's power in addition to the vision granted by those eyes of yours." Hinata either too shy to answer or not wanting to tell the girl simply rushes forward to begin the fight. At first Hinata seems to be winning as she is pushing Yama back more and more before the girl quickly begins blocking or deflecting the Gentle Fist strikes. After a moment Yama begins pushing the Hyūga heiress back with a combination of quick jabs and attempts to sweep Hinata's legs out from under her. Just as Hinata begins to doubt her own abilities she hears Naruto shout from the crowd. "COME ON HINATA-CHAN YOU CAN DO IT!" Emboldened by her crush's words she quickly makes some distance with Yama before adopting a slightly different stance. "Oh so the mighty Hyūga has fallen to using a different clan's style in her fighting."
As Yama rushes forward she quickly realize that Hinata's new style while rough seems more natural to her. Instead of blocking each strike like she did before the girl seems to flow around them before retaliating. Both girls quickly jump back to breathe and assess the fight but before they can begin again Iruka calls a halt. "It's clear neither of you will win this match without a long fight so I'm offering you the chance to end it with a draw or would you two like to continue?" As the two girls stare at each other both say they'd wish to continue before Iruka quickly backs out of the ring before telling them to resume the spar. "Hey Hinata-san let's finish this in one blow. Your new style versus my clan's and we'll see who's the better match for him." The last part is said quietly so only Hinata hears Yama but she stares at the girl before quickly rushing forward. As both girls launch their attacks Hinata, barely, manages to deflect Yama's right foot away form her body before her left fist collides with her chest and knocks her out of the ring. "A very good match you two now please end the spar the proper way." After Hinata helps the girl up she quickly makes the Seal of Reconciliation before walking out of the ring. As the class continues to whisper about the fight Iruka looks down at his clipboard before sighing as he looks up. "Alright next up is Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha."
As the two boys enter the ring they smirk at each other before assuming their respective clan forms. "So Naruto are you ready to lose again?" Falling into his usual stance Naruto smirks at Sasuke who responds in kind. "Bring it on Duck Butt!" As Naruto says this he charges forward much like Karin did but instead of pivoting to lash out with a kick he attempts to sweep Sasuke's legs out from under him. As the fight goes on it's clear both boys know the others style relatively well as neither can strike a decisive blow on the other without being exposed to one in return. As the two momentarily back away from each other they again smirk before assuming slightly different stances with Naruto's appearing more solid while Sasuke's seems to be a mix of his previous one and Karin's. As Karin stares at Sasuke she realizes he's adopted one for the stances from the Rapizzu style that she had used in spars with him before.
"Naruto you better beat him! He's using our style without permission!" As Sasuke rushes forward Naruto doesn't seem to move much other than shifting his left leg back and moving his right arm slightly forward. Almost simultaneously they both begin to attack with Sasuke attempting to hit Naruto with his right fist while Naruto's left leg shoots forward to do the same to him. Neither boy is able to dodge or block the blows as they connect but despite being hit in the jaw Naruto manages to remain standing while Sasuke is flung back. The moment Sasuke is down Naruto rushes forward like Karin did in her own match has a fist ready to strike Sasuke's face before he can recover. "I guess it's my win this time Sasuke." As Sasuke clicks his tongue in annoyance Naruto offers a hand to help him up. "The winner is Naruto Uzumaki. Now if you will all follow me we will be separating you into your classes soon." As the group of students heads back to the front of the school Naruto quickly catches up to Hinata and Karin. "See Hinata-chan I told you that you'd do good today!"
As Hinata blushes at Naruto's compliment Karin simply rolls her eyes at how oblivious her relative is. "Na-Naruto-kun what was that stance you took at the end of your fight with Sasuke-san?" "Oh that was the initial stance of Hakunaishō a sub style of Uzuken that Kaito-nii has been teaching me lately. He said if I can combine the randomness of Wairudoshī with the power of Hakunaishō I'd have a style that suits me perfectly. So we've been working on it for a few weeks now though I've only learned a few of the beginners katas it's fun sparring with him and his friends with it." As the students are led back into the front of the Academy Naruto again notices the looks he's getting but chooses to ignore it for now. As the students are divided into classes of 36 students Naruto is happy to see he's in the same class as all of his friends. As the students are dismissed for the day Naruto again hears whispers form people around him and is confused at what they're talking about.
"Why is it allowed here?" "Doesn't the Hokage know it'll turn on us?" "How could he allow the thing that killed so many to live?" "Kami damn the Kazama for protecting it." As he begins feeling increasingly nervous he feels a familiar presence come behind him and place a hand on his shoulder. "So Naruto I see you're finally entering the Academy." Looking up behind him Naruto smiles and nods at Hizashi Hyūga. "Hai Hizashi-oji-san, it's already great and I finally beat Sasuke again in our fight. But why are you here isn't Neji currently at the Hyūga Compound?" Nodding Hizashi waves towards Karin and his niece who begin walking his way. "I came her to pick up Hinata-sama, you, and Karin-san. My elder brother has invited you two along with Mito-sama, Kaida-sama, and Kaito-san to have dinner with us to celebrate you all entering the Academy today." "Will you and Neji be joining us?" Hearing this Hizashi smiles before nodding that they will much to Naruto and Hinata's joy.
-Hyūga Compound-
As the families all sit within the Head Family's private dining room Naruto, Hinata, and Karin all tell of how they did and the class they're in. As the adults listen in and congratulate their children and family Kaito notices something odd about their class. "It sounds like you three are in the class with all the other Clan Heirs or members with only a few civilians that should make for a interesting graduating class. "You're right Kaito-nii is that normal? We have the two Uzumaki, Hyuga, Uchiha, Kurama, Inuzuka, Aburame, Nara, Kazama, Yamanaka, Fūma, and Akimichi. All we need a Sarutobi, Kazama, Hatake, Onikuma, a Senju if there were any, a Shimura and we'd have every clan represented in the village." As the various adults ponder what it means they eventually tell the kids to not worry about it as it just means their class will likely do better than usual. As the food is brought out Kaito quickly grabs the back of Naruto's shirt before he begins to dig in like he usually does. As he holds Naruto he leans down and whispers in his ear. "Don't eat like you do at home otōto you don't want to embarrass the clan. I want you to eat like you did when we had to entertain those guests for Mito-sama's birthday." As Naruto listens he briefly turns red at the thought of embarrassing his clan before nodding slightly.
As the dinner is served Mito notices that Hiashi has become to surreptitiously sign to her asking about the progress. As soon as both the staff and children aren't paying direct attention to her she signs back that the seal is proving tougher than expected to crack. At this Hiashi for the briefest of moments frowns before his normally stoic mask is back. Once each of the guests has been served Hiashi raises his cup and clears his throat to draw everyone's attention. "Let me first thank you all again for attending on such short notice it is truly a pleasure to see all of you. And second let us toast to our three young children who have entered the Academy and begun their journey to becoming shinobi. Hinata my dear daughter,"at this Hinata smiles back as she blushes at the praise, "Naruto the young hero to many in my clan, and Karin a dear friend to my daughters I wish you all the best of luck on your journeys and offer my support in whatever you wish to achieve one day." As the various adults and teens cheer for the three new students they all have blushes on their faces but are still smiling nonetheless at Hiashi for his kind words. As the cheering dies down Kaito raises his class and after receiving a nod from Hiashi stands to give his own short speech. "I am proud of all three of you and as Hiashi promised so too do I. If you are ever in need of help my door will always be open to you three. To Naruto my hyperactive, knuckleheaded little brother, to Hinata the princess of the Hyuga and one of my little brothers first friends, and Karin a true Uzumaki and friend to all she meets I raise my glass to you. To the future of the Leaf!" As the cheering begins again Naruto quickly hugs his older brother figure as he sits down with a few tears in his eyes.
-later that night-
As the aging Hokage sits in his office alone he senses two of his best ANBU enter the room. "So what do you have to report Weasel-san and Crow-san. Have my efforts begun to work or are they still planning a coup?" As the Crow masked ANBU looks up one can see for a second a flash of red in his eyes. "Sadly Hokage-sama they refuse to see reason and even now continue to plan their coup. I believe they plan to launch it within the next two years once they've managed to get their men into a few more key positions within the village." Taking out his pipe Hiruzen packs and lights it before responding. "That is concerning and Weasel-san what news do you have?" Knowing his response will only further worry the man Weasel hesitates before responding. "The clan is beginning to doubt my loyalties Hokage-sama I fear it won't be long until I'm either dealt with or they stop trusting me completely. But Crow and I believe we have a solution to the problem. Crow-san knows of a extremely potent genjutsu that can end this before it getting any worse but we need to use it when every member who's in on the coup is at a meeting so we have to bide our time. We ask your permission to use this genjutsu to replace their thoughts of being hated and judged with loyalty and love for the village. But for it to succeed we will need you to try and get the village's attitudes to change otherwise the process will just start again."
Taking a deep draw on his pipe Hiruzen nods before letting the smoke out in a fragrant cloud. "If you believe it will work I will allow it but you must ensure you get every member otherwise things will get bloody very quickly. I will work on countering the negative attention they have been given these last few years but it may take time." As the Hokage and his ANBU begin planning on how they will stop the coup the door to the room suddenly opens. "Danzo-san what are you doing here? This a meeting between myself and my two ANBU you were not invited." Shutting the door behind him Danzō bows as if in apology before looking between Hiruzen and his Anbu. "Forgive me Hiruzen but as a elder of this village I believe my input is critical here. The plan you wish to carry out does not remove the threat," at these words the two ANBU feel rage boiling up within them,"it only stops it temporarily. The Uchiha have become a threat to the village much like the Kazama are and need to be dealt with permanently. Your half way methods will only embolden them once they break whatever genjutsu is placed upon them." As Danzō stares at the two ANBU the slightest bit of KI begins to radiate off of them.
As both Crow and Weasel struggle to reign in their emotions Hiruzen simply stares in shock at his former teammate. "Neither the Uchiha nor the Kazama are a threat to the village they are both loyal to the village. Let me make it clear to you Danzō I will not tolerate you going behind my back on either of these issues. I will deal with the few radical Uchihas myself and you will not interfere is that clear?" For a moment Danzō simply stares before agreeing that he won't interfere before he walks out though Hiruzen can see the anger rising in his eyes. "Hokage-sama why does he think the Kazama are a threat? They've been loyal to the village since they joined and provided many useful and powerful seals for us and even teach fuinjutsu in the Academy." "He sees them as a threat because they take care of the Village's jinchuriki Crow-san. He and the other Elders wanted me to have him be a ward of the village due to his parents being killed in the attack but I refused because the Kazama and Uzumaki have long had an alliance."
"It seems to me Hokage-sama that Danzō has the mentality of a child in some ways. He wants the best and shiniest things for the village, or himself, but doesn't think anyone else should be allowed to touch them." As Hiruzen considers Crow's words he slowly nods before sitting down at his desk. "You two have my permission to use whatever genjutsu you need to convince them to not launch their coup. But since Danzō may decide to interfere I advise you seek the help of either Inu-san and Tenzo or Taku-san and Unagi-san either of those two should be able to help you. But they can not be allowed to know the final part of your mission is that clear?" As both ANBU nod they quickly rise before using Shunshin to exit the building. As Hiruzen sits alone in his office he turns his chair to face the monument to his successor and spends some time simply talking to him and wondering what he would do if he was still around.
-1 year later-
During the middle of the night two ANBU meet within a room in the Hokage Tower. "So who are we going to have help us with the mission Crow?" "I think it would be wise to ask for the aid of Taku and Unagi they have abilities that most are not aware of plus they are some of my closest friends. When is the meeting?" As both men remove their masks Itachi and Shisui Uchiha stare at each other for a moment before looking down at all the information they've gathered. "It'll in one week's time in the meeting place below the Naka Shrine. Everyone involved should be there so it'd be wise for us to arrive slightly before the rest and prepare my Kotoamatsukami before the Clan is all there." "When do you want me to go recruit Taku and Unagi? We'll need to ensure they aren't on any other missions that day." "I'll go talk to Taku today he'll tell Unagi himself. It wouldn't look suspicious since me and him are already known as great friends. You just keep an eye on the clan Danzō if you can I feel like he's going to try something soon." As the two head out of the building they are watched by figures from the shadows before they split up and head different ways.
-with Shisui-
Later that day Shisui enters the Kazama Compound he's greeted by one of the Kazama guards who sends for Kaito. Soon after Kaito joins Shisui in the compounds entry hall but before Shisui can speak he holds up his hand. "I'm just a Shadow Clone. Kaito is working with Naruto on his fuinjutsu right now so he sent me instead." As Shisui considers things for a moment he signs that this will need to remain secret before saying Kaito's room will be fine. "Alright follow me and Kairi please keep this off the record." As the guard nods he sends some chakra into a series of seals near the gate that activates a multitude more around it as well as more spread thought the compound's wall. As they enter Kaito's room Shisui notices a small box hidden amongst his extra mission gear before smirking at his friend. "So you're finally gonna ask her it's about time. You guys have been a couple since Naruto was born." As Kaito's clone notices where Shisui is looking he quickly puts it in a seal before telling Shisui to keep it secret. "Kaito I hate to ask but can you activate your strongest privacy seals right now? Or do you need my help since you're not the real one." Taking a moment to think the clone shakes his head. "I can do it just give me a moment." As SC-Kaito presses his left hand against the wall a multitude of seals briefly glow on them before fading back into the walls. "Alright now short of someone with powers of a Sage or the Sage himself no one outside of here will know what you're asking me." Looking between the clone and where he sealed away the box Shisui sighs before pulling out a small black scroll. "I need your help as Taku and I also need Unagi for a mission me and Weasel are carrying out in the next Friday."
Upon hearing his old ANBU name SC-Kaito stiffens before nodding as he realizes how serious this is. "What's the mission?" Shaking his head to indicate he can't answer that Shisui holds out the scroll. "By order of the Hokage can't tell you the final part but we need you and Unagi to escort me and Weasel to the Naka Shrine without being detected. From there we will handle the mission ourselves but we need to reach it without being attacked or spotted by others." Reading the scroll the clone's eyes harden as he realizes who they may be facing."I'll tell Unagi but when is the mission?"
Giving the clone a moment to finish reading the scroll before he takes it back and destroys it Shisui's response is quiet yet filled with a emotion Kaito's clone can't place. "It will happen like I said next Friday. We will meet you two at our old training ground at 9PM before heading there bring your standard weapons and gear. Tell Unagi to bring hers as well. That will be all for the mission alright?" For a moment SC-Kaito is silent before he releasing the seals as he nods. "You can count on us but I expect one day to hear just why you need our help in addition to Itachi's." As Shisui sadly smiles he nods before exiting the room as SC-Kaito dispels himself to let Kaito know what is going to happen.
-with Itachi-
As Itachi exits the Uchiha Compound he notices that many of his clan are staring at him with barely guarded suspicion before he notices Shisui leaving the Kazama Compound. As he walks by Shisui on the road he briefly looks at his eyes before looking towards the Hokage Tower to tell him he's got something to tell the Hokage. As Shisui enters the Uchiha's Compound he quietly prays for the safety of his friends, clan, and village as things will soon come to a head one way or another. Meanwhile for Itachi his walk to the Hokage's office feels more like infiltrating a enemy camp due to those watching him. "I'm assuming Danzō is going to try and convince me again today given the number of his agents watching me." As he enters the Tower he turns and stares at some of the shinobi watching before turning back and heading for the stairs. As he gets closer to the Hokage's office he turns and stares at a corner as Danzō comes around it before walking up to him. "Hello Itachi-san I require a moment of your time. Can we speak in the Council chambers?" As the two enter the chambers Itachi quickly activates his Sharingan to ensure there aren't any traps or hidden shinobi waiting to ambush him.
As Danzō closes the door the privacy seals around the room activate and Itachi once again uses his Sharingan to ensure no changes were made to them. "Not Itachi I know we have spoken of this many times already but you must see your plan is a halfway measure at best. If it fails the Uchiha will be emboldened and the result will be a bloodier coup which will eventually lead to another war. We must ensure that can not happen and the best way to do so is to totally eliminate the threat of the coup." As Itachi listens his eyes become harder and colder before he simply shakes his head. "I have told you many times Danzō-sama that your method will not be needed. The plan we have will erase the threat that you helped cause by starting the rumors without much, if, any bloodshed. So unless you are here to tell me you will tell the Hokage you and the other Elders are behind the rumors that started this mess I advise you to stop." As Itachi moves to exit the room Danzō steps aside but within him anger boils at the Uchiha's threats and words. "Uchiha I advise you remember who I am. And what I have done for the Village before you make threats." As Itachi turns back to Danzō his Sharingan stares back at Danzō and the normally pacifist Uchiha can be seen struggling with his anger at the man.
"And do not presume that you are the only one who has power within this village or has sacrificed to serve it." As Itachi exits the room he deactivates his Sharingan and walks up to the Hokage's door before knocking. After hearing the Hokage say enter Itachi opens the door and enters the room before closing it behind him. "Thank you for seeing me Hokage-sama. May I ask that this be a private conversation it is quite sensitive." As the Hokage nods there are four small blurs in the room and the Hokage forms a half ram seal to activate the office's privacy seals. Before he can speak though Itachi activates his Sharingan and looks around the room to ensure they're alone. "I am sorry about that Hokage-sama but I have been followed by members of ROOT and my own clan for too long to take chances. Shisui asked me to tell you that we will be carrying out the mission in a week's time and have asked Taku and Unagi to escort us. I'd also like to alert you that Danzo has become increasingly insistent that I follow his way instead of ours. I feel like he may try to stop us so I would like to warn you that we may end up fighting his men or him during the mission if that were to occur." As the Hokage nods he pulls out his pipe before lighting it with a small amount of fire nature chakra. "Thank you for telling me Itachi-san. I will ensure that they are free of missions that day so they can aid you. I will also put Inu and Tenzo on standby in case you need the assistance. If that occurs I want you to apply chakra to this seal," as the Hokage says this he hands the seal paper over to Itachi, "it's linked to it's kin via a seal akin to a summing one. Once chakra is applied they will immediately begin moving to your location from here. As they get closer the seal will glow brighter to allow them to know if they heading in the right direction." As Itachi hides the seal within his vest he bows to the Hokage and thanks him for his time so the Hokage can deactivate the seals and end their private meeting.
-night Kazama Compound-
As Harue and Kaito sit within his private living room Harue looks up at him for a minute before she remembers something she'd seen that day. "So Kaito-kun why did Shisui come here and speak to you?" As Kaito hear this he momentarily stiffens much to Harue's shock as she lays against him. "He has need of Taku and Onagi for a ANBU mission in one weeks time. He'll make sure we don't get sent on any others to ensure we can help but was only allowed to tell me part of the mission. Our job will be to escort Crow and Weasel to the Naka Shrine without others knowing or stopping us." As Harue considers what this could mean she realizes that whatever the threat is Shisui and the Hokage want it gone ASAP. "Did he say who we will be possibly fighting and why?" As Kaito thinks back to the conversation his clone had with Shisui he realizes that when he was speaking of the protecting part he was using ANBU signs to communicate more. "I think we'll be protecting them from ROOT and maybe even their own clan? I don't understand why we would be fighting fellow Leaf shinobi but we must assume whatever they are trying to stop is a A class threat at the very least." Stunned by his words Harue simply presses herself more against Kaito to try and block out the memories of her time in ANBU as Unagi. As the two slowly fall asleep holding each other their dreams are filled with memories from ANBU. The only thing that seems to keep the darkness at bay is the warmth and comfort they provide to each other.
-later that week-
As the Village's shinobi awaken Kaito and Harue are quietly woken up by one of Kaito's kin as it's his turn to teach fuinjutsu at the Academy today. After washing off and ensuring Naruto has done the same the two leave the Compound with a small breakfast in hand as they head to the Academy. As the various students, parents, and teachers arrive at the Academy they are surprised to see Naruto and Kaito there before most of them and seemingly carrying in a massive supply of ink, sealing papers, and brushes. "Yo Naruto what exactly are you doing?" As Naruto turns at hearing the voice he sees his friends Choji, Shikamaru, and Shino looking between him and the sealing supplies. "It's Kaito-nii's turn to teach fuinjutsu and since he's teaching all the classes from beginner to advanced he's brought extra supplies." As Choji stares at the slowly shrinking pile of supplies he notices that Naruto for once has his own sealing supplies strapped to his left leg and waist. "I see you came prepared for once Naruto." As Naruto turns back around he rolls his eyes before replying that the Uzumaki take to sealing like the Akimichi take to good food. "What a drag." As the students enter their various rooms each class seems to have a Shadow Clone of Kaito organizing his supplies.
"Good morning students I am Kaito Kazama and today I will be your teacher for fuinjutsu. As your previous instructors have no doubt taught you Fuinjutsu has always been one of the rarer arts within the shinobi world. Very few have the patience or desire to learn such a art when to them the more traditional route of ninjitsu seems easier and just as good. I am here to dispel at least some of those thoughts from your head for you see fuinjutsu is likely one of the most powerful shinobi arts. With the right knowledge and creativity you can create a seal for almost any situation. For example as you all know we have storage seals, explosive seals, and barrier seals but that is far from all we can create with seals. As some of you have no doubt noticed some of my kinsmen love to store their lunches within seals. This is not to show off their abilities but simply a way to keep the food fresh and hot," as Kaito does this he unfolds a seal upon the teachers desk and unseals a few meat buns, "as you can no doubt see and smell this food is just as fresh right now as it was when I put it in the seal. Now are there any questions before we begin and I show you how to make a variety of beginner seals." As a few students raise their hands Kaito points at Kiba who stands before speaking.
"Kaito-sensei why is your clan so interested in fuinjutsu it seems like such a dull art compared to ninjitsu?" Before Kaito can reply he sees Shino raise his hand and gestures for him to speak. "That's because Kiba they learned from the Uzumaki. I believe they do it in remembrance of their fallen comrades who were known for their fuinjutsu." As Kaito has a small smile on his face he nods at Shino. "That is correct Shino-san we did learn from the Uzumaki Clan and we do continue to use it in remembrance of them. If you will forgive me Iruka-san I will tell them a bit about my Clan's history before moving back to the subject of fuinjutsu." As Iruka nods Naruto seems to sit straighter as he knows what Kaito is about to tell the class. "My Clan was originally not from the Land of Fire, as it is now known, we were originally from what would become the Land of Water. We weren't a particularly large clan nor were we particularly aggressive. But that didn't matter to them in fact they might have seen it as a insult for us not to be hyper aggressive. For you see our clan was attacked by the Kaguya Clan of Kiri and nearly driven to extinction by them. We were constantly pushed back due to our inability to counter their Shikotsumyaku bloodline which allowed some in their clan to use their very bones as weapons. They could form these weapons almost instantly and they were hard enough that even today you'd have difficulty piercing them. Right when it seemed like our final days were upon us we were saved by a contingent of the Uzumaki Clan. We of course knew of them much in the same way we knew of the Uchiha, Senju, and Chinoike Clan but we didn't truly know them. They had heard of our plight and at the behest of their Patriarchs second son sent many of their best to save us." Upon hearing this many within the class raise their hands before Kaito calls upon one who asks why they did it.
"They did it because they could and that is exactly what they told us. They didn't expect payment or servitude for it either like many other clans would've. They just wanted to save us because they were good people even during those dark days when war waged endlessly." As the students digest these words Naruto, Karin, and Kaito all share the same sad smile because they know what's coming next. "Wh-What hap-happened to them? You sa-said they were "good" people not "are" good people." As Hinata finishes her question everyone can see Kaito close his eyes for the briefest moment before opening them. "The Uzumaki were mostly wiped out," at this many in the class are shocked and some look down at Naruto and Karin who seem to shrink at those words, "at the start of the 2nd Shinobi World War Uzushio was besieged by Kiri, Kumo, Iwa, and their allies. While some of their forces kept Konoha and Suna from sending aid the overwhelming majority were involved in the attack. It's believed somewhere along the lines of 20,000 shinobi were involved in the attack. But the Uzumaki, the Uzushio Kazama, and the other Uzu clan's fought hard to defend their homes. In the end Uzushio fell but by the end of the battle the village and it's people had managed to take close to 11,000 enemies with them. The reason such a small village did such damage to such overwhelming numbers is quite simple the Uzumakis were the masters of fuinjutsu. They had covered the islands in seals of such power and complexity that the attackers had to use some of their strongest weapons to even breach Uzushio's walls." As the various students consider Kaito's words Hinata reaches over and hugs Naruto as she sees the sadness in his eyes.
"So now you see why fuinjutsu is considered by us to be one of the strongest arts. We may never reach the heights our friends did but we can still use it to remember them and carry on their Legacy. Now let's begin the lesson today I will be teaching you all how to create a simple chakra storage seal. Can anyone tell me why such a seal would be useful to a shinobi?" As Kaito looks across the class he sees Naruto, Karin, Sakura, and surprisingly Shikamaru raise their hands. "Shikamaru and Sakura why do you think such a seal would be useful?" As Sakura stands she briefly looks over at Naruto before turning back to to Kaito. "If used right it would allow a shinobi to use jutsu that they typically could not due to the chakra required." As Kaito nods Sakura sits before Shikamaru slowly stands as Kaito points to him. "It could also allow more specialized shinobi, like the med-nin, to use their techniques longer by giving them extra chakra to use during emergencies."
As Kaito smiles he looks at Karin and Naruto who both have a pout on their face before telling the class both of them are correct. "As some of you have noticed I did not call on Karin or Naruto despite them obviously knowing those answers. The reason is simple they will have plenty of time to show their expertise when we make the seals. Now I want all of you to pay attention I am going to draw the kanji for the seal on the board and you will need to copy them exactly to get it right. If you don't Naruto why don't you tell them what could happen if the kanji are drawn wrong or they use the wrong ones." Obviously embarrassed by whatever occurred Naruto stares at Kaito before standing and sighing. "If they draw it wrong the seal could explode in their faces when they pour chakra into them. It wouldn't hurt them much but it will send you flying back quite a bit." As the class struggles to hold back their laughs Naruto glares at Kaito before sitting back down. "Alright alright that's enough I want you all to focus on the board again. I'm going to begin drawing the kanji. Once I've done that I will have Karin and Naruto help pass out the supplies so you all can learn." As Kaito draws the kanji upon the board Naruto and Karin get out of their seats and begin collecting the ink, paper, and brushes the students will need.
As the students watch Kaito effortlessly draws the seal upon the black board before turning to the two Uzumaki and nodding to them. "Those of you who need help feel free to call on any of us before you add chakra to the seal. Myself and these two have each been taught this and more at our Compound.," as some of the kids stare at Naruto with doubt clear in their eyes he simply stares back with a smirk, "If you doubt it I can have them form a more complicated seal, without my aid, to prove how advanced they are. In fact Naruto and Karin why don't you two create the elemental version of this seal since it's C-rank while this is a simple D-rank seal. I'll put my own chakra into it since you two haven't worked on that yet but it'll serve as a good example." As the two nod their classmates and teachers simply stare at how eager they are. For the next few minutes the class is mostly silent aside from the occasional words by Kaito and the others as they help the students.
As it gets closer to lunch Kaito claps his hands to get everyone's attention before asking if they've completed the seal. Once the students have shown that they have Kaito pulls his own copy out and places it on the desk. "Now I want you all to pay attention carefully as I show you how to add chakra to this seal to both activate it and fill it." As the students watch he picks the seal up and holds it between his thumb and pointer finger before channeling chakra into it. As the seal script momentarily glows blue the students can see the kanji for full appear in it's center before the glow fades. "Now the seal you have all drawn is capable of holding enough chakra for a simple D-rank jutsu so you should all be able to fill it. I want you to all begin and let's see who got it right today. Oh Naruto and Karin please hand me your seals and I'll fill them myself." As the students fill their seals there is suddenly a loud popping sound and smoke at Kiba's desk and he's sent back into the desk behind his. "That children is what happens when you overcharge these seals they detonate like a very low grade explosive tag." As the kids focus back on their seals there is another quieter pop at the back of the class and a student is sent backwards before falling over. "And that is what happens if you draw the kanji wrong. Just be glad we are working on a form of storage seals not explosive ones."
As the kids finish putting chakra into the seals Kaito holds up the seals made by Karin and Naruto before pouring water chakra into the seals. As the kids watch in awe they see the seal takes far longer to dim and seems to hold far more powerful chakra as well. "Well I'm surprised you both did the seal correct on your first solo try. Good job you two and good job everyone else. Now you are all dismissed for lunch but please leave the seals here I would rather you not accidentally release their contents.," as some of the kids look down Kaito quickly adds onto his statement, "Don't worry if you want to take them home I will allow it I just need to ensure the seals are locked down so they aren't accidentally released by you or another." As the students slowly exit the room after handing over their completed seals Iruka walks up to stand beside Kaito. "So how advanced how they in seals? I didn't see them struggle much with today's work even though the seals were C-rank." As Kaito contemplates how to respond he snaps his finger and points at each one in turn. "Naruto has a slightly harder time picking them up so I would rank him low C-rank in expertise though he's already made a few modified seals due to his creativity. Karin on the other hand has a easier time and I'd rank her as solidly C-rank in expertise but she struggles with the more unique variants that Naruto has added to our library." As Iruka stares in shock he realizes that Kaito isn't kidding the two really are at that level.
While Iruka seems to accept this Mizuki does not. "But they're so young how did they get so skilled we only have these fuinjutsu classes once a week. Until their third year where they are made a part of each days lesson." As Kaito simply stares at Mizuki he points at the Kazama symbol on his left shoulder. "We've been teaching them since they turned 5 much like how we teach our own from that age. It's a lesson we carried over from our time with their clan before the Fall." As the teachers watch their students eat outside none notice Naruto slip away from the others with a rather devious smile on his face. As Kaito, Iruka, and Mizuki continue to watch the kids and clock Mizuki puts his food down. "So Kaito-san can I ask you a question?" As Kaito continues to eat his bento he nods at Mizuki that he's listening. "Why does your clan protect it? I understand protecting Karin and her mother but he shouldn't be..." Before Mizuki can say another word he feels the KI of Kaito directed solely at him and can almost see his chakra raging in response to his words.
"Let me make this clear to you Mizuki...MY clan protect Naruto because he is a Uzumaki just like his mother was. He is NOT the thing he carry's and if you understood even the slightest bit about fuinjutsu you would see that. His mother sacrificed her life alongside the Fourth to seal it away so if you ever talk about my little brother like that again not only are you insulting him but you're insulting me, my Clan, his mother, and Lord Fourth none of which I will tolerate again." As Kaito continues to stare at Mizuki both men subconsciously begin reaching for their kunai while Iruka is preparing to place down a barrier seal to keep them apart. But before either man can fully draw their weapon the lunch bell rings again and both men hear their students coming back to the classroom.
As the first students enter the room they can't help but notice that Kaito seems to be unusually tense while Mizuki is extremely pale and sweating. As Naruto enters the room he notices the tension between the teachers and his cousin. "Kaito-nii what's the matter?" As Kaito slowly breathes in and out he looks at his brother in all but blood before smiling. "Nothing Naruto we just had a minor disagreement that got out of hand. Now let's return to the fuinjutsu lesson I want to see if all of you can craft a slightly more complex seal. Finally if you'd like to take the chakra seals home after school I will be sealing them off while you work so just ask at the end for them" As the class resumes their work on a simple locking seal they don't fail to notice that Mizuki seems to be avoiding Kaito as class goes on. As Naruto watches this he refrains, for once, from setting off his prank as he stares between his brother figure and his teacher. After a small amount of time Iruka casually walks up behind Mizuki and advises him to leave the classroom so as to end the tension that even the students can feel now. As the school day comes to a close many of the students decide to forget about the scene they saw but as he walks home Naruto decides to ask about it since Karin went ahead with her mom.
"Kaito-nii what really happened today during lunch? You and Mizuki-sensei seemed to be close to fighting when we were walking in." As Kaito sighs he slowly nods his head and says they would've fought if the students hadn't arrived when they did. "Otōto remember how I said there are some who dislike a choice the Kazama made? Well Mizuki is one of those people but unlike most of them he doesn't have the brains to keep his mouth shut when near me about it. He believes we made the wrong choice but I feel like one day he and the rest will regret those words otōto." As he turns to see how Naruto is holding up he see's his little brother standing a bit back with his head down. "It's cause of me isn't it nii-san? I'm the reason the Kazama are hated?" As Kaito stares at his brother he places a hand on his shoulder before using Shunshin to take them to the top of the Hokage Mountain. "Otōto I sadly can't tell you why we are hated as only the Hokage and one other have that power. But just now no matter what they say you will always be my otōto and our Clan will always have your back." As the day slowly comes to a close the to Uzumakis slowly head back to the compound in slightly better moods.
-Friday night 9PM-
-Training Ground 23-
As the moon is slowly covered by clouds in the sky two ANBU stand near the edge of one of the Village's least used training grounds. "They should be arriving any moment now Taku this is where Crow told us to meet them. But still what could be such a threat that the Village would need to send them and us against it?" As the taller ANBU looks around he replies that he has some ideas but doesn't say them as two ANBU, one with a crow mask and the other a weasel mask, appear via Shunshin and nod at him and his comrade. "Taku and Unagi I am sorry we had to ask you to return to your mask but we had no choice. Your mission is to escort myself and Weasel here to the Naka Shrine," at this both Taku and Unagi stiffen, "without letting us be stopped. While we both are vital to the mission Weasel has made it clear that for the duration of this mission I am more important. We may be facing either ROOT agents or Uchiha during this mission and while lethal force is not advised if necessary feel free to use it. Once we reach the Shrine you two are to take overwatch positions near it without being spotted until we exit. Once we exit the mission will be considered complete and we will each head over to the Hokage to give him our report. Are you all ready?" As the other three ANBU quickly check their equipment they each reply that they are before they set off on their mission.
Thanks again for reading, favoriting, following, etc y'all. If you have any advice on how I can improve just pm me or put it in a review. I plan to have the next chapter out before Valentine's Day or right after it.
*-basically his one from the show just burnt orange instead of that neon orange and black instead of blue
*-Uzuken, I know not that original but for now I can't think of another name, if yah got one I'm down to listen, has 3 distinct types Rapizzu-high speed but strikes do less damage than other forms, Wairudoshī-a very random style that favors adapting on the fly, Hakunaishō-the opposite of Rapizzu in that it's a slower style but strikes are meant to do a lot of damage
Rewrite-2/23-2/25/21