People talking, "How dare you!"

People thinking, "I will not forgive it!"

Nonhuman talking, "I didn't think you were so powerful."

Nonhuman thinking, "This battle has been very long."

Techniques / unknown names, "Suiton Suishōha!"

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does.

Chapter 27

The next day - 7:00 am

Naruto had gotten up a few minutes ago since he had felt thirsty, many nights of 'action' were taking their toll on his body. He had done it slowly because he didn't want to wake Ino up, and he was tired as well.

The sleepless nights were exhausting, or so Naruto thought.

He went downstairs naked because nothing remained of his clothes, and also because he had no problems with walking naked around Ino's house. Her father had already left her home to go to the Department of T & I., and her mother was still sleeping; he wouldn't take long since he just wanted to drink something to quench his thirst.

He went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to get something to drink.

He searched among many things until finding a juice box. He put the straw in it and drank slowly, enjoying the feeling of having his throat moist again.

He let a sound of satisfaction and smiled; he was about to close the refrigerator's door when he heard an angry voice.

"Namikaze! What the hell are you doing here?!" Inoichi asked at the kitchen's entrance.

He didn't see Naruto naked yet as the fridge door was covering him, but it seemed that Inoichi would find it out soon enough because he moved towards Naruto.

"Wait! Don't move!" Naruto shouted in an attempt to stop Inoichi; he didn't know what his reaction would be if he saw him naked.

Inoichi stopped, and it gave Naruto more time to try to come up with something.

Inoichi raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What are you up to, Namikaze?" Inoichi suspiciously asked.

"M-Me? N-nothing. Hahaha, I just came to check your food. You never know when someone wants to poison you. So I just came to prevent something like that from happening," Naruto replied with a nervous smile.

The Yamanaka leader looked at him with even more suspicion. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life. Now come over here and tell me what the hell you are doing in my house at this hour of the morning," Inoichi replied, starting to lose his patience.

Naruto started to sweat. "Kurama! Help me goddamn it!" Naruto exclaimed in his mind.

Kurama chuckled and replied, "You could just kill him, and then you'll have nothing to worry about. Make it look like an accident; you're a professional at it, hehe."

Naruto growled. "You know that's not an option! Damn it! Help me!" he exclaimed again, increasingly nervous.

It was strange, and Naruto didn't know why he was so nervous. He never cared if people knew about his sexual life, but Inoichi made him feel nervous.

Kurama sighed and continued, "You know dozens and dozens of Jutsus; improvise. Make a clone or something. I don't know why I have to come up with something; you are the one who is going to suffer the wrath of an angry father because you took her daughter's purity away, haha."

Naruto growled but couldn't reply because Inoichi moved toward him, so he used his last resort.

He joined the fingers of both hands, and Inoichi stood right in front of him and saw nothing strange.

"Now tell me, what are you doing in 'my' house?" Inoichi asked looking at Naruto, who had used a Henge.

The Uzumaki mentally sighed since it seemed that Inoichi didn't notice the change. He shook his head and put his typical emotionless look, which surprised Inoichi slightly.

"You're right, Inoichi-san. Excuse my boldness. I came to visit Ino-chan because I wanted to see her, but I got distracted," Naruto stated without showing the slightest sign of being lying.

Inoichi stared at him; he couldn't detect lies in his words; he sounded sincere. But there was something that made him distrustful, so when he was about to let him go, he heard a familiar voice calling the Jinchūriki's name.

"Naruto-kun? Are you there? Come on, get back to bed."

Naruto wanted to facepalm; it had cost him so much to avoid that.

Ino walked into the kitchen and saw her father with his head down, along with Naruto, who was shaking his head and sighing.

The young Yamanaka got worried; she thought that her father had already left since he usually went to work at five in the morning; that's why she didn't see anything wrong with calling Naruto.

"O-Oto-san!" Ino nervously exclaimed while looking at her father, who still had his head down.

She quickly walked toward them, just to see her dad raising his head, furiously looking at Naruto.

"Namikaze! For your own safety, I hope you didn't do what I think you've done to my princess. If so..." Inoichi started cracking his knuckles.

Naruto looked at him and replied, "Inoichi-san, I assure you that I... Bye!" Naruto went outside at full speed, not before shouting at Ino that he would see her later and that he must run away to keep his integrity.

"Namikazeeeee!" Inoichi yelled, turning around and following Naruto to hit him where it'd hurt him the most.

However, before he could start running after him, he felt that everything around him had turned black.

He narrowed his eyes. "What do you think you're doing, young lady?" Inoichi asked trapped in Ino's Shintenshin no Jutsu.

She looked at her father and answered, "Oto-san! I won't allow you to do anything bad to Naruto-kun. Understand this, he is my boyfriend, and I love him," Ino firmly stated with her fists on her hips.

"Ino, you don't understand. That guy is a womanizer! You shouldn't be around someone like him. Now, if that was all you wanted to tell me, I'll put that criminal in his place," Inoichi replied.

"Crimi-what? Oto-san, you're saying nonsense now!" Ino answered.

"HE'S A CRIMINAL! HE'S STOLEN YOUR PURITY! HE MUST PAY!" He exclaimed, leaving Ino's Shintenshin no Jutsu, which surprised her greatly.

She tried to stop her father again but could do little because he went outside at breakneck speed.

She sighed and smiled slightly. "Naruto-kun, you better keep running." She went outside and noticed that many people were looking at her home with questioning expressions.

She ignored them and walked towards a training ground. She would be able to train with Haku if she saw her there. With that in mind, she went to the field where the Yuki regularly trained.

Meanwhile, Naruto was jumping from roof to roof. "Phew, that was close," Naruto thought, running towards his apartment.

"Namikaze! Come back here!"

The Uzumaki turned his head back and could see Inoichi a few meters behind him with an angry face as he shook his right fist in a threatening manner.

"Sorry, Inoichi-san! But I don't want to die yet!" Naruto replied, surprised because he was running at high speed, and Inoichi was able to keep up. Even though he was using his gravity seals, his base speed wasn't that low.

"Come back! I only want to hit you a little bit and maybe destroy your mind..., forever!" Inoichi exclaimed.

Naruto didn't want that; therefore, he did a hand seal, and Inoichi got ready for an attack, but the next thing he saw took him by surprise.

"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu)!" Naruto exclaimed and created about fifty clones. "Catch us if you can!" They shouted in unison as they ran in different directions, surprising the pedestrians when seeing so many clones running around the roofs.

"Namikaze! You'll pay for this!" Inoichi exclaimed before landing on the ground as he continued waving his fist.

He couldn't chase them all, so the Yamanaka leader accepted his defeat; he would settle accounts with the Uzumaki when he saw him again.

Meanwhile, the original Naruto was laughing due to the exciting experience. After a few moments, he stopped laughing and continued his way to his apartment; he had to get some clothes on because he was technically naked, after all.

He also wanted to see Karin and Kin's progress. After that, he had to continue training with Haku before training with Tenten since they had agreed on doing it a few days ago.

Karui had also asked him if he could train with her team. Naruto didn't refuse and said he would do it after he had finished training with the others. So he was going to be very busy this week.

Naruto stopped thinking about that and arrived at his apartment. He believed that Karin, Kin Kurotsuchi were here. Therefore, he would take the opportunity to catch up with them, nothing too extreme, he would just talk to them.

Team 13's Training Camp.

"So, you've changed your mind. Can I know the reason?" Anko asked while looking at Sakura, who had a look of determination on her face.

It had been a day since she experienced that terrible moment. She no longer felt confused; the Haruno concluded that she had fallen in love with Naruto, so if Sakura wanted that Naruto looked at her in another way that didn't show his disappointment, she would have to work hard.

She knew about the other girls that were with Naruto, and she knew that they were excellent Kunoichis compared to her. Therefore, if she didn't train properly, she would have to say goodbye to her chances with Naruto.

The Uzumaki was very different from the Uchiha; the first one showed much more openly the disappointments he felt for her, and because of that, she thought that Naruto had a slight interest in her, even more so if he asked his sensei to train her. Moreover, Naruto could be a very chivalrous person; the opposite extreme case of what Sasuke was, and she loved it.

She stopped thinking about those things and answered Anko's question. "I've been thinking a lot these days, and I concluded that I am a pathetic Kunoichi," Sakura stated; after all, acceptance was the first step to overcoming your weakness, and denying that she wasn't that wouldn't get her anywhere.

Anko smiled and added, "Don't forget a silly fangirl."

"I-I'm also that, and I hope I can change it," Sakura replied with her head down. Was her attitude so evident?

"Well, don't worry. It won't be impossible, not with the training that you dear Anko-chan will give you!" the Mitarashi shouted, making a strange pose at the end, which made the other girls laugh. Haku and Kurotsuchi were there; the latter decided to train a little because she realized that she couldn't be wasting time.

Anko approached Sakura before examining her body, raising her red kimono slightly. After a few seconds, she shook her head. "Brat, do you even eat?" Anko asked.

Sakura was taken aback. "W-well, I-I'm on a diet," she replied a little nervous.

"Forget that nonsense. If you want to train with me, you must eat; you're too skinny. Moreover, you must tie up your hair as all of us do, or just cut it. You decide," Anko replied in a firm voice, pointing back to the other girls, who showed their hairs; tied up in the cases of Anko and Haku, and cut in the case of Kurotsuchi.

Sakura nodded. Maybe she could make a ponytail, but she didn't want to cut her hair.

Anko continued talking, "You must go to the hospital for an appointment with a nutritionist. He or she will tell you what to do."

"Hai, Anko-sensei!" Sakura said firmly.

The Mitarashi smiled. "Oh? Sensei? I like it! But now..." She sadistically smiled.

Haku sighed and saw her sensei doing hand seals at full speed, summoning nearly a dozen of normal sized snakes, which jumped on Sakura.

The Haruno could do little to dodge them since she didn't think that the Mitarashi would do something like that; she screamed in horror and ran in circles. Sakura hated them; some of them were coiling around her arms and others around legs and hips.

Anko smiled when seeing her running. "Yes, training this brat will be fun." She finished with a sadistic smile.

Haku could only sigh. "Thank you, Naruto-kun. This is exactly what I needed; that our sensei acts sadistically again."

Kurotsuchi chuckled, and after a few minutes, they also started to train while Anko chased Sakura with more snakes, but this time, these were much bigger than before.

Ino had finally arrived and saw Sakura running in circles while Anko chased her on top of a giant snake. She smiled when seeing what Naruto had said last night was true.

She didn't pay them much attention because they were moving away from the training grounds. Instead, she went where Haku and Kurotsuchi were, seeing them having a battle of Ninjutsu.

The Yamanaka also wanted to improve her Ninjutsu, so training with two Kekkei Genkai's users would help her greatly to improve her Fire Release Techniques.

She didn't wait for an invitation; she just started throwing fireballs at both of them; they smiled and attacked back with their respective techniques.

Naruto's Apartment - 5 Hours Later

Everyone was in the dining room; the table had already been replaced since Naruto and Kurotsuchi broke the last one.

They were quietly eating, laughing as Naruto told them what happened this morning at Ino's residence; most felt amused at the thought of Inoichi discovering Naruto in his kitchen.

Especially Anko because she was his colleague in the Department of Torture, so she thought that he would vent to some of the prisoners. But after thinking it twice, she concluded that he was going to bother her because Inoichi knew she was his Sensei.

She stopped laughing and sighed since she would have to deal with his attitude.

After that subject, everyone continued eating quietly, and the Mitarashi took the time to talk about the intense training that Sakura had today.

"I see, so Sakura survived. I knew that she had the potential; she just needed some motivation. Hehe, and I think I gave her an excellent one," Naruto replied after hearing the details of her training, and he was pleased with the results. There was still one last point for the plan 'Turning Sakura into a serious Kunoichi' be completed, but it could take a few years.

Anko asked what the motivation was, but Naruto just replied that he wouldn't say it because it could ruin their appetite.

The Mitarashi nodded, and after a few minutes, everyone finished launching and went to the living room to watch the news on the TV while talking about the finals and the training that they would have over the month.

Karin was still reading the books that Naruto gave her; she had already finished reading most of them, and she wanted to put them into practice as soon as possible.

She discovered that Fuinjutsu was a fantastic art, and she wanted to learn more; she couldn't stop reading.

The Uzumaki girl then heard something that caught her attention.

"In other news, a historical event has occurred. The leader of the Yakuza, the great Kyōfu-sama, has just formed a Free Trade Agreement and a treaty of Joint Military Exercises with Kusagakure. We were present at the time in which the Kusakage signed up the agreement with the Yakuza, but we were unable to get the words of the people that were representing this great organization because they left as soon as the treaty was signed. Now we just have to wait to see where this agreement will lead to. Are we witnessing the rise of a new Great Shinobi Village? Only time will tell." The reporter informed about this great event before talking about other news that the others didn't pay attention to.

All the girls —except for Karin and Kin, who didn't know yet about the other 'job' of Naruto—, looked at the Jinchūriki with questioning expressions as they asked themselves what he had in mind.

They had a vague idea of how big his organization was, except for Kurotsuchi; she already had a great understanding of what it meant to be a member of that organization. No one knew why Naruto was doing that kind of dealings with Kusagakure.

"Why?" Karin asked as she stopped reading her book. "Why is that man helping Kusagakure?" She asked again, quite upset because someone wanted to help that damn village.

"Do you know who that man is, Karin-chan?" Naruto asked.

"No, but I've heard about him. Kusakage-'sama' always tried to make deals with him, but he always failed. And I think it's very strange that now they have these kinds of agreements. Why did he suddenly change his mind?! Damn it! When I find that man, I'll ask him why he did that!" Karin exclaimed with a funny angry expression.

Naruto started to laugh, and Karin turned around to look at him. "What's so funny?" She asked with her left eyebrow twitching and a marked vein on her forehead.

Naruto quickly answered while smiling, "Hehehe, you don't have to look for that man, Karin-chan; he's here."

Karin only needed a few seconds to understand what he meant. "You?! Are you saying that you're the damn boss of that organization? What!" Karin incredulously asked, and even more so because she saw all the girls nodding, except for Kin, who was also surprised by this revelation.

Naruto nodded, and before Karin could say more, he spoke. "But it's not what you think, Karin-chan. Do you remember the day we met in the forest?" Naruto asked.

Karin nodded. "But I still don't understand it, Naruto-kun."

Naruto made Karin a sign to come closer, and she did it. When she was in front of him, he grabbed her right hand to draw her into a kiss.

The Uzumaki man stopped after a few seconds, which disappointed her. "Because I told you that I would kill him. It's something that I will likely do, but in the meantime, I'll make that bastard believe that he has a great deal with me. But when the day comes, hehe, he won't know what hit him," Naruto stated with a smile.

"I-I... are you sure you can beat him? Kusakage-sama is someone very strong," Karin replied.

Anko snorted. "Karin-chan, believe me. It won't be a problem for Naruto-kun."

"She's right, Karin-chan. I don't like to brag, but I can assure you that I can cause some severe damage to almost anything. And I would kill the Rikudō Sennin himself for any of you," Naruto stated with a straight face, which made them blush.

Karin smiled, and this time, she kissed Naruto. She separated and added, "Well, I'll be eagerly awaiting for that day, Naruto-kun. I hope to be there when you kick his ass."

Naruto smiled back and nodded. Then he stood up and kissed each of the girls before saying that he was going to train with Tenten. They didn't object since they also had training to do, except for Karin and Kin, the latter obtained a clone to study with again.

After a few minutes, everyone left to perform their respective tasks.

Meanwhile – Sasuke's House

"This will be enough to keep the Cursed Mark controlled," Minato stated with a hand on Sasuke's neck; the Uchiha kid looked barely conscious.

Itachi and Kakashi were there too; both were looking at the Hokage finishing writing the seals on the floor around Sasuke.

The Yondaime did hand seals at a speed that surprised them both before putting his hand on Sasuke's Cursed Mark.

The seals on the floor headed to the mark, and when they finished entering into it, a circle appeared around it.

That had been too much for Sasuke's body, the reason why he fell unconscious, but Minato quickly grabbed him.

Itachi approached his brother, just to hear. "Itachi, I think you already know this, but I'll say it anyway. Though I've sealed the Cursed Mark, Sasuke can still be influenced by it if his hatred increases. You and Kakashi must do your best to prevent that, do you understand? "Minato asked looking at both of them.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the Shinobis answered.

Minato sighed. "I'm glad to hear that, but I must leave; I have something else to do." They saw his sad expression but didn't say anything as he disappeared in a yellow flash.

"Do you know why Hokage-sama seems so depressed?" Itachi asked, carrying Sasuke in his arms.

Kakashi took out his orange book and shrugged. "I don't know. Sensei didn't tell me anything, but he told Menma something. He was furious when I saw him today. I think that Sensei told him about Naruto's past."

"Hmmm, I see. So, Menma-kun found out that Naruto-kun was at Root. I guess he didn't like what he heard. Anyway, I'll take Sasuke to his bedroom; I'm sure he'll ask for more training when he wakes up. So, see you tomorrow?" Itachi asked.

Kakashi nodded as he walked out. "Yeah, see you around. By the way, Itachi, you're the only one who can stop Sasuke from taking the path of revenge. You're his older brother and the most important person in his life. You have to make him understand that the revenge path won't lead him anywhere. I could do it, but I'm sure he'll pay much more attention to the person he admires the most," Kakashi stated behind Itachi, who couldn't help smiling.

"I'll make sure of that, Kakashi-san. I don't want Sasuke to take the path that cursed our clan," Itachi replied while leaving the room, and Kakashi went out.

He had nothing to do; maybe he could see if Sakura needed something, she was one of his students, after all. Besides, she had requested him to train her, but he was unable to do it because he had been training Sasuke with Itachi's help.

At a training ground - 4 hours later

"You're excellent, Tenten-chan. Now you can unseal your weapons faster. You'll give Karui-chan a lot of problems in your fight. But be careful, and always remember to fight seriously since Karui-chan won't hesitate." Naruto was sitting cross-legged on the floor, and his clothes slightly soiled due to the training.

Tenten was at his side; she looked tired besides having some cuts around her body.

She nodded and replied, "I won't; I don't like belittling the opponent. Thank you for modifying my scroll, Naruto-kun. Now, what do you say if we go to my house? My Kaa-san wants to know you better." Tenten finished smiling.

"Okay, I have no problems. I'm gonna take a break at your house. Maybe meeting in-laws who don't wish to kill me will be refreshing," Naruto replied, slowly rising from the ground. He placed his arm out so that Tenten could place hers in his.

She instantly did it, and when both were about to walk off the grounds, they heard the voice of someone behind them. "Nii-san, wait!" Menma shouted, running towards their position.

Naruto sighed when hearing that annoying voice. He turned around, just to see Menma in front of him. "What do you want, Menma? Don't push your luck," Naruto sharply spoke. He no longer was in the mood to continue bantering with his 'brother'.

Menma felt sad due to his voice's tone; however, he now understood his brother.

"I-I... I came to apologize, Nii-san. Oto-san told me the truth," Menma confessed with a look of sadness.

Naruto gave a confused look and continued, "Really?"

Menma nodded. "Yes, Nii-san. Now I know why you behave like this. If you went through-"

He couldn't finish because Naruto stopped him with his hand as he turned around with Tenten, who had already heard about that, so she guessed that this conversation was bothering him.

"Okay, Menma. I accept your apologies, but that doesn't mean I won't kill you if you keep bothering me. Remember this very well, Menma: I don't give second chances. You were the exception, but you already spent your shots. So I'll have to do something you won't like if you keep fucking with me." He paused for a moment. "Or maybe you can defeat me and talk some sense into me, but due to how you are now, you'll only accomplish that in your dreams," Naruto stated with a serious voice.

He didn't like to brag, but he knew that he would have to kill his brother to recover Kurama's power. And maybe if he gave him enough reasons to be strong, then he could give him an excellent fight.

He knew that his brother would someday be one of the people who would try to stop him and that his brother would be someone powerful in a few years. He only needed a push, and Naruto was more than willing to give him the necessary pushes to make him train properly. There was nothing else that Naruto liked more than fighting against powerful opponents.

Menma lowered his head as he clenched his fists. Naruto heard nothing more; therefore, he walked away along with Tenten, but he stopped since Menma spoke.

"So, do I just need to beat you to talk sense into you, Nii-san?" Menma asked, raising his head with a look of determination.

Naruto smiled slightly as he gently pushed Tenten back before cracking his neck. "Sure, but as I told you, you can't," Naruto stated, turning around and maniacally looking at Menma, who didn't flinch.

The older brother mentally smiled because he couldn't intimidate his foolish brother so lightly, so he stopped smiling that way before putting a normal look.

Menma took a fighting stance and continued, "I wanted to fight against you again since a long time ago, Nii-san. How about if we do it now?" Menma asked.

Naruto did the same and smiled as he replied, "Menma, I won't be as soft as I was at the Academy. Maybe I'll break some of your bones so you can understand the power difference that exists between us," Naruto stated at the end with a straight face.

Menma didn't pay much attention to his threat; he analyzed Naruto's fighting style very carefully while they were training. Besides, his fight against Kiba made him realize that he shouldn't let his brother use his ninjato because it would be dangerous. There was also the speed factor, but he had already begun training on that matter after the beating he took by Lee's courtesy.

Naruto was about to attack him, but he felt a pull on his hand. "Naruto-kun, you can fight your brother later, but now let's go home, my mother will be mad if we get late," Tenten interrupted; the truth was that she didn't want to see them fighting.

Naruto shook his head before nodding. "You're right, Tenten-chan. I got carried away." He paused and looked back at Menma. "We'll fight later, and I recommend you to continue training until your hands bleed. I'm leaving now. Goodbye, bro." He turned and finally walked away.

Menma could only shout. "I will! Don't doubt it! And when I defeat you, you'll have to hear what I have to say!"

Then he sighed and looked at his shaky hands, not because of fear, but because he had felt a great thrill when he was about to fight his brother. He smiled slightly at the thought of having a good battle with his brother.

But it wasn't the right time. Thankfully, Tenten had stopped them because he didn't want to show his best cards yet. He wanted to give him a big surprise when they fought again.

He sighed one last time and clenched his fists to get rid of the shaking of his hands before leaving, heading to his house to continue training with his godfather and father.

Weeks Later – One Day before the Finals

In these weeks, Naruto didn't train that much. The Uzumaki had concluded that he would have much time to do it later, the reason why the Jinchūriki spent most of his time with his girls since he wouldn't be able to see some of them for a long time.

He spent more of his time with Karui because she wasn't living with him, and he wanted to know as much as he could about her before she left.

He saw his brother a few times, but he never spoke more than a few minutes with him.

His father had apologized to him that day after he almost ended up fighting against Menma. Naruto had only said that it wasn't important, but he didn't train with them again.

He also had sex with Kurenai to keep her happy because if he didn't, then she would have done something stupid in the streets with him. As he had promised to Anko; he had told her, which led to pleasant nights.

He visited Kohta a couple of times to learn about the status of the troops that would help Konoha. Everything had left him satisfied, so he should only be there along with his General to command the troops.

He had also learned that Kumogakure disagreed with the treaty that he had made with Kusagakure, but the Raikage could do little since the identity of the leader of his organization was a mystery.

Although he enjoyed the rest of the weeks with his girls, it didn't mean he didn't train at all; he did it a couple of nights. He mastered many techniques, most of them from the Scroll of Seals.

The rest were some techniques of his invention, which he wanted to try out as soon as he left the village.

Leaving that aside, Naruto was walking through the streets toward the house of one of the most important people in his life. It was a two-story house.

Naruto could feel the presences of the ANBU who always were there, but he didn't pay them much attention.

He entered the yard and knocked on the door, waiting until someone opened it.

Naruto didn't see anyone, but he heard the voice of someone. "Boss! What are you doing here?" Konohamaru asked.

Naruto looked down and answered, "Hello Konohamaru, is your grandfather inside? I need to speak to him."

The kid nodded and shouted as he ran inside the house. "Ojiisan! Naruto-niichan is here!"

The Uzumaki shook his head and went in before going to the living room. It wasn't the first time he visited this place. He had done it countless times and therefore he had a good knowledge of the house, and the ANBU already knew this, the reason why they didn't stop him or questioned the reason for his visit.

He quietly sat down on the sofa, waiting for the Sandaime's arrival, and he came after a few seconds. He wore casual clothes, and he smiled when seeing him.

When he was about to greet him, Naruto stood up and bowed slightly. "Good morning, Hiruzen-sama," Naruto spoke with respect.

"Come on, Naruto-kun; I told you that there is no need for you to use formalities with me," Hiruzen replied, sitting on a sofa in front of Naruto.

The Uzumaki sat down again before looking at the Sandaime with a serious expression. "I know, Hiruzen-sama, but I can't help it. You're the person that I respect the most."

Hiruzen couldn't help smiling as he took his pipe out of his pocket; he gave it a drag before releasing the smoke.

Just then, Konohamaru entered and sat down beside the Jinchūriki. "Hey, boss, come on, teach me a super cool jutsu. Tomorrow are the finals; you still have time to do it!"

Naruto smiled as he ruffled his hair, and Konohamaru laughed slightly at the touch but said nothing since the Uzumaki replied, "Why don't you ask your grandfather? He knows more Jutsus than I do. After all, he's The Professor, who mastered all the techniques of the village."

Hiruzen smiled but said nothing since Konohamaru responded, "Ojiisan says that I must graduate first." He pouted and crossed his arms.

"Well, you already know my conditions. So, how many people did you kill already?" Naruto asked.

Hiruzen opened his eyes slightly since he didn't know that Naruto had put conditions and much less one like that. He almost asked about it, but Konohamaru lowered his head and replied, "None."

"Well, let me know when you manage to kill at least one person. If you do it, I'll show something that could help you in the future," Naruto added.

"Huh? Only one person. Well, that's much better than what you requested before, hehe."

Hiruzen decided to ask. "Naruto-kun, why did you ask him that?"

The Uzumaki looked at him and shrugged. "He has to be prepared for the future. He chose the Shinobi career, so he must know that he'll have to kill someone sooner or later."

Hiruzen nodded as he took another puff of his pipe, releasing the smoke after a while. "I understand, Naruto-kun, but you should understand that Konohamaru is just a child. Perhaps he may do that once he graduates, but for now, I think it's too much for a child. "

Naruto chuckled. "Well, you may be right. But changing the subject. Konohamaru, could you leave us alone? I have something important to tell to your grandfather."

Konohamaru was about to say he wanted to stay, but his grandfather asked him to leave and that he would continue talking to Naruto later; therefore, the kid nodded.

Once the boy left, the Uzumaki looked at the Sarutobi. "Please, tell your ANBU to leave too, and then let's go to a more private place."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "How important is the matter you want to tell me?"

"It's about what will happen tomorrow; you know what I mean," Naruto replied with a serious look.

Hiruzen opened his eyes slightly; that information was a secret. Only the Elite of the village knew about the preparations to repel the invasion. Although he was Naruto, one of the best spies in the village, if not already the best, after all.

Hiruzen snapped his fingers and his ANBU left. He got up and walked towards his office.

Naruto followed him, and Hiruzen closed the door while seeing him placing a privacy seal in the room, which surprised him slightly.

He left that aside and asked, "We are alone, Naruto-kun. What do you need?"

The Genin sighed and answered, "I don't know where to start."

"How about with the issue that has you worried? I know it doesn't have to do with the invasion. There's something else that is bothering you; I can see it in your eyes," the Sandaime replied, sitting behind his desk.

The Uzumaki approached and sat in front of it. "You've always managed to see through me; you're one of the few people who can do it for real; that's why I respect you so much."

Hiruzen smiled. "I'm glad that Danzō couldn't erase your emotions. Anyway, tell me what is bothering you, Naruto-kun."

The Jinchūriki stopped smiling and put on a serious face. "Hiruzen-sama, if you don't mind answering, can you still fight?"

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Even though I'm old, I still have enough strength to deal with some invaders."

Naruto lowered his head and added, "Do you have enough strength to kill someone like Orochimaru?" He raised his head, and Hiruzen could see the concern in his eyes.

That certainly confused him. "Why do you ask that, Naruto-kun? Do you know something about Orochimaru?"

"Yes, this is what I wanted to tell you; Orochimaru plans to kill you. I want you to be prepared, and if you get the chance; kill him."

"Why do your words sound like a farewell, Naruto-kun?" The Sandaime asked with a hint of sadness.

The Uzumaki lowered his head. "There is another reason I wanted to talk to you, Hiruzen-sama. I-I... I'll desert the village when the invasion is over." He raised his head again with a look that said he wasn't lying.

"* Sigh * I see. Can I know the reason, Naruto-kun?" Hiruzen asked.

"I'm not sure how to answer. I can only tell you that once I return, I'll cause great damage to the village," the Jinchūriki replied.

The Sandaime sighed sadly. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. I'm sorry for everything you've been through. Perhaps, if I had taken a better care of you, you wouldn't be thinking about doing that."

Naruto shook his head and replied, "I don't believe it would have made much difference. Yeah, everything I went through had a lot to do, but I discovered something that convinced me that I couldn't forgive this village or the other ones. Hiruzen-sama, you know what happened to Uzushiogakure, don't you?"

Hiruzen was surprised, and he was aware that he couldn't lie; Naruto was very perceptive. So he nodded. "Yes, I do know. So, did you go to Uzushiogakure on that mission?" Hiruzen asked, and Naruto nodded.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, but Shodaime-sama believed it would be the best course of action. Besides, he received a lot of pressure from the others Great Shinobi Villages. He could do nothing to refuse them. I don't know, maybe I would have found a better solution, but by then, I was just a kid. I only heard about this before Shodaime-sama's death."

"I don't blame you, Hiruzen-sama. I blame the village and its former rulers who built this village under the suffering of others. That's why I have to do that. I must purge all the evil that Konoha has done, and the only way to do that is by destroying it," Naruto stated with a firm look.

His statement made him sad; he didn't say anything because Naruto got up and stood before him, grabbing his Ninjato from his back.

Hiruzen did nothing; he just looked at Naruto, who knelt down and placed his Ninjato in the palm of his hands, raising them towards him. "Though you can kill me now if you want to save the future of your village. Don't worry, in my ninja bag is a scroll with my handwriting and my signature that confirms everything I've said. You can kill me now if you want; I won't put resistance," Naruto stated with his head down and his hands raised towards Hiruzen.

"What the hell are you talking about, Naruto?" Kurama exclaimed, but Naruto just ignored him.

Hiruzen looked the Ninjato and couldn't help asking, "Why are you giving me this opportunity, Naruto-kun?"

The Uzumaki raised his head and answered, "Because you're the person I respect the most, and I would only allow someone like you to kill me. I owe you my life, and for that reason, I think I'm returning the favor for all you've done for me if I allow you to kill me to save your village." Naruto lowered his head and raised his hands a bit more.

Hiruzen grabbed the Ninjato, and the Jinchūriki didn't look up; he just lowered his hands.

Everything he said was true; he owed him his life. If it weren't for him, he would have died a long time ago.

The next thing he saw was that his Ninjato fell to his side as he felt Hiruzen helping him to stand up to give him a strong hug.

"Don't tell me to do something like that, Naruto-kun. Yes, I'm really sad about everything you have said to me, but I wouldn't be able to kill you," Hiruzen stated.

Naruto returned the hug. "I'm sorry, Hiruzen-sama, but I can't change my decision. You can still tell Hokage-sama about my plans."

Hiruzen separated a bit and shook his head. "I won't do that either; that no longer concerns me. My only responsibility is to settle my accounts with Orochimaru. I'm sure that your father will make you reconsider your goals, Naruto-kun. He is a great man; he only took a wrong decision."

Naruto shook his head and replied, "He's not my father; I've had one for quite some time," the Jinchūriki stated staring at Hiruzen, who for some reason couldn't help feeling teary eyes while his lips trembled a little bit.

"You are my father, the only person who has never despised me, and that makes me happy, Oto-sama."

Hiruzen hugged him again; that statement had made him jubilant, but also sad because he now knew that Naruto didn't see Minato as his father.

They separated again while Hiruzen wiped his eyes. "I'm very happy, Naruto-kun; I'm glad to hear that you see me as your father. I've always seen you as one of my sons. But let me tell you something, if you and your father fight someday, I hope you listen to what he has to say; maybe you could reconsider your goals. "

"Okay, but it's not a promise. But why are your words sounding like a goodbye now? Do you think that Orochimaru can defeat you? If so, I'll help you to kill him."

Hiruzen shook his head and replied, "No, don't do that, Naruto-kun. Orochimaru is my responsibility. Please, don't help me even if you see that I need help. It's something that I have to deal with on my own. And if I die, then nothing will stop you from beating Orochimaru in the future."

Naruto clenched his fists and whispered, "Please, promise me that you won't die, Oto-sama."

Hiruzen gave a reassuring smile and answered, "I will do my best. I might be old, but I still know how to fight. Not for nothing, I'm still known as the God of Shinobi."

Naruto smiled back, but then he put on a serious face. "I would also like to know something. Does my father know what happened in Uzushiogakure?"

Hiruzen became serious and answered, "Yes, he knows it too. But he only knew it once he became Hokage. If he never told your mother Kushina or you about that, it's because he believed it wasn't necessary. Probably because he thought that Kushina would be outraged, and she might have wanted revenge as you want it now."

Naruto just nodded before walking away. "See you tomorrow in the finals, Oto-sama. Don't let that bastard beat you; show everybody what the God of Shinobi can still do. Until then, old man."

With that said, Naruto left and went to his apartment.

When Hiruzen saw his 'son' leaving, he couldn't help sighing as he sat at his desk again. He pulled out a bottle of Sake from there and began to drink as he stared at the ceiling.

"Minato, I hope you can make Naruto-kun return to the right path. I wish I could do it. However, I have to deal with Orochimaru, and I'm not sure if I will come out alive. The years have taken their toll." He sighed and continued drinking.

Tomorrow would be a busy day, but Hiruzen and Minato had already taken care of secretly mobilizing the troops. They made sure that Danzō didn't notice their movements since they didn't trust him. However, they didn't have any evidence to prove that he was involved in anything illegal.

Then he stood up and walked to his room. He needed to rest to be in good condition for his fight. He knew that Naruto was right; he sensed that his old student wanted to settle accounts with him.

The Uzumaki also needed to get ready; he had to do many things tomorrow and needed everything ready so that nothing would go wrong. He arrived at his apartment and talked with his girls.

Kurama sighed in relief as everything had gone well. Ever since Naruto had begun to loosen his tongue, he had felt the urge to yell at him. But he could hold it since he trusted his Jinchūriki, and thankfully, everything had gone well.

Therefore, the Biju just kept watching his container interacting with his women.

Notes

I think the important points were the deal that Kyōfu-sama made with Kusagakure and the chat with Hiruzen.

About the treaty; a good plan so that Naruto's organization can analyze the military power of Kusagakure plus install bases in that place; it was part of the agreement.

The Yakuza charge a tax for transporting goods, and as they have full control of the means of transport, well, the others have to endure it.

The villages could set up their own means, but 'accidents' can happen.

I think I don't need to explain what happened between Menma and Naruto, but I'll just say this: NARUTO WASN'T ARROGANT.

It's a fact, if they had fought, Naruto would have destroyed him; Menma is not at his level yet.

Well, and finally the talk between Naruto and Hiruzen.

The Uzumaki respects the Sandaime a lot, and as you saw, he sees him as his father. Although Hiruzen knew about Uzu, Naruto wouldn't hate him for that; as I said, Naruto appreciates him.

Well, that was all. The finals will finally begin.

By the way, once Naruto goes to the Land of Snow, I think I'll make flashback chapters so that you can know how Naruto saved the village, and how he convinced the scientists of that place to work for him (I believe it's necessary).

Well, until the next time.