Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke looked in shock at the blonde. They weren't sure what to say. The boy had painted himself as a clown in the Academy for an exercise easier than this. Sasuke would have boasted on the exercise if it weren't for him crashing on the ground twice. Had Naruto been practicing all by himself?
That was possible. But, Kakashi scrapped the idea. The boy usually had an attention span of his chances in defeating an enraged Kushina. He shook his head to get rid of the experience. That had scarred him on equal measures of his life in ANBU. Naruto had climbed the tree on his first attempt, very, very, easily. He had expected him to struggle because of his chakra reserves and the seal itself. Even from what he had heard, Kushina too had problems with chakra control.
Another thought creeped in his mind. Was Naruto some secret prodigy? He wouldn't scrap that idea. After all, Minato-sensei was the best shinobi the Elemental Nations had ever seen since the Shodai Hokage Hashirama and Uchiha Madara. And to top it off, Naruto had near inexhaustible chakra reserves. In the past two days of his rest, he had probed Naruto's chakra for the first time.
And he was simply astounded. He never reached the extent of them. He didn't even sense the Kyubi chakra in his already dense chakra reserves. And recently he was weirded out by his student's chakra. It was giving the same vibe as someone he knew and had worked with. He tried to deny it, but the possibility was there. He had seen first hand how quickly the Kyubi healed his student. He needed to ask him. If what he was thinking was true, he was ready to go rogue and kill that bastard if Hiruzen didn't allow.
Finally finding his voice, the first one to break the silence which ensued after Naruto's feat, he spoke up. "T-That was amazing, Naruto. Uhh.. What do you want to do?", he blurted out the final part. He wasn't sure what else to ask.
The three watched in silence as Naruto craned his head sideways, before closing his eyes and thinking hard. The three watched as Naruto opened his eyes, starred with excitement. "I know, Kakashi-sensei. Can you teach me Fuinjutsu? I know you were To-", he shut up quickly realizing what he was about to say. He and his big mouth!
On the other hand, his teammates zoned out. Fuinjutsu? Naruto? The two were sure that they would never hear those two words in the same sentence. Someone with such a less attention span as Naruto, could never have the patience to learn such a complex field like Fuinjutsu.
"Naruto? Are you sure you are fine? You have been acting all weird since you woke up after being poisoned two days ago", Sakura remarked with concern. Sasuke nodded in agreement. Naruto craned his head sideways, this time purposely as an act of innocence.
"I am?", he asked confused. He bit his tongue. Dammit! He thought he had been acting like how he was all those years ago! And this was the best he could do! And why in the world were Itachi, Kisame and Sarada heading in Wave's direction! He was an idiot to think Itachi wouldn't pry where he shouldn't. Especially if it was someone who popped out of nowhere with a Sharingan.
Kakashi watched silently as Sakura and Sasuke shared a look before shrugging and going back to their exercises. Sakura depleted her chakra in order to increase her reserves, while Sasuke tried to climb the tree. He still couldn't shake off Naruto's weird behavior after the two pointed out. He knew that Naruto faked smiles often, but in the past two days, he was struggling to keep them up. And he knew the look in those eyes. They were the same he held after losing Obito, Rin, Minato-sensei and Kushina-nee. And he hadn't missed the recent slip.
'I know you were my To-' what? Kakashi narrowed his eyes. His previous theory could be true after all. That man knew about it. He wouldn't pass the chance to think that he would try to blackmail a broken child. Neither would someone else he knew. He clenched his fist. Hiruzen would have told him if it were so. His friend would have told him so. There was no denying it. The boy knew. Naruto definitely knew.
"Naruto", he started in a hard voice, the hostility shocking Sasuke and Sakura to fall off the trees. The two watched in fear as Kakashi eyed Naruto dangerously. "Answer this truthfully. You do know who your father is, right?"
Sakura sucked in a deep breath, before glancing at Sasuke. The two had shared a conversation on last night before going to bed. The incident with the missing-nins brought up another, before the two started pondering on who Naruto's parents were. They had thought if their teammate's parents were someone bad. They hadn't missed the dirty, cold and hateful glances the civilians threw at their teammate, or the hostile whispers they had heard. Kakashi's aggravated reaction seemed to support their idea. And the factors like Hokage's unusual favor towards Naruto, it seemed to solidify it more. The two turned back to Naruto to see his answer.
Naruto was scared stiff. Even if he were to lie to Kakashi, it wouldn't work. And if he were to say yes, the next question were to be how. How would he answer that? 'Because I am from the future!', and no that wouldn't work. He tried to rack his brain for any idea to avert the second question.
'Your skirmish with that bastard Mizuki. Say that you tried to think hard the next night why the Yondaime would seal me in you. You realized the similarities between you and Minato', Kurama suggested with a smirk.
Popping a thumbs up, Naruto grinned. 'Thanks, Kurama. You saved big mouth again. And I can cover up my increase in skills with that'.
He gulped slightly, the best acting he could do of a scared genin. "Yes, Kakashi-sensei".
There were three sharp intakes of breath, Kakashi's face paling at the same time. Sasuke and Sakura looked worriedly over to Kakashi after he started taking a few ragged breaths. Finally steeling himself, and preparing for the worst answer, he asked. "How?"
"On the night of my graduation, you know what Mizuki told me. I started to wonder why I was chosen? Why not someone else? That when I realized how awfully familiar we looked. I wanted to confirm it, so I went to the public records in the library. Jiji tried to cover up everything, but he forgot that. The census just after the Third War, when Tou-chan and Kaa-chan were expecting me. I found them, along with a note on what they wanted to name me. After that I realized, I had legacy to continue. I figured out about the Kage Bunshin and used them to study after we finished each day's practice", he answered quietly.
Kakashi chuckled quietly, making Sasuke and Sakura look at him weirdly. Kakashi laughed a little louder before quieting down.
"And here I was thinking that some shady character tried to take advantage of you. But I hope you understand why we didn't tell you that", the Jonin said the last part sadly. Naruto shook his head with a small smile.
"I understand why you and Jiji hid that from me. The fear which Tou-chan could incite by his presence, and going public with our relation would have harmed me. Why would I be angry if you were trying to protect me from some unknowns?", Naruto asked with a shrug. It was at this moment Sakura and Sasuke knew, they were totally out of the loop.
Kakashi hummed quietly to himself. "Well, I guess you wanted to learn Fuinjutsu because of him?", he asked with a smile. Naruto nodded eagerly.
"I wondered if you had some notes on Fuinjutsu from him. Or you knew where their house was?", Naruto asked quietly.
"Its your house now, kiddo. I had indeed borrowed a few books on Fuinjutsu before... you know? Later the house was locked down by blood seals designed by Minato-sensei. I think only you may be able to enter", Kakashi replied with an eye-smile, before fishing out a scroll from his pouch. Laying it out on the ground, Kakashi pulsed some chakra into the storage seal. From a puff of smoke, four books emerged, their condition amazing for decade-and-a-half old books. "I didn't touch them again after that day until I took you guys. After seeing Naruto, I thought it was time to move on", he added softly. Shocking the three students, he suddenly had depressed clouds over his head as he began brooding below a nearby tree. "I couldn't understand a single world! Everything was so neatly laid out, and I still couldn't understand anything! I... Even the Sharingan couldn't comprehend what was written!"
The three students watched with a deadpan as the Jonin brooded silently. Slowly picking up a book, Naruto scanned through the first page. He had to admit, Kakashi's reaction was justified, but he had a lot of experience with working on seals in the future. He was sure, he would be able to figure out after some time. Finally snapping out of their shocks, Sakura and Sasuke looked at their blonde teammate unsurely.
"Ne, Naruto? Who is your father?", Sakura asked confused as Sasuke nodded. The two were now sure that Naruto's parents weren't some bad guys. Kakashi's expression and words gave that away. But it still bugged them. Naruto looked towards Kakashi, who nodded with an eye-smile.
He looked back at his teammates grinning widely. Even after travelling back to the past, he was still damn proud of his father. But, he wouldn't be Naruto, if he didn't pull off something chaotic. Right?
"Oh, just Namikaze Minato".
The two nodded with a hum, before the name finally clicked.
"WHAT?!"
The rest of the week had gone eventless. Kakashi had predicted that Gato would need at least a week to get some new mercenaries after Zabuza and Haku's departure from Wave. He had increased the training knowing that Gato would go for someone with more skills and strength than Zabuza, who for his credit was an A-Rank shinobi. He had already explained to his students the danger that they would face, if they chose to continue the mission. He just hoped Gato didn't hire any S-Rank shinobi. He knew his students couldn't handle them.
He had pondered over the matter for a while, should he return, send for back up or continue the mission as it is. He decided on the last seeing the enthusiasm in Sasuke and Naruto. Kakashi had decided that he, Naruto and Sasuke would engage the new mercenaries while Sakura protected the bridge-builder. That seemed the best arrangement for completing the mission without any casualties.
He was unusually nervous when the final day finally dawned. That had unsettled him a bit. He was never nervous, even during the Third War battle mission. Then why was he today? He wondered if it was a bad omen. He wondered on what could possibly go wrong?
Kakashi shook his head. A lot could go wrong today. He had essentially played a gamble on the success of the mission and the lives of his students. He had sworn to put his comrades' lives over the mission, and he would follow it even today.
With a sigh, he got up from his futon and made his way to the guest room where two of his students were sleeping. From the noise that was coming downstairs, he figured out that Tsunami had already woken up Sakura. He knocked lightly on the door to get response, if his students were awake. He heard some muffling from the other side of the door, possibly Naruto trying to untangle himself from the blankets, before a familiar snort sounded.
"Get a hold of yourself, Usuratonkachi", Kakashi heard, his mind already imagining the smirk on Sasuke's face. He had noted that Sasuke had started treating Naruto more better after realizing what he had went through carrying the burden of a Bijuu. The reaction to Naruto housing the Kyubi was far different from what Kakashi had imagined, especially seeing the destruction and deaths that had been laid behind after the attack.
"Boys, get ready. Tazuna-san is leaving in thirty", he announced before making his way downstairs. Muttering a 'Thank You' to Tsunami for the breakfast, he sat beside Sakura on the dining table. He frowned seeing the girl poke her food around, her eyes deep in thought. And not daydreaming about Sasuke.
"Something's the matter, Sakura? You look distracted", Kakashi remarked as relaxed in the chair. Sakura squeaked in shock, not having registered the appearance of her sensei. She blushed a bit, before turning back to her food.
"Kakashi-sensei, even the though the people know that Naruto only holds the Kyubi, why does everybody treat him like the Kyubi itself?"
Kakashi sighed. He knew this was coming one time or another. "It's nobody's fault Sakura. That night, hundreds lay dead, thousands wounded, and many more lost their homes. Naruto was just a vent for the anger and hatred of the Kyubi. And... in the history of Konoha whenever the Kyubi has appeared, it has brought destruction. Uchiha Madara planned on destroying the village by controlling the Kyubi, but Shodai-sama stopped him. The next time the Kyubi appeared, it took their beloved Yondaime. The Kyubi has become a kind of bad omen for the people of Konoha. They even fear its sealed presence inside Naruto", Kakashi explained sadly. Sakura nodded at the explanation.
"But why do think Yondaime-sama would have chosen his own son to house the Kyubi, even after knowing how Naruto will get treated?", Sakura asked up again after a moment of silence. Kakashi frowned under the mask. That single question had haunted him and many others.
"We don't know. And there are a few things about the attack which didn't make sense. But, I am not allowed to speak about it. Its confidential because of the evidences we found in the investigation of the attack", the Jonin replied curtly. Sakura understood that her sensei wouldn't depart any more information on the attack, nor on the investigation which followed it. But, it didn't satisfy her curiosity.
The breakfast was ate in silence after Tazuna, Naruto and Sasuke joined the two at the table. Kakashi noted the nervousness flowing off the poor old bridge-builder. He couldn't blame the old geezer. After all, he had met one the scariest shinobi in the Elemental Nations a week ago, and would have been dead by Zabuza's hand if it weren't for Naruto.
He noticed that even Naruto seemed to pick up on Tazuna's nervousness. He frowned at the look Naruto was giving him, before narrowing his eyes at the exasperated look the boy gave him in the end. 'He definitely thought that I was an idiot', Kakashi thought with a frown.
"Tazuna-san, don't worry. We will protect you", Naruto said softly, startling the said man out of his reverie. Tazuna nodded slowly wit a smile, before returning to finish his breakfast. Kakashi rose an eye realizing what Naruto had been pointing to. He had wanted Kakashi to reassure the nervous bridge-builder, and indirectly the other two members of Tazuna's family. He nodded slowly to the admonishing gaze from Naruto, admitting his mistake.
However, he doesn't miss the Kage Bunshin which Naruto creates discreetly before leaving the house.
Kakashi feels something's off. He notices how Sasuke and Sakura are on edge. He knows something's off. His looks towards his third student. He wonders why the boy is so relaxed. Doesn't he feel the oppressive pressure? He knows that the boy can sense the bloodlust, since Sakura is sensing it too. He can't help but grip a kunai tightly in the holster. He doesn't want to take any chances.
He sends a reassuring glance to a fearful Tazuna who has picked up on the bloodlust. He doesn't deny the possibility of a genjutsu in the area. The bloodlust needed to have a source nearby. He cautiously lifted his hand to uncover his Sharingan, ready to dispel any genjutsu around him. Taking in a deep breath, he started lifting up his hitai-ate.
"There's no need for that Kakashi-sensei", Naruto stated aloud, his eyes fixed on an empty spot on the bridge. "I think they do know the danger they are in from their third companion, don't you?", he asked directed towards the empty spot. The trio was startled when Naruto reappeared next to Sasuke, keeping a hand on the latter's shoulder. "Keep your horses under control, teme. You don't know anything about that night, neither do you know anything about him".
Sasuke nodded slowly after realizing what Naruto was hinting at. He would have retorted harshly, but the look in Naruto's eyes quietened him. Sakura watched confusedly between the two, but stayed quiet under the heavy pressure which Naruto was exerting. Kakashi frowned at the implications of Naruto's words. Something only he knew about that night and him?
"You're quite keen, Naruto-kun. Since when do you know about us being here?", a calm voice cut through the cold air, sending shivers down everybody's spines except Naruto. Kakashi rose an eyes as Tazuna and other workers started losing consciousness under the genjutsu which the newcomer casted.
"Since we were having breakfast, Itachi", Naruto replied with a cheeky smile as the genjutsu cleared revealing an all too familiar face for Sasuke and Kakashi. The later narrowed his eyes at the black cloaks with red clouds Itachi and his partner were wearing, as well as the girl who was giving an unfamiliar sense of déjà-vu. "Didn't Sarada inform you genjutsu doesn't work on me?"
Kakashi looked between the girl and Naruto at the new information. So, Sarada was her name. His instincts screamed at him at the danger from the girl. The chakra the girl possessed was nowhere near normal. Scratch that. It dwarfed his own by a great measure. He watched as Itachi and his partner rose brows, looking between the girl and his student.
"Well, it seems Sarada-chan wasn't lying. And your over-familiarity with me and from what Sarada told us, you seem to know what went down", Itachi responded narrowing his eyes. Naruto nodded, before squeezing Sasuke shoulder in reassurance.
"He needs to know Itachi. And it isn't my place to tell that", Naruto replied with a flat stare. The blonde scowled seeing that Itachi was starting to speak. "No. No. No. Don't start with I intend to take it to the grave with me. You screwed up big time with that, alright. And I don't have the patience to go and do damage control across the Elemental Nations", he continued shutting the older Uchiha up.
"What are you two talking about?", Kakashi asked with a frown. The conversation had made it painfully obvious that there was something else behind the scenes during the Uchiha massacre. And it seemed that Naruto had done some damage control because of Itachi's decisions.
Itachi and Naruto looked towards Kakashi for a moment, before Itachi turned back to the blonde. "How bad?", he asked with a frown. Naruto scratched his chin, before shaking his head.
"His name was second in all the Elemental Nations' Bingo Books", Naruto answered earning a gasp from the girl and a disbelieving sigh from Itachi.
"Why didn't you ever tell me that?", Sarada demanded angrily. Naruto gave a flat stare.
"Because one - it wasn't my place to tell Itachi's actions, it was his", he said gesturing to Sasuke. "Two - I didn't have the patience to go after a fifth rogue Uchiha in a single lifetime", he stressed the second part.
"Will you three stop ignoring us?", Kakashi asked with a frown looking at Naruto. "And what the hell do you know about Itachi?"
"That night, he was innocent. He was blackmailed into killing the entire Clan by a piece of shit high up in Konoha", Naruto responded shaking his head. "I mean why didn't you kill that bastard when you had the chance, Itachi? He is a piece of shit. And I don't think Jiji would have been sad or angry if you had killed him".
"It would have sparked unnecessary conflict, Naruto-kun. And you already know how dangerous the things were then", Itachi replied with a smile.
"Blackmailed? By who?", Sasuke and Kakashi asked in unison.
"Shimura Danzo", Sarada replied with a snarl.
Yep. Danzo was a sore spot for the girl, Kakashi realized. Not that he was shocked after all the things Danzo had done. But, he frowned at the words. Danzo was responsible for the Uchiha Massacre and not Itachi snapping? Had he been blind to all of this, for the past five years? That aside, how did Naruto know about all this? If someone with so much clearance as himself wasn't privy of this, how did Naruto know? And how did Naruto know the girl whom he had never seen or met?
Itachi sighed at the stare which Naruto was giving him. "Stop making a villain of yourself. I know you are amazing in portraying a villain, but teme needs to know about it. Sarada needs to know about it", Naruto remarked sternly.
"Alright, can I take to Sasuke in private Kakashi-senpai?", Itachi asked his former superior. Seeing the distrust in his superiors eyes, Itachi shook his head. "I won't hurt him. Trust me on that".
Kakashi looked unsurely between Itachi and Naruto. "He won't, Kakashi-sensei. I know that better than anyone", Naruto reassured. Finally conceding, Kakashi nodded at his student. "Sasuke, keep your anger in control. If I were in Itachi's shoes, I would have done the same", he remarked with a small smile, before turning to Sarada. "And please, you keep your cool too. I know that piece of shit doesn't deserve to live, and I will deal with him as soon as possible. Don't take any drastic measure as your idiotic father".
Kakashi watched nervously as Itachi, Sasuke and the girl disappeared in the forest line. He attention was brought back when he realized Naruto glaring at the second Akatsuki member with anger and... pity?
"The girl said that you were said to be the strongest shinobi to the Elemental Nations after the Rikodo Sennin. Why do you think I should believe that?", the man asked with a frown.
"You were lied to about Tsuki no Me, Kisame", Naruto replied shocking the Akatsuki member to the core. "It isn't some genjutsu for world peace as Madara believes it to be. It the key to the seal which the Rikodo Sennin built".
Sakura looked unsurely at her sensei. She didn't know what Naruto was talking about, and why he was trusting the man who killed Sasuke-kun's entire Clan. From the expression on Kakashi's eye, he didn't seem to know either. She turned back to see the exchange between the scary man and her teammate.
"I believe you. There's no way you should know about the Tsuki no Me. Only Pain, Madara, Zetsu and I know about it", Kisame responded. Naruto nodded in satisfaction. "And how do you know about Itachi's actions? I have been his partner in the Akatsuki for three years, and he has never told me".
Naruto sighed at the question, before looking at Kakashi. "I guess I should tell you while Itachi tells those two", he murmured to himself. "This entire ordeal starts right after the Kyubi incident twelve years ago. I assume Kisame knows what happened", Naruto started as Kisame nodded with a grunt. "When Madara controlled the Kyubi, the Sharingan was visible to everybody in Konoha in the Kyubi's eyes. That gave rise to misunderstandings, with Danzo leading the charge against the Uchiha Clan". Kakashi and Sakura rose their brows at the information. Someone controlled the Kyubi into attacking Konoha. Someone whom Naruto was referring to as Madara. "During the reconstruction, Danzo isolated the Uchihas to keep a watch on them and spread rumors to increase the hostility against the Uchihas. Over the next couple of years, the Uchihas were so fed up with Danzo's schemes, they planned on a coup against Konoha", the blonde continued. "The Uchihas decided to plant two spies in the hierarchy of Konoha. Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui".
"What?", Kakashi asked in a low voice. Naruto nodded slowly.
"Yes, except the two of them changed sides. Both of them tried to calm down both the sides, especially Fugaku-san and Danzo-teme. When things escalated a lot, Jiji gave Shisui-san an order. To use Kotoamatsukami on the Uchiha Clan and stop the coup. Danzo decided to be a shit like always and stole one of Shisui's eyes", Naruto responded with a frown. Kakashi clenched his fist at the information, Kisame raising a disbelieving brow. "Shisui committed suicide after destroying his second eye in Itachi's presence. He wanted Itachi to awaken his Mangekyo as a final parting gift. A few days later Danzo gave Itachi an ultimatum, either Danzo orders ROOT to kill every Uchiha except Itachi, or Itachi kills the entire Clan to spare Sasuke", the blonde finished sadly.
"All of us misjudged him, didn't we?", Kakashi wondered out aloud. Naruto nodded turning to Kisame.
"There are a lot of things Madara himself doesn't know about the tale of the Rikodo Sennin. Someone else is pulling the strings to release Kaguya from her seal", Naruto remarked with a frown.
"You do know the someone else, don't you?", Kisame asked narrowing his eyes.
"Yes. Sadly, that someone happens to be Sasuke's and my uncle in an unusual way", the blonde replied shaking his head.
"Naruto, how do you know all this? About Itachi-san and what you were talking with this person here?", Sakura asked up, unable to contain her curiosity any longer. "And who was that girl?"
Kisame gave the blonde a flat stare before an exasperated sigh. "You didn't tell them anything, did you?"
Naruto raised a brow, gesturing wildly to Sakura and Kakashi. "You don't go shouting that you're from the future! And sorry, you and Itachi don't come here in the original timeline, so I didn't think it was necessary!", the blonde retorted.
Sadly, the statement caused the pair's brains to stop working. Naruto was from the future? There was a flurry of questions in Kakashi's mind. Why? When? How? Forcing his brain to start thinking rationally again, Kakashi connected the dots. He presumed that Naruto had arrived back in time during the Demon Brothers fiasco. That was the first unexplained anomaly and the point since Naruto started acting weird. That was one way he could know about his parents. Then came the girl, Sarada. He would assume that she was from the future too. Her facing was very similar to Itachi. But according to Naruto, he had died. Going through the conversation again, Kakashi remembered that Naruto had pointed to Sasuke while referring to Sarada's father.
"Sarada is Sasuke's daughter from the future, isn't she?", Kakashi asked calmly.
"Uh-huh", Naruto nodded in agreement. "And my only student after Konohamaru".
"W-What? Sasuke-kun's d-daughter?!", Sakura stammered in shock.
"I figured as much", Sasuke's coarse voice cut through, his teary eyes fixed between Itachi and Sarada. "So, how did you mess up, Usuratonkachi?"
Naruto sighed at the question. "It's going to take some time", he replied looking at Kisame. "If you even try to think of returning to the Akatsuki, you will be dead before you can blink, Kisame".
The former Kiri-nin gulped at the promise the blonde's words held. He knew he was totally outmatched the moment the blonde came on the bridge. "Yes, I understand".
"Well, let's start with the upcoming Chunnin Exams, Suna and... Orochimaru...", the future Hokage started.