Chapter Four.
Tsunade escorted Hinata back home, and explained what had happened to her surprised father. She kept the part about Kurenai and Asuma being Naruto's bodyguards. She also left out Hinata's love confession.
"You were willing to put yourself in danger for someone you care about, and you stood up for him against irrational hatred. I have to confess I'm impressed Hinata," Hiashi stated with slight smile on his face. Hinata eyes lit up and she gave her dad a a very grateful look.
"Hinata told me that her elders told her stay away from Naruto. I thought you'd …"
"Be the same? You thought wrong Tsuande-sama. I know Jinchurikki aren't the monsters they contain. To be honest, I rarely think about young Naruto, I'm too busy with clan matters. Some of my clan said that associating with "the demon", my daughter was tainting the Hyuga. I always said that it was her hesitation and lack of confidence that was doing that. Who Hinata wants to be friends is none of my business. Making her worthy of being an heiress is."
Tsunade was happy that Hiashi Hyuga didn't stigmatize her boy, but was more than a little irritated that he demeaned his own child.
"In that case, perhaps I can be of help. As one of the Sanin, I'm sure I can make her a more assertive young woman, and skilled shinobi," Tsunade offered.
"I'm sure you can," Hiashi nodded. Then, turning to his daughter, Hiashi said, "I think you'd make a good bodyguard for Naruto, along with the others. What do you say?"
The eight year-old girl nodded enthusiastically.
/
"Hey Naruto!" three familiar voices said from outside Naruto's bedroom. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy to see Sasuke, Ino, and Sakura standing there.
"What are you guys doing…?" Naruto started to ask before Ino cut him off.
"To let you know were not like those leaf idiots, and that we won't tell anyone."
"Also, we've got your back," Sakura added.
"If you run into any trouble, from the villagers or anyone else, let us know. Got it dobe?" Sasuke finished.
Naruto was too stunned by their understanding and kindness to get angry at Sasuke's insult. He just nodded and said, "O-Okay."
The three of them had been told by Shizune that Naruto was back at the Hokage residence, safe and sound. After thinking it over a bit, they decided to visit him tonight. It was 11:00 now.
"Sweet dreams Naruto," Sakura said as she walked away; the other two just waved goodbye.
/
Naruto laid on the sofa, while his slug sage benefactor stood over him making hand signs.
"This is going to hurt Naruto," the Senju mistress warned him. He nodded, and then yelled as she slammed her fingers into his bared stomach. Her fingers glowed yellow as did the Kyubbi seal. When the glow faded so did the spiraled eight-trigram seal. Uzumaki stopped yelling and passed out. Tsunade picked him up and brought him to a clearing with a small river next to it. Her apprentice had gone ahead of them. Naruto woke up by the time they got there.
"Today were going to do some chakra control excercises."
"What type of excercises Tsunade-sensei?"
She picked up a leaf and put it to her forehead. It stayed there.
"By focusing my chakra, I can make this leaf stay on my head. And," she paused jumping onto the water causing vibrations but not splashing or sinking.
"I can also walk on water by focusing Chakra to my feet. I want you to try, and to keep on top of the water and the leaf on your head while we spar. Okay?"
"Got it Tsunade-san!" Naruto said as he focused his chakra carefully. He picked up a leaf and started walking toward the water. The Jinchurikki stuck one foot on the water and the leaf on his head. When it didn't fall off and his sandal didn't sink, he congratulated himself silently but stayed focus. He calmly stuck his other foot on the water, then took a few steps on the top of the river."
"Great job kid!" Tsunade said. Then she smirked, cracked her knuckles, and said, "Now lets see if you can keep your balance."
/
When Naruto walked into class, he was wearing a jungle camoflauge short-sleeved shirt and matching shorts.
"What's with the new outfit Naruto?" Chouji asked.
"I was doing Chakra exercises, specifically walking on water and keeping a leaf on my head. I had to do them while sparring with Tsunade, which wasn't easy. I fell in a dozen times," Naruto explained
"You should keep wearing them. Your regular clothes are a massive turn off," Sasuke opined.
"Shut up Teme!" the whiskered boy responded.
"That must be why you have so few bruises," Shikamaru cut in.
"Hey Naruto, did you and Sasuke, Sakura, and Ino find out why you were hated," Kiba asked. Naruto answered in the affirmative.
"So? What is it?" Choji asked.
"Yeah Naruto, tell us," Shikamaru added. One by one the other students said the same.
"I'm not sure that I should," Naruto said looking down. Ino and Sakura came up grasp his shoulder, while Sasuke sympathetically said. "That would probably be for the best."
This exchange only increased the inquisitive interest of the class in their whiskered classmate.
"I've been thinking about starting my own village or clan. I'd call it Taiyogakure no Sato."
"Hidden Sun Village? Cool name! " Sakura said.
"I made this flag too!" Uzumaki exclaimed. He took out a scroll and unrolled it to reveal a red spot surrounded by red lines. Everyone crowded around him to see it.
"What about your dream Naruto?" a red-haired boy asked.
"Asuma-sensei told me that everyone didn't respect the Old man, which means if became Hokage, they wouldn't automatically like me. He also said that I shouldn't try to gain the respect of people who despise me for no reason, and should protect those who don't. He's the one suggested me creating a clan or founding a village."
Naruto suddenly felt like he was being watched, by someone other than the Yuhi female and Sarutobi man. Later that afternoon, when Uzumaki was heading home, he heard a voice coming from an alleyway.
"Naruto, I've been waiting for you."
"Who and where are you?"
Out of nowhere, a man with pure white skin, snake like eyes and long black hair materialized in front of him. With a sinister smile he said, "I'm Orcohimaru."
The snake pulled his hands from behind his back an unconscious Kurenai and Asuma. Naruto was terrified, knowing how strong they were and yet his bodyguards were defeated by this strange man.
"Don't worry boy, they're just taking a nap."
/
Tsunade was out getting herbs while Shizune was making a house call. A woman's cry got hers and everybody else's attention.
"AAHH ! Orochimaru!"
The medical nin's heart nearly stopped when she heard that name. Then her shock turned to rage as she remembered her hated former teammate. The woman rushed outside to see Orochimaru holding Naruto, who was as out cold, by the head.
"One of my spies informed me that you'd taken the nine-tails Jinchurikki under your wing. And that he'd left the village."
"What do you want Orochimaru?!" Tsunade asked forcefully and venomously.
"I want to test you," the snake sannin said simply, before biting his thumb.
As soon as blood was visible, Tsunade begin to shake. Then she audibly gasped as the dirty snake stabbed his kusanagi sword through Naruto's stomach.
"I wonder if you'll be able to get over your fear of blood and save him before he bleeds to death."
With those words, Orochimaru let Naruto drop to the ground where his caretaker quickly caught him. The murderous former resident of konoha then vanished from sight. Seeing him immediately reminded her of her dead fiancee, Dan, whose blood loss she failed to halt, and her little brother, who she couldn't prevent from running into a bomb trap. The Senju mistress got a determined look on her face. 'I may not have been able to save them but I'm sure as hell going to save you kid so don't you dare die on me!' Tsunade thought before placing him on the ground and ripping his shirt open. Green chakra appeared in her hands, and she placed it on the wound. The diagnostic jutsu showed that the sword impaled his stomach, and nicked his lungs, heart, and spleen. With one hand she begin to heal the cuts to stop the internal bleeding, and with the other she healed the stomach.
"Damn it, stop shaking!" the blonde medic said silently. Despite being afraid she didn't let this keep her from saving Uzumaki's life. At the same time took a lot of energy and a lot of her focus. She sighed in relief when she managed to stop the internal and external loss of blood, knowing it was that, and not the injury itself was what resulted in most victims's deaths. Soon the damage done to the organs was also repaired. As if on cue, Naruto woke up, and weakly asked, "Tsunade?"
"Yes it's me. I'm here."
"Who was that guy, Other than his name I mean?"
"Orochimaru was one of the sanin or three legendary Ninja. Me and Jiraiya who used to be teammates with him, were also given a name by an Amegakure (the village hidden in the rain) ninja named Hanzo during the second Second Shinobi World War. We were the only Leaf Shinobi to survive his attacks. He let us live, in exchange for us using that name whenever we fought together. Then we found out he was doing inhumane experiments on Leaf citizens. He fled before we could detain him."
Naruto nodded his head in understanding and then said, "Thank you for saving me."
Tsunade ruffled his hair and said, "Don't mention it. Let's get you home so I can go chase that rotten reptile."
"Oh, I almost forgot! Kurenai and Asuma Sensei…"
"Were attacked by him. I figured that. Do you know how badly they were hurt."
"He said they were just sleeping, and I couldn't see any physical external injuries."
"I'll call other medical shinobi to help them out."
The whole time, the other leaf inhabitants had watched from their hiding places. No one made a peep. Senju picked up Uzumaki bridal style and shunshined away.
Later on, just as soon as the granddaughter of the first Hokage came up to the Hokage residence, seven white-robed medics stood outside the building waiting for her.
"We got wind of what happened my lady. The Medical corps are looking for Mr. Sarutobi and Ms. Yuhi we speak."
"Glad to hear it."
Before Tsunade could say more, a familiar woman shouted her name and came running up.
"Tsunade-Sama! I heard that bastard Orochimaru hurt Naruto-kun! Is he all right?! Are you?!" Shizune asked in an alarmed tone.
"Yes and yes. I healed him in spite of my fear. He's asleep now."
Her apprentice sighed in relief, then said in a hateful tone, "Please tell me we're going after that wretch.!"
"Your damn right we are!"
End of Chapter.