Ninja of the Void

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any characters associated with it.

"Talking"

Thoughts

Enter Jiraiya, Lord of the Perverts

At hearing the latest developments Naruto was uncertain of what he should do. I mean he had a month before the final exam. Goofing around wasn't an option. He was up against Hinata's cousin, and he was quite aware of how tough and experienced he was.

But at the moment he was at a loss for what he should have been doing.

At hearing around, most of the people he knew were off doing their own thing.

Sasuke managed to get Kakashi to be his tutor over the month. Of course he wanted to be a part of the training. However the reasoning to why he was excluded was because this training was specifically focused on developing and improving the Sharingan. Now of course this peeved him, but ultimately he ended up getting sweet talked by his teacher again that he was good enough to know what to do which he ended up buying into.

Sakura seemed to have buried herself neck deep in books and hasn't been heard from since. From what he knew, she seemed to have been practically living at the library going through texts which would have driven him crazy. But the last time he saw her, she seemed to have been asking Kurenai-sensei about tips for something . . . . Not that he was listening anyways.

He didn't know what Neji was exactly doing, but he seemed to have been practicing with Tenten.

Chouji seemed intent on eating as much as he could for the one month. Although he wasn't certain why, he was aware that his clan techniques were based around burning extra calories that would be used to fuel exceptionally stronger moves. But that was as far as he looked into it.

Shikamaru . . . . Well he seemed to have been sleeping the entire time. Not sure if this was some sort of special training or something, but frankly he didn't care to ask as it was his month and he was free to do whatever he wanted with it. But he did know that when the test did come he would definitely be well rested for it.

The sand ninjas who were successful in making it this far was still around Konoha. However he didn't really see much of them as they were usually off doing their own thing but under the supervision of a few observing Konoha ninjas. But as strong as he knew they were, that Gaara guy definitely screamed of something terrible. I mean he faced his share of dangerous people. He's fought a person like Zabuza who was a ruthless assassin. But in comparison to him . . . . If Zabuza was a tempered wolf then Gaara was a rabid beast. He could tell how restless he was as something inside him was just screaming to get out. But after the conclusion of the preliminaries, he learned something . . . . Terrible.

~ Flashback ~

After they were all excused Naruto had a bone to pick as Lee didn't deserve that kind of beating. For it was true this was a test and it was anything goes. However there's a limit to how brutal one should be and what Gaara did was just too far.

Just as he was about to leave, "Naruto-kun, don't" said Hinata worriedly as she grabbed for his arm.

"Let go, I've got something to say to that guy".

"But Naruto-kun . . . ." as she started to shutter a bit. " . . . . Something . . . . Doesn't feel right about him. Something . . . . Scares me about him".

"What more reason to give him a piece of my mind" as he was soon off. Moments later he was standing in front of him staring him dead in the eyes as he stared back at him. "I've got something to say to you".

Temari and Kankuro immediately noticed how upset the blond was and the last thing they wanted was for him to entice Gaara's interest. Besides they had a plan to accomplish and the last thing they needed was some monkey wrench being thrown in which they had no idea how it would affect everything around them in the near future.

"Why don't you go away kid" said the sand puppet master. "Don't you have something more pressing to do like bothering someone else?"

"Yeah, so why don't you just beat it!" then continued Temari.

However it was a bit too late now. Gaara had now taken a personal interest in him as he then stepped forward showing a bit of a maniacal smile. "So what do we have here?"

"You've got some apologizing to do! Fuzzy brows didn't deserve what you did to him!"

"What of it?" he then asked coldly. "He was just lucky I didn't break him any further".

Naruto gritted his teeth as this guy was really getting to him. "That's all you have to say! What kind of monster are you?"

But at saying that sentence, Gaara seemed to have been reacting to something as he held face to which caused both Kankuro and Temari to start backing away from him very slowly. "Monster? You don't know of such things . . . ."

". . . . Try me" said Naruto.

But that's when he heard it. Gaara's entire childhood as he was just as tormented as he was as he was the jinchuriki of the sand, the holder of the ichibi. In looking to Gaara, he was like a road not taken for him. Although most people would be shocked by hearing this, Naruto had completely stalled as it was something that hit very close to home. Just like that Gaara then walked by him, but not before whispering something into his ear. "I'll have fun killing you later". His siblings soon after followed right behind him.

~ End Flashback ~

It still bothered him that another jinchuriki like himself was in the final exam and even more worried that Sasuke was going to have to fight him. But there was not really anything he could do as Sasuke was incognito somewhere and doing something to Gaara now would only stir up unnecessary problems.

So for the time being he had to let it go.

Meanwhile he would have loved to train with Hinata during this month. But after her father got word she made it to finals, he started having her train more under him. So at this time he rarely saw her as the only time he could was when she was out on break.

Of course he was doing his own training and of course Kakashi had sent up a few tutors to help him through this month. But frankly he didn't approve of any of them. Especially that Ebisu guy that was currently teaching Konohomaru. Granted he was jounin, but still he kind of sucked. If he had to make a comparison the guy was like a small dog, all bark and no bite. So why would he want to learn from a guy like that?

But now catching up to his present time, a week had already passed as he was now waiting patiently outside Hinata's home as she was going to have the day off.

"Hinata-chan! How have you been? I rarely see you anymore!" said Naruto excitedly as he took her hands shaking them showing his enthusiasm.

"Sorry Naruto-kun" she blushed. "Father has been keeping me really busy with improving my Jyuken. But I'm very sorry, buy I can't spend today with you".

"Huh? Why?" he then said in a somewhat whiny voice.

"Well today I'll be going to a hot spring resort".

"Hot spring resort?" Naruto then asked questionably. "I thought your own home had one?"

"Well . . . ." as she then looked to her side. "Sakura-san has been very busy lately burying herself under so much work. So Ino-san was getting concerned for her well being and asked me last night to see what I can do to help her. So I suggested we'd take her to the newly opened hot spring resort". Hinata then gave a soft smile. "Besides it would make a nice break for all of us".

Naruto scratched his cheek. "Well I guess so . . . . " as he was slightly disappointed to how things turned out.

The pair then left to the library which was reported to be the last sighting of the pink kunoichi. Upon arrival Ino was already present as she was supporting her out as she held her up by the shoulder.

"Man you look like crap" said Ino as she observed the current condition of her best friend. At this time the pink kunoichi had deep dark bags under eyes from hours of reading and researching as she appeared overly exhausted and at any second now was about to drop dead.

"Shut it Ino-pig" she then slurred as she could barely complete her sentence let alone stand up on her own.

"Alright come on forehead girl, you really need a break and a girls time out ought to do you some good".

"Yeah . . . ." giving a yawn, "that might be nice" as she was now practically sleep walking by technicality at this moment.

Hinata softly smiled at what she observed as Naruto gave a chuckle.

They soon left and arrived at the resort shortly as the three girls soon entered as Naruto stood behind.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Well this is a girl thing right?" as he rubbed the back of his head. "So it's probably best that I don't disturb you".

The pale girl looked to him as she soon nodded as she smiled at his consideration. "But what will you be doing now Naruto-kun?"

The blond shrugged at this until he spotted a pool next to the resort. "Well I guess I can work on my chakra control while I wait".

"Alright Naruto-kun, I'll see a little later OK?" as she soon disappeared inside with the other kunoichis.

Naruto scratched his head as he walked to the pool next door. At this time it appeared to be empty which gave him ample opportunity to do as he wished. So standing next to the pool, he focused his chakra to his feet as he began walking out on the water. Now the concept was simple in theory, for like sticking to objects with chakra it could also repel things. Judging by how much power he used is directly correlated with how much repulsion he got out of it.

Now standing in the middle of the pool, he knelt down touching the water investing some of his chakra into it as he soon lifted two puddles of water combining them in confront of him. Of course he didn't have water affinity chakra. But this was a trick Hinata showed him once with mixing chakra to water in order to practice chakra control. Naruto then gave a soft chuckle. Ironically when it came to doing small stuff it was so difficult. But when it came to big techniques, he had no trouble controlling it.

But now as he thought about it, a very fond smile began to spread on his face. Hinata was truly exceptional when it came to chakra control. In their sessions, she was able to control streams of water as if it were child's play. Of course all Hyugas were known for their exceptional skills, but Hinata . . . . well she was just something else as she turned it into quite the art form. As he thought about it, if his pale friend never became a ninja she would have been quite the brilliant dancer. When she first did it in front of him, she was standing in the middle of the river next to a water fall. Concentrating her chakra, she began lifting streams of it as she had them swirl around her in a perfect harmony as if she were using Kaiten. But as she moved with it Naruto couldn't help but feel entranced as his eyes shined in awe to what he was seeing. As Hinata practiced it looked like she was dancing with the water to which it turn it danced with her. It was just such a beautiful thing to see to which he enjoyed watching her practice each time she did it. But as time went it started to evolve. With some of his encouragement Hinata came to develop a new kind of Jyuken from it. For the time, she wanted to keep this to herself for several reasons, but mainly because it still wasn't ready to be used yet.

He then gave a bit of a blush as Hinata professed to him much to her embarrassment that when she first did it she had to be in her birthday suit as it required quite a lot of power to control that much water. But as her control got sharper, she was happy to keep her cloths on as she practiced.

Now Naruto would have continued to reminisce about Hinata's dance, but that was until something . . . . quite distasteful caught his attention. There now at the fence which shielded the woman's side of the spring from view was a rather creepy looking old man.

"Hey you! What do you think you're doing?" accused Naruto as he looked to the back of an albino haired man.

However the mysterious figure remained ignorant of his shout as he continued what he was doing.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The old man then turned about shushing him as his glared at him. "Hey shut it brat, can't you tell that you're ruining my operation?"

". . . . operation?" asked Naruto quizzically. "Am I missing something here? What kind of operation needs you to peek in to the women's side of the spring resort?" Although by technicality he wasn't innocent himself. He did peek before . . . . I mean come on where else was he going to get his inspiration to create the sexy no jutsu from?

However the old man simply waved him off. "Just go away brat, I'm still in the middle of gathering material for my research. Oh my god! Look at the size of those!"

Naruto slightly growled at this. "Hey! Some of my friends are in there and I will not tolerate you doing such things in front of me!" as he soon dashed in hell bent to make him stop.

But then a puff of smoke exploded in front of him as the old man now seemed to have been standing on a rather large toad as its tongue soon whiplashed at him.

Naruto grinded his feet into the ground kicking off it to change course as he continued to move in again. Once close enough he threw a kick intending to knock the old pervert out because seriously how strong could this old man be? But to his surprise, he caught it as he was easily thrown into the pool which he was forced to immediately jump back out of at feeling the boiling temperatures the water was at. "Damn . . . . who the hell is this old man . . . . he's really strong . . . ."

The old pervert grinned, "Not bad. Like a chip off the old block". He didn't expect to bump into Naruto so soon after his long awaited return back to Konoha, but he instantly recognized him upon first glance to which he was glad to see his god-son to be in good health. Being the son of his former student he was quite impressed thus far at what he was seeing. Moving at such speed, the young blond was able to avoid his frog's attack and immediately counter. "But I wonder what else he can do?" That's when he saw him pull out a watch as he soon clicked a button. "Hey isn't that . . . . " Then Naruto was gone only to reappear next to his head with a flying knee. "Hiraishin!"

Just as the attack connected. "Hell yeah! Good guys prevail once again!" only to see what he hit had now turned into a log. "What? When did he do that?" But soon he was being lifted from behind by the hem of his jacket. "Hey, what the hell?"

"Not bad brat, you surprised me there with that move. But let's see how good you do without it" as he soon took his watch and then dropped him.

"Hey give that back!"

"Sure, but you're going to have to catch me first" as he soon exploded into a puff of smoke to which proceeded into jumping the fence.

"Damn it! I didn't get a good look at what his henge was!" But his face then looked in shock as realization soon dawned on him. "Aww! Hinata-chan is in there!" Naruto then started going through his options as they were quite limited. He didn't have the watch, so he couldn't just discreetly wander in there. So this then left only one choice. "Sexy no jutsu!" as he transformed into a naked feminine version of himself with a few changes so that his classmates wouldn't recognize him if they saw him. So then jumping the fence he chanced upon a workers uniform to which he quickly mimicked into his henge changing his appearance as such. "There, this should allow me to wander around more easily".

But looking around, it was like a mine field as he was a guy surrounded by a bunch of half naked women to which if he were discovered he'd get a beating of a lifetime. Naruto gulped at this fact. "Alright eyes straight no wandering and keep my henge focused. I just need to stay here long enough to find that old man to get my watch back". But if he said he wasn't tempted to look then he would be lying as nervous sweat began to drench his face. "Damn it! Why did he have to go in here?" Now that he thought about it, he had no idea how to find him or what he looked like. He could've walked right by him for all he knew and he wouldn't have known it happened. "I'm definitely going to beat the crap out of that old man when I find him!"

But before he could commence his search, "miss, can you get some more towels over here?"

"Huh?" as he pointed to himself. "Are you talking to me?"

"Of course I am! You work here don't you?"

". . . . Uhh, right" as he promptly got the towels. After dropping them off, "Alright back to my search".

"Umm excuse me, can I order some sake please?"

"Isn't it too early in the day to be drin . . . . I mean of course ma'am, right away" he smiled as he quickly got it. "Alright! No more distractions!"

"Excuse me, some service over here please?"

Naruto sighed at this, "yes, right away miss".

So this went that as soon as he finished one thing he was called to do something else which kept him running in circles as somehow his façade had now become legitimate as now he was working for the resort at this time. But then after an hour of running around, "Oh dear god" as Naruto was blushing furiously at some of the close calls he was a part of. "This cannot possibly get any worse".

"Hey can we get some service over here?"

As Naruto turned to look who called him now, ". . . . I stand corrected". There now in one of the private springs were Hinata, Ino and Sakura covered in towels as they sat in the pool. The light blond was sitting next to her best friend as she still seemed half dead to this world while his pale friend sat across from them with her back turned to him. "Yes" he partly stuttered. "How may I help you today?"

"Do you have a mud bath here?" asked Ino. "My friend here is need of some intensive care. So can you point the way?"

So recalling his memory of the lay out, "yeah it's right over there".

"Thanks" she responded. Then supporting her friend up by the arm, "come on forehead girl we're going to stick you in some mud now".

"Your kind of place isn't it Ino-pig" Sakura slurred again.

"Alright come along now" said Ino as she dragged her friend away.

This then left Naruto and Hinata alone to which the blond jinchuriki was now getting really nervous. "So if I'm not needed here . . . ."

"Umm actually . . . ." this caused Naruto to jump a bit. "If it's not too much trouble, can you rub my shoulders for a bit? They've been getting kind of stiff lately".

Naruto was at a loss for words. I mean he couldn't outright refuse at this was part of the job description. However he was neck deep in a situation he knew he shouldn't be doing. But the temptation was there as he was a guy, she was girl, and he was getting at the age of curiosity. However, "excuse me, but I think it would be better if someone else did it".

"It's OK, I don't mind if you did it".

The young blond could only choke on his spit at this. " . . . . Oh my god" as he felt like he was just going to die like this. However he couldn't allow his façade to end as he needed to find that old man and get his watch back. "OK . . . . miss . . . . I'll do my best . . . ." as he slowly placed his hands on her bare shoulders.

Hinata blushed upon contact. " . . . . her hands feel very . . . . familiar".

"Does this . . . . feel OK?"

"Yes . . . . very much so" as Hinata began to squirm a bit from uncertainty to why she was acting like this.

Naruto continued his actions until he decided to start a light conversation. "So umm . . . . you're a ninja right?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Well" he partly stumbled. "It's just a feeling I got from you. So umm . . . . has training been stressing your shoulders lately?"

"Not exactly" started Hinata. "My chest . . . . has been growing lately and . . . ." as her voice soon faded off.

However Naruto immediately got what she meant as his eyes glanced over them. In the years he'd known her, he'd never really paid attention. I mean he knew Hinata was a girl, he just didn't think about the girl part. As his eyes became more focused on them, he immediately shook his head. "I really need to get out of here".

Hinata blinked as she then saw drops of blood entering the spring. She then turned to her helper. "Umm, are you OK? Your nose is bleeding". She then raised one of her eyebrows as now something caught her attention. "Excuse me . . . . but have we met before?"

"Uhh" as Naruto was dead panned while rubbing his nose. Now obviously he should lie, but then again he couldn't about something like this to his pale friend. "Well . . . . sort of".

The Hyuga heiress blinked at this. "Really?" as she searched her memories. "Where exactly?"

"Uhh, in a few places . . . . I think . . . ."

Hinata could feel something was fishy about this. For as she continued to stare into her baby blue eyes, she just knew she seen her before. So using her Byakugan, she looked her over thinking her chakra would give a clue to her identity. Upon finishing her scan, she then immediately knew who it was. ". . . . Naruto-kun?"

"Busted . . . ." For the moment his pale friend used her eye technique, he knew he was found out.

The pale girl blushed heavily as she instinctively covered herself with her arms making certain her towel kept her front covered as she looked to her friend in disappointment. "Naruto-kun, how can you do such a thing like this?"

"No! Hinata-chan it's not what you think! I was chasing a perverted old man who ran in here, but he henged and I've been looking ever since. But instead I've been running in circles helping people. Just as I was about to go after him I was called here and then . . . . "

"To do something so shameful like this, but to lie as well . . . . " as she began to tear up.

"I'm serious Hinata-chan! It's just as I said!"

"But . . . . But . . . . the indecency . . . ."

"Please Hinata-chan, listen to me I . . . ."

"Hey Hinata we're back, the mud baths were completely booked so we had to comeback" called Ino as she was dragging Sakura along. The light blond then looked to see something was odd as the atmosphere felt slightly . . . . dense. "Did something happen while we were away?" At this time the Hyuga heiress was sitting in the spring tomato red as she tried to looked as calm as possible while her blond attending waitress was currently at work massaging her shoulders equally as red.

"No Ino-san" Hinata stuttered. "Nothing happened".

She wasn't quite buying it, but then shrugged it off as she helped Sakura back into the spring as she got back in as well. "So Hinata, that massage must be very good huh?"

"Ehh! What makes you think that?"

"Looking at your expression, it just has to be amazing to how you're behaving". Ino then looked to the waitress. "After you're done, can you give me one too?"

"No! You can't!" to which she clamped her mouth at her outburst.

"Wow . . . . that must be one hell of a massage then".

As she and Hinata continued to exchange dialogue Naruto was panicking in trying to find a way out of this. I mean he was lucky that Hinata had decided to suspend her disbelief and allow him time to prove his innocence. But he was running out of time as the situation was growing dimmer. "But I have to focus, how do I flush him out?" Then it hit him like a thousand bricks. "This is a hot spring resort! Grand central for the worst of the worst peepers! So all I have to do is look for something that isn't like the other".

So carefully he looked around and then there he was out in plain view as clear as day in the henge of an old woman with a perverted smirk as he looked around. But he had to be certain before he confronted him, and for this "I've got just the plan". He looked to Hinata with a smile. "I hope you've enjoyed my service, but now I have to go deal with something of rather high importance" to which the pale girl gave a nod too. Naruto then proceeded to 'the old woman' as he knelt next to 'her'. "Hello ma'am, have you enjoyed our services thus far?"

"Yes miss, I have" as 'she' gave a crooked perverted smile. "And may I say I'm enjoying the sights very much".

Naruto knew it just had to be him from his use of words. But he needed to draw him out a bit longer to make certain. "My, is it just me or is it getting hot in here?" as he started to sensually remove his uniform while fanning himself.

This definitely caught 'her' attention as she was now looking.

The blond jinchuriki now wanted to end this. Just to show him the appreciation of the hour he had to spend searching for him, he was going to make him learn what true horror was. Just to make certain everyone knew it namely Hinata, he was going to draw everyone's attention to this one event. "Hey look a naked woman!" as he pointed in some direction. Everyone in the resort looked to him to why he shouted. However the 'old lady' fell for the bait as she looked.

"Where?" 'she' asked hungrily.

Naruto then clocked him hard across the face sending the perverted old woman transforming back into a perverted old man.

Just like that every woman there, especially the adult ones armed themselves with wash pans as they took aim at the old pervert.

"Hey! It's that guy again! The one that was previously banned!"

"That disgusting old man! Let's get him!"

"Teach him a lesson that he will never forget!"

"Naruto-kun was telling the truth" as Hinata gave a breath of relief.

"Eww! A disgusting pervert" said Ino as Sakura just snored as she was sleeping at this time.

The old man couldn't believe he was discovered. Out of all his years of ninja service, dodging shurikens and kunais were a lot easier then wash basins. So quickly scrambling to the fence taking a few hits along the way, "alright I'm out of here".

"Not so fast!" yelled Naruto as he then flew through the air landing a flying side kick into his back sending them both over the fence which caused many of the woman to cheer.

"Yeah! You go girl!"

"That ought to teach him from coming back here!"

"Good riddance".

Now back on the other side, Naruto stood triumphantly over the old man as he dug through his pockets reclaiming his watch. "Don't let me catch you around here again, got it?"

"Who are you?"

The blond smirked as he transformed back to his original self. "The names Uzumaki Naruto, the next greatest Hokage!" he proclaimed with pride. "And I will not allow such lechery on my watch got it, so don't let me catch you doing it again". With that said taking his cue, Naruto left trying to give off a cool impression.

The old man sat up as he grinned at how things turned out. "Just like the brat he was . . . ."

~ Konoha ~ (the next day)

After the incident yesterday, Hinata gave him a thorough apology for doubting him but it wasn't necessary as he kept telling her that it was perfectly understandable considering the situation he placed in front of her.

But now on this current day he decided to just aimlessly wander around as he didn't really feel like training that day.

As much as he wanted to be at peace for right now, "hey brat, how's it going?"

Naruto jumped back at being surprised by the same old man from the day before. "Hey! You're the old man from yesterday! Wait, did you come back to get revenge on me or something?"

The old man grinned at this as he patted his head. "Not at all brat. Actually I'm here to give you the honor of becoming my student".

"What?" as he swatted his hand off his head. "Why would I do such a thing like that? But more than that who the hell are you old man?"

He grinned at this. So deciding to make a big spectacle of this, "I am one of the greatest legends Konoha has ever seen, hero to those who know my name, savior by those who revere me, and champion for those who know my greatness. For I am the great Jiraiya, the toad sage of Konoha!"

" . . . . and a pervert" added Naruto nonchalantly as he was unimpressed by his antics.

"I'm not a pervert!"

"Yeah! Then what are you?"

Jiraiya began to wiggle his fingers as he started to give a rather creepy face. "I'm a super pervert!"

Naruto's face dropped at this, ". . . . Unbelievable".

"So what do you think of me now huh brat?"

". . . . Ero-sannin".

". . . . Don't call me that".

And so this went for a while until Naruto figured he might as well use this time to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't do anymore crude stuff. Besides, Jiraiya seemed to have had some impressive moves. So he figured, "ehh why not?" but then at seeing the old pervert run off at seeing some attractive girls. " . . . . this is going to be a long month".

To be continued . . . .

Author's notes: And this concludes another chapter to which I hope you all enjoy.

Now I would like to apologize to you all for my blunder in the last chapter as I shouldn't have been lazy about it. It was a great sin on my part as a fanfiction writer to not be thorough in explaining every relevant detail to my story.

So at this time my updates will take a bit longer to be posted in order to avoid anymore mistakes in the future. Not to mention I've got classes to deal with, so yeah.

Concerning some of the statements I've received, Naruto has never killed anyone before. So why would he start now? But yes, I will explain later his motivation behind this.

As concerning the Hizashi incident, I'm well aware there's a plot hole there as I put it there on purpose. But be assured I will be addressing it in the near future as that incident will be very important very soon to which you will understand why I did it as I will be explaining in great detail about a lot things which will be a very important lesson for Naruto to learn.

So I thank everyone for taking the time in reading this fic and further extend my gratitude if you can review it as well.