Author's Note: I do not own Naruto.

The sun was about to set upon the Village Hidden in the Leaves when four travelers approached the main gates of Konoha. Normally there would only be two guards to at the front to welcome the new arrivals, but due to the Chunin Exams Finals that would be taking place in a couple of short days the security had been increased. There were now four shinobi standing in front of the gates to check who was entering. No doubt there were more Leaf Shinobi hidden in the shadows observing the small group.

Each of the four members were adorned in a black cloak keeping their faces, clothing, and any noticeable physical features a secret from any onlookers. As a matter of fact, their disguises were so good that the only thing you could actually tell was there height. Even their weight was hard to state definitively without first removing the overly large cloaks they wore.

Once the four mysterious figures reached the four shinobi guards, they were stopped by the leader of the guard detail. "Stop right there!" The guard shouted. "State your name and business here!"

The largest and tallest of the group stepped forward with a sense of confidence and power enshrouding him. Quicker than anyone could realize he stood before the leader of the group and spoke softly so that only he could hear. "My name is Jiraiya the Toad Sage." The newly identified Jiraiya spoke before lifting his head to make eye contact. The guard immediately recognized the Toad Sannin and went to bow before him, but before he could he was stopped with a hand on his shoulder. "Now, listen carefully, myself and my three friends here never came by. You did not see me, you do not need to know who my three companions are, and you do not need to report any of this. Do you understand?"

The captain of the guard simply nodded. He knew better than to question someone of Master Jiraiya's stature. He wasn't a spy master without reason. Therefore, he would have a great reason to not want anyone to know that he was there. He turned to his three comrades and told them to let the group through. They obeyed his orders, but deep down they all were getting a bad feeling about this.

After getting through the front gates Jiraiya and his trio of followers stuck to the shadows as they made their way deeper and deeper into the heart of Konoha. After about a half an hour the group finally made it to the gates of an old and unkempt estate. The walls surrounding said estate were ten feet tall and at least five feet thick, with the only way in or out being a single sturdy iron gate. Ever since the estate was abandoned about thirteen years ago many people had tried and failed to enter the estate. You see the previous owners were rather famous and held powerful ninjutsu, taijutsu, kenjutsu, and fuinjutsu. They were none other than the Fourth Hokage, and his wife Kushina Uzumaki. Before their deaths they had lived on this estate and had put up several powerful fuinjutsu's. Only someone with their DNA would be able to enter, allow others to enter, and tamper with anything within.

This is where the shortest and smallest in stature of the group came in. He stepped forward and pressed his chakra steadily into the seal on the gate. It began to shine for a moment before the gates slowly parted allowing the four to enter. Once the group was in the small, cloaked figure who had opened the premise stepped forward to the seal once again and added a few quick features to it. The tampering that he put into said seal would allow any of the group to come and go as they please, as well as allow two others to enter the premises.

After the seal was completely fixed the group made their way to the large house in the middle of the estate. The building stood three stories tall above ground, but if what Master Jiraiya had told the group was true then the building went several stories deep as well.

When the four personages entered the house, they were surprised to find that the house was actually quite clean on the inside. It almost looked as if someone had been caring for it over the last thirteen years. However, that was simply impossible considering no one could possibly enter it.

The group of four finally removed their cloaks reveling who everyone was. Of course, master Jiraiya was the largest and tallest of the figures as previously stated. The next two were much smaller than the Toad Sage and were similar in height and stature as one another. They were none other than another member of the legendary Sannin, Tsunade Senju, and her apprentice Shizune. The fourth and final member of the group was much smaller than the other three. You see Unlike the first three he was not an adult, but instead a thirteen-year-old boy. His name was Naruto Uzumaki.

A lot had changed for Naruto in the short five months since he had met and trained with Jiraiya. He had grown a couple of inches taller, lost much of his baby fat, matured, and finally he had rid himself of the ugly orange jumpsuit that he was always wearing as a young boy. Instead, he now wore black ninja pants, and a long sleeve dark blue shirt with very thin orange stripes running down his sides. On the back of said shirt was a red Uzumaki swirl. The look was definitely more becoming of a ninja than his old track suit had ever been.

The group of four didn't say a word to each other, instead they made their way to the kitchen table and sat down to wait for the other two members of their group to arrive. While they waited Naruto couldn't help but think back to everything that had led up to this moment, and to the moments that would soon be arriving with the Chunin Exam Finals in just a few short days.

It all started just a little under six months ago on the Academy Graduation day…..