Author's notes:

Super long chapter. No bridge fight yet. Please remember some deaths are necessary for character development.

CHAPTER 16

Naruto returned to Tazuna's house after Haku. Tsunami welcomed him and tried to apologize. Naruto stopped her and laughed it off. He told her that he was not really angry and he just wanted her son not to be sad anymore. Someone should tell Inari that and he chose to be that person. Tsunami thanked him and provided him some tea.

/*This chapter doesn't bash Sasuke and Sakura but it shows them for what who they were before Sasuke defection arc. And I have placed some scenes for Naruto similar to Kakashi and Sasuke. That is necessary to show how Naruto would react in those same situations. It would show the difference between them and Naruto. It would explain how the pain and grief the other party is in doesn't necessarily justify them bullying Naruto. It is not right for them to use Naruto to vent their anger, especially he or kyubi had nothing to do with their pain. And how Naruto could have deterred them but he was so used to bullying he didn't even notice it anymore and it is wrong too.*/

Naruto took the offered tea and gave her some fishes and vegetables he found in the sea and forest. Tsunami wanted to refuse but Tazuna asked her to accept it.

"Take that Tsunami. It is really easy for that kid to get that. He is helping with the bridge too. He is highly skilled."

Naruto took the tea and jumped to the roof. He sat down with his feet dangling in the air enjoying morning sun and the wind across his face.

"Maa, look, it is my cute little genin. You are so heartless. You are enjoying here when your sensei was worried over you. You don't care about your poor old sensei anymore", Kakashi fake cried after jumping to the roof from the window sill in his room.

"Oh stop it Kashi sensei. You aren't that old. You are in your twenties", Naruto quipped.

"I am older than you though".

"Ok grandpa".

Kakashi chuckled at that and sat beside him.

Naruto took a kettle, some tea and cups from storage scroll and started making more tea for both of them. Why need fire when you have chakra?!

Both of them enjoyed the sunrise and tea.

"It is peaceful", Kakashi noted and Naruto hmmed.

Both resumed their silence and drank tea in peace.

"Sensei"

"Hm"

"You are weak"

"Am I?"

"Yes. You should start training your sharinghan to next level"

"Oh"

"This peace won't last long"

"Gato?"

"Konoha."

Kakashi was grim at Naruto's answer.

"Is that why you were angry yesterday?"

"I wasn't angry. I was disappointed and irritated"

"I see"

"A storm is coming Kakashi sensei. We aren't prepared"

"And my sharinghan is the key to it?", Kakashi doubted.

"Nope. But it can help"

"Ah. How big of a storm?"

"All five nations will be affected"

"A war?"

"More of a chaos"

"Is this the information you said you were waiting for?"

"Yes. It made me realize how weak I too am"

"How can I help with this storm?", Kakashi asked.

"Keep a look out on all ninja's activities inside Konoha, especially the good and stronger ones"

"And inform you?"

"No. I have a way to know without you informing me. I just want you not to get caught unguarded by something", Naruto refused.

"Anything else?"

"Push your friends to train too"

"I will"

"Get in touch with ninja clan heads", Naruto advised.

"I don't initiate socializing"

"Then it is a good thing all them of are jonins and you meet them at jounin office regularly. Start with your 'yo' like a goof you are", Naruto rolled at his eyes.

"It sounds exhausting"

"I agree. Oh, keep an eye on T&I. Anko was your junior in ANBU right?", Naruto said.

Kakashi was far beyond the point with Naruto to ask how he knew both Konoha's internal affairs and international affairs of the world.

"Hmm,, do you want me to see what hokage is up to? He always wanted me to open up and talk to him. I refused until now. Maybe I can 'yo' to him too", Kakashi proposed.

"That won't be necessary. In reality, I want you to stay far away from him", Naruto said. Something in Naruto's tone made Kakashi pity Sandaime. He would feel bad but the hokage had it coming.

"And one more thing. Keep Sasuke away from council's paws"

"The sharinghan is always a problem", Kakashi sighed.

"Don't blame the tool. Blame the one who wields it", Naruto advised.

"True. There was shuishi and Obito and there is Itachi", Kakashi complained and Naruto's heart somersaulted. He tried so hard not to flinch at Kakashi's words.

Kakashi attributed Naruto's uneasiness to the aversion of Itachi. Boy, he would be surprised if he knew.

"You should try to tell Sasuke not to focus on revenge", Naruto reminded.

"Like he would listen", Kakashi groaned.

"He would end up dead or used as a weapon wielded in someone else's hands at this rate"

"I know. I knocked him down several times during training and informed him that he is still weak and he needs allies if he wants to be strong".

"I take it he didn't listen"

"He knew the council is at his beck and call and according to him, they are his allies. He is used to the people and council worshipping him. He thinks that they are his subordinates ready to serve him and it his birth-right as an Uchiha to command them. He mistakes allies as subordinates but the council, it is neither. He thinks it is right for the council to support him and Uchihas should be treated this way. Thanks to Sasuke's father and Uchiha's clan teaching of pride and power. They think Uchihas are powerful and rightfully strong and cannot be compared with common clansmen ninjas. I knew it because he told me when I said he needs allies and focus on teamwork. He replied that he already has it because the council is supporting him and doesn't need weaker allies like his teammates. I told him the council and elders only play nice because of his clan. He asked me what was wrong with that. He explained Uchihas are powerful and it is council's duty to support the Uchihas rather than other weak clans. He seriously believe that Naruto. He told me that was what his father taught him and he would never forget it just because he is dead. Another father messing up his child's mind", Kakashi delved into his revenge seeking student's mind.

"Explains his entitled behaviour. He thinks he is a genius because he is a topper in academy and the hero Konoha is holding its breath and waiting for", Naruto noted.

"What genius? What hero? Your father's records are the best in the academy and no one has beat it till now. Sharinghan doesn't mean you are a genius. Itachi who was hailed as a prodigy couldn't even beat my record without sharinghan. Don't get me started on heroes. Heroism doesn't mean strength, it means heart and a state of mind. A hero doesn't need to win wars and save lives. A person offering food for a starved person is a hero to him. And I can assure you that Sasuke is a long way from being a hero", Kakashi said.

"That is the longest I have heard you talk", Naruto joked.

"But I get what you are saying sensei. He thinks he was weak and that's why his parents died. And to compensate it and feel superior, he makes sure he is number 1 in his generation. And his clan pride gives him entitlement. 'Even if I am orphan, I am better than all other orphans. I am not like them. I have a clan. I am better than kids with parents in my academy. I have Uchiha blood which is superior. No can catch up to me once I open sharinghan', that thought soothes his ego. That is why he makes sure to defeat the one who is an orphan much like he is, but a dead-last, aka me, but somehow manages to get on the same team with him. That's why he doesn't like kids stronger than him. I wonder what would happen if Sasuke met another genius and number 1 in academy of his batch, that stuck up Neji Hyuga from Guy sensei team. Anyway, Sasuke thinks Konoha should concentrate on him more who has a great potential than others. If you tell him that his teammates were told to be ignored by the council and concentrate more on him, he would agree and say that as an Uchiha, he is entitled to special treatment", Naruto said. It seemed like complaining but Naruto's tone was a one of indifference.

"You understand Sasuke well", Kakashi pointed out.

"I know him longer than you think"

"Academy?"

"Much before that. When I ran around with Shuishi, I have seen him"

"You were friends with Sasuke?"

"No. And don't ask him. He doesn't know me but I know him. He was always jealous that Shuishi stole his precious time with his nii-san (brother)."

"I heard Sasuke loved Itachi a lot", Kakashi remembered the gossips.

"He did. He wasn't aware but he hated Itachi even before the massacre too. It was a love-hate thing", Naruto supplied.

"Hated Itachi? Why?"

"It was a jealousy turned hatred. Itachi was a prodigy, who was over achieving and Sasuke's father compared him to his brother. To be frank, he ignored Sasuke and concentrated on Itachi. You get it now why Sasuke likes it when council concentrates on him or you concentrate on his training alone. It isn't like he wasn't aware that you are ignoring us for him. Well, now you know the reason why he enjoyed the special training and pretended he never noticed his other teammates are being ignored. It wasn't just about his potential but rather his need for attention", Naruto said and Kakashi could see what Naruto was saying. No way Sasuke didn't know that Kakashi was spending more time training him than his teammates. Kakashi thought that Sasuke accepted it because of his Uchiha's pride and entitlement. But he didn't know that Sasuke was enjoying the council and his sensei's concentration on him like Itachi had when he was young. Kakashi concluded Sasuke hid it well under his clan pride speech unlike fake Naruto who pulled pranks and decided to be loud to make people concentrate on him.

Naruto continued the chibi Sasuke's story.

"Even though Sasuke was better than his peers in the academy, he faded into the background inside the Uchiha compound because of Itachi's brilliance. Not just his father even some clan members told him he should be and would be a great ninja like his brother. He didn't want to be in Itachi's shadow even when he was five or six. He was always envious and felt if not for Itachi, he would be his father's and clan's pride", Naruto explained.

Naruto imagined what would have happened if it was Sasuke and not Itachi who became Kakashi's ANBU junior. Kakashi would have probably run the proud Uchiha into the ground to knock down his arrogance in every practice session. Naruto chuckled at his thoughts inwardly and continued.

"Itachi was a phantom, an Mt. Everest, Sasuke always looked up and pursued but never caught up. Even if there is no massacre, they would have always ended up on opposite sides. Not an 'I should kill him to avenge my clan' kind of thing, but would be more like an 'I am eligible to be a clan leader in normal standards but you stole it because you are an over achiever' kind of thing. But what was interesting though was that it was all in Sasuke's head from the start. Itachi never cared about those juvenile things. He knew Sasuke was jealous. Itachi told Sasuke that he knew Sasuke was jealous and hated Itachi at times, but he still took care of Sasuke and advised Sasuke to beat him after he grew up and wished Sasuke don't end up like his father. And he told Shuishi exactly that. I was there when he explained."

"You know what I think sensei? I think the fact that Itachi encouraged him and still took take care of him even though he knew Sasuke was jealous, made sasuke think Itachi dismissed him and thought Sasuke would never be his equal. But it was the opposite though. Itachi truly loved his brother and wished he would get stronger. I think Itachi loved him. That's why Sasuke was the only survivor. Itachi didn't kill and couldn't kill Sasuke because he loved his brother. That's what I think", Naruto explained.

"I don't think so, Naruto. He put Sasuke in genjutsu and showed how he killed his parents. If he loved him why do that?", Kakashi refused to believe Itachi was good. Itachi was Kakashi's ANBU junior. Kakashi expected Itachi to become a great ninja. Kakashi was greatly disappointed after massacre in not seeing the darkness in one of his teammates. Itachi was a personal sore point of Kakashi. His former teammate killed Konoha people and Kakashi didn't know his character.

"Sensei, I think Itachi wanted Sasuke to open the sharinghan by showing him that. Extreme distress can activate sharighan. He wanted his brother to be strong and be able to protect himself. If Sasuke could open the sharinghan, he will not be vulnerable when he is alone, after the massacre. I think that was why he did that and told Sasuke to become stronger if he wanted to beat him. We all know if Sasuke wants to beat Itachi, he should at least have kage level strength. I think in Itachi's point of view, if his brother was strong enough to beat him even a kage cannot bully him. Little narcissistic but reasonable, I believe", Naruto ended his speech with a sigh. Itachi was strong.

What Naruto said made sense but Kakashi was still not sure. Naruto observed Kakashi and was satisfied to see the doubts on Kakashi's face. It would be easier to prove Itachi's innocence later.

"But Sasuke didn't activate his sharinghan", Kakashi noted.

"Remember sensei, there are two types of instances where you can awaken your sharinghan", Naruto said and Kakashi tensed at the comment.

"We must watch him closer. Sasuke might be in danger or might pose danger. None of them are favourable", Kakashi announced.

"Yeah"

"And I should find a way to stop Sakura from inflating his ego. He might not like her comments now, but say 100 times, he would believe the flattery and over-estimate his strength. Clan pride, not just power hunger but the hunger for quick power, arrogance, inferiority complex, jealousy and desire for revenge are his drawbacks", Kakashi commented on Sasuke.

Kakashi also commented on his other student. "Sakura had no intention to become a kunoichi before Sasuke. She only wants to be a kunoichi now to marry him. I don't know what to do with her. I thought this mission would open her eyes. But she is still shallow", Kakashi worried about her.

"She just follows her mom's advice. She is insecure. She thinks she loves Sasuke. She is in a pink world where she believes her love is medicine to all his pains", Naruto laughed at Kakashi's scowl.

"She is more concerned about name, image and popularity. She should be less obsessed with love. Love heals but it can't bring back a dead person. And ninjas are exactly that, if they don't have skills to back up them", Kakashi remarked.

"She was once a scared kid who feared bullies. Now she bullies people", Naruto shook his head in disappointment.

"Academy?"

"I know her before that"

"You were friends with her?", Kakashi wondered just how many kids Naruto encountered.

"I just knew her in passing. Saved her from bullies"

'Odd. I saved Hinato too. One hates to see me and the other always looks at me from a distance', Naruto thought. Hinata wasn't as sneaky as she thought. Naruto took that as practice escaping 'bakyugan' eyes of Hyuga clan. He decided to talk with her one day and ask her to stop stalking him.

"What? Then why Sakura hates you now?", Kakashi was confused.

"Her mom caught her after I saved her and told her that I am unlucky and I would bring disaster and makes everything go wrong and that she should stay away from me. She even told Sakura that she wouldn't have been bullied if she didn't meet me, in front of my face. And some time after that, Sakura started blaming me too and said I always stand in her way. She would be right though. I didn't want Sakura or her mother to come in contact with Sasuke, so I started asking her out on a date whenever she advanced to Sasuke. It worked. Sasuke labelled both me and Sakura as a nuisance and ignored us. Sasuke was safe. Sakura treated her insecurities from his rejection by violently rejecting me. Everyone thought I had an animosity towards Sasuke because I liked Sakura. At the same time, I made Sakura's mom believe I was dead-last and loudmouth. I pretended to be dumb as it was expected from me. All was good", Naruto detailed his Mission: Interrupt plans.

"You have always protected Sasuke huh?", Kakashi was still reeling from the fact that Naruto thwarted Mama Haruno's plans in his academic ages. He couldn't wait for Naruto to diss everyone in council and drive them insane. And Kakashi would help.

"I owe an Uchiha. Just repaying it", Naruto shrugged. Kakashi thought it was Shuishi but it was Itachi.

"Damn Uchihas. They come to our lives, care for us and leave with a huge debt to repay", Kakashi's tone was distasteful.

"I owe an Uchiha too. Any ideas that involves not asking out on a date might help", Kakashi said and Naruto laughed out loud.

"I would suggest therapy with Yamanaka Inoichi for the entire team 7 including you but Konoha will not accept the request. We can't keep the council away from Sasuke but we can keep Sasuke away from the council. Keep our team busy sensei, keep our team out of Konoha as much as possible. After this mission, tell hokage we did well and take more C-rank missions outside. Let Sasuke see there is a world outside where he isn't the centre of attention. Let Sakura run rag with missions. If she keeps up and ignites her Will of fire, it is better. If not let her resign on her own. The council cannot say you are not training Sasuke. We will be away from Danzo's eyes too. And during these missions, if Sasuke activates sharinghan, it is an added bonus", Naruto gave an idea.

Kakashi considered it for a minute and thought it wasn't a bad idea.

"Sakura will still blame others, I mean you, if she can't keep up with many missions. And she most definitely will not resign. Her obsession with Sasuke stands in her way of reason. Love Obsession, prejudice, bullying others to make herself feel better and shifting blame are her drawbacks", Kakashi commented.

"What is my drawback?", Naruto was curious for the answer.

"You are too nice. You are too secretive. You have trust issues", Kakashi didn't miss a beat.

"Explain it sensei"

"Your childhood made you not to trust people. That can't be helped immediately. We will let it slide for the time being because trust takes time. When I say you are too nice, I mean it. Naruto, I understand you don't want let the adults know that you are strong. But that doesn't mean you can't stand up for yourself. You think you are strong and their thoughts cannot influence you. They will change later once they know your strength. But the thing is that you are letting them get used to abuse you, especially when there is no reason to do it after you became a ninja. Yes, I repeat that you are letting them get used to it. Because you could chang it and you are choosing not to. You were helpless when you were a child but now you have a headband indicationg you can fight back. Use your ninja status to take a stand."

"Naruto, let's say someday, you tell them you are not a dead last and stop or retaliate their abuse, do you think they will stop? They can't do that even if they want to because they are used to it and it is an automatic reflex to them. You let them used to abusing you to keep your mask. You think you are using their abuse to solidify your mask. Though you had a valid reason before, but now, you don't need it. At one point, you have to take a stand right? I am saying, even if you did, they won't change in a single day. You have to show them that you are not weak and you deserve their respect, constantly for a long time for it to work. My advice…start with small things. Start with your team first and slowly let your mask slip away", Kakashi advised.

"I understand Sensei", Naruto gave a serious thinking into what Kakashi said.

"I know if you take your stand with the civilians, there may be some retaliation attacks. Let them come. Use your status as a 'copy cat ninja's' student to your advantage. I will grace them with the high dose of KI and a small dose of genjutsu. They should know better than attacking my student. I am not feared for nothing", Kakashi said and Naruto laughed.

"So that's why some of the shopkeepers suddenly giving me a fair price and quality goods"

"I don't know what you are talking about"

"I am curious though sensei. Didn't hokage jiji gives you a hard time for scaring civilians like that?", Naruto was curious.

"I thought you know everything happening in Konoha", Kakashi said.

"I was busy with some training last few weeks and my danger alerts didn't go on. So I didn't check".

"Hokage said something but I dismissed him. I told him Konoha headband has a reputation. Once you were given that, you became a ninja. I asked the hokage since when Konoha became lax enough to let the civilians bully its ninja. Your headband was approved by hokage. Anyone who disrespects it, disrespect the hokage's position and rival his authority. I told him I was just doing my duty as a responsible ninja of Konoha and punishing the traitors mildly for disrespecting my kage. I told him that I am already irritated with the council asking me to ignore one of my team. The hokage knows about my 'not abandoning the comrades' policy. I can accept the council's decision for the village's sake but I will not tolerate anyone harming my students. I reminded him I am not the one who could abandon his comrades and I don't wish to become something worse than scum unlike others. If I am pushed too far, I might accidently ignore the council because I have poor memory and they cannot do anything because I am the only one who can train an Uchiha", Kakashi explained his actions with a little, barely detectable but yet present, pride.

Naruto suddenly remembered the kyubi saying that even if Kakashi ignored him, he would never agree with anyone harming him, even the hokage.

"Thanks sensei. But how can I stand up for myself in the team without changing the team dynamics. If I start showing my true face, it will disrupt the barely there teamwork of our team", Naruto said.

"You cannot always play an underdog so that the team could work. If you continue to underplay and suddenly expose yourself it will ruin the team. So it is better to slowly reveal yourself now and let them see you have changed, for the team to function in longer run. Honestly, if you show your full strength now, they will not react well. So you continue to pretend weak and slowly reveal your strength bit by bit", Kakashi advised.

Naruto was seeing why Kakashi was an excellent captain both inside out outside ANBU. 'This man knows his team well. He picks apart what works and doesn't. But he never teaches them. He doesn't intervene until his team in danger and then provide advice. If not, he waits for them to realise it by themselves. He waits for them to ask him to help them to become strong. He wants to know they are doing it for right reasons. He is not a teacher, he is warrior. A commander leading his troops. Teaching makes students to see the ways of the one teaching the methods and gives answers readily, hence it influences the minds of the ones learning. But guidance makes people realise the right questions so they could answer it themselves. This man would make a great leader', Naruto thought to himself and prodded his sensei for advice.

"Where do you think I should start, sensei?"

"You can start by not letting Sakura bully you and punch you. Stop the physical attacks within team first. It undermines your presence. It is a form of harassment too. We are on a mission but she still insults you in front of the clients. How would they trust you with their lives when they get the idea that you are a screw up? This time, Tazuna and his family understood you. This being a longer mission also helps them to see you. What if it is a two day mission? What if you ask the client to stand behind you but because of your teammate's remarks the client didn't trust you and ignores your command and goes to stand behind Sasuke or Sakura and get hurt in this process? Clients should see that your teammates trust you and respect you first. They can't do that when your teammate keeps punching you", Kakashi said.

"I haven't let her punch me since I became a genin if you have noticed", Naruto said.

"There. That's what I am telling you to stop. You avoided Sakura punching you. You didn't stop her. Do you really think she knows that she can't punch you? Do you think she really understands she cannot bully you? Did she realise you are her teammate and her equal? Did you make her realise it? I don't think so. She hasn't caught up yet to the fact that you have been avoiding her punches. She probably thinks that you are too scared of her punch and avoid it. It has the opposite effect of what you are trying to convey her. You should let her realize directly that you are a fellow ninja who deserves her respect. That's a far stretch, you should make sure that she understands she can't bully you at will. How you go about it, is up to you", Kakashi explained so Naruto could see what's invisible to him.

"I can see it now sensei. I will start with her. What about me being secretive?", Naruto wanted to know his faults to correct it.

Kakashi heard the eager tone and was happy that he could teach Naruto few things. He missed the chance to teach Naruto ninja skills but he was happy that he could give some tips on life skills.

"You are secretive and always act behind the scenes. Others take your credit. There are few problems with that. When you expose yourself suddenly, people might question your source of strength. They will only see your sudden rise and think that you used some crooked methods. They will question your character, your motives and might even stop you from being a hokage because of those secretive rise of strength or a ninja even for that matter. Because you don't have allies in Konoha, a place which you want to protect, a place where you want to prove yourself as a ninja and bring peace. They can't trust you because they don't know you. And there is also a chance that too many secretive actions can lead you astray. You might lose yourself in your secrets. You will not have anyone challenging your ideas and give better opinions since no one knows your secretive plans. You will not know right from wrong and become a ruler, a dictator. In short, you will actually become another Danzo. Even if you don't become one, people will think you are another Danzo because of all the secrets", Kakashi explained and Naruto winced at the last part.

Naruto could see what Kakashi was saying. He didn't want to become engulfed in darkness and work alone either. He wanted friends. He wanted comrades to fight alongside with. He wanted to fight for them. He wanted his comrades to fight for him. Fight with him.

"Thanks Sensei. It is really helpful. Don't worry. I will make friends. Find allies to fight with. Have comrades to fight for. And above all I am not worried about becoming a dictator because I am not alone. I got you now to guide me, didn't I sensei?", Naruto said the last part cheekily.

"Yeah. You are not alone. I got you", Kakashi absolutely agreed with his ball of sunshine. Kakashi already had some plans to get credit for every Naruto's deeds which were invisible and unacknowledged. Like catchying a traitor like Mizuki, protecting Kakashi's life from Zabuza and small smart actions like setting traps and standing guard around client's house. Kakashi would make sure that Naruto will deserve every amount of recognition he deserved.

Both of them enjoyed their tea and started their day after some time. Another two days passed in silence. Kakashi and Naruto worked on genjutsu. The genin team was done with tree climbing. Naruto was still solving the seals in Uzumaki temple. They were almost done and only very few remaining. Inari was peeking at Naruto whenever possible. Naruto caught the guy one day and befriended him. He got lot of information about Wave from Inari and also taught the kid some skills. The main one was archery. Naruto found that the kid had some real aim.

That day, the team was going to do something different. Water-walking. Kakashi showed them how to do it and stopped them before they started. He took the chakra paper and told them that they should know their chakra nature to learn new jutsus that suited them.

"My cute little students, today we are going to check your chakra nature"

"Chakra nature? What is it sensei?", Sakura asked and so Kakashi spilled some wisdom to the kids.

"How do we check it?, Sakura asked.

"With this", Kakashi showed some square shaped, plain papers.

"They are just papers", Sakura said.

"These are chakra papers. They will react according to your chakra nature. Here, watch this", Kakashi said and passed chakra in the paper. One side crumbled and other part wrinkled. "See, crumbling means earth, wrinkling is lighting, fire means fire, wet means water, splitting means wind", Kakashi was telling and suddenly realised he screwed up.

'Crap, I forgot. Naruto didn't want to reveal his attributes. If exposed now, the council will definitely know he has all five affinities. Why am I saddled with two stuck up brats who has strong connections to the council on my team? Times like these, I wish Naruto is my only apprentice. Too bad, life doesn't work that way', Kakashi looked at Naruto and he gave a reassuring smile in return. He was relieved. He understood that Naruto already accounted for the council knowing his chakra affinities unexpectedly.

"Sakura, you start", Kakashi passed the paper. Sakura had affinity for earth, Sasuke had Uchiha characteristic fire and surprisingly lightning affinities. Kakashi didn't know how Naruto did it but he showed only Wind and water affinities. His father had wind affinity and mother had water affinity.

"Now that we are done, two of you do water walking as I have shown. Naruto, you are on bridge duty today. Off you go guys", Kakashi shooed them away and vanished.

The original Naruto proceeded towards the bridge. He spoke with Tazuna about progress of the bridge and went to collect his weapons and ninja gear. The clones were working busy on the bridge. That day, Naruto got info from the infiltrated clones on Gato's wealth, business and other transactions. Naruto noted it down. He then went to see Inari who was very interested in getting to know the orphaned kids nowadays. He took Inari to the harbour to study Gato's ships, passenger ferry and other modes of transportation. Inari showed him around.

Naruto then proceeded to the Uzumaki temple. He was planning to finish the remaining seals and find what the clues were leading to. In the meantime, there were few new chakra signals Naruto was sensing that were different from the ones when they entered Wave. Naruto decided to sneak in tonight and fight out who those were, in person.

Clones are great but they couldn't make decisions time appropriate. Let's say clone 1 gets an information and decided a particular plan of action. But what clone 2 might find could blow up the entire mission or it could get in way of clone 1's plan. So it is best not to let clones act out. Collect information and let the original do the work.

Naruto went to the temple, meditated first and started solving the last few seals. This time he took two days. When he was done finally, he got a storage scroll which was found inside the altar. When he tried to open it with chakra, he couldn't.

"Oi brat, you Uzumakis have a strict bloodline. You can't send your chakra infused with mine to open the scroll. Try to open the scroll with your pure chakra", the fox tipped off. Kyubi taught him a method to separate his chakra from kyubi's in the past. But it required co-operation from the fox's part. With that technique and his chakra sensing capabilities, Naruto could isolate and use a particular chakra nature at will. That was how he managed the chakra affinity test on chakra paper effectively.

Naruto tried it and still didn't open. Naruto tried to use his blood as usual next and the storage scroll opened. There was a box in the scroll. The moment the scroll opened, the seals on the temple faded into nothingness. Naruto tried to open the box and he couldn't. There were flower like patterns on the box. That was another set of seals Naruto didn't know.

He was thinking that maybe he should study seals more and he could open the box in future. He came outside the temple and was about to leave. He saw the patterns that adorned the walls outside the temple were gone too. Naruto then remembered some patterns resembled the seals on the box if rearranged.

'It was a good thing I copied those patterns", Naruto gave a relieved sigh.

It was midnight when he left the temple. He was tired. When he was crossing the town, he heard a laughing sound due to his advanced hearing. It wasn't a happy laugh but rather sadistic. Naruto's danger senses were tickling and he decided to check out. He arrived at the destination and heard few bandits harassing someone inside a building. There was a young man standing nervously outside debating whether to join the bandit's fun or not.

Naruto took the henged form he used to put out the fire that day with mask and cloak. He passed through the 'guard' in a flash and arrived in the dilapidated building undetected. He saw two women surrounded by more than ten bandits. From the picture, you could probably guess what their intention was. Naruto looked at the scared and crying women who were begging to be left alone. He remembered those two were widowed sisters, who had a snack shop in the market area. They might not have had money to pay Gato's goons and they decided to get paid another way. Naruto had no intention of watching it anymore.

"Mind if I join the fun?", Naruto interrupted.

The goons were startled by the sudden intrusion.

"Who are you?", "Leave now", "Did you come to die?", "Catch him" and another set of voices, "Save us" "Please help". You could probably decide which one was which.

Naruto didn't answer. All of them were bandits and no ninjas. So the fight was one-sided and ended in few minutes. The women thanked and left and the man who was standing outside hid himself the moment fighting started. He was waiting for few minutes before he wanted to run. Too bad he encountered a prankster.

Naruto appeared behind him and tapped his shoulder. "Boom". That unnamed side character got a jump scare and squeaked like a squirrel.

"I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything. Leave me alive. I will do whatever you say", he begged.

"It is good then. I have a perfect job for you. I want you to do something for me", the masked man, aka Naruto answered.

"Ok. Tell me", that man got hope to live.

Naruto gave him some money and instructed him something. He formed a clone in front of the scared man and he almost fainted with fear. That man had never seen a real ninja before.

Naruto laughed after he left. He decided to pull a prank before he got some sleep. The next day, entire Wave country heard screams coming from Gato's base throughout the whole morning. The goons ran all over Wave looking for a particular herb that could relieve itchiness. Another group of bandits were flooding every juice shop and asked for ice with swollen red lips. Apparently, they ate too much pepper. And all the Gato's black expensive suits were stained with bright neon paints and he was enraged.

The Wave people wore happy smiles after a long time. Tazuna asked whether it was Naruto's craftmanship and he agreed. Earlier, Inari explained to Tazuna how Naruto was awesome and used more than twenty clones to practice and he could change shape. Tazuna guessed those outside visitors working for him, who conveniently never eat or drink, must be Naruto's clones too. Naruto agreed when he was questioned.

When Kakashi heard the screams, he guessed what happened. His blonde student was still fond of pranks as a ninja just like his mother was. Kakashi was amused by Naruto's antics. But he did ask whether Naruto sneaked in to Gato's den alone but Naruto replied it was his already infiltrated clones who did it. He just gave instructons to them. The other person who laughed out loud for ten minutes straight was Haku. He praised Naruto for his creativity. Sasuke and Sakura were the ones not in the loop.

That night, Naruto returned to the temple because he had an idea to solve the seal on the box. Naruto didn't know what could be inside the box and decided to open it inside the temple just to be safe. He started working and tried many things and finally found the right one. To open the box, one had to recreate the patterns on the wall around the temple outside, not the patterns on the walls inside the temple, overlap those recreated and rearranged patterns and compress them and connect them. If connected, they form another seal which would resonate with the seal on the box. Then apply some Uzumaki blood and viola, the box was open.

Inside the box there was a map. Actually it was the map of the temple he was standing currently, at first glance. But the map was drawn with some different kinds of lines here and there. There were few words at the bottom that were clues on how to use the map. Naruto didn't believe it would be that simple. When he looked at the map again, he found the lines on the maps formed a pattern. When Naruto connected same kind of lines to one another, they all converged at one point on the map which pointed inside the temple. Naruto found it was on the other side of altar. Naruto went to the mentioned point and put chakra and blood again. The altar left an opening the size where only one person could enter. Naruto entered without hesitation and descended the steps behind.

The stairs led to the underground. Naruto used fire jutsu and lighten up the torch inside. The room was circular with paintings on the wall. Naruto got himself ready for another round of seals.

'Damn Uzumakis', Naruto thought bitterly.

Naruto only took two nights and one day this time thanks to previous practising of seals. This time the paintings didn't fade after solving. They became brighter. Naruto went to a painting and touched it. He had a feeling and passed chakra and blood onto it. The painting started playing a set of pictures depicting Uzumakis lifestyle. Naruto found all the paintings showed the history of Uzumakis. When everything was done, Naruto was in awe of Uzumaki's talent and he really wanted to learn this technique of painting.

After all the painting ended their pictures, they moved by itself. They all connected together to form one big painting. That bigger painting moved deeper into the path in the underground but Naruto didn't follow. There were patterns on the walls. Naruto started copying them first. When Naruto took two steps to follow the painting, the path it opened also had patterns on them. Naruto didn't follow the painting in a flash and stopped every three steps to copy the seals. They painting waited and it moved when Naruto moved. It was like it beckoned him to follow somewhere. After some hours the painting stood still in front of what Naruto assumed to be a tunnel, no matter Naruto moved.

Naruto waited and heard a small humming sound. All the seals on the walls on the path he came from, started moving towards the painting. The seals combined with the painting and together they formed a barrier adorned with seals. One must solve those seals to pass through next. Naruto assumed this was the final test and copied the seal to study. He decided he had to eat and sleep before he solved this one. So he went home and spend another day sleeping.

It was two weeks since team 7 reached Wave. Naruto didn't send clones to practice with Kakashi after entering the temple for the last time. Kakashi was training by himself since Naruto called him weak. He was also working on jutsus he copied from talked with Haku about few things and told few things after returning from temple. He decided he had couple of days' time before Zabuza recovered. He also told Haku that he might not be able to come to train with him next few days. Naruto didn't want to create many clones and expend more chakra when he wasn't sure what was beyond the painting barrier.

So Naruto went to the temple once again and went to solve the last seal. He successfully solved it. This seal was the overlap of all the patterns found inside the temple from the start. He entered the tunnel behind the barrier. He returned back two days later and destroyed the tunnel after promising he would come back.

Naruto came back to the forest where he usually trained with Kakashi. He had no idea how he returned there. It might be because of habit or muscle memory. He mostly thought it was kyubi who thought Kakashi could help Naruto and guided him here. Kakashi was practicing there alone. Once he sensed Naruto coming, he stopped and waited.

There was only one way to describe Naruto's eyes when he appeared in front of Kakashi. Empty. Kakashi was never more concerned for Naruto like this previously because Naruto didn't look that when describing his friend's or Shuishi's death. There was sadness and grief in Naruto's eyes at that time but now it appeared empty. Kakashi was scared. Scared for his sunshine student who lost all his brightness.

"Naruto, what happened? You look like someone sucked out your soul", Kakashi dealt with his unease the only way he knew. Tasteless and awkward humour borderline offending people.

That questioned triggered the memories Naruto was repressing. Naruto didn't answer but the next second Kakashi found himself with a handful of blonde. Naruto was hugging him. He held Kakashi's jacket tightly into a fist. Naruto's height only reached Kakashi's chest in his true form. Kakashi didn't know what to do and where to keep his hands. He decided to mimic what his sensei would do when he was having a panic attack and Kakashi suspected Naruto was having one with the way he was breathing.

Kakashi put one hand on Naruto's back and another on Naruto's head and patted it. He pulled Naruto to sit under the tree with him still holding him. "Breathe Naruto, breathe. Take deep breaths". Kakashi couldn't understand what could make Naruto suffer a panic attack of this large scale. He was scared Naruto would stop breathing at some point during that panic attack. It was that bad.

Naruto did as he was told and after five minutes his breathing became normal. He disentangled himself from Kakashi and sat close to his sensei seeking some form of safety and warmth he desperately needed at the moment. He looked broken and Kakashi's heart ached for him.

Kakashi wondered. 'He is really jaded. Whatever made him react like this must be pretty bad'

"Maa.. Naruto, wanna talk? I heard it would help", Kakashi said combing his fingers through Naruto's hair in a smoothing motion. Naruto leaned into it and Kakashi assumed it helped. So he continued.

"I saw them die sensei"

"Die? Who?", Kakashi was thinking Naruto's parents. He assumed the fox was being a jerk and showed Naruto how it killed his parents. But Naruto was an unpredictable ninja and of course his answer of unexpected.

"My clan. Not just my clan. I saw entire Land of Whirlpools gets destroyed at all possible angles", Naruto replied.

Kakashi didn't expect that answer. But he willed himself to be patient. It was already a great thing Naruto didn't shut himself like Sasuke did.

"You know I have been working on seals right?", Naruto asked.

"Yeah. You informed me"

"Those were the seals I found at Uzumaki temple. Land of whirlpools is near Land of Waves. Land of whirlpool has few clans residing on itbut Uzumakis were the most of its population. Uzumakis built a temple here in Wave. Like the one they did on Konoha", Naruto started.

Kakashi didn't know there was an Uzumaki temple at Konoha. But he didn't interrupt Naruto and listened attentively.

"I found the temple here and started solving some seals in it. It was a series of tests one have to complete. Once you succeed you will enter the Ushiokogure (Land of whirlpools) through a tunnel in the temple. Another few seals, water jutsus and blood later, I saw a phantom on a painting. He was the last clan head of Uzumakis. My grandfather", Naruto explained.

"I experienced lot of things concerning Uzumakis there. Any Uzumaki with mastery of seals and blood could pass this. But there was a particular vault only an Uzumaki with bloodline of clan head could access. Turns out I am that person. Uzumakis from the main line would choose an heir to seal the kyubi in them and send to Konoha. And not any Uzumaki can do that. Only an Uzumaki with main clan line has huge chakra and long life force to withstand the kyubi's corruption". Words were tumbling out of Naruto's mouth at this point. He couldn't stop them even if he wanted.

"Compared with other bijus, kyubi (nine tails) is stronger. Some even think that nine tails can fight all the eight bijus together and win. Only Uzumaki clan could seal the kyubi within them. Others clans wouldn't be able to withstand chakra drain from the kyubi and their vitality would be severely damaged resulting in early death. Even the other nations changed jinjurikis twice the amount than it had taken for Konoha and those bijus aren't as strong as kyubi. Konoha achieved this because of Uzumakis. Especially the sacrifice from the mainline of Uzumakis because only mainline Uzumakis could withstand demonic corruption affecting one's mind and harvest the power of kyubi and use it."

"My great-grandmother Mito Uzumaki, daughter of Arashi Uzumaki, princess of Ushiokogare, became the first jinjuriki of Konoha and got married to Shodaime, Hashirama Senju. When she reached old age, my mom, the next princess of Ushiokogare came to Konoha as jinjuriki and later got married to my father, Minato Namikaze who later become the Yondaime. Ushiokogare was already facing the war when mom came to Konoha for academy and it was destroyed shortly after", Naruto explained the lineage part.

"I was informed all of this because I had mainline blood of Uzumakis. There was a bloodline resonance seal on the vault and I could trigger and open it. In the vault, there was a seal I was asked to activate and I did, sensei. It was the memories of all the people who perished on Ushiokogare. Apparently, they saw their end coming. So, all the important people decided that the heritage should not be lost. They knew they couldn't find a way to win this war, so they hoped a younger generation, if any who survived, could find a way using their experience. They didn't want to die in vain. They wanted to help the younger generation in any way they could. They wanted to pass on the knowledge to those who escaped and hoped they could use this wisdom to find a way to avoid being hunted down by the world. They hoped my mom, the last princess of Ushikogore, with Konoha's help would be the one returning to access this memory but apparently she couldn't and so, I didn't, until two days earlier".

"They put all the memories as much as they could gather and started sealing it using hidden techniques for years. They not only wanted to pass on the war memories but wanted someone to know the heritage of the clan. So they put all their life experiences, normal life and their long history before the war. It turned out every inheriting heir of the Uzumaki clan, usually the Uzumaki clan head, would be presented with the wisdom of all the previous clan heads at their coronation. It was their tradition. But I got all the life memories of thousands of Uzumakis who fought the war, the last ones before the destruction along with the wisdom passed by clans over hundreds of years. So, I just saw a person 1 seeing person 2's death. Person 3 seeing person 1's death from fresh angle and person 2's death from another angle than person 1 while getting killed by person X. The final war happened for five years until the entire Ushio (Ushiokogare in short) perished", Naruto told and Kakashi was shocked but his hand was still on Naruto's hair.

"It is horrible Naruto. I have seen war and it is ugly in every angle", Kakashi reminisced. He wished Naruto didn't see war in his lifetime but like all his other wishes, it was never fulfilled.

"It was sensei. I haven't known them personally but it didn't make their deaths any less miserable. Only few people escaped Kakashi sensei. Others perished. There were children who decided not to escape and some wasn't allowed to escape. Because the parents knew the escaped children would be hunted for the bloodline. Once they got caught, a death with kunai would be what they would be praying for. Because the parents knew some of the escaped Uzumakis were forced to be slaves since Uzumaki's 'Death bite' can heal people and replenish chakra instantly. Their children will be bit to death. So they chose to perish and took their children along with them", Naruto said and his tone was so broken.

Kakashi hugged his student and asked him to cry. He asked him to let the tears flow and he would be there and Naruto wasn't alone. Kakashi knew he couldn't fix this for Naruto. How could dead people be fixed? But he decided to help Naruto with this grief. He was actually proud that Naruto could feel this heavily for the people he had never met. Sure they were clan and year long memories might cause some attachment. But this level of brokenness and panic attack signified Kakashi that Naruto deeply cared that was well above the before mentioned clan love and attachment to a memory. To Naruto they were not just memories, they were people. They live through Naruto now. Kakashi thought that they would be happy to know a twelve year from their clan who had never any had connection to them would cry over their lost lives. He knew Naruto would get through this and needed some time so Kakashi decided to hold him however long it would take for Naruto to stand up again.

'Life isn't fair. Just how much has this precious young man lost? Just how much Naruto had gone through in his short life? And how many more responsibilities are thrust upon this kid? Just how much is expected of him? Instead of worrying about that, Naruto is worrying about the lives lost on the pre-emptive war this world brought upon people", Kakashi was really proud of Naruto. He decided to protect this young man however he can. He would gladly give his life for Naruto's safety. He would do that for all his students but Naruto was special. He was the light, a glimmer of hope.

Kakashi decided to carry the tired Naruto home and offered his back, a sign of trust. Ninjas would usually sling people across their back if they had to carry someone. They would never show their back especially to another ninja. But Kakashi did and Naruto accepted. Naruto shifted to his chibi form before hopping on Kakashi's back. Kakashi entered the room through the window. He brought dinner to Naruto later and asked him to sleep. He told Sasuke and Sakura that Naruto was unwell and needed proper test. He also ordered them both to go to the bridge to guard the next day because the bridge was almost complete and Gato could come anytime. Actually, Naruto's clone had informed him previously that Zabuza had recovered and they should be alert.

When the morning came, Naruto woke up to find out his team was not there. Naruto suddenly thought about Haku. Before going to the temple for the last time, Naruto informed Haku he wouldn't be able to come to meet him the next couple of days. He wondered what Haku was doing.

Later, Tsunami explained that Kakashi wanted him to rest. Naruto was eating when suddenly he got a memory. The clone dispelled from bridge and Naruto found out Zabuza and Haku appeared on the bridge.

It had started. The prelude to the storm had arrived.