The clanging of his hammer against red hot steel was the only thing in Naruto's mind right now. Most people thought that a smith's workshop was loud or abrasive. Being surrounded by an intense heat that permeated the room from the forge, the clutter of tools on workbenches, anvils, and various other materials used in the various process of smithing, and of course the loud noises that are most often associated with creating anything out of meta. Not to mention the plethora of very sharp and dangerous weapons strewn about haphazardly.

But to Naruto, this was his true home, a 'safe' space. To him, this place was better than his bed, better than any room in his apartment, better than relaxing in the hot springs. It is where he is most comfortable.

Which is why he despised distractions here when he was trying to unwind. Masamune-Jiji had already come through and all but refused to leave. His self-righteous tirade to check on Naruto's well-being had worn thin as soon as he walked through the door. What a jerk.

"Naruto, you know this can not be healthy. To yourself, your psyche, and those around you." The aged bladesmith said once again. Attempting to appeal to his younger counterpart.

Naruto simply kept ignoring the man. Focused all but entirely on the short billet of material before him, shaping it into the form sitting crystalline in his mind. His hammer like the chisel of a master stone carver, no errant movements, or energy wasted, only exactly what needed to be done to create the final product.

"You know, I've never asked you once to call me anything but a friend. Despite all I had once taught you and done with you, I never asked to be called your sensei." The old man attempted to reach out to him again. "Do you know why I've done that?"

Naruto allowed the hammer to strike one more time, this one a bit softer than ones previous, not because of his words but because it is what Naruto inherently knew was needed. Before placing his billet back into a secondary forge Naruto had created specifically for this process and turned to grab the prepared materials for the finishing of the annealing process.

The insulated wrappings were not far off as this is far from their first time being used today, but the soon-to-be blade had been slowly heating up to the temperature Naruto knew was almost perfect for his purposes. He quickly removed the blade and wrapped it in the special material before placing it back in the special forge. This one allowed him to control the cooling process over time to almost a quarter of a degree.

At this, the older blade smith had paused to watch the younger work. Studying every movement, technique, and material that he had never before seen Naruto use in this process, trying and failing to ascertain its direct purpose.

"Is it because of who I am?" Naruto paused for a moment before continuing with a different inflection in his low voice, "What, I am?"

At this, the man paused for a second "You know I never once saw you as anything but a child. A rambunctious little shit on occasion, but never more than that." He started off almost sounding angry, hurt even, but finished his statement in a more reminiscent tone. He seemed to look past the Uzumaki and his ongoing project as he said this.

"I never had you call me anything else because I could see. I could see what perhaps no one else ever saw in you, back then and still today." He saw the almost imperceptible twitch of Naruto's ears, which he took as a sign to continue. "I saw not only how quickly you would surpass any knowledge or technique I would be able to impart upon you. But the fire, the sheer unadulterated drive in your eyes that makes you truly great. And when I saw that I was certain that I would be unable to claim more than a passing scratch on the plaque that would be your legacy."

Upon finishing his piece, Goro Nyudo Masamune turned on his heel and with a quick nod of his head walked out of Naruto's workshop.

For this Naruto was grateful, but also a little saddened. He paused only for a moment before returning to his work. Although his focus a little less sharp than it had been previously. Still wondering about the words of the man who helped him along his current path, in more ways than one.

Knowing that the blade he had been working on would require many hours before it was finished Naruto turned his attention to something else. Masamune-Jiji would be fine, he told himself, the man was like hardened steel. Making a mental note that he definitely needed to talk to him at a later date. But now Naruto had something important to do.

He never wanted to be with so few options again. Yes, he always had a plethora of throwing weapons on him at all times, but those were only so useful, and while he may have had a very effective counter for someone like Dosu previously he was naturally and vehemently opposed to complacency. Besides most people aren't dumb enough to allow their opponent to just figure them out like that.

But in the forest of death Orochimaru had picked him apart like it was nothing. Which to her it very well might have been. She had broken one of his weapons and disarmed him of one that was better than that. And after that Naruto felt almost naked, even with everything else he had on his person. He wouldn't necessarily admit it to himself while he was still in the forest of death, but that didn't change the fact that it was true.

And while he may not currently be working on something more powerful, yet. He could certainly fix the issue of being caught without enough weapons for any given situation. He would need to ready his sealing ink for tattoos.

—-

A few hours had passed within his forge and Naruto was currently working on a Katana. Not one to really replace his previous one, as he would need to reacquire a higher quality material for that, but having more backups of a stronger variety than the ones he normally has is paramount.

He was currently hammering the long thin billet out into the general shape he was looking for, before starting his special process, as this blade itself wasn't meant to be the actual replacement it was more of a… visual aid I guess. Although that term isn't really quite right either. It's almost more like a mold he was going to use to better help him create the actual backup weapons he wanted to make.

To be quite honest Naruto wasn't actually certain exactly what he was doing. It was more of a gut feeling and vague outline than an actual plan. A seemingly stark contrast to the rather strict scientific methods he normally abided by. But one must go into the unknown to break boundaries.

Although, one would certainly be incorrect in assuming that was necessarily true. Yes, Naruto certainly seemed to be a very method driven, practical, logical person; at least in relation to anything about his smithing. But that is only from the perspective of an outsider, someone whose only experience in weapon smithing is through watching others do it, practically just someone standing in front of a home and glancing in through the windows.

Now someone on the inside knows that in reality there are two very complex and opposing forces that are constantly battling each other throughout the process, method versus feeling. A principled and disciplined approach and process that very directly opposes gut feeling and estimations. An instinct inside yourself that propels you forward, drives your hammer down, and strikes the metal laid before you. Yet it also requires the methods and measurements to do so.

This was one of the rarer times when a gut feeling had this much control over a process, but Naruto figured that it was actually probably better this way, given that what he was working on was so outside the normal 'laws' of his craft that it bordered on fantasy.

He wasn't quite certain of this half-baked idea, but he figured that having something to work from certainly couldn't hurt, as he was still technically just experimenting with the actual process he would use to create his backup weapons. Chakra Smithing. Well true Chakra Smithing, not the watered down pieces he normally forged.

This process is normally quite intense, in regards to both the chakra demands as well as one's own physical body. But he thought that possibly having a sort of 'half-baked' sword in front of him while he was working on the first step might help him visually. And if not, at least doing this always helped him think better, and that has certainly never hurt him before…

And it was while Naruto was hammering out his 'thinking weapon' that another voice made itself known to him.

"Naruto-Kun?" The elderly voice came from behind him, startling Naruto enough to make him partially panic. And in his startled, distracted, and still somewhat angry state, Naruto hit the blade too hard. About three-fourths of the way up what would eventually be the spine of it, causing it to leave an indent far too thin to be structurally sound. But Naruto did not register his colossal mistake.

Whipping around at the sound of the voice, the red hot blade still in hand is when his mistake made itself known. Due to one part of the blade being too thin and the speed at which he whipped around, the latter third of the blade came flying off right at the 'intruder'.

The Hokage, while a little surprised at the red hot metal flying at him, still moved it aside with but a swipe of his hand. Allowing it to dig itself an inch or two into the brick wall a few feet behind him and a little over his right shoulder. From the lack of burns on his hand and from what he saw of the metal, Naruto surmised he may have buffered his hand with wind chakra to prevent any damage to–

Quickly cut out of his distracted thoughts by the Hokage still trying to talk to him, "Naruto-Kun, I came to have a chat but I certainly didn't expect such a welcome." At this Naruto fully comprehended what had happened, it was all so quick it barely even took a full second, and he fell to his knee in respect to his Kage.

"I apologize profusely, Hok–" But Hiruzen cut his apology short with a small gesture of his hand.

"Just be glad my Anbu are outside my boy, they tend to overreact to things like this." His grandfatherly smile an attempt to disarm the young ninja, although Naruto didn't feel any better. Technically what he just did could be considered a form of treason, even if just an accident.

"But sir, I could have…" Naruto trailed off. What could he do? A barely seasoned genin, harming the God of Shinobi? Suddenly Naruto was back in the forest of death facing off against Orochimaru, it felt like dropping a mountain on a pebble and calling it a fight.

"Then let us just agree that it was my fault, hmm?" The old man replied smoothly, both covering for Naruto's own lost speech and emotional downturn, as well as alleviating the genin of most of his guilt. He didn't respond to the emotional attempt to assuage his guilt, but the logical one certainly worked. Naruto was a ninja under his Hokage, who was he to disagree with him, and he was certainly used to following protocol and orders, he seemed more comfortable in it as well.

Naruto, realizing he had no other option, just agreed with the fire shadow. He quickly fell into his comfort zone was once again a mask of professionalism. His Kage all but gave him an order to put him at fault for the incident, and he certainly wasn't one to disobey the man at the head of the Chain of Command.

"Besides Naruto-Kun, I've come to your not-so-humble workshop to congratulate you on the prowess you displayed in the previous stage of the exam." The fire shadow explained, most likely referring to his victory in the preliminary round of the Chunin exams just a day prior.

Naruto simply bowed his head deeper as his sign of both thanks and respect to his Hokage. He was truly the embodiment of Shinobi. Hiruzen simply allowed himself a small sigh at this, the child of his successor who only moments after birth was gifted with a responsibility most fully matured adults would never be able to handle. And then to have his only chance at anything resembling a childhood to be taken from him with the same action.

To never make friends and play tag, or have his parents tell him to eat his vegetables and coddle him, or just to be tucked in at night or held close while being told that everything would be ok. How Naruto was treated is quite possibly one of Hiruzen's greatest regrets, right up there next to his not-so-wayward student Orochimaru. He thought he could at least make up for it when Naruto somehow graduated from the academy a year too early for Hiruzens liking, he did his utmost best to stick him with teammates and a sensei who he believed could do him the good he deserved so much.

But then, like in so many other aspects of Naruto's young tragic life, they too were taken from him far too early. Struck down by a rogue ninja from wave country on a mission that never should have taken place.

Finally, Hiruzen knew he had spent a little too long on his past mistakes, and he finally motioned for Naruto to rise. And only once the young man before him stood up, back still straight and posture impeccable did he speak up. "Naruto, I realize that you may be struggling with some of your emotions due to recent events."

Naruto's face was still held in the textbook veneer of professionalism. Although he did not speak up yet, so once again the aged man continued. "But I would like to apologize to you."

That was certainly not what Naruto had expected to hear from the man. But he still did not interrupt.

"For many things, chiefly for the childhood you were never able to have."

At this, the young ninja's stony facade cracked, if only slightly, allowing a trickle of the rage and anguish Hiruzen was certain still existed in there. The surprise of his Hokage's statement must have gotten to him. "It is easy now, with hindsight, to see my mistakes and the easy ways I could have fixed or avoided them. Sadly, I have failed you, and failed to allow you any semblance of the normalcy you should have had."

Naruto chose this moment to speak up, "You mean for the childhood you wanted me to have." Naruto bit out at his commander. Who in part looked at least a little surprised.

"I assure you I wanted nothing more than for you to have had a normal childhood my boy, you deserved as much for many reasons, the least of which being the burden that was placed upon you without your consent."

"And yet I never had it. Did I? Because the most powerful ninja in the village-"

Hiruzen cut him off. "Just because I wield such power does not mean I can enforce my will upon every other ninja and civilian in the village."

"And yet here we are, with a literal execution order in place to prevent others from speaking of my burden. What would you call that Hokage-sama?" He asked with a sharp tongue.

"Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good of the village."

"The greater good. Here you talk of a greater good, and yet you lament over my supposed lost childhood as if it was entirely out of your hands. You lead one of the most powerful military institutions on the continent, one full of mercenary killers who answer directly to you. And you tell me that was a 'sacrifice for the greater good, and expect me to just, what? Thank you for having to make such a hard choice?" He had not yet moved from his mostly rigid state, but his body language was still more than clear to a man with as much experience as the God of Shinobi. He was hurt, and angry.

"My boy I assure you-".

Now it was Hiruzen's turn to be cut off "Assure me of what? Hokage-sama. That you had my best interests at heart? Or that the situation was merely out of your control?"

"I tried to do right by you Naruto-Kun. I wanted you to grow up to be a great man that could make your parents proud."

"I don't even know my parents, Hokage-sama.'' Naruto still added his due term of respect, but the venom in his voice let Hiruzen know it was anything but respect behind those words. "And stop giving me that bullshit about 'you don't know who they are', just stop fucking lying to me. You spent so long lying to me, holding me down or all but literally blocking my path. And now you have the gall to tell me not only was it for the greater good, but you just wanted what was best for me?"

"My boy-" This time Hiruzen was cut off by the younger man again, only this time more vehemently.

"Stop fucking calling me that, Hokage-sama. I am not 'your boy'." Naruto took a second to take a deep breath, before continuing. "I can understand some of these 'hardships', as you love to call them, that I've had to face. Truly I can. The Fourth was simply doing his best to avert what can genuinely be attributed to a natural disaster, and it sucks that I was chosen but I have learned to move past quite a lot. I can even understand your inability to force a population into blind acceptance." Another deep breath "But your inability to just tell me the truth, that you just know what is best for me, is not something I am just willing to accept anymore."

The god of shinobi's face only appeared to age with every word out of the young swordsmith's mouth. It was the truth, he had just refused to accept it. And his insistence on trying to hold the boy back, to 'protect' him or let him be normal, which would never happen, is what really killed their once strong bond.

Hiruzen knew, at least logically, that Naruto did not hate him, nor did Naruto really blame him directly for his hardships or struggles. He just wasn't that kind of person, even now. He had just given up on his jiji, who in his eyes was just becoming another person in the sea of people on the other side of the river from him. And this is the thought that truly aged him.

Hiruzen, having had enough, spoke up one final time before stepping out of the eclectic workshop, "Well, Naruto-kun I will be making my leave then. But I do have one final thing, a visitor really, here for you."

Replacing him was a man Naruto knew of, but had never met. Standing a few inches above six foot tall and with a long mane of white hair, was Jiraiya of the Sannin.

"Hey kid." The living legend said to him, raising his hand in a half greeting half wave.

—-

Hiruzen stepped out of Naruto's workshop into the seemingly empty streets outside, the occasional neighbor the only ripples in the otherwise still pond. Having cut his losses he allowed his wayward student a chance, he stood a better chance of success anyway. Naruto had far fewer problems with the man, it also helped that the boy currently had no idea that he even should have problems with the Sannin.

With a gentle nod to seemingly no one, the aged legend disappeared from the streets, followed only by leaves and shadows.

—-

Naruto just let out another long sigh. His emotions were already running quite high from having multiple visitors interrupt what is supposed to be his sanctuary and quiet place. He had thought the Hokage would be the end of the parade of people, but then this man walks in after him. To borrow a word from his teammate, "Troublesome."

Meanwhile, Jiraiya looked at least a little let down by his reception. "Is that all?" He asked a little curtly, "One of the strongest ninja on the continent is standing in your dingy little workshop, and that is the best greeting I can get? You practically prostrated yourself on the ground for the old man, whom you almost killed by the way, and all I get is a sigh?"

"You obviously spied on us, poorly I might add, because that is not what I would call a respectful display to our village's leader. Not to mention protocol and etiquette demand that I treat him as befitting the leader of a shinobi village. But I've never read shit in the rules about bowing to someone with a fake title." Naruto quipped.

"Wha- Fake! Fake title!? That title strikes fear into the hearts of Konoha's enemies and allies alike. That title causes the ladies to swoon and enemy battalions to turn and flee!" The legendary toad sage yelled back indignantly.

"Didn't you get that title from losing a three-on-one battle to an old man?" Naruto asked.

Crossing his arms over his chest "I would love to see you call Hanzo of the Salamander an 'old man' to his face." Jiraiya barked out with a laugh.

"Well other than trying to strike the fear of your title into me, which has already been done by your wayward teammate I may add, why in the hell are you interrupting me?" Now that caught the white-haired man by surprise, he had not expected that much… contempt? From Naruto.

"Well, I am here to train you for the chunin exam finals of course!" He said, trying to get back in the spirit of things.

"While that does sound like a tempting offer, I think I'll have to pass." He said bluntly, causing the man to balk. He already more or less had a plan and it sure as hell didn't involve wasting valuable time playing with this guy. Sure he could teach a thing or two, but nothing that would really help him improve much in time for the exams, and certainly nothing that really meshed with Naruto's style.

Even Naruto had to pause internally when he thought that. Was that really true? Was he naive enough to actually think a living legend couldn't improve him at all, even if the man was a walking pervert like Kakashi-sensei?

"Wha- but then what are your plans for this? I've seen the lineup kid, and you're good but that Hyuuga is certainly not a pushover. Not to mention your next opponent, Gaara of the Sand is certainly going to be very dangerous." Naruto bristled a bit at that, he didn't need this man telling him how dangerous that sand ninja is.

"I would appreciate you not downplaying myself or my strategies." He shot back.

"Didn't the Hyuuga graduate a place ahead of you in class?" The toad summoner asked the rest of his question left hanging in the air.

"Because I transferred in late and was a year younger than him. He's as much a threat to me as I am to Orochimaru." Naruto spat out, immediately regretting what he had said. Not the Orochimaru bit, but how much he downplayed the 'once in a generation' Hyuuga prodigy. He wasn't truly that cocky about it, but Naruto was rather certain he could defeat him with skills to spare. Especially with what was at the moment his most powerful weapon, his Naginata would make the Hyuuga's preferred style all but useless against him.

"That is pretty bold of you to say" the man said, emphasizing the word bold. "Could you perhaps let me in on exactly how you would so easily neutralize one of the most dangerous taijutsu styles in the village? And don't give me that crap about a sword beating his hands, I know you aren't dumb enough to think a clan that old doesn't have a dozen solutions or workarounds to that little issue. The least of which every ninja keeps a dozen in their holster." The sannins question gave Naruto pause. Not at all because he didn't know any of that, but because he was uncertain of how he should answer it.

Naruto, like many other smiths and ninja in general, is intensely secretive of his techniques. He spent years researching, training, practicing, hurting himself and getting back up to try again, just to get to the level he was at now. And he certainly didn't feel like 'sharing' that information with just about anyone.

The Sannin took Naruto's silence, incorrectly, to be him pausing and reconsidering, so he pressed on "Because from my sources you had a similar level of cockiness in your mission to wave, and that didn't–" the taller ninja was cut off before he could even finish speaking.

"You shut the hell up about things you know nothing about!" Naruto bit out quickly and angrily. Startling the sannin, who looked almost at a loss for words. "That mission was a god damn fluke, a nightmare that never should have fucking taken place." His tone was still quite loud, but Naruto caught himself before continuing.

"No after action report can tell you what the hell went on in that shithole." Naruto said, getting more somber as he spoke. "I lost them…" he trailed off.

Jiraiya paused, face darkening for just a bit, before he tried to speak again "That is far from the first time a mission went wrong like that, but you still completed the stated objective-".

"FUCK the stated objective!" Naruto yelled "And do you think I don't know that other missions have gone wrong? I'm a ninja, death lives in our shadow, but that doesn't make it any easier or any better. How often does one lose some of the only people they ever cared for, and then to be given a fucking commendation for it."

Jiraiya looked lost for words, his face showed all the understanding of someone who has gone through the horrors of the life they live. And with that experience and knowledge, he surmised that there wasn't anything to be said. No words were going to bring them back, and nothing he said would give Naruto any more meaning.

"I've spent every day since that mission punishing myself. I failed them. I'm supposed to be a living weapon, and I let some rogue swordsman cut them down." He could feel the wetness on his own cheek but told himself it was sweat from the heat of the now dying forge.

"I couldn't even attend my teammates' funerals, because their families wouldn't allow it."

The sannin had no idea how to react, so he just let Naruto continue. "She took Zabuza's strike that was meant for me. All for some drunk bridge builder and country who wouldn't fight back against a tyrant right in front of their faces. Tell me, Jiraiya of the mighty Sannin who strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies, how would you react if that happened to you?" Naruto looked like he wanted to continue, but his own overwhelming emotions were holding him back. The heat in the room was palpable, and it wasn't from the forge.

"But you defeated one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist." Jiraiya offered up weakly.

"I killed the fucker, and all I felt was hollow." His throat was getting noticeably hoarse from holding his emotions in, but he continued. "It wasn't even on purpose. Zabuza had already killed our Jounin sensei and battered me around like a kami damned ragdoll before blasting through Ichiro like he wasn't even there… Then he turned back for me, I could barely get back up. And instead of running like I kept telling her to, Yui charged right in and took the hit nearly head on. I had to watch the life leave her eyes."

"How exactly did you actually beat him, Naruto? The report doesn't specifically say."

"Funny" Naruto said halfheartedly. "I guess the old man does listen to me sometimes." He almost laughed, almost. But answered his question anyway "I had a special sword that I had crafted specifically to go against other weapon experts. Basically, it was magnetized, enough to deflect the haphazardly thrown kunai or shuriken, or to help confuse other swordsmen when our blades met. It wasn't much but I guess every inch counts or something." Jiraiya's eyes slowly widened in realization, if this had been done through normal fuinjutsu means then it certainly would not have been left off of the report, but since it had been it must have been something much more secretive.

"It was mostly just a prototype at the time, but it still produced a pretty strong magnetic field, sometimes it would go wild and pull on my kunai in my holster. And when I used the sword to block a strong hit from Zabuza's blade his shattered mine. Causing it to go a little haywire, or maybe that's just how magnets work I'm not sure, and the shards exploded like there had exploding tag or something, one or two of them slid right by Zabuza's sword and into his throat." Naruto finished, certainly looking worse for the ware.

Jiraiya looked like he was about to say something, maybe apologize. But Naruto beat him to it. Quietly asking, "Just get the hell out of my workshop."

Sorta meant to finish looking over this chapter yesterday, so my bad. I guess I'll finish looking at three later today or tomorrow and put it out early to make up for it.

After all, I've got a very strict, and completely nonexistent, schedule to keep intact.