Fanfiction: A New Future*

Author? notes

Thor94: Hanabi is slowly getting used to his casual nature towards everyone. His lack of tact may also spill some secrets of his to her.

Chapter 6: Unseen Observations*

The sunlight streamed through the large windows of the Hyuuga Clan estate, casting long shadows as Hanabi sat with her father, Hiashi, in his private quarters. Her usually composed expression had softened slightly as she gathered her thoughts. Something had been weighing on her mind ever since Naruto had left on his mission with Jiraiya. Now that he was back, she couldn't help but think about her brief interactions with him.

"Father," Hanabi began quietly, "I've been thinking about Naruto."

Hiashi glanced up, his expression unreadable as always, but he gave a small nod to encourage her to continue.

"We didn't have much time to talk before he left," Hanabi explained, her fingers lightly tracing the teacup in front of her. "But in the few moments we did, I could tell he's… different. He doesn't treat me like others do. Not like the heir of the Hyuuga Clan."

Hiashi observed her carefully. "And how did that make you feel?"

Hanabi hesitated. "It was strange. But also… it wasn't entirely unpleasant. He spoke to me like I was just a normal person. No formalities, no expectation, just… me."

Hiashi nodded thoughtfully. "Naruto's background is vastly different from ours. He has not been raised with the same expectations, nor does he have the same understanding of hierarchy. That lack of formality is both his strength and his shortcoming."

Before Hanabi could respond, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching. Her heart skipped a beat as she quickly rose from her seat, darting behind one of the sliding doors in the room. She held her breath, making sure to remain out of sight.

The door to Hiashi's room slid open, and Naruto stepped in, his usual energy and enthusiasm apparent, though there was something different in his eyes—something more serious.

"Hiashi-ji-san!" Naruto greeted, his tone as casual as ever, completely unaware of the formal nature expected of him. "I'm back!"

Hiashi raised an eyebrow at the informal greeting, but chose to let it pass. "Welcome back, Naruto. How was the mission?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "It was intense. We found Tsunade-baa-chan and convinced her to come back to the village. She's going to be the new Hokage."

Hiashi gave a curt nod. "That is good news. The village will benefit greatly from her leadership."

Naruto's face grew more serious. "But something happened while we were out there. I ran into someone... someone really dangerous."

Hiashi's gaze sharpened. "Who?"

"Itachi Uchiha," Naruto replied, his voice low. "He and some guy named Kisame were after me. They said they wanted the Nine-Tails."

Behind the door, Hanabi's eyes widened in shock. *Itachi Uchiha?* She had heard the name before—he was infamous. But why would someone like him be after Naruto? And what was this about the Nine-Tails? The questions swirled in her mind, and she pressed herself further against the wall, listening intently.

Hiashi's expression darkened, but he remained composed. "Itachi Uchiha… an S-class criminal and a member of the Akatsuki. So, the rumors were true. They are beginning to move."

Naruto nodded, his fists clenched. "I don't know why they want the Nine-Tails, but they were targeting me. And that's why I need to start training right away. I'm not strong enough yet, but I don't want to rely on others to save me. I want to protect the people around me."

Hiashi regarded Naruto carefully, his eyes calculating. "You have shown great potential, Naruto. Your determination is admirable, but strength alone will not be enough to face someone like Itachi Uchiha. You will need more than raw power."

Naruto nodded vigorously. "That's why I'm here. I want to get stronger as fast as possible. I need to be able to take on these guys myself."

Hiashi considered Naruto's request. "You will begin your training immediately. But understand this, Naruto—the Akatsuki are not enemies to be taken lightly. Their goals are beyond what you may currently comprehend."

Naruto smiled, his excitement barely contained. "Thanks, Hiashi-ji-san! I'm ready to do whatever it takes."

Hiashi gave a slight nod of approval before Naruto turned to leave. As soon as he exited the room and his footsteps faded away, Hanabi slowly stepped out from her hiding place, her expression filled with questions. She looked at her father, her usual composed demeanor replaced with a hint of concern.

"Father," she began, her voice quieter than usual, "why would someone like Itachi Uchiha go after Naruto? I don't understand. Why him?"

Hiashi remained silent for a moment, weighing his words carefully. He knew the truth about Naruto, about the Nine-Tails sealed within him, but now was not the time to reveal everything to his youngest daughter. That was a conversation Naruto himself would have to lead when he was ready.

"There are certain powers within Naruto that make him a target for those seeking control," Hiashi explained vaguely. "The Akatsuki are such a group. They seek to use individuals like Naruto for their own purposes."

Hanabi frowned. "But why would they target someone like him? What does Naruto have to do with them?"

Hiashi placed a hand on her shoulder, his gaze firm. "There are things you do not yet need to know, Hanabi. This matter is larger than either of us. In time, you will understand. But for now, all you need to focus on is your own training and preparation for the future."

Hanabi glanced toward the door, her mind still filled with questions. She had never seen Naruto in that light before—a target for powerful enemies, a boy with a dangerous connection to forces she didn't fully understand. But even with that, she couldn't shake the small admiration that had begun to grow within her for his unyielding determination.

She looked back at her father. "I'll continue to observe him, Father."

Hiashi nodded. "That would be wise."

As Hanabi left the room, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of life Naruto had truly lived up until this point. The loud, brash boy she had initially seen as beneath her status was proving to be more complex than she had expected.

--

Naruto stood outside the Hyuuga Clan estate, the cool evening air doing little to calm his restless mind. His recent journey with Jiraiya to find Tsunade had made one thing abundantly clear—he needed to get stronger. Fast. While he had learned a lot, his encounter with Itachi Uchiha was still fresh in his mind. The thought of such a dangerous enemy hunting him down shook him deeply.

More importantly, he needed to protect the people he cared about, and now that included Hanabi and the Hyuuga Clan. Hiashi had promised to help him train, but Naruto couldn't just sit around waiting for others to help him. He had to take matters into his own hands.

As he reached a quiet training ground, he took a deep breath, his resolve hardening. This was his chance to grow. Without wasting another second, Naruto formed the familiar hand seals and shouted:

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Dozens of clones popped into existence, each identical to Naruto, standing ready to fight. Naruto grinned, his blood pumping with excitement.

"Alright, you guys, let's do this!"

With that, he threw himself into the chaos, battling his clones one after another. Every punch, kick, and block felt like a step toward the strength he needed. He couldn't afford to hold back. His clones mirrored his determination, attacking him from all sides.

Unbeknownst to Naruto, Neji Hyuuga was watching from a distance, quietly observing his friend's intense training. After Naruto's return from the Tsunade mission, Neji had grown curious about his progress. It was clear Naruto was pushing himself to his limits, and Neji wanted to understand just how far Naruto had come.

Neji activated his Byakugan, surveying the scene. Naruto's reckless but effective style had clearly improved. Impressed, Neji decided to test his own skills—and Naruto's awareness. Silently, he leapt into the fray, blending in with Naruto's clones without making a sound. His movements were sharp and calculated, ensuring Naruto wouldn't notice him right away.

At first, Naruto was too caught up in the battle to realize someone new had joined. His focus was on blocking and attacking his clones, pushing himself harder with every move. But something felt off. One of the strikes wasn't quite like the others—it was faster, more precise.

"Wait a second…" Naruto muttered, ducking under a swift blow. He quickly spun around to see Neji calmly dispelling one of his clones with ease.

"Neji?! What are you doing here?" Naruto yelled, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Neji straightened up, a small smirk on his face. "I came to check on your progress. You seemed… distracted."

"Yeah, well, I'm training!" Naruto huffed. "You didn't have to jump in like that!"

Neji raised an eyebrow. "I wanted to see how long it would take you to notice me. You should work on your awareness. In a real battle, you wouldn't have the luxury of distraction."

Naruto scowled but couldn't deny Neji had a point. "Yeah, yeah. You got me this time."

As the last of the clones vanished, Naruto suddenly felt a strange sensation in his mind—flashes of memory that weren't his own. It was like he was remembering the fight from several different perspectives at once. His eyes widened in realization.

"Wait… those are my clones' memories!" Naruto exclaimed, staring at his hands as if they held some hidden power.

Neji frowned slightly. "What are you talking about?"

Naruto looked up, excitement bubbling in his voice. "When my clones disappear, I get all of their memories! I didn't notice before, but I just felt it now. I can remember everything they did in the fight!"

Neji's eyes widened, impressed. "So, every time one of your clones vanishes, you receive their experience?"

"Yeah! This is huge!" Naruto said, practically bouncing on his heels. "I can use this to train even faster! Imagine how much I could learn if I send out a bunch of clones at once!"

Neji, ever the strategist, quickly grasped the implications. "That could be incredibly useful… but there's a risk. If you overuse the clones and they all return their memories at once, the mental strain could overwhelm you."

Naruto paused, his excitement dimming for a moment as he considered Neji's warning. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. But still, if I'm careful, I could get stronger way faster than I thought!"

Neji nodded thoughtfully. "You'll need to test the limits of this ability. We could train together to see how far you can push it. But it's best we keep this between us for now. You wouldn't want this secret to fall into the wrong hands."

Naruto's eyes lit up. "You're right! This could give me a huge advantage! Thanks, Neji, for helping me out."

Neji gave a rare, genuine smile. "You're determined, Naruto. I respect that. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to have you at your best if you're going to be part of the Hyuuga Clan."

Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess that's true. Hanabi would probably want me to be the strongest in the village."

As they began walking back to the Hyuuga estate, Naruto's mind raced with possibilities. His newfound understanding of the Shadow Clone Jutsu opened up endless potential for his growth. But beneath the excitement, there was something else gnawing at him—the letter from his mother that Jiraiya had given him. The thought of reading it made him nervous, more so than any battle.

He hadn't opened it yet. He wasn't sure if he was ready.

"Tomorrow," Naruto muttered to himself. "I'll deal with it tomorrow."

For now, his focus was on training. He had to be ready for whatever came next, whether it was the Akatsuki, Itachi, or anyone else who threatened the people he cared about. But that letter… that was a different challenge entirely.

As they reached the Hyuuga estate, Neji turned to Naruto. "Rest for now. We'll start testing your clone's abilities tomorrow."

Naruto nodded, but his mind was still on the letter. He had been through countless battles, but nothing had prepared him for this. What would his mother have said to him? What did she want him to know? The weight of that envelope felt heavier than any fight he had ever faced.

But for now, all he could do was focus on the path ahead, knowing that whatever his mother's message contained, it would only make him stronger in the end.