Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the intellectual property associated with Naruto.

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. Naruto and the rest of the team make the journey to Uzushio.

Chapter 7

"Let me get this straight," Naruto said as they walked down the corridor. "You want to establish a new village in the ruins of Uzushiogakure. And you managed to persuade a whole bunch of Konoha villagers to defect with you?"

"That about sums it up," Jiraiya agreed.

After Naruto had equipped himself, the group continued their escape from Konoha. The network of underground tunnels they were traversing extended all the way to the outskirts of the village. They were built in secret by the Uzumaki with the approval of the Hokage. They were specifically designed to allow the Uzumaki clan to enter the village quietly and provide assistance to Konoha in the event of an invasion. It was also built to serve as an escape route for the villagers in the event of a major crisis that forced them to flee the village. If the Kyuubi had not been contained, it would have been used for that purpose.

Following the destruction of Uzushiogakure, the tunnels were abandoned and no longer in use. Only a small group of people were aware of their existence, and not even Danzo was aware of it. The secret was most likely written down in the Hokage's journals and passed down to each succeeding Hokage. As a result, it would not remain a secret for long.

Jiraiya took the lead, followed by Naruto and the Shinobi from Suna. The adults positioned themselves at the back, ready to protect them if the tunnels were discovered.

"Why didn't you tell me I used to have a clan?" Naruto asked.

He has been using his Adamantine Sensing Chains to detect his godfather's emotions ever since he began questioning Jiraiya. Even though it felt slightly wrong, he wanted to ensure that Jiraiya was giving him straight answers.

"I only discovered you were not aware of your clan when I returned to the village," Jiraiya admitted. "Then I was preoccupied with preparing you for the chunin exams. I would have told you eventually. When it comes to you, the old man really dropped the ball."

"And you didn't?" Naruto inquired, his tone tinged with sarcasm. "Aren't you supposed to be my godfather?"

Jiraiya began to speak, but Naruto interrupted him by raising his hand. "Forget it. We have already discussed this, and you have given me your reasoning. I have already forgiven you for not being there for me when I was growing up."

Jiraiya nodded sheepishly. Naruto could sense the man's remorse. Because of this, it was easier for him to forgive his godfather.

Naruto circled back to the previous subject. "Do you really believe I have access to hidden parts of Uzushiogakure just because I am related to them?"

"It is a little more complicated than that, but I will explain when we get to the island," Jiraiya replied. "However, you are the crucial component that will allow us to establish a village in secret."

"Will you be taking over as leader of this village? Is there going to be a Hokage?"

Hiashi spoke up from the back of the group. "We haven't decided that yet. Jiraiya will be the leader for the time being."

"Your name is Hiashi, right?" Naruto turned his head to address the man. "Are you related to Hinata?"

"She is my daughter," Hiashi answered. "What is the reason for your curiosity?"

Naruto could sense the man's mistrust radiating from him.

"No reason," he hastily replied.

He was naturally interested in the man who had fathered his favourite person from his academy class. He discovered Hinata had feelings for him due to his adamantine sensing chains. It was embarrassing for him to come across that information because it felt like a breach of her privacy. As a result, he decided not to use that technique on her again. He approached her several times in an attempt to strike up a friendship, but her shyness made it difficult for him to strike up a conversation with her.

"How did you arrive here before us?" Naruto asked Suna Shinobi a question that had been bothering him for some time.

"We escaped our prison a few hours before the remaining team set off the explosion," Temari explained.

"That makes sense," Naruto said, nodding. "So, during the chunin exams, I noticed you using that fan. You incorporate wind elemental transformation into your attacks. Do you have any advice you could give me?"

"Do you have a wind affinity?" Temari asked.

"Yes. A strong wind and water affinity," Naruto confirmed.

"Water is definitely unexpected," Jiraiya interjected, "but it is not a bad affinity to have, considering our destination."

"Well, I would be happy to give you some pointers," Temari said. "In exchange, I would appreciate a few pointers from you."

"I am not sure how much I can teach you," Naruto admitted. "You have more advanced skills than me in some areas, but I can show you a few things."

"It's a deal."

The group continued through the tunnels for several hours until they arrived at their destination. They were in a storage room similar to the one they had seen at the other end. Naruto was surprised to see a group of people waiting for them.

"Naruto," Hinata exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace the boy, forgetting her shyness.

Naruto patted her back awkwardly, unaccustomed to receiving hugs from females. He could feel Hiashi's piercing gaze on him, prompting him to take a step back, and she released him. Her face turned bright red when she realised what she had done, but she kept smiling.

Naruto observed the crowd that had gathered in anticipation of their arrival. There were fifteen people in total, including Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, and Neji. He immediately noticed that the brand on his brow had vanished. How did that happen?

The remaining members of the group were mostly adults, with the majority of them being Hyuga. They welcomed Jiraiya and gathered around him to question him. The younger shinobi formed their own group and exchanged greetings. Most of them were nervous around Gaara, so Naruto intervened to put their minds at ease.

"It is okay," Naruto said as he slapped Gaara on the shoulder. "This guy is not as crazy as he used to be. Mother has gone on vacation and will not be returning anytime soon."

"Very funny, Uzumaki," Gaara said flatly.

He did not immediately transform into a homicidal maniac, which provided some reassurance to everyone, as Naruto had intended. Because of his technique, he had a lot of empathy and could act as a group mediator. He didn't have many opportunities to show off this aspect of himself.

"Who is this mother you are talking about?" Hinata regained her voice, overcoming the previous wave of embarrassment.

"The Ichibi," Naruto elaborated. "Gaara was greatly affected by it because his seal was poorly designed. That's what Jiraiya said, anyway."

"Will Jiraiya be able to help him?" Temari inquired, her fists clenched by her side.

"I don't see a reason why not," Naruto said with a shrug.

"Hey, Naruto!" Kiba exclaimed, pointing to the bandana on Naruto's head. "Why are you wearing that? Have you got something to hide?"

Akamaru barked from his seat on Kiba's shoulder, joining his companion in mocking Naruto.

"Well, if you are too stupid to understand why I am wearing it, my explanation will be useless," Naruto joked.

"Do you think you are smart, asshole?" Kiba growled.

"At least smarter than you," Naruto said. "But that is not saying much. Akamaru is also smarter than you."

Akamaru agreed with a bark.

"I am going to kick your ass," Kiba said as he took a step forward.

"Kiba, would you please stop talking?" Ino pushed him back. "This is not the time to pull your alpha male nonsense."

"Naruto, it is good to see you," Shikamaru said, his hands in his pockets. "When you went missing, I kept asking my parents where you went, but they would not say anything. Troublesome parents."

"They had a good reason," Naruto said. He looked around the group with interest. "How come you are still here? Isn't it dangerous to wait around?"

"We must depart in smaller groups," Shikamaru answered. "There are too many of us, so it will be easier for us to be noticed if we all leave together. The Anbu are most likely already searching the area surrounding the village."

"I see," Naruto replied. "What happened to the quiet guy with all the bugs? Has he gone ahead?"

Shikamaru grimaced. "Troublesome. The Aburame clan will not leave Konoha. All of their insects rely on Konoha's unique biomes to construct their hives. They will not be able to move easily, and Shino will not abandon his clan."

"Seeing so many prominent clan heirs defect from the village must surely be a significant setback for Danzo," Naruto remarked, smiling.

"Perhaps so," Shikamaru replied, "but our clans are much larger than just the main branch." "Because we were concerned about their loyalty, we kept the majority of our clan members in the dark about our plans."

Naruto nodded in agreement. Despite the fact that dozens of people defected from the village, it was not enough to cripple their overall military power. After all, some of those included in their numbers were civilians. The issue for Danzo was not the number of shinobi who left the village, but the quality. Some of the best jonin in the village had defected.

"What happened to Lee?" Naruto asked. "I expected him to be here because Gai-sensei is also here."

"He is too injured to move on his own," Neji said, glancing at Gaara. "He is with Tenten. They were part of the first team to leave."

"Tenten? Oh, you are referring to the panda girl with the weapon fetish," Naruto realised.

Neji's brow twitched. Did Naruto have a derogatory nickname for every person he knew?

"How come you are not asking about your own team?" Ino demanded with her hands on her hips. "Aren't you worried about Sakura? What about Sasuke?"

"Jiraiya has already said Sakura is safe," Naruto replied calmly. "As for Sasuke, I couldn't care less what he is doing at the moment. He is too preoccupied with vengeance to care about anyone else right now. Besides, you do not have to be concerned about him. I doubt Danzo will let anything happen to his prized Uchiha."

Naruto had gone to see Sasuke in the hospital after the invasion to check on him. He was disturbed by the emotions he gleaned from Sasuke's mind. In his pursuit of vengeance, his teammate was willing to go to almost any length. He couldn't be trusted.

"Surely you do not mean that," Ino said angrily, her face contorted. "Sasuke is—"

"All right, everyone, listen up," Jiraiya interrupted.

Everyone fell silent as their gaze was drawn to the man.

"The exit to this place is a farmstead located a few miles outside of Konoha," Jiraiya explained. "We will be moving together because I expect the Shinobi patrols to become busier as a result of our defection. We no longer have the time to travel in smaller groups."

"Why aren't we using your toad summons to escape the village?" Tsume asked. "Can't you use reverse summoning to teleport us to the toad's home?"

"Mount Myoboku is a sacred place," Jiraiya said. "The toads will not allow me to send a large group of people to their home. For Tsunade's case, I needed special permission."

Tsume nodded in understanding.

"We will be moving quickly," Jiraiya continued. "If we come across any Konoha shinobi, make sure to quickly disable them. There will be no killing. The majority of Konoha's shinobi are not bad people; they simply have a terrible Hokage from whom they must take orders."

They disguised themselves in cloaks before leaving. If they were seen by others, they would not be able to identify them as a group of defectors. The group emerged from the tunnel and entered a small grove of trees on the edge of a fenced-in paddock. A brightly illuminated homestead stood out against the night sky in the distance.

"This is where we part ways," Chiyo said. "I need to return to my village. Suna will most likely be preoccupied with Danzo's shenanigans for the foreseeable future."

She said her goodbyes before leaving, and Temari seemed particularly upset by her departure.

They moved across the ground swiftly under the cover of darkness. Hiashi Hyuga led the group alongside Jiraiya. His ability to see far ahead allowed him to spot any potential problems early on. The remaining Hyuga clan members were stationed in the rear to keep an eye on their backs. The younger Shinobi were placed in the centre, giving them the best protection in the event of an attack.

They were heading east and had hundreds of miles to go before reaching the coast. Uzushiogakure was an island located off the coast of the Land of Fire. Its distance from Konoha was a major factor in the village's destruction. Konoha was unable to send reinforcements in time to prevent the invasion. But it would better suit their needs because they were less likely to be discovered so far away from Konoha.

The group had only been travelling for an hour when their escape was threatened.

"Stop," Hiashi ordered. "There is someone watching us."

The group quickly formed a defensive formation, their eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilance.

"How about you come out, Kakashi?" Jiraiya said calmly.

The group tensed when they heard that name. A figure appeared from behind a tree and approached them.

"Yo," Kakashi said, raising his hand and waving. "Are you all going somewhere together? It's an interesting mix of people travelling together as a group."

"Damn you, my eternal rival," Gai said, shaking his fist. "Fight me."

"Hmm?" Kakashi looked at Gai. "Did you say something?"

"Cut the crap, Kakashi," Jiraiya interrupted before Gai could get more agitated. "How will this situation play out? Do we take you out to proceed further?"

"I am not stupid enough to fight you all," Kakashi replied.

"But I know you could give away our position," Jiraiya said, looking ready to fight.

"It is a good thing you came across me instead of another patrol," Kakashi said, smiling. "I am not going to reveal your position. I have no desire to see you executed."

"What is your reasoning for that?" Hiashi asked.

Kakashi ignored him and focused his attention on Naruto. "It's good to see you are doing well, Naruto."

"That almost sounded sincere," Naruto said, rolling his eyes. "I'll give you a B for effort."

Kaksahi was taken aback by his response. "I don't understand."

"Gosh, it appears that I was a better actor than I realised if I managed to fool you. Do you think I was so stupid that I did not notice how you felt about me?"

"You have no idea—" Kakashi began.

"Spare me your excuses," Naruto cut in. "I am not interested in hearing them."

"It appears that I failed my sensei more than I realised," Kakashi lamented as he looked down. "Have you told him about his heritage, Jiraiya?"

"Are you talking about me being from the Uzumaki clan?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi shook his head. "I am talking about your parents."

"What? Do you know who they are?" Naruto turned to Jiraiya. "When were you going to tell me about this?"

"There is something else I have been meaning to tell you," Jiraiya explained. "I wanted to get further away from the village before I told you about your parents."

"All right," Naruto agreed. "Kakashi, I am leaving Konoha. Don't try and stop me."

"I won't," Kakashi promised.

"Why don't you come along with us, Kakashi?" Inoichi offered. "We could definitely use someone with your exceptional skills."

"Sorry, but there is something in the village that I still need to take care of," Kakashi said. He vanished in a swirl of leaves.

"Did he really leave just like that?" Gai asked, his shoulders slumped, disappointed that he would not be able to fight.

"Let us keep moving," Jiraiya said. "We must put as much distance as possible between ourselves and the village before sunrise. Keep an eye out for any indications that someone is following us, just in case Kakashi breaks his promise."

They encountered no other difficulties before finding a place to rest for the day. Jiraiya's extensive knowledge of the countryside aided them in avoiding encounters with shinobi forces. He led them to a secret hideout, which he used on occasion as the spymaster for the village. It was yet another underground hideout, complete with all the amenities they required. There was even a training room available. Naruto did not like sleeping underground, as his time in the compound had left him feeling confined whenever he could not see the sky..

The group decided not to travel during the day because it would increase their chances of being discovered. They could take the opportunity to relax during this time. Hinata and one of the Hyuga women prepared a meal for them. Naruto's face lit up with delight as she placed multiple bowls of miso ramen in front of him. He had not had his favourite dish in a long time.

"Can you show some manners?" Neji asked, disgusted, as he watched Naruto devour the bowls of miso ramen.

"What's your problem? Is Fate still being a bitch to you?"

Hinata giggled beside him and quickly covered her mouth. Naruto winked at her, causing her to become embarrassed and look away.

"Stop being flippant. I no longer believe in fate," Neji replied.

"Well, good for you. I noticed you do not have the cursed seal anymore," Naruto observed. "How did that happen?"

"It is all thanks to Jiraiya-sama," Neji said. "He discovered a safe way to remove the curse seal. With the exception of Hiashi-sama and his family, all of the Hyuga members accompanying us are branch members."

"Well, it is good to hear that slave seal no longer binds you."

Neji's eyes widened.

"Do you honestly believe I would not be happy for you because we had a minor disagreement? I know what it feels like to have my freedom taken away from me."

"I understand," Neji replied seriously.

Naruto walked over to a cot and lay down after finishing his meal. The events of the previous twelve hours had taken their toll on him, leaving him exhausted. He closed his eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.

They continued to move east during the night for the next two days. Jiraiya set a fast pace for them, allowing them to make significant progress. They were all trained Shinobi, so it was not anything they could not handle. On the third day, they continued on without stopping to rest. They were only about twenty miles from the sea. Jiraiya had arranged for a boat to pick them up from a remote inlet. They could not just walk into a harbour town, rent a boat, and expect to remain anonymous.

"It should be just ahead," Jiraiya said as they paused beneath the shadow of an overhanging cliff to assess the situation.

Naruto was taken aback by the vastness of the sea in front of him. The salty breeze caressed his face, filling his senses with the invigorating scent of the sea. The endless horizon held boundless possibilities that lay beyond, stirring a yearning for adventure within his heart. It was his second encounter with the sea, and it never failed to elicit strong emotions from him.

He first noticed it while on a mission in Nami no Kuni, which is located further north of here. Despite being over a hundred miles apart, they can be considered Uzushiogakure's neighbours.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Hinata commented as she stood next to him. "When I was a little girl, my father brought me here, and the memory has stayed with me ever since."

"I have this strange feeling as if the ocean is calling to me," Naruto said.

"That's the Uzumaki blood in you," Jiraiya said. "They developed impressive sailing skills while living on the island and used to maintain a fleet of ships."

Hiashi activated his Byakugan and scanned the coastline. "I don't see anyone else nearby."

"The boat should be tucked away in a sea cave within the cliffside," Jiraiya said. "Let us make contact with them."

He summoned a toad and sent it off with a message. They waited patiently for the toad to return and deliver a response from the boat. The boat was ready to take them, and there had been no sightings of shinobi in the area.

"Let's go," Jiraiya said.

They made their way towards the cliffs that surrounded the coastline. Jiraiya led them down a secret trail that led down to the sea. They arrived at the trail's end on a secluded rock shelf overlooking the sea. There was a hidden opening in the cliffside to their left. The space was large enough to accommodate a medium-sized boat.

A figure appeared from the cave and approached them.

"Right on time," the man with the goatee said. He bore a striking resemblance to Shikamaru. The man raised a bottle of alcohol to his mouth and drank it.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru grumbled. "Father is drinking on the job again."

"I have been working my ass off, brat," the man said in response to his son's words. "Alcohol helps to make everything less troublesome."

"We had a good time, Shikaku," Jiraiya said, ignoring their conversation. "Did the others arrive safely?"

"Yes," Shikaku replied. "We delivered the final group to the island last night."

"All right, then, let's get going," Jiraiya said.

Everyone entered the cave and proceeded to follow the path that ran along the cave wall. The boat was anchored in the water near the back of the cave, where a wooden pier had been constructed. It had a slim, box-shaped design and a large, white sail. It was much larger than Naruto had anticipated. Both the top deck and the cabin below the deck appeared to be large enough to comfortably accommodate dozens of people.

They climbed the ramp and onto the boat, where there were a number of sailors already in position to set off. Shikaku led them over to the captain and introduced him. The captain, a young man, was distinguished by his blonde hair, which had a black streak running through it.

"This is Yusuke," Shikaku said. "He will take us to the island. Don't be fooled by his young appearance. He is a capable captain, despite his peculiar fixation on catching a giant marlin."

"Thank you for that glowing introduction, Shikaku," Yusuke retorted. "Good day, everyone. You can choose to stay on the deck or rest below deck during the journey. The sea is calm, so I do not expect any problems. The trip should only take a few hours until we arrive at our destination."

"How can we be certain that this person is trustworthy?" Hiashi inquired.

"Please give me some credit, Hiashi." Jiraiya gave him a cold stare. "Do you honestly think I would hire some random captain for such a covert operation? Why don't you properly introduce yourself, Yusuke?"

"My name is Yusuke Uzumaki, and I am at your service," Yusuke said with a bow.

"A Uzumaki?" Naruto was taken aback. "I had no idea other survivors from our clan existed."

"I am not the only one," Yusuke replied. "There are quite a few Uzumaki scattered throughout the Elemental Nations. I come from the clan's civilian branch, so I did not inherit any of the clan's incredible abilities."

"Was this something you were going to share with me, Jiraiya?" Naruto growled.

"Let's set out." Jiraiya sighed. "We'll have time to have that conversation before we reach the island, Naruto."

The boat sailed away from the sea cave and into the open sea. Naruto stood beside Yusuke at the helm, questioning him as the man steered the boat. Despite the fact that they were strangers and only distantly related, he was naturally drawn to the man. He found solace in the fact that he had clan members out there.

"So, what is this giant marlin Shikaku mentioned?" Naruto asked.

"It's a massive fish that instils fear in the sailors navigating these waters. It has caused significant damage to boats, and no one has been able to stop it thus far. I have been trying to capture it for years."

"A giant fish? If it causes that much trouble, why not hire some Shinobi to take care of it?"

"We tried that," Yusuke sighed. "But the marlin killed them. This is not your average fish; it has the ability to use chakra."

"Perhaps it is a summoned beast?"

"That is one of the popular theories," Yusuke explained. "It might be a relic of the Third Shinobi War."

"And you are crazy enough to try to catch it?"

"It killed my father," Yusuke said, clutching the steering wheel tightly. "I can not move on with my life until I have exacted my revenge."

"You remind me of a former companion of mine. You will come to regret your obsession."

"Perhaps. But I won't stop until I have settled the score."

"So, what do you need to capture this fish?"

"A better boat to begin with," Yusuke said. "I need a more durable boat with an internal combustion engine to match the speed of the marlin. It's why I was happy to help Jiraiya, disregarding the obvious reason. He is compensating me with a large sum of Ryo for this operation."

"I believe most of it is in exchange for your silence," Naruto said.

"It was not required," Yusuke assured. "Neither I nor my crew will ever reveal your whereabouts."

Jiraiya walked up to them. "If you want, Naruto, we can have that conversation. Let us use one of the cabins for some privacy."

Naruto followed the man below deck. They entered the cabin, and Jiraiya shut the door behind them. He drew a fuinjutsu seal and placed it on the door.

"It's a privacy seal. It will prevent anyone from listening to our conversation," Jiraiya explained. "The information I am about to share is highly confidential. Probably not as much now that we have left the village, so you are free to share the information as you see fit."

"Enough with the cryptic nonsense," Naruto exclaimed as he jumped onto the bed. "Tell me about your parents."

Jiraiya sat in a chair and leaned forward, his hands resting on his knees. "Your mother was Kushina Uzumaki. She left Uzushio as a young girl to make her home in Konoha."

"It had to be one of my parents who was an Uzumaki." Naruto nodded. "What was she like?"

Jiraiya smiled, his face bearing an expression of affection. "You remind me so much of her. At least certain aspects of your personality were once used to conceal your true self. Kushina was boisterous, unrestrained, and possessed a fiery temper. She loved pranking anyone who crossed her or those whom she regarded as friends. And, like you, she was a huge fan of ramen."

"She sounds like an amazing woman."

"There is no question about it. She was known as the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero, and she was a formidable kunoichi," Jiraiya said before taking a breath. "And before you, she was the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi."

"What? That damn fox never told me that. Wait until I give him a piece of my mind."

"What are you talking about?" Jiraiya demanded, reaching out and gripping Naruto's shoulders. "Have you spoken with the Kyuubi?"

"How else do you think I could have accessed my tailed-beast transformation?" Naruto asked, irritated with himself for revealing his secret so easily.

"Do you know how dangerous that is? I should have seen this coming."

"It is not as bad as it sounds," Naruto defended himself. "We came to an agreement."

Naruto went on to tell Jiraiya about his time in his mindscape and his training, omitting some details. He was hesitant to reveal the truth about his Adamantine Sensing Chains. The technique was unusual, which could make Jiraiya wary of him in future interactions. He didn't want his godfather to think differently of him.

"Minato has been holding out on me," Jiraiya said. "This does not sound like the typical Eight Trigrams Seal created by the Uzumaki clan. It has some features that I had no idea were even possible. We'll need to conduct some experiments in the future."

"You are talking about the Fourth Hokage," Naruto pointed out. "You already informed me that he implanted the Kyuubi within me. What an asshole."

Jiraiya grimaced. "That is not an appropriate way to talk about your father."

Naruto was completely taken aback, his body tensing as the words sunk in. The weight of them hit him like a punch in the gut. "Do you want to repeat that? I must have misheard."

"Naruto, your father was the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."

A long silence followed as Naruto processed the implications of the Fourth Hokage being his father. Countless questions flooded his mind, leaving him unsure where to begin. He clung to the most important question amidst the swirling sea of confusion.

"Did he even love me? Why would he sentence me to a life of hardship by sealing the Kyuubi within me?"

"Naruto," Jiraiya sighed. "He didn't have a choice in the matter. You were the most suitable candidate to contain the Kyuubi. The same as it was for your mother. If you are seeking answers, you have the ability to discern your father's reasons for yourself."

Jiraiya reached into his kimono and pulled out a scroll, which he then handed to Naruto. "Before his passing, he left a message for you. Perhaps he will provide a better explanation than I am able to offer."

When Naruto opened the scroll, he discovered that the written text was completely jumbled, making comprehension impossible. "What the hell?"

Jiraiya examined the text. "It appears that your father hid the real message behind a seal."

"Remove it," Naruto demanded.

"Oh no, I have a better idea," Jiraiya said. "You will earn it by learning fuinjutsu. Having a goal to strive for will provide you with the proper motivation."

"You're an asshole," Naruto declared.

So, what do you think? This chapter was pretty slow, with a lot of character interactions, but I enjoyed writing it.

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Thanks for reading.