Naruto was running... Still running... Trees and rocks passed him by, as the branches tore at his clothes. He was still crying, as he stumbled into a clearing and fell down to his knees whimpering.
Noticing a pond in the clearing, the boy crawled towards it... Sobs racked his body, as the moon`s reflection wavered on the water`s surface.
Reaching the edge of the pond he propped himself up on his knees and stared into the water, his reflection staring right back. A grim reminder of the last two days...
Scooping up some water, he brought it to his lips and drank thirstily, only to spit it out. The water was clear blue and clean but the taste of metal made him look down at his hands, even as new tears started to fall.
Blood... His hands, his shirt, his pants and his face... Blood everywhere... He cried silently for a moment, his eyes flashing crimson in the silent night. He shivered, as the cold night wind blew past him.
He washed his hands of the dry blood, making the water itself turn red. He splashed some water on his face and felt the cool liquid trickle down his neck marking its path with red...
He cleaned it all away, all the blood, the filth, the shame and the guilt. He drank his fill ignoring the metal taste the water had taken on and stood. He had no more tears to cry...
He ran... and kept running. Running away from what he had become...
It was a cool morning in the small village of Nariko. The birds were still asleep, huddled together to shrug of the cold leaving only the humans to make the melody of the day.
Just as the market opened in the small village, a monk entered it via the western gate. From the look of his robes, one would think him a member of the Fire Temple, which he indeed was, however if one actually knew how the monks of the Temple dressed, then they would have noticed just how different he looked.
In his hand he carried a wood and steel Bo-staff with a red cloth wrapped around the middle. He wore a dark red cloak over which he had the traditional black monk cloth over his left shoulder. He also had a dark orange sash around his waist with a red cirle on the side in which the kanji for fire was drawn in black paint. Finally, to top of his appearance he had a dark brown sugegasa on his head, to shield him from rain.
Walking slowly, the man took stock of the many wares available in the market. Stopping briefly, he bought some fresh food at a vendor. Putting some of the food in a satchel he stuffed it into his robes and began eating a loaf of bread he had taken out. It was then that he realised he was being followed.
He continued to eat his meal before hearing the sound of light footsteps behind him. In a moment he felt a tiny shift in weight on his side and realised that someone must have relieved him of his money pouch. Smirking to himself he waited until the pickpocket was turned away before looking back.
He was barely able to see a black and yellow blur dart behind the corner of an alley as it dissappeared in a flash. Slowly following, he turned into the alley and heard the pickpocket a ways down to a small side street. But just as he reached the corner, the pickpocket shot out of the alley and ran straight into him. The monk being well over twice his size, the young boy was knocked back and fell to the floor. He looked up in slight fear before holding out the pouch and saying... "Sumimasen! I only took a few ryo, just to buy some bread! Please don`t hurt me!"
The monk was taken aback at this. He knew poverty and he knew how some children had to struggle to survive, but this boy... Upon closer inspection, he could see that his clothes were distinctly torn up, as if he had been travelling in rough terrain. His black T-shirt with a red swirl design on the front was cut up and barely anything was left of his left sleeve. His blue pants were also ripped at the edges but what struck the monk most, was that every piece of it was covered in blood... And despite looking quite starved and exhausted, the boy did not seem to have any injuries... This worried the monk, but right now he had to deal with the boy fearfully trying to give him back his money.
Kneeling down he took the pouch and then fished inside his robes for his satchel. Finding the other loaf of bread inside, he gave it to the boy who looked at him with wide eyes... Smiling slightly he turned and began walking back to the street. Halfways to the exit of the village, a blur sped past him. The boy ran out of the village and immediately jumped into the forest, seemingly trying to remain hidden... It was then that he heard a slight jingle on the ground infront of him. Looking down, he saw a few ryo lying there, the same money he had intended to leave to the boy... But apparently this boy was either rather dumb... or special...
It was nearing midday by the time Korusho, as the monk was named, saw the boy again. He had been walking away from Nariko and continuing on his journey only to find three brutes, simple highwaymen by appearance, attempting to beat on the child.
Korusho only heard a bit of what was said. Namely that the boy had apparently asked them for directions and these loudmouth barbarians had thought to make sport of him... It sickened Korusho to his very heart, knowing that there were people like them in the world.
Deftly walking towards them, he slammed the wooden end of his Bo into the head of the first one. While normally this would not be enough to incapacitate a man, Korusho was still a monk of the Fire Temple. He was taught how to mold chakra and even had a decent taijutsu style, both of which were meant for defense of course. But protecting another was even more important than keeping true to the temple guidelines... something he never fully did either way.
So the chakra strengthened piece of wood, quickly knocked out the first robber and dispatched the other in a matter of moments as well.
The last one however pulled out a rusty katana from his back and letting out a battle-cry, reminiscent of a squirrel trapped in the toilet, tried to cut at Korusho, only to be blocked by the metal part of his Bo which had turned into a lengthened axe as the monk channeled chakra into it.
The katana was swung back, as the robber suddenly threw a piece of paper at the monk. Fearing that this was a Paper-Bomb, Korusho tried to jump away only to realise that he was tricked, as the bandit rushed him while he was still unbalanced. But just as the blade was about to nick his arm, the bandit fell to the ground clutching his right leg in apparent pain.
Briefly looking at the boy, Korusho noticed he had a branch in his hand and had hit the bandit. The monk briefly noted the look in the boy`s eyes, a look that told him he wasn`t new to something like violence. It disturbed him even more but before he could contemplate on this child he had to take care of this blundering bafoon of a bandit.
As the bandit turned towards the boy, Korusho charged his Bo with Fire-chakra, making the steel glow hot and extend into a small blade at the end of his staff. Charging at the bandit he sliced through his katana and kicked him in the stomach, knocking the bandit across the road and into a tree. As he stood up and tried to punch him, Korusho merely spun his staff around and knocked him out via another chakra enhanced blow of wood.
Dusting himself off, the monk looked back at the young boy who was looking at the men with disinterest and a hint of disgust.
"I was just trying to know how to get to the Fire Temple... Why did they have to attack me?" The rhetorical question was answered nonetheless as Korusho spoke saying... "Because there are people in the world that do not value peace."
The boy seemed like he was deep in thought for a moment before nodding. This of course surprised the monk. He had seen many children of his age and none seemed as... experienced as this boy.
"How old are you?" The boy stared at him with dull eyes before a hint of caution entered them. He didn`t want to tell him his age. It might lead him to knowing who he was... But the man had saved his life – or at the very least prevented him from slaughtering the bandits. With the grim thought still fresh in his mind, the boy sighed. He looked at the monk, noticing for the first time the insignia of the Fire Temple on his sash. Interested the boy answered...
"I`m six years old... Are you... from the Fire Temple?" The monk nodded slowly. Six years? Sora, the child who was brought to the Temple a few years ago, the boy he himself thought of as something of a surrogate son, he was six years old! And he had been living in the temple his whole life. One would expect someone like him to understand the basic concept of peace and its meaning, but even he was far too young to understand. And yet this boy had the look... The general aura of...
"Could you take me to the Temple? Or tell me where it is? I heard they take... Strays..." The boy`s voice slowly faded as he finished his request. His head hung low as he started fiddling with the hem of his shirt.
"You do not have a home then? Nowhere to go?" The boy slowly shook his head as Korusho regarded him... The monk sighed and said... "I know of a family living in a village not far from here. I am sure they would be happy to take y-"
"I can`t." The boy`s interruption was quiet but determined. Korusho hm`d as the boy continued... "I`m too dangerous. But... I`ll do whatever you say... since you saved my life..." His piece said, the boy looked down at the ground and studied his feet as he awaited the monk`s answer.
Korusho however, was surprised at the fact that the boy was utterly serious. He tried with all his might to think of a reason that the child might consider himself too dangerous to live in a normal family... and couldn`t. For his life he could not say what brought this kind of thinking to the boy. Sighing yet again he beckoned him to follow.
"Very well. It will take us a few days to get to the village... Might I know your name then?" They walked silently for a few minutes, Korusho displaying the legendary patience of monks until the boy answered... "Naruto... Just Naruto..."
Korusho stopped as they had just arrived at a crossroads... He slowly turned left and continued walking as he said... "Maelstrom... Reminds me of home..." The boy seemed confused at first but shrugged it off and kept walking behind his companion. Who meanwhile, had just begun reminiscincing about his long lost home, his long red hair swaying in the morning breeze...
Two days of near-constant travel had passed, since the boy had joined the monk. Yesterday they had arrived in a very small town that had a wide variety of goods available.
Korusho had insisted he buy Naruto some new clothes. And while the boy was reluctant to further abuse his hospitality, in the end he relented simply to be rid of his blood-stained clothing... The monk had not asked about why it was stained and he did not ask the boy why he thought himself dangerous to others. He did find out that he believed the monks in the temple would be able to defend themselves, but he did not say why they would have to defend themselves from him.
He had bought him a simple black shirt, though the boy insisted it not have the same swirl symbol on it as his first. Saying it reminded him too much, of what, he again did not say. His pants were also replaced with a pair of simple gray ones and his sandals were replaced with a black pair of the open-toe variety.
It was nearing night-time as the two kept walking towards the village Korusho had mentioned. The boy had quickly learned that while they kept a very slow pace, they walked all the longer for it, ensuring they saw more of the land in greater detail as the monk put it.
Korusho had just considered making camp as his young companion`s voice carried to him from behind...
"Korusho? You`re... wise, right?" The monk chuckled to himself as he slowed down slightly and answered... "Why yes, I do believe I am quite wise... What seems to be troubling you Naruto?"
Naruto didn`t answer right away. Instead he sped up until he was right beside him and looked up, blue eyes meeting brown. Naruto had let slip that his eyes reminded him of his Jiji, but once he asked of him the boy clamped shut, making Korusho know it was a touchy subject.
As they continued to walk, Naruto made up his mind and asked in a somewhat resigned voice..."Why do people... live?"
Korusho hid his surprise reasonably well. Over the past two days he noticed that the boy was quite... different. He had the air of being a hyperactive child quite like Sora, not too long ago. But something must have happened, to have him withdraw into himself. Something that made him rethink all he knew... For a mere six-year old to have gone through something so profound...
The monk sighed as he continued to stare at those blue eyes. He saw a need in them. A need to know, to understand...
"Could you... elaborate?" The boy nodded saying... "Why do people want to live in a world filled with... hate?" Korusho contemplated him. He was right of course. The world of shinobi and by extension the world itself was filled with an endless cycle of hate. Even love was no stranger to hate and pain... Love breeds desire, desire breeds want, want breeds greed and greed always ends in pain. The monk stopped suddenly, his companion continuing for a few steps before turning back.
"To answer your question, you must first answer mine..." Naruto merely nodded prompting the monk to continue...
"In all your life, have you never known something worth fighting for? Something worth protecting... or someone?" The answer came quickly to Naruto. Yes, he had, but he had also lost it all... Or at least he was lost to them. He briefly thought of his Jiji until he remembered how he looked at him that night. But he smiled as well, thinking of Ichiraku`s and despite what happened he remembered how enraptured he was when Jiji told him about the Will of Fire... The will to protect those you care for.
"I did... And I still do. But I`m lost to them... And can`t go back..." Korusho scoffed slightly, surprising the young blonde as he said... "Whether you can go back or not, does not matter. You care for them and have cared for them, meaning you would have done anything to protect them, am I right?" Naruto nodded still slightly surprised by the uncharacteristic response he elicited from his companion. The monk then smiled.
"As long as you wish to keep the people precious to you from harm, that`s how long you will have the strength to stand and keep going. And that Naruto is why people live in this hateful world of ours. Because their will to protect others from that hate, is what drives them to live..."
Naruto looked down at the ground and thought. A minute passed in silence before he slowly turned his gaze back, only for Korusho to see him smiling. It was a smile that told him just how very wrong his first impression of the boy had been... Yes, he had dealt with hardship and ache, was still dealing with it in fact. But the boy was utterly remarkable in his own regard. A fact he continued to prove.
"I understand... No matter how bad my day was back at the village... Whenever I went to Ayame and Teuchi they would make me feel better. They would make the hate go away. And I`d do that for them anyday..." Naruto`s smile widened as the monk nodded in silent agreement his smile slowly fading to his usual content expression. He had probably learned more of his companion in the last four sentences, than the last two days combined. But right now, it did not matter. He continued walking with Naruto trailing behind once again. But after a few steps the blonde stopped and Korusho turned to see him seemingly struggle with something until he said...
"But I`m going to keep going." At the monk`s frowning gaze, Naruto elaborated... "Even though I have some people I care about... They`re too far away. And even so I don`t think it would be enough." he said as he puffed out his chest and clenched his fist in determination.
"I`m going to find more people precious to me and I`m going to protect them as well. I`ll do whatever it takes to make sure there`s less hate in this world." It was then that Korusho noticed... His eyes... were no longer lifeless. From the dull ocean blue filled with sadness they had turned into a powerful gaze. It seemed like a dormant fire was relit in the boy`s eyes. And it was enough for Korusho to smile yet again. He had made his decision. And apparently, so had Naruto.
A lone figure waited in a boat. The figure seemed obscured in fog as he waited completely still.
The man, as he was revealed to be, jumped suddenly as a giant myrriad of lights began to grow a few hundred feet away. The fog dissipated to reveal a large island, completely surrounded by whirlpools... and shinobi... The lights shined brightly above, a sign of a powerful justu in effect...
This was the island of Uzu. The home of Uzushiogakure and the Uzumaki clan. And the time of their destruction was at hand... The legendary fuinjutsu masters were making their last stand here and now...
The shinobi and kunoichi of Uzu, after having fought for weeks on end without support from Konoha, had managed to evacuate as many people as they could... Now out of their meagre numbers, already shredded to only a fraction of their original strength... they stood.
The enemy shinobi closed in on all sides, all with their eyes set on this, the final battle to destroy those blasted Uzumaki... But it would be a battle with no true victor. And yet the Uzumaki were still the ones that lost.
Using their most powerful techniques, the seal masters took their enemies to the grave with them...
Uzu became abandoned, as it`s last defenders fell, their corpses still littering the island... Of their attackers, nothing remained... Such was the final act of the Uzumaki... Only their descendants could now hope to one day restore Uzushiogakure, and the Uzumaki clan with it...
The figure in the boat slumped towards his seat... He knew he was dreaming. He had lived through this nightmare all those years ago. And he could still hear their screams... Looking off to his right he saw a small boat bearing a single dishiveled man slowly dissapear into the fog, heading for the Wave Country.
He was that man... He was the man that abandoned his comrades all those years ago. And then sought repentance in the Fire Temple, seeking new purpose in his life... Hopefully, he had now found it...
Mayuko. A small village near the eastern coast of Hi no Kuni. After about a week of travelling they had arrived. Korusho had quickly found out where the Bedoku family were currently living. They spent an hour in the village buying supplies or rather Korusho was...
Naruto himself had grown rather sullen and quiet the last couple of days. Already missing the old monk, who reminded him of his Jiji. He had decided to simlpy wait for his companion at the base of a tree, just outside the village.
Retrieving him, the monk made his way through the streets until in a matter of minutes they arrived at a small single-floor house which spread out to the back where a barn and chicken coop were located.
Naruto sulked even more as Korusho told him to hold his Bo while he knocked. Utterly unneccesary but the monk found his young companion`s pout rather cute.
Hechuckled to himself as he knocked on the family`s door. They were soon greeted by a middle-aged woman with shoulder-length black hair. Her husband was a rather tall but skinny man with long brown hair and a small beard. Their two sons were rambonctious twins that, while still in their diapers had managed many feats of destruction, including letting out the family livestock and having them trample their flower-garden. But their parents were simply unable to be mad at them. Despite that, their sister was now on 24-hour watch making sure they behaved. She had dark brown hair that fell to the middle of her back. She was near 14 years old with a pair of bright green eyes.
The couple were quite happy to see their old friend and invited him in for supper. They treated Naruto very kindly and were it not for the fact that he liked the monk more, Naruto would have been absolutely thrilled to have such a caring family look after him. And so he resigned himself to his fate as, after supper, the question popped up...
"So Korusho, who is this little fella you`ve got with you?" The man named Andaro asked. His wife merely smiled and looked to the monk expectantly as he cleared his throat.
Naruto seemed to shrink back as he awaited their response only to be shocked into falling off his chair at the monk`s words. Sinaya, as was the woman`s name, quickly helped him up as Korusho chuckled...
"What did you say Korusho-san?" The honorific was a demand from the monk who hated being called sama by the boy. But the monk merely chuckled and repeated...
"I was just explaining how I found you and made you my apprentice wasn`t I?" Korusho chuckled at the look the blond was giving him. Only for his legs to be enveloped in a bearhug or as much of one as Naruto could muster. The monk merely ruffled his hair as Naruto smiled brightly.
"Hmm, isn`t he a bit young Korusho?" Naruto pouted slightly but couldn`t really be mad at Sinaya since she had been nothing but kind to him. But it was Korusho who answered saying... "He is young but I know he will one day do great things. And I wish to help him on his way..." Naruto could do nothing but smile at his new sensei. The day passed with Korusho telling stories of his travels and his time in the Temple until late in the afternoon the pair left and went on their way...
In a land filled with falling water and rising plants, a small girl only six years in age tried desperately to dodge a dozen kunai, as her sensei or rather slave-driver made her go through her daily training regime.
From dawn until noon it was physical training. Just a quick breakfast and off they went. It wouldn`t be until noon that she could really catch her breath. And then it was lunchtime. 10 minutes to gulp down the bowl of half-cooked rice and the two slivers of fish before it was time for lessons.
The lessons themselves weren`t so bad. She was forced to learn about ninjutsu, their weaknesses and ways to circumvent them. While still only just starting to mold chakra and learn the basic jutsu known to even the lowliest Genin, she enjoyed simply sitting and listening to her rather more amicable academics teacher.
The man was all in all much more pleasant to deal with than her sensei. But she was happy in the knowledge that he wouldn`t be her sensei for much longer. Once she was seven, she would be switched out, to join a team of young prodigies. Their sensei was still an unknown to her but anything had to be better than the man she was stuck with at the moment.
It only pained her to know that she would have to put up with the stares. She had met the so-called prodigies already and they held nothing but contempt towards her. It wasn`t like she had done them wrong or anything. It was just normal to act that way towards the Jinchuuriki of the Nanabi no Kabutomushi.
Her lessons ended in the late afternoon, giving her another couple hours to train in chakra control. All she could really do right now was try to concentrate her chakra by forming a basic ram hand-sign.
Despite her large reserves as a Jinchuuriki, the exercise was exhausting so she was almost glad to arrive in the small 2 room apartment the village had given her. It held only a bathroom with a shower and a basic room complete with a bed, a small wardrobe, a chair and a desk. She would more often than not simply eat her evening meal at her desk and plop down onto her bed to sleep.
In the morning she would wake up an hour before her sensei would come to get her and go shower. Afterwards her day would repeat, again and again and again... Just another senseless day for Fuu of Takigakure...
It had been two days since leaving Mayuko. In that time, the pair of travellers had passed closer and closer towards the eastern coast of the Land of Fire. Today was the first day that Korushu had them stop outside of a town and go off the road into the forest.
There they found a clearing, where Korusho told Naruto to sit down.
"Now Naruto. I said I would help you become a person that will do great things one day. Do you know why?" When the boy merely shrugged, Korusho continued saying... "Because I saw something special in you. I saw you had a purpose. A reason to succeed. Something I myself have been trying to find. I left the Fire Temple several times on several pilgrimages. But I never found my purpose in life. I believe I now have." The monk drew himself up to his full height and stared sternly down at Naruto who felt himself tense up under his gaze.
"My purpose is to ensure you become the best shinobi you could hope to be. And if not then simply to pave the way for your path. But to do that, you and I will train. Without pause. Without regrets. You will train and I have no doubt, you will surpass even the Yondaime Hokage one day." Korushu did not miss the flicker of emotions that ran across the boy`s face as he spoke about the Yondaime. But the boy`s determined expression made him forget as he asked...
"Where do we start?" Smirking Korusho spoke as he took something out of his robe. The boy never mentioned anything like wanting to become a shinobi. But something was simply telling the monk what to say... He was not dissapointed.
"In the last Great Shinobi War, boys only a few years older than you were already vetereans of war. They fought at that age, so it is only right that if you wish to surpass them, you must begin training even sooner." As he said this the monk pulled out a pair of small leather bracers. Inscribed on them were strange kanji, known only to those versed in the art of fuinjutsu.
"We will start by training your strength. I have already seen you posses quite a large amount of stamina and I believe, you may have quite large chakra reserves as well. In which case I will begin teaching you the basics of chakra and chakra manipulation... You do know what chakra is, correct?" The boy`s blank stare was all the answer he needed. In a truly uncharacteristic gesture, Korusho actually face-palmed. While the boy had a sharp mind, he was apparently a stranger to the concept of chakra. No matter, seeing as most monks devoted themselves to it`s study.
Sighing he gave Naruto the bracers which he immediately put on. "But these aren`t even heavy!" The boy missed the rather mischevious smirk on his sensei`s face as he quickly made a one-handed sign. The kanji on the bracers glowed blue suddenly and Naruto gasped as the weights seemed to grow 10-times heavier. His arms sunk to the ground as Korusho laughed.
"You were saying Naruto?" The boy merely huffed, as he did his best to lift up the weights. After several minutes of being unable to lift even one hand the boy growled slightly. It was then that Korusho first noticed the boy was even more special than he believed. It was barely noticeable, but to the trained eye of a monk, it was obvious. A thin layer of orange chakra seeped out of Naruto`s stomach and quickly sped to his arms. There it glowed briefly before dissapearing. But after that strange occurence, Naruto surprised his sensei by lifting both arms off the ground and raising them above his head. His face glowed with triumph even as his legs wobbled under the strain.
Before Naruto could crumble in a heap, Korusho released half the weight making it significantly lesser but still quite a burden for a young child. Naruto however took it in stride grinning broadly, at least until Korusho took out another pair of weights for his legs.
Groaning the boy allowed his sensei to put on the weights and make them heavier. This way Naruto could still move well, but at less than half his normal speed. Korusho knew that within a week the boy would request that his weights be made even heavier but he would burn that bridge once he came to it. Right now he decided to begin Naruto`s teaching while the boy did some light running around the clearing. He did not forget about the strange chakra. Nor will he likely ever forget about it. He would get to the heart of this boy, but he would not force the answers out of him.
And yet, all in all it seemed he was in for several interesting years...
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk in Konoha. He had just done what he had never wanted to do in his life. He had declared Naruto Uzumaki dead. It would do Konoha no good, making him a missing-nin. He wasn`t even a shinobi so they technically couldn`t. Putting out a bounty for him was a way... A way supported by Danzo and his ROOT operatives. But he was Sandaime Hokage for a reason. And the attention the boy would get, a mere civilian in the eyes of the bounty-hunter society, would be enough to spur questions as to why exactly Konoha would pay a bounty for a six year old child...
And so, it was with a heavy heart that he decided to basically kill the boy in all but life... Naruto Uzumaki had nothing left in Konoha. He did not exist... His inheritance was sealed away at Hiruzen`s personal vault in the Hokage Mansion. It was merely a safety precaution. If the techniques of the Yondaime Hokage and his wife, one of the last known Uzumaki seal-masters, were to be stolen... Then the damage caused by those that used the techniques, could only be blamed on Konoha... Not that he cared anymore...
Perhaps it is for the best... He thought briefly before his subconscious seemed to mangle the thought itself and throttle it until it passed from his mind...
He had tried to convince himself of this for days now, but it did not work... The fox chakra had probably killed the boy and the Kyuubi was now somewhere beyond their reach. Not that it mattered...
All the Sandaime Hokage could hear was the voice of his young surrogate grandson simply storming into his office and asking "What`s up Jiji?"...
He laughed a hollow laugh... It would be months before Sarutobi could act like his old self. And it would be years before he saw Naruto again. Until then he would mourn...
With a sigh that seemed to echo in his weary bones, the Sandaime turned to the paperwork on his desk. The Bane of all Kage... And right now he had another affair to deal with as well. On top of losing his grandson, the Uchiha were still being problematic... He would have to see Itachi about that...
It had been 3 weeks since Naruto began his shinobi training. In that time he had managed to convince his sensei to increase his weights once again due to how much progress he`s been making. But as far as the academics go...
"No, you mixed up spiritual energy and mental energy again... Also there are 361 tenketsu points on the average shinobi, not 459... Do we have to go over the entire concept of chakra again ?" He may be a monk but even Korusho had his limits. It was almost as if the boy outright wanted to answer wrong. It would obviously take quite some time before the boy could even mold chakra... In which case he might have to introduce him to fuinjutsu but that was also highly complicated...
Sighing the monk motioned for his young student to stop his training exercises. He had taught Naruto a few katas of the monk`s own style,
Kyūsoku Atemi otherwise known as the Rapid Strike. It was a special technique for those that were not overly strong but rather nimble. It focused on evading the opponent`s blows and then rapidly striking the vulnerable points of the enemy. It was not unlike the Hyuuga` Gentle Fist technique, only this one did not focus on the tenketsu of an opponent. Speaking of tenketsu, I should probably teach him more about those as well... He obviously can`t remember even the average number of them yet but it will help him with channeling his chakra...
Korusho sighed. So much to do, so little time... Well, he actually had all the time in the world. Chuckling to himself he prepared their lunch and spread it out on the grass. They ate mostly in silence, but never an awkward one. He had learned quickly that the boy had an obsession with ramen but Korusho was adamant about not letting him eat it more than twice per week... A fact that had the boy threaten to leave the monk in search of a better teacher. But Naruto never really did go through with his threats. Although Korusho had been particularly itchy the next morning. But he would not accuse his new student of anything... Unless it happened again...
As the monk continued his internal rant, he absent-mindedly took out a bottle of dark brown liquid. Quickly letting a few drops of it fall onto his rice he closed it once more and set it down just as Naruto wolfed down his last piece of meat. The boy had noticed the "special sauce" his sensei always used and while at first he was respectful and did not pry, he was still just a 6-year old boy...
His curiosity getting the better of him, Naruto tried to sneak the bottle away from where the monk had palced it at his side.
In a blink the boy found his arm held firmly in the monk`s grasp. At his raised eyebrow the boy could only chuckle nervously before asking...
"Korusho-sensei, what`s up with that bottle anyway? You always use the stuff on whatever we`re eating..." The monk released the boy`s hand and slowly picked up said bottle while chewing his rice in enjoyment.
"This, Naruto, is a special sauce originating from my homeland. It`s been many years since I was there but the sauce is a good reminder. It can be made from ingredients found in most markets nowadays but only members of my family have the stomach to... erm... stomach it..." Looking back at the blonde, Korusho sweat-dropped... It seemed the only thing the blonde had heard was a challenge to his seemingly powerful eating abilities. Knowing he would not relent until his curiosity was sated, the monk briefly offered the bottle with a smile, a mischevious one...
Uncaring, Naruto grinned in apparrent victory as he opened the bottle and poured a generous amount of the thick liquid on his own bowl of rice. The monk merely waited in anticipation. On the inside he was chuckling to himself, not only was the sauce quite spicy but it was utterly disgusting to anyone that doesn`t have the genetic trait of his ancestors. They had namely eaten the sauce for generations so only their descendants had a natural appreciation for its taste.
Waiting with his eyes closed for the inevitable yell of disgust from the young blonde, Korusho`s eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets when he heard the boy smack his lips in appreciation.
"That stuff is awesome! It tastes almost better than ramen!" Naruto was grinning broadly at his "accomplishment" so he failed to see the shocked look on his sensei`s face... To a bypasser one might have thought the man had seen a ghost. And in a way he had...
The stamina, the ramen addiction and now... Nobody outside of the Uzumaki clan can stomach that sauce... NOBODY... For the first time in years Korusho allowed himself a brief flicker of hope. He had not heard of another Uzumaki since the death of his distant relative in Konoha... And even that matter was hushed up. All he knew was that the woman had died during the Kyuubi`s attack on the village...
It was in a moment that every piece of the puzzle fell into place... Looking at the boy... Korusho had no doubt.
"Naruto..." The boy`s grin faded from his face as he heard the serious tone of his companion. His whole figure tensed as he saw the look on his sensei`s face... A minute passed before Korusho took off his sugegasa, allowing his red hair to flow more freely.
"What do you know of your parents?"