Chapter 29: Chapter 29
Chakra control was hard, but Naruto had managed to get a grasp of it. He wasn't a master at it. Tsunade pointed that out. He couldn't be when his chakra was so big. He would learn to master chakra control. Athena could easily control her chakra and he knew she had massive chakra reserves as well. If she could do it, surely he could with enough practice. With hard work and determination anything could be achieved. So he would practice everyday. He could easily walk on trees and water. What he could not do, for the life of him, was heal a fish. Tsunade had told him that medical ninjutsu required a higher level of control. When he had asked how long it had taken Athena to heal the fish he received two days as an answer. Athena had practically perfect chakra control even as a five year old. Naruto knew he would not be capable of healing the fish in two days. He would try to reach that milestone as soon as he could though.
Tsunade had given him a giant book to read. He did read it, but it took him three weeks to finish it. He would spend most of his day reading and go to bed early in the morning. Even asleep he was training. His mother was still teaching him sealing techniques and some of her jutsu. She had told him that she would teach him how to manifest chakra chains soon. He looked forward to that lesson. The chains were the Uzumaki clan's ultimate jutsu. He wondered if Athena could learn it too. He did know that the Uzumaki clan is the only one to use the chains, but it was not a kekkei genkai. It's a hidden or secret technique.
Secret techniques are passed down from generation to generation in certain regions or clans.The groups who possess these techniques are usually extremely secretive about them in order to ensure that no one other than the members of the group or clan learns them. As such, they are passed down through oral means instead of being written down or recorded. A few hiden techniques require a special ability or lineage and as such are usually the pride and fame of the clan that possesses them.
In other words, someone outside the clan could learn the technique if they somehow had the required special ability. Someone would need to inform them of how to use the technique.
Naruto was told that Kushina also trained Athena, so he knew she could tell her if she wanted to. He knew Athena would be able to learn it. She's very talented and she does have Uzumaki blood in her veins.
A hand on his head snapped the blonde out of his thoughts. She looked up to find a curious Shizune. He had been staring at the same page of his book for over twenty minutes.
"Are you alright, Naruto? "
The boy nodded and flipped the page of his book. He was rereading The Tails Of A Gutsy Ninja. He had read it an uncountable amount of time already. He really loved the book and wished to read Jiraiya's new novel whenever it was released. But he was always told that it was not kid friendly.
Stupid Pervysage.
"I thought for sure you would be off on your own practicing " Tsunade suddenly appeared in the room that was assigned to him. She was used to Athena leaving without a word. She somehow expected the same from the boy.
"I was going to, but then I got into my book" Naruto motioned to the book he was reading.
"Isn't that Jiraiya's book? "
Naruto nodded. "The tail of a gutsy ninja"
"Ah, you were named after the main character " Tsunade read a couple of sentences of the current page. She never took the time to read Jiraiya's book, so she couldn't understand why Minato and Kushina would name the boy after the main character. When she first heard of the decision she thought they were joking. Apparently they were not.
"Have you read it? It's really cool"
"No I haven't. I don't really have an interest in it"
"Oh. Well that's fine. Everyone likes different things" Naruto shrugged and flipped another page.
"What type of books do you like to read, Naruto? "Tsunade was curious. Shizune also raised an eyebrow in interest from her place by the door. She never took the boy for the book loving kind.
"I can read anything. Mom had pointed out a bunch of books for me to check out. I learned a lot about the five nations from them. I also learned about the different clans. Kekei genkai. Dojutsu. Hiden techniques and so much more. " Naruto was very proud of everything he had read. "Athena knows a lot and I want to know a lot too, so I read "
Tsunade smiled and patted the boy on the head. He really looked up to Athena. That much was obvious. It must be why he was insistent about learning medical ninjutsu. If Athena could do it, he could do it as well. That must be his mindset when it came to training. Tsunade did not plan on teaching the boy medical ninjutsu. It could be deadly in his hands. If the fox's chakra were to be mixed into his own during the healing process he could kill someone. The fox's chakra is poisonous to others.
That's why she made the boy practice his control. He would need to know how to cleanse his chakra and that required high level control. It would take him some time no doubt, but he was determined. She believed he could do it.
"How about I help you with your control today? "Tsunade suggested to the boy.
Naruto's book was shut almost immediately and the boy was at the door within seconds.
"You don't even need to ask"
~~~~~~~
Half a year into her training with her father and Athena found herself in the familiar cloudy space. She expected to meet Kushina, as she usually did. Instead she found no one. She was confused at first, but then she remembered that Minato would have to take over at some point. Kushina had told her he would appear when he felt the time was right.
Was it that time already?
Apparently it was. For suddenly Minato was in front of her with a soft smile. The man looked very calm as he waved at the similarly calm Athena. That was all that was done. None of the two said a thing. They just stared at each other for an amount of time.
"Naruto looks a lot like you"
"You look a lot like lady Tsunade"
After that there was silence again. It was not awkward. The two were just observing each other . The two were somewhat similar in personality. The two were perceptive and collected. They were also shrewd people, they didn't tend to do something without a reason.
"So" Minato started as he met the eyes of the calculating Athena.
"So" she repeated and continued to stare.
"I'm supposed to train you"
"I'm aware"
Minato hummed and placed himself in a seated position. He seemed in thought.
"What will you be teaching me? "Athena asked as she sat down as well.
"Well, you've already learned and mastered the rasengan. I'll be teaching you every one of my sensory abilities. I'll also teach you to completely rid yourself of hand seals"
"Without them there would be no wasted time in battle" Athena said with a smile. She liked how Minato thought. As much as she found the hand seals to be pretty cool she had to admit that it did take time. It didn't matter if that time was only seconds. A lot can happen in seconds.
Athena had quickly tilted her head away when Minato aimed something unkown at her. It was impossibly fast. Athena raised an eyebrow at the smiling Minato.
"You're impressively fast. With my space-time jutsu you would be undetectable " he revealed with a smile. He was impressed with the child. He had been dormant within her for some time and was recently conscious of the things she did. He noted how fast and deadly silent the child was. She was already undetectable by those unaware. With his jutsu even S-rank ninja would not be aware of her presence. There was so much she could teach her. So much he could teach his son. He was aware of the bond they had formed. They got along perfectly and undergo the same training. If they worked together they would be a powerful duo. Now, if both possessed his techniques they would be feared.
That brought a smile to his face.
"Did Kushina teach you how to make my Flying Thunder God seal? I have a feeling she did"
Athena nodded in confirmation. The day she was taught the seal was the day she was informed of her future training with the late Hokage.
"Good. I'll be teaching you that as well. You learn fast. You'll have it under your belt in no time at all"
Athena nodded with a smile. Minato really believed in her. They had just met, but he had been with her for a long time.
"When do we start? "
~~~~~
Naruto blinked when he woke up to the familiar cloudy space. It was the same. Vacant and never changing. The one difference was the fact that his mother was nowhere to be found. Usually she would be waiting on him with a loving smile. They would talk about his day and the Ramen ideas he had. They would laugh. Kushina would tell stories of her past. And at some point they would train.
Where was his mother?
"Naruto"
He jumped at the new voice and turned to face the owner. He was met with a familiar face. Blue eyes stared at him kindly. Lovingly.
The fourth Hokage was standing in front of him. The fourth Hokage. His father.
He suddenly remembered his mother telling him that he would also be trained by his father at some point. It hadn't been something he thought about often. He was enjoying his mother's company too much.
"Dad? "
Minato only smiled with a nod. Naruto didn't need him to confirm it. He looked a lot like his father he could see it. He had his blue eyes. His blonde hair. He would grow out his bangs like that when he got older. It was cool.
Naruto had tackled his father in a tight hug. He buried his face in his shirt and sighed. He finally met his father. He wanted to cry, but he didn't. There was no need to cry. He was happy. He met his mother. He got to know her. She taught him so much. She told him awesome stories. She loved to talk about his father and now he was meeting him. He would get to know him. He would learn from him. He could tell him stories as well.
"You're very strong " Minato patted the boy on his head. "You have a lot to tell me, don't you? "
Naruto nodded frantically with his signature happy grin.
"Yeah. There's so much. I have lots of questions. What are you going to teach me? Can I be as fast as you? Do you think I'll make a good Hokage? Have you met Athena? Are you training her too? I wanna tell you about this book I like to read, but I think you already read it. I have lots of stories about training under the pervy sage. There is so much, ya know? "
Minato chuckled. Naruto definitely had Kushina's personality. "Yeah, I know. Where do we start? We have all night "
Naruto grinned and fell into a seated position. Minato did the same. And just like that Naruto pulled his father into a long conversation about most of his life until he caught up to recent events.
"You know, I really think Athena likes this friend of hers, but maybe she doesn't know or doesn't want to have the feelings or she refuses to admit them, she's weird like that, ya know? "
Minato nodded. "I know. Kushina was like that at first. A real tsundere that one"
~~~~~
Athena was quiet after Minato had revealed some interesting information to her. There was something he planned on doing and Athena did not know he could do such a thing. At least not the version of him she was faced with. Wasn't he just a manifestation of his chakra?
She had asked that.
"It's a bit more intricate than that" Minato had answered. "I had altered a couple of seals and improvised to pull off my ultimate plan" he explained
Athena was quiet and attentive.
"You see, if Kushina and I were just manifestations of chakra we would not be capable of remaining present for long periods of time. It wouldn't last but I wanted it to. I wanted you and Naruto to meet us. We wanted to teach you. Guide you. To actually be there even though we couldn't. And so, I quickly came up with something that would work in theory, so I took a chance "
Athena nodded.
"I managed to seal our chakra within the two of you in the same fashion one would seal a tailed beast. It wasn't the exact same, but it was very close. The necklace you wear is one of the things holding up my magic trick. It contains our chakra and acts as a sort of rock binding us"
Athena nodded again. Interesting. "I see, so because of that you have more freedom"
"Exactly "
"And you really plan on doing such a thing? "
"Yes, you're strong enough. I do not need it. It would benefit you"
"I'm strong enough as it is"
"Yes, but you are the one who would control the beasts, if I'm correct "
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