Curse writers block and laziness
Chapter 18: The Prodigal Son
The only sound in the room is of Inoichi's sobbing. Satsuki is silent, though her eyes are red indicating the same. Minato, Naruto, Menma and Tsunade watch on, all others somberly, Naruto showing no emotion.
Ino lays in the bed, sedated and unconcious.
"She'll be fine, Inoichi. It will take time but I'm perfectly capable of healing these injuries" Tsunade assures. The Yamanaka's head is down for a moment before he turns, grabbing the Hokage by his coat to everyone's shock.
"How could you let this happen, Minato?" he demands.
"What do you mean 'let it happen?' It was sanctioned combat. These are the Chunin exams" Minato responds calmly.
"Don't give me that crap Minato! She could have been killed!" he fires back.
"That was a risk she was informed of by her sensei before accepting to compete in the exams. And you know I never would have allowed that to happen. Even If Naruto and Satsuki didn't intervene, a fraction of a second would have been more than enough time for me to stop that. You know who I am" Minato answers cooly, Inoichi still gripping his coat while Menma steps towards the two, Tsunade doing the same.
"Where is he anyway?! Mr 'I'll protect with my life'" he questions angrily releasing Minato
"Where was he when this happened?" he demands.
"Fugaku has been out of the village for the last three days on an S-class assignment. He wasn't present for the preliminaries" Minato replies, Satsuki's eyebrows rising for a moment. S-class?!
Inoichi turns around to face Naruto.
"Thank you for protecting my daughter" he says.
"There's no need to thank me. Frankly even if I hadn't intervened, the Hokage would have been more than fast enough to stop anything more from happening" Naruto responds plainly, Menma balling a fist, a frown marring his face.
"Ino needs time to rest. For now I'm going to need all of you to leave" Tsunade asks.
Jonin lounge (Hokage tower)
Guy, Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai are all seated on couches around a coffee table, Kakashi next to Guy.
"I still can't quite fathom what we saw, Kakashi. Did it really happen?" Guy glances to his friend.
"You mean a genin opening five of the Eight Inner gates?" Kakashi questions, Guy shaking his head at the dig.
"Not that part, jerk! I mean the other part." Guy responds, the masked Jonin staring into his cup.
"That boy. To think Lord Fourth has a son like that. There's nothing Lee could have done to win that fight. Nothing at all. That speed and strength. The elemental mastery. And that chakra! Just what kind of training has Lord Fourth put that boy through?"
"Minato sensei didn't train Naruto" Kakashi answers, earning a look of surprise from Guy and others present.
"What? He didn't? But how? Where else could the boy have seen such development from?" Guy questions.
"I've known Minato-sensei since I was six years old, Guy. He did not train that boy. Neither did Lady-Kushina. They're fighting styles are nothing alike. Their taijutsu. Even the Wind style manipulation and jutsu he showed are completely different to Minato sensei's. It looked to me like whoever trained him isn't from the Hidden Leaf" Kakashi says.
"That's quite the claim Kakashi" Asuma adds.
"But it still makes the most sense." he responds.
"That chakra of his" Kurenai adds "I've never felt anything like it. It was if he isn't even h-" Kurenai doesn't finish her sentence, not knowing how to phrase what she was about to say differently.
Hokage tower (Minato's office)
"I'm sure you can understand my position. The fact that I wasn't informed that the Hidden Sand would be sending a Jinchuriki to compete is very dissapointing" Minato voices, Gaara's Jonin sensei standing before him.
"Of course, apologies again Lord Fourth" Baki apologizes.
"I've already reached out to the Fourth Kazekage. As Gaara's Jonin instructor, can you assure me that Gaara is stable?"
Baki opens his mouth but doesn't speak, glancing away, Minato sighing at the response.
"Look, I won't take any drastic measures for now but if at any point between now and the conclusion of the exams, I get the impression that Gaara is a real security risk, I will act and bar him from the exam at the drop of a hat. I also want to make it clear to you, while you're here, that if I feel like having him under surveillance while he's within the village walls, I'm going to do that" Minato explains calmly.
Baki nods in agreement. He's not about to argue with the most powerful shinobi in the world in his own territory.
"Very well then, thank you Baki"
"The pleasure is mine Lord Hokage" the Sand shinobi respectfully utters before departing, shutting the door behind himself and leaving Minato alone who peals a piece of paper with a seal on it, out of one of his desk drawers.
The Heaven Curse mark.
It'll take a couple of weeks maybe.
He won't be able to get rid of the mark completely unfortunately as he doesn't have whatever original sealing formula Orochimaru used to create it but he feels confident of engineering a way to safely assimilate it with Sasuke's own chakra network and allow him to atleast activate it safely. He made the same offer to Anko years ago, after applying the same restrictive seal, but she'd refused vehemently.
With Hisateru
The night sky, littered with stars, hangs over as Hisateru sits on the bench, the old man dressed in overalls, his face greased up, a paper in his hands seemingly occupying.
"My, my, quite a lot you've brought to me today." The old man muses, speaking in code.
"Mhmh." he responds, taking a mouthful of the cup of noodles in his hand to the mouth.
"And Fugaku isn't in the village at the moment you say. That loose cannon's probably gone on a self-assigned assassination mission" the old man says.
" Snakes boy got drawn against me in the exam and forfeited. Do you think he knew who I was?" Hisateru chuckles.
"No, I doubt that. He was likely planted by Orochimaru to keep tabs on Sasuke and his reaction to the curse mark. The outcome of the exam was inconsequential" the old man surmises.
"We should snatch him" the boy suggests.
"Oh no, I know that one from a long time ago. He's cut from the same cloth we deal in. He'd very likely take measures to delete himself and any useful information completely before we could retrieve anything" the old man responds.
Hisateru inwardly grumbles. He might know something about Kaori's sister.
"You've brought me very good Intel but perhaps what sticks out to me most are the details you've given me concerning Minato's eldest. To counter the Hidden Lotus successfully by simply infusing his own chakra, along with the other information. He sounds like quite the prodigy. There's someone else we need to keep an eye on"
Danzo knows very well that boy is despised by most in the village and isn't too close to his family either. That combination could make him a prime candidate for recruiting. Fugaku being his Jonin instructor just happens to be a big problem, and perhaps not worth the headache.
"Too bad I can't go all out against him if we face each other in the finals. What a rumble that would be" Hisateru smiles to himself, Danzo shaking his head.
"You getting promoted can benefit our goals in the long term of course. But remember-"
"Never show your hand" Hisateru finishes in unison with the old man while rolling his eyes.
With Memna.
He sits on the edge of his bed staring at a picture of himself and...
Flashback ( six years prior)
"Bro!" he calls seeing the blonde walk away.
"Big bro, I'm going to play ball with Kiba and his friends. Come on!" he shouts, gesturing to his brother to come along.
Naruto looks on at the boy. Everytime Menma has him around his friends, he feels invisible. The others make it a point to not acknowledge him in any way. He'd rather actually be alone. He knows it isn't Menma's fault but it's not like he's going to do anything about it either. It's bigger than him.
"Some other time Menma, I'm not feeling well" he says turning and walking away leaving a dejected Menma
Flashback end
He tucks the now ancient picture back in his drawer, shutting it. He'll let his mother focus on Mito for the next month. His father has his own responsibilities so he doesn't plan on bothering him either. This next month he's going to punish himself, he's going to go to Hell and come back. He saw what happened to Lee but that won't phase him. There isn't a conceivable reality where he loses this fight. He can't, he muses to himself, lifting his hand, blue lightning natured chakra dancing around it in the darkness of his room for a moment. It sparks up again, this time a dark red coloured hue.
He won't lose. He'll stop breathing before he loses.
New Uchiha clan compound.
"Show me your neck" Mikoto orders Sasuke, having already spoken to Minato days ago. The boy gazes back at her reluctantly to her ire.
"Sasuke, do not make me angry. I said show me your neck!" she demands, the boy begrudgingly complying, showing it to her, Mikoto gritting her teeth and balling her fists at the sight. She wraps her arms around him, tears leaving her eyes, Sasuke wanting to push her off but choosing to be considerate.
'That disgusting low life...'
No! It won't happen. She'll be dead and buried before she loses this son too.
Three days later.
Jiraiya sits in front of Minato's desk, a hard frown on his face, as if the day, young as it is, is already ruined.
"The Sharingan huh? So his goal is still that silly aspiration of acquiring all jutsu?" he muses
"Clearly" Minato responds.
"And going after Fugaku's youngest son because he knows the man himself and Itachi are out of the question?" Jiraiya adds, pinching the bridge of his nose
"Are there any depths left you won't sink to Orochimaru?" he questions out loud. It doesn't appear so to him.
"All indications suggest that he would have done the same thing to Fugaku's daughter as well. It just happened that Naruto was there to protect her"
"Speaking of which you say that Naruto fought him?" Jiraiya questions as if to suggest Minato had been joking "Are you sure about that Minato. No offense but I have trouble, believing that I'll be honest"
"Believe it" a voice interjects, both heads turning to see Fugaku standing in front one of the windows of the office that overlooks the village "The man told me himself" he says stepping into the room"
"You're back already? You found him?" Minato questions.
"The rat escaped through another of his holes apparently. He told me himself that Naruto took his arm away" he says, earning a gasp from Jiraiya. Fugaku produces a bag tossing it onto the table, Minato opening it and taking a look before pushing it across the desk to Jiraiya who looks inside. Several Hidden Sound headbands, stained in blood.
"That isn't possible, he's a child" Jiraiya utters in disbelief.
"That's not all he is actually." he says turning his head to Minato.
"Orochimaru also told me Naruto is the one he wants now" he says, Minato's eyes widening before a dark look is etched in his blue eyes.
"What?" he asks, fury evident in his cool tone.
"He could have been lying but we already know he wants the Sharingan so frankly there's no reason to. And the fact that he told me suggests that he's confident that by some miracle that's going to happen."
"The only miracle is him living. I'll wipe this so called Hidden Sound away from the face of the earth by myself before I allow him to come near my son" Minato utters coldly, a bead of sweat running down Jiraiya's voice. He knows how dangerous his student is and what he's capable of when that look is in his eyes.
"Hold on now. Minato, we agreed you would allow me to deal with Orochimaru" the Sage interjects.
"Agreed?" Fugaku questions "He's still alive pal. What have you been doing in the meantime? Where were you three days ago while he was in here running around, preying on kids. Probably off somewhere being a pervert" Fugaku scoffs, Jiraiya standing up and the two coming face to face, inches from one another.
"It dissapoints me to hear you address your sensei this way, Fugaku. After all these years, you still don't have a shred of respect to show me?" Jiraiya questions smirking.
"Nope. Sorry" Fugaku responds plainly
"You let your feelings get in the way when you had the chance to finish that rat and have continued to do so for years. So now it's off your hands. I'm going to kill your friend myself and if you have a problem with it, let's see you do it first" Fugaku retorts cooly while smirking back, Jiraiya's own expression shifting into a frown.
"Enough" Minato interjects "The Chunin exams are in a month's time. My attention will be on ensuring that takes place without a single thing out of place. Once that's over, we will turn our attention to Orochimaru. Fugaku's right, sensei. The longer he's alive, the higher the risk of him running amok in other jurisdictions and the blame for that coming back to the Leaf. He's been allowed to live for too long"
"Then let me deal with him" Jiraiya insists, turning to Minato.
"Just shut up already, you sound pathetic" Fugaku scoffs.
"Fugaku!" Minato reprimands as Jiraiya swiftly turns back to the Uchiha, the clan leader unflinching.
"Stop speaking to sensei like this! It isn't right! Jiraiya-sensei, I'm sorry. But this is out of my hands now. Whatever this Hidden Sound nonsense is, it needs to be crushed before it starts stepping on the wrong people's toes" Minato says with finality.
"Don't worry" Fugaku says to the elder ninja as they gaze into one anothers eyes, Jiraiya smiling challengingly " I'll bring a piece of him back to you." he says stepping past the elder ninja towards Minato.
"How's my team holding up?"
With Sasuke.
"Please Kakashi-sensei, train me. Help me get prepare for the finals" Sasuke begs, having dragged himself up the tall butte.
Kakashi looks at the boy for a moment before sighing.
"Alright" he says.
With Naruto.
He bolts upright, sweating profusely, tossing the covers to one side and making a beeline for the bathroom, on his knees, his dinner coming back up.
He stands, letting the water run and splashing it all over his face, his breathing only now beginning to slow.
He doesn't even remember which one it was this time. Usually he remembers the most common one. He always remembers that one when it happens. He pushes the flush on his toilet, stepping, back of his bathroom.
He grunts a hand moving to his ribs. He's really starting to feel these injuries now.
His brow furrows as he hears a knock on the front door. A knock on his door? Since when?
He makes his way out of his room, through the living room and towards the door, pulling it open.
"Fugaku-sensei" he greets the Uchiha, stepping back, inviting him to step in. Inviting someone into his home, a foreign feeling this.
"You missed the preliminaries" Naruto says as the Uchiha walks into the neatly organized space.
"I've been away for a bit, snake-hunting, duty calls" he says, Naruto turning to look him in the eye after shutting the door.
"Were you successful?"
"Not exactly" he responds "But that will come. Well done on protecting your teammates Naruto. And on a personal level, I want to thank you for protecting my daughter. You don't know what it means" the Uchiha expresses gratefully.
"There's no need to thank me" he responds.
"Congratulations on the preliminaries. You and I both know when I'm not around, I expect you step up for Team 12" Fugaku says smiling " If it were up to me you'd be up for Jonin frankly but for now, you're certain to make Chunin in my eyes" Fugaku says, ruffling the boy's head who sweat drops at the gesture but doesn't complain.
"Sasuke's going to be training with Kakashi for the next few weeks. So I'll be making sure Satsuki gets ready. I want you to come train with us"
"I'll have to decline sensei. I already had something in mind" Naruto respectfully declines Fugaku smirking.
"Look at you, planning on writing your name all over that tournament board huh?"
Naruto shrugs in response.
"With Ino injured I just also think it makes more sense for you take this chance to focus on Satsuki. You can help her continue to develop her proficiency with her Sharingan and Fire style" he adds, Fugaku's smirk growing.
"Ever the ninjutsu expert. Alright, Naruto. If you change your mind you know where to find me" the Uchiha says walking towards the door.
With Kabuto
He stands in a dark room, beneath the Hidden Leaf candles lining the walls. One of his masters safehouses that was never found. Said master is on a screen before him, heavily bandaged.
"A-are you certain of what you've just said Lord Orochimaru?" he utters in disbelief.
"Come now, Kabuto, don't insult me" Orochimaru scoffs.
"Th-the Wood Style of the First Hokage" he repeats.
"You say the boy stopped Five of the Eight inner gates of the Hidden Lotus?" Orochimaru questions.
"Affirmative, my lord"
Orochimaru chuckles darkly at the confirmation.
"He is the one Kabuto, there's no doubt in my mind about it. The Sharingan will remain one of our objectives but that boy is now our priority. If there is truly a shinobi in this world who could be the second coming of the God of Shinobi, that individuals body must be mine. He could be the key to all of our plans but could also be the one to ruin them all. With him at his full potential, Minato, Fugaku, the entire Akatsuki and the other four Kage, well three now" he muses chuckling.
"None of them would be able to stop me! And if that doesn't end up being the case then he can't be allowed to live" the man speaks
"He's the Fourths son. How would we go about bringing him to us?" Kabuto questions.
"Patience, Kabuto. You see unlike Sasuke, that boy is despised in the Leaf. Even amongst his own kin, he is an outcast. He has no reason to hold any allegiance to any 'Will of Fire'. His eyes mirror the hatred in his heart. If we can take advantage of that hate, he will turn his back to the Leaf" the Sannin surmises.
"Remain in the Leaf for the time being until the exams are concluded and await further instructions."
Uzumaki Namikaze Training Ground
"So you want me to train you huh?" Jiraiya muses, Menma standing across from him.
"It's best if mom focuses all her attention on Mito. Dad is the Hokage, I can't expect him to give up a month before the Chunin exams training me" he explains. Jiraiya chuckles at his sneaky reasoning. Minato can just use his shadow clones. The boy really wants to prove himself to his father without his direct help.
"Mhmh. Alright then. I already have something in particular in mind" Jiraiya complies, Menma grinning from ear to ear
"Before we get started though there's someone I need to have a word with" the Sannin adds.
Hidden Leaf General Hospital- Shinobi Wing
She lays in her bed, fast asleep, Inoichi sitting by her side, face showing clear signs of sleep deprivation.
Tsunade walks in, holding a clipboard.
"Alright Inoichi, if you dont go home, get clean and get something to eat, I'm throwing you out of here myself" she says firmly.
"Give me a break Tsunade" he grumbles.
"You really want your daughter waking up to see you like this? Well I won't allow it" she says firmly, holding a fist up, the Yamanaka grumbling once more to himself before lifting himself from the seat, planting a kiss on his daughters forehead before exiting the room, Tsunade following. Their footsteps fade before another pair begins to become audible, growing closer to the room.
A figure steps forward, darkening the doorway to the room, overlooking the girl. He takes a few steps forward, coming to stand at the foot of the bed. Silence hangs over the room as he begins to lift his hand.
"You lost, pal?" a voice questions.
Gaara turns calmy to see the Uchiha girl standing there, a Leaf Jonin with brown hair with her, leaning against the doorway.
Satsuki stares the red head down with a frown. Damn the political consequences, she'll kill this weirdo right here and now before he hurts her friend again.
Fugaku watches on calmy. So this is the Jinchuriki of the Hidden Sand.
"Mh. It's you. Where's the blonde one?"
"Don't you worry about Naruto. 'Cause the way it's looking to me now you might not even get to see him" she venomously utters to a nonchalant Gaara.
"I have no interest in you" he responds, the girl gritting her teeth even tighter
"You're just a child. Your hatred isn't comparable to mine. But his is. That is why I want him" he adds, Fugaku frowning a bit at the comment.
"Alright pal" he speaks again for a second time, gesturing behind himself.
"Hightail it, now" he orders calmly.
The red head gazes at both of them for a few seconds before calmly walking towards the exit, past both of them. Satsuki briskly walks towards the bed to check on Ino.
Fugaku remains by the doorway. That kid is being followed by ANBU and he probably knows. If they'd been a few seconds later, it might have gotten messy in here.
With Naruto.
Naruto, sitting against the trunk, beneath the shade of his favorite tree, wraps another scroll closed, placing it in the row. Suddenly his preparations for his departure are interrupted.
"You've gotten older"
He looks up to see the silhoutte of a grown male sitting in the tree. The figure jumps down to stand over him.
"Lord Jiraiya" he greets simply.
"Naruto" the man smiles back. "Well aren't you just the spitting image of your father?" he says looking at the boy.
"How you been kiddo?"
"Healthy" Naruto responds plainly.
"I can see. Congrats on making it to the finals of the Chunin exams. Your dad told me all about it. These next few weeks are gonna have to be a whole lot of training for you. Why don't I help you out with that?" Jiraiya offers expecting the boy to jump escatatically at the opportunity.
"No, thanks" he declines.
"No thanks?'" he repeats " Have you forgotten by some miracle who I am boy?" Jiraiya questions boisterously getting ready t-
"I remember who you are. Please don't start posing and dancing" he responds , Jiraiya sweat dropping at the comment.
'This kid seems to take after Fugaku more than Minato' he muses sweat dropping.
"You're no fun at all are you?" he questions snatching one of the scrolls on the ground and jumping back. Naruto stands up, tucking the rest away while sighing.
"Tell ya what. If you can take this scroll back from me I-" he doesn't finish his sentence as the air leaves his body, a kick meeting his stomach, releasing his grip on the scroll and sending him into the dirt, the Sannin jumping back to his feet.
'Such speed. That was Jonin level!' he says to himself clutching his stomach while Naruto stands there with the scroll in his hand.
"There." he responds turning his back.
"Oh no, we're not done yet. You're gonna show me what you're made of" Jiraiya shouts sprinting towards the blonde who whips around blocking a chop to the side of the neck swinging a kick that Jiraiya parries. The two exchange a flurry of blows canceling each other out, Jiraiya stepping back and Naruto scoffing.
"I don't have time for this" he sneers. The two sprint towards one another, Jiraiya launching a flying kick that the boy sidesteps swinging a spinning one of his own that the older male parries. A flurry of blows flies between the two, Naruto scowling while Jiraiya laughs ecstatically, the genin and older shinobi jumping back from one another.
The two spring towards one another again, Jiraiya's eyes widening as suddenly the blonde begins to glow a white hue. He tries to dig his heels into the earth as they approach one another.
Too late
With Temari, Kankuro and Baki.
"Just what good is moaning supposed to do?" Temari asks, visibly frustrated.
"I'm not moaning, I'm just being honest Temari, I'm really worried. He's clearly become more unstable as the exams have progressed" Kankuro responds.
"The exams have provided ideal conditions for him to act more violently" Baki speaks, the two genin turning their heads " But it's only provoked the blood lust of the beast"
"He seems to react particularly differently to that kid. The blonde ones teammate" Kankuro adds.
"Naruto" Temari says.
"The Hokage's already had a word with me about him. The two of you just keep an eye on him.
With Ino
"He was here?" Ino questions.
"That freak! I would have killed him in this damned hospital before I let him do anything to you" Satsuki growls, responding to her friend.
"That boy Satsuki, is he facing Naruto in the finals?" Fugaku asks.
"No, he's gonna fight Sasuke" she responds looking down, Fugaku frowning in thought. He'll have to check in on Kakashi and Sasuke later. Make sure they're not slacking off.
"He seems to have some kind of obsession with Naruto." she voices.
"Where is Naruto?" the Yamanaka asks. She hasn't spoken to him since that day, when she refused to listen to him and he protected her again. Is he still mad at her?
"He's preparing for the finals" Fugaku answers.
Hokage Tower (Minato's office)
"Oh I see" Minato says, his son standing in front of him.
"And so I need your permission to leave the village until the commencement of the finals" Naruto finishes.
"That isn't a problem, Naruto. I was actually hoping to help you out with preparing" the village leader adds.
"That won't be necessary" he responds to Minato's dejection.
"Um, alright. Well, there's no problem Naruto. Until the exams are concluded you're not on official duty anyway so I'll grant you permission to leave."
"Thank you, Lord Hokage" he responds, turning and leaving.
"Good luck, Naruto." he adds, the boy turning and acknowledging with a simple nod before departing, leaving a somber Minato.
Is he ever going to get his son back?
He sighs to himself, taking the heaven curse mark seal tag back out and continuing his work on it.
Leaf General Hospital-Shinobi Wing
"You're still the same clown you've always been" Tsunade scoffs patching Jiraiya up.
"How was I supposed to know the kid was gonna set off an exploding clone on me or that he can use shadow clones?" Jiraiya pleads his defence as Tsunade tightens the bandage around his temple. He whimpers as she gives him a smack to the head.
"Minato told you about him and you're surprised he can summon shadow clones? No, you were just being stupid!" she retorts to which he sighs.
"A child fought Orochimaru and survived. I just can't believe it Tsunade" he says in a more serious tone.
"Even if he held back, which is probably the case, it still..."
"Minato showed you...the proof didn't he?" she asks in a more somber tone, careful of her wording to which he nods.
"He's clearly a generational talent and yet Minato's confessed to not teaching him any of what he knows" Jiraiya muses.
'Could it be that I was...'
He'll have to go look for Menma so they can get started soon. The brat might well be in for the fight of his life.
With Menma
"That jerk! Probably off somewhere prying on undressed women! Damned pervert!" Menma huffs, marching through village. He turns the corner to be met with the sight of a none other than Neji Hyuuga, carrying a few bruises and cuts. He frowns, images of Hinata's bruised and bloodied body rushing back to him.
"Well, well. Someone's been hard at work" Menma speaks coming to stand across from the Hyuuga clansman.
"Hm" the Hyuuga simply responds continuing to walk past Menma.
"That's what I wanna see. Once I've kicked Naruto's ass, you're up next so you better make it worth the while" he says, the older genin coming to a stop. He turns his head making eye contact with rookie.
"You just focus on doing enough to make Chunin. Because you don't even stand a chance against your brother" the boy responds smirking, wiping Menma's own off of his face"
"And what makes you think that?" he questions, narrowing his eyes.
"You're talented boy, there's no doubt about it. But your brother...is cut from a different cloth from you. It's that simple."
"Are you some kind of an expert on that loser?"
"I've seen enough to know he's nothing like you" he responds.
"Yeah! And that's exactly why he doesn't stand a chance!" Menma fires back, Neji simply smirking. Ignorance is bliss.
" Him, you and Sasuke. I'm praying I get to face all of you. So that it becomes clear as day who's who in this village!" he utters firmly.
The Hyuuga simply continues to walk, not giving another response. He will lose.
With Naruto
His legs are crossed as he sits on floor of his living room. He had wanted to depart from his place of refuge as had always been the case, years ago but the toad Sage had annoyingly ruined that so he'll leave from here. In any case it makes no difference. He grunts slightly a hand reaching for his side. His Chakra had done a considerable bit of work in healing and suppressing the injuries he'd suffered at the hands of Rock Lee but he's definitely been feeling his battle wounds more as the days have passed. He refused to be examined by the medics to the near murderous rage of a certain blonde Sannin. He might be nursing a few fractures.
He bites into his thumb, drawing a drop of blood, weaving through the old signs, not missing a beat before slamming a hand on the floor of his living room, a sealing array springing from it to surround him.
It's time.
"Reverse summoning jutsu!" he exclaims, smoke immersing with a poof sound, remaining for a few moments before lifting to reveal him gone.
With Fugaku
"Your brother will be preparing for the finals with Kakashi. Naruto says he has his own plans for the month, outside the village" The elder Uchiha speaks.
He resists a small smile as he notes the look of intrigue mixed with dissapointment at this mention of his blonde male student.
"So it'll be just you and me. Which could be quite beneficial to you actually. Kakashi tells me your opponent is a wielder of the Uzumaki Adamantine Sealing Chains as well as the Nine Tails Chakra. That means we have a whole lot work ahead of us" he says firmly, his daughter nodding in response with a determined look etched on her face.
He believes in Naruto fully and he knows that with his guidance his daughter will be ready as well.
Satsuki gazes on at her father with determination. She will not lose this fight. It isn't an option.
With Naruto.
A bird call echoes throughout the canopy as Naruto pulls himself up by a vine on the steep incline. He takes a glance below, the jungle stretching out below, clouds obscuring the view in parts. He looks up ahead, pulling himself up again and taking a leap to stand on a flatter bit of terrain fog ahead of him.
His head lifts as he hears roars once in the distance from all directions. A pair of eyes glow in the fog as a silhouette on all fours slowly approaches, its size comparable to that of a fully grown horse.
The silhouette emerges, mane billowing jn the cool wind that passes every few moments. Naruto can't help the smirk that comes onto his face as the lion walks closer.
"I knew that scent the moment it hit my nose. The great intruder himself" the beast greets speaks in a low voice, Naruto visibly trying to catch his breath. It's been a while and the altitude is showing that to him.
"Geto" he greets smiling as the beast stands before him, towering over him.
"Well well. You're not as tiny as you once were brat. I don't suppose I'm worth running from anymore?" the beast mocks, Naruto scoffing, smirk still in place.
"You wish" he retorts, the beast turning and gesturing with its head.
"Jump on then, before those little lungs run out of breath completely"
Naruto complies, hopping onto the animals back before it springs away, leaping through the terrain with speed and agility that defy logic for its size.
Training Ground 7
The younger kunoichi swings her katanna laterally, blocked by her teachers own. She aims a swinging leg to the side of the head only for this to be caught by a hand before a foot meets her midsection, sending her back onto the ground, Kushina catching her katanna and holding both in either hand.
Mito jumps back to her feet, already bruised and bloodied, eyes now red, claws on display.
"Your opponent is an Uchiha, Mito" Kushina speaks "A Sharingan wielder being trained by one of it's most adept wielders to emerge from the clan in generations. You can't hope to simply rely on the Nine Tails chakra to win this" Kushina speaks, Mito taking her words in for a moment before sighing and nodding, eyes returning to their original colour and claws retracting.
"Your sealing chains can still be decisive but not if you allow yourself to fall under a genjutsu which, in this case, can happen merely from eye contact. This will likely be more difficult than facing your sister" Kushina continues Mito nodding again in affirmative. Facing her sister was difficult but she expects this to be even harder.
"We'll get to the strategic element of your preparation but for now we need to focus on further honing your physicicality and sensory. The Sharingan's ability to read and predict movements including handsigns is unparalleled. So we need maximize your base speed and strength as much as we can without the multiplier of the Nine Tails Chakra" she speaks tossing the younger kunoichi's katanna back to her, who catches it by the handle in one hand.
"Now again!"
With Naruto
Thunderous roars echoe out as Naruto, still on Geto's back, approaches the huge stone, Lions of different sizes, surrounding them, and more roars coming from the surrounding jungle and lush savannah Valley below. He drinks in the grand view of the summit as the roars of welcome continue. Geto comes to stand before the stone, Naruto getting off and turning for a moment to bow his head in acknowledgement and gratitude of the welcome. He turns back toward the large stone, the towering Stone Lions on either side of the open doors still there. He steps forward into the darkened space, walking towards the center where a fire sits, bringing into view the gargantuan male Lion laying before it, his eyelids lifting to reveal his golden eyes as Naruto comes to stand before him, bowing his head while greeting.
"Chief"
"Naruto" Helios responds in a thunderous bellow "Welcome home..."
End of Chapter
Chapter 18 done. Over 6k words, pretty average length. And as preparations for the finals begin, Naruto takes the step to finally face one of his strongest demons. How will it unfold? Review, review and review people.