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

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. Due to commitments with my other stories, Naruto will only be updated twice per month for the foreseeable future.

Chapter 11

The next morning, Naruto arrived at the training grounds. He immediately noticed a significant increase in activity over the previous day. Many of the older shinobi were either practising their skills or instructing the genin or the younger kids that would be in the academy back in Konoha. Hiashi was sparring with Hanabi, and the young girl looked fierce.

He couldn't see Hinata on the training grounds at first, but eventually spotted her sitting to the side with Shizune. She was explaining something to the girl, with several scrolls spread out between them. Naruto smiled, pleased that the girl had gotten her wish.

Naruto sat down next to Shikamaru, who was lying on his back and staring up at the clouds. "Why aren't you training?"

"Because it's troublesome," Shikamaru replied. "Being on this island allows me to fully develop my skills in the art of doing nothing. I am perfectly content."

"Lazy bum. " Naruto pulled out a storage scroll and released several water balloons on the ground.

He grabbed a balloon and started focusing on rotating his chakra to pop it. The balloon reacted immediately, violently expanding and twisting, but it didn't rupture.

"What are you doing?" Shikamaru asked.

"I am working on my shape manipulation. Jiraiya is teaching me a cool new jutsu, but the requirements are quite difficult to meet."

Shikamaru observed him, his lazy expression disappearing momentarily. "I'm still amazed by how much you've changed since your academy days."

"I have not changed much," Naruto insisted. "I did not receive the guidance I required, plain and simple. Most of the teachers hated me."

"I suppose. I witnessed parts of it and thought it was strange. I always assumed that the teachers disliked you because of your eccentric behaviour.'

"Now you know the real reason," Naruto said, huffing in frustration as he failed yet again to pop the balloon. "Did you earn your promotion before leaving Konoha?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Based on what I saw during your match with Temari, it appeared inevitable that you would be promoted to chunin."

"Decisions like that were postponed in the aftermath of the invasion," Shikamaru explained. In a fair world, I would have expected you to receive the same promotion. Your achievement in defeating Gaara was truly impressive."

Naruto nodded in agreement. Who knows how his life would have turned out if Danzo hadn't achieved his ambitions and radically changed the direction of Konoha's future?

He spent the next few hours practising while Shikamaru dozed off beside him. He was about to wrap up his exercise for the day when the balloon burst, drenching Shikamaru's face in water and waking him up.

"What in the hell, Naruto?" Shikamaru complained.

"I did it!" Naruto grinned and clenched his hands in triumph.

"Congratulations," Shikamaru exclaimed, sitting up and wiping his face. "Now, could you go somewhere else to train?"

Shikamaru was suddenly cast into shadow by someone standing over him. "I would like to spar with you. I wasn't satisfied with how our match ended."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru grumbled.

"Hey, Temari," Naruto said. "Shikamaru would love to spar with you."

"I can speak for myself," Shikamaru said before addressing the girl. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel like sparring today. Maybe tomorrow, but more likely in a week or two."

"I see," Temari replied, her arms folded across her chest. "I suppose I will have to disappoint your mother. She did recommend that I choose you as my sparring partner."

Temari was about to walk away when Shikamaru jumped to his feet. "Wait! I will spar with you."

Temari smirked as she led him away, and Naruto shook his head. "Totally whipped."

Naruto stood up, satisfied with having completed the first step. He went to Jiraiya's office and found him having a conversation with Tsunade.

"Hey, old man," Naruto said. "I have completed the first step towards learning Rasengan. "What should I do next?"

"Don't you know how to knock?" Jiraiya scowled before Naruto's words could register. "You completed the first step already? Show me!"

Naruto took out a water balloon and demonstrated his ability to complete the first step, and Jiraiya was impressed. "Damn you, brat. At this rate, you will learn it faster than I did. Learning it is no easy task since it is classified as an 'A' rank jutsu."

Naruto grinned. "I will smash your record. How long did it take for you to learn it?"

"That does not matter," Jiraiya said, coughing. "But don't become too cocky. The first step involved mastering the rotation, but the second step is all about harnessing its power. It is several degrees more difficult than the first step."

"Are you seriously teaching him the Rasengan?" Tsunade asked incredulously. "Isn't that a little too challenging for the little brat?"

"Do you seriously doubt me, even after I defeated you in our fight?" Naruto inquired, exaggerating his accomplishment. "Care to place another wager?"

"No chance in hell."

Jiraiya reached into a drawer and retrieved a storage scroll. He set it on the desk and unsealed its contents, which turned out to be several rubber balls that rolled off the desk after being released.

"The next step," Jiraiya instructed, "involves increasing the volume and density of your chakra rotation until the rubber ball is completely obliterated."

He picked up a ball and held it in his hand. In the blink of an eye, the ball burst violently, scattering rubber fragments everywhere.

Naruto frowned. "Do I need to reproduce that result or just rupture the ball?"

"You have to completely obliterate it," Jiraiya replied. "Only then will I know your chakra is concentrated enough to proceed to the final step."

Just as Naruto was about to leave with the rubber balls, Jiraiya called out to him. "I expect you to carry out a mission every day starting from today. It is entirely up to you whether you want to go it alone or with a team."

"I was already planning to complete some missions," Naruto said, "but why does it have to be every single day?"

"I want you to become an integral part of this village," Jiraiya said. "And that means you should make an effort to be visible while assisting the village to the fullest extent possible."

"Why do I get the impression that you are planning something that I will not enjoy?" Naruto scowled. "I haven't forgotten that we still need to talk about the 'Child of Fate' matter mentioned by the old toad."

"All in good time."

Naruto emerged from the tent and nearly collided with Gaara, who stood outside with his arms crossed. Gaara appeared to be even more tired than usual, as evidenced by the heavy bags under his eyes.

"Gaara, stop scaring me like that."

"I want to fight you."

"Is Mother keeping you awake at night? Naruto inquired, realising that the situation required immediate attention. Despite everything else going on, Naruto couldn't believe he had forgotten about it.

"I need to let out some pent-up energy," Gaara said, clutching his head.

"Okay, we need to sort you out right now," Naruto said, grabbing his arm and leading him into the tent. "Jiraiya, you should look at Gaara's seal before he loses it again."

"I should have dealt with this sooner," Jiraiya said, standing up and walking around the desk.

"Jiraiya will make sure that you never have to listen to Mother again," Naruto assured him. "Then you can finally relax and think about more pleasant things, like bunnies, rainbows, or even Shikamaru stealing your sister away."

"What?"

"Forget about that last part," Naruto said, hurrying out of the tent, not wanting to cause Shikamaru any more trouble with his loose mouth.

He looked at the board for a mission to complete. He had no desire to participate in the cleanup and construction missions, even if it meant becoming more visible to the villagers. Instead, he focused on exploration missions, in which you were assigned a specific area of the island to explore and report any significant findings. The board featured a map of the island divided into twenty sections. The former village could be found right in the centre.

Naruto was interested in this type of mission, but it required a minimum of three genins to work together as a team. It was disappointing because he already saw himself as a chunin. However, in the absence of an established shinobi ranking system, he and other genin eligible for promotion were left in limbo. He wondered if Jiraiya had completely forgotten about this issue or if he had purposefully chosen to handle it in this way.

"I can ask Hinata to join my team," Naruto considered. "But who will be the third member?"

Naruto removed the mission slip from the board before returning to the training grounds. Hinata remained in her original spot, engrossed in her books, whereas Shizune had already left.

"Hi Hinata," Naruto said, looking over her shoulder. The scroll she was reading was about human anatomy.

"Do you need anything, Naruto?" Hinata set the scroll down and glanced up at him.

Naruto handed her the mission slip. "I would like to take on this mission, but I need two more team members. Would you be interested in joining me?"

"I would like that," Hinata said, gathering up the scrolls around her. "Who is the other member we are bringing along?"

"I'm not sure," Naruto admitted. "I was thinking about asking Sakura because we have worked together before. Do you have someone else in mind?"

"Unfortunately, my former teammates aren't an option. Shino is not here, and I am assuming you don't want to work with Kiba. Shall we go find Sakura?"

Sakura was in the medical tent with Tsunade, watching the older woman examine Rock Lee. Tsunade muttered to herself while jotting down notes, and Naruto hoped her furrowed brow didn't indicate that Lee's condition was irreversible.

"What's the prognosis?" Naruto asked.

"None of your business," Tsunade retorted. "I don't give out personal information about my patient."

"It's alright, Tsunade-sama," Lee said. "If it wasn't for Naruto, then you wouldn't be here, so I don't mind him hearing it. Hinata can stay as well."

"You haven't provided us with his prognosis yet," Guy said. "If you are delaying because you are afraid of disappointing my student, do not worry; he can handle it."

"So impatient," Tsunade grumbled. "Okay, I will give it to you straight. Lee's spine is embedded with fragments of broken bones, which cannot be removed using medical ninjutsu. They must be surgically removed to allow the spine to heal, but this is extremely risky. There is a chance that I will aggravate his condition, or worse, he will die during the surgery."

"What are the chances of me dying during surgery?" Lee asked with a frown.

"I would say it's fifty percent."

The announcement cast a pall over the atmosphere inside the medical tent. Naruto expected Lee to have better odds than that, and he had no idea it could be fatal. He had no idea how severe his injuries were, but he assumed they could be easily repaired with Tsunade's assistance.

"Thank you, Tsunade," Guy said. "We will take time to consider—"

"I will have the surgery," Lee interrupted, his face determined.

"Lee, you mustn't rush into this," Guy said. "It's a situation that could change your life. You should take some time and think it over carefully."

"I have made up my mind," Lee said before speaking to Tsunade. "I want to have the surgery as soon as possible so I can return to training."

"Very well," Tsunade said. "I don't see any reason to delay the surgery. I will schedule it for tomorrow."

Naruto patted Lee's shoulder. "Good luck. I cannot wait until you are back on your feet so I can have another sparring partner.

"Yosh," Lee said, giving him a thumbs up. "I am looking forward to it."

Naruto leaned down and whispered into his ear. "I feel like I should get Gaara in here to apologise before—"

"There is no need," Lee replied. "He came to see me last night and apologised. Given his background, I can better understand his behaviour."

"Well, I am glad the mess has been sorted out," Naruto said. He straightened up and looked at Sakura. "Hinata and I are going on a mission to explore the island. Do you want to come?"

Sakura glanced at Tsunade, who gave her permission with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Sure, Naruto. Just let me go and get ready."

"We all need to be properly equipped," Naruto said to his teammates. "Let us gather the necessary supplies as if we were going on a typical mission outside of Konoha. It's best to be ready for any unexpected circumstances that may arise."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Are you leading the team? Who decided that?"

"Let's put it to a vote," Hinata said. "Will Naruto be our team leader?"

Both she and Naruto raised their hands, and Sakura rolled her eyes. "As if I didn't expect that outcome."

"We all know you would vote for Sasuke if he was still on the team," Naruto reminded her.

"Shut up, Naruto."

"Hnnn."

Naruto's teammates met him in the communal area, where they were joined by Hiashi Hyuga. Naruto wondered if Hinata's father would prevent her from joining them on the mission. Knowing Hiashi's reputation, Naruto suspected he would do something like that to make things difficult.

"Naruto, I expect you to look after Hinata during your mission," Hiashi said.

"That goes without saying."

Hiashi stared at him intently, as though attempting to gauge the sincerity behind his words.

"What about if Neji joined your team?" Hiashi suggested. "I am sure Miss Haruno wouldn't mind giving up her spot for my peace of mind."

Sakura shot Naruto a look from behind Hiashi's back, warning him not to do such a thing, even though she wasn't going to speak up herself.

"You need to relax," Naruto patted Hiashi on the arm, causing his brow to twitch. "I am strong enough to look out for Hinata. If there is anything out there that I cannot handle, Neji will not be much help."

"You are being overly familiar with me," Hiashi informed him.

"I suggest you occupy your time with something so you do not worry needlessly," Naruto said blithely. "How about looking for a new wife? I hear Anko Mitarashi wants to settle down."

"You dare—"

"Look at the time," Naruto said quickly. "We have to get going. Come on, Hinata, Sakura."

His two teammates followed him west, jumping across the ruins until they were far enough away from the village to be confident Hiashi wasn't following them.

"Your father looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel," Sakura smirked.

"He is surprisingly tolerant of Naruto's antics," Hinata observed.

"Enough about that," Naruto exclaimed, pulling out the mission slip. "Look here, our mission is to explore the northwestern tip of the island and record any important details."

"What could possibly exist on an island that was destroyed thirty years ago?" Sakura asked.

"Who knows? Hinata will lead as the vanguard, using her Byakugan to scout the way ahead. Meanwhile, I will take a position in the rear to protect our backs."

"So I am stuck in the middle?" Sakura asked, her fists clenched.

"It is the safest position," Naruto said, shrugging. "I understand that you are improving as a shinobi, but the truth is that you are still the weakest of the three of us."

"Be a little more diplomatic, Naruto," Hinata advised. "Sakura, as a team, Naruto should assign roles that benefit all of us. This decision isn't motivated by ego or favouritism."

"Okay," Sakura sighed. "Let's head to our destination. It will likely take us the majority of the day to search the area specified in the mission."

"I will summon some clones when we get there," Naruto said. "It won't take that long."

They journeyed northwest, occasionally stopping to allow Hinata to scout the area ahead. Despite not expecting any trouble, Naruto refused to take unnecessary risks. When they arrived at their destination, he looked around. This part of the island was mostly rocky terrain, with towering cliffs overlooking the sea below. It had the highest elevation on the entire island, so he expected it to be inaccessible by boat. He saw no obvious signs that this location had been used for anything significant in the past, but he wasn't going to jump to conclusions.

"How are we going to do this?" Sakura asked.

Naruto made a hand sign and summoned five clones. They greeted the three and looked around with interest.

"We will do it systematically," Naruto said. "We will spread out about ten metres apart, and carefully search the area. Given the terrain's characteristics, it is inevitable that there will be several hidden cavities that may be hazardous. Be careful, and if you find anything of significance, then let me know."

Sakura unsealed a storage scroll and took out a piece of parchment and a brush. "While we are here, let us make a more detailed map of the surroundings."

"That's a good idea," Hinata said, "Shall we get started?"

They started their search on the east side of the section, spreading out to cover more ground. With eight people involved, Naruto expected to make significant progress and finish their task in the afternoon. He could have summoned more clones to finish sooner, but he didn't completely trust his clones not to miss something.

The area appeared completely barren, with no fertile land among the rocky landscape, so he didn't expect to find any beneficial plants or vegetation, or anything else noteworthy for that matter. He didn't believe anyone would willingly choose to live in this remote location. His expectations were dashed two hours later when one of his clones called out to him.

They all converged on the clone, which was standing next to a deep cavity that revealed an entrance to a cave at the bottom. It appeared large enough for them to stand upright.

"Should we investigate it now, or take note of it and report it to Jiraiya?" Naruto questioned his teammates.

"Explore it," Hinata answered. "It shouldn't take us too long."

"Alright, let's get going," Naruto said. "Same formation as before."

They jumped down to the bottom of the cavity. As they were about to enter, Naruto noticed fuinjutsu arrays inscribed on the walls on either side of the cave entrance.

"Stop," Naruto ordered, and the girls immediately followed his command. "There are some fuinjutsu arrays here, but I am not sure what their purpose is."

"Let me see," Hinata said, activating her Byakugan. After a moment, she reported her findings. "They don't have any chakra flowing through them, so these arrays should be inactive."

Naruto picked up a stone and tossed it into the cave, but nothing happened. "Okay, it looks safe enough, but keep an eye out for any more fuinjutsu arrays. "This cave is not ordinary."

Hinata took the lead, guiding them through the dark cave with her keen eyes. The group followed her through the linear tunnel for a minute before it opened up into a large chamber.

"It's an old lab of some kind," Hinata said. "There was an abundance of old lab equipment scattered about, as well as four closed doors embedded in the walls. Of the three I can see through, they lead to a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom."

"No life signs?" Naruto asked.

"No," Hinata replied. "The place looked as if it had been deserted a long time ago."

"Alright. Let's light up this space and take a closer look."

Naruto took some lanterns from a storage scroll and strategically placed them around the area, providing ample illumination. It revealed a slew of benches, shelves, and lab equipment neatly arranged throughout the area. They searched thoroughly but found nothing noteworthy. They then went through the three living areas, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

They tried to open the final door, but it stubbornly refused to move.

"This door has fuinjutsu arrays connected to it," Hinata explained, "and it's still operational. It is preventing me from seeing beyond the door. I believe attempting to force entry would be too dangerous."

"I have seen something similar to this before," Naruto said, pointing to the small array built into the wall beside the door. "It requires blood to perform a specific function, which is most likely used to open the door."

"Do you think your blood is going to work?" Sakura asked.

He had revealed some important information to her, such as the fact that he was the jinchuuriki and one of the Uzumaki clan's last remaining members.

"There is only one way to find out," Naruto said, motioning for them to step back.

He sliced the palm of his hand with a kunai and dripped blood on the array. The array lit up briefly, as had previously happened with Jiraoya. Soon after, a line appeared on the wall and started to trace its way towards the door. The door swung open with a click.

Hinata gasped, having been the first to see the room. Naruto tensed up, bracing himself for a possible attack.

"Naruto, there is someone in there," Hinata said. "But they are placed in a tank of water."

Naruto strained his eyes as he peered into the dark room, but the lack of light prevented him from seeing anything inside. "Are there any other potential threats?" he asked.

"No, I can't see anything."

"Okay, I am going inside," Naruto said. "Both of you stay here in case I need rescuing or something."

Sakura handed Naruto a lantern, and he entered the room with caution. He followed a narrow corridor that led to another laboratory room. As soon as he walked in, the lights on the walls flickered to life, revealing what lay ahead of him.

"What the hell?!"

There was a tank against the back wall, surrounded by several other closed tanks. In the tank, a six-year-old girl floated naked in green liquid, a breathing apparatus secured over her mouth. The girl had long red hair that flowed down her back. Naruto jumped to the logical conclusion that she was a Uzumaki.

Was she still alive?

"Sakura, Hinata, I need your help," Naruto called out as he approached the tank. He sighed with relief as he noticed the slow rise and fall of her chest, reassuring him that she was still breathing.

"You have got to be kidding me," Sakura exclaimed, laying eyes on the tank.

"We need to get her out of there," Hinata said, using her Byukugan to carefully inspect the tank. "The girl appears to be in good physical condition, so it should be safe to remove her. It appears that the fluid is used to nourish her body, which is fed from the other tanks.

"Do you think she has been here for a long time?" Sakura asked. "How does this tank continue to operate on its own? There are no computers here."

"If this is from before the Uzushio was destroyed, there would be no computers," Naruto explained. "Who knows how it works? That's for someone else to figure out."

"But she hasn't aged at all," Sakura remarked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"We should be able to open the tank from the top and let her out," Hinata said.

"Got it," Naruto said as he effortlessly jumped and landed on top of the tank.

He grabbed the metal lever and began turning it to release the seal. Then he lifted the entire top, revealing the inside of the tank. He carefully reached down, grabbed the girl under her arms, and lifted her up, nearly dropping her because the fluid made her extremely slippery. As soon as he removed the mask, her eyes fluttered open, revealing a pair of stunning violet eyes.

She tried to speak, but all that came out was a croaking sound.

"Take it easy," Naruto told her, smiling. "We are going to get you out of here and take you to the medic-nin."

Naruto leapt to the ground, clutching the girl in her arms. Sakura had already retrieved a towel and began wiping the girl down. Naruto tried to leave the room to give her some privacy, but she grabbed his arm desperately. He shrugged and closed his eyes as Sakura finished dressing her in one of her outfits. It was far too large for her, but it would do until they returned to their camp.

"Is it okay to give her water?" Naruto inquired as the girl rubbed her throat and looked up at him in a silent plea.

"We can give her a little bit," Sakura said. She took out a bottle of water and the girl drank a little before pushing it away.

"Alright, we need to get her back to Tsunade right away," Naruto said. "So our mission is temporarily postponed."

Hinata and Sakura nodded in agreement. Naruto lifted the girl onto his back, and she wrapped her limbs around him tightly. They left the cave behind and rushed back to the encampment.

"Who is this?" Tsunade asked, looking stunned as they rushed into the medical tent.

"We found the girl while out on a mission," Naruto explained. He gave a brief summary of their discovery in the cave.

Tsunade wore a solemn expression as she motioned for Naruto to place her on one of the beds. When she asked him to leave so she could perform an examination, the girl grabbed his hand and refused to let go.

"You can stay, Naruto," Tsunade said, before turning to face Hinata. "Could you go get Jiraiya and inform him that he is urgently needed here?"

"Yes, of course," Hinata said, rushing out of the tent.

"It's okay," Naruto reassured the girl as Tsunade began her examination.

"Does she have a name?" Tsunade asked.

"I don't think she can speak."

Jiraiya arrived just as Tsunade was listening to the girl's heartbeat, and his shocked expression surpassed Tsunade's own.

"Kushina!" Jiraiya yelled.

Naruto froze, feeling a numbness wash over him as his mother's name was spoken. He looked down at the girl, who gave him an innocent look. When her name was called, she didn't respond.

"How is this even possible?" Naruto whispered. "Are you certain you are not mistaking her for someone else?"

"I am not senile," Jiraiya said, looking at the girl with sad eyes. "Either she is Kushina's twin who has not aged since she was a child, or...

"Or what?"

"Kushina could have been cloned," Tsunade stated grimly. "I will need to compare her blood to yours to see if this is the case. Her medical records are in Konoha, so I cannot use them."

"Alright," Naruto replied. "Will she be okay, though? Is she healthy?"

"So far, I can't see any abnormalities," Tsunade said. "But I will need to run more tests will need to take me to the hidden lab you discovered so I can figure out what was done to her."

They stuck with Kushina for lack of a better name, even though it felt strange to call her that. After taking their blood, Tsunade handed the girl over to Naruto. He took Kushina to get something to eat while he awaited the results. Fortunately, with medical jutsu, the process was quick, and Naruto was summoned to the medical tent shortly after finishing his lunch. He left Kushina with Hinata because he did not want the girl to hear their conversation.

"She is definitely a clone of Kushina," Tsunade stated. "It will take some time to figure out how she was created and preserved over time. I will have to keep a close eye on her to make sure her organs don't start failing.

"Is that possible?" Naruto asked, feeling a lump form in his throat at the possibility of losing her.

Although he knew the girl was essentially a clone of Kushina, with no personal life experiences of her own, it did not matter to him. Despite their brief acquaintance, he had developed a genuine fondness for her.

"Cloning is not an exact science," Tsunade said. "Unless the person who cloned Kushina discovered a more reliable method, she may not survive for very long."

Following the meeting, Jiraiya took Naruto and Kushina to see Hisashi. They descended into the secret underground room, and the man appeared before them.

"Hello, Naruto. It's good to see you….who is that?" Hisashi cried out, pointing to Kushina, who had peered around Naruto's back.

"We were hoping you could explain," Jiraiya said. "She is a clone of Kushina. Naruto discovered her in a secret lab on the island."

"I don't believe my brother could do this," Hisashi whispered. "He was always obsessed with preserving the main lineage, but he has gone too far."

"Are you sure it was him?" Jiraiya asked.

"There were some things he said to me before he died that are beginning to make sense now," Hisashi said, looking at Kushina with sadness. "If his son knew what he did to his daughter, he would be furious."

"So it was my great-grandfather who did this?" Naruto took the girl's hand. "What an asshole."

Kushina opened her mouth and spoke for the first time. "Ass...hole."

So, what do you think? How is Naruto going to deal with the new wrinkle in his life? In the next chapter, he's back in his mindscape to confront Kurama.

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Thanks for reading.