Chapter 4

Speed

Naruto stood at the line that Jiraiya had drawn with chalk on the grass. His eyes burned as sweat rolled down into them. The midday sun beat down mercilessly on Naruto, Jiraiya having found himself a nice piece of shade to watch the training from. Naruto scowled at his mentor and friend for a second, then looked back at his target, a chalked Kanjii written on a stone one hundred meters away.

He held his breath for a second and then let it out with his effort. "Hiraishin no Jutsu". Naruto knew what he wanted to do, he wanted to appear where the seal was. An instantaneous teleportation of himself across space.

What actually happened was far from it as he once again found himself at the correct spot, but missing his clothes.

"Gah!" with a yelp he attempted to cover himself with leaves. Jiraiya grinned, he's getting the hang of it. At least he's not leaving behind his hair or limbs.

"Come on boy! Can't you do better than that?" Jiraiya called out. His joy at having been reunited with Naruto a weel ago still flowing through him. He had found him healthy, and working hard to fulfill a new dream. Of course, Jiraiya could see the sadness in him, but hoped that that would ease over time.

Naruto let out a few choice curses he had picked up, and ran back to where his clothes had fallen, back at the starting line.

As he pushed the white pants on, then the white t-shirt, he looked forlornly at them. "Sensie, really no sign of any orange jackets or pants anywhere?"

Jiraiya chuckled, "Not yet Naruto. I ordered some new clothes for you, but it will take another week to be ready. Plus we have something to discuss that might affect your choice of clothing."

Naruto finished putting his boots back on then stood up. "What's that pervy sennin?"

Jiraiya grinned, nothing would spoil his mood. "Well, since you already know about your dad, and you would have by the time you finish learning the Hiraishin, have learnt two of his Jutsus, I thought I'd give you a chance to surpass your dad. Maybe even me."

Naruto's eyebrows shot up so high they threatened to merge with his hair. "What?! How?"

Jiraiya pushed himself up from under the cotton tree and walked over to where Naruto stood. His eyes squinted from the glare of the sun. "I will take you to Myobokuzan. It's time you learnt the sage arts." Jiraiya's eyes grew dark. "Those fools at Konoha may have denied you a chance to become Chunnin, or Jounin, but a Sage trumps all of those and then some." His smile beamed at Naruto. "Not many Kage's would even dare mess with a Sage."

Naruto's mouth gaped open. His mind whirling rapidly. If I could become a sage, I'd be respected. Respected enough to form my village and protect it and everyone in it.

Naruto grinned and refocused on his target, breathing in his chakra.

Jiraiya nodded, "Remember, Destination, Determination, Deliberation. The key words for this technique."

Naruto glared at the spot he wanted to go to. "Hiraishin no jutsu!" He appeared at the spot, this time only missing his shoes.

"Yatta!" He shouted and jumped up.

Jiraiya shook his head. "Now do it one hundred times, then do it without saying it out loud. Doesn't do much good to move at the speed of light if you have to stop to talk for two seconds first."

"Wait," Naruto shouted. "How does me becoming a sage affect my beautiful orange?"

Jiraiya threw back his head and laughed. "Orange doesn't really match with the flame coat you earn as a master of the Sage arts. Its white and red."

Naruto cocked his head to the side in a humorous display of being in deep thought. "We'll see pervy sennin. We'll see"

Senjii whistled as he sharpened his sword. He had finished one of the missions he and Naruto had gotten. So far there had been no need to interrupt Naruto's training for any of them. Simple enough escort jobs, one or two retrievals from kidnappers. Nothing Senjii couldn't handle. He sat in the bar and ran the stone over his blade again as he waited for his client to come by and pay.

The crowd in the rundown bar was typical of the waterfront establishments in this area. Senjii was all too familiar with them, having spent part of his life on the sea. The patrons didn't even spare him a glance. Not that his swords wasn't majestic, just that everyone else was armed in some form or fashion as well.

The client sauntered in, a sickly smell of perfume on the obese man wafting its way towards Senjii making him grimace. His clothes were matted yet would have been more elegant on someone of a thinner or less greasy stature.

"Ahh…Senjii the Dark Blade." He flittered into the bar stool next to Senjii. His hand dipped into his jacket and withdrew an envelope.

Senjii took it cheerfully and glanced in it. He had no need to check the money, if the man double crossed them he'd pay soon after, he knew that. Plus in a town like this one, a man who doesn't pay for his odd jobs didn't live very long.

"Have you heard Senjii? The pirate Torino has set his sights on our fair port city. I myself will be moving inland to avoid the conflict."

Several heads shot up. Apparently eavesdropping was also the norm for this city.

"Did you say Torino? The pirate captain of the Blood Armada?" One man asked. They now had the entire bar's attention.

Senjii's fat client lapped up the attention. "Why yes. My sources say he would be here by nightfall. That's the problem with being such a successful town, it attracts riff raff." He haughtily looked down on the patrons of the bar. "Well I guess I'll be…"

A knife embedded itself in his throat and he gurgled and choked on his own blood. "Riff raff huh?" One of the sailors in a far table got up and retrieved his knife, pulling it hard out of the dying man. "I don't like your face." Several men laughed then went back to drinking. A few others got up to leave town before the pirates got there.

Senjii looked thoughtful, not even noticing his dead ex-client. The job had been completed anyway. But he'd heard of this Pirate, and things looked bad for the town if what he said was true.

Lee ran hard, his legs pumping as fast as they could go, 497¸ his mind told him. Three more laps to go around Konoha. His body felt like it was on fire, yet he pressed on. His thoughts however were still far away, no matter how hard he tried to not think about certain things.

His talk with Gai sensei had been enlightening. No one had seen or heard from Naruto in months. The closest had been a rumor with someone with his name in a Martial Arts tournament halfway around the world. The new Hokage did not care what happened to Naruto. He had apparently confirmed that if Naruto died, so does the Kyuubi. So he and the Council hoped Naruto would die in the wilderness. If not, well he never was that skilled a Ninja, he would pose no threat.

Lee passed the gates at a dead run. The seal. Gai had told Lee how the seal kept the demon at bay, that Naruto was in fact the Jailer and the prison, not the demon himself. How could the people be so blind? The people he was sworn to protect?

499

The seal. Lee wondered if he could read more about seals in the Konoha Library. It sounded interesting, how could something written have so much power?

Lee saw a glimpse of a pink flower and thought of Sakura. She had abandoned the village as well. Her parents had said she was visiting with her Aunt in a distant city, but Danzo had not been pleased. They were short staffed with Ninja as it was.

Hokage Danzo seemed to want to declare war on the nearest Hidden village and expand Konoha's influence. He had already sent emissaries demanding they surrender or face the wrath of Konohas Ninja force.

Lee shook his head. No. He could not attack someone who had not attacked him first. But what choices did he have? Not for the first time he wished he knew where Naruto had gone. Was the world outside the walls of Konoha as exciting as he imagined it to be?

500

I need to get much stronger. Lee focused on sprinting his last lap. When Naruto comes back, I may need to help him stand up to the Hokage. Lee didn't even notice he thought 'when' Naruto comes back, not 'if'.

Kakashi stared at the frog sitting on top of his precious book. The words that came out of the frog had startled him. So Jiraiya had found him. Good. A huge weight lifted off Kakashi's shoulders. At least Naruto was alive.

Kakashi looked out his window at the sky. Naruto is training with Jiraiya and another. Sakura had gone training as well - a slug had told Kakashi the day before where she had gone off to.

He was now a sensei with no students. No longer a Konoha Nin. Danzo needed to make an example of him, the copy cat ninja the only threat to his title of Hokage.

Kakashi sighed, he could leave the village, but where would he go? This was home, even if the people in his home were becoming less and less worthy of protecting.

Naruto lay panting staring up at the night sky. He could do the Hiraishin, but not more than twice without feeling exhausted. He also could not do it non-verbally yet. He grinned to himself. At least it was a start. I can learn any Jutsu in one week, like I did with the Rasengan.

Jiraira lay not far away, snoring off the effects of the ten bottles of Sake he had laying around him. Naruto snorted and closed his eyes. Just for a minute….

Boom.

The sounds of Cannon fire awoke Naruto. His eyes shot open and he jumped off the ground. Jiraiya too was on his feet, eyes scanning westward. Naruto looked as well and could see that the city was on fire. Dark ships had filled the bay and cannons kept up a steady stream of fire into the port city.

"Pirates" Jiraiya said quietly.

Naruto started to run towards the city. "Senjii and sensei are there still!" Jiraiya just stood and watched as his protégé ran off. He frowned, those ships looked familiar. Something about their sails.

Naruto sprinted down the cobblestone street, rushing against an onslaught of smoke, dust and panicked people. Women and children screamed as the walking wounded made their way out of the city. Naruto heard cackling laughter and a woman's scream. He stopped in his tracks and looked down and alley where a Pirate had a sword to a woman's throat. Without thinking, Naruto's hands dipped into his Kunai pouch and he had embedded the Kunai into the side of the Pirate's skull. The woman fell in a heap, sobbing loudly.

"Get out of the City!" Naruto shouted at her, waking her from her trance. He watched as she gathered herself and ran. He then turned to continue heading back to Sensei's house.

More pirates had thrown fire torches into a blacksmiths building, catching it immediately on fire. They cackled madly, but that was cut short as a giant of a man in a blacksmith's apron appeared in the doorway.

With a start Naruto recognized the man; no two men could be that size. Guerrera. The Kumite champion cracked his neck then charged the Pirates. Naruto didn't need to watch to know the outcome of that fight, but he needed to pass that way. He began to run, looking to jump over the conflict. As he pushed himself into the air with Chakra, he heard a cry from just inside the doorway. A baby crying. He spun in midair, his mind working furiously. Guerrera was pushing the pirates away from his building. The bottom floor wasn't on fire yet.

A baby, he's protecting a baby.

Naruto dashed past the men. In a split second he was alongside Guerrera and their eyes met. In that moment, with a nod, an understanding happened between them.

Guerrera with a roar crushed one Pirates skull while throwing another across the street. Naruto entered the burning building and saw her, a baby girl wrapped in blankets in a basket just inside the doorway. He grabbed the basket and turned to leave when a beam on fire fell across the doorway, fire raining down with it. He heard a deep shout of "No" from outside, that has to be Guerrera. Naruto pointed his free hand at the beam and fire in the doorway. "Move Guerrera!!" He shouted back as loud as he could, hoping the man would hear him over the raging inferno.

A blast of wind destroyed the beam into flaming splinters that raced into the bodies of the Pirates unlucky enough to be used by Guerrera as a shield. He peeked over them then tossed the bodies aside as Naruto charged out the building, holding the baby close to his chest having discarded the basket.

Guerrera, kicked the last Pirate down the street then reached for the baby, tears actually showing in the big man's eyes. He stared at Naruto with gratitude. "My only child, my daughter." was all Guerrera said.

Naruto nodded at him. "Better head out of town, those cannon's would do more damage than the pirates will."

Guerrera lumbered out of the city, clutching his daughter to his chest.

Naruto rounded the corner and stopped dead in his tracks at the spectacle. Senjii stood battling five pirates, swords clashing in the light of the fire that engulfed Sensei's house.

Sensei himself was pulling a trunk behind him slowly, leaving the house behind. Naruto rushed up to him. "Sensei, what are you doing?"

"Leaving Naruto, the house is on fire, even if I could out it, what would be the point. All things come and go. This town is dead, listen to it."

Naruto could hear the screams, running, the sounds of fire and wood snapping. Cannons firing and laughter as hundreds of Pirates swarmed the Port City.

"But we can fight them off!" Naruto shouted.

"Yes we could." Tenchi nodded. "And we might win too. But the citizens of this town care not for it. It was convenient that's all. This is no one's home Naruto, what would you be fighting to protect?"

Naruto looked hopelessly as more people ran. This seemed, wrong.

1 hour later.

They stood on the hill Naruto and Senjii had first crested when they saw the city. The sun had just begun to rise. Flames still danced across the smoldering city. All the people who were able to leave, had already done so. The screams had long since stopped. Now it was just the wild laughter of the Pirates as they looted whatever treasures were left behind.

Naruto seethed in rage. Jiraiya put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Everyone is out, just Pirates left. Time to go apprentice."

A burning started in Naruto's belly. A growing rage that he could only explain as loss and anger. He had only been here a short while, but once again, he was being forced to leave a village, a home. Tenchi's words were not true. Here again he had found acceptance. Here again, he, Naruto, had found a home.

The fire in him bubbled and boiled. Jiraiya who had begun to walk away stopped in mid track and looked back in fear. This Chakra…no..!

Naruto couldn't see his eyes change to slits; he heard the growl escape his throat though. He recognized the signs of himself drawing on the Kyuubi's power as he punched his two hands into the air in front of him. Wind started to circulate around Naruto as if he was in a Tornado.

Tenchi stared at Naruto, this move hadn't been perfected yet. But this level of Chakra was more than they used in training. Even if unfinished, the strength of this move would…

Tenchi gasped. "Naruto no!"

With a snarl and a howl, Naruto gathered an incredible amount of Chakra and pushed forward, palms facing the burning town. A sudden burst of wind raged and raced towards it, a huge arc that expanded rapidly as it approached. Trees were destroyed in its path, rocks hurled and shattered. The first buildings it came into contact with crumbled without resistance. The shockwave just blasted its way through the town. The screams returned, but this time those of dying or about to die Pirates.

The wave continued quickly through the entire port city, decimating it, it reached the bay and kept going, splintering ships that were docked. The Jutsu faded quickly though over the water dying before it hit the big ship, the main one.

Naruto fell to his knees panting, trying to regain control of himself.

Senjii whistled. That was the move he had first tried back in the Kumite. If that had worked then, the audience, the town, hell maybe even he, would have died.

The few citizens that had stayed to witness the onslaught ran far away from Naruto. Leaving a very select few in the clearing. Jiraiya said nothing, but realized that Sage training would have to wait. Naruto had a temper problem, and its name was Kyuubi. He needed to get that under control first.

Tenchi looked down sadly at his apprentice. This was such a huge burden for a child to bear.

Naruto struggled to his feet, wiping tears from his eyes.

Jiraiya rested his hand on Naruto's shoulder, "Let's go"

Senjii asked. "Well where are we goin?"

Naruto looked around the clearing, aside from his new extended family Guerrera had come over with his daughter still in his hands.

"I owe you young one." His deep bass voice echoed. "Thank you for saving my daughter."

"Where will you go?" Naruto asked looking up at the big man.

Guerrera shrugged. "Many towns need blacksmith, will start over somewhere else."

Something clicked in Naruto's head then. A blacksmith. Maybe….maybe it was time to start?

"Everyone?" Naruto cleared his throat, his eyes clearly including Guerrera. "Would you please help me start my Village. Would you come with me to Tengoku?"

Two weeks later

As they walked in the shadow of the Pathways of Heaven and Hell, Jiraiya was once again lost in thought. Naruto's plan made a remarkable amount of sense. They had nowhere to really go, he did need somewhere to train, and there were good people out there who needed protection as well as a safe place to raise a family. The world was not always a safe place and a hidden ninja village was actually safer than most.

Guerrera had come along quietly, not saying much to anyone. He took care of his daughter like a gentle giant. From what Jiraiya understood, the fighter's wife had died in childbirth. The baby, Gabriela, didn't' cry much, having her father's quiet attitude and strength. He had nowhere to go, so starting over in a new village was the same as anywhere else, plus he owed Naruto for saving his daughter's life.

Jiraiya smiled. Naruto had a way of pulling in people around him. Just what the leader of a new village needed.

"We're here." Naruto said out loud, excitement in his voice. He pointed to a deep gulley in the rocky mountain. With a huge grin on that prankster face, he jumped in. A gust of wind picked him up and shot him up to the sky.

With a laugh, Senjii was the next to follow, then Tenchi, Guerrera and Gabriela, then reluctantly Jiraiya. He thought angrily, there's a reason I use toads and not birds! I hate flying!