I am happy I was able to finish this chapter, because my workload just got a little heavier. It seems the honey moon is over. Enjoy;OD And see you next chapter.

Disclaimer: I am just a fan. I do not own Naruto

Chapter 18:Ichiraku's:Tale of The Crimson Blades

Naruto stood before Tsunade along with the rest of the Konoha ninja. Finished debriefing, she dismissed them all and asked Naruto if he could stay behind.

"Try not to take to long Naruto, or Chouji will eat your share of Ramen." Shikamaru said before exiting the Hokage's office.

"Aa," Naruto grunted in response.

"How are you," Tsunade asked.

"I'm fine, not a scratch on me, why," Naruto said being evasive.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

Making the excuse that she had rounds to tend to over at the hospital, Shizune excused herself from the office closing the door as she exited.

"I heard about your Master from Jiraiya; I'm sorry Naruto."

"Is that all he told you?"

"Why, is there more?"

"Would you have told me about my father if I hadn't overheard your argument with Jiraiya?"

"Huh, where did that come from?"

"Just answer the question please."

"That was a long time ago, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything, now that I am back, how do I know I can trust you?"

"What exactly are you implying; what I did, I did to protect you!" Tsunade said outraged.

"From what," Naruto asked keeping a casual tone.

Tsunade paced back and forth; regaining her composure, she answered. "You had been through so much already with Sasuke and Orochimaru, and then came Akatsuki….adding to all that seemed cruel, and if I could shield you from even the tiniest bit of pain…."

"Hokage-sama….Obaasan" Naruto said moved. "We can't always choose the road we travel, but we can choose how we decide to walk it. There is nothing you can do to shield me from this road I am on, but at least I know that where ever it leads, I have my precious people and that they acknowledge me. That is something worth defending, no matter what the cost."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me Obaasan; I am not that old," Tsunade said feigning anger, happy for the return of Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja and one of it's greatest. Jiraiya was right. "He could handle the truth and much more," she thought. With everything mended and a new deeper understanding reached between him and Tsunade, Naruto turned to leave.

"Tsunade-sama," Naruto said stopping at the door way. "He wasn't just my Master; he was my grandfather as well. I don't wish to talk about it in detail, but when you see Jiraiya, tell him I said it was alright to fill you in," with that said, he closed the door and went to join his friends at Ichiraku's.

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Chouji was on his tenth bowl when Naruto arrived at Ichiraku's. Kakashi was looking at his wallet and crying quietly. Now he knew why Asuma had spent most of his days broke. To add more burdens to his purse, Naruto had just walked in, and Kakashi knew he was going to have to dig into his savings before nights end. Ino waited for Naruto to finish his third bowl of ramen before pestering him about his attire and asking him when he had obtained it. "The cloak was given to me by Jiraiya before I left to join you guys, and the rest was a parting gift from a friend," Naruto told her not wanting to say more. Jiraiya had modeled the cloak after one of Naruto's fathers, the Fourth Hokage. The rest of his outfit was a gift from his grandfather; the letter had said it was an outfit he had worn in his days as a Jounin, and Naruto's diligence and hard work had earned him the right to dawn the outfit of his forbears. The letter ended with the acknowledgement of a Masters pride in his student and his contentment to move on from this world knowing that the knowledge of his clan was in good hands.

"Including the swords," Ino pressed.

"No, the swords were a gift from Kisame," Naruto said grabbing everyone's attention.

"Kisame," Kakashi asked maintaining a neutral tone.

"Mm," Naruto grunted nodding his head.

"Do tell," Ino said as she leaned forward, and all eyes and ears fell upon Naruto awaiting his tale.

XXXXXXXXXXXX Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jiraiya and Naruto had finished training and were headed to a mountain resort Jiraiya had found during his many travels, for some much needed rest and relaxation.

"Even with the help of the shadow clones, perfecting this new technique is harder than I thought."

"Naruto, something like this can not be rushed. No matter how much knowledge you have, there is always going to be some unknowable variable to work through when creating a new technique. The fact that you are a quarter way through is a testament to your skills, not a disclaimer. Not even your father was able to take the rasengen this far."

"Really?"

"Yes, really; he was still in the theoretical stages of creating this technique, were you are in the actual creation phase. If he was here now, he would probably tell you how proud he was of you before bombarding you with questions as to how you reached this point." Naruto smiled at the thought of holding a conversation with his father about training and brain storming on the creation of new techniques or how they could refine and improve old ones, but his father had long ago sacrificed his life to seal the Kyuubi inside of him, granting his mother's dying wish and saving the village that gave her the loves of her life. Naruto should have been bitter over the fact that his father had used him as a sacrificial lamb in order to save Konoha, but reading the letter he left behind, had shown him that, that was the last thing he wanted to do, and in the short time they were together his grandfather had always said "Haguru, sometimes the right thing to do can also be the hardest." Naruto didn't bother asking what he meant because he already knew the answer. "You'll know when the time comes." It's all he ever said when Naruto asked for further explanations to anything and he was usually right. He missed that.

"Yo, Naruto we're here," Jiraiya said waking Naruto from his reflections.

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Jiraiya had left Naruto soaking in the hot spring while he went to retrieve supper. Naruto knew that it wasn't the food he wanted, but another good look at their hostess. He kicked back allowing the hot spring to work its magic loosening all his stiff and achy muscles earned from a hard days training. Naruto had begun to relax when he bounded out of the hot spring suddenly; the spring exploded a few seconds later. Naruto quickly pulled on his pants when a familiar voice came from the shadow.

"Sashiburi, kozou" (long time, boy), Kisame said as he and Itachi came into view.

"You couldn't have waited until another time to mess with me? You just had to ruin my well earned down time, didn't you?"

"You will be able to rest soon enough. So are you going to be boring and come quietly, or are we going to have some fun?" Kisame asked.

"You chose the wrong time to mess with me. When I am through with you, you are going to wish for quiet and boring. If you live that is." Naruto said apathetically.

"All bark and no bite. I hope you brought some teeth this time, because last time, was a little disappointing, and I wouldn't want to waste my time again." Kisame said grinning, his shark like smile.

"Said the fool," proclaimed Naruto. "Kage Bunshin no jutsu," he said forming two shadow clones and preparing himself. He was going to enjoy this. This fight would be his catharsis. He would let it all out here, all the pain, all the sorrow, the pent up anger and out right rage. All of it would be released here, but not in the manner of a blind beast. He would conduct himself as his teacher, friend, and grandfather would have wanted him to, as the Master of the forgotten fighting art of whirlpool should. He would reveal to Kisame and Itachi his legacy, and he would show his father, mother, grandfather, and the Third that they could rest easy because as long as he lived, so to did their will of fire.

Kisame reveled in combat and bloodshed; it excited him, and so he was dulled to it, but Itachi could feel Naruto's strength as if it were a palpable thing that surrounded them, and for the first time, he set aside all his airs and prepared for battle. Naruto's clones rushed Itachi and Kisame crisscrossing each other as they surged forward.

"This reminds me of last time, except with a lot less clones. I hope you are going to do something more." Kisame said yawning as he withdrew Samehada. But it wasn't like last time; Kisame had found that out the hard way, when one of the clones jumped on his sword ran down it's length and kicked him hard in the jaw sending him flying through the fence of the hot spring which separated the males from the females. Kisame shook his head clenching his jaw. "This is going to be more fun than I thought," he said picking himself up out of the female side of the hot spring and striding forward.

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Itachi had followed the movements of Naruto's clone and struck out with a side kick, only to find air. The clone had disappeared without his knowledge, and reappeared behind him. Itachi whirled around with an elbow strike but again found nothing to connect to. "What is going on here; why can I not touch him?" His thought was interrupted by a blow to the back of his head which sent him flying forward.

"Impressive, but it will take more than that to defeat me," Itachi said standing and dusting himself off.

"Who said I was done," Naruto replied from behind Itachi kicking him in the back. The kick sent Itachi crashing into Kisame who had just gotten out of the hot spring, and sent them both barreling back from whence Kisame came.

"Kirigakure no jutsu," (Hidden Mist technique) Naruto said as he strolled forward disappearing from sight as the mist settled.

"I see you have learned a few new tricks since last we met.I wonder who taught him the jutsu," Kisame asked Itachi.

"That should be the least of your problems," Naruto whispered into Kisame's ear before punching Kisame square in the face and disappearing into the mist once again. Kisame flew into a tree causing it to collapse as Itachi searched the mist with his Sharingan to no avail.

"Your Sharingan is useless here," Naruto's voice echoed through the mist.

"I think not," Itachi said activating his Mangekyo Sharingan "Tsukuyomi." He said catching Naruto in his gaze through the mist.

They were transported into a vast field with a red horizon. Naruto found himself tethered to a cross.

"So this is Tsukuyomi."

"Yes"

"Do you create what we see through the Sharingan or do I?"

"Although this is your mindscape, it is my realm and I control everything here. Naruto I didn't come to you seeking confrontation. I have a question for you."

"What could you possibly want to ask me?"

"I heard you are searching for my brother. I want to know what your intentions are."

"Why would you care about my intentions? You're the reason he defected from Konoha in the first place. You slaughtered your whole clan and betrayed Konoha. My business with your brother is between him and me."

"What will you do if Sasuke refuses to return to Konoha and decides to destroy it instead?"

"He would never do that!"

"But if he did? Which one would you sacrifice your friend or the village?"

"Neither! I refuse to sacrifice my friends, and I will not allow the village my father died for to be destroyed. I will find a way to save them both or perish in the attempt!"

"Only fools and great men ever strive for the impossible. Let's hope that you are the latter of the two," Itachi said placing his finger on Naruto's forehead.

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The clone fell to his back dodging Samehada. Kisame followed through his swing and used the momentum of the swing to bring Samehada up and then down upon the clone. Shifting his wait to his shoulders and hands the clone sprung up. He blocked Samehada with his right foot and broke Kisame's right wrist with his left causing him to drop his sword. Angered, Kisame caught the clone by the collar and threw him to the ground. Naruto descended from the sky right hand extended as he thrust a rasengan towards Kisame. Dodging the chakra sphere, he caught Naruto by the wrist and hurled him into the nearby forest.

"This is more like it. Now I can have some real fun," Kisame said smiling. Kisame spun around to the sound of a high pitched screech.

"Fuuton: Rasen Shuriken," Naruto screamed as he buried his new technique into Kisame's belly. Kisame and Naruto both flew back, Kisame screamed as his body was shredded by the incomplete jutsu. Naruto, Itachi, and Jiraiya watched in awe of the technique and when it was done Kisame fell into a small crater formed by the explosion created from the contact between him and the Rasen Shuriken.

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"What was that," Naruto asked feeling a little weird.

"A gift" Itachi said releasing his jutsu. "You be sure to pass that knowledge on to your master clone."

Itachi grabbed Kisame and fled before Naruto or Jiraiya could do anything.

"That Itachi sure is a slippery one," Jiraiya said as he checked Naruto over.

"And were where you?" Naruto said flinching as Jiraiya moved to his arm.

"Enjoying the show, you handled yourself well, but what possessed you to use that technique?"

"I suppose curiosity got the better of me."

"Well it would appear the use of your new technique comes with consequences. Your forearm is broken and who knows what else has happened. I wouldn't use that technique again, at least not until we discovered the extent of the damage and you discover how to negate the damage caused to you."

"Right."

"I think we all have no choice but to acknowledge you now."

"Huh?"

"The elders, Tsunade, and I, we all have to admit that you have worked really hard. Sometimes I wonder what's pushing you forward so hard."

"Well, I never give up and I have guts. I wonder if Sasuke will acknowledge that about me."

"I hope he does."

XXXXXXXXXXXX End Flash Back XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Whoa, you have truly become strong Naruto." Ino said sincerely after hearing the story behind his blades.

"So Itachi escaped with Kisame again, he truly deserves his spot in the bingo books" Kakashi said.

"Yeah, I am sure if Kisame survived that they will find me again, and I don't think he is going to be happy with me when he sees what I have done with the gift he left me."

"I thought that the sword only answered to Kisame," Shikamaru said.

"Now it only answers to me," Naruto said with a small smile.

"How did you manage that?" He asked curiously.

"Trial, error, a lot of blood, some sweat, and it doesn't hurt to have the knowledge of a legendary Sannin at your disposal too."

"I guess we should settle the bill and call it a night," Naruto said yawning.

Naruto stayed behind with Kakashi after bidding his friends farewell.

"Kakashi-sensei here," Naruto said handing him enough ryou to pay half the bill.

"Naruto, I said it was my present to welcome you back."

"I know, but I am sure you didn't know how much Chouji could pack away."

"You truly have grown Naruto."

"So I keep hearing." Naruto said smiling "Oh, and Kakashi-sensei."

"Yeah?"

"Next time you want to know something, just ask, it will save you some money," Naruto told him. Bidding Old man Ichiraku and Ayame farewell he began his journey home.

Kakashi smiled innocently, scratching his head. "Even more than I imagined."

Next time: Chapter 19: Jaraiya and the Trial of Pain