"Well, you get ready while I get permission from the Hokage to practice in one of the training grounds", Baki remarked as he put on his Jonin vest. Temari ears perked up that, her lips twitching up remembering the message the white haired-man had told Naruto to write.
"Baki-sensei, can I do that? I want to look around the village for a bit too", Temari spoke up suddenly making Baki frown. It wasn't that hard to get that permission, just a signed paper from the Hokage to allow entry in the Training Grounds.
"I... don't see a problem in that", Baki responded, frown still on his face, eyeing Temari for any deceit. She would never volunteer herself for such a things. Temari's face turned into a scowl, realizing why Baki was looking at her like that.
"Are you thinking that I am a traitor?", Temari hissed dangerously, making Baki shake his head in rapid denial.
"No, Temari. It's just that you don't volunteer yourself for any work like this", Baki replied making Teamri's eye twitch.
"So, if I am trying to do something and get a breather from what Tou-sama has planned, am I wrong?", Temari asked in mock confusion making Baki wince at the expression.
"I... I wasn't implying anything. You can go if you wish", Baki stammered out knowing how dangerous it was to anger Temari. The blonde nodded in satisfaction.
"Good", Temari said before stomping out of the room. Quickly making her way to the Hokage Tower, she waited outside the office at the reception desk. She sighed at the queue, before taking a seat in the far corner of the room. Seeing the calm atmosphere, she assumed that nobody had visited the boy's house.
'How does nobody know that he hasn't been seen since morning? All ninjas are up at five, and its nearing nine now! Any sane ninja would check up on within thirty minutes!', Temari thought with a scowl on her face. She had an urge to pummel that silver-haired cyclops she had seen at the preliminaries. The boy was his charge, dammit! He should be the first one to realize!
After twenty minutes, she had been called inside to get the signed permission from the Hokage. As soon as she entered, the Hokage smiled a little before opening a drawer and pulling out a sheet. She bowed to the village leader.
"Hokage-sama", she addressed with respect. 'The first name on the special war list. He doesn't have a Kekkei Genkai, but is rumored to be as strong as Tou-sama when he was just seventeen!'.
"You shouldn't bow to me, Temari-san. You are one of the candidates for the Godaime Kazekage, as well as the eldest of the Yondaime Kazekage's children", Hiruzen said as he took a drag of his pipe. "I assume you are here for the permission?", he asked as Temari nodded. He quickly wrote down the blank spaces in the printed paper, before handing it to Temari. "I hope the villagers are treating you well", he said as the girl nodded. Seeing the expression on Temari's face, Hiruzen gestured her to speak up. "Do you something to say?".
Temari snapped her eyes towards her towards the old man, before framing her words carefully. "I was just curious about a boy, but it seems that Konoha doesn't appreciate a sane Jinchuriki", she said emotionlessly making Hiruzen flinch at the accusation.
"How do you know about that?", Hiruzen asked in a dangerously low voice, crashing all of his chakra on the girl. The poor blonde started gasping for air under the pressure, looking at the Sandaime Hokage with wide eyes. Keeping his pressure for a few moments, he lifted it to make sure that the girl didn't faint. "I am waiting for an answer".
Temari took ragged deep breaths, before giving a tired glare to the man. "His eyes hold fear for even at a sudden drop of a hat. The same expression before my brother became the cold person he is now. Save him before he loses his sanity, because even you know that you can't stop the Kyubi", Temari answered shocking Hiruzen with the first sentence.
"I see. Thank you for bringing such an important thing to light. I will see into it", Hiruzen said tightly. Temari bowed and was about to leave the office, when a glasses wearing shinobi burst in through by breaking the door. "Ebisu! What is meaning of this?!", Sarutobi asked in anger. The bewildered Jonin said nothing, and just pushed a note in his hand.
'I have found a teacher, who has agreed to teach me till the Chunnin Exam finals. I am leaving the village with sensei to train. I will return a day or two before the finals.
Naruto'
"Where is Kakashi?!", Sarutobi asked in anger. Ebisu whimpered at the thunderous expression on the man's face, while Temari suppressed a smile.
"He was going to leave the village today to train Uchiha-san in his private grounds. He had assigned me to Naruto for the month", Ebisu replied, before cowering at the furious increase in chakra which left everybody in the room, including the ANBU, gasping for air. Temari made a mental note to never incur the man's wrath.
"Who is his sensei?! You or Kakashi?! ANBU! Bring that idiot here!", Hiruzen barked in anger, sending an ANBU scampering away as if Uchiha Madara were hot on his tail. "And what happened yesterday?"
Ebisu whimpered under the glare, but nodded before answering. "Kakashi-san contacted me to teach Naruto for a month, while he taught Uchiha-san for his match against Gaara. He mentioned that he needed to focus all of his attention, so that Sasuke-san doesn't get killed in his match", he answered making both Hiruzen and Temari scowl.
"So what were you going to teach Naruto?", Hiruzen asked as Ebisu nodded quickly.
"I was going to refine his chakra control, as well as teach him taijutsu as Kakashi had instructed", Hiruzen nodded quietly at that, but internally his temper was reaching his breaking point.
"I see", he replied tightly. "Wait till Kakashi comes".
Temari smirked at the tone. 'He is going to tear a new one to that silver cyclops', she thought amusedly. Seeing that Hiruzen had forgotten her presence in the chaos, she patiently waited there. Quickly enough, Kakashi came in from a window, unaware of the rage bottled inside his leader.
"Hokage-sama, Tenzo told that you had asked for me", he said lazily. Hiruzen nodded, before crashing his entire chakra on the lazy Jonin. Temari noticed that she was indeed feeling the pressure, but wasn't getting crushed under it like the scared Jonin.
'Concentrated chakra pressuring! How much control does he have over his chakra?! I won't be shocked if he walks over Tou-sama without breaking a sweat', Temari thought in fear.
"Hokage-sama?!", Kakashi squeaked in shock, his entire body paralyzing under the dense angry chakra.
"Who is important to you, Sasuke or Naruto?", Hiruzen asked calmly, still keeping his pressure over Kakashi.
"What kind of question is that?!", Kakashi asked in shock, raising his voice. Hiruzen's eyes reddened.
"A sane question, if you ask me. Can I know why you gave Naruto to Ebisu for a month, while you taught Sasuke? Is Naruto a second priority to you?", he asked calmly, the calmness sending shivers down everybody's spines.
"No!", Kakashi exclaimed in anger.
"Then why don't you teach Naruto alongside Sasuke?", he asked with a frown.
"Sasuke's opponent is Gaara, and he almost killed Lee if it weren't for Guy. And in simple words, Sasuke is weaker than Lee. He will be killed in an instant", Kakashi said without a break.
"Naruto is weaker than Sasuke currently, whereas Neji is stronger than Lee. So you are saying that, refining Naruto's chakra control and taijutsu, you expect him to beat Neji?", Hiruzen asked as he narrowed his eyes. "What gave you the bright idea that you can defeat a Hyuga in taijutsu, if you don't use your Sharingan?"
Kakashi winced at the statement, but said nothing. He turned to Ebisu and gave him a cold stare. Hiruzen narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Don't blame that incompetent excuse for a Jonin. He couldn't look after a single Genin, and let the boy get kidnapped", Hiruzen said as Ebisu nodded at the insult and accusation.
"What?!", Kakashi asked in shock. "Naruto was kidnapped?!"
"Yes, if you hadn't grasped it by now", Hiruzen said sarcastically. "Someone knocked Ebisu unconscious, and when he came by this morning, there was a single note that he was leaving the village with his new sensei, and won't return till the Finals. And you can't blame the boy, because he is always tempted by training since his Academy teaching was sabotaged".
Temari rose a brow at the last statement. That explained why he had such a low class taijutsu. Kakashi knew what Hiruzen was saying, was the truth. Naruto hadn't been taught anything other than henge and kawarimi at Academy because of Mizuki.
"Let me ask you this Kakashi, what have you taught Team 7 since they were given in your care?", Sarutobi asked with a frown. Kakashi nodded.
"I have finished their chakra control refinement by tree-climbing, daily spars, as well as team building exercises", Kakashi answered nonchalantly. Hiruzen and Temari rose a brow at the answer.
"Kakashi", Hiruzen started with a frown. "Your team is a heavy assault team. Explain to me, how is only daily spars and team building exercises going to help the team over three months? Have you learnt nothing from your mission to Wave? Or your own team? Your team's strength is nowhere near Minato's! Both of you are heavy assault teams", he asked in anger.
Kakashi clenched his jaw, but knew that Hiruzen had pointed out perfectly. As much as he hated to admit it, even Obito would have walked over his team without breaking a sweat. "So has Naruto been found?", Kakashi asked making Sarutobi frown.
"We don't even know when he left! And anybody could kidnap him, you know that very well. He could have been killed by now if Iwa or Kumo are behind this. We will find him, don't worry. You can teach your precious Uchiha in private. And even if after your training, he still loses against Gaara, I don't think you are a competent teacher, Kakashi", Hiruzen said with sadness. Kakashi eyes narrowed at that, but said nothing and nodded. Seeing nobody move, Hiruzen rose a brow at the pair of Jonins. "What are watching my face for, morons?! OUT!", the two nodded hurriedly before scampering away, not wanting to incur more wrath. "You are still here?", Hiruzen asked in confusion seeing Temari in a corner.
"Ah! S-sorry, Naruto was being mentioned, so I was a bit worried. I didn't mean to eavesdrop", Temari replied. "You seem to care a lot for him unlike Tou-sama", she remarked suddenly. She slapped her hand realizing that she had spoken even before realizing. Hiruzen laugh before shaking his head.
"I knew his father very well, and I owe his father a great debt. He does not deserve any of this, especially when he didn't know that he was Jinchuriki until his Genin graduation", Hiruzen replied with a frown. "Seeing all this happening like now, I feel like I have failed his father. Right now, the last thing I want to do is die. I don't want to face his father, much less his mother".
Temari smiled a little, remembering Jiraiya's account of Naruto's father running around the village from his mother. She bowed the a bit. "Thank you for looking after him. Staying sane while you are being harassed from both inside and the outside, isn't easy. I know that from my brother", Temari remarked as Hiruzen smiled getting an idea.
"Why don't you show your brother to my student when he stops by? I am sure my student can fix the shoddy seal, and stop Shukaku from influencing your brother's decisions", Hiruzen suddenly said shocking Temari.
"Why would you do such a thing?", she blurted out making Hiruzen frown.
"We are allied after all! Why wouldn't I help an allied hidden village?", he asked rhetorically, before pausing. "I don't want a repeat of Uzushiogakure too. Iwa, Kumo and Kiri destroyed them in two days so that they wouldn't help us with their fuinjutsu prowess. If another War breaks out, I want Suna to put resistance at such an attack until reinforcements arrive".
Temari nodded before walking out. 'He's nothing like Tou-sama! Were all Hokages like this? No wonder all Konoha shinobi love their Hokage without reservations! Its just their name can bring courage back in the shinobi! I don't think our invasion is going to be successful'.
"Wake up, Naruto", Jiraiya said as he shook the sleeping blonde. Naruto mumbed something incomprehensible before he started snoring again. Jiraiya rose a brow, before smirking. "And here I thought that I would be able to teach you an amazing A-Rank Jutsu", Jiraiya said with smugness.
In an instant, Naruto was up, his eye sparkling with excitement and eagerness. Jiraiya smirked at the reaction, making Naruto frown. "You said that to wake me up, didn't you!", Naruto said accusingly. Jiraiya shook his head in denial.
"I was going to teach you, if you chakra control was good. For now, get ready! We will first check your taijutsu and something I want to give you", Jiraiya replied. "The jutsu was invented by Minato", he added and smirked seeing the fire lighting in Naruto's eyes.
"Yes, Jiraiya-sensei!", Naruto exclaimed before running away to get ready. Jiraiya shook his head at how easy it was to fire up Naruto. Jiraiya rose his brow as a wet-haired Naruto, wearing the clothes he had given him, was standing in front of him in less than five minutes. "I am ready!".
Jiraiya nodded, before going out to an open field nearby the inn the were staying. He gestured Naruto to sit opposite to him. Naruto rose a brow, but sat at the place as Jiraiya rummaged a scroll from his pack, and laid it in front of Naruto.
"This is the Toad Summoning Contract. Your father was a Toad Summoner, before he died", he remarked pointing to the name 'Namikaze Minato'. Naruto looked at him in confusion and awe. "I am passing this to you now. Draw some blood and write your name here", he said pointing to a blank strip next to his father's.
Naruto's eyes widened in shock, before he nodded eagerly. He bit his thumb, drawing out some blood to write his name. He paused for a moment, before smiling brightly. Jiraiya smiled at the name he had written.
"Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto? Boy, 'Bunta's face is going to be legendary when he sees it!", Jiraiya commented closing the scroll, and packing it back. "Now its sign are Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey and Ram. Try putting as much chakra as you can". 'I wouldn't be surprised if you manage to summon 'Bunta. You have more chakra than anybody else I have seen'.
Naruto nodded and took in a deep breath. 'Tou-chan used to summon them! Even Jiraiya-sensei summons them! I guess all their summoners are powerful ninjas. I need to put all of my chakra into this', Naruto thought determined. He went through the five hand seals, before trying to pour as much chakra as possible into the summoning and slapped his palm on the ground.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!", Naruto called out, as an array of seals spread from his hand causing a sudden poof of smoke. The teacher and student looked expectantly to see what had been summoned. Naruto frowned seeing the a small toad looking at his teacher with a raised brow. "I thought I could summon something bigger! I guess I should go again", Naruto said making Jiraiya jumped and catch his hands.
"Wait, wait, wait! You summoned the second most powerful toad! Even I can't summon him this easily", Jiraiya remarked as the elderly toad raised an impressed brow.
"You got us a new summoner, Jiraiya-chan?", the toad asked. Naruto frowned on how the toad was calling Jiraiya with an unsuitable honorific.
"Don't call him '-chan'!", Naruto butted in before Jiraiya could reply. The toad laughed at that, whereas Jiraiya glared at him.
"Naruto, Fukasaku-sama is the one who taught me senjutsu and things related to the Toad Clan", Jiraiya warned making the blonde go red in embarrassment. On the other hand, the toad eyes wrinkled with mirth.
"So he is Minato-chan's son? He has quite a lot of chakra", Fukasaku remarked with a smile. "He managed to summon me on the first try, Jiraiya-chan?", he asked Jiraiya.
"Yeah. I assume he used as much chakra as he could, before he summoned you. I guess he can summon 'Bunta after his chakra control is refined", Jiraiya commented. "Sorry, if he disturbed you. I hadn't expected him to summon you".
"Nah. Rather I should thank him, Jiraya-chan. After all, you are running away from your final exercise of becoming a Sage", Fukasaku said while narrowing his eyes. Jiraiya gulped under the glare, before his eyes became serious.
"After the Chunnin Exams, I am taking him on a three-year training trip. Especially with...", Jiraiya trailed off as Fukasaku nodded in understanding.
"I heard from the messengers you normally use. That is a dangerous organization indeed. Gamamaru-sama mentioned about the Gobi disappearing a week ago", the toad replied making Jiraiya go in shock.
"I thought they wouldn't make any moves until three years!"
"I guess, capturing the Gobi was their luck. Information like this can be tampered, unless you check on them personally. I think, someone will visit Naruto-chan soon, to check if their strength. If the Jinchuriki can be captured now, they may capture him", the toad said seriously.
"I see. Thank you for the information, Fukasaku-sama. I need to up his training more now", Jiraiya stated, making the toad nod before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
"Who is going to visit me?", Naruto asked in confusion. Jiraiya looked at him pensive before sighing.
"I won't sugarcoat it, but there are a group of ninjas as powerful as me and sensei, after people like you and that Gaara kid, who hold Bijuu. Orochimaru was a part of this organization too, before he ran away. The level you are right now, you don't stand a chance against them", Jiraiya said seriously. "That was one of the reason I wanted to take you as soon as you graduated. Right now, if you stand up against them for some time, they will come three years later for you. That's enough time, to make you as powerful as Minato, or even more".
Naruto nodded at the thought of surpassing his father. "I understand, Jiraiya-sensei! What should I do?"
"Well, how many shadow clones can you make?", the man asked while rubbing his chin.
"About nearing two hundred", Naruto replied unsure. Jiraiya's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Make about a hundred kage bunshin", Jiraiya instructed as Naruto did the same. The field soon got crammed pack with a hundred blonde heads. "Now, ninety of you practice your chakra control, the remaining ten stay here", he said but none of them moved.
"How is this going to help?", a few Narutos asked together. Jiraiya facepalmed at the question.
"Kage bunshin divide your chakra equally among the clones. Dividing it over a large number, decreases the amount of chakra in a single clone, hence increasing your control! Also, when the Shadow Clones pop, you receive their memories", Jiraiya explained as Narutos' eyes widened in shock.
"I never knew about that", all of them cried out in shock. Jiraiya nodded before shooing the ninety clones away to their assigned task.
"Now eight of you, take these eight books and read from them", he instructed while popping eight books from a storage seal. A clone frowned at the title.
"Beginner's Guide to Fuinjutsu? Do I have to read this?", Naruto asked not happy at the prospect of reading books. Jiraiya frowned, before smirking. He now knew how exactly to rile Naruto up.
"Both of your parents were masters of Fuinjutsu. I thought you were interested in it", Jiraiya said nonchalantly. Glee rose seeing the fire burn again in Naruto's eyes.
"I will do it", the eight of them cried out together, before taking eight different trees around the clearing.
"Now, show me the taijutsu katas you have learned", he instructed again. The original one nodded, before going through what he had been in the Academy. By Mizuki.
Jiraiya frowned at the brawler style position, before shaking his head. "Who taught these katas?", Jiraiya asked with a frown. Naruto looked at him with confusion, before realization dawned on him.
"I got everything wrong, didn't I?", he asked sadly. "Mizuki had taught me the katas saying that this was a style only I can do", Naruto admitted sadly.
"Well, I have an unique style for you too. Among you only maybe that Shikamaru kid can do this style, because you are lean. Kakashi went just a bit over its norm because his muscles developed a bit too much. You have a lot of muscle, but it is compressed in a lean body. That makes you perfect for the Hummingbird Taijutsu style. The only user of this was your father. It relies purely on speed, explosive power and accuracy. It is a perfect counter for many styles like Goken, and on par with Jyuuken", Jiraiya stated as he tossed another scroll to one of the clones. "All of its katas are in it", he added.
Naruto watched in awe as his clones went to do as they had been instructed, increasing his learning pace. He looked at Jiraiya with unbottled excitement. "What should I do?", Naruto asked eagerly.
"Well, if you want to learn your father's Rasengan, you need to have good chakra control. That's what your clones are doing right now. But they can't to you your physical work, That means you need keep your in shape by doing physical exercises yourself. So, assuming that the clearing is two hundred meters in circumference. Give me fifty laps", the Toad Sage instructed his apprentice. The blonde nodded before he started to jog and sprint at the circumference of the clearing. 'Good! If he has ninety clones at chakra control, he can do what he does over three months in a single day! At this rate, he might surpass a huge number of Jonins by the time we return back to Konoha. Kage Bunshin sure are a great way to increase your experience. I wonder if I can use them for senjutsu training'.
