Unsealing Legacy

by fey Storyteller

A small twist of fate made him aware of his heritage; unsealing the legacies his parents left behind. Graduating from the academy at age seven, he's well on his way. He found a kindred spirit in Uchiha Itachi, and his cousin Shisui's along for the ride. They're on the path to unsealing the legacy left by their ancestors, both the dark and the light. Next chap teaser in AO3.

16. 16th Legacy

AN : Beta-ed but will be double-checked again ASAP but according to my beta MelodyXchii "IT'S BEAUTIFUL NOW!"
Oh well, we're doing our best and I agree the best we present here is beautiful... ha ha ha.

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Intermission
What Danzo thinks of Kyuubi no Jinchuriki AKA Uzumaki Naruto in summary.
A child full of untapped potential
A sane jinchuuriki, bless Konoha
His chosen companions is questionable
Too bright for a shinobi

Conclusion: He hated Uzumaki Naruto, plain and simple.

Danzo had never met the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki in person but the irrational parts of his mind believed he would hate the legacy of the Yondaime as much as he coveted the potential the child held. He hadn't hated the jinchuuriki initially; his dislike for the child stemmed from all the wasted potential as a product of Hiruzen wanting to give the Uzumaki a childhood.

This, in his opinion, was Hiruzen's worst decision ever. The idea of giving a jinchuuriki a childhood was already ridiculous in the first place, but Hiruzen just had to go and do a shitty job at it too.

First, the Sandaime Hokage placed the jinchuuriki in the care of overworked orphanage staff that hated the boy at first sight. In their defence, no one would actually like to get a baby-shaped bomb on top of the already massive influx of orphans after the Kyuubi Attack. He wasn't surprised they kicked the boy out at the young age of four with the excuse that the boy could take care of himself now— and had Hiruzen scrambling to get the boy another place to stay.

Surprisingly, the boy somehow managed to be self-sufficient, enough for a four years old boy, to be left alone in his own apartment for most of the time with a minimum of issues. It seemed that the minimum level of care he had received in orphanage had taught the boy some level of independence— aside from forgetting to take baths, eating his greens and other menial mishaps… That meant Hiruzen could get away with leaving just a monthly allowance for the jinchuuriki and a squad of ANBU to keep the boy out of trouble.

He had hoped that Hiruzen had finally started to see sense and consider giving up on the Uzumaki's 'childhood' after failing so miserably at it. Indeed, if there were anyone in the world he had to applaud, it would be the jinchuuriki whose sheer stubbornness prevented him from succumbing to depression in the face of a whole village's hatred. The pranks he did in retaliation, while annoying, were a harmless way to vent and an ingenious application of trap making and stealth.

Considering how jinchuuriki in other villages vented their anger, the Uzumaki was harmless.

Hiruzen continued insisting that he keep his hands off of the jinchuuriki or else— and not even Danzo would dare to risk the Hokage's wrath over an untrained jinchuuriki. Then one day, due to ANBU's carelessness, the boy disappeared for a few hours and, one dead nobody from Iwa later, the jinchuuriki started to change for no apparent reason.

He became— focused. As if suddenly, there was one goal he pursued with the thirst of a fish in a desert. At the same time, the child became apathetic to the people around him. He seemed to lose his desire for their acknowledgment and instead, looked at them with a mix of emotions his agent couldn't comprehend. They best described it as… pity and resignation.

It was not alarming though, because it wasn't difficult to imagine a child giving up on something they had previously held precious. Then all of a sudden, the boy was given the opportunity to graduate early at the age of seven and apprentice to sealing division. The boy was an Uzumaki so that recommendation was expected but he had hoped Hiruzen wouldn't be foolish enough to send the boy to the Tower where the vassal families of Uzumaki resided. The last thing they needed was a pampered jinchuuriki.

And then, as if Shiomitsu Clan's involvement in the attempt on the jinchuuriki's life was not unsettling enough, the boy managed to befriend both Uchiha Itachi and Shisui. While he never managed to wrap his mind around that one, the two Uchiha became inseparable from the jinchuuriki, regardless. They followed after him like hounds after their master— in that incredibly dignified and respectable manner that characterised the Uchiha, of course. If anything, he was more worried that the two Uchiha would blow up in their face if the village didn't start to treat the jinchuuriki better. Ironically, said jinchuuriki avoided showing up in public with his friends— who he was trying to save was still up for debate.

However, in the end, what puzzled him the most was not the boy's relationship with the Uchiha cousins but the drastic change of personality over the course of the last two years. The boy was as cheerful as ever— unbefitting of a shinobi— but there was something different to him. It was as if the boy had become an old soul like Itachi was— but not quite the same way, either.

Then his agent overheard one line from Uchiha Itachi that cemented his hatred for the Kyuubi jinchuuriki:

'Naruto's worse fear is…

Everything that had been taken from him as a sacrifice; his parents, childhood, friends…

If all that were for nothing.'

It was a shocking revelation even for him; that someone like Uzumaki Naruto, who was born and raised in Konoha, never truly loved Konoha. Suddenly, it made so much sense…

Apparently, the boy had somehow found out about his identity and status, which had led to the growing distance and distrust of Hiruzen. It didn't worry him much; after all, the boy had kept it to himself so at least the boy knew the importance of secrecy.

What angered Danzo was the fact that the boy had never held genuine love for Konoha as his village, and his loyalty to Konoha was second-hand. The Uzumaki was loyal to Konoha simply because his Uchiha friends were loyal, and his parents had died for her. He was loyal to the Uchiha, the Tower, his parents' memory, but not Konoha, herself.

What an abhorrent example of heresy from someone who dared to wear Konoha's symbol upon their person, swearing unbreakable oath as her shinobi. Not to mention, as their jinchuuriki; the greatest, if not most destructive, weapon at their disposal.

And, as if his second-rate loyalty was not bad enough, Danzo saw an alarming shift of loyalty in Uchiha Itachi and Shisui. They were still loyal to Konoha but Danzo feared their loyalty to the jinchuuriki was going to outweigh it.

That child would either be Konoha's greatest asset or their downfall, and that was why Danzo hated Uzumaki Naruto. He despised uncontrollable factors and, more than anything, he loathed shinobi who placed the memory of dead parents and friends above his village.

---

16th Legacy: Crossroads

"Maa… you guys are still kids in the end, afraid to upset your elders.
However… deep down you also know if you don't change them, one day you would be out of choice."
Tokugawa Ieyasu

It was Ieyasu's private office, a moderately sized room, unbefitting of someone of his rank. Then again, Ieyasu was the type that valued practicality above all else, Naruto noted as Ieyasu carefully placed his hand on the wall next to his desk. A design flashed, and Naruto recognized it as a very complex security seal with a positively ancient, identifying chakra scanner. It was initially a small seal the size of an adult hand that, as it was unsealed, expanded to the point that it filled the wall. Ieyasu was unsealing the seal before he withdrew his hand, and the seal shrunk back to the original size before disappeared.

"On second thought, perhaps you're not ready," Ieyasu mused aloud with a long-suffering sigh before taking a seat in front of him.

Once they were all patched up, Ieyasu requested a private meeting between Naruto and himself. Not even his bodyguards were with him. Naruto was partially nervous and partially excited by what Ieyasu wanted to talk about only to be disappointed the the one line Ieyasu chose to begin and end the conversation with.

An image of Ieyasu dangling a priceless scroll in front of his nose with a fishing pole appeared in his mind and Naruto couldn't stop himself from yelling, "Don't get me worked up for nothing Ieyasu-sama! I-"

"Call me Ji-sama," he said in sage tone. "After all, your grandfather was like a father to me."

Now he was screwing with Naruto's head and on top of that, bringing the family issue to the table. "Don't change the topic, Oji-sama." Naruto let the title roll off of his tongue— largely because he suspected if he didn't relent, Ieyasu would insist and they would get nowhere. "You said—" Naruto covered his own mouth in shock at what he had just said himself.

Ieyasu said? No… he didn't say anything! He—

"That chakra chain of yours… the Uzumaki's signature Kongō Fūsa, right?" Naruto nodded numbly. "May I see it?"

Naruto exhaled softly, pushing his confusion to the back of his mind. Kongō Fūsa was… fuinjutsu that could only be used by the Uzumaki Clan with their unique chakra, making the technique a borderline bloodline limit. The reason no one but Uzumaki could do this was due to their impressive chakra density and its purity of yang nature. The reason the technique was often mistaken by outsiders as their bloodline limit was simply because, unlike other secret clan techniques, it was passed down through a blood seal that was automatically coded to all Uzumaki clansmen from birth. In fact, it was believed their affinity for sealing was also passed down in the same manner.

Naruto could feel it in his being, the seal instructing him on how to mould the chain. Imagining the chakra flowing from his abdomen to his desired body parts— at first, it was easiest to let the chakra sprout from his back, closest to his chakra core. However, now it was more convenient to direct it to his palm, the body part with the most frequently-used tenketsu. Then, as the chakra flowed to his palm, he imagined the sensation of grasping something solid followed by the image of chains rattling and intertwining in his mind.

CLINK!

Then, in his hand, a golden chain made of chakra glowed softly, the comma-like tip swaying like a pendulum.

"It seems… because your father is a Namikaze, the purity of your Uzumaki chakra is as high as pure-blooded Uzumaki." Then, much to Naruto's confusion, his eyes narrowed at the comma-shaped blade on the end of the chain. "That shape… I see, just like Mayumi and Minato, you don't have that but still…"

Naruto stopped himself from asking 'what's that' and stayed very still under Ieyasu's ministration.

"Have you ever been in great mental distress involving someone close to you?" Ieyasu asked suddenly.

That was an unexpected query, coming from someone like him. "Too often to my liking," Naruto admitted in sombre tone. "I am a shinobi and a jinchuuriki, after all, and my closest friends are Uchiha." He added with a sigh.

In short, his friendship with Itachi and Shisui was like a recipe for disaster. Not that he would give it up for anything in the world.

"And… you never felt some sort of burn in your eyes in that situation?"

"Burn?" Naruto echoed.

"Chakra influx you can't control around said area," Ieyasu elaborated.

"Not that I know of…" Naruto tried to recall harder. "No, I don't think so…"

Ieyasu hm-ed, cupping his chin in thoughtful pose. "So… Kagebunshin." Naruto perked up. "Am I correct to assume you are using this jutsu constantly?"

He nodded hesitantly. "Yes? It's my favourite jutsu…" More like most abused technique ever.

"How often you used it?"

"Eh…" Naruto averted his eyes, as if he were a child caught stealing cookies. His fumbling answered better than he could have with words.

He frowned at the jinchuuriki. "Tatara told me that your proficiency with this technique is abnormal even by Uzumaki standards." Naruto winced inwardly. "Your control is so fine you can coordinate with over ten clones in a taijutsu battle, as if they're extensions of your limbs." He sighed. "How many clones can you make and control effectively?"

Now he was confused; why was Ieyasu so interested in his Kagebunshin? "For daily use such as studying… designing seals…" He trailed off. "I use around ten at a time and, in that number, I can get them to do complicated tasks to the best of my own ability. At around twenty, I can do the same but it's extremely taxing on my mind and body. If it's just for simple tasks such as fighting on my command, I have no problem making as many as I need until my reserves run out."

"How bad is the mental exhaustion to you?"

"Eh… at first it was a really bad headache when their memories flow to my head but now, I barely feel anything. Twenty will give me a bad migraine still… When it comes to battle, they often don't last long so I don't really notice a thing." In fact, if not for the constant use of Kagebunshin for his study, he wouldn't notice memory transfer quirk of this technique.

Ieyasu became very quiet and it unnerved Naruto. At last he spoke again. "You do know that normal shinobi would have severe, self-inflicted brain damage if they did what you do, don't you?"

Naruto blinked owlishly, tapping his temple. "I guess it's thanks to my tenant? Our combined healing ability perhaps prevents the worse of it? I also use seals to delay the immediate memory transfer..." But his abuse was still pretty dangerous even with the seal, most people would have suffered from a stroke or other kind of brain damage.

"I don't remember ever fixing your brain, though that explains a lot of things…" Kurama grumbled in his mind, Naruto could imagine Kurama rubbing his muzzle when he was talking. "Wait a minute… yep, aside from idiocy I think the lump of flesh called brain in your head is pretty healthy." He snickered. "The self-preservation function is not really functioning though! And no amount of healing chakra can heal it but I am sure an Uzumaki can live with it!"

'I am so touched you care, Kurama.' Naruto returned in deadpan tone. "I am pretty sure my brain is not damaged." Kurama didn't think so at least.

"I can see that," Ieyasu snorted. "You're as healthy as any Uzumaki, as expected of a descendant from the clan of longevity and vitality."

Naruto swallowed and asked a nagging question he couldn't endure any longer. "Is that why you took Benitora's mother as your consort?"

Much to his surprise Ieyasu didn't look offended and answered. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't interested in that, it's a trait desired by anyone in power… I desire strong children. Especially since I used to be a sickly child…"

He… he was not lying— that was a surprise.

"However… Tsubone, I mean Masako, was not just a woman with desirable clan traits. She was also a great woman, gentle and virtuous…"

So there was a genuine affection involved with his marriage to the woman of his clan. "So… you loved her." The sadness that passed over his dark eyes for a moment was enough for Naruto to tell. "Benitora." Who claimed the name as his Uzumaki name. "He seems to think otherwise."

He grunted. "I don't have to explain myself to immature brat I called my son."

"Just so you know, ji-sama, Benitora would be easier to manage," As in, keeping the boy out of trouble. "If he gets to know you better instead of you waiting for him to understand."

He snorted. "Enough about my family, this is about you, Naruto." The jinchuuriki tensed. "So. Have you hearing voices in your head."

"I am not crazy either," Naruto huffed, Kurama didn't count though… but just now— "But… I heard your voice in my mind." Naruto ran his fingers through his blond mane. "Is that some sort of telepathy ninjutsu of the Yamanaka?"

Ieyasu looked amused. "Of course not, the Yamanaka wouldn't part with their prized jutsu even under orders from their king." He exhaled softly. "Ah, well… so Kongō Fūsa, the brain, and most likely Satori, too?"

"Satori?" Naruto echoed, confused.

"When Tatara first spoke to you, your eyes searched through his body language— not an unusual habit for a shinobi— but you seemed to sense something normal shinobi couldn't."

Naruto blinked, now he was even more confused. "I did but… it's just ill intent, the perk of being the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi."

He frowned. "Ill intention? Not killing intent?"

He shrugged. "Intent is very broad… any shinobi worth their salt could feel killing intent, even civilians can, too… In my case, I can tell if someone has ill intentions, negative ones like… sadness, anger, fear… but not hearing voices on my head." He stressed the last part.

"Not yet."

Naruto frowned. "I hope that's not your way of telling me that I am on my way to insanity."

Ieyasu smirked. "It's not… however, if you start hearing voices, stay calm and rest assured that you're not crazy." The blond blinked owlishly. "Then go to Hakurei to inform him of the happy occasion, and congratulate yourself for awakening your Namikaze kekkei genkai." He said in a false cheer that didn't suit him at all.

"…Kekkei Genkai?!" Naruto sputtered after he processed his father's surname in conjunction. "The Namikaze clan has… a bloodline limit? That's… impossible." He tried to argue calmly but failed miserably. "I mean, if the Yondaime Hokage had a bloodline limit—"

Everyone in Konoha would have known.

"I am sure your father didn't have it," he said as if he had checked it himself— and most likely did. "Perhaps the Kekkei Genkai always skips one generation or there is a special condition to trigger the awakening… but you're undoubtedly showing signs of early stage Satori."

Naruto sputtered. "Wait a minute! If hearing voices is called Satori, is it some sort of fancy term for crazy? I don't know much about my grandfather but I am sure I have heard his name in line with variations of…" Naruto stopped before hesitantly and shamefully added. "Weird."

Of course, people of the Tower talking about Muramasa was rare, and most of the time Naruto overheard Muramasa being described as kind and eccentric.

Ieyasu rolled his eyes, "This is why I checked whether you had it so when inevitably you awaken it completely, you're not going straight to a Yamanaka or psychiatrist."

That was not assuring. "But—"

"Enough about you, let's talk business now." He interjected, walking towards his desk and pulling a blank scroll from his drawer.

'He brought it up, confused the hell out of me, and now he wants to talk business?!' Naruto clamped his mouth shut though, because as curious as he was with this Satori thing, his priority was an alliance with the Tokugawa clan, the royal family of Hi no Kuni. He couldn't mess this up. For the Tower, the Uchiha clan, and Konoha. He would do anything for—

His thoughts were interrupted when Ieyasu almost shoved an ink stone, a scroll and a brush on a tray in his face. He blinked owlishly at the stationary set, wondering why Ieyasu handed it over to him. Unrolling the scroll, as expected, the paper was still blank. "Eeh… there is nothing written yet."

"Yes, because you have not written anything," he said in tone that suggested Naruto was an idiot.

Naruto sputtered something about rules and laws about making someone else to do his paperwork. The following argument was the fiercest he had ever experienced and Naruto lost count of how many times he contemplated throwing Ieyasu's— very heavy and expensive— kaya-wood desk at him for the whole day. The tyrant was so smug— it was sickening!

---

On the second day for some reason he had procured a standard handbook for the Konoha Military Police Force from somewhere. Itachi and Shisui were torn between indignation and shock, someone— shadow ruler of the country or not— had gotten their hands on said handbook which was not for the viewing pleasure of the general public.

"So, now that we have settled the general matters—"

'So my engagement to his daughter is a general matter?' Naruto began to feel rather sorry for his fiancée and Benitora, and on that same note, he was sure he had not yet met the girl because Ieyasu wanted to mess with his mind. After all, Ieyasu was the one who decided on the political marriage, and he still got the standard talk of father-to-his-daughter's-future-spouse including the obligatory death threat.

"—, let us move on KMPF and Sealing Division. We can talk about your clans tomorrow, alright?"

Wait a minute—?! Since when was the KMPF included in this and why?! Judging from the twitches on their faces, Itachi and Shisui were on the same page with him.

"So first, what's with this recruitment regulation of yours, Uchiha? It's dumb and selling the image of nepotism instead of elite group," Ieyasu droned on as if there was nothing wrong calling a prominent clan dumb in front of their heir. "Well, Itachi-kun?"

Itachi didn't answer right away, people who didn't know him well would think the Uchiha heir felt offended but Naruto and Shisui knew better. Itachi had no idea how to respond to such a blunt critic to his clan's policy, and admitting Ieyasu was right was self-defeating.

Ieyasu nodded sagely; Itachi's non-answer was somehow taken as an answer. "That's what I thought… So let's change it."

Naruto, who had dragged them all into this, felt obligated to interrupt. "Stop! Ji-sama, we have no authority to approve any changes in the regulations of the KMPF."

"Which is why it's your job to get them to agree with the change," he said pointedly, looking nonplussed.

"Eh?!"

Ieyasu pointed at Itachi. "You're the heir of Uchiha clan." Then his finger moved to point at Shisui next, "You're the son of Nidaime's most trusted Uchiha, Kagami." Then, at last, his finger pointed at Naruto. "You're the heir of the Uzumaki clan, and the leader of Sealing Division… your group is their partner on duty as Konoha's inner defence."

"..."

"..."

"...How is that going to justify changing regulations that are supposed to be none of our business?" Naruto wondered out loud. Itachi and Shisui weren't even enlisted in the KMPF for Shodai's sake!

"It should be your business if you want to create meaningful chance." They tensed. "And you three aren't morons, even if I didn't point this out, you know but you hesitate…"

"We…"

"Afraid to upset your family, I suppose?"

That sounded like a pathetic excuse, but Naruto knew that it summarised the dozens of reasons they could think of on the top of their head.

Ieyasu shook his head mirthfully, "Maa… you guys are still kids in the end, afraid to upset your elders. However, deep down, you also know that if you don't change them, one day you will be out of choices and then…"

Then… Naruto felt dread of premonition of things to come if they let everything be, he didn't even want to think what they had to do if they were out of choice… in his mind a memory flashed. Of his father's calloused hand deftly holding a brush, endlessly writing seals on his tri-pronged kunai. Then followed by memory of passing said kunai to their comrades and then…

In a flash—

Blood—

Mountain of dead bodies—

The smell of death—

All to end the war.

"One year."

Naruto's attention snapped back to reality at Ieyasu's voice. "One…" He echoed hesitantly. "Year?"

"Considering current situation you face, that's your deadline," the shadow ruler of Hi no Kuni declared. "If you change nothing, if you failed… you three will be forced to choose between your village and your clan."

Choosing between their family and the village was one thing they didn't even want to dream would ever happen to them but deep down, they knew it would come to that soon.

"That is one cruel dilemma I don't even want to wish upon my worst enemy." His tone was light-hearted, almost mocking, but there was no mirth. "Despite that, you three have to know one thing: no matter what cost, Konoha shall not fall, even if…"

Even if you had to sacrifice everything else…

"Are you guys are still up to this?" He asked, expecting nothing but one answer.

Three pairs of determined eyes looked up at him. "Yes… We shall not fail." That was a promise and they weren't going to back down from it.

---

On the way to Konoha (From Na no Kuni)

If Naruto had thought the prince of Hi No Kuni was exaggerating about Ieyasu's penchant for pulling people's legs before, those doubts were now gone and he was a firm believer that the tanuki should get a dose of ironic karma. He didn't hate Ieyasu, and nope… it was not love-hate familial relationship either. Much to Benitora's horror, Naruto openly admit he was getting fond of Ieyasu. He was like… that crazy uncle everyone loved once they see that he was all soft underneath of that stony and cold exterior.

That admission earned him raised eyebrows from Ieyasu, amusement from Totsuka and Mahiro was murderous.

Naruto was used to calling the Hokage "old man" to his face, so what if he called Ieyasu— who was an uncle by marriage— as such? As it was, by silent agreement, both Naruto and Ieyasu were determined to milk this new alliance for all its worth. But before that…

"We're going to be so dead," Shisui announced the obvious, the walk from Na no Kuni, after escorting Wakaba-dono back, to Konoha was full of this kind of conversation much to their exasperation. "Both of us, Ita-chan… the clan elders are going to kill us!" He shouted at Naruto and Itachi who were tree-hopping beside him, as if they couldn't hear him at his normal volume.

Sai and Shin were a few feet behind them and opted to stay really quiet— or in Shin's case, stuffing his mouth with fresh fruit he'd filched from the greenhouses they had left behind.

Itachi and Naruto gave him an identical sideways look. "What makes you think that Hakurei is just going to bow down to every demand I make?"

"He won't?"

"Ha ha ha." Naruto let out mirthless laugh. "Hell, no! I am his master but he is still the official leader of Sealing Tower, he has all the rights to call me out on my stupidity." He eyed the two scrolls strapped on his waist. "Apparently, Ieyasu-sama never got the memo that we're running a clan not a monarchy!"

"What am I going to say to my father?" Itachi wondered out loud, in a rare moment of total confusion and helplessness. "I mean— all proposed, this contract could solve our problem—" He coughed, cutting off his sentence. "It's hard to proceed with it in our clan."

"Ya know… at the time like this, I always think it would be much simpler if we can just kill Danzo and Uchiha elders." Shisui cackled to himself. "Well, I don't want to kill anyone if I can help it… maybe Danzo..."

Naruto and Itachi waved their hands in negative. "Don't even go there." They told him in unison.

While Danzo was someone who gave them trouble all the time— and if the problem was not directly from him, Naruto was sure he could somehow find some way to lead it back to Danzo and Madara, regardless. All of them were pacifists, not because they were naive but because they knew… the moment they resorted to getting rid of their opposition as their first choice, it would just go down from there. It would bring about a temporary peace like what happened after Shinobi World Wars… because there weren't enough shinobi left alive to fight. That was not peace, merely a ceasefire dressed in pretty words. Meaningless black on white no village including Konoha would follow at first sign of weakness.

His father, Namikaze Minato, had gone down that path. From what Naruto had seen in the memory, his father never wanted to be such a phenomenal mass killer. The Yondaime simply had no choice, the war had started and the choice was down to kill or be killed. The reason he invented a technique meant to kill an army? That was because that was how a war always ended, forcing your enemy to submission after their forces were depleted.

He had seen it through his mother's eyes, the weary glint in those cerulean blues they inherited from Muramasa. The slight slump on his shoulders as if he was carrying the weight of the world. He had also seen his father break down in front of his mother, clinging to her as if she were his lifeline. He had felt the grief, regret and defeat because of that choice…

Naruto looked at his friends, Shisui was still whining at Itachi about their ordeal. 'I don't want to feel that… but I don't want Itachi and Shisui to feel them even more.' He had killed those ROOT children in self-defence and the obligation to free them from their misery. He didn't let it get to him— he had done everything he could considering the circumstances— but it didn't stop him from wondering… when he was alone in his own mind he wondered, perhaps if he had tried harder he could have saved them, too.

"Ne, Naruto."

His attention snapped back to reality. "Did you say something, Shisui?"

Shisui's left eye twitched. "Are you pulling a Hatake on me?!"

"Shisui, Naruto has never met Kakashi-san…" Itachi sighed, clearing his throat before covering his mouth to muffle his cough. "Never mind, Naruto, if you didn't get the reference."

Naruto shrugged, he was not interested in whatever reference related to his father's student. "If you say so."

Shisui frowned, "You're not interested in Hatake Kakashi? He is your father's lasts student, ne?"

Itachi hissed. "Shisui!" They had applied a privacy seal so, outside of a certain range their conversation couldn't be heard, but Naruto's pedigree was still a sensitive issue. Not to mention he didn't like to talk about anything that could hurt Naruto's feelings. By rights, Hatake Kakashi was the Yondaime's protégé and surrogate son, and yet… Naruto was all alone. Maybe he was ordered to keep his distance but Itachi didn't even hear a peep on Kakashi trying to know anything about Naruto yet so far. Heck, he and Shisui had seen Genma and the rest of Yondaime's guards in tower to learn Fuuinjutsu. While the guards didn't specifically looking for Naruto he was pretty sure their eyes were quick to catch glimpse of Naruto whenever the blond was passing by.

Hatake Kakashi didn't even take that chance to check on his sensei's son.

"Interest in my father's student?" Naruto echoed.

"I mean…" the shunshin expert flailed.

The blond shrugged again indifferently. "Nah… I don't think either of us are interested in each other's whereabouts. He has his own life and I have mine."

"You're not angry?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, ignoring pained expression on Shisui's face as Itachi elbowed his cousin. "Nah… like Itachi said, I've never even met the guy. And frankly, it's hard to feel anything about someone you don't even know personally." What Hatake was to his father aside, their current relation was that of fellow Konoha shinobi. And… he was, perhaps, Itachi's future captain in ANBU on the next transfer. So his best friend's future captain…

"What do you expect anyway?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow at Shisui who sputtered. "Nevermind, we have bigger concerns here, don't you think? Like our worst enemy. We all know what~"

Itachi sighed. "In the end, our biggest enemy to bring changes is not the clan, or the Tower but—"

Naruto snorted. "How ironic, that we ultimately have the same problem on both ends."

Goddamned clan pride.

"At any rate, we can't afford to fail," Naruto drawled on. "One year sounds long but not long enough to topple a century old tradition."

Shisui sighed. "Aaah… why oh why is it never easy for us?" He wondered out loud. "And our sponsor is someone like that to boot."

"He taunted us until the end," Itachi added his own two cents. "He is very resourceful though… It's a relief that he is on our side, but that research document he promised…" Itachi trailed off rubbing his throat.

"Itachi?"

"Hn?" *cough*

Naruto and Shisui were looking at him with worry now. "Um… it's been weeks but you are coughing a lot lately," Shisui pointed out.

"And you get tired quicker than usual… and your appetite…" Naruto trailed off unsurely. "You should get a checkup soon."

Itachi shook his head. "It's fine… my stamina has never been the best, perhaps it is because I didn't sleep well in the palace in the duration of our stay."

"If you say so…"

"More importantly… about the document Ieyasu-sama promised."

Naruto frowned. "Well… as for the Nidaime's research notes that he kept with him..." The damned document he stored inside the seal and was reconsidering giving up on. "He promised he will give it to us in six months but why is he even bothering to wait that long?"

Itachi nodded, swallowing nervously. "It's just… while the Nidaime was a genius jutsu inventor, I doubt a shinobi technique interests someone like Ieyasu-dono enough to keep with him." It unnerved Naruto just how must the Nidaime's document worried Itachi. "It always bothered me why someone as fair and just like the Nidaime was so worried about our clan, Madara's betrayal aside… His past actions suggested he wa not someone who blamed the whole clan over one person."

"Yeah… he trusted my dad." And Kagami was part of his guard to boot so he trusted an Uchiha to guard his back.

"Which is why… I have come to one conclusion, perhaps his cautious way of dealing with the Uchiha clan… placing the clan in charge of civilians…" Itachi trailed off. "Perhaps it had nothing to do with Madara's betrayal? But something more… based on discernible evidence and acted upon after much thought," Itachi finished. "And I have a feeling that answer is inside that document Ieyasu-dono keeps… and perhaps..." Itachi never finished that line of thought.

Naruto and Shisui could almost taste the dread emitting from Itachi for they also thought the same. Senju Tobirama was second only to Senju Hashirama and followed his brother's ideals. But it was his pragmatic approach that mediated and forced a more realistic alternative in order to achieve those idealistic goals. He was not someone who acted on the basis of unfounded suspicion and paranoia. Whatever forced someone like Senju Tobirama to treat the Uchiha Clan the way he did… The reason was most likely justified. At least from the Nidaime's point of view.

And whatever justified Nidaime's actions, it couldn't be good.

---

Konoha (Hokage's Office)

"Ah… you have returned, Naruto-kun, Itachi-kun, Shisui-kun…"

While their outward expression was controlled to form only slight surprise at the sight of the Hokage and his three advisors in the office, Naruto was inwardly narrowing his eyes and frowning. Danzo…. he was here, this man was never present to greet his team after a mission, so why now?

Perhaps the war hawk felt threatened by their recent actions? As if… While two Uchiha following a jinchuuriki around would raise concern, his friends were explicitly loyal to Konoha. In fact, Danzo had agreed with the Sandaime's decision accept Itachi and Shisui's admittance to ANBU force.

"We have." Naruto smiled wide and bright at Sandaime. "We've returned from Na no Kuni, the detailed report on our secret mission is inside," he said as a thin file appeared on his hand after a faint puff of smoke. "Hokage-sama." It looked like a sleight of hand at first glance but at the same time displayed his skill in using simple storage seals.

Danzo eyed him with faked disinterest, but Naruto could sense a momentary 'beat' in his calm chakra at Naruto's little show. "Hm… this is a vast improvement from the wayward child you let loose to terrorize our village with his pranks and embarrassed our ANBU to chase him all over Konoha, Hiruzen."

It took all of his self-control not to retort with something witty while ignoring Kurama's suggestion from the depths of his mind. He let his cheeks reddening slightly as a sheepish and embarrassed smile curved his lips. Give your best natural reaction when reminded of your almost forgotten and embarrassing childhood as a prankster, he told himself.

His grin stretched wider. "Ah... I used to be a petulant child." He let sheepish laughter escape his lips. "But since I am now a shinobi, of course I have to take my duties seriously."

Judging from impassive look he got, Danzo was not impressed by his standard reply.

"Well… Chuunin Uzumaki has performed well in his duties so far," Utatane Koharu drawled on. "At least, until the latest mission he took upon himself."

They were seriously admonishing him for disobedience now?!

"It's unfortunate that my clan business made me unavailable for a week, so is there something you need from me, Koharu-sama?" Naruto tilted his head to the side as he said it, still polite but not apologetic at all.

The sole female elder was definitely unprepared for a query instead of an apology. If an older shinobi had replied with the same line, it would have be rude but Naruto was only nine this year and it sounded more like a sincere query. Then again, Naruto had been selling his image as a young and inexperienced shinobi with a fierce eagerness to please his leaders.

"No, but..." She cleared her throat awkwardly. "Regardless of your Chuunin status, it doesn't mean you can just run off for clan business on such short notice."

Short notice? Naruto was pretty sure he had notified them of this mission long enough to not be considered as on short notice.

"There is also your recklessness in going after three jounin level missing-nin on your own," Homura added in exasperated tone. "Youngsters nowadays… such impulsiveness is unbecoming of a shinobi."

He was expecting this kind of admonishment coming sooner or later but it was still annoying to hear them. Shisui, who was standing beside him, looked very tempted to say something in his defence though the shunshin expert thankfully kept his mouth shut.

"To be fair, Homura-sama, I didn't go into the battle without forethought. It's hardly considered impulsive if I decide to go after an opponent with time to plan." He placed his hand above his heart. "After all, the sealing arts are most formidable when one is given enough time to prepared." They had been on this case before, why were they mentioning this again?

Were they looking for a way to curb his activities somehow?

At last, the Sandaime, who had been very quiet, spoke. His silence had made Naruto more nervous than the elders' litany of complaints. "What's done is done… whatever we say is not going to change Naruto-kun's mind." The Uzumaki blinked in confusion. "However, the least you could do is bring your team with you next time but, of course… I'd prefer no next time."

Naruto blinked at that. "Teammates?" He had no team— while there was a small pool of comrades consisting of the Uchiha cousins and Shiomitsu plus the Sanseki siblings— they weren't his official teammates. "You mean—?!"

Sandaime glanced at Itachi and Shisui then back to Naruto. "Starting from today, the three of you are officially a team."

Itachi and Shisui glanced at each other for a moment then at Naruto who returned it. 'An official team, now?'

'Like we need to be official'

'Obviously there is a catch.'

'Of course there is.'

They were openly sharing a 'speaking look' but they didn't really care that Sandaime and his advisors were watching.

"However—"

'Called it.'

Sandaime cleared his throat and the team straightened. "The official assignment as a team aside. I would like to confirm whether my shinobi is still belong to Konoha."

Naruto blinked at that. 'Oh, Hokage-sama is wondering whether I am going to follow Asuma-san's footsteps.' So that was why he was using the carrot and stick now? "We're not joining the Twelve Guardians, Hokage-sama…"

"And why is that?" It was Danzo who asked now.

Naruto was ticked, it would be fine if Sandaime was the one who asked but when this cripple did it… it sounded like he was questioning their loyalty. After the 'incident' with the ROOT trainee Danzo had set upon him, Naruto loathed how this man tested him. Who was Danzo to question him? This was the man who claimed to cross moral horizons and beyond for the good of Konoha while forsaking the main teachings of the Shodaime and Nidaime in the same breath.

He was very tempted to clamp his mouth shut but that would destroy his image as young shinobi who was eager to please for acknowledgment. One shred of his old self he kept so he wouldn't be seen as a flight risk.

"Why would I want to serve royal family? Konoha is my home… my family." That was not a lie, it was his honest answer. Naruto mentally kicked himself for using Konoha's 'Will of Fire' as stock answer for this question.

Sandaime looked at him in the eye and Naruto suppressed his urge to bolt out of the room. "Then why…" He fished out a scroll with the Daimyo's seal on it from his drawer, slamming it on his desk. "Why did I receive a notice that one of my shinobi is engaged to our Daimyo's niece and was requested to be given time off for one week every month for his education as future in-laws of royal family?!"

There was no killing intent whatsoever but the anger and disappointment the Hokage emitted was enough to made Naruto felt like he had committed a grave crime. 'Damn you, Ieyasu-ji! Why didn't you warn me first?!' Knowing the shadow ruler, it was most likely this was one of his lessons. It was also most likely Ieyasu's way to warn Naruto that, from now on, this would be a routine: disappointing the Sandaime and doing things the old kage disapproved of.

It was not much a stretch he would be on the Hokage's opposing side for Konoha.

Hahaha… who was he to criticize Danzo if he was becoming another Danzo to Hokage? The only comfort was that he wouldn't go as far as kidnapping unwilling children and discarding his morals.

Naruto almost stumbled when he felt two warm hands on both shoulder, he glanced back and saw his friends nodding at him. They were here with him, he was not alone.

He took a deep breath and answered in firm voice. "Our Daimyo's niece is an Uzumaki by blood," he informed them, and the elders looked shocked by the revelation.

They didn't know?

"Her father took a liking of me and offered… Considering the current condition of my clan, I decided it is a good match," he explained, simple and logical. And the other benefits attached to this arrangement were a plus but he wouldn't say that though. "So why not?" He added almost innocently.

"You're too young."

He shrugged, "We're not getting married now, Hokage-sama…" The engagement was already official on paper though, fortunately without the pomp and party. Although… the most incredulous part he hadn't even met with his fiancée yet.

Knowing Ieyasu-jii, that tanuki most likely just wanted to troll him later.

"Naruto…" Hokage-sama called him in his grandfather voice, and he mentally winced. "There is no point arguing about this, I suppose?"

For a moment he debated what kind of response would be appropriate, grin like a loon, shrug like he didn't give a damn or… He shed his 'happy' mask for a moment, letting a weak smile on his lips. "It's something I must decide for myself and my clan."

Ieyasu might be the one who suggested the 'union' but Naruto had decided to accept the proposal on his own discretion.

"Clan?" Danzo's indignant voice snapped his attention towards the war hawk. "There are no Uzumaki clansman for you to lead in Konoha, boy."

"Danzo!" Sandaime admonished.

His eyes hardened. Danzo's words felt like a slap across his face. Had it been said before his trip to the capital, he would have throttle the one eyed cripple, something… anything painful for needlessly reminding him of his clan's scattered status.

He beamed at Danzo and, with sadistic pleasure, he took note of the subtle cringe on that wrinkled face. Obviously, Danzo was not used to being smiled at by a nine-year-old boy, especially if the said boy bore a close resemblance to his Hokage father.

"We're planning to remedy that soon," he informed them. "I have been planning to gather my clansmen who are scattered all over the Elemental Countries."

It dawned on the Sandaime in that moment; what Naruto wanted the most from his alliance with royal family; why his surrogate grandson was almost desperate for more political power: he wanted his clan back. He wanted… a family. It made so much sense of his recent actions.

"Child," Danzo began, displeasure coming from him in waves. "Who do you think you are?! Uzushiogakure may be our eternal ally, and your clansmen relatives of the Senju… but don't forget that the Uzu refugees had scattered all over the Elemental Countries and some are even in service of other shinobi villages! Inviting them into Konoha for your selfish desires would cost us much!"

"Danzo!" Sandaime warned him and the war hawk tensed from the killing intent pouring out of the Hokage. "Don't say such thing in front of these young shinobi, especially Naruto-kun."

The relationship between the Tower and the Uchiha with the village was fragile and distant. Danzo's warning was sound, but he forgot that he was talking to two young heirs of two prominent clans to Konoha. He knew Itachi and Naruto were loyal, but testing that loyalty would do more harm than good. Not to mention, for orphaned Naruto who used to be village pariah, Danzo was openly denying the boy a chance to have family related to him directly by blood.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Excuse me," a deep voice said, not waiting for permission to come in. Sandaime already knew whom it was; typical of this man to barge in as he pleases. "I believe I can find our young master here."

Naruto craned his neck towards the door. "Hakurei…"

The long haired seal master inclined his head towards the Uzumaki before taking his place to stand beside Naruto. "I have received the same notice from Ieyasu-dono just yesterday and I can't believe you welcome Naruto-kun by harassing him."

"Watch your mouth, Hakurei!" Koharu hissed, she never could get along with him. Their mentor and Kagami were fond of Hakurei and his twin, but Koharu had never liked the man who never truly swore his allegiance to Konoha.

Hakurei rolled his eyes, not bother to hide it to annoy them. "Look who's talking… I believe that, Konoha elder councilman or not, you guys still have to stick with proper manners when talking to the heir of Uzumaki Clan," he drawled on, and to piss them off even more he stuck his pinkie into his ear. "Aargh, your screech hurts my ears, Koharu. How the heck does your husband stand you, I wonder?"

"YOU! How dare you!"

"Koharu!" Homura held his female former teammate back. "You know him! He is just riling you up!"

Hakurei blew his finger, rolling his eyes again. "As usual, Homura… you're good at restraining her: must be a product of experimenting during your misspent youth~"

"HAKUREI! You will be sorry!"

"I am already sorry for myself for walking in on you years ago, poor me and my twin," he moaned, shaking his head.

Naruto, Itachi, and Shisui had wisely jumped all the way to the other side of the room, staring wide-eyed at the chaos occurring opposite them. Hakurei stood, unbothered by the chaos he had caused, yawning widely and earning himself another banshee-like shriek from Utatane Koharu. Danzo and Sandaime were restraining their fellow elders, Danzo showing that he was stronger than Homura by keeping the man's hands apart so he could not form hand seals. As for the Sandaime, they were in awe when the Hokage didn't even cringe at the threats Koharu hollered at him if he didn't let her go to kill Hakurei.

Chaos. That summarized the situation nicely.

"Naruto-kun, Itachi-kun, Shisui-kun!" Sandaime called them out in midst of chaos, "You're dismissed! Submit your paperwork in three days and don't be late! I will speak with you again then!"

Paperwork? Oh… they almost forgot they were officially a team now.

"Katon!"

"Danzo! Stop Koharu!"

"Yes, Danzo… can't you even restrain one old granny?"

"Hakurei! Stop trying to get people to kill you!"

Wisely, the newly formed and almost official Uzumaki-Uchiha-Uchiha team fled from the scene through the door, and they didn't stop running until they got to the one place where they felt safe.

---

Meanwhile, at the Shinobi Academy…

Naruto-sama had been hounding them for months on promoting their new open class for sealing fundamentals— which actually just was not done yet on their end because it was hard to relate to the material Naruto-sama had compiled on the Academy's curriculum. Uzumaki, like Naruto-sama, especially one with the perk of abusing Kage Bunshin, couldn't comprehend that normal children couldn't complete the foundation stage in one year like he did.

Yuzuriha and Tokusa themselves, while not as bad, still had to wrap their minds around how little academy teachers taught their students about mathematics— which was mostly not useful because no shinobi calculated kunai trajectory while on the field— and the equally low focus on calligraphy and kanji. Academy students wrote with pencils most of the time, so when the handy pencil was replaced with a brush, most of them couldn't write anything readable. Clan children weren't as bad at the calligraphy skill as far as they knew, but that was only for the Hyuuga and Uchiha.

Other prominent clans didn't care to go beyond legible.

These were results of observation from looking at the latest exhibition of their calligraphy class on the hallways of Academy. Said class was on their third year, and the main target for recruitment. Not too young and not too old, the basic math and calligraphy already covered in academy were another plus. It filled Yuzuriha and Tokusa with despair that apparently, their expectations were too high.

Then again, the youngest seal master was Naruto-sama and he was not the most reliable measuring stick.

"Aneki."

"Nani?"

"According to the academy curriculum handbook," Tokusa brandished said book, tapping a specific paragraph. "They only have a calligraphy workshop once; it's like art and craft class."

Yuzuriha kissed her hopes to find a prospective disciple, goodbye. "Is that so?"

"Maybe we should open a calligraphy and math class first?" Tokusa wondered out loud.

The sandy haired kunoichi scowled. "We're not a civilian cram school!"

Tokusa laughed sheepishly. "It's just a suggestion… but still…" He craned his neck at calligraphy paper with an almost illegible 'Inuzuka' on the corner, and it seemed the canine partner also participated.

火の意志 was the line they had to write. Hi no Ishi was a standard practice because, as future Konoha shinobi, the children would have been told about it thousands of times until it was ingrained into their minds.

"I can't read this Inuzuka kid's work…" Tokusa deadpan. "Not to mention halfway, he was out of space and forced the last character to squeeze in the end at a much smaller size."

Yuzuriha winced when she spotted several papers with same problem. "Gah… another problem we almost overlooked."

Fuinjutsu, as an obscure art, was widely regarded as a field of study not any shinobi could learn. The effort and time consumed by research and experimentation was the biggest obstacle as most shinobi didn't want to expend them. Age was another, most shinobi chose to specialize in something after they reached chuunin rank and, by that time, fuinjutsu was not an art you could easily learn from scratch.

Another reason was… sometimes, you simply couldn't practice the obscure art due to motor or visual-perception difficulties. The former was a more common problem and could improve with practice but, from what they knew, shinobi with motor problems never reached the proficiency to practice fuinjutsu. The latter was even worse because, from medical research Tsunade-sama herself had done, it couldn't be fixed.

Visual perception was a cognitive skill, like language processing, verbal memory, or problem solving. Children with poor visual perceptual skills would also often have difficulty with mathematics beyond memorizing math facts. A subset of visual perception is visual memory— holding an image in the mind's eye and being able to retrieve an image when needed. It was the one fatal flaw that nailed the door to fuinjutsu closed.

They couldn't tell if these children had those problems from just these examples but they didn't expect a lot of applicants in the first place. However, if any willing children had to be rejected because of something they couldn't control… Yuzuriha didn't want to imagine the repercussions if the unlucky kids were part of prominent clan.

Tokusa was thinking the same and then pointed at a much neater-looking work on the opposite wall. The name read 'Hyuuga Hinata'. "At least the heir of Hyuuga undoubtedly doesn't need remedial lessons in calligraphy."

Yuzuriha blinked. "Aah… I think Shion-san mentioned the Hyuuga applying for a number of their Main Branch members, was this child included?" She had a biased suspicion the Hyuuga thought fuinjutsu was an 'intelligent' art befitting their station or something along those lines.

Tokusa shrugged. "Saa… but if she is, it would be a big deal."

Yuzuriha eyed the neater and precise writing Hyuuga Hinata produced. "As expected of Hyuuga Heir… she will make her clan proud, don't you think?"

Tokusa tried his best to not look at the not-so-hidden girl fidgeting behind a nearby vending machine. "Yeah, if she is interested with our class… that would be nice." Then he added in whisper, "You're seriously interested in the Hyuuga heir? The one rumoured to be scared of her own shadow? And your acting is lame, aneki. Naruto-sama would be disappointed in you for trying to con a little girl."

"I am sure the rumours are exaggerating, and I would love to help give this girl a dose of self confidence. The fact that she is the Hyuuga heir is a bonus though." Shinobi politics at its finest. Besides, she didn't lie; Hyuuga Hinata would have an easier time than her peers since she had already got calligraphy covered.

Yuzuriha smiled when she felt Hinata's chakra shift, followed by tiny and hurried footsteps. The girl was embarrassed. "Besides… I can definitely appreciate lower ratio of testosterone in our Tower." The majority of seal master in the Tower, like in any shinobi corps, was male. "So based on these examples, we have Hyuuga Hinata…" She also had Haruno Sakura listed, that adorable girl she rescued before.

Tokusa took a peek at the list his sister made. "Oi! All of them are girls! Are you implying all boys have crappy handwriting?"

"Then go find some boy candidates we don't have to start from the correct way to hold brush!" Yuzuriha said dismissively.

Tokusa groaned, but didn't voice his protest out loud. He wandered over the boys' portion, thankfully the academy teachers separate the work on gender. The Inuzuka boy was definitely out— terrible handwriting aside, he didn't see how to incorporate fuinjutsu with Inuzuka's fighting style. Then there was Akimichi's… better than Inuzuka's, more precise, but it was dirty. There was an oil stain on the paper and potato crumbs stuck and painted into the ink.

Akimichi ate all the time; definitely not a prime candidate for seal master when they had the most hygienic workshop next to medic nin. Depriving them from eating would go against the Akimichi's philosophy.

At last, he found a good one, neat and precise after a dozen of so-so and terrible work. It belonged to an Aburame but there was one concern… There were some white spots in his writing suspiciously around the size of kikaichu. Did some of his insects wander onto his work-in-progress by accident? For a moment, he pondered whether insects in workshops were a hazard or not. In the end, Tokusa wrote 'Aburame Shino' down with a note to discuss it with Shibi-dono first. The Aburame clan head had a good relationship with them after the ROOT fiasco.

Then, next to Shino's, there was another good work but with one glaring problem: the size of his work was four times smaller than his peers. Obviously, it belonged to a Nara, the son of current Jounin Commander. "Why the heck did this kid write the characters so tiny?! He should have filled the whole paper— not one-fourth of it!" It didn't look out of place because the kid centred the line, but this was still cutting corners.

This was one lazy kid and obviously, lazy and fuinjutsu didn't mix but… "Mou! I am just considering candidacy based on handwriting anyway!" He wrote down the name Nara Shikamaru quickly on his note.

Another line of so-so work that bore him to tears later, he found a perfect work; neat, precise, with no fault. By the standards of eight or nine year-olds with no practice in sealing, anyway. He blinked owlishly, somehow this writing style was familiar. As a seal master, he was taught to remember writing styles as others remembered faces.

"Oi, Aneki…"

Yuzuriha turned her attention to Tokusa. "What?" She asked in flat tone.

"Don't you think this writing style is eerily familiar? Especially the styling on the kanji… fire?" Most kids would pull a short stroke, but this one had coma like stroke from the top.

The female Shiomitsu blinked. "You're right? This is one of the best work so far, whose?"

As one, the two Shiomitsu lowered their gaze to the corner of the paper, where they saw equally neat writing of 'Uchiha Sasuke' plus the paper medal as best work. "Ah."

Itachi's little brother. No wonder the writing style was familiar. From what they heard in passing from Shisui, Itachi's little brother idolized the Uchiha prodigy. They didn't expect the worship to extend as far as imitating Itachi's handwriting, though.

"Well… Uchiha. I suppose, as long as he didn't plagiarize anyone's work, he would do." Tokusa wrote the name down. "But this is going to put the kid on the bottom of the list."

The tendency to imitate, regardless of the reason, was frowned upon in their field of work. They understood this child perhaps did this subconsciously, but it was a big minus in their book. Oh well, considering their current relations, they didn't need more connections with the fire-breathing clan.

"What's the chance of an Uchiha to be interested in fuinjutsu, anyway?" Yuzuriha wondered out loud. So far, neither Itachi nor Shisui showed much interest despite being Naruto-sama's best friends. As fuinjutsu was one field of ninja arts where they couldn't use their bloodline for an edge, it was no wonder. He couldn't imagine Itachi's little brother being any different.

Their discussion was cut short when a chuunin with scarred face called them over, informing that his students now were ready for their presentation. They reminded themselves for the thousandth times that, while these kids were Naruto-sama's age, they were brats. Not Naruto-sama.

Time to face the horde…

---

Ichiraku Ramen

Slurp

Slurp

Slurp

It was pretty therapeutic, thinking of nothing but inhaling noodles, scooping the savoury broth and taking small bites of ramen topping. Also forgetting the traumatic experience of the dysfunctional dynamic of Konoha's veteran shinobi.

"I wonder what it was that we saw in Hokage-sama's office?"

At least until Itachi opened his mouth, he had almost completely forgotten the last three minutes of their stay in the Hokage's office.

Shisui snarled at his cousin before gulping down the leftover soup on his bowl. "Could you please not remind me?! Itachi, you don't get the meaning of 'too much information' do you?"

Itachi tilted his head to the side in confusion; considering Naruto had enlightened him about the birds and the bees just few months ago, it was no wonder the Uchiha prodigy didn't get the implications of what Hakurei said.

"Itachi," Naruto began gently. It was at times like these that Naruto felt like he was the older one. "Don't think about it too much." Itachi tended to stress over everything, there was a reason why the Uchiha heir had aged prematurely. "Let's just say what happened in the office makes me wish the Yamanaka Clan offered brain bleach services to the shinobi population."

Shisui nodded vigorously in agreement.

Itachi nodded, and he didn't ask for further explanation. He trusted Naruto's judgment. "Oh, I see…"

"Still…" Shisui trailed off. "Too much info aside, I can't believe Hakurei waltzed in and made a circus out of the Konoha Elder Council."

Naruto nodded. "At least now I know why we have never seen the complete set of advisors plus Hakurei together." He turned them back to genin mental age.

"Hm…"

Naruto and Shisui glanced at Itachi who was sitting between them. While Naruto was still learning the intricacies of his sensor ability, he could perceive simple emotions from chakra— especially Itachi's as he was very familiar with it. The Uchiha heir was happy, excited even.

"Itachi?"

"We're an official team now." His tone held its usual impassivity but they could feel the underlying joy. "And since we're a team of chuunin, we will be sent to higher mission as part of the regular force."

I can't wait. They could almost hear the unspoken excitement.

They had been an unofficial team since they met, so why did being official mean so much for Itachi? Looking at the understanding smile on Shisui's lips and how he ruffled Itachi's hair fondly, much to Itachi's annoyance, Naruto guessed Shisui knew why.

"Alright, Itachi, we will be greatest team you ever had! Even better than the Sannin!" Shisui declared.

Naruto laughed at that. "The Sannin? Then we better start looking for another Hanzo to nickname us."

Shisui grinned. "Hm… Why don't we ask Ieyasu-sama instead, the next time we see him?"

"Hell no, he'll either give us a ridiculous name just to rile us up or something fire related. And I am not going to get myself infected by your pyromania anytime soon. Hahaha, no way…"

"There is nothing wrong with having an inner pyro! Don't you think watching things burn to a smouldering fire, leaving behind glowing embers that pulse with such inner light— isn't just the thought therapeutic?"

Naruto was not impressed at Shisui's attempt to phrase the Uchiha's love for fire poetically. Although lately, after spending so much time around Itachi and Shisui, not to mention fanning their flames with his wind, he had started to understand how burning things was… no nO NO! Don't go to the dark side, Uzumaki Naruto!

"By the way, Naruto…"

"Hm?" Naruto snapped his attention back to reality. "Yes?"

Itachi looked nervous, which was odd. Why he acted so awkward over team placements? "Is it alright to finish our paperwork, soon? By tomorrow, perhaps?"

Naruto nodded, as being a researcher was part of the seal master description, doing paperwork came to him easily unlike most action-oriented shinobi. "Sure… after what happened today, I don't think I will continue my research anytime soon." At least not this week. "If you and Shisui are busy, I will write for your parts, too."

"Really?!" Shisui cheered. "Yatta!"

"Shisui… Do your own paperwork sometimes, you can't always foist them on to Naruto or me."

Shisui pouted. "Eeeh… but it's troublesome."

Itachi shook his head exasperatedly. "Your generous offer aside, I asked because, with our official status, it would be fine if I invite you to dinner with my family."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes… my parents looks forward to see you." Since forever, his mother especially. "You're officially my teammate now, and it's a tradition for teammates from prominent clans to invite you to dinner together."

There was such a tradition?! Was this why Itachi so happy about the official status? That was just so…

"Best friend or not, if you put Uchiha together with 'adorable' I will give you nightmares! Of your parents procreating!"

Naruto shook his head frantically, confusing Itachi and Shisui. "Yes, of course! I will go!"

"Why you're shaking your head then?" Shisui asked.

He was still shaking his head. "Kurama."

"You do realize Kurama-san can't see you shaking your head, right?" Itachi pointed out.

Hokage's Office

"You are all my oldest friends and comrades!" Sarutobi Hiruzen hollered at them. "I've known you all since my childhood, and YET! Why can't you just sit and converse like civilized human beings when you're all in the same room?" It had been like this since Mito-sama passed away; a crack had formed in their friendship when the Nidaime had passed and had deteriorated even further after Kagami's and Sangetsu's deaths.

"Fine, fine…" Hakurei rolled his eyes.

After Sandaime threatened bodily harm, the argument and struggling stopped and the meeting was wisely continued with a new sitting arrangement. Sandaime was sitting beside Hakurei while his advisors took their seats on another side of his desk. It was not ideal but at least Hakurei the Troublemaker was not within immediate reach of their deft hands.

Danzo cleared his throat. "So. You came to save your young master from the trouble he dug for himself. You spoil that child rotten."

"Considering how you treat children, of course I look like spoiling Naruto-kun to you," Hakurei retorted smoothly.

They locked gaze with each other, narrowing murderously. "Don't start again," Hiruzen warned, gaze irritated.

Hakurei shrugged, breaking eye contact with Danzo in the same time. "Oh yea… So why did you call me again?"

Sandaime was not fooled by Hakurei's facade; he never forgot anything where Naruto was concerned. And for those same reasons, Hakurei never forgave and never forgot any slight against Naruto. "I am thinking of promoting him to Tokubetsu Jounin soon." Sandaime ignored the sharp intake of breathe from his teammates and Danzo. "So I want your opinion on whether his skill in fuinjutsu is at an appropriate level yet."

"Hiruzen, you—"

"Silence. I am talking to Hakurei. If you interrupt me again, the door is just right there, Koharu." The Hokage pointed at said door.

Hakurei didn't seem surprised, which confirmed Hiruzen's suspicion that the Shiomitsu wanted him to drop the metaphorical bomb on the others. "He passed the 5th Dan exam just last month and is well on his way to 6th Dan."

Traditionally, the skill level of a seal master was defined with Dan ranks, with Disciple as lowest and 9th Dan as highest rank. After a student passed the qualification exam marking the end of their foundation year, they would receive the rank of 1st Dan and, from thereon out, will move numerically upwards as they advanced. Each level was attained through an exam they could take on an unfixed timeline— unlike the Chuunin Exam— by presenting a complete fuinjutsu project that proved their credibility for next level.

Danzo scoffed. "Your Dan's mean nothing here and can you prove that you graded the jinchuuriki fairly?"

Hakurei narrowed his eyes, but he didn't rise to the bait. "If anything, his status as an Uzumaki sets our standards for him higher, not lower…"

"Danzo, if you wish to follow this discussion you will not speak out of turn." He was not in the mood for their squabbling. "So would you recommend promotion to Tokubetsu Jounin for Naruto-kun?"

The long haired seal master eyed the Hokage skeptically. "You were so dead set against promoting Naruto-kun because of his young age, why are you changing your mind now, Hiruzen?"

The Hokage sighed. "I am following your advice. The last time I ignored it…"

"Don't swim against whirlpool current, you will be sucked in."

He tapped his pipe against the rim of metal ashtray on his desk before he continued. "I learned from my mistake. Trying to hinder Naruto-kun once he had set his mind on something is an exercise in futility. I am not giving him special treatment… It's more logical and healthier for our old hearts to let Naruto-kun advance when he deserves it rather than giving him ideas to work around the limitation we set on him."

Homura eyed his long-time friend curiously. The kage looked tired. "I see… I suppose, bygiving the boy a higher rank with clearance for higher ranked missions we know he can complete with his new teammates, is a much better choice… Much better than hunting missing-nin."

The only saving grace of his reckless action was the boy went to his hunt prepared.

"I disagree…" Danzo drawled on. "His latest action is borderline treason, going behind his superior's back to make an alliance with a noble, no less."

Hakurei, while offended by the accusation, was more amused by the hypocrisy in Danzo's part. "Funny you said that…" He ignored Danzo's withering glare. "And the noble is our Daimyo's family. Last time I checked, they're not our enemy, are they? I believe we're under their employment."

Sandaime sighed. "What's done between Naruto-kun and the royal family is out of our hands, I just hope he and his clan… and all under the Uzumaki clan aren't going to regret this choice."

"Oh, we won't," Hakurei replied confidently. "If anything, it would do Konoha more good than bad— besides, we all know who is actually in power in the royal court, don't we?"

"…"

"…"

"…Is that assumption based on Tokugawa Ieyasu's fondness or Namikaze Muramasa?" Danzo inquired, his lone eye narrowed dangerously.

Hakurei just smirked. "You don't know him at all, do you? Believe me, if that man has taken a liking of my young master, pedigree is just fascinating trivia to him."

Tokugawa Ieyasu was infamous for valuing personal merit over bloodline. That was why, even though Takechiyo, their official daimyo, was a bumbling fool and indecisive, he had a group of competent advisors handpicked by Ieyasu with the shadow ruler himself as part of the group.

"We're just going to waste time if you want to discuss what Naruto-kun did in the Capital; there is nothing you can do about it, anyway. I get it, you're all upset. But, as Hiruzen said… you will get nowhere." He cleared his throat. "And without more distractions from the main topic, I disagree with the idea of promoting him so soon."

Silence…

Obviously, no one in the room expected Hakurei to not support the promotion of his young master.

"Does that mean his skill level in fuinjutsu is not adequate for the Tokubetsu Jounin rank?" Hiruzen asked coolly, assessing the objection calmly.

Hakurei snorted. "As if." Then he pulled out an orange scroll with a spiral pattern out of a sleeve pocket and unrolled it on the Hokage's desk. It was a storage seal with the kanji for paper on each circular formula written neatly across the scroll. "This," Hakurei stressed. "Is a scroll compiling all the research documents for Naruto-kun's sealing projects."

Sensing Danzo's interested gaze Hakurei added, "And no, I am not giving you any copies. NO." He snarled at Danzo.

They almost forgot the mama bear protectiveness of a sealing master over their research notes.

Hakurei cleared his throat. "Now, as I was saying, so far, there are ten finished and officially tested projects, five finished but untested, and over thirty works in progress."

Their eyes widened in shock; it was an unusually large number for someone who learned of seals less than three years.

"Three of the finished ten are already being mass produced to the public. Namely, the Godai no Juujika [Five Element Cross Seal], Senkou [Flash Seal], and the Gome Jimen [Sticky-Ground Seal]," he listed.

Of course, the Hokage and councilmen knew of the three seals. They were very popular with the shinobi population for their simplicity and ease-of-use. Although the Godai no Juujika deserved special mention for versatility, it had been banned from selling it to shinobi below Chuunin rank.

Looking at their amazed face Hakurei knew what the question of the year: 'How the hell did Naruto have the time to work on so many projects? Didn't that boy have other duties, too?!'

"He used at least ten Kage Bunshin on a daily basis: one for daily chores, five to research and the rest experimenting," Hakurei counted. "Naruto-kun himself alternates his schedule between researching, field experimentation, training, and missions."

Koharu gaped. "With that kind of abuse, the Kage Bunshin should have fried his brain from the memory overload!" That boy shouldn't have even learned Kage Bunshin yet! But considering who he hanged out with on a daily basis, it was no wonder.

Hakurei nodded. "He knocked himself out when he started this insane schedule, right on the first day… and you know me. As long as it doesn't kill anyone, I am the type who lets our kids touch fire so they know it hurts."

Koharu bristled, she had never agreed with the rough way Uzushio's refugees handling their children. Rough handling was fine, but not when it potentially gave the child a stroke. Never mind how resilient their kids tended to be, it was no excuse for half the things they did.

"Though… in Naruto-kun's case, rather than staying away from the fire after it burned him, he tried to find a way to touch the fire without getting hurt instead."

The Shiomitsu unsealed two stacks of research papers from the scroll, the first had neat writing Godai Juujika Fuin and under it was Naruto's name. The second scroll was far from neat, the binding was crooked, some of the papers were not the same size, and there was a smudge of ink on the cover. The paper was titled with the same style of writing but the author had obviously written it in a hurry with the title Kioku no Kiroku.

Memory Document…

The name was straightforward but sounded like a pun at the same time; they couldn't tell whether Naruto was serious or not when naming the seal.

"There are around ten or so fuinjutsu papers in the same condition…"

They could almost see metaphorical sparkle from the first in comparison to the shoddy-looking second paper. "Is it that the boy can't be bothered or does it depend on his mood?" Koharu wondered out loud.

Hakurei waved his hand in negative. "All the cluttered paper documented here are on seals for his personal use."

"What?"

"In short, seals he made out of urgent need like, for example, that pesky headache the memory transfer of Kage Bunshin caused," Hakurei elaborated. "The reason my young master is not brain dead yet is because he converted the chakra used to construct his clone to spiritual energy that made up the 'memory' part and stored it inside this seal. Then, when he is sleeping at night, he transfers the memory as 'dreams' so he can get the substantial information with minimum mental strain."

"…"

"…"

"…"

Danzo was trembling in anger, he kept his emotions under tight control most of the time but this was outrageous even for him. "Isn't that a high-ranked mind seal?! Imagine how useful that seal for espionage! And that boy kept it to himself for extra study hours and as a cure for his headaches?!"

Hakurei rolled his eyes. "That's what you get for limiting him to missions C-rank and below, and limited his pool of sparring partners." He sighed loudly. "Naruto-kun is very creative and imaginative but he is, more often than not, likely to set his mind on the problem at hand and not looking further…"

"That is self-contradicting," Homura pointed out.

"Basically, to Naruto-kun, this ingenious seal you think could be put to better a use than providing 'extra study hours' is just a solution for his headaches and mental exhaustion. No more, no less. Not because he is short sighted but because he has never been put in a situation where he could put it for better use."

In short, the limits they had placed on him had curbed his potential in fuinjutsu.

"Well, that and because Naruto-kun is rarely motivated for his own sake," the Shiomitsu added with a sigh. "So this seal that he made for himself was only developed as far as he deemed necessary and stopped there. I had to ask him to pile the scattered paper for this seal and I know some of it is missing and not in order. The binding is sloppy, and I am pretty sure the naming is the result of sleepiness." Because Naruto stayed late to find scattered papers and some pages smelt like a mix of citrus fruit and trash. "Or it's a lame pun Kagami's son suggested."

He was not sure which but he was leaning towards the latter.

"And I don't recommend using this seal for field use, because it's never been tested on someone else… Side effects that, perhaps prevented by his status. Naruto-kun didn't even bother to figure out the exact chakra consumption… and another dozens of untested variables…" Hakurei listed on in exasperated tone.

At this point, all of them were staring at him, wide-eyed. Obviously, it was not what they had expected from his young master.

"And is there any other seal like this… Kioku Kiroku?" Hiruzen winced, the name sounded like a tongue twister. Obviously, it was Shisui-kun's idea of joke.

Hakurei gave him deadpan look. "This one is one of the few worth mentioning… There is another seal that draws moisture from its surrounding environment—"

Didn't that sound like what their teacher, Senju Tobirama was famed for?!

"— used to save water consumption for his garden. And he uses it as an automatic sprinkler when he is on missions," Hakurei droned on. "And before you harp on how it sounds like imitating Tobirama-sama, the amount of water produced is only enough to water his plants because the range is poor and, when I suggest on developing the seal to Nidaime's level…" Hakurei trailed off in despairing tone.

"'Eh… why would I want to do that? Isn't it easier to just use a storage seal tailored for elemental techniques? We can just use Fuuka Houin as its base.'"

If there was a childish side left of his young master, this was it. He liked to find easier solutions rather than try the hard way when he could get away with it. "He made that in three days, reusing the same theory for the Godai Juujika." From the seal specifically made for Katon, to an all-element one. "Nowadays, he saves a river worth of water inside and carries it around as Itachi-kun's suiton water source."

That sounded like Naruto-kun alright, Sandaime couldn't help but thought.

"And there is—"

"Alright, I get your point!" The Hokage interjected in exasperated tone. "So what else?"

Hakurei beamed. "I am glad to hear that, I thought I'd have to get to how my young master modified an explosive seal to emit controlled heat as a dish dryer."

"What?! He uses what for what?!" The Hokage hollered.

Hakurei shifted his eyes to the side, maybe he shouldn't spill about that one. "Uhm, never mind."

"Tell him to remove it from his kitchen!"

"Really? I thought it was ingenious and hygienic." Hakurei sounded very impressed about it.

Sandaime was not impressed. "Forbid him from using fuinjutsu for mundane things! Seals are not for chores!"

The old seal master raised a white eyebrow. "You do realize we use seals to vanish dirt and dust in our Tower which is why we never use brooms, don't you?"

The Hokage glared at him, obviously the old kage didn't care that Hakurei had to sound like a hypocrite should he prevent his surrogate grandson from using dangerous seals for mundane applications.

Hakurei sighed. "Fine… and back on track, most of the unfinished projects here are on the stage of 'preliminary research' so it's just theory and brainstorming… He didn't have enough experience and knowledge to move the project to the next step." He inhaled deeply. "And this is why I object promoting Naruto-kun now…"

Koharu frowned. "Are you telling us that he has a tendency to leave his work unfinished?"

He shook his head. "As seal master he has flaws but doing things by half is not one of them… He just leaves it for later when he has enough resources to complete it. Inspiration for fuinjutsu doesn't come all the time, even for an Uzumaki..."

"Is that so?" Danzo sounded sceptical.

Hakurei glared at him. "Most of the time, seal masters makes designs for 'general' purposes, which is why the most common seal in public circulation is the storage seal and explosive tag." It was one of the most simple and basic designs, but beloved by shinobi population because it suited their purposes anytime.

"This is why that Godai Juujika Fuin of his, is favoured among our shinobi force… But as you can tell, in his second and third year, he didn't produce any seals suitable for mass production."

Danzo narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by that? Shouldn't he improve and design better seals? You make it sounds like he is declining."

Hakurei scoffed. "Of course he is improving… however his design objective change from his first year, or to be exact from designing seal that 'everyone' can use to the more specific target and function."

Sandaime narrowed his eyes, his expression thoughtful. His first year was when Naruto was recently offered apprenticeship to sealing division; he still lived outside of the Tower and, while he didn't interact with a large number of shinobi, he was not that out of touch with the general population. His first three seals were simple in design, and served to accommodate quicker execution of nature manipulation, trapping and capture, and distractions. Things everyone in their force could use.

And then in his second and third year… he was more isolated. Most of his mission fell into a similar category, and he didn't interact with anyone outside of his small circle of friends and comrades. Naruto was always motivated by his need for acknowledgement from people he cared about. The Sandaime didn't want to admit it but, if Naruto had previously craved acknowledgement from the whole village, he now only cared for selected people.

Which was why…

"I see…" His attention snapped to Danzo who had thoughtful look on his face. "You're telling us if we want more results from him, we should push his limit?"

Hakurei's left eye twitched. "Pretty sure that's not what I meant."

Danzo looked smug, and the Hokage was sure he wouldn't like whatever his rival was planning. "I believe it was recently decided that Itachi and Shisui will be transferred to Team Ro under Hatake Kakashi."

Hiruzen sighed, as usual Danzo had taken a peek at documents meant only for his eyes. "Yes… because there is no empty slot in ANBU teams after we lost Team To last year."

It was a great loss, and to lose the ANBU team inside their village to boot. Suddenly, he had a sinking feeling where this conversation was heading to, so he made up his mind and prayed to his late predecessors he was not making another mistake.

"So Hakurei… how is their teamwork? I know they are very close friends." Close enough to join Naruto going behind Hokage's back. "But teamwork is another matter entirely…"

Hakurei as if sensing impromptu tug of war for his young master pounced in. "Enough to impress Tokugawa Ieyasu." That was vague but something, the shadow ruler was not a man that easily impressed. "If you want… spare your time next week and come to our personal training ground, you will see something interesting."

His grin told them he knew something they didn't.

---

In another part of Konoha Village

"Gotcha!"

Shisui eyed the golden adamantine chain wrapped around his midsection. "You know, is there a need to restrain me when I am in the middle of executing a Shunshin? And why me? You let Itachi go." There was no interruption to Itachi's shunshin from Naruto, but he was caught by the blond for some reason.

Naruto pondered for a moment before answering. "Eh… yes. I needed to catch you for the first question and second, I need to ask you something. Something about Itachi so I let him to go home first so we can talk in private."

"Why didn't you just say so? Are you sure you don't just want to prove that you can catch Shunshin no Shisui with your chakra chain?" Shisui wiggled his eyebrow in amusement.

The jinchuuriki just grinned sheepishly. "It's more fun this way."

"My pride hurts," he pouted.

Naruto rolled his eyes, unimpressed. "You will be fine~" Before proceeding to drag Shisui towards the nearest training ground he knew was rarely used due to a wild boar infestation. As long as they stayed on high ground, the wild animals wouldn't interrupt them.

Shisui made himself comfortable on the high branches of one of the abnormally tall trees born of the Shodaime's chakra that were common in Konoha. "So… what about Itachi?"

"He seems a bit too happy over the 'official team' status we just got. Do you know why?" Naruto asked in his blunt fashion.

Shisui rolled his eyes. "Typical… straight to the point and painfully blunt. Then again, I am not some noble you need to dance with words with." He shrugged. "But you first, are you unhappy about it?"

Naruto sighed. "It's not about being happy or unhappy about it; we're already a team through and through. Official or not. However, with this, more people will know about us, and I don't want this arrangement to trouble you because you two are Uchiha and I am a jinchuuriki."

The Uchiha scoffed. "Glad to know you're concerned about us but to Itachi being a team… A team the Hokage and Konoha acknowledges, is important." He grinned. "As for why… Did you know that kids like you who graduated early usually get teamed up with older genin?" Naruto nodded. "Me, too, but I got lucky enough to be teamed with genin just one year older so it wasn't much of a gap."

Naruto cringed, he starting to get where this was going.

"Deru kugi wa utareru… A nail that sticks out will be hammered," Shisui quoted the old proverb in a sage tone.

He narrowed his eyes in displeasure. "If you excel, you are subject to criticism and envy…"

He recalled how older students in the Academy took pleasure in "putting him back in his place". Back then, he never won the spar but he held his head high and never showed himself as weak. No winner felt like they really won the fight when the opponent looked unbothered and ran his penalty lap like it was nothing.

"Not everyone is as lucky as you, Mr Already Part Of A Division," Shisui huffed. "Itachi and I were pretty relieved Hokage-sama didn't put you with older genin actually."

Naruto averted his eyes, recalling how he used the Hokage's fondness of him to get out of that. Obviously, Itachi and Shisui didn't get the same luxury. "I see… So he had a problem with his genin teammates or perhaps his jounin instructor?" He hazarded a guess.

Shisui nodded. "Itachi graduated at seven like you and was placed under Jounin Minazuki Yuuki with older graduates." He rubbed the back of his head, trying to recall Itachi's forgotten genin team. "The jounin and kunoichi of his team are decent people but the other guy, however…"

"Typical… there was a bully picking on Itachi because he was younger and more talented?" No matter what generation, there was always a bully who thought they could pick on younger shinobi just because they could.

"I think his name was Tenma…" Shisui nodded to himself, confident that he didn't get the name wrong. "Itachi had ignored him since they were in the Academy. I caught the guy demanding Itachi to apologise for his success and for being an Uchiha." And then he chased the jerk away for being a jerk, because Itachi wouldn't resort to violence even if the brat deserved it.

Naruto snickered. "And that incident didn't go on their report card, I suppose. And whose brilliant idea was it, to put that boy in the same team as Itachi?"

"Saa…" The shunshin expert shrugged. "But you know Itachi, he treated the jerk civilly and didn't let the poor team dynamic hinder his career… Itachi's accomplishments even earned Team 2 the honour of guarding the our official Daimyo on his annual trip to Konoha as the best genin team of the year."

The blond tilted his head to the side; it didn't escape him that what earned them the honour was Itachi's accomplishment not the team's. "There is something like the "best genin team of the year?"" If there is, he wouldn't know because he was never a part of genin team and never will be.

"The team who was awarded that title is given the symbolic honour to guard the Daimyo." How that was an honour or reward, Shisui didn't know. Guarding pompous nobles was not fun, especially if Naruto was not around to distract them from complaining about everything.

"I guess that our Daimyo is actually protected by the Anbu and Twelve guardians from the shadows in that mission?" Who was insane enough to trust a genin team to guard their lord on their own, anyway?

Shisui nodded. "Yep… The keyword is symbolic honour."

Naruto nodded sagely. "So… how is this mission relevant to my question? Did this kid get killed in this mission?" At Shisui's shocked look, Naruto added. "You used past tense. Obviously, this Tenma is no longer in the world of the living."

Shisui sighed. "There was an ambush and… he rushed towards an unknown enemy."

He cringed, that was one sad way to die. Any shinobi that had enough guts to go after a Daimyo would be at least jounin level, and this genin rushed to attack a jounin on assassination mission? Sure, there were situations where you had to go against superior opponents, but charging ahead without planning when you had a jounin instructor with you was foolish. There was being reckless and there was suicidal.

"So this honorary mission went downhill… Itachi went home short one teammate, and his other teammate quit the shinobi program soon afterwards, too." Shisui looked pained. "Because with one dead teammate and she, herself, hopeless to catch up to Itachi's level…"

Itachi's former teammate most likely had no ill intentions. She was being considerate, ensuring that she doesn't hinder Itachi's progress. Still… for the nine-year-old Itachi, to be left alone by his first teammates…

"That's not the end of the story, I suppose?" He hazarded a guess at Shisui's scowling face, no doubt the Uchiha was still recalling yet another unpleasant page of Itachi's life.

Shisui nodded. "I blamed Fugaku-ji for giving in to the clan's demand to push Itachi to advance quicker… Itachi was just getting to know his replacement teammates back then and then someone higher up thinks it's a brilliant idea to give Itachi a pass to take to Chuunin Exam solo in the following year." Itachi hadn't known and Fugaku-ji had accepted it on his behalf. Shisui was appalled that Itachi's father had let Itachi go alone.

"Solo?!" Naruto's eyes widened at that, how was such thing allowed in Konoha? "He had teammates! Why did he have to take that exam alone?!" Not to mention, back then, his new teammates had time to improve; most genin teams waited one year to be recommended for the Chuunin Exam. "Politics…" Naruto growled the answer out. "Danzo again, most likely?"

"Yep, at the rate that one-eyed cripple is going, I think we can blame almost everything on him."

Naruto snorted at that. "Close enough."

Shisui cleared his throat. "So, Naruto, for you and me, the status as an 'official team' doesn't really matter, but to Itachi— it's important to him, because it's reduces the likelihood that we will be separated… because we're his equals. He doesn't have to be worried that you or I will be left behind or leave him…"

He didn't want to lose us, that was what Shisui wanted to convey.

Naruto was stunned, so there was a part of Itachi he didn't understand yet. 'To Itachi… this team is important.' Like a road sign that pointed to a path they would walk together as shinobi.

"Alright, I get it," he sighed, raising his hands in surrender.

"Heh?"

Naruto rubbed his temple. "I mean… Let's be an official team. We will deal with the repercussions later." As long as Itachi was happy with it.

Shisui cheered. "Yay! You're the best! This is why you're my favourite brat!"

"Call me a brat again and I will throw you into that river near the Uchiha compound— it would be an ironic death considering your name…" Naruto threatened.

Shisui cooed. "Aww~ I know you love me."

"Hahaha... Sorry, I am engaged and not swinging that way," Naruto retorted.

"Why do I have a feeling that you will use your committed status for jokes from now on?"

"What makes you think so?"

---

Uchiha Compound (Main Family's House)

Itachi had been staring at nothing in particular and Sasuke was pretty sure now his brother was spacing out. This was unusual. "Nii-san?"

"I have a feeling that I've been left out of something."

"Huh?" Nii-san was so weird today, weirder than usual.

"Unfair." Then he poked Sasuke's forehead before the younger Uchiha could react.

Sasuke protested, "Nii-san!"

Only to receive another forehead poke he was sure he didn't deserve.

---

We all know AN is mostly ignored... so here is a long one you SHOULD read if you have questions on your head after reading this chapter:

This chapter basically closing the ARC of moving forward, in which Naruto and his team gets around limitation placed on them to gain support from outside... Now we can focus again back to Konoha.
After the last few chapters I feel I emphasize more on their 'mature' side so in this chapter after one job done and well over their expectation they allow themselves to relax a little and shows slightly childish side.

In this chapter I also reveal Naruto's weakness, or emphasize them in some part of this chapter. First, Naruto has a hard time controlling his emotion around Danzou. While Naruto is not the most prideful character in this story, and he can set it aside when situation calls for it when he is set face to face with Danzou the war hawk just naturally set him on edge. Naruto won't admit it but he is VERY bitter about what happened with Root children Danzou set on him.

As Danzou said, Hakurei arrived just in time before Naruto make a mistake.

As for his Fuuinjutsu, well the irony is that Naruto didn't notice he is getting 'selfish' which shown almost blatantly on his latest work of fuuinjutsu. In his first year he makes something 'everyone' can use, but he is getting more 'specific' on who he wants his seal for. He is isolated from majority of Konoha population so he is becoming ignorant of what everyone need.

Mention of Kakashi here is basically outlining what Naruto thinks of peoples with close relation to his parents he never ever met.

Kakashi... Jiraiya... Tsunade (maybe) ... I am looking at them to be specific.

I know a lot of fanfic blames them for not being there and everything. In this story... as Naruto said he is not expecting them -whoever they are to his parents- to be there for him. He knows them from memory and their reputation but he has nonexistent emotional ties to them. Sandaime who is close to him is not helping with how distant the Hokage is to him sometimes. I don't know how it goes in canon manga, but in anime flashback... when he denies Naruto's request to know 'something' about his parents. He is very cold... sadly Naruto don't have a high standard for people he hold dear which explain why he is so quickly attached to team 7 in canon.

I show some background on Itachi in this chapter, based on novel Itachi's shinden. I modify a number of things to fit the plot. I just think I need to show Itachi's different side.

This also starting a new ARC... in my head the next one is going to be roller coaster of feeling or something. ALSO... enter Rookie 9 (minus Naruto)