Chapter 4: How Do You Know My Brother?

Dark. It was all so... dark, for lack of a better word.

Naruto walked in a straight line as the smell of blood became stronger. He didn't have his faithful sword next to him, so not knowing where he is, he better be careful.

There was a door. It was a metal door. He felt a chill go through his spine. He knew that door. Room 101. The smell of blood comes from there...

He kicked the door open and looked at the room with narrowed eyes. It was clean. All but the cold metal bed, where a small blonde boy was tied.

He didn't think twice. He rushed to the bed and untied the boy. He looked at the boy features. Tan skin, blonde spikey hair...

And a white mask, with red marks, sharp teeth. The only thing you can see through was his eyes. Black with yellow irises.

Naruto released a scream as he fell on his butt. The kid giggled "You can't escape your destiny, Naru-Chan... why don't just... embrace it?"

Naruto gritted his teeth as he grabbed a scalpel and threw it at the boy. Before it colided, the darkness came back, and his younger self was nowhere to be seen.

"KuKuKu..." Naruto froze at that laugh. He looked behind him and saw Orochimaru smirking like the snake he is.

Naruto stood up and saw he was in his kimono and his sword was next to him again. He took it as he glared at the sannin.

He raised his sword as black chakra surrounded it. "Getsuga Tensho! (Piercer of Heaven)" A gigantic black slash came out when he swung down that destroyed Orochimaru.

Suddenly, his face was covered in smoke. There was so much it made it hard to breathe. He tried to look and his eyes widened in fear.

He was in the middle of Konoha, that was burning. Corpses everywhere. He couldn't feel one person alive.

"Why don't you take a good, long, look at yourself." Naruto couldn't control his hands. He looked at his reflection. His face was covered by the same mask he saw in his younger self, with the same eyes.

"Ahhhh!" Naruto screamed as he threw the sword away landing in a building in fire. He turned around and saw Zangetsu grinning at him with malice. He had his sword. His dear sword.

"Just give up... you already lost."

After saying that, Zangetsu stabbed Naruto in the heart.

*Real World*

Naruto woke up sweating. He was panting and a fearful look in his eyes. He slowly reached to his chest, where Zangetsu stabbed him. He flinched when he touched. There isn't a wound, but it hurts...

He looked at the clock. He still has a few hours before meeting his team. Zangetsu has been really active lately. His nightmares have only incremented.

It's been a while since he last saw Inoichi. Maybe he can see him. Now...

Because he knows he isn't going back to sleep.

*Training Ground 3*

Miu was nervous. Her bro hasn't home when she woke up and didn't left a note or anything. he just left. He never does that.

When she arrived to their usual training grounds, he wasn't there either. Soon, Sakura arrived. And then Sasuke. After 4 hours there was no sign of him.

"Where is he!?" Sakura asked to no one in particular and Sasuke turned to Miu.

"Are you sure you have no idea where he is?"

Miu shook her head "No. He wasn't there when I woke up."

Sakura tapped her chin "Maybe this is a surprise test? After all, he does one from time to time." That was true. To check how his team was working, he sometimes put them in a test to see their progress.

"So... you're saying we have to find him?" Miu asked and Sakura shrugged.

"Maybe."

"Well, I know I am not going to wait around. Any idea where to start?" Sasuke asked and Miu grinned. Actually..."

*Training Ground 8*

Kurenai blinked at the odd request from Naruto's sister, Miu is her name. "You want me to find your brother?"

Miu grinned as she nodded "Yep!"

"And what makes you think I know where he is?"

"You are like his mom, right?" Kurenai eye twitched "So, you should know everything about him."

Kurenai sighed "Just because I want to continue to train my team." She closed her eyes, trying to find Naruto's chakra. After a while she frowned. "You three have the day off." Kurenai said before leaving the training ground. After a while, both teams left.

"So, your brother just left?" Kiba asked Miu that nodded.

"Yeah. It is super weird."

"Hey Miu, what do you mean that Kurenai-sensei is like Naruto's mom?" Sakura asked and Miu shrugged.

"When he invited over Asuma and Kurenai over, he always called her mom."

"And you don't?" Sasuke asked.

"I didn't wanted to bother bro."

"I-I-I don't think you would b-bother Naruto..." Hinata said with a blush and then all eyes where on her.

"You know Naruto Hinata?" Sakura asked and she nodded "How? He never was with us when we were kids."

Hinata poked her fingers "W-Well..."

*Flashback*

"And don't come back!" Naruto screamed at the running boys as Hinata watched from the floor, how this mysterious boy saved her from the bullies. He turned to her with a grin "You okay there?"

She nodded, not able to say a word. He offered his hand to her and she took it "Name's Naruto Uzumaki."

"H-Hinata Hyuga..."

"Well, nice meeting you Hinata. Take care!" He said as he walked away. She looked at the ground and noticed that Naruto left something on the floor.

It was a small keychain of a cat.

She took and hugged it as she watched her savior with a smile.

She will never forget that boy.

*Flashback Ends*

"So Dobe's brother saved you?" Kiba asked and Hinata nodded.

"Y-Yes."

Miu grinned "Sounds like my Bro! Always helping the rest!"

"And why didn't he hang out with us earlier!?" Kiba asked and Shino pushed his glasses.

"He graduated early, Kiba. He is a prodigy that worked hard to get where he is now. He probably didn't want to get distracted."

"Yep. Sounds like Sensei." Sakura said "So, you still have the keychain?"

Hinata nodded "I do."

"And why don't you give it to him?"

Hinata blushed hard "I-I-I..."

"Don't worry! I can give it to him!" Miu offered and Sasuke shook his head.

"No. I think that Hinata should give it to him. Don't you think?" Hinata nodded.

"Neji! Fight me!"

"For the last time Lee. No."

"I need to be ready for my next encounter with my youthful rival! So please! Help me warm up!"

"I am not someone that you should ask that."

Hinata looked to the floor when she recognized a voice. The group stared how a kid in green spandex with big brows was asking an Hyuga to fight him. He suddenly stopped when he looked at Sakura. The Hyuga left, not before glaring at Hinata.

"What a beautiful flower!" He said bending to one knee and taking Sakura's hand "Will you please be my girlfriend!?"

"What!? No! Never!" Sakura screamed as Miu laughed.

The kid turned to her and blinked "You look just like my youthful rival! Is more! You're like a female copy of him!"

"Youthful..." Miu started.

"Rival?" Sakura ended.

Sasuke raised a brow "You know her brother?"

"Oh! So this is the youthful younger sister that Naruto brags about! I can see that your flames of youth are strong! Will you be my girlfriend!?"

"I think it is the first time, I want Bro to murder someone that talked to me."

"How rude of my part! I am Rock Lee! Konoha's Noble Beast! And-"

"Wait! What do you mean Sensei is your rival?" Sakura asked Lee grinned.

"Well it all started the day he replaced Gai-Sensei for one day."

*Flashback*

Naruto was sleeping on a tree as Gai explained to his youthful students the situation. "I was called to an emergency mission, so in the meantime, Naruto will take my place! Are you ready to fan their flames of youth Naruto-kun!?"

"Sure why not?" Naruto mumbled half awake and that was enough for Gai.

"Yosh! Take care my youthful team!" Gai said before running off into the sunset.

Naruto opened one lazy eye. He isn't sure why he decided to do this. Teaching isn't his forte. He looked at the team.

One mini gai.

A tomboy.

An asshole.

He sighed as he jumped off the tree "Well, my name is Naruto Uzumaki and as Gai said, I am in charge for today. Questions?"

Tomboy raised her hand "Yes. How old are you?"

Naruto eye twitched. "No more questions. So, what had Gai taught you so far?"

"Taijutsu." All three answered and Naruto nodded.

"Well, knowing how Gai trains, that shouldn't surprise me..." He looked to the sky before shrugging. "Fuck this. You have the day off."

"WHAT!" Mini Gai screamed and was face to face with Naruto. "What do you mean we have the day off?!"

Naruto raised a brow and walked away "Exactly how it sounds. I'm not interested in teaching a group of brats."

The asshole snorted "I doubt that a real brat can actually teach us anything." Naruto stopped and glared at him.

"You want taijutsu?" The three of them looked at him "I'll show you how to defend yourself with it."

"Yosh! Now we are talking!" Mini Gai said as he jumped next to his teammates. Asshole smirked and stood up and tomboy got serious.

Naruto took out a clock and placed it on a log. "You have one hour to survive. You win if you three can stand up at the end. Also, if you incapacitate me. You lose if neither can stand up." Naruto explained and the clock started.

*Flashback ends*

"So you three went to fight a jonin?" Kiba asked and Lee nodded.

"Indeed!"

"And how it went?" Miu asked.

"He destroyed us! It was a massacre!"

"That makes sense." Shino said.

"Then why you say you two are rivals? I never heard him talk about you?" Sasuke asked and Lee grinned.

*Flashback Continues*

Naruto was sat cross legged in front of the three genins that where laid on the floor. "5 minutes... not bad at all."

Lee looked at him "How... did you become so strong?"

Naruto smirked "Hard work. That's what brought me here."

*Flashback Ends*

"He cultivated his talent. He worked hard to get where he is at now. That's why he is my rival. We are the same." Lee explained "Well! Now I have to look for Gai-Sensei! Pleasure meeting you!" He said before running away."

"Your brother knows a lot of weirdos, Miu." Kiba said and Miu nodded.

"It looks like that..."

*Memorial Stone*

Kurenai walked behind Naruto as he just watched the old stone with so many names carved on it. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You know it wasn't your fault."

Naruto didn't look at her. "It was. No matter what everyone tells me. It was my fault."

Kurenai sat next to him "Naruto... no one blames you for his death. No one does. And no will."

"I do." Naruto said and Kurenai caressed his face. "He told me to run. He told me to make sure everyone was safe. No... he told me to save myself... he died because I was weak."

A tear escaped his eye as Kurenai hugged him. She looked at the name he was reffering too.

Kakashi Hatake.

Next Chapter: Nine and One